---

Jean smiled as Sonia introduced herself. He could tell from her tone she wasn’t happy. About what, Jean couldn’t say. Perhaps about the accommodations, or maybe even his interjection. However, she still answered him and resigned to going to the inn for the night. Jean opened his mouth to say something as Sonia turned expecting him to follow. He did a little two step getting his feet in order as he walked up to Sonia.

“Right, of course.” he said as the two were about to leave the hall. Before they got far, another of the potential prospects appeared. She was on the shorter side, young looking, yet with silver gray hair. She had a strong accent Jean couldn’t place, but he was able to mostly understand her. This woman, introducing herself as Engie, carried with her a rather large case on wheels. Jean couldn’t help but think even with the wheels, that case would be cumbersome to tote around. Still, she sounded like she needed the inn, as well. She also appeared friendly.

“We were just about to leave for the tavern and inn.” said Jean, “You should probably get a room to drop off that bag before you do much shopping. I know the captain has a decent number of supplies for those opting to volunteer, so there’s that to consider. Though, given the size of your luggage, it’s hard to imagine you would need anything more. Still. You’re more than welcome to tag along with us.”

Jean turned to Sonia. Though Jean just met her, Sonia didn’t seem like the kind to play around. With Engie now, the number of people who seemed more than sure to be for the rescue attempt seemed to be growing before the day was even over. Hopefully that would bode well for the captain’s efforts. “Anyway, Engie, I’m jean. Nice to meet you. And this is Sonia. We’ve only just met. I look forward to working with you. Both of you. So, to the inn we go?”

Sonia waved a hand at the blonde girl. "Sonia Alhathya here, pleased to meet you."

Sonia studied the girl, her features, her accent, and the luggage she brought with her. The latter caught her attention more, and the recollection of the girl declaring the potential explosion brought a ripple of concern.

When the girl was starting to act bothered by her brief but intense scrutiny, the young demoness spoke. "I believe if your equipment is as dangerous as you described, I'd rather have it here than the inn. Or better, somewhere far away from other people." Sonia was still smiling when she said that, and her tone was warm. A perfect gesture of friendliness for the onlookers, but for those gazed by her red-slitted eyes, the glare flashed a crystal-clear message. "Don't you agree?"
@Randomness @Soldat Elf
_____

On the other corner of the hall, Sonia heard the bearded timberman discussing with the old swordsman about his findings and the result of his parlay with the captain. Suffice to say, he brought some interesting information; that the town had a Herbalist who might know more, that the captain promised 3 days' worth of supplies for them, and his suspicion of the captain not being thoroughly honest with them.

After her business in the inn is done, she will check this herbalist as well. Sonia might had a thing in her purse to make their interview more productive. @wierdw

(in response to Kaelara) @JP

The young barkeep blinked at Kaelara, nodding along nervously as he registered her requests. "Y-yes, of course, a room for the night… and a hot meal – r-right away, ma'am! That'll be twenty copper pieces please! A-and the special today is mushroom soup with venison!"

He offered her a cheery smile, and then gestured to an older, gruffer man peeking out from the back rooms, sternly clutching a spatula. The older man peered at Kaelara with weighing eyes, before disappearing to the kitchens.

[Should Kaelara pay the coppers, the barkeep would present her with a key to her room, located upstairs]

Turning back to Kaelara and pondering her inquiry about the missing noble, the barkeep broke into a sheepish smile. "I-I'm afraid I don't know much about that, milady. We told the soldiers everything we know… which isn't a lot. Lady Miralys stayed here for an evening some weeks ago. She kept to herself for the most part, and I never really got to speak with her. She did seem a bit... preoccupied, though. Th-that's about all I can tell you..."

Meanwhile, Kaelara was receiving a mix of glances from the other patrons, from veiled suspicion to yearning intrigue. From the corner of the room emanated the quaint sound of a lute playing a folkish tune. Deft fingers plucking at strings, the bard playing the instrument shot a playful wink at Kaelara from afar.

Soon Kaelara's meal was brought and placed in front of her at the bar. The aroma of mushrooms, wild game, and seasonal herbs mixed into a savory blend that gently steamed from atop the large serving bowl filled with soup.

