Chapter 4

"Girls we're about six days away from the guild so we'll stay here tonight," said Brianna as they headed into the second of two inns.

They alternated between camping outside and Inns when they could. Since the guild didn't have a real set time they had to be there, Brianna, Rayne, and Cassie decided to take their time getting to the guild. Normally they could make it there in 3 weeks easy, but they took an extra week taking it slow, to let the girls have a good look around them as they went.

Girls were excited. At first all the newness of nature disappeared early in the trip, but as they passed through city to city and town to town, they always found something new to get their attention.

And of course the men and boys in each area couldn't help but notice the parade of attractive women and girls passing through either.

Cassie and Rayne both had more than their fair share of men trying to talk them into their beds, but Rayne and Cassie, while maintaining politeness found ways to keep their refusals from being hostile or the men taking real offense at the rebuff.

Even Brianna had a man or two try to talk her into testing the mattresses out in their rooms or homes. Something in her youth that would have had the man face first on the floor now had her laughing sweetly as she told them how flattered she was, but that her husband was the only one she would ever accept an offer like that from.

And the way Brianna did it with a soothing voice and a dimpled smile disarmed all the men before they had the chance to get angry. She left them feeling that they learned from the encounter.

The girls off course had many a boy trying to separate them so they could try their luck one on one with one of the girls. But the only one that seemed to be willing to take the boys up on the offers was Beth. She flirted heavy with all the boys and was caught a couple times making out with a few boys by her mother. Her mother wasn't happy to say the least.

While her mother had a wild past, she tried to impress on her daughter that if it wasn't for her father she might still be doing what she was doing not caring. But then she would have missed out on someone special to her. Beth acted like she was listening, but it was clear to Cassie she wasn't.

But knowing that given time Beth would really go further than she should Ariel took to staying close by her side after the last encounter her mother caught her at, and started chasing the boys off herself. Beth was irritated by that, but Ariel pointed out that she could have her scaring the boys away, or her grandmother. And that wouldn't be pretty for any involved. Beth soon stopped letting the boys catch her soon after that.

As they headed into the second inn, they were slightly irritated that the first inn at first said they had rooms until they started to pay for the three rooms.

But it was when the innkeeper seemingly casually asked their names and they told him that someone called him from the back. Then once he returned he said that he was informed that he was mistaken and they were filled up. That the inn just down the street had rooms.

While Brianna and Cassie listen to Brianna trying to negotiate with the innkeeper about rooms and prices, they took a quick look around.

They didn't see hardly anyone in the inn. That bothered them and raised the hairs on the back of their necks, but it was not enough to tell them why they felt something wasn't right. They just shared a look of curiosity between them.

As they walked into the second inn, it seemed almost empty. There were about 6-8 men around the room, but it was large enough that it only helped advertise that it needed more people there.

While Brianna was still at the counter getting their rooms Cassie and Rayne back up a bit and took a minute to talk while the girls stood looking around the room talking amongst themselves.

"Didn't that seem strange to you?" asked Cassie as she whispered to Rayne. "There aren't that many people in this town to begin with, well not that I've seen, and then the first Inn we reach is supposedly full?"

"I know. Something is bothering me about that. I mean there are a lot of homes in this town, but hardly anyone is on the street or the square. I've seen no children, no women, and most of the men we've seen are well armed, but not enough like they are heading for a war or something," whispered back Rayne with a frown.

"Best thing we can do is to keep our eyes open and talk with Brianna about it," said Cassie still whispering. "Something doesn't feel right to me. But I can't put my finger on why it doesn't."

"Yeah, let's see what mom has to say," said Rayne.

As Brianna returned she leaned into the two women and quietly said, "You two take this room and keep Beth and Ariel in it with you. I'll take Haley and Gem in a room with me. I know we normally have four rooms so each girl gets a bed, but I can't shake the feeling something isn't quite right even though I have nothing to base that feeling on."

"I should have known you were already aware of was going on," smiled Rayne to her mother.

"Did they say or do anything that seems strange to you?" asked Cassie with some concern.

"No, but that's just it. I know I've been through here very long time before but I would have thought this town would have had more people in it by now. But it doesn't and it feels like they are working at being normal instead of it feeling normal. Know what I mean?" asked Brianna quietly.

"Actually yes, that is what I believe we felt too. But nothing that we can put our finger on, but I thought that this town had more people in it as well," said Rayne.

"Well let's keep our eyes open and make sure that we don't miss anything," said Brianna as she looked around again.

"What's up with Brianna?" asked Beth. "She's sitting with her back to wall and it's the same with our moms. It's almost like she's looking for something or someone. Our mom's aren't acting much better sitting next to her. They all seem to be acting strange."

"I don't know either. They are all barely moving their heads, but she's obviously looking for something," said Ariel.

"I don't feel anything. Not magical I mean," said Gem quietly.

She was still getting used to being considered pretty as the boys seemed to like how large her eyes seemed compared to the other girls, but she was so shy that when they talked to her she just stood and quietly blushed. So her normal mode was to talk quietly to everyone.

"I'd asked them, but I doubt they'd tell me!" said Haley. She was like her mother and there wasn't anything that she wouldn't face head on. It made her an impressive weapons user. When one might pull back, she would press on with quickness and speed.

She was actually a little better than her cousin Ariel when it came to swords. But when it came to unarmed combat among the girls Ariel was better than them all.

"Well there aren't any boys around so that makes the night a bust. I would chance teasing them just to see what mom has up her sleeve," smiled Beth with a savage smile.

When they were younger Haley and Beth would tease the boys while Ariel and Gem kept their distance. But where Haley would stop with teasing, Beth would go the next step and collect her kisses.

That would always upset her cousin Ariel who thought Beth was taking it too far. She didn't think playing with the boys emotions when she didn't like them was wrong of Beth. Beth said it was all in fun and everyone always got what they wanted. Ariel still never agreed with that.

"Well we'll be to the guild shortly. I wonder what it's like. My mom always talks about how much she enjoyed the experience, but she was glad she left to marry my dad," said Ariel smiling.