Time to take a Breather...

The hunger she had felt until then had lost its nagging tooth, but she decided anyway to settle for one of the taverns she had seen in the beginning of her tour and that seemed to be most popular measured by how many people tried to fit in it. It was called „The Talking Toad"and the sign hanging above the entrance showed a quirky toad in some kind of dance with its maw wide open, as if it was in the middle of an argument. What an odd choice for a tavern sign, Lily thought absently. But the tavern seemed to live up to its name as it was by far the loudest part of the street. Usually, Lily would have gone for a more reclusive one but the smells coming from this particular tavern were overwhelmingly good and the cheerful chatter its guests produced had a soothing effect on her. A place couldn't be so bad if its visitors were that lighthearted, she concluded and stepped inside. The air was short on oxygen and thick with the smell of warm bread and stew that she had already got whiffs of all over town. The taproom was crowded so she went straight to the counter to get her orders out. She took a glance at the menu that someone had burned into the wood at the far end of the room. As if to prove that this was all that one could get here and nothing else. Ever. Apparently, the specialty of this kitchen were frog legs in various forms: There were fried legs, baked legs, stewed legs, raw legs, powdered legs - whatever that's supposed to be -, grilled legs, burned legs… She found that rather ironic and didn't read any further because she had no intention to eat any kind meat, let alone frog legs, anyway.

„Half a loaf and a bowl of stew!", she shouted at the small man working behind the counter. Then, as an afterthought, she added: „But spare me any meaty parts if you would."

For a second, she doubted that he had even heard her over the blabber of the other guests, despite her raising her voice. But then he turned towards her and stared at her for an uncomfortably long moment. Finally, he turned towards the kitchen and shouted: „Half a loaf and a bowl of stew for the young lady! No meat though."

Lily was little bit surprised why he had added such a seemingly unnecessary information, for the cooks couldn't care less who they were preparing the orders for, could they?

But in the end, it didn't really make a difference. Maybe that was just the way people did things here, she thought vaguely, mulled by the warmth and smells surrounding her. Suddenly she remembered how heavy and sore her feet were and she craved for a bed and bath. Maybe in a different order - but maybe not. So, when her ordered food arrived at the counter, she didn't bother to find a suitable seat to eat, she just leaned against the counter and dunked the hot, soft bread into the creamy, spicy stew. Then she shortly checked whether or not they had indeed left out any kind of meat. When she found that that was the case, she took a hearty bite out of the stew-dipped piece of bread. It was incredible. It was even more delicious than she had imagined it! The fresh bread melted in her mouth and left a warm, satisfying lump in her stomach. She ate her fill and when all her bread was eaten and the bowl was scraped clean, she felt the fatigue of the past days swapping over her like iron waves. No… Like a big, heavy blanket…, she thought.

She pulled herself together one more time and shouted towards the bartender. „You have any free rooms under that roof of yours?", she asked, only barely noticing the slur in her voice that made her sound drunk. But if anything, she was drunk on fatigue, and on soft, melting bread…

The barkeeper nodded and handed her a key. „That be two dimes a night. Four nickels for the meal you just had. Do you wish for breakfast?", he asked surprisingly polite.

„Yes", she replied sluggishly. „I'd like that."

„Alright", the bartender nodded again. „Then that would be…"

„I'd like a bath, too", she interrupted him. „Private."

He frowned for a second but then bowed his head obediently. „But of course, Miss", he muttered and handed her a different key. „That will be…"

„It's fine", she said. „Just gimme the bill tomorrow, will ya?" She didn't wait for him to answer, but turned away and made her way through the tightly packed bodies towards the stairs that would lead to the rooms upstairs.

She took a while to find the room number fitting the one printed on the key, but when she did, she stumbled into the room, closed the door behind her and double locked it. Then she lighted a few candles to have a look around, before finally collapsing onto the soft padding that passed for a bed.

The room wasn't luxurious, but clean and tidy. It had a wardrobe and a desk. Next to the bed she spied a door that must be leading to the bathroom she had requested. But she decided that she could make use of that in the morning as well. For now… She wrapped the blanket tightly around herself and closed her eyes. For a moment, just before sweet sleep overwhelmed her, she had the distinct feeling that she had forgotten about something… But never mind… She could surely take care of it the next morning… And with that, Lily slipped into a deep sleep.

***

The next time Lily opened her eyes she found herself in a fairly familiar market square.

It was a quiet night. A chilly breeze blew through the alleyways to either side of her and gave her goosebumps. Her hair was as white as freshly fallen snow and swayed softly in the wind.

When she lifted her head, she saw that white clouds drifted overhead, veiling, and revealing blinking stars and the tranquil crescent moon as they came and went into her field of vision.

When she lowered her gaze again, however, the sight was anything but peaceful. The formerly empty square was suddenly pave with lifeless bodies, their fogged eyes staring into empty air. But just as she noticed it, the countless pairs of eyes turned towards her and fixated her.

One woman, however, was still alive. She grabbed Lily's leg and screamed at her. But before Lily could utter anything, the woman's eyes grew foggy, as well, and her whole body collapsed onto the ground.

She had another look around at all these lifeless bodies. Suddenly, they all began to bleed at the same time. A river of blood was rushing towards her, flowing around her ankles, tugging on her legs, sullying her dress.

First she tried to withstand the current that grew and grew in intensity. She had no time to think about it any further. Not too far away, she heard the hounds of his lordship and their handlers bark. Some curses, too.

