Chapter 3: So we walked into a Bar…

The caravan made it safely to Castletown. Thank the GODS for that. I don't think I could handle being ignored by Xaedes much longer. Ok… So Marious's little pep talk had an effect on me. I thought about and I came to the conclusion that I liked having a brother, even if he is a jerk. I don't think I am going to tell him the "big" secret yet. It isn't that important anyway.

It took Xaedes until we got to Castletown to finish brooding over the goblins to even look at me. Marious had left us at the stables to get us rooms at the Inn. It wasn't until we were stabling the horses that Xaedes managed to put a sentence together and talk to me.

"Can we talk?" He was hanging his head.

I crossed my arms and leaned up against a wall. "What's on your mind?" He seemed to be searching for words to express what ever it was that he was trying to tell me. Men in general are an enigma to me, but he was more of a puzzle than any man I had met. He was extremely sullen one minute, then more sullen the next. I wanted to cheer him up, but how do you cheer up a guy who likes being depressed. And I thought I was an emotional see saw.

"I'm sorry." He said solemnly. I really didn't know how to react. I didn't know what the heck he was apologizing for.

"For what?" I groused at him.

"For being an asshole."

I had to chuckle. "Heh, it's what big brothers are for, I think." I curled my lip in a smirk. "Let's start over." I extended my hand. "Hi, my name is George."

He let out a grunt of laughter and took my hand. "My name is Xaedes."

"Good to meet you Xaedes." I tried not to smile too much; it would ruin my boyish exterior. Marious had walked back into the stables. He saw us being brotherly and had a broad grin across his face.

"Good! You're friends, it's a start." Said the older man. "OUR accommodations are set for the next few days and we have some time to kill before we have to be at the bar down the street to meet our next companion."

"Nifty, can I have the key to my room?" I asked while grabbing my gear. I SOOOO wanted to get out of my leather armor.

"You mean our room." The man eyed me like I was crazy.

"What?" I paled. I needed to bathe, to change my filthy clothes, and to retie the bandages that were holding in my chest. Three days of traveling, hard work and a small battle and the bandages had started to bunch in places that were making life increasingly uncomfortable.

"It's cheaper to bunk in one room. We're all men here." Marious grumbled.

Two thoughts slipped through my mind. The first: Marious was a dirty old man. Then I had to remember that he didn't know the secret I was keeping any more than Xaedes. The second was a simple OH CRAP. The good news is that Xaedes protested before I could.

"What if I should find myself a chamber maid? What then Marious?" My brother the life saver, couldn't have said it better. "Don't you agree, George?' Xaedes gave me a sly nod.

OH CRAP. I paled again, but recovered quickly. "This is my great adventure. I don't think it would be a good idea to get stuck in the same situation as Father." Marious nodded in agreement. It was Xaedes turn to look at me like I was crazy.

"Wise words from someone so young, yet you still want your own room?" Marious eyed me.

DAMN! How in the hell was I going to get myself out of this little spot with out sounding girly. Then it came to me. "I'll pay for my own room." I said.

"Then you can do as you please." Marious grinned. "Meet at the entrance of the Pink Dragon just before sun down." Xaedes and I nodded. Xaedes made a comment about heading to a black smith for something. I didn't really catch what he said. Marious said something about going to the magic shop to look for something special. I grabbed my gear and headed straight for the Inn.

Getting a room was easier than I thought. I got into my room and locked the door behind me. OH MY GODS was it good to get out of the leather armor and the bandages. I was stinky, filthy, and I itched. I tossed off my filthy clothes put them into basket in the corner. It was a nice room. It had a nice sized bed that was comfy, a chair that wasn't so comfy, a large lock box to keep my gear in and it was clean.

Next I was off to the bath house. I was lucky with Maruious's choice of Inns. They had a bath house attached to the Inn that was for guests only. I put on an over large tunic and my spare breeches. I grabbed a large swath of cloth that I supposed was for drying off and my bar of soap. I unlocked my door and peaked out looking both ways down the hallway leading to the bath house. It was clear, so I made a break for it.

