It was early in the morning as Kyla walked into the Inn, her five year old daughter cradled in her arms. She was cold and almost too tired to see straight, and she had her daughter to get safely into bed and the cart to put away. But she was tough. Iron nails as her daughter liked to say.
The warmth hit her first and she nearly groaned, but shifted the wrapped bundle in her arms to a better position over her shoulder as a sleepy Lilla walked out of the kitchen, dusting flour off her hands. "A room? please?" She asked in a tired voice as the woman looked her over. A kid carrying a kid, her red hair sticking out from under a woolen cap and a scarf hiding most of her lower face, only showing bloodshot, light green eyes, and the rest of her wrapped up in a sheepskin coat that belted at the waist. Lilla nodded and produced a key with a smile. "Come on, we'll get you upstairs so you can lay the little one down." "Thank you." She said gratefully as she followed the woman upstairs, her pack bumping with something obviously heavy within it. The woman opened the door for Kyla, walking in and immediately moving to start a fire. It wasn't bad in here, but it would be a little piece of heaven once the fire got going. She settled her daughter on the bed and sighed, straightening to pull the pack off her back and set it beside the bed. She then began unwrap the little girl, revealing first a shock of vividly bright red hair, the color of roses. The boots came off next and then she pulled the covers up over the girl. Kyla then just stood and looked at her. She loved to watch her daughter sleep .. her angel face .. so like her fathers, the little cupid bow lips and his brilliant, gem like blue eyes ... Lilla cleared her throat behind the woman and Kyla straightened and turned around, giving her a brief smile. "I would guess you'd like to be paid now." "No rush dear." The woman said but moved to the door and out. Kyla removed her coat, scarf and hat and dumped them unceremoniously onto a nearby chair. Her clothing was serviceable, ones she'd made herself from the few sheep they'd kept at the cabin, a dark blue wool tunic and thick wool leggings of black. Unfortunately they were some of things she'd been unable to bring with, the ferryman just wouldn't allow them on board, and shipping them over to the Isles would have cost more than they were worth. With a last look at her daughter she left the room, closing the door behind her and walked slowly down the steps. She was too young to feel this old, and she felt ancient. She was tired and sore but determined that Rose would never have to deal with Drache like she did, which was the impetus behind her moving here. She reached the bottom of the steps and realized she still had her stocking cap on and she pulled it off, sending bits of her hair standing straight up from the static. She kept it in one hand as she walked up to a bar. The older woman walked back out of the kitchen with a plate and a mug as Kyla walked up. It was set in front of her and Kyla raised her brows. "You look near froze, I have some cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven there, and a cup of hot tea." Kyla just stood there, a faintly bemused smile curving her slightly chapped lips. "Thank you .. I can pay for-" "Tcht tcht." The older woman clucked with her tongue in reprovement and Kyla chuckled. "You'll be wanting the room then?" She asked as she looked at Kyla, and the younger woman nodded. "Five silver a night. And I'm Lilla." "Kyla Redfern. Do you own this place?" Kyla asked as she looked around the spacious common room and pulled her coin pouch off her belt, pulling out several gold, handing them over. "Oh no!" She laughs. "Lady Khelti does." Lilla took the money and set it into the till. "Now you eat. Get some color back into your cheeks." "I've still got the wagon to put up .. do you charge extra for hostling?" She asked as she settled atop a stool at the bar and picked up the mug first to sip at the hot liquid, then smiled as Lilla placed a jar of honey atop the bar. Kyla took advantage of it and liberally dosed her tea with it. "No, that's all part of the room fee. So are you and the little one here for a visit .. ?" A leading question to be sure, but everyone on the Isles knew that Lilla was the biggest gossip around, and with her friendly demeanor she managed to be the most accurate as well. "No, we're moving here." Kyla told her as she reached for one of the cinnamon buns. "You're husband coming along soon?" She asked as she began to set some glasses up from off a tray, trying to look busy. Kyla stopped an inch from biting into the cinnamon bun and eyed he older woman, who had the good grace to blush at her blatant nosiness. "No, it's Rose and I." She says with a slight smile. Lilla nodded, obviously having more questions on the tip of her tongue, but retraining herself with a heroic effort. "Yes well, I have things I need to get back too in the kitchen." Kyla nodded and smiled again as the woman disappeared and she took a bite out of the cinnamon bun. They were as delicious as they looked, slathered with creamy icing. She ate it quickly, then left a few silver on the bar for the woman, took the plate and her mug with her toward the stairs and climbed them to her room. As she closed the door and set the goodies on the table Rose yawned hugely and peeked her head above the covers. "Mamma?" She called sleepily. "I'm here baby." She said as she turned around and walked over to the bed. "It's too early for you to get up." She said gently, reaching out to run her hand over the child's tousled hair. "I know." The little girl mumbled and turned on her side to blink owlishly at her mother. "We at our new home?" "We're on the Island." They really didn't have a home yet, that was something she would have to get to work on today .. after she got a little sleep that is. "The eggs okay?" She yawned again and rubbed at her eyes as they started to droop into sleep again. It wouldn't be long before she was asleep again. "They're fine." Kyla said with a