Will paced back and forth through the front room of his place.

“Don’t worry much about it Mister Tempest. Like I said last night. If it’s a dungeon spawn, it can’t be coming out anytime soon. And if it really was a dragon, like ya said, those adventurers will be hunting it down while it’s still little. They might think to let it grow up so its horde down there spawns more gold and jewels but they ain’t gonna let some other group get it first,” Marshall Perrington explained.

“But it can come out?” Will asked.

“Once it’s big enough, sure. Dungeon spawns usually cant but the stronger ones can after a time. But it won’t get that far and it won’t be crawling out a little hole like that,” Perrington answered.

“Will… even if it does come on out. By the time it gets big enough we’ll have a team of Rangers down here long before then,” Sheriff Teddy said.

“Oh, not those lot!” Miss Margret spit. Will looked at the spot on his cleanish floor… He didn’t say anything but he looked at Kate. Both she and her Uncle Remus mouthed a sorry to him.

“Not a fan of Rangers Miss Margret?” Perrington asked.

“Those overleveled baffoons?” she answered. Will had no idea what they were talking about.

“They’re a Union based outta an isle off the coast. All high level fighters, think you need to be level-” Kate saw his confusion and opened her mouth to explain but her grandmother raised her hand and she stopped.

“There’s no level requirement for the Rangers, girl. I call ‘em overleveled baffoons cause they’re baffoons and the ones that actually survive get to be high leveled,” Margret said.

“Sorry, Granny. William isn’t from the Heartlands, he-” Kate got cut off again and Will noticed a slight roll of her eyes.

“They’re in more than the Federation but if MISTER TEMPEST ain’t familiar…” Margret looked back at Kate and shook her head, “They’re a group of adventurers and gunslingers that grew too big headed for the Adventurers Union. They run around trying to kill monsters few have the chance of living against, hunt legendary outlaws, dark magic practitioners, and occasionally fight in wars if the other races decide to get froggy. Humanities protectors and all that… Explain it for ya, Mister Tempest?”

“Ah… yeah, thank you,” Will said to her. Badasses, or at least people who thought of themselves as badasses.

The room was quiet for a moment and Will looked around at his assembled guests. Most of which weren’t invited but just showed up. It included every lawman in town, the three Landrys, Mayor Abdey, and what he assumed was the Mayor’s wife. That didn’t include a small gaggle of people outside trying to figure out why everyone important in town was having a chat with the new [Bounty Hunter] in an abandoned building.

He of course had brought their discovery to Sheriff Teddy’s attention the night before and in doing so also informed Marshall Perrington, who was at the jail. They came and had a look with the sheriff saying it was just a shaft for a different part of the mine. Strangely placed but he left it for the morning. Will of course slept at the saloon, not really sure about the circumstances or safety of his new home.

The next morning came and the most important people in Silverstead came to discuss the potential threat to their town. A threat that none of them actually took as a threat.

“Perhaps we should get back to the business of this shaft,” Mayor Abdey suggested, “If possible we could try to seal it, though I don’t see much of a reason to. Not to mention droppin’ dynamite in might cause problems for the town.”

There was a bit more silence after that and Will’s eyes almost crossed at the idea. It was a cave or tunnel network down there and the mayor thought collapsing MIGHT cause problems? Will seriously hoped he was being a normal politician and trying not to commit to anything.

The silence didn’t last though.

“Mister Mayor, I’d like to purchase this buildin’ on behalf of my family,” Margret said.

“What?!” Will asked. Margret shot him a deathly glare. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to keep it but it was his damn place! Wasn’t it? He’d already started getting it back into shape.

“You talkin’ out against me, boy?” She asked.

“Now hold on a minute. ’Fraid Mister Tempest there’s laid claim to it Margie. He spent a good bit of yesterday cleanin’ it up,” Sheriff Teddy said before anything else could be spoken.

“He din’t sleep here last night, Sheriff. Don’t look like he’s makin’ it a home,” Margret countered.

“He’ll be here tonight or the next… Don’t know how your lot do it but I ain’t expectin’ a man to sleep in a half cleaned buildin’ if there’s a warm bed right across the street and he’s willin’ to pay for it,” Teddy said, “Sides, you gotta have a business to claim a building on Main… Will, where’s those tools you bought in Fairpoint?”

