Bystander The Night Before
Hiram Courvoisier stood on the crest of the latest hill. "I think I see the town, Opalneria," he called back to his partner. "It can't be any more than a mile." He turned fully around as Opalneria crested the hill beside him.
"Good. My feet are starting to really get on my nerves," she said. "I wish that I could make the aches go away as easily as I could my wrinkles!"
"You should work on that, then," Hiram told her as he started forward again. "Just don't get too distracted from the samples we collected from the Tyranus Ruins. We collected quite the haul; we wouldn't want all of that work to go to waste."
"Or my feet to ache in vain," Opalneria agreed. "I'll be fine once we've gotten into the inn and I can put my feet up on something soft for the rest of the night."
Hiram smiled. Opalneria smiled back. Hiram delved into the subject of the samples of magical objects that they had in their packs and the plans to study them back at the Silver Star Tower, with an eye to keeping Opalneria's mind on something other than her feet. It seemed to be working, as she participated in the conversation without any more complaints before they reached the first line of buildings along the road.
"Mmm... even the road is helpful to my feet," Opalneria sighed in relief. "Just a bit further. This inn is the one with the nice baths, isn't it?" While Hiram nodded, it didn't seem like Opalneria was looking for any input on this. "I can't wait to get a good warm soak. It's amazing that they can get hot water out here in the middle of nowhere so easily."
"It is a very commonly traveled road by the well-to-do. It wouldn't do to lack a warm bath for traveling dignitaries. Besides, being the inn with that capability, they can basically command whatever price they want for lodging. Most nobles would pay whatever was required for the kind of service that they are used to in their homes, when on the road." Hiram said this while he looked around at the quaint buildings that surrounded the road to the west.
"I know that, Hiram. Just let me think about how wonderful it will feel to have a warm bath..." Opalneria sighed again, but this time was cut off by nearly running into a young woman.
"Oh!" the woman said. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you! I just go walking and not pay attention where I'm going far too often when I'm upset, you see, and..." the woman caught sight of their faces, and registered surprise for a fleeting instant... no... that was probably Hiram's imagination. It was probably embarrassment "and I nearly walked right into you! Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Opalneria told her. "Go on. We're fine."
"I'm terribly sorry," the woman said, bowing. Then she was past them, walking west along the road, still not paying all that much attention to where she was going.
"Have you seen her before?" Hiram asked Opalneria as the talkative young woman walked away.
Opalneria looked at Hiram questioningly. "No... not that I know of." She shrugged. "Maybe one of your many admirers before you hid out at the Silver Star Tower?"
Hiram huffed. "I didn't have admirers!" He continued toward the inn at a faster pace. "You're making things up."
"I bet you did have admirers," Opalneria challenged, and despite her complaints earlier about her feet, she kept up with his brisk pace just fine. "You're cute when you're in your leadership mode. And your mother probably made sure that you were in leadership mode anytime she let you outside."
Hiram leveled a glare at Opalneria, but she seemed to take this in stride. In fact, it was clear she was having fun.
They reached the inn in short order. The woman on duty recognized them from their earlier visit, and immediately had other servants in to help them with their things. "Don't take anything out of the packs and be careful with them!" Opalneria barked to general consent. The woman took the two of them to the baths and promised that towels would be ready for them when they decided to get out.
After cleaning himself and a nice long warm soak, Hiram exited the bath area in one of the provided robes. Before he could head up to the room, though he heard a very familiar voice.
"Don't worry! I'll be back in a few minutes. Really, there's no need for you to come with me while I do this!" The undisciplined but lyric tone of none other than Bartido Ballentyne. He was speaking to a servant. "You stay here and make sure everything is ready for a quick departure tomorrow morning."
"Sir, you're making me nervous. What if something happens while you are out? What if you need something quickly? I would prefer if there were one or two of your retinue with you to handle such possibilities."
"I will be fine," Bartido said, lengthening the last word significantly. "You worry too much. I'll be back shortly. Keep everything running smoothly while I'm gone." The servant didn't protest any further, and Bartido left, all without noticing that Hiram was standing in the doorway of the bathhouse.
"What is he up to now?" Hiram muttered under his breath, but he shook his head. The man was a legitimate diplomat now, operating as one of the primary means of communication between his country and the Kingdom. If he bumped into Bartido before leaving tomorrow, then he might talk to him a bit about things. For old times' sake. But tonight he had very particular plans.
He headed up the stairs, completely relaxed. Opalneria would probably still be in the bath, but she would join him soon enough for the evening.