Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15 
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jun 10, 2017 17:30:20 GMT -8
At a glance, the Travelers’ Rest Inn appears to be a run-down farm house that was converted into a run-down bed and breakfast. One may be given to wonder how the owners of the Inn even manage to stay in business given outward appearances, and the fact that the Inn sits alongside a not-so-well-traveled desolate stretch of road. This particular bit of murkiness becomes clearer, however, when it is revealed that the house sits almost exactly on the half-way point between two large towns - both centers of tourism and commerce. A traveler sat astride a strong horse, or being pulled along by a team of strong horses as the case may be, could leave one town just before daylight and be at the Inn just as the sun set. Faced with the alternatives - sleeping out for the night or pushing on in the darkness - most passersby choose to stay at the Inn despite its run-down and, to some, unsettling appearance. It is for this reason that most of the Inn’s customers arrive under the cover of darkness.
Once inside, a patron of the Inn may find themselves thankfully surprised at the relatively good condition of the interior of the house. The dark wooden floors are a bit creaky but give a warm and inviting look to the main common area the front door opens up into. Chairs with dated upholstering look comfortable, and sit around small tables next to an equally petite bar, all positioned neatly around a stone hearth with the warm glow of a fire. The furnishings of the Inn are all well worn and universally showing their age, but they are clean and at one time (perhaps decades ago) would have cost someone a small fortune.
(Find out more about this thread Here.)
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816 
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jun 10, 2017 19:30:13 GMT -8
Roxanne rode up to the inn, checking the worn note in her hand. This looked like the place, alright. Travelers' rest...what a dump. It was a little creepy, but she'd slept in worse places before. Still, knowing that a girl vanished here made it a little more unsettling. Stopping her horse outside, she hopped off and reread the letter. While she'd been back home, her friend Dixie had given her the letter, saying that an "acquaintance" had left it on her nightstand. Originally, Roxanne had wanted to ignore it, as it had called mercenaries like her "filth" and offered no reward. However, Dixie had begged her to do it, telling her that it was the right thing to do and that there was a girl out there who needed her help. Roxanne had never been able to resist Dixie's pleading, and had begrudgingly agreed.
Tying up her horse, Roxanne stepped through the door. When she glanced around, she was surprised that everything looked so cozy. At least the inside was well-kept, she thought. Perhaps the night wouldn't be that bad after all. She walked over to the bar, looking for an innkeeper or bartender.
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jun 11, 2017 3:10:30 GMT -8
Roxanne Fletcher would find that despite there being no horses visible on the front side of the house, there were two men inside. The first, sitting in one of the old parlor chairs, appeared to be a well-kempt man - the brown hair on his face formed into a handlebar mustache and a short beard. The other stood just slightly to Roxanne's left, standing behind the bar; obviously the innkeeper.
The innkeeper, like the rest of the inn, was aging in his appearance. The hard lines in his face told the story of a life of hardship out in the dust, perhaps trying to make a go of farming. The two men were talking civilly amongst themselves as Roxy entered. The innkeeper stopped the conversation to address her.
"Ah! Another traveler. Welcome to the Travelers' Rest Inn." he seemed pleased to see the stranger, and by the looks of the outside of the place, the inn could use the business. The man reached for a leather-bound book behind the bar as he continued speaking.
"A room for the night is one silver. I keep water hot out on the hearth all night so the price of the room includes all the tea and coffee you want. Breakfast is an additional silver and is served one hour after sunrise. We serve biscuits, salt-cured ham, fresh eggs, and coffee or tea." the innkeeper dropped the book on the bar in front of him with a thud as he rattled off what the inn offered and the prices; an obvious omission being the limited selection of spirits behind the bar. It was clear the words were muscle memory at this point for the man, as he'd likely told hundreds of other people over the years the same spiel.
"If you're interested in breakfast its better that I know now, and I thank everyone for paying in advance." the man produced a pencil and touched the tip of it to his tongue, preparing to write. "I'll also need a name for the registry - Miss.."
His words trailed off with the expectation that Roxy would finish the sentence for him.
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jun 11, 2017 11:45:39 GMT -8
Roxanne glanced over at the mustached man. He seemed a bit out of place, wearing such a fancy mustache in a run-down dump like Travelers' Rest. However, the innkeeper soon caught her attention. The man was old and worn, just like the rest of the inn. However, the look suited him. Roxanne couldn't imagine him ever looking any younger or older than he was now. It reminded her of her uncle Renalt, who seemed to have been the same age her entire life. He'd always had the same white beard, the same lines in his face, the same complaints about aches and pains. Perhaps this innkeeper was in the same boat.