“Ah…,” Will pointed towards the office area where he’d set down his saddlebags after clearing a space for them.

“They here all night?”

“Yeah,” Will answered.

“He might not have been her but he left the tools of his trade… Man’s settin’ up shop Margie, it’s his,” Sheriff Teddy said.

“I’m afraid the Sheriff’s right Miss Landry. I passed those laws myself. Unless Mister Tempest willfully leaves, it’s his to claim and it’ll be his to own after a year,” Mayor Abdey said, ending any more debate. It seemed Margret Landry might not respect the Sheriff but she did respect the Mayor.

Margret looked around and stormed out of the building, followed by Remus. She turned and saw that Kate hadn’t moved but hopped up on her bakarna to ride home without her.

“I have a letter to write to Fairpoint on this, excuse me,” Perrington left next with his men, Teddy right behind after tipping his hat at Will.

“Mister Tempest. Out of curiosity, any idea when you’ll be open for business?” Mrs Abdey asked, “I hear we’ll be getting some travelers in the next few days and it’s not likely to stop after that. It’d do good to show them a busy Main street.”

“To be honest? I’m not sure, I still have some work to do here, then a bit of practice and reading to do…” Will looked over at Kate, “And I’ve got an order to get done before I can really do much else.”

“An order? Already? I was under the impression you hadn’t started yet,” Mrs Abdey asked and followed Wills's gaze to Kate.

“Mister Tempest has agreed to recreate the enchantments on a few articles of clothing my family owns if he can. Durability and self cleaning,” Kate said sweetly, “The blueprints are his once he completes our business.”

“Oh! Truly? That’s wonderful!” Misses Abdey said, “I mean no offense Mister Tempest but I was under the impression that you were going to be making weapons!”

“No, probably a little of everything, depending on what blueprints I can figure out,” he admitted. Weapons were on the table but he was going to work his way up to that.

“Wonderful! I’ll have to come by when you’re open… maybe I'll put in an order myself,” Misses Abdey said.

“Now, now dearest… I’m sure there’ll be time to discuss that later, we must be going to our next business,” the Mayor said and offered his wife an arm.

“Next- Oh…” She looked disappointed and shook her head, “I suppose the town would benefit from having two saloons but after what I heard happened yesterday… disgraceful.”

Mrs Abdey took her husband's hand and they exited. Which was strange considering they had to let go to get through the door but Will guessed it was considered prim and proper.

“Miss Kate… Will,” Jakob said and walked out after the mayor.

“We gotta go with the Mayor, boss’ orders. Least till he’s done at the saloon. He don’t want another ‘incident’,” Skunk said and tipped his cap at Kate before exiting. Will watched them go and turned to Kate, wondering why she stayed.

“All alone…” Kate said and walked over to the counter, looking around at the room, taking it in, “What happened at the saloon?”

“Just an argument between Miss Kitty and Miss Betsy,” Will technically told the truth. She gave him a wicked grin and he saw her bite her tongue slightly.

“Just an argument? My, my Mister Tempest… I heard you got to see yourself a woman’s form yet again,” she laughed. It had a bit of an evil twinge to it, she was mocking him.

“Yeah… Got to see Miss Betsy in all her glory,” Will admitted but it was a bad choice of words.

“Oh, really… Her glory?” Kate asked as she pulled a thermos out of a bag and set it on the counter. “Didn’t know you were that kind of man Mister Tempest? I suppose she does have different… assets… than Miss Kitty…”

Kate faded off and turned to look at Will who stared at the thermos and blushed. He wasn’t exactly blushing at the thought of seeing a pair of tits but he wasn’t used to being teased, “What’s that for?”

He wasn’t going to admit that it was always fun to see and he couldn’t lie about not being impressed. So he opted for changing the conversation. She eyed him slightly while he tried his best to look innocent. Made harder when she started chewing her lip while looking up at him but soon a grin broke through and she looked away to dig into her bag. Did he win that one? Or did she just get enough amusement out of his awkwardness to move on? Either way didn’t matter because she revealed the reason she stayed behind.

“Made these last night, Wonderin’ if they’re close to what your people use?” Kate asked and set two very rough paper cups on the table, “Hadta mold them over a glass last night, then coated them in wax. Don’t worry it’s the same wax we use for cannin’. Ya don’t eat it either but it ain’t gonna poison ya.”

