She came in late. The rain seeping off of her coat and running over her eyes. The place was small; homely, as empty as it was. She walked to a table in the corner, dark and unnoticeable, then pulled out an old wrinkled paper covered in scribbles, from her pocket.. She looked up. A younger girl disappeared in a doorway as she did.
"Odd," she whispered, "I didn't see her come in." She continued reading, looking up occasionally to look around. no one had shown up except the girl only moments ago.

An hour passed, then two, and even a third, when she finally put the document away. The place was good for her to use for shelter and warmth. Her cat, chilled to the bone, paced back and forth outside the window. She watched it until it stopped and meowed. "I know, love," she said, as if to speak with it.

She looked around again. The girl that had disappeared through the door way had returned and was standing behind the bar, staring at her. "Can I help you?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable. The girl took a glance at her then turned to walk out the doorway behind the counter. "Wait!" she said, trying to stop her. The girl stopped and turned
back around. "Is this your home? Am I intruding?" The girl remained silent. "I'll assume I am. My apologies. I thought this was a tavern." She turned to leave and looked at the cat still eyeing her through the window. It let out a small squeak again. "It isn't mine. “I can't." She argued with it. The cat meowed again and the woman
looked away from it, back to the girl who had disappeared. A man
stood in her place.

"I do believe you've scared my servant. We don't get visitors this time of night, unless they're in trouble." The man walked out from behind the bar and opened the door leading outside. "Here, kitty," he said and patted his leg. The cat traipsed in, tail in the air, as if
she had been offended in some way. He picked it up and walked over to the woman. “Welcome to Glencoe Tavern; seven years running and still open."

The woman curtsied and shook the man’s hand. "I assure you, sir, that I am not in trouble and am not running from any form of the law. I need a room to stay in, and perhaps a drink. I will pay however much you ask, and I won't be any trouble. I only need somewhere to stay for the rest of the night." The woman was shaking from head to toe and still drenched. She pulled out a coin bag that exploded onto the floor as she held it out. "I have money." The man grabbed her arm as she stooped down to pick it up.

"Leave it. I don't much care for pointless coins. Most people pay off their visit through conversation, and company. Sit down. Have a drink. Tell me your troubles. We'll see what we can do about a room, and don't mind Karen, she's a little bit off." The man walked behind the bar and placed a glass on the counter. "What'll ye' have?"

"Something light," the woman answered, "I need a drink, not a lake. No reason to get plastered at this time of night. Though I have to ask, what do you mean by paying off my stay with company and visiting?" The toll seemed unusual for her, particularly because the window had a sign that insisted pay was required.

The man smiled and pulled up a stool behind the counter, pouring her a small pint of beer. "I mean I'd rather talk to someone on this stormy night then stay down here in silence. Karen will be leaving for a short while. If you stay long enough for her to do that, the room and food are free, simply because I don't favour storms, especially lightning. I'm not proposing anything bad. I'm only proposing that you have a conversation, and maybe tell me about yourself, you know, to keep me busy."

The woman looked up to see the young girl enter back through the doorway. She was wearing a cloak that drowned her and a small ribbon was tied around her neck. The woman presumed this was her mark of servitude. "Hello, again," she said to the girl and looked at the man, "I accept your offer, but I insist you don't keep me too late, as I have to be up early. There are some things that I must do in town, and then I must find some new lodgings."

"You can stay here as long as you want." The man poured himself a glass and laughed. Then he looked at the young girl. "Karen, do you think you can perform your business at a reasonable pace tonight?" The girl nodded, taking a glance at the woman again. "Good. Be gone then, and try to return within a few hours, at the longest. Alright?"
The girl nodded again and walked out the door. The cat ran in as she did.

"No." The woman stood to stop it and picked it up. "My apologies. He's a bit nervous when there's rain." She looked in the cats eyes and held it up to the height of her head. "You can't be in here Love.It could be disrespectful." The cat meowed and she put it down. Immediately it returned to the door, waiting to be let out.

"Here kitty, kitty," the man said quietly as he crouched down behind the counter. The cat turned and went to he man. He picked it up and slowly ran his hand down its back then pulled out a bowl. "I love cats," he explained, "They have a sort of intelligence that you don't find in any other creature." He took a slice of bread from the counter and tore it to pieces, then placed it in the bowl. "Finish that and I'll get you some warm milk," he said to the cat. He looked up at the woman. "Does it have a name?"

