The cool night air prickled Marcus’s skin as he jogged toward Gren’s home. Drawing near, he found the door was slightly ajar, unfamiliar voices emanating from within. He stopped just outside for a moment to see if he could make out what was being said, but the voices were too soft to make any sense of.

‘Well, here goes nothing.’

Marcus pushed the door open, and found over a dozen pairs of eyes on him. Other than Gren, every other person in the room appeared to be a soldier—the matching leather armor they wore left little room for doubt.

Even for Gren’s home, which was larger than the other cottages in the village, this was a tight fit. Whatever conversation had been going on, it had stopped as soon as he’d entered, leaving an awkward silence hanging over the room.

“Marcus.” Gren was the first to speak. “Close the door and c’mere.”

He followed the old man’s instructions before walking across the room to where he stood. Next to Gren sat a black-haired man fitted in an entire suit of plate armor—a metal helmet resting on his lap.

“Sir Knight, this lad is-”

“I’ve heard,” the man spoke, completely ignoring Gren, “that you know more about these woods than anyone else in the village. Is that correct?”

“I suppose that-”

“You suppose?

“I do, yes.”

“Good. Have you noticed anything...strange of late?”

“Is this about the villages down sou-”

“I’ve not come to answer your questions.”—the knight waved his hand dismissively—”Have you seen any unusual beasts or monsters?”

“Not that I can say,” Marcus replied, his voice a tad stiffer than before. “Nothing more than wolves or the occasional bear.”

“I see... It seems you know of what has happened in the south. Lord Talmond has sent us to investigate the destruction of the villages, and ensure that others—such as yours—do not meet a similar fate. Are you certain you have seen nothing of note recently?

“Nothing comes to mind.”

“There’s no helping it, then. You,” the knight said, turning his head toward Gren, “find my men some food. You’ll be compensated for it, of course.”

“Yes, Sir Knight.”

Gren made his way to the door, wasting no time in following the knight’s request—though it was more of an order than anything else.

“What are the rest of you waiting for?” the knight asked, looking around the room. “Go with him.”

All of the soldiers got up at once, shuffling out the door after Gren. Marcus followed behind them, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“Not you.”

It was the knight.

“Is there something more I can help you with…” Marcus suddenly realized he didn’t know the knight’s name. After a moment of thought, he went with the same title Gren had used before. “...Sir Knight.”

“Rodney. You may address me as Sir Rodney.”

“Certainly, Sir Rodney. What else-”

“It’s strange, really,” Rodney said, speaking over him. “For a peasant, you’re surprisingly well-spoken. In fact, one could say you’re too well-spoken.”

Marcus’s mind blanked, caught off guard by Rodney’s observation.

‘Ah... fuck.’

“W-well, I’ve never really noticed it myself, but-”

“Then there’s your build; you have the trappings of a warrior, not a farmer.”

“I’m the woodcutter here, so-”

“Cutting down trees doesn’t give you a physique like that. Still, there’s a very easy way to see if you’re telling the truth. Tell me, what were you doing in Talmond before coming to live here?”

“In Talmond…?”

“I mean, that is where Lord Talmond recruited settlers from. You had to be in the city, am I correct?”

Marcus’s brain was in overdrive as he tried to think of some explanation which fit the narrative Rodney had put together.

“I was, but before I was working as a mercenary. Decided it was finally time to settle down.”

Rodney smirked. “Oh, really? Well Mr. Mercenary, could you tell me something? What’s the average rate for exterminating a medium-sized goblin nest.”

“It’s, uh…”

The knight chuckled, seeing Marcus squirm at his question.

“No mercenary would be that clueless, not one that’s still living. Well, I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on here, but I have one last question. Are you living here with a girl; a wife or a lover, perhaps?”

Marcus remained silent, considering whether or not to answer truthfully.

‘He’s already cornered me this much. I doubt anymore lies will slip past him…’

With a sigh, he answered. “Yeah, I have a wife.”

“I thought as much. Well, that settles it. You’re...” Marcus tensed up, waiting for that dreaded word to come. “...a runaway from a knight house, aren’t you.”

‘What...?’

Marcus looked back at the knight dumbly, completely thrown off by just how wrong the man was. However, he didn’t want to let this unexpected opportunity go to waste.

“Well, you got me,” he said with a chuckle. “Was it really that obvious?”

“Maybe you were able to trick commoners, but your act is wholly insufficient to get past someone like me—especially when we’re cut from the same cloth.”

Rodney’s stern demeanor had vanished completely over the course of their conversation, replaced by something more aptly described as jovial. Marcus welcomed the change with open arms, just happy that Rodney was so easily convinced once he pretended his cover had been blown.

‘It’s not ideal, but things could have gone worse’

“Still, I’m impressed, Sir Rodney. Though, I am curious, why’s my wife proof of my status?”

“Why else would you come to hide all the way out here? It’s a story I’ve heard before: a young knight-to-be falls in love with a commoner—a maid, perhaps; next thing you know, they’ve run off together.