Will carefully picked up one of the paper cups. It was a lot thicker than he was used to and far from smooth on the outside. But he could tell Kate had tried. He gave it a sniff too but couldn’t smell the wax coating, even if he could see a glimmer of light reflecting on its surface. He continued to look at it until Kate delicately took it from him. He was still getting his thoughts together.

“Yeah… pretty close,” he lied and saw her eyes light up before she lifted up a truth coin in her other hand. She’d caught him but didn’t look mad so he explained the difference, “We have machines that make them. So they’re thinner, smoother, and every single one looks the same.”

“Well, I’m a [Sorceress], a [Shooter], and a [Negotiator]. Ain’t like I’ve got craftin’ Skills to use,” she shrugged and Will was taken aback by the information. She’d just told him her classes…

While Will pondered that revelation, Kate unscrewed the top of the metal thermos and slowly poured its contents into one of the cups. Will saw something splash out that looked like a couple dice.

“What was that?” Will asked.

“Whiskey stones… it’s just carved soapstone that’s chilled in the icebox,” Kate said and handed him a cup. Will looked down at it to see the stones sitting at the bottom of his drink, “They don’t change the taste.”

Will looked her in the eye and shrugged. He took a sip and was suddenly in heaven… She had made eldarberry tea and made it refreshingly cool. He was pretty sure she added something sweet to it as well but it might have been honey instead of sugar. He held the glass away and admired the paper cup of sweet ice tea.

“Well, William. It seems I’ve found your vice,” She laughed.

“No…” William winked at her, “We’d have to go over to the saloon for whiskey or vodka for that… This isn’t a vice, it’s a dream.”

She almost shot tea out of her mouth and choked while she got it down, trying to keep her mouth closed while smiling, “Dream?”

“Been a while since I’ve had a cold drink,” Will said, “Company’s not bad either.”

“Oh, you wound me, Mister Tempest,” she shot back but was still smiling, “But I think you said the entire purpose of this was to bring your drink with ya. I’ve seen the dungeon shaft, how about the rest of the tour?”

“Sure,” Will said after a moment and unsurely walked behind the counter, holding the saloon gate open for her to go through, and headed to the hallway. He spared a glance at the closed up hidden hatch as he passed it.

“Hallway, to the left is the living quarters. Hasn’t been cleaned yet. To the right is going to be my workshop, hasn’t been cleaned yet,” he said but didn’t open the doors. He’d managed to finish sweeping up the hallway before everyone had arrived but besides pulling out the broken furniture he hadn’t even gotten rid of the cobwebs. But he was the two rooms were still a filthy wreck, even sans broken furniture.

“What’s out back?” She asked and he hesitated but there was a little less embarrassment in showing her the efforts of his cleaning so he turned to bring her to the back door. He made it two steps and heard a doorway open behind him.

“Dammit,” Will muttered quietly and turned to see Kate leaning into the doorway to the office. She hadn’t stepped inside yet but her shoulders and head were through the threshold, leaving every other part of her in the hallway.

“Hmmmm… What ya gonna do with that there safe?” She asked, pulling back into the hallway. Will made a move to block her from opening the other door but she only giggled, “Mister Tempest, only way I’m walking into a man’s room without an innocent invitation is if he’s put a ring on my finger. But this ain’t where you take your boots off.”

She pointed to the open doorway while looking up at the ceiling inside the room. She glanced down at her cup and quickly drained it before setting it on the floor. Will wasn’t sure if she planned to bend at the waist like that or not but she did. He marked it down as an accident or an apology.

“I’m not sure… Get rid of it… I don’t have the combination,” Will answered her earlier question when she waltzed into the room and headed for the giant metal block at the back. She grabbed the heavy handle and lifted. Will was amazed that it moved. Was it unlocked the entire time?

“You just gonna stare at my behind or you gonna help me?” Kate asked.

“Stare at your behind,” Will said abruptly. It was both because she was making fun of him, a little payback, and to see how she’d respond.

“Now, now Mister Tempest. Look all you want but if you touch... well I can see your little toe from here,” she grinned and stepped away, gesturing to the safe, “Come on, it’s unlocked.”

