Lily woke up early in the morning, she needed to, it was part of her job. She lived inside the West Wall Rest. The inn was built in the newly expanded west district of the city. They were very close to the west entrance, not that many travelers used it, but those who lived near Neverglen did, and the inn was made with those people at its mind.
The farmers and other kind for trades, that worked near Neverglen, would travel at night. They all would spent the night here, and the West Wall Rest had always had guest since its opening two years ago. Lily had started working in the inn 10 months ago, she was now part of the regular staff.
She took a quick bath, with cold water, if she heated it up, she would be late, and unconsciously, she touched at her neck. She was a debt servant, the word sounded strange, but it was something normal in Neverglen as it had been in Midy. She was the fifth daughter in a large family of farmers. She was from a small village just north of Levanoit, at the border of the Realm of Val Evant and the lands of Neverglen.
She had come to Neverglen, without a coin, but there was a way for someone like her to have a chance, and a safe start. As safe as one could get in Neverglen at least. She had been able to talk with a servant master of Neverglen, who arranged for her transport. A debt servant was someone who would work to pay a debt, but in Lily's case, she was being owed.
The debt servants, were created in Midy, in the old city slavery was in a sense prohibited, but they had debt servants. Criminals, prisoners of war and certain other individuals, were made debt servants, they were subdued by blood binding magic, and they would be made to work, but they would be treated with certain amounts of respect and liberty, and depending on what they had done, they would work to earn their freedom.
The debt servants occupied a special place in Midy's society, and eventually became something else. Lily's future on her village was uncertain, her family was poor, and the harvest had been bad. She was the fifth or seven, and her parents would care little for her, and her younger siblings. She did not know anyone in Levanoit, or Neverglen, but if you wanted to become a debt servant, everything would be taken care of.
A transport was arranged for her, and when she came to Neverglen, she was lead to the Servant Master house of the Glass Circle, a grand building near the city center. She was offered food, and a place to stay the night. The next day, she was introduced to one of the bind masters, Enora, she explained Lily, what did the binding required, and she asked what would she be willing to do for how long, and how much did she expected to gain.
These was the essential part in any binding, prisoners and criminals, were given almost no choice about what they would do, and they gained nothing, they were paying for their deeds. Those who ended with a debt, there was a negotiation, the house would pay the debt, but they would be employ the debtor, and they arranged how that would turn out.
For people like Lily, this was a chance, the debt servants, were protected by the law of Neverglen, and the house they were signed with, they would receive food and shelter, and they had a saying in what they would do, and what they allowed. She had signed for 3 years, she was 16 when she had come, she hoped, by the time her contract ended, she could start her life in a very different manner, and she would still be young enough.
There was not much she knew, so her options were rather limited. For any profession, she would have earned nothing by the end of her contract, other than food and shelter, but she would have learned a trade, but she did not fancy anything in particular. She was no beauty, but her face pleasant enough, to be offered a job as a maid in a big house, or as a clerk somewhere, but she was a bit timid, and the bind master, changed her mind.
She was also offered the chance to work on the pleasure district, she had a certain appeal, and for a short contract like the one she wanted, she could earn a respectable amount, or a lot, but that would depend on her, but she had refused immediately.
In the end after a long chat, the bind master, decided to place her as a maid in an inn, she looked pleasant enough, she could do most of the chores, and she was willing to live there, and work hard, she wanted to received a part of the income, even though she would not earn much at the end of the contract. The bind master, explained everything, and a contract was arranged. The glass circle, would found an inn for her to work, and she would work hard, there was even a list of the things she accepted doing, and those who were not.
She was expected to serve, help with the cooking, cleaning, attend the guest, and every other chore you would expect from working in an inn, her employers however, could not take advantage of her physically neither by asking her to labor she could not do, nor abuse of her, in any form. She could be reprimanded, but that was about it. She was a lot more conformable after the bind master explained what the contract endured, and that many of the waiters, washers and manual laborers in the city were debt servants. The city was growing, and the Servant Master Houses offered, a chance for anyone moving in the city.
Lily worked for a month in an inn called The Jester and Hound, were she was taught the ropes of keeping and inn, the Glass Circle, made sure, the servants they offered, were well prepared. Once she was ready, she had been sent to The West Wall Rest, she was the only debt servant, but the inn had some other employees, as well as the owners of the inn, Mr and Mrs Redbrew.
