Valdoren came fully to life as the morning wore on. The marketplace grew steadily busier, and the city's main streets filled with merchants, apprentices, and soldiers going about their day. Edric brought his wagon to a stop in front of a stone warehouse where he regularly sold part of his flour. Two workers stepped outside to unload the sacks. "There you are, Edric. We were beginning to think you'd never make it." "We almost didn't. The city was sealed off for an entire day." As the workers unloaded the wagon, Lyra walked over to Saphryn. "Do you know where you're staying yet?" "Not yet." "My father knows a good inn. It's inexpensive, and the owner cooks better than most." Edric overheard and smiled. "She's right. The innkeeper also talks far too much, so you'll never be short on news." "Then it sounds like a good place." "Come on. It's only a few streets from here." The three of them made their way down a cobbled avenue toward a quieter district. The large storefronts gradually gave way to small workshops owned by carpenters, tailors, and potters. A few minutes later, they stopped before a two-story building with wooden balconies. A sign hung above the entrance. The Gray Oak Inn. As they stepped inside, the warm aroma of freshly baked bread and roasted meat filled the common room. Behind the counter, a broad-shouldered man was polishing clay mugs. "Edric!" "It's been a while, Garen." The two men greeted each other with a firm handshake. "I didn't think you'd make it this week." "The city decided to complicate my journey." Garen laughed heartily. Then he noticed Saphryn. "And who's this?" "A traveler we met on the road." The innkeeper's eyes lingered on the dark blue coat and the sword partly concealed beneath it. "You look like someone who knows how to handle himself." "I try to avoid having to." "That's more than I can say for most of my customers." Garen set the mugs down on the counter. "I've got a room free on the second floor, if you're interested." "I am." "One silver coin per night. Supper's included." Saphryn nodded and placed the coin on the counter. Garen picked up a key and slid it across the polished wood. "Last door at the end of the hall." As Saphryn pocketed the key, Lyra had already claimed a nearby table. "Are you having lunch with us?" Edric answered before Saphryn could. "Of course. After spending a whole day sleeping beside the road, I'm not passing up a hot meal." A short while later, the three of them were sharing a table. Garen served them a hearty stew, fresh bread, and a pitcher of water. For several minutes, the only sound was the quiet clink of cutlery. Lyra was the first to break the silence. "Do you always travel alone?" "Almost always." "Doesn't it get lonely?" Saphryn set his piece of bread back onto the plate. "Sometimes." "Then why not travel with someone?" "Because our destinations rarely lead the same way." Lyra rested her chin on one hand. "That sounded rather sad." Edric smiled. "Not everything that's true has to be sad." A faint smile touched Saphryn's face. "Your father is right." Lyra smiled with quiet satisfaction. "At least I managed to make you smile this time." "I suppose you did." Edric watched the two of them with quiet curiosity. Since meeting Saphryn on the road, it was the first time he had seen him respond with such ease. He remained a reserved man, but no longer seemed distant. Just then, the inn's front door opened again. Two men wearing the uniform of the city guard stepped inside. They exchanged a few quiet words with Garen, who discreetly nodded toward Saphryn's table. The guards approached. "Are you Saphryn?" "I am." "Magistrate Aldren wishes to speak with you." Edric raised an eyebrow. "Have you done something?" Saphryn calmly finished the last sip of water in his cup. "I don't know yet." One of the guards gestured politely toward the door. "If you would be so kind as to come with us." Saphryn rose to his feet, straightened his coat, and picked up the key to his room. "Give me a few minutes." He glanced at the unfinished meal before him. "I don't like leaving a meal unfinished." The two guards exchanged a look. One of them couldn't help smiling. "We'll wait." Edric let out a quiet laugh while Lyra shook her head. "I think you're the first person who's ever kept the city guard waiting just to finish lunch." Saphryn cut himself one last piece of bread. "Food grows cold." He looked at the guards. "Conversations can wait a few minutes." The guards remained by the entrance while Saphryn finished his meal with the same calm patience he had shown from the beginning. When he finally set down his cup, he slipped