Clown Wyrm - 14. Chapter 14 - The Hotel

Vorgos was energetic, and he was dapper, with a curled handlebar mustache and styled-up hair. The structures behind him were not collapsible camping tents, and instead, they were more like fabric cabins.

“You’re some of the first folk to take the King’s Road from the west!” he declared. “I haven’t had many guests yet.”

Norjia pulled on the reigns, and Candi came to a stop.

“What did it take you,” Vorgos asked, “five or six days to get here from the western villages?”

“Four actually,” Norjia replied, hopping down from the front seat of the cart and stretching her arms overhead. “The King’s Road has been a very easy track to follow so far.”

“Good to know,” Vorgos replied. “It was not easy to bring the supplies out here to set up this campsite while the road was under construction, but I managed to get what I needed. The beds are soft and warm, and the tents are dry. Can I open one up for you?”

The Mechanic interlaced her fingers with her wife’s and said, “That sounds lovely, but why don’t you open up two tents, one for us, and another for you two,” she added to Mercury and Periwinkle, “unless you each want your own.”

The clowns looked at each other, and both of them shrugged. “We don’t mind sharing.”

“The important question though,” Norjia stated, focusing on the host, “is where do we clean ourselves?”

Vorgos looked pleased. “Yes indeed, very important! Part of the reason I selected this location is the waterfall. Through the trees,” he instructed, and he pointed between two of the tents, “there’s a path that goes to a small river, and if you follow it downstream a few hundred meters, you’ll find the waterfall. It’s brisk, but every morning, I use it to shower. You’re more than welcome to head that way whenever you like. I’ll set up the Elm tent and the Oak tent; I’ve named each after a different type of tree.”

Norjia turned to Mercury, Periwinkle, and her wife. “I’m going to the waterfall. You three are welcome to join me, or you can check out the tents, but I’m heading to the river.”

“I’m coming too!” Mercury declared.

The Mechanic smiled at Periwinkle. “Shall we all go?”

“Getting clean sounds delightful,” he replied.

“Just follow the path,” Vorgos reiterated.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the four travelers found the waterfall. A powerful stream was pouring from the top of the falls, but instead of plummeting straight to the pool below, a granite spire of bedrock was thrusting up toward the sky, sticking right out of the hillside. The water was pounding against it with a merry roaring that sounded like nature laughing, and the water sprinkled to the pool like rain.

The two clowns were alarmed to suddenly see Norjia strip off her clothes without any warning. Seeing her topless at the blacksmith had been a surprise, but she was now stark naked. Mercury and Periwinkle were gawking at her, but she did not even acknowledge them as she stepped into the frigid water. Goose bumps prickled across her skin, and she smiled as the falls began to splash down against her muscular shoulders. The Mechanic also stepped into the water, but the two clowns had been staring at Norjia, and they did not see her wife disrobe. Both women were naked, and as they stood together under the falling water, the wives embraced.

Mercury and Periwinkle exchanged a nervous look. The two clowns had never been naked together, and the idea made them feel quite awkward. Mercury tentatively began to take off her clothes, but Periwinkle hesitated, and it was another minute before he also began to remove his skirt and blouse. Being the only one of them who had been assigned male at birth, he decided to keep on his undergarments.

Mercury was covering her breasts with one arm and her crotch with the opposite hand. She glanced at Periwinkle as she stepped into the water. They both liked men, but Periwinkle was not her type anyway. Mercury preferred her men burley. She was curvy; her tummy was big, and she liked it. She had always enjoyed being naked with the people who had been her lovers over the years. Mercury was not, however, used to being naked outside, and she was nervous. She stepped deeper into the water and let out a little noise of surprise at the cold.

Periwinkle was still standing on the bank. He was wearing only a pair of lace panties, which bulged very little at the front, and he looked down at his slender frame. He liked wearing panties. He liked how they looked on him. He wished there was a man in their group. Periwinkle would have liked to embrace a man under the falls like Norjia and the Mechanic were hugging. He smiled to himself, and he also joined the women in the water.

That night, the travelers slept well in the tents, and the next morning, they enjoyed another invigorating dip in the falls. Their host prepared them a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon, and Candi was given the standard food Norjia and the Mechanic provided her each previous morning for her, but before they left, Vorgos had insisted on giving the horse two apples, three carrots, and a few handfuls of berries. He had also rubbed her down and brushed her mane and tail. Candi had enjoyed it all very much, and she continued pulling the cart down the King’s Road with fresh pep in her step.

Vorgos had informed the travelers that it would likely be almost a week before they reached the next community rest spot, which he described to them as nothing special.

The following two days’ journey passed uneventfully, and the four travelers awoke before sunrise on the third morning to rain pitter-pattering down on them. The drizzle persisted for that entire day and the next two, and the quartet were very happy when they eventually came upon a hotel, but nothing special did not seem to do the building justice.

The soggy travelers were perplexed by the structure’s unique architecture. The exterior was not the shape of a large box, like a house, hotel, or most other buildings. It was jutting angles and undefined walls, seemingly pointless protrusions and windows that did not show anything on their other sides. There was even a small gap at ground level that made the entire structure appear to be levitating.

The front door opened, and a man came outside to greet his guests.

“Welcome to Labyrinth Hotel. I am Geometry. How may I be of service?”

“We need rooms for the night,” Norjia replied.

