Clay noticed them, the moment they walked in, at first it was because, of the two drow, in the group, then as the time went on, it stayed on one of the humans, he was small, had long black hair, in a thick braid, and was quite, when she went to ask, what they wanted to eat, he only asked for water, and from, the looks he got afterward, made it clear to her, that, as far as the others in the group were concerned, even water was to good, especially after, when, the drow, with the funny, hat, told her to ignore the man, Clay smiled and nodded, then walked in and got, them all food and drinks, she made should to place extra food, on all there their plates, she was positively that, the human would get food. When she returned to the table, and placed the food, and drinks, placing the mans water down for him, she gave him a small smile, when she tuned to walk away, her arm was grasped, turning, she saw a female human, the woman's face was unhappy, " Jarlaxle, told, you not to bring him water" she said, lips pressed together in a frown, Clay gave her a grin, then removed she arm from her grip, " I'm old, I forgot, since it's on the table, I can't tack it back, Miss" Clay Said still grinning, the female human glared, at her, Clay turned and walked back to the kitchen, later when she came out, the group was gone, all except the man, she had brought the water to, he sat staring at the empty plates across the table, Clay walked over, " Did you get anything to eat, dear?" He jumped, and glanced up at her, he shook his head, no, Clay, picked up the plates, " wait here" she ordered before disappearing into the kitchen, she returned a few minutes later with a tray loaded with food, walking back to the table, she sat down and started placing the plates of food on the table, " Here, you go, sweetheart, eat all you want to" the mans eyes were huge, as the stared at the food, in half a second, he had started eating as fast as he could, Clay watched, how, long has it been, she wondered, but for at least that night, he got to eat, they stayed for several days, Clay learned the mans name was Artemis, she always made sure he had food, she placed a bag in his hands two days before the group left, the bag was full of food, plenty of dryed meet, fruit, and fish, also several water bottles, as well, After they left, Clay never expected to see them again, a year later Artemis, and only Artemis walked back into her inn, he claimed it was to return the bag, it was now empty, not that Clay cared about that, he seemed better, more happy, less upset, and he looked like he had been eating better, after that Clay saw Artemis several times a year, he always came in and asked for a glass water
It starts as a simple day, it was the kind, Clay loved. As she was working on cleaning up the tables, she heated the door open, behind her, she turned, a smile lite up she face " Artemis, welcome Dear" it was one of her favorite customers, the man was always quiet, and respectful, he had, helped her once when, some drunks got out of control, a few tendsys, ago, " a glass of water, please " his voice cut through her thoughts, " of course, sweetheart " was her answer, since it was quilt that morning, she got him, his water, plus a plate of her best sweets, she had found, out his love for sweets, when he was staying with the group of people the first time, she had meet him, her hands closed into firsts at her sides, she took a breath, he's alright, he got away from them, she remained herself, her mind went back to that day, she had been working on a table, not far away from the group, she had brought them several sweets, that morning, she glanced up to see, the human, she had been feeding, for the last few nights, he was staring at the only, plate, with food left on it, it was a sweet roll, that was covered in delicious strawberry icing, he was biting his lip, she then noticed the halfling reaching for the roll, the humans hand shot out, only to be grappled by the drow, with the funny hat, the human turned to him, Clay was close enough to here his words, " please Jarlaxle" the drow glares " no Artemis " was all he said, he released the man, no his name was Artemis, as for the drow, Clay didn't care to remember his name, by this time, the halfling, had grasped the roll, and had stuffed it into his mouth, Clay walked back to the kitchen, she started down at the sweet rolls, that were on the plate, she then went searching for a small brown bottle, with the smile that could, mack a drow run, she purred the whole bottle, over the plate, later in the day she survives the rolls to the group, she stopped beside Artemis, and whippers to him, " don't eat the rolls" when she returned all the rolls were gone, cleaning up the bathroom the next day was worth it, as was the smile, and laugh that Artemis gave her, that night, Clay came back to herself smiling, she placed, several sweet rolls on a plate, as well as the glass of water, and went to have breakfast with her favorite customer
