The storm came on suddenly, and Rosie’s threadbare cloak did little to protect her from the cold and rain. She was dripping wet and shivering when one of the massive warhorses rode up beside the wagon on the side closest to her. A warm, heavy weight dropped around her, and she realized that one of the three Lords had given her his own thick, oiled cloak. Looking up, she realized that her savior from the storm was Lord Taelroy himself.
“Th… Thank… you…” Rosie shivered.
“XAL! GAIL!” Taelroy shouted over the storm as he signaled Gamil to halt the horses.
Xalvador and Gaillard circled around toward their friend. Their own thick cloaks wrapped tight around themselves, they came within a few feet of Taelroy, but the ferocity of the storm required their friend to shout to be heard.
“WE NEED TO GET OUR DRIVERS OUT OF THE STORM!” Taelroy explained, “OUR LADY HAST NO CLOAK STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE STORM!”
“IF I MAY, MY LORD,” Gamil offered, “I HAVE A COUSIN THAT LIVES IN THESE PARTS! THERE’S A TAVERN OFF THE ROAD BACK A MILE OR SO! WE CAN TAKE SHELTER AND SEE IF ANOTHER TRAVELER HAS A CLOAK THAT WE CAN PURCHASE FOR THE CHILD!”
Rosie withdrew into Lord Taelroy’s cloak, attempting to hide in its thick folds. Her heart ached that Gamil had called her “child” directly to Lord Taelroy, but it hurt more so that she had earned his rebuke; of the five members of their party, she alone forgot a good cloak.
“WE SHALL FOLLOW THEE!” Taelroy replied, signaling the group to turn around.
They proceeded in silence, the thundering of the storm preventing most communication anyway; Rosie pulled up her knees to her chest, feeling like the child that Gamil thought that she was.
Lord Taelroy purchased two suites and two rooms in the servants’ quarters. Still dripping from the storm, Rosie was excused immediately to change before dinner. She changed quickly, shedding her wet dress and the threadbare cloak that she had foolishly thought would be sufficient, she then pulled on a dry dress and wrapped herself again in Lord Taelroy’s oversized cloak.
It was comforting to be wrapped in the large garment, though she would have preferred to be wrapped in his arms. That was impossible, she knew, because she was born far below his station; though having sold his estates, he no longer had a station…
A knock at the door shocked her from her daydreams, and she almost opened the door while still wrapped in the cloak.
Foolish girl! She reprimanded herself, you really are a child!
Tossing the cloak onto the bed, she returned and opened the door. Her breath caught – Lord Taelroy himself stood in the entryway holding a package wrapped in simple brown paper in his arms.
“Lord… Lord Taelroy!” she stammered, “I wasn’t expecting you!”
“I bought a new cloak for thee,” Taelroy explained, “but Master Gamil is busy tending the horses so I decided that I wouldst deliver it to thee myself.”
“Thank you!” Rosie exclaimed, unable to make herself say more as she took the gift from him.
“There is soup awaiting thee in the kitchen,” Lord Taelroy added, “Though thou may join us in the common room if thou dost wish to do so.”
Suddenly, without a farewell, Lord Taelroy spun away and retreated quickly down the hallway of the servants’ quarters.
Rosie had been a child when Taelroy left his parents’ estate to go to the academy – though Taelroy himself was only a child too. On his visits home for holidays and family affairs, Taelroy saw Rosie grow – knowing as she grew more beautiful that she was the forbidden fruit that his father would insist was below his station. He had hoped Terryn would provide well for her and treat her well; he was surprised when she climbed into the wagon with Gamil and joined the group on their quest.
He had seen she was cold in the storm, but he knew Xal would mock him indefinitely for taking mercy on her. When he saw the rain running down her arms under her cloak, he determined no mocking from Xal could ever offset his shame of letting Rosie suffer.
The cloak he bought for her was too large, he knew; it was sized for a larger man than even Taelroy. The merchant that had sold it to Taelroy had claimed it was from his personal collection, and the man was easily half again as large as Taelroy and lacked the warrior’s physique that he had built since his youth. Despite the poor fit, the merchant charged an exorbitant amount as well; two full drops – enough to feed the entire group at the tavern for a week!
