Lorcan held his wife’s hand as they walked into the hotel lobby,. There were a few dozen people here, mostly sitting at various tables or couches drinking and talking, but a few playing games. It was a beautiful lobby, with glazed clay walls with scenes of the landing on them, and dozens of candle chandeliers.
He looked across the lobby and there, at the far side, was a clerk sitting behind a desk, with a large book in front of him. He did his best to lead his new wife boldly over to the clerk but he was sure that everyone was looking at them, and knew exactly who they were and why they were here. The clerk however, only had the slightest grin on his face as they walked up. “Can I help you?”
Lorcan cleared his throat, “Reservation for, umm, Lorcan Moravia and wife?”
“Certainly,” the clerk said, turning to consult his book. “Room 412,” He tapped his bell and a lad came up and took Andreina’s bag. “Room 412, Festin. Enjoy your stay, Sir, Ma’am.”
“Room 412? Honey trip? We get you lot all the time. This is a popular hotel with the clan.”
“You are clan?” Lorcan asked him.
“Oh, yeah. My father owns the hotel, and we get a lot of clan business. Give them a good rate, get a lot of good business. You’ll like the room, great for a honey trip. One for the Army, start right here.”
Lorcan reddened at the implication, but his wife grinned. “Lord willing,” she said.
“Lord bless the womb,” the lad responded. He glanced at Lorcan, “Thou art sure he is clan?”
“Yes, but he’s a shop class. They tend to keep their kids in the dark. Not like working a hotel.”
The lad grinned, “Thou?”
“Street class, but moving up,” his wife said. “Mother first told me when I was five all about ’Two for the Army.”
The lad nodded, “Anyway, great room for honey trip, and really nice area. Very safe, nice quiet restaurants and stores. I can give you a clan list if thou wilst.”
“That would be good,” his wife said, and the lad passed her a piece of paper.
“Quite a climb,” Lorcan said, trying to change the subject.
“Yeah, but quite a view, too,” the lad said. “Plenty of candles in the room, open the windows wide at night and the view will aww you, right over the old city.”
“Fantastic,” his wife said,
“Heavy curtains, too,” the lad said. “For the doorway and the windows. So you can sleep in after a long night.” The lad grinned again, Lorcan noticed his wife grinning with him, and he reddened.
“Light snacks laid out in the room, and a cold pot with some like cheese,” the lad said. “Otherwise, like I said, lots of nice restaurants… all times of day.”
The three of them climbed in silence for the rest of the way, and at the top of the stairs the lad scampered ahead of them a few paces and pulled back a heavy curtain on the right hand side of the hallway. A heavy curtain with a beautiful picture of a waterfall, one of a few dozens such curtains, all of them with differing pictures on them, alternating with alcoves with lanterns in them going down the hallway.
“This is wonderful!” his wife said, walking in ahead of him, as was her responsibility. Lorcan followed her and stared around the room. There were five alcoves with candles, beautiful clay walls, and a large, sunken, tub in one corner of the room then going over to the windows and opening them, and looking out. And, just to his right, the bed.
“Running hot,” the lad said, proudly, going over to the tub and opening the spigot.
“That is marvellous,” his wife said, coming over and passing him a coin. “Thank thee so much for thy courtesy.”
“Have fun!” the lad said, grinning at Lorcan.
“Lord bless the womb!” he said, more seriously, to Andreina.
“Thank thee for thy company, ketzat, but we have honey business,” his wife insisted, and, putting her hand on the lad’s shoulder, half pushed him to the door.
“Good lad,” she said. “Knows his job.”
Then she looked at Lorcan’s face, which was bright red. “Oh, my poor dear, did he embarrass thee as much as that? It is his job, look thee. Break the ice, as it were. Get us ready to fulfil our contract.”
Lorcan watched his wife as she took his suitcase over to a dresser and began unpacking it. He knew what he wanted to do next, and, indeed, it was what they were supposed to be doing, but he didn’t want her to feel like he was rushing her. He wanted to start right.
He wandered over to look at the cold food that was set out. Perhaps he should ask if she were hungry? But, then, that would leave them in the room and she would no doubt still feel pressured to…
“I, umm, do you want to go out to a restaurant? Perhaps some dessert?” he asked.
She had been walking over to the dresser with her bag, but at this she turned back to him, frowned, and put her hands firmly on her hips, a frown on her face. “Surely not yet? We have something to do first.”
“If, I mean, I didn’t want to rush you.”
“Rush me? We just spent two hours walking.”
“Well, but, I wasn’t sure, we really haven’t talked much and…”
“Do I need to invoke our contract already?” she asked, sounding almost angry.
“No, no, I just thought you would prefer waiting…” he said, wondering why she would be angry.
“I would not. Not in the slightest. I will be ready in a minute.”
He watched her turn back to the dresser and relaxed. That was clear enough. They both wanted the same thing, at least right now. He saw she was about to put the last item in the dresser, and walked forward, putting his hands on her hips. “Thou art beautiful, my love. In every way thou art beautiful, and I love thee.”
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