“I can certainly accommodate you,” Geometry stated with a gracious bow. “And I realize the weather has turned lousy, but I hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate how special my hotel is.” He smiled and instructed, “If you pull ahead, you’ll find a stable for your horse and cart around the far side. You can get to the lobby from the stable through the east entrance of the building. I designed this structure to be very easy to get around in. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay with me.”

Norjia parked Candi, and the four travelers got out of the damp cart. Almost everything was wet. They had all managed to stay fairly positive, but they were also very glad to be somewhere warm and dry.

“There are already fires burning in two rooms,” Geometry informed his guests as he opened the east entrance and escorted the quartet down a carpeted hallway.

“I’ve gotta ask,” the Mechanic said to Geometry with a weary smile, “are we some of your first customers as well? We were at Vorgos’ campsite several nights ago, and he told us we were some of the first people to stay with him.”

Geometry let out a relieved chuckle. “Yes, I have not had many guests yet either. I was a little nervous about your arrival, but knowing that you know, takes a little of the pressure off. May I assist you with your bags?”

“That’d be great,” Norjia replied. “I want to lay all our wet things out by the fire.”

“I’ve been setting up two rooms each night in the hope of potential guests,” Geometry informed them, “and I’m so excited to have you! The rooms are just off the lobby,” “We can bring your things there first, and I’ll get you all signed in after.”

“Great, thanks,” the Mechanic replied. “Norjia, why don’t you and the others unpack, and I’ll take care of signing us in?”

A large fire was burning in the lobby hearth, and it was very inviting, but Geometry led the four to a hall.

“It’s a left, and a right, and a left,” their host called out in a singsong voice as they followed behind him. He stopped outside a pair of open doors opposite each other on either side of the hall and said, “Please, make yourselves at home. Feel free to use both rooms.”

Cheery fires in cozy chambers with soft beds and overstuffed chairs greeted the travelers as they entered them.

“Be right back,” the Mechanic said to the others, and she followed Geometry through the zigzagging hallway to the lobby. “Glad to be some of your first guests,” she added as the host stepped behind his counter and opened his logbook.

“It’s lovely to have you. Just some simple information, please,” he instructed, “names of guests, intended duration of stay, and then we can deal with payment.”

Norjia, Mercury, and Periwinkle had almost finished spreading their things out in front of the fires in the two rooms when the Mechanic returned.

“All set,” she informed them, and she glanced at her wife. “I spotted a tub in the privy chamber, and I’m dying for a soak. Looks big enough for two. Any of you fancy joining me?”

Norjia let out a laugh, turned to the clowns, and said, “Unless either of you want to,” and she blew her wife a kiss, “I’ll stew in your filth with you, my love.”

The Mechanic snorted a laugh, but then she snapped her fingers. “Oh shoot, you know what, I should have asked our host about food before heading back here again. Why don’t I go find him and see what he has to offer?”

“Our supplies and rations have been great for the trip,” Norjia replied, “but I’d love to eat something different if we’ve got the option.”

“Sounds good, I’ll go find out what he has.” The Mechanic headed back out into the hall. She turned left, then right, then left, and she felt like she had somehow gone the wrong direction, but she ended up in the lobby again. “I must be exhausted,” she said to herself.

Geometry was not at his desk, and as the Mechanic walked toward it past the larger fireplace, he appeared out of a door in the wall behind the counter. He quickly glanced at her name. “Hello, Diz… Dizri…” he attempted, and the Mechanic chuckled.

“It’s pronounced Dizriolith, but most people just call me Mechanic.”

“I see. Well then, Mechanic, what can I do for you?” He flashed her a wide smile.

“We’re hoping for food.”

Geometry’s face fell, and he looked upset that he had forgotten that part of his introduction. “Yes, of course. I’ll bring a menu to your room. I have them in the back. I’ll bring them to you. I’ll bring four.”

When the Mechanic arrived back at the room, she was very confused. “Didn’t he tell us, left right left to get here from the lobby?” she asked the others. “Because I swear, I just went right left right. I must be more tired than I realized. He’s bringing food menus. I’m gonna fill the tub.”

A knock at the door alerted them that Geometry had arrived.

“I’ll get it,” Mercury called. She opened the door, said a bright, “Thank you!” and closed it again. She turned and informed the others, “He said he’ll come back to take our orders in a few minutes.”

The items listed were not extravagant, and when Geometry returned, the group ordered a roast chicken, a rack of ribs, sausages, and a tray of grilled vegetables. Their hot food arrived as Norjia and the Mechanic were getting out of their mutual bath, and Mercury and Periwinkle were very glad of the distraction from the two naked women.

Mercury found the wives both astonishingly gorgeous and at the same time, difficult to look at, especially when nude.

Periwinkle wanted to respect the women’s privacy, and he did his best to avert his eyes.

Norjia and the Mechanic wrapped themselves in robes, and the four ate. The meal was satisfying, and when they were finished, the Mechanic insisted on bringing their dirty dishes back to the lobby. However, when she returned, she was confused and frustrated.

“There’s something up with these hallways.”

The other three did not know what she was talking about, and she went back out of the room. “Look!” she shouted to the others. “The direction isn’t right.”

She walked forward and disappeared around a corner, and the other three followed, but as they came to the same corner, a wall now blocked their way, and the Mechanic was gone!