When the sun rose, and Tess stretched in the bed, he was tempted not to tell her. She looked so peaceful when she woke, but one look at him, and she knew.
"What happened," she questioned.
His back was still to her as he watched the door. "The woman who runs the inn is in league with the man who I had a knife to last night. They sound like they are married or together. He wants you, and she wants me. Apparently, the man's father is the king in the city."
Seconds ticked by until Tess asked, "so what do we do?"
He turned back to look at her as he said, "we leave. I would rather stay at the brothel for a few days and smell shit than stay here."
"Ok," was all Tess said.
They both got up to get ready and pack their things. There was no bathroom here, just a bedpan, and he wrinkled his nose at that. Tess slung her pack over her shoulder as he grabbed his bow and rabbits. With a quick push of the dresser, the door was free, and they stepped out into the hall. Celegorm motioned for her to wait as he crept down the stairs. There were no voices, and it was empty, so he waved for her to follow. Tess grabbed onto his arm as they stepped outside into the city.
People were walking around and going about their day. He did not see the man and woman among them as he pulled Tess over to the gates. Expecting the guards to stop them, he was surprised that they didn't. Now that it was light, he saw firsthand how filthy and disgusting the city was outside of the city center. Tall piles of shit were all over the roads, and he didn't know if they were human or animal. People on this side of the wall look hungry and dirty. Tess moved closer to him as more people passed.
He did not like the eyes that followed her nor the ones that followed him. This was not a city for travelers, and they needed to leave as soon as possible. They found the brothel again, but the women were not standing outside. He pushed his way in and saw that it was actually a tavern inside. A woman was behind the bar as workers and men sat together at the tables.
"May I help you?"
"We are in need of food and lodging for the night. I also have rabbits to trade if you are interested in purchasing them."
The woman behind the bar pointed at the rabbits, and he set them on the counter. The woman felt the rabbits and then nodded, "I will trade. One night's stay with two meals for all the rabbits."
"Done," he replied easily.
The woman smiled and then pulled out a box from under the bar. Inside, she grabbed a key ring and then took one off to hand it to them. "I can't guarantee it will be quiet at night, but the bed is clean, and we have tubs in all the rooms for hot baths. Must be my lucky year, as you are the second elf I've met who came to trade rabbits."
He froze, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. Thankfully, Tess did. "When was this, and what did he look like?"
The woman smiled, and he saw that she was missing a few teeth. She was friendly, though, as she laughed, "handsome fellow he was. Quiet and kept to himself. He protected the girls a few times from some unsavory men but never took any of them to his bed. He had the prettiest red hair, but he said he was searching for his brother, who he had lost." The woman smiled at the memory as she said, "very kind fellow as well. Once he helped some of the women, I let him stay free of charge. He spoke to a lot of the travelers until I asked him one night what I could do to help him."
The woman shrugged, "he was scared about something. He didn't like to speak about himself, but I knew he was looking for information. I've run this tavern for over twenty years and picked up on some things in my time. He wanted to know what I knew about the elves and where to find them."
All he could do was hold his breath as Tess asked, "what did you tell him?"
The woman shrugged, "just the stories I heard over the years. Rumors about the elves living to the east. They say they live beyond the mountains if you can find a safe path."
"Is that where he went?"
"Who," the woman asked.
"The elf with red hair. Did he give a name by chance?" Celegorm pleaded.
The woman was a little taken aback, and then she questioned, "do you know him?"
He nodded, "he is my younger brother. He is looking for his twin."
It took a while for the woman to make up her mind. Then she said, "he said his name was Amrod, but he didn't want anyone to know. He asked me if I had seen any other elves, but he was the first one in many years. I told him everything I knew about the elves to the east, and then he left about a week ago. Haven't seen him since."
Celegorm sucked in his breath as Tess squeezed his arm in support. Amrod was here, which meant the rest of his brothers were too. It was too much for him, and he needed to sit down. Tess must have known as she moved him over to a small table. The woman said something about food and drink, but he couldn't focus on much.
"Celegorm," Tess called to him. "Are you alright?"
It was hard for him to grasp what was going on around him. His brothers, his family, they were here. Or at least Amrod was, but if two of them had been brought back, he guessed the rest had. The thought overwhelmed him, but in a good way. He wanted out of this city more now, but then the deal he had struck with Tess rolled around in his head.
Their eyes met, and he couldn't bring himself to say it. He wanted to go east and find his brother, but he promised her he would take her to Rivendell. Air, he needed air as this tavern was too enclosed for him. Without a word, he jumped up from his seat and made his way out of the door. Tess ran after him as she screamed his name. Once outside, all of the shit smelled so bad that it was worse than before. Tess barreled into his back as she cried out, "oof."
Her warm hands found his waist as she steadied herself. "What is going on? Why are you running away? The woman was just bringing out food."
He didn't glance at her before mumbling, "I needed air."