She had to get away before they arrived. She couldn't be found with a pile of corpses. Otherwise, what would they think had happened here? But before she could run, a wave of blood washed over her, pushing her, seizing her, and finally sweeping her away. She went under.

Her heart was pounding in her ears as the barks grew louder and louder still. No matter how fast the current carried her away, the distance between her and the noises didn't shrink.

They'll get me!, she thought and wanted to cry. Help!

And just as she finished the thought, the clamor behind her stopped. The river of blood drained away and spat her out onto drenched soil. Suddenly a deadly silence stretched out. The world around her grew darker and darker until, in the end, it disappeared altogether and only the darkness remained. Lily gasped. She was out of breath, but oddly enough, not stressed anymore. The quiet was good, and the darkness as well.

She closed her eyes to take in the peace and once again forgot the horrors of the past.

***

Lily slept late that morning. When she awoke, the sun was already up and filling her room with diffuse light. She sat up slowly and stretched the arms over her head. Then she rubbed her eyes sleepily.

„Had a good night's sleep?", a familiar voice asked.

What…, she thought confused. She opened her eyes and saw that Ryon was sitting at her feet. He had an opened book in his lap and a writing feather in his right hand. She remembered that she had seen this book before. Not long ago, on their first morning. She wondered what it was he was writing all the time. Reports, perhaps?

„Are you ignoring me now?", Ryon asked.

„I'm sorry… What?", Lily asked, still not fully awake.

Ryon snorted. Despite the grin, she could feel that he was upset.

„Well, I'm sorry I missed your call last night. I was kinda busy keeping out of people's sight", he continued with a pressed voice.

It took a while for her to grasp the meaning of all this, then it came to her. „O gosh, I'm so sorry. I totally forgot to call you… How did you find me anyway?", she asked guiltily.

„Well, it took me all night, alright? I had to search all over town, have a look into every bedroom… Until I found you happily snoring in this one here."

She was sure, that he was exaggerating, especially about the snoring… but she didn't call him out for that. Instead she looked at him in submission und mumbled again: „I'm sorry, Ryon."

He seemed to enjoy his morally superior position because she could see a mischievous glimmer return to his eyes. „You should", he said. „After all I've been through…"

And there it was. She sighed. „Alright. What do you want?"

„I want…", he began, then hesitated. „I want to stay in today."

„What?"

„Let's stay in this exact room, until the day is done. Then we continue our journey, yes?"

Lily narrowed her eyes. „What's the big idea here?"

„Nothing", Ryon said. Then added „I just…"

„You're just being lazy is that it? Or tired? I was too, I understand." She sighed and got to her feet. „But I already ordered breakfast and I won't pay for nothing, okay? I'm taking a bath now. Then I'll go downstairs and break my fast. You can stay here and rest."

„But…", Ryon tried to counter but Lily didn't listen anymore. Instead she proceeded towards the bath.

„But you need to stay here, too!", Ryon exclaimed and got to his feet.

That made her stop in her tracks and turn around with a lifted eyebrow. „How old are you? Twelve?", she asked sarcastically, but she didn't really expect an answer. However, she received one.

„I'm sixteen", Ryon said with such a sullen voice that it almost made her laugh. To think that such an immature bulk of a creature would be almost of age… On the other hand, she had somehow assumed that he would be much older. Maybe it's the wrinkles and the unhealthy skin tone… She bit her lip to keep from grinning and asked as sincere as possible. „Sixteen?"

When she said it back at him, it seemed to surprise him, too. „I… I think so, yes", he said. Which made the situation all the more hilarious. „You… You think so…", Lily gasped, as she tried to keep from laughing. But she could sense him closing up again, so she pulled herself together. „Okay, okay, I see. You're a grown man", she said entering the bathroom. „So I'm sure you'll manage to stay alone for a few hours."

„A few hours?!", Ryon exclaimed as he followed her into the bathroom. „How much are you planning to eat?"

She stopped again and turned to him. „Now, that is a very insensitive question to ask of a lady. And now, I'm going to take the bath I ordered", she said, and when he didn't move, she added. „Alone."

Still, Ryon didn't move a single inch.

„…What is it?", Lily asked impatiently.

„I can't leave you alone in here", Ryon simply said.

„Oh yes, you can", Lily replied.

„No, I can't! What if…", he stopped himself in time.

„ …Is this about the man you're afraid to run into?", she asked.

„The… Ah… Well… About that… Anyway, I have to keep my eye on you all day, understood?", he asked clumsily.

„I understand very well", Lily said.

„Good! Then…"

„I understand, that you truly are sixteen years old. Now get out of the bathroom or I will unleash hell on you!", she exclaimed, pushed him out of the bathroom und shut the door. Dear gods that left me! This guy is unbelievable!, Lily thought and went back to the bathtub. While the hot water flowed into the tub, she took her clothes off and examined her body in the mirror. There were no signs of any wounds, not even scratches or scars. Only the one that crossed her back from her right shoulder to her left hip, a silent reminder of Lord Duncan's cruelties. It was one of many experiments that the house lord had conducted on her, but it was the only one that had left a visible marker. She never saw what it was that he had tested on her, but she still remembered the excruciating pain that had lasted for weeks. Back then, the wound didn't seem to heal or close for the longest time. Instead, it had festered and given her a horrible fever, until one day when her body had recovered from the shock and had begun to fight back.

She'd won the fight and now decades have passed. By now she had gotten used to it being a part of her past, so she nodded in satisfaction, turned off the water-tap and got into the tub.

With a relieved sigh she sank into the water, until only her face remained above the surface, and closed her eyes. Time to relax for once…, she thought.