This is a continuation of the previous chapter and finishes Ayla's journey from dungeon to safety. Or at least to where she can get a decent meal and shelter.

Chapter Eleven

The Five Flagons Inn

"Miss, Miss, you alright? Have to try and wake her up, can't leave her. Not safe at night here, Rampah knows. Miss, come on now, you got to wake up."

Rampah leant down to take a closer look at the the unconcious woman. Cor Blimey he thought to himself as he saw the scarring on her shoulder, this one has been through the wars, looks like someone tried to take her head off. She must be off a ship and swum for it. A pirate or something, that sword too. He shook the young woman's shoulder and spoke louder,

"Wake up, come on now, wake up, nights coming and you can't sleep here it's not safe."

He wasn't sure what happened next as it was so fast and unexpected, but he found himself pinned against the wall with the long, very sharp looking sword threatening his neck. The helpless looking, sleeping begger suddenly wasn't looking nearly as helpless, rather more murderous, and not for the first time Rampah thought to himself I really need to start minding my own business.

"Where am I? Who are you? Answer me quick or it will go bad for you" Ayla demanded at the same time as trying to wake up. I must have fallen asleep she thought. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she cursed inwardly.

"I don't want no trouble, no Miss, you won't get no trouble from Rampah. Just trying to help, bad things around, trying to warn you" Rampah would have shook his head to emphasise his words but that sword was far too near his neck to risk any movement.

"You're on the Bridge, you must know the Bridge, biggest bridge in Amn, famous too," he answered with a note of pride in his voice.

Of course the bridge, Ayla remembered the swim. She glanced around at the shadows and the lights shining from the windows of houses. Her clothes were only damp, not dripping, how long had she slept? The wall at her back had been warm from the sun, she had just planned to sit there for a while to get her breath back.

"Where is this bridge? What city?" she demanded, turning her attention back to the begger who had woken her up.

"Athkatla, what's wrong with you, had a few too many and fallen overboard?" Rampah answered with a chortle, then saw the look on her face and remembered the sword. "No disrespect Miss of course, can happen to anyone, can't blame you, been there me self, starts off with good intentions, next thing you're in the street watching the sun come up and wondering where all your money's gone."

Ayla tried to make sense of the string of words and gave up, few too many of what? She checked her money bag, nope still there, was he simple or something? He didn't seem like a threat at least and she lowered her sword and stepped back,

"So, Rampah is it? And this is Athkatla?"

With the sword away from his neck Rampah nodded enthusiastically,

"Yep, the City of Coin itself where you can buy anything if you've got the cash. And plenty to get when you haven't, if you get my meaning," he tapped the side of his nose and winked at her.

Now what's he doing Ayla thought, should I do the same? Pehaps better not to encourage him.

"What did you mean about falling "overboard?"

"Well I reckoned you were off a ship seeing as how you've been in the river," he gestured at her clothes which were plainly still damp.

So he thinks I'm off a ship Ayla thought, that actually sounds like a believable story for me being here, could come in useful. What else was it he had said?

"You said something about it not being safe here?"

Rampah's face fell, "Nah. bad things happening on the street at night, you don't want to be outside. Young woman like yourself needs to be somewhere safe even if she's got a sword. I can show you to the Temple if you haven't got any money, they let's Rampah stay there sometimes."

Ayla shook her head quickly, too many questions from Temples. Rampah didn't miss the undercurrent of her reluctance and gave her a questioning look.

"I have money," she opened her bag and fished out five gold and handed it to Rampah, "here, for your help and a cure for your curiousity," and gave him a warning look. Is there an inn nearby I can get a room?"

Rampah pocketed the coins and gave a nod of understanding,

"Try The Five Flagons, the Thunderburps will see you right if you've got money. And they mind their business, they're used to unusual folks passing through. Just at the top of the steps, I gotta get going, thankyee for the gold and good luck to you Miss," Rampah tipped his head and turned to go.

"Wait, one more thing," Ayla retrieved another five gold from her bag and held it out to Rampah, "A name, a common name round here that won't be noticed, do you know one?"

Rampah thought for a moment,

"Maude, used to have an auntie Maude, nice lady, lucky too, married into money and moved away. Maude yep, that'll do you fine."

As Rampah left her Ayla tried out the name, Maude, simple and straightforward, wouldn't be something people remembered she hoped. She looked up the stairs to where Rampah had indicated and was able to see the bright lit windows of the inn. Steeling herself she made her way up the stairs and thought, now for the hard part. Virtually undressed and looking like something from the gutter, persuading the inn keeper to let her in was going to be difficult. As the inn came into view her heart sank. It was a large and busy at this time of the evening, too busy to simply approach the entrance, she'd be stopped before she got inside. She made her way round to the back where the kitchens opened out to the courtyard and the smell of cooking from the open door set on her edge. She couldn't remember when she had last eaten and had to fight the urge to simply barge in and grab whatever she could and to hell with the consequences. Really stupid idea she told herself severely, waving her sword around and killing anybody who got in her way was not going to go unnoticed.

She removed her helmet and sword belt, took out a large handful of gold and quietly approached the back door and knocked until she got the attention of one of the maids,

"What is it? What do you want?" the maid demanded impatiently, "Oh the gods, what have we got here, looks like something the cat dragged in. What do you mean interrupting us at dinner time? I suppose you want some scraps, get away with you, coming begging at the door at this time. The cheek of it, I've a good mind to call the guard. Here Uda, come and have a look at this."

