Getting a room at the inn had been easy enough, the guardsman had led Viridia right in like he was the one who owned the place, walked straight up to a very... very large individual (Both in height and in gut) and proceeded to talk as if he wasn't the least bit intimidated. Viridia's first thought as Asher began asking for a room in a showoff-y manner was 'He's going to get us killed.' The large fellow had seemed just as surprised as Viridia at first, but after the request for the room had been delivered, a wide grin overtook his face.
He reached forward, grabbing Asher in his sizable grasp and began to squeeze, hard. Viridia cursed in her mind, if this turned into a barfight, admittedly in one of the nicest cities in the human kingdom, she wouldn't be able to help, mostly because she knew how to kill, not incapacitate. And it would be very unhelpful to make trouble in the CAPITAL no less, causing her to be hunted by every form of police available as 'poison claws' or 'quill fiend' or some other ridiculous name.
She decided she would just yell for help, again acting the damsel, until she heard laughing. Asher laughing. It was smoothe, like... like a small river running calmly. She shook her head at the stupidity of the thought. Her self induced rage finally caused her facade to break, but just momentarily.
"What is going on!"
She immediately quelled her shout, but not before every head in the inn swiveled in her direction. Though some looked away from her, going back to their drinks or taking note of the bear of an innkeeper giving an equally bear-ish hug to a friend/family member.
She had played the fool... again.
She cleared her throat as if nothing had happened just then, then calmly walked up the the huge owner of the inn. She politely tapped on his shoulder, quite a reach for her considering she wasn't that tall herself, and continued with a question.
"Excuse me... could you please put my friend down."
The keeper laughed himself, much deeper but jollier than Asher's. He placed him on the ground, not so gently by way of the floor, at least not with the way the metalic boots scratched it up with their landing. Asher still had a smile plastered to his face and looked at Viridia. He spoke quickly and before anyone else could.
"Viridia, this is my uncle... Uncle. Everyone in my family treats him like a member, even if he's not a relative, after he helped my father out a few years ago. I grew up visiting him and I just call him Uncle, so I suppose you can address him as that as well, if you wish to."
Viridia took a moment to organize the torrent of words that had just assailed her, then replied.
"I would like to at least know your real name, sir..."
The innkeeper laughed again, but began to speak, at a more normal pace at least.
"My name is Rowan, but you can call me Uncle I suppose. I guess any friend of Little Leo's is a friend of mine"
Asher broke in with a startled "gyaaa!" when the childhood name was brought forth, Viridia allowed herself a little half-smile when this happened, then Rowan continued.
"I also suppose it's about time he got himself a.. nice lady friend. But I don't know why you two would need an inn room, Leo. You could just take her to your home.... unless...."
Rowan had stumbled over the word nice after seeing the state of Viridia's clothes and when his dialogue had faded off he suddenly gave a small hollar, like he just won a huge amount of money at a gamble. Leo put his face in his gloved hands, it quickly became a dangerous shade of red, Viridia took a moment to follow the thoughts of the giant. A slight pink hue spread to the ashy-pale skin of her nose and cheeks.
She waited for Asher to defend himself, but apparently this was too sensitive a topic for his more than sensitive mindset. Viridia sighed internally, again she would have to do things herself. She gave a slight cough to get the men's attention. Glad yet not to break up the 'family' reunion.
"Sir, about my room..."
"Yes, yes the daily rent is 30 pieces, if your stay will be... 'extensive' then it's 500 a month. "
Viridia would otherwise have agreed to a daily pay plan, but dealing in front of Asher, she begrudgingly agreed to the month's pay. It sort of was a shake-down, but still business was business. She dug in her pack, careful to avoid THAT compartment, and pulled out ten 50-pieces. It was most of her more valuable coins, but she would deal. Asher, however, looked on the coins with wonder. It was a fairly large amount of money to just carry around, usually only merchants or royalty had that kind of cash on hand. But the innkeeper paid no mind to the boy's glaring and gave her a room.
Viridia made directly for her new apartment hopeful to get the weighty pack off of her back as soon as possible, of course she would have to make it up the stairs to the third floor, the first and second already having been filled. She called to Asher as she began to walk the stairs,
"Wait down here, I'll be back soon... darling."
A devilishly wicked grin set in as she turned away from her guide, she knew Asher's face had exploded red again, the foolish child. She did think he was years too young, or at least he looked it, and not that she was elderly, she made sure she didn't look a day over her age (22). She jabbed a finger at the necklace around her neck as she found her room door, through her labored breath, due entirely to the stairs and her pack weight, she asked the piece of jewelry why it hadn't been bothering her. A moment, then it gave a simple reply.
"You said to watch, I watched."
Viridia, puzzled over this re-established their previous conversation.
"I said to watch the truth, if that's what you mean. I've been acting the entire day, no truth in it. Now how do I take you off, I need to change my clothes."
The comment was said harmlessly enough, Viridia was curious if the tree spirit would let her remove it and was testing her boundaries.
"...... What does my being on your neck have to do with you changing your clothes?"
She then feigned a mixture of embarrasment and anger.
"I will be naked, I don't want you to see me like that! Can't I just... wrap you up in a cloth or something?"
Suddenly, the small wooden 'heart' amulet fell from her neck, Viridia was surprised at it's sudden drop, but still caught it before it hit the floor. The spirit spoke in a warning tone,
"do not lose this, put it back on after you have... 'changed'."
Viridia happily placed it in a compartment inside her backpack, now he wouldn't bother her. She heard muffled mutterings of 'unintelligent humans' and 'think the body is something to hide'. She was thinking along the lines of 'At least he's culturally patient'. The spirit apparently knew less about humans than she thought.
Viridia changed quickly into a new traveling outfit, similar to what she was just wearing but clean, it was her favorite one, The most expensive one she had made as well as her favorite color. rosewood red.
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