"H-hope you enjoy!" The barkeep smiled shyly at her, one hand fiddling with the other.

"It is zarcasm. Anyvay, zoze Hexbloziffes do not haffe fuzes yet. Zo it is fine, as like ein candle vizout fire nearpy." Engie said to her fellow party members nearby.

She then looked on demoness huntress. "Anyvay, Miss Zonia. Vould like to schare vith me in zee room? I'm baying up for tvo in room zat to check in. Zince zee ozer voman had peen left Halready..." She said.

"It is zarcasm. Anyvay, zoze Hexbloziffes do not haffe fuzes yet. Zo it is fine, as like ein candle vizout fire nearpy." Engie said to her fellow party members nearby.

Sonia had been on the road long enough but this bubbly princess in front of her was one heck of a specimen. In hindsight, she looked like a wayward noble girl whose smartness encompasses many things but lacks it in the common sense department. Sonia noticed that when she explained the nature of her words earlier; a sarcasm, she said. And suffice to say Sonia wasn't impressed by the girl's explanation.

Still, she intently listened to her, until the point when Engie changed the topic by offering her a room to share.

"Zince zee ozer voman had peen left Halready...

"Miss Engie," Sonia said, discarding her trademark friendliness and swapping it with blunt assertiveness. "I'd like to accept your offer, but as it stands now it seems you intend to bring explosive ordnances into a public lodging establishment without any surety but your words only. Hence, for now, I would say no, and I'd greatly appreciate it if you would pay more attention to your accouterments and ensure they are stored safely, handled responsibly, and informed to nearby authorities. Danke schön."

Giving the girl an enigmatic smile, the demoness turned to Jean and added teasingly. "But, what about master Jean? Why not invite him instead?"

---

“Wait, so you were being serious about having explosives?” said Jean is slight surprise. When Engie first mentioned blowing up the inn, Jean thought the gray haired woman was being protective of her decidedly numerous possessions. However, despite trying to pass if off as sarcasm, she all but confirmed she had bombs within her pack. Jean coughed and closed his eyes, quickly composing himself.

“W-well if she traveled this far with them. I would certainly hope she knows how to pack them away so there aren’t any accidents.” Despite trying to give Engie the benefit of the doubt, Jean’s tone of voice still betrayed some worry. He took a step back, but remained in the proximity of the two other women he was conversing. He had conflicting thoughts trying to justify that Engie probably knew what she was doing, and the fact that she had fused bombs only a couple feet away.

“I already have a room at the inn.” said Jean, somehow the change in topic quelling any uncertainty of their newest acquaintance, “So I’m going to have to pass bunking up with our ordinance expert. However, I’m sure there are others in need of lodging who are opting not to remain in the assembly hall. If finding enough beds is the issue, you could probably bunk with one of them. I think I saw a couple already leaving to the tavern already. Maybe you could catch up with them. Like I said before, Sonia and I were just about to head there ourselves.”

“Wait, so you were being serious about having explosives?”

Sonia silently sniffed the air and whispered 'yes' to no one in particular. Whatever that meant, the demoness masked it with genuine affability as she turned at Engie and spoke.

"Regardless, feel free to tag along if you feel so inclined."

As cautious as she may, Sonia was not one to enforce anything on someone, and Jean's assessment had a slight merit to it. Still, she expects a certain degree of thoughtfulness from this girl. At least inform the barkeep of her luggage so the correct precaution can be taken.

Sonia turned to Jean again gesturing him to take the lead and start moving. "You seem like a regular around here. Are there any specialties in that inn you can recommend? Well, let's not tarry any longer, shall we? Tell me about this place while we go there."

@Randomness@Soldat Elf

Kaelara slid twenty copper pieces across the bar, her hand steady as her eyes briefly flicked toward the barkeep. "Thank you," she said, her voice low but firm. She pocketed the key to her room, her other hand resting on her hip near the hilt of her sword as she listened.

