136 Nowhere Inn (1/2)
\”What are you doing here?\” I asked Thom after he'd made his way over to us.
\”And hello to you as well, Commander,\” he chuckled, his eyes glancing over my bandaged arm. \”I see you've been busy.\”
\”Busier than some, apparently,\” I countered. \”I suppose there's a reason you're getting cozy by that fireplace?\”
\”Indeed, there is. My squad and I were just following up on a rumor regarding the proprietress of this establishment,\” Thom inclined his head toward the woman behind me, \”having secret knowledge of many things that happen within the city.\”
\”That's Zephyra, alright,\” Shanks laughed. He leaned down and whispered conspiratorially into my ear, \”Sylphs are all gossips.\”
\”I heard that,\” Zephyra said.
\”I know,\” Shanks chuckled.
Seeing the easy-going, smooth-talking way Shanks interacted with the people around him once again reminded me how opposite he was from his warrior brother.
Zephyra walked through the counter she'd been sitting behind so she could stand in front of me. And if I hadn't heard earlier that she was a sylph, I might have thought she was a ghost.
She had long silver hair that was like fluffy gray clouds. The features of her angular face were hard to describe as they seemed to flit and change constantly like wispy clouds. All except for her eyes which were like two constant silver points in a cloudy sky.
Despite this, I could tell she was very beautiful.
\”Welcome to the Nowhere Inn, Five-Hundred Man Commander Dapper,\” Zephyra said, inclining her head toward me.
She was close enough now for me to notice that the skin of her bare arms and legs was the same ethereal complexion of her face. Only the blue summer dress she wore seemed like it was solid.
\”Thanks,\” I said. \”I'm hoping you have enough room for us. We're a big party.\”
\”There are enough rooms for the hundred warriors you bring with you.\” She spared a gleaming eye on Varda who'd been placed in an empty couch. \”Fresh baths and warm meals as well for those in need of it.\”
\”You're very well-informed,\” I said cautiously.
\”Whether I ask for them or not, the winds often carry many secrets my way,\” she replied in a wispy voice.
\”And how does one listen to the winds, I wonder?\” Thom asked, a curious expression on his face.
\”Anyone who listens may hear the voice of the wind,\” she answered mystifyingly.
My brow furrowed as an idea struck me. \”Could some of these secrets be shared with others?\”
\”Only among friends,\” she smiled playfully. Then she tiptoed up so she could reach the upper part of Shanks' arm. \”Luckily for you, I do count Shanks here among friends. Perhaps we can do business… after I've seen to your other needs.\”
\”See to our guests, Zeru, Sora,\” she said.
It took the better part of an hour to get all my people lodgings in the Nowhere Inn, but once that was done and Varda had significantly sobered up, Zephyra loaned us a function room so my officers and I could finally get to the matter of planning our rescue.
\”Bought some healing potions from the local apothecary, nabbed a few vials of befuddling fog too,\” Qwipps reported.
He and his Talons had arrived after we'd checked into Nowhere Inn rowdy as ever.
\”Found some interesting weapons materials you might find interesting, Dean, but,\” he sent sideways glance at Pike who was sitting beside Luca, \”I was prevented from procuring these rare items by, ahem, unimaginative minds.\”
\”I doubt the Commander has a need for manticore spinal fluid or phoenix tail feathers, Qwipps,\” Pike shot back at him.
Although she was right about that, I did think that these things sounded interesting enough to warrant a look, and I took note of asking Qwipps to take me around the shops if we had a chance.
\”We did get a map of the city as you asked.\” Qwipps got up from his seat and unrolled a large parchment onto the table we were all gathered around.
The map was a detailed woodcut of the Undercroft, complete with tiny descriptions in common of the different city quarters and important locations. In fact, the far right corner of the map had 'The Gold Quarter' written across it. At the northern end of this quarter, in what looked like one of the larger buildings in the woodcut, the words 'Wailing House' was written next to it.
\”Here,\” I said, pointing to that spot on the map. \”This is our target… wish we had schematics of this place…\”
Qwipps and Pike gave each other a somber look that I caught.
\”What?\” I asked curiously.
\”Never told you where we got that map, huh,\” Qwipps began, \”Actually, Pike and I stumbled into a cartographer's shop operated by the Pilgrimage…\”
For some reason, the word 'Pilgrimage' evoked a strange reaction among the fairies in my group. Most of them had stiffened visibly. Even Thom looked momentarily unnerved.
Luca, who'd noticed the change in atmosphere, pointed this out in a very direct manner, \”What's wrong with you all?\”
\”The Pilgrimage is a human-centric organization that has shown considerable antagonism against the fay clans,\” Aura explained.
\”They're terrorists,\” Thom added. \”I'm surprised you weren't gutted right then and there, Qwipps…\”
\”Ain't that the truth,\” Qwipps chuckled nervously. \”They were actually very helpful… the clerks even gave us maps we didn't ask for…\”
Pike rose from her seat beside Luca and pulled out four rolled-up maps she'd been keeping her pack.