ã€ŠSteal My Heartã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Dani

    "Run! Don''t look back, just RUN!"

    Dani''s eyes snapped open, her body soaked with a cold sweat as if she really had been in the rain that poured down in her nightmare. Her heart pounded, and she struggled to get her breathing to come in something other than short gasps. Trembling, she sat up, running a tired hand across her face. ¡°Shit¡±

    It wasn''t the first time that nightmare had reared its ugly head, but it had been quite a while since it had last bothered her. She supposed it was too much to hope that she was finally done with that particular boogeyman. With a sigh, she stood up from the thread-bare bed with its thin straw mattress, and pulled the ragged bit of cloth away from the window. It wasn''t like it did a great job of blocking the sunlight anyways, but it did provide her with a little bit of privacy. The morning sun streamed through the window, making her blink as her eyes tried to adjust. It was too damn early. But there was little chance of falling back asleep after that nightmare. It was a remnant of her childhood, from before her foster father had found her, full of blood, thunder and terror.

    She gave herself a shake and looked around the small room, barely big enough to hold the bed. Well, she had been lucky enough to get a room with a window. Especially since she couldn''t pay the last few nights board. Since she was up this early, she might as well go down to the Trade Road and see what she could do about that. If she was lucky, maybe she could even afford a few more days in the shithole she currently called home. It beat sleeping in the underground.

    Snagging her boots, Dani climbed out through the window, dropping lightly onto the roof of the neighboring building. The chittering and hissing of Sky Scraws marking her passage. She ignored them and the bones in their nest, hopping as she pulled on first one boot, then the other before heading along the roof to the next building. On this side of the city, the buildings were clustered close together, many leaning on others like drunks trying to stay upright. Many had small shacks built on top of them, or were carved directly into the cliff that curled around the lower part of the city. None of the buildings were terribly tall, which benefited her. She could easily go from one to the other, and from the roofs to the street.

    She hopped off one close to Trade Road, using a stack of crates and barrels to make the descent to the hard-packed dirt street a bit easier. Even as early as it was there were people out and about, or still out and about. Dani couldn''t help but smirk a little as she dodged around a young man emptying his stomach in the shadows of a small alcove. Poor lad was going to have a hard day if that was how he was starting it out.

    He wasn''t the last person still drunk from the night before that Dani passed as she followed the twisting, narrow streets of the Rats Nest towards Trade Road, where all the main markets were held. As she got further from the cliff, the smell of decay, filth and cooking fires started to give way to the smells of spices, fish and the sea. Buildings got slightly further apart, and more sun reached her driving away the morning chill. Trade Road was the widest street in the city, and cut through it from the original docks, past the palace, and out of the city. Anyone that wanted to make money set up shop along it, from the poor selling what they could, to farmers from outside the city, and the traders from across the sea. There wasn''t a break in the market until you were in the temple district, and then it was clear all the way up past the palace.

    Dani stuck to the docks and the slightly more legal markets for the most part. Usually the less legal traders had ties to the thieves guild, and she was the shitlist enough with them for being a thief without joining up. She just couldn''t afford to pay the dues they asked, and it wasn''t as if they would be any help if she wound up in Commoners Jail, or worse, the dungeon. So she had to depend on herself to keep out of trouble.

    She had developed a set of rules to follow regarding people to steal from that kept her mostly safe and not feeling like a piece of shit. A list of people she refused to steal from, no matter how desperate she got. No stealing from children, commoner families with children, mages, people that reeked of magic, the poor, or folks protected by the Merchants or Thieves Guilds. She also steered clear of the sleek-furred cat people and the tall lizardfolk of the seas, they had quick reflexes and sharp senses that made stealing from them risky business to say the least.

    Dani paused in the shadow of a building at the edge of Trade Road, surveying the market. Even so early, there were plenty of people about, most setting up their own stalls. But there were a surprising number of people out shopping, strolling or stumbling as well. She ruled out the farmer with his patched clothes and well-loved straw hat, and the mother with one child held against her chest and another tied to her apron strings. They were against the rules to steal from.

    She considered the noble strutting along like he owned the street, but ruled him out when she noticed how attentive his guards were, and the aura of magic around his money pouch. Too much of a risk there.

    However the merchant setting up a stall of overpriced pelts who had obviously never hunted a day in his life, and the noble dandy strolling down the street with a lute he barely knew how to play... those were fair game. Dani grinned, giving a nod to herself as she marked her targes mentally. Then she got to work.

    By midday she had made enough to at least get caught up on her rent, although not enough to pay for future night stays. She would have kept going, the markets were unusually busy today, but the guards were on alert after last lady in fancy dress complained to them about her purse going missing. It was a shame too, it looked like everyone was setting up for some kind of celebration, but she couldn''t think of what they would be celebrating. It was too early for harvest festivals, and too late to be celebrating a new year. But people were stringing up flowers everywhere and pulling out their best wares.

    She weighed the bag of coins she had managed to steal, slinking out of the bright sun of Trade Road and towards the smaller market that the locals of the Rats Nest used to sell to each other. Perhaps with the crowd and commotion she would be able to try again in a little bit. Or try a different area of the Trade Road. For now, she headed to her friend Therija''s shop.

    Therija ran a small bakery in the Rats Nest, tucked at the edge of the little market closest to Trade Road. When her father had started to build it it had been barely more than a couple of ovens built into the wall of a collapsed building and a rug strung across an alley for shade. Now it was a tiny building wedged in that same alley, and the ovens had multiplied considerably. When Therija had started taking more responsibility in running the bakery she had even set up a sitting area in front of it, furnished with whatever she could find. And so Dani wound through a hodgepodge of tables made from barrels and old wooden planks covered with colorful tableclothes to the small building, the smell of bread and spices washing over her as she stepped inside. Sunlight filtered through cracks in the ceiling that would need to be repaired before the rainy season, falling on the tall, slender woman by the ovens, and the curly haired little girl behind the counter.

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    ¡°Be right wit'' ye.¡± The taller woman, Therija called out, not turning from her work of pulling a large tray of cinnamon rolls from the oven. The counters and shelves were already full of baked goods: small white cakes with a single pecan on the top and coconut around the sides, cookies with pecan crumbs sprinkled over white icing, donuts, breads, and rolls of all shapes and types. Dani took in a deep breath, the tension seeping off her as she headed to the counter, enveloped in the familiar warmth. She had spent many a day here with Therija and her family while Reshi, her foster father, had been away hunting. It was here that they had played with the other children of the Rats Nest, and here where Therija''s mother had hung the curtains all three of them had worked so hard on to decorate the shop, and where her father had taught Therija to bake. In many ways, it was as much a home as Dani had ever really known.

    ¡°Hi Dani!¡± The little bundle of energy and curls that was Therija''s sister, Azra, called out. She was standing on a crate behind the counter, just barely making her tall enough to reach the giant bowl of frosting she was stirring with enthusiasm.

    ¡°Hello Azra, are you helping your sister today?¡± Dani grinned, moving to the counter and reaching into the bowl to scoop a finger of frosting out. Azra swatted her hand with the wooden spoon, wrinkling her little nose.

    ¡°No fingers in the frostin''!¡± She scolded, a glob of frosting dropping into the bowl as she shook the spoon at Dani. ¡°Ye gun'' get dirt in it!¡±

    Dani laughed, pulling her hand back and licking the frosting off. She gave the little girl a wink, and dropped down onto a tall tree stump that wobbled a little as she landed. ¡°A little dirt never hurt anyone. I don''t suppose there are raisins in those rolls, are there?¡±

    ¡°There are.¡± Therija laughed as she set the rolls on the counter. ¡°An'' a bit of dirt may not ''ave hurt anyone but I don''t want it in the rolls we be selling. Speakin'' of which, ye actually gun'' pay for ''em today?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Ye gun'' pay for ''em?¡± Azra parroted her sister, putting her hands on her hips.¡±

    ¡°You wound me!¡± Dani put a hand on her chest in mock offense. ¡°Of course I''m going to pay! When have I ever not?¡± She pulled a couple of coins from her pouch, and set them on the counter. It wasn''t enough to set her back on rent, but it also wasn''t as much as she woud have liked to give Therija either. The woman was like a sister to her, and it would have been nice to actually be able to help her families little business grow.

    ¡°Only most o'' the time.¡± Therija swept the coins off the counter and into the pockets of her apron. ¡°Good day today?¡±

    ¡°So far. I''ll be heading out again in a bit, I''m letting things cool down for now. Too many guards out and they''re getting antsy.¡±

    Therija shook her head, pulling a long, bent-handled spatula from beneath the counter. She used it to scoop up a large amount of frosting, plopping it onto the rolls. Nine huge scoops landed, already starting to melt as she spread the icing across the rolls. ¡°Ye be takin'' too many risks, Dani. Ye need ta find yerself a man ta settle down wit'', or a job. Ye know Mrs. Haversaun is hirin'' in her shop, I reckon she''d be pleased ta have ye.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Haversaun is a seamstress for rich folk.¡± Dani let out a snort, picking at a patch on her pants. Sure she could sew, hell, Therija''s mother had even taught her some fancy work before she had passed into the hands of Quietus. But that didn''t mean she was good enough to work for Mrs. Haversaun. The rich folk and nobles wouldn''t want someone like her around.

    ¡°That she is.¡± Therija smiled a bit, turning the spatula to use it as a knife, cutting the soft rolls apart on their tray. ¡°Azra, go open the window an'' set out the sign fer fresh rolls, please.¡±

    ¡°Aye!¡± Azra hopped down off the stool, her dark curls barely visible behind the counter as she darted past her sister and around to the door. Before heading out, she grabbed a board nearly as big as she was with a picture of a steaming roll on it and the words ''Fresh Rolls'' written beneath it for those that knew how to read. Then she disappeared out the door to prop it against the tiny building. She reappeared as she pulled the shutters open, securing them to the outside of the building with fabric twine and letting the smell of the fresh baked goods waft freely out into the street.

    ¡°You know I''m not good enough at that sort of thing for her clients.¡± Dani said glumly, Therija shook her head, setting one of the cinnamon rolls on a piece of waxed fabric, sliding it over to Dani before she set to work on preparing the others for sale.

    ¡°Ye do just fine. Ya made these waxed squares fer us, an'' ye helped with the table clothes and curtains. An'' I know Mama taught ye more''n she ever taught me.¡± Therija smiled, although there was a touch of sadness to it. Therija''s mother had been an excellent seamstress, and good friends with Mrs. Haversaun. But Therija just hadn''t been interested in following in her footsteps, instead choosing to follow her fathers path and become a baker.

    ¡°That didn''t take much in the way of sewing skills. Not like what you need to sew clothing.¡± Dani let out a snort

    Therija let out a sigh, giving Dani an exasperated look. ¡°Regardless, ye are a talented seamstress in yer own right, an'' it would do ye good to earn an honest livin''. Else-wise ye should find yerself a man ta take care of ye.¡±

    ¡°Dear gods... really Therija?!¡± Dani nearly choked on her bite of cinnamon roll. The other woman just laughed, her brown eyes sparkling.

    Therija had been getting all romantic lately, thanks to a certain handsome blacksmith that had caught her eye. Dani envied her a little, Therija had a promising future,a clear path for her life with a future of running the shop and likely a marriage soon if the doe-eyes the two tended to give eachother whenever the blacksmith came around were any indication. It may not be a rich future, but Dani had no doubt it would be a happy one.

    Dani herself however, had a promising future that ended at the body brokers.

    ¡°Aye, really. I reckon I can find ye someone.¡± Therija smiled, and Dani looked at her in horror. She couldn''t be serious! Could she? Dear gods....

    ¡°I gotta go; see you tomorrow?¡± She stood up, gathering up her roll in preration to flee.

    Therija laughed at her haste, and set a hand lightly on Dani''s arm, stalling her escape. ¡°Aye, tomorrow. Be careful though. An'' all jokin'' aside... think ''bout what I said.¡±

    Dani stood there for a moment, the mischief gone from Therija''s eyes, but an aching love was still there, and worry. Dani nodded, returning the smile. ¡°I will. I promise.¡±

    She headed out of the little shop, slipping past an eager young boy clutching a coin in his hand. Her smile grew, mischief flashing in her eyes as she snuck another coin into his pocket. In the short time it took him to notice the extra coin, she was already gone, melting into the shadows of the Rats Nest and back to the crowded market of Trade Road.

 Chapter 2 - Wulfram

    Wulfram tugged at his dress clothes, letting out a dissatisfied sigh. He had wanted to wear his simple leather armor, but his mother had wanted the deep blue, quilted velvet with silver embroidery. That way they could all match and show their kingdoms colors. Wulfram could understand the last part, they were the royal family after all. But the matching outfits? And velvet, in this heat? Well, at least she hadn''t argued with him wearing his normal sword, even if she had given his plain, servicable leather sheath a look of disapproval.

    But it was her birthday, and he was grateful that she had been gracious enough to allow the sword with its simple sheath. The rest he would suffer through silently, for her sake. Even if it included parading through the streets like a prized peacock.

    ¡°Staring at it won''t turn it into armor, your highness.¡± The amused voice came from the doorway, and Wulfram turned with a grin.

    ¡°No, it won''t, but I can always hope. You''re back just in time for the parade, Ben.¡± Wulfram strode over, grasping the other mans wrist in a soldiers greeting. Ben laughed, returning the greeting in kind, and patting Wulfram on the shoulder. He was still in his armor, road dust still dulling the metal and turning the bottom half nearly brown.

    ¡°Her highness would have a fit if I were to show up like this. I only stopped to say hello before you joined the procession, they''re waiting for you.¡±

    Wulfram let out a sigh, giving his vest one last tug, resettling his sword and checking that the peaceknot was still in place. ¡°I had best get moving then, I wouldn''t want to keep them waiting too long.¡±

    Ben laughed, falling into step beside Wulfram as he headed out of the prince''s quarters. They had been friends for most of their lives, progressing through training together and occasionally going on patrols along the kingdoms roads. As heir to the throne Wulfram was in a delicate spot for such activities. He needed to know the kingdom, but he was the only male heir at the moment, which meant he wasn''t allowed too close to the border. Not until he provided a male heir himself, something his mother had been reminding him of far too much recently.

    ¡°At least this won''t take long, yes? And later tonight we can have some drinks and I can tell you about the going ons at the border. Hesiodos is making a fuss again.¡±

    Wulfram shook his head. ¡°The only time they stopped is when Mother and their High Queen were friends.¡±

    One of the queens duties in the kingdom of Cresenvasht was to handle social relations with other kingdoms. It had been Queen Mirabel who had looked past the strange custom of keeping a harem to befriend the Hesiodos High Queen, even going so far as to propose an alliance marriage between Wulfram and her daughter. Ironically, it was that proposal that led to their more recent conflicts with Hesiodos. The High Queen had been aimiable to the idea, given that the children got along. And so the High Queen and her daughter had traveled to Cresenvasht with the intention of the pair meeting, but had never reached the palace. They had been attacked by bandits on the road, robbed and slaughtered. The princesses body hadn''t been found, but given that the rest of the caravan was dead in the middle of nowhere.... well, it was certain the girl was too.

    But that was neither here nor now. The old King Danivell had passed away, his eldest son Alastar ascending to the throne, and they were starting all over again.

    ¡°True,¡± Ben said. ¡°But at least now they talk to us. Maybe we''ll find a way to peace again. Hell, maybe they have another daughter you can marry.¡±

    Wulfram let out a growl, glaring at his friend. ¡°Don''t say that in my mothers presence. The best case if she overhears you is her giving the idea serious consideration, the worse is her reliving the guilt and grief over what happened the last time they tried sending a daughter to us.¡±

    Ben winced a little, and ran a hand through his sandy hair. ¡°Ah, apologies. I was just trying to make a joke. I wouldn''t wish that grief on her again.¡±

    ¡°Nor would I.¡± Wulfram sighed, and shook his head. ¡°I imagine you need to go give your report, and I need to look happy and strong for the populace and Mother.¡± Wulfram thawed slightly. He supposed it might have made a good joke, if his Mother hadn''t been so obviously upset at the tragedy, and if she hadn''t been making it very clear that he needed to find a wife recently. He was in his twenties now, even if just barely. His father had only been 18 when Wulfram had been born, while Wulfram hadn''t even found a wife.

    ¡°I do. Have fun my friend, I''ll see you later for those drinks.¡± Ben patted Wulfram''s shoulder companionably, before turning down the hallway that led to the barracks and General Gavril''s study. Wulfram continued straight, into the main hall and then out into the courtyard where the procession was gathering.

    An honor guard had already formed, metal armor shined to a mirrored gleam. The only thing that saved them from being blinding to onlookers were the tabards bearing the coat of arms and the colors of the royal family. The king was already standing by his horse, talking to the head of the guard about their trip through the city and back, and Queen Mirabel was fussing over Wulfram''s sisters, adjusting tehir circlets and making sure they were comfortable in their gilded carriage. She looked over as Wulfram came out of the castle, smiling warmly. ¡°Wulfram, I was worried you wouldn''t make it.¡±

    She took the hand of the servant positioned next to the carriage, stepping down carefully so she could greet Wulfram.

    ¡°And miss all this? Of course not.¡± Wulfram leaned down and kissed his mother''s cheek. He might well think this was foolishness, but he wasn''t going to let that ruin his mothers and sisters fun.

    ¡°Oh, I know full well that this isn''t the type of thing you enjoy. But thank you.¡± Queen Mirabel patted Wulfram''s cheek gently, smiling patiently. A servant stepped up, bowing deeply over the blue velvet pillow he held. Queen Mirabel reached over, delicately picking up the circlet that sat on the pillow. The design was deceptively simple, but each piece represented an important part of their kingdoms and families history. The silver band represented their family, magic making it seem to shine blue in some lights. The blood red gemstone set in the center front represented the blood of the dragon their ancestors had slayed, freeing the people of the region and allowing them to establish the Trade Road. lastly was the thin, wavy line of gold that represented the Trade Road itself, and the wealth it brought to their kingdom. Wulfram bent down a little to make it easier for her to place the circlet on his head. He had gotten quite a bit taller than her over the years, and she could no longer reach without stretching up on her tiptoes.

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    The circlet set in place, Wulfram straightened, smiling. He didn¡¯t wear the circlet often, but for this type of occasion it was a necessary accessory. A piece of history that had been passed down through the generations. ¡°This is your day, Mother. I will enjoy it for you.¡±

    Wulfram¡¯s words brought a quiet laugh out of his mother, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Or at least tolerate it. Your sisters will enjoy it at least. Go ahead to your horse, I¡¯m going to make myself comfortable in the carriage.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mother.¡± Wulfram smiled and bowed slightly to her, showing his love for her and respect for her position. In many kingdoms the queen was only a figurehead, and Hesiodos there were no less than four queens at any given time. But in Cresenvasht the queen held an important role. She was the one who handled the more human side of things: trying to make sure food got to those in need, establishing and overseeing orphanages and healers halls, raising the royal family, social relationships with other kingdoms, and more recently, working with reluctant nobles in an attempt to establish schools for the common folk. This last was an ongoign battle, and one that was uphill all the way. Nobles often didn¡¯t see a reason for common folk to learn such things as reading, writing and math. In most cases, what they needed to know they would learn from their elders. If they needed to know math for their tasks, they would learn it from those who knew the required math; anything more was just silly and a waste of time and resources. Wulfram was of the opinion that common folk simply didn¡¯t have time to dedicate to studies, but he would tell his mother that. His area of attention would be the kingdoms safety, finances, treaties, and the training of a new generation of guards and soldiers. He knew better than to encroach on his mother¡¯s territory.

    He had seen the forcibly polite conversations that had come about when his father tried to dissuade her from certain courses of action. He felt a chill at the mere thought of it. No, he would leave the women¡¯s work to the women and keep his nose out of it if at all possible.

    Wulfram gave his father a nod of respect as he approached. ¡°Father, Sir Orrin.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, son.¡± King Cynewulf returned the nod, a smile briefly ghosting across his face. ¡°We were just reviewing our route through the city.¡±

    ¡°Guards have been increased along the route, and the streets have been cleared.¡± Guard Captain Orrin bowed, holding his helmet under one arm. ¡°Your horse has been prepared and we are ready to go as soon as King Cynewulf gives the word.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sir Orrin.¡± Wulfram nodded to the older man, and moved to check the tack on his horse. He trusted his people, but it was simply good practice to check. One incident of him falling on his ass because it was on improperly was more than enough for him. ¡°Your man did a good job of putting the tack on.¡± He smiled, stroking his horses nose.

    ¡°Thank you, your highness. I will be sure to pass on your approval.¡±

    ¡°Sir Orrin, go ahead and give the word to start the procession.¡± King Cynewulf climbed onto his own horse, pleased by his sons aptitude with the guards. But that was hardly surprising. He had made sure that Wulfram had served some time among them. It did the troops good when they knew that their leader had walked the proverbial mile in their shoes. King Cynewulf himself had served in two wards and numerous battles along side his troops. The first had been years before Wulfram had been born when Hesiodos and Cresenvasht had united against the Empire of Black Ice, driving off their hordes and reinforcing the border along northern mountains. The second had been the first battle of the war between Hesiodos and Cresenvasht, after their High Queens caravan had been attacked within the borders of Cresenvasht, shattering the friendship that had been formed.

    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡± Sir Orrin bowed to them both, turning on his heel sharply as he straightened. He strode to the front of the line, putting on his helmet and mounting his own horse. A signal for the procession to prepare to move. Wulfram mounted his own horse, settling comfortably in the saddle.

    ¡°Did you see Sir Bennett returned, Father?¡±

    ¡°I did. I expect to meet with General Gavril and him after the procession to receive the details of his report. I expect you to be in attendance as well.¡± King Cynewulf smiled, lifting his old gilded warhorn to his lips, blowing out a long, mournful tune. Ahead of them, the portcullis raised with the clanking of heavy chains.

    ¡°Mother won¡¯t be happy about that.¡±

    ¡°I am well aware of that, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± King Cynewulf set his warhorn back in its loop at his belt and nudged his horse into movement. Guard Captain Orrin may be at the head to clear the way, but the royal men were the true start of the procession, the start of who the people really wanted to see. ¡°Things are tense at the border, I don¡¯t know how long King Alastar will hold off attacking if we can¡¯t find a way to ease things. I would prefer not to go into a full blown war with Hesiodos if we can avoid it. Before it was just the Hesiodos clan, but if he rallies the other clans within his borders...¡± He trailed off, giving his head a shake.

    Wulfram knew the problems they would face, they didn¡¯t need to be said. Hesiodos was the clan that controlled the territories that bore their name, but only to an extent. There were four other clans within their borders that operated semi-independently of each other, each one sending a daughter to join the Hesiodos harem as queens, only one ascending to the role of High Queen to unite them all. If all five clans within the borders united against them... they would have a difficult war on their hands indeed.

    ¡°Let us hope that Sir Bennett has brought us some useful information then. He seems optimistic at least.¡±

    ¡°Let us hope indeed.¡± King Cynewulf nodded, his face settling into a stern but friendly smile as they rode through the portcullis and down the short road that connected to Trade Road. Even so close to the palace, people were gathered, throwing flowers and cheering in a polite and dignified manner. The group this close would be the lesser nobles and richer merchants, those of sufficient enough rank to see the royals first during such processions, but not of high enough rank to actually be in the procession. ¡°Now, pretend to be enjoying yourself for your lovely mother, and show the strength and pride of the Cresenvasht Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°As always.¡± Wulfram straightened slightly on his horse, plastering a smile on his own face. It was less stern that his fathers, after all, he was younger and had undergone fewer trials. But he was still the Crown Prince, still strong, proud and virile. He had to show in a hundred small ways that he was capable of following in his fathers footsteps.

 Chapter 3 - Dani

    Dani stuck to the rooftops returning the market so that she could avoid the guards. Something was going on for certain, there were flowers everywhere, and a feeling of celebration filled the city. Even the Rats Nest was joining in, the flowers less fresh than those in the upper markets but no less cheery. And there were more people in the market than usual. But for some reason she just couldn¡¯t think of what could be going on. The answer was there, in the back of her mind, she could feel it but couldn¡¯t put words to it. She paused on a rooftop overlooking Trade Road, sucking cinnamon and icing off her fingers as she tried her hardest to bring the memory up. Whatever it was, it was big. The merchants were all putting their best produce and products forward - and the best looking boar was already roasting on a spit.

    She perked up a bit, focusing on the boar and the hunter that was steadily rotating the spit. That was someone she recognized! She took a deep breath of the roasting meat, the expensive spices he had turned into a sauce that he dipped the meat in before handing it out to the customers. Her eyes slit in pleasure, closing for the briefest moment. Reshi always cooked meat the best. She hopped down off the roof, landing in a crouch against the wall.

    Dani straightened, strolling through the crowd to his stall, little more than a makeshift firepit built near a tiny tavern that did little more than sell booze and send people on their way. There would be no stealing here, the tavern was protected by the Thieves Guild, and Reshi had saved her life.

    Reshi looked up as she approached, sharp grey eyes a stark contract to his dark skin. He was Therija¡¯s uncle, but time in the wilderness and the intricate tattoos he had gained during his pirate youth.

    ¡°Yer droolin¡¯ lil¡¯un.¡± He growled, his frown deepening slightly as he looked her over. Finally, he gave a snort, and turned back to his boar. ¡°Skin¡¯n bones.¡±

    Dani grinned, shrugging. She knew better than to take the frown personally. Reshi was usually frowning to some extent. ¡°Caught. What¡¯s the occasion?¡± If she couldn¡¯t think of what it was, Reshi was sure to know. After all, he had brought in one hell of a boar for it, and his most expensive spices! It was rare enough to see him in the city at all, let alone with that kind of haul. She moved closer, sniffing the air again appreciatively, thinking of the coins in her pocket. It would be a gamble to buy a slice... she needed to pay up what she owed at the inn. But the meat smelled so good, and adopted daughter or not, she knew he would expect her to pay. He hadn¡¯t given her free meat in years, not since he taught her to steal as a child. She never faulted him for it, he had prepared her for a hard life. People like them were never going to be rich, and they could only afford so much kindness.

    If she lived the way Reshi had taught her, she wouldn¡¯t have snuck that poor kid a coin. Luckily Therija¡¯s mother had taught her that little acts of kindness didn¡¯t have to cost much.

    ¡°Ya need ta pay more ¡®tention to the city.¡± Reshi¡¯s face grew darker, and he paused in his work to look her full on again. He gave a nod to the crowd. ¡°Look, listen. Then ye can tell me.¡±

    ¡°Damnit Reshi.¡± Dani groaned and looked out at the market again. If she could remember she wouldn¡¯t have asked him! She crossed her arms, leaning against the cool stone of the wall behind his firepit, the scent of meat and spices filling her nose. Her stomach growled, and she made a face, hoping that Reshi hadn¡¯t heard.

    ¡°Hold yer tounge, an¡¯ tel me what ya see.¡± Reshi cuffed her head lightly before turning back to his boar, accepting a few copper from a man already into his cups. The jolly man stumbled off with a skewer of dripping meat and a bottle of honey mead from the shop behind them, calling out to some friends across the street. He started to stumble across, only to be shoved back towards the stalls by a passing guard.

    Dani rubbed her head, shooting a glare Reshi¡¯s way. The man was in a foul mood it seemed, she was suprised anyone was buying from him with that glower on his face. She turned her attention back to the market, scanning it again, trying to see anything she had missed. Why was she having such a hard time figuring out what was going on? She had heard of peoples minds going if they went too long without proper food. But she had eaten! She had eaten a cinnamon roll, with raisins! Maybe she just needed more sleep. But the smell of meat was even driving away that desire. ¡°I can tell it¡¯s a celebration, but can¡¯t for the life of me remember what folks would be celebrating this time of year. It¡¯s not the harvest, and not the end of the cold season, so what is it?¡±

    Reshi¡¯s look turned to one of disappointment and something she couldn¡¯t quite place in his expression. ¡°Keep lookin¡¯.¡±

    What was she missing? She looked back across the market, spotting the usual pickpockets and grifters. It was too early for the whores to be out, but she spotted a couple of the classier ones relaxing in front of one of the better inns anyways. They had placed themselves to be framed artfully by the flowers and garlands that someone had strung up. And speaking of flowers, they were everywhere, strung across the street on garlands of colorful scrap fabric, over stalls, being sold two for half a copper on street corners. And further up, she could see the kingdoms colors flying: blue and silver. ¡°Royals comin¡¯ through?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s mid-summer lass, Queens Day!¡± Reshi shook his head, not even bothering to hide his disappointment. That hardly seemed fair! She couldn¡¯t keep track of every stupid holiday the city celebrated. Reshi cut a sliver of meat off the boar, offering it to her on the tip of his knife. She took it, popping it into her mouth with no hesitation. Queens Day, the birthday of her royal highness... whatever her name was. It made sense, things she had seen falling into place. The flowers, the tiny cakes she had seen here and there, the guards keeping the center of Trade Road empty of people. The royal family would be making their trip down to the old docks and back.

    ¡°What do I care about Queens Day? Other than it means more guards and heavier pockets.¡± She didn¡¯t pay much mind to the royals. Their lives were so different from her own that they might as well be gods, descending from their shining palace to flaunt their wealth and power to the tiny people of Rats Nest.

    This time the cuff to her head was enough to set her ears ringing, and she let out a curse, stumbling a bit. ¡°What the hell, Reshi?!¡±

    ¡°Think ya lil¡¯ idiot! Or have ye got yer head so far up yer arse that ya know nothin¡¯ ¡®bout what they¡¯ll bring wit¡¯em, or what the queen ¡®as done for the poor folk?¡±

    Dani stared at Reshi in shock, where the hell had that come from? She straightened, rubbing the tender spot on her head. Her own temper flared at being scolded like a child, and in public no less! The bitterness of having to scrape for a living and fear for her life when there were people that had everything they could ever want and more only fueled her anger, and she waved at the street furiously. ¡°What has she done, eh? What have any of them done? They sit in their castle, wining and dining, while people starve to death on the streets!¡± Even keeping her voice low there were those that gave her and Reshi a wide berth. Well, she couldn¡¯t blame them. Even in the Rats Nest it was dangerous to speak ill of the royal family.

    ¡°I shoul ¡®ave left ye in the woods.¡± Reshi shook a fist at her, and let out a snort. Dani flinched slightly, expecting another hit, but didn¡¯t back down, standing tall as he continued. ¡°Yer ignorance¡¯ll be the death of ye. Guarantee it. So this time, I¡¯ll spell it out fer ya in an attempt ta save yer hide. The queens been tryin¡¯ ta get the nobles ta open a school fer common folk an¡¯ make ¡®em put more food towards the orphanages near the border. Which ya would care a lot more ¡®bout if I had left ya where I found ya! Don¡¯t open yer mouth, I ain¡¯t done.¡± Dani paused, closing her mouth, her face red.

    ¡°Royals comin¡¯ through means people are gunna be showin¡¯ off their goods, carryin¡¯ more money. Ya at least got that right, an¡¯ that the guards¡¯ll be out in force. But more nobles are out as well, with their own guards, an¡¯ their own thief-catchin¡¯ magic. Which means yer normal pathetic pickpocketin¡¯ is gun¡¯ be that much more dangerous. ¡®Specially when all that magic overlaps an ye can¡¯t tell who has magic on them anymore.¡±

    ¡°Pathetic pickpocketing? You¡¯re the one that taught me, and it¡¯s a good enough living!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not hardly a livin¡¯ at all, an¡¯ well ya know it. Ya ain¡¯t got hardly any meat on yer bones; ya been takin¡¯ reisks but not ¡®nough ta pay fer bed an¡¯ a room.¡±

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    ¡°Ah shit.¡± Dani flinched, humiliation seeping in to mix unpleasantly with the anger, turning it more into shame. She thought of how she had snuck out of the inn this morning... of course Reshi would find out. He was the one that had recommended the inn in the first place when she moved out of the little house Therija¡¯s family lived in. Raycor hadn¡¯t needed an extra mouth to feed, and with Azra, Therija and her all sharing a bed it had been getting crowded. ¡°I was gonna pay him tonight....¡±

    ¡°Oh aye, sure ye were. An¡¯ what of tomorrow night? An¡¯ the night after? Am I gonna come ta town again to find ya didn¡¯t pay again, or that ye been thrown in Commoners Jail fer stealin? Worse thing I ever did was teach ya ta steal... no one can stay a thief forever.¡± Reshi¡¯s face softened, and he looked at her with a disappointment and tenderness that was somehow worse than his anger. ¡°When I taught ya how ta steal, I thought ye¡¯d eventually find somethin¡¯ better.¡±

    Dani tried to keep standing tall, but she could feel herself shrinking in on herself, haunching her shoulders as her body tried to make itself as small as she felt. She frowned, looking away from him. She hadn¡¯t expected to be put to the fire herself when she had come to say hello! The damn hypocrite had been a thief when he found her, supplementing his own income from hunting. But even as a pirate he had always been loyal to the royal family.

    ¡°Nothin¡¯ ta say, eh? Dani... lil¡¯un, ya need ta start thinkin¡¯ about yer future. Not jus¡¯ tonight or the next. What happens if ya get hurt? Or sick? Me¡¯n Raycor won¡¯t be around forever.¡±

    Dani looked at him in alarm. Was he dying? No, that was stupid. He looked fine! But his questions dug at fears she had held for years. She felt like she was a little girl again, caught in a mistake. The feeling only grew as Reshi sighed, and rested a hand on her head gently. ¡°Think on it, lil¡¯un. We¡¯ll talk tonight. I expect ya back at the usual inn; I handled yer tab this time, but I ain¡¯t gunna be able to keep doin¡¯ that.¡±

    Shame twisted like a knife in Dani¡¯s gut, and she hung her head. He had handled her tab? Shit... she didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever do that. Reshi turned away, and sliced a large hunk of meat off the bore. He speared it on a stick that had been stripped of its bark, dipped it in the sauce, and held it out to her. ¡°Here. Ya need ta eat. Keep yer damn coin lass, ye be needin¡¯ it.¡±

    The last growl came when she started to reach for her pouch. He shoved the stick into her hand, his stern frown returning. ¡°Get outta ¡®ere. Go find a spot ta enjoy the procession.¡±

    And with that, he turned his back to her, effectively ending the conversation. Dani stood there a moment longer anyways, her gut in knots as sauce dripped down the stick onto her hand. Finally, she turned and slunk away into the alley, wondering if she¡¯d even be able to keep the meat down.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Her stomach had settled some by the time she reached the rooftops overlooking the Trade Road, and she dropped down onto some crates to eat the meat. To be fair even if her stomach had still been upset, she would have eaten the meat anyways. She wasn¡¯t about to waste food, especially not with Reshi¡¯s special sauce: sweet and spicy at once. But today was fast turning into one of those days where she should have just stayed in bed. First Therija wanted to talk to her about her future, and now Reshi... both had mentioned other options than thieving. Sure, Reshi hadn¡¯t suggested specific paths, but she had a feeling that would be part of the conversation tonight.

    She could hardly wait.

    Irritated, she flicked her stick at a large rat that had been running along the roofline. It bounced off the old, cracked brickwork that rimmed the roof, and the rat just hissed at her. It didn¡¯t even bother running away! Dani scowled, letting out her own hiss and stomping her foot at it, the old roof flexing beneath her. The rat scurried away with one last belligerent hiss, disappearing down a small mountain of crates stacked against the buildings wall. Today apparently wasn¡¯t her day, if even the rats weren¡¯t impressed with her.

    Dani tilted her head back, letting the sun blind her for a moment. It let her forget where and what she was, even if just for a moment. She could imagine that she was something other than a street rat and a mediocre thief. Or street mouse, as her friends often said, since she tended to be the smallest out of their group. It wasn¡¯t helped by the fact she made the most embarassing squeaks when she was startled.... The corner of her mouth quirked up, and she let out a cleansing breath. Lowering her head, Dani blinked ghosts of light from her vision. She turned her attention to the market, the bright colors of merrymakers and flowrs, the music and smells of celebration. When had she last really enjoyed a festival? The last big one had been the Spring festival, celebrating the end of the cold season. But there had been others, smaller ones.

    She took a moment, watching the procession that was slowly coming down the street as she thought. The last one she had really taken the time to enjoy probably had been the spring festival. She had danced with friends, and gotten drunk off honey wine that had been fermenting all winter. She smiled a bit at the memory. That had been a good night.

    But she wouldn¡¯t be enjoying this festival, she couldn¡¯t afford to. She had to figure out how she could make a living. Whether it was through pickpocketing, honest work, or... ugh... getting a husband. She was most certainly not the housewife type, which was what most men expected of women: staying home, taking care of children, cooking and cleaning. The whole thing sounded boring as hell.

    She looked out over the procession as it wound its way down Trade Road, the sun shining off armor and the carriages gilding. The queen would probably be in that carriage, along with the princesses. Lucky blue blood... she probably had servants for all that stuff. Of course, what did that leave her to do? Relax and maybe read? That could be relaxing for a while, but not how she¡¯d want to spend the rest of her life for sure. She laughed at herself, as if that would ever happen to her!

    She hopped off her crate, moving to crouch down at the edge of the roof. The streets cleared ahead of the procession; onlookers guided out of the way by the guards. They would be passing through the Tangle soon, down to the original city docks, the Gateway to the Sea as they called it. Processions through the city always followed the Trade Road from the palace to the Gateway and back. If the stories were believed, the tradition had been started when the original archway had been built, and when the main market used to be down by the docks. Dani stared at the wealth the royals wore, their gilded carriage and gold-edged armor. They wore more wealth than she had earned in her lifetime. If she could get her hands on even a fraction of it, she¡¯d be set for life.

    That thought tickled at the back of her brain, and she shifted a little, her gaze sharpening on the procession. Could she get her hands on any of it? It was a risk, one crazier than she was used to taking, almost suicidal. But if she pulled it off....

    If she pulled it off, she could prove to Reshi that she could make it as a thief, that she was bold enough to make it as more than just a pickpocket. She could prove to Therija that she could earn enough to set herself up for a while. Maybe they would stop talking about other ways of life, or marriage. All she needed, was one big score.

    She had a new purpose in watching the procession now, staring hard at it, making note of the guards and how much attention they were paying to the actual procession itself. There were a lot of them, but their attention was focused more on the crowds, than the people in the procession. The gold and gemstones inlaid into the carriage itself were out of the question, and she didn¡¯t see a lot of money pouches. It would have to be something like jewelry then, something she could snag and break down to sell.

    Her heart started to pound as the plan formed in her head. It was borderline insane, she knew that. But if she pulled it off... it was the type of thing that bards would sing songs about! She knew that much of the jewelry was impossible, but the two royal men were tall, made taller still by the horses they rode. And they would pass directly beneath the Gate of the Sea, the archway that marked the official beginning of the city, and the end of the old dock market. That was her chance. The vines that grew across the archway hung low, and often brushed against the tops of wagons and carriages. If she was very, very lucky, then they would never notice when she snagged the crown that she had selected as her target. Both crowns gleamed with gold and gemstones, and on their horses the men were nearly as tall as the wagons that passed beneath the arch on a daily basis.

    She took a breath, trying to calm the racing of her heart, pushing aside the part of her that screamed the plan was suicide. She pushed herself up, running down the rooftops beside Trade Road, behind onlookers that had decided the roofs were a better place to view the procession than along the side of Trade Road. She slipped a little on the loose dirt that still remained from the last rockslide, piled up in an alley between two buildings. But she caught her balance and continued on her way. The route wasn¡¯t new, it was a favorite for street races, and she knew exactly where to step to avoid falling through some of the less sturdy roofs. When she got to the Gateway, she took a small leap onto it, lying flat on her belly among the vines to avoid being seen. She did draw some looks of curiosity, but no one stopped her as she shimmied across it, positioning herself so that the younger of the two men would pass directly beneath her.

    Back on the roof, one of the younger men elbowed his companion, nodding to her with a grin. She ignored them, adrenaline hammering through her veins. For a moment, she felt like she could do anything, like she was invincible. She reached her hand down through the vines as the men passed beneath her, and snagged the crown.

    The younger mans head snapped up, brown eyes piercing into her very soul. And for a moment, the world froze. She hadn¡¯t been fast enough, sneaky enough, lucky enough. Her blood turned to ice in her veins, and she stared at him for a moment that seemed like eternity.

    ¡°Then, just as suddenly as it had stopped, time started moving again. Someone shouted at her to run, and she leapt to her feet, clutching her prize as she leapt off the Gateway, landing hard on the roof of the nearest building, onlookers scattering. She didn¡¯t even look behind her as she took off running towards the tangle of streets and rooftops that made up the Rats Nest.

 Chapter 4 - Wulfram

    He had barely felt it, nearly dismissed the touch against his head as vines from the Gateway to the Sea. It was just by chance that he had looked up, locking gazes with the most vibrant blue eyes he had ever seen. It took him a moment to realize the woman those eyes belonged to was holding a crown.

    His crown.

    Rage surged through him, a red-hot heat as the woman scrambled to her feet and took off across the roofs, pushing through those gathered to watch the procession and throw flowers down at the queens carriages. His face contorted into a snarl, and he climbed onto his saddle, leaping onto the old stone arch and taking off after her. ¡°Stop! By order of the crown!¡±

    ¡°Wulfram! Guards, do not let that thief escape!¡± His father gestured to the guards that had been escorting the carriage, five of them splitting off to head into the Tangle after Wulfram and the thief. The rest clustered closer to the carriage and king, drawing their weapons as they looked over the quickly scattering populace for other thieves or attackers.

    Wulfram trusted them to protect his family, he wanted to catch the woman who thought she could steal from him. She had the advantage of knowing where she was going, and she had a head start. But he had years of training on his side, honing his stamina, reflexes and strength. His feet pounded across the rooftops after her, leaping with ease across the same gaps she did, climbing the same crates and walls. ¡°STOP!¡±

    He channeled every ounce of command in his body into the shout, and she hesitated. Just for a moment, but it was enough for him to close some of the gap between them. He reached out to grab her, but she started moving again, glancing over her shoulder at him, eyes wide with fear.

    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± She shouted back at him, and he nearly laughed. That was some question coming from her!

    ¡°Are you?¡± He challenged her, following her around a pile of crates and debris that half covered the roof, cursing as he nearly tripped over a large piece of masonry that had been knocked off one of the buildings higher up the slope. It had been nearly thirty years, and efforts to clear the debris from the Tangle had long been abandoned to deal with the conflict with Hesiodos. The woman leapt across another roof, pausing as the wood creaked beneath her.

    She spun, her eyes wide, one hand outstretched as he leapt through the air. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t!¡±

    But it was too late, he was already in the air. He landed on the rotten wood with a heavy thud, the wood groaning and cracking beneath their feet. He froze, looking down as the wood started to buckle beneath their combined weight. With a loud crack, the whole thing collapsed beneath them, and they fell through to the floor below in a hail of dust and debris.

    Wulfram let out a groan, shoving a piece of rotten wood off him as he sat up. Luckily the fall hadn¡¯t been that far, and the floor beneath them flexed, cushioning them somewhat. But his back still ached from where he had landed. Damn little thief... what the hell was she thinking?

    He had to admit to a certain level of admiration at the gutsiness of her stunt, but he was still going to haul her away to the dungeon. If she lived that long.

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    ¡°Your highness! Are you alright?¡± A familiar voice called down from the edge of the roof, and Wulfram looked up, squinting in the settling dust. One of the guards from the procession... good.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Be careful though, the roof is rotten!¡± So was the floor beneath them for that matter. He looked around for the thief, spotting movement a short distance away, and the bright glint of his crown among the rubble. The thief was sprawled across some of the rubble, groaning as she started to sit up with the caution of one expecting pain at the movement.

    He scowled, pushing himself fully to his feet. He could feel the sore points where he would be developing bruises soon enough, but nothing felt broken. A blessing, considering the fall. The floor groaned and flexed beneath him, and he moved carefully across to the thief. She was just starting to move, her eyes on him as she reached for the crown she had attempted to steal.

    Wulfram stepped on her wrist, his voice a growl. ¡°Don¡¯t Move.¡±

    She froze, her eyes made more vibrant by the dirt that covered her face. Towering over her, he rather felt like a cat that had cornered a mouse. He leaned down, grabbing the crown from where it had fallen. The thief tried to pull her arm from under him, and he increased the weight on her wrist until she let out a whimper of pain. ¡°I said don¡¯t move!¡±

    The woman froze, terror filling those beautiful blue eyes of hers, the same pale blue of mountain wildflowers. He had only seen eyes that color a couple of times before, on warriors of the Hesiodos clans. Was she one of them? Had she been sent to steal a royal treasure and make a fool of him?

    But no, she was too scrawny, less street rat and more mouse. All the Hesiodos clansmen and women he had seen were strong, or at least decently fed. When was the last time this girl had had a proper meal? No, she was no warrior of Hesiodos, she was no warrior at all. He leaned down, grabbing her by her other arm, and hauling her to her feet. ¡°Tell me. What did you hope to gain from this stupid stunt? And why shouldn¡¯t I shove you in a gibbet for the vultures?¡±

    The woman grabbed his hand with her free one, trying to pry his hand from it. She grit her teeth, leaning back away from him as far as she could in an attempt to get away. He snarled, lifting her off her feet. ¡°Answer me! Or are you mute?¡±

    The thought gave him pause, was she mute? He could tell she was malnourished, she was shockingly light. But were things worse than that for her? No, she had spoken earlier, she was no mute. The rage boiled up over pity, and he gave her a shake. ¡°Speak up girl!¡±

    ¡°That hurts!¡± She finally yelped, her nails digging into his skin as she tried to pry away his hand.

    ¡°Ah, she finds her voice again. Now answer the questions! Or should I just throw you in the dungeon myself?¡± He would likely throw her in the dungeon anyways, there was no way he could just let her get away after what she had attempted to do. In full view of a crowd of people no less! She had to be stupid, desperate, or insane.

    She glared at him, false bravado and anger nearly hiding the fear in her eyes. He could feel how fast her heart was beating though, he knew she was terrified, and with good reason. ¡°Why did you try and steal from me?¡±

    ¡°Your highness, we¡¯re sending down a rope!¡± The guard had returned, Wulfram hadn¡¯t even noticed that he had left. But he had reappeared with a rough rope. The only problem was the fact that the rope was let down on the other side of the room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right up, with our little thief.¡± He smirked a bit, lowering her just enough so that her feet touched the floor. It groaned again, and one of the wooden planks cracked. He froze for a moment, the sound distracting him from the thief long enough for her to drive a knee up into his groin. He doubled over, letting out a groan of pain as he released her, hands moving to the offended part. Prince, soldier or pauper, a knee to the groin was still a knee to the groin. ¡°You little....¡±

    She grabbed for the crown, either ignoring or not noticing the shout from the guard. The other man leapt down into the room, drawing his sword. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for laying hands on the prince!¡± He shouted.

    But the added weight was too much. The already struggling floor let out one final groan, before collapsing beneath them, plunging all three of them into darkness.

 Chapter 5 - Dani

    Dani woke in the near darkness with a groan of pain. Her head was pounding, and while her leg didn¡¯t feel broken it sure as hell hurt. She had obviously picked the wrong building to use in her escape, but how was she supposed to know he¡¯d follow her onto the rickety old roof like that? Or that the guard would then follow him? But she supposed she shouldn¡¯t be surprised. He had been on her tail the moment she had taken the crown, and the buildings around here were some of the worse off in all of the Rats Nest. At least she had landed on something soft, which was strange.

    She looked around in the settling dust, spotting the guard first, laying awkwardly on the rubble from not just the roof, but the first floor. They had fallen straight through to the cellar! How was she still alive? She could only pray that the prince would still be alive as well, or she would be worse than dead.

    Dani spotted his crown first, and snatched it up. He had to be nearby, he had been just out of arms reach of her!

    Then she spotted his hand, half buried in the rubble, and followed it back to his body. Right about where she had been laying. ¡°Ah shit....¡±

    Reshi was going to kill her! She dug at the debris, tossing aside broken board, the occassional dead rat, and long forgotten clothes as she dug him out. He was laying so still, what if he really was dead? There was a nasty gash across his head, and a piece of broken board dug into his side. Panic and guilt surged through her.

    It had been a blur as the roof collapsed, but she remembered him grabbing onto her. Had he been trying to save her? Or just making sure she didn¡¯t escape? Either way, it was her fault he was down here.

    She leaned down to listen for a heartbeat, and relief flooded through her when she felt his chest rise and fall with his steady breathing. Thank the gods, he was still alive. Dani looked up above them at the rubble.

    They weren¡¯t getting out that way, not easily at least. But at least he was alive. She tied the crown to her belt, and crawled over the rubble to check on the guard. He was still breathing too, but from the angle his leg was at, it was broken. Well, at least he wouldn¡¯t be chasing her. But he also wouldn¡¯t be able to help them get out of here.

    ¡°Okay Dani, think.¡± She whispered with another anxious glance at what was left of the roof. She could hear the other guards outside the building, trying to force open a door that was blocked by a roof beam. It was only a matter of time before they got through and she got arrested.

    She looked around what was left of the room slowly. Most of it was filled with debri from the roof and the main floor, but there were still a few clear spots. If she was really really lucky there would be an old smugglers tunnel down here. It was close enough to the docks that it would make sense for there to be one. So she started to run her hand along the bare stone walls, searching for the small symbol that would mark a hidden tunnel.

    Dani caught a glimpse of obsidian in the wall, and let out a laugh. The gods may have her on their shit list right now, but they weren¡¯t just throwing her to the wolves. It was possible they were just teasing her with hope, but obsidian wasn¡¯t a common stone around these parts. She pulled a short obsidian key from beneath her shirt, the thin rope that worked as a necklace forcing her to bend close to the wall to insert the key and turn it.

    ¡°Please work, please work...¡± She whispered. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll never steal from another noble again, just work!¡±

    There was a loud thud from above, the roof beam starting to shift. Those damn idiots! What were they thinking? The couldn¡¯t just climb over the wall? Or maybe in through a window? Anything but forcing that door open! There was a faint click behind the wall, and then with the grinding of old gears, an opening started to form.

    Above them, the debris groaned again, and she heard the crack of wood. ¡°Ah bloody hell!¡±

    She scurried back to the unconcious prince. With another glance at the debris that was starting to tip towards them with the force of the roof beam, she grabbed his ankles and started to drag him across the floor as quickly as she could. ¡°You could wake up any time now!¡±

    No answer.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you wake up?¡± Dani whimpered. She had to get him through the door, and fast! She grit her teeth, and yanked harder on his ankles, sliding him through the debris already piled on the floor. Down the small slope it made and into the darker tunnels that honeycombed the land beneath the city. ¡°And why the hell are you so heavy?¡±

    Still no answer.

    It wasn¡¯t like she expected one, and this was going much faster than if he had been awake. With his damn questions and his threats. She would see how he liked that!

    If either of them lived that long.

    His body moved easier on the hard packed dirt of the tunnel, and she was able to drag him a few feet away from the entrance before the debris crashed down, filling the tunnel with dirt. She could only hope none of it had landed on the guard.

    Dani closed her eyes tightly, coughing as the dirt clogged the air. She dropped down to the floor beside the prince and slumped against the cold wall. ¡°Gods above and below... that was too close.¡± She managed to choke out, mostly for her own benefit since the prince was still out cold.

    She needed some light. She fumbled around in the debris, feeling rotting fabric and wood, plenty of dirt, and at last, a stone. It wouldn¡¯t work as well as a crystal or glass, but those were both expensive luxuries. With enough magic, a normal stone would work as a glowstone. It wouldn¡¯t be as good as crystal or glass either, but it would give her light.

    Dani gripped the stone with both hands, concentrating on it as she channeled magic from her body and into the rock. The pounding in her head grew worse, and her muscles trembled as she forced more and more magic into the stone until it started to glow the same soft blue as her eyes. She gasped for breath in the dirty air, and sweat made the dirt cling for her face unpleasantly. The dim light struggled in the dirt clogged air, but it would be enough.

    It would have to be.

    She set the rock down on the floor next to the prince, and started to check him for broken bones. She removed a jagged piece of wood from his side, and grimaced at the blood that stained it before she tossed it away. As she pulled off his vest, she sent a silent prayer to whatever god might listen to an insignificant idiot like herself to please let the prince live.

    This wasn¡¯t how this was supposed to go!

    This was supposed to be an easy way to make a good amount of money. She knew selling the crown wouldn¡¯t be easy, but at least she could have sold off the raw materials to the right buyer. But no, he just had to chase after her.

    ¡°You¡¯re a pain in the ass, you know that? Why did you have to follow me? Is the crown that important? Or I know, maybe you just didn¡¯t want to look like an idiot by getting robbed by a girl.¡± She muttered to herself as she pulled off his thick quilted vest, and then his shirt. Gods he was heavy! And damn...

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    She couldn¡¯t help pausing a moment, looking down at his naked torso with appreciation. There wasn¡¯t a bit of flab on him! she gave herself a little shake, and started to rip his shirt into long strips. Filthy as it was, it was still bound to be cleaner than hers. That and he could go around without a shirt and no one would bat an eye.

    Well, maybe they would. The gods had sure as hell blessed him.

    She started to bandage the wound in his side. It wouldn¡¯t help much, but it should keep the worse of the dirt out of his wound. She also took the chance to check him for broken bones.

    ¡°You are one lucky sone of a bitch.¡± She spoke softly, and shook her head at how few wounds he had. Granted she had been damn lucky too, not that she had checked herself for wounds. But even a dumb thief like herself knew the crown princes life was worth more than hers.

    The thought made her stomach twist, but she did her best to ignore it as she secured the end of the bandage. Next she started to bandage the gash on his head. That one was a bit more awkward, and as she worked he started to wake up. His forehead wrinkled first, and he let out a groan, eyes opening to the gloom of the tunnel.

    Dani froze, her heart rate spiking as he turned his gaze on her. This was the man that could easily kill her if he wanted to, that could have her dragged into a dungeon and tortured, or thrown into a gibbet. She shifted back a little, bracing herself to run if need be.

    The prince sat up slowly, gingerly, like someone expecting pain when they moved. He winced as he found the pain he had been wary of, and lightly touched the bandages that covered his wounds.

    ¡°I am surprised that you didn¡¯t try to slit my throat, or run with the crown.¡± His voice was rough and carried an undercurrent of pain. But he wasn¡¯t yelling or threatening. Not yet.

    ¡°I ain¡¯t a monster.¡±

    He turned his gaze fully to her, frowning in the pale light of her glowstone. She couldn¡¯t read his expression, she didn¡¯t like that. It meant that she couldn¡¯t tell what he was going to do, or if he still planned on taking her in. Finally, he spoke. ¡°No. I suppose you aren¡¯t. You¡¯re more of a mouse, trying to steal scraps off the table under the cooks nose.¡±

    Dani snorted and pushed herself to her feet. She stumbled and nearly fell back down as pain shot through her leg. She braced herself against the wall, forcing herself to breath slow. Not broken, but it still hurt to stand on.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± The prince stood as well, letting out his own hiss of pain. But at least he managed standing better than she did.

    The question surprised her. She looked over to him, her breathing a bit ragged. She shrugged a little, intending to literally just shrug off the questions. That turned out to be as bad a mistake as many others she had made today. The movement sent pain screaming down her back, and she let out a stream of curses learnt from many a year listening to Reshi and the sailors talk.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no.¡± The prince touched the bandage on his side again, silent for a long moment.

    Then he knelt and picked up the glow stone, moving closer to her. ¡°Where are we?¡± He shone the light over her back, the soft blue light glistening on blood.

    Dani flinched as he came closer, and straightened from the wall. She couldn¡¯t let him see her as weak. ¡°I¡¯m fine. We¡¯re in one of the old smugglers tunnels.¡± Speaking of which.. she looked to the caved in entrance and let out a groan. ¡°Ah shit.¡±

    ¡°What is it? Also, you¡¯re a terrible liar. We¡¯re going to have to bandage that.¡±

    ¡°We? We¡¯ll have to bandage that? Why do you even care?¡± She stared at the pile of debris in front of the entrance, but didn¡¯t dare try to dig into it in search of the obsidian key. Reshi was going to be so pissed when he found out she lost it. He had given that to her before he even taught her to steal. It was meant to get her out of trouble if she needed a quick getaway.

    ¡°Well for one, I am also not a monster.¡± Irritation leaked into his voice as he continued to speak. ¡°For two, you bandaged me when you could have easily ran. And three, you seem to have at least some idea of where we are, while I have none. Also, that doesn¡¯t seem safe to be near.¡±

    He grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back as the pile shifted, rocks rolling down the wooden planks. She could almost hear voices outside. The damn fools were probably walking on the rubble!

    Dani stumbled back, glaring at the debris and the people behind it. Losing that key was going to make things considerably harder. ¡°It would be safer if your people weren¡¯t crawling all over it! I used a key to get us down here, but it¡¯s buried under the rubble. I was too busy dragging your heavy ass to safety to grab it before the building came down. There was a guard... I hope he¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°The guard that followed us. I hope so as well. He¡¯s a good man. Is the key necessary to get us out of the tunnel?¡± The prince stepped closer to the rubble, tilting his head as he listened.

    ¡°No, but it would have made it a hell of a lot easier. There are a lot of tunnels that you need a key to get into. Those ones I know most of, the deeper ones though? It isn¡¯t safe to go too deep, there¡¯s all sorts of nasty things and people down here.¡±

    She started to rip the bottom of her shirt, even as filthy as it was it would still work for bandages.

    It would have to, she had pretty much used up his shirt bandaging him up. Now that she was aware of the pain, she could swear it hurt more. Before she had stood up she hadn¡¯t noticed it at all.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to bandage yourself. The blood is coming out of your shoulder blade area. Please, let me help.¡± The prince turned away from the rubble, facing her fully in the cool light of the glowstone.

    ¡°Are you still going to throw me in the dungeon? Or the gibbet? How can you even do that to people?¡± She tore more of her shirt off, unwilling to meet his eyes.

    ¡°For now, you¡¯ve earned yourself a reprieve from punishment. I can¡¯t just let you get away with it so yes, you likely will be thrown in the dungeon at the very least.¡± He spoke so calmly about it, coldly. She turned to stare at him, tempted to punch him in the face.

    ¡°I could just leave your ass down here.¡± She offered, glancing down the hallway into the inky blackness. ¡°You don¡¯t know the way out. We could see how long it¡¯ll take your guards to dig you out.¡±

    ¡°You could, but you¡¯re not that much of a monster.¡± He actually smiled, as if this was all some sort of joke. ¡°Lets make a deal.¡± He glanced down to the crown on her belt, and held out a hand. ¡°Give me the crown, we¡¯ll use it seal the deal.¡±

    ¡°How are we going to use the crown?¡± She untied it from her belt though, curious in spite of herself.

    ¡°Just a little bit of magic. Nothing harmful, and you¡¯ll get to keep some of your prize.¡±

    Dani looked at him suspiciously. But he could easily overpower her and take the crown anyways, especially with as much pain as she was in right now. ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±

    ¡°You help me get out of these tunnels, you keep half the crown as reward for saving my life, and I maybe don¡¯t throw you in the dungeon. I¡¯ll even promise not to throw you in a gibbet.¡± He spoke calmly, a smile playing at his lips as he waited patiently for her to hold out the crown. Every little thing about him right now seemed to speak of confidence and control. He was a prince, even covered in dirt and grime. A prince with a plan that she suspected wouldn¡¯t be all that good for her.

    But she could sense the magic in the crown now. It felt old, subtle. The type of magic she very much preferred to steer clear of. ¡°You can¡¯t just shake hands like a normal person? And you maybe won¡¯t throw me in the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, maybe. After all, it¡¯s your fault we¡¯re down here. And no, a handshake isn¡¯t sufficient in this case. You may not be a monster but you are a thief, and you might get the insane idea in your head about abandoning me down here. I want assurances that that won¡¯t happen.¡±

    Dani wasn¡¯t stupid enough to ask why he didn¡¯t trust her. Hell, if their situations were reversed she wouldn¡¯t trust him either. She didn¡¯t trust him now! Which was why she still hesitated. But there was still that fact that if he died, she would die too.

    She was well and truly screwed.

    Reluctantly, she held out the crown, the blood red gemstone centerpiece shining in the pale blue light. His smile grew, and he grasped the crown, speaking two words that resonated with the magic of the crown. ¡°Lef ibdon.¡±

    His eyes flared gold for a brief moment, and an answering glow filled the gold on the crown. The glow spread, her own blue magic seeping into the crown to mingle with his magic.

    Dani let out a yell, trying to pull her hand away, but it was like it was glued in place.

    ¡°You lousy asshole! What the hell?!¡±

    ¡°Relax, it¡¯s just an assurance, for both of us.¡± The metal and gemstones of the crown started to flow apart, crawling up both their hands to form two almost identical bracelets: miniature versions of the very crown she had tried to steal, only the gemstones on hers were a rich amber, and the gemstones on his were a pale blue.

    ¡°An assurance? What kind of magic is it to give us both an assurance?¡± Dani yanked her hand away from him as soon as it was free, and tried to pull the bracelet off her wrist. But she couldn¡¯t even get her fingernails beneath it. Great, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to sell it! Not that she wanted anything to do with it now. Her grand risk had failed so spectacularly that she was sure even the dead would cringe at her failur. Not only had she not gotten the loot she had been trying for, she had lost the smugglers key, nearly died, and now whatever this was!

    This day couldn¡¯t get any worse.

 Chapter 6 - Wulfram

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to take it off.¡± Wulfram raised his hand, looking at the bracelet with a mix of trepidation and curiosity. What he had just done was rash, and he wasn¡¯t entirely sure of the ramifications. But he needed her help, at least for now. He could hear the guards on the other side of the rubble, but who knew how long it would take them to dig through. If it took as long as the last time there was a landslide, he¡¯d be long dead before they got through. ¡°The crown you tried to steal is almost as old as the kingdom itself, and has many secrets. If you had kept it, it would have killed you. With this spell however, it simply binds us together.¡±

    ¡°It what? I don¡¯t want to be bound to you!¡± The woman stomped her foot and glared at him, a move that was spoiled by her almost falling as pain flashed across her face. He curled an arm around her, gently easing her to the ground.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want my crown stolen in front of dozens of people, or my mothers birthday to be spoiled. Now lets see to your back and leg.¡± His whole body ached, his head and side worse of all. He was certain she was hurting and scared, and they would both need to see a healer after this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you touching me either!¡± She tried to pull away, but he held her tightly. It didn¡¯t take her long to stop struggling. Her shoulders slumped like a marionette with her strings shut, and her voice grew soft. ¡°Reshi was right... my stupidity will be the death of me.¡±

    He felt a pang of compassion for the woman. She had bit off more than she could chew with her little stunt. He moved so that he could look her in the eyes, keeping his voice even and calm. ¡°You cannot bandage yourself. I swear I will not harm you.¡± He raised the wrist with the bracelet on it. The gem glowed faintly, the pale blue of her magic, and her eyes. ¡°These make sure we cannot harm each other without harming ourselves.¡±

    A small lie, but a necessary one. She was scared and uncooperative, and he needed her cooperative to get them both out of here alive. After that, well, he would deal with what happened afterwards later. He was certain the bracelets didn¡¯t actually have that kind of effect, but the history was vague at best.

    She looked down at the bracelet he wore, then down at her own, the gem glowing with the deep amber gold of his own magic. ¡°Why the hell would you do that? Are you insane? What if I decide to just say fuck it and kill you anyways?¡±

    Wulfram couldn¡¯t help but snort out a laugh. ¡°Madam, if you think you can fight me I invite you to try. After we get out of these tunnels. Now, let me bandage your back. I swear not to stare but you will have to remove what¡¯s left of your shirt.¡±

    He looked around for a moment, finding his vest in the dirt. She had already started tearing her own shirt to make bandages, but what she would have left wouldn¡¯t be enough to cover her properly. She stared at him, her lips pressing together, face pale beneath the dirt and grime. ¡°You want me to what?¡± She asked flatly.

    ¡°Remove what¡¯s left of your shirt. You can turn your back to me if you want but the more you argue the more likely you are to pass out. At which point I¡¯ll bandage it anyways.¡± He wanted to pass out himself for that matter, but he knew he couldn¡¯t. They had to get out of here, and with that fall and the blow to the head... well, he had seen soldiers take blows to the head, go to sleep, and just never wake up again. He would not have that happen on his mothers birthday.

    The thief glared at him, but turned away and pulled off her shirt. He bit his lower lip, frowning at what he saw. The wound wasn¡¯t deep, but she had torn away a good bit of skin when the roof had collapsed. It looked like claws had raked across her back. More than that, he could see her bones, she was skinny. ¡°Thank you. Please pardon me.¡±

    He took what was left of her shirt, and the bandages she had already torn off. The fabric was thin and dirty as the rest of them, but they would have to do for now. He began to bandage her, careful of touching areas that might be... sensitive. ¡°You can wear my vest once I¡¯m done. It might have a bit of a hole in it, but it will at least preserve your modesty.¡± He kept his voice calm. It wouldn¡¯t do to let her hear concern for her in his voice. But he had to ask his next question. ¡°When was the last time you ate?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Just a few hours ago, why?¡± There was confusion and irritation in her voice, and he could see the tension in her shoulders.

    A few hours ago? He resisted the desire to ask when she had last eaten before that. ¡°Never mind. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    She was silent for a long moment, and he wondered if she was going to tell him the truth, or tell him anything at all. Finally she let out a sigh. ¡°Dani. What¡¯s yours?¡±

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    The question took him by surprise. He wasn¡¯t used to people not knowing his name. He was the crown prince! Everyone he had ever met had known his name, and many more that he had never met. ¡°Wulfram. You didn¡¯t even know my name?¡± He wanted to ask what rock she had been living under, but knew that would not help him achieve his goals right now. So instead he secured the bandage, and draped his vest over her shoulders. It was big on her, but it would do.

    ¡°Why would I know your name? Alright, I know you¡¯re the prince and all but... it isn¡¯t like I¡¯d be meeting you on the street!¡± She pushed her arms through the sleeves of the vest, and buttoned it up to cover herself. She paused as the pale light glinted off the silver embroidery. ¡°Gods above... is this real silver?¡±

    ¡°I will concede the point.¡± He felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards, and stood. He offered her his hand. ¡°And yes, it is. Lets get moving, after all, the sooner we are out of here the sooner we can go our separate ways.¡±

    ¡°The sooner you can throw me in the dungeon you mean. Maybe.¡± She picked up the glowstone he had left on the ground. Then actually took his hand, standing unsteadily. He realized he had forgotten to look at her leg, but she seemed to be standing fine on it, and he couldn¡¯t see any blood. ¡°But you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t want to be down here when the sun goes down. Unless it already has.¡±

    Wulfram looked around, the light of the glowstone barely penetrating the darkness of the tunnel. As far as he could tell, there were no windows or holes for light to come through. Unless it was already night, but then he would be able to smell the cooking fires. No, there was no way he had been out that long, and all he could smell down here was dirt and something he couldn¡¯t quite identify. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I see why you wouldn¡¯t want to be down here when the sun goes down. Does the light even reach down here?¡±

    ¡°No. But I don¡¯t want to be caught by the type of folk that slink around down here looking for prey, or some undead. It¡¯s why I don¡¯t sleep down here if I can avoid it.¡±

    Wulfram looked at her in shock. It was cold down here, and apparently dangerous! What kind of situation did she have to be in where she would need to sleep in smugglers tunnels? ¡°You sleep down here?¡±

    Dani shrugged slightly, the movement bringing with it a wince of pain. ¡°Sometimes. It¡¯s better than sleeping in the rain if I can¡¯t afford a room.¡± She started down the tunnel, and he stared at her back. He couldn¡¯t imagine sleeping in the close confines of the tunnel, or worrying about people finding him while he slept, or- wait. Had she said undead? He gave himself a firm shake, and fell into step beside her. For the most part, the tunnel was wide enough for them to walk side-by-side.

    ¡°Do the smugglers dabble in necromancy?¡± If they did, he would make sure he found them and put them in the gibbets. Or let the Quietus priests have them, they were the ones that guarded the sanctity of the dead. He wasn¡¯t sure which punishment would be the most humane, but desecration of a body was a crime that deserved harsh punishment.

    ¡°Not as far as I know. But these are big tunnels. They connect to the crypts, old storerooms, the cisterns, and who knows what else. There¡¯s even rumors of a den of vampires down here somewhere. But that¡¯s probably just a scary story. Lots of stories about down here.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard any.¡± The most he had heard about were the old Quietus crypts beneath the city, and there of course had been suspicions of smugglers tunnels, but this was the first he had found proof. But vampires? Undead? He hadn¡¯t heard about any of that. ¡°These tunnels sound quite extensive, are you sure you can get us out?¡±

    She looked at him with a scowl, and let out a snort. ¡°I can get us out, it¡¯s just going to take longer without the key. If we¡¯re lucky we¡¯ll run across a smugglers hold with some good stuff in it. Sometimes they even have rum and dried meat.¡± She seemed to perk up a bit at that potential, her stride getting a little bit more sure, her limp a little less obvious. ¡°But these tunnels are pretty damn big. I¡¯ve explored down two levels myself, and out to the smugglers cave. I know they go deeper but some of those tunnels are flooded or maybe even cursed. I ain¡¯t that interested in treasure hunting to risk my neck.¡±

    ¡°Two levels? And they go down further?¡± That could be a problem. But no, she had to be mistaken, there was no way the tunnels went down so deep! He looked around at the roughhewn walls, and shook his head. No, the dungeon itself only went down two levels, three if one counted the old oubliettes. ¡°Madam, Dani, you have to be mistaken. If the tunnels were that extensive I would know about it.¡± He kept his voice carefully gentle, but she still turned around to glare at him.

    ¡°Obviously you wouldn¡¯t, because you didn¡¯t. I¡¯m sure of it, I¡¯ve gone down that far and could¡¯ave gone down further if I wanted ta! Maybe ya don¡¯t know as much as you think ya do outside yer pretty little palace.¡± She jabbed a finger at his chest as she spoke, a fire in her eyes.

    Wulfram stopped, looking down at her with stunned amusement. He should probably at least pretend that he didn¡¯t think she was adorable when she was angry. But she barely came up to his chest, was skin and bones, and practically swam in his vest. Not to mention her accent apparently slipped when she got really mad. He tried his best not to smile, it would likely only make her angrier.

    ¡°Well then, you will have to show me some day. Perhaps that¡¯s what I will do instead of throwing you in the dungeon, make you show me these tunnels you are so knowledgeable about.¡±

    She just glared at him, her hands fisted at her sides. At least her anger pushed away the fear of him. But after a minute or two of staring at his bemused expression, she turned around and started down the tunnel once more. He could just barely hear her muttering darkly. ¡°Show you, ya fuckin¡¯ dandy. I know these tunnels like the back of my ¡®and! I could lose ya down ¡®ere an¡¯ they¡¯d never find you!¡±

    Wulfram rubbed his mouth, falling into step behind her as he struggled not to laugh.

    She was just too cute when she was angry.

 Chapter 7 - Dani

    They had been walking for what felt like hours when Dani suddenly stopped, staring at the floor in front of them. At some point the floor had broken, the far half of it falling to the floor below them. It was too far to jump across, so the only way left to them was down, or back to the entrance. Dani wasn¡¯t eager to go either way, but down gave her the best chances of getting out of this without being thrown in the dungeon.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Wulfram looked over her shoulder, and grimaced at the floor. ¡°How deep do these tunnels run again?¡±

    ¡°Deep. But this should only lead to a second floor. As long as we keep heading straight we should be fine. I just need to get to a more familiar area and I can find us a way out.¡± Dani sat down on her rear, starting to carefully scoot down the slope. ¡°There¡¯s a ton of stories in the Rats Nest talking about just how deep. And of course the things you can find in them. Remember? Undead, vampires, beasties that go bump in the night.¡±

    She spoke with a confidence she didn¡¯t feel, the glowstone gripped tightly in one hand. He¡¯d have to follow her if he didn¡¯t want to get left in the dark. But at least she¡¯d know where to find him if he decided to stay behind. She glanced at the bracelet around her wrist, her stomach twisting. He¡¯d probably be able to find her too.

    ¡°Rats Nest?¡± Wulframs voice was curious, and she could hear him starting to slide down the broken floor after her. For some reason that was comforting, she didn¡¯t want to be alone down here. Even if the other option was some clueless prince who thought he knew about the city when he obviously didn¡¯t.

    ¡°The Tangle, Rats Nest, used to be called the Warrens at one point too. You know, the area of the city between the docks and the cliffs? Where none of the rich types or nobles wanted to live after the rockslide?¡±

    ¡°The rockslide? That was years ago, before either of us were born.¡±

    ¡°Sure was.¡± Dani agreed, standing up when she reached the bottom of the slope. Her leg still ached. No, actually it hurt like hell. She was beginning to wonder if she really had broken it, but there was no way she was going to just lay down and die down here. She¡¯d get out, find someplace to lay low, and sleep until morning when she could maybe see a healer.

    Wulfram was silent behind her, although she could feel his bulk as he stood up, towering over her. It hadn¡¯t been long before they were born, but it had decimated the city. From the stories it had been a difficult rescue mission, and the nobles had just left the rockslide in place when they realized how much work it would be to clean it up. There were stories of people trapped in their shops or houses, dying still waiting for rescue. Every now and then someone would dig down into one of the older buildings and find skeletons clutching burnt out candles, or loved ones. The Quietus temple was always notified. After the valuables had mysteriously disappeared of course.

    Dani glanced back to make sure he was still with her before continuing on. ¡°What, nothing to say? When the rich folk moved out or died, we moved in. We built our homes out of what was left and made do.¡± She shrugged slightly, a note of pride in her voice. The shrugging made her wince but she continued on. ¡°Face it blue-blood, the kingdom abandoned the Rats Nest.¡±

    ¡°We did not abandon anything. To move all that debris would be a huge undertaking. You might as well ask us to move a mountain.¡±

    ¡°Oh I¡¯¡¯m not asking you to move shit. The Rats Nest is ours now.¡± Dani smirked, pausing to look around. They were still going in the right direction, but at some point the walls had become much more regular, carefully carved instead of rough. ¡°These might lead to the older crypts, maybe. Feels like we ain¡¯t deep enough though so maybe they¡¯re part of some ones old wine cellar.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think they¡¯re crypts?¡± Wulfram asked, loosening the peace knot on his sword.

    Smart, there was no telling what was down here.

    ¡°Well, that for one.¡± Dani froze, pointing into the room she had just checked. The blue light of her glowstone illuminated dust-laden floors and cobwebs, just barely reaching the trio of skeletons huddled in a corner, faintly glowing mushrooms growing between the bones. ¡°Except that I don¡¯t normally see skeletons grouped like that in the catacombs.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve seen a lot of catacombs?¡± Wulfram asked, staring past her at the skeletons. She could almost feel the tension in him like a weight pressed against her own heart. ¡°But you¡¯re right. That is not how most people are laid to rest.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a few. Slept in one, once.¡± And the less she thought about that night the better. It sure said something about her life when the safest place to sleep was with the dead.

    Maybe she really did need a change. But what would she do? Go work with Mrs. Haversaun? She¡¯d probably get bored out of her mind. Work with Therija and her father in the bakery? She could cook okay, but there was a reason they didn¡¯t let her watch over the ovens. Of course it was looking like she may not have much of a choice in what came next in her life. She glanced down at the bracelet that used to be a crown.

    ¡°You slept in one?¡± Wulfram didn¡¯t even bother disguising the shock in his voice.

    ¡°Well I didn¡¯t say I enjoyed it. Hey, you thirsty? I bet we¡¯re in the cellars of what used to be someones house. Might be a wine cellar ¡®round here.¡± Dani continued down the hall, pausing to look back when she didn¡¯t hear the princes footsteps right away.

    He was staring at her, pity warring with horror on his face.

    Dani sighed and rested a hand on her hip. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. Listen, sometimes all the options for places to sleep are bad. But I can make it on my own, I don¡¯t need pity from someone with a magic crown and a bed that¡¯s likely the size of my last room at the inn.¡±

    Wulfram closed his mouth, looking for a moment like he might want to argue. But finally, he just nodded and gestured for her to lead the way. ¡°Understood, lead on little Mouse.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    She felt her eye twitch at the nickname.

    But rather than comment, she turned and started down the corridor again. She¡¯d show him mouse! Once they were out of here she¡¯d scurry away and lose herself in the Rats Nest. Even his magic bracelet couldn¡¯t possibly follow her through all the twists and turns there.

    Right?

    For right now she took comfort in the sound of his footsteps behind her. They were solid, human and sure. If something came up behind them, he¡¯d be able to fight it off, she was certain of it.

    Now if only they could find a wine cellar or a way to the surface, they¡¯d be fine. The group of skeletons didn¡¯t give her much hope, but they also looked old and like they hadn¡¯t moved in a very long time. That was good, it was less likely they were the restless dead, and more likely they were just normal dead that happened to run into bad luck when the cliff came down on the city.

