It was nearing the time of complete darkness, and therefore, had been almost a full 24-hour day since Aggie and Arlen’s flight from the keep. They had barely slept, or eaten except for when they had split a loaf of bread, and an apple each around the noon hour. The steady undercurrent of fear, and panic that gnawed on them, didn’t allow a silly thing like hunger, to matter.

Suffice it to say, they were not feeling as fresh as they had at the beginning of their journey. They moved more slowly, and despite several bloody blisters on their feet, they marched on, as though possessed with the singular thought of escaping. Ever since they had hidden from the knights earlier that day, they hadn’t spoken a word to each other. They both had their ears, and eyes constantly sweeping their surroundings for threats.

However, they were barely aware that it was dark, let alone if there was someone or something watching them.

With mild interest, they had noticed the trees thinning, and even though Arlen knew that it couldn’t possibly be the North King’s county yet, they found a large inn sitting in the middle of a clearing. It had white washed walls, with a strong stone base, a thatched roof, and best of all; it had smoke pouring from its many chimneys, carrying a mouth watering aroma of beef stew, and fresh bread.

Arlen had instructed Aggie that once they came to any such public accommodations, to ask to sleep in the barn-, which Aggie assumed for this establishment, to be hidden behind the large inn itself.

Sleeping in a barn was less risky, and any of Sean O’Farrell’s guards would start investigating the rooms in an inn, before the barn. This advantage could be the difference between getting caught, and giving the search party the slip.

Arlen had also stopped at one point during their journey, and provided Aggie with a large swath of cloth to bind her breasts, and a stick of charcoal to smudge her face to better hide her delicate features. He instructed her to keep her head down even after she looked unrecognizable, and to pretend to be mute. She wisely did not argue the plan, and so; they approached the inn. Both of them were ready for a hot meal, but terrified at interacting with unknown people that could remember them. There seemed to be a lot of shared thoughts and sentiments between the Lady and her Servicer, but neither of them, had any energy to spare an observation regarding this development.

As they neared the glowing windows, and the sound of plates clinking, and voices rising and falling, they each found it strange that such a remote inn was so busy, and so they approached even more cautiously.

Despite their feet taking them closer, they both were still debating if going to a crowded space so soon after fleeing was a bad idea, when a man rounded the right hand corner of the inn, guiding a massive Clydesdale horse.

The stranger was remarkably tall; he may have even been a match for the cook from Sean O’Farrell’s keep. However, whereas the cook had a gut, this man had muscle. His brown hair was streaked with gray, and he wore a loose tunic, and brown trousers. Which was very similar to what Arlen was wearing under the black tunic he had liberated from his friend, Killian.

They stood frozen in place at the edge of the trees, debating whether or not to turn and flee, when the man turned sharply towards them. He stared at them without moving a muscle, and waited a moment to see if they would turn and run away.

“You two looking for a place to rest?” He called eyeing them warily.

Arlen took a slow step forward, and gave a jerk of a nod towards Aggie who lowered her face.

“Pardon our intrusion sir, my brother and I have been traveling for a long time, and are a bit out of sorts.” Arlen called, adding a small lilt to his normally clear voice.

“I see. Well if you come in, the missus has a hot meal ready and waiting.”

“Err- that’s kind of you, but we aren’t… I mean we don’t-”

“No coin?” The man crossed his arms across his chest, while still holding the reins in his hand loosely. The horse seemed to know that it was better off waiting for the giant, instead of becoming antsy. Its ears flickered between the newcomers, and the innkeeper, but stood calmly in the growing darkness without worry.

“Sorry to say no, we don’t.” Arlen finally answered untruthfully.

They had coin, but it was gold. It would’ve been too strange to pay in gold given the direction they were coming from. Other than Lord O’Farrell himself, very few people coming from the East counties would have had gold coins, and if they did have it? They were very easy to remember. They would’ve done better to wait to use a gold coin nearer the noble homes around the North King’s settlement, where they could make purchases under the guise of it being on an errand for nobility.

Aggie felt bad about lying about their ability to pay, and wondered if they should admit to having the means to buy a hot meal to keep going, but deferred to Arlen. The two stood in silence as the innkeeper seemed to be reaching a conclusion.

