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Aiyesh stared for a moment, unwilling to believe her own eyes. The hairless didn’t have nearly the eyesight she did, and while they were riding she kept watch to make sure there wasn’t any sort of trail left behind, intentional or otherwise. She didn’t fully trust Marek, but he had been careful, meticulous even, in his guidance of the horse and selecting the best routes for keeping their movements secret. In spite of all this, the men from the pit had shadowed their movements. If Marek was involved in some sort of ruse, if this had all been some kind of sick game the hairless played…

No, even as her temper flared, it didn’t add up. The man hadn’t given off a single scent which would have denoted deception. Even now, he was fully asleep and left himself wide open in her presence. She backed away from the edge of the rock and slipped further back into the sheltered space where Marek rested. With a quick shake of his arm, she pulled him from his slumber.

The man’s eyes flew open as he was jolted from his sleep. He glanced to the sky, probably noting it was well before time to switch for the daytime watch. “What’s wrong?” Marek asked the question while giving a quick stretch.

Aiyesh didn’t say anything, she just nodded to the west with a scowl, her tail low and slashing across the sands in her displeasure.

Marek nodded then covered himself with the cloak and pulled the spyglass out. Aiyesh watched as he crawled to the western edge of the rocks and peaked across the landscape. His glass was trained in the direction of the men for a few minutes before he backed away from the edge with a curse under his breath. Not bothering to hide his own displeasure, he sat down heavily and scratched his head in thought, his fingers running through the mop of black hair.

“Speak, Marek, what now?” She didn’t worry about the edge to her voice.

The man looked up at her shaking his head, “We can’t run. No matter how far, they’d find you.”

Was she never to be free from that forsaken place and those men? “How?”

Marek kept his focus on her. “It’s,” he paused for a second, “a spell, we call it ‘magecraft’ or ‘workings’.” Marek had intermixed the hairless words in with the common tongue, “Do you own a knife? White and red handle, blade this long?” His hands were held about a foot apart as he spoke.

The weapon he described was a gift, it marked her acceptance as a protector of the people. Why would he know about such a thing? It had been taken from her when she was captured and she hadn’t seen it since.

“The man, orange hair in front, has it. It’s a spell of tracking, the knife always points at you since it’s yours.” Marek acted out the effects of this ‘magecraft’, using his hand in place of an actual weapon.

She had heard of the strange craft the hairless used, some of it was quite bizarre though other stories were more mundane. Aiyesh moved to where he had been watching the men and poked her head out far enough to observe them. Her tormentor was holding onto a heavy leather cord, her knife attached to the end of it and pointing directly toward the hiding spot. He motioned for his men to continue in their direction, splitting off into two groups. An involuntary hiss escaped through her lips before she backed away from the rocks.

Marek placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. It wasn’t what her people did, but she appreciated the attempt to reassure her. “They’re all hot and tired, so are the horses. They rode through the midday heat, bad idea.” He motioned to his pack then sat down beside it. If it was anything like his coat, it would be packed with all manner of goods. Four small stones and two bags tied firmly shut with wire were pulled from its pockets. “These,” he pointed at the small stones, “make a loud boom when thrown.” He grabbed one of the bags with a bit too much flourish, bouncing it slightly in his palm. “This makes ‘caltrops’, a spiked trap for feet, horse or ‘human’.” At seeing her puzzled look, “It’s our word for what I am, a ‘human’.”

Aiyesh figured this was their proper name, similar to how the people that take after foxes name themselves Fen, or her own people used Saiyou rather than dragon kin. “We call you hairless. You are closer to wolf and cat than Saiyou, but mostly lack their hair and fur.”

After a slight grimace, Marek shook his head, “That sounds as if all of us are sick.” He looked back to the west, “Well, they are, in mind at least, so hairless for them and human for me.”

She hadn’t thought of it that way before, hairless was an apt description for them, but it made point of the fact they looked like they had mange or some other disease. After a moment’s thought, she shrugged, “Fine then, human, what do we do against these hairless?”

“We need to get the knife. It’s what they use to track you.” Two fingers were held up as he spoke, “After that, we escape, or kill them all. Two choices.”

Aiyesh thought on the matter a bit. Fighting off twenty two men would be difficult, even with the items Marek brought. Getting the knife back probably meant killing the one with orange fur at least, but that could be useful, “One more choice, kill the leader. The rest will run, then I am free.” The man considered her words for a moment as he held his chin, rubbing the unshaven stubble that grew there. They really didn’t have much time for debate on the matter, “You choose, now.”

Marek held up one finger and his eyes widened, “Yes,” he was nodding to himself more than her, “Yes, that would work.” A focused, intense energy captured the man’s features as he looked back up to face her. “They know where you are, but if they’re already here, they may not even know about me at all. I don’t think any of the guards would be in shape to say anything, maybe now, but not when they left.” Marek threw his cloak back over himself and double checked the position of the men. “Wait ten minutes, then climb to the top of these rocks. Yell, hiss, whatever, but get them looking at you. If they get too close, climb up earlier, but stay out of reach of their spears, and use these to defend.” He motioned at the two spears they’d taken on their way out of the village. “It won’t take long.”

She stared at him, he was using her as a diversion, that much she pieced together. If he wanted to cover his escape, this would be his chance and the other hairless wouldn’t be the wiser. If, however, he did manage to bring an end to the torment, she would be free from this nightmare once and for all. Aiyesh took a deep breath, steadying her resolve one more time, “Fine, I will do as you ask. Betray me, and I will hunt you for as long as it takes, a thousand lives if needed to have my revenge.” She stepped closer, but the man held his position, never flinching, never taking his eyes away from her own. “But end this, set me free, and I will repay you. Over the span of a thousand lives if needed, but I will honor my debt.”