Her grey eyes narrowed slightly as the barkeep spoke of Lady Miralys. "Preoccupied, you say?" she murmured, her tone contemplative. "Did she meet with anyone while she was here? Speak to anyone? Any strange visitors?" She leaned forward slightly, her presence commanding but not overtly threatening.

Noticing the glance from the bard, Kaelara resisted the urge to roll her eyes, opting instead for a curt nod in his direction before returning her focus to the meal in front of her. The aroma was tempting, but her curiosity burned brighter than her hunger. Picking up her spoon, she stirred the soup absently, waiting for any additional information the barkeep might provide.

She could feel the weight of the room's eyes on her, but she ignored it, her attention wholly on the young man in front of her. "Anything unusual at all could help," she added, her tone softer but no less insistent.

---

Jean turned to Sonia as the group as a whole prepared to leave the assembly hall as well. He paused for a moment giving some serious thought to Sonia’s inquiry. Regular he was not, but he was in town for only a few day already. Probably a few days longer than Sonia was given her lack of accommodations. He reached for and grabbed the door opening it for his newly acquainted female companions.

“Any specialties, no I can’t say they have any. It sort of changes by the day. I saw some deer hanging near by, so we could probably expect some venison tonight. It ought to be pretty good. There is plenty to forage around after all.” said Jean, “I’m sorry if my answer isn’t all that solid. This is actually my first time being out here, and with how far out it was even from the neighboring village, I think it’s safe to say this isn’t really much of a tourist town.”

"I might be able to answer more.." Robert offered.

The question had not been posed to him, but if the strange woman wanted to know more about what the inn served, he was at least in a position to somewhat answer. He did not come often, and sometimes not at all, as sometimes the hired hands did the delivery without him. The family business delivered firewood to those willing or capable of purchasing, and had a customer for fine rough timbers here as well. Wood is a product that can keep nearly indefinitely if properly stored or handled, and smaller operations needed resupply much less often. At most, the 'Second Chance timber and milling company' made deliveries here about 3 times per year.

It took him an entire day's travel, one way, to merely get there, and another day's hard travel, to get back.

That meant staying at the inn.

Postal service this far out in the kingdom was a laughable prospect. In many ways, conveying the hearsays of one community to another along with the delivery of the wood products, was just as much how these remote towns stayed in touch as anything else. Sadly, that also meant that informing the inn of a visit without extensive pre-arrangements was simply not possible. Some years back, he and his father had visited the town, looking for more customers to service. It had taken quite awhile to settle into the now more or less routine scheduling their mill had with the nearby communities, with pre-arranged conditions for lodging, and expected products to be delivered.

It also meant a few years of time to have at least a passing resemblance of familiarity with the innkeeper, and his family, along with other customers. Good customers are worth their weight in gold, and must always be treated well.

"Master Bayard is decent man. His son is a bit younger than I am, and settling in about as well as you'd expect. Still a bit timid though. Their inn is clean, and they don't overcharge. This far out, the food they serve is at the mercy of what's available. It's pretty much the same for my family back home. I understand that some people are accustomed to having more choices more towards the larger cities, but out here, seasonal dishes are the most common. Theo does a better job cooking than I ever will, at least... .. It wont get you a better price, but if you want to make his day, tell him he did a good job."

He made a pensive, and distant musing expression for a second before continuing.

"This time of year, they might have mushrooms. If they do, consider yourself lucky. They don't keep long, and are only available for a short time every year. ...They tend to have that this run... Probably soup. They have a decent enough sweet ale, but the beer tends to be a bit too heavy on the bitters. Not terrible though. I think it's a regional taste. That, or they need it to last longer. Hard to say, I never asked."

"Well thank you," said Sonia, taking the first step out of the building. Meanwhile, Jean continued behind her.

“Any specialties, no I can’t say they have any. It sort of changes by the day. I saw some deer hanging near by, so we could probably expect some venison tonight. It ought to be pretty good. There is plenty to forage around after all."

The young demoness nodded, her eyes surveying the road, and found that inn's description to be quintessential to the town's general look. It promotes the kind of feeling of not expecting much, or less. And she finds that acceptable enough.

