Hakaar - Chronicle 17.2 - Finding Trouble

It was a deep dusk by the time I edged down into town. Due to the amount of people along the path, we were slowed considerably and had lingered for a while longer than expected on the road. The moon soaked plains lit both far and near, though, so there wasn't much concern for ambush, regardless of the snails pace we were going. I had almost hoped for some action, but that thought made me feel selfish and a tad foolish.

Looking for trouble wasn't something I did, but it still found me. Bromm had likely rubbed off on me. His penchant for trouble seemed to match pace with both his pride and loyalty. It was a strange combination, but it made Bromm a force to be reckoned with. One you never wanted to be facing down or you'd be on the wrong side of a powder-charged shot.

Preben, a familiar face from the Salamander's squad, spotted me on the way into town. He nodded and approached me with a smile.

"You heading to Pike's?"

"Yes. I think my friends are there by now." I shook his extended hand.

"Mind if I join you, then?"

"Not at all."

He fell into step beside me. His accent was unusual. I hadn't travelled much, but it wasn't from the farthest North nor the furthest South. Maybe South and West? He was catching me up on the details of happenings around town, seeing that I had been on the road.

"So, two big swords, eh?" He looked up at me, "Can you fight with both of them?"

"No. I need both hands for these." I stated, picking my path through the crowd.

His tilted his head, confused.

"Then… why?"

I caught myself before unrolling a long sigh.

"Yes. Why?" I heard a distant echo from Silah. Her voice had an edge to it.

"In case I lose the first? I have a tendency to throw my weapons in combat." I said, brow furrowed, "It's just best that I keep two."

"You what?" Silah's voice was incredulous. The shadow of her immense form pushed against my vision, but I held her heat at bay.

I smiled to myself in spite of her annoyance.

"Does that work?" Preben probed.

"Rarely, but it's a great way to get someone's attention." I said frankly, feeling Silah smoldering in the background.

"Huh." Preben seemed to ponder. I'm sure that he would never want to bring this up again.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with you, other than the fact that you won't like it." Silah spoke with some menace.

You know I'm kidding, right?

"Kidding? I know a veiled threat when I see it." A majestic, overwhelming vision of her presented itself in my mind, brow furrowed leaning down to look at me. My heart skipped a beat with the overlap of my vision.

Is… that how others see me?

"Maybe. But this is how you should see me." A large finger thudded against the invisible ground in front of me. I felt a little weak.

Play nice, now. We're on the same side.

Preben walked with me in silence for a moment. I was preoccupied with the conversation going on in my head. After enough time passed to where it was getting uncomfortable for him, he spoke up again.

"There was some excitement down that way earlier," he flagged a ways ahead of him, "I swore I heard a firearm go off down near the ferry, but by the time I laid eyes on the place, it was nearly empty."

Firearms discharged? The Salamander's are known for their mixed combat, handling firearms and melee weapons. If it wasn't one of his, there was at least one other that I knew who wouldn't shy away from trouble.

Oh, Bromm. Don't pick a fight when your bodyguard isn't around.

I claimed bodyguard in title only. Bromm was not longer paying for my services as he'd offered when we first met. It simply seemed appropriate to continue the appearance. If it wasn't Bromm, it was Silah, at least, in appearance. And if it wasn't either of them, it was likely Sig.

As we approached Pike's I saw the entire group congregated just outside the building. Bromm seemed to be earnestly engaged in conversation while Danin had a sour look on his face. His cool exterior flustered. Floki's eyes were combing the streets. Sig was listening intently. Floki locked eyes with me and nodded from a distance. I nodded back. This gathering looked dangerous.

I smiled and nodded to my traveling companion, "It looks like my business is outside this evening."

Preben grinned at me and, as he eyed the group, a wariness crept in, subduing his smile. He pushed through the front door of Pike's releasing the noisy interior briefly.

"So it was you."

I moved up next to Bromm.

"Hakaar, welcome!" Bromm said, "We were just discussing our meeting."

"Did you fire off a shot tonight?" I eyed him from above, tilting my head slightly.

He shrugged.

"That's not an answer. How can I be your bodyguard when you only stir up trouble when I'm not around?" I gave him a half-smile, "You look no worse for wear, though."

I turned and met Danin's sour look.

"What about you, Danin?"

"My shoes are dirty." He said, chewing through his disgust.

I raised an eyebrow. I wasn't getting much from this, so I decided to stop and let the conversation continue.

Apparently, the meeting went well with the Princess's envoy, but after the meeting a man was spotted outside of the location, the Silverstone. He had a spyglass and was peering through the windows and taking notes. They had talked with the security for the establishment and found this man was a known thug.

They chased him down and incited him, somehow, they weren't specific on that point. Bromm and Danin got into a scuffle with the thug. I shook my head at the recounting. I had missed it, but it is likely for the best. The situation was shady, at best, and there would have been blood on my hands. Thankfully, they had left the fight rather than finish it. But now they were worried about yet another enemy in the midst of Dowry. For every friend gained, there seemed to be a handful of enemies waiting in the shadows.

"He might come looking for us. I don't want to be here if he does." Sig said.

"Let's get our things and maybe a bite to eat before we move on," suggested Bromm.

They were riled a bit more than expected. He must have been more than they bargained for. Perhaps I should be worried, too?

As we walked in, the crowd was growing and the feeling of danger subsided. The table full of red coated men, slinging pistols, and weapons greeted us. Preben was seated with his brothers, the Salamanders. He called us over to join them for a beverage.

I looked around the crowd. The guards that I had come back with weren't around. I fully intended to make good on my word, but if we were moving? They only knew to come here. I took a chance on the counter and told the barkeep to keep an eye for my friends and pay for their drinks. I dropped two gold on the counter for the drinks and his trouble.

The table was large, but not enough to add another handful to it. Some stood while others busied themselves, gathering their things from their lodgings. Bromm remained, engaging them easily. Eavesdropping on the conversation took a strange turn when they had mentioned a duchess whose family was looking for her. It seemed an interesting tale until I heard the name E'robyn Beckett.

"There is a reward for bringing information or the duchess herself back to her household. Her mother, Dowager Duchess Aganate Beckett, wants to mend their relationship." Igul, the speaker for the group, had said, well into a few pints at this point.

"They'll pay fifty gold for any information leading to her and almost six hundred if you bring her yourself!" He exclaimed.

"Is that dead or alive?" Bromm said, in an offhanded way.

"What do you mean?" Igul said, the other Salamanders seemed suddenly concerned.

"It means, the amount of those rewards sound more like a bounty." I leaned in and said, adding some weight to Bromm's words.

Bromm nodded, pointing at me.

"Do you think we're bounty hunters?" Preben said, sounding shocked.

I shrugged.

"It's an interesting story. I have never heard of that much money offered for a friendly reunion, but I don't often find myself in that business." I said casually.

The conversation seemed to dampen their moods, and they looked at each other.

"We're going to petition to post bills in Dowry for information on her. According to Mr. Floppy hat, this would be the best way to find her."

Igul gestured to the man who seemed to be scowling into a drink. He's clearly heard the conversation and was avoiding eye contact.

"Could I take one of those? Maybe I'll be able to find someone of that description?" I offered.

"Those won't be ready until sometime tomorrow. Then you can find all the postings you'll ever need." Igul chuckled.

"I'll grab one tomorrow, then." I nodded and moved away from the table. Bromm did the same, disengaging before things got uncomfortable. I looked at him, our eyes met and I tilted my head toward the door. He put up a finger, silently, motioning for me to wait. So wait I did.

Sig and the others had gathered their things. I had left very little in my room and it was already packed. It was an old habit, to be able to pick up and move at a moments notice. I never knew when I was leaving. Plus, it was easy, as I didn't have much of anything to my name.

As we changed locations from Pike's Inn to Butterwick's Inn, I leaned in toward Bromm to talk.

"That's Robyn's description."

"Yes." He nodded absently.

"Did you ever picture her as a duchess?"

"No. Not particularly." He shrugged, "I don't know much about her, but, if this is true, I knew even less."

"I'm worried for her." I said and he nodded in agreement.