"Clay was just settling down, for a quilt night of sewing, she was working on some more blankets, for her beds upstairs. Plus it gave her mind something to focus on, she was worried, it had been a few ten days, sense she had seen Artemis, not that it was uncommon, for it to be a while, in between his visits, but something was wrong, she was sure of it, but as to what it was, she didn't know, also, it was storming outside, the rain poured down, and the wind, sounded like someone screaming, all in all, a not so quilt night. Just as she was thinking of going to bed, her front door came flying open, the man that stumbled inside, was shaking, and had his teeth chattering so bad, it took a moment to recognize him, when Clay did, she was fast to hurry to his side " Artemis, sweetheart, what happened?" As she was questioning him, she pulled him, over to the fire side, pushed him in a chair, then stopped, " come here" she took him, pulling him up again, she then, helped him out of his wet clothes, then, she wrapped him in, several blankets, pushed him back in the chair, and put some more wood to burn, in the fireplace, then she went to the kitchen, and returned with a hot, cup of tea, the tea, was fresh, having just been started not long before Artemis got there, she also put some honey. In the tea for him, she placed the cup, of tea, in his hands, and then settled down in the chair next to him, " Artemis, sweetheart, what happened?" She asked him again, he was quite for a few minutes, before he glanced up at her " Jarlaxle found me" he bit his lip, before Continuing, " I told him to, leave me alone, and go back to Do'Urden and the others, but he didn't listen" he stopped again, and looked up at her, it was then she noticed the mark, on his face, it was in the shape of someone's hand, " He hit you?" Clay asked, Artemis looked down again, before finally nodding, " I wasn't, expecting him to hit me, I know he didn't like me telling him, that I didn't want to be around him, anymore, but I never thought he'd hit me" Clay was silent for a second, " so, do you need help. hiding the body?" She finally asked, Artemis stared at her, eyes wide, " no, he's not dead, I ran, I didn't know were else to go" Clay nodded her head, "alright, you stay as long as you need to, that drow comes in my inn, he answers to me" Artemis gave her a smile, " thank you", Clay nodded to him, " now, you go on up to your room, let old Clay tack care of you " Artemis did just that, just before he turned back to her, " can I have a glass of water please " he asked, Clay let out a soft laugh, " of course, dear" she got him, his water, as well as a sweet roll, and watched him, walk up the stairs to his room, for the rest of the night, she sat watching the door, several knives beside her on the table, if the drow walked in the door, that night, he would be tuned into her new knife rack. The drow never showed up,
The day after, Artemis, had stumbled into the inn, found Clay, humming to herself, as she prepares breakfast, not many people were , out that morning, since the village is mostly farmers, that makes since. Most will be out checking on there crops after the rain last night. And then they'll be feeding, and caring for there animals. Clay has a few farmers, that are regulars, most one if not all, show up at the inn, at one time of the week or another, they bring her, eggs, fruit, and milk, in return Clay, gives them sweets, bread, and drinks for home, in the small town, it dose isn't tack long for word to spread about, a new face, or if someone is causing trouble, Clay decided to ask for help, on if the drow show back up, not long after they had left, several people had, asked if she was ok, if the drow had caused her problems? She had said, that no they hadn't, it was true, it wasn't her they were hurting, it was Artemis, but she had been unsure of how to help him, then, now she had an idea what to do, she'd ask around, find out if the drow or any of that group had be spotted around, and also talk to Artemis, and ask if she could let the towns people, know what had happened between him, and the drow last night, Clay had been around Artemis enough to realize that, he wasn't someone who would want everyone to know, what was going on with him is fact she was posat that, if when the group first arrived, if he hadn't been so hungry, he would have never admitted, to not getting anything to eat, he had told her much later, one night, after eating, several of her sweet rolls, ( he loved, the strawberry icing on them) that if fact, it had been four day since he had anything, to eat before arriving at her inn, and that before that, every three, days he would eat one piece of dry meat, from his pack, and four days before he had ran out, Clay had been angry, so angry, she had wanted to track down the group, and hang them all up by their ears, for what they did. She hadn't of course, but some days were spent in very detailed thoughts of what she would do, to them, if they ever crossed she path again. Thankfully as of yet none had, She was still cooking, when she heard footsteps behind her, she tuned around, she froze is was the drow with the funny hat, he gave her a smile, " I'm here looking for my Abbie, have you seen him?" Clay was still, then she moved, in her hand was a hot Skillet, that she