Chapter Seven
I grab my belongings and follow Roar out of the inn, the other member stays behind still talking to Gersemi. It’s raining heavily and there are only a small number of people walking around the streets now. He leads me up some stone steps and into what looks like another wooden temple. The handcrafted beams are similar if not the same as the healing temple. In front of me was a long and well laid out table full of fresh fruit and meat. I’ve never seen so much food in one place before and yet no one was here to eat it. “Where is everyone?” I ask not taking my eyes off the fine food. “They are on a very important quest, they’ll return in a number of days.” Roar smiles while taking a seat around the table. “Here sit.” He points to a wooden chair next to him. I ask another question after I have sat down. “What quest?” Roar laughs softly “Amber I need to ask you some questions about the night you were attacked.”
“Why?”
“Stop answering questions with a question.” Roar smiles while grabbing an apple from the nearest bowl. He takes a bite out of it and then holds another one out towards me. I shake my head so he puts the uneaten one back. “Amber do you know what attacked you that night?”
“Bandits.”
“Yes but bandits don’t set fire to their victims.”
I couldn’t stop the tears slowly filling my eyes as I thought about River’s burnt body. Roar realising on what he just said lent forward and placed his hand on my knee. “Oh Amber I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise you had lost a friend that night.” I didn’t speak as my throat became so sore from trying to over come my need to cry out again. Roar left his hand on my knee and asked again. “Amber people around here are saying it was a dragon attacking. I’m sure bandits got to your carriage but they didn’t bargain for a dragon to attack as well.”
“Dragons?” I couldn’t help but enjoy the warmth of Roars huge hand on my knee, maybe it was comfort I needed as it had been so long since I’d felt warmth from another man. “First of all why would dragons come here? All stories tell us they are cold blooded so they need warm land not this cold and snowy place. People here have never seen a dragon.” I start to see Roar as a crazy being now instead of a tough one. Roar removes his hand now and sits back against his chair. “Alright next question, why did you live? Why is it you were unharmed?”
“Unharmed?” I shout standing up and lifting up my clothes revealing my long scar. “Is this what you call unharmed?” After my temper out burst I realised I’ve completely revealed my body again to another stranger. Roar didn’t even notice my scar he was too busy looking at other parts of my body. I sit back down and try to look like I’m still angry when actually I’m embarrassed. Now my body has been taken away from Roars stare he continues with more questions. I am unable to answer any of them and so we talk about other things while drinking and eating this beautiful food.
“Amber?” Roar asks after many hours of chatting and eating.
“Mmm?” I answer with a mouth full of meat.
“Will you stay here tonight instead of returning to the inn?” Roar has turned serous now. I swallow what’s in my mouth and turn to face him. The wine has made my head feel even fuzzier then it usually does. “You have no need for me; I don’t know what happened that night. I don’t believe the dragon tale, if anything I need to leave to find work and coin.”
“So stay here.” Roar says softly.
“Why?” I ask gulping down some more wine. Roar starts to search for words. Then I realise what he’s hinting for. Before he has any chance to find his words I put down my empty cup and lean over to him and kiss his lips heavily. I don’t aim to stop until my head has no other thoughts in it apart from passion.
Comments