Tess huffed behind him, "well, it smells like shit out here."
That it did. It was a nasty smell that made his stomach churn. Being outside helped, but without the forest or open fields, he was still tightly wound as before. He didn't say anything as they both stood at the entrance to the tavern.
Tess moved around to the front of him and put her hands on her hips. He avoided her gaze, but all she did was huff and link her arm in with his. "Come on. Let's get some food, and then we can talk."
The food sounded good, but he was not interested in talking. What could he say to her to convince her that they needed to go east? Would she hold him to his word to take her to Rivendell? Celegorm did not know the answer, and he was scared that he would lose his brother if they didn't leave right now. His entire body was screaming at him to take off into the plains. To start tracking his brother and leave his new companion behind. His mind caught up to him then, and he remembered the night before and the men of this city. He would never leave Tess behind. He was stuck, and he didn't know what to do.
He let Tess pull him back into the tavern towards the table. There were two small meals waiting for them as Tess pushed him into a chair. Tess dug into her food greedily, but he could only tear his bread into little pieces on the table. His mind went through multiple different scenarios so he could get his way, but he was coming up short.
Tess's snorting broke him out of his musings. "What is your problem? I thought you would be happy to hear about your brother?"
"I am," was all he offered.
Tess furrowed her brows at him. "I don't understand then?"
Celegorm didn't want to speak as he still had no clear way to convince her. Instead, he started dipping his bread into his soup and eating. He felt her eyes on him as he ate to avoid her question. Finally, it seemed to dawn on Tess as she asked, "are we not going after him?"
Celegorm swallowed, but the food felt heavy as it slid down his throat. Deciding to be honest, he answered quietly, "we made a deal. You kept up your end of the bargain, and I promised to take you to Rivendell. My brother went east, and we need to go west."
To his amusement, Tess barked out a laugh. "Is that what has you in this weird mood? For fucks sake, Celegorm, who cares about Rivendell. It will always be there."
"What," he asked, dumbfounded.
Tess rolled her eyes, "are you fucking kidding me? Do you think I would make you take me to Rivendell after we just heard about your brother? I'm not that much of a monster. We can go east and see if we can catch up to him. I've always wondered what was east of Rhun anyway."
Celegorm sat back in complete shock, "that's it?" he cried. "I don't have to beg or plead my case to make you change your mind? You were so headstrong about Rivendell and getting home that I thought you would fight me tooth and nail to make sure we went that way."
A flash of sadness crossed her face, but then she sat back in her chair and hung her head low. "Celegorm," she started. "I don't think I'm ever going to be able to go home."
He was completely thrown for a loop that he leaned in closer to her. "What are you talking about," he asked softly. "The entire week, you have been telling me all about your home and how you think the wizard could get you home. What changed?"
Tess averted her eyes, and he did something without thinking. He reached out and grabbed her hand in his and squeezed. "Tell me," he said quietly. "I will listen."
She stared off into the distance for a while until she plucked up enough courage to speak. "I died."
Whatever he was expecting, it was not that.
Tess repeated it, "I died. In my world. I know it now, and I don't think there's a way back. At least, not for me. At first, I thought I was dreaming or in a coma or something. I thought I would wake up, but now after a week, I know this place is real."
Tess finally looked up at him and gave him a small, sad smile. "It was very hard for me to grasp that this was real. I know this world and its history. You are not supposed to be here, which made me think it was not real. I thought…"
She took a large breath and said, "I thought it was all a dream. That I would wake up eventually, and I could laugh about all of this. I know now that it's not."
His hand was still resting in hers, and he squeezed to give her some comfort. "What changed?" he asked. "When did you really know?"
"Last night," she said quietly. "When the men approached us at the fire."
Her eyes found his, and he realized now that she was facing her own demons. The fear he saw last night shook her to her core. He had faced enough of his own to realize that she might not want to talk about it. Yet, he didn't really know what to say. He was never very good at giving comfort, opting to just walk away from everyone else's feelings. Something made him stay this time, though. Perhaps, he could sense that Tess really needed him at this moment, or because they were all the other had.
He didn't speak, but he continued to squeeze her hand softly as the two sat close. It was the best he could do, but she seemed alright with that. After a while, Tess let go of his hand and returned to finish her food. Celegorm took that as a sign that she was alright for the moment, but he was still out of his element. The only one of his brothers that was ever any good with feelings was Maehdros, and he wasn't here. He thought back to his childhood and some of the times he needed help.
Celegorm coughed softly to get her attention, and once he did, he said, "I don't do well with feelings. I never have and probably never will. I know what it is like to be haunted by demons and your past. I am in no position to judge anyone for their past deeds. With that said, if you wish to talk about it, I will listen. I might not be able to help much after, but I find that just speaking about things helps immensely."
