When Kiara emerged from the thicket, she looked down at her new outfit. She felt dirty and revolting just by wearing it. It hung relatively loose on her body, but otherwise, it fit fine. Kiara wished she could feel more confident now that her identity would be kept safe, but now she felt more shy and embarrassed that she was a female, wearing boy clothes. It was disgraceful. And what was worse was that she had to leave her torn, tattered, beaten old gown behind in the bushes like it was worthless.
Nate didn’t acknowledge the difference in clothes, nor gave any compliment or insult to the way she looked. He simply made a statement that they should grab some lunch and go to the inn. This time, he made no move to take her arm, but only let her walk on her own into town and towards the tavern. Kiara had to remark to herself that he learns fast for an uneducated ruffian.
The village inn looked very much like a very large home, made of stucco and wood with a small pen for pigs and chickens. As soon as Nate and Kiara stepped inside, they were met by the most wretched smell of sweat and ale. The one large room of the downstairs inn was mostly just a tavern. Wooden tables were scattered around the room, filled by loud, roughneck drunkards. Kiara could only find a few ladies in the room, but they were too preoccupied with pleasing and serving the men to notice her.
Kiara covered her nose with her long sleeve and wrinkled her face in disgust at the foul stench. Nate seemed unaffected as he boldly walked towards the innkeeper’s table at the far end of the room. Kiara followed close behind, as usual, wrapping Nate’s cloak around her body insecurely.
“What can I do for you two?” the old innkeeper asked, standing behind the counter.
“We need a room for the night, along with a meal,” Nate replied, dropping his bag of coins onto the counter with a loud thud.
“Alright. That will cost you twenty-five silver pieces.”
Nate sighed and then handed the bow and arrow set to Kiara to hold while he counted out the desired price, mostly in bronze and iron coins. Kiara suddenly felt guilty for making him spend all this money on her. That must have been something like his entire life’s savings and Kiara was draining it pretty quickly. She then felt bad for insisting that he buy her that elegant dress. It wasn’t all that important, but it was very beautiful. Kiara supposed she could do without some luxuries for a while.
Before Nate handed over his payment, Kiara stepped forward and placed her hand on his forearm.
“We don’t have to stay here if it’s going to cost you that much,” Kiara said to him in a hushed tone so as not to be impolite to the innkeeper. Nate was then courteous enough to lean his head down to listen. “Maybe, we could sleep outside or something?”
Nate looked at Kiara with a cocked eyebrow, then wordlessly handed the old man the coins. Kiara sighed and bowed her head in defeat. At least she tried.
The old innkeeper gave them a key and showed them to a room on the top floor.
“It’s the warmest room in the whole building. You two should be very comfortable. Lunch time is already over, but dinner should be served soon and drinks are available downstairs. If you need anything, I’m at my desk,” the old man said before closing the door on the two of them and walking away.
Kiara looked around the little room and grimaced. There was only one window and right below it sat a large straw bed with no covers, pillows or even a bed frame for the mattress to rest on. And, that was all that was there except for a hole in the floor in the far corner of the room, which Kiara assumed was the latrine. But, it would be a lot warmer and more comfortable than sleeping outside.
She wasn’t even paying attention to Nate as she walked over to the window to look out over the village.
“It’s not that big of an inconvenience,” he mumbled, “Besides, if I had bought a tent and camping supplies, it would have cost me more than one night here.”
Kiara turned around and watched Nate as he put down the bow and arrow set that he had taken from her. His posture had changed since they entered the room. He was more relaxed, at ease, not as unyielding. His gaze was softer when it was turned towards her, almost as if he was secretly depressed and mourning over something. And his voice was much fainter and low in its tone. Kiara liked this side of him. He was vulnerable, gentle and sensitive, like he was the night before. It was like out in front of the world, he was a harsh, cruel man, but in private with Kiara, he could let his guard down without a second thought. Such a look seemed out of place with his rough exterior, but it was somewhat alluring. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. Kiara smiled softly at the thought and had practically forgotten what was going on.
