Derik was a light sleeper. He drifted in and out of sleep waiting for the Halfling to find something more interesting to do than annoy him. He relaxed and listened to the sounds flow around him. His thoughts lingered on the bar maiden. There was something different about her. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but those eyes. She had the most odd and beautiful eyes he had ever encountered.
Those eyes filled him with longing, something he had not felt since the death of Julia. The thought of Julia brought back a flood of memories that made him shudder. That shudder awoke urgency inside him. It was at that moment he knew what had to be done.

Morning broke on the Inn. The horses’ whinnied for food, the birds danced around the water trough and Amber Xanthas swept off the porch.

"Where is Zeco?" A voice thundered from inside the inn. "I have not seen hide ner hair of him, and I can guarantee without..." The voice was cutoff by another voice, this one female. "Oh pipe down, he will find us. He always does".

Amber smiled and finished the last of the sweeping. She turned and give the porch one final glance. She nodded to herself in approval and turned to walk inside. Inside the air was full of wonderful smells lofting from the kitchen. The cook was preparing the morning meals.