'Huh. So this is a tavern straight out of a storybook, right?'
'It seems pretty lively,' he thought.
"Let us go, Lucid," Alice's voice spoke up, sounding a bit pinched.
"I do not like such environments. It is rather unbecoming."
'Huh. I guess she has her preferences too,' he chuckled silently in his mind.
Lucid made his way forward, weaving through the crowded tables toward the front counter. A woman was there, cleaning a mug with a cloth. She seemed to be in her late twenties. She had long brown hair that fell down her back. Her body was slightly tall and curved, and she had a relatively fair complexion. The only thing that caught Lucid off guard was her ears. They pointed out to each side, resembling those of a cow or cattle, and short, polished horns protruded from her forehead just above her hairline.
At first, it did not seem normal. But then again, what was normal at this point?
The barkeeper noticed his presence and moved closer to the desk. At first, her gaze lingered on Lucid's face. A flash of something unreadable crossed her features, and her ears perked up a little. But her whole demeanor seemed to switch the moment she opened her mouth.
"Good evening," she said, her voice warm and practiced. "Welcome to The Golden Shine. I am the innkeeper, Rebecca. You do not seem to be from around here. How can I help you?"
'Now is a good time to introduce yourself well, Lucid,' the soft voice inside him chimed in.
"Hello," Lucid began, making sure to keep his tone calm and sincere. "My name is Lucid. I am a traveler who got separated from my crew. I was attacked and sought refuge in this town. Upon coming here, the guards at the entrance, Bjorn and Gabriel, told me to seek you out, Rebecca. Please, I only seek shelter for the night."
'I might as well bow, too,' he thought, a thought that felt a bit awkward in that moment. 'To show my sincerity.'
'Ah...' Alice's voice gave away a slight, surprised gasp in his head.
Without another moment's hesitation, Lucid bowed ever so slightly. It felt stupid and overly formal, but on the other hand, he was at the complete mercy of this innkeeper. He really did not want to spend the night outside. He was completely exhausted. He let his posture hang low for a few seconds, no more than that, curious to see what her reaction would be and if he had managed to leave a good impression.
As he tilted his head back up to see if he had done enough, he was met with a surprising sight.
She was flustered, her face red as a tomato. She was taken aback, blushing uncontrollably. Had he really done too much?
'Crap! Did I overdo it?' he thought, a wave of panic washing over him.
"O-of course!" she stammered, her voice shaking. "Ju-just put your name here and I will- I will take care of the rest." Her hands fumbled with a large book on the counter. Of course she would be shaken. After handling rude behavior and people screaming demands at her with mouths full of ale, it was probably refreshing to have an individual show her the slightest bit of respect. It probably made her feel acknowledged. Heard. At least, that is how it seemed from her point of view.
'What have I done now...' he thought, feeling a little awkward.
'Lucid, I knew you were a kind soul, but I did not know you would be such a gentleman,' Alice said, her tone full of amazement.
'Shut it,' he thought back sharply.
Rebecca reached for a quill and handed it toward Lucid. Whether it was a moment where he was unaware or just downright stupid, his fingers brushed against hers as he took it. He dipped the quill in the inkwell and signed his name in the book.
"Thank you," he said, looking up at her. "You are very kind."
That seemed to be the final straw. She stumbled back, even more flustered, and then turned to the rest of the tavern.
"That is it! Have a nice evening, the tavern is closed!" she announced, all in a hurry. She began to usher people out the door, many of whom were intoxicated beyond any point of saving. Rebecca the innkeeper seemed to be pretty ferocious with her work, as she managed to push men twice her size out the door with surprising strength and determination.
'She is pretty... hardworking,' Alice commented, her voice a mixture of surprise and respect.
'Yeah,' Lucid agreed, watching the efficient chaos. 'Thank god I did not get on her bad side.'
Soon, the noisy common room was empty, leaving behind a sudden, ringing silence and the smell of spilled ale. Rebecca turned back to him, slightly out of breath, her cheeks still pink. She smoothed down her apron.