"Thank you, innkeeper. I'd like a room for the night and breakfast tomorrow, as well as a mug of ale for right now. And Miss Fletcher will do just fine, thank you very much. Or Roxanne, if you'd prefer."
She sat down at the bar, pulling out her coinpurse and glancing around. The place seemed worn but cozy, and not nearly as sinister as it had looked from the outside. Had a girl really vanished here? Then again, people had vanished in all sorts of places.
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jun 11, 2017 12:55:39 GMT -8
“Miss Fletcher.” He repeated, “Roxanne.” the old man wrote Roxanne Fletcher’s name in the leather-bound book before closing it and returning the tome to its place. He busied himself with retrieving her drink as he continued to speak. “Miss Fletcher, I am Alfred Borden - Mr. Borden if it’s not too much of a burden. If it is, then just ‘Borden’ will do. Only my mother is in the habit of calling me Alfred.” Bending down behind the bar, Borden grabbed an opaque glass bottle of ale, its alcoholic contents secured with a cork and a bit of heavy wire. “Also I’d like to introduce the well coiffed gentleman behind you. He is Mr. Merrit. This will be the second night in a row he’s joining us here at the inn.” Borden motioned to the ‘out of place’ looking Mr. Merrit with the bottle as he plunked a glass mug down on the bar in front of Roxanne. Borden caught Roxy’s glace around as he poured the contents of the bottle into the glass. The old man sat the now partially empty bottle down next to the full mug. If so many before her hadn’t had the same reaction, he could have read the thought on her face. “Not everything is as it first appears from the outside, ay Miss Fletcher?” |
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jun 11, 2017 13:21:01 GMT -8
"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Borden. And you, Mr. Merrit."
Roxanne glanced back at the fancy Mr. Merrit, wondering why anyone in their right mind would spend more than one night here. After the first night, why wouldn't any sane person immediately go to town? It was certainly cozy enough, but there wasn't exactly a whole lot to hold anyone's interest for long. She sipped the ale, finding it to be somewhat nicer than she'd expected. That was a relief, at least. When Borden seemingly read her mind, she nodded.
"I suppose you could say that, Mr. Borden. Do you get a lot of guests here, usually? I didn't see any horses outside."
She wondered briefly how Mr. Merrit had gotten here without a horse or carriage. Perhaps he'd simply walked. It was quite a walk from either one of the towns, but she'd walked further before.
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jun 25, 2017 15:03:46 GMT -8
Borden used a clean white bar towel to wipe the top of the bar in front of him idly as Roxy drank. The bar wasn't dirty - in fact it wasn't even wet. It appeared the well-kept but aging interior of the inn was a direct result of this type of idle cleaning. The inside of the inn was old, but far from dirty. Everything had its place, and Borden appeared to see to it all.
"I kept horses for many years Miss Fletcher - beautiful animals. But, I got too old to wrestle with horses and having them became too expensive. With mother being in declining health, it just seemed best to sell them off while they were still worth some money. There's a small attached cover out back if you'd prefer to store your horse there. It'll keep the rain off of your mount and saddle if it comes in on us tonight."
The man folded the still clean and white bar towel and placed it back in its spot behind the bar. The casual mention of Borden's mother might have perked up a sharp ear for detail. If the old man's mother was still alive, she must be well into her advancing years.
"Mr. Merrit may advise you against it, however" The innkeeper continued, "That's where he had his horse tied up last night, and it was gone this morning. If it were any other time I'd insist that the horse must have broken the reigns and run off, but we've had an influx of unsavory characters in the last month or so. Nothing to be worried about mind you."
It would slowly start to become more and more noticeable that Mr. Merrit hadn't said a single word since Roxy's arrival at the inn - but, perhaps he wasn't the talkative type.
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jun 25, 2017 15:20:02 GMT -8
Roxy assumed that Mr. Borden was recounting a tale from long ago. He was quite old himself, and she couldn't possibly imagine his mother still being alive. She put the thought out of her mind, though. Roxanne had never liked to think of mothers very much, ever since her own had died of illness.
"Thank you, I think I'll put my horse in the shelter. There isn't anyone else in the inn, is there? I didn't see any camps on the way in here, so I wouldn't think that there would be all that many unsavory characters about. Is that why you stayed for a second day, Mr. Merrit?"
