DragonKnight - Donita K. Paul [17]
Leaning over, he rested his hands on his knees and drew in deep breaths. Remembering the next traveler would come through the gateway and bump into him, he forced himself to trudge forward a few feet. He sat on an upended barrel and closed his eyes.
N’Rae came through the gateway as if she had been hurled by some mighty force. She landed at his feet, gasping for air. The basket tumbled from her arms, and the minneken rolled out of the open flap.
She squeaked furiously. With his ears still affected by the passage, Bardon couldn’t make out her words. He carefully scooped her up and handed her to N’Rae.
Tears ran down the young woman’s face. She gulped and looked up at the squire. “Mistress Seeno says she doesn’t know why we make such a fuss about going through. She’s also disgruntled that I dropped her and her basket.”
“It’s her size. She isn’t affected the way we are.”
Granny Kye stepped into the room, breathing a little heavily. To the squire’s eye, the emerlindian did not appear to be much affected by her journey through the gateway. Upon seeing Bardon’s startled face, she smiled.
“One must relax and trust. You know in your head that the gateway will carry you from one place to another. If you trust in your heart, the journey is easier.”
Bardon nodded, a sharp jerk of his head. He knew a half-dozen principles from the Tomes of Wulder that said the same thing, more or less. He also knew he was better at quoting the principles than living them.
N’Rae busied herself, gathering the loose items that had spilled from Jue Seeno’s basket. Bardon picked up a tiny cushion that had bounced across the floor and landed by his toe. He crouched beside the young emerlindian as he handed it to her and glanced inside the minneken’s traveling quarters.
The wickerwork bed, chairs, and tables remained in place. Upon closer inspection, Bardon saw that lashings secured the furniture to the floor and walls of the small room. Only those things not tied down had scattered over the coarse wooden planks of the tavern storeroom. Jue Seeno ran into her little abode. Her muffled squeaks still sounded like tart protests.
The door opened behind them, and a man with a heavy canvas apron over his clothing started as he saw those inside. N’Rae put herself between the basket and the newcomer, successfully blocking his view.
“Granny Kye,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting you, was I?” He wiped his hands on a towel as he spoke. “You’d think I’d be used to all this coming and going after five years, but I’m not.”
The old emerlindian came forward and smiled at the short marione tavern keeper. “We won’t be with you long, Master Onit.”
“Shall I prepare you a meal?”
“We had breakfast a while ago, but thank you.”
“Um, are you planning to stay in my storage room for long? I have workers coming, and I was just going to hide the gateway.”
“A few minutes,” she answered, and he bowed out of the room.
Granny Kye immediately turned to Bardon. “I fear we have encountered our first problem, Squire Bardon.”
He stood from where he had finished helping N’Rae pass tiny hats in to the minneken. He lifted an eyebrow, waiting to be informed.
“N’Rae and I,” Granny began, “and, of course, Jue Seeno have no funds. Perhaps you have money with which to purchase our meals, lodging, and transportation.”
Bardon shifted his jaw to the side and back again. “I have a little. I didn’t expect to need much currency in a mountain cabin.” He rubbed his hand over his chin. “I’ll go out and make some inquiries. Does this place have a parlor where you women will be comfortable?”
“No, but the inn across the street does. We will wait for you there.”
Bardon pulled a leather pouch from a pocket in the lining of his tunic. “Here are some coins. If I don’t return