"We should make sure she can make the decision before they show up at her door."

We approached the Inn's front desk as a group, each taking a different room and placing a single gold on the counter. It was a good thing I had requested more funds. Two gold for drinks I didn't have and a single gold for accommodations was a painful price to pay for a single night.

I moved upstairs and walked through the door of a medium sized room. Spending a gold meant we were comfortable, but it was by no means extravagant. Part of the service was that they should be bringing heated water up, but the bath was elsewhere. I intended to find it after settling in. I eyed the water basin fitted with a mirror and a few fresh towels. My reflection glowered at me from the glass.

I drew out Silah and thought of her in human form and I waited for her to say something. Instead, she gave me a wry smile and settled on the bed. She seemed to have recovered from my earlier slight. But, that also meant that I wouldn't know what was coming until it was already too late.

"What?" I said, glancing at her as she sat, looking amused.

I sat in the chair and started to unbuckle my boots kicking them to the floor. I could see one of my toes through my left sock. I wiggled my toes, seeing how thin the socks were. They weren't going to last much longer, like just about everything I was wearing. I shook my head and proceeded to unbuckle my breastplate.

She watched with interest, still smiling.

"Now you're making me uncomfortable. Am I going to have to sheath you? At least a sword doesn't have doesn't have eyes." I growled.

"Oh, I can still see everything, I just can't comment." Her smile widened, "But that's not what I'm thinking about."

Her small, shapely form leaned back and cocked her head slightly, still looking at me.

"Regardless, I think you'd miss the company."

I shrugged. I had increasingly kept her as a sword for much of this visit to Dowry after things got more dangerous. And she was right, I did miss her company. Incensingly right, as much as I tried to deny it.

There was a knock at the door and a woman appeared with a steaming porcelain pitcher of water. I graciously accepted it and asked her where the bath was. She pointed to a room down the hall with a clear sign on it. I felt a bit sheepish, thanked her. The woman eyeballed the room, seeing Silah settling in. I gave her a disapproving look and shut the door.

I turned and poured some of the hot water into the basin and let the steam dance across the mirror. I twisted to look back to Silah.

"So, what is it then?" I doffed my undershirt and pulled the chair in front of the basin. I splashed water on my face and pulled my hair back. Then sat and inspected my face while rubbing at my tusks and teeth with a chunk of splintered wood.

I heard her stretch noisily and I caught sight of her laying back on the bed in the mirror.

"Let me explain before I explain," she said, laying back, now staring at the ceiling, "In all my recollections, thin as they are, I don't think I've seen someone so honestly selfless."

She continued, "When you first met Bromm, I bet if he'd bought you an ale and a warm meal, that would have been payment enough to be his bodyguard."

I continued my ritual, cleaning my ears and neck, but said nothing.

"You want to save people. You even want to save me. Which, is both sweet and very unfortunate." She sighed wistfully.

"Is that a bad thing?" I said, looking at her form on the bed through the steamed mirror, while rinsing my hair in the basin.

"No, not at all. It'll just end in disappointment, but you'll always continue to try." She went quiet for a moment, "It's a beautiful thing. In fact, if the circumstances were different, you'd be a very different person. If you weren't a warrior by birth, I doubt you'd hurt a fly."

I grimaced, feeling a little heat in my face.

"Couldn't that be said about anyone?" I countered.

"Calm down, my beast." There was a smile in her voice, "You're safe here."

I stood running the towel over my face.

"And you see, that's the selfless part. You are genuinely uncomfortable when someone points it out." Silah looked over at me from the bed. "Why is that?"

"You've gotten this far. Maybe you can tell me?" I said while gathering a towel and a change of underclothes, "Don't wait up for me."

"I wouldn't dream of it." She crooned as she stretched out on the bed, lazily.

(Get to know Akeron.)

Hakaar - Chronicle 17.1 - Kellas House

The plans for the day sent everyone in different directions. My options were either to attend a meeting about court the coming day with Sig and Bromm or linger in the tavern, draining the already near empty coffers.

I couldn't bear to follow through with any of those options, so I decided to go to Kellas House with the morning patrol to check in on Duncan. I didn't have enough money to make the journey so I pled my case to Sig, who obliged kindly. I wasn't the only one who was feeling it, though. Bromm leaned in and made a similar request, which made me feel a bit better about my situation.

The next morning, we were on the road before the sun had crested the East ridge beyond Hammergate. I had Silah sheathed as I approached the guard in the morning and asked to join them for the trip. A few recognized me from days passed, I spoke to the half-Orc who clearly recognized me.

"Not many travelers, these days. It'll be good to have the company." The half-Orc grumbled, "Feel free to join us."

A few looked up and marveled at Silah's form over my right shoulder, but I didn't engage. She sat superior, in the sheath behind my right hand, the campaigner looming over my left shoulder. The sight of two swords brought a scrunched look from the other guards. They were looks of incredulousness, but I didn't feel the need to prove myself.

As we walked, the guards themselves joked among each other. I even heard some jovial conversation around the fire that happened in Dowery, thinking the fools in the district were lucky the whole thing didn't burn down and a brief mention of the man who was on fire while others pointed at him and called him a vampire. I held my tongue. Their information was third hand, at best, leaving many a glaring detail out, but I had expected what happened to be little more than rumor fodder. Hearing it from them, I wouldn't have believed it either. That is, if I hadn't lived it.

I wished for Silah's company, feeling just a bit too distant from what was going on around me. But, then, I was wary. I couldn't bring her out to walk with me among these others. It was going to happen sometime, I knew, but I would rather have this secret for just a while longer. If something bad happened, I wanted to be prepared. Her being readily in sword form was my strategy.

I ended up twisting the sheath, as I had before, so that the hilt would touch the back of my neck.

I have no interest in these men's conversation.

I sighed with the thought.

"Not much I can help with there," she said with a tinkling laugh.

You can help this trip go by faster.

"Actually, I could do that," she said, "but you don't seem to be willing to be the show off."

I'm not sure what you mean by that?

"You've fed me. I can feed you, so to speak." I felt a wry grin spread wide on her face, "If you needed a mount, I could call one for you. If you needed some healing? I could do that. I can even make your next swing strike true."

All of that would have been lovely to know about 3 hours ago.

"Let's just say that each enemy's life you take—each hard earned sacrifice—I'll grant you something in return."

Well, that's splendid.

"When have you ever said splendid?" She clicked her tongue,"Your sarcasm isn't appreciated."

I swear I could see her cross her arms and glower at me. These visuals were becoming increasingly clear. Our bond had grown in both strength and clarity. In those visuals, though, she was immense, larger than life. Not the diminutive little spitfire that she was in her human form. The sense of it was daunting and I felt a twinge of genuine fear.

We reached Kellas House with the sun high in the sky. The guards moved quickly to the covered tables in the yard and sat, ordering lunch. I walked around the yard, remembering my brief moments here. Duncan was likely busy with the lunch crowd. I decided to take a seat a couple tables away from the guard and ordered an ale.

Unfortunately, there was no peace and quiet here. The crowd had spilled to the outside and had nearly filled the tables. The day was warm and the sun blazed down in a way I hadn't seen since I've been up North. The large canvas spreads that blocked the sun and rain seemed to concentrate the heat right above the tables.

I realized, as a sat, that I felt different. I thought for a moment, trying to perceive what the difference was when I realized that I was sitting a full head higher than anyone else and wasn't trying to hide my stature. I wasn't sure what had changed over this last few weeks, but being self-conscious around the smaller humans seemed to have subsided.

"What can I say? You're confident. I can only assume it is because of me," she whispered close.

I smiled.

"I assume this is Duncan?" She said.

There was a heavy clap to my shoulder. Her split-second warning disarmed any aggressive action that my mind thought to take.

"Hakaar!" He said heartily.

I stood from the table and gripped his hand and pulled him in close for a half embrace.

"That grip!" He said, then looked up at me against the backlit canvas, "And that height. I still can't get used to it. Though, I'm not sure if you're slipping or just becoming more civilized. I expected a different response from you."