“I’m sorry if my answer isn’t all that solid. This is actually my first time being out here, and with how far out it was even from the neighboring village, I think it’s safe to say this isn’t really much of a tourist town.”

"No it's fine," she said, putting aside a thought about venison stew to the back of her mind. A moment later, the bearded lumberjack somehow managed to catch up with them, and he immediately offered to share his knowledge.

"Master Bayard is decent man. His son is a bit younger than I am, and settling in about as well as you'd expect. Still a bit timid though. Their inn is clean, and they don't overcharge. This far out, the food they serve is at the mercy of what's available. It's pretty much the same for my family back home. I understand that some people are accustomed to having more choices more towards the larger cities, but out here, seasonal dishes are the most common. Theo does a better job cooking than I ever will, at least... .. It wont get you a better price, but if you want to make his day, tell him he did a good job."

Ah, gotcha! Master Bayard seemed to be the name of the owner of that inn. Sonia quickly noticed that the man had a slightly more balanced assessment of the town and its surroundings, as expected of a regular. Sonia did not know his name, but he was one of the vocal ones he managed to persuade the captain to go into details about their preparations. Not that it was an urgent matter for Sonia, but she genuinely appreciated his thoughtfulness.

"Clean, fairly priced, and the food, hmmm... sounds good from what I heard. Certainly beats camping in the wilderness."

Sonia still felt a bit disappointed that there were no pre-arranged accommodations from their gracious ruler, but she did not show it. Meanwhile, the lumberjack continued.

"This time of year, they might have mushrooms. If they do, consider yourself lucky. They don't keep long, and are only available for a short time every year. ...They tend to have that this run... Probably soup. They have a decent enough sweet ale, but the beer tends to be a bit too heavy on the bitters. Not terrible though. I think it's a regional taste. That, or they need it to last longer. Hard to say, I never asked."

"Seems like a cozy place to hang out," Sonia responded, looking at her left and right. "Probably the only place one could find some amusement in this peaceful town. Makes me wonder if perhaps the Lady we are looking for is kinda fed up with the idyllic air of her hometown and then risked an adventure for some thrills and giggles."

Walked aside to avoid muddy patches on the road. Sonia turned to the lumberman again, for a moment, she considered calling this man a 'sir', but upon a closer look, beyond that bushy beard, he might not be that much older than them. "I'm Sonia Al Hathya. A hunter by trade. What do they call you around these parts anyway?"

"Me? --Oh, Yes! My apologies, ma'am. My name is Robert, Robert Barrister. My family owns the Second Chance timber and mill company. We produce and deliver an assortment of raw wood products to interested customers. Some of our firewood offerings are special deliveries for culinary uses, but most are for hearths and fireplaces. We have a selection of timbers in our cut, and can make dressed raw boards and beams to order. --Well figured wood, costs extra. We also produce and deliver wood shingles, for those who use them.. but, I doubt a professional huntress would have much need of such though."

he made a weary smile, nearly invisible behind his mustache and beard.
"But thank you for asking. If you know anyone who would be interested in our wares, we are always interested in supplying them."

A large man, who had been standing near and contemplating the town, perks up as he hears Robert introduce himself.

"Oh, yer from Second Chance, heh?" He says with a grin. "I worked construction a few months back, we used yer lumber. Good quality lumber, that it was." He closes his eyes and scratches his beard pensively, as if remembering the feel of wood under his fingers.

He approaches, towering above most of the people gathered near. "Funny coincidence meetin' ya here, lad. Yer family does great work, ya can be proud of it." He offers one large calloused hand for a handshake with a warm chuckle, seemingly truly happy about meeting this stranger to which he had only the most strenuous connection.

"Agh, where are my manners? Name's Arthur, nice to meetcha." He bows his head politely towards Sonia, only briefly glancing at her horns. It would be rude to stare, and it's not like that's any of his business either. "And you as well, ma'am."

Robert boggled for a moment, wondering if this man intended to join this seemingly mad quest as well or not... Hell, he himself wasn't completely sure he should go, and was as-yet undecided. He had presumed the man was staying in the city building for other reasons. Being an itinerant laborer, though, he supposed it added up he would be here.