Ayla straightened to her full height in the face of the tirade and spoke firmly and clearly,

"I am not begging, I wish to speak to the owner. I have gold," she held out the generous handful of gold, "I would like to rent a room, a bath and be fed. Fetch him at once."

It was not at all what the maid had expected and she stood there dumbstruck. The cook who had been listening started to laugh,

"Well that's shut you up, that's got to be a first. Well go on then, fetch Samuel, this I have to see."

The maid hesitated for a moment, but then the combined authority of the cook and the unexpected response from Ayla and the sight of the gold, sent her hurrying out of the kitchen to fetch the innkeeper.

She returned shortly with Samuel Thunderburp in tow and Ayla could see her whispering to him and the scandalous expression she wore left no doubt as to what she was saying. With a flourish she indicated Ayla to him,

"Here she is, looking like a street rat and ordering me around like a Duchess, I've never been so insulted. Mark my words Samuel, I won't take being treated like this by some guttersnipe thinking they can just speak to me with ne'er a by my leave."

"Oh give over Susan," the cook interjected, "you were threatening her with the guard."

Ayla shot a grateful glance at the Cook, Uda, before turning her full attention to the innkeeper. He was so small, why was he so small? Not important, she needed to persuade him to let her stay, she couldn't wander the streets dressed as she was even without the warning Rampah had given her. Keep up the facade of being a noblewoman fallen on hard times would be the best bet, it had shut the maid up to some extent and got the Cook onside.

"Mr Thunderburp? I was told you had rooms to rent. As you can see I am in dire need of shelter and I have money enough to pay. My name is Maude and have recently befallen some ill fortune and need somewhere to recover," Ayla stopped, waiting for his response, had she laid it on too thick?

The Halfling, Samuel Thunderburp, had been busy behind the bar when Susan had come to fetch him. By the time they had got to the kitchen he had already heard from her about this beggers bare feet, her filthy clothes that were barely respectable, her dirty matted hair, the surely stolen gold she carried and her lack of respect for the maid. What he hadn't been told was that she stood straight, looked him in the eye, carried a valuable sword and an ancient, enchanted helmet. Her speech was educated and he could hear the trace of an accent, but what took him aback was the way she held herself. Without doubt, he thought to himself, this woman was a fighter and a strong one at that. The ugly scar he could see at the base of her neck wasn't old and he would have doubted it survivable if asked. From his past adventuring days he had seen the type before, but still there was something different about her. Nonetheless, right at the moment he could see she was in trouble and turning her away went against the code of his former profession. Let alone if his wife came to hear about it.

"No need for the "Mr Thunderburp", it's Samuel to my guests," he offered his hand to her, "so you need a room then and that's what we are famous for. Never let it be said that Samuel doesn't keep the best run Inn in Athkatla. But if I may be so bold, how did you end up here? I can tell you are from the North by your accent so why the Bridge?"

Ayla shook his hand daintily as if she were doing him a favour and hid her relief at his acceptance.

"I came by sea, but the company was not good so when I saw the bridge I escaped overboard," she stopped and shrugged as if it were nothing more than an inconvenience that any well bred lady should be able to cope with. While inwardly begging him not to ask for more information as that was about as far as her knowledge about ships went.

"You swam here, well I never, that must have taken some courage" Samuel expressed his surprise and even Susan looked impressed. "You must be exhausted, I'll get a room sorted out, in the meantime, Uda get our guest something to eat," he paused and Ayla saw the look of doubt cross his face as he looked back at the main room of the Inn.

"I would prefer to eat here in the kitchen for now and could you arrange a bath in the room? And here take this as a deposit" Ayla handed over her handful of gold. She knew it was far more than the cost but it added to the facade and gold had a way of answering questions.

Samuel nodded his thanks, and thought about informing her it was too much. But he recognised the bribe for what it was and pocketed it without comment. And although he believed that she might well have come off a ship, he was pretty sure that wasn't all there was to her story. Ah well, he thought, she wouldn't be the first he'd met to have something to hide and gold was gold whoever was paying.

"Take a seat then, Uda will look after you and I'll go and see about that room and the bath. Come on Susan, I'm going to need you to get that room ready."

Ayla sank gratefully into a chair at the table, well at least I'm going to get fed and at least one night in a bed, she thought. And a bath, the thought almost made her dizzy, the river had washed off a lot of muck but the water could hardly be considered clean. Then Uda served her a bowl of meaty soup, bread and a large glass of milk and with enormous self restraint Ayla politely picked at the bread, sipped the milk and carefully spooned her soup. When what she really wanted to do on first tasting the food was to simply bury her face in the bowl and even wondered what it would be like to bathe in it as well. Sod water, soup was much better and so she gladly accepted the offer of a second bowl.

After her meal she was shown up the backstairs to the room she had rented but by this time she was on the point of passing out she was so tired. Her stomach was feeling tight and almost uncomfortable and she wondered whether she would be able to bathe before passing out. But catching sight of herself in the mirror in the room settled that thought as although bed looked large and inviting, it was so clean she couldn't contemplate crawling into it in this state. So she tiredly washed her hair first in a bucket with the soap provided as it was too dirty and matted and would make the bathwater filthy. And after, she climbed into the bath and did the same for the rest. She should have enjoyed the feel of the hot water and luxuriated in the sensation and smell of the soap, but frankly she was past caring. Sleep was all that mattered to her. After she dried herself, she wrapped her hair in a towel and collapsed into the bed, and fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.