“You’ll work for the meal then. Get inside.” The innkeeper didn’t shout or bark, but he spoke with a firmness that was not easily disobeyed.

Aggie looked at Arlen, and he gave her a slight nod.

She followed her Servicer, but kept her head down, especially as they walked closer to the man who hadn’t changed his guarded stance.

“Wait a minute.”

Aggie nearly jumped out of her skin, and Arlen stepped protectively in front of her. The man was staring at the two of them as though he recognized something.

“Your boots there, you work with horses?” Arlen glanced down at the boots that had the lingering remains of horse manure stubbornly caked on.

He looked in the man’s eyes that glinted in the faint light from the inn in the night. They seemed to almost glimmer…

“I was a stable hand before our home was flooded, and washed away a few days ago.”

Aggie was doing her best not to shake, and to hang on to the lie that Arlen was quickly weaving for them, so that she could remember if anyone asked later.

“You don’t look like you’re from around here.” The innkeepers voice was softer now, and Aggie could almost feel his gaze through Arlen’s body.

“My mother was a foreigner.”

“Your brother looks… different.”

“Adopted brother. He’s mute and skittish, so if we aren’t welcome I’d rather we continue on.”

Nothing but crickets chirped in the night for several seconds.

“I’m not turning you away, especially not when your brother there looks like he could piss himself any second. Get inside, and we’ll talk about your services later.”

The two of them hesitantly made their way inside the inn, trying with all their might not to seem too suspicious, but failing miserably.

When they entered the room, it was loud, hot, and full of every species.

Arlen and Aggie froze as they saw a table near them with a Fey man, and a woman that was evidently a mix breed of Fey and Beast Awares. She had tusks jutting out from her jaw, long flowing golden hair, and shining black eyes. She had pointed claws, and equally pointed ears. She and her companion appeared to be in the middle of a card game over pints of ale, and only spared the newcomers a momentary glance.

There were human Beast Awares mixes everywhere, and even a group of seemingly pure Beast Awares at the furthest back table.

In her entire life, Aggie had never seen such abundant diversity, and she found herself both awed, and frightened by all the different characters in the room.

She didn’t have long to process what she saw however, before she sensed a large presence behind her.

“Bonnie, I found these two outside. They look like they could use a meal.” The man from outside made Aggie jump, and cower against Arlen. She did so partly because she knew she was supposed to be a much younger, less able boy, but also because she was genuinely terrified.

A very pretty older woman appeared from a kitchen doorway, her long chestnut brown hair had streaks of white, and she had wrinkles around her blue eyes. She regarded Arlen and Aggie at first happily, but when she saw Aggie hiding behind Arlen, she frowned.

“It looks like you two have had a fright. What’re your names?”

“I’m Conner, this is Angus. He is mute and a bit jumpy, but knows what you’re saying just fine.” Arlen lied seamlessly, and Aggie wondered how long he had been mapping out their false history.

“Quite alright-, erm, would you like a booth by the back? It might be a little quieter over there.” Aggie wished she could’ve visibly nodded, but then the man from earlier jumped in.

“They don’t have coin, so maybe they should just eat in the kitchen. We’ll put them to work after, and then you two can sleep in the barn.” Arlen had turned, keeping Aggie behind him, making sure to keep their backs to the wall beside the door. From that vantage point, eh could see the entire room before them.

He didn’t feel any pain, so he knew they were not in imminent danger, and though the owners were brusque, they seemed helpful.

“Thank you very much for your generosity.” Arlen said, avoiding making direct eye contact with the wife- who seemed to be studying them scrupulously. Instead, Arlen locked eyes with her husband; his eyes were gradually becoming more evidently dark green. His eye color had been hard to see before, because when they had first met him outside, his eyes had been nothing but black pupil. A Beast Awares trait that, Arlen was guessing, let him see in the dark.

“Think nothing of it! Now come with me, don’t be scared there lad, we won’t hurt you.” The woman named Bonnie reached out her hand to Aggie, who only then noticed the black claws. She winced at the sight of them reaching for her, but thanks to her face being turned towards Arlen’s back, the action wasn’t noticed.