I made it to the bath house with out being seen by anyone. Not a maid or house boy in sight for a million miles. There are a few things about pretending to be a man I didn't enjoy. Being dirty and grimy was one of them. I love the water. I swam in the lake near the house on any summer day that time allowed. I loved to take a bath and wash myself clean of the days training. This was no exception. I spent 30 minutes getting all the grime and dirt out of every nook and cranny.

I was still alone when I got out of the water. I dried myself off and redressed in the clothes I had worn to the bath house. I snuck back up to my room, locking the door behind me once again. Safe, I thought happily. I started to redress. It was an arduous task I must admit, but it was necessary. Binding my chest always takes more time than it should, but I have to do it once or twice to make sure it isn't too tight, but tight enough to make things look flat.

The leather chest place helps with the illusion, but only so much. I had become a master of binding my chest; however, it had been getting a little more difficult in the last year. I don't think I will be able to even do it much longer. Until I was comfortable in the idea that Xaedes isn't going to treat me like a damsel in distress, it was a pain I was going to endure.

There was a knock at my door just as I was slipping on my chest plate. I responded with a muffled "Hang on a sec." and opened the door a few moments later. I was met with a pair of pretty brown eyes on a girl that looked like she was my age. She smiled shyly at me.

"Do you have any wash, sir?" She blinked at me.

"Oh… uh… Yeah… In the basket over there." I pointed with a shrug and opened the door a little wider for her to come in. She walked in and was obviously trying her best to get me to look at her. I acted disinterested to avoid any problems later. She frowned when she noticed I was still holding the door open. "When will I get that back?" I asked.

"Should be tomorrow morning, sir." The girl said in a huff. I reached in my pocket and handed her a silver piece. Her eyes sparkled. "Just for doing your wash?" her voice had a seductive tone to it. I wanted to giggle hysterically. I was being hit on. I looked at the girl and forced the blush in my cheeks.

"I um… Just for my wash, thank you." I looked down trying to hide my want to burst out laughing. The girl frowned again and sulked out of my room. I closed the door without looking at the girl; then I clasped my hands over my mouth and laughed.

About an hour later I had stopped the hysterical girlish giggles. Every time I thought back to being hit on by the wash maid, I started to smile like a Cheshire cat and giggle madly. The satisfied bounce in my step I didn't notice until I found Xaedes brooding outside the Pink Dragon.

"Did you get laid or something?" He smirked. I stopped in my tracks and washed myself of the giddy euphoria. "NO…" This time I really did blush. He raised an eyebrow at me. I crossed my arms defensively. I nodded my head. "I did get hit on by the cute wash maid." I smirked. It worked. Xaedes nodded and seemed satisfied with my answer.

Marious appeared a little while later and we walked into the bar together. It was nice. My father's journals had described most of the bars he was in as dirty places only the seediest of characters dared to tread. This place was immaculate by comparison. The bar maids looked clean and well dressed. The bar keep looked fatherly and had a jolly grin on his face. There was a stage at one end of the building were a troupe of traveling Bards were playing various instruments.

We found an empty table at one side of the bar in line of sight to the door. I was busy looking around in wonder. It was my first experience in a bar. My excitement showed. Xaedes kicked my shin under the table. "Don't make it look so obvious that you've never been in a bar." He grumbled. That protective streak that annoyed me was coming out of him again. I glared back at him.

"That's better. Stay looking like you hate the world and it will keep you out of trouble." Xaedes warned. I wanted to protest, which made me more angry looking. My brother's lip curled in approval. I snarled a curse under my breath. Marious was laughing merrily at both of us. A bar maid came round to the table. Marious ordered us drinks and food.

Then HE walked in the door. It was like my logical brain shut itself off in those few split seconds. I stared at him open mouthed and dumbfounded. I saw him nod to someone inside the bar. Then I watched as he walked right up to the table I was sitting at and address Marious.

OH CRAP…