I woke the next morning and got dressed in my traveling clothes. The thick woolen underlayer wrapped around me tightly. I could smell rain on the air as I slipped on my thicker socks and boots. I went about packing all my goods in my bag and made sure that I had everything I had came with.

A gentle knock was on my door just as I was finally ready and I opened my door to the innkeeper standing there. I expected the plate of food to be with him but he motioned for me to follow, “Tired of running upstairs for me to gather a plate just to wash. You’ll come eat with my family and then we will see you off.”

I nodded and walked with him and was lead down into a basement living quarter. Five children including his older son ran about a table setting it for breakfast. Most of his children were little girls with flaming red hair on their heads. He had two older boys but only one of them was burgeoning into adulthood. I nodded to everyone, “I don’t know if your father has told you of me but my name is Dolan Talespinner. I thank you all very humbly for hosting me for breakfast.

His wife, belly full of child, waddled out of the bedroom and looked around with a smile at the chaos and walked to the table setting her aching frame down. It appeared that she was going to bear the child into the world any day now and I said a silent prayer that she was able to weather the trial of birthing. “My dear husband said you were the reason we had a recent windfall for buying food. Said you enjoyed the meals my son was able to cook.

Speaking of the son I saw that the younger of the boys was at the stove standing amongst the sizzling of bacon and eggs. Large fluffy pieces of bread were steaming from in oven that was burning nearby. It was very hot in this room and it looked like all the children were well adjusted to it. I had wondered how the rooms stayed so warm so early in the spring. We weren’t yet close enough to summer for it to have been this comfortable in the rooms above.

I was guided to a seat to the left of the head of the table. His wife across from me as I sat and drank in the family's happiness like it could sustain my very existence. Some of the girls were whispering to each other behind me and pointing to the case of my lute that I had set down next to the chair. I smiled at them and spoke up, “Maybe I’ll play one song for you all before I leave. As thanks for the meal.”

The Innkeeper spoke up while shaking his head. “I can’t have you do that. You paid enough extra for it.”

I shook my head as well, “Just for the children. It won’t hurt me any to play one small song. Please, it will be a pleasure to entertain such enthusiastic children.”

The man frowned but nodded in concession. “I guess a single song wouldn’t hurt at all. Are you sure that you don’t want the rest of your deposit on the room?”

“I’m quite sure. Maybe you can spend it on a good cleaning once I’m gone. I sweat quite a lot when I sleep. All the wool.”

It was sweltering in here and I soon regretted that I was wearing such layers. But the home radiated a comfort that reminded me of sitting next to a hearth in the middle of winter as I entertained the children of a small village. Some of them are from one of the many lines of blood I left in the world. Before the tragedy that always befell them. The gods did not look kindly upon dragons trying to leave their own lineage. I once was told by Boneshaker it was because it would cause us to be weak and exploitable. That being tied to a human lifespan would sully us in some way. I had thought it only made me stronger.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I was pulled from my reverie and back into the present as a plate piled high with bacon, sausage, eggs, and my own roll. The smell of it was enrapturing and I felt my mouth fill with water. I reached out instinctively and grasped the hands of the two people sitting on each side of me.

The innkeeper led us in a prayer to Klaxu for allowing the food to be grown, for the beasts lives being given to mankind so that it could thrive. Blessing Sondet that such a harvest was brought into town so that they could eat such lavish meals. I sent my own heartfelt prayer for this family to be prosperous and well fed into the future. That his daughters would get kind husbands they would be honored to bear children from.

I dug in with as much enthusiasm as the children around me as the table lapsed into silence. The greatest compliment to a good cook was the silence of a table enjoying the food. Soon I was scraping the yolk from the eggs with a torn edge of bread as I was full but wanted to make sure to enjoy every last bit of it.

The children were still eating when I pushed my plate down now that it was clean of everything. I grabbed my lute and scooted back to play a simple song to the children. I first played Whispers in the Wind. They seemed enraptured, probably only having heard it sung.

They clapped gently as I finished their plates now clean of their own food. The oldest of his sons was already leaving to be at the counter above. The children started to beg for me to continue but I shook my head and put it away. “I have to get on the road so that I won’t be traveling at night. I know that it would be nice to make it to the next town.”

I stood up and was guided out of Featherdown with welcome smiles and warm goodbyes. I walked through the streets and headed to the north where the road needed to take me. I moved through the more influential parts of town and stretched my arms far above me head taking a deep breath of air only for it to be spoiled by the scent of filth that had lingered on my from the poorer parts of town.

As I adjusted the pack of letters I was still bearing for Duke Ursal and the precious introduction letter that he penned. I was approached by one of the guards.

“How can I help you today sir?” His tone had a sneer of distaste. Obviously he didn't think I belonged here in this part of town.

“I am on my way through to the capital. I have messages from Duke Ursal in my care and I am taking the most direct route. If you could let me by I would appreciate it.” I kept my tone light but firm like airy bread with a hard crust.

The guard frowned and looked down his nose at me. That did require him to lift his chin to an almost comical height but he nonetheless looked back. “There is a toll for this gate. Most peasants have to go through the west gate and take a road around our beautiful city.”

I frowned and sighed inwardly, “Fine, what is the toll for this gate?”

“A gold coin.”

I balked at the words and instantly turned around to walk away from it all. He gripped my shoulder before I could step away. “Unhand me I’ll go around.”

“I don’t think you understand. You’ve already used our time and that has to cost something. So either you pay up or we take you into custody and take everything you have.” His mouth twisted in a vile grin.

I wanted to smite him down with one decisive blow but there were others around. Instead I lowered my voice and whispered something to him. I laced the words with as much magic as I dared to influence his weak mind. “You’ll let me pass. You will do so without a fee.”

His eyes glazed over as the magic settled over his mind and wrapped it in cotton muffling all thought as he straightened and walked to the other guard and motioned for him to let me through.

I could hear the other man start to whisper and ask where the coin was. That they could be set for weeks of drinking if they took my money. The guard I had put a spell on leaned forward and I could hear the barest whisper as he brought forth an answer that would let me pass. “He is in the King’s Service. We better not get entangled with it.”

The gate opened and I stepped forward and out of the gate into the freedom of the plains beyond.

There was no shanty city on this side of the city like the south and east had. I took in a deep breath of fresh air through the breeze from the north. It had a cold bite to it and my moment of freedom was spoiled by a heavy drop of rain falling on top of my head.