Jenny strode toward the town guard. She recognized him, having met with the man a few times before at the baron’s request. He was a newish hire from a couple of months ago. In this new form, she towered over him. What had the man asked? What was her business? Send a letter to Gizelda, deal with Gregory, find Ferdinand, and recover her money stash. Of course, she didn’t say any of that. Jenny grinned, displaying teeth.

“Got separated from my party a while ago.” She started, looking over the man and into the city. “Need supplies and to send a letter to the guild.”

The guard eyed her up and down, eyes often roaming to where her armor had been pierced and the bloodstains she hadn’t cleaned, then to the huge heavy metal spear she held. The man gulped, “It’s a silver piece to enter.”

Jenny grinned wider. Finally, she didn’t need to hide behind a gentle smile anymore. She wouldn’t have minded parting with a few coppers had the man not been greedy. There was no fee to enter the place. The man just thought she was an easy mark. Unfortunately for the guard, Jenny knew more about this town than him.

“Is it now?” she said, taking one step closer. “I wonder what Captain Elias would say about this.” She said, looking the man down. “No one asked me for a fee last time Baron Baldwin sent for my team two seasons ago.”

The guard took a step back, “T-the new baron’s rules!”

Jenny stopped. Was this something Gregory had ordered? She could see the dip-shit imposing a fee to enter the town, but the price was excessive. Even if he had instituted a fee, no merchant would pay silver for each caravan member to enter the town. And if Jenny paid the sum, she knew all too well that other guards would soon bother her with more excuses for even more money. The guard hadn’t asked for money from the merchant that entered before her, he had barely interacted with the man before ushering the cart in.

“A new baron?” She asked instead, then laughed. “Good, good!” she clapped. “Take me to him,” she demanded. “The previous baron hired my team. This new baron probably knows where they went.”

The guard looked right and left. Jenny knew that all too well. He wanted nothing but to be out of here. She dug into her bag and picked two coppers, she threw them at the man. He caught the coins before they fell. Jenny glared, daring the man to ask for more. Her gaze promised terrible things if he said anything else.

The guard got the message. He pocketed the coins quickly and nodded. “Please enter, ma’am. I hope you have a good stay.” He said, then looked out at the road again, pretending Jenny wasn’t there anymore.

Jenny snorted and walked down the main road. The atmosphere in the city was strange. Before, she would have seen people walking and talking and kids playing and smiling. Now, the few outside seemed to have somewhere urgent to go. No old women gossiped at the windows, and kids stared from behind partially closed doors. Some of the houses still had the decorations from the festival a few days past.

When she reached the main square, she took the right road by the pyre, away from the Church. The town had few options for lodgings, but staying close to the city center was risky. Instead, she went to the Drunk Donkey Inn. The owner was a no-nonsense matron. She hadn’t met the woman before, only knowing of the place by reputation. Simple but clean rooms, and zero tolerances for drunkards causing problems, which was ironic, given the place’s name.

Jenny didn’t delay upon reaching the place. She barged in, her entrance attracting a few gazes. She walked toward the counter, a few patrons scrunching their noses. “A private room,” she said, placing a few silver coins on the countertop. “Three nights, food, and a hot bath,” Jenny added before the woman took the coins, “Parchment and ink to send a message.”

The old matron looked at the bloodied garments and the considerable metal spear. She didn’t take the coins. “Name?”

“Larissa,” Jenny said.

“Are you here to cause trouble?” The old woman squinted.

Jenny grinned. “On the contrary. I’m here because I heard you don’t tolerate troublemakers. I want a hot bath and a safe night of sleep.”

The old woman nodded. “They call me Peg, or Peggy,” she counted the coins. “Three silvers a day, meal and bath included.” She took nine of the eleven coins Jenny had placed on the counter. “Eat here or in your room?” Peg asked, handing over a key.

“My room.”

The woman nodded. “Up the stairs, third door on the right.”

Jenny hesitated for a moment. “How long until the bath is ready? I’ve been on the road for days.”

Peg took a tankard and filled it with beer. She placed it in front of Jenny. After that, she rummaged through a cabinet. When she was done, she also placed a piece of parchment, ink, and quill by the tankard. “Give it a quarter bell, then you can come down for your bath.”

Jenny took the offered beverage, but before she drank, the woman continued.

“After the bath, leave the clothes, the laundress charges a few coppers to wash them.”

Jenny nodded. She drank half of the tankard before climbing the stairs to her new room. The room was simple: a wooden window opened to the alley, a bed with a thin mattress, a wooden chest by the bed, a small table, and a single chair. On the table, a small oil lantern was placed.

Once inside, Jenny locked the door. She opened the bag, fishing the white rabbit from inside. “You know, you could have also transformed into a girl.”

Biscuit shook and stretched. “No,” she said after a while. “Too much agik.”

Jenny put the rabbit on the bed. “Right.” She took a new set of clothes from the bag and set them out. When she was done, she took the parchment, ink, and quill. She’d better write the letter while they prepared the bath. She’d send it first thing tomorrow, while gathering the materials for the magic. Until Biscuit solved the problem of the shapechange duration, she was confined to two hours of time as Larissa per day. Better to keep a low profile until that risk was dealt with.

FatElf

Thank you for reading. Next chapter Wednesday.