In Peter S. Beagle's "The Innkeeper's Song," the narrator reflects on a woman who has left a lasting impression despite the many reasons he shouldn't remember her. Her disheveled appearance, with ragged gray hair and a body marked with sweat and blood, contrasts sharply with her regal demeanor, evoking both admiration and desire.
The intensity of the narrator's feelings reveals a deep longing, as he grapples with the complexity of wanting...