[Elliot Springs][Session 3 - Level 1][Part 3]

Elliot retraced his steps as he left the barracks. Since he’d be part of the army soon, he waved to the soldiers as he walked by. He emerged back onto the city streets and walked to get clear of the guard who didn't seem to like him.

The night’s walk in the city was peaceful. Some of the street lamps were slowly going out, and a few were no longer lit. A few inns and taverns near the front of the city had light pouring from their windows.

All too soon, Elliot arrived at the tavern he visited before. He looked at it, seeing the lettering above the door: The Fallen Timber Bed and Breakfast. The outside of the tavern had massive log walls akin to the bigger trees in the Endine forest. Elliot pulled the door open. There was a bright glowing light inside.

As Elliot entered, the warmth from the hearth was the perfect cozy temperature. There were two massive chandeliers, burning candles ensconced within. There were sconces on the walls with gold holders.

There was a painting on the ceiling of the moon and the sun. In the middle of the painting was a stack of pancakes radiating light.

There were also seven rooms. The eighth was a restroom for all the guests. A sign outside of the bathroom that said "If you clog it, you fix it".

There were some patrons at the tables with drinks. There was a Dwarven woman behind what looked to be a main desk. She had braided fiery red hair, a clean shaven face with a tad bit of razor burn, and light green eyes. Next to her was the small gnomish lady Elliot had met earlier, Granny.

Elliot took a seat at an empty spot, pulled his enlistment papers out, and set them on the table in front of him. He grabbed a charcoal pencil and started to read through the papers. Making marks on different lines. There was a tap on Elliot’s shoulder, he turned to see a human man, who must have been barely a couple years older than himself.

“You have time for a game?” The man rattled dice in his other hand.

“I wouldn’t mind the company. What’s the game?” Elliot pushed his enlistment papers to the side.

“Well, it’s a gambler's game. You have the coin?” The man replied.

“Of course. I can put a fair amount down.” Elliot smiled.

“Sure, how about ten silver?” The man replied, setting a gold piece on the table. He pushed a single six sided die over to Elliot.

“How about ten gold.” Elliot mused as he placed a few coins on the table. “But if I win, I only want a favor.”

“A favor. Alright. Then this is interesting. This is a game where you need to match my dice with your one die. It's called Devil’s Spare. I’m going to roll three dice. For every one of my dice that matches yours I have to cough up the same amount you bet. But if it's just favors for the first round then I’ll match that bet.”

“Alright. I’ve got it.” Elliot said, the other man nodded, and Elliot rolled his die. It landed on one. The gambler rolled his three dice and they settled on three, five, and six. At the last second all three jump up and land back down on one. The man slumped back in his seat.

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“Well fine. What are your three favors for me.” He said feigning disappointment.

“I’ll ask them one at a time. If you decline a favor, I’ll take the money you initially offered.” Elliot said playing along with this farce of a game.

“That's fair. Then what's the first favor?” The man leaned forward.

“Buy me a coffee?” Or tea, or anything to keep me awake.” Elliot reasoned. The gambler stood and bowed.

“Your wish is my command, sir.” He headed over to the bar where he ordered a dark roast. He returned with a small wooden plate, a tin cup full of coffee, and a few cubes of sugar on the side. “There you are.” He said as he served it.

“Thank you.” Elliot looked at the sugar for a second, a quizzical look on his face, but he ignored the luxury foreign to him and drank the coffee. “Alright,” Elliot exhaled after downing most of the cup of coffee, “my second favor is relatively simple. I just need you to read half this stack of papers and let me know if anything jumps out as a red flag.” Elliot passed half the enlistment papers to the gambler.

“Found one.” The gambler pushed the stack of papers back to Elliot. “It says army on it, and that's where people go to die.”

“Fine then, one favor completed and double the bet works fine for me.” Elliot smiled ear to ear.

“I’m not kidding. The only way anyone comes back from that is in a box for their family.” The gambler pushed his seat back away from the table.

“I’ll come back. I have to. They wouldn’t know where to ship the box.” Elliot said, rearranging his enlistment papers and avoiding the judging gaze of the other man.

“Sorry. You weren’t worth my time.” The gambler stood and left. Leaving two gold coins on the table.

Elliot spent the better part of the next half hour going over his enlistment papers, reading it thoroughly, and signing where prompted. His cup was never left empty for long as the dwarf woman working the bar came to fill it a few times. Until he was the last one left in the tavern. Granny whispered something to her behind the bar with an irritated tone. The dwarf woman headed over to Elliot’s table.

“We’re closing up soon. Do you have somewhere to stay?” She asked, her voice was more feminine, but stronger sounding than Elliot’s sisters. She looked like she shaved often. Maybe dwarf women really are quite different from his own kin.

“Oh, me? No. I guess I was avoiding that issue.” Elliot rubbed one of his brows, feeling a pang of exhaustion.

"Well, if you're only gonna stay the night it would be five silver. Room six is available for the night. And if you want to wake up to have all you can eat pancakes and coffee in the morning, it would be 1 gold piece." The dwarf girl explained as the old lady moved around the room collecting dishes.

“Oh that would be lovely.” Elliot placed a gold coin down. The gnomish woman grabbed the coin from behind him, brought it to her face for inspection, and then bit it. Pleased with the coin she tucked it into a massive gold pouch on her side.

“I like this one. His money is good. Three silver and you can have Meredith for some late night cuddling.” Granny said. Meredith looked like she was about to kill the aging gnome. Elliot’s face grew flush.

“Oh no. I’m good. Thank you though.” Elliot held his hands up defensively and apologetically.

Meredith wasn’t much older than him, more meat on her bones than Elliot’s twig-like proportions, and that definitely worked in her favor. Elliot considered for a moment what he knew about his parents' relationship, the only relationship he had ever really seen before leaving his farmhouse. Would Elliot ever marry? Would he marry a woman like Meredith?

“I’m sure you are a great cuddler.” Elliot stood up; growing more flustered by his own thoughts. “I’m just gonna go. Room 6?” Elliot spotted the room and made a tactical retreat to it.

“What an odd boy.” Granny said as the door to room six closed.

The room had a single candle in it, a bookshelf, a nice bed with fur blankets. Along with a table and two chairs. A jug of water and two cups sat on the table. There was a window on the wall behind the headboard of the bed. A clock gently ticked, nailed above the table, reading almost two in the morning. It was nice and warm. Elliot locked the door behind him, dropped his pack, and began to unstrap the various bits of leather armor he did wear. He pulled his shirt off, wetted it with the jug, and began washing the dried blood off his own midsection.

Elliot got his notebook out and wrote notes in it until he started to drift off to sleep. As he slowly slumped under the blankets of the bed, moonlight filtered in through the window. He looked out to see someone walk by. Someone crouched, someone furry, and they moved fast. Elliot considered the possibility of it being a trick of the eyes. He thought nothing of it as he finally succumbed to sleep.