"Love." She seemed tense. "And mine is Misery." She sat back down, all the while watching the cat. She then took a glance at the bartender. Do you intimidate me on purpose, or is it simply a subconscious thing?"

The man seemed confused. "I don't understand. How am I intimidating?" I don't have your name. I have a bag of money that you don't want. You're friendly beyond the terms of acquaintance, and you have a servant that doesn't speak. Neither of you have sound in your walk, and your bar is unusually empty, even for this time of night." She
adjusted positions, feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh. My apologies." The man reached out his hand to shake hers. "My name is Kepsi. I don't want your money, because this bar is meant for something much better. I've always been one to judge personality by looking, not by meeting, so everyone is a friend immediately. My servant was mute before I took her in and neither of us have sound in
our walk, because we have practiced, not because of anything odd, but because we believe it disturbs silence. My bar is empty because we've been doing some spring cleaning, and many customers, like this town, are sleeping, or home for the season."

"Why this season? Spring is the busiest time of the year." Misery pulled a pen out of her purse and a piece of paper. "Don't worry. This isn't an interview. I simply have some things to write before I forget them." Kepsi nodded. "If you don't mind my asking, where does your servant go so late at night?"

"I thought this wasn't an interview." He laughed quietly and poured Misery's drink back up to the rim. "She goes home. Yes, her hours are late, but I do allow her to live at home on her free time. Servants aren't slaves, and they certainly have their rights."
”Llies.” Misery thought quietly as he answered.

