Yeah okay, I This chapter took forever to write –I had a bit of a mix-up with my plot, but hopefully I've got it worked out again. :)
It's come to my attention that this story is going way off my original track, so as of now there are no promises as to how long this will be. :D But enough of my talking, here's the new chappie! I hope you like it! :)
Disclaimer: Jane and the Dragon is not mine. It should be, but it isn't. :)
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Jane awakens to the rain dripping off the leaves above her head and slipping lazily into her collar, the smell of damp earth invading her nose and forcing her drooping eyelids wide open in surprise and dismay.
"Oh no…" she mutters, shoving herself up off the soggy ground with an annoyed sigh as she observes the dark mud stains marking the corners of her outfit. The fire has long since gone cold and wet, but Jane stamps on it anyways from her seat under the tree and grinds the remnants into the earth with a vehemence she does not often show at the weather change.
"And now we get to ride all day in the rain," the squire growls angrily, scrambling to her soggy knees and doing her best to fold the blanket without getting herself any wetter. "I hope Tess is all right."
Tess looks rather put out, and she shows her annoyance quite clearly by snorting angrily and stepping away when Jane attempts to place the wet blanket atop her already damp back. She dances away into a puddle, her tether pulling tight on her mouth and forcing her to whinny in irritation.
Jane is in no mood for a whining horse. "Come here, you," she says, jerking the rope towards her and dumping the wet pack, along with the saddle, onto the horse's back. "You agreed to handle some tough riding, and we are certainly in for it today. Don't worry, girl; I am suffering right along with you."
Tess snorts loudly, but this time reluctantly stays put while the squire swings herself up into the (wet) saddle, settling herself in with a little yelp at the cold. And with a quick glance to make sure her campsite is clean and as empty as she found it, she kicks Tess's side lightly and urges her on through the dripping brush. They ride out onto the road, slick and wet with the rain and now quickly morphing from an annoying drizzle into a heavy storm, and Jane jerks her hood up over her face in preparation for a long, arduous ride.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O
She can barely see anything now, the rain is so thick that the misty vapors obscure all but Tess's drenched neck. The water is now coming down in bucketloads, and far off in the distance Jane can hear the gentle, warning rumble of thunder.
I suppose shelter would be helpful, she tells herself as she shudders from the cold, if I checked the map correctly last night we should be arriving in it soon, and mayhap I can take a break. Even if I should not be…there are only a few days to go before it is too late…
She raises her head to stare ahead into the thick sheets of water, blinking droplets out of her eyes and shivering.
There is a light ahead, although her eyes are so wet and sore it might just be her imagination playing tricks. It is very faint, but as she watches, the glow brightens and expands until it is intense enough not to be mistaken for a mind trick and simply caresses her vision, sore from the hours of the downpour.
"A town?" Jane mutters, blinking slightly as first lightning, then thunder, strikes yet again not far off. "We are not supposed to be nearing the town for an hour yet…" she trails off with a shrug, and simply digs her heels wearily into the horse's soaked sides. "There is some shelter close by, Tess. We might as well pick up the pace."
Her ride reluctantly obeys, trotting unwillingly along the flooded path and ignoring the flashes of lightning and the strikes of thunder as she hurries along.
The town –if you want to call it that- slowly takes on a recognizable outline as they reach its outskirts. Small, ramshackle buildings, low and dark because of the storm, huddle close together in small bunches; the only light showing can be glimpsed towards the corner of the settlement, in a building a few windows wider than the other houses and filled with noise. A tavern, if Jane is not mistaken.
"Look, Tess," the squire says, "They should have a stable for you, and I can rest for a few minutes. What do you say to a quick break?"
By way of reply, the horse simply speeds up.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O
The tavern is warm, to say the least. It is heated and crowded with people seeking entertainment; the rainstorm appears to have driven every adult in the town into this inn, and probably several travelers, too.
Jane can feel her heart beating a pace quicker as she attempts to enter the pub inconspicuously. Tess has been penned up in the tavern's stables, and she seemed content to simply rest and eat whilst her rider bought some food and drink. So Jane has left her, now dry and unsaddled, in the stable and headed into the pub.
Jane shifts her rucksack uncomfortably from one shoulder to anther as the door squeaks open and she slips into the sweltering room. Her fingers are lightly brushing the hilt of her dagger, hidden beneath her traveling cloak but within easy reach; so far though, no one seems to have noticed she has entered –they are all too busy with their own personal conversations.
Just walk up to the bar and ask for a meal. It is not that hard, she tells herself, and straightening as tall as she can Jane weaves between the many people and grabs on to the wooden slab between two large, burly customers.
The bartender, a thin stick of a man with only a wisp of graying hair atop his head, glances at her and starts in surprise.
Jane does not blame him, really. I must look a fright, she thinks with a self-conscious blush. What with my soaking hair, and muddied cloak… and the fact that I am a girl, I suppose…
The bartender quickly overcomes his surprise. "Good day, miss," he says, handing the man on Jane's right a foaming mug and sliding a food-filled plate over to the customer on her left.
"If you want to call it that," Jane replies. "I was wondering if I could have the cheapest meal you offer, with some water to drink please." She brushes a wet strand of crimson hair away from her eyes. "How much will it be?"
The bartender looks slightly unnerved, but smiles at her nevertheless.
