Dinner was more than Rose could imagine. There was enough food on the tables to feed a household for a month. There were different delicacies—from meat to grains, pudding, and soup. There were three different types of meat: beef, mutton, and chicken.
The chicken was a full bird with stuffing that filled out of its neck and had been delicately grilled over low heat. The steak had been simmered in a pan with spices that filled the air, and it seemed to still be sizzling when it arrived at the table. The mutton had been cooked to perfection, so much so that Rose needed no force to cut out a piece. There was also rice, a large bowl of soup with chunks of vegetables, fresh fruit, and not to forget the jar of wine.
It was clear that the tavern had outdone themselves, and even Thomas had a slight look of satisfaction as he prepared to devour the meal. Rose didn't think the men could finish half of it, let alone the entire thing. However, she was proven wrong very quickly.
The entire table was cleared, leaving only bones, empty plates, and the drained jar of wine. Rose didn't miss that Thomas didn't indulge too much, and even while he ate, he seemed alert and aware of his surroundings. The other knights were jolly and chatted all through the meal.
"Get up," Thomas suddenly said at the end of the meal.
She jerked at his voice. At this point, Rose could barely keep her eyes open. The journey had been both mentally and physically exhausting. She had tried not to think about the reason for the trip, but even that had been just as tiring. Whether thinking of him or forcing herself not to think of him, both tired her out.
Rose turned to Thomas, who was still seated with his usual stern look. His loud order silenced the room, and the rest of the knights turned their attention to him.
The knights didn't seem ready to rest for the night, but Rose was fighting to keep her eyes open. Thomas had noticed this, and his loud voice had partially woken her up.
Rose slowly got to her feet. She tried to suppress a yawn but failed miserably. Thomas, however, didn't stand. Instead, he turned his head toward the knights at the other table.
"Mark," Thomas called.
The one called Mark hardened his jaw—but only briefly, too quickly for anyone to notice unless they were staring right at him.
"Yes, Lord Thomas," he replied and reluctantly stood to his feet.
"See that she makes it to her assigned room," Thomas said.
Mark bowed briefly, then turned to Rose, who was practically sleeping on her feet. She yawned again as their eyes met and slowly nodded her head at him.
Mark tore his gaze away from her without saying anything. He headed for the door, and Rose slowly trotted behind him. Mark seemed to be around the same age as Thomas but he wasn't as tall. He was just a few inches shorter than she was, and she had no problem looking at the back of his head.
Mark didn't have features that stood out, except for his really small ears, made obvious by his short hair. He seemed like a decent young man, and she didn't think too deeply about him as she walked out of the private room.
Rose simply put one foot in front of the other as she stared at his back. It must have been all the food she ate—she was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open.
Suddenly, Mark stopped walking and Rose had to abruptly step back to avoid bumping into him. He pointed to the door without saying a word, and she bowed slightly to show she was grateful.
She didn't mind that he didn't bother to open the door for her. Honestly, she was too sleepy to care. Rose pushed the door open and walked in.
It was a decent room with a little table and a bed. There was a frame, so it wasn't laid out on the ground. The bed could comfortably fit two people if they didn't mind skin contact.
The room didn't have a fireplace, but it wasn't freezing. Rose had her coat, so she was sure she would be fine for the night. The windows were closed, and the whole house was warm enough that it didn't matter that this room lacked a fire.
She turned around and smiled at the young knight before shutting the door. Rose heard him mumble something, but she was too sleepy to process it. She closed the door and, thankfully, remembered to bolt the lock before she fell onto the bed. She was already almost immediately.
Rose didn't dream of much, just a peculiar dream that was forgotten before she woke up. She was riding through a vast, snow-filled field. The white stretched on for miles, and at the end of the endless white, someone was waiting for her. Someone she couldn't quite see.
Rose woke up with a start. Banging, loud enough to break down her door echoed through the room. She rushed out of bed and tripped, almost hitting her face on the cold floor. It was dark, and the candlelight had died sometime in the night.
"I'm coming!" she yelled out—only then did the banging stop.
She managed to scramble to the door without hurting herself and unbolted it to reveal Thomas. He was impeccably dressed, with not a single hair out of place. The only thing missing was his cape and kettle helm.
The young lad stood beside him, holding a lantern, his head bent as though hiding his gaze from Rose.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asked, glaring at her, though there was clear concern in his eyes.
"Yes," she replied, wiping at her face. She had rushed out of bed and almost fallen—Rose did not want to imagine what she looked like.
Thomas narrowed his eyes. "Did you not fall asleep on time?"
Rose shook her head and suppressed a yawn. "I fell asleep immediately."
Thomas didn't seem impressed by her response. He turned around and started walking away. "Get ready. We leave now."
Rose was confused, but her confusion faded when the young lad handed her the light. "Sorry," he apologized. "I should have knocked harder. I thought something happened when you didn't respond, so I went to fetch the lord."
"Ah," Rose said as she accepted the light. She wasn't surprised that it had taken Thomas's loud banging to wake her up. With how sleepy she had been, she was surprised she'd even woken before dawn.
"I'll get you some water," he said. "Would you like anything else?"
Rose shook her head. She doubted she had much time to spare. Knowing Thomas, if she ruined his plans to make it to Haiyes before nightfall, she would most likely bear the brunt of his annoyance. She wanted to avoid that.
By the time Mark came to fetch her, Rose was seated on the bed and ready to go. She wore gloves and a small hat, doing her best to keep her hair away from her face. It would be annoying during the journey—the wind would constantly blow it back into her eyes.
Rose took one glance at Mark as she opened the door, and memory hit her. She frowned and, without saying a word, shut the door behind her as she waited for him to lead the way.
Mark's expression shifted for a moment, but Thomas's voice at the end of the corridor caused the look to falter.
"Mark, don't dawdle," Thomas called.
Mark straightened up and started walking toward them. Rose followed closely behind him to where Thomas stood, and together they went down the stairs.
Unlike the previous night, the entrance room was empty, with chairs scattered around. Empty dishes and cups lay everywhere—some broken. They clearly hadn't cleaned yet after the night before.
Thomas pushed the batwing doors open, and they walked out of the tavern. The horses were lined up in front, the lad standing beside them.
"Your horses, my lords," the boy bowed as he handed them the reins.
Her horse neighed as she took hold of the reins. Worried that Thomas might try to help her again, Rose quickly mounted the horse—getting it right on the first try this time.
The sky wasn't bright yet, and the only source of light came from the torches two of the knights carried. The knights mounted quickly, and Rose found her thoughts drifting toward them.
She had never really thought about it before, but were they displeased that soldiers of their caliber—the crown prince's personal knights—were subjected to this kind of task, escorting the crown prince's whore? Thomas had once thought the same. The only difference now was that he found her a little bearable.
Rose was forced to push the thought aside as Thomas led them toward the gates. She had other pressing matters. If all went well, tonight she would see the crown prince again.
Rose wasn't sure she wanted things to go well.