The Unsuspecting Mage - Brian S. Pratt [124]
“I know what you mean,” James agrees. “Better them than us, eh?”
“Yeah, I suppose so.” Miko still feels a bit green, but after a few minutes begins feeling better.
The rest of the day goes by without incident and they arrive at the outskirts of Willimet shortly before sunset. The first building they come to boasts a sign depicting a man sleeping on a bed. Figuring this to be an inn, they stop out front where James leaves Miko with the horses as he walks to the front door. Just before he draws near, it unexpectedly opens.
From within emerges a man reeking of some unknown unpleasantness. His hair is matted and the original color of his clothes is lost beneath an accumulation of stains and grime. The odor emanating from the man is such that James is forced to hold his breath until the man passes to avoid breathing in the nauseating stench. Once the man has moved some distance away, he takes a hesitant breath. Though the man’s stench is still present, it is no longer so overpowering.
Stepping through the doorway, he again is forced to hold his breath as the inside of the inn reeked just as bad as the man who had just left. Nasty was the word that came to mind when he glanced around the inn and toward the common room. Some tables still had yet to be cleared of the remnants of the noon meal though it has been over for many hours. Smoke from the kitchen creates an unpleasant haze that only heightens James distaste for the place.
A skinny man of average height with greasy black hair spies him standing in the foyer. Wiping his hands on an apron that possibly had never been washed, he crosses over to greet him. “Need a room tonight?” he asks, and James can almost see the green, putrefied odor coming from the man as he talks.
James turns his head slightly to try to get away from the sickening smell. “No,” he quickly replies all the while trying not to breathe. “Just seeing if my friend was here,” he lies. “Thanks though.” He then turns and makes a hasty exit through the front door, taking a deep breath once outside. He informs Miko that they will not be staying there tonight.
“What was wrong with it?” Miko asks.
Getting back on his horse he replies, “It was filthy and nasty. The one person I saw stank and I fear may have been the cook.” The thought of eating anything produced in a place of such disregard for cleanliness made his gorge rise.
“I’m sure there are others here, it’s a fair sized town,” comments Miko.
“I certainly hope so,” says James. “I’ll sleep under the stars again before I stay in a place like that.”
They find another inn further into town, this one looks to have a fresh coat of paint and the grounds are well maintained and orderly. “I think this may do nicely,” he says with satisfaction. It was a stark contrast to the earlier place.
“I hope so,” adds Miko, “it’s starting to get dark.”
Coming to a stop before the steps leading to the front door, James dismounts and says to Miko, “Stay here and I’ll see if they have a room available.”
“Alright,” Miko replies.
After handing Miko his reins, he goes up the stairs and enters the inn. This one, though it has a smoky haze similar to the other inn, but at least it smells of wood smoke and cooking. Overall, the place looks to be better maintained. A man comes over and greets him, “Welcome to the Apple Tree Inn, how may we help you tonight?”
Friendly greeting, neat and clean common area, Yes, he thinks to himself, I think this will do.
“My friend and I require a room for the night,” he says, “and stalls for our animals.”
“How many do you have?” he asks.
“Two horses, and a mule,” James answers.
Nodding, the man says, “Yes, we do have room for you. It will be a silver a night for the room and another four coppers for the stalls.”
When he agrees, the man walks to the counter where James hands over the money and receives a room key in exchange. “It’s off the common room.” He points toward a side hallway, “All the way down and on the left. It’s the quietest room we have.”
“Thank you,” James says, “I appreciate that.