Gallium Coin lead the group through the wine cellar. Their hooves clopping on the cobble stone floor of the well stocked wine cellar. The door leading into the cave was on the opposite side of the large open room from the door that lead up into the inn's main room. The inn had a very open first floor with two balconies above it on the second and third floor. There was a large roaring fire in a very decorated fire place with a two booth tables next to it. There were booths all along the walls of the first floor. The windows looking out were glazed over with thick sheets of ice. Outside they could hear the sound of the wind wiping at the building. The inn looked like it could house up to a hundred ponies, but at the moment there was only around a dozen ponies. A couple of earth ponies sitting in chairs in front of the fire, and a unicorn with a couple of earth ponies at a bar. "So, I can imagine that all of you are hungry, so what can I get you, and if you need seconds please don't hesitate to ask. Especially, you two," Gallium Coin said to Dusk and Escutcheon.
"I'll take the soup special." Atlas slowly took his seat next to the outside wall at their table.
"Same." Red Wine sat opposite him. Turkeylegs lay down next to the table.
"I'll take the same and two plates of whatever kind of meat that you have." Dusk said sitting down with her back to the fire. "Turkeylegs needs something to eat too."
"And let me guess same for you too sugar?" Gallium asked Escutcheon as he sat next to Atlas and across from Dusk.
"Yeah soup and a salad please. And could I have a glass of your oldest wine?" Escutcheon asked. "I read that wine is good for staying warm."
"It sure is sugar. I'll get you all a small glass of our oldest bottle it's from the first year of our inn." She smiled and wrote their orders down with a stick of charcoal. "Okay so four vegi soups, two plates of meat, one salad, and one bottle of wine I'll get that to you in just a bit." Gallium turned and walked back to the bar/kitchen of the inn.
"Great, there's a blizzard. We might be late, unless you have any other secret tunnels that you'd like to share with me." Red Wine looked at one of the glazed over window. "We can't afford this blizzard. Damn it."
"Well I mean Slo will have to know about this blizzard so it's not like they can't Blame us for being a little late in delivering the letter. Can they?"
"They can and likely will. Slo is full of nothing but the lowest denominator of scum and villainy," Red said under his breath glaring at the bad weather on the other side of the glass.
"Oh come now, don't be so harsh on them. I've worked with a good number of their academics, and I can assure you that they are just as reasonable and civil as we are in Tivi." Atlas said with a smile before giving a sigh. "Although they do have their trouble makers, that can be just as bad as our own."
"Is there any way that we can get to Reci quickly then?" Dusk asked.
"Perhaps Red Wine and I could teleport us to Reci. I mean we shouldn't be further than Marine is from Tivi." Escutcheon offered with his best smile. "I'm sure that the two of us could do it. Though to be honest I really don't like teleporting anymore," he said.
"Let's wait until the morning before we start thinking about doing anything rash. We might just get lucky and the storm will blow through before the end of the night," Atlas said.
"Yeah I hope." Dusk looked over her shoulder at the large fire place. Turkeylegs raised its head, and gave her a soft nuzzle on her cheek. "Thanks Turkey." She patted the bird softly.
"What's wrong sweetie?" Gallium Coin asked as she came over some how balancing a platter on one of her forehooves with four bowls and empty cups, and one platter on her back perfectly balanced on back with the two plates of meat, the salad, and an old looking bottle of wine.
"It's this storm, we're on a tight schedule," Atlas said as Gallium Coin passed out the bowls of soup with perfect earth pony grace.
"Well fretting about this isn't going to help anything sweetie." Gallium grabbed the platter from her back and put the it's content onto the table. "I've got friends on both sides of the boarder sweetie and some of them are in high places. And I've got a couple of magical items that allow me to keep them very close. I'll see if I can't get them to be a little understanding that you're on your way but got a little held up. Now don't pout not even a bit. Okay, snookums?" Dusk nodded. "There we go. I don't know if you've ever had wine but it's not something you drink while upset." She popped the bottle open with ease and poured all of them a glass. "If you need anything just ask." She walked back to the ponies at the bar that were waving her back over to her with a small hop in her step.
"Is she always so...happy?" Dusk asked as Gallium walked away.
"She's a very friendly and open mare." Atlas said with a smile.
"A little to friendly. She shouldn't be as open as she is to those from Slo."
"I'm glad she is. If she wasn't then we might be in trouble," Escutcheon said after taking a sip of wine. He scrunched his nose. "Is this the bottle she promised?" He asked sipping it again.
"Of course it is why?" Red Wine asked.
"Nothing." Escutcheon started eating.
"Well, to be honest, she can be a fair bit nicer to colts and fillies. She doesn't have any of her own, so I think she likes to project on the foals that come by." Atlas started eating his soup. "We should finish up soon. I'm sure the staff will have our rooms done before to long. And we still have a days walk to Reci."
"Yeah. I warm fire, warm food, and now a warm bed that's enough to get rid of the snowy chill." Dusk took a gulp of her wine and gagged a little as she swallowed. "It burns a little."
"Don't drink it to fast, it's still alcoholic," Escutcheon said. After the five of them ate in relative silence, with conversation rising and falling with every time that Gallium Coin came around. After they finished their meal Gallium Coin came by and led them up the stairs. Dusk was happily leaning against Escutcheon just a little tipsy. Their rooms were on the second floor of the inn and were the first four rooms. Each room was the same. Well furnished with a warm fire pot in the corner and a large plush bed with a quilted white comforter with flowery patterns.
"I'll get you at the start of the morning." She said as she closed each of their doors. "Do try and get some sleep. I'll see what I can do to buy you a bit more time." Escutcheon laid down in his bed. It was just as comfortable as his bed was back at home. The fire in the fire pit slowly died but by that time the colt was already asleep under the comforter and several other blankets, with a plush pillow under his head.