had been cooking eggs in, eggs went flying, and the drow yelled, as he was hit in the head with the skillet, over his yell, Clays voice boomed " YOU GET OUT, OF MY INN, BEFORE I SKIN YOU AND ADD YOU TO THE MENU!" The drow backed up, he was shaking, he looked Terrified, Clay never saw anyone run that fast out of a door, as the drow did. She decided she was definitely talking to Artemis later, when Artemis came down stairs, he found Clay still cooking eggs, after all, the talk, could wait until after breakfast. Clay have him a smile, " good morning sweetheart " she said, " good morning " he relies, he sat down and picked up a sweet roll, he started eating it slowly, Clay noticed he was quite, more so then he normally was, when she turned to look at him, he was staring at the table, " that was Jarlaxel, earlier?" He asked, Clay sighed she had wanted this conversation to wait until after breakfast, but it seemed it would not, " if you mean the drow, with the funny hat, then yes that was him" she told him, if there was one thing Clay know, it was Artemis didn't like being lied to, but who did. " I'm sorry " he whispered, still staring at the table, Clay moved until she was right beside him, very slowly she reached out and touched his hand, he went very still, " Dear, it's not your fault, you hear me, yes the drow came after you, but it's not your fault what I did, you don't go blaming yourself, you hear me?" She let him go, Artemis looked up at her, and gave a sad smile, " you don't understand, Jarlaxel, he's a very powerful person" he look away from her then continued, " I don't want you getting hurt, because of me" Clay stood up straight, and looked down at Artemis, " now you listen here, Artemis Entreri, that drow is not about to hurt me, if fact he comes in here, he going to get more then a skillet to the head" Artemis started " you really hit him?" He sounded surprised, Clay grinned, By the way Artemis eyes widened, it was answer enough. Clay sat down, " first let's eat, then we'll have a talk with the villagers" Artemis opened his mouth to probably protest, but Clay raises her hand, and he closes his mouth, " eat, then talk" Artemis nodded, after breakfast they did talk, by evening everyone know, to be on the lookout for the drow with the funny hat
"Clay, was cooking, she was almost always cooking, but she enjoyed it, she was also humming, she enjoyed her work, things had not always been this good for her, but she had learned to let things stop bothering her, she was one of the only orcs in town to own an inn, not that the small town had a lot of inns, just not any run by orcs, she had been so proud when she opened her inn, nearly 30 years ago, in all that time, she had seen many pass though her doors, some looking for trouble, others just a warm place to eat. She was always nice, until they crossed the line, She aloud no fighting, or rude comments in her inn, you were told to stop once, then you were shown the door, and told not to come back, until you could behave. Clay had made a name for herself, as a nice old grandma, until you made her upset with you, she was just getting the sweet rolls out of the kitchen when, one was plucked right from her tray " hey" she snapped, she was ready to give the person, a talking to until, she realized it was Artemis, her frown turned into a smile, " sweetheart" she smiled, walking over to a table, she placed several rolls on a plate, and handed it to Artemis, "here you go dear" she said, giving him another smile, " thank you, a glass of water to, please " Clay grinned, he'd been coming here for over a year, and a half now, and every time, asked for a glass of water. " of course, Dear" walking back to the kitchen, she couldn't help smiling, in a way, she was sure, the reason she enjoyed Artemis being around so much, was because he remind her of her own, child, he was grown now, and rarely stopped in the see her, he was always busy, had two little girls of his own, she had only seen then once. But that was life for you, she returned from the kitchen with the glass of water, Artemis was sitting at the table she left him at, eating a roll, and had his eyes closed, Clay placed the water down for him, he opened his eyes and looked up at her, " thank you " he said before, turning away and staring at the roll in his hand, Clay could tell something was wrong, but know pushing him, would not be good, so she went back to work, after that the inn got busy, and Clay had scarcely time to think, never mind worry about Artemis, she was in the middle up cleaning tables, when she looked, up to see Artemis, scrubbing at a table she had yet to get to, " Dear, you don't have to do that" she called to him, he looked up "I want to" was his reply, Clay just shuck her head, it wasn't long before they were throw, cleaning up the inn, Clay gave Artemis a smile, " thank you sweetheart " he returned her smile, with one of his own, " your welcome " it wasn't long after that, that Artemis headed up the stairs to bed, Clay watched him go, she turned to sit at one of the tables, just then the door opened, Clay looked up to see a drow, looking back at her. He didn't look happy