"I'd say more civilized." I gave him a toothy smile.

Silah stifled a laugh.

Quiet, you.

"What brings you here? Business? Pleasure?" He had a bright smile, he was genuinely pleased to see me. He had a way of always making you feel welcome.

"A bit of both, really."

"That sounds ... interesting?" He looked me over, "Why don't you drink a bit more ale. Maybe it'll loosen that tongue of yours."

"Can you sit for a bit?" I motioned to the spot next to me.

He crinkled his nose at the noisy, crowded tables.

"How about we go inside." He said, as he turned toward the main building and flagged me along.

I picked up my ale and followed. We moved into his office, a room off the back of the kitchen area. It was likely an old supply closet at some point that he had requisitioned for his own purposes. An iron bound door with a heavy lock had been installed on the inside affording, not only privacy, but security. There was a seat in front of a half-sized desk that was custom built for the space. I sat in an armless chair across from him.

I sipped at the ale.

"So, business first, then?" He leaned forward on his desk, prepared to listen.

"I wanted to check in on you to see if you were holding up well here. There was a bad bit of business down at the Ranch. That's only just South of here. A lot of people died."

"Oh, I half expected you to try and get me over a barrel with this Shatterhammer business you and your friends were pitching." He smiled briefly, but then his eyes darkened, "Yes, it was nasty business. The Orcs were dealt with, though."

"I helped deal with the Orcs."

"Good for you." He interjected and firmly slapped the side of my shoulder.

"There's more, though. It sounds like there may be more on their way. These were strong fighters..." I trailed off, speaking about it brought back some of that darkness I had been wading through for the past two weeks.

"Yes, they seem to be being pushed North. No idea why."

"Do you think you'll need help? If they came in force like they did at the ranch, there's no telling what may happen." I spoke heavily to convey my concern.

"I could always use help around here. But, no, they won't get far if they show up here. We always have a contingent of guards moving between Dowry and Hlofreden, as you well know. That, and the travellers, some get stuck here intentionally just to swap old war stories with me. It doesn't help that I have a tendency to forgive a tab here and there. There's a lot of good company, plenty of strong-armed frontiersman ready to help."

He had a satisfied smile on his face. The respect he had gained in the military centered around this certain magnetism he had to him. Even as a stranger to this land, this magnetism continued to bring worthy people to this frontier. That magnetism was why I had been willing to travel as far as I did.

"Why weren't you this soft, say, sometime in the last year or more at around this time?" I prodded.

"War is to be fought, son. Nothing fancy about it." He said, raising an eyebrow and bringing his sternness to bear.

"So, I can't help but eye that blade there," He nodded over my right shoulder at Silah.

I grinned, but remained silent.

"Is someone going to come looking for that? Should I be worried about housing an outlaw?" He said with a half-serious wryness.

This closet of a room was barely able to contain us, let alone allow me the freedom of movement to draw her with great flourish. It was an awkward affair, half sitting, and drawing the greatsword from the sheath.

Awkwardness aside, Duncan's eyes lit up at the unfurling of the blade.

"Can I hold it?" He said, eyes tracing lovingly over the blade.

I hesitated for a moment. I had never given Silah to anyone else.

Can I?

She scoffed, "What do you think is going to happen? Am I going to run away with him?"

I shrugged at her comment unconsciously. Duncan was far more worthy of her than myself, and I wondered if she would feel that way, too. I laid the blade flat on the palms of my hands and extended it toward Duncan with some trepidation.

He took the hilt and marveled at the craftsmanship, tracing a finger down the ornate inlaid scrollwork done on the blade. He wobbled it and held it straight ahead with both hands. He wanted to swing her, but he was suffering the same constraints I was in this small room.

"Where did you get this?" He said, wonder lining his voice, "It's perfect. You are sure no one is coming back for this?"

"I know and, no, this was a hard fought treasure."

"Why are you being so vague? I swear I haven't gotten a straight answer out of you, yet." Duncan eyed me, flattened the blade on his palms, and extended them out to me.

I took Silah back and slowly sheathed her, still keeping the sheath twisted for contact.

"Duncan's a good man," She said, nodding in the silence of my mind, "Very experienced. He also cares for you very deeply. He cares for many very deeply. A man who's been a leader in war and who can still feel this way is a rare man, indeed."

I could have told you that. All of that.

"And… don't fret, dear. I am yours." Silah whispered, and I felt a hand on my cheek and saw her eyes close to mine. That immensity was still there, but the warmth in her voice put me at ease.

I had fallen silent while Silah had been speaking to me. Duncan was eyeballing me, waiting for an answer to his question. It took a moment to remember what he had asked.

"Vague, yes. I found her deep in a forgotten place." I said absently.

"Her, eh? Fitting to have a weapon be a woman. Fitting, but dangerous. Does that mean you named it?" He smiled while he pressed.

"Yes, but," I paused to take a sip of ale thinking better of unrolling the story right then and there, "I have to come back to sharpen some of my skills soon. I will give you the whole story then. The whole story and so much more. You're one of the few I can trust, after all."

Duncan raised an eyebrow.

"And you're going to leave me hanging like this? A mysterious blade with a heap of cryptic words from you? Then you say you're going to tell me sometime soon?" He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you've done far worse to me. The stories you've told and left open out there on the battlefield." I glowered at him.

"That isn't me. I've always wrapped up my stories before we put down for the night. I think you just aren't remembering it correctly." He clasped his hands together, his elbows on the table, as he spoke.

"Believe me, I remember. But, unlike you, I will tell you all about it. But, I'd rather do it while I'm learning."

"It's up to you. I won't force you to do something you don't want to do." He put his hands flat on the table.

"Again, where were you a year ago?" I grinned.

I quickly downed the ale I had been nursing, then stood.

"I best be heading off." I said, stretching.

"But you just got here!" He said, looking hurt.

"I did what I needed to do. I came in to check in on you. See how things were."

"You came here to tease me, is what you came to do."

"Maybe a little. By the Gods, the stories I could tell." I nodded to him, which aggravated him all the more.

"Be gone, then. I'll just sit here and worry about my day to day while you go out on your adventures."

He stood, doing a shooing motion with his hand. I opened the door and nearly fell out of the converted supply closet. He moved out and locked the door behind him.

"It's been good to see you," He said, pulling me in for a full embrace, "You've been doing well for yourself, whatever it is you're doing."

I nodded, smiling. I ached. This man helped get me where I was today. It was moments like this when my appreciation for him was much too deep for me to reasonably express. We moved back outside, talking about nothing in particular. After a firm handshake, he moved back into the main building.

I looked for the change of the guard who were heading back to Dowry. This was the same group. They had finished their meals and had taken off some of their armor in order to relax. I invited myself to their table and explained my plans to come back with them. They seemed a little bemused, but didn't protest. The half-Orc spoke up, though.

"Only if you don't cause any trouble. We've got a bigger group coming with us, but you're welcome to join and keep things in line. But you're not getting paid."

"How about I buy you all an ale when we get back to Dowry." I offered.

The half-Orc gave me a crooked half smile. There were nods of agreement around the table. In business, a fine beverage works where money might not.

(Get to know Akeron.)

Hakaar - Chronicle 16.3 - Conversations with Silah

We talked for a time around the manhole, unsettled and, fortunately, unobserved. I reached up and put my left hand on Silah's pommel. As the blade sunk into him, she was able catch his memories as they unfolded. She proceeded to explain what she had seen from the man's own thoughts as he perished.

His name was Warmand Vandermont. He was an inspector who investigated goings-on in these alleyways, being a hunter of dark things. Apparently, the roles had been reversed and the hunter became the hunted. Silah had revealed another of her talents. I could see portions of the man's memory that she had taken as her own. A white gloved hand to Warmand's throat, a highly polished shoe with a silver buckle down between his feet. He had been taken by a hunter of men from high society. I shuddered at the visual. I may have misunderstood how powerful this Warmand character was, I now knew there was real danger lurking from above—and below. It cast a shadow over my heart. There were enemies everywhere and it was impossible to tell friend from foe.

