AUTHORS NOTE:

This story is still a work in progress, I’ve got a lot of idea’s on where I want to take it and what different chapters are going to be. I decided to publish Blackbone Crossing because I really wanted some feedback/ideas. The story is open to other writers, so feel free to submit your addition! Some chapters I’m still working on and I haven’t published anything for, I’ll mark them with: (w.i.p) Thank you for reading and let me know what you think!

“get your mangy paws out of your pockets and get to work!” Alfred coughed. He was walking back and forth across the dining hall of the inn, the wooden floors creaking underneath his feet. With both hands he grabbed his shoulder-length reddish hair and slicked it back, tying into a short bun. “I know, I know, I shouldn’t shout. But if the lot of ya would do your job without me telling you to, I fucking wouldn’t!” Alfred quickly swept a cloth over one of the tables in the corner. “Just.. get going, alright?” He felt stressed out and slightly overwhelmed. Tonight a whole host of people would be arriving at his inn. Alfred had gotten the letters announcing their arrivals weeks ago, all pretty curly letters, written in some expensive ink on pretty snow-white parchment. The moment he held them in his hands he knew they aught to be royal letters and sure enough, when he opened them, they were. Not only was the Eastern Queen Petunia coming to bless his humble home. Her brother and arch rival mind you, King Edmund of the West was coming as well. They’d been fighting a bloody war for years now, all for who was the rightful heir to all the lands. Fucking stupid, Alfred thought. He’d been a pirate most his life and when he unexpectedly found himself living at the age of forty he decided to retire in the countryside and make himself a home. By accident, he chose the very spot all roads in the kingdoms lead to, the sea as well. Before he knew it Alfred was running the biggest inn anyone had ever seen and a peace treaty was signed, saying anyone who stepped foot inside his doors would forget their quarrels.

Alfred had assembled a crew throughout the years, choosing to hire orphans and misfit kids instead of actual formal employees. He thought they’d be cheaper and easier to deal with. The kids, however grew up quick and were all edging on adulthood. Now instead of running the inn, Alfred’s main focus was keeping anyone from getting pregnant.

The day was coming to an end and nightfall was imminent. Everything was clean as could be and all the rooms were set. Alfred went to his usual spot behind the bar and poured himself a large cup of rum, drinking it all in one gulp. He jumped a little when he heard a voice behind him saying: “Are you really that nervous?”