Unlike how the previous day had dragged, Rohl’s dreamless sleep had passed by much faster than he thought possible, he knew he had been exhausted from spending hours washing clothes, rearranging boxes, and washing up plates. But still, he hadn’t expected to have still been this tired even after several hours of sleep.
Then again, he had pretty much dragged himself to his bed through sheer will and hadn’t even had the energy to check out his new room after being given it.
But with nothing to do now but get up, handle some small morning chores, and then head to the guild, Rohl could at least rectify that.
At least I’d had the manners and wits to thank Lola for showing it to me.
After taking a second to wipe the sleep from his eyes, Rohl finally mustered the courage to get out of his surprisingly warm and comfy bed. Once that task had been completed, Rohl stood up, moved slowly to the windows, and drew back its curtains. And with the morning light flowing into the room, he could at least garner what condition his room was in.
Much to his surprise, he had been given a room much fancier than he expected, instead of perhaps a serving quarter, he had been placed in one of the empty guest rooms with all its luxuries included. He had a small wooden bath, wardrobe, dresser, desk and even a separate bathroom. It was far better than he had expected or needed.
I guess they really don’t have many guests if they can so easily give me a room like this.
The room had everything he could have asked for, not that he had much use for it, apart from having a quick wash down in one of the sinks, he didn’t have much use for the dresser or desk. Everything he owned was kept on his person and apart from his old change of clothes, he had no belongings to keep here.
Money, sword, armour, ukatar, dagger. No reason not to take it all, especially if I have a trial today.
With everything now prepped and ready for the day ahead, Rohl steadily made his way out of his room, walked quietly down the empty hallway and finally made his way down the inn's open staircase.
He hadn’t really been expecting to encounter anyone else, especially not at this hour, but clearly, he wasn’t the only inhabitant of the inn who woke up early. Lola was already up, dressed and beginning what could only have been one of her morning chores, which was seemingly to set out the inn's furniture for opening.
“Uh, morning.” Rohl had barely had the chance or energy to speak more than a handful of words to Lola the night before, but now he had at least an opportunity to rectify that and give her a better impression of him.
They are letting me live here; it’s only right I get to know them, even if I don’t know when I will be back, probably not soon if I get a trial. It does feel weird to abandon them so soon.
“Morning, sleep well?”
“Yes, thank you. You an early riser as well?”
“Yes, I like to get my chores done early, free up the rest of the day.”
“Aye, I’m the same really.”
Well, that’s enough awkward small talk for one day, best just to let her know I’m heading out.
“I should have my trial today, but I’m not completely sure, they were a bit vague on the details. I just figured I should let someone know in case I don’t come back later.” Rohl’s words didn’t seem to come as a surprise to the innkeeper’s daughter who simply gave him a small smile and continued unloading furniture.
“Dad mentioned how you would be very come and go. I hope it goes well,” Lola replied with seemingly the same level of uncomfortableness regarding small talk as Rohl.
“Thank you, well goodbye I guess and thank you for the room.”
With more haste than needed, Rohl made his way through the dining area before being stopped just as he made his way to the exit.
“Oh, I’m sorry for Nia, as you’re probably aware, they were all her chores. She seems to have the idea that with you here, she can just lay around all day or go watch the street performers instead of working. Your first day was not the easing in Father had planned.”
“Don’t worry about it, whatever you all need, I’ll do.”
I fucking knew it. Still, I respect the play.
“Thank you, glad to have you with us.”
With Lola’s final words hanging in the air, Rohl finally took his queue to leave and so after one last parting smile, Rohl left the Sleeping Goblin Inn and made his way back to the adventurers guild and from there, he could finally take the first step on his adventuring career and eventually kill the forsaken beast.
But before he could begin that journey, he had to once again navigate the streets of Elmon and reach the guild.
Whilst he knew the route, Rohl couldn’t help but wonder if there was perhaps a shorter path, one that used the alleyways of Elmon to shorten the distance between the inn and the guild.