“I’ll stay outside the door tonight so you can have your privacy,” he said, avoiding all eye contact, staring at the straw bed. Kiara glanced down to her feet and bit her lip nervously, hoping that he hadn’t seen her staring.
“You can sleep in here, I don’t mind,” she offered shyly.
“No, I’ll stay outside.”
Kiara knew there was no point in arguing, so she unwrapped the cloak from around her shoulders and spread it across the top of the bed to resemble a blanket.
“Why did we have to come here anyway? Besides to get clothes and supplies, I mean,” Kiara asked as Nate strode across the room towards the door. She quickly followed behind him, unwilling to leave his side.
“Because this was the easiest and safest way back towards Mem’s Pass,” Nate replied as he locked the door for their bedroom and proceeded downstairs. Kiara frowned as she saw him stiffen again, knowing he would be going back out into public.
“Mem’s Pass? I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s one of the passes that go through the Shin Mountains and into Malcolm’s kingdom.”
The two of them swiftly took an empty table in a far corner of the tavern, away from everyone else. Kiara sat with her back facing the crowd and Nate on the opposite side of her.
“Is that the pass that the bandits took from my father’s kingdom to here?” Kiara asked, curious as to what Nate was reasoning as the safest trail to take back to Aleph.
“No, they took Resh Pass, which is closer.”
“Then, why don’t we just go back that way that the bandits took on the road? It would be a lot easier than going through Deceiver’s territory.”
Luckily, no one in the tavern was paying them any attention and it was too loud for anyone else to hear them anyway.
“We’re not going through Deceiver’s territory. We’re going around it.”
“Didn’t the bandits go around it through the Grey?” Kiara asked.
“We’re still in the Grey and yes, they did. They went around the east side of Deceiver’s territory. We’re going around the west side.”
Kiara peered at him in puzzlement. It seemed like an awfully long way to walk all the way around in the Grey just to get to one particular mountain pass that is farther away than another.
Nate saw her confusion, rolled his eyes and pulled out a large, old piece of parchment from inside his vest. He carefully unfolded it onto the table to reveal a detailed map of Deceiver’s territory, including the Field of Fire, Grey lands, the Shin Mountain Range and a partial part of her father’s kingdom featuring Aleph and where the castle is.
“We’re here,” Nate began, pointing to a little dot with the word Peh next to it, “The bandits took this road on the east side of Deceiver’s territory from Resh Pass.” Nate trailed his finger from Resh Pass all the way along the right side of the map to their location.
“The bandits must have taken this other road through Deceiver’s forest and up to Tau.” Nate tapped his finger on one particularly skinny line that cut through a patch of trees. “We’re going to go this way, though, because they could backtrack up to Resh Pass, thinking we would go that way because it’s quicker.”
Kiara grimaced as she saw how much longer it would take them to get all the way towards the west edge of Deceiver’s kingdom, up its borders and towards Mem’s Pass.
“We’re going to have to follow
Keph River most of the way and that’s good because it provides a barrier between us and Deceiver,” Nate finished, sitting back in his chair to let Kiara look over the map.
“And what if the bandits find us? Or worse, Deceiver?” Kiara asked with some doubt lingering in her voice. She saw the genius of his plan, but she didn’t want to have to walk twice the distance to get to the same place if it could be avoided.
“The bandits would know that this would be the first stop we’d make. If they didn’t find us here, then they would go back up the road they came from.”
Kiara sighed and tightened her jaw, then nodded and pushed the parchment away, somewhat satisfied.
“So, have you gone around the west border before?” she inquired ruefully.
“Uh… Not really.”
Kiara gave him a look of irritation. “Then, how do you know it’s safe?”
“It’d be a lot safer than facing the bandits again,” Nate replied defensively.
“I agree, but what if it’s not passable or if there isn’t any road?”
