Read Online Servants and Followers (The Legends of Arria, Volume 2) by Courtney Bowen - Free Book Online Page B

the air.
    “ The ocean, we’re
near it,” Fato said, turning his head. “A couple of miles that
way , the salty breeze is what you get when you’re
close.”
    “ The
ocean . ” Basha said wistfully, and then laughed. “We’re not in Coe
Baba anymore!” He cried.
    “ Definitely not,”
Oaka said, and then pulled on Joko’s reins as they tried to ride
through the crowd, but then the boys had to dismount and walk their
horses.
    By studying some of
the signposts hanging over buildings, Basha spotted the sign shaped
like a duck, The Walking Duck Inn, a name no more unusual than some
of the other inns they had heard about , The Baron’s Bed, The Potato
Hovel, and Tau’s Drink
Inn , from some of the guests that had stayed at The Smiling
Stallion inn in the past. Still, Fato kept snickering about the
name as they directed their horses to the stables at the back. The
boys unloaded their packs and handed over the reins of Joko and
Talan to stable boys, a little uncertain about leaving their horses
with complete strangers, but they trusted that the inn was a good
one. They still had their swords strapped on, of course.
    Fato alighted on Basha’s shoulder, and
settled down, Basha cringing slightly as if the falcon’s talons
might be sharp. Oaka shook his head, almost glad that the falcon
seemed to be favoring Basha and staying away from him.
    As they head towards
the front door of the inn, they realized that , apart from the noise
of the crowd outside walking along the streets, there was a
distinct reverberation coming from inside the inn. The front door
opened as they approached, and suddenly another man was hurled out.
The young men were barely able to leap back, out of the way of his
falling glide, and straightened up again as the front door slammed
shut. They watched as the man, who had plopped onto the ground and
rolled up into a ball, got up onto his hands and knees and crawled,
coughing fluidly and vomiting.
    “ The pentacle of
monkey balnor,” Fato muttered.
    Oaka ignored the raptor. “This does not
seem to be a very good place to stay,” He said, turning towards
Basha.
    “ Let’s just see what it’s like inside,” Basha said, as if he
too would like to leave. “At least it might be better, and we don’t know what it’s like at the other inns.
For all we know, this could be the very best one.” He laughed
hesitantly. “Come on,” He said, going to the front door
slowly.
    Oaka sighed, and went after him, as the
resonance that they had heard before became a clamor when they
entered. The sounds were estranged into bellowing, screaming,
thrashing, clapping, clanging, crashing, clinging, slapping, and
snapping.
    The sounds shrank their ears, and their
eyes widened at the scene, unable to focus on the panorama of chaos
taking place in the inn’s common room. For the most part, it seemed
the fighting took place between separate groups. Huddles of
sparring combatants weaved about the room, dodging tables to pursue
opponents in devious styles. Some fellows doggedly stayed in their
seats, drinking ale even as beaten men were heaved onto their
tables.
    Oaka gasped, unable
to believe … suddenly, he was snatched by a
man’s hand, and dragged off into the melee, as Basha ducked a
dagger flung at him.
    “ Basha!” Oaka called,
as he was pulled tight into a hug, and the man started to dance
with him, out into the middle of the floor.
    “ Oh, we got it
all...” The man sang drunkenly, as a glass of beer smashed behind
him and Oaka managed to slip out of his embrace.
    “ Excuse me,” Oaka
said, trying to back up and find Basha again, but someone standing
on top of a table poured beer all over him instead.
    “‘ Oh, we got it
all … ’” Another group sang and clapped their hands, “‘Right here
in Coe Anji!’” They laughed amongst themselves, as Oaka gasped,
stunned at how soaking wet he was . H e stank of beer.
    Oaka sighed and
decided to leave instead of looking for Basha . L et him fend