The room was a mess. Two beds with stained bed sheets and a stinky bathroom. The window was creaky as the cool night air entered the room making the inside as cold as the outside.
At least we have blankets.
"Fucking hell, why is there a rat here?" shrieked Ettie, petrified as he saw a little rat scurrying across the floor. My eyes trailed the rat as it ran towards the godforsaken bathroom.
"Bear with it," I told him. He looked flabbergasted when I said that.
"The Crown Prince does not deserve a dastardly abode such as this," he refuted.
"You," I pointed at him, "are no Crown Prince anymore. The Crown Prince of Astera cannot exist when there is no Astera."
His face fell and he turned away from me. "Why couldn't we have gone to a better place then? Why did you choose this place specifically?" he asked me, trying to change the subject.
I softened hearing that little voice of his, the same tone he used to use when we were little. I clenched my hands a little happy realising the old Ettie was still there somewhere.
"The innkeeper is willing to keep our secrets for money," I replied and continued, "Even members of Steel and Terror are staying here without their location being given to the authorities. I doubt that the innkeeper would sell us out to the Empire when questioned. There must be a reason why such a shitty room is for five gold."
Ettie still wasn't looking at me but he nodded and plopped himself on one of the beds with his cloak still on him.
"Hey,"I started but then Ettie started clicking his tongue trying to get me to shut up. I reluctantly obliged.
"We need to talk."