“Po-ta-to gra-tin! Po-ta-to… gratin!” Leimomi sang as she rode along on her grandfather’s shoulders. Then she leaned over, gently pulling on Nakoa’s ears to keep her balance.

“Grandpa, can we have pickled beets, too?” she asked. Nakoa chuckled.

“Sure thing, sweetie,” he said.

As Nakoa led the way through the streets, various people called out to him in greeting. He returned each with a smile and a wave.

“I see you’re as popular as ever,” Stell said as she walked alongside him.

“Must be my natural charm,” Nakoa said playfully.

Stell scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Say, Stell,” Nakoa then said, “back there you said you’re sort of responsible for the red-head. What did you mean by that?”

Stell sighed, reaching up to rub her temple.

“Remember how I told you last week that Dee was out of town?” she said.

“Right, to help the Verdan girl and her father. Is that her?” Nakoa looked over his shoulder at Taika.

“That’s her,” Stell said.

“… I guess her father didn’t make it,” Nakoa said.

Stell nodded her head sadly. Then she straightened up, shaking herself a little.

“Well, when they returned to port, the boat I had leant out to them was badly damaged. And when I told him that I’d hold him responsible for the repairs, he said he didn’t have any money. Can you believe that? I mean, I would have expected it from the Verdan, but seriously… Anyway, we reached an agreement.”

“That being?”

“He would work for me until he paid it off.”

“I see. That’s mighty generous of you, Stell.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

Meanwhile, Xan, Taika, and Dee were following behind. The stray dog – whom Taika had explained was hiding under the wine cart until she had convinced it to come out – refused to leave her side. Dee walked between Taika and Xan, carrying the small canvas sack over her shoulder. She kept stealing concerned glances up at the two of them.

Xan had been unable to get Shadow to come down from the stack of crates. Eventually Taika had stepped in to translate, explaining that Shadow was still afraid of the dog and refused to come down while it was around. But then when Xan had suggested that Taika tell the dog to leave, she had refused, counter-suggesting that Shadow could just follow them from a distance. Much to Xan’s chagrin, Shadow had seemed to like that idea. Even now, if he looked up, he could catch glimpses of Shadow following them from the rooftops.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Soon the street they were on came to a tee-intersection. Nakoa stopped at the intersection and beckoned to those following behind him.

“We’re here. Welcome to the Blue Pearl Inn,” he said.

In front of them was a two-story building, rectangular in shape, with the long side facing them and a chimney on both ends. The walls were made of stone and mortar, but the top half of the building had been covered in a white plaster. The roof was pointed and covered in blue tiles. All of the windows were made of glass.

A set of wooden steps led up to a small wooden deck, which sat in front of the front door and extended out to the right side, almost to the corner of the building. On the left side, attached to the deck and extending out from the front of the building, was a raised open-air seating area made of the same stone and mortar. A wooden sign hung by an iron pole above the front door, swinging in the breeze. It sported the words “Blue Pearl Inn” over a picture of an open clam holding a cerulean pearl.

“The stable’s around the back, if you want to go check on your horse,” Nakoa said to Taika, pointing around the side of the building. Taika nodded.

“Thank you, sir,” she said. Then she gently patted the dog on the back, and the two of them went off to the stables.

“Dinner’s still going to be a bit. Come on in and make yourselves comfortable while you wait,” Nakoa then said while helping Leimomi down to the ground.

“Actually, Nakoa,” Dee said, slightly embarrassed, “I was hoping to freshen up a bit before dinner.”

“Well, then, you can use one of our washrooms, by all means. You and your Verdan friend can use them, too,” Nakoa said, speaking to Dee and then to Xan. With some slight embarrassment of his own, Xan realized that he probably didn’t smell too fresh either.

Leimomi ran ahead of the group to the front door.

“We’re home!” she yelled enthusiastically as she swung it wide open.

The bottom floor of the inn was an open dining area with eight round tables spread about. A large fireplace with a roaring fire sat on the right-hand wall. A handful of patrons who were tucking in to an early meal – or nursing a mug of ale – were scattered around the room. A few of them glanced up, then went back to their business.

A bar stood in the far left corner, being tended to by a Felidan, a beast-man with the features of a cat. In fact, Xan noted, he was a calico cat, with orange and black patches across his fur, except for the lower part of his face and neck, which was white. The Felidan’s pointed ears perked up when he heard Leimomi enter.

“Welcome back!” he called to her as he wiped down a mug.

Leimomi ran across the room and hopped up onto a barstool. She spun around on top of it once before leaning against the counter.

“Ravi! Ravi! Guess what! Grandpa wrestled an ox and won!” she told the Felidan with gusto.

“Ha! Really? Would’ve loved to see that,” Ravi said.

“Coming through!” A door in the left-hand wall – which presumably led to the kitchen – swung open, and a tall, slender Bovidan woman bearing the features of a bull stepped out. She ducked her head to avoid hitting the tips of her horns on the lintel. Her hooves clopped across the floorboards as she began to wend her way between the tables, all while balancing two trays full of food on her hands.

“Well, better get started before the dinner rush hits. Dee, why don’t ya show your friend where the washroom is?” Nakoa said as he stepped inside and took off his coat.

“Alright. This way, Xan,” Dee said, tugging on his sleeve.