Marek opened his mouth for a moment, then closed it again before shaking his head and giving her shoulder a quick pat, “Listen, I’d like to say it’s a matter of doing the right thing, I really would, but it’s not. And no, you won’t owe me a thing, revenge or debt. I’m an ‘agent’,” he used another of the human words, “I do what’s expected, that’s all there is to it.” He flashed a brief smile that only went as far as his lips before he threw the cloak over himself and silently crept from their hiding spot.

* * *

Thinking back, Marek hoped he hadn’t upset Aiyesh too much. The Saiyou had given him a rather strange look before he left. Personally, sure, getting her away from there and even aiding her escape now was something he wanted to do. Professionally, that didn’t matter. His primary mission was to get the artifact, that had already been taken care of provided they escaped. As to the current situation, the land the settlement was on was considered by the realm as within its borders, so the Saiyou had to be freed. The laws were clear on this, and somewhat unique to his kingdom, the realm’s relationship with its demi citizens was considered a top priority in all affairs. One thing he didn’t want was Aiyesh thinking she owed him anything. That line of thought could easily bring her into harm’s way, something he was actively working to get her away from.

He knew Aiyesh would be safe in acting as the decoy. They’d put far too much effort and manpower in for just killing an escaped prisoner, so this left capturing her as their goal. Sure, if they got her, there’d be hell to pay, but she’d live. He just had to make sure they failed to get her in the first place.

The rocks kept Marek’s movements hidden from view, and in a short time, the mainstay of the entrances were littered with the little spiked traps. There was one time he’d gotten tangled up in a mess of caltrops, so he knew how effective they were against soft soled shoes like the ones those men were wearing. He left no tracks, no trace for them to follow to discern where he was. A small cluster of weather beaten rocks was his shelter with a clear space just big enough for him to lay within, the cloak spread out over and around him. No horse would set foot in the middle of the rocks willingly due to the bad footing, and none of the men would pay attention once Aiyesh started. They’d pass right by in their attempt to surround her position.

The only downside to his plan was the considerable heat from the sun. On a technical level, he was in the shade, but he was fully covered and so the air trapped within was hot and thick, laden with his perspiration. He first heard the voices of the men and the sounds of the horses plodding along in spite of their exhaustion. What little bits of conversation he caught exposed the truth of the matter. These men were tired, hot, and driven beyond any reasonable level. Most just wanted to finish the task and go home out of the blasted heat, some wanted to mutiny on the spot, and a few others were cursing the Lizard to no end for the trouble it caused.

While he waited, a small part of his mind felt sorry for the poor bastards on horseback. His own travels had been at far saner times for moving about in the wastelands, these men were stuck in the full blaze of the midday sun. It’d been at least a few minutes since the last horse went by, either that or the intense heat was beginning to make him misjudge the time. For a split second, his mind raced at the possibility that the Saiyou had made a dash for it, ignoring his concerns about the tracking spell. And then the wastes erupted.

Marek heard the angry hissing, growling, and noises he didn’t think anything should be capable of making from under his cover, as plainly as if Aiyesh was standing beside him. If it was a language, it was one he didn’t understand, and frankly he was pretty sure he wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it. He glanced out from under his cloak and wiped the sweat from his brow. Everyone had their attention on the scaled ball of fury that occupied the topmost cluster of rocks. He’d heard the term feral applied as an insult to demis, but gods above and below help the person foolish enough to rush in on anyone in the state she was presenting.

Startled by the sudden outburst, the men and horses reacted much like he planned. They were on edge, the horses pounding the sands nervously and the men glancing between each other and the enraged Saiyou. The orange haired leader of the little band was maybe thirty feet away, shouting at the men to hold control of their mounts and surround the Lizard, so Marek waited until the men did so. By spreading out evenly, they weren’t bunched up around their leader and he showed no sign of wanting to move forward himself. As they had moved away from him to tighten the circle around the rocky formation, they left him all the more vulnerable.

“Alright, you piece of shit, you’ve had your damned fun, now it’s my fucking...” The man’s statement was cut short, turning into a gurgling cry of pain and surprise. Marek’s knife had gone through about two thirds the man’s neck in a single swift motion as he drug him off of the horse. The Saiyou could move with a speed beyond what he could hope to match, but his own footfalls were far more silent. All the men turned, looking in shock at the scene while their horses remained focused on the immediate threat of the predator on the rocks. As the man’s body fell to the ground, Marek cut the leather cord that secured Aiyesh’s knife. He deftly pocketed both knives, and before the men had time to process what had just happened, Marek threw the thunderstones.

Anything but an experienced, war trained mount would have bolted, and none of the mounts present had such a background. Marek was fairly sure his own horse was tugging madly at the reigns which were affixed to the stones, but the ones that were free? The dust clouds streaked off in multiple directions, each having bolted at the intense booming which echoed throughout the rocks. They were horses, though, so they’d probably cluster back together at some point, but that would be well past the time he left with Aiyesh. Much like the horses had darted off in multiple directions, the men each had made their own decisions, at least those that weren’t laying motionless after being thrown from their mount. A few managed to find their weapons in the sand, some stood motionless, gawking at the agent and the corpse of their former boss. And yet a few others were starting their advance on Aiyesh’s position, the yelps as they discovered the caltops the hard way giving their movements away.

