She is my wife

Evelyn shivered when the shawl she had wrapped around her torso slipped down, leaving her cold. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Elric, who was soundly sleeping.

She peered out the window to see what time of day it was. Her gaze was drawn to the Limemere village, which she could see from her window. As the carriage was travelling down the mountain, the entire village could be seen from there. The mist-shrouded village had a striking appearance. Through the mist, the sun rays appeared to be striving to touch the beautiful, green land of Limemere.

She leaned forward and shook Elric to wake him up. As he opened his eyes and looked at her frowningly. She gave a warm smile and gestured to the window.

"It's beautiful," he said as he gazed at the scenes.

She nodded and tried to capture the scene in her eyes. One look at it was insufficient to satisfy the eyes. She could soon inhale the scent of the earth. Her face broke into a wide smile, and her eyes glowed with delight.

Not more than a few minutes later, the carriage came to halt in front of an inn as Elric had informed the coachman beforehand.

Evelyn stepped out of the carriage and slightly stretched her body. She was fatigued after the six-day journey. Even though there were a few short breaks in the middle, it didn't help much in terms of reducing travel weariness. All she wanted was to fall on the bed and sleep again. She had not expected a journey would wear her so much.

She saw Elric take down the trunks and soon after that the carriage disappeared from their sight. Evelyn carried her trunk and walked into the inn, named, 'Feel like home.' It was a three-storey building and from outside it appeared not so well kept and needed renovation.

As she entered the inn, she noticed an elderly lady behind the counter with a stern face. She glanced at them with her head lowered. They walked up to the desk with a kind smile on their faces, but did not receive the same return.

"How can I help you?" The woman asked them. The woman seems to have never heard the word 'polite' before. Her tone was stern, as if she didn't care for the visitors.

"We would like to have two rooms for us," Elric replied politely.

"Have you two eloped?" 

Her question started, Evelyn. She frowned at her and got furious by how she came to that conclusion just by looking at a man and woman together. She was about to reply, Elric's response made her speechless. 

"Why would I elope? She is my wife," Elric replied. His face held a serious expression. 

"Me what?" Evelyn asked him, with an utterly distorted face in a grimace. 

"Yes, darling, we will get a room soon so that you can rest well," he replied, looking at her acting as if he was concerned about her. 

"Darling, DARLING!" words repeated in her mind again and again. She was confused why she wasn't angry when she heard that word. She wanted to be angry but she wasn't able to. All she did was stand dumbfoundedly and watch Elric settle everything. 

She saw the old lady stare at them with suspecting eyes. As her gaze turned to her, a nervous smile appeared on her face making them look more suspicious. 

"Let me check," the woman said and bent down to get a register and went through it. Soon after she replied, "only one room is available. If you want then take or else you may go."

"But we needed two," Evelyn said. 

"Why do you need a separate room young lady? Your husband appears to be a nice guy," she replied, with the same suspecting look making her more nervous. Her cheeks went red hearing her address Elric as her husband. 

"We had a small fight during the journey and now my honey is pissed off at me," Elric replied. 

"Oh, lord! Enough for today. Any more words and I might faint," Evelyn thought to herself trying to settle her feelings to which Elric was of no help. 

"Well then, I can provide only one room at the moment and I guess there ain't any inn that can provide you two rooms during this tourist season," she informed them. 

Elric nodded in understanding and replied, "Alright then, one room it is. I will try to calm down her fury against me." 

"You better do that soon young man, if you want a long life," the woman replied with a stern face. 

Elric nodded in agreement. Evelyn tried hard to grasp the things happening but failed, stuck at the point, recalling Elric addressing her as darling. Her tape was stuck at one cassette which she tried hard to change. 

The woman pushed forward another register and said, "Write down your and your wife's name." 

Elric dipped a quill placed on the register in the ink bottle and wrote down the names. While he wrote down the woman explained the wages. 

"The amount will be taken at the time of leaving and now you need to deposit ten bronze coins. Extra wages will be added if you opt for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And mind, it will be provided only at its fixed time and if you miss it, you will still be charged for the food prepared. So what have you decided? Want to have food from here or will you roam outside in search of food?" 

"Include the food," Elric replied. 

"Alright, the food will be directly served in your respective room from today. Follow me as I will take you to your room." 

With that, the woman took a few keys from a board hanging in the wall with many nails nailed on it. Grabbing one key, with a small parchment stuck on it displaying the room number, she strolled towards the stairs going up. Evelyn and Elric took their trunks and followed her quietly.