She played it off but Will noticed a little redness on her cheeks. Not getting much more he walked up to give the handle a yank upward. Whatever was inside gave and the seal around the safe’s door opened slightly. Will tugged on the door, while Kate squeezed in and dug her fingers into the gap. After a brief struggle, with the sounds of metallic pings from the hinges popping, the heavy steel door opened. Will stepped back to see that it was empty but Kate’s eyes were somewhere else.

“There’s your combination, right there,” Kate said as soon as the door was open, pointing at the inside of the door where three numbers were engraved.

“Really?” Will asked and looked at the numbers. While he looked around for a piece of paper, the metal bars extended out of the door. He glanced around to the other side to see Kate had pushed the handle back down. She gave it a tug to see if it would go up again but it didn’t budge.

“Read off those numbers for me,” Kate said.

“Shouldn’t I be keeping this secret?” Will asked, resulting in her leaning around the doorway with raised eyebrows. He raised his hands, he didn’t really care. If anything he’d use it as a gun safe which was something he didn’t have to worry about Kate digging through, she had her own.

“Eighty-five... Thirty-eight... Forty-six,” Will read off slowly. After he was done he looked around the side of the door at what Kate was doing. She was finishing spinning the dial and once she was done she grabbed the handle and gave it another yank. Will saw the metal bars retract a quarter inch into the door.

“It works,” Kate said proudly, “So what ya gonna do with it?”

“Gunsafe?” Will half stated. Kate nodded in agreement.

“Might wanna lock up your tools and blueprints in there too once you’ve got ‘em worked out,” Kate said while dusting off her hands. Will looked down at them and realized it was a little strange. She could go from being a desert princess, the epitome of grace, to a bit of a tomboy at the drop of a hat. It was more of Miss Kate versus Kate versus little Kate. Will still felt that ‘Kate’ was the real version of her.

“What?” Kate asked and Will returned to reality.

“Nothing,” he laughed lightly and shook his head, “I should probably get back to cleaning but before that, wanna get something to eat?”

“You asking me on a date, Mister Tempest?” Kate asked. She stepped a little closer to him. He was very aware of her presence, besides just seeing her. Even if they weren’t touching.

“Just food. Wouldn’t be right if I didn’t pay you back for bringing me ice tea,” Will said and nodded his head towards the door.

“In that case, William. I accept,” Kate said and strode out the door.

“This looks like a nice spot. Don’t it?” Kate asked after they got down by the river.

“Yeah, it works,” Will said with a small bundle in his arms. Kate sat down and he sat down next to her, opening their makeshift picnic basket between them.

“So why a picnic?” Will asked, not that he was complaining. He grabbed a piece of cheese they’d gotten from the general store, “Not a fan of the saloon?”

“Not really,” Kate admitted, “Only been there a couple times before.”

“Really? Because of….” Will didn’t want to say anything about the incident the day before or the fact that the place had thin walls, so even if you didn’t see nudity, you heard plenty of other things. But he’d already opened his mouth and braced for a joke at his expense.

“Nah… What a man and a woman do is their business. Sides, Even if I’m every bit the pure flower Granny makes me out to be, it’s not like I ain’t heard two folks humpin’ before,” She said and Will almost spit out his cheese but managed to recover. He beat his chest a few times from food getting tossed around in his mouth and ending up down the wrong tube. Kate laughed at him but reached over and gave him a hard pat on the back.

“Then why not?” He asked, a little less concerned about being embarrassed. He’d literally choked in front of her. It couldn’t get much metaphorically worse than that.

“The family… You wouldn’t- No you might get it,” She said and looked over at him, “Folk in town respect us but they’re also scared of us, so there’s no fun in goin’ into the saloon. Got folk tripping over themselves tryin’ to impress. Other folk starin’ at their drink, not wantin’ to make eyes at ya cause of some story or another that they’d heard… You’re a [Bounty Hunter], so folks give you looks as soon as they see ya. Doubt there’s many trying to impress ya but I saw in Fairpoint there’s more than a few that were afraid of ya.”

“That was all Void’s doing,” Will countered. Kate exhaled sharply through her nose and shook her head, “But I get what you mean. I did notice it a few times in Fairpoint but back home I saw both sides... A lot of people respected soldiers back there. Show up in uniform and people would buy you drinks or a girl would come up and ask you to dance or sit with you. Sometimes a guy would, not my thing, but to each their own. But just as many viewed us as killers, they’d keep their distance or talk shit behind our backs while thinking we couldn’t hear them. Not everyone was a fan of the Coalition and its… reputation.”

