"You know what's good for you," she shot back with a small smirk on her own lips. Unlike Atria, Farah was a confident rider. She trusted Heidi, and the horse knew her well enough that they had their own sort of relationship.
Farah lifted her chin in acknowledgment and breathed a quiet sigh of relief that Atria wouldn't be able to hear. "Yes," she remarked. "That's our spot. And, if you don't mind, let me do the talking." She glanced over at the girl again, taking in her attire. "You may be dressed like a soldier, but I'll be damned if you actually know how to act like one. As long as you wear that uniform, you must carry yourself with pride that might not always be there and loyalty you may not possess. You project because if we run into anyone who could possibly doubt us, then we're doomed before we've even begun. Do you understand me?"
Atria rolled her eyes before glancing at Farah, shooting the soldier a grin. "I know how to act as a soldier well enough. I did blend in with your group for quite a bit before you noticed me." Still, she shrugged in agreement, "I'll let you talk, if you let me take care of keeping us on path."
The town came in closer as they spoke, and Atria looked around with a carefully constructed look of boredom and annoyance. She followed where Farah went, nudging Laurel along until they had stopped in front of an inn. Only once Farah had dismounted, did she as well, keeping a hand on Laurel's reins to keep the horse from wandering off while Farah did what she needed to get them a room and a place for the horses.
"And as I said before which you so kindly refused to acknowledge, there was also a reason I spotted you," Farah countered with the exact arched eyebrows and a knowing smirk she'd worn earlier when she had said that same words. "But it would do you good here to stay away from the talking roles."
Once they reached the inn Farah had in her mind, she dismounted cleanly and handed Heidi's reigns to Atria as well. "I'll only be a moment," she remarked before going inside with the pouch of money tied discreetly at her hip. Please, any gods who are listening, let there be a room, she thought before stepping through the doorway and instantly commanding the room with her height, attire, and presence.
It took her a few moments inside, but she emerged looking both victorious and skeptical. "There's a room," she said when Atria was within earshot. "A room. Do you think we could manage the night in the same space without one of us killing the other?"
Atria waited patiently, doing her best to look like a bored soldier tasked with watching horses. Her eyes flicked to the door when Farah stepped out. "That depends, will you be giving me a reason to kill you?" She questioned with a faint grin, holding out Heidi's reigns to Farah. Before they went inside, they would have to put the horses away, and she figured the innkeeper had given her instructions on where to do so.
"If you give me no reason, I think I can manage that for the night. Will you be able to keep your murderous intents away from me?" She glanced over at the soldier as she spoke, following along to wherever they were supposed to put the horses away. As long as Farah didn't try anything, Atria figured she could manage a night of sharing a room, though how much sleep she would be getting would be iffy. She was fine with being that close to Farah, but trusting her not to slit her throat in her sleep wasn't something she was fully comfortable with.
"If you steal anything from me, I'll slit your throat before you even realize you're bleeding out," Farah threatened, beginning to unstrap Heidi's staddle bag. "But hopefully you've realized how stupid an idea that would be by now, so I think I'll be able to manage as well. And I do not have 'murderous intents,'" the woman countered, shooting a look at Atria.
With that settles, she clicked her tongue against her teeth, and her horse began to trot over to the stable following Farah's lead. "And the innkeeper said wherever there's space, we can put them… ah, here." She guided Heidi expertly into an empty stall and smoothed her mane. "Good girl," she praised the animal quietly.
Atria rolled her eyes at the look Farah gave her but didn't speak on it, simply followed along with her. When they reached the stable, she unfastened the bags Laurel carried then lead her to an open stall next to Heidi. "Does the Inn sell food at all?" She asked, setting the saddle bags down near the stall before going in to unfasten the saddle that Laurel wore. Atria had no real idea of what she was doing, but she had seen others do it when putting their horses away, and she figured it was the right thing to do.
Farah, who was also taking Heidi's saddle off, nodded. "Yes, I believe so. And on the off chance they don't, there should be some in your saddle bag, about two entire days worth of rations we could use in a pinch. And make sure to bring in everything. We can't risk leaving anything behind with the risk of being stolen." As she spoke, Farah firmly shut the stable door to keep Heidi inside.
