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Kena sat at one of the back tables at the Cat’s Lair, leaned back with her boots propped up on the table while she watched the rest of the customers go about their business. The crowd was not as heavy as it had been before, and it had been several days since the battle in Vesper. Kena stared at her mug, she could only drink so many free drinks, she thought to herself. She had sung the ballad several times and it was a tavern favorite, especially when one or more of the heroes were present during the evening performance. She looked around and noticed the shadow of a tree outside the tavern as it moved across the floor towards her table. Kena needed to get moving, she had a need to be doing something active and not lingering in one place too long. She had heard of a group called the Rogues from some of the patrons. They had set up camp on the island near the town of Occlo is what they had said and there was some speculation as to what their intent was. Maybe I should go see what that is all about she thought to herself, so far nothing untoward has happened in regard to them being there. Her mind made up, she tilted her head back and upended the last of the ale, then swung her feet off the table and stood up. Her small frame weaved between the patrons and tables with ease and made her way to the bar.
“Kenelm.” She motioned for the barkeep while calling his name. Kenelm headed her way after setting down the mug he had been cleaning.
“Yes Ms. Kena, another mug?” he asked with a smile. Kenelm, like most of the eligible bachelors and some of the married men as well in this part of the city was smitten with her. Her delicate features with blue eyes and long blonde hair that accented them, made it hard for them to not to be. Her skill with the lute along with her voice, made it even harder.
Kena smiled back and pointed at her lute, “Can you hand me my lute?”
Kenelm nodded and turned to get it, “Are you going to play this early in the afternoon?” He turned and walked back to her with it and looked around the tavern’s bar area, there were not very many people here at this time. He handed it over the counter to her.
She shook her head and laid a couple of gold coins on the bar top, “No, it’s time I moved on down the road for a bit.” She answered him. “Thinking of heading towards Occlo and see how the island weather is this time of year.”
“You know the rumors miss, folks are talking about some rogues or something or other there.” Kenelm said as he picked up the coins, held them up as if saluting her, then nodded his appreciation.
“Aye, that’s why I am going.” She waved back at the barkeep as she walked out the door into the early afternoon sun. Autumn was in full swing, and the northern air had a hint of cool in it while it whipped her hair around face. She walked towards her horse and absently pulled her hair back into a ponytail.
She checked her saddle, made sure it was cinched up properly and then fed her horse a handful of oats from the bag that the tavern kept available.
“Where are you going Kena?” Someone asked from the other side of her horse. It was not a harsh question, more of curiosity. “Thought you would end up spending the winter holed up in that tavern, trying to drink poor Kenelm dry.”
She stepped around her horse to see and then smiled up at Xanthos sitting on his mare. “It was a thought, but it’s time to move on and see what other trouble I can get into.”
Xanthos simply waved off her comment with a small smile. “Well, look us up when you get back around to this side of the world from wherever you are going. It was a pleasure fighting alongside you.” He gave her a nod and continued towards the bank. Kena gave him a quick wave. She had enjoyed the time she had spent here.
The sun hung low in the northern sky when Kena rode out across the south bridge. She had made new friends and found a place she was welcome back to, but it still was not a home she could settle down in. Kena gave a small smirk, it also did not help that it never failed to excite her as she started a new adventure while she spurred her mount to a trot, put the city to her back and rode south.
“Kenelm.” She motioned for the barkeep while calling his name. Kenelm headed her way after setting down the mug he had been cleaning.
“Yes Ms. Kena, another mug?” he asked with a smile. Kenelm, like most of the eligible bachelors and some of the married men as well in this part of the city was smitten with her. Her delicate features with blue eyes and long blonde hair that accented them, made it hard for them to not to be. Her skill with the lute along with her voice, made it even harder.
Kena smiled back and pointed at her lute, “Can you hand me my lute?”
Kenelm nodded and turned to get it, “Are you going to play this early in the afternoon?” He turned and walked back to her with it and looked around the tavern’s bar area, there were not very many people here at this time. He handed it over the counter to her.
She shook her head and laid a couple of gold coins on the bar top, “No, it’s time I moved on down the road for a bit.” She answered him. “Thinking of heading towards Occlo and see how the island weather is this time of year.”
“You know the rumors miss, folks are talking about some rogues or something or other there.” Kenelm said as he picked up the coins, held them up as if saluting her, then nodded his appreciation.
“Aye, that’s why I am going.” She waved back at the barkeep as she walked out the door into the early afternoon sun. Autumn was in full swing, and the northern air had a hint of cool in it while it whipped her hair around face. She walked towards her horse and absently pulled her hair back into a ponytail.
She checked her saddle, made sure it was cinched up properly and then fed her horse a handful of oats from the bag that the tavern kept available.
“Where are you going Kena?” Someone asked from the other side of her horse. It was not a harsh question, more of curiosity. “Thought you would end up spending the winter holed up in that tavern, trying to drink poor Kenelm dry.”
She stepped around her horse to see and then smiled up at Xanthos sitting on his mare. “It was a thought, but it’s time to move on and see what other trouble I can get into.”
Xanthos simply waved off her comment with a small smile. “Well, look us up when you get back around to this side of the world from wherever you are going. It was a pleasure fighting alongside you.” He gave her a nod and continued towards the bank. Kena gave him a quick wave. She had enjoyed the time she had spent here.
The sun hung low in the northern sky when Kena rode out across the south bridge. She had made new friends and found a place she was welcome back to, but it still was not a home she could settle down in. Kena gave a small smirk, it also did not help that it never failed to excite her as she started a new adventure while she spurred her mount to a trot, put the city to her back and rode south.