Aggie allowed herself to be pulled from Arlen, but kept her head down as she was tugged into the hot kitchen. Once through the doorway, she found herself in a far brighter room than the dining and bar area. In the middle of the kitchen, there was a large table with a butchers slab for a top, which had onions diced and set to the side, and a slab of flank steak prepped for the pan.

Arlen remained outside the kitchen, leaving Aggie momentarily alone with the woman name Bonnie, and trying to keep her eyes down.

“My you can’t be older than 14!” Bonnie exclaimed sadly once she could see Aggie in the superior light. Despite observing her new guest, she immediately set back to work, picking up her sharpened kitchen knife, and began cutting the steaks into quarters. Aggie was grateful that Arlen had made her mute. Otherwise she would’ve accidentally corrected the woman.

She was 21 years old, in fact. Oddly old to be unwed, but no one in Aggie’s house had seemed to mind…

“Be a dear and hand me the salt and pepper.” Bonnie gestured to a counter with several glass jars on it, and Aggie frowned. She was pretty confident she recognized pepper, but how to tell salt, and sugar apart might be trickier.

“The sugar is tucked away, so what you see is salt.” Bonnie chirped as though reading Aggie’s mind.

Keeping her face down, Aggie retrieved the jars, and placed them in front of the kindly woman.

“Been traveling a long while?” Aggie panicked, she couldn’t nod or shake her head. Arlen hadn’t told her what to say!

So she shrugged. An easy escape from the question, but glanced anxiously at the kitchen door. Where the hell was Arlen?!

“My husband probably just wants to show your brother where you two will be sleeping for the night. It doesn’t look like you two have much with you.” Aggie felt quite safe in shaking her head at that.

“Do you know where you’re going…?” Aggie almost nodded, but quickly remembered that it was probably a bad idea to give anyone any clues. She shrugged again. They’d believe she was a dimwit at this rate.

Aggie was beginning to sweat from all the questions, when Arlen finally pushed open the door. It looked like he had rough woolen blankets under his arms, but he nodded a silent ‘Are you alright?’ gesture to Aggie. She nodded back quickly.

“Arlen! I was just asking your brother if you know where you two are heading? I take it you boys are heading home somewhere…?”

“Our last living relative recently passed during the flooding that happened around the Kelly house, so we’re going to head South, and try and make a home somewhere there.”

“That’s a very dangerous journey.” Bonnie’s husband had appeared in the kitchen behind Arlen, having to duck under the doorway to fit. “These things we can discuss later-, for now, Bonnie, the back booth needs another plate of stew, and 4 more mugs of ale.”

“Which ale?”

“I don’t think they care at this point.”

Bonnie gave her husband an indescribable face, but then smiled a little.

“By the way Angus, my husband’s name is Declan, and mine is Bonnie. I know you cannot speak, but please feel free to let me know if there is anything I can get for you. A bath at some point for example…” Bonnie was eyeing all of the dirt on Aggie’s face, with the worry of a mother, and stepped forward with a tea towel. Aggie leapt away like the skittish animal she felt like.

“Alright, you’re too filthy to help with cooking, but you can clear tables and deliver ale once you’ve eaten. No one will notice you’re dirty at this point.” Declan nodded to his two newcomers, and then fixed his eyes on Arlen.

“You, I want helping me with the horses. We’ve been in need of a stable boy for weeks.” Arlen nodded to Declan, who nodded in return, and promptly turned around and left. The Servicer, then turned to see two heaping bowls of stew, with thick slices of fresh black bread place on the sides, with a puddle of butter melted on top.

Everything else was forgotten as the two travelers tucked in to their meal.

***

“I beg your pardon?” Lord MacDermott, and his wife Josephine, were gaping at Sean O’Farrell quite openly as they sat in his private chambers, and heard about Lady Agnes’ abrupt departure the previous night.

“Ran off with the Servicer, says she’d rather I declare her dead, and let me live as a bachelor. Says it will be better for my household if we part ways, and I save face of my bride abandoning me.” He had a foreign smile on his face, and the Lord and his Lady exchanged worried glances.

“Well we can’t let her off like that, she will-”

“Be in danger. Exactly.” Sean jumped in calmly, but his nonchalant manner was creating more unease between his trusted courtiers.

