Chapter 4: Kindred Spirits

Seeking feedback on my work-in-process fantasy novel, The Princess and the Pea Tavern

This is a prequel to Jack and the Beanstalk Cafe, a complete first draft novel, but can be read as a standalone story.

Start from the beginning: Chapter 1

Previous Chapter: Chapter 3

Where we left off: The Pea Tavern server turns out to be an elf and Philomena explains to him that she’s alone looking for her people. They were stolen and she’s going to get them back.

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Philomena

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She really shouldn’t have told him that. Philomena could feel her breaths shortening, her heart beating in her chest. Why did she tell a stranger everything? If he repeated anything to the wrong person, if he was the wrong person…

She looked up at the elf, trying to gauge his reaction. But she couldn’t read his expression— he was simply watching her, eyes wide.

“I should actually go–” she started at the same time Alban spoke.

“What do you mean stolen? Wait— go?” His brow furrowed as she started to stand. “Don’t go.”

She paused. His voice was strained, urgent.

Squinting at him, Philomena tried to decipher where his desperation was coming from. Was he trying to keep her at the tavern so he could turn her in to the emperor’s men? She had to make sure he knew she wouldn’t go easily.

“I need to get back on the road,” she said slowly, watching him. “My friends are waiting for me. My…. husband.”

“Oh,” Alban said, his back straightening. “I thought— You seemed-– nevermind. I just…”

“You just what?” Despite herself, Philomena was still curious about this man. She had this warm feeling like she’d known him forever, but at the same time was completely certain they’d never met before.

“I… I thought… It’s nothing,” he floundered and Philomena cocked an eyebrow. Where was the overly confident man she’d been talking to moments before?

“Alban,” she said, and he seemed to startle at the sound of his name on her lips.

He took a deep breath and started again, “I haven’t seen any magical folk in a while. I thought maybe you were just as lost as me. That we were kindred spirits. That maybe we could— maybe I could help you.”

It was Philomena’s turn to stare. She blinked at him in confusion. Of all the things she thought might come out of this man’s mouth, she’d have never guessed that.

“You want to… help me? Because we’re kindred spirits?” she said, letting the disbelief sound in her voice.

Alban laughed, and Philomena felt the tension in her shoulders ease. It was a relief to see him smile, to see him back to his normal self. As the thought crossed her mind, she frowned. Why did she think she knew what was normal for the elf after a couple hours of conversation?

“You seemed like you could use a friend, that’s all,” Alban said with a shrug.

Philomena narrowed her eyes. He made it seem nonchalant but Philomena had seen his desperation and wasn’t going to let him get away with that.

“Why would you think someone who needs a friend would be a kindred spirit?”

Color rose to the elf’s cheeks and Philomena grinned in satisfaction.

“I thought you were happy just serving soup?” she said, feigning ignorance before crossing her arms. “What are you really doing working at this tavern, Alban?”

He raised his hands, as if in surrender. “I told you the truth,” he said. “I left home hoping to see the world. I saw it.” He swallowed. “I saw more than enough of it. And now I’m here.”

“And now you’re here,” she repeated. “But why here? Why a human tavern?”

Alban sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “You’re not going to let this go?”

Philomena simply stared at him. Of course she wasn’t going to let him keep his secrets when he’d so easily extracted hers.

“I ran into some trouble, needed a place to stay. And the tavern was there. Alexandros and his wife— They’re good people. Good humans. They helped me when I needed it.”

“Humans helped you?”

Alban nodded. “This place has been a safe haven for me.”

“So, you just stayed? Because it’s safe?”

“I stayed,” he nodded again and it didn’t escape Philomena’s notice that he hadn’t answered her second question.

“I’m glad you found this place, then,” she said to him, and she realized she genuinely meant it. After centuries on the run, the idea of a safe haven was more than appealing. Simply meeting another kind magical person felt like a weight lifted off her shoulders. She hadn’t really known how much she’d been carrying alone.

“Okay, I’ve told you my secrets. It’s your turn. What did you mean when you said your people were stolen?”

Philomena found she no longer cared whether Alban was a threat. She needed to tell someone. Anyone.

“Have you heard of Helike?”

“The city in Greece?”

Philomena nodded, watching his expression. He looked confused.

“It disappeared, right?” he said. “I heard the rumors about the ground tremors. They say an enormous wave came and swept the city away.”

She nodded again. Blood was rushing in her ears now. Philomena could still hear the screams echoing in her mind.

“That was— Oh, Fee. It was a gnomish town that was wiped away. I’d forgotten. Is that where you’re from?”

Her eyes pricked with tears and she looked away from him, nodding again.

“Fee. Gods. I’m so sorry.”

And suddenly Alban was kneeling beside her. His warm strong hands on her arms, as if trying to hold her together. It almost worked.

Hot, wet tears ran down her face as she gulped down air. It wasn’t fair that she was here and they weren’t. Everyone she loved, gone in an instant. Why did it have to be her? And why did it still hurt so badly, after all this time?

Philomena wasn’t sure how long she sat there crying, but she found that she was leaning into Alban’s chest, her hands tangled in his tunic as her sobs subsided into sniffles.

Clearing her throat, she pushed herself away from him and felt his arms release her reluctantly.

“You’re wet,” she said, stupidly.

Alban let out a half chuckle, glancing down at the tear stains she’d left running down his chest. “That’s alright. Thanks, actually. This tunic needed a wash.”

A wet, strangled laugh escaped Philomena against her will. “You’re welcome,” she said, laughing harder. It wasn’t even funny, but it seemed her body was ready to release every pent up emotion she’d ever had.

Still kneeling beside her, Alban reached up and brushed a tear from Philomena’s cheek. The warmth startled her and her laughter broke off at the tender gesture.

“Sorry,” she said, not really knowing why.

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Apologize. Never say sorry for being you.”

Philomena shifted in her seat, leaning away from him.

“I mean it, Fee. You have obviously been through a lot. You’re allowed to cry. You’re allowed to be a little messy. Don’t apologize for that.”

“Okay,” she said, clearing her throat. Uncomfortable by the way this elf seemed to see straight through her. Philomena actually wasn’t sure what she felt anymore. She was simultaneously sad, relieved, exhausted, and somehow also numb. Her body felt like she’d just run from the city of Marathon to Athens, like that one man who died doing that. “So, is the offer of the bed still available?”

Alban looked like he wanted to say more, and Philomena silently begged him not to. She did not have an ounce of energy left for whatever he had to say.

As if reading her thoughts, he simply nodded and picked up her pack as he stood. Philomena let out a breath and followed him to the stairway at the back of the restaurant. Once upstairs, he showed her to a small, clean room with simple furnishings. A bed with fresh linens took up the majority of the room, and a small table and chair were tucked into the corner. In that moment, the bed was the most beautiful thing Philomena had ever seen.

“After I close up downstairs, I’ll be just down the hall if you need anything,” Alban said setting her pack down on the table.

“Thank you,” she said, yawning.

Alban had stepped out of the room into the short hallway but turned to give her one last look. “What about your friends you said were waiting for you?”

Philomena shook her head. “Goodnight, Alban,” she said with a smile, shutting the door between them.

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Thank you for reading my new project! I would love any and all feedback you have on the story or the writing. If you’d also be willing to take a few moments to answer the below polls, I’d appreciate it. Thank you!