A bigger town
Summer was almost over when they reached Rothinelm, an average sized town with stone walls that had a few gates and was built on the side of a mountain. Billinda had already visited it, so she guided Splendor through the streets, as usual.
"Rothinelm's main attractions are the exceptional sanitation and the beautiful new architecture." She gestured at the stone buildings with flat roofs around them, comparing them to the timber structures of smaller towns. "It's famous for gambling, monks and wizards. The economy is weak but it's growing, its main industry being mining."
"No king here either?" Splendor asked, hopeful.
"No, only open elections for all... you could run for mayor, though."
"Ah, no, thank you." His stomach grumbled because the streets were filled with the smell of food cooking. "Where is the closest tavern?"
"We passed it, it was next to the entrance." She smiled. "It's not the cheapest! I'm looking for something better, if you don't mind."
"Better meaning cheaper?" He sighed. "Hope this town is not too big."
"We're almost there, don't worry." She pointed some more. "See, the guards are owned by private citizens. The locals are somewhat shy, but there's very little crime. It's not a bad place to live."
"Why haven't you settled here, then?"
"Because I don't want to settle yet. Would you like me to introduce you to the seductive criminal who previously escaped punishment for several alleged crimes? She has been rapidly losing allies. Rumors say that she has strong feelings for young scions. She can usually be found at a friend's house."
"A criminal?" He stared at her, skeptical. "And a woman? Who has strong feelings?"
She chuckled. "Right, we don't want you to go back to sleep. You're getting used to this world, aren't you?"
"It's been six very strange months for me," he replied. "I guess I don't mind being awake after all."
"Good." She patted his shoulder and pointed at an alley. "There's our tavern."
"Hey you!" A blacksmith came out of his workshop and called them back. "Forgive me, my lord, may I see your sword?" he asked Splendor, who was carrying the broadsword he'd received from the Fajrulo on his back.
Puzzled, he took the scabbard off his shoulder and unsheathed the blade. The blacksmith took it and observed it closely.
"Ooh," he gushed. "Such a long and light blade... no Human blacksmith could do it! Where did you get it?"
"Um... it was in the custody of a... um... dragon..." For some reason Splendor didn't call it a Fajrulo. The word "dragon" probably made more sense for the blacksmith anyway.
"Of course, only a legendary animal could keep a blade like this one!" The blacksmith held it in full daylight. Billinda had envied the gift, but then she had decided the blade was too long for her to handle, even though it was indeed lighter than her own sword. Besides it looked better on Splendor.
"My lord, you own a weapon we thought lost," the blacksmith continued, amazed. "How much do you want to sell it?"
"It's not for sale. It's a gift from a dragon," Splendor replied.
"Yes, who wants to upset a dragon?" Billinda added, amused.
"Indeed." The blacksmith looked disappointed, but didn't insist.
"Who did this sword belong to?" Splendor asked, curious.
"I don't know how it ended up here, but it's a Genn sword," the man answered. "And I don't think I'm wrong – seeing the workmanship and dimensions – if I say that it's the sword of Oriano, the last king of Rayheart."
"The last king of Rayheart, huh?" Billinda stared at the blacksmith, skeptical. "How do you know so much about Genn swords?"
"I'm a blacksmith, I've seen a few in my life," he replied. "Keep it well, my lord, it might be magic."
"Yeah, right," Billinda grumbled, pushing Splendor away from the blacksmith's shop and towards the tavern.
"Do you think it's true?" Splendor asked.
"Why not?" She shrugged. "It's a beautiful weapon, big but light and wieldy..."
"Genn?"
"I can't tell. If he says so. He's the expert."
"Dragon..."
"Yes, I think he gifted you with special things... you should probably call him something else!"
"I don't know what his name is... he didn't say. I wouldn't want to call him Adalbert!"
"No, of course not, it sounds silly for a dragon. We should have asked his Fajrulo name, though..."