Marek spoke loudly to catch the attention of those not already focused on him, “You’ve two choices, and little time.” He held up one finger, “The first is to go collect your horses and head back.” He then raised a second finger, “The last is to leave this place and that piss hole as well.” Marek gave a slightly annoyed huff. The dust had mixed with his sweat making it near impossible to wipe off. “Anything else leads to death, but to be honest, I’d rather not have to spend the energy in dolling it out. Damned dusty hell hole of the...” his voice trailed off as he tried in vain to make himself a bit less dirty.

The men from the settlement glanced at each other, trying to determine what the bulk of the others would do. Aiyesh could easily wipe them out, she was on equal footing in terms of armaments and held the high ground. Marek might have lost the element of surprise, but he appeared out of nowhere and ended the life of their leader. That kind of action would yield at least a measure of respect on the field. The added bit of swagger would only amplify that effect.

Two cries of pain ran out before gurgling off into nothingness. Someone had finally reached the Saiyou resulting in their chest and neck spilling blood across the sands. Some are just idiots to the last. “Listen guys, there’s extra horses, well add one more now, that could be sold at the towns northeast of here. It’d give you a start on doing something else.” Marek pointed to where he knew towns resided within riding distance. “The others that want to head back, you were ambushed. Your leader was killed and your numbers thinned in the fight.” He spread his hands out as if to note the matter settled, “Say that and you’re clear. Magic won’t detect a lie because it’s not one. You go back, maybe get a better boss. I hope one that’s not such an ass as to drive you all the way out here after a lone escaped fighter.”

One of the men, a bit older than most, spoke up, “You say that, but what do we have that makes sure you won’t hide out and kill us later?” At least one of them had an iota of self preservation. Maybe it came with age, maybe there was a family waiting at home for him.

The agent smiled, “Well, for those of you heading back, the simple reason is we aren’t heading that way. We’re leaving the settlement behind. It does us no good doubling back and chasing after you lot.” Marek shrugged, “For the rest of you, it’s much the same. I’m going well past any border towns, and you’ll be selling the horses, getting familiar with the lands and such. Besides that, one horse and the fighter in question is about all I want to deal with, and I already have both.”

The man rubbed the graying stubble along his cheek then lowered his spear, “Lads, split off, those headed back stay with me, the rest gather there.” He pointed at the cluster of rocks Marek had hidden himself in. “Reiger’s dead, best not to have any of us end up that way too over nothing. Like the bastard says, good drinker, shitty boss.” Given other circumstances, Marek might have enjoyed having a drink or two with the aged mercenary. The man had a good sense of humor that came with an added bonus of speaking plainly.

* * *

“No, they won’t be after us.” Marek seemed sure of this as they rode on, her arms wrapped around his waist as before. “As a matter of fact, here.” He took her hand and pressed the heavy leather cord and handle of her knife into her palm. “You keep it, it is yours. It needs a sheath, so just be careful not to poke me for now.”

The slight barb he offered went ignored in the face of what had happened. “Then I’m truly free,” the reality of it was sinking in slowly as the horse plodded on. No more pit, no more spears. Her tormentor’s body was sprawled across the sands, bled out and lifeless. Aiyesh even forgave Marek’s ill timed jest and simply held herself tighter against him. “Thank you.”

She felt him tense up at the words, “I said before, it’s part of my job. No thanks needed.”

This human, Marek, seemed to think that being, what did he call it, an ‘agent’, somehow made her debt null and void. Such a stupid concept only the hairless would dream up. If a protector saves your house, do you not reward them with gifts? If a trader fetches you a price for goods beyond your asking, do you not return some of the extra in gratitude? She already gave her word, she was not without honor, even if he failed to see it as needed. But more importantly, this was her choosing. She wasn’t made to do it, she wasn’t given orders to do it, no spears prodded her forward. Fine. If the human truly refused her, then they would part ways when they reached this city of his. She would wait until then before leaving his side if that was what he truly wanted.

They rode on across the wastes.A full day passed before they reached the next of his supply stores. The horse’s thirst had been satiated using a water skin taken from Reiger’s corpse, but this wouldn’t last long. The cache had dried foods for them and feed for the horse. Buried deeper down was watered down wine, with just enough potency to last being bottled up for a while. It tasted terrible, but it was safe to drink. Another day and a half and the terrain had changed considerably. They weren’t out of the wastes, but Marek was able to forage for added supplies. Several types of cactus grew here, some of which held water fit for drinking stored inside. Aiyesh added to their bounty with fresh meat. Some of the creatures knew to steer clear of people, but they failed in their attempts to out maneuver a spear propelled by her throwing arm.

The days proceeded, each much the same as the day before. They’d find some shelter to weather out the hottest part of the day, taking the time to eat and rest while it was too hot to do much else even if she found rest difficult. By night, she’d ride huddled under the cloak and close against him for warmth. She had to fight her body’s tendency to stray towards sleep when the chilled air settled in, and doing so meant active conversations, keeping her mind busy. She wanted to know about the lands through which they traveled, and his questions seemed centered around where she came from.

By the seventh day of freedom, the land was altered even further by their distance. Grasses grew here, not very tall or lush, but there were pockets of plants along with an occasional tree. Aiyesh wondered absently if some of the men that had tracked them down found a similar journey in their own escape from the wastes. Not that it mattered, their interest in her died with their former boss, and hers ended when their pursuit did. All that mattered was continued success. Marek was doing well enough keeping their water supplies restocked, his route seemed carefully planned to take them past the occasional water source where they’d fill the skins and give the horse a little extra to hold it over till the next stop.