Despite the cost, Taelroy was happy to provide it for her – and he could excuse himself to Xal and Gail by claiming the purchase was purely to push through the storm the next day. He was preparing his excuse in his head as he knocked on Rosie’s door, planning to drop off the cloak and then join Xal and Gail in the common room. Rosie answered the door hurriedly, wearing a simple dress, and Taelroy lost his thoughts. He couldn’t explain his passion, she wasn’t wearing the paint and makeup common amongst the court, she wasn’t wearing an elaborate dress; and yet, she was more beautiful than any woman he had seen before. He was aware he was talking to her, he was aware that she was responding, but he was so captivated by her beauty that he paid no attention to the words being said by either of them.
“Though thou may join us in the common room if thou dost wish to do so.” Taelroy heard himself say.
What art thou doing!? Taelroy shouted at himself, Xal and Gail will never forgive thee inviting a servant to our table!
Horrified at himself, Taelroy spun away and rushed down the hall. Around the corner, Taelroy stopped to compose himself. Several long moments passed as he cursed himself beneath his breath, drawing an odd look from a passing servant. Finally, convinced that he could present himself to his comrades without appearing flustered, he continued on to the common room.
Gail and Xal were speaking in hushed voices as he approached the table, silencing abruptly as he drew near the table.
“We won’t share a suite, Tael,” Gaillard announced, “We have discussed this at length as we have awaited thine return and our minds are made up on the matter.”
“We understand that price may be an issue for thee,” Xalvador added, “but sharing a suite between Lords is just insulting!”
“I understand,” Taelroy agreed, “I shall buy thee another suite.”
Gail and Xal looked suspiciously at each other, knowing that they won the argument too easily.
“What is on thine mind, Tael?” Xalvador asked.
“I… I invited Rosie to join us for dinner.” Taelroy replied.
“Ah!” Gaillard exclaimed, “So thou met a Lady staying here? Dost she have any friends?”
Xal looked more quizzical, pondering the new information with the knowledge of what he had already learned of the other patrons.
“There are no ladies staying here,” Xalvador stated directly, “Who is this… Rosie?”
“Rosie is… Rosie…” Taelroy said, “She’s… the servant…”
Xal and Gail both held mugs halfway between the table and shocked faces.
“I know,” Taelroy admitted, “she is below our station and dining with her is more insulting than expecting thee to share a suite…”
“It is no large matter, friend,” Xalvador answered, “I suppose she has a simple beauty that I can see would appeal to thee.”
“Yes,” Gaillard agreed, “Thou didst always have a less refined taste than we did…”
Xal interrupted Gail with a backhanded punch to his shoulder.
“He means,” Xalvador interrupted, “That without thine estates thou has no station, so there is no reason thou shouldst withhold thineself from thy passions.”
“I may have sold my estates,” Taelroy growled angrily, “but it is still my wealth that pays for this venture! If thou dost insist on insulting me so, then thou canst buy thine own meals and beds! I shall dine alone!”
Taelroy rose to leave, when he saw Rosie enter the common room. Her beauty was simple, as Xal had stated earlier; but in that simplicity, she was elegant.
Xal and Gail chuckled as Taelroy pulled out a chair for Rosie and sat back down himself.
“This appears to be worse than we thought.” Gaillard commented to Xalvador.
“Yes,” Xalvador agreed, “To calm such a volatile temper as Tael’s, our Lady must be some kind of enchantress.”
Rosie blushed and smiled at the compliment as the innkeeper arrived with steaming plates for Taelroy and Rosie.
“Is there anything else I can get for you, my Lords?” the innkeeper asked.
“I believe that our noble patron would like to order another suite,” Gaillard replied, “And my companion and I could use another pitcher of wine.”
The innkeeper conjured another key and presented it to the Lords before leaving to get the pitcher Gail requested.
“Have you had a chance to inquire after our dragon, Tael?” Xalvador asked.
“Yes,” Taelroy admitted, “No one here has seen a dragon in years; but the merchant that I purchased Rosie’s cloak from said that he heard a tale of one that has been attacking the Wall recently. Soldiers there are reporting its den just north of the Paelstead Gate.”
Xal nearly choked on his wine while Gail leaned into the table.
“North of the Paelstead Gate? North of the Wall?” Gaillard asked.
“No one goes north of the Wall, Taelroy.” Xalvador added, “That’s the Wilderland, the Tyrn’s territory.”
Taelroy looked confidently at his companions, feeling the courage swell within him.
“With a dragon nearby,” Taelroy concluded, “No Tyrns will be in the area. We shall pass through the garrison at Paelstead Gate, slay the dragon, and retreat back to Paelstead before the Tyrns ever hear of our presence in Wilderland!”