Bath House - Inn of the New Home

Everywhere I've traveled, there was always something that I had to watch out for. It could have been a large overwhelming issue like the extreme sunlight in the Citrine Wastes or in this case, a little thing like washing up at the Inn of the New Home. I didn't realize how unabashed Elves were regarding their communal living styles despite my traveling with two Elves. The bathhouse to the Inn of the New Home was one large room used by both men and women with very little space for privacy. This would probably not be an issue to most beyond a bit of shyness or embarrassment, but to me, I was in a bit of a quandary.

The first evening at the inn, I waited until the night had fully settled and the bathhouse was no longer being tended. I stepped into the empty room, my footsteps echoing lightly on the tiled floor path. Windows lined the upper part of the walls and key places in the ceiling. During the day, it would brighten up the room with natural turtle light. At night, it provided a faint glimmer from the stars and subdued turtle. A soft glow emanated from a single light globe positioned over the bath. It wasn't enough light for a human to see well, but for an elf and of course myself, it would be sufficient. Expertly shaped trunks and branches flowed in the room, providing places to hold or hang items, and space to sit or lay out after a good cleaning. From the door, I could not see a the bath water will all the branches and trunks. I followed the tiled path around the room like a snake. It seemed to circle around the bath itself, touching every alcove and corner and then returning to the entrance.

The pool was a round structure big enough to fit every boarder at the same time. I estimated it wasn't deep enough to dive in but still deep enough to be above my waist. I could hear the water flowing and circulating, though a quick check told me that it was no longer warm. I chose a branch close to the pool and hung a towel and a set of clean clothes on it. I removed my boots, stripped off my shirt and breeches and stepped into the water.

The water felt like it had come from an early spring river that carried newly melted snow. It's sharp bite, tickled at my thighs and waist, soothing the turtlelight burns I had received from the desert and the boat trip. I set my smoked glasses by the edge along with a small wash box that I carried with me. I paddled around a bit, wary of my exposure even though no one was present. Eventually the peaceful trickle of silence washed away my concerns. I dipped underwater, letting the cold fluid swirl over and around me. I held my breath as long as I could before bursting through the surface like a bullet out of my pistol. I did this a few times, feeling the tension of my body wash away with the water. After investigating a haunted house, fighting the drowned dead, and being in so close quarters with my companions that we barely had time to ourselves, this quiet space was like a dream. I could get used to a large pool all to myself.

I took my soap and began to wash up. After many days under the turtle's desert light, my entire body had turned incredibly pale. Rather than turn red and blistery like other races, turtle light burns lightened and paled my own skin. For my disguise as an Onyxish human, a little pale was perfect. What the desert did to me, was too much. Anymore turtle light and I would start fading.

As I washed up, I gradually began to sense that I wasn't alone. I resisted the urge to immediately start looking around to see who was there. My glasses were at the edge of the bath and turning would reveal my shadowy inhuman eyes to whoever was spying on me. I considered the action a pragmatic approach. If they saw my eyes, I would have to kill them. Killing was a messy business in the best of circumstances.

“I know you're there,” I whispered to the room. “You might as well show yourself.”

Behind me I heard a squeak of surprise. Rather than run away as many spies might do, a female voice said to my back.

“I'm s-sorry, I d-didn't know anyone was in here,” she stuttered. “Nobody c-comes here this late.”

I recognized that voice and knew immediately, if something happened to this girl, my companions would never forgive me. I would need to tread lightly and make sure she only found out what I wanted her to. Maybe, I could use this to my advantage. An idea formed at the back of my mind.

I started to rinse off, carefully keeping my back to her. “And yet I am here, Amy.”

“D-Do I know you?” she asked.

“You served my companions and me at dinner this evening. You mentioned you wanted to hear some of my poetry, though I did not expect to do that while bathing.”

As I talked, I carefully backstroked my way towards the pool edge, reaching for my smoked glasses. I dipped them in the water cleaning them before placing them on and turning around. Amy's eyes widened as her gaze swept over my body, face, chest, and well defined breasts. I could track the moments when she recognized my face and then realized one of the secrets that I kept closely guarded.

“O-oh. You're a,” Amy put a hand to her mouth.

“A girl?” I offered.

Amy nodded. Even in this dim light, I could see her face flush.

I climbed out of the bath, wrapping an air of nonchalance around me. I let the water fall off me, giving Amy plenty of time to see my pale, naked, and most definitely female body. It was an action directly opposed to every instinct I had. Deep down, my nerves had ramped up, screaming at me to run away and put on some clothes.

“This is not something I let most people see. You do understand that, Amy,” I said.

Amy nodded again. She looked ready to bolt and I realized I might have gone a little too far.

“Sit down, Amy,” I said and quickly added. “I promise, I'm not going to hurt you.”