Much like the landscape, the climate was also shifting to lesser extremes. The nights stayed about the same, but daytime heat lessened in intensity. It might have been from the shifting seasons, or the distance from the wastelands. On the tenth day Marek kept riding far longer than usual. Aiyesh wondered about this when she realized the sun had reached its zenith, “Why do we continue to ride?”

Marek glanced back over his shoulder as the horse trotted on, “The horse doesn’t mind it. We’re far enough out from the wastes that it’s not tiring from heat. It can also see better in light, so it’s up for moving faster.” Since he was using the people’s speech almost exclusively, his fluency had increased. At one time, he must have spoken it regularly. He looked forward before asking over his shoulder, “You OK with going back to a normal schedule?”

This was something she’d been hoping for. While she could force her body to disobey its natural cycles, it came at the price of fitful and light sleep combined with fatigue. Her answer was immediate, “Yes.”

He gave the reigns a quick flick to encourage the horse’s progress, “Good, then starting today we’ll make a normal camp, and by tomorrow we’ll reach an inn and with that proper beds.”

A place of rest seemed welcome indeed, “Perhaps they have a place to bathe as well, we both could use it.” Her kind didn’t lose water as the humans seemed to when heated. She was dusty though, and needed a good washing to get the dirt and grit loose. Marek, nice as he had been, was becoming pungent from days of sweat with little in the way of chances to clean.

The human seemed to take it in good stride, chuckling at the observation, “That’s a fair point, Aiyesh. I’m getting pretty ripe. If we push froward a bit later than I planned, we’ll reach a stream. We can set camp and take turns guarding while the other gets washed up.”

She leaned forward, giving him a brief sniff, “I’ll guard first.”

He laughed again, “Fine, fine. I get it.”

* * *

They made camp a short ways off from the stream, quickly gathering wood for a small fire and getting the tent raised with the supply pack stored safely inside. Aiyesh took first watch as she promised earlier while Marek led the horse toward the stream. He tied the reigns off to a sturdy tree, allowing the horse access to the water where it was able to drink its fill. The coat had to be with him at all times given its cargo, so it was best that he dust it off a bit and keep it close by on the bank. He stripped down, giving his rather badly scented clothes a much needed rinse and finally did his best to get himself washed. Though he lacked soap, just getting the water over his body made a considerable improvement.

The stream was shallow, fairly cool, and the water moved along at a leisurely pace. As far as he knew, there weren’t any fish of considerable size, but they were fine on their food stores so it mattered little. What did matter is that they could finally travel regular roads and at a normal pace. He’d been pushing the horse, the journey was planned out for a single rider rather than two, but the mount was solid and so far had managed fairly well. Once they got to the capital, he’d see it was added to the realm’s stables. It had earned proper upkeep and care at the very least.

What to do about the Saiyou was a different matter. What he’d gleaned from their conversations was little more than what he knew from their initial meeting back at the pit. She was a protector of her people, what amounted to a city guard in his terms. As such, she didn’t trade, and didn’t explore much beyond the immediate lands of her village. She fought off invasions, a constant source of troubles from the hairless as her people called humans. The raid that she’d been taken in was particularly brutal. From her descriptions the village probably didn’t survive the attack, most of the Saiyou would have been killed or taken into slavery as she was. What she thought of as weather being on the humans’ side wasn’t probably accurate. It sounded more like the work of skilled casters calling in rain to drown the fires and cold air to slow the Saiyou further. On top of it all, it was done at night when the dragon kin were particularly vulnerable. Probably the work of a kingdom when local bandits and smaller forces failed to remove the the demis’ presence.

Everything about her circumstances pointed to her having no place to return to, and that was the crux of the issue. He could petition the realm on her behalf, at the least it’d give her some start within the kingdom and she’d be given citizenship. She could work as a hunter, an effective one at that, or even as a city guard provided she was given the day shift. The matter was settled then. He couldn’t get her home, but he’d help with the initial steps in getting her started in a new life. Truth be told, he liked her company fairly well. She was serious and attentive, and he figured her desire for conversation was more to keep alert while riding through the night than a fondness for chatter. He could also understand the need to converse with someone that at least understood her language after a year of captivity. Regardless, her situation would be taken care of in another week or so and he’d be off on some other business for the realm.

Marek walked back to their tiny camp wearing nothing more than the the long coat, but at least he was covered. His damp clothes were bundled up under one arm while the horse’s reigns occupied his other hand. Aiyesh was sitting at the fire, the evening sky mostly dominated by clouds and the retreating colors from what remained of the sun’s light. “Even with us riding in the daytime, I think it’d be best for you to continue to use the cloak. We don’t have proper clothes, but it’s better than nearly scales only.” She still only had the tattered loincloth when it came to attire. It was a wonder she hadn’t complained about the ride, it couldn’t have been comfortable.

Aiyesh stood then looked down at the cloth with something close to disgust.A quick flick of her knife cut the cord which held it in place, and she pushed it into the fire using her foot without a second glance. “You have rags in your pack better than that. I’ll make a new one. You said my kind is rare here, if so, then I am a traveler with strange customs and dress.”

“Hmm, could work. You go get washed up and I’ll find the best cloth from the pack.” Without another word she turned, her hips and tail swishing as she walked off towards the stream. Marek just shook his head to himself. Aiyesh had human like features in certain areas, but she didn’t have human like ideas about clothing or modesty, and unlike other demis, there wasn’t any fur covering.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he set to work on a few things for the camp. A drying line for his clothes was needed, near enough to the fire that he’d be able to change back into them in a few hours. Next, he worked on getting the bedroll in place and spreading out the cloak. Afterwards, he rummaged through his pack, looking for something suitable. By the time he finished off with those tasks, Aiyesh came back into camp. Unlike human skin which remained damp, her scales seemed to repel the water. She was nearly dry, but what little water remained stayed beaded and eventually rolled freely off her form. Marek handed her two sections of cloth, it was the best of his spare materials. Compared with what she had previously, the sections were in fairly decent shape and larger which would provide a bit more cover while riding.

