Aggie and Arlen had sat in silence during their lunch with Gus, listening instead to the quiet conversation with their host was having with Tork, asking about the bounty hunter business and his family.

Gus’s kitchen was carved into the underground of his mansion, with worn brick arches holding up the ceiling, and a large fire at the hearth, heating the room to sweltering temperatures. Despite his guest’s profuse sweating, Gus seemed perfectly content with the temperature of the dark room as he munch on his cold chicken sandwich happily.

After Aggie had taken stock of the sizable kitchen, with its large table in the middle for eating, and the separate rooms for food stores and pots and pans, she began to watch Gus more carefully.

She didn’t trust the man.

There was something about the way he would cast a casual glance over to Aggie and Arlen, it was as though he were sizing them up.

Aggie desperately wanted to ask what line of business he was in, but due to her disguise requiring her to stay mute, she was unable to.

As she tried to quell the anxiety in her stomach, she relished in knowing that she had full license to eat like a barbarian given that she was supposed to behave like a nomad that hadn’t a lick of etiquette.

She bent over the table, and ate as messily as she felt like eating, but couldn’t help notice that not a single cup of water or milk had been set out or offered to any of them. Once finished, Aggie sat up straighter, and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.

Arlen was pretending not to be disturbed by her show, and Gus was now avidly avoiding staring at her, which gave Aggie a small amount of satisfaction. Sweat dripped down her temples, and her throat felt dry despite the food she had just devoured, but she didn't want to show her discomfort to their host.

“Well I suppose now that we’ve eaten we need to discuss what brings you here.” Gus leaned back in his chair comfortably, pretending not to notice that Tork had rivulets running down his face of his own sweat.

“We can discuss these matters in the courtyard.” Tork’s voice sounded parched as he stood, and headed towards the stone steps that had lead them down.

Aggie and Arlen hurriedly stood and followed, while Ora and Quib labored far more slowly than all of them. Ora’s fur was matted with her sweat, and she was taking several loud shallow breaths as she lead Quib at her side on his leash, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he too panted beside her.

Aggie frowned. What kind of fucking moron host did this to his guests? Something was definitely strange. He wanted them all to be uncomfortable… or perhaps weakened perhaps?

They stepped out into the daylight, and were met with a rush of refreshingly cool air, causing Aggie to immediately felt herself become lightheaded. So much so, that when she stepped over the threshold, she forgot that there was a step and she immediately began to fall.

Arlen caught her quickly by the shoulders, allowing her to get her feet back under her.

The courtyard had greenery growing in trenches all along the perimeter, where ivy grew up the mansion walls, bringing life to the scenery.

Tork and Gus seemed to be intent on strolling around the perimeter of the courtyard to discuss Tork’s business there.

While Ora found herself a stone bench where she could sit and try to dry off her clumps of fur. Quib collapsed beside her, and his tongue rolled out of his mouth as he did so.

It was then Ora produced a small tin bowl, and filled it with water from her waterskin, and let Quib drink hastily.

Aggie frowned as she turned back to watch Tork and Gus whom were now nearing them on their stroll.

“- So this young lad’s parents are worried he might be partying his life away are they?” Gus asked snickering, as Tork shot Aggie a very serious look. He could tell she was angry with their host, and he nodded at her to show her he understood her frustration.

“Yes, we have to return him relatively quickly or we may forfeit the bounty.” Tork stopped only a few feet away from his group, his hands clutched behind his back in mock comfort.

“Oh how fun! How large is this particular bounty?” There was a gleam in Gus’ eyes, and Aggie began to frown all the harder.

Some poor idiot kid was missing, and Gus was only concerned with the reward. Tork had at the very least maintained a sense of respect when he talked about his past jobs.

“I have to see how much trouble it is finding the lad before setting my price.” Tork answered tightly. “For now, have you heard of any newcomers to the city…? Anyone who might be partying a little more than is regular here?”

“Rockfell is a party goers town, Tork. It’s a little hard to find someone based off of their enjoyment of imbibing alcohol.”

The way Gus was bouncing on the balls of his feet, and he smiled while glancing from Tork to his group, suggested he knew much more than he was saying. Then again, Aggie could tell Tork had not shared the fact that the person they were looking for was in fact the crowned Prince of the North.

“He’d be in his late teen years, not yet 20. Would look mostly human, I’m given to understand.” Tork tried again, and waited, while Gus practically laughed in his face.

