Yeah I'm a King, so what?

The Little Bird Inn

I needed lodging. Preferably somewhere with hot water.

Two years in Celeste's forest had spoiled me, regular bathing was no longer a luxury but a necessity. The thought of sleeping in road grime made my skin crawl.

The Little Bird Inn stood on a quieter street, away from the main market bustle. Modest but well-maintained, with flower boxes under the windows and a hand-painted sign of a cheerful songbird.

Clang! clang!

The door chime announced my entrance.

"Come in!" A young woman's voice, bright and welcoming.

She appeared from behind the counter, she looked in her early twenties, brown hair tied back, an apron over simple but clean clothes. Pretty in an unassuming way, though noticeably flat-chested. Her smile was genuine.

"Welcome to the Little Bird! How can I help you?"

"I need a room. And hot water for bathing, if you have it."

Her smile widened. "We do! We've got a big stove, so we can boil plenty. But you'll need to pay extra for firewood and the labor to haul it up."

Fair enough. "What are your rates?"

"Right now we have shared rooms of eight beds, for ten copper per night. Private single rooms are forty copper. We have nicer accommodations too, but I'd need to ask my mother about those."

I didn't need luxury. Just privacy and cleanliness.

"It's wolf-hunting season," she added apologetically, "so we're pretty full and prices are a bit higher than usual."

"That's fine. I'm here for the hunt anyway." I met her eyes. "Single room with hot water."

"Perfect!" She beamed. "For the water, is a regular bucket okay? Or we can bring up a larger tub for a bit more coin."

"Large tub. I haven't bathed properly in days."

She laughed. "You don't smell that bad, honestly. Trust me, some guys come through here reeking like they rolled in a corpse pit."

"Those are the ones who skip bathing entirely."

"Exactly!" Her grin was infectious. "Okay, single room with large tub is forty-five copper per night. Five copper for the hot water sounds steep, but it's worth it. Promise."

"Two nights."

I handed over a silver coin. She took it with practiced ease and slid a guest ledger across the counter.

"Sign here, please."

I wrote my name clearly, Luc Beaumont in the careful script Celeste had drilled into me through thousands of dictation exercises. Her eyes widened slightly. "You write beautifully for a mercenary."

"I had... thorough education."

"Mysterious past, huh?" She grinned. "I like it. I'm Maria, by the way. My mother owns the inn, but I run most of the day-to-day stuff."

"Can I call you Maria?"

"Only if I can call you Luc." No hesitation, no formality. Refreshing.

"Deal."

"Fair warning, we're short-staffed during hunting season, so we don't serve meals. You'll need to grab food from the market stalls."

"Understood. One more question what exactly is wolf hunting?"

Maria laughed. "You came here without knowing? Bold move." She leaned against the counter. "Basically, the town guards organize dawn expeditions north of town to cull wolf packs before winter. Show up at the north gate if you want in. Can't miss it, lots of carriages, lots of armed men looking nervous."

"Got it. Thanks."

"I'll get your room ready and start heating water. Go grab dinner before the stalls close, sun's already setting."

The market was winding down, vendors calling out final offers as the sky turned red-gold. I bought a loaf of bread and two skewers of roasted chicken for three copper. Simple, filling, efficient.

As I turned toward the inn, someone tugged my cloak.

"Please, sir! Buy some tomatoes?"

A small girl, maybe ten or eleven, held up a basket of bruised, scratched tomatoes. Her expression was heartbreakingly hopeful despite the poor quality of her goods.

Probably stuck with the worst produce. Too young to negotiate with distributors, too desperate to refuse bad deals.

"How much?"

"Three for one copper!" Her voice pitched high with sudden hope.

I bought all eight and handed over three copper coins.

"Oh! Thank you! Wait, let me..." She fumbled with the change, clearly unable to do the math.

"Keep it."

"Really?!" She bowed repeatedly, nearly dropping the empty basket. "Thank you, thank you, thank you—"

I grabbed one of the tomatoes and gently pressed it into her hands, then her mouth, cutting off the stream of gratitude.

"Calm down. Eat."

She bit into it, eyes widening. Despite their battered appearance, the tomatoes were perfectly ripe, sweet and tangy.

Up close, I could see delicate features under the dirt. Blonde hair that would shine if washed. She'd be beautiful in a few years.

Worth remembering.

"What's your name?"

"Luu!" She swallowed. "I'm Luu, sir!"

"I'm Luc. I'm staying at the Little Bird Inn." I nodded toward the building. "I'll come by at dawn tomorrow for breakfast."

Her face lit up like I'd promised her a fortune. "Really?! I'll be here! I promise!"

Even as a child, fighting to survive through trade. Admirable, in its way.

"Good stock," I murmured, turning away. "But needs a few more years."

"What are you muttering about?" Maria stood at the inn entrance, hands on her hips, amused suspicion on her face.

"Nothing important."

She gave me a look but led me upstairs without pressing.

The room was better than expected, wooden floors, a decent bed with clean linens, a desk, and a storage chest for gear. One corner had stone flooring with a drainage gutter.

"That's where you wash," Maria explained. "The water drains through there. Don't spill on the wood or it'll rot."

Before I could settle in, staff arrived with an empty barrel about a meter wide and three smaller tubs filled with steaming water.

"Pour the hot water over yourself in the big tub, then let it drain. Simple."

She lingered at the door, a mischievous glint in her eye. "For fifty copper, I'll wash your back."

I pulled out a silver coin immediately.

Her face went crimson. "I was joking!"

"I'm not."

"You...! No! Absolutely not!" She sputtered, flustered and indignant. "You're hunting wolves tomorrow! Focus on staying alive instead of being a pervert!"

I smiled. "Once I've made good coin tomorrow, I'll ask again."

"I'm not staying in a room with such a shameless man!" She fled, calling over her shoulder, "I'll wake you at dawn! Get clean and sleep!"

The door slammed. I stripped, washed thoroughly, body, hair, clothes and let the hot water soak away days of road grime. The bed was soft. Almost too soft after years of Celeste's firm mattress and forest ground before that.

But comfort was comfort. Tomorrow: wolves, combat, coin. Prove myself. Build connections. One step closer to a crown. I sank into sleep, muscles relaxed, mind clear.