Hey… I own nothing, or Thorn would have had a mate by Inheritance.

They rode for many days before reaching the entrance to Palencar Valley. As they galloped beneath Utgard, Selena breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Within the sheltered vale, they were reasonably safe. An hour after Utgard, she slowed Caledonia down to an easy canter. Within three hours, they reached Therinsford. Selena gazed at the village with slight distaste for the unorganized jumble of buildings.

Slowing to a walk at the gates, they entered the village. In front of her, Murtagh looked around with wide eyes. Selena smiled as he took it all in.

Finally, Selena spotted an inn within the disorderly mass. Dismounting and grabbing Caledonia's reins, she hurried toward it. At the hitching post, she secured Caledonia, took Murtagh down from the saddle and entered.

Inside it was warm and homely. The building itself was made from spruce and plaster, with cedar-wood tables and furniture. On the far wall, a fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. On the wall to their left, a long counter stretched almost the length of the building, behind which two men worked busily. The lower floor of the inn was obviously a tavern that served food, and was filled with people. Keeping her three-year-old son close to her side, Selena went up to the counter. "Excuse me?"

One of the men looked up. "Somethin' ya need?"

"A room for tonight," said Selena. The man smiled and grabbed on of the keys hanging on a rack behind him. "Righ' this way miss."

The man led her up the staircase and down a hallway, stopping at a door near the end. "'Ere ya go. If ya need somethin', just come down, and my daughter, Meg, will take care of it."

Selena turned to him. "Thank you, sir."

The man laughed and went back downstairs. Selena opened the door and went inside, Murtagh close behind.

The room was spacious, with a bed, a window, and a chair by a fireplace. "Murtagh, dear, would you mind staying here while I go get our bags?"

"I'll stay."

Selena smiled. "Good boy." She kissed his cheek and went downstairs.

Exiting the building, she untied Caledonia and led her into the stables. After taking off her tack and setting it on a rack made for that purpose, she gave the mare a rub down. After she had finished this task, she grabbed the saddlebags and reentered the inn.

:-–—–-–—–-:OoO:-–—–-–—–-:

Dinner was good, and filling for once. Murtagh stretched his arms above his head, wincing when the wound Morzan had given him stung with the movement. He sat in front of the fire in their room, glad that they had somehow gotten away from the man. Yawning tiredly, he brought his knees to his chest and sat there, watching the flames dance.

If he never moved again, it would definitely be far too soon. Smiling to himself, he fell asleep on the hearth.

That scene made ME tired.

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