“Oh, I know there’s no road. See, there’s no line here.” Nate motioned his hand along the left side of the page, which turned out to be practically empty except for Mem’s Pass.
“Then, how do you know Mem’s Pass is even there if there’s no road?” Kiara was seriously doubtful of this adventure now - as if she was ever positive to begin with.
“Woman, will you relax? It’ll be fine. I know my way around and even if it is dangerous, there’s nothing I can’t handle,” Nate said as he folded his hands confidently behind his head to stretch out his chest muscles.
“Well, aren’t we the confident one today,” Kiara mumbled, resting her elbows on the table and glancing off towards the other men that happened to be staring at her. She quickly looked away.
“What ever happened to manners, little miss princess? Don’t you think that comment was a little rude?” Nate teased with a smirk.
“Not as rude compared to anything you’ve said to me. And stop calling me that, I have a name, you know. Or do you even know it?” Kiara sneered with a discontented frown, trying to play tough just like him.
Nate’s face softened and he took a deep breath, his lips fading from a smile into a thoughtful line. Kiara scrunched her eyebrows at this new look. It was similar to last night’s, only with a hint of sadness underneath.
“I know your name… I know it all too well,” he said softly, his gaze never deviating from her face. It was a little uncomfortable to be under his stare.
“Did we ever meet before in Aleph?” she asked, thinking that she had seen this man before somewhere, perhaps in a dream or early in childhood. Nate didn’t respond right away. In fact, he didn’t have time to respond at all.
Before Nate could even open his mouth, a big, burly man stepped up to their table, carrying a leaky mug with him. They looked up to the unwelcome visitor with wariness.
The man looked much like a bandit if it wasn’t for his fine clothing. He must have been a wealthy trader that planned to get himself wasted on his spoils from a profitable day.
“Hey,” the intruder began in between hiccups and belches, “Can I buy you a drink?” he asked Kiara as he sat down in one of the rickety chairs at their table
Kiara tried not to show her disgust, knowing that it wasn’t polite. “Um… No, thank you. I don’t drink.”
“Oh, come on, just a little one?” The man swayed in his seat, trying to put his grimy hand on her shoulder, but missing the first three times.
“No, I’m quite fine. I think your friends are waiting for you,” she said, nodding to the table from whence he came.
“No, they’re all waiting for you, miss. Why don’t you come over and maybe have a meal with us?” The man paused to let out a very loud belch as Kiara looked to Nate for help.
Nate was only watching the situation closely, letting Kiara make the calls. His face had turned hard as stone again, but that would not provoke her to leave the table with the drunk.
“I think not. I’m with my own company and it would be impolite for me to leave him unattended,” she said very properly, then turned her shoulder to the man, so as to give him the hint to go away. But, he didn’t.
The man grabbed Kiara’s shoulder again and turned her around. “Ah, come on, the lad will be fine on his own. Let’s go up to my room and get a little more comfortable,” the man implied with a drunken, boisterous laugh.
“Absolutely not!” Kiara cried out, standing up from the chair to avoid his groping hands.
Nate must have seen this as his turn to step in. “Sir, I suggest you leave the lady alone,” Nate said aggressively, standing up from his seat to tower over the sitting man.
But, when the drunkard stood up, he dwarfed Nate by a good foot.
“What are you going to do if I don’t, little boy?” the drunkard said, poking Nate playfully in the shoulder with a slimy smile.
Nate didn’t replied. As soon as the man had touched him, Nate whipped out his dagger and pointed it casually up at the man’s chin within the blink of an eye. Kiara stared, captivated at what would happen next as the drunk staggered backwards away from the knife.
“I can cut you to ribbons if you lay one finger on her,” Nate growled. The man looked a little intimidated, but still not convinced. Kiara hoped this wouldn’t lead to anything nasty.
“Woah, boy, I just wanted to get the girl a drink. No need to get rough now.”
The man was edging closer to Kiara, making her scoot away nervously.
