Because of the presence of Church Knights, they were admitted instantly by a rather dull-eyed guard.
"Ever been to Chyrellos before?" Tynian asked Yuka conversationally.
"Once," she replied, "a long time ago. I barely remember it." She gazed around. "It's bigger than I remember," she admitted. "I was only small when I came with my eldest brother…" She paused. "Just before he…died." Tynian blinked. Yuka swallowed. "Sorry. I shouldn't dwell on it. I'm sorry."
"There's the inn," Ulath said, tactfully changing the subject. They dismounted and handed the horses over to a stableboy. Yuka was careful to warn the poor boy about Tynian's horse. The hand gulped and led the beast away at arm's length. Then Yuka followed the knights into the tap-room.
It was smoky, smelly and noisy, but warm and strangely homely. The knights looked about for a second, before Tynian grinned, nudged Ulath and pointed. Yuka saw a young man, an Arcian by the looks of him, sitting at a table alone looking uncomfortable, a mug of something in front of him. She followed her travelling companions over to the table.
"Well, Bevier," drawled Ulath, "not drunk, I see? What a surprise." The man jumped and stared at the knights, then grinned.
"You startled me," he accused. "Well, sit down, then." They did so. Tynian hailed a busty bar-wench and ordered tankards of ale for him and Ulath, and some Arcian Red wine for Yuka.
"Bevier, this is Yukana, our young travelling companion," Tynian introduced. Yuka smiled shyly.
"Hello," she said timidly.
"Hello, my Lady," Bevier replied politely. "Are you well?"
"I am, thankyou, Sir Bevier," she answered softly, shy of this formal young knight. "And yourself?"
"I am in good health, thankyou, my Lady," he responded, still very formal. Tynian hit him on the arm.
"Don't be so stiff!" he said. "She's going to be with us for a long time. You're going to have to be more friendly with her."
"Well, I'm sorry," he replied tensely. "I'm not very good with… you know." Tynian nodded knowledgeably.
"I do know, Bevier. I do." The drinks arrived. Yuka sipped her wine, grateful for an excuse not to talk. These knights were all very big and slightly frightening, although Tynian was nice. Ulath seemed alright too, although he was very silent so she hadn't got much of a chance to know him. And Bevier was… odd. Pleasant enough, but odd. Very formal, and polite. She hoped she could get to know them all better during the journey.
Absently, her hand strayed to the necklace Damare had given her, and the blue stone flashed inside with a black flame.
Yuka went to bed late that night, after she began to feel a little bit dizzy. Well, more than just a little bit dizzy. Not much of a talker, the half-Styric had been sipping Arcian Red for half the night to avoid conversation with her companions. She really regretted it.
The inn was quite large. She had a small room across the hall from her companions. It was plainly decorated, with a few pieces of furniture and heavy curtains over the window. She undressed and got into her soft night-clothes, and climbed into bed, feeling a little bit sick and faint. When she looked at the dark ceiling, it seemed to spin just a little bit.
Am I drunk? I maybe did drink a tiny bit too much…
There was raucous laughter from downstairs.
Haha. Not as much as them. Ulath does seem like the type to get drunk. Sounds like they're having fun… she thought wistfully. I wish I had a better stomach for alcohol.
She lay in the dark for some hours, dozing off and waking again with a start. The fourth time she woke, she was sure it was because there was a sound from outside her room. Her body clock told her it was past midnight, and even the bar downstairs was silent…
There. A definite creaking sound, such as one would make shifting weight from one foot to the other. She lay still, trembling slightly. She had always been afraid of ghosts and the like, and the mysterious person outside seemed like a prime suspect to be a wandering spirit.
After about fifteen minutes of lying in fear and hearing the creaking, she plucked up the courage to get out of bed and pad almost silently to the door, picking up her candle as she did so. When she got there, she hesitated a minute before opening the door and thrusting the candle out.
There was a clink of chain mail as someone jumped in surprise. Yuka stared, holding the candle out in front of her.
"Sir Bevier?!" she gasped, startled. "You woke me. Is something the matter?"
The knight had gone scarlet. "N-no, my Lady, nothing…"
"Then why…?" She stopped, seeing his face. "Never mind. Go to bed, Sir Bevier." She smiled at him, and he faltered a weak smile back. "Good night," she whispered, as he turned and walked a little way down the corridor to his room.
"Good night, Lady," he replied, disappearing through his door. Yuka sighed and retreated into her own room.
What was that about? Perhaps he wanted to talk to me about something? She sighed. It was too late to think about things like that.
She didn't dream that night.