    Just to be safe though, she sent a quick prayer to Quietus, the goddess of death. It didn¡¯t hurt to show respect for the dead, and sometimes doing the opposite could be fatal. Not that that stopped the body brokers.

    Dani peered into rooms as they passed them, finding store rooms that had once held food and other supplies, most long since rotted away. Some held more skeletons, one of which was still holding a bottle that had once held wine. Long since evaporated in the musky air.

    Finally, she hit upon what she had been looking for, a grin breaking out on her face. ¡°Jackpot.¡±

    She stepped carefully over broken glass to the racks still full of unopened bottles of wine and mead. Casks sat to one side of the room, covered with dust. She had to wonder if the people they had come across before had died drunk. She hoped so, it was better than dying in fear and despair. She shuddered at the thought and pulled a wine bottle off the rack. ¡°A little drink to wet the whistle and ease the pain.¡±

    Wulfram stepped into the room behind her, scanning the dark corners as if he was looking for something to jump out at them. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m thirsty... but don¡¯t you think it a bit disrespectful to steal from the dead?¡±

    ¡°Why? They¡¯re dead, they don¡¯t care.¡± She looked at the bottle in her hands, letting out a whistle. It was fancy, the lettering on it Elven, surrounded by green leaves with the faintest shimmer of magic still on them. ¡°Look at this.¡± She held the bottle out to him, and grabbed another for herself. If they were going to die they might as well die drinking fancy Elven booze.

    Wulfram took the bottle, and his eyebrows shot up, eyes widening. ¡°This is- this is from the Anselvain Winery, but they haven¡¯t used this labeling in over two hundred years!¡± He looked up at her, gawking when he saw her working the cork out of her own bottle with her knife. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly be thinking of drinking this straight from the bottle!¡±

    ¡°Sure am.¡± Dani said with utter conviction, working the cork free with a gratifying little pop.

    ¡°Have you no concept of how rare this wine is? Better yet, have you no respect for the dead? There are skeletons in the next room, this was likely their home!¡±

    Dani let out a snort. ¡°Like I said, they¡¯re dead. They don¡¯t care if we indulge in a bit of their booze. If you¡¯re looking for respect for the dead the Rats Nest isn¡¯t the best place to find it. Most of us don¡¯t make it to the Quietus temples. Need some help opening that?¡±

    ¡°No. No I do not. Why don¡¯t most people make it to the Quietus temples?¡± He looked down at the bottle, his back stiff as a board. Had she struck a nerve? She leaned back against one of the casks, taking a sip of the wine.

    It was the best thing she had ever tasted.

    Cool, sweet and refreshing, it left a tingle across her tongue and down her throat. The taste of sun-ripened berries lingered well after the liquid reached her stomach, and a deep contentment flowed through her, relieving the fear and worry that had filled her. It even helped her not ache so badly! She had expected it to take at least a bottle to ease that! ¡°Most people wind up at the body brokers.¡±

    ¡°The what?¡± Wulfram set the bottle she had given her aside, although a bit reluctantly. Apparently he wasn¡¯t that thirsty. She shrugged philosophically, if he didn¡¯t want to drink it, she wasn¡¯t going to force him. But for her, it was a damn near religious experience.

    ¡°The body brokers. They¡¯ll take a body off yer hands, strip it of anything valuable, and then sell the body or dump it somewhere if they can¡¯t sell it.¡± She took another sip of the wine, letting the sweet tingle wash away the vile taste the concept left in her mouth. It wasn¡¯t like there was anything she could do about them, but to think of some of the things that happened to bodies after people died... it made her sick.

    ¡°Who would want to buy a body?¡± Wulfram looked at her with dawning horror, looking as though he was regretting his decision not to drink.

    ¡°Healers hall, shark hunters, some of your less reputable mages. Although I know one pie shop you¡¯ll not want to go to, I suspect they buy the bodies too.¡± There was certainly something wrong with their meat. She had gotten sick the one time she had gone there, and had never dared go back.

    For a long time, Wulfram just stared at her, his face contorting with anger and disgust. He finally picked up the bottle he had set aside, drawing his own dagger to work the cork out. Once it was open, he took a long swig that did the wine no justice at all.

    When he spoke, his voice was a growl. ¡°Have you ever stolen from the dead?¡±

    Dani was silent for a moment, mulling over the question. Had she? She stood by her assertion that the dead didn¡¯t care what happened to their stuff when they passed on, but that didn¡¯t mean she went out of her way to rob them.

    The dead may not care, but Quietus might. And she was already on some gods shitlist, she didn¡¯t need to be on more. ¡°Unless you count now? Nah. Most of the dead down here are ones that would fight back, or have been picked over long before I saw ¡®em.¡± She leaned over, gently clinking her bottle against his. ¡°Don¡¯t stress too much ¡®bout it. And drink yer wine, it¡¯s open now, it¡¯d be more of a sin to waste it now.¡±

    Wulframs scowl didn¡¯t lessen, but he did take another drink of his wine. ¡°You will show me where these body brokers are. If what you say is at all true, they need to be shut down.¡±

    Dani resisted the urge to make a stupid face at him. Who was he to give her orders? Oh right, the guy that had put a magical bracelet on her. She stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes at him.

    So much for resisting making a stupid face.

    ¡°Why? Where are people going to leave their dead and dying if not with them? In the streets? Or will the high and mighty nobles pay to take them to the healers hall or Quietus temple?¡± Dani waved her bottle in the vague direction of the temple district, the wine sloshing in the glass. ¡°Or maybe we should leave our dead and dying on the Trade Road, I¡¯m sure that would look grand.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll speak with my mother about the possibility of putting a Quietus temple in the Tangle, as well as a Healers Hall. Of course if what you said has any ring of truth to it, they¡¯ll need to be investigated as well. I can¡¯t imagine what the Healers Hall would want with bodies though.¡±

    ¡°Maybe ask them in your investigation.¡± Dani shrugged. Personally she didn¡¯t want to think about what happened to a body after a person died. When the best case was rotting away peacefully, there was no sense thinking about it. It would just give her nightmares.

    She froze suddenly, looking towards the door, her ears straining to pick out sounds. She had thought she had heard something....

    Wait, there it was again!

    A scraping of bone against stone, the rattle of bones held together by something other than muscle and skin. Her stomach lurched, and she took another swig of the wine, straightening from the cask she had been leaning against.

    Wulfram followed her gaze to the door. He set down his wine bottle, hand drifting to his sword. ¡°Hello?¡± He called out, and took a step forward, putting himself between the door and her. ¡°Who goes there?¡±

    A faint green glow illuminated the hall beyond, and a skeleton shambled into view.

 Chapter 8 - Wulfram

    The skeleton stopped in the doorway, swaying on yellowed bones, a single mushroom sprouting through an empty eye socket. It stared at them, jaw hanging limp and lopsided from the rest of its skull. In one boney hand, it clutched a bottle similar to the ones they had been drinking from.

    Wulfram tensed, but kept his sword low. ¡°It... doesn¡¯t seem hostile.¡± He said warily. Perhaps if they didn¡¯t threaten it, it would continue on its way. But why had it started to move anyways? Wulfram glanced around the room, the only sign of disturbance had come from them. Footprints in the dust, the open wine bottles. Could that have disturbed the dead? It seemed such a small thing. But he had read that even the presence of the living near some dead could disrupt their slumber. It was why the Quietus built their crypts well beneath or outside the city.

    The skeleton stared at them through empty eye sockets, bone scraping against bone as it swayed. Wulfram took a step back, closer to Dani as it shambled a few steps forward.

    Then it let out an inhuman screech, reaching out for Dani and the bottle of wine she still held.

    Wulfram grabbed Dani, dragging her around the slow-moving skeleton and out into the hall. ¡°Drop the wine!¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?! This is the best wine I¡¯ve ever tasted! And if I¡¯m going to die down here I¡¯m going to do it drunk as a sailor!¡± Dani protested, holding onto the bottle possessively. In the room behind them the skeleton turned, its jaw clattering to the ground at the sudden movement. It let out another screech, the sound echoing down the hallway.

    ¡°The skeleton obviously doesn¡¯t want you to have it!¡± Wulfram looked both ways down the hall, letting out a muttered curse as more skeletons shambled out of the rooms they had passed on their way through. How many had they seen? Three in that first room, and at least two other rooms had skeletons in them as well. Wulfram turned, half dragging Dani down the hall, the glowstone barely providing enough illumination to keep them from tripping.

    ¡°The skeleton can¡¯t do anything with it, it doesn¡¯t even have a mouth anymore!¡±

    Wulfram felt a spark of exasperated irritation. He could hear the fear in Dani¡¯s voice, but damnit, the little mouse was being stubborn! ¡°So what? Get rid of it! I¡¯ll get you some wine when we get out of here!¡±

    Another screech echoed up the corridor after them. He glanced back, gripping his sword tighter when he saw how close the skeletons were. They were moving faster, a third and a fourth joining their ranks. He would be hard pressed to fight the growing hoard, especially in these close confines.

    ¡°When we get out of here you¡¯re probably going to throw me in the dungeon! I¡¯m enjoying this wine damnit!¡±

    The woman was insane! Of the two of them, he was by far the more trustworthy one, but she was fixated on the idea of him throwing her in the dungeon. And to be fair, he really should. Especially if she was going to do something so obviously stupid and selfish.

    He paused at a corner, feeling the faintest breeze coming from the left, catching the scent of sea air. He turned to face her, letting out a growl. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable!¡±

    He reached over and yanked the bottle of wine from her hand, throwing it down the hall towards the skeletons. ¡°I refuse to die down here because you wanted to take leave of your senses!¡±

    ¡°My wine! Damnit, you asshole!¡± She stared down the hall at the approaching skeletons. They paused a moment as the wine bottle crashed to the floor, but then continued on after them. ¡°It didn¡¯t even work!¡±

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    Wulfram stared at the skeletons a moment himself, before giving himself a firm mental shake. He shoved his sword into its sheath, and picked up Dani, throwing her over his shoulder. They didn¡¯t have time for her to freeze up right now, and he had noticed how her limping had grown since they started to move again.

    ¡°Put me down!¡± She yelped.

    Wulfram ignored her, although he was tempted to smack her ass. But he resisted, he was a gentleman after all, and would behave as such. Even if she wasn¡¯t exactly a lady, she was a damsel in distress. He started to run, ignoring the screaming pain in his side as he carried her down the hall. ¡°You¡¯re limping little mouse! Can¡¯t you just accept help when you get it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to hurt yourself more and if you die they¡¯ll kill me too! You could have at least let me finish the wine before condemning us to death down here!¡±

    And that was the crux of it, wasn¡¯t it? The woman was terrified, convinced that she was going to die whether they got out of here or not. He could feel the echo of her fear through the bracelet.

    He stumbled as the floor beneath his feet suddenly changed from stone to wood, stretching across a large break in the hall. The sound of rushing water came from somewhere below. He froze as the old, rotting wood flexed beneath them, sinking a little under their combined weight.

    The sound of bone against stone still came from behind them, growing ever closer in the darkness. Carefully, very carefully, he set Dani down on the wood, praying she¡¯d have some common sense and listen to him for a change. ¡°Be very, very careful.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± Dani looked down at their feet, at the wood that was a breath away from crumbling beneath them. But there was nowhere else to go but forward, or down. He could practically feel her heart beating through the bracelet, like a butterflies wings against his wrist. He wondered for a moment if she could feel his own heart pounding.

    ¡°Just move carefully towards the other side.¡± Wulfram gestured for her to turn around, the two old wood planks shifting beneath them even with that simple movement.

    An inhuman screech came from far too close at hand, and she flinched. ¡°Right.¡± The word was whispered, as if that would make any difference to the undead or the wood beneath them. Carefully, she turned, the glowstone clutched in one hand as she took a step forward.

    But that was all it took.

    The wood cracked beneath them, dumping them into the chasm below.

    Wulfram grabbed ahold of Dani, pulling her tight against his chest as she screamed. She dropped the glowstone so that she could cling onto him, hiding her face against his chest.

    She felt so warm and soft.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± He shouted over the sound of rushing water. He prayed to whatever god would listen that it would be deep enough to save them, that it would lead to the open air and not some dank, inescapable hole.

    They hit the cold, salty water hard, and Dani started to struggle, panicking in the dark water. Wulfram grunted and held on tighter, his grip bruising as he pushed up towards the surface. This day was rapidly going downhill, if they survived this, he was going to see about getting the Tangle fixed up. He took in a gasp of air as they resurfaced. ¡°Stop struggling! It¡¯s alright!¡±

    The current swept them away from the chasm the boards had once bridged, and he could just barely see one of the skeletons tumble over the edge after them. The green light of the mushrooms that grew on it illuminating the tumbling bones that broke apart before it even hit the water.

    If she didn¡¯t stop struggling, she was going to drown them both. He pinned her arms against his chest, gritting his teeth against the sting of salt water in his wounds. The breeze was stronger down here, carrying with it the smell of the harbor.

    Suddenly, his feet touched the sandy bottom of the water, and he nearly lost hold of her. He regained his grip, dragging her towards a sandy embankment just barely illuminated by the light coming through a narrow tunnel entrance.

    ¡°Dani.¡± He spoke her name gently as they touched the shore, and tilted her face up to him. She was wild-eyed with panic, and he could still feel how fast her heart raced. He hadn¡¯t expected that of his little thief. ¡°Dani, little mouse, focus! We¡¯re okay.¡±

    Gods she was shaking like a leaf. But she nodded, tawny brown hair falling across her face in wet tangles. He couldn¡¯t help but smile and tenderly brush the hair back from her face. After all her bitching and posturing, it was good to see something real from her.

    He just wished it wasn¡¯t fear.

 Chapter 9 - Dani

    Dani stared up at the prince, trying to stop the shaking that had started some time when they were in the water. She lived by the sea, sure, but that didn¡¯t mean she knew how to swim. And that water was cold! And now the prince was acting all tender, did she look that pitiful?

    She probably looked like a drowned rat, or mouse as he seemed to like calling her.

    ¡°You, are bad luck.¡± She finally managed to get out around chattering teeth.

    Wulfram let out a bark of laughter, his hands moving down along her shoulders. He was breathing heavily, just as soaked as she was, but there was a confidence to him still, a strength. ¡°I could say the same about you, little Mouse. I¡¯ve never fallen so many times, through so many surfaces, or been chased by skeletons. Not before I met you.¡±

    Dani couldn¡¯t help a small, breathless laugh. ¡°I would have been fine on any of those floors without your weight! Or that of your guard! I hope he¡¯s okay at least.¡±

    ¡°I do not weigh that much.¡± Wulfram traced his fingers along her arms, amber eyes fixated on her in the dim light. ¡°We should try to swim out of here, we have to be close to the docks, and we both need a healer.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± She challenged, and looked around for a rock or shell that would work as a glowstone. The little beach cave had plenty, and she picked up one at random. She clasped the rock in both hands, trying to ignore the tingles his touch sent through her skin, so much like the tingles sent through her by that amazing wine.

    ¡°You want to stay in here?¡± Wulfram frowned, his face clouding at the idea. ¡°It¡¯s not safe, and you need a healer. I swear I won¡¯t throw you in the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way out other than swimming. I just need some light to find it.¡± Dani blushed. The last thing she wanted to do was admit that she didn¡¯t know how to swim. Or that the idea of being pulled under by one of those skeletons terrified her. She had seen one jump down after them! What if it was lurking, just beneath the surface of the water? She closed her eyes tightly against the idea, shoving the dark imaginings away to focus on channeling energy into the stone. They needed more light than what was coming in through that narrow opening. It didn¡¯t look tall enough for even the smallest sailboat to get through. Maybe a raft could make it through, if the person on it laid flat.

    She focused her energy on the rock in her hands, imagining her magic pushing in to fill the squared off sides, imagined it pushing out into a glow to illuminate the darkness. Her head began to pound, her shaking getting worse as she channeled her magic.

    The glow came slowly, reluctantly. When she opened her eyes it barely illuminated the space between them. So she focused harder, channeling more magic into it. Her vision blurred, and she swayed on her knees as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Wulfram was right there though, his big hands moving to steady her. ¡°Careful now. Why are you so against swimming out of here little mouse?¡±

    ¡°Stop calling me that. I¡¯m fine.¡± She let the glowstone settle into a steady glow, illuminating five feet around them. It wasn¡¯t much, but it made the cave seem less threatening, dancing off the shiny bits of rock, shell, and general harbor junk that littered the beach.

    ¡°But you look so much like one right now.¡± Wulfram laughed, his hands warm against her arms as he held her steady.

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    Dani felt a small laugh bubble up from her as she looked him up and down. ¡°You¡¯re too big to be a mouse, I¡¯d say you look more like a half drowned rat, or maybe a wolf.¡±

    Their shared laughter echoed through the cavern, a little manic as the fact that they had survived really settled in. By this point they should have been dead countless times over.

    ¡°Fine, drowned wolf.¡± Wulfram grinned, looking down at her. ¡°But you¡¯re avoiding the question. Why are you so against swimming out of here? Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t swim.¡± He touched his thumb gently to her lower lip.

    As the silence stretched, and her face turned red, his smile faded into a look of shock. ¡°You can¡¯t... can you? You can¡¯t swim. No wonder you panicked.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t panic.¡± Dani pulled away, nearly falling down as another wave of dizziness passed over her. She really shouldn¡¯t have forced her magic right now, but she wanted the light.

    ¡°You did. But we can rest for now, we¡¯ll want to get out of here before the tide comes in though. Can you make the light any brighter?¡± The man actually seemed concerned! His humor fading like someone had doused it with water. Hah! They were plenty doused alright.

    ¡°Not with how I feel right now. My magic... isn¡¯t all that great.¡± She admitted apologetically. Dani was lucky to have had any training in magic at all, most people in the Rats Nest didn¡¯t get any. But there had been an old woman that had taught a few of them that showed talent some tricks. She was long dead now though, so her training had stopped with the simple light spell.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright then, let me help. I have some magic of my own.¡± He smiled at her, as if all the city didn¡¯t know the royal line had mage blood running through it. The crown was proof enough of that.

    But Dani thought about the things she had forgotten about or missed already today, and decided not to comment. She hadn¡¯t know his name, hadn¡¯t remembered it was Queens Day, what else had she missed? What else had she forgotten? What was wrong with her? Her shoulders slumped, and she held out the rock. ¡°Alright, here.¡±

    Wulfram set his hand against the stone, his own amber magic seeping into it. It swirled with hers, creating a marbled effect in the stone. The light warmed slightly, becoming more like sunlight than the blue glow her own magic had offered. It didn¡¯t completely overpower the blue. Another wave of dizziness overtook her as her magic glowed brighter in stubborn defiance, not willing to be overtaken by the amber magic.

    Wulfram didn¡¯t even break a sweat. But his magic more than doubled the light that came from the glowstone. ¡°That should help people find us too. I don¡¯t know why I hadn¡¯t thought of it before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still daylight outside, I don¡¯t think the glow is that strong.¡± She closed her eyes for a moment to try and calm the spinning of the room.

    ¡°Everyones magic is unique. Like a signature, if you know what to look for you can recognize it. Activating the crown would have triggered some of it, but creating light, especially in something so crude as a rock, takes much more. It¡¯s almost like a beacon. Do you need to lay down?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Dani let out a slow breath. She refused to be anything other than fine, even though all she wanted to do was curl up and try to sleep through the pain and humiliation of her failed attempt. Sleep likely wouldn¡¯t come any time soon. Even if he let her go, which she doubted, Reshi was going to tear her a new one after that stunt.

    She opened her eyes, and froze, staring past him.

    Their combined light had illuminated two massive statues, one male and one female, standing to either side of a door carved from solid stone and embedded with jewels and seashells. Each statue wore a crown of gilded seashells, but they didn¡¯t look like any royalty she had seen. The man wore a simple wrap around his waist, more a short skirt than proper pants, and the woman was wearing a wrap shirt and long skirt. If someone walked down the street in that outfit, no matter how bejeweled they were, they were likely to be mistaken for a whore! Her belly button was in plain view, and the top left little mystery to her curves!

    But they were bejeweled, necklaces hung around each of their necks, his of gold and teeth, hers of pearls, gold and shells. On opposite wrists they wore bracelets of twisted gold and gemstones, much like the ones that Dani and Wulfram now wore, with gemstones the color of the other statues eyes. Each one carried a stone spear with ornate metal blades, rusted from their time in the sea air, the tips barely grazing the roof of the cavern.

    ¡°Holy mother of the seas...¡± Dani whispered.

 Chapter 10 - Wulfram

    Wulfram reached out to steady Dani, his forehead wrinkling as she swayed on her feet. Either her injuries were catching up with her, or the magic drained her far more than it should. Did she have so little magic in her that a simple light spell drained her? He froze as her eyes grew wide, and a shocked whisper escaped her lips. ¡°Holy mother of the seas....¡±

    He spun, hand immediately going to his sword, ready to fight whatever beast may be moving up on them.

    But there was no beast.

    The massive stone door and its guardian statues were no less stunning though. Light reflected off gold and gemstones, and cast deep shadows into the elaborate carvings of the doors. At their tallest, where the two doors met in a point, the doors were at least three times the height of a normal man. The carving was shockingly realistic, showing a blue dragon soaring over the sea.

    Dani stepped past him, her eyes fixated on the carvings and the two statues flanking the door. ¡°How the hell did this get in here? There¡¯s enough gold here to feed all of Rats Nest for a year, at least!¡± She whispered, as if to speak too loud would awaken the doors guardians.

    ¡°They were likely carved in here.¡± Wulfram followed close behind her, craning his head back to stare at the calm faces of the statues. There were waterlines about halfway up the statues from where the tide had come in year after year, the stone slightly worn from the saltwater. He reached out to touch one of the statues reverently. ¡°Even with magic, moving those doors through the sea would be difficult. The harbor can be very deep in areas. They look old, but they don¡¯t look like they were disturbed by the earth tremors.¡±

    ¡°No, they¡¯d be in pieces if they had been. None of the statues in the city survived that.¡± Dani picked at a piece of inlaid gold, pausing when Wulfram reached a hand out to stop her. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Lets not have a repeat of the skeleton incident. This could be someones crypt, and there¡¯s still magic down here. Can¡¯t you feel it?¡± He could feel it like someone humming softly in the background. There, but not actively moving against them.

    Dani frowned and her eyes lost focus for a moment as she stared in the direction of the door. Wulfram waited, staying near her in case she happened to fall. The silence stretched on for what felt like a long time, and Wulframs concern grew.

    It shouldn¡¯t take so long to sense the magic. It was obvious! But she hadn¡¯t sensed the magic of the crown either. He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder. ¡°Dani?¡±

    The woman jumped, eyes open wide as she looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that! Okay... I sense the magic. But you know there could be a way out through that door.¡±

    ¡°I find that doubtful. There are no handles, no place to insert a key or fingers.¡± Wulfram ran a hand along the door, eyes intent on the carvings. The detail was incredible, some of the mosaic pieces barely bigger than a sliver.

    ¡°There has to be a way through. I ain¡¯t going to die down here next to more treasure than I¡¯ve seen in my entire life.¡± She ran her own hand along the door, trailing her fingers along the barely visible crack between the doors. She even tried to wiggle her nails in, prying at the crack.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to die down here.¡± Wulfram sighed. The woman was so damn stubborn! He could see he was going to have to take things into his own hands or she¡¯d insist on doing something foolish. ¡°And I refuse to fight any more dead for you. Come on.¡±

    ¡°The only other way out is through the water, and I can¡¯t swim!¡± Her voice was higher than usual, panic seeping into it.

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    Wulfram turned her to face him fully, putting his hands on her shoulders and giving her a light shake. ¡°Dani, I won¡¯t let you drown, won¡¯t you let yourself trust me in this? You have my word I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±

    That earned him a look of shocked disbelief from her. ¡°You¡¯re going to keep me safe? Really? I can find my own way out if I need to!¡±

    ¡°You are so damn stubborn woman!¡± He growled and picked her up, slinging her over his shoulder. ¡°I refuse to die down here either, and I refuse to leave you to drown because you¡¯re afraid of the damn water.¡±

    Dani let out a yelp, hammering her fists on his back as he headed towards the water. ¡°Put me down!¡±

    ¡°I will eventually.¡± He paused as a shadow passed across the shallow entrance to the cave. ¡°Once you either come to your senses or we get out of here. Which will come first?¡±

    ¡°Come to my senses?! Do you know what¡¯s in that water? Sharks! Sharks are in that water!¡±

    Wulfram laughed, carrying her to the water without hesitation. He considered just tossing her in, but paused when the shadow passed across the shallow entrance again. Was it a shark? He had never heard of sharks in the harbor before.

    ¡°Prince Wulfram! Can you hear us? Are you in there?¡±

    His face broke into a grin, and he set Dani on her feet. ¡°Ben? Is that you?¡± He shouted across the water, his voice echoing in the cavern.

    ¡°Prince Wulfram! Thank the gods we found you! Can you make it to the boat?¡±

    ¡°I can make it, but I have a friend in here with me, we¡¯re both going to need a healer.¡± Wulfram turned his grin to Dani, laughing at the shocked expression on her face. He lowered his voice, speaking only for her ears. ¡°I told you I would keep you safe. Play along. I can swim us both to the boat you just have to trust me a little. So tell me, will you trust me?¡±

    He held out his hand, grinning ear to ear.

    Dani glanced down at his hand, clear reluctance on her face. She hesitated before reaching out to take his hand. He could feel her trembling. Even after what they had been through together she still didn¡¯t trust him. Well, he supposed he couldn¡¯t fully blame her. He pulled her into a hug. ¡°There you go, now I¡¯m going to carry you on my back, we¡¯re almost free we just have to get through this one last thing.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Alright I- I can- let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±

    ¡°Right. Arms around my neck now.¡± He knelt down a little to make it easier for her. She was so light as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her up and headed into the water. The salt water stung like angry bees at his wounds, , the adrenaline helping him push the pain aside again. He would deal with it when he had time to, when they were safe on the boat that even now floated just outside the entrance to the cave. It had gotten shallower, the light from outside growing fainter as the water rose.

    The tide was starting to come in.

    Dani¡¯s arms tightened slightly as he began to swim, powerful arms propelling them towards that shrinking opening and the boat beyond. He was going to have to go underwater to get through it without banging Dani¡¯s head on the rocky surface.

    ¡°Hold your breath, we¡¯re going under.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for Dani¡¯s startled protest, diving beneath the water and pushing through as fast as he could. They didn¡¯t have time for her to complain right now. He only hoped that she would listen for once.

    He nearly choked as she squeezed his neck, holding on for dear life. Well, at least she listened.

    They resurfaced just outside the entrance, nearly invisible under the rising waves. On his back, Dani coughed and gasped for breath. She didn¡¯t even struggle as the guards hauled her up onto the boat. Wulfram pulled himself up, landing in a graceless heap next to her as he relished in the fading sunlight and fresh air.

    ¡°You look like a drowned rat, your highness.¡± Ben grinned down at him, relief flooding his face.

    ¡°I feel like one too.¡± Wulfram laughed, pushing himself into a sitting position gingerly. He looked to Dani, his grin faltering a moment when he saw her expression. Any trace of humor was gone, and there was a fear, a paleness to her that made her look sickly. If he looked like a drowned rat, she looked like one with a foot already in the grave.

    ¡°Is this the thief?¡± Ben asked, following Wulframs gaze to Dani, who only looked worse under the attention of the armed men that surrounded her. Dread entered her eyes, and she met his eyes defiantly. But she didn¡¯t say a word, waiting for him to answer instead.

    Wulfram was silent for a moment, his eyes meeting hers calmly. He could turn her in now, have her dragged to the dungeons, or locked in a room in the palace where she would be nearby. He could learn all he wanted from her about these tunnels beneath the city, about a life that had her sleeping in crypts and eating so little that her bones were obvious. He could keep her from that life, give her something different.

    He just had to say the right words.

 Chapter 11 - Dani

    ¡°No. I¡¯m fairly certain the thief died.¡± Wulfram said softly. ¡°This woman saved my life.¡±

    Dani¡¯s eyes widened, and she slumped against the edge of the boat. He wasn¡¯t going to turn her in? She had been so sure he¡¯d turn her in as soon as they were free of the tunnels, but instead...

    Instead he was lying to his own people about her. Claiming she had saved him rather than led him into danger! What was his game? Or was he really just being merciful? But why would he be merciful to her?

    ¡°Our kingdom owes you a great debt madam.¡± Ben turned to her, bowing awkwardly as the boat started to move back towards the docks. They had wound up a short ways down the shore from them, further than she had thought. She must have gotten turned around somewhere in the tunnels, maybe when they fell in that river?

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it...¡± She said weakly. She could milk this situation, a great debt could bring her wealth and comfort. But for some reason that just felt wrong. She was quite frankly grateful to have her life. Wulfram smiled at her, giving a small nod of approval.

    ¡°We need the healers as soon as we get to the city. I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s broken but I don¡¯t want to risk infection. And word needs to be sent to my family as soon as possible to reassure them that I¡¯m fine.¡± Wulfram shifted his position, sitting with a calm, relaxed confidence. It was as if he didn¡¯t even feel his wounds! But he had to, didn¡¯t he? She sure as hell felt hers, and she wasn¡¯t sure how much longer she could keep up her own facade of being okay.

    It was easy in the tunnels, they had been trying not to die, confronted with one problem after another. But now that they were mostly safe, the pain was starting to scream at her.

    ¡°We have healers on standby, and a messenger sprite has already been sent to alert the king and queen that you¡¯ve been found.¡± Ben grabbed an oar himself, settling into a rhythm with the others on the boat as they rowed towards the old docks. ¡°How did you even get way out here though? If we hadn¡¯t been watching for your magic, we might never have found you!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Better told over drinks, but we did find a fantastic discovery, the historians are going to be excited.¡± Wulfram watched Dani with eyes that felt like they saw into her soul. She shivered, looking away from him. No one had commented on their wounds, or the matching bracelets. She quite frankly didn¡¯t want them to notice much about her. After all, the sooner she could disappear into the Rats Nest, the better.

    ¡°What discovery?¡± Ben asked. The boat approached one of the low fishermans docks, guards and healers already waiting for them on the shore.

    ¡°Hard to say, but I think it¡¯s an old tomb. Older than our people for certain, perhaps even as far back as the Seagraes people.¡± Wulfram grinned, and Ben stared at him in disbelief.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way a Seagraes tomb would lay undiscovered for this long, not so close to the city.¡± He protested.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think so either, but that was what it looked like. There¡¯s more though, I¡¯ll have to talk to my father about it. But the people might be in danger from things down there. We saw some of the old caved-in homes, and some restless dead.¡±

    ¡°Restless dead? Beneath the city? His majesty won¡¯t be pleased to hear about that. For that matter, neither am I. I prefer the dead to rest in peace.¡± Ben stood up as they rowed up to the docks, catching a rope tossed from the dock. He pulled them close to it, muscles straining.

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of ¡®em down there.¡± Dani said, finally finding her voice again. She cringed a bit under the attention of Ben and the others. Any one of these men could easily break her in half, and if they knew she was a thief, they¡¯d surely throw her in the dungeon no matter what Wulfram said.

    ¡°Dani here has some familiarity with the tunnels beneath our city. We may be wise to enlist her help mapping them and making them safe.¡± Wulfram stood up, hold a hand out to her. ¡°After we get patched up and rested of course.¡±

    Dani hesitated, but took his hand. As she stood, the boat lurched with the movement, and Wulfram held her steady. ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± She mumbled, blushing as she fell against his firm chest. Gods the man was handsome, even if he did look a mess. Wulfram chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest.

    ¡°You¡¯ve nothing to be sorry about milady.¡± He lifted her up, passing her easily to the guards on the dock. ¡°This woman saved my life, make sure the healers attend to her first.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really not necessary.¡± Dani looked to the guards, feeling a spike of panic. ¡°I¡¯ll just... be going now.¡± There were too many guards and they all had their attention either on her or on Wulfram. She cringed a little, feeling so much like a mouse surrounded by predatory cats.

    No.

    She was not a mouse damnit! And she could beat any cat! Just not... all the cats. Guards. Whatever! She straightened, tugging at the bottom of the sodden vest.

    The weight and saltwater felt like hell on her shoulder, and her leg was starting to throb.

    ¡°At least let the healers look at your shoulder.¡± Wulfram said with a faint smile. He hauled himself up onto the dock with barely a wince of pain. ¡°You¡¯re in no danger Dani, but I can see the attention is making you nervous. Guards, we don¡¯t need so many of you here now, please return to your usual duties. And someone fetch me a carriage.¡±

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    No wonder he was so bossy, the guards scattered at his command, leaving only Ben and two others, one for her and one for Wulfram. The guard that apparently assigned himself to her bowed slightly and gestured to the shore. ¡°This way milady.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really a lady.¡± Dani said. She glanced back at Wulfram, but he was talking to his friend Ben already. She couldn¡¯t help the faintest surge of jealousy that someone else had his attention. But she pushed that feeling down firmly, there was no reason for it. What, was she his jealous girlfriend or something? No! She was nothing to him but a thief, someone that might be useful to him mapping out the tunnels.

    ¡°If the prince says you are, then you are.¡± The guard said with a gentle smile. ¡°Royalty is like that. The only person who could say differently and have it stick is his majesty the king. But given that you saved the princes life, I doubt he will.¡±

    Well didn¡¯t that just figure. Dani sighed and headed down the dock in shoes that squished with water with every step. They were probably ruined. This whole plan had gone wrong in all sorts of ways, but they had survived. And if she was lucky, she could find her way back to that crypt to steal some of that gold. She would just have to learn how to swim.

    Yeah, right.

    The guard led the way to a healer that had set up in a small stall near the docks. This was no Rats Nest healer either. He might have been wearing the same plain blue color as the healers in the Rats Nest, but his robes were clean, and of a much finer material than what could be found in the Rats Nest. The tight braids of his hair were neat against his dark scalp, each braid ending in a plain golden bead. No, this healer wasn¡¯t from the Rats Nest, this was a palace healer. Or one from up the Trade Road. He nodded to her politely, closing the curtain over the stall. A single glowstone illuminated the stall, banishing all shadows. It was solid crystal, another sign that he wasn¡¯t a normal Rats Nest healer.

    ¡°I apologize, but I need you to undress so that I can see your wounds clearly.¡± Cool professionalism, not a hint of lecherous intent in those kind brown eyes. She had heard that many healers took a vow of chastity. Maybe he was one of them. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Dani mumbled. It wasn¡¯t like she had anything he hadn¡¯t seen before. And she could always scream if he tried to get fresh with her. She was certain Wulfram at least would come running.

    Although she wasn¡¯t sure why she was so confident that he would.

    She peeled off her clothes and shoes, bearing the healers attention in uncomfortable silence. He poked and prodded at her wounds, tutted at her skinniness and the ugly bruise on her leg. The wound on her shoulder made him fall silent, gently touching the flesh around it.

    ¡°I would have to say you are a lucky young lady.¡± He finally said. ¡°But this is going to hurt for some time. The wound on your back will need stitches, and you¡¯ll be more bruises than not for the next week or so. You¡¯re lucky that your leg isn¡¯t broken, but I suspect it was a very near thing.¡±

    ¡°Stitches? You ain¡¯t gunna sew me up like some doll! I can get it cauterized easy enough.¡± Stitches! Maybe Reshi could do it, but here, surrounded by strangers, guards no less! She didn¡¯t want to go through that.

    ¡°I am indeed going to sew you up. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine the pain of having that wound cauterized.¡± The healers voice was firm and unyielding. He touched her head lightly, and she flinched. She didn¡¯t pull away fast enough though, a faint green glow surrounded the healers hand, and then clouded her vision.

    Suddenly she felt drunk, swaying on her feet for only a moment before dropping onto the stool the healer offered her. His voice sounded distant as he spoke. ¡°I apologize, but this will only take a moment. That wound is too deep and large for cauterizing, the pain would likely kill you.¡±

    ¡°What... what did you do to me?¡± Her own voice sounded like it was coming from far away, and her head felt light. She didn¡¯t think she could stand if she wanted to. Fear clawed in her heart, but even that she didn¡¯t feel connected to.

    ¡°It¡¯s a small spell I use for my more fearful or stubborn patients. It will stop the pain for now, and let your body relax as it begins to heal. I don¡¯t believe you realize how lucky you are to even be alive right now.¡±

    Alive. She lucky to be alive, and not thrown in a dungeon. She felt as if she were tilting slowly to the side, and tried to straighten herself out. The healer steadied her with a gentle hand, the other working with needle and thread quickly. But she still felt like she was tilting. Or maybe the room was tilting. But they weren¡¯t on a boat! It felt like they were on a boat.

    She didn¡¯t much care for boats. Boats and deep water that she couldn¡¯t see the bottom of. Anything could be down there, anything.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost done, you¡¯ll need to sleep for a while after this. Do you have a safe place to sleep? Someone that can take you home?¡±

    ¡°Safe place? Safe ¡®nough. I can ¡®andle myself.¡± Dani gripped the edge of the counter in front of her, hoping it would help steady her. Shit, the healer could make tons of money just making people drunk! She wondered if it would come with a hangover the next day.

    ¡°Forgive me if I am not reassured.¡± The healer said dryly. He started to bandage her, pulling the clean linen bandages tight over the wound. But she didn¡¯t even feel it! Damn that magic was good stuff.

    ¡°Guess I can do that.¡± Dani smirked at her own joke, letting out a snort of laughter. She was alive, what did the rest matter? She could crash at the inn, or maybe lay out under the stars. It was such a nice night to be alive.

    ¡°How gracious of you.¡± The healer let out a sigh, his voice resigned. He picked up a shirt from a small stack of clothes nearby, obviously not meant for her. But he pulled it on over her head anyways. ¡°This is the princes, but I doubt he¡¯ll mind you wearing it. It¡¯s at least dry, and will help maintain your modesty until we find something more suitable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure this is fine.¡± She waved a hand, letting out another laugh as the sleeve flopped over her hand. She turned to face the healer, putting her hands on his face. ¡°You should market this magic stuff! I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya, folks¡¯ll pay ye good ta feel this good.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it was too much with the trauma you¡¯ve gone through.¡± The healer said uncertainly, and pulled her hands away from his face. He gently eased her back onto the stool. ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°A¡¯ight.¡± She sat back down, trying not to sway. She didn¡¯t even feel the wounds right now. Although it was a little cold. She eyed the princes vest, filthy and bloody as she undoubtedly was. Not to mention it was soaked, but it did have silver in it.. she could clean it! It just wasn¡¯t going to be any use right now.

    The healer ducked out of the stall, letting the curtain fall back into place behind him. Dani stared off into space, letting her mind blissfully wander. This had been one hell of a day, she was ready to go to bed, but where should she go? Maybe climbing a roof wasn¡¯t the best idea right now. And she was forgetting something, wasn¡¯t she?

    In the back of the stall, where the light barely reached, a door creaked open. Dani shifted in her chair, staring into the shadows of the narrow alley that snaked behind the stalls. ¡°Hello?¡±

 Chapter 12 - Wulfram

    ¡°Wait, that woman was the thief?¡± Ben stared at Wulfram in shocked disbelief, halfway through pouring himself a glass of whiskey from the bottle one of the guards had provided. A thoughtful move that, now that Wulfram was relaxing the pain was getting harder to ignore. He had stripped off the sodden bandages already, the cool evening air like fire on his wounds.

    Wulfram chuckled, taking a drink from his own glass, the liquid burning its way down his throat, settling into a warmth in his belly that helped take the edge off the pain. ¡°Not too loud. I don¡¯t want her in the dungeon. She¡¯s a gutsy little mouse, and I think she¡¯ll be useful in mapping the tunnels.¡±

    ¡°And if she decides to disappear into the Tangle? Or flee the city?¡± Ben finished pouring his drink and set the bottle aside. He settled onto the barrel they had chosen for seats, looking over Wulframs wounds in the fading light.

    ¡°Not likely to happen.¡± Wulfram said, and held up his wrist, the light glinting off his new bracelet. He could feel Dani through it, and wondered if she could feel him. It was faint, barely a whisper of emotion: fear, pain, and something else he was having trouble focusing on.

    Well, it had been a rough day for them both.

    Ben leaned forward to look at the bracelet, his eyebrows raising. ¡°That- is that your crown?¡±

    ¡°One half of it. My little mouse has the other half. Even if she runs I¡¯ll be able to follow.¡± Wulfram smiled at the bracelet, too tired to think of the consequences of activating it. It had never been intended to be used to keep a thief in check.

    ¡°She what? Did that hit to the head rattle your brains? How did that come about?¡±

    ¡°I needed her help to get out of there, I needed to know if I could trust her to lead me to safety. I think she was doing a fairly good job until the skeletons came after us.¡± He laughed, thinking of her stubborn refusal to relinquish the wine. Foolish little thief. But there was something endearing about her.

    ¡°Wulfram, Your highness, this-¡± Ben paused, looking at the healer as he came out of the stall. There was a look of concern on the healers face, and he headed straight over to pair, bowing deeply to Wulfram.

    ¡°Your highness, Lord Bennett. I see you¡¯ve already taken off the bandages, that saves me a step. Let me see your wounds while I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Why are you out here? Is Dani alright?¡± Wulfram set aside his whiskey. He stayed sitting, it would make it easier for the healer to see his wounds, but he did raise his arm so that he could get a better look at the wound on his side.

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    ¡°She... will be fine. I want to keep her under observation for a time, the reaction to my magic was... extreme.¡± The healer spoke carefully, pausing to think of the best way to communicate what he needed to say. ¡°I am not confident she has a safe place to return to, she¡¯s severely malnourished.¡±

    He let out a sigh of disgust as he studied the gash in his side. ¡°Are you going to give me trouble about getting stitches as well?¡±

    Wulfram raised an eyebrow. ¡°No. What magic did you have to cast on her?¡± He prodded the feelings he could just barely sense through the bracelet. The fear had faded, as had the pain. What was left behind was- what was that feeling? She felt drunk!

    ¡°A simple calming and numbing spell. Nothing extreme I assure you. Perhaps she reacted strongly because of a hit to the head, or because she¡¯s so malnourished, or perhaps she¡¯s simply sensitive to magic.¡± The healer started to carefully stitch up the wound on Wulframs side, his movements quick and precise.

    ¡°Should she be alone right now? If her reaction was so strong, I¡¯m wary of leaving her alone.¡± Wulfram frowned, the feeling growing fainter. Maybe she was falling asleep. But if she was in a bad way, he had no desire to leave her on the streets. Perhaps he could have her relocated to the healers hall, or the palace. But that last would cause questions he wasn¡¯t ready to answer.

    ¡°I told her to stay put. She should be fine as long as she¡¯s got someone watching over her.¡± The healer said confidently.

    Wulfram felt a wave of unease wash over him, and he looked over to Ben. ¡°Following directions isn¡¯t exactly her strong point. Ben, can you go make sure she isn¡¯t doing anything foolish?¡±

    Ben nodded and set his own glass of whiskey aside. ¡°Of course your highness.¡±

    Wulfram watched Ben head off to the stall, and let out a sigh. That woman... nothing could be simple with her, could it? ¡°Is that the reason you came out here? Is there room at the healers hall for her tonight?¡±

    ¡°It is your highness, but I also wished to see to your wounds. As for room at the healers hall, I will have to check with the healers there. It would be a safe place for her to rest and heal.¡±

    ¡°Better than the streets or the crypts, which is where she implied she sleeps many nights.¡± Wulfram agreed. He frowned as Ben stepped out of the stall and strode towards them. ¡°Ben? Is she alright?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± Ben said, his voice serious. ¡°The back door to the stall is open, and she¡¯s gone. I looked up and down the alley but saw no sign of her.

    Wulfram bit back a curse. He had a feeling she would wander off as soon as she could. But with her suffering the effects of a spell gone awry, she shouldn¡¯t be wandering the streets alone. ¡°Find me a mage, and alert the guards. She is not to be harmed, but I want her found.¡±

    ¡°Yes your highness.¡± Ben bowed, they would have to catch up more later. But for right now, Wulfram wanted Dani found.

    ¡°How long do you think the effects of your spell will last?¡± Wulfram asked, and scanned the rooftops. ¡°And how badly is it effecting her?¡±

    ¡°It should last through the night, she¡¯ll likely fall asleep soon. It¡¯s not necessarily effecting her badly, just strongly. No worse than a few good drinks I would say.¡± The healer started to bandage Wulframs wounds, although he looked uncomfortable. ¡°Quite frankly I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to walk more than a few steps without falling over.¡±

    ¡°Then you either underestimated her, or someone took her.¡± But who would take her? There were rumors of slavers down in the Tangles and docks, but Wulfram hadn¡¯t believed them. Now he was worried that those rumors might have been true. Who else would take a woman right from underneath the nose of the royal guard?

 Chapter 12.5 - Reshi

    Reshi had started off shocked at Dani¡¯s antic, but went quickly into both furious and terrified. Of all the stunts she could have pulled, he had never expected her to try and steal the crown off the princes head! What had she been thinking?

    Had she even bothered to consider what would happen if she succeeded? What was he thinking? She was young, stubborn and thought she was invincible.

    He didn¡¯t want her to learn she wasn¡¯t the hard way, but that was apparently what the gods had in mind for her, because the prince not only noticed her stealing his crown, but had given chase! The city was in an uproar, guards blocked off the Trade Road and herded people away from the royals. The queen and her daughters carriage was turned around and escorted back to the palace, while the king shouted orders to the guards. More than Reshi would have liked gave chase after Dani and the prince.

    And then there had been the unmistakable crash of building falling in. It wasn¡¯t an uncommon sound in the Rats Nest, but paired with the chaos left in the wake of Dani¡¯s attempt, it made for frightened people that the guards had trouble ushering off the streets.

    Reshi went quietly, hauling what was left of his boar away on his small cart, trundling up the narrow streets to his brothers house. He ignored the bets already being placed on whether the thief or prince would survive the night. If she was caught, he hated to think of the bets that would pay out. Damn that little fool! He had to find her, preferably before the royal guards did. And to do that, he needed his old contacts.

    He needed Alodia.

    ¡°Raycor! Ya ¡®ome?¡± Reshi called as he approached the small house. At one point it had been the tower of a much larger villa, but after the landslide the top of one of the towers was all that remained. Their father had added onto it, building up a room for his sons, and now, for Raycors daughters.

    Reshi grunted at the lack of response, it was to be expected. They were likely all at the bakery. But it was damn inconvenient. He looked around until he spotted one of the neighborhood boys, and whistled to him. ¡°You! Boy! C¡¯mere. I got a job fer ya.¡±

    ¡°Reshi! You¡¯re back!¡± The little boy ran over without hesitation, a gap-toothed grin on his dirty face. Reshi knelt down, fishing in his pocket for a copper. Then, thinking of the urgency, doubled what he pulled out. The shiny coins easily caught the boys attention. In the Rats Nest, for a boy his age, it was a small fortune. ¡°What do ya need me ta do?¡±

    ¡°I need ya ta go an¡¯ find Madame Alodia, tell ¡®er Reshi is callin¡¯ in a favor, an¡¯ let ¡®er know where ta find me. Do it fast an¡¯ I¡¯ll give ya an extra.¡±

    The boys eyes widened, and he nodded so hard his hair flopped into his face. ¡°Yessir!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a good lad.¡± Reshi handed over the coins, and straightened. ¡°When ye get back, tell yer mum I brought ¡®er some meat as well. Ye need it ta grow strong like yer Da.¡±

    ¡°Yessir!¡± The coins disappeared somewhere into the boys pockets, and he took off like the hounds of hell were on his tail. That was good, Alodia shouldn¡¯t be hard to find, and even if she didn¡¯t come herself, she¡¯d send one of hers to talk to him. She owed him that much.

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    With nothing else to do to pass the time, he started to carve up the boar, taking care to get every last piece of meat off the bones. He had already sold the hide and tusks, even a good portion of the meat. What was left he¡¯d share with Raycor and the girls, and the rest of their little neighborhood. That was how they got by through hard times, sharing what little they all had and praying it would be enough.

    He thought of the last time he had spoken with Dani. Maybe he had been too harsh on the girl, he was the one who had taught her how to steal. But he had thought it would just be for a short time. Didn¡¯t little girls grow into women who wanted husbands? He had been sure she would settle down, find a man and live a happy life.

    He hadn¡¯t thought she¡¯d take to the thieving as a way of life!

    His own damn fault.

    He growled and slapped a hunk of meat down on the much-stained cloth he had spread out on the scarred old table made of discarded wood, the whole thing rocking with the force. But it had taken much worse abuse than old Reshi could deal out anymore.

    ¡°Bad day, Reshi?¡± Alodia¡¯s soft voice came from behind him.

    To give himself some credit, he didn¡¯t jump, just looked over his shoulder at her with a dark scowl. ¡°I see ya came yerself. Thank ya.¡±

    ¡°You called in a favor, I was curious and your messenger was insistent.¡± She smiled fondly down at the boy, who was standing nervously at her side.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good lad. ¡®Ere ya go boy, an extra coin fer yer trouble, an¡¯ some meat fer yer Ma.¡± Reshi folded up some of the meat in a cloth, handing it to the boy along with the promised copper. The boy flashed him a grin, but ran off immediately, his treasures clutched tightly.

    ¡°So, what did you want to cash your favor in for? It has to be big. Which makes me wonder if it has something to do with the chaos down by Trade Road.¡± Alodia perched on a makeshift chair, gently fanning herself

    ¡°An¡¯ what do ya know ¡®bout that chaos?¡± Reshi cut meat away from a bone, slapping it onto the table with the rest of the meat. They would have plenty to eat and share, it was a good thing.

    ¡°Oh, only that a young woman was seen stealing the princes crown, and led him on a merry chase across the rooftops until they both fell through one and disappeared. The guard that was right behind them luckily survived the fall, but will be in the care of the healers for some time yet.¡± Alodia stared off into space with a coy smile. ¡°I might even recognize the young woman. If pressed to do so.¡±

    Reshi nodded, letting out a snort. She might recognize the young woman, was it? Damn woman and her games! ¡°Ye know who it was. An¡¯ I need ta find ¡®er ¡®fore the guards do.¡±

    ¡°What will you do if you happen to find this young woman? There¡¯s not likely to be any place she can hide after what she¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not, depends on ¡®ow good¡¯a look they got of ¡®er. An¡¯ looks can be changed. They ain¡¯t gunna be lookin¡¯ fer a lady, or a boy. But a young woman in trousers. Worse comes worse, I¡¯ll take ¡®er out o¡¯ the city. Can always go to Hesiodos.¡±

    Alodia paused in her fanning, looking at Reshi thoughtfully. She smiled then, and flicked her fan closed. ¡°You always had a soft heart for her. Are you sure it would be wise to take her back there? The wrong people may recognize her.¡±

    ¡°Been ¡®ow long now? I can keep ¡®er safe ¡®nough. But I gotta find ¡®er. Will ya ¡®elp me?¡± Reshi turned to face her fully, the lines on his face making him look so much older than he really was.

    Alodia stood, her hips swaying as she walked forward. Gently, she kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Of course I will Reshi. I¡¯ll have my people on the lookout, and when we find her, we¡¯ll let you know and go from there. Try not to fret too much.¡±

    Reshi turned away from her, chopping into the meat again. ¡°Thank ye lass.¡±

    But she was already gone, melting into the shadows. The only sign she had been there at all was the lingering scent of perfume, quickly carried away by the breeze.

 Chapter 13 - Dani

    At some point, Dani had passed out. She could vaguely remember Reshi, and a strange Felinae emerging from the alley outside the stall she had been in with the healer. Reshi had looked so old though, the lines on his face etched deep, as if he had aged years in the short time since she had seen him last. He had scooped her up in his arms like he had when she was a little girl, and they had left the stall, leaving the door swaying in the breeze.

    She wasn¡¯t sure what had happened after that, but she woke up to sun streaming through the familiar window of Therija and Azra¡¯s room. The smell of herbs, spices and pork drifted in through the curtain that separated the bedroom from the rest of the house.

    Dani sat up slowly, each muscle and wound screaming in protest. She managed to keep her voice down to a whimper as the movement pulled at the stitches in her shoulder, tears forming in her eyes. She looked down at herself, recognizing one of Therija¡¯s nightgowns. She hadn¡¯t been wearing that before! Shit, she hadn¡¯t been wearing anything before! She gingerly stood up, nearly falling down again as pain shot up through her leg, letting out a curse.

    That was apparently enough to alert the people in the other room that she was awake. Reshi¡¯s voice growled through the curtain, oddly gentle. ¡°C¡¯mon out lass, ye be needin¡¯ ta eat.¡±

    Oh shit.

    She was in so much trouble.

    Dani limped across the floor, the pain in her leg dulling faintly as she moved. Or maybe she was just getting used to it. She supposed it didn¡¯t matter which one it was, the rest of her hurt too much to worry about any one ache. She took a moment to compose herself before opening the curtain and stepping into the main room.

    Reshi was already sitting, peeling a rutabaga with his large hunting knife. He barely glanced up as she came out of the room, but she could tell he hadn¡¯t slept much. Raycor paused in kneading dough to pick a plate up from beside the fire, setting it down in front of Dani with a tender smile. ¡°Take a seat Daniella, eat somethin¡¯. Ye ain¡¯t naught but skin¡¯n bones.¡±

    A jolt went through her when Raycor used her full name. No one ever used her full name! She was always just Dani.

    Unless she was in trouble.

    Which she knew damn well she was right now. ¡°Thank you Raycor.¡± She spoke with uncharacteristic meekness. Slowly, she lowered herself into the sturdy old chair they had left open for her and picked up a fork. She glanced at the two brothers, trying to gauge exactly how much trouble she was in. Neither one looked angry, Raycor was even smiling a bit. The silence seemed to indicate the worst, the two were hardly ever this silent when they were together, especially not when cooking.

    Dani looked down at her plate, and started to eat. Eggs, bacon and even one of the raisin cinnamon rolls from the bakery made a breakfast worthy of the king. Which just made her more nervous, it felt far too much like a last meal. But even though her stomach twisted in knots she knew better than to waste food. Especially not when it was as rare a feast as this.

    ¡°Am I... in trouble?¡± She said hesitantly, glancing up from her plate. She knew the answer already, had known it since the Wulfram- since the Prince gave chase yesterday. She might not be in the dungeons right now, but that didn¡¯t mean she was going to get out of this without consequence.

    Reshi let out a snort, hacking through the rutabaga in one swing of his knife.

    Raycor dumped the ball of dough he had made onto the table, letting the silence stretch a moment before he looked up to her, his voice soft. ¡°Lass, I dun¡¯nae think ye know ¡®ow much trouble ye be in. ¡®Ow much trouble we all may be in, wit¡¯ that stunt ye pulled. We jus¡¯ be lucky them guards din¡¯ decide ta go on a rampage through the warrens lookin¡¯ fer ye. The prince ain¡¯t ¡®armed I reckon?¡±

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    ¡°He- he was a bit scraped up, but fine enough to insist the healer see to me first.¡± Dani shrank down a little in her chair and picked at her eggs. ¡°We both took some damage fallin¡¯ through that building.¡±

    ¡°Aye, I ain¡¯t surprised. Yer both lucky not ta be dead.¡± Raycor started to roll the dough flat. ¡°I thank the gods fer that.¡±

    Dani nodded and dared a glance at Reshi. He didn¡¯t meet her eyes, focused on chopping the rutabaga up into small cubes. They were making pasties then, using root vegetables and some of the meat Reshi had brought home from his hunt. Dani looked back down at her food, feeling unaccustomed tears pricking at her eyes. Why wasn¡¯t he at least yelling?

    ¡°Eat yer food lass. Ye know we don¡¯t waste it here. An¡¯ you¡¯ll be needin¡¯ the fuel to heal properly.¡± Reshi growled, still not looking up from his work.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The healer stitched me up.¡± Dani took another bite of her food though, working her way through the eggs before touching the bacon, leaving the cinnamon roll for last.

    ¡°Dani, yer more bruise than girl at the moment. Do ye ¡®ave any idea ¡®ow much ye scared me?¡± Reshi spoke so softly she barely heard him.

    Her head snapped up, and she stared at the man who had raised her like a daughter. He met her eyes, his own sad and lined deeply. She hadn¡¯t noticed how much older he had been getting. ¡°I- I didn¡¯t mean to. I thought if I could just make one big score...¡±

    ¡°One big score an¡¯ ye could prove ye were a thief worth her salt?¡± The corner of Reshi¡¯s mouth quirked up. ¡°Well. Ye proved ya could take risks, but not smart ones. Ye got the attention of the guards, the royals, an¡¯ the thieves guild. That what ye wanted?¡±

    ¡°No! I just wanted to prove that I could take care of myself. That I didn¡¯t need a man to help! That I could use the skills you taught me....¡± Her hand was shaking, and she set her fork down before she dropped it. She had wanted to prove to him above all others that she could take care of herself. That she had been worth taking in.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t no shame ta depend on others.¡± Raycor said softly. ¡°Or ask fer ¡®elp. Child, why din¡¯ ye come ¡®ome when ye were ¡®ungry?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to prove I could take care of myself....¡± Dani whispered. The tears spilled out, and she reached up to wipe them quickly away. No, she was not going to cry like a little girl.

    ¡°Well ye ain¡¯t gunna take care of yerself by thievin¡¯.¡± Reshi said firmly. He swept the cubes of rutabaga into a bowl, fixing his gaze on her. ¡°That last stunt was it. If ye do as much as pick a pocket I¡¯ll turn ya into the guard myself an¡¯ wash my hands of ya.¡±

    Ice gripped Dani¡¯s heart as she met Reshi¡¯s eyes. Her own widened as she processed what he said. A grim seriousness in his voice made her believe he wasn¡¯t joking either. Would he turn her in if she stole again? She didn¡¯t want to take the risk.

    ¡°But... I don¡¯t know how to do anything else!¡± She protested.

    ¡°Najia taught ya ta sew, hell, I know ye made the nightgown yer wearing. Mrs. Haversaun is lookin¡¯ fer an apprentice, so yer gonna be it. Already been arranged. Ye¡¯ll dress like a lady, do yer job, an¡¯ pray folks don¡¯t recognize ya from that little stunt an¡¯ the prince don¡¯t decide to come back fer yer pretty new bracelet.¡±

    Dani¡¯s face paled. Shit, she had forgotten about the bracelet. Was Wulfram going to come looking for it? It wasn¡¯t like she could sell it! Reshi nodded grimly.

    ¡°Aye, I saw it. ¡®Bout the only thing ye were wearin¡¯ when I found ya. I know it¡¯s magic, he tell ya what it would do?¡± Reshi leaned forward, balancing the tip of his knife on the table.

    ¡°It was supposed to be an assurance, so he could trust me.¡± Dani touched the bracelet lightly, staring at the amber stone on it. She imagined she could almost see him looking back at her through it. Hopefully, he was alright.

    ¡°So he could trust ye.¡± Reshi let out a sigh and pulled an onion over, slicing into it with his knife. ¡°Damn royals and their tricks. We¡¯ll have ta find some mage ta look at it, maybe they can get it off ya.¡±

    ¡°Could ask Alaira if she knows o¡¯ one.¡± Raycor said. He glanced at his sheet of dough, then at Raycors progress. With a shake of his head he gently folded the dough back up and dropped it into the bowl it came from. ¡°Ye gettin¡¯ slow ol¡¯ man.¡±

    Don¡¯t ye start wit¡¯ me. An I ain¡¯t be lookin¡¯ to owe more favors to Alaira.¡± Reshi growled. ¡°Ya got a problem wit¡¯ how fast I¡¯m goin¡¯ ye can help.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± Raycor said, and pulled over a bunch of carrots. He started to cut them into small cubes, a smile playing on his lips. ¡°Finish yer food Dani, then ye can ¡®elp too.¡±

    Dani let out a sigh, looking down at the food still left on her plate. Reluctantly, she started eating again. She just wished her stomach didn¡¯t feel like it wanted to turn inside-out.

 Chapter 14 - Wulfram

    The guard, Derrick, hadn¡¯t been able to track Dani. That concerned Wulfram, there was no way she could have gotten away by herself in her condition, so someone had to have taken her. But who? Was it someone she knew, or someone who saw an opportunity and took it? His chest tightened at the thought of her in the hands of someone with ill intentions.

    And he couldn¡¯t even go after her himself. The carriage had arrived shortly after she went missing, and he was escorted back to the palace to face his parents. Wulfram scowled as he stared out the window of his quarters. Morning light spread across the city, bathing the buildings and the cliffs on the far side of the city in its golden glow. That had been an unpleasant conversation, especially when he told them about the bracelet.

    It was old magic, at least as old as the kingdom itself. The last time it had been used was for a contract marriage four generations ago to ensure the not-so-happy couple at the very least cooperated. Even if they couldn¡¯t be convinced to like each other. Technically, the bracelets meant he was now married to the little thief.

    Legally, however, things were more complicated. Dani was a commoner, and royalty didn¡¯t marry commoners. Especially when they were thieves.

    A knock on his door pulled Wulfram out of his brooding. He looked up, considering ignoring it for a moment. But no, he was the prince and such antics were beneath him. ¡°Enter.¡±

    At least his wounds gave him an excuse not to stand up. He wondered how Dani was doing with her wounds today. Did she ache as badly as he did? He lightly touched the bracelet, trying to get a sense of her through it. Was it just him, or was that anxiety and pain coming through it?

    ¡°Good morning your Highness.¡± Ben stepped through the door, carrying a bottle of amber liquid. ¡°I¡¯ve been sent to see how you are doing this morning.¡±

    Wulfram looked up from the bracelet and offered his old friend a somewhat forced smile. ¡°Good morning Ben. What word do we have on finding Dani?¡±

    ¡°Straight to the point I see.¡± Ben¡¯s smile faded slightly. He picked up two glasses from the small bar Wulfram kept in his room and set both them and the bottle on the table. ¡°The city guards are on the lookout for her, and the Archmage will be by later today to try and track her through the bracelet. As well as see if there¡¯s a way to remove it.¡±

    ¡°What time later today? Anything could be happening to her while we wait.¡± Wulfram looked at the bottle, and leaned forward to pop it open. He could use a little whiskey to take the edge off. He poured both himself and Ben a glass.

    ¡°This afternoon I believe.¡± Ben picked up his glass and took a sip. ¡°Calm down Wulfram, you would know if anything bad happened to her. I¡¯ve been looking into notes on the ancestral crown and how it¡¯s been used in the past. There¡¯s not a lot of information but if anything drastic happens to your little wifey, you¡¯ll feel it through the bracelet.¡±

    Wifey. Wulfram took a drink of his whiskey and set the glass down next to his breakfast. He wasn¡¯t sure how that would stand in the court, but the idea wasn¡¯t necessarily unappealing. He thought of her in the tunnels, glaring at him with those vibrant blue eyes. ¡°I would prefer not to wait for something drastic to happen.¡±

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    But there was nothing he could do right now, after the conversation with his parents last night he was essentially grounded. For now at least he would have to work through others to get things done. Luckily he could trust Ben and a few others to help him. ¡°Let me know the moment anyone finds her. For now, how are things on the border?¡±

    ¡°Tense. At least the attacks have stopped, and there¡¯s been some let up in the caravan raids. Although Hesiodos still refuses to pay any taxes for goods coming in from the ocean. I¡¯m not sure King Alastar knows they just go to paying for the upkeep and security of the road.¡± Ben grimaced and took another drink of his whiskey. ¡°And we can¡¯t refuse to let traders use the road, it¡¯s the shortest route from the ocean to Trade City. But then the traders also don¡¯t want to pay taxes to maintain it! To add complications to the whole debacle King Alastar is asking to enter our kingdom with a group of his clansmen to- get this! Search for their princess.¡±

    ¡°To what?¡± Wulfram looked at Ben in surprise, trying to remember if he had heard anything about a missing princess from Hesiodos recently. ¡°What princess?¡±

    ¡°The one that was supposed to be traveling with their High Queen to meet you.¡± Ben shook his head in disbelief. ¡°There¡¯s no way they would find her! If she¡¯s even still alive.¡±

    What the hell was Ben talking about? He hadn¡¯t heard anything about a princess from Hesiodos traveling to meet him, and as far as he knew King Alastar hadn¡¯t taken a High Queen yet. He had only just consolidated his power! ¡°King Alastar already has a High Queen?¡±

    ¡°Huh? No, no I¡¯m talking about the late High Queen.¡± Ben looked at him in bewilderment for a moment and then grinned. ¡°King Danivell¡¯s High Queen.¡±

    ¡°King Danivell¡¯s High Queen? But she died years ago!¡± Wulfram frowned, and then understanding dawned. ¡°Wait. You can¡¯t possibly mean that princess! There¡¯s no way she¡¯s alive, I remember reading reports on what they found of that caravan, everyone had been slaughtered!¡±

    ¡°I mean exactly that princess.¡± Ben nodded, his smile fading at the mention of the slaughter.

    It had been a tragedy, and old King Danivell had gone mad with grief. It was what started their conflicts with Hesiodos. Granted he couldn¡¯t even imagine the grief he¡¯d feel if his mother and sisters died, but to start a war? Wulfram shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯s alive.¡± He repeated firmly. ¡°And even if she was, she¡¯d be around our age, I doubt that she would be recognizable.¡±

    Ben nodded and finished his whiskey. He looked at the bottle for a moment, considering another glass, but shook his head and pushed his glass away. ¡°I know, but they¡¯re adamant she¡¯s alive, and that they can find her. Perhaps they have a similar type of locator magic that we used to find you, but then why didn¡¯t they use it years ago?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Wulfram said, finishing off his own whiskey. He poured them each a glass of water. It was far too early in the day to be drunk. Technically it was too early to drink whiskey, but it had helped ease his pain. The healer would doubtless be by later to check on him, perhaps they would have something other than alcohol to help. ¡°What does father have to say about letting them search?¡±

    ¡°His Highness is inclined to let them look. Provided they can come to some agreement about the Trade Road, that it¡¯s one small group, and that group is accompanied by some of our own people.¡± Ben listed the concessions, ticking them off on his fingers.

    Wulfram nodded as he mulled over the concessions. They were reasonable, more than reasonable really. King Alastar was talking about coming into their kingdom and searching for a girl who was most likely dead. The whole thing sounded suspicious. ¡°If he allows them to search I want to be part of their escort.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think your father will like that idea.¡± Ben said. ¡°Especially after last night.¡±

    ¡°He might not, but I¡¯m sure I can convince him. Besides, who else is going to go? He can¡¯t because of his leg and it¡¯s too much of a risk to send my mother or sisters. There should be a representative of the royal family in the party since it will be escorting the Hesiodos King, consider it a show of trust.¡±

    ¡°It is a show of trust alright,¡± Ben said dryly, but he nodded. ¡°Well, good luck convincing your father to let you go.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll need it,¡± Wulfram said, and let out a sigh. He sure as hell could use some luck today.

 Chapter 15 - Dani

    It was late afternoon by the time they finished assembling the pasties, and Dani felt like shit. Her whole body ached, and she was exhausted even though she hadn¡¯t done anything particularly taxing today.

    With a thunk, Reshi set a bottle of dark liquor in front of her. ¡°Drink.¡±

    Dani jumped a little, her eyes focusing on the bottle. How long had she been staring into space? ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Drink,¡± Reshi repeated, then added just a touch more gently. ¡°It¡¯ll help with the pain.¡±

    And that gentleness was what really unnerved her. Reshi was not a gentle sort, especially not when she had screwed things up so badly. She hesitated, staring at him for a moment until his face darkened into a scowl. ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t know what yer waitin¡¯ for, an engraved invitation?¡±

    ¡°Sorry!¡± Dani picked up the bottle, taking a hasty drink. The dark liquid burned its way down her throat, and she set the bottle down hard. She managed to hold in the coughing, but her face turned red and her eyes watered. It was a far cry from the wine that she had found in the underground! But it also wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t drunk her fair share of rotgut in the past. A single cough escaped as she set the bottle down, and Reshi let out a snort.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me ya can¡¯t hold yer liqour! Been drinkin¡¯ watered-down shit, ain¡¯t ya?¡±

    ¡°Liqour ain¡¯t cheap Reshi! I can handle it fine though.¡± She was not going to give him another thing to get on her case about. She was in enough trouble with things she had actually done.

    Raycor set a hand on her shoulder. ¡°He jus¡¯ be worried ¡®bout ya. Ya know he loves ya. Go lay down, we¡¯ll wake ya when the girls get back fer dinner.¡±

    ¡°I just got up!¡± But the protest was half-hearted at best. She was sore and exhausted, and nothing sounded better than laying back down for a bit.

    ¡°Do what yer uncle says. Yer in ¡®nough trouble right now.¡± Reshi snapped.

    Shit, at this rate he was going to remind her that she was his daughter in all but blood! Dani stood up, unable to keep the scowl off her face as she turned and headed back into the bedroom. ¡°I ain¡¯t a child.¡± She muttered softly to herself.

    Unfortunately she was not quiet enough.

    Reshi smacked her on the head with a snarl. ¡°Ye¡¯ll watch yer tounge! I I mighta raised an idiot, but din¡¯ think I raised an ungrateful one! I called in a big favor ta get ya out of that scrape, an¡¯ there¡¯s gonna be more trouble ta come, I gurantee it. We¡¯re damn lucky ain¡¯t no guards come knockin¡¯ on our door already!¡±

    Dani stumbled and her eyes widened as she looked at Reshi. ¡°I- I didn¡¯t meant that! I am grateful!¡±

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    ¡°Then show it, now go to bed, ya need yer rest.¡± Reshi turned his back on her, snatching the bottle off the table. Dani stared at his back for a moment, then just shook her head and ducked into the bedroom.

    Would the guards be looking for her? She looked down at the bracelet, its amber gem glowing faintly in the warm light of the sun. Obviously Reshi hadn¡¯t told Wulfram where he had taken her. Would the prince bother looking for her? It seemed silly to try, and he had told the guards that she had saved his life, so they shouldn¡¯t be looking for her. The thieves guild might wind up being a problem, but-

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Dani looked around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. It hadn¡¯t been Reshi or Raycor, it hadn¡¯t even been Azra or Therija!

    ¡°Dani, can you hear me? Are you alright?¡± The voice took on an air of command, and she froze, eyes opening wide.

    ¡°Wulf?¡± She whispered. There was no way he was here! She limped over to the window, looking out past the curtain, searching the dusty street below for him. But all she saw were a couple of kids playing, and an older man shuffling down the street towards the market.

    ¡°Dani! Good, you can hear me. Tell me where you are.¡± Tell him where she was? She could only imagine the trouble that would follow! If he sent people here....

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, what are you worried about anyways?¡± She whispered, and glanced up in case he was on the roof. ¡°Where the hell are you? Wait, don¡¯t you know where I am? Aren¡¯t you here... somewhere?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not there, the bracelet- listen, I need to talk to you, in person.¡±

    ¡°No way! Listen, I¡¯m already in enough trouble, I¡¯m fine, sounds like you¡¯re fine. That should be it.¡± She sat down on the bed, glancing nervously at the curtain that covered the door. The bracelet? Did he want it back? Well she couldn¡¯t blame him she supposed.

    ¡°Dani this is important! We need to talk.¡±

    ¡°We need to talk?¡± Dani scoffed, staring off into space. ¡°Well it sure as hell isn¡¯t going to be right now. I don¡¯t want people thinking I¡¯ve gone nuts and I need to get some sleep.¡±

    ¡°Who ya talkin¡¯ ta?¡± Reshi pulled open the curtain to the room, looking around for possible intruders.

    ¡°No one! I... I was just talking to myself.¡± Shit. She put a hand to her face, closing her eyes. She didn¡¯t need Reshi thinking she had gotten touched in the head. ¡°Sorry, guess I have become a bit of a lightweight.¡±

    Reshi frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. But he nodded and let out his own sigh. ¡°...Go to sleep lass.¡± With a shake of his head Reshi turned and let the curtain drop back into place.

    Dani laid down and pulled the covers over her, whispering as softly as she could. ¡°Listen Wulf, I ain¡¯t got anything against you but yer a noble. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯d have to talk to me about.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated, please tell me where you are. This magic can¡¯t hold for much longer.¡± There was an almost desperate tone to his voice, which made Dani raise an eyebrow. Why was he so desperate to talk in person? How was he talking to her like this? Maybe she really was touched in the head.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you coming here! You have any idea what that would do to my family? People seein¡¯ the prince and his guards out here? Get some sleep yerself.¡± Dani closed here eyes and covered her ears, trying to block out the voice. Maybe the voice was a side-effect of Reshi¡¯s damn rotgut? Maybe she was going crazy?

    Or maybe it really was him....

    ¡°Dani-¡±

    ¡°No, listen... if you¡¯re really Wulfram let me get some damn sleep. We can work a meeting out when my father and uncle aren¡¯t in the next damn room.¡±

    ¡°...Alright Dani. I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll contact you again later.¡±

    ¡°Thank the gods.¡± Dani sighed. She rolled over so that she wasn¡¯t putting pressure on her stitches and yanked the covers up over her head. Sleep came blessedly quickly and dreamless.

 Chapter 15.5 *Bonus* Meat Pasties Recipe

    These Meat Pasties are based off Cornish Style Pasties or Upper Michigan Pasties. You can find many recipes for these online, but most are very similar. This recipe has two parts: The dough, and the filling. If you don¡¯t feel like making the dough store-bought pie crust works alright.

    These can sometimes be a bit dry, but they taste great with gravy on them! I usually use plain brown gravy in the can or jar.

    The seasonings can be adjusted to suit your particular tastes, I just included what I prefer in mine. It tastes fine with just salt and pepper, but I happen to really love garlic. You can even dust the outside with some seasonings for extra flavor!

    Please note that these are rough directions only, I did my best but I¡¯m the type of person whose husband asks ¡°How long should this be in for?¡± And my answer is ¡°Until it¡¯s done.¡±

    Ingredients:

    <u>Dough</u>

    3 cups flour

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 cup room-temperature butter

    Cold water to consistency

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    1 egg, beaten (For brushing over the finished pasties before you bake them)

    <u>Filling</u>

    1 pound ground meat, I use a mixture of half pork and half beef

    1/2 cup diced rutabaga

    1 onion, diced

    1 cup diced potatoes

    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

    2 tablespoons butter, melted

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon pepper

    Instructions

    <u>Dough</u>

    Mix flour, salt, and butter together in a bowl, using a fork to cut the butter and mix it with the dry ingredients to make pea-sized crumbles. Add 1/4 cup water and start to form dough into a ball. You will need to add small amounts of water at a time until the dough forms a ball that isn¡¯t sticky. If it crumbles apart you need more water, if it¡¯s sticky you¡¯ll need to add more flour.

    Dust a flat surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out into a thin sheet.

    Cut the dough into rough circles, they don¡¯t have to be perfect circles, but they should be about the size of two hands put together, or 6 inches in diameter. They can be bigger or smaller if you¡¯d like.

    <u>Filling</u>

    Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. That¡¯s it, we like things we can just mix together here.

    <u>And Combine!</u>

    Spoon about a handful of filling onto the dough circles, trying to get it mostly on one side. Leave about 1/2 inch around the edge so that you can close the pastie.

    Dampen the outer edges of the pastie dough with water, and fold over. The water will help the sides stick together. Use a fork to press the sides together further. Make a small slit in the top of the pastie.

    Use butter, oil, a non-stick spray, or parchment paper to line a cookie sheet. Set the pasties on the cookie sheet and brush tops with the egg mixture.

    Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour. The tops of the pasties should be golden brown.

    Enjoy your delicious meat pasties!

 Chapter 16 - Wulfram

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the connection has faded again your Highness.¡± The Archmage Balariz let out a tired sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Around Wulfram, the sigils faded, Wulfram withdrawing his magic. The light blue of Dani¡¯s magic had faded already, and the Archmage withdrew his own dark blue magic. ¡°I¡¯ll still be able to track her, but it won¡¯t likely be today.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Wulfram sighed and stood up from the circle. At the very least she seemed okay now, he had gotten a brief glimpse of the room she was in: small, with a single bed covered with a cheerful quilt. She was in pain, but she was safe. As safe as anyone could be in the Tangle he supposed.

    ¡°The energy isn¡¯t there.¡± Archmage Balariz stepped aside as the waiting servant started to clean the reagents and symbols off the floor. After all, the princes quarters weren¡¯t some mages lab! It wasn¡¯t proper for the floor to be covered with magic symbols and such.

    Wulfram frowned, thinking of how easily Dani had gotten tired just lighting a glowstone. It made sense with how skinny she was. Magic took a decent amount of energy, if she was malnourished her body likely couldn¡¯t maintain an enhanced connection for long. He looked down at the bracelet, the glow of the blue stone had faded. ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll try a tracking spell tomorrow, I¡¯m convinced that for right now at least she¡¯s not in any immediate danger. That will give you time to see how to remove the bracelets.¡±

    ¡°Ah... yes your Highness.¡± Balariz bowed deeply. The look on his face didn¡¯t exactly fill Wulfram with confidence, but he had limited choices. The longer they could keep the bracelets and the unofficial marriage under wraps, the better. At least until he figured out what to do about it. Which really meant he needed to talk to her. But today, he had other people to talk to as well.