“People treated soldiers like that?” Kate asked.

“Yup… The Coalition has a reputation for coming down hard on anyone causing problems within its borders, there’s a lot of people that don’t like that policy,” Will said.

“Sounds like my family… like you learned, they act the same way. Cross one of us and you cross all of us,” Kate said and leaned back, her shirt pulling up and revealing a bit of skin. Not as much as if she was wearing jeans from Earth but a little. Will noticed it but looked away, “See, that’s why I think I like ya.”

“What?” Will asked.

“You understand, your interestin’, brave, and even though I’ve caught you lookin’ you’ve got the decency to look away without me makin’ a fuss over it. You even look embarrassed just lookin’. Lotta men I’ve met just stare, I know I’ve gotta Skill for it but it don’t make it right,” Kate said.

“Then why use it?” Will asked but answered his own question, “Family?”

“Yup, gotta pull my weight,” Kate said, “If I were a man, they’d have me out there right now herdin’ wild bison or shodding bakarna in the barn. I still do that from time to time but more often than anyone else I’ve gotta deal with other folk and they expect the best deal. So bat my eyes and shake my ass as I walk away-”

“Ride standing up in the saddle,” Will ventured.

“Ride standing up in the saddle,” Kate repeated and sent him a side eyed glance before continuing, “Pa doesn’t like it but as long as it don’t go too far and they keep their hands off, he don’t do much about it.”

Will felt sorry for her, to be treated like a piece of meat.

“You know…” Will hesitated while trying to pick out his next words, “When we first met, I’d heard about your family’s reputation and I was worried about that. I also found myself lookin’ at ya like that… pretty sure that was your Skill.”

“Well, thanks Mister Tempest,” Kate said with a smirk, “Thought there was a little attraction without my class bein’ involved.”

“You’re beautiful but I don’t just go around staring like that,” Will chuckled and she smiled all the way to her eyes, “Thing is, I thought all that until I actually got to know you a bit and realized the rumors were wrong… in your case.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kate sat up and looped her arms around a knee.

“Your grandma fucking shot me,” Will pointed out.

“Well… Fine, you’ve got me there,” Kate said and tossed up a nut, catching it in her mouth, “So what’s your point. I should just let people get to know me?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Will said and she sighed and shook her head before looking away downriver. Will wasn’t sure if it was dramatics or if she was trying to spot the outskirts of Deathbane Ranch.

“Maybe… or maybe I only get you,” Kate said softly but spun her head around quickly, “Not like that… I ain’t that sappy. Only meant the family’s makin’ exceptions for you due to recent circumstances. Plus a few that voiced the concern that pickin’ a fight with a big bad [Bounty Hunter] wasn’t in the family’s best interest… Course that was before there actually was a fight.”

“Well thanks, it’s good to know that all it took to make a friend was getting my head kicked in,” Will smirked but dropped it when an apple slice slapped into his forehead. He looked over at Kate and she held out the next slice to him.

“So, Will…” Kate said and stared at him for a second, “What’s hotels like in your Coalition?”

“Hotels?” Will asked confused.

“Hotels… they like here?” Kate asked.

“You’re family’s thinking bout building one by the docks, aren’t they,” he asked.

“Maybe, but I also like hearing about it. Not like I’ll ever go across the sea. I ain’t ever gonna see it unless it comes here,” she smiled and laid back down, stretching again. Which pulled up her shirt just a little higher.

“Thought you didn’t like that,” Will asked.

“Not trying to get my way. You don’t seem like a man that’s that impressed by a bit of belly showin’. It’s just comfortable to stretch out in the sun,” Kate said and Will relented. She was fit but he wasn’t about to start drooling over an inch wide band of skin showing. He laid down next to her and looked at the cloudless sky.

“Alright… hotels?”

By nightfall, Will wished he had an icebox but the place was finally clean and the windows were open letting in a slight breeze. He set his trusty broom down and stretched his back before plopping down on his desk to admire his work. He’d still have to get a bed but until then he would at least have his sleeping bag.

“Whew… least it’s clean now,” Will said and looked over at his desk, namely the book sitting on top of it. He rotated his neck and adjusted the light before grabbing it.

“Arcane Enchanting…” Will read off the cover, there was no author or any other information on the outside, so he flipped it open and started reading.