“Ah, yes. This will be fine,” she moved to the tent, setting the two pieces inside before coming back to the bedroll and cloak. “Should I stand guard first? The fire will do well enough in warming me after the chill of the stream’s water.”

Marek nodded then yawned deeply, “Sure. It’ll give those time to dry, and I’d rather not stand watch without wearing anything.” If she wanted to, she could work on the cloth while keeping an eye on the camp. Bandits were an unlikely scenario here, there was a distinct lack of travelers so far out from the main roadways, and they tended to stay near enough to these to find targets. In spite of that, he tucked his coat between his body and the bedroll as he settled in.

He was prodded awake by Aiyesh gently nudging his arm, “Marek, it is time for your watch, and your clothes are quite dry.” He must’ve fallen asleep almost as soon as he got comfortable. He checked the position of the moon, she’d given him an extra hour or two of rest, and he honestly needed it. They couldn’t arrive at the inn fast enough.

* * *

“No, just one room, two baths though, with both dinner and breakfast,” Marek completed the transaction with a smile. Ah the joys of civilization. Proper bath tubs, sleeping arrangements that didn’t include rocks in your back. These were the things that he missed for far too long. And the best part was it was all paid for using the late Stafford’s coins. “Oh, and just to be clear, she doesn’t speak common.” Marek motioned toward Aiyesh after following the innkeeper’s gaze.

“Oh, of course, sir. I don’t think I’ve ever run across any of the dragon kin in all my years here,” the man offered up a friendly smile for his two guests as he handed out the room’s keys, “Your keys, and enjoy your stay. I’ll have the baths drawn shortly.”

Marek switched over to the demi language as he addressed Aiyesh, “The owner says the baths will be ready in a bit, I’ve got our keys.” Not that the keys were really worth much, the locks they belonged to were cheaply made and simple things. “Anyway, let’s go get settled in.”

The inn was smaller than the one at the settlement, having a common room without a separate dining area. Their room was on the floor above and probably small, but he was assured it was big enough for the both of them. They made their way up the wooden steps to the room with a wooden ‘4’ attached to its frame. Marek hauled the pack while Aiyesh carried the bedroll. When he opened the room, he saw the bed was large enough for two, but he was more interested in the room itself. One window with heavy curtains that were tied back, a simple wooden chair that could be used to block the door if needed, and a small, round table were the total of its furnishings. He could stretch the bedroll out beside the actual bed, he’d be fine on the floor and there was a distinct lack of sharp rocks.

Marek held out one of the keys, “Here, keep this on you at all times. The lock works just like the other ones. Put the small end in the hole and turn this way to lock, and this way to unlock.” He demonstrated the motions in the air.

Aiyesh frowned at the key, “These are the same as they used to keep me held.”

“Well yeah, they’re both keys, but the locks they had were far better than what’s here.” The pits held a variety of exotic creatures and even people on occasion. The locks had to be better to stop the average thief from making off with something, or someone, valuable. “Besides, you’re the one with the key now.”

She seemed to accept that explanation as good enough reasoning to not let it bother her further. Aiyesh stepped into the room and glanced around at their accommodations. Eventually she made her way to the window and tapped on the glass. “Does this open?”

“Probably. Most do, it’ll be latched on the inside at the top.” Marek set the pack down at the head of the bed. “And yes, we can use it to get out in a hurry, but I’d rather not make that particular jump. For right now, the bath will be ready soon, and following that, warm food. I don’t expect any trouble, not out this far anyway.”

Aiyesh glanced back him, but her expression was neutral. He hoped, for her sake, that she at least gave his word credence. She needed to relax, and she needed to give herself the chance to do that. Marek figured a warm bath, good food, and a clean room should help with that, so long as she wasn’t worried about being indoors. She walked over to the bed, running her hand over the stitching of the patchwork quilt, “Hmm, this is soft.”

A small chuckle mixed itself with his response, “It better be. That’s where you’ll be sleeping.” At her confused look, it dawned on him she may never have seen human bedding. “That’s a human bed, complete with mattress, sheets and blanket. I’m not sure what your village had for comparison, but what’s here is pretty nice compared to other inns along the way. Oh, and just set the roll down on the floor there,” he motioned to the space beside the bed.

Aiyesh shrugged before setting the bedroll down on the flooring, “How long do we stay?”

It would be nice to take a day or two, but his cargo would be expected to be delivered with all due haste. “Only tonight. I’d like to stay longer, the food here is pretty good, but I need to get to the capital as soon as possible.”

“Part of your duties?” She seemed to take their short break in stride.

Marek nodded his assent, “Yes.” He couldn’t tell her much about his mission, both because of protocol and he just didn’t know much about what he was carrying. His training was in performing smaller workings, and there wasn’t anything minor about the artifact he carried. To fill the void in their conversation, he checked over their pack. Being close to civilization would give him the chance to restock properly, “Anything you’d like for clothes? We’ll be able to pick up some supplies along the way.”

“I doubt there’s much that would make me stand out more,” she looked down at the loincloth. It was better than the rags she started with, but not by much.

Marek had no idea what her people wore normally, but from all accounts each community held their own ideas on proper clothing and it probably was far more than a couple of rectangles and spare leather cord. In any case, it left little of her to the imagination, and while he had enough sense not to gawk at her lewdly, that didn’t make it so for anyone else. “Maybe a poncho?”