“Stop right where you are,” Nate commanded, taking one step forward, the knife still aimed at the guy’s throat. However, the man wasn’t listening and kept moving inch by inch towards Kiara. By now, half of the tavern was watching the scene.
And, with one foul, blinding swoop of Nate’s knife, he lashed out at the man, then sheathed the dagger. It looked like nothing had been done, at first. But, as the man looked around on his body to make sure no blood had been shed, he laughed and slammed his mug down onto the table. His whole group, just two tables away, were laughing as well. Nate only folded his arms over his chest and smirked knowingly. Kiara waited with her back against the wall, watching the whole affair.
But, as the man’s fat belly jiggled with his laughter, the affect of Nate’s crafty knife work showed. With one final chuckle, the man was no longer laughing. Instead, the tavern’s occupants laughed hysterically. The man’s pants and belt were now dropped around his ankles, exposing a pink pair of butt cheeks. Kiara gasped and covered her eyes in shock.
“Nate!” she whined through the chuckling of the tavern. The man was obviously embarrassed and enraged as he picked up his pants and belt to hold at the waist. Why did Nate have to do that? Now there was going to be a fight or worse. But, she couldn’t help but admire how skillful Nate was with a knife.
“You’re going to pay for that!” the man yelled, rushing towards Nate with an angry fist.
Kiara peeked through her fingers to see Nate step out of the way of the charging bull, grab him by the tunic collar and throw him into the wall with such speed and strength that Kiara was even astonished. Nate pulled out his dagger again and held the blade up to the man’s throat threateningly, rendering him helpless between Nate and the wall.
“If you so much as look at my girl again, you’re going to have this blade permanently stuck in your gut to hold those pants up for you. Do I make myself clear?”
Kiara’s ears perked up to a particular phrase in that threat. My girl?
The man nodded hastily and fearfully, holding up his free hand in surrender. “Ok, ok. I didn’t know she was spoken for.”
“Yeah, well, now you know, so beat it!” Nate said, tossing the man from the wall and onto the floor. The man and his party all ran out of the tavern like scared rabbits, leaving behind a half speechless tavern.
Nate quietly slid his dagger back into its holster on his hip and sat down at their table. Kiara seated herself as well, staring dumbly at Nate a
s he casually folded back up his map that was still spread out over the table top.
“Why did you call me that?” Kiara asked dreamily.
Nate looked up to her, as if not expecting her to speak at all. “Call you what?”
“Your girl? You told that guy not to mess with your girl again.” Kiara couldn’t help but smile at those words. It was so romantic, even if it would never be a reality.
“Well, we look nothing alike, so I doubt that he would believe we were relatives. And the whole reason he wanted you was because he thought you were single for some reason. Ruin that assumption and he’ll leave you alone,” Nate said dispassionately as he stuffed the map back into his vest.
“Oh…” Kiara’s smile faded and she glanced off toward the corner and pursed her lips, feeling silly.
The rest of the evening, they spent in mild silence and ate their dinner quietly with only the occasional discussion of their planned route and intending camp arrangements. They agreed that they would try to master a good ten miles a day, every day and set up camp at sunset. Nate revealed that he would go into town that evening and perhaps buy a sleeping mat or large piece of material for them to sleep on after dark. To Kiara’s dismay, they would break camp at sunrise and trudge another ten or more miles the next day. It was a reasonable plan, but Kiara disliked all the walking and hiking that she would have to do.
When they had finished their meal of stale meat and insipid potato, the sun was about to set and Kiara was already growing sleepy.
So, Nate led Kiara upstairs, while managing to find an unoccupied, lit lantern on the steps for her to use in the room. He unlocked the door and let her into the chamber respectfully and without a word, closed the door behind her, separating the two of them for the first time since the night before. Kiara held the lantern and stared at the wooden door and sighed regretfully. She wished there could have been something more comfortable arranged for him, but she supposed that he wanted it that way. Besides, he must have been going out to buy the camping supplies for tomorrow. He would be back soon.
The Princess and Her Rogue Page 6