I really should have asked.
It was an issue for another time and if Rohl was honest, he didn’t hate the walk, whilst most of it was dull, he did enjoy entering the market area and peeking at the goods displayed there.
Even at this early hour, a handful of stalls had already begun trading, the remaining space was filled with either vendors unloading goods or empty tents just waiting till be claimed. There was nothing particularly special about them, just simple tents designed to keep any rain off the merchant’s merchandise. However, the sight of a small, cloaked figure gesturing Rohl to enter one was definitely out of the ordinary.
Do I go? Why do they want to talk to me? Sounds like a great way to get murdered.
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It was a dilemma and one that forced Rohl to cease his walking and decide a course of action. The tent was one of three tents, placed right on the edge of the market, and fortunately for Rohl close enough to the main road that any attempted murder would likely be noticed.
I don’t have anything worth stealing, I could call for help if they are hostile, it’s still risky though. But if it’s not sinister, who would want to speak to me? Fuck it, I’m going to have a look.
With a course of action decided and his hand hovering over the sheath of his sword, Rohl entered the market and approached the tent. But just as he moved to enter its entranceway, he felt a sudden force pull at his clothes and yank him into the tent behind. Despite expecting some kind of trap, Rohl still found himself being thrown back with enough force to send him spiralling onto his back, defenceless.
This is just depressing.
Much to Rohl’s good fortune and relief, the sudden ambush wasn’t followed up by a stab to the gut or knife to his throat but by a small chuckle of laughter coming from the corner of the tent.
“I expected more or just something less pathetic. Come on get up, we need to talk, and I can only watch a human flounder on the floor for so long before it just gets sad.”
The figure's words and the fact he wasn’t currently maimed or being threatened did give Rohl a little hope that this interaction wouldn't end in his death. But that didn’t mean he was just going to rush to obey the stranger's order.
He was a little bit sore from the sudden ambush and so picked himself off the floor in the slowest way possible, making sure to take his time and annoy the strange figure still watching him.
Once he was back on his feet and had brushed the dirt off his clothes, Rohl finally turned to look at the figure, all whilst keeping his hand close to his sheathed sword.
Even with the tent's somewhat darkened interior, Rohl was still able to make out the figures' features quite easily. However, that fact could have easily been changed if the figure decided to pull her hood down further or tighten her cloak around herself.
The first thing that struck Rohl about his ambusher was their size, they were around the same height as him if a little smaller with a build that didn’t look as if it should have had the strength to yank him back as hard as it did. However, that mystery was soon answered as Rohl’s eyes found her face and the pointed ears which adorned it.
An elf.
Given Rohl’s encounter with Healer Springwood, he was not quite as surprised to meet an elf as he probably would have been, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still somewhat taken aback to have met another one so soon. Elves tended to stick to their own kingdoms and not roam human streets ambushing lone adventurers.
The elf’s appearance was a stark opposite to Healer Springwood, to start she appeared much younger, around Rohl’s age with sharp features and curled black hair that reached to the middle of her neck. Her style of dress was just as different, and far more aligned with what an adventurer would wear that Rohl had anticipated, if anything she appeared to have the same armour as him, but her green cloak prevented Rohl from fully being able to tell.
“Don’t even bother reaching for your blade, I know you don’t know how to use it. Besides, if I wanted you dead, you already would be.”
Fair point but what does she want with me?
“I can see from the stupid puzzled expression on your face that you’re wondering why I am here. Well, I have a proposal for you, so stay there, be quiet and listen.”
Abit rude, but I might as well, if I annoy her too much, she might actually kill me.
Rohl wasn’t exactly pleased by the elf’s demeaning tone or rude words, but he did still do as asked, even if that was with a somewhat sour expression on his face.
“We will be completing a contract together, 60-40 split.”
“We will?”
“What about be quiet did you not understand? The logging administration has put out a contract in Bureihal Forest, twenty to thirty twilling bounties depending on the type of tree spirit killed. And were going to fulfil it.”