Marcus laughed. “There’s no hiding anything from you! But…what now?”

“What now? Nothing. My mission is to investigate the southern villages, not drag home a vagrant son. I simply did this to sate my own curiosity, you’re as free as you were before my arrival.

‘That’s a relief.’

Finally certain that he was off the hook for good, relief washed over him.

“Thank you, Sir Rodney.”

“I was young once too. Whether the choice you’ve made turns out to be a mistake or not, you’ll learn from it regardless. My only advice would be to learn a little if you want to pass yourself off as a mercenary.” Rodney gave Marcus a pat on the back, then walked past him toward the door. “My men and I will be leaving at first light. We won’t be returning this way, so this is goodbye.”

“Thanks for the advice.”

Letting out a short laugh, Rodney pulled open the door.

“Certainly.”

***

Marcus remained inside Gren’s house for a few minutes after Rodney had left.

‘Every time I think my identity’s safe another problem pops up.’

The incident with Gren and the axe yesterday, and now this. While neither had ended up creating any long-term problems, the fact that they’d occurred in such rapid succession left him feeling anxious. At the same time, Marcus had been telling the truth when he’d thanked Rondey for his advice. His cover story was shoddy at best, and when asked to provide more than surface level information, he’d found himself at a loss.

‘I need to be ready the next time somebody grills me like that.’

Marcus decided to tag along the next time Gren travelled to Talmond. He could learn more about being a mercenary by visiting a tavern or something, or so he hoped. When it came to being, as Rodney called it, “too well-spoken,” he was less confident. Changing the way one spoke was difficult, especially when the change was so drastic.

‘I never noticed it was strange. Rei speaks nearly the same way I do…’

For the first time, it dawned on him how odd that was.

‘I…should ask her about that. Then again, I can’t really complain about her hiding her past when I’m doing the exact same thing.’

Their relationship was strange like that, with neither of them really knowing much about the other from before they’d first met back in Talmond. Both were more concerned with who the other was now, and, somehow, that had led to them getting married.

‘Shit, I need to head back before she gets worried.’

Without wasting any more time, Marcus walked back to their home at a brisk pace. It was still dark out, but he expected the sun would be rising within the hour. Considering the unexpected visit from the soldiers, it was safe to assume that the rest of the day would be slow. Gren had been up for most of the night dealing with them, and Marcus doubted that the rest of the village was sleeping with such unexpected guests around.

‘Guess that means we’ll all get a rest day. Looks like I do have some good news for her.’

“Rei, I’m back,” Marcus called, opening the door to the cottage. And he stayed there, standing in the doorway.

“Come in, Marcus. Take a seat. We were just talking about you.”

There was a man sitting at the table, somewhat obscured by the darkness of the room. He motioned with his hand for Marcus to take the other chair. Flicking his eyes to the bed, he found Rei sitting there. She looked unharmed, but he could tell by her trembling that she was nervous.

“Rei, are you okay?”

“Y-yes, I’m fine. We’ve just been talking. H-he said he wanted to wait for you.”

“See,” the man spoke with an upbeat tone, which felt out of place given the situation. “We’ve just been having a friendly chat, that’s all. But she’s right; it’s you I’ve been waiting for, Marcus. That is your name now, right? Unless you want me to use that silly nickname you used to go by. What was it again?” The man asked, rubbing his chin in a comical manner. “Ah, that’s right, Theagenes!”

Marcus inhaled sharply. If he was using that name, then that could only mean one thing.

‘This guy’s a Player.’

***

After Marcus left, Rei had gotten out of bed and dressed as well. She didn’t know why soldiers wanted to see Marcus, and as much as she trusted Gren, she couldn’t not be nervous. He’d told her not to worry, but she just couldn’t help it.

‘What if they’re here to take him away?’

Such thoughts were running rampant in her mind. She kept pacing around the room, considering going after him to see what was happening for herself. Then, just as she’d nearly convinced herself to do so, she heard the door opening.

“Marcus!” She turned to the door excitedly, somewhat surprised he was back so soon.”What did they-” Her words caught in her throat as the person opening the door came into view. It was dark, but with the moonlight at his back, she could make out most of his features. A large build, blonde hair, vibrant purple eyes; she’d never seen this person before.

“Hi there! Is Marcus the one that just stepped out?”

Rei nodded silently, thrown off by his bubbly personality. He was a stranger that had just barged into her home, yet he’d managed to diffuse the situation through words alone.

“Ah, that’s too bad. See, I came a long way to see him. I guess you could say we’re sort of comrades.”

“A-are you a friend of his?”

“I wouldn’t quite put it that way. I know of him, and he definitely knows who I am, but I can’t recall ever actually meeting him myself.”

‘Strange, this guy is really strange. Why am I even talking to him?’

“But, right now,” he continued, “the person I really want to talk to is you.”

“M-me?”

“Yeah, you!”

Rei was starting to feel increasingly uncomfortable as their conversation continued. His benevolent demeanor felt forced, and she could sense that something about him was not quite right.