smile. "Where's Kit?" Rose asked, her gaze going over the room. "He's still out with the cart." "M'kay." And she was gone. Kyla sat there a moment longer and watched her, then stood, eyeing the bed regretfully. Her night wasn't over yet. Pulling her coat and things back on she made her way back down the steps and out into the cold night. The big green mountain lion that sat beside the cart looked back at Kyla's approach then stood and yawned. "Yes, yes, I know you're tired. So am I. You go on up to the room and watch Rose while I get the cart into the stables." She knew that Kit would pick the location and the fact that she'd left the door open a crack, from her mind, and he walked past her, his furry tail giving her leg a caress before he disappeared inside. She didn't know what she'd do without the big furball. She'd probably be a gibbering madwoman by now. Taking the donkey's harness in one hand he lumbered into motion with a braying protest and the cart trundled behind it. Piled high with almost all of their worldly belongings, it was partially covered with a tarp. The only thing visible was the compact loom she'd managed to squeeze in with all the other flotsam and jetsam of their lives. It would have to stay packed except for a few necessities. There was simply too much stuff to start hauling into the inn, and nowhere to put it. She would most likely have to pay extra for someone to watch the cart since she wasn't sure Kit could stay out here without scaring the animals. Not that he would hurt them, but horses and the like could smell a were creature a mile off and tended to get downright terrified when they were too close. Getting the cart inside, she unharnessed the mule and put him into a stall, throwing down some extra hay and some feed, then climbed onto the cart to go through their things. It was almost pitiful how little she had to show for twenty-one years of existence. She had very few prized possessions except for Rose, Kit and a few other things, but what she did have she'd brought to make the move a little more bearable for Rose. The cabin outside of Drache now stood empty, it's hidden catacombs silent, and would remain that way, likely becoming Roses eventually. It had been her home since she was fifteen. When her own had burned down, taking her parents and sisters with it, she'd only been twelve, and been cast out on the streets of Drache. She'd met her future husband in the Black Dragon Inn where she'd taken refuge, and he'd taken pity, on her. Sadly he'd never lived to see his daughter, who Kyla had given birth to at the age of sixteen. She shook her head and pulled some of their clothes out, and a few of Rose's toys. Anything else could wait, she thought as she heard a cock crow in the distance. She needed to snatch a few hours of sleep before Rose woke fully and demanded breakfast and entertainment. She took the belongings back into the Inn and up to their room. Kit lay in front of the hearth, eyes closed and tail curled around him, looking like a giant green throw rug. Most likely having picked up on her thoughts he opened one eye to a slit and regarded her, whiskers twitching once. Kyla smirked right back at him as she set the things in her arms down atop the dresser. The big cat closed his eyes and appeared to go back to sleep. Kyla then moved over to her pack beside the bed and gently lifted it, taking it over to the table and settling it there. Opening the flap she pulled out an egg about the size of both her hands and colored in a myriad shades of blue, for the lightest shade to the darkest in swirling patterns across the surface. It was much much smaller than it's actual size, making it look like an amusing trinket. She'd taught herself the use of a few spells just for this, because one day she would release it from stasis and it would revert to it's much larger size, eventually to hatch a dragon. She had a red and a green one just like it still within the pack. They were the last of the Dragon Rider mounts. Perhaps another Erath. She smiled at the though and gently caressed the egg then set it back reluctantly within the pack. No .. there would never be another Erath. The big blue was dead and gone these past years. He didn't even visit her in her dreams any more. She wished she could say the same for Rhys' memory ... She closed her eyes a moment then moved to the window on feet that could walk without a sound through a forest covered in crackling leaves. Even after all this time, his memory still haunted her, when even her husbands had faded to nothing but a pleasant memory. Perhaps it was because she'd loved him with a young girls emotions? Either way, it had made his betrayal all that more painful. The sky outside was coloring itself with gentle shades of pink and purple, with hints of darker red at the horizon, donning it's finery to greet the new day, and she watched it with an enjoyment she hoped would never fade. She wished that Erath were still here ... that his gentle mental voice was there to soothe her fears, that his bulk were there to rely on if she faltered. She was scared .. scared of this new life she was trying to make, but she HAD to shake free of the past or it would haunt her forever, and she'd be -damned- if anything like what she'd gone through touched Rose. She knew she couldn't protect her forever, that she would eventually seek her own way, find her own joys and make her own mistakes. But she wanted to give her the love and support her family had given her while they'd still been around. It was the only thing that made going on easier. That and Rose. Smiling she turned away from the window and undressed, setting the pack beneath one of the chairs by the hearth, near Kit. He didn't even twitch. Moving to the bed, she blew out the candles and slipped beneath the covers next to her daughter and pulled her small warm body against her own. With a sigh she closed her eyes and let sleep steal over her. *~*~*~*~* -- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives & Other DMI Lists: http://islesofmyst.com/lists.php3
