Hinoka groaned, the bed creaking as she rolled onto her back. She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling of thick wooden beams stained dark brown stretching vertically and horizontally across white plaster. The light was a needle in her eyes. She squeezed them shut again. The night before Hinoka recalled someone standing over her with a glowing staff similar to the festals Azama and Sakura wielded. As she tried to remember, she was not certain what exactly occurred the previous night. It could have been a dream, the memory living on the edge of her mind almost about to teeter over the cliff to be forgotten.
Sitting up in bed, Hinoka stretched, lifting both arms above her head then swinging them at her side. They seemed to be moving just fine. Hinoka decided a healer had to have tended to her as the arm had been useless to her when she was trying to follow the thieves who attacked her and took Haru.
At the thought of her Pegasus, Hinoka tossed the woolen blanket aside and quickly stood up. She was in a wide room and her bed was tucked into a corner. Four other beds, all neatly made, lined the wall to her left. Either she had slept later than the other guest, or business was not good for the inn. She was in a pale long-sleeve chemise that reached her ankles and the neck prone to slipping from her shoulder. She looked widely around before noticing her clothes and boots were neatly folded and placed beside the bed.
Kneeling on the cold floor, Hinoka shifted through the pile. As she unfolded the garments, a realization crawled from under her skin; these clothes were all she had, her coin purse and all other supplies had been stored in Haru's saddle.
With a heavy sigh, Hinoka sat back on her heels. How was she to pay back the people who had provided this room and most likely sent for the healer for her? Perhaps she could sneak out without paying? Shaking her head Hinoka quickly dressed draping the borrowed nightgown over the side of the bed. Leaving without paying was dishonorable and dishonest. Her pride as a princess of Hoshido compelled her not to. She would think of something.
—
At the bottom of a short flight of narrow stairs, Hinoka found herself in a dining room. A few round tables were placed throughout the room, and a bar was built against the far wall where a young blue-haired woman, whom Hinoka recognized from the night before, stood wiping down the counter. Hearing Hinoka arrive, the stranger lifted her head as her bangs fell over her eyes which she quickly brushed aside. "You're awake," she said with a wide smile.
Hinoka paused and nodded.
"That's a good thing isn't it?" the young woman asked. "Well, I was worried about you and the healer was a bit worried too." She stared at Hinoka until she wondered if the stranger was trying to see through her. Noticing the silence the woman added. "Do you need breakfast?"
"I am all set," Hinoka said. Haru's panicked winnies were still stuck in her ears. Her stomach was so knotted she doubted she would be able to hold anything down.
"The porridge is on the house," the girl said as she slipped away from the counter. "But if you want anything extra in it you'll be charged."
Hinoka began to walk towards the door, "I am fine really," she said.
"Anyone who says they are fine are never really fine," the woman replied as she placed her hands on her hips. "I don't mean to be rude, but you did not look well when I found you last night."
Feeling she was not going to get anywhere and did not know where to begin her search for Haru, Hinoka decided it might be wise to stay and ask about the city. "Do you have tea?" Hinoka asked.
"We almost always have a pot brewing," the woman replied. "Sit down and I will fetch you some." She turned quickly on her heels and hurried towards the door behind the bar. Hinoka had hardly pulled out a chair at the nearest table when the woman returned with a steaming ceramic mug. "Have you ever been to Windmire before?" she asked, placing the tea on the table.
Thankful this was not too personal of a question, Hinoka shook her head as she wrapped her hands around the mug. "I have not."
"I grew up in the countryside too," the woman said. "But the harvest has not been good so we needed someone to get a job away from home."
Hinoka's shoulders relaxed and she sipped her tea. This woman seemed more like she was lonely and wanted someone to talk to more than that she was looking for a Hoshidan trying to worm their way into the kingdom. However, this did not mean Hinoka could be any less careful in what she told her. "I am not from anywhere really," she replied.
"I just realized we have not made introductions!" The young woman stuck out her hand to Hinoka, "You can call me Britta," she said. "Britt's fine too, but I am not particularly fond of it because only my brothers called me that."
