Admissions are made

It was past nightfall before you could find an inn to stay at for the night. It had become dark quickly as the clouds still lingered in the sky, ready to let loose another heavy storm. Seeing the soft glow of the lanterns from away, you both expel the last reserve of energy for the day to hurry inside. The smell of the place is the first thing that hits you as you open the door, compounded by your heavy breathing. Smoke from a myriad of pipes mixed together **** your busy nostrils and begin to cloud your vision, mixed with the light smoke of the roaring fire, keeping the place comfortably warmer than the weather outside.

The public area is currently home to a band of dwarves and roughshod humans, amiable enough in their pipeweeds and spirits, but still visibly dangerous. Cutting glances are made in your direction, enough to cause a chilling sensation down your spine. Unthreatened, Dilah presses her way in, and you follow immediately behind her, not a sound being made as she approaches and speaks to the innkeeper.

"Excuse me sir, we would like two rooms if you have the space" She asked, calmly and quietly

" 'fraid there's just one room and bed let for the night. I'" The innkeeper was cut off by an eavesdropper, with a foul, corrupted mind and a big mouth.
"Don't worry loves. We'll share our accommodations with you, save ya few coins in the process"
"Ya..."Echoed in a fellow drunkard "We can come to a fair arrangement for sharing the beds"
Mute to the erupting laughter, she replied to the innkeeper "We'll take the one room, and two pints of your cheapest ale" without so much looking at her hecklers. The innkeeper abides, and the two of you take your drinks and attempt to share a small a corner of the room in relative peace and quiet.

"It's mostly water at this point Demetria, but it'll at least keep you from getting sick, drink up." As she softly toasted your pitchers
You slowly take a drink. It is more bitter than the wines you are used to at the cathedral, but it's not terrible. Through your sips, you ask her, "So what's the next step? Where are we going?"

Dilah looks through a window for a second "I know we have another long day ahead of us. Several, in all reality. I don't know if we'll even find Fergus at the place we're going, but it's the best place I can think of looking?"

"Where is it?

"The exact location is...difficult, we'll be able to figure that out the closer we get. Fergus once told me that at the end of the last battle, he was very badly injured, close to ****. His life had been saved, by a hermetic order, living in an ancient structure, it's original purpose long since lost to time."

"Is that what caused his bad leg?"

"Nearest as I can tell, yes. Fergus called the hermits Dowla Kalat Tsai, which roughly translate to the House of the Forlorn."

"I wonder if that's who he was talking about in his letter. How do you think they got that name?" You're denied an answer, interrupted by one of the other guests, seemingly unaware of when to quit.

"Terribly sorry about my behavior earlier there miss. Name's Gilbert. Why don't you come join me and my mates? Share in our hospitality, get to know each other and such. Can tell us how two agreeable women such as yourselves are out and about in dangerous woods like this all by your little lonesomes."

"It's been a long day Gilbert, let us finish our drinks in peace. Trust me, we take care of ourselves."

"Oy, you're being rightly rude miss, in front my good company no less. Saying no to generous hospitality without so much as a thanks for the offer. You must think mighty high of yourself to behaving in such a way." Seeing he'll get nowhere with Dilah, he turns to you "How about you than? Don't let your mean old mum ruin your chance at havin' a good time now. We'll make sure you're in bed by your appointed time, cross my heart"

Your words cut more bluntly than Dilah's "She is not my mother, but you should listen to her just the same. We're not interested, now go away." Refusing to take no for an answer, the man grabbed Dilah's arm and tried to pull her with him into the throng. Impulsively, you reach for your hammer at your feet to beat Gilbert back. You needn't have bothered. Rising to her feet, the veteran paladin socked Gilbert dead in his face, causing him to stagger. Pulling her arm behind her, a flash of golden light formed around her fist in the shape of a great broadsword. Immediately aware of the line he crossed and fearful, Gilbert staggers back into the custody of his friends. While tending to his bloody nose, he makes one last idle threat "You best be cautious out there. Dangerous on the roads. Talk of monsters and such, who knows what the two of you may run into." Dozens of hostile eyes stare at the two of you, but neither flinch.
Dilah speaks up first "Come on, get your pack, we'll finish our drinks upstairs". Grabbing everything, you make your way to your small rented room. The door closed, you hear a foreign but unmistakable sound; the howl of a wolf, startlingly close. Having seen you jump, Dilah offers a short, calming statement "Don't worry Demetria, he's not talking to you..." One howl becomes two, and than three, and so on, until it becomes nearly a chorus. This does cause a pause "That's very strange, I've never heard so many at one time before. I wonder what's going on out there." You look out the window, hoping to see one up close, but are not so fortunate. Your search is broken by hearing the Colonel's words "Well, the good news is the bed is big enough for two people..." You see her again as you did under the tree, stark naked, and seemingly unafraid to be seen this way by you, slowly crawling into bed.

"It's rocks and pillows the rest of the way." She added, as a final suggestion. Feeling more comfortable around her than you did when the day started, you undress without shying away from her, not even to hide your demon cock. 'Maybe she is interested in me...' you begin to wonder to yourself, followed shortly by 'Am I interested in her?'. Your okay with both ideas, you determine, despite the disparities in age and mindset. Getting in bed, you decide to let out a final thought before you slip off to sleep.

"You know Dilah, I owe you an apology, for not thanking you earlier. You're doing an incredible thing by coming with me, more than I could ever ask, and it would be impossible for me to do this on my own. I'm eternally grateful." Dilah turns on her side to face you.
"You're very welcome Demetria. Your Archdeacon is a very dear old friend, and I would like to see that he is okay just as much as you. At the very least, I would like to find out what kind of secrets he's been keeping from us from so many years."

Dilah's hand moves underneath the blankets to find yours, cupping it gently. "You're more capable than you're aware of. You have Fergus' steadfastness, and more courage than most of my congregation. He would be incredibly proud of you, knowing you're doing everything you can to find him, despite his warning..." Her hand softly squeezes yours "And I would be just as proud, if you actually were my daughter..."

Her complement hits you like a brick, completely unexpected. All you can get out with the frog in your throat is "Thank you"

"You're welcome" as she let your hand go and turned back around to sleep. Your sleep comes soundly, more restful than it has been in a long time, despite the strange environment you find yourself in. All the better too, given the tribulations that begin immediately the next morning...