Aiyesh turned her head to the side in question at the unfamiliar term.

“A circle of cloth with a hole in the middle for your head. It drapes over you,” he said as he gestured how the garment worked. “It’s simple and won’t require much changes, if any, to fit. I think a regular shirt would be fine, but the problem will be pants, your tail’s pretty broad.” Most demis had a relatively thin tail which was more or less round, like a heavy rope with a coating of fur. A simple slot which extended just below the belt line was sufficient. Aiyesh had more of a reptilian tail, thick, heavily muscled, and tapered. It was integrated with the rest of her haunches rather than a completely separate appendage.

“That may work, at least for now.” She sat down on the bed, running her hands over the quilted blanket a few times, apparently satisfied with her inspection of the room.

Marek sat down next to her, but flopped back on the covers rather than staying upright, his hands behind his head. “The innkeeper will let us know when the bath is ready. It’ll take a bit to heat the water and get it drawn, so for now, just take it easy.”

* * *

Marek seemed at ease here, the man’s usually vigilant demeanor replaced by an unconcerned front. There were a few things he was still tense about, true enough she could smell it, but his guard was as lax as she’d seen from him so far. She watched him for a bit, his only response after telling her to relax was a shrug while he reclined against the bed’s coverings. This was the world of the humans, well the civilized parts of it as he’d said. It was different, far better than what she’d seen of the hairless back in the arena, but it was also a large departure from her own village. Here she was out of her element, and to make matters worse, her people didn’t tread these lands often, if ever, from what Marek told her. She was unique as far as the humans here were concerned, and after a full turning of the seasons as a fighter in the pit, her desires lay far away from being the center of any of their attention.

The inn was fairly nice, at least her estimation of it. It didn’t smell of coarse spirits and urine, which already gave it far more appeal than the arena. It smelled of hearty foods, stews most likely were a regular staple based on what her nostrils picked up, mixed with the scents of weary travelers and perhaps a few regular patrons. There were a small number of humans already in the common area, probably done with whatever work they had for the day when she arrived with Marek. Though not rudely, they did glance in her direction with curiosity and at least one conversation paused while their lodgings were arranged.

Several minutes passed by as she occupied herself with her thoughts. Marek had taken his own advice, shifting slightly against the bed until he found a comfortable spot and lightly dozed even as she found it difficult to lower her guard. She didn’t have ears in the same manner as the hairless did, and certainly nothing as elaborate as the other people’s with their swiveling appendages, but her hearing was sharp enough to make note of people passing below and occasionally making their way up the steps to the hall and the other rooms. The wooden floors creaked in the rhythm of approaching footsteps that paused in front of the locked door.

Aiyesh tensed and nearly jumped as Marek placed his hand on her shoulder. The gesture was meant to reassure her, but man moved with an unnatural grace and fluidity that gave her no indication he’d even sat up. Perhaps she was focused so much on the door as to not notice, or perhaps his own duties had conditioned silence into nearly every action he took. The truth was probably in the middle, but her focus went back to the door as the person on the other side announced their arrival with a slight knock. A feminine voice followed in the language of the hairless, probably one of the inn keeper’s daughters based on the youth it carried.

Marek responded in kind, something about the bath maybe. Her minimal grasp of their tongue wasn’t of any use when it came to even simple conversations. She’d only ever been taught enough of the language to understand the commands her tormentors issued, at least prior to escaping with Marek. He’d told her the words for things as they made their way across the wastelands, but this was more in passing conversation than anything else.

“Sorry about that, I just wanted to let you know there wasn’t any trouble,” Marek gave an appropriately apologetic look. “But the good news is the bath’s ready. We can get washed up, have something to eat, and turn in for the night.”

She had been on edge since they arrived, and even more so as the footsteps approached. The truth to the matter was that she did need to be at ease, or at least let some of the tension drain. She’d given her word to repay his part in getting her free from the arena, and she couldn’t do that if she was wound tight just be being near a human, especially when they’d be in cities full of them. After a moment to collect herself, she gave the bedding a quick thump with her tail, “That would be fine. Let’s see what your human bath is like.”

* * *

She stood in front of the metal basin, the water emitting gentle wisps of vapor from it’s surface. The room they were ushered into had two of the things, along with a curtain drawn between them by the serving girl. She said something to Marek, then left after giving the man a slight bow and pulling the door shut.

“You’ll want to check that it’s not too hot, or at least get in slowly.” Aiyesh could hear the man getting his clothes off as he gave her the warning, his attire had several layers so it was a bit of an involved process. She just untied the cord which held her loincloth in place letting it fall to the floor.

Her own people made use of streams for bathing, though she’d heard that one of the villages further in the mountains had a hot spring. For a moment she wondered if the people of that place had suffered the same fate as her own, but she pulled herself back to the present when she heard the water in Marek’s tub splash a bit. She dipped a finger in her own water, discovering that it was quite warm. Taking the human’s advice, she eased herself in, letting her skin get used to the heat before submersing most of her body. The tub was a bit cramped for her, it was built primarily with humans in mind and they lacked any sort of tail, let alone one the size of hers, but the pleasant warmth spreading through her made the thing quite enjoyable. A quiet sigh escaped as she sank down further into the water.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Marek must have heard her.

In truth it was about the only thing she’d enjoyed that was made at the hands of the hairless. Well maybe the bed covers too, those were nice and soft. Her answer was a pleasant hum of appreciation. In her village something like this would have been a wondrous gift, perhaps make the thing a bit larger, room enough for at least two so backs could be properly washed. “Are these common?”

