The Inn and its Spider

Morning light brought a dim fog which trailed along the ground and curled itself around their ankles and dissipated along their bodies. It was still dark when Gavin roused her from slumber and her hands and face were cold and wet. She woke without complaint and joined him in the cold breakfast of dried cut meat. She didn't know what it was, and thought better of asking.

Gavin took up the path without a word leaving only the stamped out ashes of the fire and the memory of the place. Their path led quickly to the west hindered by thick forest stands, rushing riverbeds, and villages. Gavin would not enter some villages. They passed three of them in a fortnight, and he knelt to the ground at each worn path running his fingers through the dirt and muttering to himself in a tongue Sarah could not understand. It annoyed Sarah immensely each time he stood shaking his head and moved on. Once she snorted angrily at him and strode down the direction of the path.
"You will not find me again in the wilderness." Gavin did not look back only kept on walking the same measured pace he had always maintained. Sarah stood fuming looking between him and sight of promised warmth and light with the curling smoke rising above the trees. With a sigh Sarah turned away and followed him back into the wilderness. They never wanted for food, and certainly never for shelter or warmth. On the warmest of days they walked among the cool of the trees with soft sunlight trickling down overhead. On cold days they found refuge on the forgotten paths in the mire where warm air filtered up through the bog and pushed back the bitterness of the autumn. Everywhere Sarah looked summer was fading away and the dying colors of the autumn were descending on the land. Bright reds, golds, and dark crumpled brown leaves drifted soundlessly from their perches and stirred themselves unbidden at their feet.
"You have never seen your own country have you?" Gavin sat hunched against a great maple tree his sword layed across one knee while he sharpened the blade. "I daresay they have fall wherever it is in this land you come from."
Sarah frowned at him wrinkling her nose in consternation. "Yes, but we haven't very many trees." She raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, "A servant girl doesn't require time to go out and dance among the ever dying trees. She has her duties and is expressly forbidden any beauties."
Gavin laughed at that his great voice booming across the valley and startling all the birds. "You will do well, you will indeed."

The sun had failed in the western sky and a wind hard and unyielding as it was playful and boisterous swept across the wooden thatched roofs only to be rebuffed by solid doors and well guarded chimneys. Their feet crunched unnoticed down the deserted street. Very few windows had not been closed against the wind, but those that did flickered merrily with the fires inside. Sarah's body was weary with the walk. They had not seen signs of war since they had first struck out, but the journey was hard. For a servant girl perhaps it would not have been so trying. Sarah had been a lady of the house of Targoan. This was a new thing to her. She drew the scarf tighter around her face. Gavin pounded on the door to the inn his voice only drowned in the rush of wind. From behind her Sarah felt the creeping cold and knew the anger of the storm that crackled in the distance. She turned back and saw in a flash of lightening the falling rain. This was the first time all things had not seemed bent to Gavin's will.
The door opened just a crack and then pulled half-way back. They tumbled in through the door way and helped push close the heavy oak door behind them. A tall wisp of a man was behind the door. His long tree like arms were carefully brushing the dust off of his suit with a dignified air.
"I suppose you've come for dinner then," he turned gracefully his body long and spidery with movements like a willow tree. He led them down a long hall past all the rooms. Some doors were closed and Sarah let them pass, but a few were open. On one a man sat staring out the window, in another only slightly cracked she saw a man and woman who were better left undisturbed, in the last one a little man sat cross-legged on the bed grinning like a fool jester. Sarah stopped after she had past it certain she had seen the man before. She took a step back to look at him again but found no one there. She took a step forward puzzled. Looking back and forth around the room she found nothing.
"You don't want that room," the man from the door shook his head. "Where can I put you tonight?" His long fingers tapped each other eagerly stroking his hands with a practiced air. "You'll want the room at the end of the hall. That's where I'll put you." Reaching into the depths of his coat he pulled out a key and handed it to Sarah. He looked her squarely in the eyes his steady blank stare unnerving. "You're key ma'am." He opened he door with a flourish. "Now, dinner."
He led them through the inner courtyard lush in ivy, fruit trees and bright happy flowers. Over the dark earth tiles he touched lightly the door to the inner dining area and bowed letting them walk first into the inner sanctum. As they walked the sounds of merry making and laughter grew near and louder. As they entered the dinning area they found a dance floor already occupied with two odd dozen people, and on one of the tables a jester standing on his head juggling one handed with both hands.
Gavin caught Sarah by the elbow and guided her towards the back where a small table was open. The long limbed man found them there and brought a plate to each of them. Steaming stew. Most of the vegetables were either old or not nearly ripe. The meat was tough and stringy. Sarah refused to complain--her stomach had been through much in the past fortnight. It was filling though, and it certainly beat Gavin's stabs at what he referred to as cooking. Tearing at the meat she realized briefly that two weeks again she never would have let it get in stomach. The world had rotated and now she was on a very different path.
"Eat slowly," Gavin rebuked, "you'll live longer." he turned and winked at her. Sarah blushed and returned her concentration to her soup. Gavin stood his plate already wiped clean.