Colin stuck his hands in his pockets and with a feeling of misgiving roiling in the pit of his belly, followed them into the building. The dwarf's mail boots were loud on the boards as they stepped into the Lion's Pride Inn's doorway. The passageway turned one way and then the other to keep out the weather and then they were in the main room. The place had not changed at all, even the same old decorative weapons and shields hung on the walls. A large table and chairs were to one side of the landing and to the other side was a smaller area set aside for the village apothecary. He wondered if Mr. Pestle was still alive; the alchemist had been ancient when Colin had worked at the inn.
Argus hailed Innkeeper Farley, who was standing at the far end of the room with another man. Farley waved back and came towards them after wiping his hands on a cloth.
"What will it be, Argus, Miz Newiron," he said. The innkeeper paid no attention to Colin and he dared hope there had been enough time for his old boss to forgive old wounds.
"Table first, Farley. I want to ask you something before we order," Argus said. The innkeeper flashed a sudden, sideways glare at Colin. No, apparently those wounds still bled, he decided, judging from the intensity of that look.
Farley led them down the landing steps to a table set on the ground floor next to the fireplace. The dwarf sat with her back to the dancing flames as if she were cold. Argus sat at one end and Colin took the other as he preferred not to sit with his back to the front door.
"Colin here is looking for work," Argus said. "Has anyone come by and dropped off a word or two of some?"
"I could point you in the direction of a few come the morning," Farley said. The innkeeper crossed his arms and openly smiled at Colin. "Work for me tonight and you'll earn your meal and a room for the night," he said.
Colin knew he was expecting him to refuse. The last time he'd walked out that door it was with the shouted promise of never working for the innkeeper ever again ringing in his own ears. He grit his teeth, knowing Argus was probably sharp set to paying for his own food and would insist on paying for his too if Colin turned down Farley's offer.
"Deal," Collin said and thrust out his hand. The astonished look on the innkeeper's face as he took it, and quickly dropped it, was almost worth the pain of putting it out there.
When Farley had left with their orders, Argus leaned forward with a big smile on his face. "Good on you, Colin," he whispered.
"I've heard about your fight with the good innkeeper," Keerston said. She studied him intently with that strange smile on her lips. "You don't like losing," she said softly.
His face burning, Colin looked down at the table and gripped its edge so hard it almost cut into his hands. "No. I do not," he said quietly, the words coming out through sheer force of will. He took a deep breath and made himself relax into his chair. He had no idea what to do with his hands. Finally he crossed them and looked off to one side, away from the dwarf's sharp eyes.
"Well, you know, nobody learns anything from winning," Keerston said gently.
Colin slowly turned his head and locked his eyes onto her's. He couldn't open his jaws to speak; the words just would not come out. Then he remembered how easily she had swung that sledgehammer and a bit of reason broke through his anger. The dwarf was half his height but when it came down to it, she could stomp him through the cracks in the floor without breaking a sweat. She sat unaffected by his gaze as if she were but taking the air outside her mountaintop home. Finally he turned away and sat up straighter, then rested his arms on the tabletop. It was the best he could do.
Farley brought out their food and they ate in silence. At one point Colin glanced up at Argus and his teacher winked at him, letting him know he had no hard feelings. Colin looked down at his plate, suddenly ashamed all the way to the pit of his soul. For the love of mercy, just how old was he, he chided himself. Him a grown man and he was acting like he still wore diapers. It had to be all Danea's fault, turning his world upside down like she did. He just hadn't gotten his bearings yet. That had to be it.
Keerston was the first to finish her meal and reaching into a pocket, she brought out a few silver coins which she laid out on the table. It looked to be enough to pay for both her and Argus's meals. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Colin," she said as she got to her feet.
Colin stood and held out his hand, suddenly repentant of his earlier bad manners. He was glad to see her take it so quickly and more so to see her smile with real enthusiasm. "Pleasure to meet you too, Keerston," he said.
Argus walked up and took his hand, then surprised him by pulling him in a quick, fierce embrace. "You've become a fine man, Colin. Come by the shop tomorrow if you can and we'll work the dust off your blacksmithing skills."
"I'll do that," Colin said, laughing. He watched them leave, waiting at the table until they waved a final time at the door before sweeping up the coins and picking up all the plates.
Farley was waiting for him in the kitchen and watched him scrape off the plates and set them by the sink. A smile just short of an insult crossed his face as Colin held out Keerston's payment for him to take.
"You are a good worker and you're honest almost to a fault," the innkeeper said as he shook the coins in his fist. "Keep that damn temper of yours in check tonight and you can keep your tips." He shoved the money into his pocket. "I'll even put in an extra good word in for you for a job. Deal?"
Colin grabbed up a dishrag and looked down at his hands as he wiped them clean, annoyed at Farley's offer. For a man who was going to be out just one meal and one room's rent for a full night's work, it was pure arrogance for him to think that was a generous offer. But it also meant he would have a few coppers extra come morning.
With a deliberate calmness that would have made his mother proud, Colin took the proffered hand in a firm grip and shook it. "Deal," he said. The saints in heaven would have to forgive him for not returning the innkeeper's smile as well.