Taelroy looked over his shoulder as he entered the inn’s common room with Rosie. Xal and Gail wouldn’t be far behind, Taelroy had heard brief, quiet scuffles as he was walking whenever his two comrades would identify and eliminate one of the rogues.
“My feet hurt from these shoes,” Rosie complained, “Might I stop by my room and change?”
They were nice shoes, purchased at a steep price from the innkeeper’s wife as an excuse to get Rosie out. They were new though, and the innkeeper’s wife had warned that they would likely hurt Rosie’s feet until she grew callouses.
“Of course!” Taelroy agreed, “I do not wish to see thee in pain!”
With a sure sweep of his strong arms, Taelroy lifted Rosie easily off the ground and carried her, giggling like a child, down the servant’s hallway to the quarters he had rented for her.
He let her down outside her door, and she stepped into the small room and immediately set to removing her shoes. As they came off, Taelroy was horrified! Her feet were blistered in several areas; no wonder they hurt!
“What happened to thee?!” Taelroy gasped.
Rosie blushed with embarrassment and seemed to shrink in upon herself.
“New shoes…” she explained sheepishly.
“Rosie…” Taelroy sputtered, “I have medicine in my room, thou must use some.”
“No,” Rosie replied, “You shouldn’t waste it on me, my feet will get better.”
“We’re traveling Rosie,” Taelroy insisted firmly, recovering from his shock, “Even in more comfortable shoes, those blisters will break, and they will get infected.”
Taelroy was stubborn, and he could see in Rosie’s eyes that she understood that. He was not going to give in, and she reluctantly agreed.
“Alright,” Rosie sighed, “Let me get my shoes and you can carry me up to your rooms instead.”
With her worn, comfortable shoes in hand, Taelroy lifted Rosie again and they meandered down the hallway. At the stairs, Taelroy ascended easily, his muscles trained over years of practice with the sword weren’t burdened at all with the weight of a small, young woman.
In the upstairs hallway, Taelroy practically trampled a servant as he walked – unaware of her presence.
“Tael!” Rosie screeched as she slammed into the servant.
“My apologies!” Taelroy said softly, setting Rosie down in order to help the servant rise, “I was… distracted.”
“It’s fine, Master Taelroy,” the servant replied, “I had just come to see if you or your armsmen wished to have a hot bath drawn.”
“Yes, I would,” Taelroy answered, “But for the lady, if you don’t mind.”
“As you wish, my Lord.”
Turning back to Rosie, Taelroy swept her up again and continued back to his room.
“You should be more careful,” Rosie admonished, looking up and seeing Taelroy staring at her instead of watching where he was going, “You nearly trampled another servant there.”
“I’m sorry…” Taelroy repeated, not looking away from Rosie and causing her to blush under his stare.
A third servant was nearly trampled by Taelroy at the door to his rooms, but the servant reacted faster than Taelroy’s sure stride and held the door for the young couple.
“Can I get anything for you, my Lord?” the servant asked.
“Bandages!” Taelroy ordered.
Taelroy proceeded into the room and settled Rosie gently in a large, soft, cushioned armchair. He took her shoes as he retrieved a pair of cloths, a bucket of warm bath water, and the blister ointment; then set about washing the sores on her feet where the blisters had broken and gently rubbing in the ointment to encourage new skin growth.
“You shouldn’t be doing this,” Rosie complained, “It is below your station. You should summon a servant to administer to me…”
“’A true leader serves those he leads’” Taelroy said, quoting his father before adding his own thoughts, “And a true man is not ashamed to care for those he loves – even if the work may be considered below his station.”
The effect of the words on Rosie was obvious, and soft, quiet tears appeared in the corners of her eyes.
“Tael…” she began.
“I am too bold with thee,” he admitted, “I have finished applying the ointment. Thou should bathe, then I shall apply more and wrap thine feet in bandages.”
He lifted her carefully from the chair and carried her to the steaming bath awaiting her in the bathing chamber, then left her and returned to the sitting room. There was a young woman waiting there with the bandages Taelroy had ordered – she had obviously arrived while Taelroy was applying the ointment and had decided to wait rather than interrupt them.
“My thanks to thee,” Taelroy said graciously as he accepted the bandages from the servant. “The Lady is bathing; would thou assist her?”
The servant bowed as Taelroy took the last bandage and moved without further instruction into the suite to assist Rosie. Taelroy, knowing he had time until Rosie was finished, stepped into the hallway and waved down another servant.
“Yes, my Lord?” the servant said, coming closer.
“Hast mine comrades returned?” Taelroy asked.
“I…” the servant stuttered, obviously thrown off by the unexpected question, “I don’t know…”
“Would thou inquire after them and return?” Taelroy asked.
“As you wish, my Lord.” The servant answered, rushing away down the hall.
Taelroy closed the door to his rooms, poured himself a goblet of wine, and took a seat before a map of the local area while he waited.
Paelstead was the last major city between here and Wilderland – the territory owned, and fiercely defended by, the Tyrns. Once into Wilderland, they would have to keep a careful watch at night and travel quickly and quietly. Northeast of the Paelstead Gate, nearly off the edge of the map that the inn had provided, was the small mountain range where the dragon lived.
As he contemplated the best way to approach the dragon’s lair, Taelroy looked up to the sound of soft footsteps in the room. The servant was, discretely, attempting to leave the rooms without disturbing Taelroy’s thoughts.
“I am sorry for disrupting you, my Lord,” she apologized when he looked up from the map, “The Lady has finished her bath and is modest when you wish to attend her.”
Taelroy rose and muttered thanks to the servant as she left, then he retrieved the bandages and rejoined Rosie in the main room.
“Art thou feeling refreshed?” Taelroy quarried.
“I am.” Rosie replied, sitting back in the armchair where Taelroy had first attended her.
Carefully, he applied the ointment again to her blisters, washing with the now cold water, drying carefully so as not to hurt her, and then wrapping her feet in bandages as he finished.
“Rosie…” Taelroy stammered, having trouble finding the right words, “I… I have no station… with my estates sold… there is nothing keeping us… from…”
Rosie placed a finger over Taelroy’s mouth, silencing him.
Taelroy allowed it, feeling her skin against his lips. It was intoxicating, and the last of his resistance faltered. Rising swiftly, Taelroy lifted Rosie in an embrace, pulled her close to him, and kissed her with passionate abandon.