“Again Tork, there are a lot of folk who-”

“I understand. Thank you for your time Gus, we will be leaving now.” Tork immediately turned towards a different door from the one that came form the kitchens. The one he was headed for would lead them back to the street where their horses had been tied off, and their cart covered by a tarp by Gus’s staff.

“No need to be so hasty Tork! I just said it is hard to discern, but you know, there has been some occasional mention of a young lad who came perhaps a fortnight ago. He’s been seen drinking as though there isn’t a new dawn to face, and he also just so happens to frequent one of my taverns.” Gus had laid a bejeweled hand on Tork’s muscular forearm, and the Beast Aware glowered until the hand was removed.

“Which tavern?”

“Now Tork, I’ve given you some valuable information, wouldn’t you say? I’d be happy to tell you as long as a fair price was agreed.” He smiled his wide grin, that oozed greed.

Aggie’s arms were folded across her chest, and began clutching the sleeves of her tunic trying to contain her growing disdain for the man. That is until a wonderful idea came to her.

Well perhaps not wonderful, but it was satisfying to think of.

Aggie casually reached behind her back, as Tork began squaring his stance off in front of Gus. In a blur of motion, a blade whizzed by Gus’ face, and embedded itself in the trunk of a cypress tree that stood 10 feet from the man along his courtyard wall.

The Beast Awares and Gus immediately jumped, and turned their heads to stare at Aggie who was glowering at Gus darkly.

Arlen stood beside her, his arms crossed, staring coolly at the man whom suddenly seemed a lot less gleeful.

“You know how the Minkies are Gus. They aren’t the most patient bunch.”

Aggie could’ve of sworn there was a small note of pride in Tork’s voice, and she had to stop herself from grinning ear to ear.

“Well it’s considered bad manners to throw daggers at someone who has fed you and is offering aid young lady!” Gus snipped indignantly.

“-As is sweating us to oblivion without the offer of water, when I’ve saved your hide on countless occasions.” Tork’s expression was unforgiving as Gus blustered at the comment.

“Well you know I like the heat! You’re in my home why should I-”

“We’ll be leaving.” Tork turned away from Gus whose pallid complexion began to grow splotchy pink patches. He was about to take a step to follow Tork when Aggie stormed in front of him cutting him off, and walked over to the Cypress where her knife was embedded. It took her 2 tugs to pull it out, and the branches pricked her skin, but she didn’t show it on her face as she sheathed the knife at her back, and without a second look at the man, stalked out of the courtyard after Tork.

Ora and Quib slowly rose and followed suit, leaving Arlen alone watching the man with narrowed eyes. Gus finally realized the close observation, and jumped. Arlen’s eyes were still generously circled in black shoe polish, and mud stained his cheeks. He would’ve looked like a deadly Wildman to anyone.

“I trained under Tork myself, I can fight you just fine!” Gus wagged one of his jeweled fingers at Arlen, a small cocky smile returning to his face.

Arlen had a smile of his own as he tapped the hilt of his sword casually with his left hand, and nodded at the man’s empty belt.

Gus looked far more hesitant as Arlen gave him a cold smile of his own, and turned to join the others.

By the time he had rejoined his mistress, Tork already had the horses and cart ready to go.

He jumped on the back where Aggie was already sitting with her feet dangling off the edge, and without a word from any of them, the cart pulled away down the street towards another long road that ran down towards the ocean.

They made a left heading in the downhill direction, and it wasn’t until they had travelled another 10 minutes on the treacherous slope, that they had made a right hand turn, taking them further South in the city.

As soon as they had cleared the turn, Tork called over his shoulder.

“Beatha, I’ve never liked you more than I do right now.”

That was enough to get everyone laughing. Even Arlen.

*

Tork had checked them into an inn on the outskirts of the city for a single night, called the Red Morning Inn and had paid for 2 separate rooms, and 4 ales. They were then shown to the inn’s courtyard, where tables and benches had been set up for their patrons to enjoy the warm spring afternoon.

They sat far apart from the other 2 tables in the courtyard, and Aggie watched as Tork seemed to be surveying their surroundings carefully. He didn’t say a word until the pretty barmaid with wavy brown hair delivered their ales, and quietly trotted back over to the other patrons.

“Tork, I don’t mean to be rude, but has your friend always been so-”

“No.” Tork interrupted Aggie as she sipped from her ale tentatively, and found that it was surprisingly good.

“He used to be a rather timid lad who got picked on a lot due to him being 2 /3 Beast Awares, and only 1/3 human. I took him under my wing when I was leaving the Mag- when I was leaving home, and found him getting beaten by a group of farmers.”