    ¡°Make sure the locator spell is ready to go first thing in the morning. I have a meeting to attend.¡± Wulfram dusted himself off, taking a moment to straighten his clothes in the mirror. He adjusted his sleeves to cover the bracelet, checked his sword, and headed out of the room.

    It was a short walk to the Council Room, the heavy oak doors flanked by two armed guards in full armor. A reasonable precaution considering the high-ranking officials gathered inside. The only one missing from the group was the Archmage. The quiet buzz of conversation in the meeting room silenced upon Wulframs entrance, and the majority of people paused to bow to him. Wulfram nodded slightly to the group, and headed to the front of the table to sit between his parents. One of the servants who stood along the wall immediately set a glass of wine in front of Wulfram before returning to his place against the wall.

    For a moment, as people got settled, it looked like an informal gathering in the room. But Wulfram knew better. Each choice in the room had meaning to it, from where different people sat, to the number of servants, the display of the Cresenvasht coat of arms, the maps spread out across the table and hung as a tapestry on the wall, even the type of wood the table was made of. It was all designed to communicate status, power and wealth. It was in this room that the decisions which affected the lives of hundreds were made.

    King Cynewulf surveyed the group, giving a nod of respect as they all sat. ¡°Thank you all for coming today. We have much to discuss today. I will start with an assurance that Prince Wulfram has only sustained minor injuries in his ordeal yesterday. Nothing a strong prince such as him cannot easily endure.¡±

    There was a polite murmer of well wishes around the table, vague agreement that of course their prince was strong enough to endure any trials that might face him. Wulfram nodded his thanks, but remained silent, letting his father continue to control the room. He was of higher rank than the others, hence his spot at the head of the table. But his official duty in this meeting was to watch, listen, and learn. If he felt he had something important to say, he and his parents had subtle ques he could use to indicate such.

    ¡°Our first issue of business must of course be our relations with Hesiodos. Since King Danivel passed, we had held an uneasy peace, punctuated by minor skirmishes and raids on trade caravans, as well as a steady refusal to help pay for the upkeep of Trade Road. To give some background to those that may not be familiar with it,¡± King Cynewulf nodded to the two merchants that sat at the far end of the table. They were the lowest ranked in the room, as well as the newest to the Council. ¡°Trade Road stretches from our port all the way to Trade City, which lies roughly in the center of Hesiodos. The upkeep of Trade Road used to be split between our kingdoms, since both profited from it. That agreement collapsed upon the death of High Queen Cerridwen and the assumed death of her daughter.¡±

    King Cynewulf allowed a moment of puzzled silence at the ¡®assumed¡¯ part of his comment, before continuing on. ¡°In recent months, Hesiodos has been working to unite the clans more solidly, continuing his fathers goal to make one united kingdom under the five clans. He has also has been gathering forces at the border. Right now the force is small, but it¡¯s a force none-the-less. For the time being it seems he¡¯s only moved members of his own clan to the border, but if King Alastar manages to rally the other clans, we could be facing a difficult war.¡±

    ¡°We can handle a few barbaric clansmen.¡± Lord Roderick was the first to speak up, a sneer crossing his face. ¡°Our forces are strong, we should just take the land from here to Trade City.¡±

    ¡°Our forces are strong, but not strong enough to take and hold all that land. Trade City is no less than 10 days ride from here, and it wouldn¡¯t be just the clansmen we¡¯d be fighting, but their women too.¡± General Gavril spoke calmly, and frowned at Lord Roderick. ¡°And if we must fight all the clans our forces will be grossly outnumbered.¡±

    ¡°Nor are they barbaric, merely different. I would remind you to watch how you speak of the people of Hesiodos, Lord Roderick. We were allies once, and will hopefully be so again.¡± Queen Mirabel spoke softly, but her voice carried through the room with calm assurance.

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    Lord Rodericks face reddened slightly, and he cleared his throat. ¡°My apologies, your Highness.¡± It looked as if the apology tasted of sour lemons to him, but he made it anyways.

    ¡°We will dismiss the outburst,¡± King Cynewulf said, with a nod of agreement from Queen Mirabel. ¡°The situation is not as simple as it first appears anyways. Certainly they seek more power over the Trade Road, but that is not the reason they gather at our borders.¡±

    There were looks of confusion shared around the table. Lord Bennett straightened in his seat towards the end of the table, and King Cynewulf nodded to him. ¡°Lord Bennett was present for the meeting between King Alastar and the commander at the border, he will provide an overview of what they are seeking. I have also called Madame Alodia, who is native to Hesiodos, to provide us some possible insight into their magic and culture. Please begin Lord Bennett.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, your Highness.¡± Ben stood up, bowing deeply. He picked up a pointer of rich dark wood with a gold-plated tip, and pointed to the tapestry map along the wall. He traced a section of the border that passed close to Dragon Tears Lake. ¡°King Alastar is gathering his forces here, where Trade Road passes by Dragon Tears Lake, close to the Crystal Mountain. ¡°Their troops are marked in blue. At the moment, it is a small force, but our scouts have confirmed King Alastar is making progress uniting the clans. They have effectively prevented the trade post from collecting any taxes from caravans coming in either direction, and refusing to pay any taxes for the upkeep of the Trade Road within our borders. This is an important bargaining point with them, but not the only, or even the most important to King Alastar. Which should give us some leverage. This most important issue to him is a request to enter our kingdom in search for his sister, the same one who was supposed to enter an arranged marriage with Prince Wulfram.¡±

    The shock in the air was nearly palatable. Glances were exchanged around the table, and Madame Alodia leaned forward slightly, eyebrows raising. But she held her tongue.

    Lord Roderick, however, did not.

    ¡°The girl couldn¡¯t possibly be alive! The whole caravan was massacred, and even if by some miracle she had survived there¡¯s no way they could find her. One girl that disappeared years ago? Ridiculous! There must be some other reason they wish to enter the kingdom.¡±

    ¡°It does seem quite unlikely Lord Roderick.¡± Ben nodded slightly to the other man. ¡°But there is reason to believe she could still be alive. Or at least could have survived the attack. There were no children found among the dead. King Alastar also claims that their magic can tell she is still alive, and that they may be able to track her. I asked Madame Alodia if she had any insight on their magic and validity of the claim. If you would mind explaining what you told me earlier Madame Alodia?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Lord Bennett, it would be my honor.¡± Madame Alodia smiled, ignoring the sneers from the nobles at the table. ¡°I have lived these past five years in Cresenvasht and consider it my home, but I still remember growing up in Hesiodos. There are similarities in the magics of both places, but also interesting differences. For instance tracking magic: yesterday Prince Wulfram was tracked through his magic. In Hesiodos, tracking magic uses blood. It is best to have a sample of blood from the person you are trying to track, but often the blood of someone closely related can be used. It is possible that King Alastar intends to use his own blood to help track the missing princess. They share the same mother and father, so the chances of it working are well in the realm of possible.¡±

    Blood magic... the idea made Wulframs stomach turned, and both Lord Roderick and Lady Orlaith shared a look of disgust. Blood magic was deeply personal, and usually used in magics that were considered taboo or even outright outlawed! Magics such as necromancy, binding spells, or even the summoning of evil spirits. Madame Alodia nodded at the looks shared around the table. ¡°Yes, I am aware that such magics are frowned upon here, but they share a long history in Hesiodos. I can assure you that they still consider practices such as sacrificial magics or necromancy illegal as well. When blood is utilized in spells, it¡¯s only a small amount and with very specific intents, such as binding an item to a certain person, or creating tracking spells. Such as what King Alastar undoubtedly wishes to use.¡±

    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t magic such as that show all individuals in the bloodline?¡± Senior Scholar Vitomir spoke up, leaning forwards slightly. ¡°And if I remember correctly, the royal family of Hesiodos is quite large.¡±

    ¡°Which is another reason there has to be an ulterior motive to them asking to come into our kingdom to find one single princess!¡± Lord Roderick said.

    Madame Alodia shrugged slightly. ¡°Possibly, yes. Which is why tracking magic is why it is seldom used in this way. However, King Alastar and the missing princess were twins. I imagine it has taken this long to make the request because it has taken this long to refine the results of the search.¡±

    ¡°Is it truly possible the girl survived? General Gavril, Cynewulf, you were both there when the caravan was discovered. Is it possible?¡± There was a hint of hope in Queen Mirabel¡¯s voice as she looked at King Cynewulf and General Gavril. The men exchanged looks, and King Cynewulf leaned back in his chair, gently stroking his chin.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see how one little girl could have gotten away from that massacre, or how she could have survived in the wilderness or the cold season. But... it is possible.¡± King Cynewulf finally said. He straightened, looking at Alodia and Ben. ¡°I am willing to entertain the possibility. But I need a better reason for the king of a potentially hostile kingdom to enter our kingdom. Or at the very least, proper precautions to ensure they aren¡¯t just looking for weaknesses.¡±

    ¡°They offered to limit the number of people entering the kingdom to King Alastar and his personal contingent. It would be a total of six people. They are also open to the idea of being escorted by a group of six of our own people, including one of the royal family, in balance of their own forces.¡± Ben said.

    Madame Alodia nodded. ¡°That is a common style of power balance in Hesiodos. In trade deals and politics the number of representatives on each side of the negotiation must be the same, and of equal status. Or at the very least comparable, in this case I suspect they would accept either King Cynewulf or Prince Wulfram, since Prince Wulfram is the crown prince and next in line to ascend to the throne.¡±

    ¡°I would like to be the one to go Father.¡± Wulfram spoke up, meeting his fathers gaze evenly. ¡°I am near the same age as King Alastar, and can understand his desire for closure. If we can give him that, he will be much more likely to negotiate on matters of the Trade Road.¡±

    ¡°I am willing to allow it.¡± King Cynewulf nodded, looking at Wulfram thoughtfully. ¡°It will take a short amount of time to negotiate with King Alastar and organize a party to accompany you. It should be enough time for you to heal and help assemble the party. I suggest you start immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes Father.¡± Wulfram stood, bowing to his parents, and then to the rest of the room. ¡°Lord Bennett, would you accompany me please?¡±

    ¡°Of course your Highness. I have some information on the group King Alastar wishes to accompany him.¡± Ben stepped away from the table, bowing to the group as well. ¡°If you would excuse us.¡±

    The two men left the room, not noticing the thoughtful look on Madame Alodia¡¯s face.

 Chapter 17 - Dani

    Dinner had been blessedly normal, the awful tension of her talk with Raycor and Reshi diffused. Therija had given her a few looks, but didn¡¯t say anything, and Azra was her cheerful self. Perhaps she didn¡¯t know what had happened, or maybe Therija had told her not to talk about it. Either way Dani was grateful, she didn¡¯t want to talk about it right now. Especially not the bracelet! Whatever magic it had seemed to be laying dormant for now.

    She didn¡¯t stay up after dinner, going to bed at the same time Azra did. That reminded her of one of the reasons she had wanted her own place so badly.

    Azra was a kicker.

    And so it was a sore and cranky Dani that Reshi woke up the next morning. She opened her eyes to the dim sunlight, and let out a growl. ¡°Reshi? What time is it? The sun ain¡¯t even up!¡±

    ¡°Sun¡¯s been up half an hour, or ya wouldn¡¯t be able ta see. Get up.¡± He tossed a bundle of clothes at her. ¡°The others already went ta work, it¡¯s yer turn.¡±

    ¡°Work?¡± Her mind struggled to process what he was talking about. He didn¡¯t want her stealing anymore, and it was too early for the market to really be hopping anyways. She sat up, letting out a hiss of pain. She swore Azra had added to the bruises last night.

    ¡°Aye, work.¡± Reshi smirked. ¡°Ye start at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s today. Hurry up an¡¯ get dressed, or ye¡¯ll have ta skip breakfast.¡±

    Dani¡¯s mouth dropped open, and she stared at his retreating back until the curtain concealed it. She was starting today? She looked at the bundle of clothes Reshi had brought, picking up one of the garments.

    A dress.

    When the hell had been the last time she had worn a dress? She couldn¡¯t climb buildings in a damn dress! Of course, she wasn¡¯t sure she could climb a building right now even if she was wearing trousers. ¡°Damnit.¡±

    There was no help for it, she didn¡¯t have any other clothes here so the dress would have to do. It wasn¡¯t that she hated them, they just weren¡¯t very practical for her chosen field. Maybe it would be more practical for the one she was being strong-armed into. She highly doubted dressmakers had much reason to climb buildings. With a sigh, she got dressed, knowing damn well that if she went back to bed Reshi would do something awful, like splash water on her. Then he¡¯d make her hang the mattress and bed clothes out to dry.

    Reshi was in the main room when she stepped out, adjusting the long sleeves of the dress to cover the bracelet. She didn¡¯t want to attract attention, and she was sure that around here, that bracelet would do it. He nodded in approval, mouth quirking up in a smile as he looked her over. ¡°There ya go. Ya look a fair bit different than when yer in yer trousers, hopefully it¡¯ll be ¡®nough. But maybe we oughta dye yer hair too.¡±

    ¡°Dye my hair? Dye my hair what?¡± Dani touched her hair self-consciously, her eyes widening at the thought. She happened to like her hair!

    ¡°Red would be easiest, but might be too close ta yer natural color. Could make ya blonde.¡± Reshi handed her one of the pasties from yesterday and slid another into a pack, which he gave to her. Then he grabbed one for himself and headed out the door. ¡°C¡¯mon lass, get movin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Blonde?¡± She squeaked, and hurried after him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be blonde!¡±

    ¡°Then ya shouldn¡¯t¡¯ve pulled a stunt where ya might be recognized by the whole damn city!¡± Reshi snapped. ¡°Eat yer pastie, an¡¯ keep an eye out. Ya see any guards, duck into an alley or hide.¡±

    ¡°Shit Reshi, Wulf isn¡¯t going to send the guards after me.¡± At least she didn¡¯t think he would. He had claimed that she had saved his life, surely he wouldn¡¯t go back on that statement, right?

    ¡°Oh-ho! It¡¯s Wulf now, is it?¡±

    ¡°Well I can¡¯t really call him by his full name out here, can I?¡± Dani lowered her voice to a hiss, hurrying to keep up with Reshi. Why did he have to walk so fast? It made her leg ache all the worse, and made it hard for her to eat her pastie.

    Reshi had no problem eating his though. He nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Aye, I s¡¯pose yer right.¡±

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    ¡°Dani! Hey Dani!¡± A familiar voice called from one of the rooftops. She looked up and waved at the young man with sandy hair, but Reshi gave no hint of stopping. She let out a breath, and hurried after him.

    ¡°Reshi, what¡¯s the hurry?¡±

    ¡°The less time yer on the streets the better. Ye can talk to yer friends later, but not out ¡®ere.¡± Reshi paused where the narrow side street met Trade Road, looking back and forth with narrowed eyes. Dani was finally able to get a few bites of her pastie in, no less delicious than last night, as he scanned the road for gods only knew what. Probably guards. She supposed that she couldn¡¯t blame him for being cautious.

    After a few minutes he nodded, and gestured for her to follow him. ¡°Keep up, there¡¯s bound ta be more guards out after that stunt. Whether yer Wulf is going ta send them after ya or not don¡¯t mean shit if they spot ya walkin¡¯ ¡®round without a care in the world.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s that serious?¡± Dani asked, scanning the street herself. This early there weren¡¯t many people out yet, even guards. And those that were out were easy enough to spot. But it did make the route to Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s a bit wonky. They had to duck into side streets more than once to avoid the guards, and Reshi even detoured at times when she didn¡¯t notice anyone suspicious! Paranoid... the old man was getting paranoid.

    ¡°Aye, that I do.¡± He looked at her with a dark scowl. ¡°An¡¯ ye should take it serious too. That stunt got ya attention from the guards an¡¯ the thieves guild. The thieves guild I got ta lay off fer now, but they gonna be wantin¡¯ ta talk to ya. Might want ya ta pay a fee at least.¡±

    ¡°Pay a fee? For failing to do something?¡± Well, only half failing but that wasn¡¯t going to matter to the thieves guild.

    ¡°Aye, you brought attention on the Tangle that we ain¡¯t need! Ya din¡¯ think o¡¯ what tryin¡¯ something so risky and public would do to others, did ye?¡± Reshi paused to face her fully, looming over her. Dani took an automatic step back, her face turning red.

    ¡°I- I didn¡¯t think anyone would notice until after they got back to the palace! And even then he could have lost it anywhere....¡±

    ¡°It ain¡¯t some trinket that could be lost and replaced!¡± Reshi growled. He glanced back towards the Trade Road, then lowered his voice. ¡°It¡¯s the damn ancestral crown you little idiot! Dani I ain¡¯t sure how ta explain how badly ya screwed up, an¡¯ how much danger yer in if someone recognizes ya. Even if yer prince ain¡¯t after puttin¡¯ ya in the dungeon, there¡¯s others might want ya there! An¡¯ others might try ta make ya disappear fer drawin¡¯ attention to their operations.¡±

    Dani paled, staring at Reshi with wide eyes. Make her disappear? She hadn¡¯t done anything that bad!

    But she thought about Wulfram¡¯s interest in the tunnels, and how many people had probably seen her try to steal the crown. Either one of those things could make people upset, but the tunnels... if the smugglers decided she knew too much about them and was sharing what she knew, they would make sure she disappeared. Shit.

    ¡°Maybe I should dye my hair....¡± She whispered, staring down at the ground.

    ¡°Aye. I think ye should. Mrs. Haversaun might be able ta help ya with it.¡± Reshi turned around, starting back down Trade Road.

    Neither one of them said another word until they reached Mrs. Haversauns.

    Reshi headed straight up to the large door with its glass window, not bothering to knock as he entered. ¡°Good mornin¡¯ Lettie. I¡¯ve brought yer new ¡®prentice.¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun looked up from dusting off countertops, a cast iron teapot already hanging over the fire, heating water for tea. She smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling, showing wrinkles in defiance of the makeup she wore. ¡°Reshi! You rascal, it has been too long.¡± She set down her dusting rag and moved around the counter to embrace him in a hug.

    Reshi chuckled, some of the tension that had built on the way through the city melting away as he returned the hug. ¡°Aye, that it has. Ye look as beautiful as ever.¡±

    Dani closed the door to the street and looked around the interior of the shop. She hadn¡¯t been in here since before Therija¡¯s mother Najia died. The place hadn¡¯t changed much except for the fashions that decorated the mannequins. There were still fancy fabrics everywhere, and marked measuring tapes hung behind the counter, clients names written on them in Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s careful, swirly handwriting. It still smelled of flowers and tea, and the sun still spilled in past the sample garments in the windows.

    Dani smiled, just a little letting nostalgia flow over her. When her and Therija were really little they would always spend their days either here with Mrs. Haversaun and Najia, or in the bakery with Raycor. They would play with dolls made of scrap fabrics, and learn how to sew or bake. They were simpler times, and their loss left an ache in her heart that had at least lessened over the years since Najia¡¯s death.

    Then she heard her name, and the peace that had settled over her was broken. ¡°Dani, I¡¯ll be leavin¡¯ ya in Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s capable hands. I¡¯ll come pick ye up after closin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need an escort home Reshi, I know the way.¡±

    ¡°Ya do with the trouble ya caused.¡± Reshi growled, pinning her with a stern stare. ¡°I¡¯ll be tryin¡¯ ta keep the thieves guild off yer ass as it is. Yer just lucky the current leader is an old friend.¡±

    Dani looked away, her face turning red again. She knew better than to argue with him when he was in one of his moods, especially after she had screwed up so badly.

    Reshi snorted and looked to Mrs. Haversaun. ¡°I leave her in yer hands Lettie. Don¡¯t let her go wandering ¡®round the city.¡± And with that, Reshi left, only briefly patting Dani¡¯s head as he walked by.

    Dani looked nervously at Mrs. Haversaun, meeting her gaze over the older womans half-rim spectacles. ¡°...Good morning Mrs. Haversaun.¡± She said nervously, forcing a smile.

    ¡°Good morning Daniella. Let¡¯s get you dressed properly, then we can get started.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Wulfram

    Wulfram had left the palace early, the crystal pendant engraved with the locator spell dangling from a simple white ribbon. He had taken a carriage today, just in case he had to haul Dani back to the palace in it. He swore if he found the woman sleeping in the crypts or on a roof he¡¯d throw her over his shoulder, wounds be damned.

    ¡°You look cranky today your Highness.¡± Ben said, amusement in his voice. Wulfram glanced up at his friend with a scowl.

    ¡°Yes, well I didn¡¯t sleep much last night.¡± Wulfram sighed and ran a hand across his face. ¡°We missed the discussion in the meeting about the tunnels and the Tangle, I would have liked to be part of that conversation. But at least I know Mother is on the peoples side. Lord Roderick would just as soon run them all out of the Tangle if they were in his way.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong there.¡± Ben nodded somberly, and looked at the crystal pendant. It had been steadily leading them down Trade Road towards the Tangle, which had been expected. But all of a sudden it had just changed direction, floating back towards the palace. ¡°I think we passed her.¡±

    Wulfram looked out the window, scanning the streets with a frown. They were at the high end of Trade Road, where the rich merchants and lower-ranked nobles shopped. There were a variety of clothing stores, stalls selling freshly made sweets and coffee, rugs, furniture, and anything a well-to-do family would need to furnish their home. If she was up here, she was likely stealing again already. He had hoped she learned her lesson. But perhaps she didn¡¯t have any other prospects.

    He frowned at the pendant, steadily pointing back the way they came. Perhaps a guard had picked her up? ¡°Pull over.¡±

    He called to the driver. To give him credit he waited until they stopped to hop out of the carriage, scanning the streets again in search of his little mouse. Ben stepped out of the carriage after him, looking around as well. ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t the crypts at least. Perhaps she¡¯s on one of the rooftops?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Wulfram held up the pendant, turning until it was pulling away from him. ¡°But I have to admit to being hesitant about climbing a building right now.¡±

    Ben laughed, following Wulfram as he started back down the street, the carriage slowly turning to follow them. ¡°You know you could have sent someone else to do this.¡±

    ¡°I could have.¡± Wulfram nodded. ¡°But that would have only served to scare her. I don¡¯t want to scare her right now, our conversation is already going to be difficult enough.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Perhaps if we find someplace to eat we can lure your little mouse out with food.¡± Ben smirked, pausing to look into a dressmakers shop. ¡°She seemed awfully skinny.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha.¡± Wulfram said dryly, pausing as well. The pendant was spinning on its ribbon now, light reflecting off of it in rainbows. They had to be very close for it to just spin like that.

    He was so intent on the crystal that he didn¡¯t even notice the door to the dressmakers shop swing open until it hit him right on the nose, sending him stumbling backwards in shock. ¡°What the hell?!¡±

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    ¡°Your Highness!¡± At least Ben wasn¡¯t laughing his ass off. That would surely come later. ¡°Madame, can¡¯t you watch what you¡¯re doing?!¡± He reached out a hand to steady Wulfram.

    ¡°Oh shi- I mean- I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t see you- Oh shit.¡± The woman stared at him, hands covering her mouth. The wooden easel she had been carrying lay half in the shop, half tangled around her feet.

    Wulfram met her eyes, and froze before any scolding could escape his lips.

    His little thief had gotten a dress.

    It was her, he was sure it was her. But she was wearing a dress! A lovely dress that perfectly matched the color of her eyes and accentuated the curves that her other clothes had hidden. She was still too skinny, but now she didn¡¯t look scrawny, just a little underfed. He knew some of the ladies at the court would favor her tiny waist, but he knew that in her case it was because of lack of food, not a corset or her natural form.

    ¡°Dani....¡± He said dumbly.

    ¡°Shit, you¡¯re bleeding.¡± Dani fished in her skirt, pulling out a shockingly dainty handkerchief, which she offered him.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He took the handkerchief though, gently dabbing his nose. ¡°I have some of the worst luck around you it seems.¡±

    ¡°This is Dani?¡± Ben looked at the woman in disbelief. ¡°You... clean up nicely. May we come in?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Y-yeah, sure. I¡¯ll just- uhm... I¡¯ll just set this up.¡± Dani looked around the street anxiously, as if she were expecting guards to jump out from around the corner, or to pile out of the carriage like some silly magician¡¯s trick. She knelt down to retrieve the easel, awkwardly propping it up against the shop and placing a large ornate open sign onto it. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some tea.¡±

    ¡°Tha¡¯s ¡®eally no¡¯ necessary. We ¡®eed to ¡®alk.¡± Wulfram followed her into the shop, holding the handkerchief to his nose. It was rapidly getting soaked, and his voice sounded funny.

    ¡°Welcome gentlemen.¡± An older woman said behind the counter, and then paused, looking at them closely. Her eyes widened slightly, and she hurried around the counter. ¡°Your Highness! What in the world happened?¡±

    ¡°I... might have hit him with the door. On accident! It was on accident!¡± Dani was quick to clarify, her face turning red. ¡°Do you have anything other than those dainty handkerchiefs ya gave me?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Oh dear, you two seem to get into all sorts of trouble together, don¡¯t you?¡± Mrs. Haversaun pulled a large scrap of plain tan fabric from beneath the counter, the cheap stuff she usually used for toiles, and handed it to Wulf.

    ¡°We don¡¯t! I mean- wait, you know about that?¡±

    Wulfram took the fabric, pressing it against his nose gently. It wasn¡¯t broken, but he was likely to have a bruise to add to those he already had. He couldn¡¯t help smiling a bit at how flustered she was. ¡°This is a bi¡¯ ¡®etter than fallin¡¯ through the ¡®oof.¡±

    Ben looked away, trying his damnedest to keep the smile off his face. ¡°What his Highness means to say is he¡¯ll be fine. But he needs to talk to Lady Dani at her earliest convenience.¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t be talkin¡¯ to ya.¡± A growling voice cut through the conversation, and Dani jumped slightly, eyes snapping to the man that lurked in the doorway.

    ¡°Reshi!¡±

    Wulfram turned to look at the man, his own eyes hardening as he studied him. He was as tall as Wulfram was, but twice as wide, his face bearing a set of deep scars across one side that left lines in his beard. He stared at Wulfram with hard brown eyes, arms crossed over his barrel chest. Wulfram stiffened immediately, who was this man to talk to him like that?

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe this concerns you.¡± Wulfram said coldly. His voice was still a little nasaly, and he was sure he looked awful, but he stood to his full height, resting a hand on his sword.

    ¡°As ¡®er father is sure as hell concerns me. She¡¯s got work ta do, an¡¯ yer just bringin¡¯ attention to ¡®er she don¡¯t need, yer ¡®ighness.¡± Reshi didn¡¯t back down. He didn¡¯t even glance at Wulfram¡¯s sword, it was as if it wasn¡¯t worth his attention. Which irked Wulfram as much as how he was talking to him! It was one thing coming from Dani, but this man had no place talking to him in such a disrespectful fashion.

    ¡°If you know who I am, you know I can insist on the discussion. It¡¯s just a matter of where it will take place: here, or at the palace.¡±

 Chapter 19 - Dani

    ¡°If you know who I am, you know I can insist on the discussion. It¡¯s just a matter of where it will take place: here, or at the palace.¡±

    Inside Dani was panicking, looking at the pair of men that seemed hell-bent on being pissy to each other. Reshi was his usual cantankerous self, except far more growly, placing himself between her and Wulfram. Wulfram had blood speckled on his face and shirt from the nose bleed, but he at least seemed a bit better now. Better enough to be posturing just as badly as Reshi! At this rate they were going to start a brawl in Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s shop! And then what? Would she have to pay for damages? She was already in the hole for this damn dress!

    Although she had to admit it was very pretty, and the skirts felt like having sheets over her legs rather than actual clothing. And the fabric was so soft. But it made it hard to insert herself between the two men. She stepped in front of Reshi and set a hand on each of their chests. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough! Reshi, I can talk to who I want to. Wulf, I¡¯m working, can¡¯t this wait for later? And you don¡¯t have any right to insist I talk to you anyways!¡±

    Ben raised a finger hesitantly. ¡°Actually-¡±

    She turned a steely gaze on Ben, her heart pounding. ¡°No right to insist I talk to anyone!¡±

    Ben raised both hands and took a step back, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Pardon me, I suppose I was mistaken.¡±

    Wulfram took in a slow breath, visibly calming himself. His amber eyes darted back to Reshi, hard as stone. But they softened slightly when he looked back at Dani. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it really can¡¯t. This is very important, and could affect your safety. If you¡¯d return to the palace with me I can at least keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s got people ta keep ¡®er safe.¡± Reshi growled. ¡°And she ain¡¯t goin¡¯ anywhere with you.¡±

    ¡°Reshi, I don¡¯t need you growling at him right now. Just... Mrs. Haversaun can we use the upstairs for a little bit?¡± Dani rubbed her head, which had decided to start pounding. Could it be a delayed hangover? No, it was probably just the stress of dealing with two hardheaded men.

    ¡°Of course dear. But I hope you¡¯ll tell me all about it later.¡± Mrs. Haversaun looked Wulfram up and down, and smiled as if she knew a secret. ¡°And give me a proper introduction.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Dani said dryly, and started up the stairs. ¡°Come on. All of you lot. I¡¯d rather not do this where just anyone could walk in, or look in and see who I¡¯m talkin¡¯ to. Reshi is right about the danger.¡±

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    Wulfram fell into step behind Reshi, glaring at the older mans back, and Ben fell into step after him up the narrow stairs, still trying not to smile. Apparently he thought she was funny, or maybe thought this whole situation was funny. She couldn¡¯t help thinking it was going to wind up with her dead or locked up. If the thieves guild caught her talking to him....

    But she shook her head, dismissing that thought. No, the thieves guild wouldn¡¯t be around here, right? Bad enough Reshi had obviously been spying on her! How else would he know to come back just when he did? Didn¡¯t he have better things to do?

    The top floor of Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s shop was divided into two rooms: her bedroom, and everything else. She was one of the fortunate few to have a sink with running water, the magic runes engraved in the faucet conjuring the water from the cistern beneath the city, but that was the most luxury she gave herself. She didn¡¯t believe she needed more. Dani would have at least tried to get a bath if she could afford it. One of those fancy ones that even heated the water! That would have been so nice right now... but no, instead she had to deal with these men and whatever Wulfram had to say to her. She sat down on a pile of fabric, turning to frown at him. Reshi took his place at her shoulder, a cranky guard, but welcome support nonetheless. At least no matter how pissed he was at her, he had her back. And he had even called himself her father! That was a rare occurrence... he must be worried.

    ¡°Alright, what do we need to talk about? You said you weren¡¯t gonna throw me in the dungeon. And you said I would get to keep half my prize. Seems to me the bracelet is half the price, eve if I can¡¯t get it off to sell it.¡±

    Wulfram looked around for an appropriate place to sit. Finally, he sat on a pile of fabric across from her and let out a weary sigh. ¡°It is exactly the bracelet we need to talk about. I might have made a... mistake... using it like I did.¡±

    Ben took up his position beside Wulfram, a less cranky mirror of Reshi. Dani glanced at the other man, then back to Wulfram. ¡°What do ya mean?¡±

    Wulfram hesitated, touching his nose gingerly. He glanced at Reshi, and cleared his throat. ¡°I owe you an apology in this instance as well, since you¡¯re apparently her father. Please know that I meant no offense, and I plan to do what¡¯s right of course.¡±

    ¡°And what is that?¡± There was a dangerous note to Reshi¡¯s voice, one that made a shiver run down Dani¡¯s spine. That was not a tone she had heard from Reshi often, and it never boded well.

    ¡°Well- you see the bracelet- the bracelet.¡± Wulfram stood up, clearing his throat and tugging his clothes into order. Dani had only known him a short time but she knew this behavior wasn¡¯t usual for Wulfram. Her own heart started to pound with his anxiety, and she touched the bracelet carefully. Yes, she could feel the anxiety seeping through it. Damnit, why couldn¡¯t he just say what he planned to say?!

    ¡°Spit it out lad.¡± Reshi snarled.

    Wulfram cleared his throat once more, folding his hands behind his back as he took on a formal pose, his back stiff and face serious. He met Dani¡¯s eyes squarely, his gaze gentle, a stark contrast to the formality of his pose. ¡°The bracelets, the ancestral crown, is most often used to bind two people in marriage. Essentially, we are married.¡±

    Dani¡¯s mouth dropped open, but she had no time to properly react before Reshi¡¯s fist pummeled into Wulfram¡¯s face, laying the younger man out on the floor.

 Chapter 19.5 - Alodia

    Madame Alodia smiled faintly as she lowered her glasses, experiencing only the faintest of dizziness as her perception readjusted back to her natural vision. The glasses were a simple affair, more similar to goggles than anything. Their lack of fashion flare was offset by their sheer usefulness. They had allowed her to watch young Wulfram¡¯s progress through the city, and even witness the rather brutal punch he suffered through the upper window of Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s shop. She smiled, resting the glasses against her lips as she imagined the conversation. Had little Daniella done something naughty with the prince while they were down in those tunnels?

    The scandal would be delightful to watch unfold! But oh if only he knew who she really was.... Alodia let out a girlish laugh, and tucked her glasses away. She would have to find out for certain, that kind of secret could grant her a good bit of power, which would be good for business.

    This whole affair had the potential to be good for business, unfortunately, it also had the potential to be very bad for business. So much hinged on two young, hormonal children.

    Alodia turned away from Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s, stepping down through the hatch that led to her office. It drifted close behind her, locking with a sharp click as it closed. She had played a game of secrets and half-truths for so long now that she had gone from a simple thief and spy, to head of the thieves guild. Balancing what she shared with what she kept. Why, she even had secrets that were hidden from their owners! The royal family, Reshi, Daniella, they all had secrets they knew nothing about.

    Delicate fingers opened the ornate music box on her desk, and she inserted the key, winding it lovingly. A gift from her late husband, who had held the position before her. She smiled and tapped the pair of dancers lightly. He had never thought that she would take over his position.

    Really, he shouldn¡¯t have tried to learn her own secrets.

    As the pair of dancers started their waltz, the sound of music was joined by the clack of mechanisms beneath the floor. A hatch slid open behind her desk, and she picked up the ornate glowstone from her desk, channeling just a small amount of magic into it to light it up. Unlike the crude rocks Dani had used, Alodia¡¯s glowstone was a work of art: a crystal carved into the shape of a graceful swan, its beak holding a bronze ring gilded with gemstones in the shape of flowers. She held it by the ring, heading down the steps into the hatch, which closed behind her as the music box wound down.

    She made her way through tunnels that years of smugglers and pirates hard carved out beneath the city as they sought treasure or ways to move illegal goods without the attention of the guards. She was one of those few people who knew them well, at least the upper levels. She had to wonder if the gutsy little thief knew them better. It wasn¡¯t a thought Alodia cared for, knowledge of the tunnels was one of the ways she kept power in the thieves¡¯ guild. It was one reason she didn¡¯t want Dani and the prince getting close, he would want the secrets of the tunnels.

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    Alodia followed the path to the thieves guild flawlessly, her feet tracing each curve of the tunnels, each split in the path as if she were following steps in a well-known dance. Eventually, they led her to the great hull of a ship that had been mostly buried before it had ever had a chance to sail, back when the cliff had come down on the city. A grin crossed Alodia¡¯s face as the sound of laughter and music met her ears, and she allowed herself to pick up the pace. The tunnel ended in a wooden door, which she opened, stepping out onto the long balcony that ran around the inside of the ship.

    She took a moment to marvel at the builders who had made the ship, either dead or too old to care about their artistry. The hull had stood up to the falling dirt and rocks better than most buildings, creating a perfect place for the thieves of the city to gather and trade tales of daring jobs, or spend their ill-gotten money. They were her people, those that Lord Roderick and Lady Orlaith looked down upon so vehemently. The ones that scraped a living out any way they could, even if it meant stealing, fighting, or whoring.

    Alodia moved along the balcony to stand beside an older man that was already leaning against the railing, his large hooked nose slightly crooked from a fight long ago. ¡°What word, old Crow?¡±

    The man looked at her, the right side of his face heavily scarred, the eye long gone and replaced with a polished stone that seemed to drink in the light. ¡°Many words, some useful. Others nonsense.¡±

    Alodia laughed and accepted a bottle from a passing man. ¡°Tell me the useful ones. You can keep your nonsense.¡±

    The man let out a snort, but smiled his twisted smile and took a swig from his own bottle. ¡°Reshi came by last night.¡±

    ¡°Oh did he now?¡± She said mildly, and cut the wax seal on her own bottle. She worked the cork loose. ¡°Odd. I do believe he¡¯s retired, something about a curse I believe.¡± It was an open secret, not like who placed the curse on him, which was her secret to keep or share as she saw fit. The tale was a cautionary one, not nearly so old or bloody as some.

    ¡°Aye, but he took in a girl. Trained her to steal.¡±

    Oh Crow, how clever he was. Far too clever perhaps, but he was also so useful to keep around. ¡°So he did. And I don¡¯t believe she ever joined the guild, a pity that. Reshi was one of the greats.¡±

    She smiled fondly as she thought of Reshi in his younger, wilder days. He had done a little bit of everything, had even sailed the seas with the Sharks. ¡°Aye. An¡¯ the girl seems to be makin¡¯ the same mistakes he did. Trying and failing to steal what she shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Far too clever indeed. Alodia narrowed her eyes slightly. Crow smirked at her, his single eye gleaming.

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s young, young people do foolish things.¡± She relaxed her face into a smile and took a sip from her bottle as if she were drinking from the finest crystal wine glass. ¡°Still, I do believe we¡¯ll need to give her a talking-to, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Aye, that I do. Will ye be confronting her yerself? Or should I have one of the others bring her in?¡±

    Alodia made a show of thinking, tapping the bottle to her lips lightly. Then she smiled. ¡°Have Fawn bring her in for a chat. I see no reason to be rough with her. Not yet anyways.¡±

    Crow nodded and made his way down the stairs and through the throng of people below. None in the crowd hindered his progress to the exit, quite a few quickly stepping out of his way. Alodia watched him go with a small frown.

    He could be trouble.

 Chapter 20 - Wulfram

    It wasn¡¯t like Wulfram had never been punched in the face before. Even as a prince he had had his fair share of scuffles in the training yards. And he had been half expecting the man to be angry. But he hadn¡¯t expected a fist hitting him like a hammer, laying him out flat on his back with stars flashing before his eyes. He was fairly certain that this time his nose was broken, which was going to be hell to explain to his parents. They didn¡¯t necessarily know he had even left the palace.

    ¡°Reshi!¡± Dani¡¯s shocked voice reached his ears. Well, at least she wasn¡¯t cheering the man on, that was a good sign, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Wulfram! Are you alright?¡± Ah good ol¡¯ Ben. Wulfram looked up at his friend blurrily.

    ¡°Mah nobe ¡®urts, bu¡¯ ahm fine.¡± Oh great, how was he going to carry on a decent conversation if he couldn¡¯t talk properly? He really needed to get Dani alone, without her lunatic father so that they could have a decent talk. He stood back up with Ben¡¯s help, putting the rag Mrs. Haversaun had given him back against his nose. It wouldn¡¯t do to bleed all over her fabrics.

    Ben turned to glare at Reshi. ¡°Sir, do you realize what you¡¯ve done? You¡¯ve accosted the crown prince! I should have you arrested!¡±

    ¡°I should knock ya ¡®round too!¡± Reshi raised his fist, and Ben took an automatic step back, his hand going for his sword.

    ¡°No one is going to knock anyone else around!¡± Dani stepped between Reshi and the other two men, closing her eyes as she held her hands out. She took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. ¡°Reshi, please just- just let me talk to him for a bit. And you, what was your name again? Ben? I know you lot have healers on yer beck and call, can you get one?¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t ¡®bout ta leave ya alone wit¡¯ this boy!¡± Reshi snarled, his glare still fixed on Wulfram.

    ¡°And I would hardly leave his highness alone after he was assaulted!¡± Ben protested.

    ¡°Reshi ya already laid him out once! He ain¡¯t gonna do anything improper, and I can handle myself even if he were to try! And you, go get that healer or I¡¯ll be layin¡¯ you out!¡± Dani shook her fist at Ben, and Wulfram was glad that the large rag hid his smile.

    ¡°Go ¡®head Ben. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He spoke carefully, trying to minimize the embarrassing honk his voice had taken on.

    Dani turned to Reshi, and Wulfram could feel her heart pounding through the bracelet. It was taking everything she had to stand her ground with him. Gutsy little mouse.... ¡°Do ya think I can¡¯t defend myself if I gotta? Ya can even stay downstairs, I¡¯ll scream if he tries anything funny.¡±

    Reshi scowled down at Dani, looking like he would continue to refuse. But finally he gave a curt nod, and shot a glare at Wulfram. ¡°Ye try anythin¡¯, an¡¯ I don¡¯t care who ye are, I¡¯ll kill ya.¡±

    Ben opened his mouth to say something, and Wulfram put his hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. ¡°Ben, go ge¡¯ a ¡®ealer.¡±

    It still looked like Ben wanted to argue, but he bowed stiffly. ¡°Of course your Highness. After you, sir.¡± He looked at Reshi, gesturing to the stairs. That was going to take a nice bottle of whiskey to smooth over. Ben might be his friend, but in instances like this he was also something of a bodyguard.

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    Wulfram sighed as the two men went downstairs, a bit of the tension easing from the room. He knew he should have come by himself, but it would never be allowed. He supposed with good reason, he was the crown prince and had duties to fulfill. As uncomfortable as it was his life was not as expendable as others. And his mistakes could effect thousands.

    He looked at Dani, meeting her glare with a calm face. He wondered what she would say if he told her she was cute when she was angry. She¡¯d probably punch him just like her father had. ¡°¡¯Hank you Dani.¡±

    ¡°Thank you? Thank you? That¡¯s what you have to say now?! You¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t kill you! You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t kill you! What the hell do you mean we¡¯re married?¡±

    Ah yes, just how he expected his engagement to go: physical violence and cursing. Hah! ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal-¡±

    ¡°Not ideal?!¡±

    Wulfram felt a twinge of annoyance. Most women would be happy to be married to a prince! Or at the very least they would let him get a word in! ¡°Yes, not ideal. But I have a mage working on negating the spell already.¡±

    Dani stared at him, her face darkening at his words. ¡°Oh, I see. That makes it all better then!¡± She threw her hands in the air, and turned her back on him, starting to pace across the floor. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this! One little mistake and I¡¯m on some gods shit-list!¡±

    He touched his bracelet lightly, feeling the rapid beat of her heart, the panic, the anger. He lowered the rag, reaching out to grab her by the arm. ¡°Dani-¡±

    She slapped his hand and spun to face him, tears in her eyes. ¡°Do ye ¡®ave any idea how much of a mess my life is now? I gotta watch out fer the guards, I gotta watch out fer the thieves guild, I gotta watch out fer anyone might¡¯ve seen me try¡¯n ta steal yer crown. I wish I had never done it!¡±

    The tears spilled out, and Wulfram pulled her in close to him. She pounded her fists against his chest, letting out a sob. ¡°An¡¯ now I¡¯m married ta some noble an¡¯ ya don¡¯t even-¡± She took in a sharp breath.

    Wulfram looked down at her, eyebrows raising. He didn¡¯t even...? Didn¡¯t even what? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think I just- things were bad, and I had to be able to trust you.¡±

    Dani let out a bitter laugh, and gave him a shove, trying to break free of his arms. ¡°Oh aye, can¡¯t be trusted ¡®cause I¡¯m a thief. Really, I don¡¯t blame ya. I woulda done the same type of thing. Only- marriage? Ya got ta be kiddin¡¯!¡±

    Wulfram smiled gingerly, and let her pull away a little, although he still held her by the shoulders. ¡°Afraid not little mouse. As for having to watch out for all those people... come stay at the palace. You¡¯ll be safer there.¡±

    Dani let out a laugh, her eyes widening. ¡°Stay at the palace? An¡¯ what would I do at the palace? Ya not worried ¡®bout me stealin¡¯ the silver?¡±

    Wulfram laughed and gently wiped a tear from her face. Her accent was so cute, the way it got worse when she was upset. ¡°No, I¡¯m not worried about you stealing the silver. Somehow I suspect your stealing days are over. Or did you come here to steal a dress?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t come here to steal a dress.¡± She batted at his hand, the pounding of her heart starting to calm as the conversation turned lighter. ¡°Reshi, that¡¯s my- my father. He told me this was gonna be my job now, an¡¯ swore to turn me in himself if I stole again.¡±

    Both of Wulfram¡¯s eyebrows shot up. Her own father was threatening to turn her in?! That seemed awfully harsh. But then he didn¡¯t have a very good first impression of the man. He touched his nose lightly, the blood crusted on it, he hissed at the pain even the light touch sent through it. Dani gave a wince of sympathy.

    ¡°Here, let me at least help you get cleaned up.¡± She grabbed another piece of fabric, the same tan that his had once been, and ran water over it in the simple little basin. ¡°Sorry about that... but ya had it coming.¡±

    ¡°Why did I have it coming? This is still technically your fault.¡±

    Wulfram had meant it as a light joke, but the look Dani turned on him could turn an army on its tail. He raised his hands in defense, trying to smile. ¡°Joking! Joking! It¡¯s at least partly my fault.¡±

    Dani rolled her eyes and threw the damp cloth at him. ¡°Clean yerself up.¡±

    Then she was gone, storming back downstairs, her anger like a candles flame in the bracelet. Wulfram sighed and sat back down, letting out a groan. That could have gone better.

 Chapter 21 - Dani

    Dani ran out of the shop, ignoring Reshi¡¯s shouts for her and pushing past Ben and the healer. Her fault! He was the one with the damn magic crown, how was she supposed to know that the crown was going to turn into stupid bracelets that meant they were fucking married?! She furiously wiped her tears and ducked out of sight into an alley. And he was already looking for someone to undo the spell or however he put it! She couldn¡¯t help but think she must be so undesirable that he¡¯d want to get rid of her that fast.

    Suddenly she was aware of a large shape looming over her, extending a much-stained handkerchief. ¡°Yer gonna get dirt on yer new dress it ye ain¡¯t careful.¡±

    Dani took the handkerchief, wiping her eyes and nose. ¡°Reshi. Are you here to tell me how much of a screwup I am again?¡±

    ¡°Nah. Seems ta me ya know ya screwed up, I don¡¯t need ta keep beatin¡¯ it into yer head.¡± Reshi said. He leaned against the wall across from her, arms crossed over his chest.

    Dani let out a bitter laugh and looked up at him. She must look a mess, but at least she didn¡¯t look like Wulfram, he was a mess with all that blood. She almost felt sorry for him, first, she had hit him with the door, then he had gotten punched in the face. Not that he didn¡¯t deserve it. ¡°No, not a chance I¡¯d forget now. Married for gods sake! How could he not know that thing would marry us? And now he just wants to sweep it under the rug. Couldn¡¯t possibly be married to a thief, just another rat from the Rats Nest. No, not even a rat, a mouse.¡±

    ¡°Ye ain¡¯t a helpless mouse though.¡± Reshi said firmly. ¡°Yer clever, an¡¯ usually smart.¡±

    Usually smart? She opened her mouth to protest that, but then turned red as she thought about yesterday¡¯s debacle and just couldn¡¯t get the words out. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she looked up at Reshi. ¡°What am I gonna do?¡±

    Reshi scratched his beard thoughtfully and let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Well. I s¡¯pose ya could stay married ta the bastard if that¡¯s what ya want.¡±

    ¡°Reshi! Be serious!¡±

    ¡°I am. Ya got ¡®im in a good position ta be taken care o¡¯ fer the rest of yer life. Ain¡¯t sayin¡¯ it¡¯s a path I approve of. Ya could also go ta Hesiodos, but ain¡¯t no guarantee ya would be safer there¡¯n here.¡±

    Dani thought of the stories she had heard of Hesiodos, of their clans and multiple wives, their blood magic. She wrinkled her nose a little. ¡°No thanks.¡±

    ¡°Then stay ¡®ere, an¡¯ do the best ya can. Where ya got family an¡¯ friends ta watch yer back.¡± Reshi straightened from the wall and ruffled her hair. ¡°C¡¯mon back in the shop. I ain¡¯t gonna leave ya out ¡®ere lookin¡¯ like some lady.¡±

    ¡°Reshi!¡± She worked to smooth her hair, Mrs. Haversaun insisted that a neat appearance was important for business, and had brushed her hair into neat waves. Now she was going to have to brush it again! Reshi just laughed and held the door open for her.

    The inside of the shop was much calmer than it had been before, with Mrs. Haversaun measuring Wulfram for a new shirt. ¡°-after all your Highness, people would be alarmed if you walked around with blood all over. You¡¯re lucky that the healer was able to mend the damage to your nose.¡±

    ¡°I must say I didn¡¯t expect to get hit in the face so often today.¡± Wulfram said, standing tall and patient for the older woman. He looked to Reshi and Dani as they came back in, and smiled. ¡°Ah, welcome back. I hope you don¡¯t plan on hitting me again?¡±

    Gods she wanted to wipe that confident smile off his face! Reshi prowled around the counter, taking up position on the single stool to stare stoney-eyed at Wulfram. ¡°I should, the way ya talked ta my daughter. Yer tryin¡¯ ta swindle out of a marriage sounds like. Coward.¡±

    Wulfram stiffened, his smile remaining in place with a force Dani could swear she felt. ¡°I was merely trying to offer a way out that would cause the least amount of waves. I doubt your daughter wants to become a queen. It¡¯s a great deal of responsibility and attention.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already got more attention than I want, but you think I can¡¯t handle the responsibility?¡± Dani couldn¡¯t help but bristle, her eyes narrowing slightly as she glared at Wulfram. He didn¡¯t think she could handle it?

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Wulfram winced, his smile faltering. He put a hand to his head, closing his eyes as he thought. Dani wasn¡¯t willing to give him long to think though, she had messed up, she¡¯d admit that no problem, but he had messed up too. And she wasn¡¯t going to let him off the hook.

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    ¡°Then what did ya mean? I can handle attention and responsibility just fine. You however wouldn¡¯t last a night in the Rats Nest. Especially not if folks were after you.¡± She smirked, a feeling of certainty forming in her chest. She knew he wouldn¡¯t try to disprove that, she could just imagine him sleeping on the dirt or a straw mat, not having access to running water, not having enough food, or having to eat peasant food!

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Wulfram stiffened again, his amber eyes fixing on her.

    ¡°You heard me. You wouldn¡¯t last a night. But you want to pretend to know what I can handle. Want to pretend you¡¯re trying to get out of a marriage because I can¡¯t handle the attention or the responsibility. Admit it, you just don¡¯t want a commoner wife.¡± Why the hell was she complaining about it? She could just make sure he paid her something for the inconvenience and trouble, and be on her way! But it irked her to know that he didn¡¯t want her as a wife, it hurt some pride deep in her. She may not want to get married, but she at least didn¡¯t want to be thrown away like yesterdays trash after the princes dumb mistake.

    ¡°I thought I was doing us both a favor trying to get the bracelets off!¡± Wulfram snapped.

    The bells hung on the door chimed gently as it was pushed open, admitting a pair of ladies in long skirts and huge trailing sleeves. They paused as all eyes turned to them, looking startled at the diverse group gathered in the small shop. It was the taller one that recognized Wulfram first, dipping into a deep curtsy. ¡°Your Highness! Uhm... we didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±

    The second girl let out a tiny gasp, her eyes widening into saucers as she too curtsied, mumbling something incomprehensible but no doubt polite. Wulfram¡¯s smile was back in place as if it had never left, and he nodded politely to the two ladies as he stepped off the stool he had been standing on. ¡°I imagine not, but it is of course a pleasure to see you both.¡±

    The younger girls eyes were fixed on Wulfram¡¯s bare chest, a blush rising in her cheeks. She ducked her head quickly, but Dani could tell she was still glancing at him. She looked at him herself, and nodded slightly. He did cut a nice figure, even bandaged and bruised as he was.

    ¡°We heard you were hurt pursuing that horrible thief. Did you catch her?¡± The taller woman asked, her eyes carefully fixated on his face. Mrs. Haversaun suppressed her own smile, turning to work some fabric into a shirt for Wulfram. It would still take a bit of time, but mens shirts were thankfully simple. With the help of her dwarven-made machine it wouldn¡¯t take her long to whip one up.

    ¡°I believe she died when the building collapsed.¡± Wulfram said mildly. He glanced at Dani, a wicked twinkle in his eyes. She could almost feel the mischief, the idea forming in his brain as he smiled at her. ¡°Luckily I was found by this lovely young lady and rescued.¡±

    That rat bastard. Dani blushed as the two ladies attention turned towards her, the younger one looking at her with worshipping eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a hero...¡± The young lady whispered.

    ¡°It was nothing, really. Just- just an accident of fate.¡± Dani forced a smile. She was going to get him for this, she didn¡¯t want this kind of attention! But that was the point, wasn¡¯t it? Shit she didn¡¯t want him to be right. She could handle the attention just fine!

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t be so modest Lady Dani! Why, I was just this morning talking to my Mother about the best way to show our appreciation for your service to the kingdom. What do you think Lady Isolde? Lady Rebecca?¡±

    ¡°Really there¡¯s no need to do anyth-¡±

    ¡°A ball!¡± The younger girl said, looking at Wulfram and Dani with barely contained excitement.

    ¡°Oh yes, a ball! A ball in her honor! Lady Dani if you¡¯ve never been to a ball you simply must let them give you one in your honor.¡± The older girl leaned forward, grasping one of Dani¡¯s hands in both of hers. Dani still had no idea which one was Isolde and which one was Rebecca.

    She was beginning to feel as if she were caught in a hunters sights! She looked to Reshi for support, but he had made himself scarce. Damnit! She didn¡¯t know how to deal with this by herself! And Mrs. Haversaun seemed far too amused by the situation to be of any help. ¡°I really don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a wonderful idea Lady Rebecca!¡± Wulfram said. ¡°Lord Bennett and I will put the matter before her Highness as soon as we return to the palace..¡±

    ¡°Her full name is Daniella, actually.¡± Mrs. Haversaun said over the gentle thrum of her machine. ¡°And she will be needing a dress of course. When do you think you¡¯ll have the ball, your Highness?¡±

    Wulfram was silent for a moment, putting a thoughtful hand to his chin. Dani glanced at his bracelet, and touched the fabric of her sleeve to make sure her own was still covered. ¡°One month, I have some business to attend to first, but I am certain I can be back in time for it. Would that be enough time to make her a suitable dress Mrs. Haversaun?¡±

    ¡°I believe I can manage.¡± Mrs. Haversaun held up the shirt she had been working on, and gave Wulfram a cheeky little wink. ¡°This will have to do for now your Highness, please put on a shirt before you make poor Lady Daniella faint.¡±

    Wulfram took the shirt with a slight bow. ¡°We mustn¡¯t let our hero faint, of course. The palace will be taking care of the expenses of course, I believe I can trust you to ensure her dress is beyond compare.¡±

    ¡°Of course, your Highness.¡± Mrs. Haversaun smiled at him.

    Dani¡¯s mouth hung slightly open as he pulled on his shirt. She couldn¡¯t believe he was doing this! She couldn¡¯t believe that Mrs. Haversaun was encouraging him! And that Reshi had disappeared at exactly the wrong time! He was right there when Wulfram had arrived, but now that she needed him he was gone!

    Wulfram turned and met her eyes, his own full of a mischievous delight that she recognized all too well. He gently took her by the chin, leaning in dangerously close as he murmured. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Lady Daniella.¡±

    And just as she thought he was going to actually kiss her, he pulled away, striding out the door with Ben and the healer in tow.

 Chapter 22 - Wulfram

    Wulfram let the door close on the excited squealing of Lady Isolde and Lady Rebecca, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. Her father wanted to call him a coward, and she wanted to claim she was ready for the attention of a queen? Very well, he¡¯d see how she handled the attention that would be showered upon her now. Lady Rebecca was one of the biggest gossips he knew, and neither her nor her younger sister would miss the chance to talk about a ball, or a young lady who had caught the princes eye. It was perhaps a bit counterproductive to what he had come down here to do, but there was no harm in a little fun, now was there?

    Ben followed him into the carriage, sitting across from him with a thoughtful frown. ¡°Was that really necessary, your Highness?¡±

    Wulfram looked up at Ben, his smile not faltering as the carriage started back towards the palace. ¡°No, but you have to admit it was fun. Besides, I think she¡¯ll learn a lesson this way. She thinks she can handle the attention afforded to a queen? We¡¯ll see how she does with this taste.¡±

    ¡°There is something you might be overlooking.¡± Ben said.

    ¡°What? This will give her the attention without the responsibility. She¡¯ll get a fancy dress, and a night to remember. And a month should give us time to meet with King Alastar and do some searching, then stop by the capital to show him some hospitality and negotiate a peace treaty. I know that Mother will complain about the short notice of course, but it isn¡¯t anything she won¡¯t be able to handle.¡± Wulfram ran over the points in his mind, trying to see what he had missed in his mad plan. The problem was he kept picturing her eyes. Kept imagining her dressed in the dark blue and silver of the royal family, perhaps with some lighter blues to compliment those beautiful eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re putting her in the position to receive the same type of attention as a noble lady, without the protection of one. You don¡¯t even know where she lives other than in the Tangle, and that isn¡¯t exactly a safe place.¡± There was a note of exasperation in Ben¡¯s voice. ¡°I swear you started talking to her and all sense left your head!¡±

    Wulfram stared at Ben for a moment, an eyebrow raising. ¡°You think her father isn¡¯t enough protection? He¡¯s not a weakling.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not an armed guard either. What made you go from explaining the situation and how you were working to fix it, to throwing her a ball?¡±

    Wulfram sat silently for a moment, frowning as he considered the chain of events. They had gone badly almost from the very start. He had been trained in negotiations, it should have gone better! But she had been so upset, angry and scared. He had needed to wash away that fear somehow. He touched the bracelet lightly, feeling the faint echo of her heartbeat through it. ¡°I¡¯m... not sure. She was angry, and being so uncooperative. I was trying to do what was best for her and she just wouldn¡¯t have it.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Ben shook his head, staring at Wulfram as a smile started to creep onto his lips. ¡°Trying to do what was best for her? You¡¯re sweet on her!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Wulfram let out a laugh, dismissing the idea. Certainly she was beautiful, but pursuing a relationship with her would be more trouble than it was worth! For starters he had been injured both times he had encountered her, and had been lucky this last time to get a healer that knew a little bit of bone mending. Those were incredibly rare, it tread too close to the realm of necromancy. For another thing, what would he say to the court? This whole mess was an attempt to hide the fact they were married.

    ¡°You¡¯re sweet on her, you are!¡± Ben grinned and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

    ¡°I am not. I do find her attractive, but there are other women who are just as attractive and far less trouble.¡± Wulfram tugged the sleeve of his new shirt down over the bracelet and straightened against the heavily padded seat.

    ¡°Far less trouble but not as much fun. Maybe you¡¯re just attracted to her, alright. Then why don¡¯t you bed her and be done with it?¡± Ben said.

    ¡°Ben, I¡¯m not going to bed her and be done with it. We¡¯re not going to do anything except meet at the ball, perhaps have a couple of dances, and go our separate ways. That should be plenty of time for the mage to loosen the binding spell. In fact, I¡¯m going to check on that as soon as we reach the palace.¡±

    Ben leaned back in his own seat, the smile still on his face. ¡°Of course, your Highness.¡±

    Wulfram sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re an asshole sometimes Ben.¡±

    ¡°You are too.¡± Ben laughed.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call your prince an asshole.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t friends because I pull punches, we¡¯re friends because I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re being a dumbass. And right now? Right now you are. You put your little thief in danger just by going to visit her, and more danger by springing that ball nonsense in front of the biggest gossip of the court. Maybe you need to see if that bracelet is messing with your mind.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it is, but it won¡¯t hurt to ask Archmage Balariz.¡± Wulfram frowned down at the bracelet, considering Bens words carefully He had put her in more danger? He supposed he could see some logic to that. But how was he going to make sure that she didn¡¯t get hurt now? She needed to come to the palace, where he could make sure she was properly guarded.

    Of course there was that galling accusation that he wouldn¡¯t last even a night in the Tangle! Or as she called it, the Rats Nest. It was utter nonsense but it still pricked at his pride. He had never had to sleep in a crypt or on a rooftop, but he had spent his fair share of time under the stars and in the elements. When they were traveling in his unit they had camped under the stars many times, with nothing but a bedroll and a blanket. If he could do that, the Tangle should be nothing to worry about.

    ¡°A good idea your Highness.¡± Ben nodded in approval, and glanced up as the carriage rolled to a stop. They were just outside the main doors to the palace, guards and servants waiting to welcome them back. ¡°Hopefully your mother doesn¡¯t notice the change of shirt.¡±

    ¡°Once I mention the ball she won¡¯t be worrying about anything else, trust me.¡±

 Chapter 23 - Dani

    Dani was frozen for a moment, the promise of Wulfram¡¯s lips so close for a split second, the warmth of his body stirring a heat in her own.

    And then he had left, sauntering out the door with the confidence of a prince, leaving her with a mess to deal with. The two noble twits were squealing like pigs, the younger one bouncing up and down on her toes, her perfectly curled hair bouncing. The older one was at least more sedate, but no less excited or loud. Just less... jumpy. She decided to call the little one bunny for right now, until she figured out which one was Rebecca and which one was Isolde. Bunny grinned up at Dani, her eyes bright with hero worship.

    Just what Dani needed right now.

    ¡°Oh my goddess! Oh my word! He almost kissed you!¡± Bunny squealed, taking Dani¡¯s hands in both of hers, bouncing still. ¡°And he¡¯s throwing you a ball! Oh by the Starry Queen of Storms! And it¡¯s going to be a masquerade! We haven¡¯t had a masquerade in ages! What will you wear? What will I wear? Isolde what are you going to wear?! Mrs. Haversaun please can you get us dresses made in time?¡±

    Dear gods above and below this girl needed some chamomile tea! Or maybe something stronger, what was more calming than chamomile tea?

    ¡°Of course I will dears. Let¡¯s update all of your measurements, Lady Daniella needs to practice taking measure anyways.¡± Mrs. Haversaun pulled out three sets of sturdy white ribbons, one of which she handed to Dani, and one which she draped over her shoulder. ¡°I know that Lady Rebecca at least has been growing since her last visit to me. So I¡¯ll start with her, and Lady Daniella can help measure Lady Isolde.¡±

    ¡°But why is she taking our measure? Shouldn¡¯t you be taking her measure?¡± Bunny- that is, Lady Rebecca asked. She released Dani¡¯s hand and climbed onto a small stool that Mrs. Haversaun had pulled out for her. ¡°Oh I can¡¯t wait to see what you¡¯re going to wear Lady Daniella!¡±

    ¡°Lady Daniella is my apprentice.¡± Mrs. Haversaun said with the patience of someone who worked with children often.

    ¡°You¡¯re apprentice?¡± The two girls said in unison, two sets of eyes turning to pin Dani with their gaze. Dani forced a smile and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, her apprentice.¡± Dani repeated, and curtsied to Lady Isolde. ¡°Please step up on the stool.¡±

    ¡°But that just won¡¯t do! You¡¯re a hero of the kingdom! And you have the prince¡¯s eye! Surely you should be doing something better than dressmaking! No offense Mrs. Haversaun.¡± Lady Rebecca¡¯s face turned red in embarrassment as she hurried to add that last part.

    Lady Isolde stepped up onto her own stool, giving Lady Rebecca a stern frown. ¡°Dressmaking is an honorable occupation, and Mrs. Haversaun is one of the best.¡±

    ¡°Oh you ladies are so sweet.¡± Mrs. Haversaun smiled. ¡°And Lady Daniella I¡¯m sure will go on to great things, but until then, she needs an honorable occupation. She¡¯s quite skilled, you should see her embroidery! Simply stunning.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Oh jeeze, Mrs. Haversaun was laying it on thick. Dani blushed and started to follow her lead in taking Lady Isolde¡¯s measurements, carefully marking and labeling each measurement she took. She glanced up at Mrs. Haversaun, grateful that the pair had lapsed into silence as Mrs. Haversaun explained each measurement and how to mark it on the ribbon for use later.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think she should be doing something like... like talking to the queen?¡± Lady Rebecca asked. ¡°Or talking with the Prince!¡±

    ¡°Or kissing the Prince.¡± Lady Isolde say with an impish little smile. Dani felt the blush rising in her cheeks. The next time she saw the prince she was going to kick his ass.

    ¡°No thank you.¡± Dani said firmly, and folded the ribbon up, marking one end with Lady Isolde¡¯s name. She wasn¡¯t sure what would happen if there was more than one Lady Isolde, but she supposed either that didn¡¯t really happen, or Mrs. Haversaun had a system.

    ¡°Lady Daniella is a bit shy.¡± Mrs. Haversaun said with a smile. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you ladies go look at some fabrics while I take her measurements? It will only take a moment, then we can talk designs.¡±

    ¡°I want to wear something similar to Lady Daniella!¡± Lady Rebecca declared.

    ¡°Oh what Lady Daniella will be wearing is going to be a secret. After all, she¡¯s our hero, she should be unique, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Lady Rebecca pouted, reminding Dani forcibly of Azra when she didn¡¯t get to stay up late, or when she didn¡¯t want to do her studies. And this was nearly a grown woman! Well, in her teens at least. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.... Let¡¯s find some nice fabrics Isolde, perhaps a nice green....¡±

    The two walked across the shop to the wall where Mrs. Haversaun kept samples of her fabrics, each taking up a little note card and pencil so they could mark down the ones they liked. Dani watched them for a moment, then lowered her voice to a whisper to talk to Mrs. Haversaun.

    ¡°Why are you encouraging this?¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun chuckled and looped the ribbon around Dani¡¯s upper arm, marking where the end touched the rest of the ribbon. ¡°My dear, you¡¯ve been struggling to find the thing that makes you feel alive since Najia got sick and passed way. Putting yourself more and more at risk, and trying to prove to yourself that you could control your own life. But there¡¯s more than one way do that.¡±

    ¡°I sure as hell don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m controlling my own life right now.¡± Dani snorted. Reshi was demanding she didn¡¯t steal anymore, Mrs. Haversaun was putting her to work, and now the damn prince was forcing her into this ball nonsense. Where was her control? Because she sure as hell couldn¡¯t find it.

    ¡°I know dear, I know. Arms up.¡± Dani lifted her arms so that Mrs. Haversaun could measure her upper bust and bust. ¡°Some things will always be out of our control, some things just seem like they¡¯re out of our control. You could still do what you were doing, but you would have to be willing to pay the price. You could decide to just not go to this ball, but I think you want that little adventure.¡±

    Willing to pay the price... she didn¡¯t want to pay the price for going against Reshi on thieving. It would wind up with her in the dungeon, but it would also wind up alienating Reshi and possibly the rest of the family, and that would be worse. Reshi was an asshole who decided to disappear right when she needed his support, but he had raised her, and she loved him. ¡°Why would I want to go to some fancy ball?¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun laughed and folded the marked ribbon around her hand, writing Dani¡¯s name on the end. ¡°Because even as tough as you are, I remember two little girls playing fancy dress-up party in my shop when you and Therija were younger.¡±

    Dani had to smile at that memory. She had spent so much time with Therija when they were little, living with Najia and Raycor while Reshi was off hunting. Maybe Mrs. Haversaun had a valid point. And really, what could one fancy party with a fancy dress hurt?

 Chapter 24 - Wulfram

    ¡°You want us to host a ball in one month? Wulfram, that¡¯s hardly any time at all!¡± Queen Mirabel frowned at her son over the light midday lunch the family was enjoying. It was a lovely day, so they had decided to spend it out in one of the gardens, when the twins could play. Even now the two girls were sitting on their blanket, playing with their dolls and tea set like polite little ladies. Thank the gods they hadn¡¯t decided to start climbing trees like their brother had at their age.

    ¡°And isn¡¯t it a bit risky, drawing attention to this girl? If the court gets wind that you¡¯ve gotten yourself married to a commoner there will be an uproar.¡± King Cynewulf said.

    Wulfram had to concede the point, nobles simply didn¡¯t like common blood mixing with noble blood. It was all a bit snobby as far as Wulfram was concerned, but the nobles could be a problem. He could think of a few in particular that would do their best to make Dani¡¯s life hell.

    No, Daniella. The corner of his mouth quirked up. She had looked so flustered when Mrs. Haversaun had said her full name. ¡°It is a bit of a risk, but by this point word that I was saved by a commoner is becoming known throughout the court and city. They expect some kind of gesture of appreciation, and a ball is one such gesture. It has historic precedence, remember the ball held in honor of Sir Silvian? When he saved your life during the war? Not to mention if we hold it in one month that gives me time to travel to the border and meet with King Alastar and his group, as well as do some searching for their missing princess before returning to the capital. We¡¯ll use it as a diplomatic ball to honor both my savior and the Cresenvasht royalty.¡±

    ¡°King Alastar might not like sharing the spotlight with a commoner.¡± King Cynewulf cautioned. He took a sip of his lemonade, nodding in approval of the sweet and tart taste. The ice cubes clinked against each other as he lowered his glass, regarding his son over it. ¡°And I can¡¯t say I would blame him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all in how we present it Father. We invite him to a ball in honor of one of our heroes, not just one of our heroes though, but a woman hero.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re stretching dear.¡± Queen Mirabel let out a sigh, her smile a bit resigned. ¡°This ball really means that much to you?¡±

    Wulfram cleared his throat and straightened in his seat. ¡°I merely thought it was a good idea, and that if anyone could pull it off, it would be you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make it happen. At this point there¡¯s not much of a choice anyways, Lady Rebecca is a dear, but she¡¯ll have told half the city by now.¡± Queen Mirabel said.

    King Cynewulf looked at Wulfram thoughtfully, tapping one finger on the table. Wulfram tried not to fidget, it would show weakness, and he was not a weak man. Instead he leaned over and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Thank you Mother, I know it will be amazing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Mirabel sighed. She patted Wulfram on the shoulder gently. ¡°You¡¯ll need to be fitted for a proper costume before you go, I¡¯ll send the tailors to your quarters tonight. Shall I send the royal dressmakers to the girl?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be necessary, she¡¯s apprenticing at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s, and I believe can handle her costume quite artfully.¡± Wulfram really had no idea what kind of work Mrs. Haversaun did, but the dresses in the windows of her shop had looked nice enough.

    His mother gave him a look of disapproval, her mouth creasing in the faintest of frowns. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll look into this Mrs. Haversaun, if nothing else perhaps we can send her some fabrics to use.¡±

    ¡°I trust your judgement in this Mother.¡± Wulfram smiled and bowed slightly. With his Mother helping, Daniella was certain to look absolutely stunning.

    ¡°Son, take a walk with me.¡± King Cynewulf stood, pausing only a moment to kiss Mirabel on the cheek before starting down the path. He didn¡¯t bother waiting for Wulfram, he knew that his son would follow.

    Wulfram smiled apologetically to his mother and shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll be back shortly Mother.¡± He bent to kiss her cheek as well, before hurrying after his father.

    Together, Wulfram and Cynewulf rounded a bend in the path, carefully arranged bushes and trees granting them some semblance of privacy from the rest of the family. But they walked in silence for a few more feet, King Cynewulf apparently content to gaze at the sun-dappled path.

    Eventually, Cynewulf paused, his old eyes resting on a Moon Vine that twisted around one of the larger trees, it¡¯s buds at this time of day. Wulfram stood beside him, taking his time studying one of the silver orbs that would bloom into a gently glowing flower under the light of the moon. He knew his fathers habits, and wasn¡¯t about to give in to the urge to fill the silence. His father wouldn¡¯t have called him aside if he didn¡¯t have something to say.

    The silence stretched on, and Wulfram started to count the leaves around his chosen orb, noting the slight tinge of silver around the edge of the dark green leaves. A sign it would be a good harvest this year.

    ¡°She¡¯s quite lovely, if a bit on the thin side.¡± Cynewulf finally said, his eyes still on the vine.

    ¡°Who is, Father?¡± Wulfram kept his voice neutral, glancing over at him. Cynewulf hadn¡¯t taken his gaze off the vine, although a faint smile played on his lips.

    ¡°Your young lady.¡±

    Wulfram frowned, trying to remember if his father had ever seen Dani. Unless he had been following him... but no, the king wouldn¡¯t have been able to just follow him through the city. Not without guards. He supposed one of his fathers spies could have described her to him. But it seemed a stretch.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen her? When?¡± Might as well ask now and clear up the mystery. Otherwise they would be dancing around it for hours. Wulfram had too much to do still to go through that.

    Cynewulf turned to meet his sons eyes, the crows feet around his own crinkling in humor. ¡°She got quite close when she stole your crown.¡±

    Wulfram froze for a moment, his heart rate spiking. But no, there was no way that he could know Dani was the thief. He hadn¡¯t seen her since then, and Wulfram had said the thief had died. Cynewulf shook his head and raised a hand to forestall any protest.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯m not going to throw her in the dungeon. But I also don¡¯t think you should be married to her. Especially if King Alastar and you happen to find this missing princess. But I do want to know, should I be worried about being a Grandfather?¡±

    Wulfram nearly choked at the question, his eyes widening. ¡°No! I haven¡¯t- we haven¡¯t done anything. And Archmage Balariz is working on a way to undo the magic of the crown. You have nothing to worry about Father, trust me.¡±

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Cynewulf looked at Wulfram thoughtfully for a long moment, but eventually nodded. ¡°Very well, I trust you. I should add that there¡¯s no harm in a little fun, as long as precautions are taken.¡±

    ¡°Father!¡± Wulfram¡¯s mouth dropped open.

    Cynewulf chuckled, and started to walk again. ¡°Go on and say goodbye to your Mother and sisters, I know you have a meeting soon with Archmage Balariz, and don¡¯t forget the one after with the group you¡¯re taking to meet King Alastar. You should plan to leave within the next couple of days.¡±

    ¡°We plan to leave the day after tomorrow.¡± Wulfram wanted to have time to start mapping the tunnels, but it didn¡¯t seem like he was going to get that chance any time soon. He sighed as his father rounded another bend in the meandering path, his only acknowledgement that he heard a slight nod of his head.

    Well, there was no reason to dawdle. He was going to get nothing more out of his Father right now, and he wanted to see if Balariz had made any progress. Wulfram turned back down the path, smiling as he rounded the curve and saw his Mother sitting on the blanket with his sisters, enjoying a cup of imaginary tea. Mirabel looked up as he rounded the corner. ¡°Wulfram, I suspect your Father decided to take a walk?¡±

    ¡°He did Mother, and I¡¯m afraid I have to go to a meeting. Will you three be alright?¡± He took the tiny cup offered by one of his sisters, he couldn¡¯t quite tell which one was which, and pretended to take a sip. ¡°Yum, thank you Princess.¡±

    Perhaps it would be better to dress them in different colors at least. Wait, she was holding the brown haired doll, so that was Melody. That meant the one offering him a cookie had to be Cynthia. ¡°Thank you Princess Cynthia.¡± He took the cookie, feeling proud of himself.

    Until two sets of eyes glared at him as if he had made some horrible faux pas. The one who had offered the tea jutted out her lower lip in a pout. ¡°I¡¯m Cynthia! I gave you the tea!¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m Melody!¡± The other one stomped her foot, earning her a stern look from Mirabel.

    ¡°Young ladies do not stomp their feet, Melody. Your big brother didn¡¯t mean anything by it, he just made a mistake. Isn¡¯t that right, Wulfram?¡± Mirabel looked up at him expectantly.

    ¡°Of course, my mistake entirely. Please forgive me ladies.¡± Wulfram bowed deeply, and in the most formal way he knew how. He even added the little hand flourish, using the hand that held the cookie. He held the pose until one of his sisters let out a giggle, quickly followed by the other.

    He straightened with a smile. ¡°Now, I¡¯m afraid I must leave you ladies to your tea. My heart shall ache with your absence, but I must go!¡± His dramatic declaration only made his sisters giggle harder, and even his mother smiled.

    ¡°Oh go on son, we¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡±

    ¡°Of course Mother, I¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡± Wulfram put the cookie in his mouth and strode off towards the palace. If he didn¡¯t hurry he¡¯d be late, and it was rude to upset others schedules like that, even as a Prince! Perhaps especially as the Prince. After all, he had an example to set.

    And so he arrived at Archmage Balariz¡¯s door exactly on time, if a little dizzy from climbing the circular stairs up to his tower. Some people wondered why mages were often put in towers. Wulfram was not one of them. If one of the mages experiments went awry he wanted to be as far away from the explosion as possible.

