Andrew looked eagerly over the teeming crowds of anxious people. People
passed him idly, mead dripping down their shirts. Vendors were still on
every street corner, selling food and drinks to those passing. He shoved
his way through the crowd, only seemed to get thicker as they got closer to
the steps leading to the coliseum. It was a massive monument of gray
marble, which shined dully in the afternoon sun. Naree gripped onto his
hand tightly, uttering an "OUCH!" as someone stepped on her foot.
Naree had been worried since that morning. The babies were left in the care of the innkeeper, which was small comfort given that morning's predicament. The innkeeper's daughter was still giving her dirty looks when Andrew wasn't around, but she paid them no mind. She was too busy being jostled and bumped in the midst of a growing crown of eager fans of the finalists in Colosso.
They finally found the way toward the steps, at the front, as two warriors stood in front, admitting all those with passes. Andrew yanked Naree's arm, dragging her to the ticket man. The man gruffly took the ticket from Andrew's hands, tore it, and said, "Fifth row on the left." Andrew then ran toward the entrance, with Naree dizzily careening behind him. Andrew talked excitedly.
"I can't believe I'm actually going to see Colosso! Father had always told me about it, but I never imagined I'd ever see it!"
Naree smiled, gingerly touching her wrist. " Yeah, me too," she said distractedly. Andrew looked at her, still smiling. " Is something wrong?"
"I don't feel comfortable with the babies being in the care of the innkeeper. That's all."
"Well, they're the only ones still working, so it was either having them take care of the children, or leave them alone, where they could be kidnapped." They both walked into the open arena, which was buzzing with chatter.
"To be perfectly honest, I think it would have been safer." Andrew shrugged. "That may be, but at least we left them with people we thought we could trust." They stepped between legions of people to find their seat. " I still don't trust them though, Andrew. You saw how the innkeeper's daughter was. I imagine she'd be curious about the children's background."
"No she wouldn't," Andrew said.
Naree looked at him quizzically. " And why do you think she wouldn't?"
Andrew smiled mishcieviously. " Because, I told her to. She likes me, remember?" Naree sighed with a small giggle. I hope you're right, Andrew. I really do."
Oliver trudged in the door of the inn, the floorboards creaking under his feet. There was a burly looking man at the counter, who was cleaning the counter. A girl (who was rather fat, Oliver noted) was sweeping the floors beside him stared at him quizzically as he shifted the bassinet. Aria followed close behind him, her blue hair frizzy after the day's walk.
Oliver walked up to the counter, and dumped his bag on the ground. The man cleaning ignored him, still wiping the wooden counter. Oliver groaned impatiently. Aria put the bassinets on the counter. The man still (apparently) had not heard them. So Oliver, finding the bell, rang it, and the man turned around, and asked "May I help you, travelers?"
Oliver answered. "Well, if you'd answered the FIRST time-"
Aria grinned sheepishly, slapping her hand over Oliver's mouth. " We wish to find a room, sir. We simply wish to lodge for the night." The innkeeper grinned widely. " Well, we only have one room left. Would you like that one?"
Before Oliver could retort, Aria said "Yes!" quickly. The man walked out from behind the counter, grinding his teeth together and glaring at Oliver. The two of them stared at each other and rolled their eyes. This was going to be slightly more interesting than planned.
Naree had been worried since that morning. The babies were left in the care of the innkeeper, which was small comfort given that morning's predicament. The innkeeper's daughter was still giving her dirty looks when Andrew wasn't around, but she paid them no mind. She was too busy being jostled and bumped in the midst of a growing crown of eager fans of the finalists in Colosso.
They finally found the way toward the steps, at the front, as two warriors stood in front, admitting all those with passes. Andrew yanked Naree's arm, dragging her to the ticket man. The man gruffly took the ticket from Andrew's hands, tore it, and said, "Fifth row on the left." Andrew then ran toward the entrance, with Naree dizzily careening behind him. Andrew talked excitedly.
"I can't believe I'm actually going to see Colosso! Father had always told me about it, but I never imagined I'd ever see it!"
Naree smiled, gingerly touching her wrist. " Yeah, me too," she said distractedly. Andrew looked at her, still smiling. " Is something wrong?"
"I don't feel comfortable with the babies being in the care of the innkeeper. That's all."
"Well, they're the only ones still working, so it was either having them take care of the children, or leave them alone, where they could be kidnapped." They both walked into the open arena, which was buzzing with chatter.
"To be perfectly honest, I think it would have been safer." Andrew shrugged. "That may be, but at least we left them with people we thought we could trust." They stepped between legions of people to find their seat. " I still don't trust them though, Andrew. You saw how the innkeeper's daughter was. I imagine she'd be curious about the children's background."
"No she wouldn't," Andrew said.
Naree looked at him quizzically. " And why do you think she wouldn't?"
Andrew smiled mishcieviously. " Because, I told her to. She likes me, remember?" Naree sighed with a small giggle. I hope you're right, Andrew. I really do."
Oliver trudged in the door of the inn, the floorboards creaking under his feet. There was a burly looking man at the counter, who was cleaning the counter. A girl (who was rather fat, Oliver noted) was sweeping the floors beside him stared at him quizzically as he shifted the bassinet. Aria followed close behind him, her blue hair frizzy after the day's walk.
Oliver walked up to the counter, and dumped his bag on the ground. The man cleaning ignored him, still wiping the wooden counter. Oliver groaned impatiently. Aria put the bassinets on the counter. The man still (apparently) had not heard them. So Oliver, finding the bell, rang it, and the man turned around, and asked "May I help you, travelers?"
Oliver answered. "Well, if you'd answered the FIRST time-"
Aria grinned sheepishly, slapping her hand over Oliver's mouth. " We wish to find a room, sir. We simply wish to lodge for the night." The innkeeper grinned widely. " Well, we only have one room left. Would you like that one?"
Before Oliver could retort, Aria said "Yes!" quickly. The man walked out from behind the counter, grinding his teeth together and glaring at Oliver. The two of them stared at each other and rolled their eyes. This was going to be slightly more interesting than planned.