No one seemed to pay attention to me as I walked in. They all had their eyes glued on a practically naked woman. Heat
rushed to my face as the woman danced provocatively by candlelight with feathered fans surrounding her I hoped this was an
inn and not some type of brothel.
“Are you lost, m’lady?”
A barmaid nearly scared me half to death as she stepped beside me, her hand holding a tray of empty jugs against her hip.
She was quite a sight. Her teeth blackened by Goddess knows what, with a hair almost as messy as a bird’s nest. My eyes were
drawn to her rather revealing dress. The dress held up her breasts in such a way it made them stand up at eye level to me. I
feared if she breathed too heavily, she would be exposed.
“Eh…I’d like to enquire about a room for the night, please?”
“Oh, rather polite aren’t we—I shall see what we can do.”
She disappeared into a back room for a few minutes, leaving me to fidget nervously. I'd never been in a place like this. The
barmaid reappeared with another woman trailing behind her. This one dressed much fancier than the other, cleaner too with
hair beautifully pinned to the side. She smiled at me as she looked me up and down.
“I heard you need a room, Miss?”
“Eh. Miss Talia.”
I didn’t wish to use my real name, for fear of someone following my tracks. Ideally this would only be a pit stop to rest my
aching limbs and warm up. I’d head back out at first light to figure out my next move.
“Miss Talia, we have only one room to spare, you see many that travel to see Lady Jezebel dance. I can set you up with a
hot meal and some fresh clothes, but it will cost you.”
The well-dressed lady spoke as if she were tutored most of her life. Her accent certainly was not from around here. I
swore I could hear a hint of my own lands in her voice. Her skin was tanned and shined in the candlelight. Though she had a
beautiful face, her eyes told a different story— cunning, as if she had another idea in mind.
Pulling my diamond earrings from my ears, I gladly handed them to her. The woman’s face lit up as if she’d won at life. She
made quick work to take me upstairs and show me to my boarding room. It wasn’t as large as I was used to, but it would do for
now.
“I will make sure you don't get disturbed, my lady. I will send up one of my girls with your food and the bath is just through
that door.”
She left me to it then, and I fell onto the bed with a sigh. Tears tried to escape as I thought back to Nicholas. Was I perhaps
acting rash and stupid by running away? Shaking my head, I began to remove my shoes and stockings along with the damp
cloak. Regretting what I was doing wouldn't help anything.
