Saving Solace

Gerard into eating his fill. 'Obviously you've never tasted Otik's potatoes, if you can hold such an opinion of food as that. Here, try some. There's more on the stove.'

But Gerard had never taken to Otik's famous potatoes. Now he wished he had given into Caramon's good- natured invitation, if only to satisfy the only person who had befriended him the entire time he had been stationed in this town. Now Palin, Caramon's son, had befriended him.

'They need you here, lad,' Caramon's voice sounded in his head. 'They need you.'

'I hope you're right, Caramon,' Gerard mumbled. 'I hope you're right.'

One of the guards, who was passing in front of Gerard at just that moment, cast him a disapproving look, as though to say he would keep his eye on anyone who went around talking to himself. Gerard ignored the man, returning to awareness of the everyday world around him. Then he turned and headed back toward the Inn of the Last Home, slogging through the rain, oblivious to the bustle of people of all races around him. At the vallenwood tree that held the inn nestled among its branches, he began the long ascent up the winding stairway. Already, with evening scarcely begun, sounds of merriment reached his ears from the inn overhead.

He must have been mounting the steps rather slowly, lost in thought, for suddenly Gerard was pushed aside from behind. 'Out of the way,' hissed a voice that made Gerard's hair rise. To his astonishment, two draconians- stout-bodied, reptilian creatures with leathery wings, long snouts, scales, and lizard tails-shoved past him. A few steps ahead, the first of the pair threw a parting shot over his shoulder. 'Next time, don't get in the way of your betters, or it'll go worse for you.'

Gerard stood unmoving, stunned. Draconians? In the Inn of the Last Home? He thought to call out a warning to the inn's patrons overhead, to let them know of the draconians' imminent attack, but the noise from the inn would have drowned out any warning he could give. Instead, he bolted up the stairs after the pair, frantically trying to decide whether to draw a weapon.

He burst into the inn, out of breath, startled to find the noise of merriment had not let up at the appearance of the new arrivals. In fact, the two draconians were just seating themselves at a table with another of their kind. A half dozen Qualinesti elves, now enduring bitter exile, stared with unbridled hostility at the lizard-men from one corner of the room, but otherwise little attention was being paid to the strange creatures. In fact, it appeared from scowling looks on the faces of the inn's other patrons that the elves were regarded more suspiciously than the draconians. Gerard's head swam. Evidently, more things had changed in Solace than he'd thought.

Even though it was still early, the inn was packed. Gerard managed to grab an empty seat when a rugged- looking man in badly stitched deer-hide clothes got up and shambled from the room. He looked about for a serving maid to order some dinner, but Laura Majere spotted him. 'Why, if it isn't Gerard uth Mondar,' she said jovially. 'And still with a face that would curdle milk! I heard from that brother of mine that you were planning to pay us a visit.'

Gerard nodded, tight-lipped. It was hard to take offense at Laura's easy familiarity. 'He wants me to be the new sheriff,' he said.

'Does he? Well, you'll be good at it, I warrant. You've certainly got the discipline.'

Gerard smiled. 'I was wondering if you've got a room for the night.'

'A room!' She waved to indicate the crowded inn. 'I've been turning folks away all afternoon, and the evening's just getting started. These days, there's hardly a spare room to be found anywhere in Solace.' She eyed his wet, shivering form and dropped her voice to a whisper. 'But for you, I got something nice in the attic. A bit on the cozy side, I'm afraid, but it's the best I can do.'

'Thank you,' Gerard said, sincerely grateful. Now that he was here, he almost felt at home. He was glad to be in out of the rain.

'Now, what say we get some dinner in you?' Laura continued. 'That and the warmth of the fire will take the chill from your bones.'

'I'd like some stew if you have any.'

'Stew? Nonsense! What you need is some of our spicy potatoes. They'll warm you right up.'

Gerard tried to insist that what he really wanted was just some mild stew and a mug of tarbean tea, for spicy food tended to disagree with him. But before he could make his case, Laura had wheeled away and hurried off to the kitchen. Moments later, a pretty, dark-haired serving maid appeared at his side, plunking a mug of ale in front of him.

'Uh, I didn't order that,' he said, as she started off toward another table.

'Mistress Laura said you were to have it,' the girl said. 'Said I shouldn't take no for an answer. First one's on the house!' She hurried away.

Gerard stared glumly at the ale, another item for which the inn was renowned. But Gerard wasn't much of a drinking man. He didn't like hard drink, nor, for that matter, did it much like him. Then again, he was thirsty, and there didn't seem to be any other options. He took a sip and repressed a grimace. He imagined horse piss might taste much like this.

The serving maid was soon back with a heaping platter of spiced potatoes. She set it in front of Gerard, who looked at it almost dolefully. She stood by expectantly.

'Um, did you need something?' Gerard asked after a few moments, toying with a fork of potatoes without i actually putting any food in his mouth.

'I'm to see that you eat. Mistress Laura says you need the benefit of good nourishment.'

'I'm quite capable of eating without help, thank you,' Gerard said as politely as possible, though he was beginning to get irritated.

Still, the girl didn't budge.

Backed into a corner now and unwilling to offend Laura, Gerard nibbled tentatively at the potatoes, then quickly washed the bite down with a hearty gulp of ale. The potatoes really were spicy! Already, he could feel his stomach rumble. He managed a weak grin for the serving maid, who, fortunately, looked satisfied and went away.

Meanwhile, from their corner the exiled elves launched into a patriotic song, just loudly enough for everyone to hear. Tension filled the room. The three draconians glared at the elves, then sniggered, causing the elves to sing even more loudly and fiercely. When the song ended, one of the elves stood and, with a pointed look at the draconians, began to recite:

'There was a draconian, a Baaz, Who fought his own kind because-'

The draconians fell silent, glowering at the elves.

' 'Though many obey us, Our births still betray us, And we live against all nature's laws.' '

The whole party of elves joined in the last line, their voices full of merriment but their eyes full of hate as they stared at the draconians. One of the draconians-a Baaz, Gerard noticed-started to rise, but a claw from one of his companions stopped him. 'Relax,' said the companion, speaking loudly enough for the room to hear, 'we still have their homeland.'

The three burst into laughter so harsh it made Gerard flinch.

In their corner, the elves' jaw muscles stiffened, and their hands drifted toward their weapons under the table. However, one of them nudged the others and the elves resumed singing, louder than before. All other noise in the room had stopped by now. Gerard watched the three draconians turn purplish with rage under their various shades of green, and they began breathing in short, ragged bursts. Slowly the three lizard-men reached for the hilts of their swords.

'Then Arrowswift, noble warrior, Flung back his chair and rose, Leaped into terrible battle, Fought against scaly foes.

'Around him soon bled the dying Filling the air with groans, As Arrowswift turned draconians To nothing but piles of stones.'

There was uneasy scuffling around the room, and Gerard noticed that other hands half-hidden by tables were also deftly seeking out weapons. The dark-haired serving maid was frozen near a table where a man had been flirting with her, midway between the draconians and the elves-right in the line of trouble.

Desperately, Gerard tried to think of what he should do or say. The only thing that came to mind, almost unbidden, was a silly, nonsense song he had learned from his nurse as a child. He leaped to his feet.

'I loved my cousin Kate, But waited much too late; She married Uncle Nate, And now has thirteen kids. Sing hey for the life of a fool!