Lady Uthain sipped her tea, steam rising above the cup. It was a local variety, and quite good besides. Her shoulders were slumped as she sat back in her chair. Her uncle, a man of worldly pleasures, said nothing as he attended to the only thing he liked more than adventuring: work.

“Anything exciting, uncle?” She doubted it, but her excitement had run dry since the battle. The beast’s lair was off limits, and she had exhausted nearly every other option within the city. Plays, street shows, card tricks, even a fighting pit that had apparently become much more popular since the beast arrived. She had seen it all, and there was no more to be seen.

“Perhaps,” he replied, his voice low as he concentrated on the paper in his hands. The material was thin, and with the lantern light behind her uncle she could make out some of the words. Beasts on the frontier, it seemed.

“Anything that I could be part of, I mean?” He remained silent for a moment more then put the paper down.

“I’ve received a note from Liard, he wanted my opinion. There’s been a message from a nearby frontier village about some beasts, and from a Domicus no less. Seems they’re causing some trouble.”

“A Domicus? It must be really exciting then.” Plenty exciting, if a Domicus was worried.

“Certainly. But I’ve also gotten word from your father. He wants you back in the capital.”

“Of course he does.” She stood. “Then, I’ll be on my way, uncle.” She bowed, her uncle returning a nod as his attention was pulled back to the paper on the table. She peered at it another moment, skimming through the paper. Lorwood. The name of the frontier village.

She left his office, her legs feeling spry as they carried her from corridor to corridor until she found the door marked with a lion. She opened it, the smell of animals and blood greeting her, alongside the appearance of the Beastmaster.

“Good day, Beastmaster,” she said. She closed the door and approached the man, who much like her uncle was lost in thought and observation, though in this man’s case it was with beast instead of paper. She gazed into the cage, eyes landing on a dog-like creature and its pups.

“Good day, Lady Uthain.” He didn’t bother to turn and look at her, eyes fixated on the animal and its pups, hand scribbling away in a journal.

“Do you know of Lorwood, if I may ask?”

“I do, though only in passing, I’m afraid.” His hand stopped, the book closing as he turned to her. She hadn’t planned on leaving until her business was done, and he seemed to realize that well enough. “May I ask why you ask?”

“Well, simply put, my uncle has received word from a Domicus in Lorwood about some beasts.” The man’s eyes opened slightly wider. The rest of his face was still.

“That is interesting, but not the full story, I take it?”

“That depends on how loyal you think Galal is.”

His look turned quizzical. “He does what I ask, but there is no question as to his loyalty. He has none. He trusts me enough to approach him and provide what knowledge and items I can, and is altogether familiar and accepting of what I am and what I have to offer. To him, I am an opportunity, much as I am to you, my lady. And he will betray me should I outlive my usefulness.”

“Then make it clear what I can offer.”

“And what is that, my lady?” She was not omnipotent within the kingdom, but she could offer many things. Things that any man or woman would jump to.

“I’m sure you’ve guessed at what the Domicus was afraid of. I’ve thought the same, and I’d like to send Galal there.”

“That will be difficult, my lady. The colosseum is rampant with spies, and it has become difficult to move about. It may be that our little secret about Galal’s intelligence is not so secret, and releasing him will lead to problems, to say the least.” It was true. She’d suspected as much when she arrived. The colosseum was large, larger than was needed with the number of rooms within. It was only to be expected that there were tunnels hidden away.

“You’re a capable man, Beastmaster. That’s why I trust you’ll be able to free the beast. But before then, I’d like you to teach it something.”

He gave another quizzical look. “Yes, my lady?”

“Teach it to wear armor, and get its measurements. A royal smith has joined us on our little expedition here, and I’d like to make our friend a beastly knight. A true champion of his kind.”

The Beastmaster's mouth turned up at the sides, forming the faintest whisper of a grin, but a grin nonetheless. “I will do what I can, my lady.”