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With the kobolds that Tik Tik was chained to led away, Tik Tik is left naked before her most gracious host. Not only that, but the taste of the headless man's semen sticks to her mouth as a result of the lack of any ways to rinse.

The aristocrat waves a languid hand over towards his manservant, who exits the tent with a quick nod.

The serving girl approaches the kobold, carrying a water pitcher and a cup. She hands the cup to the kobold, and Tik Tik graciously accepts the vessel. Tik Tik pours some of the crystal clear liquid.

The taste of the water is sharp in her throat, and Tik Tik gulps it down greedily after such an excessive exercise. With her mouth sufficiently moistened, it is only a matter of a snap of her fingers and a muttering of simple incantations to make the dirt, grime, sand, cum, and other such fluids disappear forever.

"You wizards have such interesting means of cleaning yourselves," Anish says, chuckling.

His serving girl replaces the pitcher with another, from which she pours a crimson liquid into Anish's waiting glass.

"Bath better," Tik Tik says, swirling her glass. "Feel good and clean. No feel good after clean when use magic."

"Yes, well, different luxuries have their own advantages and disadvantages," the extravagant man says. "One just has to weigh which is better than the other, I would surmise."

He lifts the drink to his lips, tilting his head back and sipping the liquid. When he pulls the glass away, he smiles wide, revealing the red stain upon his sharp and curved teeth. "I do believe that more proper introductions are in order," he says, his piercing black eyes examining over the pink scales of his guest. "You know my name already, but you may not know that I am known as the Caravan King. The trading network of the Great Sands owes most of its business towards my company."

Tik Tik nods her head. "And Tik Tik is kobold wizard, before of Dragon's Heir, now of Tik Tik."

Anish rolls his eyes. "Oh, come now. You really do yourself a disservice. You can't run from your past, my treat. You have communed with the gods and their messengers, and that is an exceedingly rare gift."

"Not what cracked up be," Tik Tik says, huffing. "Angel is big meanie jerk."

"As well as they should be," Anish sighs. "If the deities were as good or as powerful as they claim to be, neither of us would be in business, I am sure."

Tik Tik frowns. "Tik Tik no have business."

"Please," Anish raises his glass. "You are in the business of knowledge, little kobold. There is much to be made off of knowing what others do not, as many will pay to not do the work themselves."

Tik Tik shrugs. "Tik Tik just like learn things. Maybe learn more about Caput? Never see no head before."

Anish places his cup aside and stretches out, leaning back and scratching at his chin. "I have many curiosities among my employ. His is not uncommon for a race of humanoids, though many are repulsed by him and his ilk. They say that it is revolting to not have a head, yet his body is otherwise the same as a specimen of strong and sturdy humanity. There are many like him, but he is the one that I pay when it comes to showing off male virility when I cannot be bothered."

"But enough talk about my servants," he says, crossing one leg over the other. "I would much rather learn about your whereabouts since your little enterprise in Anteronia. I must ask: what could you possibly want in the middle of the Great Sands?" When he says this, he pats an empty space upon the divan.

Tik Tik takes his signal and crawls up upon it, letting her tired body sink into its cushions and resting her head by his thigh. "Tik Tik leave big city with tricky one. Had to return before travel on adventure, or Tik Tik be stuck with him."

"Ah, a companion that has deceived you? I wonder who could it possibly be," he says this, two fingers stroking along her forehead and brow.

"Tik Tik connected to djinn and needed return to old man."

"A bound djinn and an old man in the desert. Most curious, indeed." His fingers slide under one horn. "To own a bound djinn and allow it to trick you is a great foul indeed. They can be most spiteful if you do not know how to handle them."

She closes her eyes. "Just make Tik Tik feel worse. Know no trick so bad."

"He is a creature of fire, created before creatures of earth, like yourself. Their very nature is to be envious of the earthkind, but of course, you knew that."

Tik Tik curls up a little, shaking her head.

"Ah, such ignorance. No wonder you seemed to have just blundered into notoriety. At least you are delightfully precious," Anish curls his finger up under her chin.

"But, let us not dwell on your failures, but instead focus on your successes. The tower—you know where it is, yes?"

Tik Tik nods, “But Maram still inside… Tik Tik thinks."

His eyes flash. "I see. Well, if you were given the proper resources, perhaps you would be able to best the one who bested you." He grips her cheeks, urging her up.

Tik Tik follows him until she sits on her knees upon the mattress, gazing at him with a tilt of her head.

"With my patronage, you could access all the treasures you desire with the money, men, and magic that I have at my disposal. I only ask for a return on my investment."

"Tik Tik listening,"

That smile of his widens, his face inching closer towards her. With his voice lowering to a whisper, he continues. "Then, shall we further discuss our new… arrangement?"