I found a quiet and private corner in the warehouse and brought Silah back to her human form. Her face was concerned as she looked at me, but then she smiled, seeming to push those thoughts quickly aside.

"Come. Your friend still needs an escort." She held her hand out toward me and I took it with a smile. We moved out of the warehouse.

"So, Siggy, are you off to your date?" I winced at her announcement. I wasn't sure if she was doing it intentionally or if she had now settled on a nickname. Sig wasn't one for joking, especially at his expense. But the reaction was different. He seemed suddenly concerned.

"I need to get cleaned up!" He said with—from the range of buttoned down emotions I've seen come from Sig—something close to panic.

"Do you need us? I want to get out of here as soon as possible." I said, rubbing my forehead.

"I'll be fine, you can go on with them," he nodded toward Bromm and Floki who were still tasked with heading into the forest to find a boar for the hunt.

I was a mess, myself. But I was content, Silah didn't seem to be adverse to leaning up against someone who was covered in blood. I figured I should take a little time to clean up.

"What about you, Danin?" I saw that he was looking back to the shops, remembering that the confectioner was where his own interests lie.

"I'll stick around and keep an eye on Sig." He stated with a sly grin.

"Sure you will." Bromm ribbed.

Danin looked me over.

"How much of that is yours?" Nodding to the still oozing wounds.

"All of it." I winced with the words, even thinking about it brought the pain to the forefront.

He reached out a hand and I felt a pulse of invigoration. The pain subsided almost immediately. Even the swelling in my twisted ankle subsided where it usually took a week for it to die down. He truly was a miracle worker. He grinned at me.

"Enjoy yourself. Don't get in too much trouble." I awkwardly attempted to pull off a reflection of his cool nature.

He nearly scoffed, but then nodded neatly and moved off toward the confectioner's shop.

I leaned down to Silah.

"I've got to clean up. I look like death itself."

I tugged at the shirt covered with blood stains and noted the standing patches of fresh blood from my recently healed wounds.

"Don't be such a tease." She purred.

She ran a finger down the recently healed wound, collecting some of the blood on her finger and put it into her mouth. It reminded of her bloodied smile bonding to me. For others, it may have set them on edge, but I understood her nature; to be bathed in blood.

"Hey! None of that. Don't make me question whose side you're on. After all, we already put one blood sucker down today." I said over my shoulder as I moved to one of the closeby water barrels.

I took a bucket and drenched myself repeatedly, pouring the water over my head enough times and watched the pink water seep into the cobbles of the streets. It was an odd thought, I was a part of this city now, in its very cracks and foundations. Permanence in an impermanent world. We were just borrowing time here, anyway. I looked at the pink stains left on my undershirt. At least, there would always be something left over from our mortality.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I was still in danger. Everyone seemed to be more aware of the peril than I. Silah's own ambition wasn't bent on my destruction, I knew, but there was a fine line. She hadn't warned me of the danger, so I continued in blindly. What I didn't know could very well have killed me.

I tried to shake it off as I walked back to the others. We saw from a distance as Sig met up with Anida, with Danin and his girl off in the distance, taking a post so they could watch unobtrusively. Good friends, these. Protecting each other in their own ways. I smiled at the thought.

"You've got that look again," Silah said flatly.

"What look?" I reflected.

"You know, that look. The one you get when you think too much," she sighed, "You should stop that."

"Hey, I've got a lot to think about." I waved her off, avoiding the slight.

She looked askance at me then moved in close, but didn't touch, as we fell in behind Bromm and Floki.

We moved to the edge of town. This was the working section of town on the edge of Widdowborn. Laborers and conveyed goods were the general traffic in the area, moving to and fro. The noon meal-time had other traffic coming to bear, between food wagons and clusters of rowdy workers making their way through the street, it was a tumult that made me want to get out of town quickly. I quickened my pace through Hammer Gate.

Bromm and Floki moved ahead as we passed the gate, knowing the path. Silah and I were likely too noisy to be of any help with the tracking, so I intentionally lagged behind. It felt good to walk in the woods away from the city walls where everything and everyone was encroaching on your space.

We were well into the woods, a long walk out of town, before I spoke up.

"You could have warned me about that man. You can sense evil like that, can't you?" I spoke evenly, without anger, while turning my head to look down toward her.

"Would you have believed me?"

She looked up at me with a pensive expression. Her perfect face was pristine, bright in the sunlight.

Enchanting. As always.

"I would like to think I would?"

"Keep in mind, this isn't only about trust. It would be me questioning your capabilities and not trusting that you know your limits." She paused for a moment, "What would you have done if I had told you?"

It was an honest question and I didn't know the answer.

"We won," she touched my hand, "We won and no one died. Well, he did, which was the point. Can you put your trust in that?"

I gently put my large hand over hers, accepting her words.

"Since we are being frank with each other," she licked her lips, "I will never fight."

A small fire lit in her eyes as she began to unroll her thoughts.

"'Slow him down'?" Silah said it with whole-hearted distaste, they were same words I had said to her as Warmand ran down the hall.

"I will never fight. I am only to be wielded." She grimaced.

She broke contact, taking her hand away from me while filling with a strangely civil sort of anger. I was taken back by the statement. I didn't understand.

"Slow him down isn't exactly 'hit him really hard so he doesn't get up'. I thought you were there to help?" I shrugged dismissively. I hadn't seen her this angry before. I wasn't going to push it, I'd seen enough of my own blood today.

"I was there to help!" She was exasperated with me, unable to convey her point.

I suddenly felt like I stepped into yet another mess and ran my hand over my face, bracing for the oncoming storm.

"Why wouldn't you think I wanted to help?" She had stopped and turned toward me, "And get your hand off of your face. It infuriates me when you do that while we're talking."

I stopped and turned toward her, letting my hand drop. I made sure to keep track of where Bromm and Floki were on the road ahead of us.

"I don't know what 'help' means to you." I realized I was waving my hands around emphatically.

"I will not fight for you!"

"I understand! Believe me. I know. We've talked about this before." I attempted to calm the storm raging in her eyes, "It's just that ... I have never seen you help anyone. I didn't know if that was beneath you."

She looked at me with a quizzical expression.

"You've never seen me help anyone?" She pressed.

It was my turn to wet my lips, pausing to think. I had to speak carefully, I knew this was dangerous ground.

"Not like you did today?" I said apologetically.

I continued, "I didn't know if you are willing to physically help people? I didn't know if you'd help that man in the hallway or even help run the buckets."

She looked shocked, but her face softened.

"I don't know, well enough, what you will and will not do," I said, frankly, "I wasn't even sure if you helped of your own free will or if it was some 'bonded master' thing."

She abruptly turned to continue down the road, her face unreadable. I turned and began walking as well, keeping pace with her, trying to read her mood. Bromm and Floki had stopped and looked back at us. Both seemed to shrug and continue down the path. After a few steps, Silah moved up to my side and cradled my arm again.

We continued down the path like that for a long while that. She looked up at me, her face concerned.

"I want to help." She stated flatly. She seemed to be looking for a reaction.

"Think of me as a lady. I am a lady who believes in right and good. I cherish the light in good people. I will do all I can to protect that." She looked up at me, "Do you understand? I am here to help—within reason."

"I understand." It was a simple understanding, but I thought I caught the idea of it.

"Do you?" She gave a smirk, "How about this. Next time you have a question, don't assume one thing or another. Just ask."

"Events haven't been easy to just ask." I grimaced.

"You can always make a mistake. Once." She raised an eyebrow, "Everyone who expects to survive on the battlefield must learn to be a quick learner."

I was feeling a bit wary. In the heat of the moment, I hadn't been practiced or sensible lately.

"So, then, what should I think of you as a weapon?"

"There are rules. Don't worry, I'll let you know as they came up." She gave a wide mischievous smile.

We caught up with Floki and Bromm. Floki had found signs of the boar that brought him to this area in the first place. They moved into the woods and told us to stay put. With them gone, the sounds of the forest closed in. It wasn't the kind of nature that I was used to, since the plains were where I grew up, but it was rich and fulfilling to stand there, especially with Silah by my side.

