Nell's hooves beat a steady rhythm on the ground as she cantered along. Laurie allowed her to stretch out, lengthening her stride, and quickly eating up the road before them. It was but a short time till a long, thin curl of smoke alerted Laurie that they had arrived at the stone inn. She slowed Nell to a trot and dismounted a short ways from the door.
Laurie led Nell into the stables, took her tack off, and gave her another small sugar cube from the folds of her white dress. She grabbed the bulging runsack and entered into the Green Dragon once more. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust from the bright sunlight to the dimmer atmosphere of the inn. Laurie spotted Pio sitting with an elf and the man she had seen earlier; she threaded her way between the tables and groups of customers over to where they sat. Her eyes flitted from the man sitting rather sternly, lost in his thoughts, to Pio who was watching him carefully. She thought it almost seemed tense, but broke the silence that hung in the air.
"Pio, would you like me to take this to the kitchen? Farmer Maggot sends his regards," she added with a smile.
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