"You are joking, right? Why would a powerful mage do in this small town?"
The innkeeper raised his head again. This time, he was preparing to end his services. The drunkards stayed too much for his own liking. Money was important but rest was of equal importance. He wouldn't let drunkards trying to pull a beautiful woman that looked like a seductress stay anymore in his inn. He would toss them outside if needed.
Taking a glance at the two companions, he understood they would want rooms for the night. But he still asked. He didn't want to sound impolite to travellers. However, as soon as he noticed the wand and the red hair of the witch that he tried to ignore at first because of her beauty, he grimaced displeased. It was a night for unwanted visitors. He hated all races including mages and witches. No one was there when people were butchered and his inn suffered a heavy blow from it. He had to renovate a lot of things using his own money.
"What do you want?"
"I would like to have beer like everyone else but I have never had the taste of it and I heard it was bitter sooo… I will ask for rooms instead. Do you have available ones? We need like a lot of them."
The man gauged Stephan and the witch behind him and wondered why they would need a lot of rooms when they were only two. He wanted to play a prank and give him only one but he soon tossed the idea aside and resumed his grimace.
For a moment, he thought the young lad was a mage using some kind of sorcery to appear young. However, taking notice of the way he treated his wand, he dropped the idea as well and thought he was simply a lad learning magic from the witch since she looked the most likely to do it for a reward. As soon as she would tire of him, she would throw him like a rag on the road.
"There is no room available for you. However, I can offer the stable to sleep with the horses," the innkeeper tried to recognize the accent the young lad spoke with but it was foreign in every way. It was as if he didn't belong anywhere and had his own.
"We have elves with us," Stephan searched for a chair with his eyes but there was none around. Therefore, he remained standing at the counter. His lips wore a fake smile and his eyes pierced the innkeeper as his wrinkles deepened and the displeasure was now noticeable to everyone. He leaned his arms on the counter and bent forward as if he wanted to share a secret. "They are my slaves. You know now our king is permitting slaves but at the condition, they would be from other races."
The proprietor opened his eyes and his mouth gaped open. He almost dropped the mug of ale he had in his hand. For a moment, he froze processing what was happening. He clicked his tongue, feeling the loss of not being under human rule. Things would change in Revampirina and everyone knew that. The vampires were waiting for something but the change would certainly come.
"That's wonderful news!"
Stephan hushed him saying it wasn't a wide rule yet and it wasn't advisable to spread it when the threat of war was still in the open. The proprietor acquiesced. "I can give you a room. I remember there are three left but I can only give you one for you two. There could be travelers out there and I do not wish to be a bad landlord."
"Do you think I would be happy to share a room with this one?" he spoke quietly pointing at the witch behind him who was focused on the white-haired woman. "I want your three rooms. I can give you way more than a gold coin for a room. I can even share some recipes to make money. You would be the only one to have them in town and you would have more money."
"Are your recipes praiseworthy? I don't want to lose money. I couldn't move on from the loss the war inflicted upon me."
"Don't worry about that. I swear with my honour as a mage and my long beard. Don't judge me by my appearance! I am quite an old one and I like travelling. I am a wanderer. If I appeared as my actual age, I would attract attention on the road and it's not good for me."
"I understand. It's a wise choice actually. But aren't mages buried inside their towers?"
"I don't like it. I suffocate inside them. What to do? I am trying to change the old habits and be active in society. I am not confident in my skills when it comes to vampires. I would have died and I hate dying for no reason. So, what will I get? The three rooms, isn't it?"
The innkeeper thought for a while, rubbing his chin with his fingers. He felt the brat was lying but if he was willing to give him recipes that would earn him more money; he would do it gladly. However, if a new customer came and asked for a room, he would throw the elves outside. He stretched his hand asking for money.
"Wait, I will be right back."
Stephan came out of the inn where the others waited in the middle of the road. "So what's the result? Did you get thrown out too?"
"No, relax. However, there is a slight problem. I said to the innkeeper you were my slaves so, can you play the part? I don't want to be kicked out and we all need rest."
"Huh? What did you call us?" Richard asked dumbfounded. "Are you serious about your claims? Do you want your head to roll on the ground? It seems you enjoy belittling us."
"If you want to stay outside, it's your choice. However, I recommend we work together and discuss an important matter this night. I am dying of sleep but discussing will come first."
In the end, the elves accepted and Richard paid.