Raymond E. Feist - Queen of Storms

Declan smiled. ‘I came here so often courting Gwen, I often lent a hand behind the bar. So, you’ve never tended a bar before?’

‘No,’ said Hatu with a rueful tone, drying his hands on a bar rag. ‘I thought it would be simple. I’ve not frequented many taverns, and I’ve never seen one this crowded.’

‘They get like this once in a while in a big town,’ said Declan as he started piling up empty mugs next to a big wash pan, sunk into a counter behind where they stood. ‘Today, it was curiosity. You may see a bit of a rush tomorrow when those who couldn’t come tonight decide to see how it is, but it’ll die down. Once in a while, if a large trading company – eight, ten wagons with teamsters and helpers – or a company of soldiers comes through, it will get very busy, but most days you’ll be bored. Still, even when Leon owned it, as run-down as it was, it was the most popular inn with the local folk. With all the talk of your opening, people have started calling the road outside “Three Stars Road”. That’s a thing, right?’

Hatu looked amazed and nodded slightly. ‘Indeed.’

Without thinking, Declan started washing mugs and stacking them on a draining board. Hatu realized he was just standing there and took his rag and began wiping down the bar just as another group entered the tavern, and pushed their way through the crowd to order drinks. Hatu turned to Declan and said, ‘I think we’ll be eating late tonight.’

Declan laughed.

MORE THAN TWO HOURS WENT by before the majority of townspeople departed, leaving the four friends alone in the common room with only the two strangers who had arrived earlier quietly occupying a table in the corner. Declan and Hatu had marked them earlier in the evening and both had seen them quietly observe everyone who entered and departed. Neither spoke of it.

As they cleared the empty tables and piled up plates, bowls, and mugs, Hatu looked at the mess and reckoned he’d be cleaning for a couple of hours after his guests left.

Gwen and Hava entered from the kitchen carrying plates of bread, fruit, a bit of sliced pork, and a sliver of cheese. Setting them down on the table, Hava said, ‘I need to go to market early tomorrow. We have barely enough for the four of us!’ She sighed. ‘Is it always like this?’ she asked Gwen, her tone somewhere between amusement and concern.

Gwen smiled and shook her head.

Declan said, ‘As I told Hatu, the town turned out to see how things stood.’ Glancing around at the room with chairs out of place, some tables pushed aside, and a few dishes on the floor, he added, ‘This was special. It’ll start calming down tomorrow.’

‘Still,’ said Hava as she sat and motioned for Declan and Gwen to do likewise while Hatu returned with a pitcher of wine and four glasses, ‘we need food.’

Hatu said, ‘I was planning on riding down to Marquenet in a few days to pick up some things, but I think I made four … no, five trips to the cold cellar. We are out of cheese, have no sausages, no fruit except oranges, and I think our spices could use a bit of restocking as well.’

Gwen held up her goblet, and said, ‘You did well enough for the madness that descended on you tonight.’

‘If you and Declan hadn’t pitched in, we’d still be serving, assuming people didn’t leave in disgust over the wait.’ Hava looked at Hatu. ‘I think we need to hire someone.’

Gwen glanced at Declan and said, ‘Well, with Millie doing most of the work around our house, I could spend a little time here and help until you find someone.’

Hava reached out and squeezed Gwen’s shoulder. ‘That would be appreciated more than I can say.’

Declan said to Hatu, ‘I’m shipping a wagon of swords down to the baron the day after tomorrow. Why don’t you ride with me, and get everything you need and bring it back rather than order it and wait for it to be shipped up?’

Hatu glanced at Hava, and as he did so let his gaze pass over the two men who were sitting opposite him behind his wife-to-be and Gwen. He considered a day’s delay in sending word to Coaltachin of these two men’s arrival and thought he also might learn a thing or two more. ‘That’s a welcome idea. Yes, I’ll ride down and back with you, and I’ll pay the freight back.’

Declan smiled. ‘I was hoping you’d say that.’

All four of them chuckled.

As they ate and chatted, the two men in the corner rose and went upstairs, and both Hatu and Declan tried to observe them without looking obvious.

Hava noticed Hatu’s intense expression. ‘What?’

Hatu whispered, ‘Just watching our last guests going up.’

Hava instantly understood. ‘Fine. When we’ve eaten we can finish cleaning down here.’

‘Unless someone else shows up for a drink.’ Glancing at Gwen, Hatu asked, ‘When did your father close up for the night?’

Gwen laughed. ‘As long as someone had the coin to pay for another drink, we were open. Da would close up after the last customer left.’

‘So, sometimes late,’ observed Hava.

‘Sometimes when the sun was coming up,’ answered Declan. ‘There were nights I was supposed to spend time with Gwen after she finished, but I’d have to give up and go home so I wouldn’t be useless at the forge the next day.’

Gwen gave him a mock disapproving look and said, ‘Faint heart.’

As Declan and Gwen began to stand, a familiar voice from the doorway shouted, ‘Declan!’

All four turned to see Ratigan entering the inn. ‘Look who I found!’

He was accompanied by a tall woman with light brown hair, her suntanned face set in a broad grin. Despite grey dusting her hair, and age lines in her sun-darkened face, she moved vigorously as she ran forward to throw her arms around the smith, hugging him tightly for a long moment.

Gwen’s expression became very still: this woman’s greeting was clearly one born of close familiarity.

Declan said, ‘Roz!’ He gripped her shoulders, but then caught a glimpse of Gwen’s face and stepped back. ‘How … What are you doing here?’

Rozalee smiled broadly at his clumsily hidden embarrassment. ‘Which of these pretty girls is your betrothed?’ she asked, poking him playfully in the chest.

Flushing with embarrassment, Declan beckoned Gwen to his side. ‘Gwen, this is an old friend from Oncon, Rozalee. Roz, this is my fiancée Gwen!’

Roz smiled and gave Gwen a hug. Gwen looked uncomfortable.

Declan glanced at Ratigan, who grinned at him. He’d thank the teamster when they were alone for telling Roz that Declan was now betrothed. He could see that Gwen was already wondering, so it was just as well that Roz had not given him her usual greeting of a bear hug while grabbing his arse, or a deep kiss, let alone saying some of the things she used to say to him in public, or he might not have a fiancée after tonight.

Roz let go of Gwen and held her at arms’ length. ‘You’re a beauty, for certain.’ She glanced sidelong at Declan. ‘You know you can do better than him, don’t you?’ she said, grinning.

Hava and Hatu watched the meeting with barely contained amusement, and at last Hatu said, ‘Welcome to the Inn of the Three Stars. Ale?’

‘Thought you’d never offer,’ said Ratigan, grabbing two chairs from another table and moving them around so they could all sit in a semi-circle.

As Hatu filled six flagons with ale, Declan said, ‘How’s Jack?’ Quickly he added to Gwen, ‘Roz’s husband.’

‘Dead,’ said Roz in a matter-of-fact tone.

Declan’s expression instantly changed from a self-conscious smile to one of shock and disbelief. After a moment, he regained his composure, and asked, ‘What happened?’

Roz turned to Gwen and said, ‘Your lad here saved my life. I got into it with a bunch of bandits working for that bastard Lodavico, and after I gutted a couple, they got me. I turned the knife on myself and just in time Declan found me. He nursed me a bit, then he and Ratigan loaded me up into my wagon and took me back to my husband. Did you know that?’