Amy obeyed and sat on the bench next to where my clothes and towel were hanging. I stepped up to her and reached for the towel. Amy looked down at her hands which were resting in her lap.

I took my time drying off my body. When I got to my hair, I took off my glasses, keeping my eyes closed and rubbed the towel over my head. I hoped my laid back demeanor would put her at ease and keep her here a few more minutes. I didn't enjoy that she knew I wasn't a man, but if secrets were to be given up, this one was the preferred one. More than likely, she'd be too focused on my gender secret that she'd never wonder about anything else.

“May I ask what you were doing here?” I asked.

She continue to look down at her hands, that single action seemingly abating her previous stuttering. “I sometimes come here to be by myself. No one uses the bath house this late and if they do, they get my mother's staff to heat it up.”

“Ah. Most guests would reasonably do that,” I said.

Amy nodded. I hung up my towel and reached for my breeches. Amy stole a glance towards me but quickly looked away again.

“I can see why you like it here at night. It is most soothing,” I offered.

Amy nodded again. She continued to look down at her hands. Being understanding was getting me nowhere fast. I needed to try another tactic.

“Do you bring others here sometimes? Perhaps a young man you might fancy? Maybe one who reads poetry to you?”

“Oh no. I would never...” She began.

She looked up at me, her face like a rabbit that knows it's about to be swept up by the hawk that is circling above. For a moment I believed that perhaps, though her words were truthful, that she would come here at night to be alone, perhaps this evening, she might have actually followed me. I gave her the biggest smile I could manage which was exactly what she needed. She let out her breath as if she'd been holding it and returned my smile with one of her own. She had a beautiful smile and with the exotic coloring of her skin and hair she would turn the eyes of many a man when she got older.

I pulled on my breeches and reached for my shirt. As I put on my shirt, I could feel the tension lessening. Whether it was my tension or hers, I couldn't entirely say. It was probably some combination of the two. I sat down on the bench next to Amy. It was time to see if my idea would work. Amy shifted on the bench to look up at me. Before she could look away, I spoke.

“I am not sure what I am going to do now,” I began. “As you can see, your Inn's bathing arrangements put me in a bit of a predicament. I can't sufficiently come here during the day and your arrival this evening has questioned whether it is even safe at night.

“I'm the only one who comes here at night,” Amy said.

“Even so, it would not be unusual for someone to check in if they hear something or if they happen to see me with my things, coming down here.”

“I could leave you a towel and some soap by the pool,” Amy offered. “And I can sit by the door while you bathe. There is a hidden nook to the left as you walk in that no one can see from the outside until you step in. If someone comes by, I can step out and talk really loudly to them so you'll hear and be able to hide.”

“Would you do that for me?” I asked.

Amy nodded her face eager with the desire to help.

I gave her a grateful smile and then got up to pack the rest of my things. She watched me from the bench for a bit but as I was closing up my wash box she began to speak.

“Why do you pretend to be a man? It seems an awful lot of trouble to go through when being a woman isn't so bad.” Amy asked and then amended. “Or at least, I don't think it's so bad.”

With few people knowing about me, it was a rare moment where that question ever came up. I never really thought about the why. Being Lucius Delanoire had become such a part of me that I barely recognized him as that concoction of my father's all those years ago. Amy had touched upon a question that didn't necessarily have a single answer. Still, with her offer of assistance, I owed her at least one version that contained part of the truth.

“Have you ever been afraid? Not like the childhood fears of the monsters under the bed or the scary tales a mother might tell to her children at night, but really and truly afraid?”

“When I was much younger, I went to the market with my mother and I got separated from her.” Amy offered. “I was terrified when I realized she wasn't standing next to me and I didn't know where she had gone.”

“Think of that moment as a daily feeling. Imagine going through life with that fear always present; always looming at the back of your mind. That was me, afraid of everything. It was so bad, I was unable to leave my home,” I said.

“That must have been terrible,” Amy said.

“It was debilitating. Then one day, someone suggested this,” I waved a hand over my outfit. “He dressed me up in his clothes, gave me these glasses and told me I was no longer that scared little girl. I was Lucius Delanoire and I could do anything.”

“And it worked?”

I looked at Amy. I had no need to consider her question. “I am here, aren't I?”

Amy was silent for a moment, considering my words. I let her think while I finished gathering my dirty clothes. I would need to get them washed up.

“I'll help you.” Amy stood up suddenly, her words quick and excited. “So you don't have to be afraid.”

I straightened and faced Amy.

“Thank You,” I said with all sincerity.

Amy excused herself and took off with the promise to make sure everything was ready for the next evening. As for me, I gathered my things and headed back to my room. Yet one more person knew a bit more about me and oddly it didn't feel so bad at all.