The serving girls arrived to take our orders. “Just bring out whatever you’ve got ready and some drinks. We’ll take it from there.” I motioned to Delik Slin to pay them and he began counting out some coins. “I want to be ready to go as soon as we can after we’re reunited with our companions. When can we expect them?”

“I do not believe Captain Klote will press them unduly directly after combat.” Sir Aryoss said when no one else jumped in. “They undoubtedly had wounded to deal with and they have no spare horses. I would guess noon at the earliest and before night falls at the latest.” Everyone else either nodded in agreement or shrugged.

“If that’s the case then we can all, or at least most of us, can enjoy the evening and get a good night’s rest. Venzik, would you set the guard schedule for the horses and our rooms? I don’t want anything to surprise us tonight.”

He nodded and then the food started arriving. It was decent, but not up to the usual standard of the Buxom Lass. War really is hell, I guess. At least I got served first since I was a lord. It is easy to get used to preferential treatment. Always being at the head of the line is pretty nice, as was being able to get rooms in a full inn.

The crowd seemed nervous, which made sense to me for a village all alone in the middle of a drant war, even if it did have a stone wall. The innkeeper did what he could to lighten the mood. Two musicians took turns playing and singing, and there was a juggler whose antics amused some of the patrons. All in all I found it pretty depressing so I decided to turn in early. This might be my last night with a bath and a real bed available and I determined to make use of it before suffering weeks sleeping on the ground and being filthy.

I took a leisurely bath after waiting for hot water to be brought up by some serving lads, then prepared for a full night’s sleep in a serviceable bed. I didn’t get it. The room was stuffed full of cots and people kept coming in to use them. First it was my father, then Delik Slin. I had also forgotten about Venzik’s guard schedule. In addition to being woken up every time someone else retired my sleep was also was rudely interrupted each time someone was summoned to stand their shift. Eventually it was my turn.

It was Vone who woke me. “Dirk, Venzik’s got you down for the last shift of stable duty.”

“Oh, great.” I groaned. “Who will I be with? Not Padral, I hope.”

“I heard that.” In the dim light of Vone’s lantern I saw the little mage turn over on his cot, obviously in a huff. That cheered me up a little as I got dressed and started pulling on my boots.

Vone had also seen and heard Padral and was smiling. “You lucked out. I will be on guard with you. We should hurry, though. There is only Urdnik down there now, since Stegen came to summon us for our shift.”

“I’m ready. Or at least ready enough. After you.” He had the lantern after all. I followed him downstairs and out one of the back doors. It was still dark although the sky was just beginning to lighten, or else I was imagining it. We made our way to the stable and found a delighted dwarf who was more than ready to get back to bed. He quickly grabbed his lantern and trudged out.

“He’s pretty happy for a dwarf.” I said.

“I think anyone coming off of guard duty with the prospect of sleep is likely to be in a good mood. However, I had a chance to ride next to Urdnik on the way to Tarn and he is extremely cheerful for a dwarf. Even riding a horse, which must be quite uncomfortable for someone of his stature, did not sour his mood. He deems this some sort of grand adventure.”

“Good for him.” I grumped, not about to let his good mood spoil my sour one. “Let’s check the horses.” We only had one lantern so the first thing we did was search for another one. Vone soon found a beat up old one that looked unfortunately heavy to carry. He lit it and passed me the lantern he’d been carrying. I was too relieved to be insulted so I just took it and headed to the stalls on the right. “I’ll check these ones.” I said unnecessarily.

I heard Vone heading to the left. A few minutes later we were back where we started at the main doors. “Everything looked good to me.” I said.

“Same for me. Nothing amiss at all.” Vone said before sitting on an old stool.

“How long is our shift?” I asked, looking around for another place to sit.

“Two hours or so.”

I nodded. “This should be fun. I walked to the doorway and looked out. It was definitely getting lighter. That was something. I found an old crate and moved it over near Vone and just sat there listening to him about why he preferred a mace most of the time. I was struggling to stay awake because he falls into his lecturing mode of speaking and that endless droning on is very monotonous yet relaxing.