Rebecca slid a heavy wooden bar across the front door, locking the last of the patrons out. The sudden quiet in the tavern felt heavy and strange after all the noise. She turned around, leaning her back against the door for a second as she caught her breath. Then, she smoothed down her apron and walked back toward Lucid, who was still standing awkwardly by the counter.
"Right," she said, her voice a bit more steady now, though she still wouldn't quite meet his eyes. "You must be hungry. A meal is included. Sit. I will bring it to you."
She pointed to a small table in the corner, away from the main room. Lucid nodded and went to sit down, the wooden chair creaking under his weight. He watched as she disappeared through a door behind the bar.
'She closed the entire tavern... because of me?' he thought, feeling a mix of guilt and confusion.
'She was very flustered,' Alice noted, her voice thoughtful. 'Your actions were... unexpectedly forward.'
'Forward? I just bowed and took a quill!'
'There are customs here, Lucid. A man bowing so formally to a woman he does not know, touching her hand... it carries meaning. You may have implied a level of... deep respect and intention that is not usually shown so quickly.'
Before he could process that, Rebecca returned, carrying a large wooden bowl filled with a thick, steaming stew and a hunk of dark bread. She set it down carefully in front of him, along with a spoon and a tankard of water.
"Here," she said, her voice soft. "It is rabbit stew. I hope it is to your liking."
The smell was incredible, making his mouth water. "Thank you, Rebecca. Truly. This is more than I could have asked for."
He picked up the spoon and took a bite. It was hot and savory, the best thing he had tasted in what felt like a lifetime. He couldn't stop a small, grateful sound from escaping his lips. "This is amazing."
A small, pleased smile touched her lips before she looked away, her cheeks turning pink again. "I am glad you like it." She hesitated, then pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down, watching him eat. "You are... very different from the usual travelers who come through here."
Lucid looked up from his bowl. "Oh? How so?"
"Most are loud. Demanding. They see a woman running a place and think they can get away with anything." She folded her hands on the table. "They do not bow. They do not say thank you. They certainly do not look at me the way you do."
'The way I do?' he thought, suddenly self-conscious. 'How am I looking at her?'
'With genuine appreciation,' Alice answered, her tone strangely warm. 'It is a rare thing, it seems.'
Lucid, wanting to be polite, broke off a piece of the bread and offered it to her across the table. "Would you like some? You must be tired too."
Rebecca's eyes widened. Her breath hitched. She stared at the piece of bread in his hand as if he had just offered her a precious gem.
'Lucid!' Alice's voice gasped in his head. He could have sworn he felt a wave of heat, like a blush, that wasn't his own. 'You... you cannot just... offer food from your own plate to a woman like that!'
'Why not?' he thought, utterly confused.
'It is... it is something a suitor does for his intended! It is a gesture of provision, of intimacy!'
It was too late. Rebecca's hand trembled as she slowly reached out and took the piece of bread from his fingers. Their skin brushed for the briefest moment, and she snatched her hand back as if burned.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She didn't eat it, just held it tightly in her fist, pressing it to her chest. She looked completely overwhelmed, her gaze locked on the table.
'Oh no,' Lucid thought, finally understanding he had broken some major, unspoken rule. He quickly looked back down at his stew, eating in silence. The air between them was thick.
After a few minutes, Rebecca stood up abruptly, the legs of her chair scraping against the floor. "Your room is ready. It is the first door at the top of the stairs. The bath is down the hall." Her words were rushed. "Goodnight, Lucid."
And with that, she hurried away, disappearing into a back room without a backward glance.
Lucid sat there for a moment, finishing his meal in the quiet tavern.
'Well,' he thought. 'I think I messed that up.'
'No,' Alice said, her voice soft and wondering. 'I do not believe you did. It was... surprisingly charming. She is not angry. She is... affected.'
'You're blushing, aren't you?' Lucid thought, a smirk forming on his face as he carried his empty bowl to the counter.
There was a long pause in his mind.
'That is... irrelevant,' Alice finally replied, her voice flustered in a way that perfectly mirrored Rebecca's. 'You should go find your room. We have much to do tomorrow.'