Jewel comes jogging up to Dvalinn and Tarjun. "I think the spiders made the dog ill so I told him to go back to his master. I don't think the dogs will come back after us but the master might. Let's keep moving at least until we get to cover...."
Dvalinn doesn't let Tarjun down. After a short jog the evaders reach the outer wall of the premises. It is not in best shape and suggests neglection for some years already. The gate stands wide open.
In the far distance you can glimpse the lights of what might be a settlement. But Dvalinn takes a turn into the woods, which are so dark, you almost can't see your hand in front of your eyes.
Jewel follows along knowing that Dvalinn can see in the dark. It is hard going though and she keeps stumbling. "Slow down or I'll have to cast a light spell. I can't see like a dwarf...."
"Don't be stupid. You can see a light from a mile a way. Cast something that you can see in the dark instead." Dvalinn replies.
Then he stops, grabs Jewel, puts her on her other shoulder and keeps running into the woods.
Clara decides not to complain about not seeing anything. She can follow the dwarf's loud steps and the ground is soft enough that falling now and then is a mere inconvenience compared to being carried. And the dwarf isn't that fast at all.
After a while more of running Dvalinn stops and puts the kids down. It is at the fringe of the wood and the village is in sight once more.
"I think we should go through there to make it harder to follow our tracks."
"We're coming from the wood. I meant going through the village. As the dogs might lose us once we mingle with people."
Surprised at the strength of the dwarf and his ability to carry both herself and Tarjun Jewel relaxes. She quietly asks Tarjun to stop struggling so Dvalinn won't trip....
Once they are put down and the subject of the village is discussed she agrees. "Any chance the people here might know of Oakstead? I'd like to know if we're close enough to walk home or if we have to figure out something else...."
Noticing Tarjun's hysterics she realizes that he needs help. "Tarjun? Try to calm down. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. We're out of the dungeon and currently free. There are people in the village that might be helpful. I can't imagine common people would want to help a monster like that 'Lord', but we probably shouldn't mention him anyway. We're just travelers. We just walked out of the woods and are going through town. If we find anyone that seems helpful we can ask about Oakstead."
"Now let's just walk along like we're tired after walking a few miles."
"Good luck with that. It's night." Clara states the obvious.
The group approaches the village anyway. Upon closer inspection it is just two dozen houses. Most of them are dark. The only one that is properly lit is a tavern where you can see through the window eight patrons sit at two tables playing card games over a beer. The host is cleaning mugs behind the bar.
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"We're coming from the wood. I meant going through the village. As the dogs might lose us once we mingle with people."
Tarjun turns around, and makes out the roofs of the first houses among the trees. "Oh. Yeah. Guess that's where we're headed, then?"
With all sense of fear apparently evaporated, he treads along to the outskirts of the village. He tilts his head back to try and read the inn's sign- but it's too dark to see anything. "We just come in and ask for directions, eh? We don't really have anything to pay with anyway." His gaze lingers on Dvalinn's bag. "Er. As far as they know, at least. I'll do the talking."
He takes a deep breath in, then pushes the door and walks in the inn. "Evening!" He nods to the patrons, before heading straight to the bar. "'Scuse me. We're just passing through. But we're a bit lost. What's the name of this place?"
Jewel follows Tarjun, but is worried as they enter. "This isn't really a proper place for kids...."
"Welcome to Cartersville Inn in Cartersville. You have to be thirsty if you're lost. What can I get you to drink." the friendly barkeeper replies.
"Well, we can just drink some water. Do you happen to know where Oakstead is?"
"Either water from the horse through outside, or a job of doing the dishes to earn a meal and an ale." Zokar replies.
"I've never heard of this Oakstead."
"If you get the patrons to give you some coin for your performance, I'm fine with that too." Zolkar agrees.
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"Eh, worth a try," Tarjun shrugs. "Though usually it involves some kind of hat? We'll make do. Can I have an empty pint? That's it-you can use it to ask for coppers, Jewie."
His flute in hand, he grabs a stool to sit on, his back resting against a wall, and starts playing. The music is strange, almost alien, but not unpleasant, and he manages to modulate it perfectly so as to be heard by the patrons without covering their voices or disturbing their games.
"I'll take an ale and a stew." Dvalinn tells, puts the coins to pay for it counted to the copper on the bar and retreats to a table at the wall with a view to the windows and the door.
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Jewel stands back watching and listening, surprised that Tarjun was willing to play for a crowd. She couldn't remember him ever doing that before!....
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Tarjun rolls his eyes and shakes his head as Dvalinn pays for his own food -Couldn't have he paid for everyone, then?- but he doesn't stop playing. It goes on for quite some time, but when he's done improvising, he sets the flute down, and grins at the patrons -especially if he gets applauded. "Thank you! Now, if you've liked the music -and could spare a copper to treat a poor musician to a glass of milk-, my sister will pass among you with an empty tankard... Do you wanna hear something else?"
"Milk - hahaha - get that boy an ale! Put it on my tab." one of the patrons replies.
Some of the others spend some copper and one tells to play more. All in all its an ale and four copper between them.