He wondered what work the man had in town.

"A pleasure, Arthur. I am pleased you found our product to your liking. When we know it is for construction, we try to prioritize wood with straighter grain, and with fewer defects. With so few prospects out here, we have to be competitive against people trying to source the wood themselves. Did you have any issues using it, and was the customer fully satisfied?"

While it was no real secret back home that he positively *loathed* doing the actual cutting, loading, and dressing of said timbers, the 'customer service' and record keeping aspects were not that onerous, and were actually quite pleasing. His dad did not properly understand how valuable it was to engage with customers AFTER the sale, whenever possible, to follow up on things. He was always focused on the "right here, right now!" and the "Upcoming, have to fullfill!" aspects, and didn't seem to quite grasp how 'if a customer is truly happy with your product, they will not only come back, they will tell their friends'.

(in response to Kaelara) @JP

The young barkeep, whose stature was modest to begin with, seemed to shrink further at Kaelara's intent questioning. He managed a coy smile, hands busying themselves with the cleaning of an already-clean mug.

"N-no, I didn't see her meet with anyone while she was here–other than that knight she had arrived with, of course. No strange visitors, no, nothing of that sort… If anything, she was the strange visitor here."

Meanwhile the bard had noticed Kaelara's curt nod, and the music strummed by his fingers seemed to louden by a slight notch. His song-voice rose to accompany the tune, describing a budding romance between fated lovers.

The barkeep took another moment to ponder Kaelara's inquiries. "Unusual?… I can't say there was anything, no. She just looked, well, determined, I suppose. Maybe that's how nobles typically look? We don't get many of them types around here, I'm afraid..." He gave another coy smile, hoping his answers were satisfactory.

"A pleasure, Arthur. I am pleased you found our product to your liking. When we know it is for construction, we try to prioritize wood with straighter grain, and with fewer defects. With so few prospects out here, we have to be competitive against people trying to source the wood themselves. Did you have any issues using it, and was the customer fully satisfied?"

"Oh, no, no issues at all! At least, none that had to do with yer product. Like I said, mighty fine lumber ya make. Gettin' the bricks fer the walls was actually the bigger problem. Delivery kept gettin' delayed, was drivin' the boss-man crazy!" Arthur laughs, a loud, boisterous sound. For almost a full week, construction had to be paused, the workers unable to do anything without materials. His employer had been losing it, forced to pay the workers to keep them from leaving to find other work, yet not having any progress be made.

"Now, I wasn't exactly chummy with the boss, didn't really speak with him much outside of negotiatin' my pay, but he seemed happy 'nough with the result. Delivery was always on time, too, that had to be a good point in yer favor, after the bricks fiasco." Arthur claps a heavy hand on Robert's shoulder, still grinning, before turning towards the meeting hall. "Now, seein' ya in there, I suppose ye'll be searchin' for that Lady that's disappeared too, eh? Guess we'll be seein' more of each other then!"

With those last few words, he waved goodbye and started lumbering towards the meeting hall. From all the people he'd seen leaving, most had decided to sleep at the inn, which meant there would most definitively be a spot for him to squat in for the night. Why pay for accommodations, when he had four walls and a roof to sleep under, right in front of him, for free? This was already more comforts than he usually had, so used to camping he was, and a coin saved is a coin earned, as they say. And he did like to earn coin.

Another newcomer joined, and Sonia was slightly taken aback by how the conversation developed. Truth to be told she had not much to say about the logging business, and felt a bit relieved that this fellow commented on Robert's merchandise.

Shifting her attention to something else, the demoness glanced at a metal signboard hung in front of a large wooden building not far. It reads Whistling Reed.

The men were still chatting, and Sonia did not interrupt until the newcomer introduced himself and then directed the question to Sonia.

"And you as well, ma'am."

"Sonia Al-Hathya. Glad to meet you."

After some nodding, this fellow named Arthur excused himself to head toward the town hall. Considering that there would be better circumstances to exchange pleasantries, Sonia said nothing and turned to wave her hand.

