As she moved closer to the inn on the uneven dirt street, she stumbled over a rut left by a wagging wheel. As she approached the door noticing the well worn wood farm surrounding and the slightly faded yellow paint. Reaching down an pulling the brass wring handle as the door she swung open Zena slipped into the well lit room wish a small fire in the stone fire place in the back right corner of the room. Walking in she pulled on her hood to make sure to keep her green hair covered. Slowly walking to long oak counter the bar maid hallowed over at her "I'll be right with you darlin".
Looking to back over her should Zena saw a beautiful young lady about her own age of nineteen. Replying back "Oh ok there's no rush"
"Sit anywhere you would"
Before reaching the bar Zena sees a table next to a support beam and changes her direct to sit there. By the time she was sitting down the young barmaid was coming over to her. As the barmaid moved closer to Zena's table she notice that young woman as a few inches short then herself, which made the lass about five foot eight or so, with long flowing blond hair and eyes as gray as the sea.
"How are you, I'm Finley. What can I get for you dear."
"So tea and biscuit with honey." "Oh who would I need to talk to about selling some fresh herbs"
"Give me a minute to grab the cook he will be the one that you need to talk to"
As the Finley hurried off the get the cook, Zena untied the herbs an placed them on the table. About ten mounts passed before the energetic barmaid came back carrying a pot, cup, and two big fluffy biscuits and small jar of honey. "Alrighty here you go" as she was unloading her tray the cook hobbled over with a clonk clonk sound as his peg leg hit the hard wood floor. Zena turned to look at where the sound came from seeing a dwarf with a bright red beard tucked into his white apron with a chefs knife on his hip. In a gruff booming voice, "Well show me these herbs".
"Here they are, I harvested them freshly this morning."
Reaching over and plucking a leaf from each one the chefs crushed them between his fingers. Lifting them up to his crooked nose to sniff them. After that he pulled off one more mint leaf, dropping it into his mouth he started to chew it up. "I can comp your meal and give you ten bronze coins, for everything."
"That works for me thank you."
The chef hobbled back to the kitchen yelling "girl bring those herbs and pay the woman." Scoping of the herbs in her arms and dashing to the kitchen as fast as possible. With in a minute or two she was back with the coins in hand. "Here is your coins is there anything else I can do for you miss."
"Yes, could you possible tell me what happened with the Gruenefeather Farm. I passed by it a day or so ago and it was completely burned down."
A look of shock passed over Finley's face before getting a little more series "It was a horrible ordeal"
Pausing for a second to look around "What I heard was Gruenefeather refused to travel to King Thearran castle an become the new beast master trainer there."
"What really."
"Yap but someone said he only wanted the beast to be trained to kill and hunt the kings enemies. An that they where some hideous type monsters." "Gruenefeather wished to stay on his farm breading an training beast to help an work along side there owners."
Biting down on the insides of her lip to fight back the tears about to run down her face. Choking back the tears "Thank you for all the information."
After finishing her tea and biscuits, she gather up her stuff and waved the young lady over "will you be here tomorrow?"
"That I will, I'm here everyday of the week"
"Good I'll be back tomorrow, before I go can you tell me where the Silverbear family lives?."
"Oh why do you ask about them?"
"They are an old family friend of my fathers. He told me to go and stay with them if I'm ever into."
"I can do you one better. I'll take you there myself I'm about to get off anyways. Wait here." Saying that Finley went to let the cook know she was leaving for the day.
Grabbing Zena by the hand pulling her out the door "Come on lets go"
Follow beside Finley they chatted on the way to the Silverbears residence passing by all the little shops an houses coming to a point where the house started to become nicer and taller. Most of the houses here have are setting on a few acres of land so there was most comfortable an less cramp feeling. And the road ways where smoothed out and very well tended to. "Here we are" stopping in front of medium size house white washed with dark oak trim with a stacked stone base.
A sharp click as Finley pushed door latch and started to open the door. With shock in her voice "Wait shouldn't we knock first before barraging in like this?"
"Nope. I forget to tell you that this is my family home."
An expression of surprise crossed Zena's face. "Really? Why do you work at he Inn then?"
"Yes really. And it's because I want something to do."
Yelling "Dad we have a guest. She says you are a friend of her father's"
"Bing her into the study"
"Set your bag down here with your bow and arrows, they will fine right here."
Zena did as she was told taking her bag off and unhooking the arrows from her belt and setting them with the bow. Feeling a little bare she followed down the hall to the first door to the left. Walking into the room was more like a library then a study. Book shelves covered ever wall and there wasn't any empty space for another book to be placed.
"Dad this is Zena"
"I am Hanson Silverbear. It's a pleasure to meet you. Would you mind doing me a courtesy and remove your hood so can see your face better?"
With an inner sigh she slow reaches up an pulls her hud down revealing her green hair.