***
The Drunken Crossbones Inn was medium-sized and decently clean. The jovial innkeeper was unusually attractive and told them most rooms were vacant. Billinda requested a medium-sized room and a bathtub while Splendor observed the patrons in the main room.
The tavern must be popular, since it was almost full. The noise was loud and cheerful, with a bard playing in the background. About half patrons were drunk and most were openly armed, much like him and Billinda. The most notable patron seemed to be a very flirtatious monk whom everyone seemed to like.
Billinda elbowed Splendor and they went upstairs to their room.
"We should eat quickly and then wash ourselves and go to bed," she suggested. "This would give to the innkeeper time to fill that bathtub. And I'm sick of hearing your stomach grumble."
She poked at his belly.
"I should have eaten a snack as soon as we passed the gates," he said, massaging his empty stomach. "Let's do as you say."
They went back downstairs and ordered the fastest dish available with some very bad wine to go with it. They saw two servants going upstairs with buckets of hot water and as soon as they finished their meal, they went back to their room.
The silence behind the thick wooden door was amazing. Even more amazing was the sight of the big bathtub where they'd both fit without taking turns and risking cold water. Splendor ignored the double bed and quickly undressed, not even glancing at Billinda.
Gods, he had missed real baths! He scrubbed himself of all the dust from the roads out there and washed his hair with a strangely perfumed soap. He realized it was now shoulder-length, but he wasn't going to cut it anytime soon. He shaved every day because Billinda preferred him clean-shaven, but she hadn't mentioned he must have short hair.
"I really needed a bath!" She sighed with relief, rinsing his back from the soap.
"Listen... must we really continue on foot?" he asked.
"You've become a proficient walker," she replied. "Look, horses are expensive even to keep. You don't want to spend all the dragon's gifts on a luxury, do you?"
"It's just that my poor feet..." He tried to massage them, but by now they had calluses everywhere.
"I'll buy you new, softer boots, what do you say?" She hugged him before leaving the bathtub and wrapping herself into a towel.
The water was cooling, so he also got out of the bathtub and dried himself with the other towel. He put on his breeches then she offered him a massage. She was wearing only her tunic.
He lay on the bed, belly down, and relaxed under her touch.
"Mmm, you have faeries' hands," he said with a sigh of bliss.
"You have no idea of how hard it is to pull nets all day," she answered. "My father demanded a massage every night."
"And you're very good at it."
She was done and sat back, so he rose and took her in his arms.
"Come here."
"Splendor..."
"Mmm?
"Don't do it."
"Why?"
"Are you insomniac?"
"I don't fall asleep with you. Besides, we need more proof. You stopped before the other women."
"Really?" She raised her eyebrows, skeptical.
She had barely kissed him. The others had had time to take off his tunic. He was already bare-chested now, so he kept kissing her and caressing her until she pushed him away.
"That's enough. At this point with the others you were already fast asleep."
"But..."
"Sorry, I'm not going any further. I told you, you should make a chastity vow.
I'm not a whore, I don't sell sex. And I don't believe in love."
She gave him her back and prepared to sleep, switching off the lamp.
"Billi... what happened to you that you don't believe in love anymore?" he asked in the darkness.
"Nothing. One day I woke up and realized it doesn't exist." Her tone was sharp. "It's a lie made up by bards and minstrels to delude sensitive people. But it doesn't exist."
"I don't think you're such a cynic..."
"I don't care. Good night."
***
Billinda didn't think she'd enjoy spending so much time with a member of the other sex. But she was growing quite fond of Splendor, after six months of traveling together. He was sweet and well-mannered and not at all haughty now that he was getting used to his new lack of social status.
Billinda was also happy that her periods had stopped. She'd had her last before finding Splendor's castle, and hadn't had any since. Which was good when traveling with a man. It had considerably slowed her down in the past, or made her grumpy or unable to fight. She had never felt better now that her monthly bleeding seemed lost.