Hinoka took the girl's hand and shook it. "I go by Helena," she said. She had picked it for her alias after reading the name meant "dawn" or "bright one" , something to remind Hinoka of Hoshido and her ancestry of the Dawn Dragon.
"It's very nice to meet you, Helena," Britta said. "I suppose you not being around here explains why you were out on the surface last night."
"The surface?" Hinoka asked.
"Everyone goes to the underground markets if they need anything." Britta shrugged. "Only foreigners or rich idiots walk on the surface." Britta's face turned red as she quickly put up her hands. "Not that I think you look rich or like an idiot, just stating what I know."
Underground markets. That was not something Hinoka had ever heard of before. "Why does everyone shop underground?"
"Well there are far more people selling their wares at the underground markets than anywhere else in the city," Britta's smile faded, "But this is mostly because recently, there have been more and more thieves about." She twisted her apron in her hands and looked at Hinoka, "And I've heard some say they've seen a faceless wandering about."
Hinoka recalled the faceless she encountered in the forbidden forest. She knew they would break loose near the border, but rampaging in the capital city? "That would have been nice to know before I arrived," Hinoka groaned. Why would those in charge of Nohr allow their capital of all places be so overrun by criminals that their own people could not travel safely?
"If you don't mind me asking," Britta began. "What led you to get injured so badly last night?"
This woman had helped her, it would not hurt to tell her what exactly happened. "I was attacked by a group of thieves," Hinoka explained. "They stole my pegasus," Hinoka crossed her arms and clenched her fist. What is happening to Haru right now? Were they feeding him and giving him enough water?
"You mean a fairy house? Those are rare here!"Britta pressed her lips together and shook her head. "You should report something that to the authorities right away." The same authorities who allowed crime to become that out of control that it was unsafe for anyone to walk the streets. Hinoka was far from certain that the Nohrian justice system would be of any help to her. It was of no surprise however. She was never going to have a great deal of faith in the bureaucracy that ended with Garon at the top. Unsure of what the consequences would be if she spoke discontent with the government, Hinoka kept the thoughts to herself.
"Britta!" came a distant voice that sounded from the kitchen, "Who are you talking to?"
Britta's brightness dimmed even further. "One moment," she said before stepping aside so that she could talk through the door to the kitchen. "Just a guest," she answered loudly.
"The one who you dragged in from the street last night?" the voice asked as a Norhian woman with a stone face and graying hair pulled back into a very tight bun entered the room. Her watery and thin eyes landed on Hinoka. This woman carried herself as if she were the head housekeeper at Krakenburg instead of an often vacant inn as she marched to the table where Hinoka sat. "Good to see you are up," she said, her tone rather frazzled. Pushing pass Britta who attempted to stifle a squeak as she did so, the older woman placed her palms on the tabletop and learned towards Hinoka. She was taller, but not by much.
Assuming this woman intended to intimidate her, Hinoka stood even straighter in her seat. She swallowed and cleared her throat. These two women did help her in a time of great need even if they were Norhians. "Thank you," Hinoka said almost robotically.
"For what?" the woman asked. Behind her, Britta shifted uncomfortably on her feet and twisted the rag in her hands. Unaware of her employee's anxiety, the woman added. "For the lodgings? That is simply what we do at an inn."
Nothing this woman said was factually incorrect. Hinoka nodded in agreement. "You know I was just getting ready to head out." To search for my pegasus.
"Have you paid your tab?" the woman asked.
"Not yet," Hinoka answered, deciding this was the safe thing to say. It implied she would pay the inn in the future, just once she repossessed Haru and her belongings which was the only plan she had at the moment.
The woman's face turned down into an intense frown before suddenly twisting back into her calm expression. "You mean to tell me you do not have any money?" she asked.
"I was robbed and left for dead last night," Hinoka said.
The woman let out an exaggerated sigh, "I suppose that is a reasonable excuse." Crossing her arms, the innkeeper stared up at the ceiling, "However, I cannot afford anyone to stay here for free and that healer was not cheap."
