Lost Youth

Lena nods softly to him, smiling. "I think so." She says to him. Gently she hands the bag over to him as he held his hand out for it. It was hard not to smile right now. The woman had been so kind to her and he had pretty much saved her. Life was changing.
 
Travis smiled, taking the bag, his eyes lightening up with warmth.
"You look happier,"He said. He glanced at the dressmaker, "Thank you. Bill the hotel, please. I'll pay whatever you think is fair."
He took Lena's arm again, "Now just got to get a horse and gear."
He led her back outside, the street had gotten busier in the time they had been inside the store.
 
She nods softly at his words. "Very." She says to him. She stays close to his side and walked out of the store after waving by to the woman.

She looks around the streets at all the people. Sticking close to Travis she looked up at him then ahead of them. "It's nice out." She comments.
 
The dressmaker smiled a little as she waved back. It warmed her heart to see some good in the world for once. She went back inside and sat in one of her lounges, beginning to sketch something special for the girl.

Travis nodded, "It is quite nice, you're right. It's also nice to know that we don't need to travel so far today and we have a soft bed to return to tonight." He smiled, "Beds are the things I miss most on the road."
His hazel eyes flicked over to her, "You look very different in those clothes, pretty and softer."
He led her to a quieter end of the street. The sharp smell of horses, sweat and hay hung heavy in the air. Trav breathed deeply, stepping into the cooler recess of a big barn.
A portly man lumbered up to them.
"Yeah? What do ya want?"
Travis' lip curled and he pulled himself up to his full height, he was both taller and more muscular than the offensive man.
"I want," Trav snarled, "A decent horse. Gear and tack included for a long journey and a new bedroll, brand new, nothing covered in another man's sweat and grime. And you'll do it all now and hurry or I'll take my business elsewhere, where my money is wanted."
The man's demeanor shrunk, like the man did himself and he hurried off without another word.
 
Lena looked around curiously as they went down this new part of the town. When she saw a horse, she would look to them with eyes filled with wonder as any child would.

They were all interesting to her and she liked watching them. She glances to the people as well then up at Travis.

As they reached the shop and Travis began to talk with the other man. She watched the interaction carefully. She knew that Travis was acting that way for a reason. She looks around a little as the men spoke.
 
The man returned quickly,leading a pretty chestnut mare, long legged and bred for running. Her soft brown eyes watched the new people curiously, her red ears pricked and quivering.
Travis stepped forward, running his hands down along her muzzle, blowing softly in her nostrils. The horse threw her head back and blew back, almost offended. Trav chuckled, moving down the horse's side, running hands down the mare's legs, feeling for scars or bumps.
Spur marks marred her side, causing white scars across her belly, Travis frowned, but there was no soreness there anymore, even as he pushed against her side and she stepped aside nimbly.
"Previous owners?" He asked, still continuing his inspection.
"A farmer who had no idea what he had," The man said, "Reckon she was a knight's horse, dead knight now, by my guess."
Travis nodded,
"She'll do. Gear?"
The man went back and fetched a whole pile of leather gear, Travis went through them, nodding at their clean and good condition. He exchanged the girth for another, noting fraying stitches, but otherwise nodded and asked the man's price.
He paid it, loaded the mare and looked to Lena,
"Would you like to ride back to the rooms?"
 
Lena watched with fascination as Travis inspected the horse, taking note of everything he did with the beautiful mare. She also took notice of how the horse reacted to him.

The exchange between the two was fascinating to her. She watched as well as he looked through the gear and finished up with the other man.

When he turned and asked her if she wanted to ride back, she moved forward carefully." She is very tall." But there was no fear in her eyes as she nods softly. " If she will be okay with it."
 
Travis smiled and winked,
"It's alright, I'll be right here."
He quickly and meticulously saddled the horse, then lifted Lena up into the saddle, swinging up behind her, wrapping his arms around her.
He flicked a coin to the man, and squeezed his legs.
The red-gold mare leapt forward obediently, cantering smoothly across the pavement and out into the street. He slowed to a walk outside, letting the mare mozzy along calmly.
 
The horse moved beautifully to Lena and stayed relaxed. She was smiling as they rode down the street.

