The night was quiet, especially considering we were in the middle of nowhere. I could hear the distant sound of crickets and the creepy owls.
There were no people, though. We came across a few merchants who were also wearing cloaks like me, and all they did was nod in response and continue their journey.
I liked the vibe. It was nice to feel the gentle night breeze, and have such a lovely peace. Not only that, but I felt like I had something important to do.
Nothing happened during the first hours of our journey. I was the one controlling the horses, but Yula suddenly appeared at one point, and ordered me to sleep.
That's how we went on the journey. We took turns, allowing us to travel a long distance in the shortest time possible.
We managed to keep going like that for one and a half day, only making casual stops to use the bathroom.
Steward had placed drinkable water and perishable goods for us to eat through the journey, but at one point, we had to stop for a proper rest and meal. It was getting hard to keep going like that.
It was also night when we spotted a roadside tavern. The place had two floors, and it was entirely made of wood. Honestly, the place didn't look flashy, but it was something.
I looked to the side to speak with Yula, who stood beside me in front of the carriage. "Are you sure this place is decent? I mean, it doesn't look that great, and the absence of people gives me the creeps." I said.
She sighed. "I feel the same, but that's the only tavern we will find around here, so we better accept our fate. Look, it won't be that bad, right?"
The only good thing I could think of was the company of such a beautiful woman like Yula, with her silky black hair, flower scent and gorgeous body.
Anyway, we stopped the carriage near the tavern, and a man came to speak with us.
"Good evening," he said. "Do you want me to take care of your carriage?"
It was a common practice for taverns to have people watching over carriages, horses, or both. Yula talked to the man, and she paid him a few coins to take care of our stuff for the night.
We entered the tavern with our faces hidden by the hood. There were some people inside, sitting around tables, eating the tavern's food. They looked at us for a second, and then returned to doing what they were doing.
Many people showed up dressed like we were, so for them it wasn't a big deal.
"Let's eat something before getting a room," Yula said.
I was not against the idea. We got ourselves a table at the corner, and after just one minute, someone showed up, bringing us the menu.
The types of food available weren't that many, but anything fresh for me would be splendid. I went for rice, chicken breast and some vegetables. It reminded me of the things I ate back on Earth.
For a moment my mind went to the thought of 'are chickens and cows universal?'. Not only them, but many animals I knew from Earth were on that planet too.
I wanted to think that I was not far from home, and that was the reason I saw those animals, but deep down I knew that wasn't the case…
The server came with our food after thirty minutes. We sat there and ate, enjoying every moment of it. The food didn't have much flavor — I bet the types of spices available to them were not plenty — but it was still good.
After eating, we went over to the counter to pay for the food, and also pay for a room. Steward gave us enough money to cover the expenses, so we were chill about that.
"There's only one room available, unfortunately. With one bed," the old lady behind the counter said.
The tavern wasn't big, so it wasn't strange for it to only have one room available, but it felt like there weren't that many people around.
Anyway, there was nothing we could do about it. In fact, that was a good thing! That way, I would be close to Yula. Not only that, but sleeping in that creepy place alone wasn't that great.
We went upstairs to see our room. The sound of creaking wood echoed with our every step as we went up the stairs. Our room was number three.
It was not that bad. The room had a decently sized bed, a small table with a chair, and a bathroom with a tub to bathe. The water certainly wouldn't be warm, but it was better than having nothing.
"Are you okay with us sharing the same bed?" I asked Yula.
I looked to the side, and her cheeks were red after hearing the question. "Y-Yes, no problem. It's big enough for the two of us."
She was not lying about that. I talked to her to see who wanted to go bath first, and she didn't mind me going.
"I'll take longer than you, so go first," she said.
I went downstairs to get water, and the tavern employees were kind enough to heat it up for me. The difference between a cold and a hot bath was worlds apart.
The water felt nice. I cleaned every part of my body, but that was not the most important part of a bath. The relaxation was the best one.
It was known that a person would have the brightest ideas while either bathing or taking a shit. I wasn't getting ideas, but my mind certainly pictured wonderful memories from Earth.
I left the bathroom feeling like a new man. Yula went next, and I was so tired I went straight to the bed. The blanket acted as my cover, and I slept.
I woke up in the middle of the night for some yet unknown reason.