She glanced over at the quiet guest, sympathetic. It was an awful loss to have a horse stolen. They were expensive, and she'd grown rather fond of hers. She'd named it Dahlia, after her favorite kind of flower.
"Anyways, do you get a lot of business here, Mr. Borden? I can't imagine there's all that many people traveling this road."
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jun 25, 2017 16:11:31 GMT -8
The here-to-fore silent Mr. Merrit appeared as if he was about to answer Roxy's question before Borden quickly cut him off.
"Mr. Merrit is here on an errand of his own making, and he is welcome to stay for as long as he would like for the reasonable sum of one silver per night - paid in advance." It was hard to tell if Borden's statement was for the benefit or Roxy, or for Mr. Merrit.
"Miss Fletcher, I'm not one to needlessly interrupt the polite conversation of our guests, but I will have to ask for you to forgive me. It will be dark very soon, and I would like to show you your room, turn down the bed, and see to filling your wash basin before the sun sets to avoid the appearance of any.. Impropriety.. you understand I'm sure. This place may never be the great citadel of Isra, but I do pride myself on running a respectable establishment."
Mr Borden of course alluded to a custom that would seem very 'old fashioned' to some; the idea of a man (no matter his age) being in an unrelated woman's room after dark being improper. The innkeeper walked just inside the door to the kitchen (which was attached to the room the trio currently occupied) and grabbed a clean face towel and a half-filled bucket of water, already drawn from the pump outside.
"Please Miss fletcher, right this way. You can come back to your drink and Mr. Merrit will be available for questions all night long I'm sure."
The innkeeper walked passed Roxy, headed back towards the door and down a connecting hallway, expecting that she would follow. He motioned to the narrow staircase just off of the hallway that dead-ended to a door at the top.
"The inn is actually all on this floor, up those stairs are mother's and my private quarters. We ask that our guests knock on the door if they need something during the night and I am not out behind the bar or in the sitting area. I'm an extremely light sleeper, so raising me won't be an issue." he continued into the hallway, where there were three doors all on the same side of the hallway.
"To answer your question Miss Fletcher, we don't get much business here - the only real steady business is the merchant traffic traveling between Glendale and Hickory Pointe. We have only these three rooms for rent, and they are very rarely all full at once. Your room will be this last one, on the far corner of the house."
Once he reached the door, Mr. Borden turned the brass doorknob to open it. The room, predictably, was populated with well worn but still very clean furnishings. The bed was made of a dark oak, and had white sheets with a pale green blanket. On one wall was a small roll top desk and chair, and on the other a white antique porcelain wash basin and matching pitcher, both decorated with understated but still highly detailed dainty pink flowers. The room, being on the corner of the house, had two windows, one on each wall that was the exterior of the home.
"Those windows have blackout curtains and shades. No one will be able to see in from outside once they're closed." the host reassured his guest.
All in all, Mr. Borden had probably given Roxy the best room in the house, and despite being stuck in some of the old ways, seemed as if he wanted Roxy to be comfortable.
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jun 25, 2017 19:45:31 GMT -8
At the innkeeper's insistence, Roxanne rose from her seat. It was funny seeing how older folks decided what was improper, she thought. Gran had never bothered much about what was "proper"...still, she figured it couldn't hurt to do as the innkeeper asked. It would make him more comfortable, after all, and didn't inconvenience her all that much. She followed the man down the hall, glancing curiously up the stairs. His and his mother's quarters...so she was still alive? How could that be? Some things just weren't fair.
Once they arrived at the room, Roxy looked around and sat down on the bed. It seemed soft enough, and the blankets looked very warm. She appreciated the dark curtains, and decided that she'd slept in much worse inns for much more money.
"Thank you, Mr. Borden. It all looks very comfortable, I'm sure I'll have a nice night."
Once Mr. Borden was finished setting up the room, she followed him back out and headed out the door to tie up her horse in the shelter. Dahlia had been a gift from her grandmother, and Roxanne didn't want the horse to be stuck out in the rain. As she tied the horse up, she glanced around for any tracks or footprints of the ruffians that took the horse last night. Hopefully they wouldn't be back. There wasn't any harm in keeping the horse in here, though. After all, it'd be just as easily taken if it were outside.
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jun 26, 2017 3:07:02 GMT -8
Roxy's search for evidence of the aforementioned horse stealing ruffians would be interrupted by a sound; a loud creaking and then a sharp rap on the side of the house. If Roxy was to look up, she would see Mr. Merrit exiting through the back door of the kitchen - the creaking noise obviously being the door's hinges, and the rapping against the side of the house caused by the spring along the top of the door slapping it shut again.
