Disclaimer: DreamWorks owns RotG, not me.
Jack rose earlier than usual, and didn't take his time like he usually did. He didn't have extra time, not with the double shift at the Inn. Mr. Herke was patient and understanding, but he didn't accept tardiness for no reason.
Dressing in his usual pants and vest, he didn't bother to leave a note for Mrs. Overland. No need to waste paper on something she already knew. He grabbed his cloak and flask, filling the flask with water and a drop of something else. He took enough money to be able to buy a few apples for lunch and one for breakfast before putting some worn shoes on and exiting the house.
Jack passed through the market, which was just being set up for the day, on his way to the Inn. He thanked Mrs. Bennett for the extra apple she tossed at him, saying cheekily, "I needed a knock on the head to wake me up!"
Hanging up his cloak as he walked into the back of the Inn, Jack checked in with Mr. Herke, who told him to stay at the counter and take orders; there had apparently been more people than usual.
Jack pondered the reason for extra people as he took orders and delivered them when they were done. Christmas had passed weeks ago, so it wouldn't be the travelers rush. Whatever the reason, Jack decided, it was none of his business.
Half an hour after Jack started, things had died down a bit. Jack hadn't seen the odd group, so they must have left before he came. If they were still here, Jack mused, that would mean they didn't plan on leaving soon. But a group like them would have no reason to stay, so he worked the next half hour with relief.
Relief that was shattered when the shortest of the odd group, a small man with blond hair that stuck up everywhere came downstairs. He had a sleepy demeanor about him, as though he did not particularly wish to be awake yet.
They hadn't left.
The little man walked in front of Jack, and passed him a piece of paper. Carefully, so the man wouldn't see Jack's distress, he took the paper.
Jack blinked when he saw that it was an order, but the man had wandered to a table in the corner before he could ask. Jack gave the order to the cook, and waited, keeping an eye on the blond man.
Why are they still here? Jack thought furiously. They couldn't have caught on. It will be fine, it will be fine, it will be…
Jack's thoughts were interrupted when the petite girl, who was also part of the now considerably more dangerous group, came downstairs, though with more cheer than her blond companion.
She was in front of him in a flash, and Jack just had time to register her nearly-black hair, her tanned skin, and her violet eyes before she was shooting her order at him.
Violet eyes?
"If I could get maybe some toast with butter and a glass of milk that would be wonderful, thank you!"
He relayed the message to the cook, before pouring both her milk and the short man's water and taking it to the table in the corner.
When he set the man's water down, he nodded at Jack in thanks, apparently only paying half of his attention to the dark-haired girl, who was talking a mile a minute.
"-Except that wouldn't make sense, and I told him so, but he had the nerve to-"
Returning to his position, Jack noticed the other two men from the group, the large one and the tall one. Their orders were taken to the cook, and Jack picked up the blond man's order, as well as the dark-haired girl's.
Approaching the table, he heard another snippet of speech, though not from the girl. It was the grumpy tall man who was speaking, and the words made Jack even more anxious for the group to leave town.
"-Might not even be here, but I suppose time will-"
"Thank you so much!" The petite girl chirped, cutting the grumpy one off. The sleepy man gave him a thumbs up.
It didn't sound like they planned on leaving soon. That was… not good news for Jack. In a daze, he got the other two orders to the table, each time he approached the table someone's words were cut off. Whatever they were doing here was secret, which made the travelers that much more dangerous.
Jack couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as, an hour later, the group left the Inn. That wasn't really good, he thought as he cleaned dishes next to Adam, who technically was supposed to be the only one on kitchen duty, but Jack didn't have anything better to do. Leaving the Inn meant the group was exploring the town.
Jack just hoped they would be back before his lunch break, otherwise he might run into them.
A/N: So I got another chapter done. For those interested, updates will be sporadic, no set schedule. Anyway, tell me how this chapter is, what I need to improve upon and what I'm doing fine on.