Tess's bright blue eyes found his, and he saw small tears leaking from the sides. She nodded softly but didn't say much else. He added, "I have died before, and I know firsthand how hard that is."
Tess nodded, "thanks. It's too much right now, but I think I would like to talk about it at some point. I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything, and I don't want to linger too much on the past."
He gave her a curt nod, and they fell back into their easy silence. They both focused on finishing their food, and then the women came by to show them to their room. Unfortunately, they were on the main floor, and he could see that the place had multiple levels. He groaned softly as tonight would be interesting, and he probably wouldn't sleep a wink. Tess didn't seem to mind, and when they stepped into the room, she was overjoyed by the small bathroom attached to the room.
She asked for hot water, and the women left to grab some for her. There was only one bed, and he wrinkled his nose at the covers. While they might have been clean, he could only guess how many people used this room and the bed. Still, it was better than the inn they were just at.
There were two small chairs near the fireplace where he deposited his bow and knives next to Tess's bag. The latter, who had taken a change of clothes from her world with her, into the bathroom. The woman returned with the water while he was resting in the chair.
"You need a bath, too?" she asked.
He nodded, but then he asked, "do you have any clean clothes by chance?"
The woman looked him up and down, guessing his size, and then she nodded. "As long as you don't mind that they belonged to some of our previous guests. Men seem to love to take off their clothes but have a lot of trouble putting them back on. We have a whole room of spare clothes. I'll grab a clean set for you."
She left before he could ask how much she would charge for them. He rested his arm over his hand to block out the light as he needed a slight rest. A little while later, he heard the soft pitter-patter of feet as Tess made her way back into the room. When he lowered his arm, his eyes almost bulged from his head when he saw her.
Her hair was slightly damp, but it fell in waves around her face. He guessed she had towel-dried it, but he actually didn't mind the look. The thin layer of dirt he had grown accustomed to was gone. The soft hint of lilac drifted over to him, and he found the smell intoxicating. However, the real reason he looked at her in shock was because of her dress.
It was flowy and ended about her midthigh. It was dark navy with white flowers that made her sun-kissed skin pop. What really got him going was the back of the dress. It ended just above her hips, exposing her entire back except for small strands wrapped around to the front and sides. When she turned, he saw the front was cut low but ran up her shoulders in two thick bands. The middle of the dress was clenched tightly at the waist to accentuate her figure. If this is what she wore daily in her home, he wanted to go there more than ever.
Tess flushed when she noticed his eyes roaming up and down her body. While he had seen her naked, something about the dress and how it hung on her body made his cock twitch. The slight flush on her face nearly sent him over the edge, but he managed to control himself.
Tess asked, "I know I can't wear this outside, but the woman said she would return with new clothes."
"Hmmmm," was all he managed to say.
Tess laughed softly as she said, "well, I'm glad to know you approve of my dress. It's one of my favorites, and I was wearing it when I arrived."
Celegorm smirked, "the elves found you in this?"
"Yup," she replied with a pop.
Tess seemed to be back to her normal self, and for that, he was glad. He smirked as he replied, "I would have locked you up too. Not in a dungeon, though." He winked at her, and she burst out laughing. He enjoyed the teasing and cat-and-mouse game they played. So far, it was all just light banter, yet a tiny part of him wanted more. He wouldn't push his luck, as having a female he could tease was more than he was ever expecting after what he had done.
The woman returned a little later and nearly died from shock at seeing Tess. "Good heavens, girl. With that dress, you could have any man in the city."
She just shrugged while the women handed over clothes for them both. The bundle she gave him included a green tunic with brown breeches. While the quality was not as nice as the elvish clothes, they were clean. To his dismay, Tess was given a button-up dress with a long skirt and sleeves in an ugly maroon color.
The woman gave her a small wink. "I know it's hideous. It's the best I can give you, free of charge. There is a clothes shop just down the road where you can buy some decent traveling clothes."
Tess smiled and said, "thanks. I am grateful. Is there someplace I can wash my clothes?"
The women laughed, "just leave them on the bed. I'll send my laundry girl in to gather your clothes."
Celegorm nodded his thanks. The woman told him she would be right back with his hot water, so he stepped into the bathroom to look. The bathroom was surprisingly pleasant, but he expected as much. Most men are filthy from the road, and when they come into town, they want a warm bath and someone warm to crawl in next to.
He set his clothes on the small side table and took off his boots. While he waited for the hot water, he opened the taps to fill the tub. It was large and would fit him comfortably, even with his long legs.
The women returned with the hot pail and poured it in. Before she closed the door, she said, "the king left a letter for you at the bar. It's addressed to the elf and his whore." The woman grimaced at that, but she continued. "You are the only elf in the city, so I suspect it is for you."
He frowned slightly as he couldn't imagine what this king would have to say. Before the woman closed the door completely, the woman added softly, "if I were you, I would gather supplies and leave this town tomorrow." Then, she closed the door with a snap.