"There's more to me than just a weapon. These are things which you are—or should be—well aware of at this point," she seemed to be swimming through memories too distant to recall, "I came here through a hard path, but I've since found it useless to dwell on things that are outside of my control. I chose to forget. But, if I ever remember, I'll tell you about it someday."

Floki emerged from the wood followed closely by Bromm.

"We found them," he announced, "And right where they said they would be. Sig's father will have a grand hunt ahead of him!"

(Get to know Akeron.)

Hakaar - Chronicle 16.2 - Dowry Fire Brigade

I charged out of the curio shop, getting my bearings quickly. The smoke was trickling from two large buildings with an enclosed walkway between their upper floors. The only visible entrance was on the ground floor of the leftmost building. I caught sight of flickering fire through the elevated windows. People began grabbing buckets and lining up between the water barrels that had been overfilled from the previous week’s incessant drizzle.

The rest of the group emerged from the shop, looking for various ways to help. Floki seemed to lag behind, appearing to question his involvement. Sig pulled at the alchemical mask we had used to explore the Poulterhaud Mines. I did the same. I intended to be at the forefront, if possible.

“Silah. You can join me or you can stay here. Do what you wish.” I said, perhaps a little too dismissively, not expecting her to want, or care, to help.

I grabbed one of the buckets after the mask was in place, and dunked it into the barrel. I looked to see if she had heard what I said, but Silah was already by my side. She looked sternly at me, her beautiful face showing a tiny furrow in her brow, then grabbed a bucket of her own. She moved with me to the smoking building.

Wisps of smoke rolled through the doorway as people stumbled through. They were no worse but for the smoke, coughing and squinting against it. With the mask in place, I stepped in feeling protected. I saw a man coming out of a back room. I called out to him, urging him to follow the sound of my voice. I waited a moment for him to get his bearings and he clomped heavily toward me. The upstairs seemed to be where the smoke had started to drop. The upper level was filling rapidly, pushing more smoke down. I was fearful, knowing that the other building was likely engulfed and unsaveable. Lives would be lost.

Silah touched my back, letting me know she was there. I bounded up the stairs, seeing flames to my right for the first time. A body lay in the walkway. I knelt quickly at his side, he had likely been overcome by the smoke, as no flame touched him. His breathing was shallow, but he was alive.

The fire was creeping along the left wall, threatening to spring toward us. The wall was coated with flame, advancing the char with each passing moment. I tossed my water on the fire. Silah then gave me her bucket and I repeated the process. The intensity lessened, but we needed significantly more water to push it back.

“He’s still breathing. Could you get him to safety?” I asked, apologetically.

She had seemed hurt that I didn't expect her to help. She obliged, nodding quickly. Silah effortlessly gripped his collar in one hand with the empty buckets in the other, and dragged him over to the stairs. I felt Silah edge up to the limit of our bond, but she did not cross it.

As Silah disappeared from sight, others had filled in the ranks, including Sig. He wasn't wearing his mask anymore, which made me raise an eyebrow in his direction. Instead, he had wet his cloak and wrapped it around his face. He and some others from the street moved forward with buckets. I took them and kept dousing the wall, keeping the fire from advancing. Ahead and down the hall, however, the fire was filling the room beyond us. A man ran out of a side room, distraught and panicked. I flagged him toward me, but the fire was pressing in on him.

“Come to me! I’ll douse you with water!” I yelled toward him, but his panicked glances toward me showed me he was too scared to advance.

A window broke behind him. I thought I saw a familiar face, that of Bromm, but I couldn't see it clearly enough. The man turned and hopped out the window. The fire, seeing a new escape, surged toward the air and, licked the edges of the window frame.

The crowd pressed in, handing full buckets quickly up the line. Sig had joined me on the front of the fire line. We doused the wall until the flames were subdued into steam and then moved forward. Sig’s eyes were red from the smoke and coughed slightly under the wetted robe. There had to have been a good reason that he removed his mask.

Silah was at my back again with more water, but she was no longer needed in the line. She handed off what she had, but stood there unsure of how she could help. She stood expectantly in the hallway while we advanced with the buckets of water.

Another man showed up, but this one through the already burning door that seemed to lead from the first floor. He also looked panicked, but his was a different sort of unease. I looked closely at his eyes, seeing that they darted around, looking for an escape, but the flames themselves licked against his skin without harming him. His clothes were in flames, but his hair remained perfect. His eyes and face were gaunt and hollow, looking like death itself. This man didn't belong here.

He’s got to be the reason for the fire.

I braced myself, knowing that it would be up to me to stop him and figure out what was going on. I waved him toward me, just like I had to the other. He looked for alternatives, but avoided the already broken window that was next to him. Not seeing any other way, he began to run my direction. As he moved past me, I reached out to grab his tattered shirt, but he slipped right past. The second time, he ducked a shoulder, almost seeming to know exactly what I was attempting to do.

“Silah! Slow him down!” I called ahead.

Silah saw him, and stepped to the side letting him pass. The adorable furrowed brow deepened even more, her eyes glowered dangerously toward me. I felt like I may have crossed a line that I would deeply regret later.

“I think that guy started the fire. I need to get him. Sig, you got this?”

He nodded, but looked at the man running away. He had been shielding himself from the light pouring through windows. He squinted warily.

“You might need some help with this one,” he said with some concern.

Seeing his nod, I immediately bolted past him. I continued past a peeved Silah and rushed toward the man’s back. Further back out of the room, a solid line of people had formed, rapidly bringing in buckets to the fire. They didn't seem as concerned about what was happening just a few steps away and kept the train of buckets going.

I grabbed the man from behind, locking my fingers together in front of his chest. He bucked backwards and lift his arms almost effortlessly. His strength was greater than mine, which left me incredulous. I felt my grip slip and he broke free, continuing forward. He jumped down the stairwell.

My opportunity to stop him was fading fast. It wasn't worth trying to subdue him. Whatever he was, he wasn't natural.

“I need you!” I reached my hand toward Silah. She seemed to get over her moment of anger and sprinted toward me. I touched her hand and she immediately formed into the greatsword at a thought. I felt a charge of energy from our mutual excitement. I had no fear, no doubts. The trepidation of using her in battle had completely disappeared. I ran to the stairwell and tossed myself over gracelessly, swinging the massive blade down at the man. His uncanny reflexes  kicked in again and he narrowly avoided the flashing blade. I was enraged. He had been able to avoid me on every turn.

“Stop him!” I bellowed.

I landed heavily on the stairs, bruising a rib or two in the process. I heard Sig mumbling above me. I looked up and he cackled at the man as he continued to run. Sig frightened me sometimes. I was sure it was in our favor, but the things he did sent shivers up my spine.

The man continued to push through the crowd, the woman on the landing screamed and cowered into the corner. Just beyond her, I hear a pair of familiar voices. Floki was the next in line with Bromm standing just inside the building door.

“Vampire!” Floki called out.

I opened my eyes wide. It sent my mind spinning. I’ve only heard myths of such things. I felt a little trepidation as I recalled stories I’d heard. It was almost all folklore, but, even if partially true, these were bloody and ruthless creatures.

As I stood, I heard a pistol ring out and a bow string hum. I was able to get up just in time to see the man run out the door. I sprinted after him, negotiating the already disrupted crowd. Light blasted through the smoky haze and I could see that this man was starting to sizzle and smoke in the sun. I raised Silah up during the run and sliced the man’s back flaying his skin neatly and nicking more than a few ribs in the process. I felt a shiver of satisfaction come from the blade.

He didn't slow, though. Yet it was very clear that he was hurt. He ran into the shade of the bridging walkway and the sizzling stopped. I heard a crash, and saw Sig tumble onto a man just outside of the second floor window.

We were now out in the open. The bucket brigade was still hurriedly moving full buckets up the stairs and to the fire. There was a violent ringing approaching, the sound of a large wagon creaked just out of sight around the corner. It looked like help had arrived, but people continued to work, even with the bewildering goings-on happening in front of them: the smoldering human scorching in the bright sunlight being assailed by a varied mix of strangers. The echo of vampire had rung out from the building—Floki's own voice, even—there was no doubt that the city streets would be talking about this for months.

