Of Prayers And Prophecy Ch 02

The day dragged on as it always did and the afternoon brought rain as Kyla had predicted it would. The steady downpour kept away would be visitors and steadfast patrons alike and so she found herself a quiet seat near the corner window where she could watch the rain and read a book at the same time.

The book was one of her favorites that she had read many times. The cover was well worn and the pages were dog-eared and finger smudged, but she thought the wear just gave it character and proved it was a good story. Sighing softly, she flipped through the pages and landed on the chapter about the prince telling the peasant he was in love with her and wanted to sweep her away to his far away kingdom despite the disapproval of his parents, the king and queen.

If only, Kyla thought to herself as she glanced out the window. Rain pattered down, obscuring her view of the muddy dirt road outside so she simply focused on the fat droplets that slid down the pane. Things like that didn't happen in real life, not to tavern wenches, not to her. She was going to be 19 come late spring and for a young woman in a small village that was considered more than old enough to marry.

There were a few young men that she had become friends with. They were kind and caring and wanted to settle down and raise a family in the village where they had grown up. While Kyla admitted that this was a nice dream all in all, she craved a man who wanted adventure as much as she did, someone who would sweep her away to a far away place and take her to battle dragons and rescue fair damsels, although she refused to play the part of a damsel in distress.

She wanted someone who didn't mind her outspokenness, who would treat her like an equal in every way and who wouldn't be swayed by her explosive temper. She sighed again, the sound speaking worlds of her emotions as she closed the book and placed it on the window sill. Men like that came from fairytales, not from Siaro.

The hour was growing late and not a soul had ventured to the inn that day, so Kyla stood and began to sweep the floor, readying it for closing. Her mind continued to wander as it oft did while she did the simple task and so she did not hear the door chime as it opened, signaling the arrival of a visitor.

The man stopped where he stood, giving Kyla a once over with eyes the color of a stormy sea. Andarian was a young lord who had been to court and met and bedded many fair ladies, wenches, other men's wives and more. She put them all to shame, dressed even as she was in a simple bodice and skirt tied over a white chemise and her hair pulled up in a haphazard knot.

If not for the pain he was in at the moment, he might have said something eloquent, even poetic, as ladies always loved such things. Instead, he applied more pressure to the bloody wound in his side, pulled his cloak closer around him and cleared his throat to get her attention.

Kyla jumped, startled by the sound, and jutted the handle of the broom she was holding out in front of her as if she was brandishing a sword. If Andarian hadn't been afraid of passing out at that very moment, he might have laughed. He found it extremely amusing that the maid looked like a warrior ready for battle. She would indeed have made a fine looking warrior maid, he thought, if only she were wearing some tight leather armor.

He leaned against the nearest table, trying his best to look nonchalant which was terribly hard considering the way he was trembling, both from the cold outside and from the pain of his wounded side.

Kyla lowered her 'weapon', her heart jumping in her chest as she caught sight of the man. He was tall, she noted, and muscular, she thought to herself though his cloak kept hidden his full build. His face was angular but not sharply so and he had the most interesting eyes she had ever seen. They were sort of gray and sort of green...she just couldn't put a finger on such a color and was sure she would be thinking about it long into the night trying to put a name to it. "I am sorry, sirrah, I did not realize you were here. How may I help you?"

She had a lovely voice, soft and smoky and it seemed to make his head spin. Of course, he thought with mild amusement, his head could be spinning due to the amount of blood loss he was suffering. It took him a moment to form the words he wanted and managed to get them out before blessed darkness consumed him. "I need a room please."

For a moment, Kyla thought of spiders.