"Two silver for water and food. It is a good price," he says. Jane raises an eyebrow. "Of course." Slipping her other hand into her pocket, the squire pulls out the money and hands it to the man with a tight smile. "There you go. How long do you think it will take?"
The bartender shrugs. "Five minutes, maybe less."
"Good. I will wait here for it." Jane settles herself onto the abandoned stool and rests her chin on her free hand. The bartender blinks, and with another shrug turns away to holler orders to some waitress at the other end of the room.
Always alert, Jane turns slightly so as to have a better view of the room, one hand on her dagger and the other hanging loosely beside her. Thank goodness this cloak hides my sword, she thinks, reassured in spite of herself. I am not in the mood to deal with another shocked person thinking I am a Dragon Guardian. Those people have been gone for so long it is surprising enough that anyone remembers who they are at all...
She pulls her mud-splattered coat tighter across her chest and lets her eyes scan over the customers. There is no one particularly exciting, just some traders in a corner muttering among themselves in another language, and a shady looking individual observing everyone over the top of his mug and glaring at those who meet his eyes; the rest seem to be just ordinary people sipping from mugs and eating like pigs, filling up the room with their large forms and loud voices.
"'ere, miss." Jane spins about at the voice, coming nose to nose with a bored-looking waitress.
"I am sorry, what?" she says, glancing down as a plate piled with gray slop is slid in her direction.
"'ere's yer food," replies the waitress, dumping a worn mug filled with water down beside the dish. "Youse all paid up?"
Jane nods. "Thank you."
If she is expecting a tip, the waitress gets none, as Jane immediately turns her attention to the food and does not look up again. She stabs at the plate with her fork, observing with silent distaste the grayish substance, then braces herself and shoves it whole into her mouth.
It tastes almost worse than it looks.
"Gah!" with a yelp, Jane spits the slop into her napkin and picks up her drink. The water does little to ease the taste, but for a moment the squire sits there, staring at the bottom of the mug and letting the liquid slide down her throat. What is in this stuff? She thinks disgustedly, finally lowering the cup in order to look around and see if anyone noticed her revulsion. Certainly not food for people…
"Are you all right?" asks a voice as Jane glances to her right. "Is the food poisoned or something?"
Jane smiles at her unexpected neighbor and starts to reply: "No, it just tastes like—Jester?"
She turns around to fully, her heart and mind racing, to take in the fact that her friend is actually here. And stops short.
The boy sitting next to her, looking concerned and a little puzzled, is not Jester. He certainly looks like him, though; he has the same grey-blue eyes, the same slight build, the same nose… but his hair is a dark chestnut and is short and curly like a young child's. And he is far shorter than Jester.
"Um, miss?" he says nervously, obviously slightly alarmed by Jane's appearance and behavior. "My name is not Jester. It is Beppe."
Jane blinks at the boy, who, now that she looks at him, is far younger than the Jester back home –he can only be around nine or ten.
"Forgive me," she says with a blush, "I thought you were a friend of mine, but that is impossible. He is back at the castle wondering where I am. Why would he be here?" She forces a laugh, but the boy remains quiet. For about two seconds.
"Wait a minute!" he cries suddenly, the light of an epiphany sparking in his eyes. "Is your name Jane?"
The squire feels her own eyes widen. "What? H-how did you know that?" she asks agitatedly, leaning away from the young boy uneasily.
"Oh, I know all about you!" Beppe replies excitedly, grinning widely. "'Jester' told me everything about you in his letters. You are Jane, the pretty girl squire with red hair, who has a dragon for a pet and beats up boys with staves." He crosses his arms triumphantly over his chest.
Jane blushes slightly, but lets a silence descend for a moment as she processes this new development. "Y-you are correct," she says slowly after a pause, "And if I am also right you are Jester's family member in some way, are you not?"
Beppe jumps off the stool. "Yep! And Mother will be so happy that you have information of my cousin, you have to come and tell her!" He reaches out and takes Jane's hand, tugging her off the stool; once they are on equal ground, the squire is surprised to find that she is almost two heads taller than the boy. Jane smiles weakly.
"Uh, Beppe? I am not sure if I should take a detour. See, my dragon is ill, and I need to find a cure for him. The place where the cure can be found is still rather a long ways off, and…"
Beppe ignores her, and taking ahold of her hand he begins to pull Jane through the crowded tavern, her cloak billowing about her thin frame. "We'll take care of everything!" he says cheerfully, and hauls her between two tall traders rising from their table and out the door.
The storm has finally subsided, revealing the tail end of a sunset; the shadows of the tavern are long and black, stretching over puddles and people leaning suspiciously against the walls. Jane blinks at the change of temperature and lighting, stopping short although the boy continues pulling on her arm. Her forehead wrinkles into a frown, and she tugs away from Beppe with a surge of energy.
"Wait, Beppe," she says, "I need to get my horse Tes-" She suddenly stops and swallows hard.
A blade is pressed tightly against her throat, sharp and bright against the shadowy sky.
"Naw," says a voice, rough and reeking of smoke. "I don't think yer gonna need yer 'orse."
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Oooh, a cliffhanger! XD Please review, it would make me so happy!
And thanks so much keacdragon –without your deadline it might have been ages before I updated this. ;)
Thanks all, and again, review!... please…