Waking up in a strange bed! Floral curtains, pretty glass ornaments and it is tidy. Even the air smells like freshly-cut flowers. What? This is not the Anvil and Musket. I am in a strange room, in someone else’s bed, pulling up the fluffy bed cover which has embroidered edges ... and I am naked too. Now I am officially weirded out.

Looking around, I wonder where I am. Screw that, why the Abyssus am I naked? Where are my clothes? There they are, folded neatly beside my armour and sword. There is my nearly empty wallet too. Starting to freak out! But lying in this bed is so comfortable, and it smells nice. Like a beautiful woman.

Okay, okay, who put me in here, and got me undressed? A woman, I hope. Please, Trinity, be a woman. Don’t really care if she is good-looking, I had enough guys looking at me in the army, not like I was into that. Now I cannot stop thinking about looking at my army comrades naked. Urgh.

As the door opens, Pela walks in—jackpot!

“Oh, you are awake. I thought you’d be sleeping. How are you feeling? When that fight started, I went to fetch the Watch. I saw you on the ground being kicked and punched by Helmut and his goons.”

She starts to cry. I have no idea why. Women are strange.

“You came to protect me … Thank you. I brought you to my place and made Corbin pay for a healer—that will teach him!”

Dumbstruck! A beautiful woman saved me, took me to her place, got a healer, and then got me naked. Best morning ever—except for nearly dying yesterday for the second time!

“Thank you, Pela. I would have been a dead man. And you are welcome as well. I would think anyone else would have done the same thing. If you do not mind passing me my pants, I will get out of your way.”

She blushes and turns to me. “You don’t have to go. You could … stay.”

Now, I am not a cynic, but a beautiful woman asking me to stay? Yeah, right. As my past always shows me, I am not that lucky.

“No, I think it would be better for me to go. I do not have too much money. Sorry, but thank you for everything. My pants?”

Pela walks up and punches me in the face, growling at me, “Money? Get your own pants! If you are still here when I get back—” a small knife appears in her hand “—I’ll take your balls, you Truth-spawn!” She turns and walks out, slamming the door behind her.

“Who you calling a Truth-spawn? We’re both half-breeds!”

Suggesting she was a lady of the night was my stuff-up—foot, meet mouth. My nose is bleeding. Oh well. Get dressed and see if I can get my stuff back.

Head over to the sink in the kitchen, turning the tap, quickly wash my face and body. Not great, but do not have time to head to a bathhouse.

That courier should have delivered my package to Malik by now. I will just nip back to that hole the Anvil and Musket, and deal with Corbin another time; one bad guy at a time.

Let me see how this new morning can kick me in the Jara’s hammers.

Why am I such an idiot? Glad it is early morning, not too many people around. Starting to feel like the walk of shame. Thug-man last night said she was two hundred slips! Never heard of a woman costing that much, but she could have been mine for nothing!

Leaving, just wondering where I am. Ah, it’s Residential Road, which leads to Bakers Street. I love Bakers Street, the smell of freshly baked bread, a real nose-delight. Maybe I should have a little breakfast? No, I need my stuff and everything else. If I can make it to the Musket while the Dock Boys are not around, that would be the best thing.

I can cut across the marketplace to Market Lane. Market Lane connects to Route Street, cuts across to Fish Lane, then down to Dock Street. So, let me guess, you need to take Route Street from Dock Street to get to Market Lane?

Someone needs to put forward a formal complaint against the people who name the streets, or just find someone to smack them on the side of the head and say, “Come on, just come on! I think it is time to rethink the names of the streets.” Then smack them again, just to make sure they understand.

Get your mind in the game. If you stumble on the Boys, they might want to repay you for yesterday. Keep it casual and stick to the crowds. No back alleys for me today. Learned my lesson.

Those Dock Boys should be working the docks now, moving this and that. Hopefully, there are not many inside the inn.

As I step into the Anvil and Musket, Malik, Jimmy, and the rest of the Dock Boys are huddled together at a table like a dark cloud of useless filth. What are they doing here? Just one day that is all I ask. Why have you forsaken me, Trinity? I give, well, some money, and pray to you. You need to have my back sometimes.

Move back outside quickly! No one has followed me. Now I just have to think of a way to blend in.

Oomph! Some rude Dwarf just shouldered me out of the way. Hey, I believe that it is a lady Dwarf; bloody broad shoulders though. Armed too—they make anyone Adventurers. Why me? This is not helping. Must decide soon. Standing out here makes me look weird.

What should I do, stay or leave? What is with me today? Was it last night’s beating or me screwing up with Pela this morn? Not sure, need to get my head back into the game.

There is the back door, but last time the Dock Boys had that covered. Think, think! There is the usual-sized crowd, even this early in the morning.

A chord is struck. That sounds familiar. Poking my head back through. That same bard from the Hall is playing the best song ever, ‘A Sailor Came to Port’. Maybe this will give me the distraction I need!

A sailor came to port one day

to see what he could find.

He found a lusty wench that day,

which boggled his mind.

But in the end, he found

that he had no play in sight.

So the sailor left port that day,

as he called it a night.

A sailor came to port one day

to see what he could find.

He found a hundred slips upon this day,

which boggled his mind.

After shouting a few rounds,

he ran out of drinks to delight.

So the sailor left port that day,

as he called it a night.

Second verse. Most should be up and sing along. That Dwarf is talking to Bruce. Some sort of commotion, now she is being surrounded by Malik and crew. Great, I can make it to the back stairs.

A sailor came to port one day

to see what he could find.

He found a sure bet upon this day,

which boggled his mind.

The bet was not so sound,

so he had to run for his life.

So the sailor left port that day,

as he called it a night.

Love this song. I have a few verses I know quite well too. My sailor finds a party, or he finds a great meal. On to important matters—nearing the back staircase. Do not want to be in that Dwarf's shoes.

A sailor came to port one day

to see what he could find.

He found some trouble upon this day,

which boggled his mind.

The fight was quite short,

as he gave it some knife.

So the sailor left port that day,

as he called it a night.

A sailor came to port…

Made it. Should be smooth sailing from here. Please, Trinity, make it easy for me. There is no one on the first level. Only one flight of stairs, and down those back stairs I love so much. No, Trinity is frowning upon me—two of Malik's goons are guarding my door. Hang on, aren't they … Yeah, the same thugs from yesterday. My luck! Thanks, Trinity! Took them once, why not again?