Mr. Merrit emerged from the house, his face lit against the waning daylight by a thin stick he was holding, the end of which was aflame. He held a fine curved piped made of a dark wood with a gold band in his mouth, and shielding the flame on the stick from the wind with one hand, poked the stick down into the pipe with the other. The gentleman took his time, seeing that the entire top surface of the tightly packed tobacco in the pipe's bowl was smoldering, puffing on the pipe several times. The puffs eventually began yielding heavy clouds of white smoke, and Mr. Merrit waved the stick quickly to kill the flame.
The man took the pipe out of his mouth, holding it in his right hand as he spoke; "You're a strange around here, aren't you Miss Fletcher? What brings you to Travelers' Rest?"
Mr. Merrit wouldn't appear to be as good at reading minds as Borden had been, since she'd all but said she was a stranger while the three of them were inside the inn.
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jun 27, 2017 20:20:54 GMT -8
Roxanne turned at the sound of the door, but relaxed when she saw that it was only Mr. Merrit. She didn't mind all that much when he pulled out his pipe, as her uncle Renalt had always enjoyed smoking. Then again, Uncle Renalt's tobacco mix had always smelled of chocolate...then again, so did Uncle Renalt and everything he touched. She liked chocolate, but it could get tiresome at times. Roy seemed to enjoy it, though, so she couldn't complain all that much.
"That's correct, Mr. Merrit. I'm not from around here, and I normally wouldn't be around here. I'm actually here to look for someone. A girl vanished around here, some weeks ago. I wouldn't expect you to have heard anything about that, though. How about you, Mr. Merrit? What sort of business are you on?"
She stroked Dahlia as she spoke, smoothing out the horse's mane. Roxanne had always liked horses. It beat walking, anyways.
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jun 29, 2017 2:55:34 GMT -8
Mr. Merrit nodded as Roxy spoke, and puffed on his pipe which produced another cloud of white smoke.
"Delilah Bluff." he added to Roxy's statement, "I believe we are here on the same business."
The gentleman took a few steps away from the house, and out into the attached horse cover, stepping through a few curls of tobacco smoke.
"I interviewed her family and a few friends in Glendale. They said she made this trip on her father's behalf twice a year. Over the years she apparently struck up something of a friendship with the lady of the house - as much of a friendship as their age difference and the little amount of time they spent together would allow anyway."
Mr. Merrit's gaze settled on Roxy, watching her as he stroked her horse's mane down. He appeared as if he was sizing up Roxy, trying to figure out what manner of investigator she was.
"I've been unable to talk to Mrs. Borden as of yet. Her son forbids it, and the door to her quarters is locked."
There might have been an offer in Mr. Merrit's words, or at least he left enough room for Roxy to put together the potential partnership for herself.
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jun 29, 2017 8:56:08 GMT -8
Roxanne looked the man over carefully. He didn't seem like a threat. After all, why would he bother threatening her? It wasn't as though they were in competition. He did seem to be rather knowledgeable about the whole affair, though.
"You know more than I do, Mr. Merrit. Since we're both here for the same reasons...why not work together? You know as well as I do that there isn't really any reward for finding her, so there's nothing to be lost in teaming up. Two sets of eyes and ears would likely find the poor girl much more quickly than one."
She carefully brushed the horse, and loosened the straps of the saddle and reins. It had been a long day of riding, and she figured the creature could use a break.
"What do you know about this establishment in particular, Mr. Merrit? Also, do you know anything about the girl in question?"
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jul 16, 2017 16:19:12 GMT -8
"I have already been compensated." Mr. Merrit said at Roxy's mention of a reward. He puffed on his pipe again. "Any reward Mr. Bluff is offering you is yours to keep."
"As for what I know specifically about this property, it appears on the outside as it appears on the inside; it was once a farm house but has been at some point converted to an inn. Though I will say I do find it odd that there's no sign of a cellar inside or outside. Farm houses are almost never without a place to store canned goods and other perishables. Aside from that, the upstairs is locked firmly. Perhaps if we were able to gain access to the top floor we cou-"
Mr. Merrit's words were cut short by the (now familiar) sound of loud creaking of the back screen door, combined with the smack of the wooden frame against the side of the house. In the doorway stood Mr. Borden, his face stretched into a dour, unhappy expression at what he had obviously been overhearing; but how much he'd heard was unclear.
