Chapter 6: Some Old Friends?

Lizzie explained while they camped for the night. "I was in Dictalohs looking to drum up some work and visit my sweet sister." She paused for a moment to hug and kiss Danni. Tammi was getting tired of the interruptions and made a noise showing impatience. If anything, the two sisters seemed to take even longer. Lizzie gave Tammi an innocent smile and continued. "It so happens that there was a call for not just fighters, but for other professionals as well. There was one catch though; they were only available for women. As you may have guessed, there are not many women in my line of work. So, my curiosity was up."

"I found out all I could about it and was surprised to find that a Ranger friend of mine, Roxanne, was in charge where they were being hired to go. A little spying and bribery managed to ferret out some more information. It happens that Roxannne is forming an all-female army. They've even got some of the other races involved, including Centaurs, Drow Elves, Orcs, and Trolls, as well as the more common races. Two things are very troublesome; like that those that have never worked together before, and are sometimes bitter enemies, are working together. And there is no word as to who their target may be."

"I was on my way to investigate first hand, when I was waylaid by Navaro and his band of happy undead." Tammi thought, How can something that's dead be happy? Lizzie saw that questioning look on Tammi's face and wisely decided not to ask. "Now that I'm free we can all go up under the guise of new recruits. Does anyone have any questions? Please ask now, we will have to be of the same mind as we head out tomorrow." Lizzie looked straight at Tammi when she asked for questions.

Tammi seemed hesitant, but raised her hand. "It must be magic that makes the undead happy, right? I think I understand most of what you said, but I don't see where the ferret comes in. Also, I really don't want a spell cast on me or whatever it will take to join our minds. I like mine just where and how it is now."

A disgusting snort was all the reply Tammi got as the other three rolled over and got ready for bed. Danni and Lizzie cuddled together, even sharing the same blanket. Tammi went over to Lori. "I know I'm a big girl and all that now, but could I please sleep with you, it's spooky out here?" Lori replied by tapping the ground next to her and Tammi rushed over and cuddled with her oldest companion on the trip. The last thing Tammi saw before she closed her eyes was both sisters stripping off everything and lying on their bedding with entwined bodies. Tammi was quick to look away, her Nana had warned her about spying on people. Danni and her sister are really making some odd noises for trying to get to sleep. Oh well, tomorrow will start too soon, I'd better get some sleep myself.

Faint splashing and giggling awakened Tammi. She yawned and sat up. Lori was standing near the morning fire. "Danni and Lizzie are taking a bath if you want to join them." said Lori as she noticed that Tammi was awake. Tammi shyly shook her head as she reached for her boots. Lori noticed this and warned her to tap them out before she put them on to get rid of any unwelcome visitors. When Tammi did that a long centipede fell out. Tammi dropped her shoes and backed up a step.

Lori chuckled to herself and recovered the discarded shoes. She squished the centipede beneath one of them then knocked them together upside down before handing then to Tammi. "You're not in your house or an inn. You must be more careful out here. A bite from that centipede would have crippled you for days." Tammi nodded her understanding as the two sisters appeared from within a thicket, fully clothed, and greeted them.

"For the next few days our journey will take us along the coast of the Inland Sea. I suggest using the plentiful water to wash off the stink of travel. I'm sure Lori wouldn't mind making sure you weren't bothered while you bathed." Danni said with a grin. Lizzie and I watched and washed each other's backs." Lizzie chuckled giving Lori an idea that they washed more than each other's backs. "Well Tammi, I suppose you can wash tonight. Right now we have to get moving, pack up and break camp ladies."

The terrain changed from marsh to scrub, grassy with bushes and small trees that provided cover from casual prying eyes. The ladies made good time and by the time they had stopped for the night, Tammi smelled like she hadn't bathed in days. It was a protesting Tammi that was carried to the shore and thrown into the water, clothes and all. She stood up to see a smiling Lizzie holding a lump of soap out to her. "We'll expect you to return to camp all clean and fresh smelling." Tammi opened her mouth to complain when Lizzie continued. "Better do a good job dear, I'll be checking on how clean you are." Tammi went "humph" and she grabbed the soap from Lizzie. She waited until Lizzie had disappeared from view before she started to undress and wash her clothes. It wasn't until Tammi started to scrub her pendulous breasts clean that she realized that Lori was watching over her. Well, we're both women, both hunted women and you have to trust someone sometime. Tammi felt better about her nakedness after she reasoned it out with herself. Now to get as comfortable with Danni and her sister.

In the next two days Tammi had gotten more comfortable. In fact she was relaxed enough to undress in front of her companions and in fact went naked to and from the water to bathe. She still hadn't joined Lizzie and Danni bathing, as they were a little too free with their hands, but she was weakening. When the two sisters had returned from their evening bath, Lizzie spoke up. "We will be coming near an inn I know of tomorrow evening. I intend to spend a night at the inn in a comfortable bed while the rest of you have to worry about sleeping on twigs and sticks." A chorus of boos greeted her announcement. Lizzie went on to explain, "This way I can listen to the talk going around about the army of women and if you three are still being searched for. Someone has to do it and since I will not be recognized, it falls upon me." It is reasonable and, besides which, I will enjoy sleeping in a bed for a change.

Lizzie marched along the kingdom road heading towards the city of Conch. Actually she would stop at an inn she remembered, which should be around the next corner and was a full days travel from Conch. She had left her sister and companions camped in the woods a ways back, not too close to the road or the inn. As the inn came into view, Lori could see nothing out of the ordinary and breathed a sigh of relief. The way the other women were talking, she expected groups of elves and villagers patrolling through the countryside and guarding the inns and taverns.

Lori sauntered up to the inn; none of the people outside the inn gave her any notice, so she walked in. The innkeeper stood behind an oaken counter that spanned the width of the room. He was polishing a pewter mug with a less than soiled cloth. "Welcome to the Mid Rest inn. Will you be needing a room? Two silver pieces will purchase a night in a private room with a bed. One thin gold piece for a room with its own bath and a bed with clean sheets. Of course, two coppers will still purchase a spot in the common room." His smile turned thin when he mentioned the common room.

Lizzie walked up to the bar and slapped three silver coins down. "I'll take a private room and a pitcher of watered wine. Bring it to my table." Lizzie turned around without a backwards glance and made her way to a table in the corner of the room. Lizzie plunked her gear down and waited for the wine. She saw the innkeeper place a pitcher on a tray along with a pewter mug and a key. He motioned to a girl on her knees scrubbing the wooden floor. She leapt up and moved as fast as she could, looking with consternation at his raised hand. The innkeeper pointed to Lizzie's table and grumbled his instructions. The girl picked up the tray and turned towards Lizzie. It was then that the innkeeper's hand swatted her defenseless ass. The accompanying CRACK echoed throughout the common room. The girl stumbled under the blow, he yelled for her not to spill a drop or she would be sorry.

The girl set the pitcher, mug and the key down in front of Lizzie keeping her eyes lowered. "Your room is the first door on you left at the top of the stairs." The girl was a half-elf and would have been pretty, except for her puffy eyes and the tears running down her cheek. Not hearing any questions, the girl ran to bring the tray back to the bar and then returned to her scrubbing. Lizzie snarled under her breath and thought, The innkeeper has just put himself on my bad side, but I have to watch out for my friends hiding nearby, so I can't do what I want to do. I will satisfy myself by keeping an eye on him.

Filling her tankard with watered wine, Lizzie drank the refreshing drink down. She repeated this until the pitcher was empty. The innkeeper noticed that it was empty and filled another to replace it. The serving wench was just coming out of the kitchen with a platter full of bowls of beef stew and sliced bread. She toured the common room, dolling out supper to the paying customers. The half-elf girl was waylaid by the innkeeper as she passed near him. He pointed at Lizzie and growled at the serving wench to take the pitcher to her. Lizzie scowled as the innkeeper swatted the half-elf on the ass again. This time he hit her hard enough to lift her off the floor. The girl stumbled and almost dropped the pitcher. The innkeeper laughed at the girl, "You should be used to it by now wench. Now get the floor cleaned up nice before the army shows up. They want everything clean and proper."

Lizzie was filling her hungry belly with beef stew that was one step away from being pig slop when the door slammed open with a crash! All eyes turned to the open doorway to see three of the Emperor's finest swagger in. They were followed by two Elven officers who were careful to check the inn for threats. Their eyes swept over Lizzie without hesitation. She was both relieved and angry at the elves. They should not be so quick to dismiss me. The five soldiers sat at a table and pounded for service. The serving girl jumped to her feet and rushed to where the innkeeper was pouring a pitcher of ale. He placed the pitcher and some mugs on a tray for her to take to the soldiers.

When the half-elf delivered the pitcher and mugs to the soldiers the elves looked at her with disgust. One muttered in Elven to the other, he responded with an evil laugh. The girl blushed and looked like she wanted to run, but unloaded the tray and walked over to the innkeeper with her head down.

Another man walked through the open door just then. Lizzie saw him move to the elves and say something. One of the elves shook his head "no" and the man moved on to an empty table. Lizzie peered over the lip of her mug at the man. He was old and short, a wizened man who leered when the serving girl came to wait on him. His teeth, those few that remained, were yellowed and worn. The girl shuddered as she went to fill his order. The man noticed her collar showing she was an indentured servant and smiled wider. He watched her slim form with an intent gaze.

As the evening went on, Lizzie saw several interesting things. The old man was getting braver. Every time the serving girl would pass by, he would grab at her. When the old man finally caught the half-elf and dragged her into his bony lap. The contents of her tray crashed onto the floor stilling the conversations in the common room. They resumed with laughter at the serving wench's predicament. Lucky for her the tray only contained empty pitchers and a few mugs. There was a sharp crack as the innkeeper hit the top of the bar with a bung starter and pointed it at the old man. He laughed and let the wench slide off his lap. She rushed to pick up the spilled mugs and pitchers. Once she had all of them on her tray, the old man sent her on her way with a painful slap on the ass.