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"Er... Thanks," Tarjun tries very hard not to eye his pint of ale too sceptically. His father would never have let him drink the whole thing -and, for having taken a gulp or two of the thing once or twice on special occasions, he's not sure he has to hold it against him.
He takes a sip. It tastes funny, and burns his throat as it goes down. He coughs, and puts the ale down. "Nice," he croaks, then clears his throat.
"How 'bout something with a bit more punch to it? And a lot more audience participation, as they say? Well, in the merry month of May now from me home I started, Left me folks and friends nearly broken hearted...
It's a pretty common jig he's heard the adults sing plenty of times at Oakstead festivities, and it's always a success. The game is often to switch the names of the towns depending on where you come from, and Tarjun makes no exception to the tacit rule -improvising a song where the character is on his way to Oakstead, and spends the night in Cartersville. He invites the patrons to join in the chorus.
If any of the audience joins the 'story' Jewel does as well. She's heard it, except for Tarjun's minor changes....
She understands money even though she's never had any of her own. ?? 4 copper won't buy much, but all they really need is to get home. She looks around for anyone that looks.... traveled?
The patrons turn to their card game again, enjoying the music as some pleasant background noise.
None of them looks like they are on a longer journey. Probably all local farm workers.
Jewel hands the mug with the coppers to Tarjun. "So. Nobody knows where Oakstead is? Dvalinn? Is there a bigger town nearby? We still need to get home, which means we need to know where our home is." She sits down to think but initially she just needs to relax and try not to cry....
Clara sits down next to Jewel. "How big is the world?" she inquires, still sure that it can't be that far away from Oakstead. She takes out another saussage and takes a bite.
"What is this Oakstead? Never heard of that. Can't be that big if it is around here."
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"Oakstead's our village," Tarjun wearily sits to Jewel, and glares at Dvalinn. "Y'a know-the place we're trying to get back to?"
"The world can't be that big - I never seen a map that wasn't smaller than this table."
"So how many coins did you get? I was hoping we could get some more after the song." He passes his tankard of ale to Dvalinn. "''not gonna finish that."
Jewel glances at Tarjun tapping the tankard with the coins in it. "Just 4 coins. Looks like copper."
Hearing Dvalinn she pauses thinking. "I don't know if Oakstead is around here or not. I hope it is.... It's just a tiny village with some loggers. Dwayne Smith runs the saw mill and manages the loggers. He ships the logs and lumber somewhere so it can't be too far from something bigger. But did he ever mention where he sells the lumber?"
"They have to work hard for their coin. You expect tehm to give you a day's pay for playing two songs?"
Clara does a quick check of the coins in the cup and the prices written on the chalkboard. "I'm going to do some dishes." She gets up and walks over to the innkeeper.
"I'd take doing the dishes for a meal. Where is the work?"
"That's just in the kitchen behind that door. The hand pump to get water is in the garden out back. Make it warm in the cauldron before you use it. And try not to break any plates." Zolkar replies.
If only I had magic to clean that. she thinks as she sees the pile. But it isn't worse than the chores at home. So she grabs a bucket and walks out back to get water.
Jewel hears the words to Clara and calls out to her. "Don't need to use the pump. We can create water with magic."
She turns to Zolkar and adds, "What other work might you have? I could use a bit of food myself."
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"They have to work hard for their coin. You expect tehm to give you a day's pay for playing two songs?"
"Yeah, actually, somethin' like that would have been great," Tarjun replies, completely unironically. "Or, you know, an adult coulda stepped in to feed us poor kids..." He looks at Dvalinn with insistence.
"... Nevermind, I guess. What'd you have in terms of work that needs doing?" that last question is for the bartender. "For folks you want to afford, say, a meal and a good night of sleep."
The chalkboard reads the prices:
- Mug of Ale 4cp
- bread and cheese 2cp
- bowl of stew with meat 1sp
- bowl of vegetable soup 4cp
"How about you do my job?" Zokar suggests. "You pour the drinks and you serve them."
Jewel hears the words to Clara and calls out to her. "Don't need to use the pump. We can create water with magic."
"Only mugs." Zokar replies and points to the shelf. Then he walks over to one of the tables and takes a set.
"An ale!" he call towards Tarjun.
Jewel watches and listens as Tarjun 'takes' the job of bartender. "So I guess I get washing the dishes...." She heads in back to see where to start working. The feeling of utter dismay washes over her when she sees the amount of dirty dishes. "I've never seen so many dirty dishes!" Not wanting to call on Erastil when she's feeling so upset? annoyed? whatever.... she grabs the bucket and goes out to get water and get started.
"Hi, you here too?" Clara greets Jewel just as she finishes filling her bucket.
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Tarjun dutifully heads for the bar. It's a bit weird to be the one standing behind it. Especially since everything is a bit too high to reach comfortably. Really, whoever built and furnished this inn didn't think kids might be working here someday!
Still, he gets the ales ready as best as he can. At least he doesn't have to move too much, so his leg doesn't slow him down.
As Tarjun brings the ale to Zokar, he tries it to see if it's done well. As he fids just the right amount of foam he tells "Good job! Keep it up."
"Bring me another one too." the man tells and three others find that there is little left in their mugs and join the order.