"That door is locked because some hysterical fool paid any mindless thug willing to swing a brickbat to go to an inn and harass an old man! Then he has the audacity to wonder why he gets nothing for his money but word of a roughed up old man and his ailing mother risen from her sick bed." Mr. Borden's words were harsh, and angry.
Roxy may have been on the case for only a few days, but this had been the innkeeper's life for more than a month now. Mr. Merrit quietly and calmly used his right hand to tap the upturned bowl of his pipe on his left palm, which made the wad of partially burned tobacco fall out of it. He put the pipe back into his coat, and turned to go back inside.
"Mr. Merrit, I expect you'll be ready to leave by first light." Borden said sternly to the man as he passed by him in the doorway. "I now regret my decision to accept your payment for tonight after I'd found out your real purpose for being here. If not for the disappearance of your horse I would have turned it down."
With Mr. Merrit inside, the innkeeper looked back at Roxy, still brushing her horse. Borden didn't say anything as he closed the screen door, ducking back inside as well. It was unclear if or not the elderly man was equally as upset with Roxy, but at a minimum there was no reason to think he was going to cast her out into the night if he wasn't willing to throw Mr. Merrit out as well. |
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jul 16, 2017 17:52:00 GMT -8
Roxanne listened closely to Mr. Merrit's words. No sign of a cellar really was odd. Even the family estate had a cellar, although it was used more for wine than for root vegetables. Still, perhaps the cellar had been hidden. What purpose would a hidden cellar serve, though? To hide a kidnapped girl, maybe? However, her speculation was cut short by a very cross Mr. Borden bursting in. She stood by quietly as he shouted at Mr. Merrit, and went back to brushing her horse when he went back in. Of course the proprietor knew what was up, she'd been stupid to not realize earlier. If he really did know anything, it would be awfully difficult to get him to spill. Still, she figured that she may as well try her best. After a brief search for any sign of horse-stealing ruffians, she headed back inside and returned to the bar to finish her drink. If Mr. Borden was still there, she called out to him.
"I'm sorry that you've been harassed so much recently, Mr. Borden. Perhaps if someone were to search the place carefully, they'd be able to clear the inn of suspicion. Let the world know that there's nothing to be found here, and leave you in peace."
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jul 17, 2017 3:36:58 GMT -8
After walking through the back door and passing through the kitchen, Roxanne would find Mr. Borden in the foyer that was the inn's combination sitting room/dining room/bar. He seemed to be in the process of making himself a cup of tea with the kettle of hot water that sat on the hearth. Mr. Borden listened as Roxanne spoke, stirring a lump of sugar into his tea.
"I am sorry you saw that." he said as he took a seat. Mr. Borden was obviously not in the habit of apologizing often, as it wasn't much of an apology for his outburst. He seemed to have gotten himself under control for the most part as he sat at one of the small round tables, sinking into a parlor chair.
"Miss Fletcher, when you arrived here I did not simply welcome you into my business, I also welcomed you into my home. I have lived on this land the entirety of my life, and a man my age shouldn't have to answer to anyone in his own home. But, if knowing helps you to sleep, you may rest easy knowing my home was searched top to bottom more than a month ago, right after the girl went missing." Mr. Borden sipped his tea as he looked at Roxy.
"I don't suppose that you've been told I cooperated fully with the first round of 'investigators' - thugs in the garb of town guards. I likewise don't suppose you were told why I would contribute to the disappearance of one of the only steady customers this inn has. Or, if I was indeed going to victimize a young girl, why I would pick one that made it known to her family where she was going to be staying for the night, and would be so readily missed the next day!"
Mr. Borden was working himself into aggravation again until he let out a long sigh. |
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jul 17, 2017 16:34:04 GMT -8
Roxanne nodded sympathetically. She could understand the struggle, having gone through something similar herself. Sipping at her drink, she leaned against the countertop.
"I can imagine what you're going through, Mr. Borden. When I was younger, my friend Dixie's father was stabbed in his home. The only witness said that they saw someone with white hair fleeing the scene. All of my family has white hair like mine, so people were constantly in and out of the estate. We were constantly being questioned, accused, and threatened for months on end. It was awful, and people kept throwing rocks at our windows and sneaking in to search for evidence. Eventually, it turned out that it wasn't any of my family at all, just an old man who Mr. Weaver had won one too many games of cards against. He figured that he was old enough that he had nothing to lose. Poor Dixie."
