“Well, goodbye.”

Lark fidgeted and stared down at her shoelaces. Somehow the left one was undone again, how did that always happen? Never in her life would she have considered this moment, parting with a tormenter turned protector, what was happening to her? Lark felt this overwhelming sense of desperation and loss, she hadn’t known this world without him, he had been present from the beginning and their story was as entangled as any experience she’d had in her lifetime. What was this feeling? Lark thought of documentaries she had seen that highlighted captives with Stockholm Syndrome. Oh, God! She didn’t have that did she? No, she mentally gave her head a shake. Lark's number one priority was getting away and getting home. She would do anything in her power to do that, to get back to him…

Fallston delayed. He had delayed for the last day, spending an unnecessary extra night by the campfire and watching the human take in the world around her. He had come to know her frowns and the way her mouth would turn up but her eyes would narrow when she disagreed. Fallston liked best the subtle lines around her eyes that crinkled when she laughed. Her laugh, it was so strange and musical! He had never noticed the difference between a Centaurs and a human laugh before, it was special…unique. He didn’t wince when she threw her head back, and laughed so loudly even the moon, Ebb would have smiled. All his life he had lived amongst his herd or fought wars in the mountains, levelling with his people and protecting the snotty nosed humans that rode broken and rented mules. Those humans were boisterous and dull, more akin to pecking hens and unworthy of his spear of protection, he just didn’t understand them. Centaurs were quiet, private and mysterious, the better of the species if you could even compare a Centaur to a mindless hen, plucking scraps from the mud. Fallston shook his head, true, this human was some of those things, but she did not hide her laugh and for that, he would miss her.

“What did you say?”

“Oh, I was talking about the Merchants Guild and the Adventurers Guild.”

“Sorry, can you start over?”

“The Adventurers Guild is on the third street to the right and then the third street to the left. The Merchants Guild is the 10th street to the right and then the third street to the right. If you want you can start at the Adventures Guild and just continue straight. It’s a fair ways but you’ll get there without too much hassle. The acuity Watch is present in that area, and they protect all.”

The City Watch had been explained to Lark as much as time allowed. She thought of them basically as the equivalent of her local police force with perhaps a mage or two in reserve.”

“What about the University?”

“Not this City. The Obscura lies South, no establishment that important would be so close to the Gap.”

“The Gap?”

“Yes, The mountains of Obob. They are the beginning, or so we think. At the very least, they are a source of power, old and great.”

“What is the source?”

Captain Fallstan raised his eyebrows, he did not understand how she could not know. Every child knew of the creation and the destruction of Obob. How is it that she could be in his world and as ignorant as a foal? Was her world so different? He could not imagine a place without The Knowledge, or, without Ebb to teach and guide through the countless stars in the night’s sky. How would she survive this next journey?

“Goodbye,” she whispered.

“Well met, human,” he stated as convincingly as he could muster.

The smile left, replace by those upturned lips and a furrowed brow, he had upset her. Again.

“Our time together has been educational to say the least. I can now say that I at least know one human that is tolerable, and that I would vouch more.”

Those eyes, they kept narrowing and was that a glint of anger? Yes, he knew her face like the fields around his home, same and yet so different.

“Lark, I…”

“It’s ok, I will manage. You have kept me safe this far and for that I am eternally grateful.”

“Arooooo” Why did that dog always nip at his legs, if only he could give him a swift kick to the face, that would teach him.

“Here!” Lark felt something smooth being poured into her hand. As she stared upwards into leaf green eyes. She was begging him to stay, the fear of the unknown overwhelming her very essence.

“Eight gold coins, six silver coins and twenty copper.” I am afraid that is all I have on me, but if something happens please send me a mage spell, I can accept the charges on the other side.”

“I don't know what that means.”

Fallston looked long at hard at the young woman standing before him, her bright blue eyes filled with tears that refused to spill over and mare her perfect face.

“It means that you are my friend and that I will do what I can to protect you while you have need of me.”

“Then come. Please”

“My herd needs me, I am the Captain of the war band.”

A whisper, barely audible but for a small skill he activated to catch four words that could bring a city to its knees.

“I need you more.”

“Then you shall have me.”