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"Feeling any better?" Alaric asked Kira as he coaxed the fire into further life.
Kira pulled up the hem of her skirt to expose her malformed right foot and slowly wiggled her toes in front of the fire. "I think," she said. "It's going to take it a while before it realizes we aren't out in the rain anymore."
"Let me help," said Alaric. He turned and knelt in front of her, then gently took her foot in his hands, warmed by the hearth, and began to rub it in the places that didn't hurt. "Better?" he said.
Kira nodded. "We should probably let our things dry, though, instead of hogging all the heat for ourselves. And I wouldn't mind sitting down."
There were a few wooden chairs in the room, but they looked hard and unforgiving compared to the large Man-sized bed. "Should we ask for a step-stool this time?" said Kira.
"I think we can climb this one," said Alaric. Getting a running start (not, in Kira's estimation, that he needed one), he reached up and hoisted himself on the bed. "See?" he said.
Kira only chuckled to herself, and allowed him to lift her onto the bed next to her. The way their feet dangled over the edge reminded her, as it always did, of when she was a child. She leaned her head on her husband's shoulder as he slid his hand around her waist.
"Do you think they'll ask us about the Book here? They've got a much better chance of knowing about it here, especially with that talk of lore."
"I don't know," said Kira.
"Have you thought about what you'll say to them?"
"No."
"If it's any trouble to you--"
"I know," said Kira. "You'd tell them for me. But I might as well do it. It'll be good practice for later, if we get to meet the King."
"You're right."
"You, on the other hand, can tell them all about how we found out about this copy, diamond shirt-studs and all!"
Alaric began to laugh. "That rascally fellow! Do you think he ever stayed here?"
"I don't know. It's so hard to tell age with these stone buildings. He didn't include it on his list of 'ales you absolutely must try,' I'd have remembered the name. But that doesn't rule out the others."
"Or any others who might have visited before the Falling-Out."
Kira shivered. Alaric responded by dropping a kiss on the crown of her head. "Well, we're fixing that, now, aren't we?"
"If it ever can be fixed."
"Come," said Alaric. "Let's rejoin the company; it won't do you any good to stew right now. Stew, on the other hand, will do us both good!" He hopped down from the bed, and then lifted Kira and set her on the floor. Kira kept her arms around his neck, though.
"What is it?" he said.
"You've just been very good to me, is all."
"Well, I should hope you wouldn't have married me if I weren't!"
"I don't know--looks and money cover a good deal of faults..."
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