Bromm and Sig converged while Floki let a series of arrows loose, striking the man in quick succession. We caught up to the vampire on the far shadowed corner of the raised walkway where he was hesitant to strike out across the sun drenched street.

“Why are you running? If you stop, we won't kill you.” Sig tried to reel him in with words.

While Sig was right to try, I wasn't likely going to hold my blade once I got there. This being wasn't natural and needed to die.

He bolted into the sun and hissed at us over his shoulder, “I'll come back for you later!”

My vision blurred with the threat. He had to die, and he had to die now.

You can threaten me, but never ever threaten my friends.

I followed him out into the sun and I struck him again, slicing a matching gash that crossed through the first. He grunted while the sun set to scorching him again. I charged at his back as he bent down and easily flipped the lid to the sewer and dropped soundlessly below. He had avoided me the last time he did this.

But not this time.

I flipped Silah, the greatsword, blade down, and gripped her in both hands. I could see the highlighted edges of the sewer shaft, but little else. Even in the darkness below, my vision wasn't clear enough to know what I was going to end up in. It looked deeper than I expected, but I could take it. If this didn't finish him, though, it might be a very bad ending for me.

I didn't let the thought take hold, I gripped my greatsword tightly and dropped.

The blade drove in, the tip piercing the crook between his neck and left shoulder. She slid all the way in to the hilt and came protruding from his lower right gut. The shudder and sigh came both from blade and from the impaled man. It took me a while to notice that I had raked down the side of the hole while dropping into the sewer. My side battered and bleeding and my ankle started to swell. The passion kept the pain at bay.

“He’s … still alive,” Silah spoke through the blade her voice enraptured with the experience.

It was then I heard voices above me who had likely been yelling down for some time now.

“You need to finish him! Take off his head!” Sig yelled down, Floki and Bromm also looking down expectantly.

“Wait,” Silah caught herself between breaths, “Just a moment more.”

I could see the man’s body slowly stitching itself back together.

I must act now.

“Yes. I just needed a moment more to see," She seemed to right herself, "Take him!”

I drew the blade back with some difficulty, sending the body thrashing with pain. I dropped him to the ground and let the blade drop on his neck. The fluttering stopped and his head rolled away. I grabbed it by the hair and looked in the man’s face. Pale as death with fangs visible from the slack jaw.

“Catch!” I yelled up and tossed the head skyward, “I don’t think he is coming back!”

I half expected the head to come back down and hit me, but Sig caught it and let out an exclamation I couldn't hear.

“This thing you just killed was more deadly than a whole pack of Orcs.” Silah said, her voice still quavering from the experience. “I thought we were going to err on the side of caution?”

She sounded somewhat distant as she said it. She seemed to expect me to fight her, but I listened quietly, breathing heavily from the exertion. She had been silent through the whole pursuit. I smiled to myself.

You let me do my job.

I was feeling my wounds now as my passion subsided. She may have been right, when he dodged each attack, the way he broke free from my grip, and when he tossed that sewer lid. All of those were indications of a strength far greater than mine. But this was very personal.

Maybe I needed it to not be personal each and every time.

“I'm not upset that you chased him down and killed him. Far from it. Just remember this moment the next time my ambitions put us at risk.” She said, almost motherly.

I breathed deep, feeling a need to defend myself, but then she encircled me in her warm, invisible embrace.

“I like you like this.” She whispered closely.

I stood for a moment. Enjoying the experience, but pain started to flow in more readily and I felt exhausted. I hefted the body—which was surprisingly light—over my shoulder and put Silah in the second sheath. I climbed slowly up the rungs of the shaft to the surface. The others lifted him off of me when we broke back out into the sunlight. The body had immediately started to hiss and scorch as it did earlier. The skull I had tossed up just moments ago had already nearly evaporated.

I watched as the body dissolved and all that was left were the remaining tatters of clothes and a few trinkets. I looked all directions and down the street, we were largely alone with everyone being so focused on the fire. I scooped up the cloth remnants. Perhaps our friend at Mont Brooks could help identify this when we got back to Hlofreden.

It was just moments later that warehouse doors facing us slid open and Danin stepped out. He seemed immensely pleased with himself.

“Fire's out,” He smiled broadly.

Floki pointed at him emphatically.

“Now, that guy. He is the Dowry fire brigade.”

(Get to know Akeron.)

Hakaar - Chronicle 16.1 - Dowry by Sea

It's been a blur. In part, it's because of having an open tab running at The Sea Witch. All I had was time for a while there. I had watched my pocketbook shrink from food and lodging in the process. I was still shaking the shame off from my close brush with death. The bar seemed to be the best place to think. Loud voices, boisterous laughter, trinkling music, with Bromm's sister, Sabella, mingling her angelic voice with the din. It reminded me of the military camps. Rough tents spread over the grasslands infused with the smells of sweat, metal, food, and ale.

Nostalgia. And I wasn't one for nostalgia like this. Stranger yet, this was nostalgia about some of the hardest times in my life. It seemed odd. Did I really want those days back? The thought itself deserved another drink.

Perhaps it was the direct approach. You had a clear enemy, you had clear directions, your options were limited so you could be decisive. Glancing around the room, I caught Silah's eye as she looked over the room with a slight smile. I smiled briefly and turned forward, enjoying the noise rippling over me much like I'd enjoy the warmth from a fire.

"Hey."

Silah sidled up to the bar beside me. I nodded to her. It was clear that she was adept at reading my mood. In fact, she probably knew my mood better than I did. Part of all this shame was my frustration from lashing out at Silah. Perhaps, soon, she would fit neatly into that same nostalgia; reflecting on the best and the worst times in my life.

It was a few moments before I glanced at her. She sat, unmoving, studying my face.

"How are you doing?" She said it with a half smile, but her eyes were lined with a touch of sadness. I turned to her and nodded evenly. I caught her glancing at the old campaigner blade sticking above my shoulder, eyeing it resentfully. The more I wore it, the more the appearance made sense. She wouldn't like it, though, but I had stopped the idea of lording it over her the moment we left the inn.

"Have they said anything about what's next? I'm getting bored here again and the weather is finally clearing."

"It sounds like Siggy has some business in Dowry. Like, business business. Something about the princess and contesting the claim markers?"

"Sig. Hmmm, I knew something happened, but I wasn't privy to the act. A few of them said it'd be best if I didn't know." I rolled the half full mug and it clunked woodenly on the table.

"I haven't gone to Kellas House in a while. After that ranch incident, I'm a little wary that something might make the same move on Duncan." I mused to myself. She sat attentively, even if she didn't need to.

"You haven't met Duncan yet? He said I needed to retire this…" I looked over my shoulder at the campaigner blade, then thought better of continuing this thought.

"I trained under him as a soldier. He's a good man. He'll be terribly impressed with you." The thought made me grin widely, "Oh, he's going to be so impressed."

She squinted at me with a humored wariness.

"And that means?" She prompted with a small circular gesture.

"He's one man I'd be willing to share your—our—secret with."

"Secret? We have a secret?"

"Nevermind," I sighed heavily and rubbed my right tusk with the wooden mug, "When do the others plan on leaving?"

"They are meeting up with Beardic."

"Beidrick? So we're going to Dowry by sea then? I guess I'll have to meet up with Duncan later." I grimaced.

"Hey." She said sternly, her voice steeled. She waited for me to look her in the eyes, "This moodiness doesn't suit you. It's time you're done with it."

She pushed away from the bar.

"After all, we've got work to do!" She called out over her shoulder as she moved toward the others.

Silah was right, of course. Whatever shame I was holding on to was only hurting me at this point. I pushed the mug away and moved toward the privy out back. The sun was piercing through the misty clouds overhead, but I finally had a clear shadow. I drew some water and dumped it over my head, I shook out my long black hair, rinsing out dust and the dull sickly sweet smell of aging ale.

I could feel the tug of distance between myself and Silah. That palpable connection made me think of my nostalgia from earlier. Life had changed so dramatically: new friends, Silah, near death experiences. All the petty things I'd been holding on to seemed to fall away under the light of day.