the room key into his pocket and stood. "Now I'm ready." One of the guards nodded. "This way." Before they left, Edric called after him. "If you're back by tonight, dinner's on me. Business went well today." Saphryn looked at him for a moment. "Then I'll do my best not to be late." Lyra smiled. "So you are coming back." "I hope so." --- The streets near the city center were even busier than they had been that morning. Craftsmen displayed their work outside their shops, apprentices hurried past carrying bundles, and several mercenaries gathered outside the Guild Hall, where a large notice board displayed newly posted contracts. One of them recognized Saphryn. "That's the one from the bridge." Another turned to look. "The one without a rank." Their eyes followed him for a few moments, but no one spoke. The guards escorted him to a white stone building overlooking the main square. It wasn't a palace, but it stood apart from the surrounding structures. Two banners bearing Valdoren's crest hung on either side of the entrance. After passing through a spacious entrance hall, they arrived at an office illuminated by a broad window. Magistrate Aldren stood beside a table, studying several documents spread before him. Hearing footsteps, he looked up. "Thank you for coming." "There was no reason to decline your invitation." Aldren smiled faintly. "I'm pleased to see you're as calm as everyone claimed." The guards quietly closed the door behind them and withdrew. Silence settled over the room. The magistrate picked up one of the scrolls and laid it on the table. "I assume you've seen the notices regarding Lord Aerwin's murder." "I have." "What do you make of it?" Saphryn looked at the document without stepping closer. "Very little." Aldren raised an eyebrow. "Very little?" "I don't know the victim. I don't know where it happened, or under what circumstances. Any conclusion now would be premature." The magistrate rested both hands on the table. "A sensible answer." He opened another document. "Still, something caught my attention after speaking with the men who witnessed your encounter with that mercenary last night." Saphryn waited in silence. "They all agree you could have ended the fight at any moment." He paused. "But you didn't." "There was no need." "Most people would have taken the opportunity." "Most people are not everyone." Aldren chuckled softly. "I'm beginning to understand why the innkeeper spoke so highly of you." He walked toward the window. From there, part of the square was visible, alive with the constant movement of the city. "Valdoren is passing through a difficult time. Lord Aerwin's murder has unsettled the balance between several noble houses. Each suspects the others, and none are willing to yield." He fell silent for a moment before continuing. "If we allow that distrust to grow, this will become far more than a single murder." Saphryn already understood where the conversation was heading. "What do you expect from me?" Aldren turned back to face him. "Nothing extraordinary." Even Saphryn seemed mildly surprised by the answer. "I simply want you to observe." The magistrate slowly circled the table. "You belong to no noble house. You're not a registered mercenary, and no one in this city seems to know who you are." He met Saphryn's eyes. "Precisely because of that, you may notice things my own men would overlook." "You want to hire me?" "No." Aldren shook his head. "I want to ask you for a favor." "If, during your stay, you discover anything connected to this matter... tell me." Saphryn remained silent for several moments. It was a simple request. It required no oath of service. No duty to the council. Only that he keep his eyes open. "I will." He nodded once. "So long as it doesn't lead me away from my own path." "That's more than I hoped for." The magistrate picked up a small bronze seal and placed it on the table. "Carry this with you. If a guard stops you—or if you ever need to speak with me—show them this." Saphryn picked up the seal. It was simple in design, bearing the crest of Valdoren engraved on one side. "Thank you." When he stepped outside, the sun was already beginning to disappear behind the rooftops. He had accepted no obligation. Signed no contract. Promised nothing in exchange for a reward. Only a favor, asked with honesty. As he made his way back toward the inn, he found himself thinking that Valdoren might hold him longer than he had expected. And for the first time since arriving, he realized his journey was not only about moving toward a distant destination. Sometimes... The road demanded that a traveler stop.

A Place to Stay