“I intend to send yourselves, and a couple of my knights out with you to search-, but discretion is the most important. As you both know, I have informed the household that Lady Agnes Beatha is deathly ill, and only our physician, her governess, and the Head Maid here, shall enter the room.”

“My Lord, I do not object to aiding finding Lady Agnes, however I must ask you to exclude my wife from these ventures. This is her 5th babe, and the two youngest still need her quite regularly.”

Sean frowned slightly, but nodded as he did so.

“A justifiable reason. My inclusion of your wife in the search was to help persuade my betrothed to return peaceably. I understand the two of you have become fond of her.” He fixed them both with a steady gaze. Neither of them balked at his statement however, and merely returned the stare levelly.

“We have enjoyed observing her, and believe her to be a gentle soul.” Lord MacDermott shrugged innocently.

“I think she’s a clever girl- if somewhat immature.” Lady Josephine jumped in as she continued to stare at Lord O’Farrell. Several questions began to rise in her throat the longer she talked with him.

Sean O’Farrell grinned, causing the normally unshakable couple to feel an ounce of fear.

“I look forward to speaking with her again.” The Duke’s voice was strange.

“My Lord, why did you wait a full day, before sending out a search party? Even on horseback, it will be hard to find them in the woods.”

“Her Servicer will prevent her from coming to any great harm, and I thought a few days spent cold, wet, and hungry, might make it a little easier to persuade her to return.”

There was a mad glint in his eyes, and the couple decided they didn’t want to know why.

They only knew that Lady Agnes was probably safer out with the creatures of the Willow Wood, than in the same room as Sean O’Farrell.

***

Aggie scarfed the last of the bread down happily. She was finally full, and she had been delighted at the inkeeper’s use of the dill herb in the dish. It had added an extra depth of flavor that brought Aggie great feelings of satisfaction. Especially when she had been able to eat slouched over her meal, with her lips practically pressed into the lip of the bowl. She hadn’t bothered to see Arlen’s look of mild astonishment, she knew he was working on a new opinion of her every moment he was in her presence.

Aggie felt ready for sleep, but as the dishes were cleared from her and Arlen, she remembered she still had to earn her meal. Stealing herself, she rose from the table, still trying to keep her eyes down, and turned towards Arlen.

“Now that you’ve finished with your meal; Angus, I’ll ask if you can please clear away empty plates from tables, and if they ask for more ale, please fill their tankards.” Bonnie’s tone was business like, and Aggie made sure to bob her head in understanding, before sidling out into the dim dining area. She knew Arlen would have work elsewhere, but didn’t feel too concerned that he could go far.

The bar ran along the same wall as the kitchen door, and several large men with Beast Awares features were drinking boisterously all along its polished oak surface.

Aggie was immediately inclined to wait to refill their drinks, until after checking the rest of the dining room for empty plates.

She went to the first few tables, quickly sliding empty plates atop one another as she had seen servers do in the past.

Food remains smeared her palms in no time however, and the pottery plates themselves were quite hefty. After only clearing 4 booths, Aggie found she had to return to the kitchen with 4 stacked plates, and only a handful of dirty silverware. Upon her return to the kitchen, Bonnie wordlessly pointed to a water basin that was full of steaming water and frothy soap. Aggie placed the plates in the water, and then U-turned back to the dining area.

The night moved on slowly for Aggie, each step felt as though it might be her last as her exhaustion threatened to overrun her.

“Can’t stop. Can’t give up. Keep trying. Keep going.” She thought the words to herself over and over. She just had to last until she could sleep, then she could tackle the next stretch of her journey with Arlen.

It was just past midnight, or so Aggie guessed, and she was reaching timidly along the bar for one of the empty tankards a large man with a barrel chest, fur coated hands, and a shaved head had sitting in front of him, when it happened.

The man stopped laughing with his companion, and noticed that she was taking away his mug.

“ ‘Eyy! Shove off ya’ runt!” He elbowed Aggie hard, and she went flying into one of the empty bar stools with a crash. She felt its edge bludgeon her right side, and was immediately winded from the impact. Had she not been wearing her padded bindings, she may have cracked a rib. As it was, she was sure she had a horrible bruise. She was slowly standing up, when Bonnie was standing in front of her, staring down her assailant.

“Get. Out.” Her voice was ice.

“Bonnie, I’m not done.” He slurred slightly with a laugh.

