As Rebecca was following the young man, she noticed he had looked back and spotted her. Startled, she pretended to observe a creature that was perched on a pole, though she was truthfully watching the man out of the corner of her eye. When he entered a run-down tavern, she wrinkled her brow in disappointment.
“So he’s of no special position, eh?” She sighed and looked at the creature before her, then let out a yelp. Unknowingly, she had been in front of a bird of prey. Having a childhood fear of birds, Rebecca was shaken and found herself unable to move. The bird echoed a loud shriek and flapped it’s wings, taking flight towards Rebecca. The bird’s claws latched onto her leather pouch she had strapped to her belt, tearing it from the seam and flying off with it and everything contained in there. Rebecca attempted to whack the bird with her bow, but to no avail it escaped off into the horizon.
Frustrated, Rebecca kicked a stand post and ran into the tavern. She noted the man she was following was climbing the stairs of the tavern. She took a quick look at the bartender, then back at the man at the stairs. Calmed down, Rebecca walked up to the bartender, “How much for a night’s stay?”
“50 Gold.” he grunted. Rebecca stared at him in disbelief. The bartender put down the bottle he was polishing and pointed at the man at the stairs, “That young man gave me that same look. Sorry ma’am, but it’s either pay or find another place.”
Rebecca rolled her eyes, and reached to pull out 50 Gold. Her hand touched nothing. Shocked, she looked at her belt. “That cursed bird took my money!” she yelled aloud.
The bartender returned to polishing and muttered, “That’s what they all say.”
Angry beyond words, Rebecca turned around to see the man was still climbing the stairs at an incredibly slow rate, almost as if he was listening to their conversation. She shook her head in disbelief and turned back to the bartender. “Let me work here as a barsmaid.” The bartender automatically replied, “You make the cut, but we ain’t hiring at the time.”
Rebecca cursed under her breath and looked out the dusty tavern window. A middle-aged man was hanging a sign on the window of a pawn shop, shaking his head sadly. Rebecca immediately ran out and called to the man, “Are you the owner of the pawn shop?”
Turning to face her, he pointed to the sign he had just hung that read, “Closed for good.” Desperate, Rebecca pleaded, “Please, sir, I am in need of money right now.”
“Sorry ma’am, but with the new king an’ all, everyone is runnin’ outta business.” Rebecca rubbed her temples, when an idea came upon her, “Sir, please! My father! He’s going to be taken away be the King’s men if we don’t pay 50 Gold! I beg you, I have four younger siblings, one who was just born. My mother died giving birth to the latter. Please take pity on a poor commoner like me.”
“Fine,” the man replied, “what do you have to pawn? How about that bow and arrows of yours, they seem of a high quality.”
Rebecca’s grip tightened on her bow, no way would she sell her precious bow and arrow.
Several minutes later, after a long raving argument, Rebecca walked away from the pawn shop with 55 Gold for selling her artfully crafted daggers. The extra 5 Gold was pity money. She ran back into the tavern where the same bartender was polishing the counter top. She slapped the coins in front of him and bluntly said, “I want a single room with bathing privileges. Now.”
(((Sorry Arly. I ain’t takin’ your money. AND I KNOW I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE DAGGERS, BUT I WASN’T GOING TO SLEEP WITH THE OLD MAN D:<)))