“In businesses like this, and maybe the homes of people with enough wealth. There’s baths in most cities you can pay to use too.” She heard a bit of splashing as Marek started washing himself, that made two things the human did that made a normal amount of noise. “Most people don’t have a private one though, too expensive and they use too much water. Even here, it does cost a bit, but it’s worth it.”

Aiyesh sank even further back until the tip of her snout was just above the water. The streams of her home were always cold, but she’d do this on occasion just to feel as if the weight of her duties lifted a bit. It wasn’t quite the same, here the water was warmed and still, with only the sounds of her breathing and the occasional remark from the other side of the curtain. The one downside was the tub’s length being not quite enough as her tail jutted up and out of the other end. It was a trivial matter though, and he was right, whatever the cost of the bath, it was worth it.

After a several minutes of just soaking and waiting for the water to cool a bit, she pushed herself back upright and began scrubbing in earnest. While her people didn’t sweat as the hairless, she still could get sand and other grit between her scales which made things a bit uncomfortable. The constant riding in nothing but a loincloth and cloak didn’t help much either, but at least the bath had eased most of the soreness out. By the time she finished, the water was slightly above room temperature and clouded with whatever trail dust had clung to her.

As she stood from the water, Marek spoke on the other side of the curtain, “Feeling better?”

Aiyesh huffed a bit, the fabric partition was another hairless oddity. The only thing it accomplished was making is seem as if she were talking to someone gravely ill and fearful of spreading the sickness. She moved it aside so she could talk properly with the man, “Yes. But I’m not sure of the need for that thing.”

Marek just shrugged, “Human ideas about modesty. Even if she thought we were, well involved, she still would have pulled it across.” He had gotten out and was nearly done drying the mop of black hair. “Wouldn’t want to give anyone ideas about having a bit of fun.”

Aiyesh used the towel to push the water down her form. She didn’t have hair or fur which needed drying, and her scales were waterproof for the most part. The loin cloth was also dusty, so it was picked up from the floor and given a quick rinse in the bathwater and wrung out over the same. A quick knot of the cord and she was done. “What concern would it be of anyone else?”

“A good question, and frankly one without a good answer,” Marek was pulling his clothes back on as he spoke. “There’s a fair amount of social things you’ll pick up on. Some make sense, some don’t. But as a Saiyou, you have a fair amount of leeway in what you want to worry about.” Marek gave her a quick look as he pulled his coat over his shirt, “Strange customs and all.”

She afforded a small grin at that, “I did say that, didn’t I.”

“And it’ll work out well. Our diner will be ready, so we can pick it up on our way and eat it in the room.” He finished pulling the second of his boots up and straightened the cuff of his pants. Aiyesh watched as he stretched, checking the lay of his coat and ensuring the item he was carrying was secured. He hadn’t said much about it, but the man never let it out of his sight. “Ready?”

Aiyesh nodded, a good meal would be a fitting end to the evening.

* * *

The room still smelled of the delicious stew, though both wooden bowls sat on empty plates save for a few crumbs. The soft rolls were new to her, mildly sweet bread that tasted just as good as the stew, and doubly so when she copied Marek’s technique of mopping up the remnants from the bowl. There was little conversation, both of them focused more on the food after many days with only trail rations and whatever they could scavenge or hunt along their journey.

The inn was far warmer than the outside, a nice change of pace for their sleeping arrangements. The wastes had held nothing but extremes, hot in the day, cold at night, and at most an hour which managed to be comfortable split between dawn and dusk. True enough, the conditions softened as they rode east, but the changing seasons had kept the air chilled.

Aiyesh stood by the window, peering out through the glass. Marek had lit a candle, giving the room enough light to see by, but not so much as to drown out their view of outside world. They could see the small stalls where their horse was kept along with the mounts of the inn’s other customers and the road which lead past the front of the establishment. The night was clear, with only a few thin wisps of clouds hanging among the stars. “Have you been here often?” The man did seem familiar with the area and this place in particular.

Marek nodded as he looked up from the pack. He’d been arranging the goods within, making sure their departure in the morning would be a smooth one. “Every time I head this way, though I think it’s been a couple of years since I was last by. I know the girl’s grown nearly a head taller since I was last here.”

It was probably the same everywhere. Adults changed little in the span of a year or two, but the young were always growing. “Was that also for your duties?”

“Pretty much everywhere I go is because of that, at least these days.” Marek set the pack down and began unfurling the bedroll. “But this inn’s the best you’ll find within a good day’s ride.” It seemed every time the conversation headed towards his work, he turned it off on some other course.

It took a moment for Aiyesh to realize he had no intent on using the bed. “Marek,” on catching his focus she shook her head then nodded at the empty bed, “the room here has no fire.” Strange hairless ideas or not, he wasn’t going to sleep on the floor when there was plenty of room on the bed with nice covers. Besides that, her own people slept in packs for warmth when they couldn’t use fires and he was nearly as warming as one.

Marek exhaled sharply before shrugging and repacking the bedroll, “Fair enough.”

* * *

He hadn’t even thought about it, but it made sense. She’d always ride pressed against him, especially during the coldest times of the night, and the inn really wouldn’t be any different. Aside from the fact that they’d be sharing a bed that is, and Marek had no idea about what that implied in her culture. Add to the fact that he’d just finished going on about odd human ideas of modesty… He managed to talk himself into a corner on that one. Best just to take it as a desire to stay warm and nothing more. He could at least keep his underthings on.