    The door opened just as Wulfram was raising his hand to knock, an owlish young woman standing there, gazing up at him through glasses that oddly distorted her face. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s you! Prince Wulfram!¡± She pulled off her glasses, blinking rapidly. ¡°Archmage Balariz is just inside, please, please come in.¡±

    The young woman stepped aside, bowing a bit awkwardly but deep enough to be polite. ¡°I¡¯m May, the Archmage¡¯s apprentice. I don¡¯t know if your Highness remembers me, we met at a dinner. A couple months ago? At the dinner a couple months ago to celebrate the Spring Solstice.¡±

    Wulfram thought back to the Spring Solstice dinner, flicking through the different faces and names he had learned. It only took him a few moments to remember the awkward young mage, and how she had lit the punch on fire. ¡°I remember you quite well Mage May, It is a pleasure to see you again.¡±

    He stepped inside the Archmages study, a large circular room with a domed ceiling painted dark blue and marked with important constellations in sparkling gold. Each star was a faceted glowstone, lit to fill the room with a light that banished any shadow. The walls were covered in charts, bookcases and writing, with more books in piles on desks and tables. May hurried to a table in the center of the room, where Archmage Balariz sat stooped over a pair of books. As Wulfram approached he could see one was full of elegant handwriting and painstakingly precise drawings, the other was full of hasty notes and rough sketches.

    A sparkle in the middle of the table caught his eye, and he leaned forward slightly to study the odd items that the Archmage had gathered. There were only two of them: a tarnished bracelet much like his own, and a necklace that he recognized from the family treasury. ¡°Hello Archmage, I see you¡¯ve been busy. Does this mean there¡¯s been progress?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, welcome!¡± Archmage Balariz looked up from his notes, grinning. ¡°Progress of a sort, yes. I have been able to gather a couple of items of interest. The necklace is of course on loan from the royal treasury, you may be familiar with it. But the archives also had this bracelet, which is quite similar to the one you¡¯re wearing. I believe both of these items were part of matching sets, but the other half of their pair has been lost over the centuries.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. And these items will help you determine how to undo the spell that binds me to the wearer of the other bracelet?¡± Wulfram looked at the Archmage, raising an eyebrow.

    The Archmage shifted uncomfortably as he stood and finally bowed. ¡°Perhaps. There are fragments of magic still remaining on both artifacts. But I believe the most information on the spell will be gained by examining both your bracelet and the young ladies.¡±

    ¡°Well the young lady in question isn¡¯t available right now, shall we start with examining mine?¡± Wulfram rolled up his sleeve, revealing the bracelet with its blue stone. He had a vague sense of Dani still, even this far. But it wasn¡¯t as clear as when he was right near her: only a sense that she was there and that she was alright.

    ¡°Of course your Highness! Of course. May, I¡¯ll have you run the tests. She¡¯s quite competent your Highness, and I need to have my hands free to take notes.¡± Archmage Balariz picked up the book with the scrawled notes in it, flipping to an empty page as May pulled out a flat, circular crystal. The stone was so flawless that Wulfram could see through it as if it wasn¡¯t even there.

    ¡°Yes Archmage, right away.¡± She said, and slid her fingers along the edge of the crystal. Ruins lit up where her finger passed over, each one taking on the green glow of her magic. ¡°If you would just hold your wrist under the crystal, your Highness?¡±

    Curious, Wulfram extended his hand beneath the crystal, watching carefully just in case the crystal happened to miraculously become flammable. The glow outlined the bracelet with a gentle glow, and projected a visible image of the bracelets magic above the crystal. It was a complex diagram of intricate and overlapping sigils and lines, looping and twisting together in a three-dimensional infinity knot. Some strands of magic were as thin as a strand of hair, while others were thick as ribbons, or braided together to create a rope. One strand of braided magic in shades of amber, gold and blue stretched off into the distance, disappearing as soon as it left the magic of May¡¯s crystal.

    He knew, without a doubt, that that braided strand led to his little mouse.

    No, not his little mouse, Dani. Daniella. And she wasn¡¯t his.

    Although she could be.

    Wulfram took in a breath, letting it out slowly as he studied the diagram, able to make neither heads nor tails of it. May and the Archmage stared up at the diagram, the Archmage taking rapid notes and copying the diagram into his book.

    ¡°This is a fine work of magic, very complex and delicate.¡± The Archmage mumbled as he studied the floating diagram. ¡°A master of the arts must have created this spell.¡±

    ¡°Can you break it?¡± Wulfram asked.

    ¡°At the moment? Not without destroying the ancestral crown and possibly hurting you and the young lady, maybe even killing you. After some study?¡± The Archmage paused, and let out a sigh. ¡°I am not sure. Seeing how the magic reacts when they are closer together may provide more clues. But this is a spell designed to last for a lifetime. People don¡¯t make those spells with a handy way to turn them off.¡±

    Wulfram frowned, for a moment not sure if he should be relieved or irritated. He nodded curtly and looked down at the bracelet. ¡°I will bring her in tomorrow so that you can study the bracelets when they are close together. Hopefully that will help. I will be leaving in two days for a journey, you will have one month to find a way to break this spell. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes your Highness.¡± The Archmage said, and bowed deeply. ¡°I will do my best.¡±

 Chapter 25 - Dani

    Reshi was waiting for Dani at the end of the day, lounging outside the shop with a short, fawn-colored Felinae dressed in simple brown clothes that set off the darker shades of her fur nicely. Dani paused to look the two over, noting the dagger on the Felinae¡¯s hip, and tucked into her boot. Not a lady or whore for sure, not that Dani even wanted to think about Reshi with a whore. But whores tended to have less obvious weapons, and they usually didn¡¯t wear trousers either.

    Cautiously, Dani approached the pair, shooting a glare at Reshi. ¡°Ya left me with the prince earlier. Now he¡¯s throwing a fucking ball and expects me to get all dolled up for it.¡±

    Reshi snorted. ¡°Ya ain¡¯t gonna go to no ball. He¡¯s probably makin¡¯ shit up anyways. An¡¯ I didn¡¯t want Fawn ¡®ere makin¡¯ a scene in front of those silly ladies.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Haversaun says it¡¯s a guarantee that he¡¯ll throw the ball, he wouldn¡¯t have mentioned in front of those particular two silly ladies if he wasn¡¯t going to.¡± And Dani could see why already, it had only taken two hours for other ladies to start flooding in, hoping to get their own fancy dresses for it. ¡°Besides, even if you don¡¯t trust him, don¡¯t you trust the queen? She¡¯s going to be sending fabric over for my dress tomorrow.¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun had managed to keep her calm when the royal messenger arrived late in the afternoon, but excitement slipped out as she started to sketch ideas for Dani¡¯s dress. She¡¯s have a variety of sketches ready by tomorrow when they got to see what fabric they were working with. And she was going to send over her personal jeweler to design something special for Dani.

    She felt a small thrill of panic flutter through her as she thought of it all. This had all gotten out of hand so fast! Dani pushed the thoughts of today aside as she studied the Felinae. Reshi frowned at her news. Let the old man stew a little, he was the one that had left her to the prince and Mrs. Haversaun! As if Mrs. Haversaun would say she couldn¡¯t go to a ball and advertise her work.

    The Felinae studied her, amusement dancing in her large green eyes. ¡°It sounds as if she¡¯ll be goin¡¯ ta a ball Reshi.¡± She purred, her tail giving a little flick.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see ¡®bout that.¡± He muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Raycor will ¡®ave dinner ready by the time we get home.¡±

    ¡°Is your friend having dinner with us?¡± Dani asked, falling into step slightly behind Reshi and his friend.

    ¡°Aye, that she will. This is Fawn, she¡¯s a representative from the Thieves Guild come ta talk to ya.¡± Reshi said, his face still set in a deep frown.

    Dani froze for a moment, a chill running down her spine. The Thieves Guild had sent a representative to talk to her? Shit! Running would be pointless, at best it would just put her in deeper trouble, at worst it would drag Reshi and the others into trouble with her. She swallowed hard, and hurried to catch up to the pair. ¡°Come to talk to me? About-¡±

    ¡°About your encounter with a certain noble.¡± Fawn cut in smoothly, her ears swiveling as they walked through the market. ¡°Let¡¯s not give too many details ot in the open, it can wait until we¡¯re in private. Reshi was telling me that Raycor made some of his famous pasties after all, and I brought some wine to share.¡± She patted a bag that Dani hadn¡¯t noticed at first.

    That had to be a good sign, right? They wouldn¡¯t bring wine if she was in deep trouble. At least, she didn¡¯t think they would. ¡°Just- just to be clear, that whole thing was my idea. The rest of the family didn¡¯t have anything to do with it, so they don¡¯t deserve any trouble.¡± Dani forced herself to straighten a little. She wasn¡¯t going to give in to the urge to shrink down, she had to make sure that her family was safe.

    Somehow.

    And besides, it was true. It had been her mess and she should be the one that cleaned it up. Or suffered the consequences from it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Fawn smiled at her, sharp white teeth shining in the fading sunlight. ¡°If the guild wanted you dead, you¡¯d already be dead.¡±

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t that reassure me?¡± Dani muttered, feeling the color drain from her face. She supposed she could be relieved that they didn¡¯t want her dead, but then what did they want? Did the Thieves Guild had a dungeon? She knew sometimes they cut hands or fingers off those that broke their rules. She flexed her fingers, a movement that Fawn did not miss.

    ¡°I like yer kid Reshi, she¡¯s smart.¡± Fawn laughed, ducking into a side street. ¡°This way, guards ahead.¡±

    Reshi followed, and so Dani did as well. She glanced towards the group of guards as she turned into the side street, spotting Sir Derrick among them. Shit, he would definetly know her if he saw her! Dress or no dress. She hurried after Reshi and Fawn, following them through the twisting side streets and rough steps that made led into the Rats Nest. Of course they only got worse the further in they went, occasional short tunnels interrupting the daylight, steep steps leading to hard packed dirt streets and narrow alleys that connected at odd angles or even went overtop other alleys.

    Reshi and Fawn chatted as they wound their way to Raycor¡¯s, the sun nearly set by the time they arrived. But light shone through the windows and cracks in the door, and the smell of pasties warmed over the fire wafted out to them. Reshi opened the door, gesturing for Fawn and Dani to go in ahead of him. ¡°Evenin¡¯ Raycor, ladies.¡±

    ¡°Reshi!¡± Azra barreled into Reshi, giving him a tight hug before bouncing to Dani and doing the same. ¡°Dani! Ya were ¡®sleep last night, Da says yer stayin¡¯ wit¡¯ us fer a while!¡±

    Dani couldn¡¯t help but smile. She could almost even forgive the bundle of joy for kicking her all last night. Almost. ¡°For a little bit I guess. Yeah. How was the bakery today?¡±

    ¡°It was good.¡± Therija said as she set down plates around the table. It would be a bit crowded, but nothing they hadn¡¯t dealt with before. ¡°How was yer first day with Mrs. Haversaun?¡±

    ¡°Uhm....¡± Dani thought back over her day, trying to figure out a way to sum it up in a few words. Between Reshi and Wulfram, the ladies squealing over the ball, and the flood of business in the afternoon, it had certainly been, ¡°Eventful.¡± She finally decided on. ¡°It was eventful.¡±

    ¡°As eventful as yesterday?¡± Therija looked at Dani from under raised eyebrows. Shit, she was channeling Najia now. She did not want to deal with Therija in Najia mode.

    ¡°Not- not quite. But the night is still young.¡± Dani cleared her throat. ¡°What can I help with?¡±

    ¡°Go ¡®head an¡¯ sit down. We¡¯re almost done, an¡¯ I know ye can¡¯t be feelin¡¯ too good considerin¡¯ the condition ye were in last night.¡± Therejia handed Azra silverware to set out, the tarnished metal catching the lamplight.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Well, Therija wasn¡¯t wrong. The wound on her shoulder had started to ache early on, and had just gotten worse as the day wore on and she moved it more. She hoped it didn¡¯t bleed through the dress, but no one had said anything about seeing any blood. So she was probably alright.

    But it still felt bad to be sitting while the rest of the family was working. Dani sat in one of the mis-matched chairs around the table, Fawn taking her place beside her. ¡°Hopefully this will help with the not feeling good.¡± She said, pulling out a bottle of wine. It was large, and had a simple label on it. Nothing so fancy as the Elven wine down in the tunnels. But it had to be better than the stuff Reshi gave her yesterday.

    ¡°Ohhh!¡± Azra paused, wide eyes on the wine. ¡°Do I get ta try some too?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Therija said firmly, and Raycor chuckled.

    ¡°Ye be too young yet, my small. Ye¡¯ll be ¡®avin¡¯ cider. But it¡¯ll be nice¡¯n warm fer ya. Been simmerin¡¯ it in the kettle.¡± Raycor nodded to the kettle next to the fire, a sweet aroma wafting up from it.

    ¡°Jus¡¯ a lil¡¯? Jus¡¯ a sip?¡± Azra pleaded, looking up at Raycor.

    Raycor chuckled and picked up a tray of pasties. ¡°No.¡±

    Azra jutted out her lower lip, and stomped back over to the table, climbing onto a seat next to Fawn. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°I suppose if you want to sulk I won¡¯t give ye the candy I brought fer ya.¡± Fawn purred, looking down at Azra with a slightly less toothy smile than the one she had given Dani earlier. ¡°I¡¯ll jus¡¯ eat it myself.¡±

    ¡°Candy?¡± Azra¡¯s pout immediately disappeared, and she looked at Fawn with wide eyes. ¡°Ye really brought me candy?¡±

    ¡°Aye, fer after dinner though. Thank ye Raycor.¡± Fawn said as the large man set a pastie on her plate. Therija poured some thick gravy over it. It was a routine that reminded Dani of Najia again. Therija looked so much like her mother, and had stepped in to do a lot of her duties when she had died.

    If Dani was honest with herself, it was one of the reasons she had left. The house just seemed... wrong without Najia there. Maybe she should have stayed, but she had just been in the way anyways.

    Raycor and Therija finished passing out the food, and Fawn poured them all glasses of wine, filling the mismatched cups as equally as she could. Azra got her cider, and seemed perfectly content with it now that she had the promise of candy after dinner. Reshi took the seat on the other side of Dani, Raycor, Therija and Azra filling in the table.

    ¡°Now Fawn, what ya doin¡¯ ¡®ere? Ain¡¯t expect ta see ya any time soon.¡± Raycor said.

    Fawn took a sip of her wine, a good faith gesture to show it wasn¡¯t poisoned, and smiled at Raycor. ¡°Aye, been too long, ain¡¯t it? Dun worry, I ain¡¯t here to cause any trouble. I just been sent to provide an... invitation.¡±

    ¡°Oh aye?¡± Reshi picked up his own glass, taking a sip. He shrugged slightly at the taste and took another, bigger drink. ¡°Like as not one we can¡¯t refuse, eh?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you can refuse it. But then Alodia might just send Bear, an¡¯ none of us want that. Your family has always been in good graces with the Thieves Guild, and the leadership knows the mistakes that youth makes. I seem ta remember that was what ended yer career, isn¡¯t it?¡± Fawn asked casually, her mischievous gaze flicking to Reshi.

    ¡°Aye, that it was.¡± Reshi said with a sigh. ¡°Din¡¯ expect Dani here ta take after me in that regard. Eat up lass, ye be needin¡¯ it.¡± That last was directed at Dani, and he gave a nod towards her as yet untouched food. Azra was eating like she was starving, and the others had already started in on their pasties while Dani¡¯s lay untouched.

    She felt a twinge of annoyance, but cut into the pastie anyways. ¡°You act like I haven¡¯t eaten all day. I had the pastie for breakfast like everyone else, and then another at lunch at Mrs. Haversauns!¡±

    ¡°Ye ¡®ad an apple an¡¯ fergot yer pastie there. If yer lucky ye¡¯ll eat it tomorrow ¡®fore ya draw mice ta her shop.¡±

    Shit, she hadn¡¯t thought he had noticed that. She winced a little at the reminder, and slumped down a bit as she ate a few bites of her pastie. But the slouch only pulled at her shoulder wound, and she straightened back up. ¡°Sorry... I¡¯ll eat it tomorrow, we just got busy.¡±

    ¡°An¡¯ tomorrow will be busy too I reckon.¡± Reshi sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t lie ta me again lass. Tomorrow we¡¯ll ¡®ave Mrs. Haversaun over fer dinner as well. Like as not all she ate was a damn apple to. I thought women folk were meant ta take care o¡¯ others, but ye can¡¯t ¡®ardly take care of yerse-ouch!¡± Reshi pulled his hand out of Fawn¡¯s range, giving her a glare that could have rotted fruit.

    ¡°What?¡± Fawn looked at Reshi with wide-eyed innocence, retracting the claws she had just dug into his hand. ¡°Oh yes, I believe we were talking about making mistakes, weren¡¯t we?¡± Her face broke into a toothy chesire cat smile, and she winked at Azra. ¡°We all make them, no matter how young or old. It just tends to be more common in youth. If we are smart, we learn from them. If we are very lucky, mistakes turn into gains.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think my mistake can be turned into a gain.¡± Dani said softly, and took another bite of her pastie. She supposed that she was hungry, and she loved pasties, she wasn¡¯t going to waste all the hard work and effort that went into making this meal. Especially not with Azra sitting right there. She had to be a good example.

    Or at least as good an example as a screw-up like herself could be.

    Fawn looked at Dani in surprise, her eyebrows raising. ¡°You really don¡¯t think so? It¡¯s already turning your life around. You have the attention of a very handsome, very high-ranking noble, and you¡¯re already invited to a ball that they¡¯re throwing in your honor. Besides, if the guild leadership thought that your actions were just going to bring trouble they wouldn¡¯t have sent me. I am the one they send when people show promise, and you show promise.¡±

    ¡°She ain¡¯t gunna be stealin¡¯ no more.¡± Reshi slammed his hand on the table, hard enough to rattle the plates. ¡°I never shoulda tauhgt ¡®er ¡®ow to, shoulda listened ta my sister-in-law an¡¯ let ¡®er teach ¡®er sewin¡¯ an¡¯ become Lattie¡¯s ¡®prentice from the get-go. That promise ain¡¯t doin¡¯ nothin¡¯ but leadin¡¯ ¡®er to an early death!¡±

    ¡°Aye, an¡¯ we dun want our girl ta wind up dead.¡± Raycor spoke up softly, looking at Dani. ¡°We know ya might not like what we be doin¡¯ but we jus¡¯ want what¡¯s best fer ya.¡±

    ¡°And if she wants to keep stealing?¡± Fawn asked, her ears giving a little twitch.

    ¡°Then I keep my word.¡± Reshi growled, his voice low. ¡°An¡¯ turn ¡®er in myself.¡±

    Silence fell heavy on the table, and Azra watched the adults with wide eyes. ¡°Is- is Dani goin¡¯ ta jail?¡± She whispered.

    ¡°No, Dani ain¡¯t goin¡¯ ta jail. We¡¯re tryin¡¯ ta keep ¡®er from goin¡¯ ta jail.¡± Raycor patted Azra¡¯s head lightly. ¡°It¡¯s one o¡¯ the reasons she be stayin¡¯ with us fer a bit.¡±

    ¡°Is this ¡®bout why she was naked when Reshi an¡¯ Fawn brought ¡®er home last night? Is she in trouble?¡± Azra¡¯s lower lip trembled, and she looked up at Raycor, tears brimming her eyes.

    ¡°Aye, it is. But look at ¡®er, see? She¡¯s right there, an she¡¯s just fine. Right Dani?¡± Raycor and Azra looked at Dani, and a lump formed in her throat. Azra looked so scared, she couldn¡¯t stand to make it worse. Even if she wanted to yell at them that she was the one who got to decide what she did with her life.

    She couldn¡¯t put them through that fear again. She smiled thinly, and nodded. ¡°Aye, I¡¯m alright. Just a little sore from an adventure. I won¡¯t be stealing anymore, and didn¡¯t you hear? I¡¯m even going to a ball in a month.¡±

    ¡°Ya really are? Goin¡¯ to a ball? Wit¡¯ fancy dresses an¡¯ ladies an¡¯ ponies?¡± Azra asked and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

    Dani¡¯s smile grew a little more genuine. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure about the ponies, but fancy dresses and ladies for sure.¡±

    ¡°Will ya tell me all ¡®bout it?¡± Azra asked, the fear fading a little bit more.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll tell you all about it. But you gotta be good for Therija and Raycor. Maybe I can even make your doll a new dress out of some of the material for mine. If you¡¯re really good.¡±

    ¡°Really? A fancy dress?¡± Azra leaned forward, her eyes widening. And there went the last of the fear.

    ¡°Yes, a fancy dress.¡± Dani nodded. ¡°Just gotta be good. I think I need some fresh air though, I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    Dani picked up the rest of her pastie and hurried outside, not waiting for permission. Damnit she was an adult, she could go outside if she wanted. Maybe if she was lucky Reshi wouldn¡¯t even follow her. But she didn¡¯t want Azra to see her cry, and the whole mess made her desperately want to cry. All these people seemed to have different plans for her. The Thieves Guild wanted something from her, Wulfram wanted something from her, Reshi wanted something from her... and that was perhaps worse, because if she didn¡¯t do what he wanted he¡¯d turn her in!

    There, that was what really hurt. He had taught her to steal, and now one mistake and he wanted her to just give it up. Everything he had taught her! She tilted her head back to stare up at the stars.

    The door behind her closed, and she caught the scent of cinnamon and vanilla as Therija approached. She wrapped her arms around Dani, hugging her tightly. ¡°Ya okay?¡±

    Dani turned, returning the hug just as tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just... I don¡¯t know.¡± Dani closed her eyes tightly as the tears spilled over, and hid her face against Therija¡¯s shoulder.

 Chapter 26 - Wulfram

    Wulfram frowned into his drink and reach up a hand to touch his suddenly damp face. Tears? He had doubted it when he saw one drop into his cup, but there they were. But why? He had no reason to be upset, today had been a very productive day. Tomorrow would out of necessity be just as productive. After all, he had to finalize arrangements for his trip, review the troops assigned to accompany him, get Dani to come to the palace, and finalize measurements and the design for his suit for the ball. Then it would be an early night for an early ride out the next day.

    With any luck he would be able to get Dani to stay at the palace while he was gone. It would be safer for her, and more comfortable. He somehow doubted that she would be more comfortable wherever she happened to be right now.

    Wait, was he crying because of Dani? He set down his glass and looked at his bracelet, focusing on what little he could feel through it. Without the Archmage boosting it he could only catch faint emotions, nothing definite. It was hard to tell, but he could almost feel.. sadness? Frustration? Damn, why wasn¡¯t it clearer? What good was this thing if he couldn¡¯t tell what was going on with her?

    He jumped as a knock came at the door, and let out a quiet curse. He wiped his eyes one more time before the door opened, Ben stepping in without waiting for an invitation. ¡°Knock knock, still awake in here?¡±

    Wulfram turned to look at his friend, frowning slightly. ¡°Since when do you just barge in here?¡±

    ¡°Since when do I not?¡± Ben asked, both eyebrows rising at the tone in Wulfram¡¯s voice. ¡°Something the matter, old friend?¡±

    Wulfram let out a sigh and ran a hand across his face. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just tired I think. And I¡¯m worried something is wrong with Dani.¡± He admitted that last part reluctantly, looking down at the bracelet again. ¡°I can almost feel her through this damn thing.¡±

    ¡°You can feel her? What makes you think something is wrong?¡± Ben frowned, watching Wulfram carefully. ¡°It could just be your imagination.¡±

    ¡°It could be, but I¡¯ve been getting faint traces of emotion through this thing since we put it on. I¡¯m not sure if she gets them too, but right now she feels... sad.¡±

    ¡°People get sad old friend, your little thief is no exception to that. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine.¡± Ben patted Wulfram on the shoulder.

    ¡°I hope so. Tomorrow I¡¯m going to bring her to the palace. With any luck we can keep her here where she¡¯ll be safe.¡± Wulfram said, and poured himself a bit more whiskey. That would be his limit for tonight, he had much to do tomorrow and had no desire to be fighting a hangover while doing it.

    ¡°Keep her here? Didn¡¯t you mention something about promising not to lock her up?¡± Ben asked, and poured himself a glass of whiskey.

    ¡°I promised I wouldn¡¯t throw her in the dungeon. But she would be safer in the palace, and more comfortable.¡± Wulfram couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of discomfort as he said it though. She seemed like the type to value her freedom above all else. What if she did have a problem with staying in the palace? He could keep her here of course, but at what price?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Damnit, why should he care? Once the bracelets were off he wouldn¡¯t think of her again. But for right now, it was a danger to have her out there on her own. Even if people didn¡¯t realize what the bracelet was, it would look expensive enough to tempt thieves to try and take it. And when they realized they couldn¡¯t just take it off her, what would happen then?

    ¡°And if she doesn¡¯t like the idea of staying in the palace? She might be more comfortable where she is. You don¡¯t know for certain.¡± Ben leaned against the wall, watching as Wulfram started to pace.

    ¡°She was talking about sleeping in the crypts and on rooftops! Surely wherever she¡¯s sleeping now isn¡¯t as comfortable as the beds we have here. And what if it rains? She could get sick!¡±

    ¡°She could I suppose.¡± Ben said slowly.

    ¡°Maybe we should go get her now.¡± Wulfram turned towards the door, but stopped himself, letting out a frustrated growl. ¡°No, my parents would throw a fit if I went into the Tangle this late at night, and they¡¯d be right to. I suppose we could send the guards.¡±

    ¡°How much have you had to drink?¡± Ben asked suddenly, pulling Wulfram up short.

    ¡°What?¡± Wulfram asked, looking at Ben.

    ¡°Wulfram, you¡¯re talking crazy. The woman has survived this long on her own in the Tangle, she¡¯s probably fine. Who knows, maybe she¡¯s,¡± Ben paused, thinking for a moment before continuing. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s reading a sad book or something. But I am certain she¡¯s fine. You¡¯re obsessing over this woman! It isn¡¯t healthy.¡±

    Wulfram let out a groan and rubbed his eyes. Gods, Ben was right. She was likely fine. Maybe he was just tired. ¡°You¡¯re right. Tell me what has been decided about exploring the tunnels.¡±

    Ben nodded and handed Wulfram his drink. ¡°Your father has approved sending three groups to explore the tunnels, comprised of guards, scholars and cartographers. It¡¯s a bit different than mapping the land or sea, but they should be up to the task. One cartographer per group, one historian, and two guards. The first group will start where we found you and your little thief-¡±

    ¡°Lady Daniella.¡± Wulfram corrected, and then paused and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, continue.¡±

    ¡°Lady Daniella,¡± Ben repeated, before continuing on. ¡°The second group will start in the Quietus catacombs, we¡¯ve already gotten permission from the priests. That group will have a priest with them as well, which will be quite the crowd. Lastly, the third will start by digging out the building that caved in on you. That final group will have a mage in it in case of any undead. Lord Roderick was quite excited to try and find any of that ancient wine you were talking about down there.¡±

    ¡°Lord Roderick won¡¯t be getting any. The skeletons only came after us when Dani opened the bottle of wine and started drinking from it. Until the dead are laid to rest properly, even I won¡¯t be taking the chance. It sounds like everything has been arranged, good.¡±

    ¡°Are you disappointed that you won¡¯t be exploring the tunnels as well?¡± Ben asked with a smile.

    ¡°I am.¡± Wulfram admitted, and smiled himself. ¡°There¡¯s history down there, and we could put an end to some smugglers operations if we get lucky. That and it was... exciting. But the Hesiodos delegation is more important. If we can get them to agree to peace again, it will all be worth it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure if anyone can, it¡¯s you.¡± Ben downed the rest of his drink, and set the glass down. ¡°Now get some sleep, your royal highness looks like shit.¡±

    ¡°Kiss ass.¡± Wulfram responded with a laugh. ¡°Go get some sleep yourself. You¡¯re going to be in charge of supervising the final packing and preparations while I deal with Dani, and probably her father.¡±

    Ben grinned and nodded. ¡°Yes Sir. Have fun with that by the way, her father sounds like a absolute delight.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I suspect I¡¯ll need it.¡± Wulfram sighed as Ben closed the door, and stared out at the city beyond the palace walls. Gently, he turned his senses to the bracelet again and the emotions that filtered through it. She still felt sad... what had happened?

 Chapter 27 - Dani

    Morning came before Dani could really get any sleep. Azra had gotten her candy the night before, and all three of them had been up late talking about nonsense. Even when Azra and Therija went to sleep, Dani stayed up. She couldn¡¯t sleep with the sugar running through her system and Azra¡¯s restless movements. Eventually she wound up going up to the roof to sleep, laying out beneath the stars as if she were a free woman.

    But she wasn¡¯t free, not really. Not anymore. She had Reshi that wanted to tell her what to do, she had Wulfram that wanted to tell her what to do, and then there was the Thieves Guild. They thought she had promise.... But if Reshi caught her stealing again he¡¯d turn her in.

    She stood up, feeling like a knife was twisting in her gut as she dusted dirt off her clothes. What kind of man turned in his own daughter? Blood or not? Maybe she just didn¡¯t mean that much to him.

    Dani let out a groan and shook her head. No, she didn¡¯t really believe that. Reshi cared in his own way, but being gentle and nurturing had never been his strong suits. Giving herself a look over, she climbed down from the roof, dropping lightly down to the street and starting off towards Mrs. Haversauns. She was still full from last night, no need to bother anyone by sneaking in and getting breakfast. Hell, Raycor and the girls were probably gone already. Which left Reshi, and she didn¡¯t really want to see him right now.

    She headed straight to Trade Road, pulling her fingers through her hair as she went. She didn¡¯t want to make Mrs. Haversaun look bad by showing up all a mess. The dirt was mostly gone, and the knots would be out well before she reached the shop. She did pause to look at a pastry cart longingly. She could take a detour to the bakery....

    No. She sighed and started trudging along again. She wouldn¡¯t do that, there was a pastie at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s that she could eat. If the rats hadn¡¯t gotten to it. But she couldn¡¯t imagine rats daring to go into Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s shop. She joined the steady flow of workers heading from the Rats Nest up Trade Road. They would be going to the workshops, stalls and laundry further up the road no doubt. A Priestess to The Sun ran past her, yellow robes held up so she wouldn¡¯t trip on them, showing an amount of leg that would be scandalous to the nobles. Dani smirked, giving the woman a nod of support. Not that the priestess saw it.

    Hopefully she wouldn¡¯t get in trouble for missing morning service.

    As she approached Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s, she looked around, half expecting to see Reshi lurking nearby. But if he was, she couldn¡¯t spot him. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little bit hurt. Which was foolish, she hadn¡¯t wanted to talk to him anyways. He¡¯d probably give her a disapproving look for sleeping out on the roof! But it had been a nice night and damnit she was sick of being kicked already.

    Maybe she should just sleep on the floor next time, but the floor got cold fast. With a shrug, Dani headed into the shop. ¡°Good morning Mrs. Haversaun.¡±

    ¡°Good morning Daniella.¡± Mrs. Haversaun glanced up, the smile on her face quickly fading as she looked Dani over. ¡°What in the world happened to you? Are you alright?¡±

    Oh shit, did she look that bad? Dani glanced quickly in one of the mirrors set up in the shop. Apparently she had missed some of the dirt on her dress, but nothing that warranted such a strong reaction. She supposed her face was a bit puffy, and she raked a hand through her hair again to try and settle the fly-away strands. ¡°I don¡¯t look that bad....¡±

    ¡°My dear, you look like you slept outside!¡± Mrs. Haversaun stepped around the counter, concern crossing her face. ¡°Reshi said you were staying with Raycor!¡±

    ¡°I am.. and... well... I did sleep outside. The bed¡¯s a bit crowded with three of us sleeping in it, and Azra kicks.¡± Dani sighed, standing patiently as the older woman grabbed a hair brush and started to pull it through her hair. It made her feel like a little kid again, but at least she managed not to squirm quite as much as she used to. ¡°I can brush my own hair Mrs. Haversaun.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can dear. You can brush your own hair after you go upstairs to change. I forgot there isn¡¯t much room at Raycor¡¯s. Well, you¡¯ll just have to arrive early to change from here on out, I don¡¯t want you getting dirt on all your new clothes.¡±

    ¡°All my new clothes?¡± Dani asked dumbly, staring at Mrs. Haversaun. ¡°What do you mean all my new clothes? I can¡¯t afford any new clothes!¡±

    ¡°You can if I say you can.¡± Mrs. Haversaun smiled. ¡°And I say you can, it¡¯s excellent advertising, especially given your relationship with the prince.¡±

    ¡°Oh for the love of... I don¡¯t have a relationship with the prince! I just happened to meet him, and now he wants to go on with this lie about me saving his life.¡± Dani threw up her arms, looking up at the ceiling as if she could appeal to some god through it. Maybe one would take pity on her and let her go back to her normal life.

    ¡°Lie?¡± Mrs. Haversaun pursed her lips in disapproval, but gave her head a shake and made shooing motions with her hands. ¡°Go get washed up and changed, pick one of the dresses hanging in the corner, they should all fit you with a little adjusting of the laces. We¡¯ll talk about this when you come down.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Yes Mrs. Haversaun.¡± Dani groaned, and trudged up the stairs, maybe her pastie would be up there anyways, she thought she had left it with her other clothes.

    The dresses that Mrs. Haversaun had hung up for her were all nicer than anything she had ever worn before, except perhaps the dress she had given her yesterday. They were all in muted shades of blue, brown and gray, with embroidery and laces of different colors. Dani stared at the selection for a moment, before picking a blue dress with a long brown vest embroidered with pink flowers. Normally she wasn¡¯t a pink fan, but the flowers made her smile, and they matched the pink lacing up the front.

    The big surprise however, were the boots. They were soft, with sturdy soles and delicate blue embroidery. She wondered how Mrs. Haversaun had known her size.... She took one look at her old boots, and smiled. It didn¡¯t matter she supposed, she was grateful anyways.

    With a light heart she practically skipped down the stairs, hair brushed, face washed and new clothes and boots perfectly clean and ready to go. But as soon as she saw the group gathered in the small sitting area of the shop, she froze.

    There were four women in total downstairs talking to Mrs. Haversaun, three she didn¡¯t recognize, and one she did: Fawn. The Felinae woman had her claws carefully retracted as she toyed with some fabric that Mrs. Haversaun was showing them. ¡°This fabric is sturdy enough for trousers, but still soft enough for those of us who know comfort is important.¡± Mrs. Haversaun was saying. She winked at the women, adding, ¡°I¡¯ll not speak ill of men, but I have felt some of the trousers they wear, and the fabric is not as comfortable as I would prefer for myself.¡±

    The comment brought a round of laughter from the group, and Dani blushed, her eyes widening. Maybe she should just go back upstairs, this conversation was not one she felt like joining in on! Hopefully Mrs. Haversaun just meant she had felt mens trousers in the line of business. Maybe measuring them, like she had Wulfram. Yes, that had to be it.

    One of the women turned to pin Dani with an icy blue stare, her pale lips curling up in a smile. ¡°Ah, this must be Lady Daniella. I hope you don¡¯t mind us dropping by, Fawn said she wasn¡¯t able to extend our invitation to you properly last night, so I decided to come by and do it myself. Luckily this has given me the chance to finally visit Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s establishment. She truly understands the needs of me and my ladies.¡±

    Oh.

    Oh shit. Dani¡¯s eyes widened, and she took a step back up the stairs. ¡°Are you the- the leadership she was talking about last night?¡±

    ¡°Only one of them dear. Mrs. Haversaun, may I please talk to Daniella while you measure the others? I promise to be nice.¡±

    ¡°Of course Alodia, since you promise to be nice. She¡¯s had a rough few days so she doesn¡¯t need any more trouble. Understood?¡± Mrs. Haversaun gave Alodia a stern look.

    Alodia laughed, waving a hand. ¡°I understand Mrs. Haversaun, I understand. Daniella, dear, will you come down, or should I go up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll come down.¡± Dani took a calming breath, trying to make it as subtle as possible. There was no running from this, and the sooner it was done, the better. She came the rest of the way downstairs and sat next to Alodia. While Alodia lounged back in her chair in a relaxed manner, Dani sat perched on the edge of the chair, her hands tightly folded on her lap. This woman was one of the leaders of the Thieves Guild! If she decided she wasn¡¯t worth letting live, there was nothing Reshi could do about it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so nervous, this is just a talk. You had a very exciting day a couple of days ago, and it¡¯s causing some ripples. But if we are clever, we can make those ripples flow the way we want.¡± Alodia smiled and crossed one leg over the other. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like that?¡±

    ¡°I- I guess so.¡± What the hell did the woman want her to say? What could she say to make sure she didn¡¯t wind up dead, or worse? She had heard stories of what happened to people that crossed the Thieves Guild, and she had no desire to lose her hands. but she had definitely overstepped when she had tried to steal the crown. Apparently not enough for them to kill her right away, but any wrong step could change that.

    Alodia gave her an assessing look. ¡°I can assure you taht you do. The way we want it to go means more money for the Tangle, and for us. The way we don¡¯t want it to go means we all have to leave our happy little homes, and hope we can find someplace to run our business that the nobles won¡¯t interfere with. If Lord Roderick for instance had his choice, our entire guild and our families would hang, and he¡¯d take full control of the smuggling operation. You don¡¯t want that to happen, do you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Dani stared at Alodia, her face paling. She had no idea who this Lord Roderick was, but if he wanted to hang them all she didn¡¯t want to. She had a horrible image of Azra, Therija, Reshi and Raycor all hanging in a row, and her stomach turned. ¡°But- but I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re talking to me about this. I made a mistake, got lucky that he let me go, and that¡¯s the end of it. And I quit stealing, so I can¡¯t help you there either.¡±

    ¡°Fawn did mention that you had stopped stealing, but don¡¯t worry, that isn¡¯t what I want you to help with.¡± Alodia smiled, a hard glint entering her eyes. ¡°And quite frankly if your attempt at stealing from the prince is any indication of your skills I rather not risk you trying again. No, I want you for your connection to the prince.¡±

    ¡°My connection to the prince?¡± Dani thought back to yesterday, and Wulfram¡¯s visit to the shop. She doubted there was much of a connection there, she had almost taken him out with the door, and then Reshi had broken his nose! They were lucky Wulfram hadn¡¯t taken them both in right then. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can help you there either.¡±

    Except that she was technically married to him.

    Shit, she had forgotten about that. She lightly touched her bracelet, moving the fabric a bit further over it.

    ¡°You can, and you will.¡± Alodia¡¯s eyes darted down to the hidden bracelet, and her smile grew. ¡°He¡¯s already giving you jewelry it seems, and throwing you a ball. So you can perhaps help steer his interest away from certain tunnels that we don¡¯t want him nosing around in. Or at the very least help me convince them to stall the search for a little while. Long enough that we can hide some... sensitive items. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I.. I think so, but why exactly would he listen to me? How am I even supposed to bring that up in conversation? If I even see him again before the ball!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll see him again.¡± Alodia¡¯s eyes moved past Dani, to the door of the shop, and she stood gracefully. ¡°Your Highness, what a surprise.¡± She said before curtseying deeply.

 Chapter 28 - Wulfram

    Wulfram stepped into Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s shop, pausing when he saw people already there, even so early in the morning. ¡°Your Highness, what a surprise.¡± Madame Alodia dipped into a curtsy, drawing his eye to her.

    ¡°Madame Alodia, it¡¯s a surprise to see you here as well, but then I have heard great things about Mrs. Haversaun, and her examples are quite impressive.¡± This could make things difficult, if Madame Alodia told the rest of the council that he had come here, that he was getting close in any way to Dani, it could put her at risk. ¡°Are you getting your dress for the ball?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mrs. Haversaun and her lovely assistant were just showing us some fabric and finishing up with our measurements. Is it true Lady Daniella is the very woman that saved you?¡± Madame Alodia looked at Dani, who was standing awkwardly in front of her chair.

    There was a nervousness in her posture that was echoed by the bracelet. She must be uncomfortable with the attention, he knew that she wouldn¡¯t be used to it. Perhaps it was the push she needed to accept his invitation to stay at the palace. ¡°It is. We are hosting a ball for her in roughly one months time. I¡¯m sure my Mother will send you the pertinent details.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to receiving them.¡± Madame Alodia smiled, and looked to the other women, two humans and one Felinae. ¡°Ladies, are we ready to go? I want to commission some jewelry to go with the no doubt amazing dresses Mrs. Haversaun is making us, and if we don¡¯t go soon I fear the best jewelers won¡¯t have time for us.¡±

    The Felinae woman hopped down from her stool, letting out a sound rather like a purr. ¡°We are ready Madame.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, we¡¯ll be back in one week to check on the progress Mrs. Haversaun, I know you will work your usual miracles. Lady Daniella, it was a pleasure to meet you.¡± Madame Alodia curtsied once more, and then headed out the door, the other three women falling into step behind her. Wulfram watched with a slight frown. Word was traveling faster than he had anticipated, he really needed to get Dani somewhere safe. But convincing her, let alone her father, was going to be a difficult thing.

    ¡°Dani, are you alright?¡± He asked after the door shut behind Alodia. He looked at her, noting her pale face. What had Alodia been saying to her? Where was his gutsy little thief?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Dani said quickly, her voice just a little bit too high pitched, her posture just a little bit too stiff for him to believe her. But what could he say? Perhaps he should talk to Alodia and see what the woman had said to put Dani so out of sorts. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I am here for two reasons: the first is to ensure the fabric Mother sent got to you alright, and the second is because I need you to come to the palace with me.¡± He might as well get straight to the point, it would give him the best chances of convincing her to do what he wanted.

    ¡°Come to the palace with you? Wulf I¡¯m at work!¡± Dani¡¯s eyes snapped to him, and he caught a glimpse of that fire again. He very nearly smiled, but instead held his hands up soothingly.

    ¡°I know, but I am leaving tomorrow and would like to have the Archmage examine our... situation, before then. Also, I would like to extend an invitation for you to stay at the palace, especially while I¡¯m gone. It would be safer for you and doubtless more comfortable than wherever you have been sleeping.¡±

    He could swear he spotted a smile on Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s face as she set out a fresh set of teacups for them, a kettle already ready with hot tea. ¡°Your Highness, some tea if you would like it. Dani, go ahead and enjoy some tea and cookies as well. I¡¯m just going to help the young men here put the fabric where I want it.¡±

    The footmen had already started to carry in the fabric, bolts of rich stormy blue velvet, silks and cottons. The finest white cottons for undergarments, delicate lace and cording braided with real silver. Wulfram had no idea what his Mother or Mrs. Haversaun had in mind, but he was certain Dani was going to look stunning.

    ¡°But- but shouldn¡¯t I be helping with that?¡± Dani protested, frustration seeping into her voice.

    ¡°You will be helping plenty enough very soon. For right now go ahead with his Highness, or stay here and drink some tea and chat.¡± Mrs. Haversaun smiled, taking one of the bolts of silk and inspecting it with an experts eye. ¡°I¡¯ll have a present for you when you come back.¡±

    Dani¡¯s mouth dropped open, and she just stared at Mrs. Haversaun for a long moment, before blurting out. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to go with him?¡±

    That earned her some stunned looks from the footmen, and Mrs. Haversaun looked up, raising an eyebrow. ¡°That is why you have the choice. Stay here and drink some tea, have some cookies, or take your break early and go with his Highness. Although I do insist you eat something if you go. I noticed that pastie you left behind yesterday.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°We were busy, neither one of us ate lunch!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. And believe me, I felt it when it came time for dinner! When you come back I will take my lunch so that we can keep the shop open. I know you¡¯ll do an excellent job of it. After all, you did very good yesterday.¡± Mrs. Haversaun said mildly.

    Dani stared at Mrs. Haversaun, and Wulfram could practically feel her trying to think of an excuse, any excuse, to stay and busy herself with work. He rubbed his mouth to hide a smile. ¡°Dani, I give you my word you will be safe.¡±

    Dani turned to him, scowling in a surprisingly close imitation to her father. ¡°I¡¯m not winning this one, am I? You want me to go with you and I don¡¯t really have a choice, do I?¡±

    ¡°I could insist you come with me, it¡¯s certainly important that you come with me. But... I won¡¯t.¡± The statement surprised him as much as it surprised her. He wasn¡¯t going to insist, he wasn¡¯t going to take away her freedom, it was such a precious thing to her. He wanted to let her be as free as possible.

    ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, her voice hesitant.

    ¡°No. I won¡¯t. But I would very much like you to return to the palace with me. I can make sure you get back here safely before afternoon, and I will of course make sure you have a proper meal. Merely tell me what you like.¡±

    ¡°She likes cinnamon rolls, particularly those with raisins, meat and potatoes.¡± Mrs. Haversaun chimed in helpfully, earning her a glare from Dani.

    But Dani nodded, looking back at Wulfram. ¡°Alright. Fine, I¡¯ll go with you, but I get to pick where we get lunch, and it won¡¯t be in the palace.¡±

    ¡°The palace cooks are quite good.¡± He coaxed. Patience and sweetness seemed to be working so far, surely he could get her to change her mind on that little matter.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they are, but if we¡¯re doing cinnamon rolls I know the best place. And there¡¯s bound to be some fresh fish down by the docks. Or are you afraid to eat like a peasant?¡±

    His back stiffened slightly at the challenge in her voice. Afraid? Certainly not! But he also had standards, and from what he heard peasant food wasn¡¯t always safe to eat. It certainly couldn¡¯t measure up to palace cooking. ¡°I am not afraid to eat like a peasant. Fine, you can pick where we eat, but we go to the palace first.¡±

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a deal.¡± Dani smiled, and strode out the door, the footmen staring after her in stunned silence. ¡°Let¡¯s get this done with so I can get back to work.¡±

    Wulfram stared after her as well, a smile forming on his lips. He bowed slightly to Mrs. Haversaun. ¡°Thank you for your assistance, I will bring her back shortly.¡±

    ¡°Take your time, your Highness. I¡¯ve run this shop on my own for many years, one more day won¡¯t hurt me.¡± Mrs. Haversaun pulled out some loose-leaf paper, starting to sketch as she considered the fabrics the queen had provided. ¡°And give my thanks you her Highness the Queen, her generosity is boundless.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mrs. Haversaun.¡± Wulfram smiled and headed out to the carriage. He opened the door and held out a hand to Dani. ¡°Allow me to assist you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help to climb in a carriage you know.¡± Dani eyed his hand, and he thought for a moment that she would refuse the gesture.

    He smiled at her, letting out a chuckle. ¡°I know, but you also don¡¯t need to refuse.¡±

    Dani rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± She took his hand, letting him help her into the carriage. ¡°This time at least.¡±

    Wulfram chuckled and climbed into the carriage himself, sitting on one of the heavily cushioned seats. ¡°This time?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve definetly been wrong before.¡± She said, sitting down as well, then giving a little bounce. ¡°Wow.. this is softer than any bed I¡¯ve ever slept in.¡±

    He had to hold in a laugh at her childish little bounce. It was something he would expect of his sisters, not a grown woman! But it was endearing. Curious, he gave a little bounce himself, and chuckled at the absurdity of it. ¡°The beds in the palace are much softer, this is still a little bit hard, and you can still feel the bumps when you go over the less well-maintained roads.¡±

    ¡°Well then I better not stay in the palace, it¡¯d just spoil me for normal beds.¡± Dani leaned back against the cushions along the carriage walls, sinking into the thick velvet.

    That was alright, he still had time to convince her. Just not a lot of it. ¡°Nonsense. It would just give you a month or so of safety and a good nights sleep. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better than sleeping outside? Or in the crypts?¡±

    ¡°I do think it would be better than either of those, hell, I think it would even be better than sleeping at Raycor¡¯s. But that¡¯s the point. If it¡¯s too good, it would make it all the harder to go back to reality.¡± She sighed, her smile a bit sigh as the carriage started moving.

    Raycor? Who the hell was this Raycor? He felt a surge of unaccustomed jealousy, and tugged at his collar. That was ridiculous! She didn¡¯t belong to him, if she was sleeping with another man he had no right to tell her not to. But he had to know for sure if she was or not. ¡°Who is Raycor?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my uncle. Or at least, as near enough to an uncle that I have. Reshi took me in when I was real little, see? And Reshi, Raycor, and Raycor¡¯s wife Najia helped raise me along side their own daughter, Therija.¡±

    ¡°Took you in?¡± Wulfram felt something click into place in his mind. Of course, she looked nothing like the man who had claimed to be her father, she had to be adopted! ¡°What happened to your birth parents?¡±

    Dani shrugged, not meeting his eyes. She picked at a button on the cushion instead, toying with a loose thread. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Reshi said it was some kind of animal attack that took ¡®em out. I don¡¯t really remember it.¡±

    ¡°How old were you?¡± Wulfram¡¯s voice grew soft, gentle. He didn¡¯t want to dig up bad memories, but he wanted to understand her, wanted to know more about this brave little mouse and her life.

    ¡°Four or five, I think. It was a long time ago.¡± Dani looked up and flashed him a grin, although he could see a hint of sadness lurking in the back of her eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t even remember it. So it ain¡¯t worth worryin¡¯ about.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Dani

    There was a moment of awkward silence in the carriage at Dani¡¯s admission. She hadn¡¯t intended to tell him about that, she didn¡¯t know why she had. It wasn¡¯t like it was relevant anymore. She was all grown up now, making her own mistakes and getting in her own messes, and it wasn¡¯t like there would be any wild animal attacks in the city. But sometimes at night she still woke up to the memory of screams, and that familiar-but-not-familiar voice telling her to run.

    She shivered, suddenly cold, even in the warmth of summer. ¡°So. What¡¯s this mage gonna do, eh? Work on breakin¡¯ the spell that binds us?¡± Dani tapped her bracelet, an eyebrow raising. ¡°Ya that eager ta be a bachelor?¡±

    Wulfram let out a laugh, deep and genuine. ¡°It isn¡¯t that, and it isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t like you. I hope you know that.¡±

    ¡°Then what is it, eh? I ain¡¯t sayin¡¯ that I want to be your wife or anything like that, but why don¡¯t you want to keep the marriage?¡± She knew the reasons, she was a commoner from the Rats Nest, and he was a prince. Everything boiled down to that, didn¡¯t it?

    Wulfram looked across the carriage at her, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, hands clasped between them. He took his time answering, which made her fidget and pick at the shiny little button again. There was a thread loose, and if she gave it a little bit more encouragement it would probably come off.

    Just when she was about to tell him to just admit it already, he spoke, his voice soft and serious. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you being a commoner. I won¡¯t lie to you like that, but I will tell you that it isn¡¯t a personal preference that makes me need to seek someone else for a wife. I am the crown prince, I¡¯ll be the one who inherits the crown, and the responsibility of running the kingdom. My wife will inherit the duties of the queen, which is much more than sitting around bearing children and showing up at parties. The queen is as much a diplomat as the king, if not more so. She governs the softer side of things, the issues that concern the people. She tries to make sure that peace treaties are made and not broken, tries to make sure that people are fed and orphans are taken care of. It¡¯s a good deal of responsibility, and can be very hard.¡±

    Well holy shit, a serious answer from him. She stared at him, words slipping out before she really thought about it. ¡°Must be even harder since a lot of men don¡¯t want to listen to women.¡±

    Wulfram smiled ruefully and nodded. ¡°I have noticed that tendency in many men, yes. But to be fair, many women don¡¯t listen either. I could think of one particular example, rather recently in fact, of a woman who refused to relinquish a bottle of wine. Even though it had obviously upset the dead and they were actively pursuing us.¡±

    ¡°That was one time, and that wine was really good.¡± Dani blushed, fighting the smile that wanted to form. ¡°And I seem to remember a man promising to get me a bottle of wine after he threw my bottle at the skeletons anyways.¡±

    ¡°Of course you would remember that.¡± Wulfram laughed. ¡°I am a man of my word, I¡¯ll get you some nice wine to replace what you lost.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I mean, the skeletons didn¡¯t even stop chasing us after you threw it, it might not have been the wine they were after.¡± She gave in to the smile, leaving the thread holding the button to the cushion alone.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s possible they were after something else, but I doubt it.¡± Wulfram said. ¡°And we got away from them. And now you¡¯re apparently a dressmakers apprentice? How did that come about? You really didn¡¯t strike me as the dressmaker type.¡±

    Dani¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly, and she shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t have much choice really. If I get caught stealin¡¯ again Reshi said he¡¯ll turn me in himself.¡±

    She glanced up, trying to catch his initial reaction to the news. His eyes had widened slightly, and he sat up straight once more, shocked perhaps? At least surprised, and he wasn¡¯t trying to hide it either. She had expected him to put on a poker face, or diplomatic face she supposed. Did nobles play poker?

    ¡°Your own father said that?¡± His voice was hard, and his face creased into a frown.

    ¡°He wants me ta stop stealin¡¯.¡± Dani shrugged, looking back down to that one button. ¡°Ain¡¯t Reshi¡¯s way ta be subtle, not when he can get the same thing by bein¡¯ direct.¡±

    ¡°But still, to turn in his own daughter...¡± Wulfram shook his head, and raised a hand. ¡°No, I apologize. I don¡¯t know his thoughts on the matter, and to be fair I would prefer you stop stealing as well. It¡¯s a dangerous line of work, and illegal for good reason. How would you feel if someone stole something you had worked hard for?¡±

    Dani let out a snort of laughter. The only thing of real value she had right now were her clothes, and if someone was that hard up she supposed that they needed them more than she did. ¡°Ya gotta have something to steal to worry about that. But I catch your meaning. You don¡¯t have to worry about me stealing anymore, I ain¡¯t going to. Thanks to you too many people would recognize me anyways.¡±

    And that just had to make the damn man smile. ¡°I warned you about the attention of a queen. This is only a small fraction of the attention you would have if our marriage persisted. Do you still think you could handle it?¡±

    Dani crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes slightly at him. ¡°I can handle anything ya throw at me. A little attention never hurt anyone.¡±

    The carriage rolled to a stop, and Dani felt a jolt of fear. She glanced out the window, staring up at the tall iron gates that separated the palace from the rest of the city. She hadn¡¯t thought they had been in the carriage long enough to get to the palace already! Dani swallowed around a lump of dread in her throat as the gates swung open on silent hinges, and the carriage rolled through into the palace beyond.

    The difference between the Rats Nest and the palace was like night and day. For one, there was just so much damn space! And there were plants everywhere. Carefully manicured bushes and trees grew along the outside of the main courtyard, providing shade to carriages passing underneath them. The heady scent of flowers filled the air, and as she watched petals gently drifted down past the carriage window. She opened the curtain wider to get a better view, but immediately ducked back when she saw other people.

    ¡°Shit, what are people gonna say? What are they gonna think of me?¡± She barely registered that she said the words out loud, nervously brushing her fingers through her hair. Everyone was dressed so damn fancy, even the servants were dressed well! They all wore vests in the dark stormy blue of the kingdoms coat of arms, with matching pants or skirts. And plain white shirts that seemed as if they would be impossible to keep clean.

    The noble sorts though, they really took the cake! They wore so many different colors and jewels, even the men! Wulfram reached out to gently take her hand, meeting her eyes with a soft smile.

    ¡°They will wonder who this beautiful woman is arriving with the prince. I give you my word Dani, you have nothing to be afraid of here.¡±

 Chapter 29.5 - Lord Roderick

    Lord Roderick watched Prince Wulfram help a young, unfamiliar woman out of his carriage from the privacy of his personal rooms in the palace. She was dressed too plainly to be a noble, staring around the palace in a mixture of awe and fear.

    A commoner, likely the one that had saved the Prince. A pity that, it would have made things easier for him if the crown prince had died down in those tunnels. But what was life without a little bit of a challenge? He smirked and took a sip of his wine. It was no where near as fine as the wine Wulfram and Dani had found in the cellars below the city, but it was still more expensive than anyone in the Rats Nest could afford, even with a years worth of wages.

    Well, he did deserve the finer things in life.

    The door to his room opened, and his personal servant stepped in, back ramrod straight and face appropriately bland. ¡°Sir, the Prince has returned with a young lady from the city.¡±

    ¡°I can see that. What can you tell me about her?¡± Lord Roderick turned from the window as Prince Wulfram and the woman walked out of view, pinning his gaze on the servant.

    ¡°Very little as of yet, Sir. They are going to visit Archmage Balariz, but I was unable to discover why. I was also able to confirm that he left this morning to fetch the young woman that had saved him, and that her name is Daniella. He is calling her Lady Daniella.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Lady Daniella?¡± Lord Roderick scoffed, his lips pulling back in a sneer of disgust. ¡°There is no way that woman is of noble blood.¡±

    The servant made no comment, which was acceptable, even expected. It was not his place to comment on the affairs of his betters. Lord Roderick poured himself a bit more wine as he mulled over this new woman. She was an unknown, and he hated unknowns. They could take the best laid plans and throw them into chaos. ¡°Find out what you can about her, everything you can about her. Who she is, what she¡¯s done, where she¡¯s from, what she¡¯s doing here, what the prince intends to do with her, if she has a favorite drink, if she has any pets or family. Do you understand me?¡±

    The servant bowed deeply, bending perfectly at the waist and stopping when he was parallel to the floor. ¡°Yes, your Lordship. Is there anything else I might assist you with?¡±

    ¡°No. Get to work on the task I have given you, and don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡± Lord Roderick turned to gaze out the window again. There was no way that woman deserved the title of Lady. But if the Prince chose to call a commoner one, most of the nobles would go along with it. It wasn¡¯t that dangerous unless she decided to marry into one of the noble families.

    He made a face as if he had smelled something bad, ignoring the sound of the door closing behind him. A mutt might as well breed with a prize hound! No, that couldn¡¯t be allowed, he¡¯d make sure of it.

 Chapter 30 - Wulfram

    The way Dani stared around the palace as they walked through its wide halls was charming, like a child discovering something for the first time. She stared at the tall, wide windows, magic allowing the gentle breeze to come through but blocking any bugs from bothering the palaces inhabitants. She paused to gawk at the burbling fountain in the main foyer, and stared at the rich velvety carpet. They were halfway up the stairs to the Archmages tower before she found her voice again.

    ¡°The whole of Rats Nest could fit in here! And have plenty of room to spare.¡±

    Wulfram let out a chuckle. Eloquent as always. To be honest, the blunt honesty of her was refreshing. There were far too many nobles that could look you straight in the eye and lie all day, saying what they thought you wanted to hear, or what they thought would get them to their goals. Dani didn¡¯t do that, she said what she thought. ¡°It is large, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s that large. Besides, you have to remember that multiple families live here. There are the nobles of course, but also the servants have their own quarters, the healers have a small dormitory here, as well as the barracks for the guards. Even with all those people, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m missing some.¡±

    ¡°How the hell can you live with all those people around you all the time?¡± She blurted out, looking up at him as they wound their way up the stairs.

    ¡°How do you live with all those people in the Tangle? I hear it¡¯s more crowded there than it is in the palace.¡± Wulfram chuckled. They didn¡¯t call it the Rats Nest for no reason after all. People living in the dug out ruins of old buildings, creating make-shift houses from what they found or could steal, building on roof tops and in alleys. It sounded like chaos to him, dangerous chaos at that.

    ¡°It¡¯s different, you still have privacy, for the most part.¡± She shrugged, pausing as they neared the landing and the large doors to the Archmages quarters. She wasn¡¯t even winded from the climb! Wulfram thought back to their made chase across the rooftops and smiled. Of course she wasn¡¯t winded, not if she did that on a regular basis.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to take your word for it I suppose, our little chase was the closest I¡¯ve gotten to actually being in the Tangle.¡± Wulfram raised his fist to knock on the door, having to stop himself from hitting May as the door swung open.

    ¡°Your Highness! You brought her here, wonderful! Archmage Balariz knew you would of course!¡± May curtsied, nearly tripping over her skirt as she straightened up. ¡°Please, come in.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Mage May.¡± Wulfram was taken aback by the energetic young mage. She was a bit less shy than yesterday, but now she was full of an excited energy that reminded him of his sisters when they had too much sugar. ¡°This is Lady Daniella, she is the one who has the other half of the ancestral crown.¡±

    Dani stepped in beside Wulfram, her gaze moving quickly over the main room. She froze when she saw the ceiling, her eyes widening in wonder at the glowstones that spotted the dark blue ceiling like stars. ¡°Holy... there has to be about a hundred glowstones up there!¡±

    ¡°Three hundred forty seven to be exact, and the can be controlled either individually, by constellation, or as a whole. It¡¯s a masterful magic web that Archmage Balariz spent years perfecting.¡± May said with obvious pride. ¡°Each glowstone is hand carved and inspected to guarantee maximum purity.¡±

    ¡°Thank you May, but I¡¯m certain his Highness and his guest aren¡¯t interested in my personal projects.¡± Archmage Balariz hurried forward, stopping a polite distance away to bow deeply. ¡°Welcome, and thank you for both coming to see me so quickly. I believe with time and care we will be able to solve your problem. May, please fetch the scrying disc. Everything else is already set up.¡±

    Wulfram nodded in approval. Good, the Archmage wasn¡¯t wasting time then. He looked to Dani, still gazing in wonder at the glowstone-studded ceiling. He suppressed a smile. Seeing her reaction to everything was amazing, it was like seeing it through new eyes himself. He looked up to the ceiling, imagining it at night, with the glowstones dimmed so they would twinkle like real stars.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    It would be beautiful.

    Archmage Balariz watched them for a moment and smiled patiently. ¡°I can see if I can create such a ceiling in his Highnesses rooms, if he would like?¡±

    Wulfram looked at Balariz. ¡°Yes, I think I would like that, or put it in one of the guest rooms, if I can get Lady Daniella to stay with us that is?¡±

    Dani snorted, as he thought she might. ¡°It¡¯s only gonna draw more attention if I¡¯m staying here and working in the city. Best if I stay where I belong.¡±

    Wulfram felt a pang of disappointment but smiled politely anyways. It was her choice, and he knew that she had a point about the attention she¡¯d get coming from the palace every day. To be fair he hadn¡¯t expected her to keep working if she stayed in the palace. After all, everything would be taken care of her if she stayed here where it was safe. Why was she so against the idea?

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll still set up a guest room, just in case you change your mind.¡± Perhaps she would come to her senses eventually.

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Dani shrugged and tore her gaze from the ceiling, looking instead at the large crystal that May had hauled out. It was the same flat disc that she had used to project the spell before, but this time she set it up on a metal stand obviously made specifically for it. Beneath the stand sat a table at a comfortable height to rest their arms, assuming that they sat in the provided chairs.

    Wulfram couldn¡¯t help the small twinge of annoyance at her flippant reply, she should be at least a little grateful for all he was doing, trying to keep her safe and taken care of. Was she still afraid of him? Wulfram frowned, prodding the emotions that filtered through the bracelet. They were stronger now that he was so close to her, but he wasn¡¯t sure what he felt was reliable. There was a tension there, mirrored in the set of her shoulders and the stiffness of her back, but also curiosity?

    ¡°Please, take a seat and set the hands with the bracelets on the table. Make sure that the bracelets are underneath the crystal.¡± Archmage Balariz said. He pulled out the notebook he had been scribbling in the last time Wulfram was here, dipping his pen in an inkwell. It glowed faintly, slowly changing color from plain white to black as it absorbed the ink.

    Dani slid into a chair before Wulfram could pull it out for her, and he let out a sigh, sliding into the other chair. ¡°I am beginning to think that people have never been nice to you before Daniella.¡±

    She flashed him a grin, her eyes sparkling with humor. ¡°Lots of times niceness comes with a price. What¡¯s yours going to be?¡± She slid her arm beneath the crystal, rolling up the sleeve to reveal the bracelet. The amber stone set into it glowed warmly in the light of the glowstones.

    Wulfram frowned as he rolled up his own sleeve. His price? Had her life truly been so mercenary that no kindness came without a price? No, she had to be exaggerating, or ignoring the good either intentionally or not. ¡°No price Dani. I swear to you, no price.¡±

    He slid his own arm under the crystal, his fingers lightly brushing against Dani¡¯s. She flinched, but didn¡¯t pull away, instead looking at the matching bracelets. The blue stone set into his glowed faintly, and he imagined it was pulsing faintly in time with her heartbeat. He raised his gaze, meeting her eyes over the crystal. He spoke softly, willing her to believe his words as he repeated. ¡°No price, I swear it.¡±

    She stared at him, a blush rising in her cheeks.

    Archmage Balariz cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°I believe we are ready to begin. May, if you would activate the crystal?¡±

    ¡°Yes Archmage.¡± May lightly ran her fingers along the edge of the crystal, the runes lighting up once more with the green of her magic. It was only moments before the elaborate diagram appeared above the crystal, this time joined by a near identical one. The two infinity knots interlocked like links in a chain, slowly moving around each other. Color bled from one to the other, blue and amber intermingling to strengthen the spell.

    ¡°Magnificent.....¡± Archmage Balariz breathed, staring up at the interlocking diagrams, the visual representation of the spell that bound him to Dani and vice versa. He started to sketch rapidly, copying down the diagrams in painstaking detail. ¡°Look how they interlock now that the bracelets are close together. It¡¯s likely the link grows stronger each time you two are near each other. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re going away for a time your Highness, it will make the link grow slower and give us a chance to break it.¡±

    Wulfram nodded, his eyes not leaving Dani. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of regret as Archmage Balariz mentioned breaking the link, his voice not exactly sincere when he spoke. ¡°Good....¡±

 Chapter 31 - Dani

    ¡°Good....¡± Wulfram whispered, although he didn¡¯t look like he believed it. Dani stared at him, an odd ache filling her heart. What the hell? She barely knew the guy, why was she feeling so- so sappy about a stupid spell?

    She looked away from him, up at the gently swirling symbols and patterns that made of the spell that linked them together. She knew very little about magic, but she knew that each person had a color unique to them. Around here, most were variations of brown and amber, but they could be nearly any color, and usually they matched their eyes. After all, the eyes were the window to the soul, and magic came from the soul. That was what the old woman had said at least. As she watched, a blue line braided itself together with amber, forming a thicker strand that linked the two odd ovals together. ¡°What¡¯s it doing anyways? Wulfram said something about if one of us hurt the other, then we¡¯d feel it too.¡±

    If these people expected her to call him Prince or his Highness they were out of their damn minds.

    The male mage, he must be Archmage Balariz, looked up from his notes, blinking. ¡°I suppose that could be part of the spell, I¡¯m not quite sure what all it¡¯s doing yet. It is linking you two however, and the link appears to be growing stronger. Look here, where the colors are braiding together?¡±

    He pointed to the braid Dani had noticed forming, and then to another that was forming on the other side. ¡°It¡¯s drawing magic from both of you to reinforce aspects of the spell. But I¡¯m not quite sure what those aspects do yet.¡±

    ¡°Have either of you been feeling any different lately?¡± The young woman asked, peering at them with curious green eyes. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve noticed a change in your magic or appearance?¡±

    Wulfram looked at Dani, his face revealing nothing. But she couldn¡¯t help but get a sense of unease about him, maybe even embarrassment? What did he have to be embarrassed about? ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve noticed anything, unless dressing all lady-like counts.¡±

    Archmage Balariz chuckled, turning back to his notes. ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe it does. Your Highness, have you noticed anything?¡±

    Wulfram sat silently for a moment, long enough that Archmage Balariz looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Your Highness?¡± He prompted again.

    ¡°I have noticed something, yes. An... echo of emotions, originating through the bracelet.¡± He spoke calmly, sitting painfully straight in his chair. She could almost feel the tension in his shoulders, the reluctance of the admission. Why would he feel so awkward about admitting that? Was he that afraid of having emotions?

    Wait.

    An echo of emotions? She narrowed her eyes slightly. An echo of emotions, coming through the bracelet. ¡°What kind of emotions?¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Wulfram met her eyes, almost apologetic. ¡°I believe they are an echo of your emotions. But they are faint, I have to concentrate to feel them.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating! And Lady Daniella, do you feel echoes of emotion through the bracelet as well?¡± Balariz turned his gaze on Dani, hesitating when he saw the glare she was directing at Wulfram.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say as I do.¡± She nearly growled the words out. But even as she said it she was doubting it, she directed her attention to the bracelet, trying to feel anything through it.

    For a moment she just felt awkward and a little bit silly. She could feel the metal of the bracelet smooth against her skin, warmed by her own body heat.

    But then she realized that the awkward feeling wasn¡¯t just coming from her, it was coming through the bracelet from.... Her eyes moved back to Wulfram. He met her gaze apologetically, his voice soft as he spoke. ¡°I was worried what you would think if you knew.¡±

    ¡°What I would think?¡± She stood up, the diagram wavering as she pulled her hand from beneath the crystal, leaving just the single weird oval above it. ¡°What the hell did you think I would think? Yer spyin¡¯ on me through the damn thing!¡±

    Wait, did that mean he knew how she felt when he had his shirt off in the shop the other day? Or how she felt when he stood so close she could feel his body heat? A blush rose in her cheeks, and she looked to the Archmage. ¡°Take the damn things off!¡±

    ¡°That- that is what we¡¯re trying to do. Please sit back down so I can continue to take notes of the spells.¡± Archmage Balariz said, taking an automatic step back from her.

    ¡°Take it off now!¡± Her heart pounded, and she tried to wiggle her fingers beneath the bracelet again. But it was still so tight against her skin it might as well be a part of her.

    ¡°Daniella, Dani! Please calm down.¡± Wulfram stood as well, reaching out to grasp her by the shoulders.

    ¡°Calm down? Yer spyin¡¯ on me! An¡¯ yer- oh yer such an asshole!¡± She clenched her fists, glaring up at him with tears in her eyes. She knew she¡¯d never be a good poker player, she blushed too damn easily and wasn¡¯t a great liar, but someone reading her emotions through body language was one thing. Actually listening in on her emotions? That was another thing entirely. Did that mean she couldn¡¯t even try to lie to him?

    ¡°Dani, I¡¯m not spying on you. No more than you¡¯re spying on me. It¡¯s just part of what the bracelet does.¡± His voice was calm and reasonable in the face of her anger.

    But she didn¡¯t want to be reasonable. She wanted someone to channel her anger at, and he already stirred up a heat inside her that she had trouble ignoring. It was better to assume that heat was anger than anything else. If it was anything else it would just be further proof of how damn stupid she was. ¡°Ya knew damn well what that stupid crown could do, didn¡¯t ya? Assurances you said. So I would lead ya ri-¡±

    Wulfram¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she felt a jolt of alarm that wasn¡¯t her own. Then his lips were on hers, hot and insistent as they cut off her sentence. Embarrassed, Archmage Balariz turned aside, gently nudging May to do the same.

    ¡°I- ah, I believe we need to get some supplies, right May?¡± He said tactfully.

    Dani barely heard him. She gripped Wulfram¡¯s shirt as she found herself returning the kiss, lost in the moment. It just felt so- so right.

    The door to the room closed as May and Balariz made themselves scarce, and Wulfram¡¯s strong arms slid around her, one hand curling in her hair as he pulled her close.

    It was crazy, and foolish, and part of her mind kept demanding to know what the hell she was doing. But she didn¡¯t want this embrace to end.

 Chapter 32 - Wulfram

    He had just meant to stop her from saying something they¡¯d both regret. It had seemed like the fastest way, and now it seemed like the best way. He pulled her close, tasting her lips, breathing in her scent. Either he had gone mad, or the bracelet was doing something to his judgement, but now that he had started, he didn¡¯t want to stop. He curled his hand into her soft locks, his other resting against the small of her back.

    She wanted it as much as he did in that instant, he knew it. He could feel the hunger in her as she gripped his shirt, the passion that burned just beneath the surface.

    Then conflict, an edge of panic flashing through their connection too quickly for him to register it before her knee was driving up between his legs. The impact left stars dancing before his eyes, and agony spreading through his loins. He released Dani and let out a groan, doubling over in pain. ¡°Why?¡± He forced out, his voice strained.

    Dani stared at him, her face flushed and eyes wide. She reached a trembling hand up to touch her lips, staring at him. ¡°I- I have to go!¡± He could feel the turmoil in her, the race of her heart, the desire and fear that churned in her like a storm.

    He couldn¡¯t let her go, not in this condition. She¡¯d hurt herself! Or at the very least spark questions he wasn¡¯t sure he could answer. ¡°Wait, Dani it¡¯s alright!¡± He reached out a hand to her, hating that she flinched back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    What had he done to make her scared now? He felt a flash of frustration as he forced himself to stand upright, pushing aside the pain as best he could. And gods knew it wasn¡¯t easy.... He kept his hand out, hoping she would take it, hoping that fear would disappear and they could enjoy another kiss.

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± She demanded, her voice shaking.

    He gave her a pained look. What did it matter why he had done it? They had both been enjoying it! Unless he had been reading the feelings coming from the bracelet wrong? Had she not been enjoying it after all? ¡°Are you saying you didn¡¯t enjoy it?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not saying that!¡± If possible her cheeks got even more red. She was so flustered, it was adorable. Not quite willing to admit that she liked it, but not denying it either. He would count that as a win for right now.

    Wulfram reached forward and took her hand. Gently, ever so gently now, she was in the type of mood where she might run off at any moment, and he couldn¡¯t have that. He didn¡¯t want her to run, he wanted her to stay. ¡°Dani, it¡¯s alright. What does it matter why when we both enjoyed it?¡±

    What was he saying? He couldn¡¯t be with this woman! He barely knew her, and she was a commoner. He could only imagine what people like Lord Roderick would do, how they would treat her if they knew.

    He didn¡¯t care what they thought.

    The realization shocked him. He didn¡¯t care. He just cared about touching her again, claiming her as his own. Showing her wonders she never would have dreamed of in the Tangle, keeping her safe. Maybe this was the way to get her to stay here. ¡°Let me show you to a guest room.¡±

    He moved just a little bit closer, gently tracing his fingers along her cheek. Such a brave mouse she was, but there was vulnerability there too, he didn¡¯t want her to be afraid. He didn¡¯t want her to feel like she had to put up a brave front with him.

    ¡°Ya have a hard time taking no for an answer.¡± Dani said quietly.

    ¡°I want you to be safe. Is that such a bad thing? You could be safe here Dani, comfortable. You wouldn¡¯t have to sleep on rooftops or in crypts anymore. And we could enjoy being together.¡±

    ¡°Until you come to yer senses about bein¡¯ with a commoner. No thank you.¡± There was a grim resolve in her voice, and she straightened, looking him in the eyes. ¡°I ain¡¯t stayin¡¯ here. If you can¡¯t respect that decision I don¡¯t even want ta be yer friend.¡±

    It was his turn to flinch, the jab hurting almost as much knee to the groin had. ¡°Can you honestly tell me you¡¯re safe wherever it is you¡¯re staying? If you can promise me that I¡¯ll respect your decision. But you have to tell me you¡¯re honestly safe, and not sleeping out on the rooftops or down in the crypts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m safe where I¡¯m staying.¡± She smiled, just a little. ¡°I¡¯ll even show you. I think your mage has enough information to be goin¡¯ on with.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The smile warmed his heart, and he made a note to talk with the Archmage before he left about whether the bracelet could really effect emotions and judgement. ¡°I would like that.¡±

    ¡°You say that now, but we¡¯re gonna have to scruff you up a bit.¡± She looked him up and down as if she were cataloging his clothes and didn¡¯t quite like what she saw. He looked down at himself, an eyebrow raising. Certainly he wasn¡¯t wearing the finest clothes, but the fabric and construction was of excellent quality. He had even submitted to the designers insistence on gold plated buckles and buttons. It was a small touch, but he was the prince after all. He had to show his rank somehow when he wasn¡¯t wearing his crown.

    ¡°What do you mean scruff me up a bit?¡± He gave his vest a little tug.

    ¡°You look too rich. I¡¯d give you half an hour in the Rats Nest before you got mugged, if that. Don¡¯t you have something ya wear to shovel out horse manure or something?¡± She smirked, and crossed her arms.

    He nearly sighed, relief flooding through him at the return of her humor. All was not lost then, but it didn¡¯t seem like things were going to go anywhere... intimate tonight. Maybe he¡¯d be able to sneak another kiss in later. ¡°A prince does not shovel horse manure. But I do have some training clothes that might suffice. I suppose you¡¯re going to want to leave the carriage behind as well, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t make it through the Rats Nest anyways. You think those streets were made for horses?¡± She snorted as she started to the door. ¡°A goat could get up them, but not a horse.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to take your word for it.¡± He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She was putting up a brave front again, but that was alright. He could be patient. She was going to drive him crazy, but he could be patient. With another tug at his vest, and an adjustment here and there, he started after her. With any luck the Archmage and his assistant would be nowhere to be found. He didn¡¯t want to deal with the inevitable questions they would have.

    How was he going to deal with the rumors that would likely spread? As the heat in him cooled down, he began to worry about what the other nobles would think. It had seemed such a foolish concern in the moment, trivial and unimportant. But if enough nobles raised a stink about it, it could cost him the crown. He looked at Dani, thinking of throwing it away for another kiss, or even a single night with her in his arms.

    When had he lost his mind?

    ¡°Do you even know where you¡¯re going?¡± He asked, as much to stave off the growing anxiety at his actions as it was a serious question.

