Surprise and joy played tag in my guts, but I had trouble responding. I just nodded and thanked the dwarf, then headed out of the forge, my head spinning.
The leather armor I’d been wearing was okay. Yet only one piece, the studded skirt, was Rare. The rest were all Uncommon and Common items. I had a feeling that the wyvern scale armor would be Epic or even Legendary. My game would be on point.
I nabbed a street kid and asked him to point me to the Rooster’s Head. The day wasn’t getting any younger and I was getting hungry. Tejón told me the same thing three times before we came to a tall wooden building that looked like it had been dropped out of a western flick and barely survived the fall.
Looking up, I got a cheap laugh from the “establishment’s” sign. A rooster’s body was stretched out over a log, long and stiff in a very suggestive way. A hatchet was sunk into the neck, and the head of the bird tumbled away, red and leaking blood. It was profane, underhanded, and offensive: This was my kind of place.
The front door was a stereotypical set of double doors that spun in and out on hinges. The top and bottom of the door did little to hide the inside, but it seemed like more of a gesture.
Tejón followed me in and sat on his haunches while I waited for the busy barkeep to notice me.
“No, no,” the man said, using his hands and arms more than was necessary. I’m sorry, sir, I just won’t allow it.”
A traveler wearing chainmail and holding a huge shield stood before him, complaining. “But I heard that you accepted companions here. Where am I supposed to stay if not here?”
“Sir, we accept companions, and we always will. But not ones that breathe flame. You’ll probably have to camp outside the city walls or have your beastie do so in your stead. I’m very sorry. At least you have a drakeling as a companion. They are very rare and will be a boon to you in the tournament. Good luck and goodbye!” The barkeep finished his lecture with a flourish then turned to me. “Ah, a warrior with a sensible companion. But wait, I should ask first: Does your bear shoot fire from its butt or spit acid?”
“No, though I wish he did—it would be worth camping out for that,” I said, already liking the crude man. “We need a room. Do you have any open?”
After eying Tejón a moment, the man nodded. “I think so. He is not a little fellow, though, is he? Not sure how much coin you have, but the only room that will accommodate this one is the master suite. It’s on the bottom floor and has a twelve-foot ceiling. He can’t go in through the front, but around the side of the building, there is a patio. The room opens out to a veranda. I’m sure we can squeeze him in through there.”
I thought about it before replying. “But doesn’t it get cold at night? What’s the point of a room if it has a wall missing?”
“Good question. You’ll have to see it for yourself. To make it brief, though, a huge fireplace and a curtain thick enough to smother a queen with. Cost is 5 dragons a night, though. Can you afford it?”
I looked over to see Tejón studying the far wall with great scrutiny. “I can. We want it for the next three nights, if that is possible, maybe a fourth, but I don’t know yet. Is that okay?”
“Yes, ma’am, and well met. My name is Rodrick.” The sound of my coin leaving my purse making the barkeep noticeably perky. Damn clerks and their greed.
“I’m Madi,” I said. “We’re gonna head to our rooms, if that’s fine. Where might I find a suitable bath?”
“No need to leave. The suite has its own tub, though not nearly big enough for your friend.” The man rubbed his chin a moment and amended, “Since you are paying in full, why don’t you have him come around the stables. I’ll have the grooms clean him up as nice as if he were a prize pony. For you, I’ll have the maid fetch hot water immediately.”
The thought of a hot bath made me want to drool. I finished quickly, telling Rodrick the last bit of information he needed to make my stay here at the Rooster’s Head as lovely as possible. “We’ll be getting a considerable amount of meat delivered from Lernon’s. Please tell them where I’m staying. Maybe you could leave it on the veranda so as to avoid bloodying the room.”
“Ha! That’s a good idea. Normally, I prefer guests to have their herbivore friends eat in the stables and their carnivore friends eat in the side street, but the veranda will do as well. We can have the staff water it down after to avoid stains.”
I left the man with a handful of gold and he immediately fell to barking orders at several servants.
So, Tejón, how would you like a bath? I asked the bear. He stood up and started backing away toward the door, but I reminded him of the feast that would show up soon. Besides, if you don’t clean up, I won’t let you in the room.
Okay, Madi, but only because you bought me many animals to eat.
Tejón and I followed a servant around the side of the building until we came to the stables. I had the great pleasure of watching several men toss buckets of water over the bear’s hide, then scrub him down with lye soap using brushes attached to wooden handles. The brushes
