"Welcome, Mr Dordan," smiled the owner. Rhiannon nodded in return, surprised her disguise was working.
"Thank you, sir," she said, trying to sound like a boy. The owner handed her the room key.
"You will be sharing with one other young man, a boy of seventeen by the name of Griffin Harmony. Rumor has it he's never lost a competition but also that he's a fair man. Have a good time, Rhian," said he, clapping Rhiannon heartily on the shoulder. She almost fell from the sudden impact of the man's meaty hand but somehow managed to stay on her feet. She grinned in what she hoped was a roguish manner and, hoisting her knapsack higher on her shoulder, followed the man to her room.
Griffin was lounging on his bed in just a low-slung pair of black cotton breeches. His torso was toned and tan, presumably from dancing. "This is Rhian?" asked Griffin. He looked to be about six feet tall and had curly light brown hair and smoky gray eyes. Rhiannon smiled.
"I am," she replied, holding out one hand as soon as she remembered Josiah telling her how to introduce herself.
"Griffin Harmony, defending champion," said Griffin, shaking Rhiannon's hand. With a smirk, he remarked, "You don't seem much like a dancer to me."
"And why is that?" asked the older man, still standing around.
"He's short, skinny, and his hands are rough," said Griffin. "It's like you've worked all your life," he remarked, sizing up Rhiannon.
She smiled, "Actually, I'm a stable hand for Lord and Lady Sparrow." Griffin smiled in return and Rhiannon nearly melted.
"Well, I hope you're decent competition," he smiled. "The prize is a large sum of money and I like to think I earn it."
Rhiannon shrugged, "I hope so. Do you compete in reel or jig?"
"Jig is a girl's dance," replied Griffin in a slow tone. "All of the competitions are reel."
"Right! I forgot!" Rhiannon nodded. With a grunt, she turned back to her knapsack and began unloading her belongings. The owner of the inn had left and Griffin leant on the door, then twisted the lock.
"So, Rhian Dordan," he smiled, taking a step closer. Rhiannon backed up as the boy moved closer. "Or should I say Rhiannon Thomas?" Rhiannon's eyes flew wide and Griffin smiled, "That's right, I know exactly who you are. You shouldn't have told me of your place with the Sparrows. You know, if anyone found out a girl was dancing, you'd be arrested."
Rhiannon sighed and looked down. "I know," she said. "I'm here to prove that girls should be allowed to compete, and to buy my freedom. How much do I have to give you to keep it zipped?"
Griffin shrugged, "You don't have to give me anything. I just want decent competition, so if you can give me that, I'm happy."
Rhiannon grinned, "Bring it on!" Griffin chuckled and slugged her in the shoulder.
"You know, my sister always loved to dance. She was twelve and I was fourteen when she disappeared. We believed she had been kidnapped, but we never saw her again," said Griffin. "You remind me of her somehow."
Rhiannon ran a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her eyes. "Thank you," she smiled, knees turning to jelly and heart melting. "So you won't tell anyone?"
"No, I won't tell," Griffin replied. "I plan to win fairly, and if you're in the contest, then I intend to compete against you." Rhiannon smiled. Griffin really was an honest man and he seemed to be perfect material for a future husband.
The next morning, Rhiannon rose at dawn and went out to the main dinner hall, dance shoes on her feet. The gold coins tapped loudly as she walked but then she spotted the owner, who was named Sean. "May I practice on the door of the lavatory?" she asked.
"You mean to take it off its hinges?" he asked, shocked. Rhiannon nodded and Sean shook his head, "There'd be nary a person with the need to piss who'd appreciate that, boy." Rhiannon winced at his cursing but nodded and retreated to the bedroom.
"I hear there's a practice stage built for us competitors," Griffin said. "I also hear it's free to use and located right around the corner."
"Would you be interesting in coming with me?" Rhiannon asked.
"Mayhaps I would, milady," smiled Griffin. He was about to link arms with Rhiannon as escorts and their escorted often would, but then Rhiannon remembered she was pretending to be a boy.
"Griffin? I'm supposed to be a boy," she said. Griffin blushed brilliantly.
"Sorry," he replied. Rhiannon just shrugged and the two left. Rhiannon ran ahead down the road and turned a few cartwheels. "Having fun?" Griffin asked, catching up to her.
Rhiannon grinned, exhilarated, "I could never do this in five skirts and a corset. Seriously, it's should be used as a punishment for people to have to wear them. Corsets, I mean. The other stuff isn't so bad."