They had been good to her, they leave her be, and asked her to handle the early and late hours, as well as help on the busiest part of the day. She was also asked to handle the coin, if they were not around, or to handle the shopping at the market. Debt servants could not steal, the blood pact make sure of it, and she had already seen a debt servant, being 'restricted' by the pact. She did not want to test it.
She finished her bath, and went to the kitchen to lit a fire, and heat up some of the food, that was left from yesterday. The inn, did not have preservation magic, so they would use the food before it was spoiled. There were 5 guests currently at the inn, a pair of merchants, farmer Woodrow, who was a regular, a peddler and the man who had come late at night, Blue.
She had been woken by the sudden bright light, and the following tremor. The entire inn had woken, the city had not been attacked by monsters since she had moved, but the locals were always on their toes, and it got in to you. Mr. Redbrew, had gone and talk with some guards, but they assured him, it was not a monster attack, they had not been called of anything.
After some time passed, and everyone had calmed down, the guards told us, it was supposed to be a meteorite, and that there was a search party already on their way, but that everything was in control, the city hall would announce more tomorrow, and with that everyone else returned to sleep.
She had stayed drinking a tea at the kitchen, when the door was knocked. The man, Blue, wanted to stay for a few days, and she knew Mr. Redbrew liked those deals. She had been surprised, the man had agreed to pay the six silvers, he could have gotten on a way better inn with that money, but he looked, troubled, he told her he had just gotten inside the city, so he must have seen the meteorite fall, she could not blame him for wanting a place to sleep, no more questions asked. He payed, she showed his room, he thanked her, and went inside the room.
She had been startled at first, the man was one of the tallest persons she had ever seen, he was wearing simple cotton clothes, but the cape looked to be something else for all it was covered in dirt. He had a long sword on his belt, which was not a rare sight, but his height and the way he moved, told her, he knew how to use it, yet he had a reassuring smile, and a nice face, for all that he wore glasses, they suited him, or she thought. He had very pale skin, and silver and teal hair.
"Good morning, miss Lily, is there anything to eat" a deep voice behind her startled her, and as she turned she saw Blue at the kitchen entrance "I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you, I heard some noise and wondered if there was something to eat" the tall man told her smiling.
"I was just heating some meat stew, it is from yesterday, but Mrs. Redbrew is a fine cook" she answer him, calming herself down.
"That would be lovely miss Lily, may I have some?"
"It will be ready in a minute, sit down and I'll bring it to you"
"Only if you come to have breakfast with me, otherwise, I rather eat it here" the tall man said smiling, and Lily blushed a bit "I don't mean to interrupt you, but it's been sometime since I was in Neverglen, I was hoping to talk with you about what has happened?", Lily consider it for a moment, and she nodded.
"Sure, I'll bring some stew in a moment, but please, wait for it, at the tables, Mrs. Redbrew does not like people entering the kitchen" she replied timidly, and the tall man nodded happy.
Lily placed some of the stew in the bowls, took to loafs of bread and took it to the where the tables were. Blue was sitting near the window, where she had spied on him last night. He was looking outside, and turned to her, when he heard her.
"Marvelous, thank you miss Lily, I was starving" Blue said as she placed the bowl in front of him, she had never been addressed as miss, but she liked it.
"What do you want to drink, we have some beer, and wine, and Mrs. Redbrew makes some fruit mead" she wondered as she placed her bowl in front of him.
"Whatever you are having would be fine miss Lily" he smiled at her.
She grabbed a couple of tankards, poured some mead on them, and went to seat next to Blue, he had been waiting for her to eat. He accepted the mead, and once she was sitting, he drank from it, and smiled.
"Thank you, miss Lily, I was woken up by my stomach, I am glad I found you so early" he said as he began eating the stew.
"It is nothing, Mr. Blue, I take the early round in the inn" she answered, and she took a bite from the loaf of bread, it was a bit hard, but she dowsed in the stew.
"Call me, Blue, please, I don't think I look that old" and he was right, she eyed him, and he looked to be past his twenties, she was 18, but must people thought her a bit younger because she was thin.
