With their livelihood on the line, Rina and her husband sat in the dimly lit inn's kitchen, poring over their financial records as the last light of day faded into darkness. As they worried over their dwindling options, a knock on the door interrupted their argument.
Thud thud thud
Two men entered the inn, looking for a place to spend the night.
Rina showed the two men to their room, happy for potential business. She invited them to join her and her husband for a meal in the inn's dining area. The men accepted the invitation, and the four of them sat down at the small wooden table, illuminated only by a few flickering candles.
Rina was a young and striking blonde woman with captivating blue eyes. She hailed from the Xes kingdom, growing up in a small village with her family. Despite her humble beginnings, she had always carried herself with grace and poise, catching the eye of many admirers. It wasn't until she met her husband, a struggling businessman with dreams of owning his own inn, that she found true love. They combined their passions to create the Starry Inn they now ran together, pouring their hearts and souls into its success.
After finishing their meal, the travelers inquired about the inn and its business. Rina and her husband opened up about their financial struggles and how they were barely keeping the business afloat.
The travelers listened with interest, nodding sympathetically as the couple spoke. When they finished talking, one of the travelers leaned in and made a proposition.
"You know, you're a beautiful woman. Have you ever considered using your assets to attract more customers? Perhaps you should dress better and put on some makeup," the traveler said to Rina.
Rina was taken aback by the comment, and her eyes trembled. Her husband was quick to speak up, telling the travelers that such suggestions were slightly inappropriate.
The travelers just chuckled and waved their hands dismissively, as if the couple's objections were of no consequence. Rina felt a flush of anger rise in her chest, but she bit her tongue, knowing that they couldn't afford to lose any customers, no matter how sleazy they might be.
As the travelers exchanged glances, one of them let out a whistle and spoke in a sly tone. "Looks like we've got a sweet one," he said, lowering his voice so only his partner could hear. "I like that in a woman. Perhaps we should consider taking her up."
As the travelers settled in for the night, Rina and her husband tried to ignore their lewd comments and insinuations. They did their best to make their guests comfortable, serving them food and drinks with forced smiles on their faces.
Rina's husband excused himself to clean the dishes, leaving her alone with the travelers. They continued to make suggestive comments and insinuations. Rina felt a sense of unease settle in her stomach. She tried her best to ignore their advances but found herself slowly warming up to their compliments and attention. Rina found herself flirting back with the travelers, laughing at their crude jokes, and playing along with their advances. She couldn't help feeling a rush of excitement at the attention they were giving her.
As they dined, the travelers made increasingly suggestive comments towards Rina, causing her to feel uncomfortable but happy. When they finally retired to their rooms, Rina breathed a sigh of relief, believing that the ordeal was over.
But as she was cleaning up, one of the travelers leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Beautiful. If you come to our room tonight, we'll give you 100 gold coins. Think about it." The traveler gave her a smirk and walked away, leaving Rina speechless.
She froze, trying to process the offer and the implications of accepting it. The idea of selling herself for money made her stomach turn, but the debt hanging over their business was too great to ignore. As she struggled with her thoughts, she knew that she needed to talk to her husband about the offer.
Rina made her way to find her husband, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty. She knew that this offer was something that they couldn't ignore, but she was also worried about the toll it might take on their marriage.
His face buried in his hands, clearly he saw or heard something. He looked up as she came closer. Rina could see the lines etched deep in his forehead, evidence of the stress they both were under. Rina took a deep breath and hesitantly shared the offer that had been made to her. Her husband listened silently, his face growing darker with every word.
They felt disgusted by the idea as their inn was not yet at the breaking point. Rina asked her husband what they should do, as she felt torn between the potential income and the moral implications of accepting such an offer. She loved her husband and their inn, but what was she willing to do to keep it afloat?
Her husband, Danang, looked at her with a mixture of empathy and frustration. He too was worried about their financial situation, but he couldn't bear the thought of his wife being subjected to such an indecent proposal. They sat in silence for a few moments.
Danang broke the silence, "I love you, Rina. I'm sorry for hesitating and not being a better husband."
Rina put a hand on her husband's shoulder and shook her head. "You're not a poor husband," she said. "We're in this together, remember?"
Danang nodded and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We'll figure this out, Rina. We always have."
They sat in silence once more, both lost in thought. Rina couldn't shake the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. She loved their inn and their life together, but the thought of sacrificing her dignity and self-respect made her unsettled.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Danang spoke up again. "I don't want to do this, Rina. I don't want to sell ourselves short like that."
Rina felt a surge of relief wash over her at her husband's words. "Neither do I," she said, smiling weakly. "We'll find another way."
Danang nodded, determination in his eyes. "We will. We always do."