And we are traveling again!

I wasn't thrilled about taking the majority of the trip on a boat, but I'd stop in to see Duncan later. I hadn't stayed in Dowry, just passing through using the Ethesia House portal from the battlefront. It was larger than this backwater, which I had grown accustomed to. I'm sure it had a lot to offer that I hadn't seen.

The trip by sea was much more fulfilling than expected. The sun broke through and we had a blindingly bright day on the sea. The seas felt rough, but an unperturbed Beidrick said that was normal for this time of year. He was confidently standing on the upper deck at the rear of the ship, looking over the seas with a big smile. He was built for this. Silah was among the others, milling about listening to the conversations. The sun itself had cheered me up. It was a new experience to travel so far on the seas. I had never gone further than the return from the Poulterhaud claim. I was content to stay silent and watch the proceedings.

The sun hit its zenith then began to sink from above us. We never lost sight of the land to our South. Beidrick expertly guided the ship into the harbor and moved into an open spot dockside. These seemed to be residence boats. People lived on these instead of living in town. It seemed quaint, disconnected, and impermanent. There was a certain charm to that kind of lifestyle. Like a desert tortoise's that I'd seen frequently on the plains, you brought your home with you.

A few extra coins in the dockmaster's hand and a nod seemed to grant him a better position that was closer to the guard's shack. Money, the great lubricator of business and services. I couldn't help but sigh at the thought. I still had a pittance to my name and a voracious mouth to feed.

I followed the group through the streets. Metal carriages looking like sparkling black crabs with wheels hummed quietly through the streets. This was a bizarre sort of magic that I had seen the last time I was here. Each had a man guiding them from a seat near the front. There were those that were used to carry people to and fro, but others that seemed more rustic carried larger goods from warehouse to shop. The bustle of Dowry was incredible. I couldn't help but compare it to what I had gotten used to in Hlofreden.

We wound through the streets, looking for lodging. Sig, Bromm, and Danin seemed to be experts at navigating this place. I was bewildered by the flurry and it made me uneasy. Silah had come up alongside me in her flowing purple gown. She moved her hand along the inside of my arm.

"Calmly, my beast." She crooned softly in my head, "There's nothing to be concerned about."

Am I that obvious?

"To the untrained eye, you are glowering threateningly at everyone. So, perhaps?" She traced her fingers down to my wrist. It sent a flurry of chills up my arm and I felt myself blush at the contact.

I glanced at her and she smiled winsomely up at me. I gave her an awkward toothy grin back. Tusks were not meant for smiling. This, however, was exactly what I needed, this private space, this strange sort of isolation from the crowds. Just her and I.

The summons that Sig had received put us out at about four days with nothing to do but browse Dowry. No one was really sure how this would go, but Sig seemed confident that he was in the right. Perception is everything, after all. I haven't talked with anyone about it directly, just overheard the conversations. The word was that ours and a competitor's horses were poisoned before we taken our trip out to the Polterhaud Mines. They blamed us and challenged our claim because of it.

In my recollection, the mines themselves would have been impossible to approach in a wagon. Whole sections of the road had fallen into ruin. I then realized that if this hadn't happened, I would never have bonded with Silah. I felt a spark of anger flare up at the thought.

"You're sweet." Her voice echoed in my head, sounding wistful, "Bristlingly protective, but sweet."

Silah's voice startled me, but then I felt her tracing on the inside of my arm again, realizing our connection again.

We checked into one place as the evening began and felt that it was an ill fit for our night's entertainment. Bromm longed for something a bit more boisterous. After a few coins changed hands, we walked further down the street deeper into what was called the Bowler's Green district. Seething masses pressing in around us, but I felt Silah's grip on my forearm tighten and I focused on it.

Our destination was a tall building with an active balcony. Chanted glass spewed a rainbow of lights in every direction. Alchemical lamps danced with various colors, sending many hued shadows scurrying around the front door. The sign read Fanton's Ale House. There was rollicking music, escaping from the cocked door. I looked at the half-Orc who was standing just inside the door, I was a good half-head taller than him. Bromm moved up first.

"What's it take to get into this place?"

"You give me one gold and I'll let you in and I give you this," he held up a carved wooden chit, "Take this to the bar for a drink."

Bromm nodded, and produced a gold. The half-Orc took in the coins from the group and handed back a corresponding chit. I had to root a bit before finding two gold coins in my coinpurse. I grimaced as I handed them over. Silah squeezed my arm and smiled appreciatively.

"This is going to be fun!" Her honey-brown eyes were alive with the dancing lights. "It'll be worth it!"

I pinched my lips into weak smile.

Yeah. Fun.

Pressed in with a heaving mass of drunken bodies. I expected that I might possibly break someone's arm for bumping up against me. I had Silah by my side, though. She still held my arm, and I could focus on just her touch to center myself and relax.

Bromm pressed his way to the bar. We all had to dodge through the whirling movements on the dancefloor. An elevated stage held a musical group of about seven that were handling various instruments. Most all instruments were stringed and the woman who belted out over the audience with a hoarse voice had a metal clacker in her hand, keeping the beat. She seemed to be singing their own bawdy drinking songs in time with the band. Showing off her legs and shaking her bodice suggestively with the words. They were pressing those instruments, squeezing every bit of sound out of them. I was caught up in it, a smile on my face as she shook her rump at the crowd.

Silah guided me into place at the bar, helping part the crowd with ease using considerably more strength than she appeared to have. We settled in and she beamed at me, excited.

I watched a Bromm put a silver with his wooden coin and point to the top shelf. The was already almost tapped out, but I needed a little loosening if the night was to continue without incident. I nodded for the same, giving Silah a silver coin for her choice.

Bromm turned inward, rounding to each member.

"To an evening of debauchery, gentleman and gentlewoman!"

We brought our glasses in, audibly clinking against the din.

Some women saw the toast among new faces and swooped in to meet our acquaintance. I watched Silah sizing them up as they approached, curious at what she was thinking. One woman was in the forefront of four others, seeming to choose her target.

"My name is Nida, buy me a drink?" She said it with swagger, confidence. Watching closely to see who would take the challenge.

Sig leaned forward, "What would you like?"

She smiled and whispered it to him. Sig called out the order to the barkeep and she moved in close with a warm smile. A blonde woman stood behind her, but after Sig ordered, she moved into the group to mingle. There was an odd girl out, she stuck close. She had glanced at me briefly, just long enough to see Silah's arm still looped with mine. I glanced back to Silah as the others started to mingle.

I tried to keep my thoughts light, but, one of these days, I would understand what she was to me. I couldn't see being capable of being with anyone else while we were bonded. I shook off the thought, realizing that Silah was following the others to the dance floor.

"Come on. We've got work to do." She said slyly.

The crowd pressed in. Elbows and hands swinging in all directions in time with the wild, raucous music. There was a fierce quality to the movement. I eyeballed one drunken man when he moved in toward Silah. Growling, I blocked him from the advance. This prompted a fearful response from others close to me, which gave us more room to try our hand at this concerted chaos.

I heard a shout. A young man was yelling at Danin, grabbing at the blonde that he was with.

"Get your hands off my girl, Dwarf!" He said, spittle dusting over a livid Danin.

"I don't know him!" The blonde shouted.

"She's with me." He said, sternly, then put a hand out to steady the young man.

Angry with the response, the youngling wound up and planted his fist on Danin's face, who rolled with it expertly. Danin's cool exterior remained, but the fire in his eyes lit up. I tensed, thinking to engage, but more interested in Danin's reponse. Silah held me fast, knowing exactly what was going through my head.

The crowd parted slightly, more for the show and less for any danger. Danin stepped sideways, hands still down, shaking his head. The boy moved to engage and Danin met him with a well placed punch, sending the young man's frame crumpling to the floor. The half-Orc moved across the sea of bodies, lifting the youngling easily, unceremoniously jostling him as he took him out the front door.

"A drink on the house!" The barkeep shouted above the noise.

