SJ spent so long lying in the luxurious warmth of the bath that by the time she got out, the light had begun to fade. She didn’t care, though, considering she may live to be over 7000 years old now. She would enjoy the small things in life and take her time. She was not in a rush.
She had been pleasantly surprised by the soaps and perfumes in the wardrobe she had found. The mint-scented perfume and soap she used left her skin tingling and invigorated. Her health was back to full again, and she stood looking in the tall mirror in the suite after putting her dress on again, not even having to smooth any creases.
The smell of the fabric reminded her of summer meadows, with the subtle hint of flowers drifting in the breeze on a warm summer afternoon. She had worked her hair into two long, loose braids that ran down either side of her face. She smiled at herself in the mirror, loving what she saw and who she was now.
“You quite finished?” Dave asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Staring at yourself. Look, we all agreed that you are a 9/10, but come on, enough is enough.”
“9/10? I was 8 ½ /10 last time,” SJ replied, grinning.
“Did I say 9? I meant 7,” Dave coughed.
“Dave. Don’t be shy. You can say how beautiful I am. I won’t take offence.”
“Like a troll’s pimple-covered bum, I will,” he snarked.
“I think food and getting to know some of the people who live here a little better might be a good idea.”
“Maybe you can pick up some quests.”
“I wonder what sort of quests they have?”
“Oh. They have all sorts in starter towns. Many quests are usually available to help the locals with various tasks, such as clearing rat infestations. Then, once you reach level 5, you can get your profession and start your profession quest chain.”
“Profession quest chain?”
“Yes. As you advance in a profession, there will be specific items that you are required to craft as the levels increase. Initially, the materials will all be easy to locate, but over time, they become more restricted and almost impossible.”
“That doesn’t sound great, considering I plan on levelling my tailoring skill as soon as I can claim the profession.”
“It will be fine initially, and I am not sure what the exact needs are for tailoring. The annoying thing about professions is that the system regularly changes the requirements, so we can’t confirm the needs until a new quest scheme is completed.”
“I suppose it stops you from getting bored with knowing everything all the time,” SJ said, chuckling.
“What are you laughing at?”
“You. My self-proclaimed all-knowing AI has been star-struck by a god today and also admitted that you are not all-knowing at long last.”
“I was not star-struck!”
“Yes, you were.”
“Wasn’t.”
“Was.”
“Wasn’t.”
“Wasn’t.”
“Was. Damn, you,” Dave huffed.
“Okay. That’s enough,” SJ laughed. “Let’s go and get something to eat. I can sit and explain all the flavours and how nice everything tastes.”
“Where did this new monster appear from? All she does now is want to cause pain and suffering to those around her. After me talking about wanting to taste food, you now want to torture me by explaining it to me!” Dave said in anguish.
“I thought it may help you appreciate and understand it better.”
“Really!”
“Yes. Really, I was trying to be helpful.”
“Didn’t sound like it,” Dave sulked.
She had taken the items from her inventory and placed them in the wardrobe rather than carrying them. They did not seem to weigh her down, but she could not be sure how the inventory system worked fully, never having asked Dave to explain it.
As she started to head downstairs, the bar sounded even livelier than earlier. Her beautiful form received more than one or two appraising gazes from male and female patrons. SJ walked to the bar and stood waiting to be served. There was another younger-looking gnome behind the bar now. “Hi,” SJ said as she walked over, smiling at her.
“Hiya. What can I get ya?”
“What do you have to eat and drink?”
The gnome reached under the bar, pulled out a menu, and handed it to her. “Here you go. Give me a shout when you decide what you would like.”
SJ read the menu.
Food:
Boiled Trout and Cheese (2cp)
Vegetable Stew (1cp)
Dried Pheasant and Parsnip with Sweet Potatoes (3cp)
Boiled Mutton Broth (2cp)
Hogling Stew (2cp)
Hogling Loin, New Potatoes and Vegetables (5cp)
Hogling Ribs with Honey and Spice (4cp)
Drinks:
Ale, Stout, Mead, Cider (1cp)
Wine – Juniper, Honey, Spiced (2cp)
Reading the menu made SJ’s stomach rumble. The hogling ribs sounded nice, but there was no mention of chips on the menu, and she would have loved a portion of them. She decided on the hogling loin instead. Lifting her arm, she drew the attention of the gnome again.