Seems like she could have just approached me and asked, a lot less hassle than this.
“I have questions first.” Despite the elf only giving Rohl a few details beyond the contract, she seemed rather annoyed that he dared have any questions about it.
“Hurry up then, the sooner we get this done, the better.”
“I’m meant to be on a trial, I don’t think can…”
“This is your trial, so just do as I say and I’ll tell them you passed.” The elf’s words cut Rohl off mid-sentence and despite the rudeness of the act, she didn’t seem in any way apologetic, instead, she simply leaned against one of the tables that had been left within the tent.
“That was quick, I was kind of expecting it to take a few days.”
“I volunteered.”
“Okay, why? You don’t seem like you want to be here.”
“Wow, great deduction. Figure that out all by yourself. I wouldn’t normally, I have better things to do but this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.” After taking a moment to give Rohl another annoyed glance and release a deep sigh, the elf continued speaking. “I was there in the training room, yesterday, behind you in the corner in case you were wondering. I saw it all, saw what your human eyes couldn’t. The tension in their shoulders, raising of arm hairs, tightening of grips on weapons. Something changed in them.”
Fuck, she’s good, I have to be even more careful in the future, but still why does she want to do my trial.
“You must have a blessing and whilst I care little for what you do with it, it could make us both a lot of money. What do you know of logging contracts?”
“Uhhh not a lot. I know logging is dangerous. And well paid, that’s about it.”
The elf sighed again before continuing with her small speech. “They are well paid because of tree spirits, there’s no way to know if a tree is inhabited by a spirit until the woodsman is cutting it down. Usually, they hire guards or cut down trees slowly and cautiously, other times they hire adventurers to clear the way a little. You figured it out yet?” There was definitely a degrading tone in the elf’s words but much to Rohl’s annoyance he hadn’t quite caught on, not that she had given him much time to put it all together yet.
“So slow, what did I expect from a human? Look, idiot, we’ll use your power, blessing whatever, to infect the tree spirits, draw them out and slaughter them. These contracts are rarely worthwhile for the adventurer, they might get one or two tree spirits if they’re lucky, we could get dozens.”
That is clever, it could solve all my money issues in one contract. Not going to tell her that though.
“Right, I see, we both get money and I finish my trial. I can agree to that, when do we start?”
“Now obviously, do you think I lug around all my gear for the fun of it? I‘d prefer to have left Elmon already; I didn’t think I’d have to explain it this much.”
“I’m not really prepared; I don’t have any rations or supplies.” Apart from his sword and armour, Rohl had no real adventuring equipment, and whilst he knew little of Bureihal forest or the contract, he knew it would take a day or more to complete.
We probably won't arrive until nightfall or tomorrow morning if that.
“I've got that covered; now can we go?”
“I guess,” Rohl answered rather unsurely.
He had been expecting a trial and perhaps hopefully in the next few days to go out adventuring, but he hadn’t quite expected for it to happen this quickly. He much would have preferred to have at least reached the guild, acquired some rations and been given time to prepare himself.
It would have been nice to have a friendly mentor, someone who I could ask to train me and not be met with scorn. I don’t think she’s going to make this enjoyable or train me. I should still go, the money is too good to pass up. I could use the funds for a real trainer, someone who might better prepare me for the silence.
With his consent given, the elf hopped off the table and made pace towards the exit, that was until she reached the exit, looked back and made an annoyed gesture for him to follow.
“I mean before we go, shouldn’t I at least know your name first.”
After a suspiciously long pause, the elf finally answered his question and rather begrudgingly at that.
“Ell.”
Yeah, not a fake name at all
“Good to know, I’m Rohl.”
“Great, I feel so much closer to you now, we're bonding. Just get moving and you better not drag behind.” Without so much as confirming if he was following, the elf exited the tent, leaving Rohl to rush to catch up.
Why do I just know I’m going to hate this?