"Fine, Blue, you told me you had been here before, are you a trader?" she had been curious about what he did since yesterday. He laughed.
"I am sorry, miss Lily, but I don't think you believe I am a trader, go ahead ask me what you truly think" he said smiling at her, and she was surprised, but he was right.
"Are you a mercenary?" she asked a bit more careful, she would have asked if he was and adventurer, but they seldom came to the west district, but by his looks and the long sword from yesterday she believed that.
"Well, it is a good guess, and you almost got it, I was a mercenary, but I am currently and Adventurer" he replied smiling "It was a good guess, most adventurers keep on the north and east district right?"
"Yeah, they seldom come here" she answered, this was the first adventurer to stay on the West Wall Rest.
"You were right, miss Lily, Mrs. Redbrew does cook a fine stew, and decent mead" he said as he ate happy. He ate very fast, or so Lily thought, she looked at the man, and wanted to ask him a lot of questions, she had seldom met adventurers, and he noticed she was looking at him.
"You may ask if you like, miss Lily, I was the one who asked for company, go on, ask away, but, I would like to inquiry about you in return?" He said smiling as he look at her eyes, and she blushed. He could ask, she was no mystery.
"You are an adventurer, so that means, you want to go to the Vault?" she asked
"I have gone to the Vault before, miss Lily, I intend to do so this time as well, but I have other things to attend in the City as well" he replied as he kept eating, and she looked at him surprised. Adventurers came to Neverglen for the Vault, the labyrinth dungeon beneath the wretched city of Midy, many died, but they would not stop coming, not while there was something to gain inside the thing, but he was very calmed about it.
"You have been inside the Vault?" she had stopped eating, most adventurers, dealt with the monsters that dwelt on the northern plains, around Neverglen and Midy, or that lived in the wretched city, but only platinum ranked or above were allowed, inside the Vault. She eyed him, and he indeed had a remarkable look, but he seemed normal, or not what she had expected a platinum ranked adventurer would look, and he understood her face.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, miss Lily, but I can assure you, must high ranked adventurers do not look any particular way, true there are some, who had a very distinct air around them, but for the rest o us there is nothing much to it" he once more smiled at her, and his eyes were on hers, she could not help but blush, but she also noticed, his eyes were different.
"How is it?" she asked while she looked at his eyes
"The vault?" Blue asked, and she nodded.
"Well, the first floor, has been completely explored, and it remains as it was ever since the dungeon was first found, but the monsters inside it, are not what they used to. The place is surreal, you enter trough a stair, and as you descend, you pass through a rock arc, and find yourself, in a land of perpetual twilight, and surrounded, by walls, the entrance to the labyrinth" she was entranced in his words, as much as in his eyes, they were light blue, but there were some green rays on them, and his pupils were heart shaped?. He noticed she was staring at him and he smiled, as he pushed his glasses into place, and she blushed even more.
"am I boring you miss Lily" he asked with a grin on his face
"No" and it was true, she had heard about the entrance to the labyrinth before, but hearing it from someone who had been there was different, but she had been lost in his eyes for a moment "I am sorry, It was just, that your eyes..."
"What about them miss Lily?" he asked still smiling, and looking straight at her
"Are they heart shaped?" she could not help but asked
"They are, miss Lily, I don't mind being stared at, but some would consider it rude" Lily face went completely red, and she turned towards her food, she took a bite, and as she raised her head again, he was still staring at her.
"Are you a half elf?" it was considered rude to ask, but she had eyed his ears, and they were not elven shaped, so he could be a half elf, they inherited some weird traits from their elven parents sometimes.
"No, miss Lily, I am not a half elf, but neither am I a complete human, I hope that is not a problem?" he asked, and she immediately denied with her head.
Neverglen as had Midy, were acceptance of any sentient and thinking race, as long as they obeyed the law. The Realm of Val Evant, just south and from which Lily hailed from, was made of mostly humans, they had a large number of half elves, they saw elves from time to time, as well as dwarfs and some Khealies, but Lily had not seen anything other than humans, in her village, it was not until she came to Neverglen that she had seen another species.
Speciesism as it was officially called was forbidden in Neverglen, some establishments, could enact their own, rules, but they should be displayed outside the building, and the watch be aware of them, so she quickly denied with her head.