“Have you decided?”
“Yes. Could I get a loin and a honey wine, please?”
“Sure, that’s seven coppers.”
SJ drew seven coppers and handed them over.
“You have just bought the most expensive food on the menu,” Dave said.
“And?” she whispered.
“You did it deliberately, didn’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
“To torture me.”
“Give it a rest, will you? I am just hungry,” she whispered as the waitress came back.
“Did you say something?”
“No. Sorry, I’m just muttering to myself. I must remember to get some stuff tomorrow, that’s all.”
“No problem. I do that all the time. Mum thinks I am insane, but it helps me remember.” The young gnome replied, grinning.
“Mum?”
“Oh. How rude I didn’t introduce myself. I am Fhyliss Thruttle. My mum owns the inn.”
“Nice to meet you, Fhyliss. I am SJ. Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Do you know where I can get some work around here?”
“You are in the right place for work. As you enter, there is a notice board by the door with a list of current jobs. Also, if you speak to many of the people here, they may have work that needs doing.”
“That is great, thanks.”
“No problem,” Fhyliss replied as she finished pouring a rather large glass of what SJ could only assume was honey wine.
“That’s large,” SJ said, a little shocked; it was more like a gin glass than a wine glass.
“Sorry, is that not enough?”
“No, I meant it is large; I wasn’t questioning whether that was large.” SJ smiled.
“Oh. We only have the one-sized wine glasses.”
“I am not complaining. I just was not expecting such a big glass.”
“Where would you like to sit to eat?”
SJ looked around the inn. There was only one empty table in the inn, and it was in the far corner. “Over there, okay?”
“Sure, table 21. I will have your food brought over as soon as it is ready. Do you need cutlery, or do you have your own?”
“Erm. I will need some, please.”
“No problem,” Fhyliss said as she walked to serve another patron.
“Bring your own cutlery?” SJ whispered.
“Most people eat with a knife and fingers,” Dave replied.
Looking around the bar again, SJ observed some of the habits. As stated, most patrons eating were using their own knives to cut the meat they may have ordered before using their fingers to eat. That was not for her, and she would have to invest in some cutlery of her own going forward if it was the norm, not fancying eating from a knife. She had had a bad experience as a child where she stupidly licked a sharp knife and ended up slicing her tongue. Ever since that day forward, she had used a knife and fork.
“Shall we go and look at the noticeboard while we wait for you to torture me,” Dave said.
SJ smiled but did not reply and, lifting the glass from the bar, walked over to the noticeboard. It was only a small board, and various messages and jobs were pinned. SJ started reading through them.
Lost Cat – locate Shelley, and speak to Mrs Larper at the Bakery.
Part-time – temporary alchemist’s apprentice opening, enquiries at your local alchemist.
Rat Trapper Needed – speak to Hubert at the mill.
Milkers wanted – Morning and evening shifts available. Speak to Wendy at the dairy.
Bored and Looking for Adventure – see cleric Lythonian at the church.
None of the jobs sounded very exciting. The only one that semi-caught her attention was the one named Bored and Looking for Adventure.
“Dave?” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“Can you remember the details? I am terrible at names.”
“Really?” Dave asked, surprised.
“Yes. I always used to write details like names down, and I do not even have a pen or paper here, and I don’t have a phone where I can just take a picture to remember the details from.”
“Oh!” Dave replied, a little shocked. “Yes. I can remember all the details that you have read.”
“Thank you. That would be helpful and appreciated.”
“No problem,” Dave replied, sounding genuinely happy.
Once she had finished reading the notices, SJ headed towards an empty table, making a mental note to visit the cleric, having already forgotten the name. She decided she would go in the morning. Taking her seat at the table, Fhyliss walked over and placed some cutlery, wrapped in a napkin, down for her. The fork was short with three tines, and the knife did not look very sharp.
“Maybe I should have used my knife!” she whispered.
“I hope it is horrible and chewy,” Dave grumbled.
“You don’t have to watch me eat. You could always go and watch one of your AI films.”
“I could, but who would look out for you if I did.”
“Aww. You do care.”
Silence.
SJ sipped her wine. It tasted like sweet honey and was smooth. It reminded her of alcopops from back on Earth, and she knew she would have to be careful. They had a habit of luring you into a false sense of security and then smacking you around the side of the head. The bar was noisy, with the patrons all chatting, laughing, and generally having a good time. She looked around, watching all the interactions. She wanted to use her identification skills but knew she shouldn’t because of Dave’s warning that people could take offence.
