The sisters rode in grim silence not speaking to each other as they rode. The ride was quiet and they made good haste, yet it was late afternoon when they arrived at the Seventh Common.
As their horses trotted up to the village centre, they spotted the dark and lean figure of Ashmeer. He stood on one side, his collars up to his chin. He wore simple dark leather breeches and a dark grey shirt. He wore another dark grey waistcoat over it. He could have looked like a simple village man, but his regal and military bearing was a dead giveaway. As he caught the reins of her horse, Azriel noticed that his scar was missing.
"Your scar?", she exclaimed.
He put a finger on his lips and said, "I will tell you about that later. For now, I have found you an inn, where you can wash up before you go to meet Nuria."
Azriel wordlessly let him guide them to the tiny inn. Her mind was full of many questions. How did Ashmeer get here so fast? Why was he dressed like a simple merchant or tradesman. How did he know Nuria's name? What else did he know about her?
The last question made her terribly nervous, but she decided that she would address it later. Eva and she sat in the tiny bedroom of the inn and brushed each other's hair.
"Are you nervous?" asked Eva.
Azriel nodded, her lips pursed. Eva's nimble fingers plaited her hair. The two girls had never visited such a tiny village inn. There was a tiny bed, which almost touched the door, when it opened. The room had no windows, but two storm windows high near the ceiling. There was a sudden elegantly carved side table on which were placed two tumblers and a jug of water. The bedspread was old and frayed, but clean and trimmed with lace. They had never been in such humble surroundings. Their lives had been spent in castles and manors, and they had till yet, seen only luxury. Their stomachs rumbled as well and they both realized that they had not had anything to eat since morning, apart from the hurried broth before the war council meeting.
Just on cue, there was a knock on the door and a ruddy red-faced lady walked peeped in. She was obviously the innkeeper's wife. She smiled at the ladies and said, "There is a tea at the dining hall milady. We have a small room where the likes of yourself can sit unmolested and have a bite to eat and a cup of tea if you like. The main hall will soon start filling up with the farm men. You wouldn't want that now!"
Eva smiled back at her a brilliant smile and handed her a few coins, "We are terrified of those men. Could you give us a few veils to wear as well. We came to meet an aunt who lives nearabouts and she is very old fashioned. We forgot ours in a rush when we left home today morning."
"Yes, yes," the woman's face lit up. "I have a few with lace trim. They are old but clean and very pretty. I'll have them ready for you soon."
They made their way to the small tea room, where Ashmeer sat, perched uncomfortably on a chair, which looked way too small for him. Eva looked at him and giggled, "Oh My Lord, how small is that chair!"
Ashmeer shot her a glance and patted the chair next to him. "Azriel, come sit, eat fast. We must meet Nuria today and be back by tomorrow. There is too much to do yet."
Azriel nodded. The table was full of food. There was cornbread and hot rabbit stew, buttered potatoes, apples and lots of hot tea. She sighed happily, as she munched on her meal, feeling content with the simple fare. It was wholesome and delicious.
Ashmeer wolfed down his meal as well. She had never seen a man eat so much. Eva pecked at her food. She took delicate sips of her tea and said, "Let's get going then. We need to return home early morning tomorrow."
They trooped out of the inn following some general directions from the innkeeper's wife who had made a rather terrible face when they asked for Nuria. Azriel and Eva wore their veils, and Ashmeer pulled his collar up. Villagers would talk and gossip and it would just be a matter of time before talk spread of three well-dressed strangers who had come to meet Nuria, the mad witch.
Nuria's house was near a thicket, on the village boundary before the forest road started. It was a small hut, with a thatched roof. Nuria seemed to live well, as there were chickens running around and a goat as well. Azriel marched up to the door before Eva or Ashmeer could stop her. Her heart was thumping in her chest and her hands shook as she pushed the door open. She peeked into a rather neat and well-kept cottage and asked, "Nuria?"
A very beautiful woman was stirring a pot of hot soup that smelt delicious. The cottage was pretty and airy and the woman who stood in front of her looked ethereally beautiful and too young to be her mother. She was tall and statuesque with lovely chestnut curls, much like her own. Her eyes though were a deep sparkling brown, currently full of merriment. She stood almost a head taller than Azriel and would have been as tall as Ashmeer himself. She placed her hands on her hips, and smiled at Azriel, "I thought you would have come to me three years ago when you sprouted them wings."