"Don't you think Old Fellow will like her?" She asks curiously then adds. "What should we call her?"
 
Travis smiled, "I think the Old man will love to have a companion who actually understands him, I think he gets a bit frustrated with us. I actually think he's smarter than we are." He rode along quietly for a moment, "I'm not sure, what would you like to call her? Obviously I am terrible at names, I've had Old Fellow for nearly fifteen years and it's never changed."
He turned the horse into the inn's yard and swung down, raising his arms to lift Lena down too.
 
She moves into his arms as he helps her down. Once on the ground she looks up at the horse intently. Then gently petting her leg a little as she couldn't reach up high.

"Rose." She said. She looks up at Travis. "She reminds me of a red rose..." she smiles.
 
Travis smiled, "Rose it is," He looked down into her face, hazel eyes blinking, then he took ahold of himself. He looked to the stableboy, coming to take the horse.
"We'll leave at first light tomorrow, feed them both well and give them a good rub down," He ordered, putting a hand at Lena's back, guiding her back inside.
"Lunch, Lena? We need to keep up with this three meals a day if we're going to put some weight on you."
 
She smiles and nods, watching the mare be led away. Following Travis' guide she walked with him towards the inn.

At the mention of food she nods her head. "I do feel hungry again." She says honestly and smiles up at him then looks around them a little.
 
Travis laughed, "Good, means your body is starting to recognize it needs more food." He flicked a couple of fingers at the barmaid and went to a free table.

The maid brought a soup with hot bread on the side.
"Would you like anything else?" She asked, politely.
Travis nodded, "Can you fry up some doughboys for us, please? A dozen or so."
She nodded, dropped a curtsy and darted back behind the bar.
 
The soup smelled amazing and she actually found herself excited to taste it. She blinks a little when Travis ordered something else as well.

"What are dough boys?" She asks curiously.
 
Travis spooned a mouthful of soup into his mouth, groaning at himself as he found it was too hot. he swallowed hurriedly, sculling half his mug of ale to cool his mouth.
He gasped, "That was hot."
He smiled at her, "A treat, they're flour, sugar, milk and eggs, cooked on a really hot plate. Sprinkle with honey or put some fruit in the batter and they're delicious."
He approached his soup a little more cautiously now, taking careful sips and dipping his bread into the liquid, melting the thick butter slathered on it.
The maid returned with the round, doughy concoction on a wooden plate and set them down before them. She smiled at Travis wink and flicked coin, giggled and hurried off.
Travis held one out for Lena, "Try it, I love them." Honey slid from the round ball and down his thumb.
((Think like pancake, but in little cupcake or ball shapes))
 
She smiles back at him, giggling a little when he found the soup to be hot. She was careful with her own so as not to get burned from it.

"I've never heard of them before. " She says.

As they arrived at the table her eyes were on the dough boys. They did look amazing and delicious.

Gently she accepts the one from Travis that he held out to her. The taste that hit her was nothing she had ever had in her life. Her eyes widen and she finishes the treat. "This is amazing. " she says happily.
 
Travis smiled, "They were my faviourite when I was a child." He licked the honey from his fingers. He grinned and gestured to the rest on the plate, "Help yourself." He winked as he took another for himself.
"When I was a boy, my brothers and I used to be standing at the kitchen window, drooling. Our cook was a gruff old lady and she'd rap our fingers when we tried to steal the treats, tell us that we would spoil our dinner, but then she'd relent and give us one each." He chuckled a little at the memory, "We tortured that poor woman something awful, we would steal pies and her helpers to play our games, when we got older we would waylay the milkmaids on their deliveries."
 
Lena smiles to him as she listened to him talk of his family. She finished the first treat and reached for another one. "That sounds like a good memory." She smiles to him.

She finished her soup and bread then ate another of the treats. By that time she was full and sat back in her seat content. "Having one meal a day was rare but this many....it's so good."
 
Travis grimaced,
"You can eat as much ass you want. If you're hungry, just let me know and I will get food for you. I can teach you how to cook a little and find food on your own as well."
He yawned, "Is there anything else you want or need? The dressmaker should be by later this afternoon with your clothes."
 
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