As she was waiting for her food, the bard from earlier walked out from the back room of the inn carrying his lute. He was probably no older than herself and wore a bright blue shirt with red tassels and an archer’s cap like those from old Robin Hood movies with a bright feather in it. Taking up a position by the fireplace near where SJ sat, he started to pluck at the lute.
A soft, mellowing sound began to fill the inn, and after a few notes, he broke into song. She had never heard the song, but it told the story of a courageous dwarf who saved a town from dragons. It had to be based on Killic, the dragon slayer. She listened intently to the words, getting caught up in the story.
In a town where mountains loomed,
And whispers told of dragons’ doom,
A dwarf of courage, stout and true,
Rose to face what others could not do.
With an axe so strong and a heart so bold,
She faced the dragons, fierce and cold.
Through fire and fear, she stood tall,
A hero to heed her town’s call.
With armour gleaming and beard aflame,
She marched forth to claim her fame.
Through valleys deep and forests dark,
She journeyed on, her mission stark.
With an axe so strong and a heart so bold,
She faced the dragons, fierce and cold.
Through fire and fear, she stood tall,
A hero to heed her town’s call.
The dragons roared, their fury wild,
But the dwarf, undaunted, never shied.
With every swing of her great axe,
She fought for peace. She fought for Pax.
Pax was her bairn,
Just ten years old,
Trying to survive,
In the mountains cold.
With an axe so strong and a heart so bold,
She faced the dragons, fierce and cold.
Through fire and fear, she stood tall,
A hero to heed her town’s call.
Her name was Killic,
The slayer of evil.
She saved this good town,
And all its people.
As the last line of the ballad was sung, the inn erupted in hoots and cheers. SJ was completely caught up in the moment and did not even realise that most of the patrons in the bar had been singing along. She clapped herself, and the bard looked over at her, nodding towards him in acknowledgement. The bard then struck up another tune as Fhyliss walked over with a huge plate of food.
The plate set down in front of her contained not one but two large, thick loin steaks. The food looked to die for, and she salivated as she unwrapped the cutlery. Taking the blunt knife, she dug into the loin. It was so tender that it fell away easily, picking it up on her fork, before taking a bite and savouring the exquisite taste of her first hogling loin steak.
By the time SJ had finished eating, nothing was left on her plate. The tittynopes were not even enough to fill a mouse’s belly. She sat back in her chair, sighing with pleasure. Having a full belly for the first time since arriving and drinking the sweet Honey Wine made her feel lethargic. The bard had switched to a livelier tune, several in the bar now standing and stomping with the music. It reminded SJ of a country song, and she could imagine people line-dancing to it.
“Have you finished torturing me now,” Dave said. “All I could hear was you moaning and groaning as you ate.”
“Was I?” SJ whispered.
“Yes,” Dave moaned.
“I am sorry. I did not realise.”
Fhyliss walked over to the table, “Everything okay?”
“It was fantastic, thank you. Please thank the cook.”
“Oh. You can thank her yourself if you wish. She will be happy. She doesn’t normally get much praise.”
“Sure. I assume I can just go to the hatch?”
“Yeah,” Fhyliss replied, smiling, and collecting the empty plate.
SJ stood, picked up her glass, and went through the bar crowd to the servery hatch. The sight that she saw was not at all what she expected. Standing in the kitchen area was a skeleton. SJ watched in amazement as it chopped up some vegetables with expert precision. It turned and saw SJ at the hatch; its empty eye sockets emanated a blue glow. SJ was lost for words.
“Can I help you?” the skeleton asked with a female lilt to its voice.
“Erm. Yes. I just wanted to thank you for the delicious food you cooked.”
“My pleasure. I am glad you enjoyed it.”
SJ turned away from the hatch and was about to walk away when the skeleton spoke again.
“If there is anything you fancy, let me know, and I will see what I can do.”
“I will. Thank you again.”
SJ was sure it smiled as she turned away. Walking back towards the bar area, now completely confused by talking to a skeleton cook, she felt a little lightheaded. Placing the glass down on the bar, still half full of the honey wine, she decided she better call it a night, unsure if what she had just seen was real. It had been an interesting, strange, and long day.