Farah gently smoothed Heidi's mane again and studied the horse with a soft gaze that was directly in contrast of how she normally acted. "Beautiful creatures, horses," she murmured, and Heidi whinnied quietly.
Atria slung the saddle bags back over the saddle, then started on Laurel's halter. When she had it undone, she added it to the pile of gear and stepped out of the stable, the equipment held in her arms. She glanced at Farah silently, then back at the horse she had ridden, studying the animal but not saying anything.
With how she had been raised, she had never had the opportunity or need to keep a horse, but she silently agreed with the soldier's comment. While they made her wary, she had to agree that they were beautiful as well as useful.
"Should we head in?" Atria finally asked, breaking the silent peace a long break later. She shifted the tack in her arms and glanced towards Farah, waiting to see her reaction to the question.
Farah slung her bags over her shoulder and replied in the affirmative. "Yes, let's go. Oh, do keep up your end of the bargain, and don't say anything." She strode towards the door, not looking back to see if Atria was following her or not.
Once they were inside, Farah nodded at the desk girl, who quickly stood up and curtseyed to the two soldiers in her inn.
"Queensguard," the girl said in a revering manner. "I hope you do enjoy your stay here at my humble inn."
Farah inhaled shortly. "As do we. If you would show us to our room, please, Miss Lakely."
The innkeeper nodded quickly. "Yes, this way." She led the women down a hall and stopped at a door labeled with a faintly painted number 9. "Here's your room. I hope it's to your liking."
Farah opened the door and stepped inside only to stop short. "This room is supposed to have two beds," she said quickly. "Not one."
Lakely's eyes widened. "I-I'm sorry, my lady. This is the only room I have available."
The soldier pursed her lips tightly. "I suppose it will do," she muttered reluctantly.
Atria rolled her eyes and snapped back before they entered, "I won't say a word. Don't worry."
She did her best to stay quiet and unassuming as Farah did her work, though her eyes darted around the inn to take in all the details that she could. Dressed as a guard, no one dared to give her a second look and before long she was following after the innkeeper girl and Farah. Her eyes showed that she was just as shocked as the other to see their room. It looked neat and clean, but the issue came to the bed.
As soon as the girl left, Atria dropped her act and she scowled at Farah, dropping her bag on the ground and pointing to the bed. "What are we going to do about that? You threatened to slit my throat and I assumed we were sleeping on separate beds, one means you're going to smother me in my sleep."
Farah shut the door behind Lakely and turned to face a scowling Atria. Lovely. She set her own bags down and arched an eyebrow, remaining calm and composed as any royal soldier was taught. She couldn't help but roll her eyes though.
"I only threatened to slit your throat if you stole from me. And please. I wouldn't smother you." There were, of course, other ways to go about it, but she wasn't planning on telling Atria that. "Either we'll have to share, or one of us will be sleeping on the floor. It's that simple."
"Well, I'm not sleeping on the floor. Not after riding all day." She wasn't going to admit it, but riding for so long had made her quite sore, especially since she was far from accustomed to the muscle required to stay on a horse for so long.
Atria huffed, turning to her bag and pulling out a deeply worn shirt and pants. After a ride all day she was also not planning on wearing a soldier's uniform to bed, at least not if she could help it. Even if Farah told her no, she didn't plan on following her orders in private.
"So you can take the floor or promise not to kill me while I sleep," She continued, straightening herself up once more and turning her back to the soldier. Starting to undo her top, she simply hoped that Farah wasn't watching as she pulled it off and quickly pulled on her other shirt, immediately thankful for the change in fabric.
Farah slipped a tank top and leggings out of her bag and glanced over at Atria to make sure she wasn't looking. She realized she was staring as the other woman changed and quickly turned in the opposite direction. She slipped off her uniform, the cooling night air chilly against her warm skin.
She could feel the weight of the scars on her back before she slipped on the tank top, doing the same with her bottom half quickly. The soldier looked and felt much more relaxed, praying that Atria hadn't looked while she was changing. Her scars were something she didn't want to talk about in the slightest.
"I promise not to kill you while you sleep," she muttered, folding her uniform neatly and setting it on top of her bag for tomorrow's wear. She sat on one side of the bed, eyeing Atria to see if she would take the other.