“You know the rules. You hurt or touch anyone working here, and you are banned for life.” Her tone was firm, and despite the man being a full foot and a half taller than she was, she didn’t look intimidated.

“How is that fair! That little rat was taking my mug-”

“I told him to clear everything away. It’s time for bed. Get out.” The man stood up and straightened his shoulders, but before he could say another word, Bonnie’s claws suddenly grew an extra 2 inches, and she slashed him across his lower abdomen, threateningly close to his manly bits.

“Bloody fuck woman!” He roared, but by the time he had looked away from his bleeding stomach to Bonnie, Declan was standing in the door of the inn. His dominating size, and furious stare brought a deathly silence across the stragglers still finishing off their meals, and drink in the dining room.

“Gib, if you don’t leave the premise now voluntarily, I will make sure you leave it far less a man than when you came.” Declan’s voice was low, but murderous. The drunkard, Gib his name was, slowly rose, and eyed Bonnie and Aggie- who had managed to catch her breath and stand to lean against the bar.

“Little shit.” Gib spit on Aggie. Spit. From his mouth. And it landed across her right cheek as she turned and winced.

Aggie didn’t exactly see what happened next, as her head was still turned from avoiding getting spit in her eye, but all of a sudden Gib was on his knees, and blood was pooling at his feet. He was pale, and sweating, and then fell over with a loud ‘thud’.

Aggie raised her gaze, and finally saw where the blood was coming from. A hole had been ripped through the crotch of his trousers, and Bonnie was suddenly holding a very bloody, round bag of tissue.

Aggie felt her stomach lurch, but she looked over at Declan instead, who appeared rather calm for someone who had just watched his wife castrate a man in less than 5 seconds.

Without a word, Aggie turned to look at Gib’s friend, who despite his drunkenness was staring with wide, terrified eyes.

“You can give this to him later if you want.” Bonnie turned to face the man, her bloody claws gently holding the fleshy sack.

The man shook his long blonde head silently, his mouth was open as though he may vomit.

Bonnie turned, and dropped the testicles on Gib’s collapsed body.

Declan wordlessly, began to drag the man’s body out the door as though he were an awkward bag of flour. In reality, he looked as though he could have weighed as much as 2 grown men combined.

Aggie stood up, and tried to ignore the copious amounts of blood on the floor, or the stains of blood all over Bonnie. She was grateful that she had an excuse not to talk.

“Angus, Conner is in the barn already in the loft, you just head around the back of the inn and you will see it no problem. He already brought the blankets out.” Bonnie’s kind voice reached Aggie’s ears, and somehow made the casual violence all the more disturbing. “Have a good nights rest, and we will see you in the morning.” Declan said the words as he casually stopped moving Gib’s unconscious body out into the darkness to tell her.

Aggie stepped carefully over the trail of blood, and padded outside without another look at Bonnie.

She tried to remind herself that this was the real world. The world of peasants, and harsh survival, but she still had to stop for a couple of minutes to take some stomach settling breaths.

Breaths that came with a sharp reminder of her badly bruised ribs.

Aggie let herself shudder in pain one last time, before steeling herself to face Arlen. She couldn’t tell him what had happened. If he heard, he might think about taking her back to Sean O’Farrell, and she couldn’t risk that ever happening.

The barn stank of sweaty beasts, and hay, but it was warm, and dry. Aggie wearily climbed the ladder to the loft, and saw Arlen with a lone lantern lit in the darkness on a bale of hay with blankets. All thoughts vanished, and were replaced with the dire need to sleep.

“How was your first working night?” Arlen whispered as he saw her sooty face come in to the light.

“Was fine. Sleep though. We’ll eat tomorrow, do some quick work, and keep moving. Have to keep moving.” She said the words as she crawled into the hay bale beside Arlen, and without meaning to, fell asleep before he could respond.

Arlen stared at her, sleeping defenselessly in the dark, trusting that he would protect her from any attacks or surprises. Even though he felt as weary as she did, he had been trained for emergency situations like this. He could make sure they survived for months if necessary.

As Arlen lay back, he knew he should start thinking of how to make the future Aggie wanted become a reality, but he didn’t have time. The blessing of sleep was gifted to him before he could think to ask.