    ¡°Nope.¡± She said blithely, and continued down the stairs. ¡°I figure we keep going down until we find the hallway again, and then you can take the lead.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be leading now?¡± Wulfram¡¯s lips twitched upwards, her absurdity a good cure for anxiety. Surely a little bit of fun wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone. He just needed to keep in mind that it wouldn¡¯t be able to last, and they¡¯d both be fine.

    ¡°Why? The stairs only go two ways. Up, or down, and I suspect ya don¡¯t live in the tower with the mage. Do you?¡± She looked back up at him, an eyebrow raising.

    ¡°No, I live in the main palace, my family has a whole wing to ourselves and our honored guests. It¡¯s where your room will be, should you ever choose to claim it.¡± Wulfram smiled as he caught up to her, walking side by side now. He smiled innocently in the face of her glare. ¡°I am not pressuring you, merely saying the offer is open should you choose to accept it.¡±

    ¡°Is your entire family this stubborn, or is it just you?¡±

    ¡°Oh the entire family, surely. We are the royal family after all, a certain level of stubbornness is required when dealing with politics. What might your excuse be?¡±

    Dani laughed, a bit more of that turmoil in her settling down. Joke by joke, touch by gentle touch, he would get through to her. That was the way to do it.

    Do what you fool? He asked himself silently. You can¡¯t keep her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your room, you don¡¯t have to stay, I¡¯m merely going to keep it available for you. It will give you someplace to rest while I change is all. Unless you want to just wander the palace and get roped into talking to some noble or other?¡± He hoped she wouldn¡¯t choose to do that, he could only imagine her running into Lady Orlaith, or Lord Roderick, or even his parents! He had faith that his parents wouldn¡¯t be too bad, but the others could be cruel.

    Dani rolled her eyes and followed him into the wide hallway that led back into the main building. ¡°I could just wait outside your room you know.¡±

    ¡°You could, but that would draw attention as well. At least look at the room you¡¯re so adamant against. It¡¯s very close to mine, and it simply makes sense for you to be comfortable while you wait.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯ll take you that long to change?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I have to make sure I look suitably scruffy.¡± Wulfram grinned, turning down a corridor open on both sides to the sun and gardens. ¡°Will you please humor me, just this once? I promise I will drop the subject if you insist after you see it.¡±

    ¡°I got your word on that? You¡¯ll stop nagging me about moving into the palace?¡±

    ¡°I give you my word.¡± He rested a hand against his heart, bowing slightly. A warmth spread through the bracelet, and he felt the faintest of pinches. He grimaced, and let out a sigh as the oath settled in. ¡°See?¡±

    Dani let out a startled squeak, looking down at the bracelet. ¡°The hell was that?¡±

    ¡°I gave you my word, the bracelet will ensure I keep it. I suppose it doesn¡¯t trust me to keep my word on it either.¡± He smiled ruefully. He supposed he couldn¡¯t blame it, he still wanted her to stay in the palace where she would be safe. But she was a grown woman, and he¡¯d see where she was staying today. If it was a bad place, he¡¯d have someone else work on getting her somewhere safe. If not the palace, perhaps an inn. Yes, one of the nicer ones in the city. She wouldn¡¯t even have to stay too far from her work, since she insisted on working still.

 Chapter 33 - Dani

    Dani stared down at the bracelet. It would make sure he kept his promise? How the hell was it going to do that? And how did he know that was what it was doing? She glanced at him suspiciously. ¡°How much of this stuff are you guessing, and how much do you actually know?¡±

    He laughed, a deep and rich sound that sent a little thrill down her spine. Damn him and that kiss! What the hell had he been thinking? He may not think the reason he did it mattered, but she wanted to know. Was it just part of a game to him? Or was it something else?

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit a lot of this is guessing. That spell looked far more complicated than anything I¡¯ve ever seen before. I¡¯ll admit that magic isn¡¯t my field of study, but even if it was...¡± He trailed off and shook his head before continuing. ¡°But there are certain clues to what spells do if you pay attention. We know the bracelet connects us, but it reacted when I made you a promise. That would seem to me like it was going to make sure I kept it.¡±

    Had it reacted like that when he had promised not to throw her in the dungeon? She frowned as she thought back to their time in the tunnels, but so much had happened that she couldn¡¯t quite remember all the details. ¡°Alright, and what¡¯s it supposed to do if you break your promise? Give you funny ears or something?¡±

    ¡°That depends on the spell. Hopefully it¡¯s something so benign, but I¡¯d rather not take the chance. I am a man of my word M¡¯lady.¡± Wulfram bowed, pausing in front of a door whose frame was carved in delicate vines and flowers. Each flower was painted with painstaking detail, making them almost seem real. ¡°And this is your room, should you decide to stay here. For right now, please make yourself comfortable while I change.¡±

    He pushed open the door, bowing again and gesturing into the room. She hesitated, wary of a trap. Was he going to lock her in? No, damnit she could trust him! Right? He hadn¡¯t done anything to hurt her, had even put her in a position where she benefited. He was even being surprisingly nice after she had kneed him in the groin.

    She admitted silently that that might have been a little bit of an overreaction. But if he had kept kissing her, she wasn¡¯t quite sure what would have happened. But she was sure it would have gotten her in trouble.

    ¡°Dani, it¡¯s alright.¡± Wulfram said softly, his voice as gentle as the fingers that brushed along her cheek. ¡°You¡¯re safe here. No one is going to hurt you or lock you away.¡±

    A blush rose in her cheeks, and she raised her chin slightly. ¡°What makes ya think that I was assuming that?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t known you very long, but I know that your freedom matters greatly to you. And you¡¯re still paranoid about me locking you up.¡± He cupped her chin, his hand warm, his thumb lightly brushing against her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lock you up Dani. Here, let me show you the room.¡±

    He stepped into the room, leaving the door wide open for her. She hesitated a moment before shrugging and following him in. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to at least look. She should probably just stay here, it would beat getting kicked by Azra every night.

    The room was large, with high ceilings and soft green carpet that stretched from one wall to the other, nearly hiding the rich brown wood of the floor. The main room itself was bigger than Raycor¡¯s entire house, with a luxurious brown sofa and two chairs set in front of a fireplace, and a small table and chairs sat in front of a set of doors that opened out onto a small walled-in garden. She froze as she looked around, her eyebrows raising as she let out a low whistle. ¡°Holy shit.¡±

    ¡°Through here is the bed if you wish to take a nap.¡± Wulfram pushed a set of double doors open on one side of the room, allowing her to see another room with the same type of carpet as the first, a large four post bed, light blue curtains tied loosely around each post.

    ¡°And through here is the washroom.¡± He opened a second, smaller door, this one leading into a room with a deep inset tub, a wash basin, and what could only be a toilet. She had heard rich people had toilets inside their homes before, but she had never actually seen one. But there was no mistaking it, a chair with a hole for your business, and water to flush it away to gods only knew where. She suspected the mages knew where it went. ¡°The garden is private, so you don¡¯t have to worry about someone coming in from there, and I¡¯ll be just a couple doors down from here to your left. Do you want anything to eat or drink?¡±

    Dani couldn¡¯t help but gawk at the luxury of the room, the massive amount of space. Every time she thought she had seen everything she noticed something different: a modest desk set into a corner next to a tall bookshelf, or a windchime which played in the gentle breeze of the garden, or the fact that the handles on the fireplace tools were polished wood and gold. ¡°I could use a drink.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Gods could she ever use a drink. She dropped into one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, sinking into the deep cushions. How the hell did people live like this?

    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone bring you a light wine, do you prefer sweet or dry?¡± Damn him, he was looking far too pleased with himself.

    ¡°Uhm... sweet, but not that syrupy shit I guess.¡± This all felt so unreal. Like she was in some kind of strange dream and would wake up at any moment.

    Wulfram chuckled, tracing a hand along her shoulder as he walked back to the door. ¡°Not that syrupy shit... understood. Get some rest, I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±

    And then he was gone, leaving her alone in a room that dwarfed Raycor¡¯s entire house. They could all sleep comfortably in here, hell, even the floor felt soft enough to sleep comfortably on! She turned a little in the chair to look at the bed. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she stood up and walked over to it. It couldn¡¯t possibly be that different from the beds she¡¯d been in before, could it?

    This was stupid, what the hell was she doing? It was just a damn bed and here she was obsessing over it! Dani rolled her eyes at her own foolishness, and laid down on the bed.

    ¡°Oh shit....¡± She whispered, her eyes widening as she sunk into the soft mattress, the faint smell of flowers engulfing her. It was like sinking into a cloud! A soft, comforting cloud. ¡°Oh shit, I¡¯m in trouble.¡±

    ¡°You most certainly are!¡± A sharp voice cut through her short-lived relaxation. ¡°Get out of that bed this instant!¡±

    Dani closed her eyes for a moment and let out a sigh. Leave it to some random woman to come and cut into what was damn near a religious experience. Wulfram had barely been gone five minutes, and this random woman shows up. She cracked open an eye to see who she was dealing with. The woman was short and slender, wearing one of the dark uniforms she had seen on the staff as they came in. She was a pretty older woman, with her hair pulled back into a simple bun and her hands on her hips.

    Dani let out a snort and rolled over to put her back to the woman. ¡°Nah.¡±

    The woman sputtered behind her, and Dani smirked, picturing the look that had to be on her face.

    ¡°You have your shoes on! You¡¯re going to get the bedspread dirty!¡±

    Dani wiggled her boots off, letting them fall to the floor with two muffled thuds. ¡°Happy now?¡±

    ¡°Most certainly not!¡± Even with the soft carpet she could hear the whisper of footsteps approaching the bed. ¡°Who are you? Why are you in this room?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m resting while Wulfram gets dressed. Do you sleep in a bed like this? Maybe I should get a job here instead of with Mrs. Haversaun.¡±

    ¡°Wu- you mean his highness Prince Wulfram? You can¡¯t just call him by his first name! Who are you? Get out of that bed!¡±

    ¡°I can if I want to. What kind of life is it to have people always calling you Prince this and your highness that?¡± Reluctantly she sat up, meeting the woman¡¯s gaze squarely. ¡°That¡¯s no way to live.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a show of respect!¡± The woman looked Dani over from head to toe. ¡°You don¡¯t look like a noble, how do you know his highness?¡±

    ¡°You sure got a lot of questions.¡± Dani slipped her feet back into her boots and stood up. Gods getting up from that bed was hard. Maybe she should take Wulf up on his offer to stay here, if just for the bed! She just bet that had been his plan... to woo her with the bed. ¡°I¡¯m Dani, and I saved his life. Granted he saved mine too, but there you have it. Who are you?¡±

    The woman¡¯s mouth dropped open, and a bit of the color left her face. ¡°Y-you¡¯re her? You¡¯re the one who saved him?¡±

    ¡°Sure am.¡± She might as well go with it now, he had told too many people to back out. And she supposed if they stretched the truth a bit she did save him from getting crushed by the collapsing building. ¡°He said this was my room if I wanted it.¡±

    ¡°I- I apologize, I didn¡¯t realize! My name is Hannah, at your service M¡¯lady.¡± Hannah dipped into a curtsy, her eyes downcast. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my rude behavior.¡±

    That was a quick turn around. Dani watched the woman, her eyebrows raising at the curtsey and sudden politeness. It made her squirm a little inside. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, how were you supposed to know? I could have just been some random woman sleeping in the bed.¡±

    ¡°Just so, Lady Dani. That¡¯s very generous of you. Is it- is it truly Dani?¡± Hannah asked cautiously, glancing up at Dani.

    ¡°I prefer Dani, but my full name is Daniella.¡± She suppressed a sigh, resigning herself to her fate. What did people have against Dani? It was short, simple, and didn¡¯t immediately peg her as a girl. That had been more important when she was younger, or at least more effective. But that was back before she had started to develop breasts. Those made it a lot harder to pass as a boy, but a lot easier to get free drinks.

    ¡°Ah, Lady Dani then, yes. Is there anything I can get for you?¡±

    ¡°Wulfram said he was going to get me some wine. And you don¡¯t have to call me lady.¡± She was right about the title making things much more awkward. Who wanted to be called lady all day long?

    ¡°Oh! Yes.¡± Hannah blushed and curtsied deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that¡¯s brought right away M¡¯lady.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Oh gods this was getting awkward. Dani looked at the door. ¡°You can go now if you want....¡±

    ¡°Thank you M¡¯lady.¡± Hannah couldn¡¯t quite hide the relief on her face. She let out a soft breath and hurried out the door. Dani pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

    ¡°I really need a drink now.¡±

 Chapter 34 - Wulfram

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind.¡± Wulfram stared at himself in the mirror, bracing himself against the wash basin. ¡°Gone stark raving mad.¡±

    It didn¡¯t help that he was talking to himself right now, but who could he tell about this? Ben? He¡¯d laugh his ass off. His parents? What would their reaction be? Likely to get him to settle down with a proper lady, a princess perhaps from one of the neighboring kingdoms. He let out a laugh at that and raked a hand through his hair. They had already tried once, and if it weren¡¯t for a tragic twist of fate he¡¯d already be married to one of the Hesiodos¡¯ princesses. ¡°You barely know her.¡±

    He looked down at the bracelet, the blue gem glowing innocently up at him. With a small laugh he turned and headed for his closet, throwing open the doors and digging into it for the worst of his training clothes. This was crazy and fool-hardy too, but he wanted to see what her life was like. He wanted to make sure she was being taken care of.

    He grabbed his scruffiest clothes and started to change, taking the opportunity to check on his wound. Had it really only been a couple of days? The pain had faded to a dull throb, the healing encouraged by the palace healers. His nose wasn¡¯t even bruised anymore, and the cut on his head was gone completely. He had to wonder if Dani was healing as well. Probably not, perhaps he should have a healer see her while she was here. But no, Mrs. Haversaun was still expecting her back today.

    It was like having a stern parent watching over them. Wulfram thought of Reshi, and let out a small snort. He was a stern parent if he ever saw one! But then, fathers were often protective of their daughters. He folded his normal clothes and shoved them into a spare pack. He didn¡¯t want any trouble getting back into the palace when he was done with this little trip. He could always change at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s when they were done.

    He chuckled as he shouldered the pack, pausing to look at himself in the mirror. His sword was plain enough that it could pass for a commoners blade, or at least a mercenaries blade, and his clothes were well made but certainly not in the best style, and stained from hours training and sleeping on the hard ground when he was traveling with the troops. He flashed a grin at himself and headed out the door, nearly running straight into his mother in the hallway.

    ¡°What in the name of Aster are you wearing?¡± She gasped, a hand flying up to her mouth.

    ¡°Mother!¡± He stumbled to a halt, eyes widening. What if she saw Dani? He cleared his throat and straightened, trying his best not to look like a child caught doing something naughty. ¡°I was merely going to do some- I mean I was going to go-¡± His face turned red, and he put a hand to his face. He wasn¡¯t one to lie to his mother! She had raised him better than that, but what would she say to his plan?Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°Wulfram, calm down. Is everything alright?¡± Concern flashed across her face, and she reached out a hand to lightly touch his arm. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever seen you so tounge-tied!¡±

    ¡°Everything is fine Mother, I promise.¡± Wulfram lowered his hand and let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Tangle, and this outfit seemed less conspicuous than my normal clothes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re what? Why in the world would you do such a thing?¡± Mirabel stared at him in shock. Even her personal maid, a quiet shadow just a step behind her, looked a little shocked, and it was hard to shake her.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go get lunch with- well, with a friend. And while I¡¯m there I¡¯m going to look at the state of affairs there.¡± It was the truth, even if it wasn¡¯t entirely the truth.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get lunch? In the Tangle? Wulfram surely you and your friend could eat better and safer here! I can have the cooks whip you up whatever you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°No offense, but your cooks can¡¯t beat my friend Therija¡¯s cinnamon raisin rolls. Are you ready to go Wulf?¡± Dani¡¯s voice came from behind him, and he silently cursed. Damn the woman¡¯s timing! His mother looked like she had seen a ghost! He turned to look at Dani, letting her see some of his annoyance. She was leaning casually against the doorframe to her room, a glass of wine in one hand, brown hair spilling over her shoulder. How much had she had to drink already? He hadn¡¯t been gone that long!

    ¡°Lady Daniella, I would like you to meet my Mother, Queen Mirabel.¡± He said, fighting not to show exactly how irritated he was.

    Dani¡¯s eyes widened, and she actually had the grace to blush. ¡°Uhm- sorry. But it¡¯s still true. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you though your highness. Er.. queenship? Ma¡¯am?¡±

    Wulfram put a hand over his face, letting out a sigh. ¡°Your highness is the correct honorific. Mother, this is Lady Daniella, the one who saved me.¡±

    ¡°Daniella....¡± Mirabel breathed, and reached out to take one of Dani¡¯s hands in both of hers. ¡°Oh my dear, you look beautiful. Thank you so much for saving my son.¡±

    Dani blushed deeper, but smiled awkwardly. ¡°No problem, really. He helped save me too, don¡¯t suppose he told you about the skeletons?¡±

    Wulfram looked up in surprise as his mother laughed. It wasn¡¯t one of her polite laughs either, but a soft, genuine one. ¡°He did mention something about those, yes. But my dear, you¡¯re staying in the Tangle? How in the world did you end up there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s where my family is.¡± Dani shrugged. ¡°I have to get back to work soon, but I¡¯ll ask Wulfram to bring you back a cinnamon roll, you¡¯ll see how good they are.¡±

    ¡°Would you mind bringing back four of them? I have two daughters and a husband that all have sweet tooths. And you should invite your family here sometime so we can treat them.¡± Mirabel smiled warmly, both Wulfram and her maid looking at the pair in puzzlement.

    What was going on? Was this just because Dani had saved his life? ¡°Mother, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Better than alright. I¡¯m happy to finally meet you Daniella. You two be careful, alright? I wouldn¡¯t want either of you getting hurt.¡± Mirabel let go of Dani¡¯s hands, carefully taking her wine glass and passing it to her maid. ¡°Go on you two, have fun.¡±

    Have fun? Wulfram stared at his mother for a moment, then bent down to kiss her cheek. ¡°Yes Mother, I¡¯ll see you in a short while?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll talk when you get back if you have time. I know you have last minute preparations before you go on your trip. Now if you two would excuse me.¡± Mirabel nodded to them both, and headed down the hall, her skirts flowing behind her.

    What had just happened?

 Chapter 34.5 - Mirabel

    Mirabel¡¯s mind was in turmoil as she strode down the hall towards her husbands study. She was certain of what she had just seen, but the impossibility of it made her doubt her own eyes. The girl was the spitting image of Cerridwen, but how was it possible? The odds of the child not only surviving, but winding up in this city, and meeting her son? Each coincidence just added to the impossibility of the situation until it seemed like only godly intervention could have orchestrated events to unfold as they had.

    The gods were a finicky lot, and always had a reason for what they did. Unfortunately sometimes the reason for their actions seemed to be for their own amusement. It would be just like the gods to orchestrate events so that a princess would have to lead a life of thievery and who knew what else! Well, they would just have to fix that. Mirabel stopped in front of the large, heavy doors to her husbands study, nodding politely to the guards stationed outside. ¡°Please announce me.¡±

    Officially, she didn¡¯t even have to say please, but she approved of politeness across the board, it went a long way towards fostering happiness in the staff. And happy staff equaled loyal staff.

    The guards bowed to her, surprisingly fluid in their heavy metal armor. One of them opened the door, his deep voice reverberating through the metal as he spoke. ¡°Your Highness, Queen Mirabel to see you sir.¡±

    ¡°Ah! She¡¯s early, please send her in.¡± Cynewulf¡¯s voice was warm like sunlight to her soul, and Mirabel smiled, a bit of the turmoil in her settling. Whatever may come, they would face it together.

    The guards bowed her through the door, her maid Yarina taking up position just across the hall. She knew Mirabel¡¯s habits, and that she wouldn¡¯t be needed in the kings study. It was one of the few times they could find privacy between the guards, the servants and the children. She hurried across the deep blue carpet, taking only a moment to set the wine glass she had taken from Dani down before grasping Cynewulf¡¯s hands and giving him a soft kiss. ¡°Hello husband.¡±

    ¡°Hello wife.¡± He chuckled and pulled her into a close embrace. ¡°It isn¡¯t lunch time already, is it? The girls aren¡¯t being fussy with their nurse, are they?¡±

    ¡°The girls are being fine, the last I saw they were playing with their dolls. Melody was quite adamant that hers was a knight coming to rescue the princess, and Cynthia was being adamant that her princess didn¡¯t need rescuing.¡± She smiled, giving Cynewulf a squeeze.

    She could feel his laughter rumbling up from his chest. ¡°That¡¯s my girls. But then, what brings you here so early?¡±

    ¡°News.¡± She stepped away, earning a raised eyebrow from Cynewulf.

    ¡°Serious news indeed. Do we need a drink for this news?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. I fear it will cause some complications. But I hope it will lead to peace and joy in the long-term.¡± Mirabel smiled softly. She watched as Cynewulf paced around his desk, his smile fading into a thoughtful frown.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°You are being cryptic my dear. Am I meant to guess what news you bring? Does it have something to do with our sons thief? I hope you haven¡¯t gotten it into your head they should marry!¡± Cynewulf poured them each a glass of wine, glancing to the one Mirabel had abandoned with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°The wine was Lady Daniella¡¯s. Or should I say Princess Daniella¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Princess? You do have it in your head they should marry! I refuse to allow it.¡± Cynewulf set a glass of wine down gently in front of her, his voice firm and uncompromising. ¡°Do you have any idea what such a union would do to our relations with the other nobles? They would take up arms against us!¡±

    ¡°And if our son decides he loves her? Would you still deny the match?¡± Mirabel pressed, wanting to know his thoughts on the matter before she told him her suspicions.

    ¡°Of course. Mirabel, the only place matchings like that work are in fairy tales. And even in those they often have dire consequences.¡± Cynewulf sat down behind his desk, his chair framing him perfectly in dark blue velvet. ¡°That is if they work at all.¡±

    Mirabel picked up her wine glass, taking a delicate sip. The cool liquid tingled on its way down her throat, and she took her time enjoying it as she considered what to tell her husband. She wasn¡¯t one to keep secrets from him, but the idea of Wulfram falling in love for the girl for who she was regardless of her social status appealed to the romantic in her. But was he strong enough to stand up for her? Afterall, the pressures of society could be much harder to withstand than the pressures of war, especially in matters of the heart.

    ¡°Mirabel, I hope you didn¡¯t come early to try and convince me to let the pair marry.¡± Cynewulf said, his voice carrying a tone of warning. ¡°Especially if we happen to find this lost princess of Hesiodos. That marriage was meant to cement our relations, and could yet if we¡¯re very lucky.¡±

    Mirabel leaned forward, unable to hide her excitement. ¡°And if she happens to be the lost princess?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Cynewulf looked at her, dumbfounded. ¡°Mirabel, what are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I met her today, she¡¯s the spitting image of Cerridwen.¡±

    ¡°Mirabel, there¡¯s no possible way the thief is her. It¡¯s just a coincidence!¡± Cynewulf downed his wine rapidly, earning him a look of disapproval from Mirabel.

    ¡°It¡¯s her, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Mirabel said, watching as Cynewulf poured himself a shot of whiskey. Which only earned him an even more disapproving look. ¡°It is too early in the day for such a strong drink, husband.¡±

    ¡°Not when you¡¯re spouting nonsense about a thief being a princess my dear.¡± Cynewulf said dryly.

    Mirabel stood up, setting her glass down gently on the corner of her desk. ¡°It is not nonsense, but I suppose I can understand you believing so. And if I am right, I expect you not to stand in the way of their marriage.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re right I¡¯ll not only allow the marriage, but provide a dowry for the girl.¡± Cynewulf sat back down in his large chair, leaning into the dark blue velvet. ¡°On top of whatever Hesiodos wants to provide.¡±

    Mirabel smiled and gave a nod of approval. ¡°It is a deal then.¡±

    ¡°Not so fast my dear, what happens when you lose your wager? What do I get?¡± She didn¡¯t miss the flash of mischief in his eyes.

    She smiled sweetly at him. ¡°Then I will not push the issue of marriage any further. For our son or daughters. I know you were debating having one of the girls marry into the Empire of Black Ice to cement that relationship.¡±

    ¡°I was, but the idea isn¡¯t set in stone. What if I want something more personal?¡±

    ¡°More personal?¡± Mirabel laughed. She stepped around the desk to give him a soft kiss. ¡°What is more personal than love?¡±

    He pulled her down onto his lap with a grin, making her let out a girlish laugh. ¡°Nothing my dear, nothing at all.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Dani

    Dani had been caught by surprise, finding the queen in the hallway instead of just some other noble lady or even a maid. She cringed to think of how she must have seemed, just standing there as casual and confident as she could be with a glass of wine in her hand. It was barely midday, and she had been drinking wine! It wasn¡¯t like it was unheard of, but maybe she should have been drinking water, or juice? Something else!

    And then there was the fact that the queen was so nice. Since when were nobles so nice? Even Wulfram had seemed surprised, and she was his mother! Dani glanced at him as they walked down Trade Road, feeling the confusion radiate off him as if it were her own. How much of what she felt was the damn bracelet, and how much was real?

    ¡°Your Ma always like that?¡± She finally asked.

    Wulfram looked up at her, his brow furrowed in thought. ¡°To family, yes.¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t family though.¡± Dani paused, looking down at the bracelet with a wrinkled nose. ¡°At least, not really. I doubt that anyone thinks these damn trinkets really makes us... you know.¡±

    ¡°According to tradition and whatever magic is in them, they do make us ¡®you know¡¯.¡± He actually used finger quotes when he said that last part, earning a laugh from Dani. She had really thought him too dignified to do such a thing. ¡°But you¡¯re right, my parents are quite eager to see the spell broken. It¡¯s odd for her to welcome you so warmly, even if you did save my life.¡±

    ¡°You saved mine too, so if we¡¯re counting, we¡¯re even. This way.¡± Dani turned off the Trade Road, Wulfram following her up a steep, narrow road that snaked between ramshackle buildings and under makeshift bridges.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to accept that. After the ball of course.¡± Wulfram smiled, ducking under a line of clothes hung over the road. This area wasn¡¯t nearly as busy as the main road, but there were still little shops and stalls set up, people selling what they could find or make. There were even street entertainers, people offering to play games for a half copper a play, or even offering to tell fortunes. Smells and sounds wove together to create a rich tapestry of laughter, spices and movement. Dani took a deep breath, her face breaking into a grin.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get your stupid ball, and I¡¯ll dress up fancy and all. But only if you slum a bit. Come on, lets get the rolls first, then we can get some fried fish and chips. Or swing by the house and get some pasties.¡±

    Wulfram watched Dani with amusement, following close behind her in the crowded streets. ¡°Aren¡¯t I slumming now? And do you mean pastry?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re barely touching the edge of the slum.¡± Dani led him Raycor¡¯s shop, the windows open to let in the bright sunshine. Azra was outside, drawing her letters in the dirt under the watchful eye of her father and Reshi. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean pastry, I mean pasties. They¡¯re a type of meat pie. Hi Raycor, Reshi.¡±

    She tensed a little as the men looked up, Raycor hadn¡¯t seen the prince close up before, but Reshi had. Reshi¡¯s face settled into a scowl, and he pushed himself to his feet. ¡°Daniella, what the hell ya think yer doin¡¯?¡±

    Dani winced a little, glancing at Wulfram, then back at the pair. At least Raycor was smiling, that was a good sign. How long it would last who knew? Azra leapt to her feet and threw herself at Dani in a hug. ¡°Dani! Di¡¯ya find someone ta marry? That was fast!¡±

    ¡°She better not ¡®ave.¡± Reshi grumbled, his eyes boring into Wulfram. ¡°What are ya doin¡¯ here? Ya an idiot?¡±

    ¡°Dani was telling me there was a place around here to get the best cinnamon rolls in the city. Surely such a claim warrants investigating.¡± Wulfram smiled politely, although a challenge glinted in his eyes. ¡°Unless of course she was exaggerating.¡±

    ¡°She weren¡¯t ¡®ag¡¯eratin¡¯!¡± Azra puffed up her chest, looking up at Wulfram. ¡°C¡¯mon, ye¡¯ll see!¡± And with that she grabbed Wulfram¡¯s hand and tugged him towards the door to the bakery. As they went through the door Dani did hear her add, ¡°Long as ya can pay.¡±

    Wulfram looked back at Dani with a raised eyebrow and a smile before ducking into the shop after Azra. Dani let out a small snort of laughter, her own face stuck in a silly grin for a moment.

    Until she looked back at Raycor and Reshi.

    Both brothers were looking at her, Raycor with curiosity, Reshi with clear disapproval. ¡°Are ya bringin¡¯ ¡®im ¡®ome ta marry?¡± Raycor was the first to break the awkward silence, his face settling into a smile. ¡°Looks like a strong¡¯un, talks fancy but there¡¯s nothin¡¯ wrong wit¡¯ that. Najia spoke fancy too.¡±

    ¡°Najia wasn¡¯t as high up as he is.¡± Reshi said flatly. ¡°Have ya lost yer mind? Ya got any idea of the danger of bringin¡¯ him here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s in disguise. No one is going to recognize him, and if you¡¯re thinking he¡¯s going to hurt us you¡¯re out of your mind. He¡¯s not going to do anything except maybe spend too much money on cinnamon rolls.¡±

    ¡°Ya think that piss-poor disguise is gunna fool folks? Anyone who¡¯s seen him close ¡®nough ain¡¯t gunna be fooled fer a second!¡±

    Raycor raised an eyebrow, watching the exchange with a touch of amusement. ¡°An¡¯ who is ¡®e then?¡±

    ¡°The damn prince. That¡¯s who.¡± Reshi snapped, and glanced around to ensure that no one was close enough to hear them, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper. ¡°Ya think folks down ¡®ere don¡¯t know what he looks like? Not everyone pays as little attention as you do!¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good disguise Reshi! Really! No one around here has seen him close enough to recognize him without his fancy clothes on. He just looks like another worker, maybe a well paid one with the quality of those clothes. But still a worker, or maybe a mercenary.. he did insist on wearing that sword.¡±

    ¡°He might pass fer a mercenary. But yer still runnin¡¯ a risk here. What are ya gonna do if he¡¯s recognized?¡± Reshi said.

    ¡°I doubt he¡¯ll be recognized Reshi.¡± Raycor cut in and rested a hand on his brothers shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t ya go on in an¡¯ get yerself somethin¡¯ ta eat Dani. There¡¯s extra pasties in the back, an¡¯ the cinnamon rolls are fresh. I wan¡¯ an ¡®onest opinion on the new apple ones too, so make sure ya try one.¡±

    Reshi looked at Raycor with slightly narrowed eyes, looking like he wanted to argue. But he let out a dismissive grunt and sat back down, scooping up his whittling once more. ¡°Do what ya want.¡±

    Dani hesitated, somehow stung by the easy way Reshi dismissed her. She hadn¡¯t expected him to just brush her off like that. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll just, go in then.¡±

    Raycor settled down next to Reshi, lounging against the wall of the bakery as he watched people walk by. With nothing else to do, and the men ignoring her, Dani went inside the shop to see how Azra and Wulfram were doing.

    Therija stood behind the counter, watching Azra and Wulfram with sharp eyes and a stunned look on her face. She turned that sharp gaze on Dani as she came in. ¡°Dani!¡± She hurried around the counter, grasping Dani¡¯s hands and glancing back at Azra and Wulfram. She lowered her voice to a whisper. ¡°Dani, what in the names of the gods is goin¡¯ on? Ya bringin¡¯ a royal ta our little shop now?!¡±

    ¡°Shhh, he ain¡¯t that big a deal. Just call him Wulf, we don¡¯t want folks knowing he¡¯s who he is.¡± Dani whispered, her grin returning. Therija was sharp, and had good eyes, of course she¡¯d recognize him! But she was still certain others wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Don¡¯t want folks knowin¡¯ who he is?¡± Therija gripped Dani¡¯s hands tighter. ¡°Dani, ¡®e dropped two gold on the counter! Don¡¯t even know where down ¡®ere I¡¯m s¡¯posed ta use it. Azra is making him taste everythin¡¯ in the shop!¡±

    And so she was, explaining in painful detail what each treat was, from the simple wheat bread, to the new fancy cinnamon roll that Raycor had been talking about with it¡¯s apple slices sticking out like flower petals, and it¡¯s dusting of powdered sugar. Dani grinned, watching Wulfram get led around by the little girl with impressive patience and rapt attention. He glanced up once when he felt Dani¡¯s eyes on him, and gave her a wink before returning his attention to Azra.

    ¡°He¡¯s good with kids it seems.¡± Dani said. She supposed it made sense though, he had two sisters who were just a little bit younger than Azra. By this point he should know how to deal with kids.

    Therija looked at Dani, her expression turning thoughtful, a corner of her mouth turning up. ¡°Oh aye, that he seems ta be.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you smirking at?¡± Dani pulled her hand from Therija¡¯s, a blush rising in her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m just noticing the obvious!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anythin¡¯.¡± Therija turned to look at Azra and Wulfram again. ¡°Ye said to call him Wulf?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s far enough from his real name to fool people I think, and lots of people go by animal names in the Rats Nest.¡± Dani shrugged slightly. Really it was a lot of thieves that went by animal names in the Rats Nest, but surely they weren¡¯t the only ones that did. ¡°Anyways, we¡¯re just here to eat lunch and then he¡¯s going back to the palace and I¡¯m going back to work.¡±

    ¡°How long a break did Mrs. Haversaun give ya? I s¡¯pect it won¡¯t take too much longer for Azra ta show him every baked good in the shop.¡± Therija watched as Azra started to put cinnamon rolls and bread in a bag, lecturing Wulfram on the best ways to eat such things (which of course was unwinding it from the outside and savoring the center last).

    ¡°It¡¯s a pro-prossess.¡± Azra said seriously. ¡°The outside gets ¡®ard fastest, so ya gotta, ya gotta eat that first. That leaves the the soft center fer last. Is even better when it¡¯s warm, but not burnt!¡±

    ¡°I imagine burnt cinnamon buns would not be very tasty at all. Not at all like these.¡± Wulfram said with matching seriousness, even though Dani could feel the amusement that wanted to bubble out of him.

    ¡°Not at all! That¡¯s why we don¡¯t let Dani work ¡®ere.¡± Azra said in a stage whisper, leaning up on her toes to better reach Wulfram¡¯s ear.

    A laugh escaped this time, Wulfram¡¯s gaze moving back to Dani. ¡°Not a very good cook I suppose?¡±

    Dani¡¯s face turned red and she shot a glare at Azra. The little brat! She was trying not to laugh too. ¡°I have other skills. I can read, write, and sew. You can¡¯t even reach the middle ovens!¡±

    ¡°Least I dun¡¯ burn everythin¡¯!¡± Azra stuck her tongue out at Dani, putting her hands on her nonexistant hips.

    Next to Dani, Therija let out a small laugh, trying to hide it behind a cough. Dani shot a glare at Therija, but just muttered. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get pasties. Finish getting your sweets Wulf.¡±

    Wulfram chuckled and looked down to Azra. ¡°I think young Azra here has given me plenty, they¡¯ll be wondering why I¡¯m carrying such a large bag back home! But I think my sisters will be delighted, especially with the apple ones.¡±

    Azra beamed proudly, grinning up at Wulfram. ¡°Bet they¡¯ll like ¡®em a lot! Will ya come back? I bet ya will. People always come back ¡®cause we¡¯re the best bakery in Rats Nest!¡±

    ¡°I will try my best to come back, but it will probably be a long time. I have to leave the city for a little while.¡± Wulfram took one of the pasties Dani had grabbed from behind the counter by the ovens. Not too hot to hold, but still warm enough to eat on their walk back to Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s.

    Azra¡¯s face fell into a pout. ¡°Oh.... maybe ya should take some more then.¡±

    ¡°I promise, I have enough. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡± Wulfram laughed. ¡°Thank you for all the treats, my family and I will enjoy them immensly.¡±

    Azra¡¯s forehead wrinkled in thought. ¡°Do that mean a lot?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes it does. Take care, both of you. It was a pleasure to meet Dani¡¯s family.¡± Wulfram bowed slightly to Therija and Azra, hiding a smile as he followed Dani out the door.

    Raycor and Reshi were still relaxing outside the shop, Raycor chatting with an old woman holding a basket, and Reshi carving a thick branch down into the shape of some animal. He turned his dark eyes on Wulfram and shaved off another sliver of wood. He didn¡¯t say anything, just glared at him.

    Wulfram bowed slightly to the two men, his smile fading somewhat. ¡°Sirs, it was a pleasure to meet you both.¡±

    ¡°Hrmpf.¡± Reshi snorted, another sliver of wood joining the pile at his feet.

    Raycor looked up at Wulfram, extending a large hand for him to shake. ¡°A pleasure, hope you enjoy the treats, an¡¯ come visit any time.¡±

    ¡°I will Sir, thank you.¡± Wulfram shook the larger mans hand. ¡°It¡¯s truly been a pleasure.¡±

    ¡°We should go.¡± Dani said pointedly. ¡°I gotta get back to work.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Wulfram laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll get you back to work safely.¡±

    ¡°Ye¡¯d better.¡± Reshi growled, watching them as the pair walked away side by side. He chopped off a healthy portion of his stick, letting it bounce along the dirt road after them.

 Chapter 36 - Wulfram

    By the time Wulfram returned home it was well past midday, and he had a full schedule ahead of himself. The first thing he did was drop the pastries and bread off in the kitchen, with clear instructions that it was to be served with dinner that night. It earned him a look of disapproval from the cook until he had offered to let her try one of the extra apple cinnamon rolls. The cooks look changed from disapproval to reluctant approval, but it was still a win for Dani¡¯s family and their little bakery. He smiled as he headed out of the kitchen, remembering what Azra had said about Dani¡¯s cooking. Well, he didn¡¯t need a woman that could cook, that was what the kitchen staff was for.

    That thought brought him to a full stop, his eyes widening slightly. What was he thinking? He ran a hand over his face and changed the path he was taking. He needed some quick answers, before he lost his mind or did something irrepairable. If anyone had answers though, it would be Archmage Balariz, which meant climbing up the stairs to his tower again. Which meant climbing those stairs.

    He smiled faintly and shook his head. All their magic conveniences and they couldn¡¯t make an easy way to get up all those stairs. Even as fit as he was he was beginning to feel the strain of walking up and down stairs and steep roads. Balariz must be insanely fit beneath those robes.

    Wulfram left out a soft breath as he reached the door to the Archmages chambers again, raising his hand to knock. He very nearly wound up hitting poor May in the face as the door swung open. ¡°Welcome back your Highness. What brings you back so soon?¡±

    She didn¡¯t even seem phased by the near miss. Wulfram lowered his hand and cleared his throat. ¡°Excuse me Mage May, I just had some questions for Archmage Balariz, is he available?¡±

    ¡°He is, please come in.¡± May stepped aside, opening the door wide for him. ¡°Archmage Balariz, his highness is here with questions for you.¡±

    Wulfram stepped into the room, self-conciously straightening his clothes. He was back in his usual atire: simple pants and shirt, dark blue vest and well cared for boots. It wasn¡¯t overly fancy, but the clothes were well made, with elegant details that showed his status. Archmage Balariz looked up from his notes, bowing hastily. ¡°Your Highness, I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon! What questions do you have?¡±

    Good, straight to the point. It was nice not to have to navigate through inane small talk before actually getting to the reason for the conversation. ¡°I need to know if the ancestrial crown, the bracelets it¡¯s become, can influence my emotions and judgement.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Archmage Balariz smiled. ¡°This is about that kiss I suspect?¡±

    Wulfram¡¯s face reddened slightly, but there was no use denying it happened. He had kissed her right in front of them. It had been a rash decision but not one he entirely regretted. Which was part of the concern. ¡°Among other things, yes.¡±

    ¡°Well, allow me to put your mind at ease. The bracelets themselves do not work to manipulate emotions or judgement, only help communicate feelings both emotional and I believe to an extent, physical.¡± Balariz said. His voice was calm and sure, but Wulfram got the impression he was still guessing on much of what he knew of the ancestrial crown.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t even that affect judgement however? How can I be sure the emotions I feel are truly mine?¡± Wulfram clenched his fists, frustration seeping into his voice.

    ¡°I would imagine it would become clear with attention and time.¡± Balariz gave Wulfram a fatherly smile. ¡°Your Highness, the ancestrial crown is not changing how you feel. If you are attracted to the young woman that is perfectly natural. And you would not be the first noble to take a commoner lover.¡±

    Wulfram stiffened, this was getting far too personal a conversation. ¡°Thank you for answering my questions Archmage Balariz. Let me know as soon as you have any clues on how to remove them.¡±

    ¡°Of course your Highness.¡± Balariz bowed, a bit more awkwardly. Perhaps he realized he had overstepped his bounds. ¡°I will get right back to work on it, if you have no other questions?¡±

    ¡°None that are pertinent at this time. Thank you.¡± Wulfram turned on his heel and strode out the door. Not quite rushing but moving as if he were on a mission. Damnit, the bracelet had to be affecting his emotions! Didn¡¯t it? He probed his feelings cautiously, focusing in an attempt to separate his own emotions from those that were coming through the bracelet.

    Distance had made the echo through the bracelet fainter, barely a whisper of feeling when he concentrated on it. It was a general feeling of well-being, and the soft hum of a mind at work. In spite of himself, the corners of his mouth turned up. There was something comforting about that faint feeling radiating through the bracelet like warm sunshine.

    But the Archmage was right, he could tell they weren¡¯t his emotions. His were stronger, more in turmoil. He had to wonder if she could feel him the same way he could feel her.

    Well, he couldn¡¯t investigate that right now. He had more duties to complete before the day was done, and it was fast approaching supper. He glanced out a window at the sky, and picked up his pace as he headed for the Council room. He wouldn¡¯t exactly be late, but it would be cutting things close. One last meeting with the Council and his father, then dinner, and then he would be checking over his own packs for the trip to the border. Nearly a week out, likely more than a week back depending on what the Hesiodos mages said of the tracking spell... he let out a sigh, turning his attention to the feelings coming through the bracelet again.

    A minimum of two weeks with the bracelet sending echoes of Dani to him. He wondered how long it would take him to go mad.

    When he entered the Council room his could feel an undercurrent of tension. This wasn¡¯t a war meeting, but their decisions could well lead to war and civil unrest if they weren¡¯t careful. He nodded slightly to the gathering, walking around the table to join his parents at the head. It was the same group as last time: Himself and his parents, Lord Roderick and Lady Orlaith, General Garvis, High Priest Lavear, Senior Scholar Vitomir, Ben, Sir Orri and Lady Alodia. Representatitves from every faction in the city.

    He could almost imagine what Dani would say ¡®I don¡¯t see no one from Rats Nest, just some rich folk. As if they have any idea what the common folk are dealin¡¯ with.¡¯ He had to fight a smile as he sat down. He had gotten her accent down just right in his head, and he believed he had gotten her opinion down too. Not that she was wrong he supposed. The merchants were supposed to represent the common class, but they had their own goals and priorities.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    King Cynewulf nodded to Wulfram, then turned back to the table. ¡°We have two things to discuss today. First is the final plans for Prince Wulfram¡¯s expedition. Secondly we will further discuss the matter of the tunnels beneath the city. Prince Wulfram, you have the floor first.¡±

    Wulfram stood, folding his hands behind his back and meeting each attendees eyes. ¡°We will be leaving tomorrow morning at dawn for the trip to the border. There we will meet King Alastar and his contingent. Out of necessity the group will be large, comprised of six people from Hesiodos, and six from Cresenvasht. Thanks to Lord Bennett we know that King Alastar will be accompanied by his advisor Cael, a tracker, one of their shaman, and two guards. We have comprised our group to reflect this makeup. Due to Lord Bennett¡¯s experience on the border he will be functioning as advisor in this case. Sir Verrick will be accompanying us as tracker, he has demonstrated excellent competency in this regard. Mage Harvick will accompany us for his experience in studying Hesiodos magics, and Sir Owen and Sir Gryff will be our guards.¡±

    Wulfram¡¯s voice left no room for disagreement, carrying a confidence befitting the heir to the crown. He scanned the room again, and gave a slight nod of approval. There were no protests to the groups makeup, good. ¡°We will take roughly a week to the border, traveling the Trade Road. Once we meet King Alastar and his party we will begin searching the kingdom for Princess Daniella,¡± Princess Daniella, he just realized what an odd coincidence it was that Dani would share a name with the missing princess. But he pushed the thought aside for more immediate concerns, continuing with the same confidence as before. ¡°I suspect we will start at the site of the attack, and work our way inwards back towards the capital. We should arrive back in time for the ball in honor of Lady Daniella and her service to the kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Lady Daniella.¡± Lord Roderick sneered. ¡°Your Highness, with all due respect she¡¯s a commoner, not a lady.¡±

    ¡°I believe that saving my life has warranted her the title and rank of Lady. And so she shall be treated as such. It is not the first instance of someone being awarded a noble title for service to the crown and kingdom, nor will it be the last I¡¯m sure. A room has been arranged for her in the palace should she choose to reside here. If I return and find she has been treated with disrespect there will be consequences.¡± Wulfram¡¯s voice turned hard, his gaze focusing on Lord Roderick.

    The older man turned red, but he did not press the issue. Good, they could move on to other things. He wasn¡¯t going to keep trying to justify himself to some self-important prick.

    ¡°Thank you Prince Wulfram.¡± Cynewulf said, and looked around the table. ¡°I agree with officially promoting this Daniella to the status of Lady. We will discuss further details with her at her earliest convenience. But for now we need to move on to more pressing matters: the tunnels.¡±

    ¡°We must find and preserve any artifacts we can,¡± Senior Scholar Vitomir said. ¡°And try to breach the tomb Prince Wulfram and Lady Daniella found. From descriptions that tomb alone predates our kingdom and the slaying of the dragon Trygrasilv. Not only that, but since it¡¯s sealed we can assume that it¡¯s intact! Studying it can further our understanding of the civilization that was here before us and their, ah, unique relationship with the dragons that used to reside here.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Senior Scholar Vitomir, there¡¯s no telling what treasures lie beneath our very feet.¡± Sir Orrin nodded, a glint of greed flashing through his eyes. ¡°If we can uncover it our kingdom will only grow greater. Imagine storerooms that survived the landslide full of old wines and treasures!¡±

    ¡°But we must also be careful and respectful of the dead.¡± High Priest Lavear said. ¡°The Quietus priests would be happy to help with ensuring the dead recieve a proper rest, especially since Prince Wulfram mentioned the restless dead he encountered during his own journey down there. With their Highnesses permission I will ask Her Serenity to work with us to organize the Quietus priests¡±

    ¡°And of course the mages will help with any lingering magical phenomena or traps.¡± Senior Scholar Vitomir said.

    ¡°But that still leaves the matter of getting into these tunnels, and exploring them safely. I am not fond of the idea of sending people into tunnels that may collapse at any moment.¡± Queen Mirabel said.

    ¡°Then why not simply start digging down until uncover them all?¡± Lord Roderick said with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s high time we started to repair that section of the city anyways.¡±

    ¡°And where would you have the people that currently live there go, Lord Roderick?¡± Madam Alodia asked, her voice polite but eyes hard.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they can find somewhere to go.¡± Lord Roderick said dismissively.

    ¡°Perhaps I can offer a less drastic solution than leveling the Tangle. Many in that area are familiar with the tunnels, including Lady Daniella. Why not simply hire them to guide us and assist with the excavation?¡± Madam Alodia said.

    ¡°An excellent idea Madam Alodia.¡± Lady Orlaith said, cutting off whatever snide comment Lord Roderick was about to make. She looked at Queen Mirabel, smiling faintly. ¡°Your Highness, that could give us a greater idea of what the people of the Tangle need, and how we may help them live better lives.¡±

    Queen Mirabel nodded in agreement, meeting Orlaith¡¯s smile with her own. ¡°I agree, thank you for the suggestion Madam Alodia. Might we depend on you to help us with this task?¡±

    ¡°It would be an honor your Highness, Lady.¡± Madam Alodia smiled softly, inclining her head as deeply as she could in her seated position.

    Lord Roderick looked as though he had swallowed a lemon. ¡°Should we really trust the people of the Tangle with such a task? They¡¯re more likely to steal what they find or rob our people than help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so cynical Lord Roderick.¡± Lady Orlaith waved a hand idly at him. ¡°The idea appeals to her Highness the Queen, does it also appeal to King Cynewulf and Prince Wulfram?¡±

    King Cynewulf looked to Wulfram, smiling faintly. ¡°Prince Wulfram, this was your discovery, yours will be the final say. But I see no problem with it if they are supervised and vetted before hand.¡±

    Wulfram thought over the proposal, forcing himself to consider the pros and cons of each. Lord Roderick was right about the Tangle, it was time and past that they needed to clean it up, it simply wasn¡¯t safe there. But people had also built homes, businesses and lives there, was it right to just evict them and hope they could find somewhere else to live? And would they be willing to show them the tunnels, especially when some certainly profited off them?

    ¡°I believe the idea has merit. Lady Daniella is working at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s, I believe you know where it is Madam Alodia. Coordinate with her on who to recruit for the exploration. I suggest groups of three: a local guide, a guard, and a scholar, mage or priest. We should also start building good will within the Tangle and work to find places where people can move to as we fix it up. Lord Roderick was right about that necessity, many places in there are fit to fall down. But we have to remember these are peoples homes and businesses.¡±

    King Cynewulf nodded in approval. ¡°Well thought out, Queen Mirabel, will you work with the ladies to make sure the people are taken care of?¡±

    ¡°Of course my King.¡± Mirabel said warmly.

    ¡°Then if there are no objections, we will end the meeting here.¡± King Cynewulfs gaze swept over the group, lingering a moment on Lord Roderick, who seemed like he wanted to say something. But when no one spoke up, he nodded. ¡°Good day then.¡±

    King Cynewulf and Queen Mirabel stood up together, and Wulfram followed shortly after, heading out the door directly behind the throne like chairs at the head of the table.

    Dinner would come next, and then Wulfram would look over his packs and rest for the coming journey. He hoped that Dani wouldn¡¯t mind him sending Madam Alodia to talk with her. But she was their only point of contact for the Tangle.

    He had to have faith that she would stand up to the responsibility she was about to be handed.

 Chapter 37 - Dani

    When Dani got back to Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s the shop was already packed with ladies both young and old eager to get their measurements taken and see the young woman that had saved the princes life. Dani had led Wulfram up onto the roof of a nearby building, leaping across the distance onto Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s balcony easily. After making sure Wulfram could make the jump, she headed downstairs, dusting pastie crumbs off her fingers.

    The crowd was even worse inside, young ladies chatting between each other as they waited or reviewed drawings of different designs, picking their favorites by writing numbers on cards Mrs. Haversaun had created. It was like a menu of styles and fashion elements. Each style had a different number, and ladies could write in things such as ¡®sleeves¡¯, ¡®skirt¡¯, ¡®neckline¡¯ and so on to customize between different styles.

    ¡°I heard the prince himself asked for this ball.¡± A young lady said to another lady she was sharing a style book with.

    Her companion laughed, a high pitched sound that grated on Dani¡¯s nerves immediately. ¡°That explains the short notice. Only a man would think one month is enough time to plan and prepare for a ball!¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, if it had been Queen Mirabel¡¯s idea she would give us at least six months to prepare! That way we could have fabrics imported in. As it is though, we¡¯ll just have to make do. What do you think of these sleeves with that empire waist?¡±

    Dani shook her head slightly and headed through the crowd to Mrs. Haversaun, picking up snippets of similar conversations. The older woman smiled and nodded to a second stool and the young girl sitting on it. ¡°Welcome back Lady Daniella, why don¡¯t you help young Lady Nora with her measurements?¡±

    ¡°Of course Mrs. Haversaun.¡± Dani picked up a measuring ribbon, offering the young girl a smile. ¡°Please stand on the stool, this won¡¯t take long. After you can look at one of the style books and pick what type of dress you want.¡±

    A few of the women around them had looked up when Mrs. Haversaun said Dani¡¯s full name, their voices dropping into hushed whispers. But still Dani could catch snippets of their conversations.

    ¡°Is that her?¡±

    ¡°She saved the prince¡¯s life!¡±

    ¡°Why is she working here then?¡±

    ¡°Is that her?¡±

    ¡°It has to be her!¡±

    ¡°What style dress will she be wearing to the ball?¡±

    ¡°Can she even afford a dress?¡±

    ¡°I heard the Queen sent over fabrics specially for her!¡±

    ¡°Is that why that beautiful blue fabric is already spoken for?¡±

    Dani resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and just focused on taking Lady Nora¡¯s measurements. The attention made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, but she did her best to ignore the chatter and smile pleasantly. Even though inside she wanted to punch Wulfram in the gut. What kind of stupid point had he been trying to make when he announced this stupid ball in front of those two ladies?

    ¡°Are you really the one that saved Prince Wulfram?¡± Lady Nora asked quietly, and silence finally fell around them as everyone in the shop strained to hear the answer.

    Shit.

    Dani looked at the young girl, tempted to lie and get the attention off her for a little bit. But no, that could make Mrs. Haversaun look bad. Besides, there was no point in lying if you knew you couldn¡¯t get away with it. So she sighed, and gave the girl a lopsided smile. ¡°Well, he saved me too you know.¡±

    Lady Nora¡¯s eyes widened to saucers, and she put her hands to her mouth.

    The chatter started again, women gathering around eager to ask questions and get a good look at Dani. She supressed a sigh, and stood up slowly. ¡°Excuse me one moment Lady Nora.¡±

    She turned to the onlookers, quieting the flood of questions with as gentle a glare as she could manage. She wanted to scream at them, but surprised herself by keeping her voice calm and firm. ¡°Ladies. I know you¡¯re all curious, but this is a business and we have work to do. So unless you don¡¯t want us to make your gown please sit down and sh- be quiet.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°I said sit down and be quiet! There are a lot of you here and only two of us. The next person who asks me something not related to their own ball gown will be put to work measuring others.¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun nodded slightly, trying her best to suppress a smile. ¡°Just so. We want to make sure all of you ladies are well taken care of. Perhaps if you¡¯re nice Lady Daniella will answer some questions while she measures you or takes your card.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, I have a question.¡± A particularly beautiful lady spoke up, drawing all eyes to her. She stood up from her spot on a comfortable lounge chair, a challenge sparking in dark eyes.

    Dani turned to her, not quite able to resist rolling her eyes this time. ¡°You know the price, what is it?¡±

    ¡°I merely would like to know if I can help measure.¡± The lady smiled and lifted her skirts, stepping through the crowd to stand directly in front of Dani. ¡°If you show me how that is.¡±

    A shocked silence filled the shop, and then someone giggled, and the ladys face broke into a grin. Dani couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Yeah, guess you can. Lady Nora would you mind letting her try out on you?¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Really?¡± Lady Nora gaped, staring up at the dark haired woman in awe. ¡°You really want to measure me Lady Seela?¡±

    ¡°Of course Lady Nora, I wouldn¡¯t have asked if it weren¡¯t something I wished to do.¡± Lady Seela smiled at Lady Nora and took one of the measuring ribbons in one perfectly manicured hand. ¡°Where do I start, Lady Daniella?¡±

    The woman had balls, that was for sure. Dani shrugged and held up her own measuring tape. ¡°We go top to bottom, so start with the neck, right around the base. But be sure not to wrap it too tightly, you just want it to lay flat without being stretched or choking her.¡±

    Dani found she was better able to ignore the quiet talk and gazes when she was working and showing Lady Seela how to measure. To her surprise, she was able to keep her patience throughout the whole teaching process even! When she was done they set up a third stool, and Lady Seela started to measure ladies as well. Mrs. Haversaun and Dani checked her measurements every now and then, but Dani didn¡¯t see her making any intentional mistakes. She had half expected that Lady Seela had just wanted a chance to make others look bad, but she was actually doing a really good job. So good that Mrs. Haversaun was able to start walking around and collecting cards.

    She spent a few minutes with each lady, going over their selections and discussing fabric and color options. Estimated yardage, trim and notions were carefully recorded, and a price quoted, half up front and half on delivery. The amount for some of the dresses was staggering, but Lady Seela assured her that Mrs. Haversaun had the most reasonable prices around.

    ¡°She must of course make a profit, and if she sells her work too cheaply people will believe that the craftsmanship is poor. She attracts the lower ladies and richer merchant wives because her prices are just right for that market. But her workmanship has never been found to be faulty.¡± Lady Seela said as she pinned a measuring tape to its proper card at the end of the day.

    ¡°Which one are you then?¡± Dani asked. ¡°A lower lady or a rich merchants wife?¡±

    ¡°Neither.¡± Lady Seela laughed. ¡°You might consider me one of the high nobles. My family has been nobility since the birth of our kingdom, and ocean trade has made us quite wealthy.¡±

    ¡°Then why the hell are you here? You must have your own private dressmaker or something.¡± Dani paused to look at Seela with a touch of suspicion. If she wasn¡¯t here to get a dress, then she must be here for something else. And that meant she was probably snooping around.

    ¡°My family does, yes. But I wanted to have my dress made by the same person making Lady Daniella¡¯s dress. It gave me a good excuse to come meet you, and have some fun. This really was delightful, might I come help out again tomorrow?¡± Lady Seela smiled, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes.

    Dani looked to Mrs. Haversaun, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What do you think Mrs. Haversaun? It¡¯s your shop.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with it, we¡¯ll certainly be needing help with all these orders. Can you sew, Lady Seela?¡± Mrs. Haversaun barely looked up from the fabric she was marking, chalk in one hand and a measuring ribbon in the other.

    ¡°I can, as well as embroider. I can bring in a sampler of my work tomorrow if you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it up to Dani, what do you think?¡± Mrs. Haversaun did look up then, mischief in her own eyes. It was like they were plotting something between the pair of them! Dani had to wonder if they had talked before she had come back from lunch and set this whole thing up.

    No, she was just being paranoid. Why would they go through the trouble? What would Mrs. Haversaun have to gain from it? Hell, what did Lady Seela have to gain from it? Other than perhaps some juicy gossip.

    ¡°Dani? What a cute nickname!¡± Seela clasped her hands together with a bright smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start. It¡¯s not cute it¡¯s just a name. I prefer it over Daniella anyways. People used to use Daniella whenever I got in trouble.¡± Dani rolled her eyes, and hung up the last card and measuring tape. ¡°Fine, bring in your sampler tomorrow. But I ain¡¯t calling you Lady Seela all day, it¡¯ll just be Seela.¡±

    She had hoped that dropping the formality would be enough to turn Lady Seela off from her apparent mission, but she was wrong. The woman laughed and nodded. ¡°Of course, the honorifics do get tiring, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah they sure do.¡± Well shit, that hadn¡¯t worked at all. Maybe her work would be shit tomorrow and Mrs. Haversaun would send her away though.

    ¡°Wonderful! Now I really must be going or my family will fret. I¡¯ll see you both tomorrow, bright and early.¡± Seela headed to the door, looking as if she had just won first place in something.

    ¡°Gods I hope I don¡¯t regret this more than I already do.¡± Dani rubbed her eyes, slumping against the counter as the door closed behind Seela. The day had been far too long and tiring, and all she really wanted was a drink.

    ¡°Oh I don¡¯t think you will dear, Seela is a nice enough young lady. How was your lunch break with the prince? I meant to ask earlier but there were far too many ears about.¡±

    ¡°It was... eventful.¡± Dani wrinkled her nose, feeling a tingle on her lips as if the kiss were still fresh. ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it if it¡¯s all the same to you. I¡¯m probably already going to get it from Reshi when I go home tonight.¡±

    ¡°Reshi does like to roar, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Mrs. Haversaun laughed and stood up from her work. She stepped behind the counter, pulling out a simple wooden box. ¡°Pay him no mind dear, he¡¯s always been like that. But perhaps this will cheer you up a bit, it¡¯s that gift I mentioned earlier today.¡±

    ¡°The gift?¡± Dani turned around to look at the box, curiousity piqued. ¡°I had forgotten myself actually. But you don¡¯t have to give me a gift, hell I don¡¯t even know how much I owe you for the clothes you¡¯ve been giving me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything for those dear, you¡¯re bringing in enough business to more than pay for them. Now, accept a gift with grace. If it makes you feel better consider it a gift from me and Najia.¡± Mrs. Haversaun slid the box closer, her smile turning a little sad. ¡°Maybe Reshi can carve the box into something prettier for you, but for right now, just open it.¡±

    Dani blushed and stared down at the box for a moment. A gift from Mrs. Haversaun and Najia? She couldn¡¯t damn well refuse that, sneaky old woman. So she opened the box, pausing when light caught on silver and seashells.

    It was a chatelaine, and one she recognized. Tears filled her eyes, blurring the familiar metal clip she had last seen hanging from Najia¡¯s belt, the silver worked into the shape of a sleeping dragon, tiny shell fragments making up its scales. More than one had gone missing over the years, and the gemstone that had been in its eye had been pried out one year to get medicine for Najia. She had never parted with a piece of her chatelaine willingly, but the silver and gemstone had helped carry the family through hard times time and again. A new needle case had replaced one that had been sold, and a simple leather thimble occupied the thimble case which had once held a silver one. But for all it¡¯s replaced parts it was still the one Najia had worn every day for most of her life.

    ¡°I- shouldn¡¯t this go to Therija?¡± Dani choked out. ¡°Or Azra?¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun took one of Dani¡¯s hands, giving it a gentle squeeze. ¡°Therija is a baker, and Azra holds no interest in sewing. Najia would have wanted you to have this my dear. She loved you like her own daughters. She would be proud to see you carrying on her legacy.¡±

    A sob tore its way out of Dani, and her hand shook as she ran it over the precious item. She found she couldn¡¯t speak, the tears spilling over to land on the thin green velvet the chatalaine rested on.

    ¡°Oh Dani...¡± Mrs. Haversaun was around the counter and holding her in a hug in an instant. ¡°Go ahead and cry dear, it¡¯s alright. You¡¯re alright.¡±

    Dani wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d ever be alright. She desperately wanted that drink right now, but instead she hid her face against Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s shoulder as if she were a little girl again, and just cried.

 Chapter 38 - Wulfram

    Wulfram¡¯s group left the city as the sun was rising over the cliffs, spreading it¡¯s warm golden glow over the city. He had traveled with most of them before. Owen, Gryff and Ben had all been part of his squad when he was patrolling the kingdoms outer borders. Verrick had taught him to track, and while he hadn¡¯t traveled with Harvick before he knew he came highly recommended. Balariz had suggested sending him along instead of going himself, and he trusted the Archmages judgement on the matter.

    He started questioning that judgement however on the first night. They rode until the sun was beginning to set, and stopped in a small clearing on the side of Trade Road. Verrick dismounted first, scanning the area as the others followed suit. Only Harvick stayed on his horse, staring around the clearing with a puzzled expression. ¡°There¡¯s no inn here.¡±

    ¡°Indeed there is not.¡± Wulfram said as he dismounted, immediately starting to remove the saddle and packs from his horse. Gryff and Owen were already making sure the ground was clear before they set up their tents and bedrolls. Verrick disappeared into the woods beyond the campsite, his bow at the ready. Wulfram nodded in approval, Verrick was the best choice to handle the hunting, with luck they¡¯d have fresh meat for the fire soon.

    ¡°Why are we stopping here then? Shouldn¡¯t we be looking for an inn? It will be dark soon.¡± Harvick said.

    ¡°The next inn is another days ride ahead. Today, we sleep on bedrolls.¡± Wulfram chuckled and set one of his packs on the ground. ¡°Come on now Haverick, it will be fun. Help gather some branches for the fire.¡±

    ¡°But- but there¡¯s no bed.¡± Harvick dismounted but clutched his horses reins as he looked around again. ¡°I¡¯ve never slept on a bedroll before.¡±

    ¡°A first time for everything then.¡± Wulfram smiled at Harvick, and strode over to set a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine, they aren¡¯t that bad to sleep on. And we have some whiskey to share. Tomorrow we¡¯ll have beds at the inn, and perhaps the night after if we make good enough time.¡±

    Harvick looked at Wulfram and reluctantly nodded. ¡°Yes your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Good man, start gathering whatever branches you can find. I saw a log over by the treeline that I want to chop for wood. Gryff, Owen, can you start setting up the tents?¡±

    ¡°Aye, sure can.¡± Gryff said with a grin. ¡°Just like old times, eh?¡±

    ¡°Just so. It¡¯s been too long, I think I¡¯ve been getting soft.¡± Wulfram pulled a short handled axe from his gear, inspecting it before heading over to the log. It would make good firewood tonight, and with luck they¡¯d even have some left to leave for the next people to pass by.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t doubt it.¡± Owen chimed in as he pulled the small tents from their gear. There was one for each of them, little more than a strip of ships canvas that would protect them from any rain. ¡°I heard you ran from some skeletons when you got lost in the underground.¡±

    Wulfram grimanced and swung his axe, cutting into the log with a solid thud. ¡°I was already wounded, and had a lady to protect. Besides, swords do little good against skeletons, you really need a priest or a mage.¡±

    ¡°If you smash them into enough pieces they do just fine against skeletons.¡± Gryff said. ¡°How many were there anyways?¡±

    Wulfram sighed. He hadn¡¯t considered this portion of traveling with old companions, he should have known Gryff and Owen would give him a hard time. ¡°There were three that I noticed before we ran.¡± Another swing of the axe reminded him that he hadn¡¯t used his muscles in such a way for far too long. He needed to focus more on his physical training, he really was going soft.

    ¡°Only three?¡± Owen let out a snort. ¡°You really are going soft!¡±

    Harvick looked at the two men as if they had lost their minds. ¡°Are you honestly calling our prince soft?¡±

    ¡°Like a woman.¡± Owen grinned, his eyes not leaving Wulfram. ¡°Come now, prove me wrong!¡±

    ¡°Owen you haven¡¯t even started drinking yet, and you¡¯re already looking for a fight?¡± Wulfram laughed off the challenge, the log splitting in two with his last swing. He reached out to adjust it so that he could split the wood into smaller pieces.

    ¡°We¡¯ve barely seen you since our last patrol together, I want to see if you¡¯ll still beat me or if we need to whip you into shape on this trip.¡± Owen said.

    ¡°The last patrol wasn¡¯t that long ago. But we can spar if you want, after the camp is set up. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve whooped your ass.¡± Wulfram swung his axe again, the wood splitting with the first hit. There it was, there was the rhythm he had been missing. He grinned and kicked aside one of the smaller pieces of wood.

    ¡°Your Highness? Are you serious?¡± Harvick squeaked, eyes wide with shock.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°I am. And while we¡¯re on the road, you can call me Wulfram, it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t advertise that I¡¯m the prince. I¡¯ve no desire to paint a target on my back.¡±

    ¡°A target? You don¡¯t mean to say people would attack you!¡± Harvick¡¯s eyes grew wider still. Wulfram glanced over at Owen and Gryff, then back to the mage.

    ¡°I am saying exactly that. Bandits would jump at the chance to capture a noble of any sort to ransom, and while I¡¯m confident in my abilities, as well as those of the rest of our party, we could still be overwhelmed or ambushed.¡± Wulfram knew he wasn¡¯t making the mage feel any better about their situation, but it was the unfortunate truth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Harvick,¡± Ben chimed in from his spot loosely tying the horses to a short wooden fence built specifically for that purpose by some industrious traveler in times past. ¡°We have an excellent group here. Wulfram, Owen, Gryff and I all served together on patrols. Verrick is unflinchingly loyal to the royal family, and you were recommended by the Archmage himself. It would take quite the force to take us.¡±

    Harvick clutched at the branches he had picked up, but nodded. He glanced at the shadows though, eyes lingering on the darker shadows of the forest, the lengthening shadows near the road, and the bushes that could conceal the approach of a bold rabbit. ¡°Of course. Yes.¡±

    ¡°Wulfram, after you¡¯re done sparring Owen I want a go, assuming you win that is.¡± Ben flashed Wulfram a grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll win, I¡¯m not that soft.¡± At least not yet. He tossed Ben the wood he had already cut. ¡°Get started on the fire.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡± Ben laughed as he caught the wood and started to pile it in a loose pyramid. ¡°Bring some of those branches over here Harvick, the smaller ones will make excellent kindling.¡±

    The banter continued as they set up the camp, and while Harvick still looked shocked and more than a little lost sometimes, he did help. The fire was lit with a small burst of fire from his fingers, and he did gather quite a few branches for the fire. But he was utterly hopeless when it came to setting up the tents, and when Verrick returned and started to skin the rabbits he had caught the poor mage ran to a bush, relieving himself of his last meal with an awful retching sound.

    ¡°City boy.¡± Owen said calmly, taking the furs from Verrick to start cleaning them. As a general rule, they didn¡¯t waste things from what they hunted.

    ¡°You¡¯re a city boy Owen.¡± Ben said, earning a laugh from the others. ¡°The only one of us not a city boy would be Verrick.¡±

    Verrick grunted in agreement and shoved a sharpened stick through one of the rabbits so they could suspend it over the fire.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent enough time on the road to be an honorary country boy by now.¡± Owen said.

    ¡°No ye ¡®aven¡¯t.¡± Verrick said.

    Owen scowled and passed the skins off to Gryff. ¡°Wulfram, are you ready for that spar?¡±

    Wulfram took a moment to inspect the camp. The tents were set up, the meat would take some time to cook, the horses were fed and watered, and Harvick was stumbling back to the campfire with a pale face. He nodded, rising to his feet. ¡°Alright, by the road though, I don¡¯t want to have to worry about throwing you into the fire.¡±

    Owen laughed and stood. ¡°Sword or fists? I¡¯ll let you choose.¡±

    Wulfram smiled, his blood starting to heat as he removed his sword, setting it by the fire. ¡°Fists, I wouldn¡¯t want to scar your pretty face.¡±

    ¡°Fists it is.¡± Owen grinned ferally and removed his own sword. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you thought I was pretty.¡±

    ¡°Oh very pretty. I think it¡¯s the blonde hair, so rare around here.¡± Wulfram laughed and stripped off his shirt as well. No sense getting it messed up. Too bad Dani wasn¡¯t here to see this.

    Of course if he lost to Owen he¡¯d be glad that she wasn¡¯t here.

    ¡°I do have excellent hair.¡± Owen pulled off his own shirt, stepping away from the fire a few paces. ¡°But maybe not as pretty a face.¡±

    Wulfram grinned and followed him away from the fire, circling Owen patiently. It had been a while since they sparred and he would have to watch to see if he had learned any new tricks. Wulfram¡¯s own training had stagnated somewhat over the last year. Perhaps this trip would sharpen him back up.

    ¡°What are you waiting for princling? An invitation?¡± Owen mocked, circling Wulfram in turn.

    ¡°In such a hurry to get your ass handed to you?¡± He asked, an eyebrow raising. All the better if he could goade Owen into attacking first. He wasn¡¯t going to get suckerpunched again out here.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to draw out your beating. After all, you ran from some measely skeletons, what do you think you can do to me?¡±

    That hit a nerve, and Wulfram twitched forward slightly, feinting an attack to make Owne react. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you take on some skeletons with a hole in your side and a headache fit to split a cow.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we can hunt some up when we get back to the city.¡± Owen took a step back and to the side. Then he lunged forward, fist swinging up towards Wulfram¡¯s gut.

    Wulfram stepped to the side, grabbing Owen¡¯s wrist to propel him further along his trajectory. He spun to keep facing Owen as the other man stumbled but quickly got his footing back.

    ¡°I¡¯d like that, but aren¡¯t you afraid of the dark?¡± Wulfram grinned, the old banter relaxing in it¡¯s way. He hadn¡¯t been able to trade barbs like this in months, even with Ben. Wulfram lunged forward to tackle Owen to the ground, but Owen pivoted at the last moment and slammed a fist into Wulfram¡¯s side.

    He didn¡¯t let that stop him, grabbing Owen¡¯s arm and twisting, even as the breath rushed out of him.

    And then there was no time for banter, just fists flying and footwork. Wulfram wrapped his arm around Owen¡¯s neck, his leg moving between his to knock him to the ground. The two men rolled as they each tried to pin the other, occassionally landing hits. The other men watched, Havrick in horror, Gryff and Ben with interest, Verrick with a bored expression on his weathered face.

    Wulfram just barely managed to pin Owen to the ground, one arm still wrapped around his neck, the other holding one of Owen¡¯s arms twisted behind his back.

    ¡°Yield, you¡¯ve lost this one.¡± Wulfram panted, knowing he was going to be sore in the morning. But to regain his feeling of strength? It was worth it.

    Owen grinned at him, a bit of blood staining his teeth. ¡°I yield, princling.¡±

    Wulfram couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he released Owen, falling back onto his rear as he tried to catch his breath. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better, city boy.¡±

    ¡°Nah, you¡¯ve just gotten soft.¡± Owen sat up gingerly, wiping a bit of blood from his mouth. ¡°Good punch though, we might salvage you yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve got at least seven more days to fix that, don¡¯t we?¡± Wulfram grinned. It was good to get out of the palace, good to be among comrades again. And sure as hell good not to be getting suckerpunched or kicked in the balls.

 Chapter 38.5 - Alastar

    ¡°My King, we have word that the Cresenvasht prince on his way. He travels the Trade Road and should arrive at the meeting point in eight days.¡± Moira stood at the entrance to his tent in her full armor, shaped leather bound together around her torso, lower arms and calves. Dark paint was smeared across her eyes and down her chin, a stark contrast to her pale skin and blonde hair. Her skirt was of leather as well, although a slightly thinner variety that left her legs free to move.

    All in all, she would have made a fine wife, but she had chosen the path of the warrior instead. Well, maybe one day she would decide to be a wife as well. Alastar nodded slightly, his iron crown heavy upon his head.

    It had been since the day it had passed from his father to him. King Danivell had been too young to die in his bed, but it was what he did, following his High Queen into the Mystland. Alastar had to wonder if he would find a woman to feel so strongly about.

    He hoped not.

    ¡°Good. Has the Nyadvi clan sent their prospect-wives yet?¡±

    ¡°They have, and they have arrived. Do you wish to see them?¡± Moira asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Alastar unfurled the leather skin crafted from his own fathers back, looking down at the intricate diagram tattooed into it. He couldn¡¯t deny that this business turned his stomach, but the mages had been clear. If he wanted to find his sister, they needed as much a link to the bloodline as possible. Alastar had offered his own blood to create the ink that made the diagram, and his father had agreed to offer his own skin.

    Moira gave a curt nod, and turned on her heel, striding from the tent. The clans of Hesiodos did not usually bow. To expose ones neck and back was the height of foolishness, displaying vulnerability in the face of power. He was led to believe that was precisely why the people of Cresenvasht did bow. But was it to show trust, or submission?

    He did not want submissive followers, he wanted strong ones. Warriors like Moira and Assi, shamans like Drust, and loyal advisors like Cael who would look him in the eye and tell him when he was being stupid.

    As he had done last night when Alastar had considered not seeing the prospect-wives. Well, Cael had won that argument, and rightly so. Alastar had to choose a wife from each clan to maintain the unity of Hesiodos, and that would not wait for him to find his missing sister.

    The tent flap was pulled aside once more, and three women stepped into the tent. A small selection from so large a clan as Nyadvi. Alastar toyed with the idea of being offended by the small selection, but he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Let the Eldwif of the clan explain her reasons for the selection.

    His eyes strayed over the women as the Eldwif herself entered the tent, white hair pulled into a long braid down her back. In most clans the white hair would be a sign of age, but not for the Nyadvi, all of whom had white hair in honor of the moon goddess. No, her age was shown by the lines of her face, and the gnarled fingers that clutched a staff of grey wood.

    ¡°My King.¡± The Eldwif said, and inclined her head slightly. ¡°I bring to you the most prized of our seers and mages for your consideration. Each one has agreed to perform the duty of wife and queen should you choose them. Each has been ruled fertile by our magics. And each has proven her mettle in our clan.¡±

    ¡°Your clan could only produce three to bring to me?¡± Alastar dismissed outright the woman who would not meet his eyes, but lingered on the two that looked into them unflinchingly. ¡°A small selection for so mighty a clan.¡±

    ¡°Times have been hard these last many moons. You know that as well as I. These are the best of our women, the ones least likely to waste your time.¡± Eldwif of Nyadvi said, gesturing to the women. ¡°Nala is a seer of great skill, Valery is a mage of exceptional talent, and Aysia has skills in both.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°And yet one does not even dare to meet my eyes. Look up woman, I am not some monster to be feared.¡± And yet he knew the growl to his voice was as fierce as any dragon. Still, if the woman would not even meet his eyes, what hope for a marriage would there be?

    The woman in question raised her eyes reluctantly, looking at him out of pale grey eyes. ¡°My King.¡± She said softly.