"No, I am sorry, I was just surprised" she said quickly, but now she was even more curious, but he smiled at her and drank what was left of the mead. She was hoping he would tell her, but he just looked at her.
"I told you, you may ask, miss Lily" he said after a moment, and she nodded.
"What are you?" she asked timidly, he laughed, it was a big and merry laughter.
"Well, that is really rude, but I understand, I am half faery, miss Lily" he said after he stopped laughing, and just smiled at her. She was more surprised, the faeries or fae kept themselves, to magic places and the wild mostly, she had never seen one, and here she was eating breakfast with a half one.
"I've never met a fae before" Lily replied still marveled
"Well, I've only met a few, but I am not very well seen among them" his smiled was still bright, but his tone was a bit deeper.
"Now miss Lily, I have answered your questions, and as I told you, I would ask about you in return" Lily was still looking at his eyes, when his words startled her.
"Wait, I have one more question" he looked at her for a moment, and nodded.
"Make it a good one, for I will ask something important as well" he said in a serious tone, but he was still smiling.
"What is your rank as an adventurer?" Lily, knew he must be platinum or higher, to have entrance into the vault, but she wanted to know.
"That is what you want to know? are you sure?" he seemed a bit disappointed, but she nodded, she wanted to know.
He grabbed a little necklace and he took it from his neck, and passed it to Lily. It had a simple and small metal plate, he offered to her, and she hesitated, it was an adventurer badge, his mark given by the adventurers guild, it was personal. He offered a second time, and she grabbed it, the small badge had engraved letters 'Blue Lite, Platinum Rank, Neverglen Adventurer's Guild' that was what it read in the badge, the badge was made in platinum, so it was valuable in itself, she gave it back to Blue and he placed the necklace back.
"Well, miss Lily, now is my turn to ask questions" he said smiling
"Why?" she asked with uncertainty on her face
"Why, what?, miss Lily?" he asked confused
"Why do you want to know about me?, I am just a maid" she had no problem admitting it, she had become a debt servant to have earned as much, but he was a platinum ranked adventurer, he was important. Why had he answered her?
"Why not, miss Lily?" he answered smiling, and still looking at straight into her eyes "You are not just a debt servant" he told her and she was surprised, how had he known, true, there were many, but she had not said or done anything to reveal it.
"You keep touching at your neck, were the binding mark had been engraved in you, miss Lily, and you do not look like a criminal, and in my opinion, you have are not indebted, you chose to become a debt servant, miss Lily, not anyone would take a chance at their fate, like you have, why would I not be interested in knowing you?" he smiled at her, and she was frozen, she had not said anything, many people guessed about her, but they were guessing, he was sure.
"Now miss Lily, may I began my round of questions?" the man named Blue, smiled again, and she just nodded in response. He had given her a chance to ask, and she had, she knew somethings about him, but not who he was. She had been startled by his strange eyes, and his rank as and adventurer.
"Sure, go ahead" she was nervous, what would he ask, what did he want from her, he was handsome enough, and he was very tall, and a platinum rank adventurer, he would not have trouble finding company, Fran the late shift maid, would be all over him, more so if she knew he was platinum ranked, and she looked good.
"Why did you take a bath with cold water?" she looked at the man, and for a second she was lost.
"What?"
"Do you like bathing with cold water?" he asked again, and she was frowning.
"No, but if I heated the water, it would take much more time, and I am suppose to prepared early before the guests wake up" she answered still frowning and confused
"Right, that makes a lot of sense" he answered nodding satisfied, as if a mystery had been solved.
"Wait, how did you know I took a bath with cold water?" she asked more confused.
"I was cleaning myself outside the bath, when I heard a short scream, and I looked through the window, because I was worried, I saw you were thanking a bath and calmed down, so I went back inside, and waited for someone to enter the kitchen" Lily's mouth was wide open as she heard his explanation "You look in good health miss Lily" he said that, and winked at her, she covered herself and went completely red, and she stood up.
"I hope you have enjoyed the breakfast, it is included, with your initial pay" she was about to leave red to the ears.
"I answered your questions miss Lily, I did not mean harm, and I am being honest, would you not talk with me some more?" Lily turned, and saw Blue was still smiling at her, and his tone was polite. She thought for a moment, and went to her chair again.
