The morning sun cuts through the cotton curtains of K?spar’s room in the Valerun Inn, waking the man. He quickly dresses, putting on the same clothes as the day before, not caring to dirty a clean pair with the dirt of the road. Taking his travel bag from the foot of the bed and removing the piece of paper wedged between the door and its frame, he leaves the room.

  The natural light streams through the unshuttered windows, brightly illuminating the common area. The two members of the merchant’s guild who were with Iven the night prior, Enni and Alleck, argue with Tonies through the hinged gate of the kitchen, disturbing the would-be silence of the few eating.

  "Well, you threw him out; he should have returned by now." Yells Enni, concern for his missing friend comes through in the slight strain in his voice.

  “What makes you think I want him back? What makes you think I care about the well-being of the man who wanted to make a whore of my daughter?”

  K?spar quickly walks out the front door; as good as breakfast sounds, he thinks it's best to not draw the attention of the merchants.

  The grass in the back paddock is covered in a thick layer of dew, wetting the hem of his pants and adding a shine to his leather boots. He knocks on the stable door, where the young ostler greets him and informs him that he will have his horse tacked and saddled in a few minutes. K?spar leans against a fence post and begins to wait.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Shortly after, he sees a small group run up from downstream, followed by indistinct shouting from inside the Valerun Inn, and a larger group, now consisting of Enni and Alleck, run back the way they came. Deciding that breakfast is back on the menu, K?spar heads back inside.

  He sits down at the table nearest the kitchen, wanting to be both served quickly and eavesdrop on any discussions about what might have just happened—but he has a strong feeling telling him, he was already the first to know.

  ?nor peeks her head out from around that gate, braided brown hair hanging down beside her. “It will be just a moment for your meal.”

  K?spar nods and rests his elbow on the table and places his chin into his palm. She returns shortly with a wooden tray with buttered toast, cheese, and two fried eggs upon it along with a knife and fork; she places the tray in front of K?spar before quickly disappearing and reappearing from the back with a tall glass of warm beer and places it before him. Thanking her, he hands her a half gold piece. She leaves for the kitchen for a final time.

  K?spar begins eating, listening closely to the conversation from behind the gate.

  “I didn’t think he would turn up drowned, Vinvella.” says Tonies, his previous tone when discussing Iven had faded, now neutral with a slight hint of remorse.

  “Don’t panic over it; it’s not our fault. No one can blame us for what happened. We have more than twenty people who saw what happened. You threw out a lecherous drunkard.”

  “Think about how many members of the merchants guild stop here on the way to the Crown; think about the business we’ll lose.”

  “It will be fine, please, Tonies, trust me.”

  K?spar continues to listen while he eats but learns nothing important from the conversation he hears. He finishes his meal and heads back to the paddock; thanking the ostler, he departs.