Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 47
Uther had booked three connecting rooms. With a mission such as this, it was wise to stick closely together; he knew that from personal experience. He took the closest room to the stairs leading down into the common room and threw his pack onto the bed and exited the room, locking it.
He kept all the money given him by the Woodlanders in a pouch at his hip. Finyat would be here soon, and he wanted a rematch; that last arm-wrestling contest had been eating at him badly. By the Great Hammer of Old, that Shallant had a strong arm. Why he had chosen the profession of thief bothered Uther to no end.
He noticed a very pretty maid down the hall, toward the stairs being eyed by all the patrons walking to the common room. He noticed how they all stepped aside as she approached, standing aside as if she were a queen.
As she approached Uther, he gruffed at her loudly, and suddenly, “Move aside woman!”
She started and backed against the wall. Now that was respect! Uther grunted in satisfaction as he passed them all by, unhindered. This put him in a grand mood for drinking, gambling . . . and arm wrestling!