Griffin blushed and Rhiannon turned her face ahead to look at the road instead of the handsome boy walking beside her. "Do you talk like this with everyone you meet?" he asked.
Rhiannon shook her head. "Just you," she replied. "I don't usually get the opportunity to talk to people since I work in a stable." Griffin nodded and was about to reply when they reached the stage. Rhiannon's jaw dropped as she realized who was already on it.
"What's the problem?" Griffin asked as Rhiannon started hyperventilating.
"That is Adam Sparrow!" she hissed in a whisper. "His parents basically own me!" Griffin nodded in understanding. "What if he recognizes me?"
"We'll say you're my younger brother," said Griffin with a shrug. Rhiannon looked at him as if to say, "That will never work." He just shrugged again.
"He can't really argue with that, can he?" Rhiannon continued to glare at Griffin. "You know what? Just go dance," he said pushing Rhiannon lightly by her shoulders.
She glared at him as she walked up the stairs, but then the musician began to play his fiddle and Rhiannon easily picked up the prominent beginning downbeat. "How was that?" Rhiannon asked, walking off stage a few minutes later.
"You have a fair shot at winning," Griffin replied honestly. Rhiannon's jaw dropped and her eyes widened.
"Are you serious?" she asked. Griffin nodded and Rhiannon threw her arms around him. He cleared his throat.
"Rhian, you're supposed to be a boy," he hissed under his breath as people around them began to point, stare, and whisper.
"Right, sorry," whispered Rhiannon, horribly embarrassed and blushing about forty shades of red. Griffin just shrugged.
"All right, I'm going up next. I need to do something to improve my image after you've just ruined it," said Griffin facetiously. Rhiannon mocked him playfully.
"Oh, get going," she said, punching him on the shoulder lightly. Griffin danced beautifully, Rhiannon noticed. He was light on his feet, his shoes were loud, and he had magnificent posture. His song ended, though, and he went to walk down the stairs when someone on the other side of the stage called him. He turned and Rhiannon found herself with a highly awkward moment.
"One moment!" he called to the woman. Turning back to his friend, he said, "Rhian, there's someone I want you to meet." He pulled on her arm, leading her across the stage. "Siobhan, this is Rhian, my good friend and roommate for this contest. Rhian, this is Siobhan, my-" but he was cut off.
"His betrothed," said the lady, presumably Siobhan. She had thick black hair pulled up high on her head with ringlets cascading over her shoulders. She wore a fancy gown of green velvet with a front inset of gold silk and with emeralds sewn along the neckline and the hemline. Rhiannon took in the dress thoughtfully. One dress like that could easily buy her freedom five times over. "Charmed to meet you, Rhian," she smiled. Rhiannon was unsure how to greet this elegant lady, but she had seen lesser nobles who had come to call at Sparrow Manor kneel before Lady Sparrow and kiss her knuckles.
Rhiannon knelt, laughing inwardly at her imitation of boys. "The pleasure is mine," she said, before rising to realize she was a few inches shorter than the lady.
Griffin was trying to contain his laughter as Rhiannon's disguise was almost blown. "So, Rhian, you think you can win?" Siobhan was the catty kind, Rhiannon decided.
"I believe I have a fair chance," replied Rhiannon, meeting the other woman's eyes coolly. She smiled and said, "Milady, I must depart. See you later, Griffin." With that, she nodded to the pair and left.
Lounging on her bed, Rhiannon curled up to face the wall, not even noticing when the door opened and Griffin walked in. "I knew not she was coming," he said, leaning on the door.
"You could have told me you were betrothed," said Rhiannon icily, not looking at her roommate.
"You could have told me you were a girl," he retorted, a smirk on his face.
Rhiannon rolled over and glared, "You could just leave me alone." Griffin shrugged and sat on his own bed.
"I could, but what would be the fun in that?" he quipped, only to have a pillow thrown at his head. It missed, but Griffin couldn't help but throw it back.
"What do you not understand?" Rhiannon shrieked. "When girls ask to be left alone, you leave them alone!" She leaned forward, glaring.
Griffin just replied, "Ah, but you're not supposed to be a girl for the next two weeks, are you? My dear friend, you're masquerading as a boy, so act like one. On that note, never bow to anyone if you're in the same social class. For the next two weeks, you're a cousin of Griffin Harmony, and if you know anything, you'll recognize that as a noble name." Rhiannon looked into Griffin's eyes and, seeing the laughter he was restraining, stood and stormed out.