Chapter 4
The next day, Leila woke a little after dawn, starving. She hadn't eaten since her small lunch the day before. She got out of bed, went to the chest, and pulled out a pair of breeches and a plain white homespun shirt. She put them on quickly, for it was cold in the room. Then she went over to the washstand where a clay water basin and pitcher stood, waiting to be used. She poured the water from the pitcher into the basin. She stuck her hands in and pulled them out quickly. The water was freezing! She bravely stuck her hands in again and washed them and her face.
Leila took what was left of her money and left the room, closing the door behind her. Her cheeks were refreshingly pink from the icy water, and her hair hung sleekly down her back. She walked down the stairs and into the tavern. There she found Nelson sitting at one of the small tables, writing something on a piece of paper.
"Excuse me, sir," Leila said. Nelson looked up from his work, seeming a little startled.
"Oh, good mornin', Leila." He greeted her with a warm smile.
"Good morning to you too, sir. I was wondering if there was any breakfast ready."
"O'course! Just go back to the kitchen back there, right behind ye. The food's ready to be eaten."
"Thank you, sir," Leila replied gratefully.
She got her breakfast and filled her stomach, because she had a long day ahead of her. First she was going to ride Stormwind to the palace and inquire about becoming a page. Then, if she was accepted, she would ride back quickly to the Dancing Dove to get her things. Then, finally, she would take all her things to the pages' quarters at the palace.
Leila followed her plan as soon as she got done with breakfast. She rode to the palace and was easily accepted, since it had been ages since the decree that girls could become knights. She followed the rest of her plan and gathered her things from the Dancing Dove. As she closed the chest, she made up her mind to ask Nelson about it.
She found him out in the stables, talking quietly with Damien. She walked toward him, but just before she got there, Nelson turned around.
"Oh, hello, Leila," he said, surprised. "You always seem t'sneak up on me," he smiled.
"Oh, I don't mean to sneak sir. I'm sorry if I startled you."
"Don't be sorry--bein' able t'sneak up on people's a skill that may come in handy someday," Nelson said seriously.
"Yessir," Leila answered, even though she didn't quite understand. "Anyway, sir, what I came to talk to you about is that chest in my room. You know, the one with the engravings?"
Nelson stiffened. Then he said nonchalantly, "Oh, that old thing? I got that, um...I--I picked it up off the side of the road."
"Nelson," Leila said, eyeing him suspiciously, "I'm certain you didn't get that from the side of the road. I am a merchant's daughter, you know. Please be honest with me."
Nelson let out the breath he had been holding. "All right," he sighed. "But let's go t'my office t'talk about it."
"Well?" questioned Leila. She was sitting in a hard, uncomfortable chair in Nelson's office. They had been there for a while, but Nelson still had not said a word.
"I'm not s'posed to tell anyone who's not a member, but seeing as ye noticed it, I might as well tell ye.
"I'm a member of the Rogue, a guild of thieves in the city of Corus. I'm second-in-command, but I don't want t' become the leader like most people. Usually everybody's overthrowin' everybody, an' it's chaos. But anyway, that chest is th' most important part of th' Rogue. It holds all th' important an' top-secret papers an' such. Nobody has the key but the Rogue himself. Th' symbols on it are s'posed t' be a sort of Language of th' Rogues or some such nonsense. At least, *I* never heard of this language before. Now, ye's got t' promise not t' tell *anyone*, or I'll have t' send out somebody after ye."
"I promise," Leila swore solemnly. She wouldn't want someone tracking her down so they could kill her.