The inside of the Inn was warm and cozy, with long benches with seats lined-up along the sides and many round tables in the middle. It was larger than she had predicted.
Everywhere she could see people were drinking, and dancing to the odd song that rose here and there. Pretty waitresses, or maybe the term would be barmaids here, were going around the customers expertly, picking up the empty dishes here and depositing orders there flawlessly.
Laughter and merriment all around her were almost enough to make Kira forget her predicament. Almost.
The three walked through the throng of customers, Gerard beelining for the bar.
"Pete!" Gerard hollered with a smile at the hairy man standing behind the counter with an apron tied on his waist, cleaning a glass. "Come out here, you rascal! Gimme a beer!" Gerard hollered cheerily.
The aforementioned man looked up from his task, a frown on his face of affront at the insult that easily melted as soon as he saw the coachman. " Gerry! Ohohoho! Look what the cat dragged in!"
With a bellowing laugh he walked from behind the counter, his steps quick but short, as he reached the man. The two embraced with hearty pats on the other's backs.
"Heavens, look at you! You've gotten older!" Pete chuckled at his own joke, taking Gerard by his shoulders.
Gerard took the rib in stride, "As have you." Pete stopped for a beat, and as if one, the two laughed in unison.
Ricky was already smiling from the contagious cheer, and soon Kira joined them.
"Before I forget- t'is Ricky, and Kira." Gerard pointed to them.
Pete looked at them incredulously before turning to his friend, "You got hitched?!"
"Naah." He chuckled, as if it was a great joke, "They're travellers. Have a job to get them to the capital." Pete nodded in understanding before he ushered them to a seat on the counter, shoving a drunkard away to make room.
"Here, have a seat- Ricky and Kira. Welcome to my humble abode." He finished with a flourish, clasping his hands in front of him, and bowing his head.
As if to refute the statement, a merry and upbeat tune started playing, to which a pair of dancers in flamboyant large costumes emerged from the swininging doors in the back, getting up onto the table in the centre.
They all turned towards the new entertainment as one.
The dancers were wearing large animal costumes, which flashed of brown, white and grey, tinsels moving with their motions.
The larger of the wolf, for the snout and ears gave it away, jumped up, landing on his hands, and jumping again, behaving more like a monkey.
The people didn't seem to mind. They laughed, overjoyed.
The second wolf, shorter and with more grey in his shining fur, stood on his feet and raised his hands to his snout, howling exagerratedly.
After the initial introduction, the two characters stood up on the table and started thumping their feet and clapping their hands to the song one of the musicians in the band was playing.
From what Kira could see, they were now dancing in a traditional dance, for many people in the Inn had abadoned their tankards to the tables and gotten up, following along in the familiar footsteps.
It all looked very beautiful and tempting. She ached to go down there herself.
She turned around to Pete, catching some of his words. He was trying to say something, not very successfully.
Gerard leaned in closer to Pete, and he gratefully shouted the rest of his words in his ears.
"-Thi- h----ere!" Kira could make none of it out. Gerard nodded. They continued their incoherent conversation for a while, with Gerard and Pete going back and forth.
"---c---I---Yeah?" Gerard finally asked a question, to which Pete looked at him incredulously before moving his head noncommitedly. Gerard said something again, probably trying to convince, to which Pete finally assented. Clapping him on the shoulder, he turned to look at Kira who now felt awkward for it looked like she had been snooping.
He smiled at the woman, opening his arms and mouthing, "Enjoy!" Before he left her to her own devices.
She turned back around, her eyes catching Gerard's for a moment- he seemed to be watching her intently- before she forced hers away.
Turning back to the merriment in front of her, she lifted her hands and tried to clap in time with the tune. All the time, she was distinctly aware of the gaze burning in the side of her head.
-----------------------
Kira stumbled her way up the stairs, having had too much to drink.
'On the House, for any of Gerry's friends!' As a smiling Pete would say.
The party continued downstairs, something about there being a fruitful hunt...? Medieval world things, she guessed.
Her hands caught on the wall to her right, barely before she smashed her nose in. She distantly remembered Ricky being ushered to sleep by a fussing Gerard. So he was capable of caring, who knew.
She physically shook her head to clear the thoughts out of her head, which seemed to be a huge mistake. The pounding which she had only just gotten under control started up again in her head.
She paused in her steps, holding her head in her hands and trying to make the world stop spinning. As she stood there motionless, with her head lowered, the world slowly started steadying itself as well.
She felt clearer, more clearer than she had felt in the past hours. She couldn't tell you how it started- oh, no that was a lie, she could.
It was that guy. Pretty cute guy, and she had thought only twice before accepting the drink he offered- though hers weren't being charged anyways- and then agreeing to a dance.
He was sweet.
She could enjoy herself for once. It was not as if she could do anything right now anyway, right? And she had decided to travel with Gerard to the capital anyway. So, she was stuck here till they left tomorrow morning, as Gerard had assured her.
Also, back on the topic, she had no fear of being roofied! Were roofies invented in this time period? She was not yet clear on that.
Kira again found herself distracted by voices drifting down to her from the landing above.
"...them?"
"...I did, but Gerard, " She found herself focusing upon hearing the familiar name, "Are you sure about this?"
"This is our shot, Pete. We know she is wanted-" Her eyes widened, the alcohol not quite enough to make her fail to realise the gravity of the situation, "She has the mark! What else do we need?!"
She peeked out from the botoom of the top stairs- when had she ducked down anyway?- and saw the two men standing a few feet away and discussing her fate.
"- And think about Sarah. What the money could do for her!" There was silence after Gerard's statement. Kira could see him uncomfortably look at his friend, before he ventured, "How is she, Pete?"
A look of anguish crossed Pete's face for a moment before he looked at Gerard, "Could be better. Could be a whole lot better, if..." He trailed off.
"...If...she could get her medicines." Gerard finished for Pete. A moment of understanding passed through them, at the same time a wave of dread passed over Kira.
Gerard squeezed Pete's shoulder as though consoling him, "You know what you need to do, Peter."
Peter looked up, determined, "Yes. I do."
She didn't know what they were planning, but she could bet it was not good for her. And it was not as if she could do anything against them anyways- even if they didn't physically overpower her she didn't think whatever they had for laws here would protect the strange woman.
Kira couldn't listen around for much longer. She knew what she had to do too.
Kira stepped back, unable to take her eyes off the men, suddenly a lot more sober than before.
She got closer to the ground, and retraced her steps, one, two, yes, almost away, one two, and-
-𝘚𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘢𝘬!