Chapter 41: A Strange Visitor

Sharmon trudged wearily up the stairs of the inn waving good night to the regulars. They had been staying at the inn for just over a week now, and would continue to stay until Cinnamon was better. So far, Cinnamon's fever had not broken, nor had she awakened, but she continued to nurse regularly. Sharmon knew it would only be a matter of time before her daughter woke up. She was slightly worried about how Cinnamon would react to the news, but hoped that their relationship would be ok.

To cover their stay until Cinnamon was well enough to travel, their group had taken odd jobs to cover the cost of their rooms. Lancos had traded most of their supply of fruits, keeping some for themselves, in exchange for the cost of Cinnamon's stay and her supplies, but the rest of them still had a debt to work off. Fortunately, Rose was giving it to them at cost, without her usual markups.

Lancos and Ernon helped out in the stables. When the weather was nice, they'd go hunting. Harnley worked in the smithy, and was enjoying teaching Milly about blacksmithing. Vanessa worked as a waitress. She shared her tips, so the others weren't too offended. The other waitresses also knew they were staying because of Cinnamon, so they didn't mind it as much as they normally might have. In fact, they appreciated the help. When word got out that a priestess was staying at the inn, many of the nearby locals came to her for healing and blessings. Muriel, of course, was all too happy to help. She commandeered a corner table and set up shop there with Rose's blessing. Rose was quite happy about it, since those there to see Muriel would have a pint or two, or a meal, before or after seeing her. Some even stayed overnight, giving the inn a boost in business.