He sighed tiredly, and then drank half of his ale in one gulp.

“He started to become greedy when he realized that money can give you a kind of power.” Tork paused as everyone drank during his pause. They all were a little curious about Gus and his greedy ways.

“When he and I parted, I left him to become a tavern owner, and when I saw him again years later, he was a different man completely. He used to be quite good with a bow and arrow, though I doubt he has been practicing much.” Tork finished his drink, and waved for the barmaid to bring more.

“He’s good for information every now and then, but I rarely go in with much hope. He always wants a piece of the prize.” Tork stared forlornly at the bottom of his mug, and the group sat in silence until another round of tankards were placed in front of all of them.

“Well we know the Prince is in one of his taverns, otherwise he wouldn’t have known about him to begin with, so we can start looking tomorrow, and get the hell out of this cesspool town as quickly as possible.” Tork grumbled darkly. He clearly was more upset with his old friend than he wanted to let on.

Aggie looked around the courtyard as the evening light began to drift over the roof tops.

“My father grew up here.” She said absent mindedly. She hadn’t thought much of her parents since leaving home. More due to the fact that she hadn’t had time to think of them since leaving her home.

Tork looked at her now very seriously.

“Could someone around here recognize you by chance?”

Aggie shook her head and drank another gulp of ale.

“Not at all. He hasn’t been back since he and my mother got married. I’m sure I have cousins in this area, and that they know I exist somewhere, but I’m doubtful anyone would know me to look at me. Unless I was careless down at the docks.” She took another drink. The ale was really quite good, and she did already have that second tankard in front of her.

“His boats sail through here regularly, so some of his sailors or captains might recognize me.” Aggie looked at the group’s faces that stared at her, and was surprised to see her vision beginning to spin ever so slightly.

She had never been drunk before, mostly due to her only imbibing small amounts of wine with her dinners, and milk or water for the rest of the meals. However; she found the feeling of being light and relaxed quite enjoyable, and immediately thought to take another mouthful of ale.

Tork must’ve seen a small sway in her posture, for he took her secondary tankard of ale, and downed it in one gulp.

“We can’t have you getting shit faced Lady. You’ll do something stupid.” Tork shook his head, and waved the barmaid over again in a span of 15 minutes, as Aggie continued to drink from her first tankard that was still half full.

“We’ll have 4 of your cheapest meals.” Tork ordered brusquely. The barmaid nodded, never lifting her gaze, and headed back inside the tavern, where the unmistakable sounds of a dinner rush reached the courtyard of the inn.

“Thanks for dinner Tork.” Arlen bowed his head in appreciation, then took a small sip of his ale. He had to stay alert.

“I never said I was paying for your meals.” He grunted before rolling his eyes. “I’m covering your ale, and that’s it.” He proceeded to clutter the empty tankards towards the end of the table. Aggie, through the slight haze of her mind, couldn’t understand why until after several minutes, the barmaid rushed over, and snatched all of them up in one fell swoop.

Aggie was beginning to realize more and more, how kind Tork actually was. He did gestures rather than words to show his caring side, and seemed to take great consideration for others in much of what he did.

Aggie began to gradually realize, just how lucky she had been to cross paths with Tork, Ora, and Quib. She couldn’t imagine if she had instead accidentally met with Gus when she had first escaped…

The rest of the evening passed without incident. With a very fatty Turkey leg and some steamed carrots as their meals, they were all comfortably full when they all headed up to their respectably soft beds.

Ora, Quib, and Aggie were sharing a room, and Tork was sharing with Arlen.

The moment Aggie’s head hit the pillow in the darkened room on the single sized bed, she fell into a black sleep that didn’t release her until the first rays of dawn sifted through the linen curtains.

*

The group was washed, dressed, and fed when they convened outside of the Red Morning Inn, and it was the same barmaid from the night before who settled their account. Aggie assumed she had to be the daughter of the owner…

“Alright everyone, Gus owns about 5 or 6 Taverns over a 4 street radius, we are going in a group because I don’t trust any of your judgments or abilities on your own.”

“We think you’re great as well Tork.”

“Shut up Lady.” Tork glared at Aggie who smiled cheekily at him.

Her fresh shoe polish disguise was similar to Arlen’s that morning, with large dark circles around her eyes, and 2 long black lines down her cheeks. Ora had managed to messily pile her hair on top of her head, and tied it up to remain that way. This made it that even though Aggie’s clothes seemed clean and respectable, her face screamed ‘Barbarian’. Arlen’s black hair waved in its normal way, gently touching his shoulders, and making Aggie think he could us a bit of a haircut when they got to their next disguise.