“How about I go get Marcus right now? We can continue talking after-”

“No, I don’t think so.

The man was fully inside the house now, and he closed the door behind him, standing in front of it with his arms crossed.

“If you don’t move right now, I’ll scream. Just let me go get him.”

“You would have already done that by now if you actually thought screaming was a good idea. Come on… What’s your name, by the way?”

“Rei…”

“Thanks. Come on, Rei, you think I’m going to fall for a bluff like that.” He raised his eyebrows, flashing her a smug smile at the same time. “Just sit down over there Rei,”—he pointed to the bed—”I promise that all I want to do is ask you some questions.”

Rei hesitated. She knew the man was right. Even if she screamed, he’d have more than enough time to hurt her before any help arrived. Letting out a shaky breath, Rei walked back to the bed and sat down.

“Good! See how easy this is when we cooperate? Since you gave me your name, I’ll give you mine. You can call me Aiz.”

Having finally introduced himself, Aiz walked across the room and plopped himself down on the furthest of the two chairs, putting the table between him and Rei.

“So, Rei, what exactly are you to Marcus?”

“What am I…”

“C’mon, you know. Sister, girlfriend, wife, etcetera etcetera etcetera. What kind of relationship do you two have?”

“We’re married. I’m his wife.”

“Oh, congratulations. How long have you two been together?”

“We came here together six months ago, but we’ve only been married for four.”

“Wow, that’s quite the speedy relationship. Have a bit of a shotgun wedding type situation?

“Shotgun...wedding?” Rei asked in confusion. She’d never heard that term before.

“Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I slip back to using words you wouldn’t know. Anyway, did you marry him of your own free will?”

“Of course! Why would you even ask something like that!?”

“Just checking.”

Aiz leaned back in his chair for a moment. From what Rei could tell, he was mulling over what she’d told him so far.

“Why are you asking me all this?”

“Reasons. Tell me, Rei, how well do you know Marcus?”

“We...understand each other. We love each other.”

At that, Aiz started to giggle, though he appeared to be trying to hold his laughter in.

“Sure, that’s fine. But his past, I’m talking about his past. Do you actually know anything about him?”

“I don’t need to.”

Aiz whistled. “That’s some resolve you’ve got there. Can you really trust a guy you don’t even know.”

“I can, because he does the same for me.”

Aiz paused, his eyebrows shooting up once he realized what Rei meant.

“Wait, are you telling me neither of you know anything about each other’s past?”

“Yes.”

For the first time since they’d begun talking, Aiz seemed at a loss for words. He scratched the back of his head for a second while deciding what to say next.

“Okay, wow, not exactly what I was expecting. Still, that doesn’t change what comes next.” He leaned forward, his expression turning serious. “Rei, what if I told you Marcus isn’t who, or what, you think he is?”

“It doesn’t matter. I love him.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that already. But, for a moment, let’s say you believed me when I told you Marcus did some very bad things before meeting you-”

“I don’t care. He’s a different person now. Whatever he’s done doesn’t matter to me.”

“Even if you’re in danger because of it?”

“...Marcus wouldn’t let me get hurt.”

“Yet, here I am, in your home while he’s not around.”

“Are you dangerous, then?”

Aiz stared at her, before sighing tiredly.

“No, I’m not going to hurt you. The thing is, it’s not me you should be worried about. Marcus didn’t leave behind many, well, any friends. There’s some real nasty characters who are still looking for him even now.”

Hearing this, Rei’s curiosity finally got the better of her.

“Why?”

“I’ll leave that for him to tell you about—if he gets the chance.”

“You said you wouldn’t hur-”

“You. I said I wouldn’t hurt you. I still haven’t made up my mind about him yet.”

Rei’s heartbeat quickened. Aiz’s statement carried with it a frightening finality.

‘I need to warn hi-’

“I know what you’re thinking,” Aiz said, interrupting her thoughts. “When he walks through that door, just sit there nice and quiet. If he attacks me I’ll kill him, I mean it.”

Her head felt like lead, and her neck was stiff as wood, but she forced herself to nod. The two of them sat in silence for nearly a minute, until Rei spoke once more.

“Why are you after him? Are you with the soldiers from Talmond?”

“No, though they did make a good distraction. Hm, it’s hard to explain. Marcus isn’t wanted in the traditional sense—as far as this kingdom is concerned he’s an innocent man. I represent a certain group of people, whose rules Marcus broke. In essence, I’m just doing my job.”

“And what is your job?”

“Me? I’m a PKKer.”

“Pee Kay Kayer?”

Aiz shrugged. “Close enough. Basically, I hunt down-”

Before Aiz could finish, both he and Rei heard the sound of someone grabbing the latch to the door. He immediately went silent, quickly looking to Rei.

“Remember,” Aiz whispered, holding a finger to his mouth.

“Rei, I’m back.”

Hearing his voice, Rei shook. She wanted to yell out and warn him, but she was afraid. And so, she did nothing as Marcus opened the door—blissfully unaware of what was waiting for him on the other side.