Abigail Fredrickson

It’s been a while since I uploaded last- It’s been a learning experience juggling writing, college, my part-time job, my young adult group at church, and this blog. So often I tell myself ‘This week. This week I will upload.’ and then the week finishes and I realize with a sinking heart that I’d forgotten again. Reminders don’t seem to do much to help me either. ‘:D

All the same, I return with another cut scene from Tigress! Or rather, not a cut scene, but a point of view change. In chapter 11, some of you may remember the first one-on-one encounter between Tigress and Ariel. In the published book, this was written from Ariel’s point of view as she analyzes her new guests.

However, this scene was originally meant to be from Tigress’s point of view while she debates whether or not she and Rowan can trust the young innkeeper. So have fun!

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I spend the entire morning in my room, mostly pacing back and forth or doing some mild training that won’t break anything or cause too much noise.  But I fall so quickly back into the routine of my life back at Contra that I have to quickly leave my room and just stand in the hallway, merely to remind myself that I can.  I’d heard samurai coming and going earlier, but right now the inn is quiet.  No tramp of heavy feet or obnoxious laughter from the kitchen or common room.  So I decide to take my chances and head downstairs.  As I pass by the samurai’s rooms, I catch subdued snores, confirming that they’d been the ones out at night and likely won’t wake for a bit.

So I continue on without fear of one of them coming across me but take care to keep my movements silent all the same.  I peek into the common room.  It’s empty.  Doubling back to the kitchen, I glance inside.  It’s also empty.

So is my stomach, apparently, because at that moment it chooses to ache pointedly.  I slip an apple from a basket on the table and lean against the wall as I eat, allowing my gaze to drift over the room.  The sun coming through the window bathes the simple room in a gentle light, and the kitchen feels more like one that a small house would have than a bustling inn.  In fact, I can imagine a close-knit family sitting around the table with ease.  The vision makes my heart ache and send a little wave of painful…something throughout me with each beat.  But at the same time it feels nice, so I don’t chase the mental image away.

“Good day,” a soft voice comes from the entrance.  I start slightly, but recover just as quickly and turn my head to see Ariel.  I hadn’t heard her footsteps at all.  I’d wondered if she’d gone out of the inn for something, but then recall that I hadn’t heard her reenter said inn.  I give her a piercing look.  Her blue eyes return it calmly, betraying nothing, but giving absolutely no hint of hostility either.

After a moment, I nod curtly and return my gaze forward, taking another bite of the apple.  Ariel leaves the entrance, moving to a cabinet, “Why don’t you have something more than just that apple?  You never had breakfast, and it is nearly lunch anyway.”

I shrug noncommittally.  I won’t deny that the biscuit she’d given me the previous night had been delicious once Rowan talked me into eating it, but I still don’t trust her.  Nonetheless, the girl pulls out a loaf of some kind of bread with berries inside, cuts off a slice and holds it out.  I take it begrudgingly and nod again.

Ariel takes some bread for herself and sits on the counter, swinging her feet a bit.  “You don’t talk much, do you?”

“I don’t do chit chat,” I comment coolly, eyeing the bread dubiously.  Can literally no one leave me alone for a single minute?

“Okay,” the golden-haired girl proceeds to finish her bread in complete silence.  Then she takes a broom from the corner and starts sweeping.  She moves around the room as gracefully as if she was dancing, humming a tune under her breath, which is something I hadn’t realized was possible till now.  In fact, I’d think she was enjoying it if it wasn’t for the crease in her forehead.  What a strange person.

After a while, without looking up, she asks, “Where’s your friend?  I haven’t seen him today either.”

“Went out early.  He’ll be back,” I finally take a bite.  Blueberry bread, it turns out, which is a food I’ve never had before.  I decide right then that there couldn’t possibly be any better tasting bread anywhere in the world.  Even so, I refrain from eating it up like a ravenous wolf.

“How long will you two be staying?” she asks.

I have to actively stop myself from tensing.  We’re the ones staying at her inn; she has every right to ask that, and more likely than not it’s purely a business question.  But when I open my mouth to answer, I realize…I actually don’t know the answer.  The amount of money Rowan can earn and how much time it takes kind of decides that.  After all, when we leave, we’ll have to pay Ariel, and how much we have to pay her depends on how long we stay.

I finally just shrug, “Not exactly sure.”

She glances up at me with a raised eyebrow, but doesn’t pry and returns the broom to its place, “The samurai shift change starts in about ten minutes.  If you don’t want to be seen, I suggest you go upstairs for a while.” How did she…?  I frown at her back for a second but ultimately decide in favor of taking the advice and slip out of the kitchen.