Hinoka needed a place to stay during her time in Windmire, and she was not going to take her chances sleeping in the streets. Without any money it was not as if another inn was about to take her in anytime in the near future. "I can work the debt off," Hinoka said quickly, realizing that the more time she spent at the inn, the less time spent searching in the streets for Haru. However, at the moment what other options did she have?
The innkeeper's frown faded at the suggestion. "That should work," she said. "Britta does need extra help ever since my other employee ran off with that merchant group," she shook her head. "I will have you know that you will be working for free for quite a while Miss…."
"Helena," Hinoka provided.
The woman continued, "Miss Helena, you will be working here for free until your debt is paid. You can stay in the employee apartment instead of the guest room. Britta can show you where to go and what to do," the woman said as she turned and retreated into the kitchen.
Britta quickly stepped back to the edge of the table, "I do apologize for Kirsten, she has been uncompromising lately I won't lie," Britta explained. "But I do think it's from stress, well, everyone in Nohr is stressed with this famine and all." She smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. Hinoka was aware that Nohr did not grow much of its own food; she always figured they were more fond of pillaging than farming. But, perhaps it wasn't? In Hoshido she almost never had to worry about the people starving.
Hinoka looked down into her tea, "I am sorry."
"Nothing you can do about it," Britta said. She clasped her hands in front of her. "So, it sounds like we will be working together for a while?"
"That is the case," Hinoka said, lifting her head up again. "I will say that I do not have much experience with kitchen work," A definite understatement, but she did not wish to tell a person she hardly knew how she could not cook to save her life. However, there was a time that she and Setsuna put their heads together and managed to create a somewhat edible omelet. At least, no one had fallen too ill from it.
Britta smiled more brightly, "You look like you will learn quickly." She gestured to Hinoka's mug, "Finish that and then come see me, as of now I only have cleaning to do and it can be very tedious."
—
After draining her cup, Hinoka found Britta sweeping the stairwell.
"So," Hinoka said as Britta looked to her. "Do you need me to clean any of the tables down, or polish any brass?"
"Actually," Britta said. "I need to run through the underground market to get a few things for dinner." She moved from the stairwell as Hinoka followed. "It would be nice to have assistance carrying everything back here."
That was the best possible task Britta could have asked for help with. If that underground market was busy as Britta described, Hinoka could find someone who knew about Haru. "Could you keep your eyes out for someone selling a pegasus while we are there?" she asked. Four eyes looking out for Haru were better than two.
"I will try my best," Britta said as she slipped behind the bar and swapped her broom out for a woven basket and a lantern. "I have never seen a pegasus before, but I suppose they are very distinct looking."
"He looks like a beautiful white horse with very large feathery-wings," Hinoka supplied, as Britta stepped away from the bar.
Britta nodded and handed the basket to Hinoka. "I think I will know it if I see it," she placed the lantern on the counter and pulled a small box of matches from her apron pocket, but the first match she struck went out before she could light the lantern. She struck a second match again, but it would not catch flame. "Perhaps if I studied magic a bit better I wouldn't have to bother with these," she remarked. Her third match crackled to a flame that she easily transferred to the lantern, "There we go." Britta pointed to a set of thick set of dark blue curtains, "The tunnel entrance is over here."
"Is it supposed to be a secret?" Hinoka asked, noting how the curtains looked more like a window.
"Not really," Britta said as she pulled the curtains back revealing a heavy wooden door, "These are here to keep out the draft." She pulled open the door. A damp, but earthy smell wafted around them. It brought to mind a time as a child when Hinoka and her siblings played in the gardens after a rainstorm. One particular time she recalled that they found a bird's nest blown over in the storm. Corrin had been so devastated by the loss of the baby birds she insisted that they give the unfortunate creatures a proper burial. She cried for an hour after. She always did love animals.
"Helena?" Britta's voice came from several feet within the tunnel. "Are you coming with me?" her voice echoed some.
Hinoka swallowed. "I am right behind you." She pulled the heavy door shut behind her. Leaving the only light the glow of Britta's lantern.