The building was amazing in that it stood over three stories tall. It took Ingrid a moment to realize that they could do that with the big walls. Beasts wouldn't be able to attack through them, so they could.

Astridr was impressed at construction so close to the wall. It was here the last time she came through, but they had added another story to it. Which meant that there was enough traffic to merit it.

The sounds from within told of a fair number of people, and Ingrid was reminded of the gatherings at the Elder's house. Even the feel of the aged wooden door frame brought back those memories. The evening meals with Elder Ragna and Father.

The air felt thicker than the fireplace could have made it. Ingrid felt her breathing getting tighter and coming fast. Closing her eyes tight she reached for the cold power of Seidr, and the panic began to settle back.

Astridr noticed her anxiety and wondered just how deep the girl was suppressing everything. It had been a concern before, but this might be a bit more than could be handled. She needed to pull on Seidr just to calm.

That was just by entering a crowd, or perhaps it was something about the smells. She had been told that memories are closely tied to both sight and smell.

"Let's get our room and have food in there." She nodded towards the long wood plank serving as the counter. Ingrid returned the nod with a stiff one of her own. Then, they began to walk down the path between the tables.

A good innkeeper knew the need for a straight and clear path to the door and counter. It was the one common trait even the worst of places shared, and one that she greatly appreciated. If there was one thing they wanted to avoid right now. It was causing a problem.

Ingrid felt like everyone's eyes were on her, and even the cold energy of Seidr started to fail at calming her down. The anger and mistrust of all the burly men just added to her discomfort.

She could see that many were farmers or farmhands. Along with a helping of woodcutters and possibly some quarry workers given all the stone. Yet, just repeating that truth to herself didn't calm the slowly rising anger.

Here they were all having a quite evening, a fun evening. None of them had to run away from a charred ruin of a home. None of them had to watch their loved ones die or get dragged away...

Her mind froze on that last thought, and the confusion from it allowed her to hold on. Did people get taken, she thought replaying the idea. She didn't REMEMBER anyone being taken, but she had THOUGHT it.

While she didn't know how much she could trust her emotions. Why would she be internally ranting about people being dragged away? And why didn't her memories seem to support that issue.

Astridr could see the blank look on Ingrid's face. It was better than the slowly increasing anger that had been replaced.

As she leaned on the counter and gestured with two fingers to get someone's attention. She couldn't help but wonder at the sudden change in expression. The girl wasn't pulling more Seidr than before.

Yet, it was like a switch had flipped, and now she stared off into the distance. A haunting image for any without a few drinks in them she was sure. The Fate's were with them as the Innkeeper stepped up to them.

"Well met, Healer." His voice gravelly, but cheerful as his blue eyes landed on her. His expression flickered for a second when he looked towards Ingrid. Then, quickly returned to Astridr, a good sign.

Stolen story; please report.

"Two of ya for the night?" He asked, the unspoken question hovering.

"One room for the night." Astridr nodded to him, "With food tonight." She flicked her eyes towards Ingrid, hoping he got the hint. The man, as all Innkeepers, nodded with a wave of his hand, and handed a wooden coin over.

"Will be five coins for the room, one for the food, it's stew." He then looked over to Ingrid again, a sad look on his face, "The extras are free tonight."

Astridr wondered if they weren't the first to arrive with such a look. She would have to come down and talk after she got the girl to bed. A touch of Seidr flowed from her to carry a few conversations to her ears.

"I don't know, Brun."

"They be only the third travelers in weeks."

"Don't mean there is something going on besides Beasts."

The rest were similar in the tone if not the words. They had drawn attention as one of the few to enter the city in a while. She would definitely have to come down later to talk to the Innkeeper if he was free.

She handed over the coins, small bronze bars with a raven stamped onto them, and tapped Ingrid on the shoulder. Gesturing to the stairs in the corner of the large room, and making her way over.

Ingrid couldn't help but focus on small details around her, though her eyes didn't waver from the thoughts flowing in her head. Now she held onto a flow of both Seidr and Megin within herself.

---

Ingrid peeked around the tree at the burning ruins of her village. The villagers were either dead or bleeding on the ground, but...but vague shadows seemed to shift around.

It was like she didn't want to see what was really going on outside of the fighting. Her father yelled something as he held onto his ax...and something else in his other hand. Another ax?

The world rippled and filled with cracks. A couple of the shadows were revealed to be children, around her own age, being tied up.

---

Her breathing came out in short bursts and her eyes focused on the blue sky. Then, she blinked rapidly as the blue sky settled into the planks and rafters of a ceiling. And beneath her wasn't the grass covered ground just a bed.

The smell of smoke settled into the softer smells of old wood and straw. With the sounds filtering in a few cheers and songs, perhaps a bard or something. Taking a deep breath a few salty tears touched her tongue and she sat bolt upright.

Astridr was eating a bowl of something, probably stew from the smells, and looking out at the night covered land. Ingrid was greatful she wasn't the focus of such attention. She went too far in trying to understand her emotions.

They had made her look weak again, and it pained her that someone had to witness that. Though, Astridr didn't appear to judge her, and wasn't watching her when she woke up. In fact seemed to let Ingrid have her moment of weakness in a place away from others.

For that, Ingrid grew another seed of trust for the woman. She understood the need for such shames to be private. Like those of her father after her mother had died. She still felt guilty for stepping into his moments of weakness.

"Food?" Ingrid looked around, until she spotted another bowl on a small table near the bed. Astridr looked over and her and nodded. Taking that as confirmation she decided to dig in.

Expecting a stew similar to the ones they travelled with. She was surprised at the amount of salt in this one and the crunch of carrots. It seemed there was some benefits to having food near so many farms.

It competed well with the taste of the food the village had during festivals... Ingrid pushed those thoughts away before they could return her to nightmares.

"Why is the ceiling blue?" She asked, mostly to herself.

"It's part of the reason for the name of the tavern." Astridr replied, a hint of amusement and still looking out the window.

"Name?" Ingrid hadn't heard of a building with a name. A ship, a person, even a weapon, but not a building.

"The Woad-ering Inn." Astridr pointed to the ceiling, "They painted the ceilings of every room with the dye to look like the sky." Ingrid nodded to herself. The sky was pretty calming to see when walking up.

"I see." And there was silence until Ingrid finished her food. Like she had been watching Astridr cleared her throat and stood up.

"I am going to talk to the Innkeeper about the city. You need rest, and I will update you on what I learn in the morning." Ingrid was a bit confused. Why would she need to find out stuff about the city?

"Why?" Was all she could say, and Astridr raised an eyebrow at her.

"Because we need to find out where to talk to powerful people." Ingrid felt foolish for only a moment. She must have been truly tired if she didn't catch onto that. She also didn't feel up to going downstairs, her gut warned her it would be dangerous for her at least.

"We will confer in the morning then." Ingrid responded, nodding to the woman before closing her eyes again.