His eyes were again, circled in black, and there was a black line running down his nose.

They left the inn after Ora clipped Quib’s leather collar on, and attached his his leash firmly. The beast seemed determined to pull towards any steaming pile of food that the poor barmaid walked by with. She was beginning to cast more anxious glances when his spikes began to rise a little higher each time.

It was a warm day, and as the Group began their walk towards the first of Gus’ taverns, it didn’t take any of them long to start sweating.

The first establishment they went to looked to be quite expensive with screens placed between tables, and plush cushions on every seat. The oaken bar gleamed in the ample light that poured through its many windows, and a middle aged man polishing glass pints nodded to them as they filed in.

The bartender didn’t like giving any information about his patrons, but when Tork’s hand began resting on the hilt of his sword, he began becoming more open about what he knew.

Which turned out to be very little.

The next tavern was more like the inn that the group had stayed in, only it was far smaller than their accommodations. It was clean with pine chairs and matching tables brightening the atmosphere. Fresh cut flowers were placed in the center of every table in mugs of clean water, and the barmaid's smile only added to the overall sense of welcome.

That particular tavern called Doveys, had been Aggie’s favorite. The barmaid who was working, gave them all a free sample of cheese that was gooey, looked like butter, and practically melted in their mouths. After one taste, Quib took a lot of convincing to leave the building.

The barmaid had been completely compliant, but she too hadn’t heard or seen a young man who was drinking like there wasn’t a dawn.

The third tavern looked rougher, but the few customers there looked respectable enough. The tables and chairs had different kinds of wood, as though they had all been purchased at different times to replace broken ones. It had only 4 small windows, reeked of stale beer, and the floors were sticky. The bartender appeared to be fast asleep beside an empty barrel laying down on his side, and snoring quite peacefully. They all surrounded him at the end of the dark bar, and Tork nudged him awake with his foot.

As a result, he was almost stabbed in the calf by a short dagger the bartender had out in a blink.

“Oyy! Mind the legs!” Tork’s quick footwork saved him the injury, and he glared at the balding barkeep with a sizable pot belly, as he sat up. The man had stains on what used to be a powder blue tunic, and his jowls trembled when he yawned.

“Sorry abou’ tha’.” He slurred slightly. He appeared to still be somewhat inebriated from the night before. “What can I getchya’ to drink?” He had to try more than once to stand up, and when he did, began wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth. When Aggie saw this, she winced noticeably.

He noticed, but only responded by winking at her. Aggie visibly shrank away from the gesture, and Tork stood closer to the barkeep to block his view of her, while Ora crossed her arms and frowned.

“We’re here looking for a young man who would’ve been here for about 2 weeks. Maybe less. Heard he’s been drinking like there isn’t a dawn coming, and his family has sent me. The want him home.” Tork’s hand was resting casually on his belt near his sword, a move which the barkeep clearly noticed as he frowned, and suddenly seemed more sober.

“Is that anyway to ask? Why not order some food for lunch, and maybe then I’ll-”

A knife whizzed by his head, and stuck itself in one of the wooden posts that ran to the ceiling. Everyone but the assailant jumped.

The barkeep looked at the knife, and then at Tork panicked. He hadn’t seen the Beast Awares move…

Then he saw the pair of dark eyes and a pile of ratty hair peeking out from Tork’s side, and guessed whom had actually attacked.

“Now there girl you better apologize, or I’ll be kicking all of you out.” The bartender had lost some of the pink in his cheeks, but he still managed to fix Aggie with a hostile expression.

“She apologizes deeply. She’s mute so you won’t be hearing it from her.” Tork straightened his shoulders so that his full size loomed over the man whose hands were placed firmly on his hips.

“Not good enough. Out with you lot.” Tork sighed, and glanced back at Aggie who was scowling fiercely.

“I see, and what would be good enough?” Tork asked dryly.

“Spot of sun wouldn’t hurt.”

“A gold coin for an apology?!” Tork roared incredulously, as the barkeep sneered yellow teeth at the Beast Awares.

The second knife that whizzed by the man’s face didn’t surprise Tork, nor did the 2 Beast Awares that appeared at the barkeep’s side from the shadows. He had been aware of their presence the moment they strode into the tavern, but he felt the rest of his group tense behind him.

Tork’s right hand twitched.

The day was about to get more exciting for him.