"Thank Goddess' we found this place," Link said as he pushed open the door of the Stock Pot Inn. He instantly began to assess his statement.
The Inn did nothing to remove the coldness of the night that had permeated to her bones. Navi made a quiet remark about it being colder than outside. It was a quiet remark because it was the sort of somberly silent place that promoted you to be quiet, not just the Inn (which appeared to be dead), but the entire Town. They hadn't seen a single person on the streets yet. It was eeiry.
Crossing to the empty front desk, Link rang the bell. The tiny, tinny sound rang down the draughty corridors. Nobody appeared. He rang again. Nothing but rats stirred within.
There was considerable evidence that the place had once seen much better days. What had once no-doubt been rich and expensive-looking paintwork was peeling badly, the lobby pot plants were long-dead, and the little nodding cow's head had fallen off and lay at it's hooves, it's little painted smile faded to nothing. A feel of damp pervaded the place.
"This place is a dump," Navi commented. And then the owner was there.
He had appeared suddenly and silently at just the point where the words "this place was a dump" were on their journey between Navi's brain and Navi's mouth. He gave her a slow, blank stare, which made her back off a little, and then said, "yes?"
Maybe he was so silent because he was so much like a ghost, Link thought. His skin was pale, filmy, and stretched unnaturally across his bones when he talked, giving him a rather gaunt, older appearance. The suit he wore was black, grey, and white, almost as if he was attending a funeral. His eyes were dim and laclustre. The only source of colour on him was his violet hair, but it was cut so short and tidy that any cheering effect on his features was lost.
"You wanted something?" he asked again, in clipped tones.
"A room for the night."
"That'll be five rupees, sir. All the rooms are free, the locks are all broken, and there's nothing worth stealing anyway. Thank you for your custom."
And with that and their five rupees, he dissapeared away intro the darkness of the house.
"Nice place," Navi mouthed, as they headed for their room.