Juliette ordered an ale and asked for bread and stew, finding herself suddenly hungry despite the queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. The ale was wheat beer rather than the barley she was used to and cloudy, but it was cool and robust and she found she enjoyed it. The stew was the typical annual type, a pot that simmered continually with fresh ingredients added to the base each day. The predominant meat in the area was evidently mutton which gave the stew a greasy texture that was less pleasant but it was hot and went well enough with the fresh crusty bread that had just been taken out of the oven.

Juliette considered Torm's offer as she ate. It wasn't uncommon for a knight to employ a bard in such a capacity. Knights, particularly young landless ones, needed to make their reputations. A lord wouldn't open his halls to a knight with no reputation, who might be one step removed from a bandit, nor would villagers part with hard earned coin to hire such a man if he were not vouched for. It was obvious to her that Torm had lost his patron and as such was literally a freelance, or would be if he had a lance. His only hope of maintaining his horse and armor, much less rising in the world, was to make a reputation for himself. Juliette was not overly particular when it came to the paying of debts, but she owed Torm her life. More practically she needed money for a horse and new clothes, and lute strings having only what she carried. It might have been possible to gain that on her own, but particularly the first one would be a problem without any money. She supposed she could steal a horse, but just like Knights, bards needed to manage their reputations. The tale of a bard who stole would spread, and that bard would starve for lack of an audience anywhere except perhaps entertaining bandits.

"I would need a horse and a change of clothes," she said around a mouthful of bread, glancing down at the lute. For all its age the strings appeared to be new, new enough that she could probably hold off on purchasing spares till they reached a town that sold decent ones. She thought of her shortsword and her bow, both lost to her now. She would need to rearm herself too, though if she were traveling with Torm that certainly cut down on her chances of being attacked on the road, and of surviving said attack.