look as if her wish would be granted. Not letting it bother her she made her way to the common room to get something to break her fast, hoping she could find something that wasn’t so heavily spiced that it could wake the dead from their slumber.
The common room was empty as the sun had yet to crest the horizon. Low burning candles hung in the air adding a smoky undertone to the smell of ale and musk that hung thick in the air. Soon after she was seated, a young girl barely out of childhood scampered over to her table. “You need anything miss?” she said, her voice light and mousey.
Eloen smiled down at the young girl who fidgeted while curling her hair around her finger. “Yes, I would like something to eat. If possible something light my stomach is rather delicate and the local spices tend to send it into fits.”
The young girl let out a slightly muffled laugh. “I know what you mean mam. I’ll talk to the cook and see if he has anything in the kitchen.” As soon as the words popped out of her moth the young girl turned and ran back to the kitchen.
She returned shortly with a plate of bread, thin slices ham, and a small bowl of what she assumed was pottage. It was a meager meal but well received as the first bites showed no signs of the spice that had ravaged her appetite over the past few days. It didn’t take long to finish the meal and with no signs of her companions stirring, Eloen decided to take a walk around the town.
The early morning air hung heavy over the town, the faint smell of metal and smoke lingering in the air. Tendrils of smoke rose from the many blacksmith shops dissipating into the dark sky above. The streets were bare but a few people who hurriedly made their way to wherever they were going. Keeping her eyes on the sky Eloen didn’t pay attention to where her feet where carrying her and soon she found herself in the poorer district. The clay tile roofs were replaced by spotty thatch that looked as if let more rain in than it kept out.
As the sun began to peek and the sky turned from black into a light blue framed in a light orange children began to file out of the houses filling the streets. The kids were lively as any other she had ever seen but they were poorly dressed. Most of the kids didn’t have shoes and their clothes had more holes than fabric.
It didn’t take long for the kids to notice her watching them as they scampered about playing. At first they stared at her the way a wild animal might look at someone who wondered into their sight before darting for the woods. The kids were not as flighty as they ran toward her instead of away.
“Are you a princess?” One of the younger girls asked blushing and looking away as soon as Eloen’s eyes found her.
Eloen wasn’t sure what to do. She had never spent a lot of time with children. Ballard on the other hand would be great in this situation. Back at home he would spent the majority of his time with the orphans. She had always found it odd that the big mostly silent man would be so open and full of laughter as soon as there were children about.
“No, I am not a princess but thank you for thinking so.” Eloen said as she squatted down giving the little girl a soft pat on the head.
“Would you like to play with us?” The little girl asked her face lit up with a beaming smile.
“Oh, what are you playing?”
“We’re playing Queens and Kings. You can be the queen of Farlan. The boys try to take our flag away from us, so you have to be fast.” The little girl said so seriously it was cute.
“I can’t play right now, I have to go find my friends, but thank you for the offer.”
The girls face fell for the fraction of a second until one of the other children called out to her. Eloen watched as the girl ran off, the air soon filled with laughter as they began their game. Eloen sat and watched the children for a few moments a smile clearly showing on her own face. When the sun was in full view she decided it was time to
The common room was empty as the sun had yet to crest the horizon. Low burning candles hung in the air adding a smoky undertone to the smell of ale and musk that hung thick in the air. Soon after she was seated, a young girl barely out of childhood scampered over to her table. “You need anything miss?” she said, her voice light and mousey.
Eloen smiled down at the young girl who fidgeted while curling her hair around her finger. “Yes, I would like something to eat. If possible something light my stomach is rather delicate and the local spices tend to send it into fits.”
The young girl let out a slightly muffled laugh. “I know what you mean mam. I’ll talk to the cook and see if he has anything in the kitchen.” As soon as the words popped out of her moth the young girl turned and ran back to the kitchen.
She returned shortly with a plate of bread, thin slices ham, and a small bowl of what she assumed was pottage. It was a meager meal but well received as the first bites showed no signs of the spice that had ravaged her appetite over the past few days. It didn’t take long to finish the meal and with no signs of her companions stirring, Eloen decided to take a walk around the town.
The early morning air hung heavy over the town, the faint smell of metal and smoke lingering in the air. Tendrils of smoke rose from the many blacksmith shops dissipating into the dark sky above. The streets were bare but a few people who hurriedly made their way to wherever they were going. Keeping her eyes on the sky Eloen didn’t pay attention to where her feet where carrying her and soon she found herself in the poorer district. The clay tile roofs were replaced by spotty thatch that looked as if let more rain in than it kept out.
As the sun began to peek and the sky turned from black into a light blue framed in a light orange children began to file out of the houses filling the streets. The kids were lively as any other she had ever seen but they were poorly dressed. Most of the kids didn’t have shoes and their clothes had more holes than fabric.
It didn’t take long for the kids to notice her watching them as they scampered about playing. At first they stared at her the way a wild animal might look at someone who wondered into their sight before darting for the woods. The kids were not as flighty as they ran toward her instead of away.
“Are you a princess?” One of the younger girls asked blushing and looking away as soon as Eloen’s eyes found her.
Eloen wasn’t sure what to do. She had never spent a lot of time with children. Ballard on the other hand would be great in this situation. Back at home he would spent the majority of his time with the orphans. She had always found it odd that the big mostly silent man would be so open and full of laughter as soon as there were children about.
“No, I am not a princess but thank you for thinking so.” Eloen said as she squatted down giving the little girl a soft pat on the head.
“Would you like to play with us?” The little girl asked her face lit up with a beaming smile.
“Oh, what are you playing?”
“We’re playing Queens and Kings. You can be the queen of Farlan. The boys try to take our flag away from us, so you have to be fast.” The little girl said so seriously it was cute.
“I can’t play right now, I have to go find my friends, but thank you for the offer.”
The girls face fell for the fraction of a second until one of the other children called out to her. Eloen watched as the girl ran off, the air soon filled with laughter as they began their game. Eloen sat and watched the children for a few moments a smile clearly showing on her own face. When the sun was in full view she decided it was time to
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