They stood at the inn's entrance now, and the first thing that caught her attention was that redhead adventurer leaning on the counter and chatting with the bartender. Instinctively Sonia entered the establishment and looked around as she walked, and noticing that they too looked at her like there was something odd about her presentation. Sonia had grown accustomed to it and paid the ogling gentlemen no heed. For what was worth, this was... a human civilization; it was funny how years working in the wilderness could make a trip to an inn a fascinating experience.

Sitting on one of the stools at the counter next to the redhead. Sonia waited until there was a pause in their seemingly important conversation. The adventurer girl had made some initiative it seemed. Sonia heard her asking about the missing Lady.

"Good day!" the hunter said, trying not to intrude too abruptly. "Any vacant room left?"

(in response to Sonia) @Mas Bagus

The bartender's eyes widened when another newcomer entered and approached the bar to sit down. Immediately his sight fell on the horns protruding from her head. Such was a marvel he had never before seen, and had only heard of in folklore. A small part of him wanted to ask questions, but the better part knew that it would be rather impolite.

"H-hello! W-welcome!..." He peeled his gaze from her horns but could not shake the surprise from his face. Blinking, he was momentarily at a loss for words at her simple question.

"U-uh… erm… y-yes! A vacant room–w-we have!" The bartender stumbled over his words, summoning an anxious smile. "Th-That'll be fifteen coppers for the night, please!"

Meanwhile the rest of the tavern was quick to notice Sonia's presence. From the moment she entered the establishment, its atmosphere seemed to quiet down into a subtle uneasiness, ambient chatter turning to hushed whispers. A mix of fear, awe, and mistrust was shot her way from the locals–even more so than towards the other adventurers, who at least looked human enough. Some, however, such as the bard, did not seem deterred by the novelty of Sonia's appearance, interestedly studying her from afar.

"Me? --Oh, Yes! My apologies, ma'am. My name is Robert, Robert Barrister. My family owns the Second Chance timber and mill company. We produce and deliver an assortment of raw wood products to interested customers. Some of our firewood offerings are special deliveries for culinary uses, but most are for hearths and fireplaces. We have a selection of timbers in our cut, and can make dressed raw boards and beams to order. --Well figured wood, costs extra. We also produce and deliver wood shingles, for those who use them.. but, I doubt a professional huntress would have much need of such though."

he made a weary smile, nearly invisible behind his mustache and beard.
"But thank you for asking. If you know anyone who would be interested in our wares, we are always interested in supplying them."

(So, he is Robert, huh? A fitting name for a huge physique. Come to think of it, Robert came from my country of origin.) Engie glared at the bearded young man while introducing himself to the new face.

"And you as well, ma'am."

"Sonia Al-Hathya. Glad to meet you."

"I'm Engie." She said as it was her turn to introduced. As she put one of rubber glove her hand flat on heart as a form of salutation.

As the demoness began to make her way off the town hall. Engie followed the young horned woman into the tavern-inn. The young bartender welcomed them as they entered the tavern-inn and Engie gave him a nod. She then eventually removed her helmet and her long hair fell out of place naturally, and fastened her helmet at the back belt section. Then, with both rubber gloves in hand, she snatched her goggles down into her neck, exposing her darker gray eyes. While some may not recognize her appearance, others may know her as a member of the von Grau family, who are all noble and have grey hair. Her real name is Frieda von Grau.

"U-uh… erm… y-yes! A vacant room–w-we have! Th-That'll be fifteen coppers for the night, please!"

Fifteen coppers was indeed a good bargain, even in a rural place like this. Smiling back at him, Sonia opened her purse and merrily counted her coins. "Fiveteen coppers for the room," she said, before placing an additional twelve pieces. "And here, for venison stew, mead, and a loaf of bread. Keep the change!"

Letting the innkeeper count her payments, Sonia turned to the other patrons, realizing the curiosity she had drawn for herself. A smile and regards were delivered, but from where she was sitting, the receptions were mixed at best. Not her fault, Sonia thought.

"So where is that bearded fellow Robert?" She asked when Engie removed her headwear, drawing some more onlookers' attention to them.