“Snow, wake up,” Terrin said gently as he shook her.
Elurra opened her eyes and saw it was dark. She blinked and groaned as she sat up. The dwarfs were dismounting with moans as they stretched their cramped muscles and rubbed their aching backs. Aleah and Plague helped Kai down lightly, and Elurra couldn’t help but grimace as she took in his injuries. His face was puffy and covered in dark welts. His right eye was swollen shut despite what Terrin had given him. He grimaced as his feet hit the ground and struggled to hold his head up. She decided to not make any comment, but Rowan showed no such restraint.
“Kai, you look like you’re storin’ chestnuts in your cheeks after sleepin’ inna puddle of grape juice,” he said as he beamed at the injured prince.
“I know I look awful. Stop rubbing it in,” he grunted through bloated lips.
Elurra let a small smile spread across her face and turned to see their progress. They were in one of the larger towns scattered throughout Lur Alava. The farther south they traveled, the more towns they’d come across, as most of the population lived closer to Amora. Stores and homes littered the dark dirt road. The building beside them looked old but charming, with glowing windows spilling warm light into the night, and inviting voices and laughter drifting through the walls.
They were just outside the largest inn they’d chanced upon so far, which was two stories tall and looked like it had about a dozen rooms above the tavern. As they dismounted, a boy came out and took their horses to the stable. Originally, they were short on money, but after rooting through the horses’ saddlebags, they discovered there was plenty to pay for rooms. The exhausted group mounted the squeaky stairs and filed through the doorway into the cozy interior. Upbeat music floated past them, and multiple fires warmed the room. A surprising number of people crowded around old wooden tables, laughing and drinking pints of steaming beverages. A man with a lute played in the corner, and pale smoke swirled through the air from various pipes.
“Looks like they have a traveling musician tonight,” Elurra commented.
The inn was a common place to catch up with friends and gossip, but it was a large crowd by normal standards. The commotion alone was overwhelming, so the group stayed in the doorway, unsure of where to go until a jolly, booming voice rang out over the din.
“Come in! I know weary travelers when I see ’em!” A portly man with a beard and fine clothes stepped out from behind a counter to the left. “Can I interest you in a few rooms and a bite to eat?”
Rowan stepped forward. “I think four rooms will do us nicely,” he said, trying to keep his pirate drawl out of his voice.
The man nodded and looked them over, his eyes resting on Elurra.
“My, my, what beautiful hair you have, mi’lady. I haven’t seen such pure blonde hair since the coronation of our late queen—”
“Creators, bless her soul!” nearby men chorused, overhearing the host.
Elurra looked down at her feet, hating the gratuitous attention.
“Thank you, sir,” she said hastily, hoping he would drop the topic. She chastised herself for forgetting to put up her hood before going inside.
The man studied her for a moment longer, but Kai’s face ultimately grabbed his attention.
“What happened to you, boy? Did you take a hoof to the face?” he asked with a hearty laugh.
As soon as he turned away, Elurra pulled up her cowl. She’d rather not draw attention to herself there. The burly innkeeper led Rowan to the front desk to pay and sign them in. Her stomach rumbled when the savory scent of venison tickled her nostrils, and she acknowledged how hungry and dirty she was.
What I would do for a bath, she thought longingly.
She grinned as she remembered the first bath she’d taken at Ramer’s house. Terrin had become irate because she demanded he draw the bath for her, and he told her she could do it herself or stay dirty. That was the coldest bath she’d ever taken.
Rowan came back with room numbers and the welcome news that dinner was on the way. They found a table and dug into the venison casserole and pine nuts set in front of them. Elurra, Kai, and Aleah preferred warm tea to drink, Terrin had coffee, and the rest of the dwarfs helped themselves to the ale. About an hour later, Elurra looked up and realized not everyone was sitting around the table.
“Where did Plague and Snore go?” she asked, glancing around the room.
Aleah tapped her shoulder and pointed behind her. Elurra spun around, and her mouth fell open in astonishment. Plague and Snore were standing on top of a table in the back of the tavern.
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“What are they…” Terrin started to ask, but the minstrel started a familiar tune and the men around the two boys started cheering. Rowan grinned broadly as Plague opened his mouth.
“Oh when I was ah lad my father sat me down and told me,
I was entitled to any job I wanted; you see!
I took it to heart and built a pair of wings all on my own.
I decided I wanted to fly,
So I jumped right into the sky! Hey!”
Snore and Plague linked arms and skipped around on the table singing:
“La la la-la, la, hey!
La la la la la. Hey!”
The men around them sang and stomped along to the rhythm. Elurra watched with a confused expression on her face.