Danin was the hero. He lifted the glass high and kissed his holy symbol sending a wave of healing energy through the surrounding crowd. The invigoration drove the musicians on and the dance floor cheered.

I smiled at the result. Silah took my hand again and I pulled her in close as we moved quickly to the music.

*  *  *

It was morning again and I felt the twinges of a headache wearing at the edges of my thoughts. It wasn't anything I wasn't used to.

It took a while for the group to assemble from the raucous night, but everyone seemed fresh and eager for the day. I didn't know what to expect, we had no plans, so I listened in, hoping to find something to do that I wouldn't regret.

Bromm and Floki had mentioned a temple to some sort of god just further up the road this inn was on, while Danin and Sig seemed to want to further South and East. Sig, apparently, was meeting up with Anida, the woman he had been talking with for quite a while last night. the place they were going was near a shopping district which visibly sparked Silah's interest. I was destitute, as I had been telling her this whole trip. The thought of another trip to buy things , even just consider buying things, with two gold and a handful of silver in my pockets made me feel wholly inadequate.

"Just window shopping. Come on!" Silah pleaded with a sparkling of youthful glee.

"I don't mind. Just know that we can't actually buy anything." I sighed.

"Good! When do we leave?"

"Everyone has eaten. We can leave immediately." Sig said.

We parted ways with Floki and Bromm as they continued West-Southwest as we moved through the Six Crates district. There was plenty of activity on the streets hiding the undercurrents of other goings on. But the feeling of moving into an unsafe area was palpable. Silah didn't seem to notice or care. She leaned into me, with a smile, pointing at places that she recognized. She spoke the names of the locations that were there decades ago as well as those that hadn't changed. I couldn't trust that she was saying the correct names, I had since learned, but it was an interesting local history unrolling before my eyes.

As we walked down the street, I felt rigid, unable to relax. I felt out of place in the seething crowd. I had seen only a handful of other Half-Orcs and they were little more than bodyguards and warehouse workers. There were a few street rats eying us tenuously. I shot them a glare, but realized they weren't staring at me, but Danin. They whispered between each other as soon as they saw him. His antics last night had landed him some fame that seemed to keep trouble at bay. I watch them fade away as we moved through the Six Crates district. It wasn't long before I saw the direction we were heading. We were there primarily for Sig and his "date" with Anida. I could never take Sig's actions in this direction seriously. He seemed to have an eye for business, but little else. It was interesting to see him engaged the way he was. He hadn't said much about Anida, but it was obvious that she was a woman of some sway. I watched him to see if I could see the cracks in his facade that may give him away. I didn't expect much, but his interest in her seemed genuine.

Silah remained at my side as we moved through the crowd. Her presence was an overwhelming comfort. I remembered clearly how lost I felt in places like this only months ago, trying to carve myself a place in a world not meant for someone like me. She was my foundation here. I couldn't possibly express how comforting her presence was. She knew, though, she was holding my arm this whole time. I could see it in her eyes as she looked up at me. As little as she remembered, she did realize that I truly did appreciate her in comparison to her residual experiences. It wasn't lost on me, that the future was clouded and uncertain. Her memory of me would eventually fade, but now I wasn't worried. I had come to terms with the thought of being a lost memory in the future. My mark would be made on the world, something that would be indelible and perpetual. It was a matter of time, even if that time was uncertain.

In the distance, I heard Sig announce that we had arrived.

"Mr. Fangs. That's the place I'm supposed to meet her," he squinted at the sign against the bright sky, "It's a while until I'm to meet her here. Why not browse the shops while we wait?"

Silah was eager and being her vibrant self again. Something I hadn't properly seen since the rains had consumed Hlofreden. It was very likely that nothing had changed but my own attitude.

I finally took the time to look at the sign that Sig had pointed to. It was a comical rendition of a tusked Orc with a silly grin on his face. I grimaced.

"Fangs? Those aren't fangs. They're tusks," I grumbled aloud. I waited for a response that never came and then continued, "How about we visit the confectioner?"

"Yes! That sounds wonderful."

There were a few street performers in the area and a woman, who didn't seem to be a performer, but was dressed particularly with swaths of vibrant colors. She seemed to be engaging all the passersby with intense familiarity, something like a mother of this particular area. We had stopped just short of where she was engaging everyone, but her odd dress and behavior caught my eye.

I turned away from the street and we moved on to the confectioner. I was hesitant, knowing my purse was lighter than it had been in ages, but I kept my worrying to myself as I perused the goods. Silah was completely aware of my hesitation, and seemed to accept it gracefully without any ribbing.

Perusing the prices, I was surprised at how inexpensive some of the items were. I rifled through my meager coin purse and broke another gold coin. I selected some brittle peppermint sticks that set your mouth a-buzz. I grabbed a few and immediately put one in my mouth. After a moment, I decided to splurge and asked to see the chocolates. I looked through the dipped clusters and asked Silah if she had any preference. She looked at the selections, bewildered.

"I don't know! You decide," she urged.

I gingerly pointed at a few of the samples, two of each. Two with fudge and two with a white filling. I split them with her and we both sampled them. The melting fudge was rich and vibrant, showing a rich sampling of flavors that I had never experienced before. She seemed to do the same. I smirked at her revelling, which seemed a bit put on. I wondered if she actually could taste what she was eating. It seemed to please her, though, but only for seeming to appear to be alive, as it were. I had seen it on the shores outside of the Polterhaud mine. Ever since then, I had wondered if I'd ever know the truth of it.

I stepped away from the front of the shop, beginning a search for Sig. I heard a familiar female voice behind me directed toward someone else. I glanced behind me to see the woman Danin had taken a liking to just earlier. She moved conversationally toward the confectioner, asking if his wife was home. She said a few words that disappeared on the air and disappeared into the shop. I took note, thinking Danin may be interested.

As we were looking for Sig, Silah nearly squealed as she saw Floki and Bromm walking down the street. She showed them the candies we had just bought and caught them up on the goings on. They had obviously seen us and had made a beeline to our position.

"I was just looking for Sig," I nodded at them.

"We were just on our way out of town to find those boar. I think we know where they are," Floki said. Bromm nodded slowly behind him.

"Let's find Sig first and then I'll go with you."

On the way over to the vendor row, I told Danin that his lady friend was in the confectioner's back room. He let a small smile show and nodded confidently. I stepped up to the pipe and tobacco vendor where I had just seen Sig. I, perhaps, approached him too aggressively, provoking an awkward response.

"Your friend?" He said, sweat beading at his forehead, "He's just down there in the Blackrose Emporium."

The man pointed emphatically down the street.

We moved as a group to the quiet door. Slipping inside, the atmosphere thickened. It sent a feeling of unease slide over my body, readily giving me goosebumps. Strangely, Silah, seemed to revel in the feeling, rolling her shoulders and almost basking in the reflected light. This curio shop was deeply mystical in nature. Forces pressed against me in various ways, making my skin itch.

Sig was in there, talking the somewhat gaunt man while pointing at various items in the shop. As we piled in, the man seemed to light up with a smiling certain recognition. Sizing each of us up as we entered. He wasn't wary, but seemed to be almost pleased as he looked us up and down.

"Your compatriots?" He asked Sig.

Sig nodded in response.

The man seemed to drop into a deep recollection with a smile slowly spreading across his lips. It was an odd expression. There was an unspoken kinship that seemed to grow with that smile. It was a knowing expression that left me wondering.

What exactly did this man know about us?

We reviewed the contents of his shop, knowing that there was much more to the goods than he alluded to. His nostalgia creeped in, at points, fleshing out the introspection that I had seen earlier. He walked us through a variety of goods that he had in his shop. He briefly explained that he missed the experiences he had with his friends. But he liked sleeping in a warm bed each night. There was a twinkle in his eye, though, as he recollected where he had been. He seemed a fascinating individual with considerable experience.

Bromm's ears perked up and he tilted his head toward the door. I felt a prickling to my skin and moved there, too. I leaned against the door to make a crack and listened outside. There was a flurry of activity and the smell of smoke hanging in the air.

"Fire?" I said, questioningly.

I leaned through the door and the smell of smoke and panicked yells filled the shop.