    ¡°Better. I will have you all look at this.¡± He tapped the diagram with one finger. ¡°You will tell me what you see. Or you will leave this tent and your Eldwif can try to find another more suitable set of prospect-wives.¡±

    This would be their test. Would they recognize it for what it was? Would they flinch from it in horror? Or would they tell him honestly what they thought and saw? He would have no wife that would bite her tongue with him, and his time was growing short before he had to travel to Cresenvasht.

    Eldwif of Nyadvi nodded to the women, but remained silent as the trio approached Alastar¡¯s heavy oak table, gathering around the diagram to study it.

    To his suprise, the one that wouldn¡¯t meet his eyes spoke first. ¡°It is intricate work My King. Done by a shaman of great skill. May I touch it?¡±

    Alastar nodded, the barest inclination of his head. ¡°You may. You may touch it, turn it over, and channel magic into it. As long as it is not damaged.¡±

    ¡°Thank you My King.¡± She said, and ran her fingers along the leather, the skin of his father.

    ¡°It is a tracking spell.¡± One of the other women said. ¡°But who or what does it track?¡±

    ¡°It tracks the lost one.¡± The last woman spoke in a dreamy voice. ¡°She who was taken from the Hesiodos.¡±

    ¡°It does, through blood and skin the link is made. Through the Mystlands the dead do seek to aide in this search.¡± The woman he had thought was meek added. He looked at her curiously, intrigued in spite of himself. He had nearly sent her out of the tent without bothering with her, but she had found her tongue it seemed. She met his eyes again, pale grey eyes calm, unafraid.

    Curiouser and curiouser.

    ¡°Surely the lost one is truly gone. We¡¯ve no sample of her to track any longer, it was stolen from us. And even if we did, would she not have changed so much in the time away that it would be useless to us?¡± The woman who realized it was a tracking spell said. He really had to figure out which one was which, the Eldwif had done a poor job of introducing them.

    ¡°Let us find out.¡± The dreamy one said, and rested a hand upon the skin. ¡°Blood the brother will give us sight.¡±

    ¡°Blood of the brother will give us sight.¡± She of the grey eyes repeated. ¡°My King, spill but a drop of blood on the skin. And we will see if it works in truth.¡±

    Alastar drew his hunting knife, pricking one finger and letting the blood drip onto the skin. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had done it, and so he was unsurprised when the skin soaked up the blood. The diagram bled upwards away from the skin, droplets of blood dripping up to float in the air above the skin. It glowed red, swirling and twisting together to create a sort of compass.

    What did suprise him was that instead of one arrow as it had had before, there were now two. One faint and barely there, the other stronger, thicker. Both pointed towards Cresenvasht.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work properly.¡± One of the woman said. ¡°It points two ways!¡±

    ¡°It works.¡± Grey eyes insisted and traced a symbol in the air in front of the arrows. ¡°She has shared her soul with another. That is why it points two ways.¡±

    ¡°Aysia speaks true.¡± The dreamy one said, her solid white eyes focused on the floating compass. ¡°Two bound together but apart. One travels the road of gold, but the other, the other is your sister.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t pinpoint how he knew when the dreamy one turned her gaze on him, but he could feel it like a chill down his spine. ¡°You will chose Aysia, My King.¡± She said and turned, her footsteps so soft it seemed that she floated to the entrance of his tent.

    The other woman let out a sigh, and cut her hand through the floating compass. The blood fell back to the skin, seeping into it to form its diagram once again. ¡°Aysia is a good choice My King, she is both mage and seer. She will guide you true.¡±

    Alastar let out a snort, his eyes moving to Aysia. From meek to confident... and back to meek he saw as she lowered her eyes. But the women were right, it would be a boon to have one familiar with both branches of magic to advise him. ¡°What say you Aysia, will you be my wife of Nyadvi?¡±

    Aysia raised her eyes to meet his again, and folded her hands in front of herself. ¡°I will, my King.¡±

    ¡°Let it be Husband now.¡± Alastar growled, and pulled the woman to him, kissing her fiercely. There was no point waiting to consumate the marriage, the Eldwif was present, and the woman had passed his test.

 Chapter 39 - Dani

    Dani leaned down over the fabric she had spread out on the floor, carefully cutting out pattern pieces in preparation to sew them together. She was upstairs today, hiding from the people that wanted to just come in and get a look at the ¡®lady who saved the prince¡¯.

    What a load of crock. She could see where it could be true from a certain perspective, but it was a stretch, which made all the attention that much worse. Well, at least after the ball things should die down. Already fewer people were coming in the shop for actual gowns, and those that came just to gawk were artfully redirected elsewhere by either Mrs. Haversaun or Seela. She wished she could redirect them that easily!

    ¡°Dear gods they were right, you have turned into a girl!¡± A familiar voice came from the balcony, shocked and slightly mocking.

    In spite of her general bad mood, Dani had to smile. She looked up from her spot on the floor to the young man standing in the doorway to the balcony. He was whip thin and dark, his long hair pulled back into a pony tail that fell halfway down his back. ¡°With that hair it looks like you¡¯ve turned into a girl too.¡±

    ¡°My hair is magnificent. Where the hell have you been? You¡¯re even wearing jewelry! Let me see.¡± He was across the room in a flash, studying her chataline with a practiced eye.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t try to palm it jackass. How have you been Gene? For that matter, where have you been?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen Gene in at least two months, and the last time they had parted was a little bit fuzzy from drink.

    ¡°I don¡¯t steal from friends.¡± Gene laughed and took her hand, pushing up her sleeve to better see the bracelet around her wrist. He let out a low whistle, both eyebrows raising. ¡°Even if they¡¯re wearing jewelry that could ransom a small ship. Which is where I¡¯ve been by the way. Sailed off with my uncle for a spell. Dani, where the hell did you get this?¡±

    ¡°Around.¡± She pulled her hand away, sliding the sleeve back over it. ¡°Welcome back, you could have at least told me that you were leaving.¡±

    ¡°Around?¡± Gene rolled his eyes but let the subject drop. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go get a drink and I can tell you about my adventures on the high seas, and you can tell me about where you got a bauble like that. And why people are saying you saved the prince.¡±

    Ah shit, he had already heard about that? Word traveled fast, but that was worrying. She didn¡¯t want the whole of Rats Nest knowing the mess she had gotten into. It would only make things more dangerous. ¡°Let me see if I can get a beak in. Then we¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°See if you can get a break in? Dani are you going honest on me?¡± Gene stared at her as if she had grown a second head, leaning back a bit to get a better look at her. ¡°Dresses, jewelry, saving princes. What the hell did I miss?¡±

    ¡°A lot. Just... actually, you know what? Meet me here after the shop closes and we¡¯ll go get some drinks. This is going to take longer than a break to explain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll gather a few of the others, we can have drinks at the Old Trout. I¡¯ll buy, consider it payment for the story.¡± He glanced down at her wrist, the bracelet hidden by her sleeve. ¡°Of course I should make you pay, looks like you can afford it more.¡±

    ¡°Like hell, I still owe for the clothes I¡¯m wearing. Get going, I got work to do.¡± Dani turned back to cutting out pattern pieces. She was nearly done, and then she would be able to get to work sewing it together. It was a shame she couldn¡¯t use Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s sewing machine, but she didn¡¯t let anyone else touch that monsterous thing. Probably for the best really, Dani had no idea how she kept the fabric out of all those gears and belts. And she sure as hell didn¡¯t have a clue how to work the thing.

    She didn¡¯t look up when Gene didn¡¯t answer. He had the habit of just disappearing instead of saying goodbye, so she just figured he was gone.

    What the hell was she going to tell him about the bracelet and the situation with Wulfram? She had foolishly hoped that the rumors would stick to the lords and ladies. They at least didn¡¯t know where she lived.

    It was late when she finally set aside the dress. The light was fading even with the glowstones, and her eyes ached nearly as much as her back. She stretched to loosen some of the stiffness that had set in over the hours and let out a sigh. She still had no idea what she was going to tell Gene and the others. The truth? They wouldn¡¯t even believe it, and she didn¡¯t want them to know she was technically married.

    ¡°I¡¯d never hear the end of that.¡± She muttered and headed downstairs. ¡°Mrs. Haversaun, Seela, you okay if I head out?¡±

    Seela looked up from her work delicately embroidering the collar of one of the dresses they were making. ¡°Hiding all day, and now running off? But we hardly get to see you Lady Daniella!¡±

    Dani rolled her eyes. ¡°Cut the crap Seela, I¡¯m no lady and you know it. Mrs. Haversaun, is it okay?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine with me dear, just be careful getting home.¡± The older woman pulled a sheet of fabric off the gown she was working on for Dani, smiling as the light caught on delicate silver embroidery. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Lady Seela, shouldn¡¯t you be going as well?¡±

    ¡°Just a little long Mrs. Haversaun, I¡¯m almost done with this flower.¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun laughed, giving her head a small shake. ¡°Alright, finish the last flower, and then go home. The rest can wait for tomorrow.¡±

    Dani smiled, stepping out into the fresh air of the evening. She hadn¡¯t expected Seela to fit in at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s, and sure as hell hadn¡¯t expected her to stay around for days! But the woman seemed to genuinely enjoy working at the shop, and her embroidery skills were every bit as good as she had said.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Are you even going to be able to keep up in that dress?¡± Gene¡¯s voice came from the shadows of an alley, his voice holding disdain. ¡°You¡¯re going to attract attention at the Old Trout.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t attract that much. And I sure as hell can keep up with you at least.¡± Dani grinned, watching as the young man stepped out of the shadows. He always moved so quietly, it would be creepy if they hadn¡¯t known eachother since they were kids. ¡°Are you ready to go? Where are the others?¡±

    ¡°Meeting us there. I want to be able to see their faces when you come in wearing that.¡± Gene flashed her a grin, and started up the nearest roof. ¡°Time to see if you really can keep up.¡±

    ¡°Cheat!¡± Dani called after him, hurrying to unclip her chataline and slide it into her bust, then pull her skirt up between her legs and tuck it into her belt.

    ¡°All¡¯s fair m¡¯lady!¡± He called back from the rooftop. With a laugh, Dani took off after him, scrambling up the side of the wall like a cat, fingers automatically finding familiar handholds that had been carved into the wall over the years. Gene was already running for the docks, where the Old Trout was. She took off after him, her new boots feeling oddly thick as she ran across the roofs. She just couldn¡¯t feel them the way she was used to. Her old boots had been so thin that she could have felt every pebble beneath her feet. But with these boots she could barely feel anything. It nearly slipped her up when she had to run across a roof covered in loose dirt and gravel, following the well-known path that wound it¡¯s way down towards the docks.

    She swore as she slipped, catching her balance just barely in time to make the jump to the next roof. She had to catch up to him, or she was never going to hear the end of it.

    Dani saw her opportunity when Gene detoured around a building that was half fallen down already. There was a narrow path though where the stone wall still stood, if she could just get the landing right, she should be fine. She put on a bit more speed, dredging up every ounce she could as she chose her target, and leapt through the air.

    The moment of weightlessness sent a thrill of joy and excitement through her, the moment she landed solidly on the narrow strip of stone bringing a surge of triumph. She grinned, not giving in to the urge to look back at Gene as she took off running again, balanced on the wall until she could reach to the next roof.

    Right next to him. Damn he had gotten fast! He couldn¡¯t have been on a ship all that time if he was running this fast along the roofs. Maybe she was just getting soft.

    But they shared a grin, each putting on a last burst of speed as they crossed the final rooftop. Dani leapt off, trusting herself to land in a crouch in front of the tavern. Gene landed beside her, grunting as the impact jarred his body.

    Dani laughed and straightened from her crouch. She took a moment to release her skirt from the belt, letting it fall around her legs again, then checked her bust to make sure the chataline hadn¡¯t fallen out. She let out a sigh of releif. It was safe and sound. ¡°You haven¡¯t slowed down any for your time on the sea.¡±

    ¡°Daily exercise and climbing the rigging all the time.¡± Gene shrugged, straightening up as well. He dusted off his pants as he headed towards the open tavern door. Warm light and the sound of music and laughter floated out to meet them. ¡°You haven¡¯t slowed down either it seems. Can¡¯t deny I¡¯m surprised.¡±

    ¡°What, you think I¡¯m dainty now that I put on a dress?¡± Dani followed him into the tavern and scanned the small crowd until she saw a table of familiar faces. She grinned as she hurried through the crowd, not bothering to listen to Gene¡¯s answer. ¡°Shem! Gull!¡±

    Two faces looked up from their conversation, a male and a female. Both sets of eyes widened, and Shem¡¯s mouth dropped open. He stood as Dani approached, staring at her. ¡°Dani?¡±

    ¡°Starry goddess of the sea, the rumors were true.¡± Gull leaned forward, her eyes raking over Dani. ¡°Ya turned into a lady.¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t turned into a lady.¡± Dani felt a wave of self-conciousness wash over her. These were some of her oldest friends, if they got weird on her what was she going to do? ¡°I¡¯m still the same Dani.¡±

    ¡°Ya look like a lady.¡± Shem leaned down to give Dani a hug, lifting her off her feet. She felt a wave of relief, returning the hug with a laugh.

    ¡°Well I ain¡¯t. Put me down, would ya?¡± She lightly swatted Shem on the arm. The large man set her gently on the floor, then pulled out a chair for her. She couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes at the gesture, sure it was gentlemanly, but it was a reminder that in their eyes at least, she had changed. But she sat down, waving one of the bar wenches over. ¡°Cider, please.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take an ale.¡± Gene slid into a seat next to Gull, slouching back in it was he inspected the others drinks. ¡°And refills for these two, they¡¯re too sober.¡±

    ¡°Too sober? We were waitin¡¯ for the two of you.¡± Gull elbowed Gene as he tried to put an arm around her. ¡°Dani, Gene said ya was workin¡¯ at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s. An¡¯ there¡¯s whispers ¡®bout you wanderin¡¯ ¡®round with noble sorts. Even the prince.¡±

    Dani sighed and rested her arms on the table, sliding her chair in close. ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna talk about it much here, too many ears. But they ain¡¯t exactly wrong. What they are wrong about is me turnin¡¯ into something I¡¯m not. I¡¯m still Dani, I jus... have to do things different now. Reshi¡¯ll turn me in if I go back to thievin¡¯ so I got a job. And it¡¯s a good job!¡±

    ¡°Ya back livin¡¯ with yer uncle too I heard. So ya livin¡¯ with yer uncle, wearin¡¯ dresses, workin¡¯ a girl job...¡± Gull shook her head and leaned forward, lowering her voice as the men gathered in close too. ¡°An¡¯ ya tried ta steal the crown right off the princes ¡®ead? What the hell got into your ¡®ead girl?¡±

    Gene¡¯s eyes widened, mouth dropping open in a fair imitation of a fish. ¡°You did what? It ain¡¯t true, is it Dani?¡±

    ¡°Saw it with my own eyes.¡± Shem confirmed with a nod. ¡°Nearly got away with it too ¡®cept he gave chase. Next thing ya know Rats Nest is crawlin¡¯ with guards tryin¡¯ ta find the pair. Then when they do find ¡®em, rumors start that the thief died and Dani here saved his life!¡±

    Dani waved the group to silence as their drinks arrived. True to his word, Gene paid for the round, then leaned in over the table again. ¡°Dani, did you lose your mind while I was gone?¡±

    ¡°Listen, it¡¯s not like that! It was a desperate, stupid move. But it all worked out fine.¡± Dani picked up her mug, taking a long drink of the chilled cider. No magic there, just the bar taking advantage of a cold cellar down below.

    ¡°Except now yer bein¡¯ watched.¡± Gull said grimly. ¡°By more¡¯n just ladies in the shop too. Word ¡®round the guild is the leadership ¡®as people watchin¡¯ ya, and that there¡¯s folks from the palace watchin¡¯ ya too. It ain¡¯t safe, it ain¡¯t fine.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed anyone from the palace watching me. You would think they¡¯d stick out like a sore thumb ¡®round here.¡± Dani looked around the tavern, searching for anyone that might seem out of place, or anyone that was looking too closely at their little group.

    ¡°Just because most of the people of the palace would, doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t have their spies. Yer gonna have to be careful. Don¡¯t walk home alone, don¡¯t go ta work alone. One of us¡¯ll take ya home tonight.¡± Gull said.

    ¡°Ya really think it¡¯s that dangerous Gull?¡± Shem asked.

    ¡°Aye, I do. These folks ain¡¯t the types you want the attention of.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being paranoid Gull. Besides, you¡¯re part of the thieves guild, you think they¡¯d come after me?¡± Dani felt a twinge of annoyance. She could take care of herself damnit, did her friends lal think she had gone soft too now?

    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not.¡± Gull shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t take the chance.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Can we just drink an¡¯ talk about other things now?¡± Maybe if she steered them off this topic she could pretend things hadn¡¯t changed.

 Chapter 40 - Wulfram

    It was their fourth day of traveling when Verrick slipped out of the shadows of the nearby trees, approaching the camp on silent feet. ¡°Trouble.¡± He muttered, and sat down beside Wulfram, reaching for one of the fish they had caught in the nearby stream earlier.

    ¡°What kind of trouble?¡± Wulfram asked calmly, the other men straightening, ears and eyes peeled for any sign of the trouble Verrick had spotted. The night was silent around them, save for the crickets chirping in the tall grasses near the stream, and the occassional rustle of a nocturnal animal moving through the underbrush.

    ¡°Footprints, in the woods. Signs of horses passing through, signs of old camps.¡± Verrick shrugged slightly and bit into the fish, ripping a piece off and chewing it. ¡°Bandits more¡¯n likely.¡± He said around the meat.

    Wulfram scanned the treeline, the darkness nearly impenitrable beyond the light of their fire. ¡°Fresh tracks? Or old?¡±

    ¡°Day, maybe two. None too fresh, but ¡®nough to be worrying about.¡± Verrick pointed his fish towards the west, roughly the direction Trade Road ran, and the way they were headed. ¡°Headin¡¯ west along the road. Next town is still two days off.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye out then. With luck we¡¯ll miss them, but I won¡¯t bet on it. Double guards tonight, I¡¯ll take first watch with Gryff, Owen and Verrick you take second. Harvick can you set some wards?¡± Wulfram bit into his own fish, crunching into the thin bones and crisped meat.

    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Harvick nodded and stood up, dusting his hands off on his long robe. The mage hadn¡¯t been able to bring himself to call him Wulfram, but the sir was at least a marked improvement over ¡®your highness¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ll do that now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Wulfram scanned the treeline again, then returned to his food. The camp fell silent beyond the soft chanting of Harvick as he set his wards, and remained that way through the night and into the morning when they packed up their gear.

    Birds chirped in the early morning air, and a light fog rolled off the small stream, filling the lower areas of the ground with a fine mist. Wulfram studied the peaceful landscape and took a deep breath of the fresh air. No sign of bandits through the night or into the morning, that was good. They would still have to be on their guard on the road. He kicked dirt over the remnants of their fire, then joined the others packing up.

    By the time the sun burned away the fog, they were already on the road towards the next town. Verrick rode ahead a short distance, watching for trouble, but they didn¡¯t find it until shortly after midday.

    Verrick pulled to a stop on the road ahead of them, sharp old eyes scanning the trees on either side of the road. He let out two low whistles: be on the lookout. Wulfram loosened his sword in its sheath, confident that Gryff and Owen were doing the same. ¡°If they attack, do you have any defensive spells Harvick?¡±

    ¡°One, Sir.¡± Havrick said awkwardly, looking around as well.

    ¡°Be prepared to use it.¡± Wulfram said. One defensive spell, dear gods. At least it was better than nothing. The rest of the group caught up to Verrick, and they proceeded together. Wulfram spoke softly, keeping his eyes on the woods. ¡°What did you see?¡±

    ¡°Movement in the woods. Could be nothin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t believe that.¡± Wulfram glanced back to the older man, an eyebrow raising.

    ¡°Nah.¡± Verrick responded, loosening his own sword.

    Up ahead, three men stepped into the middle of the road, swords on their hips. The one in the lead was a rough looking man with a swagger to his step, and a beard that nearly hid the smirk on his face. ¡°Hail travelers.¡±

    Wulfram pulled his horse to a stop, the others following suit. ¡°Hail. Is there something you need assistance with?¡±

    He glanced towards the side of the road, spotting movement in the shadows out of the corner of his eyes. He wasn¡¯t sure how many there were, but there were certainly more than just their five. Hopefully whatever defensive spell the mage had was a good one.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°We¡¯re jus¡¯ ¡®ere ta collect the toll is all.¡± The lead man said, looking over their horses and gear. His smirk grew, undoubtedly noting the quality of their gear and clothing. ¡°I¡¯d say ¡®bout fifty gold should do it.¡±

    ¡°There is no toll on the Trade Road until you reach Astash to the west.¡± Wulfram said grimly, and rested his hand on his sword. These must be some of the bandits that plagued Trade Road. He would have to talk to his father and General Gavril about increasing patrols. Perhaps they could even conceal some men among the usual caravans to ensure the safety of the road.

    ¡°New toll is right ¡®ere, an¡¯ it¡¯s fifty gold. Or maybe should just take yer ¡®orses instead.¡± The man grinned, showing stained and chipped teeth. ¡°It¡¯s that, or yer lives.¡±

    Wulfram smiled patiently, trusting that his men had noticed the movement on either side of them. But he wanted the bandits out in the open. Perhaps he could goad them out. ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed, we out number you. Step aside and we will continue peacefully.¡±

    ¡°Count again.¡± The man raised a hand, and more men stepped out of the woods around them, most armed with poorly cared for swords or simple bows and arrows. Wulfram glanced around casually, noticing two more men behind them, three to either side. Eleven in total then, if they all came out of the woods. Which he suspected they had. If they were leaving anyone in the woods he would have left the bowmen, they would be poor support in a melee combat.

    ¡°Ah, I see the situation clearly now. Men?¡± Wulfram drew his sword, his eyes hardening as he looked at the leader. Behind him there was the whisper of steel against leather as his men drew their own weapons, and the creak of sinew and wood as Verrick readied his bow. ¡°Last chance.¡±

    ¡°Get ¡®em!¡± The lead man shouted, drawing his own sword.

    Well, no one could say he hadn¡¯t given them ample opportunity to leave alive. More opportunity than they deserved surely considering they were bandits. But perhaps his own little thief had softened his heart towards those on the wrong side of the law. It didn¡¯t matter right now as he charged forward with his own yell, sword flashing down to meet the leaders. Metal sparked as his sword slid across the well-worn blade of the bandit leader, knocking it aside. He sliced down again, snaking through the mans defenses to cut into his flesh.

    The sharp blade sliced into him like butter, the man falling to the ground even as Wulfram turned to kick another bandit away from his horse. Behind him he heard the clash of steel against steel, the twang of the bow and thud of arrows hitting home, and an odd whoosh before and thud as a body hit a tree.

    He sliced through the second bandit, only turning when he heard Gryff cry out in rage and pain. One of the bandits had gotten in a lucky hit, slicing into his leg. Rage surged in Wulfram, and he charged to the bandit, his sword stabbing straight through the mans chest. Only belatedly did he realize his mistake, as an arrow whizzed past him, barely grazing his cheek.

    He had reacted in rage, instead of acting logically, with forethought. His eyes landed on the archers, and he rode towards the man, pulling up short as there was another whoosh of air that sent the man tumbling against a tree, crumbling to the ground like a broken puppet.

    ¡°Some defensive spell.¡± Wulfram admitted as quiet fell on the road. He looked over the bodies that lay on the road, taking in a deep breath of air tinged with the metalic smell of blood.

    The smell wasn¡¯t pleasant, but he needed to think logically, not emotionally. ¡°Gryff, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, the cut didn¡¯t go deep.¡± Gryff¡¯s voice was calm but pained. ¡°Nothing that can¡¯t be bandaged.¡±

    ¡°Good. Owen, bandage his wound. Verrick keep an eye out for anyone else that wants to try us. Harvick, you¡¯re with me.¡± Wulfram slid off his horse, moving towards one of the fallen men.

    ¡°What are we doing, Sir?¡± Harvick reluctantly climbed off his own horse, following Wulfram to the fallen man. He looked at the bloody body with an ill expression. ¡°They¡¯re dead, there¡¯s nothing we can do for them, even if they hadn¡¯t just tried to rob us.¡±

    ¡°We can lay them to rest.¡± Wulfram wiped the blade of his sword off on the fallen mans shirt before sheathing it. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t bury them we can at least lay them out respectfully, off the road.¡±

    ¡°But they tried to rob us.¡± Harvick said, staring at the body.

    ¡°They did. But they were still people, with lives and perhaps even families. Grab his feet, I¡¯ll get his shoulders.¡± Wulfram crouched down, lifting the fallen man by the shoulders. After another moment of hesitation, Harvick grabbed the man by the feet, helping Wulfram move the body off the road.

    ¡°I know a ritual to move dirt if you¡¯d like to bury them.¡± He said reluctantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s an odd spell to have, is it not?¡± Wulfram looked at the mage with a raised eyebrow as they carried the man a short distance into the woods.

    Harvick shrugged slightly, looking uncomfortable. ¡°I wanted to help dig out the Tangle, but Archmage Balariz sent me with you instead. Many of us in the society learned that spell to help with the excevation.¡±

    ¡°Fortunate for us then. We¡¯ll bury them properly. Bandits or not, they deserve to be laid to rest respectfully.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Harvick said, although he didn¡¯t look like he quite agreed.

 Chapter 41 - Dani

    Dani was tired the next morning when she went in to work. She had stayed up late with her friends, the conversation slowly turning from her own issues to more pleasant ones: Gene¡¯s adventures on his ship, Gull¡¯s latest hiest, Shem¡¯s latest partner. That last one led to talk about kisses and other physical relations, which led to more drinking, which led to Dani confessing she had kissed the prince... and then kneed him in the crotch. She blushed at the memory, rubbing a hand across her face. It had drawn laughter last night, but the more she thought about it the more embarassed she was. She had enjoyed the kiss, but she had panicked. Was it her emotions making her enjoy it? Or his?

    Damn bracelet!

    She focused on it through the pounding of her head as she approached Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s, trying to feel through it to Wulfram. She thought she felt something there, but it was so faint she couldn¡¯t tell if it was just her imagination.

    ¡°Damn it all.¡± Dani muttered to herself, and let out a sigh. What was she even doing? As soon as he came back the bracelet would probably be coming off.

    She froze in her tracks when she saw a gilded carriage outside of the shop, the royal families coat of arms promimently displayed on it¡¯s side. She knew damn well Wulfram was nowhere near the city, he had gone to meet the Hesiodos king, so who the hell was at the shop? A guard looked at her as she edged around the carriage, standing at attention by its door. He offered her a polite nod before his gaze drifted away, scanning the street.

    Her heart pounded in her ears, making the headache all the worse as she headed into the shop, bracing herself for what she might find inside.

    Mrs. Haversaun was pouring tea for Madam Alodia, cookies already set out on the low table next to the chairs. Both women looked up as Dani entered, and Mrs. Haversaun started to pour another cup of tea. ¡°Daniella my dear, come sit down. You look like something the cat dragged in.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a cat Mrs. Haversaun.¡± Dani said, trying to force a smile. She smoothed out her hair selfconciously though and sat down across from Alodia, watching the other woman warily. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°So direct Dani.¡± Alodia laughed and took a sip of her tea.

    ¡°Madam Alodia is here to take you to the palace. I tried to talk her out of it but it¡¯s on the King and Queens decree. Luckily Lady Seela has been helping, but I may have to hire others to help as well with the business we¡¯ve gotten.¡±

    ¡°Oh hell no.¡± Dani stared at Alodia, her eyes widening. ¡°Wulfram ain¡¯t around, I don¡¯t see any reason to go to the palace.¡±

    ¡°Oh but you have every reason to go to the palace. First off, one doesn¡¯t simply say no to the King and Queen. Secondly, one doesn¡¯t simply say no to me. You need to do this Daniella. I promise it isn¡¯t anything bad.¡± Alodia¡¯s voice was perfectly calm, but somehow managed to carry a hint of danger to it. Dani felt a chill creep up her spine as Alodia took another sip of her tea. ¡°Drink some tea, it will help your head.¡±

    Dani took her cup of tea from Mrs. Haversaun, and looked to the other woman for help. ¡°But I have work to do. We¡¯ve got so many damn gowns to make before that ball!¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m sure you will get them all done in time. I¡¯ll send some of the girls over to help, there are a few talented in sewing that can ease the load. Consider it an apology for taking your worker away Mrs. Haversaun.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Alodia. I¡¯d dactually appreciate that. But make sure they don¡¯t bring sticky fingers into my shop.¡± Mrs. Haversaun said.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°Of course not! Your shop is under my protection, it always has been. They wouldn¡¯t dare steal from you.¡± Alodia set her cup down, her unflinching gaze settling on Dani. ¡°Now dear, drink your tea. We have some things to discuss before we go to the palace.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Damnit all why was she getting shoved into this? Oh right, because someone had to go and say she saved him! She took a drink of her tea, the hot liquid spreading warmth down her throat and into her head.

    Huh. It really was helping with her headache.

    ¡°Like what you will be telling the Council. The King and Queen are going to ask you to tell them what you know of the tunnels, as well as ask you to work with me to coordinate exploration parties. You don¡¯t need to worry too much about that, I already have a selection of people to guide them exactly where we want them. But I want to make sure you don¡¯t tell them too much about the tunnels. For instance, you will not be mentioning where the smugglers tunnels are, or anything about the keys to access them. We¡¯re going to steer them well away from those tunnels and our interests there. You can however tell them about the crypts, the cistern, and any other random tunnels you¡¯ve found in your explorations. I would very much be interested in that information myself.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can really tell them about the tunnels. Most of the ways in are through smugglers tunnels anyways, and I¡¯ve only gone down a couple of levels.¡± Dani said. She took another sip of her tea, muscles starting to relax slightly now that her headache was fading.

    ¡°Now now Daniella, we both know you are aware of more entrances than just the smugglers tunnels. Focus on those and we¡¯ll be just fine. Tell me which ones you know of that aren¡¯t through the smugglers tunnels.¡± Alodia leaned forward slightly, a smile playing across her face.

    Dani thought she looked a bit like a snake about to eat her. She shivered, and looked down into the amber tea, digging through her memory for the tunnels she knew of. After a moment she closed her eyes so she could visualize the mental map. ¡°There¡¯s the entrance to that tomb that comes out by the docks of course, they already know that one. They¡¯ll probably have found the old smugglers entrance in that building that fell down, ain¡¯t gunna be able to hide that from ¡®em. They might even have the key from it. There¡¯s another entrance into the underground beneath the tanners, one behind that big pile of rocks up by old Jack¡¯s place, another that leads right to the crypts behind the Quietus temple at the edge of the temple district, and another under the building with three arches and the broken statue out by old park.¡±

    There were more, she knew it. The Rats Nest especially was riddled with entrances that people had found and hidden over the years. But those were the main ones she knew. When she opened her eyes, she caught just the faintest hint of approval on Alodia¡¯s face. ¡°You know more of the entrances than I thought you would. You can let them know all of them except for the one beneath the tanners. Going deeper shouldn¡¯t be an issue, the smugglers don¡¯t often go beyond the second level, but there could be treasures to find as well. I¡¯m not sure how well we¡¯ll be able to avoid the nobles finding out about them, but we¡¯ll try.¡±

    ¡°Best of luck to you on that.¡± Dani said dryly, and finished the last of her tea.

    ¡°Best of luck to us, you¡¯ll be helping us my dear. Oh, it is possible that Queen Mirabel and Lady Orlaith will be wanting to speak to you about how to improve Rats Nest, and discuss relocating people. I¡¯ll likely be involved in those conversations as well, so let me take the lead.¡± Alodia stood up, gently smoothing out her skirts. ¡°If you¡¯re done with your tea, we¡¯ll need to be going.¡±

    ¡°Relocating people? Why the hell would she be talking to me about that stuff?¡± Dani set her cup down, standing with a reluctance that felt like a physical weight. Alodia looped her arm through one of Dani¡¯s guiding her to the door with a smile.

    ¡°Because you are going to be their point of contact for the Rats Nest, isn¡¯t that exciting?¡±

    Dani looked back at Mrs. Haversaun as they stepped out the door, sarcasm dripping from her voice. ¡°Oh yeah. Exciting.¡±

    Mrs. Haversaun offered her an encouraging smile as the door closed, and Dani sighed. Shit. She really wanted another drink right about now, but it was far too early in the morning, and she was beginning to wonder if she was developing a problem. But who wouldn¡¯t want to drink when someone wanted them to decide the fate of other people? She climbed into the carriage, Alodia gracefully climbing in behind her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so stressed dear, you¡¯ll give yourself wrinkles. Besides, I¡¯ll be there to help guide you in these affairs.¡± Alodia said comfortingly, lightly patting Dani¡¯s hand.

    Why didn¡¯t that reassure her?

 Chapter 41.5 - Roderick

    The Council room was full once more, even Archmage Balariz had torn himself away from his research to join them. A logical move, considering that there were likely magical entities or traps in the underground, and they would have to coordinate with the mages to move the majority of the dirt and rubble from the Tangle. Or as the natives called it, Rats Nest.

    Roderick had to agree with the commoners on the name, it was perfectly fitting: a nest of vermin that needed to be eradicated. A pity the King and Queen didn¡¯t see it the same way. In fact they were even going to raise one of those rats up to a lady! He took a drink of his wine, the very thought ruining the taste of it. Vermin... vermin and criminals. This woman could never be a real lady, no matter how much they dressed her up. His eyes flicked up as the main door opened, Madam Alodia escorting in a scrawny young woman with pale blue eyes.

    He didn¡¯t bother to stand, instead studying her from his position near the head of the table. She was dressed fine enough, not as befit a lady of course, but not the rags he had expected. He noticed the way she toyed with a tarnished old chataline as she looked around the table, and how pale she seemed under her tan. She was nervous, good. She was undoubtedly aware that she didn¡¯t belong here and never would, no matter what the King and Queen said. At least the prince wasn¡¯t here to advocate for more than what she was already getting.

    Madam Alodia guided her to a chair set at the very end of the table and offered her a reassuring smile, speaking softly to her. ¡°Everything will be alright, you¡¯ve nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    Roderick took another sip of his wine, suppressing the urge to laugh. Nothing to be afraid of, he¡¯d have to see about that. But not here, not under the very eyes of the King and Queen.

    The royal door opened behind the thrones at the head of the table, and the King and Queen entered. Holding hands like young lovers still, it was sweet and foolishly sentimental. But even as they aged he could forgive a certain romance, as long as it didn¡¯t interfere with the running of the kingdom. Roderick stood along with everyone else at the table, a certain satisfaction growing as the young woman, no, the girl, at the end of the table paled further.

    ¡°Thank you for gathering here today.¡± King Cynewulf said with a smile. ¡°Madam Alodia, if you would announce our special guest?¡±

    ¡°It would be an honor, your highness.¡± Alodia curtsied, her head dipping nearly level to the table before she straightened. ¡°May I please present Lady Daniella of Aurum, native of the Tangle.¡±

    The girl dipped into a sad approximation of a curtsy, obviously doing her best to immitate Alodia but lacking the practice to make it truly graceful. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, your highnesses.¡±

    To give her credit, her voice didn¡¯t shake, and her street rat accent was barely noticable. Had Alodia been coaching her already?

    ¡°It is a genuine pleasure to formally meet you Lady Daniella.¡± King Cynewulf said with the barest inclination of his head. ¡°We apologize for taking you away from your work, but we trust you will find today profitable regardless.¡±

    King Cynewulf paused and looked around the room, his gaze meeting the eyes of everyone gathered. ¡°We are here to witness the ascension of Daniella of Aurum, native of the Tangle, to the rank of Lady, with all the rights, responsibilities and privleges that come with that rank.¡± He pitched his voice to carry across the room, the tone of command clear in it. It was not a request or a suggestion, it was a royal decree that could not be argued with.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Rodericks stomach turned as he looked at the girl, the way she seemed to shrink slightly under the decree, her eyes wide and hands clasped tightly together, knuckles white. He twisted his smirk into some semblance of a smile, and joined the others in bowing to the girl. He bowed exactly as deeply as he was required, no more or less.

    ¡°Lady Daniella, since you are a native of the Tangle, you are now appointed Lady of the Tangle. There is much that needs to be done for the people there, and for the kingdom as a whole. We have been told you know much about these tunnels that go beneath our city?¡± Queen Mirabel said.

    Roderick could see the girl swallow, her voice holding the barest tremor now as she spoke. ¡°Yes, your highness.¡±

    ¡°Good. we require your assistance mapping and exploring these tunnels. But you will not be alone in your work. We have assigned Madam Alodia to assist you in this task, you will be working closely with Archmage Balariz, the head of the city guard Sir Orrin, and High Priest Lavear to coordinate exploration teams. You will also need to work with Archmage Balariz to coordinate the excevation of some portions of the Tangle. We understand that these are peoples homes, but to our understanding much of the Tangle is unsafe as it is.¡± King Cyneful said.

    ¡°Our intention is not to run people out of their homes, but to make homes that are safe for habitation.¡± Queen Mirabel added with a gentle smile. ¡°Speaking of homes, we would like to assure that the Prince¡¯s invitation to stay in the palace remains in place. Your room is ready for you if you wish it, and we do recommend it. You will be having plenty to do here at the palace.¡±

    ¡°I- thank you, your highness. But I have family I¡¯m staying with, and I have a job in the city.¡± The girl said softly, lowering her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t just drop everythin¡¯ and move to the palace.¡±

    Lord Roderick nodded slightly. She didn¡¯t belong in the palace anyways. Let her stay among her so-called people in the Rats Nest. And the less time she had to manage her duties as a new noble, the more chances he would have to push things through. ¡°I can of course help the young lady with her duties, if they weigh too heavily on her head.¡± He said, earning a surprised look from Madam Alodia. He met her eyes with a slight smirk. ¡°The duties of a noble aren¡¯t for everyone.¡±

    ¡°That is very generous of you, Lord Roderick. Perhaps you and Lady Orlaith can help shoulder the burden, but any final decision must be Lady Daniella¡¯s.¡± Queen Mirabel nodded slightly.

    Roderick¡¯s own smile grew, and he pinned an almost predatory smile on Daniella. ¡°Of course, your highness. I wouldn¡¯t imagine any differently.¡±

    ¡°Lady Daniella, we will leave you in capable hands, we suggest starting with what you know of the tunnel systems and people. The more information your advisors have, the better they will be able to advise you on what to do.¡± King Cynewulf stood and held out a hand for Queen Mirabel. The Queen stood gracefully, and the two royals left the room, their doors closing behind them with barely a sound.

    Lord Roderick looked back to Daniella and sat back down. ¡°Now, if we could begin?¡±

    One of the servants stepped forward, rolling out a map of the city finished only yesterday by the court cartographer. Another, thinner piece of paper was rolled out over it. Small golden weights in the shape of the kingdoms coat of arms weighed down each corner. Roderick noticed how the girl looked at the weights, and made a note to make sure she didn¡¯t walk off with any. Damn rats and their sticky fingers.

    ¡°Please mark any entrances that you know of on this map, we will start from there.¡± Sir Orrin offered the girl a pen, one of Balariz¡¯s contraptions that somehow held an entire bottle of ink.

    The girl took the pen, staring at the map for a long moment. She licked dry lips, but nodded. ¡°Yea- yes, of course.¡±

    Roderick found that he was enjoying the discomfort the girl was experiencing. The way her hand just barely trembled, the paleness of her face and fear in her eyes.

    She was going to be fun to play with.

 Chapter 42 - Wulfram

    Wulfram¡¯s party encountered two more groups of bandits before they reached the border. One of which just turned and ran when they realized they were up against trained soldiers and a mage. But the fact that they had been attacked so many times along the road made Wulfram concerned. Three attacks in four days was considerable, where were the patrols? Especially this close to the border there should be frequent patrols! They should have run into at least one by now.

    The answer came to him in the very next town they came to, the last town before the border, Astash.

    Rain drizzled down on the simple stone and wood structures, leaving mud between the buildings and barracks. Ideally, the barracks should have a total of twenty men: ten in residence, and ten patrolling the roads. But the stables were full, horses peacefully nibbling at their feed. He counted 17 horses in all, that meant only three were missing. So unless some of the men had decided to go on foot, someone was going to be in deep trouble. ¡°We stop here, I need to talk to the Guard Captain.¡± Wulfram said darkly.

    ¡°He jumped off his horse, mud splattering as he landed and strode through the muck to the barrack. He pushed the doors open, another problem: there should have been someone at the door watching. Even in a quiet town, no one should be able to just walk into the barracks.

    Heads snapped up from lounging men. They were playing cards, drinking, and a couple were even entertaining some women in the back, their giggles the only sound in the stunned silence that had fallen over the men at Wulfram¡¯s arrival.

    ¡°Now who the ¡®ell are you ta just barge in here like that?¡± A man with the emblem of a captain on his chest stood, his beard covered in a scruffy stubble.

    ¡°This,¡± Gryff stepped up just behind and to the side of Wulfram, a scowl on his own face. ¡°Is Prince Wulfram.¡±

    The silence grew considerably more tense, and then ended as men scrambled to their feet. there was a startled gasp from one of the women as she was dropped unceremoniously on one of the bunks, the man that had been entertaining her hastily pulling up his pants. Wulfram¡¯s gaze darkened as the second man kept going at his own woman, apparently unaware of the sudden commotion behind him.

    ¡°Earl!¡± One of the soldiers hissed back at the man. He glanced nervously at Wulfram, then tried again. ¡°EARL! Get yer pants on!¡±

    ¡°Just- another minute!¡± The man, apparently named Earl, groaned.

    ¡°Now Earl!¡± The captains voice snapped, the command making Earl¡¯s head jerk up. He flushed and quickly pulled away from the woman, yanking his pants back on.

    ¡°What is it? Are we under attack?¡±

    ¡°The prince is here!¡± The captain snapped. His own face red, he strode forward and saluted Prince Wulfram. ¡°Guard Captain Oluf, we weren¡¯t notified you were coming your highness.¡±

    ¡°Well I am here anyways.¡± Wulfram said coldly. He wanted a hot bath and a warm bed, but this had to be dealt with first. His gaze traced over the men, counting heads. Out of the twenty there were supposed to be, there were only 15. 17 horses could mean that three were on patrol, but then where were the other two? ¡°Is this your full contingent?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    He could see sweat form across the captains face, although he stood stiffly at attention, his face bland. ¡°Morv is in town Sir, keeping the peace. I can send someone to fetch him if need be. Otherwise, yes Sir.¡±

    ¡°We were not notified that you were down four men. What happened?¡± Wulframs gaze raked over the group, noting dirty uniforms, unkempt hair and faces, and the stench of beer in the barracks. If his father had seen this he would be furious, but as it was Wulfram had little time to deal with it.

    ¡°Well, you see Kethi, he died month back to the cough. Frank, he got married and run off, and Bill and Pyr turned bandit on us.¡± Guard Captain Oluf reported as more sweat beaded across his forehead.

    Anger boiled up in Wulfram, his eyes narrowing slightly, lips set in a hard line as he listened to the report. The death was a shame, but the other three were problems. To abandon their duties like that, and for two to turn bandit! Weren¡¯t they getting paid enough? He knew full well that guards didn¡¯t grow rich off their wages, but they were hardly mistreated! ¡°I see.¡±

    Guard Captain Oluf swallowed hard, his face paling slightly. ¡°We¡¯re just- takin¡¯ a break today, you see? Been working hard. And I was going to send for more men, just haven¡¯t gotten around to it.¡±

    Wulfram let him ramble for a moment. He didn¡¯t believe them for a moment though, if one of the men died a month ago then word should have reached the palace or the border well before now.

    Finally, Wulfram raised a hand, cutting off further explanation. ¡°Your barrack and men are in poor order Captain Oluf. I am headed to the border myself, you will have your men and horses replenished. Select four men to begin their patrol, one of which will be Earl, and another will be the other energetic young man that was... entertaining his lady when we arrived. That leaves two others. I will return in the morning to inspect the barracks and hear grievances and explanations.¡±

    He raked his gaze over the group again, his voice low, almost a growl. ¡°But there is no excuse for leaving the roads unpatrolled. My group was attacked by three different bandit groups on the way here, all in the last four days travel.¡±

    He took a grim satisfaction in the paling of faces and exchange of startled glances. Guard Captain Oluf nodded, but it was jerky, his voice pitched ever so slightly higher as he spoke. ¡°Understood your highness. You will not be disappointed when you return tomorrow.¡±

    Wulfram gave a curt nod, and turned on his heel to stride out of the barracks, anger seething just beneath the surface. Gryff followed, both mounting their horses and heading for the lights of the towns main inn. He allowed himself to silently seethe on the way there, this was going to take time out of their trip, they were supposed to be meeting King Alastar tomorrow! But first he would have to deal with the guards here, and then stop at the border to have men sent back to make sure things didn¡¯t deteriorate again. Only after those tasks were done could they continue to the rendezvous point.

    But perhaps he could speed things up a bit.

    They left the horses in the care of the stable-hands, proceeding inside to rent their rooms. Gryff and Owen, and Verrick and Harvick would both share. Wulfram got a private room due to his status. It was a silly little thing, but expected, as were so many other silly little things. ¡°Gryff, meet with me in one hour in my room. I want to talk about our next steps.¡±

    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Gryff nodded, and squelched off to his own room, Owen following behind. Havrick was the driest of them all, apparently he had a spell that repelled water. Unfortunately it was not a spell easily shared. A shame that.

    Wulfram stepped into his own room, locking the door and immediately starting to strip. His muscles ached from the chill and days riding and fighting. He hung his clothes up by the fire, and padded barefoot over to the tub in the corner. It was a wealthy enough inn to have running hot water, likely fed from some nearby stream or lake.

    He sank into the water with a groan of appreciation, his thoughts turning to Dani. She would like something like this, he was sure of it. It wasn¡¯t like the water of the sea or ocean, she¡¯d be able to see straight to the bottom. He focused his attention on the bracelet still bonded to his wrist, feeling her only faintly. Like the memory of an emotion felt long ago.

    ¡°What the hell am I doing?¡± He closed his eyes and relaxed in the tub, tearing his attention from the bracelet to more immediate matters: the guards of Astash, and the meeting with King Alastar.

 Chapter 43 - Dani

    What was she doing? No- strike that, what was she going to do? How did it all get so crazy? Dani paced the street just outside Raycor¡¯s house, anxiety manifesting itself as restless energy.

    She was a lady now! A legitimate lady, recognized by the King and Queen!

    She was married to a prince, even if it wasn¡¯t exactly official.

    Oh, and she was expected to figure out how to make Rats Nest habitable and deal with its people! All the thieves, whores, and poor folk were sure to love her for that!

    ¡°I need a drink.¡± Dani said, stopping dead in her tracks for a moment, staring blankly into the growing darkness.

    She could even afford a drink for a change! Apparently being a Lady with a capital L came with getting paid somehow. She hadn¡¯t even done anything yet and she had already gotten a sack full of gold! She had promptly hidden it under one of the bricks underneath Raycor¡¯s house, only keeping out a single gold coin. And even that made her nervous! In Rats Nest most things you bought in copper, maybe silver if you were buying something expensive like a whole boar or cow. They didn¡¯t often see gold down here. Why would they?

    Dani ran a hand through her hair, the bracelet that bound her to Wulfram catching her eye. It had all started to go crazy when she met him.

    She wanted to blame him. But she knew it all led back to her making a choice. A choice that should have gotten her killed or arrested at the very least, but somehow made her a Lady. ¡°This is crazy.¡±

    She turned away from Raycor¡¯s, striding down the street towards the Old Trout. Maybe she would find Gull and the others there. She doubted they would know what to do but maybe they would stop being asses long enough to let her relax. She still remembered how they had acted last time, but she needed someone she could talk to about this.

    Gull seemed the most likely to have some insight, but she worked for the thieves guild. Shem would listen but wouldn¡¯t understand, and Gene... well, who the hell knew what Gene would say? He was always an odd ball, but h had more worldy experience than any of them. Most of their group had stayed in the city, but he had set out to parts unknown, even before hopping on a ship and sailing out to sea.

    She watched the shadows as she wound her way through Rats Nest, wary of any shadow that looked darker than the others, or any skittering of movement that she couldn¡¯t identify. It was simpler when she was dressed like a boy. It wasn¡¯t that the clothes fooled anyone that really looked, but it was better than walking around with a dress. That just felt like she had put a big target on her head.

    And then there was that gold coin, weighing heavy in her coin pouch.

    What was she going to do when word started really getting around about what she was? She could be putting Reshi, Raycor, Azra and Therija in danger! Already Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s shop had reaped benefits from her presence, and word was getting around the nobles and merchants.

    ¡°Bloody hell.¡± She muttered, trying to quell the panic that wanted to rise inside her.

    ¡°Better than a bloody life.¡± One of the shadows separated from the rest, a glint of steel catching the light of a nearby lantern.

    Dani froze, her heart trying its damnedest to leap out of her body. She reached for the blade Reshi had given her to hide in her bust, but froze when she saw who it was.

    ¡°Ya shouldn¡¯t be walkin¡¯ alone this late at night.¡± Gull said softly, almost indistinguishable from the shadows with her dark skin and darker hair. The steel blade she slid back into its sheath, but her eyes still scanned the street. ¡°Ain¡¯t safe.¡±

    ¡°It ain¡¯t that late. And it ain¡¯t the first time I went walking this time of night, or later.¡± Dani put a hand to her chest though, trying to calm the racing of her heart. ¡°Ya scared the shit out of me.¡±

    ¡°Good. Come with me, we gotta talk an¡¯ I don¡¯t want folks ta hear.¡± Gull stepped back into the shadows, and Dani followed, uneasy in spite of her trust of Gull. Why the hell had her dagger been out if she hadn¡¯t planned on using it?

    ¡°You jumping folks at night now?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, if need be.¡± Gull shrugged and flashed her a smile that gleamed in the moonlight. ¡°We all do things we need ta do. I think yer finally beginning to realize that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dani¡¯s shoulders slumped as she followed Gull through the winding streets to an old, crumbling building. They climbed over the rubble and into the room below.

    ¡°Can ya give us some light? We¡¯ll go further in.¡± Gull looked up at the entrance, her hand lingering on her blade.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Dani shrugged slightly and knelt down. The ground was covered in rocks and bricks, and she picked the first fist sized one she landed upon. It was a bit easier this time to channel magic into it than it had been when she had made the glowstone for herself and Wulfram. Perhaps because she had been eating so well lately.

    Whatever the reason, the soft blue glow of her magic filled the cellar. Gull nodded and led her to a dark tunnel leading deeper down. Although she was a couple years older than Dani, she didn¡¯t know as many tunnels as Dani did. But the ones she did know were always useful. Probably ones the thieves guild used. ¡°Where are we headed?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Just somewhere private.¡± Gull said and ducked under a low beam. ¡°Won¡¯t be getting as much use of these tunnels soon I¡¯d wager.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t one of the ones I told the royals about, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡± Dani hadn¡¯t even told Alodia about this one. Mostly because she hadn¡¯t known about it.

    ¡°I know. Down here.¡± She ducked down a set of stairs that creaked and groaned under their weight.

    Up ahead, warm light spilled into a dilapidated hallway, rotting pictures still hanging on the wall. She had to remember that often times their cellars used to be upper rooms of peoples houses. Dani paused to look at the serious faces in the portraits, not recognizing a single one. Perhaps they had all died in the landslide.

    Or maybe they had gotten away, moved somewhere else.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t gone that deep.¡± Dani said, glancing back the way they came.

    ¡°Don¡¯t have ta. Just need ta be somewhere people ain¡¯t gunna overhear us talking. Ain¡¯t that right, Shem?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Dani froze in the doorway, staring at her group of friends, all arranged on different pieces of busted up furniture or sacks of old beans. Shem flashed her a smile, and offered Dani a bottle. ¡°C¡¯mon, we got cheap booze and day old cookies.¡±

    A bit of the tension left Dani, and she took the bottle. ¡°Thank the gods. I could use both right about now.¡±

    ¡°Figured you would after your day.¡± Gull smiled and sat down on a decaying sack. ¡°I know ya got yer official Ladyship today.¡±

    ¡°Oh gods please don¡¯t remind me.¡± Dani set her glowstone in the little cluster in the center of the room, and sat on the floor. Dust and dirt be damned, she needed to sit for a while.

    ¡°Lady of Rats Nest, sounds pretty nice to me.¡± Gene said with a wide grin, raising his own bottle in a toast. ¡°To the Lady of Rats Nest!¡±

    Her friends repeated the toast, each raising their bottles or mugs. Dani¡¯s face turned red, and they broke out into laughter.

    ¡°We know it¡¯s a lot, but we ain¡¯t gunna leave ya to do it on yer own.¡± Gull said firmly.

    ¡°This be our ¡®ome too.¡± Ervel leaned forward, his thick muscles straining against soot-stained clothes. He had likely spent all day in the smithy, and she was surprised that he wasn¡¯t at Raycor¡¯s right now, or on a date with Therija. ¡°Them nobles want ta come in an¡¯ take it back, we ain¡¯t gun¡¯ let ¡®em.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re going to help you. Figure it¡¯s the best thing to happen, one of our own getting appointed Lady of Rats Nest. Even if she is more a mouse than a rat.¡± Gene reached over to pinch Dani¡¯s cheek. She ducked away, swatting at his hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start that. I got enough of that from Wulfram.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, we never did get to hear much about him from you. Is he a good kisser?¡± Gene ruffled her hair instead.

    ¡°How did you- wait, there¡¯s no way you would know about that!¡± Shit, why did she have to open her mouth? Now they had confirmation!

    ¡°But now we do.¡± Gull shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips. ¡°He ain¡¯t gunna marry ya, ya know. Lady or not, ya come from poor stock.¡±

    ¡°Uhm... actually....¡± Dani¡¯s heart wanted to beat its way right out of her chest. She rested a hand on the bracelet. ¡°What if I said we already was? Unofficial-like?¡±

    Silence fell on the group, all eyes pinned on Dani. Gull leaned forward to grip her shoulders. ¡°Unofficial-like doesn¡¯t mean a thing. Until it¡¯s official, he can say whatever he wants, an¡¯ leave ya in the dirt. It¡¯s what they do ta folks like us.¡±

    ¡°Right, of course. But what if it was magic? What if it was, ya know, magically enforced?¡± She held up her wrist, the sleeve falling away from the bracelet. She knew she was in way over her head, she needed her friends in on this so she could talk to someone, anyone about this. Reshi was just dead set against it, Mrs. Haversaun seemed to be all for it, but she needed people that really understood her to talk to.

    ¡°Shit.¡± Ceria leaned forward, her mage robes hiding her shapely figure. ¡°Is that the Ancestral Crown?¡±

    ¡°Half of it.¡± Dani stared at it, her gut a knot of different emotions. She had started getting used to the bracelet being there. There was a constant sense of someone else through it, or Wulfram through it. She swore she could almost hear him some nights. And the less said about her dreams on the matter the better! That kiss still lingered in her mind, even though it had been nearly a week ago.

    ¡°Shit.¡± Ceria repeated.

    ¡°What does it mean Ceria? What do you know about it?¡± Gull released Dani so she could closely study the bracelet.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Ancestral Crown, not much. But Archmage Balariz and his assistant have been pulling books on old magics, as well as old artifacts made around what we believe is the same time period all week. There are some old records of it being used as marriage tokens, since it splits into two like you see here. But to be honest, we don¡¯t really know. It predates the kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was made for one of the first Kings and his wife.¡± One of Gene¡¯s eyebrows rose, and he scooted just a touch closer to get a better look. ¡°Damn, you could sell this for some nice money!¡±

    ¡°If I could get it off.¡± Dani shook her head. Great, they were all so interested in the damn bracelet now. She took a gulp of her beer, shuddering at the taste but drinking it anyways. Shem was right, it was cheap booze.

    ¡°Most people are told that, but it came from the people here before Cresenvasht was even made. Back when the Seagraes people lived here.¡± Ceria said.

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting a¡¯ight, but what are we gonna do ¡®bout it? If it¡¯s binding her ta the prince that¡¯s a problem, ain¡¯t it?¡± Ervel said, his voice a low growl that reminded Dani of Reshi.

    ¡°Not necessarily. It doesn¡¯t seem to be having any ill effects.¡± Ceria shrugged and reached for another of the bottles. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can find out, but it sounds like we have more immediate concerns.¡±

    ¡°The Rats Nest, and the nobles.¡± Gull said, then after a moments hesitation added. ¡°And potentially the thieves guild.¡±

    ¡°Why the thieves guild? Aren¡¯t you one of them?¡± Dani¡¯s head came up, and she remembered the dagger Gull had been holding when she stepped out of the shadows. Fawn had said that she was who they sent for people that showed promise. What if she no longer showed promise?

    ¡°They may not like the changes ya gonna make to Rats Nest. We gotta be careful of ¡®em. I don¡¯t think Alodia would send someone after ya, but there are others in the leadership ain¡¯t too keen on a Lady of Rats Nest. We been on our own too long fer them ta like the idea.¡±

    ¡°So I have to watch out for them, the guards, and whoever else might have a beef with me.¡± Dani let out a groan. This beer was not strong enough for these problems! She took a deep drink anyways. Perhaps if she drank enough things would magically be solved.

    ¡°Aye. But that¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡± Gene leaned over to wrap an arm around Dani, giving her a tight squeeze. ¡°We¡¯re your damn honor guard!¡±

    ¡°One of us will keep an eye on you throughout the day and then another at night.¡± Gull released Dani¡¯s hand and settled back down onto her sack. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure no one tries to mug ya, an¡¯ get help if we need ta. And don¡¯t try to argue, there was someone tailing ya tonight already.¡±

    Dani¡¯s face paled, and she clutched her bottle a bit tighter. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anyone.¡±

    ¡°They were good, but I¡¯m better.¡± Gull smirked and took a drink from her own bottle. ¡°We¡¯ll keep ya safe Dani, ain¡¯t nothing ta worry about.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Wulfram

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, your highness.¡± Gryff said as the pair saddled their horses the next day. Verrick had already finished his and gone to scout ahead, while Owen and Harvick were double checking the tack on their own horses. ¡°We¡¯ve already checked on the guards here, and they know we¡¯ll be coming back this way. I¡¯ve drafted a letter to Captain Jarvon detailing the misconduct, grievances and needs of the guard outpost here. We¡¯ve dealt with a large portion of the bandits ourselves, and should be just in time to meet with King Alastar.¡±

    ¡°Barely. If we don¡¯t get stopped by another group of bandits.¡± Wulfram stroked his horses nose. The night in the dry and warmth had done them all some good. Who knew what the next few days would hold for them.

    ¡°We won¡¯t get stopped by another group of bandits.¡± Ben strode out of the inn, having dealt with the payment. ¡°You¡¯re worrying too much Wulfram.¡±

    ¡°I am worrying exactly the right amount. Three attacks in four days is far too many to be brushed aside. Are we set to go?¡±

    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Ben patted Wulfram on the back. ¡°Hopefully King Alastar and his group will want to stop by here on our way back into the kingdom. They¡¯re going to have a festival next week and I think a bit of rest and relaxation would do everyone some good. Maybe even get you to forget about a certain little mouse for a while.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t start.¡± Wulfram climbed onto his horse, pinning Ben with a glare. It was bad enough he dreamt of her last night, he didn¡¯t want to hear teasing about her today. It had been an odd dream too, she was in the underground, he was sure about it. But there had been other people there, drinking and laughing.

    ¡°Did you not sleep well last night?¡± Ben chuckled and mounted his own horse, the rest of the group following suit.

    ¡°Not very, no.¡± Wulfram sighed and ran a hand across his face. There was no sense denying it, but he wasn¡¯t going to tolerate being teased about it either. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving. We don¡¯t have time to waste.¡±

    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Ben said. The group fell into formation around Wulfram, and they started off at a trot out of the small trade town. They were less than a day away from their rendezvous point but would still have to ride hard to get there on time. But it left Wulfram with time to think.

    By now Dani would be officially a Lady. He hoped that she would stay at the palace where there were people to help her, protect her, and guide her in her new duties. But somehow he doubted she would take that path.

    She didn¡¯t seem likely to take the easy way when there was one that was hard and dangerous. He doubted she even knew the danger she could be in as a Lady in the Tangle. It wasn¡¯t a safe place for normal women, let alone nobles.

    Ben rode up beside Wulf, their horses neck and neck. ¡°Wulfram, will you tell me what¡¯s bothering you? Is it just those guards?¡±

    ¡°Those guards are part of it. And,¡± Wulfram paused, glancing down at the bracelet around his wrist. He didn¡¯t bother hiding it out here on the road, no one was likely to know what it was anyways. Not anyone who didn¡¯t already know about it anyways. ¡°And I¡¯m worried about Dani. I keep hoping she¡¯ll have decided to stay at the palace but I have a feeling that she didn¡¯t. She¡¯s going to get herself killed if she isn¡¯t careful.¡±

    ¡°I thought it might be something to do with her.¡± Ben said and rolled his eyes. ¡°You should have just bedded her before we left.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to.¡± Wulfram admitted. ¡°But the timing wasn¡¯t right.¡±

    ¡°The timing is always right for that type of activity.¡± Ben laughed ¡°But I understand. Will you do it after we get back?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Wulfram couldn¡¯t help but smile, a bit of the bad mood melting away. ¡°What do you think of her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen her a couple of times. But she¡¯s quite pretty.¡± Ben shrugged, gazing out across the farm fields, smiling as his eyes landed on a farm girl leading her ship through the tall grasses. ¡°Maybe you need another woman to get your mind off her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Wulfram said firmly. ¡°I need to get us to our rendezvous point and get this mission underway. With any luck it won¡¯t take long for them to decide that there¡¯s no way their princess survived the attack. Or I suppose if we¡¯re lucky, to find her.¡±

    ¡°If we find her the arranged marriage will likely be back on. Maybe that farm girl back there is their lost princess for all we know.¡±

    ¡°That farm girl had bright red hair Ben.¡± Wulfram shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s supposed to be King Alastar¡¯s twin, he has brown hair.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she dyed it. I heard women do that sometimes.¡± Ben said.

    ¡°Ben?¡± Wulfram looked at his friend, his gaze serious. ¡°Shut up.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Ben chuckled as he let his horse fall back behind Wulfram again.

    Wulfram sighed and looked back ahead of them at the long stretch of road. The link was so faint, but he could almost feel her laughing at him through it.

    Maybe he really did need something to keep his mind off her for a while. Unfortunately, the road gave him little distraction on the way to the border, the day wearing on as the sun made its way across the sky. At least it was a clear day today, that was lucky.

    It was nearing evening when they reached the border and the camps set nestled in the mountain pass. The two sides were barely a stones throw apart, King Alastar¡¯s tent looming on the hard earth of the mountain, hung with the coat of arms that signified a united Hesiodos, the dragon of the clan Hesiodos looming over the four quadrants that symbolized the other major clans.

    Captain Jarven stepped out of his own tent, located near the cave that the soldiers had turned into something of a recreational area and storeroom. It kept supplies dry and cool, and gave them a place to gather away from Hesiodos eyes. ¡°Your Highness, welcome to the main border camp.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Captain Jarven.¡± Wulfram climbed off his horse, letting one of the soldiers take it to be watered and fed. ¡°What news do you have?¡±

    ¡°King Alastar has claimed two of his wives, we believe one from the Nyadvi clan, and another from the Nemersh clan. Those would be the magic users and trade clan. He has yet to take one from the Guarivan clan, and there is some debate whether he will take one from the Arletur clan, both of which would be the main warrior clans. He may even take some from the lesser clans if rumors are true. He¡¯s trying to unite them all under Hesiodos permanently.¡± Captain Jarven fell into step beside Wulfram, and offered him a canteen of water. ¡°Will you be going there immediately?¡±

    ¡°We will be meeting with them immediately, yes. I anticipate us leaving in the morning assuming that the Hesiodos contingent is ready.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even want to rest for a few days?¡± Captain Jarven¡¯s eyebrows rose.

    ¡°No. Also, Gryff has a report for you on the guards of Astash, they will need four additional men sent to them. We¡¯ll replenish your troops with men from the capital. I want you to send men that have done good work here to help whip those guards back into shape.¡± Wulfram paused at the edge of the camp, staring out over the small scattering of Hesiodos tents. He toyed with the horn at his belt for a moment. What would King Alastar be like?

    ¡°Yes your highness, of course.¡± Captain Jarven stopped beside him, then took a careful step back.

    Wulfram nodded in approval, he was not who King Alastar needed to see. Owen, Gryff, Ben, Harvick and Verrick spread out behind him, standing at attention as Wulfram raised his horn to his lips, blowing out a long, mournful sound that rolled off the mountains around them, echoing in the valley where the two camps sat.

    The flaps to King Alastar¡¯s tent opened, and a behemoth of a man stepped out, his long brown hair let loose to fall around his face like the mane of a lion. A simple crown sat on his head, made of sturdy iron that lay dark against his fair skin. Five more people stepped out behind him, taking up positions in mirror to Wulfram¡¯s own people: three women and two men.

    He knew that in Hesiodos women could be warriors just as easily as men, but it was still shocking to see them with their painted faces and leather armor. The white haired male must be their shaman, which left the whip-thin man to one side, and a broad shouldered woman to the other to be Alastar¡¯s advisor and tracker.

    Wulfram lowered his horn, watching the group, waiting for their signal. Alastar simply raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

    Overhead, thunder growled through the clear sky, and lightening flashed. Ben let out a sigh, muttering under his breath. ¡°Show off.¡±

    Wulfram nodded but didn¡¯t comment back. He knew full well that Alastar had a horn as well, he didn¡¯t have to show off his magic. Especially when they were meeting peacefully.

    For a moment he toyed with the idea of having Harvick do something with his magic, but dismissed it. He wasn¡¯t about to have a pissing contest with the King of Hesiodos. It was just a play to impress or intimidate them, when it was Hesiodos that needed them to help find their lost princess. Meeting eyes with Alastsar across the field, Wulfram gave a slight nod, and both parties started moving.

    Alastar had the longer stride, but they still managed to meet in the middle at exactly the same time. Equal distances from each camp, equal members in their parties, and not quite equal rank.

    That last couldn¡¯t be helped, King Cynewulf was well past his days of travel. Wulfram looked up at the giant of a man, nearly twice as wide as he was, with muscles the size of his thigh. He had to admit, the man cut an imposing figure.

    Alastar smirked slightly beneath his beard, meeting Wulfram¡¯s eyes with his own pale blue ones. ¡°Fair greetings Prince Wulfram of Cresenvasht.¡±

    ¡°Fair greetings King Alastar of Hesiodos. Or do you prefer High Chief?¡±

    ¡°I am equally fond of neither. But if necessary you may call me King. It is near enough to High Chief as to make no difference.¡± Alastar looked over Wulfram¡¯s party, all male, somehow lined up to what had to be their counterparts. The two women stood across from Gryff and Owen. The young man with white hair stood across from Harvick, the whip thin man stood across from Verrick, and the last woman stood across from Ben. Perhaps some Hesiodos magic? But then, how did Wulfram get the feeling that they were lined up like that?

    Bah, it could just be luck!

    ¡°Then King it will be. I doubt we will be easily missed as we travel.¡± Wulfram smiled faintly, looking over their group once more. No, there would be no hiding the Hesiodos group with their leather and furs, and their women with swords strapped to their waists like any other warrior.

    ¡°No, no I doubt we will.¡± Alastar laughed, a deep rumbling sound like the thunder he had summoned in greeting. ¡°Let us have a feast this night to get to know one another, since we may be traveling together for some time. My people shall provide the meat, if yours provides the drinks?¡±

    ¡°I believe we can manage that. Let¡¯s set up a firepit between our two camps. It is time and past that we had pleasant conversation. Unless of course you¡¯re afraid to get your hands dirty?¡± The barb was a gamble, softened with a smile. Wulfram only prayed that it wouldn¡¯t backfire on him.

    The woman standing directly behind the king stiffened, her sharp grey eyes narrowing at Wulfram. But Alastar simply laughed again, and reached a large hand out to Wulfram. ¡°Not unless you are, young prince.¡±

    Wulfram¡¯s smile grew into a grin, taking the Kings wrist in a warriors greeting. ¡°Not at all, your highness. Not at all.¡±

 Chapter 45 - Dani

    Dani and her friends chatted and drank well into the night. It was a welcome slice of normalcy in what had quickly become a crazy life, and Dani wouldn¡¯t trade it for the world.

    She would, however, gladly trade the resulting hangover.

    The light pierced her eyes and made her stomach turn as she walked with Reshi to Mrs. Haversauns. Her stomach was empty, but she still felt like she wanted to throw up. Why had she drunken so much of that rot gut last night? For that matter, where had her tolerance for drink gone?

    ¡°Here.¡± Reshi shoved a steaming mug of something into her hands, and she blinked out of her daze.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She asked, sniffing at the liquid. It smelled like chocolate and something else she couldn¡¯t quite place. Cautious, she took a sip, the hot liquid burning its way across her tongue and down her throat. It landed in her stomach, immediately starting to settle the nausea that had been bothering her since last night.

    ¡°The vendor called it Coffee. It ain¡¯t bad, an¡¯ looks like ya need it. Out too late partyin¡¯.¡± Reshi¡¯s voice was disapproving, but she thought she saw the faintest smile cross his face. He had had his fair share of late nights and miserable mornings too.

    ¡°Coffee? It tastes a bit like chocolate.¡± She took another drink, and let out a soft sigh as aching muscles started to loosen.

    ¡°Said it had chocolate in it.¡± Reshi started to walk again, holding his own steaming mug.

    They walked in silence down Trade Road, both sipping at their coffee as the market started to wake up for the day. Dani looked up at the long shadows cast by Widow¡¯s cliff, fighting the rising sun for supremacy over Rats Nest. Birds and Sky Scraw flew overhead or scurried by on rooftops, and down one street children played with an old leather ball. Remnants of old towers and mansions jutted up out of the rubble of Rats Nest. A few odd dwellings still remained on the cliff face, carved out of the very stone that had come tumbling down years ago to bury Rats Nest. They had long since been taken over by the poor. But they were no less beautiful, laundry swaying in the gentle breeze adding color to the stone city, and tiny gardens grew in what had once been a disaster area.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever realized how beautiful Rats Nest is.¡± Dani said.

    Reshi snorted, looking over the city with a critical eye. ¡°I s¡¯pose.¡± His gaze lingered on a pile of trash stacked up in the alley way they passed. He raised an eyebrow and looked back at Dani. ¡°If ya look really hard.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to look that hard.¡± Dani shrugged and took another drink of the coffee. It probably wouldn¡¯t do any good talking to him about it, Reshi was a practical man. But something in her still wanted him to understand. ¡°You just gotta look at what people have built out of the rubble. It could have just been left to rot, but we didn¡¯t let it. People like you and Raycor built homes and shops in it.¡±

    ¡°Ya still drunk? We did what we had ta do. Weren¡¯t nowhere else ta go. An¡¯ now there¡¯s talk ¡®bout it getting dug up by the mages.¡± Reshi nodded towards a group of mages that were walking towards Rats Nest, talking amongst themselves and gesturing at a map.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to dig up some of it I think. But I¡¯m not going to let them just dig up peoples homes and shops.¡± Dani said. She remembered the talk last night, most of it anyways. They had been working on plans for Rats Nest, where the mages could dig, where buildings just needed to be repaired or reinforced. The others had had more ideas than she had. She hadn¡¯t known what to do, what to ask the nobles for as they worked on Rats Nest and the tunnels.

    ¡°Ya won¡¯t let ¡®em?¡± Reshi laughed and slapped her back. ¡°An¡¯ who are ya ta not let ¡®em?¡±

    Oh right, she hadn¡¯t told him about the meeting at the palace yesterday. Shit.

    She looked around, the nausea returning as she thought of telling him. Reshi would probably think it¡¯s stupid. He¡¯d probably be upset about it somehow. But it wasn¡¯t like he wouldn¡¯t find out eventually. She was going to be talking with a lot of high ranked people soon. They were going to be crawling all over Rats Nest, digging and rebuilding and gods only knew what else. She took a drink of the coffee, the hot liquid settling like lead in her stomach as she tried to think of the best way to tell Reshi about the situation.

    ¡°Uhm....¡±

    ¡°Ya ain¡¯t got much ta say ta that, do ya?¡± Reshi smirked and shook his head. ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ we can do ¡®bout what the nobles want.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m- I....¡± Her hand started to shake, and she downed the last of her coffee like it was hard liqour. It seared its way down her throat to join the rest, roiling in her stomach. Gods that had been a mistake.

    ¡°Yer what? Is this ¡®bout that damn bracelet?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing like that. I- I was summoned to the palace yesterday.¡± Why was this so damn hard?

    ¡°What?¡± Reshi stopped in his tracks, his face suddenly hard and serious. ¡°What¡¯d they want? Ya a¡¯ight?¡±

    ¡°They- they wanted to- they gave me a title. I¡¯m- well I¡¯m a legit Lady now. Of Rats Nest. Lady Rats Nest.¡± She clutched the empty mug, staring down into its dark depths.

    The silence drew out so long that she wasn¡¯t sure if Reshi was going to say anything at all. Maybe he hadn¡¯t quite heard, or maybe he thought it was a joke. She glanced up at him, and took an involuntary step back.

    He didn¡¯t look mad. He was pale as a ghost, his eyes pinned on her. When he finally spoke his voice was soft and serious. ¡°Ya ain¡¯t jokin¡¯. Are ya?¡±

    ¡°N-no. Why would I joke about that? Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re leavin¡¯.¡± Reshi started to stride back towards the house, grabbing Dani by the arm and pulling her along.

    ¡°Leaving? Leaving where?¡± Dani yelped as she stumbled after him, nearly dropping the mug in her haste to keep up.

    ¡°The city. It ain¡¯t safe no more.¡± Reshi said. His gaze was constantly moving, watching the people they passed by, as if he expected someone to jump them at any moment.

    ¡°They offered me a place at the palace, if you think that would be safer?¡± What had gotten into him?

    ¡°Ya ¡®onestly think ye¡¯d be safe in there? We still don¡¯t know who-¡± He cut himself off and shook his head. ¡°Nah. We¡¯re leavin¡¯ the city.¡±

    ¡°Reshi I don¡¯t want to leave the city!¡± She tried to pull Reshi to a stop. ¡°I can finally do something good here, you didn¡¯t want me stealing anymore, now there¡¯s something I can do to help everybody!¡±

    ¡°Not at the cost of yer life!¡± Reshi spun around, gripping her by both shoulders and giving her a shake. ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna let ya throw yer life away. Can ya not fight me on this one thing?¡±

    ¡°Reshi....¡± She stared at him, her heart pounding. She had never seen him look scared before. She hadn¡¯t thought that he could get scared.

    It terrified her.

    ¡°Okay.¡± She said softly. ¡°Okay, but ya have to tell me why.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya. I¡¯ll tell ya everythin¡¯. But first we need ta pack. C¡¯mon.¡± He started walking again, hurrying but not quite running. Dani fell into step beside him, hoping Mrs. Haversaun wouldn¡¯t be upset that she was missing yet another day of work.

 Chapter 46 - Wulfram

    It quickly became clear to Wulfram that Alastar was significantly stronger than he was. The man swung an axe like it was nothing, each swing taking off huge chunks of wood before it fell with a mighty thud that shook the ground. It took nearly twice as long for Wulfram to cut down his own tree, muscles complaining as he pushed himself in an attempt to match Alastar¡¯s strength. But the man was simply bigger and stronger. Perhaps there was truth in the rumors that the people of Hesiodos were descended from a mating of dragons and humans.

    Alastar had a slight smirk on his face as their groups started to strip the trees of their branches. It would be far more than they needed for the night, but they weren¡¯t just leaving the border undefended. The camps on either side could both use the wood.

    Still, he didn¡¯t have to look so smug. Wulfram wiped sweat off his brow and leaned on his axe as he looked at Alastar. ¡°I see the rumors of your strength aren¡¯t exaggerated.¡±

    ¡°I see yours are.¡± Alastar grinned toothily at Wulfram.

    Wulfram¡¯s smile froze on his face for a moment, and he could feel one of his eyes twitch slightly. The smug bastard. ¡°Well, not all of us can spend our time cutting down trees. There are other skills that must be honed just as much as strength.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And what skills are as important as being strong?¡±

    ¡°Diplomacy, for one.¡± Wulfram straightened, lifting his axe and setting it on his shoulders. ¡°It keeps us from doing things like insulting a man''s strength. Or mentioning the rumors that one''s ancestors laid with beasts.¡±

    Alastar¡¯s smile faded slightly, twisting into a snarl. ¡°Are you implying something, little prince?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I was merely providing examples of what a good education in diplomacy would help a person avoid.¡± Wulfram gave Alastar his own toothy grin.

    The larger man scowled down at Wulfram, blue eyes narrowing slightly. But the scowl slowly relaxed into a more assessing look. Alastar nodded slightly, letting out a snort. ¡°Examples.¡± He shouldered his own axe and headed to help the men cut the tree into firewood and kindling.