She was used to the lack of privacy and she had to admit that as a roommate, Splendor was much better than any of his predecessors. She'd had snoring mates, mates who spoke in their sleep, and others who couldn't refrain from touching her when they thought she was asleep.
Except any form of touch immediately awoke her. Luckily Splendor slept soundly at night, probably too tired to try anything. He had dutifully learned to shave and followed her every direction without comments.
Maybe she had really found a treasure in the abandoned castle. Someone she got along with and at the same time she could control. One reason to leave the mercenary companies was that sometimes the teammates or captains were a little too commandeering with her. And she hated obeying orders without thinking.
Wandering around was sort of new for her too, but she was enjoying it immensely. She had seen more of the world than anyone in her home village, and had survived the perils of traveling alone. There were two of them now, which meant things could only get better now.
"I promised to buy you softer boots," she told him as they wandered through the streets again. "There's a shop that looks interesting." She pointed at a very large shop that specialized in dresses, but also provided boots, necklaces and underclothes.
Splendor nodded and they entered the building. The interior smelled of spices. It had a warm color scheme, and it was messy and poorly lit. The shopkeeper was female and highly attractive. She was straightening up merchandize, keeping an eye on the other occupants of the shop – an elderly man, several priests and a cleric.
She bowed when Billinda and Splendor entered her shop. The prices seemed fair and the variety above average, so Billinda pointed Splendor to the boots section.
The shopkeeper approached them and bowed again. "Welcome to my humble shop. My name is Marath, how can I help you?"
"We need good walking boots for him," Billinda answered.
As soon as Splendor found a pair that fitted him perfectly, an enthusiastic haggling started between Billinda and the shopkeeper. Splendor stared at both, goggle-eyed. He had no idea of how to do it, but sometimes Billinda enjoyed haggling very much.
With a huff accompanied by courtly gestures, Marath agreed and accepted the payment.
"You can keep his old boots," Billinda said "They're historical pieces, over a century old..."
The shopkeeper rolled her eyes, obviously incredulous. Billinda chuckled and pushed Splendor out of the shop.
"What?" she asked, noticing his puzzled look. "You wanted to keep your old boots? They were historical pieces!"
"Uh, no, it's just... I still don't know how you do all this."
"You'll learn," she said patting his shoulder. "Don't worry, Splendor, you'll learn."
Public Baths
The seventh month of travel, as summer was close to the end, they reached a small town in the plains with no walls. It was built on a river shore and its economy seemed based on fishing. Billinda wrinkled her nose a little, but that wasn't how she was going to earn a living, if she decided to stay for some time.
"I'm sick of sleeping in the wild," Splendor said as they reached the first houses.
"Would it be because of the two who tried to rob us?" she teased.
"And the hungry lone wolf. And..."
"All right, all right!" She chuckled. "Traveler's risks, what did you think? Why do you think most people never move around much?"
"I did move around a little, visiting neighboring castles..."
"And you traveled in a carriage..." she teased.
"On horseback," he corrected. "And I never reached this far."
"I haven't been here before either," she mused, looking around the main street sided by small wattle and daub houses with pitched roofs.
"Aren't you afraid of this big hostile world?" he asked.
"There are worse things than death," she reminded him. Like sleeping for a century. But she didn't say it. "All right, there's the tavern... oh, public baths..." She stopped and pondered briefly. "Splendor!"
"What?" he asked, puzzled.
"Why don't you try men?" she asked, excited.
"Are you out of your mind?" he screamed, blushing.
"No, why? Women make you fall asleep, but Leondina didn't consider you might attract men too!"
"Please! The simple thought makes me sick!" Splendor replied.
"You're afraid!" she retorted. "You're afraid you'll like it!"
***
I think Billinda tricked me into this, Splendore thought, entering the room of the baths reserved for men, wrapped in a towel. She had dared him to come here and find a male lover, she had said he was afraid he'd like it... and here he was to prove her wrong.