"Thank you miss Lily, and forgive my rudeness" he bowed and that surprised her as well "I truly would like to know about you" there it was again, she felt nervous, why?, why did he asked about her.
"You think little about yourself, miss Lily, and that is wrong. It is true, that you may not have much money, or power of a kind, but anyone can do something about their fate, you already have" the words again, got Lily surprised and listening "I respect and like that about you, is that not enough for me to want to know you?" his eyes were still looking at her, but she felt they saw much more, or more like, they really looked at her, and she who most of the time felt, small, her skin felt hot.
"Tell me where are you from miss Lily?"
----------------------------------------------------
"The food, for the new guest is ready" Mrs. Redbrew voice, came from the kitchen.
"I'll take it" Fran practically yelled, as she rushed to grab the plate and a glass with mead.
"I hate that, she is already prettier than us, there is no need for her to rush over the new guy" Laurie the last maid of the West Wall Rest, said to Lily. She was eyeing Blue, from the counter "Well you did found him, and served him in the morning, so I guess, Fran might be jealous?"
"As if" Lily answered, but part of her wanted to be truth. She had talked a lot with Blue in the morning, she had practically told him, her story, and he listened and cared. Mr. Redbrew had found them talking, and after introducing himself, he and Blue talked about the prize of him staying for a month.
They had settled the prize, and Mr. Redbrew looked please, he asked Lily to clean the tables and went to the kitchen. She was going to clean them, when Blue had stopped her. He thanked her, and told her, he had several things he would needed to attend, but that he would return in the afternoon, and he hoped to talked with her again.
He was a new guest, but he had asked and listened, and for her, it had meant a lot. He had returned and Fran had ran to attend him, while she helped in the kitchen. She had heard about the new guest, who had payed a month in advance.
There inn, always had several other people who came to grab something to eat, Mrs. Redbrew cooking was sought after. Lily was picking up the dishes to wash them.
"The new guy is bot that interesting right" Fran returned a lot faster that she used to, whenever she went to attend someone she was interested in.
"Well that was fast" Lauire responded "Did he not like your company?" she said jokingly but Fran did not answer, and Lauries eyes went wide open "He did, reject you?" now Lily was looking at Fran as well, who was clearly upset.
"He wanted to eat alone, that is all" Fran answered, as she grabbed some of the plates Lily had already washed and placed them at the counter.
Laurie laughed at her in a low tone, and Lily smiled. She turned to look at were Blue was sitting, and he had a book on the table, and was reading as he ate, but as if he had known, he turned to her, and smiled. She blushed and continued washing the dishes.
It was late already, and most of the guest had gone already, Fran and Laurie helped her clean the rest of the tables, and once they finished, they left the inn. Blue was the only person still on the tables, reading a book. Lily closed the door after Fran and Laurie left, and as she turned she found Blue eyeing her.
"I do not like your friend, Fran much" he said and she stopped "She tries very hard, to remain with the guest to work as little as she can"
"Well, it did not work with you" Lily replied, and Blue was standing as well, her head barely reached his shoulder.
"I was waiting to talk with you miss Lily" he told her, and he walked towards her.
"What is it that you want from me, Blue?" she told him but her voice was timid, she had enjoyed talking with him, and he was intriguing to say the least. She was no maiden, she had a thing or two since she had arrived at Neverglen, but she felt different, near him.
"I want your company, miss Lily" he said, and they were standing very close to each other, his eyes were once more on her, and she could feel his gaze.
"What do you mean?" she managed to answer, they very close.
"I enjoy your company miss Lily, I like talking with you, but I can't deny, I also liked what I saw from you earlier this morning" Lily felt her cheeks getting hotter "I do not mean anything else, miss Lily, I would not like you get a wrong idea, nor would I like to deceive you"
Lily had to look up, to meet his eyes. She had enjoyed talking with him, and she felt attracted to the man, but the unease she had felt, she had taken from her. She did not wish to pursue anything more, they both just wanted company. She looked at those blue eyes with green rays, at those heart shaped pupils, who looked at her, and saw more than anyone else had seen in her. She closed her eyes, and waited for a kiss, but it was his hands on her waist what she felt first.