She scribbled a little note onto the paper and looked up at him. "Excuse me for a moment. I need to write some things down. They're kind of personal." Kepsi nodded. "Thank you," Misery said as she walked over to a table by the fireplace. It was much easier to see what she was writing when she could still see the ink. The note she had written was barely legible. She turned the paper over and began writing again:

~~~~~~~~October 16, ~~~~~~~
It seems my second week of my travels have found me in a small, clean cut village. It's very peaceful here, and all the people I've met so far have either been servants or the middle class. There is a young girl at the palace resembling the one I was sent for. I have told the owner of a tavern down the road that I am merely passing through, but he has offered his hospitality, and I do believe I will accept his offer until i've further information. The silence at this time of night proves there are secrets throughout the town. I merely wonder if perhaps there is something more. The tavern I've been in for the past few hours (it's 8:30 now) has been very quiet, though the bartender claims that people have merely gone home. He, himself, is awfully peculiar. His eyes are a yellow color, and he has a soundless step, even though he seems to be a rather average size. It's amazing how much they resemble cats, both him and the servant. Love took a liking to him -"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Misery looked up. The man had moved from behind the counter and was slowly walking towards her. He immediately stopped and looked at her. "About done? You're beginning to make me paranoid." The man chuckled quietly. "Your cat wants out. Is he allowed to go back out, or would you rather he stay in here for the night?" Love was pacing by the door, yowling as loudly as he could. Misery had not noticed as
she had been writing and pulled out of her trance.

"He can go out. That's fine by me. It's stopped raining now." Misery watched as the man walked over and opened the door. She closed her notebook and placed it in the inner pocket of her cloak. "And yes... I'm finished for now. I didn't mean to be rude, but it was a memory that I had to write down."

"Understandable." Kepsi had sat back down on his stool behind the counter. Misery had not even noticed he'd moved."I often find myself trying to remember something and not being able to, so I can empathize." He laughed quietly and shook his head. "Karen should be back in a few moments. Would you like for me to show you to your
room?"

"Wouldn't you rather wait until she returns so that you can watch your tavern?"

"Nope. No one will come in. I can guarantee that at the moment. I am sure by the time I get back down here, Karen will have returned. Call it tradition, seeming as she does the same things every night. An hour has passed already. It normally only takes her about an hour and a half on nights we have guests. Come along, and I'll show you to your room." Kepsi grabbed a candle and turned to the doorway behind the door, coming out with a key only seconds later. He waved her back through a door to the left that led up a flight of stairs. "I'll be putting you on the first floor, if that's alright. The second floor
is reserved starting tomorrow, and I am assuming you'll be coming back through eventually." Misery nodded. "Then I'll be sure to leave the room for you, unless you decide you don't like it."

"Thank you." Misery followed quietly behind him. The only sound she could hear was her own footsteps. The hallway was blindingly dark. Kepsi stopped at the first door at the top of the stairs. "Are we there?'" Misery asked.

"We are. That walk wasn't too terrible was it?" Misery shook her head. "Good." He pushed the door open slowly, creaking as it went. It's small, but you'll find it supplies all the essentials. There's a bedroom, and a bath, if you wish to get cleaned up from the storm, and the beds are comfortable; Karen has made sure of that." Kepsi looked at her once more and smiled. "I have a lot to do for the group coming in tomorrow, so please make yourself at home, and I'll be down the stairs if you need anything. If I am not at the counter, ring the bell." Misery nodded. "Thank you," he finally said, bowing, then closed the door behind him, leaving misery on her own. She sat down at a small table next to the bed, pulling up a chair, and pulled out the paper she'd started writing on before:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"-imediately. I wonder if they've anything to do with the wonderful job I've been given. Babysitting is not my specialty, particularly when I pay with my own money. Tomorrow I shall see what it takes to get inside the palace walls, and perhaps make an appointment with the prince. For tonight, a rest, and perhaps some mediation before the task lying ahead."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Misery grabbed a small booklet with a thick pile of papers from her cloak and added this one to the collection. Placing it back in the inside pocket, she sat down and crossed her legs.

The night was quiet for hours, and she remained seated, legs crossed, in meditation. The past months had unfolded very quickly, and she was still unsure of what she was supposed to be doing. Legend had always led her to wonder what would happen near the end of this war. “What’s your story?” Her memory repeated. Last week continued flashing through her head, over and over again. “Everyone has one. Mine just circles around the elements of war. I’m asking… What’s your’s?” His knowledge had been the most educational experience she’d had in years.

“Damn it!” she screamed, punching the ground she sat on, “What did he mean?” She stopped and breathed, focusing on the air entering and exiting her. The sound of her heart beating entered back into her mind. She breathed again, and her pulse slowed. She looked around her. The room really was comfortable, just as Kepsi had promised. The bath she had drawn was still steaming, and the bed was warm. She looked at the door, still closed, and stood up. “I should get Love,” she thought. As she reached for the handle, a small thud came from downstairs. She pulled her hand back and stared at the door. Awaiting someone to come up the stairs, she remained quiet and slowly moved toward the wall. Another thud came. It sounded as though whoever it was had no purpose is going any farther than the bar downstairs.

She grabbed a knife from her bag and slid it into her pocket. The sound seemed to become more frequent as she moved. She listened closely, and then quietly snuck out the door. She crept along the wall, watching both in front and behind her. Danger in a tavern… Amazing where it finds itself nowadays. She pressed against the wall, listening to the rumble from downstairs. Suddenly the sound of footsteps grew louder. They were getting closer and closer. She crept toward the nearest room. Please be unlocked, she hoped. She grabbed the handle and twisted it slowly. The door clicked open and she eased her way in, then blew out the nearest candle, so the room would appear vacant. Luckily there’s no one in here. She listened behind the door as the footsteps passed by her. A black shadow passed, entering the room at the end of the hall. She caught a glimpse of man with brown hair, down to the ears, and a girl was sagging over his arms.

She looked back toward the stairs. It was quiet downstairs. She proceeded down and took a look around. There was no one there, not even Kepsi. “Hello?” she whispered. The tip of her knife dug into her hand as she looked around. She walked behind the counter and crept into the room behind it. “Kepsi?” He did not answer. She twisted around, listening to footsteps running back down the stairs.

Not wanting to be seen, she hid behind a pile of crates. There sat Kepsi, waving back and forth, and he smelled of alcohol. The bartender drinks as well? She looked back to where she was standing. A shadow of the man before stood there. “Kepsi?” she heard him say. She wanted to reply for the drunk slob next to her, but thought twice of the idea. “Kepsi, get back out where I can see you, and bring some towels immediately.” She looked at Kepsi, realizing the emergency. Off in a corner was a pile of towels. On the other side of he bar, she heard the man say something else as she slowly carried the towels to Kepsi, then as though the world around her had forced it, she shoved Kepsi out to speak with the man. He returned seconds later, towels still in hand, but the man was already back up the stairs. What in the world? Her mind raced with ideas, and she quietly felt her way back up the dark stair case.