Acceptance (and looking at a paladin's butt)

Back at the inn, I found myself remarkably calm. I very nearly died, and I had already gotten over it. Just like an adventurer, I thought. Death is becoming a friend.

"How are you?"

I looked up at Audry. Marc and Saul had gone to Marc's home. I had no idea where Anna was. Audry chose to remain with me, though I didn't know why.

"As well as can be expected," I said. "You know, I never did anything like that."

"I apologize," she said. "You must believe me, you were in no danger."

"No danger?" I said. "That crossbow could have gone off at any moment. There was no way you could keep me completely safe."

She sighed. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just...we needed to be sure."

"That I wasn't a spy?" I nodded. "You send a spy amongst known spies and see what he does."

"Anna had her doubts," Audry said. "Saul believed you, and Marc did as well. But we all agreed that we needed to be sure. There is too much at stake."

"Including you," I said.

She pursed her lips. "I didn't know you. I...no, I was not sure."

"You're a paladin," I said. "You can detect intent. Wasn't that enough?"

"Often it is," she said, "but it is no substitute for facts and actions."

"Are you sure now?"

"Yes," she said. "It seems you are trustworthy."

"Audry," I said. "I don't know how I got here. I came from a city called Denver. I went camping one day. I stayed the night, and when I woke up I was here. I know so little about this place."

"But you know something of it, yes?"

"Only what I've heard in my short time here," I said. I was a reasonable liar, but not in front of a beautiful woman, especially one who can "detect intent." Fortunately, she didn't push the issue.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"We wait," she said. "No doubt we've raised suspicions after that little incident." She frowned. "Anna is looking into it."

"Looking into it?"

"She is quite good at that sort of thing." She let her breath out slowly. "Anna's a good soul, really she is. Her skills are useful, but I still worry."

"About what?"

"She grew up in Greyhawk City," she said. "She survived by stealing from others, and the gods only know what else."

"She was a thief?" I asked.

Audry nodded. "She was prominent in the thieves' guild at one point. Then there was some...trouble. She never elaborated. She's changed her ways since, but...."

"You're afraid she'll, well, fall from grace, as it were," I said.

"I trust her," she said. "I do. But temptation is strong." She lowered her eyes. "I know."

I wasn't the only one with secrets, it seemed. "What exactly is Anna doing anyway?"

"Following up on a lead, as she put it. She is investigating some information she gleaned from workmen at the keep."

I gestured at the darkness outside the window. "It's kinda late for that, isn't it?"

"For her it's the best time," Audry said.

I stared at my cup of ale. The first one tasted bitter. The next was much better. The fourth tasted pretty damn good, which was my signal to stop drinking.

"We have secured a room for you," she said, and stood. "You should get some sleep."

"I'll try," I said. "I'm still a little edgy."

"Edgy?"

"Yeah, uh, worked up." She looked at me strangely. "Nervous, I guess. From earlier. Man, it's been a busy day."

She smiled. "Indeed. Well, good night." She turned to leave.

I stood. "Wait, I'll join you."

She turned her head suddenly and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

I winced. "I mean, I'll walk with you. I don't even know which one is mine. Which room, that is."

"Oh," she said. "Yes, of course."

I followed her upstairs. Her hips swayed slightly. She was not skinny by Earth standards, but she was very shapely. I scolded myself. I shouldn't look at a paladin's butt. Whatever god she worshipped might smite me or something.

"Right here," she said, pointing to the door at the top of the stairs. She handed me a key. "Tomorrow we'll go to Marc's and--"

Audry unsheathed her sword and whirled around. I hadn't seen it under her cape. She fell into a fighting stance and looked down the hall.

"Kinda jumpy, aren't ya?" Anna strode in from the darkness. She couldn't have been more than six feet away.

"You could have gotten hurt," Audry said, sheathing her sword.

Anna pulled back her cloak, revealing a row of knives. "Maybe."

I looked at her in the meager light from the lantern that hung just above the stairwell. Anna wore the same clothes as before, but now they were filthy. Her mud caked hair pressed against the side of her head, as if she had tried to untangle it and put it into place unsuccessfully. Water dripped on the floor around her.

"So, uh, what'd you learn?" I asked.

Anna looked at me. "Impatient. Just like most men in my life."

"Yeah, well, this man has reason to be impatient," I said. "Perhaps you could fill us in on some details?"

"It's bad," Anna said. "We need to talk." She turned to Audry. "Are the boys here?"

"At Marc's," Audry said.

"Then let's go," she said.

"That urgent, huh?" I said.

"Yeah." Anna ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to untangle a knot. "Plus, Marc has a bath. Warm, fresh water. Did I ever say I like magic? Not lightning and stuff, but I mean just for creature comforts. Bathing in a river is just not---"

"Anna," Audry said. "If this is an emergency--"

"Yeah, yeah," she said. "We need the boys in on this too." She poked me with her index finger and winked at me. "Including this one."

"Could you throw me a fricking bone here about what you found?" I said. "Or maybe just an overview. Something power point deep, even."

She went into vapor lock for a moment at that, and then turned to Audry. "It's what we feared."

"It's the moathouse," Audry said. "Isn't it?"

The moathouse. If I remembered my D&D correctly, it was definitely bad news. God, it had been so long since I played that adventure. I wished I could remember all of the details.

"Yep," Anna said. "And it doesn't look like brigands either. From the trail, I'd say we're looking at professional soldiers. Probably mercenaries."

"Lovely," Audry said, and started down the stairs. "Let's hurry."

We hurried out of the inn and to the night. I was definitely living under the Chinese curse. I just hoped these interesting times wouldn't get me killed.