Marek stowed the roll next the to the supply pack beside the bed. He checked that the door was locked and braced the small chair under the handle as an added measure. There was no landing or otherwise outside of the window, so there was only a slim chance of someone coming in that way. The chances that something would happen at this inn were already remote in the first place. Marek took his coat off, which he stuffed underneath the pillow on one side of the bed, then took his outer garments off and folded them neatly on the table.

Aiyesh watched him, every once in a while glancing out of the window. Her outside view of things had been what little could be seen through the vents from her cage for over a year, well that and his back while they rode for the past few days. Maybe she was looking at the stars, but in all likelihood she was keeping something of a watch. “Alright, we’ve got an early rise tomorrow, so let’s get some decent sleep for once.” Marek walked to the window, then untied and pulled the curtains across. It cut off their view, but it also gave them a measure of privacy.

The ruckus from the common room had died down, most people had finished their meals a while ago, and the inn keeper and his family were straightening things up for the morning. They’d be turning in soon enough as well. The worst they could expect noise wise was a rather portly fellow staying two rooms over, if he snored bad enough, and a young couple that were thankfully on the opposite side of the inn.

Marek climbed into the bed, the absence of conversation a bit unusual for their evenings of late. Aiyesh climbed in after, pulling the blankets over them both. “Hmm,” just as with the bath she made a contented hum. “This is rather nice.”

Rather than having her talk at the back of his head, he turned to face the Saiyou before responding, “Yeah, like I said, it’s the best one around.”

“You’ve mentioned you’re an ‘agent’, but I don’t even know what that means, apart from your being bound by it.” She was watching him intently, planned or not, she did have him somewhat cornered.

Marek thought on the statement for a bit. True, he was an agent, at least for the past seven years that he’d used his… talents in service to the realm. Before that, he was only a shade better than the late Stafford, and to some degree he knew he still hadn’t risen above that. Sure he wasn’t a sadistic bastard, but he was still a thief at best, and years ago he wasn’t above putting someone to sword if it kept him out of the jails. Not that the bastards he stole from were any better mind you, they just hired the cutthroats rather than doing the deeds personally. The last person he killed as a thief was a pompous piece of work that had dealt in slaving, though he was from some minor house and still considered part of the nobility. Offing someone connected could bring the wrong kind of attention, and in the end it brought the agents that had tracked him down.

He was headed to the gallows but someone had him pulled the dawn of his execution. ‘Kellum’ died that morning in an attempt to escape, at least according to reports that came from the head jailer. They even had the body burnt publicly to erase any doubts. The corpse was wrapped in bandages and soaked in oils to ensure the condemned man was fully consumed in the flames. That same day ‘Marek’ was added to the ranks of the agents. It had been left to his choice, swing from a rope, or make something of himself with the clear understanding that he’d be in for far worse than a rope and a quick end if he turned rogue or otherwise wasted the chance given to him.

Marek suspected the agents were already onto the rich bastard’s trail, they connected too many dots too quickly in finding him. Why they thought to spare him though, he never fully understood, though he figured Vince had played a role in that. It was little more than a hunch and a few things that pointed in that direction but he was seldom wrong in such things.

“It’s, well, complicated,” he ended his response in a sigh, trying to think of a way to put things in terms she’d be familiar with. So much for his on the spot eloquence. “I suppose it’s a bit like how you served as a protector for your people. The difference is that I deal with things that aren’t easy to see or find. A group of bandits or invaders can be seen coming, armed forced usually aren’t subtle. Someone trying to foul a city’s water supply may look like nothing more than a merchant, and may in fact be nothing more than a merchant who’s holding a grudge.” Aiyesh had remained focused on him through his explanation. She didn’t need to know about his past, and he couldn’t say anything without breaking his terms of employment, but maybe she’d have a better understanding of the type of person he really was after this discussion. “People like me, agents, we stop the merchant. After that, we find the people that placed the ideas in his head, the ones that helped him get the poisons, and we keep going until we get to the root of the problem. I don’t want you to have any wrong ideas here, we aren’t some kind of righteous group, save maybe a select few. People living in that kind of world, that know how to move in those circles, they’re rarely above the ones they go after.”

“Hmm,” Aiyesh’s one syllable reply was accompanied by her unwavering gaze. After a moment of silent inspection she asked one other question, “Then why come to the pit, why save me?”

Even if she thought less of him as a result, he had to make sure she understood his position. “Because the law of the realm is clear, and I couldn’t let something like that slip by. Ours is a kingdom established and run by humans for the most part, but we treat all people as equals. Fen, Lupine, Saiyou, it doesn’t matter. They can hold the same jobs, live in the same cities, whatever. Oftentimes they’ve built their own communities, that’s fine too, but it’s their choice. If there was a human in your place, I would’ve figured they got on the wrong side of someone. A demi, though, and one clearly being held against their will, no. That wolf, he was there, he wanted to be there, so that’s fine. You though, didn’t, so the realm’s position on what I needed to do was clear.”

“I see. Your duty compelled your actions then, and nothing more.” He found her expression unreadable. The usual tells for a demi, namely ears and the lay of their fur, were absent on a Saiyou.

Marek nodded, though he felt like an ass for it. She kept watching him, but given that she stayed silent, he eventually turned his back to her and settled himself in for the night.

A few moments after he stilled, he felt her move closer until she was pressed against his back with her arm draped over his waist. “Then allow my honor to compel me, Marek. Duty or honor, are they not the same? If what you say is true, then by my own choice, as is your law, I am free to satisfy my honor, am I not?”

Outmatched at his own wordplay, Marek could only chuckle, “I suppose so.”