“Rowan, what are they—” she turned to ask, but he was gone. She spotted him climbing onto the table with the other two as Snore started singing:
“Oh, well, after a while I put my wings away, blessed be!
I went to the circus; I did so hope to stay, you see.
The manager took one look at me and, with a laugh, he said,
I hope you can train a lion,
Or you just might end up dyin'! Hey!”
All the people in the bar were clapping and singing along, including the inn owner. He didn’t even look bothered that they were dancing on his table.
“Terrin, should we—” Elurra started to ask, but she was flabbergasted to see his seat was vacant, and he was nowhere to be found.
You must be kidding me, she thought in disbelief.
She looked back to the table, where four of her traveling companions were linked arm in arm and singing at the top of their lungs:
“La la la-la, la, hey!
La la la la la. Hey!”
She glanced behind her and saw Tristen smiling and pushing through the crowd. Her eyebrows rose in astonishment, as she had not expecting the shy youth to join.
“What are you doing?” she screamed over the merriment. He grinned at her and disappeared through the bustling crowd. Rowan’s unmistakable rough voice sang:
“Oh, I left tha circus after bein’ mauled by ah tiger, dear me!
I neva was much of a tightrope walker or a juggler, you see!
And afta quite a lotta thought I finally decided,
If I couldn't fly,
And I couldn't jump,
Or swing through a burnin' ring,
Well, all that's left for me
Was ta be king! Hey!”
Everyone laughed, and Kai dragged Aleah away to the dance floor, which was designated by pushing a table against the wall. Everyone parted for him after a glance at his battered appearance, but he didn’t seem perturbed. A smile whispered across Aleah’s face and turned into a wide grin as the bruised prince spun her around.
If you cannot beat them, join them, Elurra thought with a long sigh.
She ducked through the sea of people and emerged beside the crowded table. Terrin and Rowan spotted her and stopped dancing long enough to pull her up.
“Do you know this song?” Terrin asked, leaning close to her ear.
“Well, sort of, but—” Elurra stuttered, although she was not overly familiar with commoner’s bar tunes.
“Time for your solo, then!” he cried cheerfully, cutting her off before she could add, “not very well.”
The last round of “la’s” finished, and the music changed for a verse. Elurra fought back her panic as she struggled to remember the words. Relieved, she recalled the last verse was short and easy.
“I soon discovered that King is a big job, even for me!
I tried my best and got no rest and, well you see,
I lost my crown, my queen, her gowns,
And then my head as well! Hey!”
All the men hooted and stomped thunderously. Terrin strung his arm through hers and spun her around as “la’s” echoed around the room. She passed from Terrin to Tristen to Snore as she whirled dizzily across the table. A huge smile covered her face as she laughed merrily at her goofy companions and the upbeat rhythm. For a second, an invisible weight left her shoulders. After another round of “la’s,” the song neared its end and the entire tavern sang:
“Ohhh in the end I got beheaded!
La la la la la, hey!”
The bard finished with flourish, and the tavern erupted in deafening applause. The dwarfs climbed down from the table, grinning widely. The heat in the room combined with Elurra’s exertion caused beads of perspiration to form on her brow, and she saw her companions were bright red, which she was sure she mirrored. Claps on the back and hoots issued from the rowdy crowd. One of the men almost pushed her over, but Terrin grabbed her arm and guided her through the pack of sweaty, jostling bodies as another upbeat melody filled the air. She felt claustrophobic and was relieved when they emerged at the bottom of the stairs. Kai and Aleah came up behind them, grinning and panting.
“You were amazing!” Kai exclaimed. “Where did you learn that song?”
They all looked at him like he was joking.
“Everyone knows that song,” Snore answered, yawning.
“You guys are full of surprises.”
“Yer one ta talk! People would be amazed to learn you’re a prince instead of thug with that face on ya!” Rowan cracked, grinning. Kai tried to stick out his bottom lip in a pout, but it ended up looking more like a grimace. To make up for it, he stomped up the stairs.
“Yer Royal Pendulum-ness, ya don’t know where tha rooms are,” Rowan called after him.
Elurra rolled her eyes and clomped up the stairs behind the rest of the group. As Aleah rounded the corner, a cool breeze buffeted Elurra. The bright hallway above suddenly dimmed.
Did someone open a window? she wondered as she rushed up the steps.
The roar in the pub dulled, and she emerged in the dark hallway. The embers on the candlewicks were still glowing. Her companions were frozen before her, blocking her view. Elurra pushed through them and stopped short. Kai was in front of her, facing a shadowy beast. Its eyes glowed with a hateful green fire.
They found us, she thought, terrified.