    Wulfram remained where he stood for another moment. He let out a slow breath, urging his heart to beat a little slower and the tension to ease from his muscles. He had half expected Alastar to swing at him, he had danced dangerously close to the line with the comment about laying with beasts. But he had to wonder if it was true, given the size and strength of the man. He looked over the Hesiodos group, men and women. They were all strong, but that wasn¡¯t unexpected given the way their people lived. But many of them were larger than normal, head and shoulders above the tallest of Wulfram¡¯s men. Even some of their women were large. He watched as one swung her axe, cleaving a branch off in one solid stroke.

    How much truth was there to those rumors? And how could he find out without getting himself killed or causing a war? Wulfram shook his head and strode over to the tree to help. There were bigger concerns than whether they were really descended from humans and dragons.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    But he couldn¡¯t help being curious.

    By the time they were done cutting up the trees, someone had already started a warm fire and set a boar over it to roast. Wulfram looked around the camp, sensing the underlying tension in his men. They had been at odds with Hesiodos for a long time, and that was going to take time to fix.

    How could he speed the process along? Wulfram frowned in thought and then smirked. How else? A bit of liquor and song could go a long way towards making friends. He caught Ben¡¯s eye and waved him over.

    ¡°Ben, see about getting us some whiskey, would you? And if anyone plays an instrument. We¡¯re going to have a little bit of a party tonight before we get on the road.¡±

    Ben¡¯s face broke into a grin, and he nodded. ¡°I know there¡¯s some that play instruments, I¡¯ll see what I can do about gathering them up. Perhaps our guests will have some that can play as well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask. Nothing brings people together quite as well as music and drink.¡±

    ¡°And sex.¡± Ben laughed and headed off towards the main camp.

    Wulfram shook his head, smirking faintly. He had to admit that some of the Hesiodos women were beautiful, but he had his eyes set on someone a little scrawnier and less likely to break him in half.

    ¡°Damn.¡± He whispered, lightly touching the bracelet that was their shared connection. How could he be such a fool?

    With another shake of his head, he resolutely turned his mind from Dani, focusing on more immediate concerns.

    Alastar wasn¡¯t hard to find, large even to his own people¡¯s standards. He stood bent over the woman with grey eyes, and a man with long blonde hair braided with bones and crystals. They were looking at some kind of scroll, a compass of deep red magic floating above it with two arrows, a large one, and a faint one.

    Blood magic. His stomach turned, and he hesitated a moment before striding forward with a smile plastered on his face.

    Blood magic, necromancy, desecration of the dead, they all turned his stomach. And there were still issues in the Tangle that needed to be addressed along those lines. Hopefully progress was being made already. For now, he had to face the blood magic of the Hesiodos with a smiling face and a gesture of peace and friendship.

    ¡°King Alastar, may I have a moment of your time?¡±

    Alastar looked up at Wulfram, a thoughtful expression on his face. The shaman cut his hand through the compass, and it fell in droplets of blood back onto the skin they held between them.

    Wulfram felt a chill run up his spine, but he cleared his throat. ¡°We are preparing drink and music for this evening. I was wondering if you had some musically inclined people in your party that may wish to contribute their talents to the entertainment.¡±

    Alastar straightened to his full height, rolling up the skin and tucking it into his belt. ¡°There are many who are musical in the clans of Hesiodos. We will add our skills to that of your people. Was musical training part of the skills you focused on that was not strength?¡±

    ¡°It was, but I am not ashamed to admit I have no talent for making music myself. Was it part of your education?¡± Wulfram had to fight to keep his smile in place at the admission. He would like to beat the Hesiodos man in something, but knew full well music would not be it. There wasn¡¯t even a point in pretending.

    ¡°One of my Mothers taught me to drum. I will teach you.¡± Alastar grinned, blue eyes sparkling with mirth.

    Gods above he couldn¡¯t be serious. Drumming like some primitive? He shook the bias away and nodded. ¡°I would be pleased to learn, thank you. We do not often drum on things in Cresenvasht.¡±

    ¡°Then this will be a good thing for you to experience.¡± Alastar clapped Wulfram on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him.

    ¡°I can hardly wait.¡± Wulfram tried to channel some sincerity into his voice, forcing a smile.

 Chapter 46.5 - Alastar

    Alastar¡¯s body glistened with sweat as he hammered the large drum with two equally large sticks. The smaller prince trying his best to mirror his movements. The man had the proper spirit, that was for certain, but he lacked the size and strength to bring the full sound from the drums.

    Not surprising, and not something Alastar would hold against him. The drums were made for his people, not Wulfram¡¯s. And Alastar was certain now that there were at least some rumors in Cresenvasht that the people of Hesiodos weren¡¯t fully human. He grinned wolfishly, slamming his sticks against the drum to send the sound of thunder echoing through the valley, a final crescendo before the music ended.

    Wulfram was breathing heavily, his shirt discarded along with Alastar¡¯s. The prince might be smaller than the usual Hesiodos warrior, but he was still getting looks from the women. Alastar chuckled and let his sticks fall to the ground. ¡°You kept up well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Wulfram ran a hand through his hair, slick with sweat. He was breathing heavily, but the light of battle shone in his eyes. The drums had been good for him, they worked to awaken the warrior spirit. While the more mellow strings and pipes that Wulfram¡¯s people had brought awakened other things as they kicked up, filling the silence left by the drums.

    ¡°No thanks are needed. I only speak the truth. How is your side?¡± Alastar nodded at the fresh scar on Wulfram¡¯s torso. It looked like the prince had been stabbed through by something, the edges more jagged than he would expect from a sword.

    Wulfram¡¯s hand moved to the scar, and he let out a weary chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Sore,¡± He admitted. ¡°But fine.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a tale to go with it? All the best scars have tales.¡± Alastar fell into step beside the smaller man as they headed to the edge of the circle, where liquor and fresh meat awaited them. Aysia watched them approach, a large pitcher in her hands. Alastar suspected that the Cresenvasht prince would assume she was just here to serve them, but Alastar wanted to learn her opinion on the prince. Idun, his newest wife from the Nemersh clan was here for similar reasons. Nemersh was a trade clan though, and her duties would be to see what agreements they might be able to make for future trade. Things could not continue how they were.

    Wulfram laughed, taking one of the tankards that Idun held, letting Aysia fill it before taking a healthy drink. A sign of trust. ¡°Isn¡¯t there always a story to go with our scars? Some more embarrassing than others.¡±

    Alastar smiled and nodded, taking his own tankard. He drained it nearly as soon as Aysia filled it, and held it out for more. ¡°Sometimes those are the best stories. Tell me your embarrassing tale and I will tell you one of mine.¡±

    It would be interesting to see what the prince considered embarrassing. Alastar dropped into a sturdy chair covered in furs. He watched Wulfram settle into a matching one. Alastar was near enough to Wulfram¡¯s age that he shouldn¡¯t see him as a youth, but he couldn¡¯t help thinking of the prince as a boy. His spies had claimed he had seen some small skirmishes, and had defeated a few bands of bandits on his journey west. But that hardly made him a warrior. He needed to know more about the man before he could properly judge him. Especially if they were still going to wed Alastar¡¯s sister to him.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    If they could find her. The seeker spell had been saying strange things, things he didn¡¯t entirely trust.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Wulfram lounged back in the furs gratefully. Although he didn¡¯t fully relax, a sign in his favor. They were not quite allies, not yet. ¡°The story starts with a gutsy little thief, who has the most beautiful blue eyes.¡±

    Alastar¡¯s eyebrows raised, and he let out a chuckle. The marriage between his lost sister and the prince might have more snags in it than he had anticipated. But he knew that no matter how much the people of Cresenvasht said they were monogamous, many had lovers outside their marriages. ¡°Beautiful blue eyes, is it?¡±

    Wulfram¡¯s cheeks turned red, and Alastar had to fight not to laugh. The prince was embarrassed already! Poor lad.

    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t see the beauty of the women around you? Especially when they¡¯re brave.¡± Wulfram gestured to Alastar¡¯s wives. Aysia lowered her eyes, her own blush appearing.

    Idun merely raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I admire the beauty of many women.¡± Alastar grinned, and couldn¡¯t quite resist letting his gaze stray over Wulfram. ¡°And some men.¡± Really it was just too easy to make the prince squirm!

    Wulfram froze, stiffening more a moment, his smile frozen on his face. ¡°I see. But you wanted to hear my story, did you not?¡±

    Alastar hid his grin behind his tankard, lounging back once more. ¡°Of course, of course. Go on and tell us about your thief with the beautiful eyes.¡± With his reaction it couldn¡¯t be a male thief. A woman thief though? Even in Hesiodos a woman thief was a rare sight, most women had other skills they could depend on for money.

    ¡°This thief made the mistake of trying to steal my crown, right in the middle of my mothers parade! Crawled up onto a trellis stretched across the road, and snatched it right off my head.¡±

    Wulfram¡¯s posture relaxed slowly as he told the tale of the beautiful and brave thief who had stolen his crown and led him on a merry chase across the roofs of Aurum, the golden city and into the depths below. Even Trade City had basements and tunnels beneath it, but from what Alastar¡¯s spies claimed Aurum¡¯s depths were as complex as the city itself, stretching from the docks to the cliff that circled half the city.

    Alastar leaned forward as Wulfram touched on the tomb he believed to belong to the Seagraes people. The people of the sea, the first to bond with dragons, heart and soul. Back then it was rare for dragons to give up their natural forms to be with a human.

    Now it was a matter of survival for all but the strongest of dragons.

    ¡°The historians are excited about the tomb of course, and it is a fascinating piece of history for our people. But at the time we needed to get out of there. Luckily they had been looking for me. They found us, the healers saw to us both, and the thief disappeared into the city.¡± Wulfram smiled, looking down at the bracelet that circled one of his wrists. ¡°Of course I found her again. You¡¯ll get to meet her, if you accept our invitation to the ball in three weeks.¡±

    ¡°A ball?¡± Alastar snorted, thinking of the descriptions of balls he had heard. Stuffy events with slow music and dancing.

    ¡°Of course he will attend.¡± Alastar¡¯s head snapped up as Aysia spoke, her voice soft and sure.

    ¡°I will, will I?¡± He growled, meeting those calm grey eyes. His wives were meant to advise him, not decide for him.

    ¡°It is only what I have Seen, my King. You will be there, as will your sister.¡± There was such sincerity in Aysia¡¯s voice that it gave Alastar pause. But then she continued and he froze. ¡°As will the one who caused your Mothers death.¡±

 Chapter 47 - Dani

    ¡°Why do ya ¡®ave ta go?¡± Azra clung to Dani¡¯s legs, holding her in a vice-like grip as tears ran down her face.

    Dani had hoped that she wouldn¡¯t be home still. Normally Azra could be found at the bakery with Therija, but this was one of the rare days when she had stayed home with Raycor. She had caught the sniffles, and Therjia hadn¡¯t want her sneezing all over the baked goods. Dani ran a hand over Azra¡¯s curls, tears pricking at her own eyes. How the hell could she answer that when she didn¡¯t understand herself?

    ¡°It ain¡¯t safe fer us ta stay right now. Folks¡¯ll be lookin¡¯ fer Dani, an¡¯ we don¡¯t want ¡®em ta find her.¡± Reshi knelt down to look Azra in the eyes sternly. ¡°An¡¯ we don¡¯t want ¡®em comin¡¯ after all of ya ta get to her.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s gonna be lookin¡¯ fer her? We can hide her! She can hide under the bed!¡±

    Dani glanced at the bed, the corner of her mouth quirking up. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d fit.¡±

    ¡°Sure ya would!¡± Azra pulled away from Dani and rushed over to the bed. She pulled back the colorful bedspread that Najia had made once upon a time, and the thread-worn sheets, thin mattress and simple wooden slats until she revealed the space beneath the bed. But she didn¡¯t stop there, climbing between the remaining slats and starting to pull away the floorboards.

    ¡°Azra? What are you doing?¡± Dani stepped closer, watching in curiosity as the floorboards pulled away to reveal a set of stairs.

    ¡°Ya can hide down ¡®ere!¡± Azra stacked the floorboards aside, taking a moment to wipe her nose on her sleeve. She picked up a rock from the top stair, and held it out to Dani. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll show ya!¡±

    Dani looked at Reshi and shrugged slightly. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to look, and she wanted to know what was beneath their home. She wasn¡¯t surprised that there was something beneath them, they were high enough up in the Rats Nest that their house was in the upper floor of one of the old buildings. But she was surprised that she had never found it herself.

    Reshi glanced out the window at the brightening city and lightly touched the hunting knife at his side. ¡°Azra....¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show ya!¡± Azra reached over to grab Reshi¡¯s hand, her eyes pleading, her lower lip trembling. ¡°Please Reshi!¡±

    He let out a sigh. ¡°Fine. But best be quick.¡±

    Azra brightened, and she turned her expectant gaze on Dani.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what¡¯s beneath our little home.¡± Dani focused on the rock in her hand, staring at it as she pictured her energy flowing into it, filling it from the inside out until the opaque stone could no longer hold the light of her magic and it spilled out into the room around them. A wave of dizziness washed over her, a faint headache forming just behind her eyes. She really needed to get something other than rocks to light up, they took so much energy that it was exhausting. Or maybe she was just weak.

    Dani pushed aside that last thought and offered a smile to Azra. ¡°There, lead the way. But be careful.¡±

    Azra took the glowing stone, starting down the spiraling stone stairs and into the gloom below. Dani stepped over the bedframe, following her down beneath their home, Reshi at her back.

    The stairs spiraled tightly around a simple stone pillar, and Dani could see where Azra had pushed aside debris here and there. The remnants of deep red carpeting edged with gold still lined the stairs, nibbled at here and there by critters in the dark.

    A few turns down a skeleton lay along the edge of the steps, its ribcage crushed from falling debris. A few stones still lay on it, and someone, probably Azra, had placed some wilted flowers on it. Azra paused, looking seriously up at Reshi and Dani. ¡°This is Flora. She guards the stairs. Ya gotta offer her somethin¡¯ or she won¡¯t like ya.¡±

    Dani looked at the skeleton with a frown. It wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t seen plenty of skeletons, but her last experience with them made her hesitate before dismissing Azra¡¯s claim. The skeletons clothes were nearly all rotted away, but there were still remnants of a dress and strands of long black hair. Dani fished in her pocket until she pulled out a simple little fabric flower she had made. One of hundreds that were going to adorn a dress for the ball in a few weeks. She had forgotten it and a few others in her pocket yesterday, but it seemed fitting for this particular skeleton. She set it down on the wilting flowers, and then added a second one to the pile. ¡°For me and Reshi. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s got anything that Flora would like.¡±

    Reshi let out a snort and crossed his large arms across his chest. ¡°Not likely, no.¡±

    Azra gave a nod of approval and continued down the stairs. Dani glanced back at Reshi, whispering softly. ¡°Did you know this was down here?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Aye. But we ain¡¯t ever explored it. Seemed safer with Therija an¡¯ ya bein¡¯ so small ta just board it up an¡¯ forget ¡®bout it.¡±

    Dani nodded. She supposed she could see that, but quite frankly if there was enough room down here for a bed, she would have enjoyed not getting kicked so much.

    The stairs ended in a small landing, rubble filling the hallway in front of them. Azra had been industrious though. She had dug through the rubble to what remained of a large tree, and then beneath that tree to make a small cubby she had filled with rough sacks stolen from who only knew where. It was small and cramped, and the air was stale and unmoving. This wasn¡¯t one of the parts of the underground that connected to others, not yet at least. Perhaps if she kept digging it would join up with the other tunnels someday. But Dani didn¡¯t like how loose the dirt looked around the tree.

    ¡°See? Ya can hide here! An¡¯ no one¡¯ll know yer down here.¡± Azra reached up to grab Dani¡¯s hand, looking up at her with those pleading eyes. ¡°An¡¯ Flora will make sure no one comes an¡¯ gets ya.¡±

    Great. A cozy little tomb guarded by a skeleton.

    But there was no way Dani was going to say that to Azra. Instead, she knelt down and smiled to the girl she considered a little sister. ¡°You¡¯re very clever to have found this place, but Azra, what if the people that want to hurt me, hurt you because they can¡¯t find me? I¡¯m not going to hide and let them do that. If I go away, then those people won¡¯t come hurt you. If that¡¯s what it takes to keep you safe...¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Azra stomped her foot, tears welling up in her eyes again. ¡°I won¡¯t let ya go! I won¡¯t!¡± She threw herself at Dani, her scrawny body shaking with sobs.

    Dani wrapped her arms tightly around Azra, trying to hold back her own tears. She didn¡¯t want to go either. She didn¡¯t want to leave her friends and family, she didn¡¯t want to give up the chance to help the Rats Nest become safer and more comfortable for the people she loved. She looked up at Reshi, hot tears rolling down her own face. ¡°Let me talk ta Reshi. We¡¯ll- we¡¯ll see what we can do. Why don¡¯t we go put ya ta bed now? Yer runnin¡¯ a fever.¡±

    Dani lifted Azra awkwardly as she straightened, cursing silently to herself. She wished Wulfram were here, she¡¯d give him a good firm kick for putting her in this position. All it had taken was one little phrase for this whole mess to start, and now she was responsible for who knew how many people.

    That was, if she didn¡¯t die before she could do anything. Or if she didn¡¯t run away. She sighed, carrying Azra back up the stairs, comforted by Reshi¡¯s presence at her back. If she could convince him that it was safe enough to stay, she could really do some good. Maybe if she told him about her friends plans? How they were watching over her? And then there was the room at the palace that she had been offered. If she were to stay there, then no one would come after Azra and the others.

    Right?

    They climbed into the bright light of the room Therija, Azra and Dani shared, and Dani set Azra down. They replaced the floorboards in silence, and Dani made the bed back up. She tucked Azra in and kissed her on the forehead. ¡°Get some sleep. I¡¯ll still be here when you wake up.¡±

    ¡°Promise?¡± Azra sniffled.

    ¡°I promise.¡± Dani said, ignoring the hard stare that Reshi was leveling at her. What was she going to do? Tell Azra that no, she¡¯d be gone by the time she woke up? Like that would work!

    Azra smiled a little, and nestled down into the bed, closing her eyes. Dani watched for a moment until she was sure Azra had fallen asleep, before standing up and heading into the main room.

    She froze just a couple steps in, immediately noticing the wrongness.

    Alodia sat comfortably in one of the chairs, Gull at her back with a somewhat sheepish expression on her face.

    ¡°Reshi, Lady Daniella.¡± Alodia smiled like a snake and rested her hands on the table. ¡°I was worried when I didn¡¯t find you at Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s, not sick, are you?¡±

    Dani glanced at Reshi, her eyes widening slightly. ¡°No, not sick. Azra caught a bit of a cold. Where¡¯s Raycor?¡± He had just been up here, letting them talk with Azra before they left.

    ¡°Raycor went to get some meat from the market. He¡¯ll be back shortly. He knows he can trust me, isn¡¯t that right Reshi? Gull?¡±

    ¡°Aye, Madame Alodia.¡± Gull agreed quickly.

    Reshi snorted. ¡°As long as it benefits ya, yeah, ya can be trusted.¡± He reached above the cupboards and pulled down a dark amber bottle before taking a seat at the table. ¡°What do ya want?¡±

    Dani sat down next to Reshi, folding her own hands to keep from fidgeting. Could she trust Alodia? What did the woman want from her? Because she was damn sure that Alodia wasn¡¯t here just to say hello and see why she wasn¡¯t at work today.

    ¡°I think Lady Daniella knows what I want. Don¡¯t you dear?¡± Alodia looked to Dani, her smile not faltering. ¡°A safe and profitable Rats Nest. Or Tangle, whatever you¡¯d like to call it. I suppose if we¡¯re going to clean it up we can¡¯t continue calling it the Rats Nest.¡±

    Dani took the bottle Reshi offered her and took a swig to calm her nerves. She had no reason to be afraid. Reshi was here, Gull was here. Azra was in the other room. She handed the bottle back to Reshi, letting out a soft breath as the liquid burned its way down her throat. ¡°I think we all want that. But why are you here? We were working on that stuff with the nobles and mages up at the palace yesterday. We¡¯ve already got a plan in the works to make sure our own people don¡¯t get stomped on and kicked out.¡±

    ¡°There are some things that we simply can¡¯t discuss in front of the other nobles. Surely you know that.¡±

    ¡°It don¡¯t matter.¡± Reshi said flatly, setting the bottle down on the table with a resounding thud. ¡°She ain¡¯t gonna be here ta play yer games Alodia. She can¡¯t be. Ya know that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know that you don¡¯t want her to be here to play the game. But she needs to be. This is a chance we can¡¯t pass up, a noble lady raised up out of the Rats Nest itself? If you think anyone else would care about the people down here, you¡¯re deluding yourself.¡± Alodia reached over and took the bottle from in front of Reshi, taking a drink herself. Her nose wrinkled and she set the bottle back down. ¡°I won¡¯t let this opporunity slip through our hands.¡±

    ¡°And I won¡¯t let her become a target.¡± Reshi growled and leaned forward, lowering his voice. ¡°Someone wanted her dead before she was old ¡®nough ta tie her own shoes, an¡¯ we don¡¯t know if they was from here or Hesiodos. Ya want ta risk them findin¡¯ her again?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think leaving the city behind will keep her from being found again. You and I both know who we think she is, and they¡¯re looking for her again.¡± Alodia smiled at Reshi, steepling her fingers together. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before they find her.¡±

 Chapter 48 - Wulfram

    Wulfram looked at the white-haired woman curiously, his tankard partway to his mouth. ¡°How can you be so sure all these people will be at the ball? Quite frankly, and forgive me King Alastar, we¡¯re not even really sure that Princess Daniella is alive. I read the report on the slaughter of High Queen Cerridwen¡¯s caravan. My father was one of the people that found it. It was-¡± He paused and shook his head. ¡°It was awful.¡±

    The descriptions had been graphic and detailed. Everything had been recorded in hopes of finding who had orchestrated the attack. The original assumption had been bandits, but there was no way that a simple group of bandits could take out a group of Hesiodos warriors. Not unless they had help.

    Aysia lowered her pale grey eyes, long lashes concealing them for a moment. ¡°It is what I have Seen. The faces are not clear, and the future is, as always, in flux. But the most likely streams lead to this ball. Forgive me if I spoke out of turn My King.¡±

    ¡°Raise your head.¡± Alastar said firmly. He took a drink from his own tankard, watching Aysia with a frown. ¡°You spoke as you felt you must. Now you will speak further. Tell me what you have Seen. Is it just this ball?¡±

    Aysia raised her head and eyes, meeting Alastar¡¯s gaze evenly. ¡°It is where all streams lead. There are other, less likely paths for the future. Death, betrayal, love.¡± Her eyes glazed over, and it seemed as if she was looking elsewhere, far away. ¡°Most lead to this ball, but not all.¡±

    ¡°Betrayal? Queen Aysia, I can assure you that our people do not intend to betray Hesiodos.¡± Wulfram leaned forward, his own gaze hard. He would not bring that war down on his kingdom! ¡°We came in peace to help with what we think is a fools quest.¡±

    He flinched as soon as the words left his mouth, cursing himself silently. Just what he needed, to accuse King Alastar of being a fool. But to seek his sister after all this time? It was ridiculous! Even if she were alive finding her would be nearly impossible!

    Aysia¡¯s gaze focused on Wulfram, and she spoke softly. ¡°And yet you carry a piece of her soul with you and have said no word of it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Wulfram straightened as if he had been stuck with a pin. What was this woman talking about? Had she taken leave of her senses?

    Alastar turned his gaze on Wulfram, his gaze hardening as he looked him over. ¡°Explain, My Queen. You said that a piece of her soul traveled with another. Are you saying that Prince Wulfram is that other?¡±

    ¡°I am, My King. He carries a piece of her soul there.¡± Aysia leveled a slender finger at the bracelet Wulfram wore. This far from the city he hadn¡¯t bothered to hide it, who was there out here to question it? The only other noble was Ben, and he already knew the story.

    But wait. He looked down at the bracelet, the blue gemstone the same color of Dani¡¯s eyes.

    Dani, Daniella. Princess Daniella?

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± He said softly, picturing the spirited thief as he had last seen her: dressed like a lesser lady, eating a warm pastie on their way back to Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s. She had smirked as he took a cautious bite of his own pastie, nearly laughing at the look of surprise on his face.

    ¡°It ain¡¯t half bad, is it?¡± She had said to him, almost looking sympathetic. ¡°Ruin ya for rich peoples food if you eat too much though.¡±

    He pulled his mind back to the present, looking at Alastar and his wives. Alastar had the same blue eyes, but he was huge, towering above Wulfram. Could Dani really be related to this behemoth?

    ¡°Where did you get that bracelet?¡± Alastar asked, his voice calm and even. As if the world hadn¡¯t just been shaken, as if his wife hadn¡¯t just claimed the impossible.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°It¡¯s-¡± Wulfram paused, torn between how much he should tell this foreign king. If there was any way the claim was true, then Alastar had a right to know. And it would play directly into the peace agreements they had forged with High Queen Cerridwen. But how would that look? For their lost princess to suddenly appear in Aurum? For her to already be married to Wulfram but living in squalor in the Tangle? He stood up and started to pace, the night air cool against his bare skin. What would Dani think? She didn¡¯t want to be his wife. Or did she?

    Ben looked up from his own seat nearby, standing up when he saw Wulfram¡¯s agitated pacing. He headed over, waving a hand to the guards for them to stay where they were. Things weren¡¯t bad yet. ¡°Your highness? Is everything alright?¡±

    ¡°Everything is fine. Our search for Princess Daniella may simply be easier than we had thought.¡± Alastar said. He curled an arm around Aysia¡¯s waist, pulling her in close and pressing a surprisingly tender kiss on her cheek. ¡°Bring me the skin.¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Husband.¡± Her voice was softer, a small smile forming on her lips as she turned and nearly seemed to float away.

    Wulfram didn¡¯t pause in his pacing, his heart pounding as he tried to think of what little he really knew of Dani. She was a thief, her father was a hunter. Could he have been part of the group that had attacked the caravan? But then why keep her alive? It couldn¡¯t be for ransom, because there had never been one requested, had there? Surely they would have heard of it if there had been! But the name alone was such a coincidence! And then those beautiful blue eyes of hers, laughing at him as he tried peasant food for the first time.

    ¡°Easier than you thought? Why? Prince Wulfram, what has happened?¡± Ben moved to place himself directly in Wulfram¡¯s path, reaching up to grab his shoulders. ¡°Wulfram?¡±

    Wulfram looked up from his pacing, not quite recognizing Ben for a second. He shook his head. ¡°Dani. They believe Dani, may be Princess Daniella.¡±

    Ben let out a snort of laughter, looking over Wulfram¡¯s shoulder at King Alastar. ¡°Dani is a thief from the Tangle, she¡¯s no princess.¡±

    ¡°And yet my wife claims that your prince carries a piece of my sisters soul with him. And now your prince mentions this Dani. Which is not a far stretch from Daniella.¡± Alastar stood up as Aysia returned, taking the rolled skin she carried. ¡°I find myself interested in finding out if there is truth to this theory. This skin is from my own fathers back, the diagram is drawn in my own blood. It took us years to get any sense of my sister at all. At first it was just one arrow, that led us to your border. The last two times I have activated the spell however, there were two arrows.¡±

    He unrolled the skin, spreading it out on a table that one of his men had hurried to bring over. Its feet had barely hit the ground when Alastar set the skin on it. The diagram was complex, a mixture of symbols and letters in a language that was oddly familiar. Where had Wulfram seen something similar? He shook his head, dismissing the thought for another time. There were more immediate concerns. His stomach turned though as he looked at the skin. Human skin. This man had skinned his own father to make this spell, had used his own blood! Would Wulfram go so far to find his own sisters, if one of them went missing?

    He prayed he would never find out.

    ¡°Blood of the Brother give us sight.¡± Aysia spoke softly, holding out a knife to Alastar. ¡°My King, My Husband, let us see if the spell reacts to Prince Wulfram¡¯s bond.¡±

    ¡°Yes, lets.¡± Alastar sliced the knife across his arm and extended it out over the diagram. Three large drops of blood dripped from him, landing solidly on the diagram and spreading through it. A deep red light filled the symbols and letters, and the diagram bled upwards off the page, forming the three dimensional compass that Wulfram had glimpsed earlier that day. Two arrows of blood curled from the compass, one pointing towards Cresenvasht. The other pointed directly at Wulfram, moving to follow him as he stepped to the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s not possible....¡± He whispered, staring at the arrow that pointed at him in an almost accusatory way. Wulfram raised his wrist, moving it as far from his torso as he could. The arrow followed it. He lowered his arm, meeting Alastar¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just not possible.¡±

    ¡°And yet it is. I believe we should have a private talk.¡± Alastar cut a hand through the compass, letting the blood rain back onto the skin in deep red droplets. ¡°Your advisor can come with you. But this is not a discussion for so many ears. Idun, send Cael to my tent.¡±

    ¡°Yes Husband.¡± Idun stood up from her spot lounging against Alastar¡¯s chair, heading around the fire to where Cael had been drinking with her sister.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure we should go, Prince Wulfram.¡± Ben leaned in to whisper the warning, his eyes fixated on the skin that Aysia was even now rolling up.

    ¡°But I am. I want answers.¡± Wulfram fell into step behind Alastar, only pausing to grab his tankard up again. He couldn¡¯t afford to get drunk, no matter how desperately he wanted to right now. But he was at least going to drink something.

 Chapter 49 - Dani

    Dani watched Alodia and Reshi argue, a feeling of unease settling over her. They were talking around something, something important. Something about her. She reached for the bottle herself, downing a quick swig before setting it down with a hard thud. ¡°Would you two stop talking about me as if I ain¡¯t here?¡± Impatience seeped into her voice, and she leaned forward. ¡°Who do you think I am? Why do you think people are coming after me? I only became an official lady yesterday! Before that I was a nobody. Now though, now I can finally do something useful! And you want me to leave the city or dance to your own tune!¡±

    Now that she had started talking, the words spilled out, irritation growing until she could no longer sit still. She stood up, pacing the few steps across the narrow room and back again. ¡°I know it¡¯s a risk! But I can finally do something to help the Rats Nest. Things are gonna change whether I¡¯m here or not, but if I¡¯m here, if I¡¯m- if I¡¯m helping make the decisions then maybe I can help make things change for the better. Think ¡®bout it! No more body brokers, no more buildin¡¯s fallin¡¯ in on themselves, no more slavers stealin¡¯ folks from the docks. We could set up our own guard, make sure they ain¡¯t part of the problem. There could be a Quietus temple, a healers hall, an¡¯ we could still keep the things that are part o¡¯ the Rats Nest!¡±

    Gull was smiling now, watching Dani pace the room. She nodded and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. ¡°We got Dani a guard contingent already. Friends that she can trust, ones that aren¡¯t going to turn against her.¡±

    Reshi stood up, grabbing Dani by the shoulders and looking her in the eyes. ¡°Dani, ya don¡¯t know what yer talkin¡¯ about. Yer friends ain¡¯t enough ta protect ya ¡®gainst the folks that may want ta hurt ya. And do ya really think them nobles are gonna listen ta what ya ¡®ave ta say?¡±

    ¡°Oh they¡¯ll listen.¡± Alodia nearly purred the words out. ¡°With that passion, they may even back her. I know that my people will, given that things don¡¯t change too much.¡±

    ¡°Ya mean if it don¡¯t cut into your profit.¡± Reshi snorted, and gave Dani a little shake, lowering his voice to an almost gentle growl. ¡°Dani, ya know I want ya ta be safe. This ain¡¯t safe.¡±

    Dani stared up at Reshi, her heart pounding. He had seldom sounded so gentle, or looked so worried. Even when she had stolen the crown and nearly gotten caught! What scared him so much? What had him so convinced that she wasn¡¯t safe?

    She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she said anything else. ¡°Ain¡¯t none of us safe. Ya always said stuff along those lines. Ain¡¯t none of us safe, but we gotta pick our own dangers. Is it so bad if this is the danger I pick?¡±

    Reshi closed his eyes for a moment, the lines on his face seeming deeper, a great weariness settling into his shoulders. He bowed his head. ¡°Then yer courtin¡¯ death.¡± He whispered huskily.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t like you ¡®aven¡¯t done the same.¡± Dani smiled and shrugged. She knew the stories of his life, especially before she came around. Adventures and danger on the high seas and in the forests, stealing and hunting what could, even if it meant facing things like bears and royal guards. But she still wasn¡¯t convinced that people would come after her. She wasn¡¯t a real noble, and her power depended on whether people would listen to her or not. Or if people like Alodia backed her decisions. Which was another uncertainty all together.

    ¡°I ain¡¯t you!¡± Reshi gave her shoulders another shake, and released her. ¡°You young¡¯uns think ya got it figured out. But ya don¡¯t know the kind of danger out there. When I found ya, ya were covered in blood and runnin¡¯ from a caravan out in the woods. If I hadn¡¯t hid ya, ya would be dead now! What if those people come back an¡¯ want to finish the job?¡±

    A shiver ran down Dani¡¯s spine, nightmare memories lurking just beneath the surface. Fire and screams, a woman looking at her with fear in her eyes, whispering to her. ¡°Run, don¡¯t look back just RUN.¡± Then there was darkness and smell of burning, and a large hulking shape in the forest that snatched her up and ran with her in his arms.

    Reshi. He had seemed like a giant back then.

    Dani rubbed her face, closing her eyes against the memories. She didn¡¯t want to remember that night! She forced her mind away from the nightmare, lowering her hands. ¡°Lots of caravans get attacked Reshi, it wasn¡¯t anything personal. Just bandits or somethin¡¯ tryin¡¯ ta make some quick money. I want to do this. I want to try and help people.¡±

    ¡°Yer a fool.¡± Reshi let her go finally, grabbing up the bottle instead. ¡°An¡¯ yer gonna get yerself killed.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°No one is going to care enough about me or the Rats Nest to kill me.¡± Dani grinned and sat back down. ¡°I¡¯m a noble in name only, an¡¯ if anyone cared that much about us down here then they would have cleaned up Rats Nest years ago.¡±

    ¡°Too true. We will have to find you some lodging fitting your new status. But truly Reshi, you worry too much.¡± Alodia waved a hand at him, her smile growing.

    Dani didn¡¯t trust that smile very much, Alodia had her own goals she wanted to meet. She didn¡¯t know the woman enough to know if those goals would match her own, or if Alodia would be another obstacle to overcome. But it was worth trying, right? She had to try now that she had the power to do something.

    The door to the house crashed open, wood splintering as it was ripped off its hinges. Within seconds Alodia, Dani and Reshi had all stood, Reshi¡¯s knife already in his hand as a large man barreled into the small room. He was followed by two others, equally large and with their own knives already drawn.

    They didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t yell or threaten, but instead went straight to fighting, the leader barreling into Reshi, grabbing the older mans wrist to keep him from swinging his knife. Another headed straight for Alodia and Gull, while the last swung his knife at Dani, slicing across her chest with a manic grin. Dani leaned back, bumping into the table. Damnit! With so many people in here there wasn¡¯t enough room to maneuver! And there was no way she could overpower someone that big. She reached into her bust, pulling out the special blade that took the place of her busk. Only an idiot would wander around Rats Nest without a weapon.

    The man grinned toothily, letting out a chuckle as he stepped forward, swinging his knife again. Dani raised her knife to block the cut, caught between him and the table. There just wasn¡¯t enough room! If she could get some distance between them then she could actually stand a chance!

    She glanced to the doorway. That was her only chance. Her muscles already trembled with the effort of holding the man¡¯s knife away from her, the sharp steel dipping closer to her flesh. She ducked to the side, nearly running into one of the other men as Gull sliced through his neck with her own blade.

    Dani ignored the blood that splattered across her dress, running out the door and into the open air of Rats Nest.

    And right into the arms of yet another man. This one grinned. His brown eyes hard and holding the promise of awful things. ¡°So eager ta come with us, eh?¡±

    A chill ran down her spine, and she swung her blade up towards the mans throat, clenching her jaw. It was them or her family, and she wasn¡¯t going to let them hurt her family!

    The man moved fast, grabbing her wrist and squeezing until her bones creaked and she dropped the knife. ¡°Lady Daniella I believe, aye? They said ya weren¡¯t like a normal lady.¡±

    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Dani gasped around the pain in her wrist, her other hand swinging up, nails raking across the man¡¯s smug, confident face. His grin disappeared into a scowl, and he grabbed her other wrist, picking her up so her feet dangled off the ground.

    ¡°Bit rude of ya, don¡¯t ya think? Don¡¯t worry though, we¡¯ll be teachin¡¯ ya some manners.¡±

    There was a crash from inside the house, and Dani twisted, trying to look over her shoulder. The man that had attacked Reshi came tumbling through the empty doorway, blood and whiskey dripping down his face. Alodia came out a moment later, dragging an unconscious man by the back of his shirt. ¡°How rude to arrive unannounced, and in such a manner too.¡± She said mildly, and dabbed lightly at her bleeding lip with a handkerchief.

    ¡°Madame Alodia.¡± The man holding Dani smiled, ignoring the kicks that Dani tried to send his way.

    ¡°Bear.¡± Alodia frowned as Reshi stepped out beside her. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°Let her go.¡± Reshi growled, taking a step towards Bear, his bloodied knife still in his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m gettin¡¯ paid real well to take ¡®er to visit someone. Don¡¯t worry, if she¡¯s a good girl we¡¯ll bring ¡®er back.¡± Bear pulled Dani against him, shifting so he held both her wrists in one hand, and cupped her neck with the other. ¡°That means ya should calm down Lady Daniella.¡±

    Reshi¡¯s face turned red, and he took another step forward, pausing when Alodia set a hand on his arm. ¡°And who is it that wants to meet Lady Daniella so badly?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ya worry about that. Let¡¯s just say they paid real well, an¡¯ leave it at that. They don¡¯t want her dead though, not yet at least.¡± Bear gripped Dani¡¯s throat just a bit tighter, and she froze, feeling the strength that could so easily crush her throat.

    ¡°Should¡¯a taken the offer ta stay at the palace.¡± Bear bent down to whisper the words in her ear, his breath hot against her cheek. He let out a rumbling chuckle and straightened, speaking louder. ¡°Now, ya come after us, that might change. The man what¡¯s payin¡¯ us don¡¯t need her alive after all. So sit tight an¡¯ ye¡¯ll get ¡®er back. Or don¡¯t an¡¯ see what pushin¡¯ the wrong people will do.¡±

    Alodia frowned darkly, gripping Reshi¡¯s arm now to keep him from approaching closer. ¡°Don¡¯t Reshi. He could snap her neck if he wanted to.¡±

    ¡°Listen to Madame Alodia here, she knows what she¡¯s talkin¡¯ about.¡± Bear turned, holding Dani close against his chest as he half dragged her to a waiting horse. Two other men stood to either side of it, swords drawn and ready. ¡°An¡¯ you, Lady Daniella. You cooperate an¡¯ we won¡¯t have ta hurt yer family.¡±

    ¡°Keep your hands off them!¡± Dani snapped, aiming another kick at Bear as rage flared up in her. Azra... she hadn¡¯t seen Azra, and there had been a third man, hadn¡¯t there? Three had come into the house, how many had been outside? Where was Azra?

    Bear laughed and climbed up onto the horse, hauling Dani up to sit in front of him. ¡°Spirited, I like that. I like that a lot. Make sure they don¡¯t follow.¡± He rode past the other men, kicking the horse into a gallop through the narrow streets of the Rats Nest.

 Chapter 50 - Wulfram

    Alastar settled down onto some furs in his tent and gestured for Wulfram and Ben to do the same. Wulfram dropped down gracelessly, sitting cross-legged and taking a swig from his bottle. Whatever the odd clear liquor was it burned its way down his throat, bringing with it the relaxation that usually came with a good whiskey. But he couldn¡¯t relax too much, he needed to keep his wits about him, especially now.

    ¡°Your spell could be wrong.¡± Wulfram said. But he had a feeling Alastar wouldn¡¯t believe that, not without actually meeting Dani. Then he would see she was no princess. Or maybe he wouldn¡¯t. Wulfram pulled up an image of Dani in his mind again, spirited and free. Then he tried to picture her in a fancy dress with a crown on her head, imagining the look on her face as she tried to navigate the politics of a court ball. Some how he didn¡¯t think she had the poker face to pull it off.

    ¡°It could.¡± Alastar agreed. The tent flap rustled as Cael stepped in, her grey eyes studying the group before she sat down beside Alastar. ¡°But if it were wrong why would it point to you and your thief?¡±

    ¡°Why would your sister be a thief in Aurum? The site of the attack is nearly five days out from the capital, and that¡¯s riding a horse! You have to ask yourself if a little girl could possibly walk that far on her own. And even if she could, why wouldn¡¯t she have returned to her own people?¡± Wulfram said. Surely the King had to see this logically!

    ¡°Perhaps she was not alone. Perhaps someone took her to your capital city, knowing we would be unable to look for her there.¡± Alastar shrugged. ¡°Regardless, I will see this woman. There are tests to see if she is my sister. We will head out in the morning.¡±

    ¡°We agreed to head out in the morning,¡± Ben said carefully, glancing towards Wulfram. ¡°But we cannot agree to submitting Lady Daniella to your tests. What if you get there and she says no?¡±

    ¡°Then we will convince her.¡± Alastar said firmly. He gestured to Wulfram, specifically to the bracelet around his wrist. ¡°I have seen records of this bracelet.¡±

    ¡°You have?¡± Wulfram raised an eyebrow. He had to get his head together! This was important, he couldn¡¯t lose his focus. ¡°I have to say our mages are curious about it. But it¡¯s an artifact that¡¯s been passed down in our family for generations. Where would you have seen records of it?¡±

    He had to be bluffing. For all Wulfram knew all of this was one big bluff, but to what end? There was no way that Alastar or his people could know about Dani and the marriage! They had kept that a closely guarded secret.

    But there was that spell that pointed right at the bracelet, and the other arrow had pointed towards Aurum. He would have to have Harvick study it, see what he could find out about the spell. He was the closest they had to a blood magic specialist in Aurum, and even then information was scarce.

    ¡°Our oldest records are carved in the stones of this land and yours.¡± Alastar waved a hand in a wide arch, indicating the surrounding mountains. ¡°Once we traveled much further, before we were bound by the imaginary borders of a kingdom. And we still craft magical items of course, although none so fine as what was crafted centuries ago.¡±

    ¡°King Alastar, if you¡¯re implying that your people lived in Cresenvasht, you are going to need more proof than some rumors about a bracelet.¡± Wulfram set his bottle down, the clear liquid sloshing within it. ¡°And we will not be giving you any of our land. Our negotiations regard Trade Road and the path to Trade City, not land disputes.¡±

    ¡°Our people do not want your land.¡± Alastar snorted. ¡°We have plenty enough as it is, and it is rich. No, we only want our princess, and free trade along the road. It benefits you as well as us to have free passage between our kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°And leaves all care and maintenance of the road to our people.¡± Wulfram leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. ¡°Be reasonable, we have to care for the docks where the goods are brought in from the sea, then the road from there to the border. You only need to care for the road from the border to Trade City!¡±

    ¡°We are reasonable. Or are you forgetting that we also ship goods out that bring trade to your docks?¡± Alastar sighed and cut his hand through the air. ¡°But this discussion is not why I asked you to speak privately. That bracelet, it reminds me of certain Seagraes artifacts used in wedding rituals. And I have to wonder: did the prince of Cresenvasht wed a thief?¡±

    Wulfram froze for a moment, his heart skipping a beat. He had been right to worry about the magics of Hesiodos, but more he now needed to worry about its history, and how it connected to Cresenvasht. Could the crown have been passed down from the Seagraes people? And could those same people be related to Hesiodos? There were carvings that implied the Seagraes people enjoyed a more intimate relationship with dragons than Cresenvasht ever had, and rumors that the people of Hesiodos also enjoyed the same type of relationship. How much was rumor, and how much was truth?This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Wulfram finally managed. ¡°You know as well as I do that a royal marriage is a very political thing. Marrying a thief would have no political benefit.¡±

    ¡°Unless you knew that the thief was not truly a thief.¡± Alastar leaned forward. ¡°Unless you knew she was a princess.¡±

    Cael¡¯s eyes widened, and she looked from Alastar to Wulfram. Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. ¡°My King, are you saying that Cresenvasht has been holding our lost princess all this time?¡±

    ¡°It is a possibility that has crossed my mind.¡± Alastar said. He rested a hand on Cael¡¯s knee. ¡°But it is not the only possibility.¡±

    ¡°If Dani is your lost princess, we had no idea she was in Aurum!¡± Wulfram growled, his grip tightening on his bottle. ¡°It tore my mother apart to hear of the caravans fate, to believe all were lost in the attack! High Queen Cerridwen was her friend, your sister was meant to be my wife!¡±

    ¡°And may be still.¡± Alastar looked down at the bracelet, a smile playing across his lips. ¡°I believe this thief you speak of is my lost sister, my wife has said as much, and she comes from a long line of Seers. We will travel to your city, and see if she is correct.¡±

    ¡°And if she is wrong?¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°Then we will continue our search.¡± Alastar shrugged. ¡°Until we find her, or proof of her death.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t let you wander our kingdom forever.¡± Wulfram stood up, his knuckles white around the bottle.

    ¡°Then hope that we find her quickly. I believe it is time to get some rest.¡± Alastar wrapped an arm around Cael, pulling her close to him with a smile. ¡°Or not.¡± He growled playfully to her.

    Wulfram stared at the pair for a moment, pushing down his disgust, not allowing it to show on his face. How one man could have two wives and still seek out other women was beyond him. He bowed stiffly. ¡°Good night, King Alastar, Cael.¡±

    ¡°Good night, brother.¡± King Alastar¡¯s smile grew as Wulfram straightened.

    Wulfram bit his tongue at the familiar address, simply turning on his heel and striding out of the tent. Ben hurried after him after giving a short bow to King Alastar, catching up quickly as Wulfram headed back towards the Cresenvasht tents. ¡°Did you tell them about the bracelet?¡±

    ¡°No. No I did not.¡± Wulfram said coldly. He took another drink of the clear liquid, tempted to throw the damn bottle. ¡°There¡¯s no way he should have known anything about it. And then there¡¯s this nonsense about Dani being Princess Daniella? We need to get word to the palace at once.¡±

    ¡°What will you even tell them? That King Alastar thinks she¡¯s a princess? If the message is intercepted...¡± Ben trailed off, and Wulfram nodded.

    ¡°If the message is intercepted she¡¯ll be in more danger than ever. No, but I want her at the palace before something happens to her. She can¡¯t just wander the city anymore, especially if there¡¯s any truth to this nonsense. I should have made her stay in the palace before I left anyways. The Tangle is no place for a Lady, no matter how common-born she is.¡± Wulfram paused, thinking of that damn blood compass, pointing right at the bracelet that held a little bit of Dani¡¯s magic within it. ¡°Or how common-born she isn¡¯t.¡±

    Ben nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get a message sent to the palace, you go get some rest. I have a feeling we¡¯ll be leaving early in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ben.¡± Not that Wulfram thought he was likely to sleep. But still, he returned to one of the barrack tents and dropped into an empty hammock. The bottle dangled from his hand as he stared up into the darkness. If only that Seer hadn¡¯t opened her mouth! It was unnatural to be able to see things like that, as much a curse as it was any sort of gift. The few Seers that Cresenvasht had tended to stay sequestered away in the temples, which was better than having them wandering around spouting nonsense like a crazy person.

    Wulfram took another drink from the bottle, finding it nearly empty. When had he drank so much? He sighed and let the bottle fall to the ground, he¡¯d dispose of it properly in the morning. But for tonight, he just wanted to try and get some sleep.

    He didn¡¯t remember falling asleep that night, and the dreams were just odd flashes of people he didn¡¯t know in some type of cellar. What he did remember was waking up to the feel of a hand at his throat.

    He cursed, lashing out at the unseen assailant, his hammock set to swinging wildly. It dumped him out onto the ground, where he grabbed the bottle from last night, standing ready to swing.

    But there was no one else in the tent. Not in the hammocks, not getting ready for the day. Had he slept in? Shit! He wiped a hand across his face and checked the ground for footprints. But it didn¡¯t look like there were any fresh ones besides his own.

    Had it been just a dream?

    But it had felt so real, a crushing pressure on his neck that nearly cut off his breath. He touched his neck lightly but couldn¡¯t feel anything there. ¡°What the hell?¡±

    He shook his head and strode from the tent, pausing when the light stabbed his eyes. It was still early, but not dawn. He really had slept in! Worse, they had let him sleep in. Wulfram groaned and shook his head. Well, nothing to be done for it now, he would just skip breakfast so they could get on the road. The sooner they got back to Aurum the sooner they could clear up this whole mess.

    And the sooner he could make sure Dani was safe. He looked down at his bracelet, touching the gemstone lightly. He could feel her heartbeat again, rapid with fear. Or was it just his imagination playing games with him?

    He had to find out. He strode towards the group already gathering to head back down Trade Road, ignoring Alastar¡¯s faint smirk. Wulfram took the shirt Ben offered him, pulling it on before mounting his horse. ¡°Are we ready to go?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Highness. We just finished loading up. Do you want to eat something first?¡± Ben looked over Wulfram with a frown. But mounted his horse anyways.

    ¡°No.¡± Wulfram turned his horse, starting off back down Trade Road, trusting the others to follow him. The sooner they got back to the city, the better.

 Chapter 51 - Dani

    The ride through the city was tense, to put it lightly. Bear had her trapped between his arms, and wasn¡¯t shy where he put his hands. She jabbed her elbow back at him, only making him chuckle.

    It made her skin crawl.

    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Dani snapped. If she knew that her family would be alright, she¡¯d get away! Or at least try to. She wasn¡¯t sure how she¡¯d manage it, but she could at least try! But if she escaped and they hurt her family.... She shuddered, unwilling to complete that thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡± Bear chuckled again, his hand moving up to grab a breast and squeeze. She elbowed him again, her face turning red. Was this a taste of what they were going to do to her? The thought was like ice cold water, her stomach roiling. She didn¡¯t want this asshole touching her! Or any other asshole for that matter.

    Wulfram she would be alright with, if she were honest with herself. Prince or not he was a fine-looking man, and she didn¡¯t think he would force himself on her like some beast.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like surprises.¡± She growled and glanced around the area they had entered. They had moved up towards the palace, where the richer nobles had their houses. So it wasn¡¯t a thief that was paying Bear. Unless it was a very very good thief. They¡¯d have to be to go over Alodia¡¯s head like that. She was one of the leaders of the thieves guild, Bear should be listening to her!

    ¡°Then you¡¯re really going to hate this.¡± He shifted in the saddle, releasing her just long enough to pull a cloth bag over her head. A thrill of terror ran through her, and she reached up to yank it off, only to find his hand around her neck again. He squeezed just enough to cut off her breath, leaning closer to whisper in her ear. ¡°None of that now, we don¡¯t want to draw attention, now do we? Cooperate and I promise your family won¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    Dani tried to calm her breathing down, clenching her fists so hard the nails dug into her palms. She would not scream, she would not cry, she would not put her family in danger. But she couldn¡¯t keep her heart from racing, couldn¡¯t keep from trembling.

    Behind her, Bear chuckled. She hated the sound of it. It was cruel and harsh. All she wanted to do was stab the man in the gut, but if she did that, what would happen to her family? Maybe he was bluffing, maybe they¡¯d be just fine. But she didn¡¯t want to risk it.

    They rode in silence, winding through streets until Dani could no longer keep track of how many turns they had made or which way they had gone. It was cooler though. She couldn¡¯t feel the sun on her skin. They had to be close to the cliff. It had been a clear day when she had started for Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s this morning.

    Dani jumped at the sound of metal gates closing behind them, her tension growing. She reached for the hood again, but Bear grabbed her wrists in his crushing grip. ¡°Mmm... not yet M¡¯lady. Don¡¯t want ta ruin the surprise. The boss set up something special, just for you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like surprises!¡± Dani tried to yank her wrists away, but her struggles only made Bear laugh. He lifted her up off the horse, dropping her to the ground before dismounting himself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He said as more hands snatched her up, holding her by the arms as they marched her up a set of stairs. ¡°This¡¯ll be fun. For us.¡±

    It seemed like an eternity before they removed the bag, letting her see the plain round room they had reached. There was only one door, and a broad-shouldered man blocked it, sword drawn. There were three others in the room beside her: Bear, the man by the door, and a man she thought she recognized from the palace. She scrambled to her feet, balling her hands into fists as she looked around. No windows, one door, and a simple candelabra for light.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The noble man stared at her coldly from across his table, a feast of cheese, meat and fruit set out on it. ¡°Lady Daniella.¡± He said as if the words tasted foul in his mouth. ¡°Thank you for accepting my invitation.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± Dani said through gritted teeth. She glanced towards the door, but didn¡¯t dare try to rush the man with the sword. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I simply wish to help you learn your place.¡± The man said, his voice a slow drawl, like he was trying to talk to a particularly stupid child. ¡°After all, it¡¯s important to know our place in life, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Dani stared at the man, taking an involuntary step back. ¡°I know my place. The king an¡¯ queen were pretty clear about it.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, our lovely king and queen. So kind and soft hearted. It must be flattering for you to be called in front of them, and for them to give you a title!¡± His sneer looked sinister in the dim flickering light of the room. ¡°But you are no lady. You, dear girl, are nothing but a filthy, diseased, street rat.¡± His voice rose as he spoke, until it roared through the room, flecks of food flying from his mouth. Then it lowered dangerously as he leaned over the table, staring at her with cold amber eyes. ¡°You are going to do whatever I tell you in this little project the king and queen assigned you. If I say to tear that filthy Rats Nest to the ground, you¡¯ll do it. If I tell you to pretend certain tunnels don¡¯t exist, they don¡¯t exist, and if I tell you to come to me, you¡¯ll crawl on your hands and knees!¡±

    Shit, the man was deranged! She stared at him, her fingers twitching towards the scissors that hung on her chatelaine. That was enough for Bear though, he grabbed her arms, pulling them back behind her, painfully wrenching them up. ¡°Tut, tut, tut, I wouldn¡¯t try it M¡¯lady.¡±

    ¡°She is no lady!¡± The noble man stepped around the table, approaching her with a terrifying calm. ¡°She has not earned that title. Isn¡¯t that right, street rat?¡±

    Dani clenched her jaw, glaring at the nobleman in defiance.

    The nobleman smiled, his face twisting into a mockery of pleasure. She didn¡¯t even see his fist driving up into her gut. Dani grunted, doubling over as the breath was knocked out of her. The nobleman grabbed her hair, yanking her head up so she could look at him. ¡°I am going to enjoy breaking you, street rat.¡± He said, voice full of awful promise. There was the soft hiss of metal on metal as he drew his own blade. ¡°Let¡¯s see how much it will take to make you scream.¡±

    To her credit, it took a lot more to make her scream than she thought it would. By the time she did, she was covered in blood, and her clothes were in tatters. The nobleman avoided cutting her face, she didn¡¯t really care why. It took all her effort to stand on her own, and even then she wasn¡¯t sure if it was really her own power, or Bear holding her up.

    The nobleman knotted his hand in her hair again, lifting her head up as he hissed. ¡°What are you?¡±

    She knew the answer he wanted. Knew the answer that would set her free from this torture. But one small, defiant part of her wouldn¡¯t let her say it. Instead she spit blood in his face, and the torture started all over again.

    It felt like it lasted forever, until she couldn¡¯t stand, hanging limp and nearly unconscious in Bear¡¯s grip. Reshi was going to be pissed. He was right, she was going to get herself killed. But if she kept her family safe doing it, it was worth it, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°What. Are. You?!¡± The nobleman roared, his blade against her throat now.

    This was it. If she answered one way, this would stop. If she answered the other way, it would continue. And really it was just three little words.

    It wasn¡¯t like she had never lied before.

    She glared at him, breathing heavily. ¡°S-street. Rat.¡±

    The nobleman smiled and traced the flat of his blade against her cheek. ¡°There now, was that so hard?¡± He crooned. Dani flinched back, only making the nobleman smile wider. ¡°Good. Keep this lesson in mind, or next time it won¡¯t just be you learning it.¡±

    He stepped back, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping off his blade. ¡°Take her away, throw her in the gutter somewhere, where she belongs.¡±

    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Bear picked up Dani, throwing her over his shoulder. It hurt, but the only reaction she could muster was a faint whimper. She saw her blood drip down along her limp arms onto the floor, but little else before she lost consciousness.

 Chapter 51.5 - Reshi

    Reshi and Alodia wasted no time after the men took Dani. Reshi bundled Azra up, reminded forcibly of another little girl he had bundled up and whisked away years ago. Would he have done the same thing if he knew how much trouble she¡¯d be?

    He paused outside the door to their little home, looking around for signs of the men that had taken Dani. But they were gone, at least for now. He met Alodia¡¯s gaze, and nodded. Of course he would have.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go to my personal residence. Gull can take the child, you go get Therija and Raycor.¡± Alodia looked both ways down the street, the sun nearly directly overhead, banishing the shadows that usually cast the street in shade. The bastards had come in broad daylight. Of course it wasn¡¯t like there were guards in the Rats Nest.

    ¡°And if they follow us there?¡± Reshi handed Azra to Gull, trusting the young woman with the child. He knew that Gull was one of Dani¡¯s friends, they had grown up together on this very street, exploring the underground and stealing coins for sweets.

    ¡°Then my guards will handle them. I pay them too well to be bribed.¡± Alodia narrowed her eyes slightly. ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t think Bear would turn coat so easily, but he¡¯s always been a brute. He¡¯ll pay for his role in this.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s one of yours, ain¡¯t he? Do ya know where he might be takin¡¯ Dani?¡± Reshi wiped some blood from his face, and checked his hunting knife. It wasn¡¯t meant for hunting people, but it could gut a man as easily as a deer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but we¡¯ll find out. For now get the rest of your family, we don¡¯t want anyone else to be taken. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to put out some feelers. Someone paid him to do this, I¡¯ll find out who, and why.¡±

    ¡°An¡¯ if she comes back an¡¯ there ain¡¯t no one home?¡± Reshi asked. He watched as Gull carried Azra away, the little girl out cold, thank the gods. Little girls shouldn¡¯t see such bloodshed.

    ¡°Then your neighbors will make sure we get word, and we¡¯ll come to her. Have a little faith Reshi. I am not one of the leaders of the guild for nothing.¡± Alodia rested a hand on his arm. ¡°We will find her.¡±

    Reshi nodded, but he found it hard to have faith in thieves. He had been one after all, and the so called honor amongst thieves only went so far. But if anyone could mobilize the thieves of the city, it was Alodia. He let out a snort. ¡°Be careful.¡±

    ¡°You as well, old man.¡± Alodia flashed him a smile, and started down the street. Reshi headed the other way, through the twisting roads and alleys to Raycor¡¯s little bakery. Hopefully they would both be there, Raycor had been letting Therija handle more and more of the bakery chores while he traded for more exotic ingredients. But surely today he¡¯d be at the bakery! Otherwise he would be home taking care of Azra, and there would have been two of them to protect the girls.

    Reshi clenched his fists, a growl rising in his throat. He had just let them take her! He should have fought harder for her, or had her hide, or killed the man that had held her, something!

    Anything.

    He clenched and unclenched his fists, wishing he had something to hit. But he was far too old to break his hand punching a damn wall.

    Raycor¡¯s bakery was packed when he arrived, people getting their midday sweets or lunch and hurrying back to their stalls or jobs. The few nearest the door stared at Reshi as he came in, blood splattered and furious. He growled, not caring what they thought. ¡°Go find somewhere else ta get yer bread. We¡¯re closed.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Reshi?¡± Therija stepped from behind the counter, her eyes darting over him, pausing on the blood splatters, freezing at the look in his eyes. She paled slightly and hurried back around the counter. ¡°Seena, I want ya ta take what ya can an¡¯ pass it out. A¡¯ight? Don¡¯t worry ¡®bout gettin¡¯ money for it just make sure it gets ta folks that need it.¡±

    The older woman that she spoke to nodded, and started to load up a basket with baked goods. Reshi stomped behind the counter and began handing out bread. There was no sense it going to waste, and there was no telling when they would open back up. Better the people got it than the rats. ¡°Where¡¯s yer pa?¡±

    ¡°Out back.¡± Therija looked at Reshi again and took in a shuddering breath. ¡°Is Azra...?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Close up fast as ya can.¡± Reshi shoved an armful of bread into a young woman¡¯s arms. ¡°I gotta talk ta Raycor.¡±

    He turned to squeeze past the ovens that were stacked at the back of the shop, into the small courtyard they had built up over years with rubble from nearby buildings. Raycor was there, kneading a loaf of bread that smelled of spices and honey.

    When they had been boys, Reshi had always thought of baking as women¡¯s work. But Raycor had a talent for it, and after helping him knead huge batches of bread, Reshi gained a new respect for the profession. His arms and back had ached for days after that. ¡°Raycor, we gotta go.¡±

    ¡°Go where?¡± Raycor rolled the dough into a log, pausing to taste the dough and stare into space thoughtfully.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya on the way.¡± Reshi stood in front of the table, putting his hands on his hips as he scowled at his brother. ¡°But we gotta be goin¡¯ now.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t ya an¡¯ Dani ¡®eaded out o¡¯ the city to... day....¡± Raycor trailed off as he finally looked at Reshi, and his eyes widened, taking in the blood and bruises that were already turning purple. His face paled slightly, and he met Reshi¡¯s eyes, all humor gone from his voice. ¡°Where¡¯s Azra an¡¯ Dani?¡±

    ¡°Azra¡¯s safe, we¡¯re goin¡¯ ta meet ¡®er at Alodia¡¯s. I got Therija closin¡¯ up the shop.¡±

    Raycor nodded slightly. He looked around at the baking goods around him and started to put them away. ¡°Close up the flour an¡¯ put it in ¡®ere. Where¡¯s Dani?¡±

    ¡°Some men took ¡®er. Alodia¡¯s got ¡®er people on it. But we ain¡¯t takin¡¯ any chances with the girls.¡± Reshi closed the giant bag of flour, shoving it in a cupboard and closing it up. ¡°They already threatened us.¡±

    Raycor threw a towel over his bread, looking at it regretfully for only a moment. ¡°Do ya know who sent ¡®em?¡± He reached beneath the table, pulling a sheathed dagger out that he strapped to his waist.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Reshi said grimly, and headed back into the main shop. He felt a wave of relief wash over him when he saw Therija still there, safe and sound. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡± Therija asked, packing some cookies into a basket and draping a towel over them. Raycor squeezed through between the ovens and rested a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, Dani just... got in a wee bit o¡¯ trouble. Let¡¯s do as Reshi says an¡¯ go. Ya still got yer knife?¡± Raycor looked around the shop as Reshi ducked out into the street.

    ¡°A bit o¡¯ trouble? What kind of trouble that we ¡®ave ta close up shop?¡± Therija¡¯s voice was pitching towards panic, and Raycor gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

    ¡°C¡¯mon Therija.¡± He ushered her through the door, and fell into step behind Reshi. ¡°We¡¯re gunna be stayin¡¯ wit¡¯ an ol¡¯ friend. She¡¯s already lookin¡¯ fer Dani.¡±

    ¡°Lookin¡¯ fer Dani?¡± Therija repeated and looked up at her father, looking sickly pale. ¡°What ¡®appened? Uncle Reshi?¡± Not finding the answers she was looking for in Raycor, she turned her gaze to Reshi, clutching her basket in white-knuckled hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya ¡®bout it when we get ta Alodia¡¯s.¡± Reshi said firmly. He eyed a group of guards as they passed, but kept moving. None of them were the ones that had taken Dani. But most of the men that had come for Dani had had the look of guards to them, even if they had been smart enough not to wear their uniforms.

    Therija clutched her basket tighter, looking around the street as if expecting wolves to jump out of the shadows.

    But they reached Alodia¡¯s modest house safely, her guards letting them in with a slight bow. They went to check on Azra first, finding her sleeping peacefully, her fever much improved from this morning. Then they gathered in the sitting room, and Reshi began to tell them the whole story.

 Chapter 52 - Wulfram

    Wulfram only felt worse as the day went on, aches and pains forming across his body that he knew couldn¡¯t be caused by horseback riding. His vision slipped, and his grip tightened on his reins as he caught a glimpse of slender, bloody arms. One of the arms was adorned by a familiar bracelet with an amber stone. ¡°Dani.¡±

    ¡°Wulfram, are you alright?¡± Ben rode up beside him, his face etched with concern. ¡°Do we need to stop?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Wulfram growled, looking resolutely at the road ahead. He never should have let her leave the palace! But she was her own woman, she wouldn¡¯t have stayed even if he had ordered her to. Especially if he had ordered her to.

    But damnit, what was going on with her?

    ¡°You aren¡¯t looking very good.¡± Ben glanced at Wulfram, concern crossing his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. We need to get back to the city.¡± Wulfram focused his attention on the bracelet, feeling Dani¡¯s sluggish heartbeat, feeling the echo of her pain. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Alastar rode his large horse up to them, looking down at Wulfram.

    Wulfram closed his eyes for a moment, his vision slipping again. Darkness this time, the faintest hint of light from beneath a hood. The back of a horses neck. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, with Dani. I need to get to her.¡±

    He felt a surge of impatience at himself, irritation at the need to get to Dani, at the inability to do anything right now to help her out of whatever mess she was in. And irritation at her for not staying at the palace where it was safe.

    ¡°The bracelet?¡± Alastar looked down at the bracelet on Wulfram¡¯s arm, an eyebrow raising.

    ¡°The bracelet.¡± What was the point denying it right now? Alastar seemed to know more about it than he did. Wulfram gripped his stomach as the pain doubled, gritting his teeth.

    ¡°Drust!¡± Alastar pulled his horse to a stop, climbing off it as he looked over the fields.

    ¡°Yes My King?¡± The broad older man rode up on his own horse, purple eyes nearly glowing beneath braided locks of hair.

    ¡°A soul travel circle.¡± Alastar studied the ground, giving a nod of satisfaction. ¡°Yes, here should do.¡± He took in a deep breath, deeper than Wulfram would have thought was possible.

    And then he breathed out a great stream of fire, burning the tall grasses next to the road to ash.

    Wulfram gripped his horse, putting a soothing hand on its side as it danced away from the flames. ¡°Shhh... there girl, it¡¯s alright.¡± What the hell was that?! He had seen performers breath short bursts of fire before, but he had never, never seen one breath out such a hot, sustained stream!

    Drust climbed off his horse, striding over to the still hot earth. The shaman looked it over in disapproval, but started to trace in the dirt with his staff. ¡°Going to be dirty to lie in you know.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Alastar said. He looked at Wulfram, the smile fading off his face. ¡°You need to get to her, we will help you get to her now, instead of in days.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible!¡± Harvick called from the back of the line. ¡°High Mage Gregor¡¯s studies proved that nearly a century ago! It is not possible to transport a body from one point to another. At least not in one piece.¡±

    ¡°Which is why we are not transporting his body, but his soul. His body will remain here, but he will be able to at least offer some comfort and aide to Daniella.¡± Alastar said.

    ¡°If you could send a soul to her, why wouldn¡¯t you have done it before now?¡± Wulfram climbed off his horse, doubling over as pain blossomed again in his body. It was cold, in spite of the heat of the freshly burned earth it was cold.

    ¡°Because none of us have a soul bond with her. To send a soul searching for someone is a dangerous prospect, even with the soul bond it isn¡¯t exactly safe. But to just go wandering and hope you¡¯ll find them? No, the bond will be enough for you to follow to her.¡± Drust said. He looked at Alastar, giving a nod. ¡°It¡¯s ready, it just needs a few drops of blood.¡±

    ¡°Your highness I cannot allow you to do this.¡± Ben was off his horse, reaching out to steady Wulfram. ¡°This is blood magic! Dangerous and forbidden for damn good reason!¡±

    ¡°She needs help.¡± Wulfram¡¯s vision slipped again, and he was staring up at a grizzled young man with a predatory smile on his face. Wulfram gasped, and stood up straight. ¡°She needs help now Ben. Whose blood do you need?¡±

    ¡°Wulfram! This is insanity! Havrick, tell him!¡± Ben looked to their own mage, who was watching with fascination.

    ¡°It is perhaps some degree of insanity, but there¡¯s an interesting logic to it. If the prince is truly soul-bonded to this girl he may be able to reach her through that bond and help in some way.¡±

    ¡°A drop of your own blood, it will help anchor you to this circle. Once we destroy the circle the anchor will also be destroyed, so you need not worry about being bound to this field in the middle of nowhere. And then a drop of King Alastar¡¯s blood to strengthen the magic.¡±

    ¡°Done.¡± Wulfram cut a shallow line in his arm without hesitation, letting blood drip onto the hastily drawn diagram. Alastar followed suit, his own blood seeming to take on a faint shimmer of magic.

    ¡°Wulfram! You can¡¯t risk your life for this girl!¡± Ben pleaded.

    But Wulfram stepped into the circle, sitting down cross-legged and closing his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s a damsel in distress,¡± Wulfram smirked slightly, opening his eyes to look at Ben. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave her to her fate, I¡¯m sworn to protect those in need.¡±

    He had to trust this would work, that this would somehow let him help Dani. His vision shifted again, but it was different this time. It wasn¡¯t as if he was just getting glimpses through her eyes, but like he was being sucked through the underground river again, spiraling towards the sea. He could see the man looming over her now, hunger in his eyes.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s time for our fun street rat.¡± The man grinned.

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    Wulfram could taste bile as the man began loosening his belt. That type of person was no man at all, but a monster. Wulfram stared hard at him, committing his appearance to memory. There were some crimes worth the gibbet.

    ¡°Dani! You have to run!¡± He wished he could grab her by the shoulders and shake her, but while his soul was there, his body was frustratingly still in a field gods only knew how many days away.

    He felt Dani¡¯s attention stir though, his vision blurring. A wave of helplessness washed over him, and then anger at the feeling. But even the anger seemed tired, resigned.

    ¡°Damnit Dani don¡¯t you dare just give up! Fight!¡± He pulled on his own energy and anger, fumbling as he forced it through the link to her. She was tired, beaten and broken, but he wasn¡¯t going to let her just give up. He knew the fire of her spirit. The fact that someone had doused it only served to fuel his own anger. ¡°FIGHT!¡± He shouted with all the force of will he could.

    Dani¡¯s knee drove up into the man¡¯s groin, and Wulfram took a grim pleasure at the shock and pain that crossed his face. He had been on the receiving end of that treatment, for much less offense. But in this case when she was weak and fighting someone with obvious ill intentions, the cheap shot was acceptable. As was the fingers shoved into his eyes, temporarily blinding the monster.

    ¡°Run Dani!¡± He urged her to her feet, the pain nearly bringing her back down again. But she stumbled down the alley, using the crumbling wall to keep herself up. Wulfram frowned as she left a smear of blood behind. Whatever had happened, she was in a bad way.

    ¡°You crazy bitch, you¡¯re going to pay for that!¡± The monster shouted from behind them. Dani looked back, and Wulfram felt her jolt of fear when the light caught the glint of a knife. She slipped in a pile of trash and who knew what else, nearly falling as she rounded a corner.

    ¡°Find people, guards, anyone!¡± Wulfram urged. ¡°Head towards the market!¡±

    ¡°Great, I¡¯m hearing things now.¡± Dani whispered, and for a moment Wulfram¡¯s vision slipped and he was back in the field out by the border.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not done yet.¡± Wulfram growled, and forced himself back through the link. ¡°Dani, sweetheart you have to keep moving.¡±

    She could hear him, he knew she could hear him. If only she would listen for a change. She had to get to a healers hall, to some guards, to anyone that she would be safe with! He felt her starting to flag though, and heard the man getting closer behind her. Where the hell were all the people? If this was the Tangle there were hundreds of people down there! ¡°Dani, you need to get somewhere safe.¡±

    ¡°No shit.¡± He heard her voice, hoarse and dripping with sarcasm, and he nearly laughed. There she was, there was the spirited thief who had stolen his crown and his heart. A fan was formulating in her, a new sense of purpose, a new goal. He sent as much strength as he could to her, hoping that it was actually working.

    It had to be working. She was still moving.

    The man crashed around the corner behind her, and Wulfram felt the sick lurch of fear. She grabbed some crates as she passed by them, shoving them down across the alley way to slow him down.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Wulfram could feel the purpose in her. She had a destination in mind, but if he was right, she was headed away from the Trade Road, not towards it. ¡°You need to go towards where people are!¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t make it.¡± She mumbled, stumbling against the wall, her breath burning in her lungs. ¡°Left, right, down. He¡¯s too big, he can¡¯t get in.¡±

    Another crash came from behind her as she rounded another corner. Panic pushed her further than the energy he tried to feed her, adrenaline masking the pain for now. It would catch up to her later. She needed a healer! Not- wait, down? ¡°The underground? Dani, you need a healer!¡±

    ¡°Sometimes you gotta pick your dangers.¡± She stumbled and fell against a crumbling wall, the bricks slipping beneath her hands as she crawled over them.

    ¡°What are you talking about? You need a healer!¡±

    She found what she was looking for, a narrow entrance between the crumbling walls of the building, barely big enough for her to squeeze through. Her vision blurred in the darkness, and she slid down a short slope into narrow tunnels.

    Behind her the man let out a roar of rage. ¡°You stupid street rat! Get out of there! You think you can escape?¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t get in.¡± She slumped against the wall, forcing herself to move just a bit deeper. But she fell, sliding down an even steeper incline with a yelp. Rocks and debris tore at her clothes, the sound of it rolling down the incline after her nearly drowning out the monsters shouts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find your family! Then I¡¯ll take from them what I could have gotten from you!¡± The monster¡¯s voice was further away now, but Dani froze, panic jolting her mind back into momentary clarity. But she was fading fast, she had lost blood, the pain was too much and even with the energy Wulfram tried to send to her, she was dangerously close to passing out.

    ¡°He¡¯s bluffing.¡± Wulfram said, hoping she wouldn¡¯t sense the uncertainty in him. That type of monster, who could predict what he¡¯d do?

    ¡°Azra, Therija... I have to get to them.¡± She started moving in the darkness, groping along damp walls. But it was getting harder for her to stand. She slid to the ground, just lying against the wall as she fought to hold on to consciousness.

    ¡°You need to get to a healer.¡± Wulfram wished he could take her by the shoulders and shake sense into her.

    ¡°Down, down, twist and turn.¡± She nearly sang the words, her voice a hoarse whisper. ¡°The secret place, Therija can find it. She¡¯ll find it and she¡¯ll be safe.¡±

    He was losing her. There was too much blood, too much trauma. He could feel the pain, the soul-deep exhaustion that permeated her. He could still hear the man at the entrance, the sound echoed down through the tunnel. ¡°Dani, you have to move, you have to get to a healer!¡±

    Desperately, he pulled energy from his own body, channeling it into her to keep her moving, to get her back on her feet. She had to get back on her feet!

    She felt her stir, looking blurrily down the tunnel. Using the wall, Dani clawed herself up onto her feet, and stumbled further into the darkness around corners and through narrow gaps in the stone. The sounds of the monster trying to get to her faded in the darkness, and Wulfram felt panic clawing at his own heart. The healers would never be able to find her down here! But there had to be a way, there had to be!

    Eventually he realized that he could see the shape of the rocks again, meticulously shaped to fit together into a solid arched hallway. The sound of running water came from up ahead, and he felt relief surge through Dani.

    She stumbled, falling to her knees as she reached a small room covered in lichen and mushrooms. A tiny, steaming waterfall ran down one side of the room into a manmade pool. She collapsed next to the pool, staring up at the little ray of light that came from far overhead.

    ¡°Dani? Dani we have to get you to a healer!¡± Where the hell even was this place? He had lost track of the twists and turns in the darkness, and could only hope that the monster who attacked her wouldn¡¯t be able to find his way in here.

    ¡°I just need, to rest a little.¡± She mumbled, closing her eyes as the warmth engulfed her. Safe, she felt safe here. He could feel her consciousness slipping away, the pain fading to the background.

    Wulfram let out a growl of frustration, his mind working fast. He had to do something! But what? All it seemed like he could do was talk and send her energy. That wasn¡¯t going to get help to her, and even a messenger bird may not get to the city in time. If he even knew where she was! The only way they had found them in the caves last time was his magic.

    Wait, that was it.

    Magic was energy, if he could channel enough of it into her then it would act like a beacon, guiding them to her. He just had no idea what that would do to her.

    But what choice did he have? She would die if she didn¡¯t get to a healer, he was sure of it. She was already drifting away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Dani.¡± He whispered, praying that the magic wouldn¡¯t hurt her.

    He focused on channeling the magic into her, picturing her filling up with a warm golden glow from the inside out. He could feel the heat of it pouring through her body, burning through her like fire.

