He nodded simply at Cinder and smiled a little when she looked about at the mention of the monsters that had attacked him. Then he finished his mouthful and turned to Tawndra.

"I'm not really sure to tell you the truth.".. aha. Truth. "My future lies as open as an unfinished book and I expect many more twists and turns yet. I'd like to return home at some point...", he gazed off, past the feline as he was once again caught up with memories of his life before.. "But then I don't expect there to be much waiting for me."

He sighed a little, and absentmindedly chewed the last slice of steak, and tore a peice of bread away from the loaf. "Perhaps I'll travel a little. The world is an interesting place... a lot of scope to play about with.", he stuffed the bread in his mouth and chewed it quickly before swallowing and reaching for the ale, as his stomach growled lightly in a more contented fashion than earlier.

He was about to say something when he checked himself and simply frowned and drained the tankard, before setting it down beside the largely empty plate. Truth be told he was beginning to feel a little sleepy. Perhaps a bath?

He slid the chair back from the table and stood, then stepped back a pace and regarded the two patrons. "If you'll exxcuse me...", he thought for a moment regarding the cat.. "Ladies... I do feel rather tired and ready for bed... I think I shall just partake in the offer of a bathe and get some rest.. then I'll be ready for whatever work you have to hand in the morning."

He turned and walked to the stairs, then turned again. Perhaps it was possible to believe in kindness unmotivated by greed or other such illicit motivations. "Thankyou again. You do not know how much this means to me.", at which point he bowed slightly and ascended the stairs.

At the very last step he turned left at the t-junction and wondered into what must have been the bathroom, for there was a large oaken tub with taps and pipes, both of steel, the latter disappearing into the floor.

He closed the door behind him and quickly stripped off his clothing glad to be free of them. Then ran the water which rushed like a waterfall into a brook and climbed into the bath itself.

Even as he did he winced. The clear water ran over the little cuts and bruises and for a moment he could feel how sore his body really was. Then the pain subsided and instead was replaced by soothing touch like the soft hand of his mother, which always seemed to dry the tears from his eyes whenever as a boy he would cut and graze his knees.

And suddenly the exhaustion of the trek that had led him here set in, and after a moments thought which resulted in his sitting forward to turn off the tap, he leaned back and feel into a deep sleep.

Steam rose and

A pile of clean clothing was left in a basket for Orin/Lyle by one of the servants, just as Tawndra had wanted for this new guest. This basket was placed just outside of the bathroom that Orin had occupied.
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Renatta paced around the room. Nothing to do. This inn was practically barren. She would go somewhere else to keep her busy; somewhere else might even have more to give her for her service. But she didn’t know this country too well and she wouldn’t risk going out there again in fear she might wander days and find no place that would employ her. She was bored, awfully bored. Yet at the same time, she was tired. Perhaps she would take a little nap? She removed her boots and laid down on the bed to fall asleep.

Cinder nodded as Lyle mentioned travelling.. "I've been travelling a while myself. A long while, actually. It's amazing some of the things you'll see," She smiles.

After he's disappeared up the stairway, she leans back in her seat, her hands behind her head. She adresses the cat before her, "So, Tawndra, what do you think of his story?" She asks, seeming to feel the need to converse.

The kitten leaped up on a chair and laid down, swaying her tail gently in the air.

"I think he left some things out, but then again, the information I know about him is more then what that Renatta girl told- which is nothing except her name. Perhaps both of them will ease down a bit and then I would get to know them more?"

She seemly smiled, looking at the door. Wanting to to be where her mistress was.

Orin floated happily, caught up in the slow moving waters of a warm river. Though his eyes were shut tight he could feel the light of the sun high above gazing down upon him, and the slight breeze did little to wake him from his reverie.

Absentmindely his hands began cleaning his skin and hair, the latter slowly succumbing to manipulation and the knots freeing up as the mud fell away and dirtied his bath water.

To see hi now would have been to see an almost completely different person from the outside. His skin, fair almost pale was touched here and there by the light rose of his cheeks, his chin and jaw-line tight and with his nose giving him the chiselled features of nobility.

His flesh was taught, tight about the muscle, though the muscle itself was not in great standing. Which was to say that he had not the figure of a warrior, more the signs of a well honed springy stature, that lent him the ability to surprise those that didn't expect this of him.

His hair was as blonde as autumn corn, freshly reaped, and falling free and his lips contrasted sharply being full and rose red like those of his mother, those, his fine soft hands and his conscience were the few things he shared with her.

Within his dream all too suddenly the light vanished, and the water began to thicken, till he struggled to keep himself free of the quagmire that threatened to envelop him.

All about him strange noises could be hear.. screeching calls and a light growl which intensified till all about him could be heard the snarling of very familiar beasts.

Just as three seperate pairs of cat's eyes moved in on him and three hulking bodies leapt out at him from the inky dark he awoke, flailing about and somehow managed in his struggle to stand up.

His heart was beating rapidly, his chest heaving, and his bright eyes glinting with all the fear of a rabbit that knows the fox is upon him.

And then he took control and forced himself to breathe more steadily. Reaching over he grabbed a large jug of cool clean water and poured it over himself, then stepped free of the bath and quickly headed to the door.

Opening it he looked about and seeing the basket pulled it insde and dressed with all the haste of a soldier wakened to watch. And then he was outside the bathroom once more and closing the door as if to lock his nightmare away.

And there, now breathing more evenly he sunk, his back against the door itself, to the floor, his head resting on his raised knees and thanked God that it had been nothing more than a memory twisted to play on his fears. And now he was safe oncemore.

I’m sleeping, she told herself, to convince herself that she was. Unfortunately, she wasn’t. Her effort to do to sleep had no avail against the light of day. Her eyes opened and she finally got out of bed. Better to wander around the place a bit then just lie there and make a lame attempt of going to sleep when it’s not going to happen. She left her room and wandered through the hall. It was then that she noticed “Lyle.” Her eyes took no recognition of this man, and she thought he was different then the one she had met earlier. After all, he was clean now and wore something much decent. Still, this young woman approached him with wariness and kept a safe distance of three yards away from him. “Ex...excuse me sir, but are you alright?”