She sighed, sipping at her drink. Perhaps the premature death of her father had something to do with Dixie's behavior when she'd gotten older. Dixie was one of Roxanne's best friends, but even she couldn't deny that the girl deserved the nickname "Shortcake". Roxanne wasn't sure who came up with the name, but it definitely fit. Dixie was short, sweet, and everybody in town had gotten a piece.
"I'm sure you've got nothing to do with it, Mr. Borden. It's a shame that Mr. Bluff named this place as the only lead. You said she was a regular customer, right? What was she like? Did you see anything suspicious before she vanished?"
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Travelers' Rest
Established
Roleplay posts: 15
Registered: Jun 7, 2017 5:25:14 GMT -8
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Post by Travelers' Rest on Jul 19, 2017 11:22:19 GMT -8
"In my experience, hard stories are the norm in most people's lives." Borden added to the end of Roxy's story about Dixie. Apparently along with being bad at apologies, the old man also wasn't great at being sympathetic. The probably came from a lifetime of hard labor in the fields, which had eventually failed to sustain him and his family - which then necessitated the change of the house into an inn for passersby.
Mr. Borden nodded an answer to Roxanne's question about the missing girl.
"She was a regular customer, of sorts. Twice a year, she would make the trip from Glendale over to Hickory Point on her father's behalf, and on her trip to and from she'd stay here for the night. It'd been that way for a number of years now." Mr. Borden leaned back in his chair, his index finger gently tracing the dainty handle of his cup of tea.
"Delilah - Miss Bluff - had trouble sleeping through the night; a proclivity the girl had for not being able to sleep in a strange bed, no matter how comfortable she was. When mother was in better health, she and Miss Bluff wiled away the night with tea, and talked. Miss Bluff would relay stories from her father's travels, and mother would tell her stories from when she was a little girl. I suppose.. mother did always regret not having a daughter." Borden appeared to loose himself just a bit, remembering times he obviously thought were better than the current situation he found himself in.
"So it is exactly as Mr. Merrit said, they did have something of a friendship." he said, bringing himself back to present. "Miss Fletcher, I was hoping to tell you before you went to bed that you bare a resemblance to Miss Bluff in many ways - save for she had very dark brown hair. Mother, in her illness, is confused a great portion of the time, and I am concerned that she may mistake you for her. I wouldn't bother mentioning it if not for the fact that in earlier years. when my father was alive, he and mother used to take moonlit walks together. Lately, mother, in her confusion, has resumed taking these walks at night - by herself you understand. I would consider it a personal favor that if for whatever reason she approaches you, you would not ask her about Miss Bluff's disappearance. I'm doing all that I can to keep it from her, she simply does not need the stress in the condition."
Borden sipped his tea looking over at Roxanne.
"Just so you understand, Miss Fletcher, I am not asking you to play as if you are Miss Bluff, only to not mention her disappearance. I only mean to warn you that she may mistake you for the girl she had a friendship with, and to ask you not to distress her needlessly in her fragile condition. If you'd like, you are of course more than welcome to wake me and I will see her back to bed." |
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Roxanne Fletcher
Main Character
Roleplay posts: 816
Age: 22
Physical Description: Roxanne is tall with white hair and a narrow, athletic build. She has a pleasant face and only a couple of scars.
Clothes and Equipment: Heavy armor, Elven bow (stolen), and a longsword.
Player's online availability : Early mornings and late evenings
Registered: Aug 2, 2015 8:58:10 GMT -8
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Post by Roxanne Fletcher on Jul 20, 2017 16:54:16 GMT -8
Roxanne listened intently, occasionally giving a sympathetic nod. Talking to Mr. Borden's mother would definitely be quite a help. Perhaps the old mother would know something. Did she really look all that much like Miss Bluff? What a coincidence. Maybe she'd be able to play that to her advantage, somehow. Should she dye her hair to look like Miss Bluff? That could upset Mr. Borden if he found out, but might prove useful...Roxanne chuckled at the memory of the one and only time she'd dyed her hair. She'd come back from Dixie's house with dark, reddish-brown hair, and Gran had gotten so cross at her. She made Roxanne wash the dye out and kept her inside for an entire week.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind, Mr. Borden. I don't mind talking to her at all, though. The elderly often know all sorts of things that anyone else might not. My own gran always gives me all sorts of advice, from a lifetime of experience. Perhaps your mother could give me some advice as well."
She finished her ale, standing up and heading towards her room.
"Do you have a bath in the inn, Mr. Borden? If not, perhaps I'll go for a walk to clear my head. Besides, I'd better keep an eye out for horse snatchers. I wouldn't want to lose Dahlia."
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