The big room had a small round pool with a little waterfall of sulfur-smelling water and bathtubs for one or two people. Some even had curtains in case someone wanted to wash himself without displaying his body – or who he was bathing with.
Splendor heard a very female giggle coming from one of the closed curtains, so he assumed it was a couple bathing there. He sat on one of the benches and started washing off most of the dust of the journey, not sure if he should pick a single bathtub or join other men in the main pool. But Billinda's words were still haunting him.
Try a man! What kind of sick idea was that? What could two men do anyway?
"Hello." The young man who sat next to him was naked and didn't look embarrassed. He stared at Splendor with an admiring look on his clean-shaven face.
Splendor had shaved before entering the baths' main room, but he still had to wash his blond mane. He muttered a greeting in reply, not daring to look at the other man.
"I've never seen you around. Are you a foreigner?" the young man asked.
"Um... yes, I'm just passing by..." Splendor felt his cheeks on fire. "I'm with a friend, we're going towards Salamar..."
"My name is Guelfo and yours?"
"Splendor."
"And your friend? Where is he?"
"In the women's room. She's a warrior woman. A bodyguard."
"Are you noble? I'd say yes from your name... only a woman as escort?"
"I've lost everything." Splendor hugged his knees. That much was true. Billinda wasn't his bodyguard, but he had lost everything. Except the things his Fajrulo friend had retrieved and given back to him.
"Gambling and gaming?" Guelfo asked.
"Sort of..." The truth wouldn't do in this case, so Splendor opted for a half lie.
"You're gorgeous, you know?"
Guelfo caressed his cheek, then pulled him closer to kiss him. It was a strange kiss. Men tasted different from women. Splendor blushed, unsure of how he felt.
"Come with me," Guelfo whispered, taking his wrist and guiding him to a smaller room for a private bath and more.
What am I doing... Billinda's face as she suggested he tried men flashed inside him, but Splendor didn't resist.
He allowed Guelfo to touch him everywhere. It was a strange kind of sex, a new sort of orgasm, but he still wasn't completely convinced he liked it.
His body liked it, but his mind didn't.
"How do you feel?" Guelfo asked as they rested behind the curtain that gave them privacy.
"I don't know," he answered. "You're good, but I'd rather not repeat the experience."
"Happens." Guelfo looked disappointed, but didn't insist. "Thank you for letting me try. You know where to find me if..."
"Yes, of course," Splendor said quickly.
Guelfo gave him a final, passionate kiss and let him go.
***
Billinda waited for Splendor in the inn's main room. She had dinner without him, since he didn't show up on time. She was drinking the very decent local wine when he finally walked in.
"Hey, where have you been?" she greeted him cheerfully.
"Sorry... why did you send me to the public baths?" He sat in front of her and she poured him some wine.
"To find a male lover. How did it go?"
"I did it... It's sort of nice and the guy knew what he was doing, but..."
"Not your thing, got you." She rolled her eyes.
"I'm not enjoying this," he complained.
"Of course not." She winked. "A handsome young man like you can't be happy to stay chaste. Although you're actually over a hundred years old, but luckily you don't look your age."
"Quit teasing, there is a solution!" he snapped.
"Sorry, honey, don't look at me! If I keep dressing like a man, I have my reasons."
"Yes, I know, you don't believe in love," he muttered.
"And I don't believe in sex either. Why don't you try a blind whore?"
"Will you stop suggesting these experiments?" he snapped again.
"You're the one who can't stand chastity," she retorted. "I'm doing just fine!"
He grumbled something as the maid approached to take his dinner order.
***
Splendor wasn't completely happy with the idea, but the next morning Billinda convinced him to try the local brothel. She spoke with the madam telling her the girl shouldn't see Splendor beforehand. The madam cocked her head, staring at Splendor, then nodded.
She whispered orders to a maid and soon guided him to a room where a young woman waited, naked and blindfolded on a plush bed.
Tales of the Northern Kingdoms volume 2 Page 5