Combe looked... small, but cozy. What little daylight remained showed me a busy village with tall men and hobbits alike, buzzing here and there as if something terribly important was about to happen. I didn't want to bother anyone (especially when they looked so dead serious about something), but I didn't want to wander around the village looking obviously lost (that would be the WORST first impression - "Auri? Oh, the lass that managed to get lost in our village, aye, I remember her!"). I was standing by the stables looking for someone to ask directions when I saw this girl just hanging around by the well in the centre of the square.
She looked young and quite pretty - I like pretty people, they make me feel good inside. She didn't seem to be busy at all, so I've decided she'll be a good person to ask. I came closer and said:
"Excuse me miss, can I ask you something?"
"WHAT!" said the girl very grumpily.
She scared me! My voice was suddenly even thinner and my whole body started shaking.
"I just.. wanted... to ask about an inn to spend the night...at..." I swallowed the words heavily.
"Are you blind! It's right in front of your nose! And learn to read!" she snorted and turned away to me. I backed up in pure horror and felt the blood going into my head. Just *now* I was shaking.
"Thank you." I peeped and rushed away from her. Oh how ashamed I felt when I finally spotted the (actually quite large) inn just a few steps away from the place where I was standing. It was called The Comb and Wattle Inn. I must've looked really... stupid not seeing such a huge building. Nevertheless, I remembered the face of the girl well.... very well. With hurt feelings and dry mouth I entered the inn. Were it not for the fireplace, the interior of the tavern would be completely dark.
"Uhh... a rather murky place." I thought to myself and tried to recognize someone belonging to the staff among the people. There were not many guests inside, but the few seemed to be problematic enough. Ruffians and brutes it seemed to me. I tried to keep my distance from them and find the counter as soon as possible. Finally! A lady behind a bar!
"Excuse me, hello?" I tried hard to be seen (and heard!), because the bar was actually taller than me.
"Yes? Who is it?" asked the woman. She looked... weary and she wasn't the youngest in town either.
"Down here, please!" I peeped again. Oh how I hated being overlooked!
"Oh I see, a halfling lass, aye? What can I do for you?" she tried to sound cheerfully.
"A bed for the night please.... or... several nights even." I said unsure.
"Gladly! What kind of room would you like?"
"The cheapest one..." I responded humbly.
"I see... tell you what, you can have the standard room for one silver or... the cheap one for fifty copper. But the room has no door after some recent... mishaps."
I must have looked very frightened because she quickly added:
"Don't worry, none of these... guests," she grunted scornfully "will stay for the night. They only come here to drink, then we throw them out and the rooms remain empty. There will be no one bothering you, after all, we sleep here as well." she tried to assure me.
"Well, alright then." I've decided to accept the offer, who knows how tight will the money get in a few days.
"Very good! You look tired little miss. Do you want me to show you the way to your room right now?" she asked willingly.
"I'd like that, thank you." I said and instantly felt fatigue building up.
"Let me just take a few candles for you, it will be completely dark in the room by now." she grabbed three thick candles and gestured me to follow her. We went up the stairs to the third floor of the tavern (this was one HUGE inn!) and there were actually two rooms without a door.
"Here we are... you can choose whichever room you like." she said almost amused. I chose the one to the right of the stairs, because my mommy always told me to do right decisions. There were two big beds in the room, a simple chair and two small cabinets. Other than that the room had old squeaky wooden floor and chipped walls that have not been painted in ages.
"I hope this will suffice..." said the tavernkeep when she saw my face.
"Oh... yes, yes, of course. Thank you lady-"
"Call me Lizbeth." she smiled at me and for the first time I felt like she really meant it.
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