    It was too much for her body, but he hoped it was enough to get her help. He felt her pass out as the golden glow filled her, a magical distress beacon for the palace to follow.

    And then he was back in his own body, drenched with sweat and breathing heavily, laying flat on his back in the soot. He clenched his fists, slamming one against the ground beneath him. He was exhausted, more than he had been since his time as a page.

    ¡°Did it work?¡± Alastar asked, looming over him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Wulfram sat up, wincing as pain pulsed through his whole body. ¡°She escaped, but I don¡¯t know if the healers will find her in time. We have to get back to the city.¡±

 Chapter 53 - Dani

    Dani was going crazy, there was no other explanation. That nobleman had wanted to break her, he must have succeeded. She hadn¡¯t thought she would break so much that she heard Wulfram¡¯s voice though, or felt his hands lifting her, forcing her to run through the agony and exhaustion. Or felt his magic fill her, spilling out of her skin in agonizing light that wanted to burn her from the inside out.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± She heard herself whisper from somewhere far away.

    ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± A calm female voice said from equally far away.

    Was she dead? She felt like she was floating, and it was quiet except for that stranger¡¯s voice, and the song of birds? Yes, she could hear birds. Did Quietus like birds? They had never said anything about her liking birds the few times her priestesses and priests had come to the Rats Nest.

    Dani let out a weary sigh, letting herself sink further into the cloud she was floating in. ¡°Wulfram.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll admit he often doesn¡¯t, but why this time?¡± A touch of amusement entered the stranger¡¯s voice. Something cool touched Dani¡¯s face, and she flinched, her eyes peeling open.

    Stars. The ceiling was covered in stars that glowed a gentle white against a dark, velvety blue sky. Dani stared at them as they twinkled down at her, each glowstone carefully cut and inserted into the ceiling. She could almost see the lines of magic that connected them, but maybe it was just her imagination. It seemed to want to make things up lately.

    A gentle hand settled a damp cloth along her forehead, and Dani followed it to the one who had spoken before. An older woman wearing a beautifully embroidered robe in royal silver with stormy blue flowers. She smiled, laugh lines crinkling on the corners of her eyes. ¡°Good evening Daniella.¡±

    ¡°Queen Mirabel?¡± Dani¡¯s voice came out as a hoarse whisper that made her throat feel like fire.

    ¡°Just Mirabel, please. There¡¯s no sense wasting words when it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± Mirabel picked up glass that was half full of a slightly honeyed color milk. ¡°Drink some of this, it will help.¡±

    Dani leaned up, surprised how difficult it was. But she sipped at the warm, sweetened milk. Almost immediately, her throat felt better, the pain fading to a level she could ignore. She laid back in the bed, looking around the oddly familiar room. Large glass doors were open to a cozy garden full of wildflowers, and the cool evening air toyed with the curtains gently. She was in an enormous bed, the sheets soft as the finest linen against her skin. It was different, but she wouldn¡¯t forget that beautiful garden, or the luxurious feel of the bed. This was the room Wulfram had shown her at the palace, the one that was supposed to be hers.

    ¡°How- how did I get here?¡± She didn¡¯t remember coming here, she had went underground! To the little room with it¡¯s small hot spring. She had barely fit through the crevices, there was no way that man would have gotten through. And she barely remembered that trip. What she remembered of it made little sense.

    ¡°My guards brought you here. You were in a rather bad way.¡± Mirabel reached over, adjusting the cool cloth on her head. Her smile faded as she spoke, her forehead wrinkling. ¡°Your body was overloaded with magic, my sons magic, oddly enough. And then there were the cuts and bruises, what happened my dear?¡±

    Dani didn¡¯t want to remember what had happened, but she could hardly forget. ¡°There was- I was-¡± She took in a shaky breath, and closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to spill out at the mere thought of the experience. ¡°My family, I need to keep them safe.¡±

    ¡°A very honorable goal. Tell me where to find them and I will send my guards to bring them here.¡± Mirabel gently clasped one of Dani¡¯s hands, the worry painfully obvious on her face.

    But it had been a nobleman that had hurt her. What if her family had gotten away, only for her to send trouble to them again? But no, that man had known where to find her family already. Mirabel didn¡¯t know. Could she trust the woman? She thought maybe she could trust Wulfram, and she was his mother.

    ¡°It was a nobleman.¡± She blurted out, and immediately regretted it. She glanced fervently to the door, as if he might appear at any moment. If he was a noble, he had likely been to the palace. And she knew she had seen him before.

    Mirabel stiffened, her face freezing in shock. ¡°A nobleman did this to you? What did he look like? No, never mind dear. Don¡¯t worry about that right now. We¡¯ll find him and punish him for this, but first let¡¯s see your family safe. And you healthy again. I¡¯ll have the Captain of the Guard come speak with you tomorrow, and my own guards will watch over you tonight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I just need to get home.¡± If she got home and everything was right, then she could rest. Dani forced herself to sit up, sweat beading on her forehead from the effort. It was more than just the wounds, it was a deep ache inside of her, like an old burn wound.

    ¡°Tell me where home is and I will ensure your family is safe. But dear child, you almost died!¡± Mirabel pushed her back down. Her touch was gentle, she put barely any force behind it, but that was all it took for Dani to lay back down again. Which was almost as infuriating as being told what to do.

    She had almost died? Well, she knew it would happen eventually, especially if she kept stealing. But she hadn¡¯t expected it when she was trying to do honest work! Trying to help people even! She clenched her hands into fists, anger warring with fear as she thought of the mans threats. He was going after her family, she had to get them somewhere safe, or warn them. Something! Anything. ¡°Mrs. Haversaun, she knows where they are, ask her to take them there.¡± She hoped that Mrs. Haversaun wouldn¡¯t mind, and that she would actually take them to her family. How could she prove that it was alright to take the guards to them?

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    Her chatelaine! It had belonged to Therija¡¯s mother, if anything would convince them it was that. She reached for it on her waist, only to realize that she wasn¡¯t wearing it. She wasn¡¯t even wearing her dress, but some heavenly soft nightgown over her bandages. ¡°My chatelaine, if they show her my chatelaine she¡¯ll know I sent you.¡±

    But where was it? She looked around, her stomach tightening in knots. What if she had lost it? What if that nobleman had it now? It was Najia¡¯s! There was no way to replace it.

    ¡°It¡¯s right here dear. Lay back down.¡± Mirabel pulled open a drawer in the table next to her bed, pulling out the precious object. It was still as tarnished as ever, and there was another piece missing from it. But it was there! Dani sagged back in her bed, relief flooding through her.

    ¡°Thank the gods.¡± She whispered. ¡°Just bring it to Mrs. Haversaun, she¡¯ll recognize it. She¡¯ll take you to them. Or the guards, whatever.¡± It was ridiculous to think the queen would go herself. Dani was only a lady in name, and it was dangerous in the Rat¡¯s Nest. Hell, the guards probably wouldn¡¯t have a great time either, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. She had to get her family to safety.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone now, don¡¯t get up.¡± Mirabel stood, gliding to the door with chatelaine in hand.

    Don¡¯t get up? Dani snorted softly. She wasn¡¯t just going to lay in this bed like some kind of cripple! As soon as the door closed behind Mirabel, she sat up, wincing at the pain it sent through her body. None of the wounds by themselves were life threatening, not with medical treatment, but they all hurt like hell. What she wouldn¡¯t do for a bottle of whiskey right now....

    She shook her head and pushed the covers away. When she saw herself, she let out a weak laugh. It seemed like she was more bandage than skin right now, and even what skin she could see was an angry red, as if she had spent too much time out in the sun. Dani swung her legs off the side of the bed, trying to remember what exactly had happened after she had been taken.

    There had been pain, a wickedly sharp dagger and a man that knew how and where to cut to inflict the most pain. They hadn¡¯t stopped with just cuts, she had more than her fair share of bruises, but they weren¡¯t nearly as bad as she had expected. But how had she gotten burnt? They hadn¡¯t used fire on her, although the idea sent a shiver of terror down her spine. There were many gruesome tales of torture in the Rats Nest, it wouldn¡¯t surprise her if some were true.

    But that wasn¡¯t what had happened. Had she passed out in the sun?

    No, she had a vague memory of the secret grotto her and Therija had found when they were little, with it¡¯s little waterfall and warm pool. But she also remembered hearing Wulfram¡¯s voice.

    Had he called her sweetheart?

    She had to have been imagining things. Dani shook her head at her own foolishness, the prince wanted little to do with her, he was working to get this whole magical marriage nonsense undone, why would he call her sweetheart? ¡°Really Dani, you must have lost your mind for a bit there.¡±

    She stared at her feet, curling her nails into the bedcovers as bile rose in her throat and tears gathered in her eyes. She had called herself street rat. It was a small thing, but it was the principle of it, the way the nobleman had used it, like a slur. Like she was less than human somehow. And there had been nothing she could do to fight back. They had outnumbered her! Every last man in that room had been bigger and stronger than her, and who knew how many guards had been outside the room if she had tried to escape.

    But she should have tried harder.

    She clenched her jaw and hopped out of the bed, nearly blacking out from the pain that shot up through her feet. How the hell had she burned the bottom of her feet?! Dani dropped to the cool wooden floor, letting out a stream of curses that showed exactly the kind of upbringing she had had.

    The door burst open, a guard and maid rushing in. The maid reached her first, kneeling down with a look of concern on her face. ¡°M¡¯lady, you shouldn¡¯t be trying to stand!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Dani grit her teeth and grabbed the edge of the bed, forcing herself to her feet. She was not weak, she was not going to just lay here and do nothing! The maid watched, biting her lower lip and holding her hands out in case Dani fell.

    ¡°Of course M¡¯lady, it¡¯s just, you¡¯ve been through such a horrible ordeal! Surely you can afford to get some rest and heal properly. Whatever you need, I can bring to you.¡± The maid watched anxiously as Dani stood, but didn¡¯t make any move to stop her.

    ¡°Does everyone know what happened?¡± Dani took a hesitant step away from the bed. She paused, catching sight of her reflection in the mirror across the room.

    Gods, it was worse than she had thought! She looked like shit. One black eye, a split lip, bruises and bandages peeking out from the delicate nightgown. She supposed it wasn¡¯t surprising that people knew she had gone through something.

    ¡°No M¡¯lady, of course not. But we know you went through something terrible. The guards brought you in and the healers saw to you. Please lay back down.¡± The maids voice turned pleading, and Dani let out a sigh. Well it wasn¡¯t like she was enjoying being up, or that there was anything she could do. She felt a twinge of annoyance at her helplessness, but returned to the bed, sitting back down. The maid gently helped her put her feet back up, and pulled the covers back up over her.

    Engulfed in the soft sheets the pain faded slightly, and Dani sagged against the pillows. ¡°There, are you happy now? What¡¯s your name anyway?¡±

    ¡°Yes M¡¯lady.¡± The maid let out a sigh of relief, and smiled warmly. ¡°I am Yara, it is an honor to serve you.¡± She dipped into a curtsy, lowering her eyes demurely.

    ¡°I- I don¡¯t think I need a maid.¡± Dani said hesitantly. The idea of someone serving her was ridiculous! She didn¡¯t need someone curtsying and calling her m¡¯lady all the time.

    ¡°I can be quite useful M¡¯lady.¡± Yara smiled and straightened confidently. ¡°Especially while you heal. For instance, I could get you something to eat, or to drink. I could also get you something to read, or handiwork to occupy you while you heal. I can also have messages delivered and bring news from the city.¡±

    The guard let out a sigh, stepping back out the door and closing it gently behind him. Dani felt muscles relax she hadn¡¯t realized were tense, and she slumped back against her pillows. ¡°Can you bring me some whiskey?¡±

    ¡°Of course M¡¯lady.¡± Yara smiled triumphantly, dipping into another curtsy. ¡°Right away.¡± And then she turned, heading out the door with a clear sense of purpose.

    Dani smiled a little and gave her head a small shake. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be too bad having a maid after all.

 Chapter 54 - Wulfram

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have taken such a risk!¡± Ben had been saying the same thing the whole damn trip, and Wulfram felt one of his eyes twitch. He was still exhausted from whatever spell Drust, the Hesiodos shaman, had used. A soul travel circle. Alastar had been so quick to suggest it, and it had worked! But when Wulfram suggested using it again, Drust and Ben had both refused.

    ¡°The soul is a very resilient thing, but not invincible.¡± Drust said as they rode towards the city, pacing their horses to cover the most distance in a short amount of time without tiring them out.

    ¡°It also isn¡¯t meant to leave your body.¡± Ben said. He glanced towards the shaman, doing his best to taper down the hostility in his voice. ¡°I told you Wulfram, it¡¯s blood magic, it¡¯s dangerous! Any magic that tampers with blood, with the soul, it¡¯s forbidden for good reason.¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Wulfram snapped. ¡°I am well aware of your opinions Ben, reiterating them again and again will not make your case any stronger. What do you think would have happened if a Hesiodos princess had been raped and possibly even killed in our capital city?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still not convinced she is this lost princess.¡± Ben said, his knuckles white on his reins. ¡°All we have to go on is blood magic and the say so of the Hesiodos shaman and seer. It¡¯s too damn convenient.¡±

    ¡°It is anything but convenient.¡± Alastar cut in. ¡°She¡¯s in your capital city, which is deeper in your kingdom than any of us have been since before the clans were united. She¡¯s also soul-bound to your prince, which means I couldn¡¯t go against my late mothers wishes even if I wanted to. For now, I¡¯ll ignore the fact you called my people liars for the sake of diplomacy.¡±

    ¡°Ben is my advisor, and one of my oldest friends. He meant no offense, he¡¯s just turning into a suspicious old man.¡± Wulfram said. He looked at Ben with a smirk, and shrugged at the glare the other man shot him. ¡°It¡¯s true. Think through it logically, this situation is at the best inconvenient for us all. If we assume Dani really is the lost princess, that means she¡¯s been in our kingdom, in our capital, for years. Living in the squalor of the Tangle and stealing to survive. We can blame her disappearance for the latest hostilities with Hesiodos, which has done neither kingdom any favors.¡±

    Wulfram frowned as he mulled over the situation. He couldn¡¯t deny some level of convenience to her resurfacing now, after being soul-bound through the crown. But that didn¡¯t really change anything, did it? ¡°Her resurfacing puts certain things back on the negotiation table, such as an alliance marriage. If anything, that is more convenient for us than for Hesiodos.¡±

    ¡°Who else does it benefit though? I have a problem with all these coincidences falling into place. Who benefits from the Hesiodos princess resurfacing after so many years?¡± Ben pressed, glancing at the rest of their group. ¡°Surely you¡¯ve wondered about that?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡± Alastar confirmed, and Wulfram nodded his agreement.

    ¡°I admit I have as well, we need to move carefully. Confirm that she¡¯s who Alastar thinks she is, and see what worms wiggle to the surface to take advantage of the situation. I¡¯m hoping she¡¯ll be able to answer some questions herself.¡±

    ¡°I am hoping that as well. I would like to know what happened the night her caravan was attacked, and how she got away.¡± Alastar said. ¡°That may answer many questions by itself.¡±

    ¡°We could stop by the site of the attack, but after so many years, there would be nothing left to investigate. And I want to get back to the city as soon as possible.¡± Wulfram clenched his reins tighter, his nails digging into his palms. He needed to know if Dani was safe. He hadn¡¯t felt any spikes of panic or anger through the bracelet, but what if that just meant she was unconscious? Or worse? He looked down at the bracelet, the blue gemstone still glowing faintly. If he concentrated hard enough, he imagined he could feel her heartbeat echoing through it.

    ¡°Not necessarily true.¡± Drust said and glanced at Ben. He shrugged slightly, returning his gaze to Wulfram and Alastar. ¡°The ground is sure to have been soaked in blood, we may be able to summon memories of what happened there.¡±

    ¡°More blood magic?¡± Ben shook his head with a scowl. ¡°Are all of Hesiodos magics related to blood magic?¡±

    ¡°Not all, but blood provides the strongest connection to the soul, and the place the body carries the most magic.¡± Drust said, not seeming bothered by Ben¡¯s disgust. ¡°We are very careful in how we use it, and it is not suitable for all purposes. Healing for instance is very dangerous to do with blood magic, and attack spells made with blood magic are forbidden. But it is the best for tracking.¡±

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    ¡°And soul travel apparently, and summoning memories.¡± Ben waved a hand at the road. ¡°What else will you use it for?¡±

    ¡°It is only good at summoning the most traumatic, bloody memories. The ones that have soaked the ground with blood. It is unpleasant, and often not useful.¡± Drust said. He looked at Alastar, a frown on his thin lips. ¡°It may not be useful in this case either, but the option needed to be known.¡±

    Alastar nodded, staring at the back of his horse''s head as he thought.

    After a few minutes, he nodded again. ¡°Let the dead rest, watching memories of that night is unlikely to help us right now. We can always return to the site, but for now the priority is finding Daniella and making sure she¡¯s alright.¡±

    Wulfram let out a barely audible sigh, a bit of the tension fading from his shoulders. He had been worried that they would insist on using their blood magic, which would have put his own men ill at ease. It was bad enough they had a scroll made of human skin! ¡°Then we ride, and we pray.¡± He said and urged his horse to go just a little faster.

    The sooner they got to the capital, the better. But it was still days out, even if they split their group up! And there was safety in numbers, he doubted they would see as many bandits as they had going to Hesiodos, but their group had two very high value targets in it: himself, and Alastar.

    They didn¡¯t have to wait long for someone to decide the prize was worth the risk. They were halfway to Aurum when a flaming arrow flew over one of the hills, landing directly in front of Wulfram¡¯s horse. He cursed as the horse danced back from the fire and drew his sword. ¡°Ambush!¡±

    Another arrow flew through the air enroute to Alastar, but the larger man snatched it out of the air, unbothered by the fire that licked at the wooden shaft. He tossed it on the ground, scanning the hill as horses crested it. ¡°I count twenty mounted.¡±

    Wulfram scanned the road and hills around them, searching for more attackers. ¡°I don¡¯t see any to the south, but they could be hiding. Are you up for a fight?¡± The odds weren¡¯t in their favor, he knew that his people were up for the fight, even Harvick could use his magic to even the odds a bit. But he wasn¡¯t sure how combat-oriented Alastar¡¯s people were, half of them were women! Including his guards.

    Alastar grinned, oddly sharp teeth glinting in the fading sunlight. ¡°Always.¡± He growled and urged his horse towards the attackers with a shout that sounded more like a roar.

    Wulfram couldn¡¯t help but grin, raising his own sword so that it caught the light. ¡°For the honor of Cresenvasht!¡±

    And then he was riding towards the attackers as fire arrows rained down around them. Harvick stayed back on the road, hastily drawing sigils in the dirt letting out the occasional curse as an arrow messed up his work. Drust raised his arm, cutting into his own skin, his chanting washing over the battlefield as the two groups clashed.

    They were outnumbered, and these people weren¡¯t normal bandits. Wulfram¡¯s sword rang against one of the attackers, metal sliding against metal as he moved his horse in close. Their armor was too good, and they didn¡¯t fight like bandits, they fought like knights. A bad mix right now, but their only other option had been to run.

    Maybe they should have.

    Gryff charged forward, his blond fur catching the light of the sun, shining like gold as he swung his war axe, lopping the head off one of the attackers. He didn¡¯t stop there though, rounding on another attacker as their sword cut into his back. He let out a shout, his axe swinging again.

    Then Wulfram lost track of him as his own attacker drew a dagger, snaking it in beneath his guard. Wulfram let out a shout of pain as it pierced his skin and cursed himself for being a fool. He knew better than to take his attention off an adversary! He was too close to cut him with his sword, so he used the pommel to slam into his face, the man''s nose crushed by the force, then kicked him off his horse to be trampled beneath their hooves.

    Vines erupted from the ground, tangling around the enemy horses, leaving their riders to either dismount or defend from on top the struggling beasts. Shimmering shields popped into place around their teams, and Wulfram grinned, swinging his sword through another enemy. The mage and shaman were doing their jobs, good.

    An arrow flew by Wulfram, thudding solidly into a man that had been preparing to stab him in the back, but Wulfram had no time to thank whoever shot it for the save. Two more men had already taken his place, driving Wulfram towards Alastar.

    Wulfram¡¯s grin disappeared, and he growled, eyes flashing. What were they trying to do?

    As he got closer to Alastar, the big man¡¯s form flickered, shifting to look like one of the attackers for a brief moment. But the shield around him pulsed, the illusion shattering. ¡°They have a mage!¡± Wulfram cursed, too busy defending himself to look for whoever had tried to cast the illusion. Were they trying to get them to kill each other? He could only imagine the turmoil that would cause! Who would want that?

    ¡°I see him!¡± One of Alastar¡¯s guards shouted, her red hair flying as she rode past them. She raised her spear to throw, not slowing as she took aim and let it fly. It bounced harmlessly off some shield that the mage had around him, and arrows were flying towards the woman.

    Wulfram let out another curse as he cut down his two attackers. Others were being choked and pulled under the ground by the vines, the earth heaving with their struggles. That left the archers and the mage. ¡°Alastar! With me!¡± He rode towards the remaining attackers, Alastar quickly pulling his horse alongside him. Moira was already at the mage, but before they could reach her a spike of stone shot up through her horse and into her.

    Alastar let out a roar of rage, flame licking at his lips as he bore down on the mage, his sword swinging down and crashing into the mages shield.

    A spiderweb of cracks formed around the mage, and in another hit, the shield shattered with the sound of a thousand glass shards. He didn¡¯t even have time to scream as Wulfram¡¯s sword came down on him.

 Chapter 54.5 - Reshi

    It was late at night by the time Dani¡¯s family got to the palace, and they weren¡¯t alone. Alodia and Gull rode in the carriage with them, Gull slipping out into the shadows before they reached the elegantly carved doors of the palace proper. Reshi watched her go, giving a small nod of approval. She would scout out the palace, looking in places that they wouldn¡¯t normally be allowed to look. Meanwhile the rest of them would go to Dani.

    The carriage rolled to a gentle stop in front of the palace, and Queen Mirabel herself stepped down the stairs to greet them. ¡°You must be Daniella¡¯s family, and Madame Alodia, I¡¯m surprised to see you here.¡±

    Alodia dipped into a deep curtsy, smiling politely. ¡°Lady Daniella and I have become close, and her family was staying with me temporarily. I have guards after all, and they feared for their daughters.¡±

    ¡°Of course, this must have been very traumatic for all of you.¡± Queen Mirabel lowered her head, resting a hand on her heart. ¡°I am sure that you¡¯ll wish to see Daniella, but let me show you to your rooms first. Then perhaps one or two of you can go visit her at a time.¡±

    ¡°Is she a¡¯ight?¡± Therija stepped forward, dipping into a curtsy that wasn¡¯t nearly as graceful as Alodia¡¯s. ¡°What ¡®appened to her?¡±

    Queen Mirabel glanced at Azra, then back to Therija, smiling softly. ¡°She¡¯s alright, the healers are in with her right now. I¡¯ll let her tell you the story, and then you can decide what is suitable for children¡¯s ears.¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t a child! What ¡®appened to Dani?¡± Azra stiffened in Raycor¡¯s arms, a fire lighting in her dark eyes. ¡°I wanna see Dani!¡±

    ¡°Hush now, ya need ta go ta bed an¡¯ heal up yerself.¡± Raycor stroked Azra¡¯s hair, smoothing out the messy curls. ¡°Ya still got a fever.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see her soon, I promise. But let me have a healer look at you first, you don¡¯t want Dani to get sick, do you?¡± Queen Mirabel smiled softly, stepping down the last few steps to take Azra¡¯s hand.

    Azra jutted out her lower lip, looking like she wanted to argue more. But she shook her head, her lower lip trembling with unshed tears. ¡°No. I dun want Dani ta get sick.¡±

    ¡°Me either. So let¡¯s have the healers look you over, and we¡¯ll make sure you get better before visiting Dani. Maybe you can even play with my daughters, they¡¯re just a little bit younger than you.¡± Queen Mirabel gave Azra¡¯s hand a gentle squeeze, and smiled up at Raycor. ¡°You must be her father?¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m Azra an¡¯ Therija¡¯s pa. Reshi ¡®ere is Dani¡¯s pa.¡± Raycor nodded to Reshi, who stepped forward and bowed.

    ¡°An honor ta meet ya, yer ¡®ighness. If ya dun mind, I¡¯ll go straight ta Dani.¡±

    Queen Mirabel nodded and gestured to one of the guards. ¡°Sir Alrick, please take Sir Reshi here to Lady Daniella¡¯s room, I¡¯ll take the others to their rooms myself.¡±

    The guard stepped forward, his armor reflecting the glowstones that lit the stairs, his dark skin holding the faintest hint of gold. ¡°Of course your highness. Please come this way Sir.¡± Alrick looked Reshi over from head to toe, an eyebrow raising. ¡°You look familiar, have we met?¡±

    ¡°Ain¡¯t likely.¡± Reshi snorted, glancing at the mans shining armor. ¡°Not unless ya spent time in the Rats Nest.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Alrick turned and started into the palace, Reshi right behind him. ¡°Perhaps I am mistaken.¡±

    ¡°Likely are. I ain¡¯t one ta hobnob with guards anyhow. An¡¯ I sure as ¡®ell ain¡¯t been to the palace before.¡± Reshi said. He scanned the palace as they walked through it, automatically taking note of the guards and their positions as they passed through. He had to admit that Dani sure had fallen up in the world.

    As long as it didn¡¯t get her killed. He frowned, scratching lightly at his beard as he mulled that over. She might be safer here, there were more guards than he could ever hope to put around her, regardless of where they went. And healers, plural. Why did she need healers? ¡°Have ya seen Dani?¡±

    ¡°I have, Sir. She is a very spirited young lady.¡± Sir Alrick said, rather diplomatically at that.

    Reshi felt some small part of him relax, and one side of his mouth curl up in a smirk. ¡°She is at that. Is she- was she badly hurt?¡± There was no other reason for the healers to be tending to her. Unless she had gotten sick?

    But no, not judging by the look that crossed Sir Alrick¡¯s face. He nodded slightly, resting a hand on his sword. ¡°She was, but the healers are skilled. The physical wounds are healing, but the mental wounds.... I¡¯ll let the healers talk to you about it.¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡± Reshi clenched his fists, falling silent as they walked through the palace. To his surprise, they headed to the very core of the palace, where the rooms were the most opulent. He couldn¡¯t help but stare at the ornately carved doors, the elegantly shaped glowstones that lit the hall nearly as bright as daylight. The guards were more plentiful here too, all dressed similarly to Alrick in the royal coat of arms.

    ¡°This is the royal wing of the palace.¡± Alrick said softly. ¡°So rest assured that Lady Daniella is safe here. Just make sure to mind your manners please.¡±

    Reshi let out a snort of laughter. The young man couldn¡¯t help himself, could he? Well, if their situations were reversed Reshi would probably utter the same warning. ¡°I ain¡¯t fool enough ta act a fool in the house of them that¡¯s takin¡¯ care of my daughter.¡±

    Alrick nodded and stopped in front of a door carved with a quiet forest scene. Someone had taken the time to paint every leaf, and inlay precious gemstones into the eyes of the animals hidden among the underbrush. Alrick used a golden knocker with a polished blue stone set into it to knock on the door once, waiting patiently for a response.

 Chapter 55 - Dani

    The door opened, revealing a small woman with tightly braided hair. She paused as she looked over Reshi, her eyebrows raising. Then she turned to look up at Alrick. ¡°Sir Alrick, is this important? The healers just left and she¡¯s resting right now.¡±

    ¡°This is Sir Reshi, Lady Daniella¡¯s father. Queen Mirabel herself asked me to bring him here to see his daughter.¡± Alrick said.

    Dani peeled her eyes open when she heard Reshi¡¯s name, staring up at the false night sky. Had she heard that right? Reshi was here? She looked over to the door, and felt a flood of relief wash over her. It was Reshi! His tattoos making the lines in his face seem all the darker, his hunting knife in plain view on his belt. She started to pull herself up in the bed, the pain not quite as bad as it had been yesterday. ¡°Let him in.¡±

    Yara looked back at her with a frown of disapproval, then hurried to her side, helping her sit up in the bed. ¡°But you were resting!¡± Still, she helped Dani pile the pillows up to give her something to rest against, fussing like a mother hen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll rest more later. The healers wanted me to drink that tea anyways.¡± It was supposed to help the healing process and soothe away any nightmares, but if it was the same as yesterday it tasted like boiled grass. At least today they had said it was okay to put honey in it.

    Reshi moved across the room slowly, looking around at the high ceiling with it¡¯s tiny glowstones, the thick green carpet that covered most of the polished wood floor, and the elegantly carved fireplace whose chimney looked like a tree trunk. ¡°Can ya leave us alone fer a bit?¡± He looked at Yara with one of his usual frowns ¡°I want ta talk ta ¡®er.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead Yara, can you bring us some food from the kitchen? I think I lost what I had eaten earlier while they were healing me.¡± She had thought that healing would feel relaxing, that the pain would fade away immediately. But apparently when your body had been overloaded with magic that wasn¡¯t the case. She had lost her supper with the last round of healing, and had just gotten cleaned up before Reshi arrived.

    Yara frowned, glancing at Reshi, then back to Dani, dipping into a curtsy. ¡°Of course M¡¯lady. I¡¯ll be back shortly, and the guard will be just outside if you need anything.¡± She stared at Reshi, the words taking on a tone of warning. Then she spun on her heel and headed out the door, her movements practically screaming reluctance.

    Dani smiled and gave her head a little shake as the door closed. ¡°She¡¯s protective. Reshi, is everyone okay?¡±

    That was what she really needed to know. If those people had gotten ahold of any of them... her stomach churned, making her doubt her decision to ask for food. But it had been the best way to get Yara out of the room for a bit, and she really was a bit hungry.

    Reshi sat down on the edge of the bed, looking over the pink flesh that marked where she had been cut again and again. The bruises and burn had mostly faded away already, although she could still feel where they had been. It was a deep ache that went down to her bones, and the healers had said it would linger for a few more days yet. But that was one of the things their tea was supposed to help with. They were hesitant to use too much magic on her until what had been pumped into it faded completely.

    She swore she still had a bit of a golden glow in the darkness.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s fine.¡± Reshi finally spoke, reaching out to brush a lock of hair away from her face. ¡°Ya don¡¯t need ta worry ¡®bout them. We went ta stay with Alodia soon as those men took ya.¡± His frown deepened, and he lowered his eyes. ¡°I shoulda come after ya right away.¡±

    Dani¡¯s eyes widened a little at the soft apology in his voice. Reshi was not a soft man, he never had been! She thought about the men that had taken her, and shook her head. ¡°No, they would have killed you. I¡¯m just glad everyone¡¯s safe.¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t a weak ol¡¯ man.¡± Reshi growled, straightening up to glare at her. ¡°I shoulda come after ya. Or we shoulda left the city sooner. But ain¡¯t much can be done ¡®bout that now. How did ya get here of all places? Was it the nobles that took ya?¡±

    He glanced to the door, a hand drifting to his hunting knife, gripping it by the hilt. Dani reached over, resting a hand over his. Shit, that was just what she needed, Reshi going on a revenge spree in the palace.

    ¡°Not these nobles. It was a nobleman, but not from the palace I think.¡± She frowned, staring off into space as the memory of the man formed in her head. The cruel smile, the pleasure at her pain, the dark stone room. She shook her head, her heart starting to race. ¡°I know I¡¯ve seen him somewhere though.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Do ya remember where? Or when? Tell me what he looked like.¡± Reshi leaned forward, his gaze intent, anger burning in his eyes. ¡°Did he say anything? Why he was after ya?¡±

    Dani shook her head, gripping his hand a bit tighter. ¡°He was heavier set, brown hair, tan skin, a local. I¡¯d recognize him if I saw him again. He was definitely a noble, had that air about him, and he made me- he kept ¡®urtin¡¯ me ¡®til I said I was a street rat, an¡¯ agreed ta do what he said.¡± Her vision swam as tears formed, and she closed her eyes tightly. Damnit, she didn¡¯t want to cry!

    Reshi pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her. She could count on one hand the times he had hugged her, and the simple gesture made the tears that much harder to hold back. Her shoulders shook in a sob. ¡°I shoulda been stronger!¡±

    ¡°Hush now lass, yer plenty strong.¡± Reshi awkwardly patted her back, his own voice gruff. ¡°Ain¡¯t no shame in wantin¡¯ the ¡®urting ta stop. We¡¯re gonna find ¡®im an¡¯ make ¡®im pay. Don¡¯t ya worry.¡±

    Dani shook her head, pulling away to look Reshi in the eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know who he was! I know I¡¯ve seen ¡®im before but I ain¡¯t sure where, or when. An¡¯ I don¡¯t think I could get back ta wherever he had me taken. If he¡¯d even be there! An¡¯ they threatened ta hurt my family! Yer my family Reshi, you an¡¯ Therija, Azra an¡¯ Raycor, what if they come after ya?¡±

    ¡°Well, we just won¡¯t let ¡®im get near us. Right now the others are all in the palace too. An¡¯ Alodia ¡®as her people workin¡¯ on it, including Gull.¡± Reshi smirked, sitting up straight. ¡°We¡¯ll find ¡®im, an¡¯ keep all of ya safe. But ya gotta know the whole truth of things.¡± His smile faded, and he fished an old handkerchief out of his pocket, holding it out to her.

    ¡°The whole truth of things? What do you mean?¡± Dani took the handkerchief, using it to wipe off her face and dry her tears. Her hands still shook, but she could at least stop crying.

    Mostly.

    Reshi glanced towards the door, listening for a moment before turning back to her. ¡°Do ya remember when I found ya?¡±

    He had mentioned something about that day before she had been taken, why was he bringing it up now? Her forehead wrinkled as she thought back to that day, what little she could remember of it. ¡°Not much. I remember the screaming, and fire. And I remember someone telling me to run and not look back. But Reshi, that was years ago, what does that have to do with anything now?¡±

    Reshi nodded, his frown returning in full force. ¡°About what I expected then. Ya were so little.... Kept cryin¡¯ fer yer momma.¡± He rested his elbows on his knees, staring off into the distant past. ¡°I had ta give ya some drink ta quiet ya down, else they would ¡®ave found us. I still ain¡¯t even sure who attacked the caravan ya were in, but I know where the caravan was comin¡¯ from.¡±

    Dani straightened slightly, clutching the handkerchief. He knew where it was coming from? Wait, it had been traveling the Trade Road, so there were limited places it could have come from. Either the capital, Aurum, or Hesiodos. Where it had come from beyond that was a mystery, but the Trade Road only went two ways. ¡°Where do you think it was coming from?¡±

    ¡°Hesiodos. It was travelin¡¯ towards the capital, an¡¯ from what I saw of it, it weren¡¯t a normal trade caravan. They was flyin¡¯ the colors of the Hesiodos clan. That one that wants ta unite all of the clans into one big country.¡± Reshi looked up at her, giving her a moment to think over the implications. Not that it did her much good, she just stared at him blankly.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything? So they were a Hesiodos caravan, so what?¡±

    Reshi sighed and wiped a hand across his face. ¡°Yer gonna get yerself killed if ya don¡¯t start thinkin¡¯. It was a Hesiodos clan caravan, not just one out of Hesiodos. Ya weren¡¯t dressed like some commoner, an¡¯ shortly after that word came through that their High Queen an¡¯ one of their princesses were killed. Ya startin¡¯ to see it now?¡±

    What the hell was he talking about? She frowned, forgetting her nightmare experiences for now in favor of this puzzle. Why couldn¡¯t Reshi just come out and say what he wanted to? He had to dance around it and talk about some queen and a princess!

    Wait a minute.

    A princess, and she wasn¡¯t dressed like a commoner. She looked at him like he had lost his mind. ¡°Reshi, tell me you aren¡¯t thinking that I¡¯m some kind of- of princess!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s the brains I raised ya with. I¡¯m sayin¡¯ exactly that. They never found the princess''s body. Wish I had kept some of the jewelry ya wore but needed that ta get ya to the city an¡¯ raise ya. Alodia helped there, she knew who ta take the more unique stuff to ta break it down.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind.¡± Dani said bluntly, and slumped back into the pillows. ¡°Reshi, it¡¯s probably just some stupid coincidence that their caravan was attacked too. I¡¯m very much not princess material.¡±

    ¡°Ain¡¯t no difference between a princess an¡¯ a thief ¡®cept their profession. I¡¯ll admit I could be wrong, but ain¡¯t likely. The timing matches up, the details, an¡¯ the way ya looked when I found ya.¡± Reshi jabbed a finger at her. ¡°I believe yer their lost princess, an¡¯ that someone high up had that caravan attacked. I just don¡¯t know if it was Cresenvasht, Hesiodos, or some other party I don¡¯t know about yet.¡±

    ¡°Even if we pretend there was any way possible for my to be this princess, which I doubt, why does this matter now? Everyone thinks this princess is dead, there¡¯s no reason for them to think otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Except that yer prince left weeks ago ta visit Hesiodos. An¡¯ yer conveniently married to him, which that princess was s¡¯posed ta be years ago.¡± He reached over and tapped her bracelet. She looked down at it, the amber gemstone glowing faintly in the dim light of her room. ¡°Pretty convenient, ain¡¯t it?¡±

    Pretty convenient was right. Did Wulfram think that she was this lost princess? Was that why he had used the crown to trap her? Why he had invited her to stay in the palace? What was his game?

 Chapter 56 - Wulfram

    When everything had settled down, they had lost three people: Moira, who had died attacking the enemy mage, Cael and Owen, who had both fallen to enemy swords. Wulfram frowned at the primitive funeral pyre they had set up for Moira and Cael, and the grave they had dug for Owen. They didn¡¯t even have a Quietus priest to lay Owen to rest properly.

    The Hesiodos party had their own rituals, and the shaman apparently doubled as a priest. He chanted over the bodies of Moira and Cael, placing flowers and leaves carefully over them, resting coins on each of their closed eyes. The corner of Wulfram¡¯s mouth twitched up slightly, perhaps they weren¡¯t so different after all.

    He knelt by Owen¡¯s grave, reaching in to set two coins on the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Rest well my friend, may Quietus guide you in peace to the afterlife.¡± He said softly, and stood up, nodding to Harvick.

    The mage swallowed hard, his eyes overly bright as he completed his ritual circle, adding a soft chant to activate the spell. A soft glow formed around the pile of dirt they had dug from the hole, and it lifted slowly. Their remaining group stood silently around the hole as it filled in with dirt, none of them were priests, they had no elaborate prayers they could say for their fallen friend. They could only send their simple, silent prayers for Owen¡¯s rest. Wulfram turned from the grave in time to see Alastar breath fire on the pyre, lighting the dry grasses and twigs beneath Moira and Cael with the power of his breath. He didn¡¯t know what gods the Hesiodos clans worshipped, but he sent a prayer to Quietus for their rest as well. They had died as well as any warrior, protecting their king.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t linger here long.¡± He said softly.

    Alastar straightened, staring as the flames wrapped around Cael and Moira¡¯s bodies, hotter than Wulfram would have thought possible. He wasn¡¯t even sure if Alastar had heard him.

    The roar of the fire extended up into the sky, a beacon to any who might intend them harm. It wasn¡¯t safe to stay here, especially with the unburied dead. Wulfram looked over the fallen enemy soldiers. They weren¡¯t bandits, they were too well trained, too well equipped, and they had known where to find them. But who had sent them was a mystery, they had no coat of arms, and all seemed to be human, a mixed lot at that. It wasn¡¯t unusual for towns along the Trade Road, but these were soldiers, they had to come from a common region, didn¡¯t they?

    He looked over their own mixed lot, not even all human. His own party had Gryff, a Felinae in it, and Alastar¡¯s party had Hywel, a dwarf. But the humans all shared certain broad characteristics to the others in their party. Alastar¡¯s people were all light skinned, most of them tall and broad. Although he suspected Alastar was not quite human, and he was the biggest of them all, nearly a giant in comparison to the people in Wulfram¡¯s party, who were all dark haired with sun-kissed skin.

    He knelt down by one of the dead. They hadn¡¯t buried them, but had laid them out in a row. Wulfram frowned as he studied them, looking for some clue, any clue that might tell him who had sent them.

    ¡°Do we need to talk to one of them?¡± Alastar¡¯s voice came from behind Wulfram, lacking it¡¯s usual energy. He was dry-eyed, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t affected. Wulfram stood up with a frown, looking up to the bigger man.

    ¡°I know your people don¡¯t have the same feelings about blood magic that we do, but surely you draw the line at raising the dead?¡± These people had been his enemies, had tried to kill them all, but there were some things that all people deserved. One of those things was to rest in peace, or at least whatever peace Quietus felt they had earned in their lifetime.

    ¡°It is forbidden magic, but that does not mean unknown.¡± Alastar looked at the line of the dead, clenching his hands into fists. ¡°These are no bandits, and I want to know who sent them.¡±

    ¡°I want to know that too, but there are other ways of investigating. I won¡¯t stand by and let you disturb the dead.¡± Wulfram stood tall, his gaze not moving from Alastar. ¡°I know you lost people too, but we need to think clearly.¡±

    ¡°They died because of me.¡± Alastar growled, smoke curling up from his mouth as he stared, stoney-eyed, at the dead. ¡°These people killed them, because of me.¡±

    ¡°They died doing their duty, honoring their king. I know it¡¯s cold comfort, but you can¡¯t blame yourself for their deaths!¡± Wulfram said, grabbing Alastar by the shoulders, giving him a firm shake. It was like trying to shake a statue, but Alastar¡¯s gaze moved to him, and he caught a flash of grief in the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°It was my idea to search for my sister, my selfishness that led them here.¡±

    ¡°Their loyalty and belief in you led them here. And is it selfishness? If Dani is your sister, then the alliance our mothers planned can move forward. It could mean peace for both our kingdoms.¡± As long as Dani went along with it. She had already made it clear she was upset about the marriage, but if he explained how it could benefit their people perhaps she would agree to it.

    Alastar let out a snort of laughter. ¡°I¡¯m not going to pretend that was my first thought in this quest.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Of course it wasn¡¯t, but it was one of your thoughts, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Wulfram stepped back and spread his arms. ¡°We¡¯re going to bring peace to our people, all of our people, that¡¯s what Moira, Cael and Owen all died for.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idealistic fool.¡± Alastar shook his head, but he was smiling faintly now. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving before more people decide we need to die before we bring peace to our people.¡±

    Wulfram nodded, and headed towards this horse. He paused, resting a hand on Owen¡¯s horse. All it carried now was his sword and armor, which would pass on to his son. He closed his eyes a moment, swallowing around a lump in his throat. It was his duty to inform the boy and his mother. All that talk about how Owen had died to bring peace to their people didn¡¯t make it any easier.

    When he was sure he could talk without disgracing himself, he mounted up. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We ride through the night.¡± The sooner they got back to the city, the better.

    They didn¡¯t rest until the next night, near the same stream they had camped by their first night out of the city. They were close now, and hadn¡¯t run into any more trouble. But they didn¡¯t skimp on keeping watch.

    ¡°I guess whoever sent those men after us felt that one attack was all they needed.¡± Wulfram said, watching the fire crackle as he sat watch with Alastar. It was supposed to be Harvick¡¯s turn, but the mage was sleeping so deeply that it wasn¡¯t worth trying to wake him up. Besides, Wulfram couldn¡¯t sleep anyways. They were going to arrive in the city soon, and he was worried about what they might find.

    Alastar nodded, his back to the fire as he scanned the surrounding area. ¡°Possibly. Although it seems foolish to not have a way to confirm the kill. I won¡¯t be at ease until we reach our destination. You said we should arrive tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow evening, yes.¡± Wulfram frowned, Alastar had a point, they had to have a way to confirm the kill. Maybe someone was supposed to report back, but no one escaped that he had noticed. ¡°We¡¯ll report on what happened as soon as we get back, and begin working on who might have sent those men after us. They might be trying to start a war.¡±

    The illusion the enemy mage had cast had made Alastar look like an enemy before it was dispelled. The only reason Wulfram could think for doing that would be to trick one of the Cresenvasht party members into killing Alastar. If the king of Hesiodos died while on a mission in Cresenvasht it would be bad enough, but if he were killed by a member of the royal party? War would have been inevitable.

    ¡°I think so as well.¡± Alastar said. He paced across the small clearing, watching the shadows as if expecting someone or something to jump out at them. ¡°I also don¡¯t think they were from Hesiodos. Their party was all male, and smaller than what is normal in Hesiodos.¡±

    ¡°Dani is small.¡± Wulfram smiled a little as he thought of her, glaring up at him in the tunnels with such spirit in her eyes. ¡°Surely not all people of Hesiodos are big?¡±

    ¡°Not all, no. But most of us are. Dani took after our mother, she was smaller than average as well.¡± Alastar paused in his pacing, listening to the wind rustle the leaves around them. After a moment, he started to pace again. ¡°And smaller people in Hesiodos tent to be trackers, mages, things of that sort. It is rare for one to be a warrior, they just aren¡¯t built for it.¡±

    ¡°And I thought women weren¡¯t built to be warriors at all, but your women fight fiercely. But regardless, I agree with you. It¡¯s possible they¡¯re from Cresenvasht, but that doesn¡¯t make sense either. Why would anyone in either kingdom want war, or to risk their king or prince?¡± Wulfram said.

    Alastar let out a laugh that sounded like a low growl. ¡°There are many reasons why someone from either kingdom might want that. It could well be someone in power trying to make a play for either throne, or it could be someone from outside the kingdoms trying to prevent an alliance between us. We need to look for who benefits from hostilities between Cresenvasht and Hesiodos, narrow down the list of who could be responsible, and handle them.¡±

    ¡°Agreed. The first group that comes to mind is the Empire of Black Ice. It took both our kingdoms to repel them last time, it¡¯s possible they¡¯re preparing for another strike.¡± Wulfram picked up a stick, starting a list in the dirt.

    ¡°There are certain clans within Hesiodos that are not pleased with being unified under my clan, it could be organized by any of them as well. Cresenvasht follows the male line, correct? Who is next in line after you?¡±

    Wulfram frowned, tapping his stick against the ground as he thought. He was the only male heir, and his sisters were too young to marry. That meant it would have to go out of the direct line. ¡°Lord Roderick would be the next to take the throne if my father died with no further male heirs. But the illusion was cast on you, not me. They were trying to get you killed.¡±

    Alastar nodded, scratching at the stubble on his chin. ¡°You have a point. Who else might profit from conflict between our two kingdoms?¡±

    ¡°No one. Not that I can think of anyway. The conflict has cost us in trade and reputation. Before the conflict we worked together to secure the Trade Road, but since our kingdoms have been at odds it¡¯s been harder to patrol, harder to repair.¡±

    ¡°For us as well, we¡¯ve seen fewer caravans coming from Cresenvasht to Trade City, and some have complained about the lack of certain goods. Our people want an alliance, I just want to make sure it¡¯s a fair alliance.¡± Alastar said.

    ¡°We want a fair alliance as well.¡± Wulfram paused, thinking of some on his father¡¯s council. He gave a reluctant nod. ¡°Most of us want a fair alliance at least. But even those who are greedy wouldn¡¯t benefit from your death.¡±

    ¡°No, if I die before bearing a son, preferably multiple sons, then they would be left with a group of clans to fight for the Trade Road.¡± Alastar finally sat down, picking up a log and tossing it into the fire.

    Wulfram paused, eyes widening. ¡°Oh. You¡¯re right!¡±

    Alastar looked at Wulfram, an eyebrow raising. ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve thought of something.¡±

    ¡°We were worried about fighting a united Hesiodos.¡± Wulfram leaned forward, lowering his voice as he spoke. ¡°Our army would struggle to fight off a united Hesiodos, but a fractured one, where we only have to fight one clan at a time? We would be able to handle that easily.¡±

    ¡°Not as easily as you think, I imagine. But I can see your point.¡± Alastar¡¯s face darkened, and he stared into the fire. ¡°If someone from your kingdom is trying to break apart the clans of Hesiodos, we need to stop them.¡±

    ¡°And we need to keep you safe.¡± Wulfram looked at the tents, fighting the urge to wake the others and continue on to the palace tonight. But it would be better for them to be rested, just in case something happened.

 Chapter 57 - Dani

    ¡°Dani, yer like a princess now!¡± Azra was looking like her old self again, wide-eyed and energetic. She spun around in the wide open space of Dani¡¯s room until she was too dizzy to stand, then fell to the floor, giggling.

    ¡°I¡¯m not like a princess.¡± Dani said. She was smiling, feeling at rest for the first time in days. Her whole family was here, safe and healthy, and she was pain free. The healers had warned her not to use magic for at least another week, but considering she only knew how to make a glowstone that wasn¡¯t a problem.

    Therija looked around the big room, an eyebrow raising. ¡°This looks like a princess¡¯s room. An¡¯ yer eatin¡¯ lunch in bed. I would say yer like a princess.¡±

    Dani shot a glare at Therija, but she couldn¡¯t truly be upset. They were right, these people were treating her like a princess, and it made her squirm inside. She liked it alright, it was nice to be pampered and taken care of, but she wasn¡¯t used to it. There was a part of her that felt guilty about it, considering so many people were barely scraping by in the Rats Nest. It hadn¡¯t been that long ago that she was one of them, sleeping on rooftops or in the underground crypts, or sharing a bed with Therija and Azra while Raycor slept in the main room and Reshi slept on the floor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go sayin¡¯ that type o¡¯ thing where folks¡¯ll hear.¡± Reshi said from his place by the garden doors. He and Raycor were lounging in chairs there, enjoying the warm breeze that blew in off the ocean.

    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not like they¡¯re bein¡¯ secretive ¡®bout it.¡± Therija said and sat on the edge of the bed. She reached over, taking one of Dani¡¯s pieces of honey toast. She took a bite out of it, a thoughtful look on her face as she tasted it.

    Reshi looked at Dani with a worried frown. But he just shook his head without offering further explanation. ¡°Just don¡¯t. Ya hear?¡±

    ¡°How are they treating you? I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get to see you sooner.¡± Dani rested back against her pillows, the physical traces of her injuries gone. All that was left were the nightmares now, and the gnawing fear for herself and her family.

    ¡°They¡¯re treatin¡¯ us like princesses!¡± Azra leapt up onto the bed, sinking into the covers. ¡°An¡¯ I even got ta meet the real princesses! They¡¯re nice, their names are Mireya an¡¯ Cressida, they gave me a doll an¡¯ we played tea party together with real tea!¡±

    ¡°I hope your tea tastes better than mine.¡± Dani reached over and ruffled Azra¡¯s hair, earning a dark glare from the girl.

    ¡°We¡¯re watched though.¡± Therija said softly, glancing at the door. They all knew there was a guard standing just outside of it. It was like being in a pretty prison cell, one with good food and a comfortable bed. ¡°I ain¡¯t been back ta the bakery since we went ta Alodia¡¯s. I hope no one moved into it.¡±

    ¡°Everyone knows who that spot belongs to. It¡¯s been your place for years! And before that it was Raycor¡¯s.¡± Dani said.

    ¡°True, but ya know how it is in the Rat¡¯s Nest. Leave a place empty too long an¡¯ someone else¡¯ll move in.¡± Therija said.

    ¡°Well, then go on down and check it out. Just don¡¯t go alone. You¡¯re not prisoners here!¡± Dani moved her tray aside, taking a moment to drain the fruit juice before climbing out of bed. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll get dressed and we can go.¡±

    ¡°Sit yer ass back down.¡± Reshi growled, standing as well. ¡°Ya ain¡¯t goin¡¯ anywhere, not without guards at least. An¡¯ guards we pick.¡±

    ¡°Did someone say they wanted guards?¡± Suddenly Gull was hanging upside down outside the garden doors, her short hair more like a nest than hair.

    Dani jumped, spinning to face the doors, her heart pounding. She put a hand to her chest, taking in deep breaths to try to calm down. Just Gull, it was just Gull. There was only one way into the gardens and that was through her room. Or however Gull got in, because she sure as hell didn¡¯t come through her room. Unless she came through last night? But no, there was a guard at her door at all times! ¡°Blessed mother of stars and seas Gull, don¡¯t do that!¡±

    Gull grinned impishly at her, and dropped to the ground, flipping in midair to land gracefully on her feet. ¡°Ya don¡¯t think the palace guards are the only ones keepin¡¯ watch, do ya?¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.¡± Dani slumped against the bedpost, irritated at herself. She was shaking! It wasn¡¯t like Gull hadn¡¯t pulled that trick before, there was no reason for her to have reacted so strongly. ¡°Did Alodia send ya?¡±

    ¡°She did. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t help much when they took ya.¡± Gull frowned, reaching out to take one of Dani¡¯s hands. ¡°I told ya we¡¯d guard ya, an¡¯ I failed. We got a couple of us ¡®ere now. Tryin¡¯ ta get Ceria in a as a maid too, but Yara ain¡¯t a bad sort. I like ¡®er.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Dani gave Gull¡¯s hand a squeeze and offered her a weak smile. ¡°Ain¡¯t your fault. We were outnumbered, and they took us by surprise. I¡¯m just glad the rest of you weren¡¯t hurt. Now, convince Reshi I¡¯ll be safe if I go to the bakery with Therija.¡±

    She opened up the big wardrobe set at one side of the room, and stared at the array of clothes within. Azra was by her side in a flash, touching the fine fabrics. ¡°You have so many clothes now Dani!¡±

    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to go out in any of this? I¡¯d get robbed setting foot in the Rat¡¯s Nest!¡± She pulled out a grey-blue dress trimmed with black and gold, staring at it and it¡¯s matching belt.

    ¡°Well, ya shouldn¡¯t go out anyways.¡± Gull said carefully, looking uncomfortable. ¡°Bear¡¯s been lookin¡¯ fer ya, an¡¯ yer family. He busted up the house and bakery too, before folks were able ta stop ¡®im. Sorry Therija, Raycor....¡±

    Dani felt a chill go through her, remembering snippets of what had happened after Bear had taken her. She clutched the dress tighter, staring at nothing at all as her heart pounded.

    This was her fault. She had put her family in danger.

    ¡°We¡¯ll rebuild.¡± Therija said, although tears gathered in her eyes. Her family had spent years building up that bakery, working hard, scraping and saving to get things like pots and pans. They had scavenged what they could from old houses and the underground, putting everything they had into it.

    Dani took a deep, shuddering breath, and steeled her resolve. She wasn¡¯t going to let that asshole get away with this. She was a lady now, she was going to use what power she had to make him pay for what he had done. ¡°Do you know where to find him now?¡±

    ¡°Where ta find him? Probably at the guild. Why?¡± Gull looked at her, eyes widening slightly. ¡°Dani, ya ain¡¯t goin¡¯ after him!¡±

    ¡°I need him out of the guild, someplace the guards can get him.¡± Dani stepped behind the carved and bejeweled screen that sectioned off one corner of her room. She stripped off the nightgown, switching it out for the soft, lacy underthings that a lady wore beneath her clothes. They weren¡¯t exactly designed to carry a knife, but she¡¯d find a way. Her hands shook as she tried to lace up her corset, fingers fumbling with the lacing. But then Therija was there, pulling the laces tight and securing them in place.

    ¡°Dani, don¡¯t do anything rash, we can rebuild the bakery, but we can¡¯t replace ya.¡± She said softly. ¡°How many times ¡®ave we nearly lost ya these past couple o¡¯ months? We can¡¯t keep doin¡¯ this.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not just after me, he¡¯s after you and Azra, an¡¯ I ain¡¯t going to let him get ya.¡± Dani pulled the dress on, smoothing it out over her petticoat. It was an interesting style, the belt hanging loosely on her hips, looped over itself with one end hanging down nearly to the floor. The black trim had red roses embroidered in it, edged with gold. Dani stared at herself in the mirror, her face pale, lips pressed tightly together. She straightened her back, and let out a soft breath. ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ ta lure him out, and have the guards arrest him.¡±

    ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± Therija helped her step into soft black boots that fit like a glove, with just the slightest heel. ¡°You¡¯ve only just healed!¡±

    Dani smoothed out her dress again. She smirked at Therija¡¯s question, eyes sparkling as she looked at her. ¡°But I am healed, and I¡¯m not going to sit idle while he goes around free.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t going to be a prisoner of her fear. Dani stepped out from behind the screen, smoothing out her hair as she headed for the door. But she stopped when Reshi stepped in front of her. ¡°No, I ain¡¯t lettin¡¯ ya go risk yer life like this.¡±

    ¡°Reshi, I¡¯m a big girl, and I¡¯ll have guards waiting to grab him.¡± She clenched her fists, feeling the heat rise in her face as she glared at him. ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt like last time.¡±

    ¡°Ya don¡¯t know that, an¡¯ ya can¡¯t trust the guards¡¯ll have yer back. Far as anyone ¡®ere knows, yer just some commoner the royals decided ta call a lady.¡±

    Dani glanced at the others, who were looking on with a mixture of worry and curiosity. She could practically see Gull¡¯s ears perk up at Reshi¡¯s words, an eyebrow raising in question as she looked at Dani.

    Dani shook her head, she¡¯d have to tell Gull about it later, when they were alone. Azra was a good kid but she was just a kid, and Dani still wasn¡¯t sure about Reshi¡¯s theory. There was no proof! And even if there was, why would anyone be looking for her now, after all these years? ¡°Reshi, I¡¯m going, ya can¡¯t stop me.¡±

    ¡°Like hell I can¡¯t. Ya ain¡¯t too big ta spank.¡±

    ¡°Reshi! I¡¯m a grown adult, and I¡¯m going!¡± She tried to step around him, only to find Raycor blocking her path as well. Her eyes widened, and she stared up at her fathers twin. ¡°Raycor? You too?¡±

    ¡°Lass, I seen ya come ta us out o¡¯ yer mind from ¡®ealin¡¯. I ¡®ad the full tale of ¡®ow they found ya this time, an¡¯ I ain¡¯t lettin¡¯ any o¡¯ us go through that again. Ya listen to yer pa this time. We¡¯ll ¡®andle Bear.¡± He set his hand on her shoulder, smiling gently down at her. ¡°Ya seem ta be safe ¡®ere. Ya an¡¯ the girls. We¡¯ll fetch Ervel an¡¯ some others I trust ta ¡®andle ¡®im.¡±

    ¡°But what if he hurts you?¡± Dani clenched her fists tight to her sides, tears spilling over at the mere thought. ¡°What if he ain¡¯t alone when ya find him an¡¯ ya get hurt?¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t. Now, chin up lass. Dry them tears.¡± He wiped the tears away gently, smiling. ¡°Yer pa an¡¯ I got this ¡®andled. Let¡¯s go Reshi.¡±

    Reshi nodded, looking over the girls, including a stern look to Gull. ¡°You lot stay here. If I find any o¡¯ ya snuck out I¡¯ll tan yer hides, don¡¯t care how old ya are!¡±

    Dani grit her teeth as the two men left the room, barely containing the fury that threatened to boil over in her. She wasn¡¯t a weakling, or some simpering lady that needed to be protected! She could fight as well as any man!

    ¡°D-Dani?¡± Therija stared at her, eyes widening and face pale. ¡°Are ya a¡¯ight?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Dani spun to face the others, hesitating when she saw Therija¡¯s look echoed on Gull¡¯s face. Azra just stared up at her in amazement.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good trick! Can ya teach me how ta do it?¡± Azra asked brightly.

    ¡°Do what?¡± The anger faded to confusion, and she suddenly noticed that her mouth tasted like cooking fire. ¡°Blech, is the chimney workin¡¯?¡±

    ¡°There- there was smoke, comin¡¯ out of yer mouth.¡± Therija whispered.

 Chapter 58 - Wulfram

    It was late in the evening when they rode into the palace, the great horn at the top of the walls bellowing out over the city to announce their arrival. Wulfram let out a sigh of relief as the palace gates closed behind them, some of the tension easing from his muscles. Now he just had to find Dani and everything would be just fine. He looked down at his bracelet, her heartbeat steady against his skin. Wherever she was, she was calm.

    He dismounted in front of the doors to the palace, leaning down to give his mother a hug. ¡°Mother.¡±

    ¡°Welcome home Wulfram.¡± Queen Mirabel smiled up at him. Her eyes strayed over the group, the smile fading slightly when she saw the empty horses. ¡°Was there trouble on your journey?¡±

    ¡°There was.¡± Wulfram said grimly, and turned to shake his father¡¯s hand. ¡°We need to talk, but first let me introduce King Alastar of Hesiodos.¡± He straightened, gesturing to Alastar.

    Alastar strode forward and extended his hand, inclining his head slightly to Mirabel and Cynewulf. ¡°Queen Mirabel, King Cynewulf, thank you for allowing me to enter your fine kingdom in search of my sister. We have much to discuss, but our group is tired, and the hour grows late. Let me just say that your son is an honorable and courageous fighter and it has been an honor to travel with him.¡±

    ¡°I am pleased to hear that my son has conducted himself with honor and courage during your journey but saddened to hear that it was necessary for you to fight. Our roads have not been as safe as they used to be of late. Please let us make you comfortable here and tend to your horses. We have a royal suite set up for you and your people.¡±

    Wulfram found himself repeating the words in his head after his father. There were always certain formulas that were recommended by etiquette to respond to some situations. A greeting for visiting nobility, acknowledgment for services rendered to the crown, for the loss of a loved one or comrade, the list went on and he had had to memorize many of those same boring lines. But they served their purpose he supposed.

    ¡°Thank you, I would like to be shown these rooms. But first, Prince Wulfram has mentioned a Lady Daniella, is she here?¡± Alastar watched as Mirabel and Cynewulf exchanged glances.

    The only one who seemed surprised was Cynewulf, which made Wulfram wonder how much his mother really knew. She had welcomed Dani so warmly when they met, did she know something?

    ¡°She is here, yes. But this late in the evening I¡¯m sure she¡¯s resting. Would you like me to introduce you to her in the morning?¡± Mirabel said, smiling warmly.

    ¡°I would, yes. I have heard much about her. But I would hate to interrupt her rest, or steal rest from my people. Please lead us to our rooms.¡± Alastar said, with no indication of how eager he was to see Dani.

    Personally, Wulfram wasn¡¯t going to wait until tomorrow to see Dani. Her rooms were right next to his, so it wouldn¡¯t exactly be out of his way to visit her. But what was he going to say to her?

    ¡°Sir Alrick will show you the way, and we will make sure to send food to your room, I seem to recall that the people of Hesiodos favor meats?¡± Cynewulf gestured to a knight, who stepped forward and bowed deeply.

    Alastar smiled and gestured for his people to follow him. ¡°Your hospitality is appreciated, but you don¡¯t need to prepare special food for us. We eat much the same things you do, meat, vegetables, breads and cheeses. We also wouldn¡¯t want to put your kitchen staff to work so late in the day.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, we usually have a small staff in the kitchen at all hours in case someone feels a bit peckish at night.¡± Cynewulf smiled, stepping aside for Alastar and his group to head into the palace. ¡°They¡¯ll bring up something shortly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you again for your hospitality.¡± Alastar nodded to Cynewulf, and then fell into step behind Sir Alrick, his people following close behind as they headed into the palace proper.

    Once they were gone, Cynewulf turned to Wulfram, a bit of the formality fading, but his look serious. ¡°I am glad you returned home to us safely. There was trouble on the roads?¡±

    ¡°Yes Father. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Wulfram looked at the others, nodding. ¡°Go ahead and get some rest, I¡¯ll handle the debrief.¡±

    He didn¡¯t wait for an answer, striding up the palace steps. He had to check himself though, his feet trying to take him directly to Dani. Wulfram gave himself a firm mental shake. Now was not the time, not yet. ¡°On the way to the border, we encountered multiple groups of bandits, but the real trouble came as we were returning to the capital.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Cynewulf fell into step beside him, Mirabel walking just slightly behind. This wasn¡¯t her area of expertise, but she stayed close anyways, listening.

    ¡°We were ambushed by a group of armed men. Not bandits, they were supplied too well for that. They killed three of our number: two of King Alastar¡¯s people, and one of our own.¡± Wulfram frowned and paused, staring blankly at the floor. He was still going to have to tell Owen¡¯s family what had happened. That he had died honorably in service to the crown was a cold comfort to a wife that had lost her husband.

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    ¡°We lost Sir Owen.¡± Wulfram said softly, clenching his fists. ¡°I have to tell his wife.¡±

    Mirabel set a hand on his shoulder, speaking softly. ¡°I can speak with her if you would like.¡±

    ¡°No. Thank you, but it should be me. He was part of my party, it was my responsibility to bring him home safely.¡± Wulfram took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. ¡°I should go now.¡±

    ¡°Do it in the morning. It¡¯s too late to go now.¡± Cynewulf said gently and rested his hand on Wulfram¡¯s other shoulder. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t your responsibility to bring him home safely, but his to make sure you returned home safely. Which he did. It¡¯s alright to grieve a good man''s death, but don¡¯t blame yourself for it.¡±

    Wulfram nodded, taking another slow breath in and out. He had given Alastar much the same speech, but that didn¡¯t make it any easier. ¡°Is Lady Daniella alright?¡±

    His parents exchanged glances once again, and Mirabel stepped forward, speaking softly. ¡°We followed a flare of your magic to her, it was no easy task. When the guards found her she was in a very bad way, someone tortured the poor girl. The healers have worked with her extensively to heal the physical damage, but they have said the mental trauma will take longer to heal. She has been having nightmares, and has barely left her room.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure she realizes she can. Most aren¡¯t used to having a guard outside the door constantly.¡± Cynewulf said, the ghost of a smile forming on his lips. ¡°Can you explain how she became so full of your magic, Wulfram?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± He didn¡¯t regret what he did, but somehow Wulfram didn¡¯t think his parents would approve of him using unknown blood magic that sent his soul across the kingdom.

    ¡°Explain it anyways, we¡¯re not simpletons.¡± Cynewulf said.

    There was no graceful way out of explaining when his father phrased the order like that. Wulfram straightened and gave a slight nod. ¡°Alright, but not here. In your study?¡±

    Mirabel and Cynewulf exchanged glances, but Cynewulf nodded and turned to head into the palace. ¡°To my study then.¡±

    Wulfram followed close behind, his hand resting lightly on his sword. At a glance from his mother, he moved his hand away from it, offering an apologetic smile. He shouldn¡¯t need his sword here, of all places. There were guards, wards and loyal servants here, no one that should want to harm any of them.

    But he still couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that hung over him. The nagging feeling that there was something dangerous lurking in the shadows. Was this his feeling, or Dani¡¯s? He lightly touched his bracelet, feeling the thin thread of fear that echoed through it. They had to get rid of these damn bracelets, how was he supposed to know for sure what was her emotions and what were his own?

    In his father¡¯s study, he headed straight for the decanter of whiskey, pouring a couple of glasses.

    ¡°Surely it can¡¯t be that bad.¡± Mirabel said, her voice carrying an undercurrent of laughter as she watched him pour the drinks.

    Wulfram smiled wryly, offering one of the drinks to his father before pouring a glass of his mother¡¯s favorite fruit wine for her. ¡°It¡¯s not good.¡± The whole situation was so far out of hand that he didn¡¯t know what to do, what to tell them. He sat down heavily by the fireplace, his own glass of whiskey resting on the arm of the chair.

    ¡°Tell us everything dear, it¡¯s best we know how bad it really is.¡± Mirabel took the glass of wine, sitting down on the couch, Cynewulf settling down next to her silently.

    Their attention weighed on him as he began to explain everything as he understood it. They already knew about the bracelets, but he explained how he had been feeling things from Dani through them, how he and used that link and blood magic to send his soul to her, send his magic to her. Then he explained Alastar¡¯s theory that she was his sister, lost so many years ago. Mirabel glanced at Cynewulf when he mentioned that, a small triumphant smile playing across her lips.

    ¡°You knew?¡± Wulfram stared at his mother. He had seen her say ¡®I told you so¡¯ to his father often enough to recognize the expression, but how had she known? It wasn¡¯t even proven yet, but-

    Wait, that first time she had met Dani, she had acted like she was greeting an old friend. Or maybe the daughter of an old friend.

    ¡°She looks so much like her mother, how could I not? I admit I wasn¡¯t certain, but the resemblance was too much to deny. She¡¯s a bit smaller, not nearly as muscular, but the only real difference is her eyes. Cerridwen said in her letters that she had her father¡¯s eyes, the same blue as the flowers that grow in Hesiodos.¡± Mirabel smiled softly, reaching out to rest a hand on one of Wulfram¡¯s. ¡°The gods have smiled on our kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°That may be,¡± Cynewulf finally spoke, his hard voice carrying through the room. ¡°But this could cause problems as well. We also need to address the issue of you putting your life, your very soul, at risk for this girl. You said it was King Alastar¡¯s idea to use blood magic, what if it had been a trap? An excuse to kill you? You took a foolish risk.¡±

    ¡°She was in danger, she was nearly raped! If I hadn¡¯t done anything, she would have been!¡± Wulfram clenched his hand around the whiskey glass, empty now, even though he didn¡¯t remember drinking any of it. ¡°Tell me you wouldn¡¯t have done the same if it was Mother, or either of the girls.¡±

    Cynewulf pressed his lips together, his face darkening for a moment before he got himself back under control. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t your Mother or the girls, it was a woman you barely know, and magic that is forbidden in these lands. For good reason might I add! I believe the bracelet is compromising your judgement in regards to this girl. Luckily, they¡¯ve found a way to remove it.¡±

    ¡°Surely that isn¡¯t necessary?¡± Mirabel said, her eyes widening slightly. ¡°It¡¯s almost certain she¡¯s Cerridwen¡¯s child, and they were to be married anyways.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is necessary. A King needs to be able to think clearly. Wulfram, can you tell me that you haven¡¯t been influenced by the feelings coming through that bracelet?¡±

    Wulfram frowned, lowering his head. He stared into the empty depths of his glass. Even now he could feel Dani through the bracelet, the soft beating of her heart as she dozed off, the feeling of comfort brought on by family close by, and a bed that was better than she ever could have dreamed of.

    ¡°Wulfram?¡± Cynewulf prompted, not willing to let the question stay unanswered.

    ¡°No. No I can¡¯t.¡± Wulfram whispered.

 Chapter 59 - Dani

    Dani stayed up late, waiting for Reshi and Raycor to return with no luck. Whatever they were doing, it wasn¡¯t going to be a quick process to get rid of Bear. Hopefully they would be successful, hopefully whoever was behind Bear wouldn¡¯t come after her father and uncle in retaliation.

    Hopefully they¡¯d come back safe and sound.

    ¡°Dani, frettin¡¯ won¡¯t bring ¡®em back any sooner, it¡¯s gettin¡¯ late.¡± Therija said from the bed, where Azra was already asleep.

    They had spent the day in her rooms, chatting like old times. Therija was set to marry her blacksmith during the harvest festival, and she already had babies on the brain. Azra was doing well with the bakery, and was likely to join her sister in running it when she got older. For right now she had learned her numbers, and was working on learning to write. Apparently she loved to write, and Therjia was going to make sure she got her own blank book, complete with a pen and ink.

    Dani lounged back on the small mountain of pillows, her eyelids growing heavy as the evening wore on. It must be nice to be so certain of where your life was going. She couldn¡¯t help feeling a little bit jealous of them. They had the bakery, and simple goals for a peaceful life.

    She had no idea what she had, but whatever it was it sure as hell wasn¡¯t simple or peaceful.

    Therija smiled and patted Dani¡¯s hand lightly. ¡°Yer still recoverin¡¯, go on an¡¯ get in yer nightgown. I don¡¯t think pa and Reshi are comin¡¯ back tonight.¡±

    ¡°I should go after them, what if they got in over their heads?¡± Dani frowned, but stood up and started stripping down. She carefully hung the dress and undergarments back up, setting the corset back in it¡¯s drawer. She hadn¡¯t exactly done much to get them dirty, and the clothes were too fine to just toss on a chair.

    ¡°Then ya won¡¯t be any help anyways.¡± Therija said firmly. ¡°Ya would just get yerself in trouble, again.¡±

    Dani wrinkled her nose, wishing she could argue with Therija. But she had a point, if Reshi and Raycor ran into something they couldn¡¯t handle, then she wasn¡¯t going to be any help either. Sure she could try to bring in the guards, but she wasn¡¯t even sure they would listen to her. When everything was said and done, she was still a commoner thief.

    No matter who Reshi thought her birth parents were.

    ¡°Yer face¡¯ll stick like that if ya keep it up.¡± Therija said mildly, and Dani let out a snort of laughter. She picked up the brush from her vanity, pausing to stare in the mirror. No physical trace of the trauma she had been through, and she had plumped out a little bit from eating well. She wasn¡¯t sure she even recognized herself anymore.

    ¡°Or maybe I¡¯ll start breathing smoke again.¡± Dani teased as she started to pull the brush through her hair.

    ¡°Maybe ya will. Come ¡®ere, I¡¯ll do that for ya.¡±

    Dani felt a lurch in her stomach, remembering when Najia had brushed their hair before bed, and the soft songs she used to sing. She headed over to sit on the bed, glancing at Azra, curled up like a kitten, far too young to remember the mother she had lost. ¡°You¡¯ll make a good momma. You already are one in a way.¡±

    Therija took the brush and started to run it through Dani¡¯s hair, letting out a soft laugh. ¡°Well, someone ¡®ad ta be the momma, Azra an¡¯ ya both needed one.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re the same age! Or at least close enough that I don¡¯t need you to be my momma.¡±

    ¡°Aye, that we are.¡± There was amusement in Therija¡¯s voice, and a patience that Dani herself could never quite master. Therija took after her mother in that regard, even when the guard brought her home after getting caught stealing, Najia was always patient, she had never once raised her voice at either of them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to be my momma, really. I¡¯d rather have you be my sister.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll always be yer sister.¡± Therija gave Dani a tight hug from behind. ¡°But ya tend ta do crazy things, an¡¯ that¡¯s what makes me think ya need me ta be yer momma sometimes too.¡± She set the brush on the bedside table, letting out a sigh. ¡°Lets go ta sleep now, I¡¯ll bet ya Reshi an Pa will be back in the mornin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. I¡¯m sorry about all this.¡± Dani flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the false sky made by dozens of glowstones. ¡°I fucked all our lives up.¡±

    Therija laughed and squirmed beneath the blankets, tossing a corner of the top one over Azra and Dani. ¡°Oh aye, tis such a trial ta be stayin¡¯ in the palace.¡±

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    ¡°Sarcasm doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± Dani grumbled and crawled beneath the blankets as well, leaving the top one for Azra. ¡°And you know what I mean. We were attacked, the house and bakery were wrecked if Gull isn¡¯t exaggerating, and there¡¯s an asshole after all of us.¡±

    ¡°True ¡®nough.¡± Therija said as she made herself comfortable. ¡°But fer right now, we¡¯re safe. As fer the bakery an¡¯ house... well, things can be replaced. People can¡¯t.¡±

    That was small comfort considering that Reshi and Raycor were even now out hunting the man that had taken her. But Dani sighed and let it go, there was no point in upsetting Therija if she didn¡¯t have to.

    But Dani still worried, staring up at the ceiling and its false stars. Gradually though, her eyes grew heavy, the comforting familiarity of sharing a bed with Therija and Azra lulling her into a feeling of safety as she dozed off. She barely heard Reshi and Raycor return, their voices a quiet comfort as they spoke with the guard and Gull.

    Perhaps Therija was right to not worry. She smiled faintly and let the familiar sound of the brothers'' voices carry her into a deep sleep.

    Dani woke to the sun streaming through open doors, birdsong a soft accompaniment to the familiar voices that filled her room. Damn early risers. She peeled her eyes open, looking blurrily around the room. As usual, she was the last one awake in the morning. The table had been moved out into the garden, and the smell of fresh eggs, bacon and pancakes wafted in on the light ocean breeze.

    Groggily, Dani crawled out of bed and shuffled over to the table. She paused when a maid hurried up to her with a robe, only making the barest grumble as she let the tall woman help her put it on. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to catch cold Milady.¡± The maid said with a soft smile, making sure to tie the robe shut in the front.

    Reshi looked up from his pile of bacon and eggs with a smirk, one eye swollen shut. ¡°Aye, an¡¯ that would be jus¡¯ what ya need. A cold.¡±

    ¡°Nice shiner old man.¡± And that was about as much as Dani was willing to say before breakfast. She dropped down into the only empty chair left and started to scoop eggs onto her plate. The maid busied herself adding bacon, fruit and pancakes, even pouring Dani a glass of chilled milk. Dani stared at the milk for a moment, before picking up the glass and taking a nice big appreciative gulp.

    ¡°Ya should see the other guy.¡± Reshi grinned, and Dani noticed his split lip. Raycor was no better off, his fists bruised, and one of his teeth missing. ¡°We¡¯re workin¡¯ with Alodia an¡¯ the guards ta make sure it¡¯s safe ta go back home, but ¡®til we find the folks behind Bear, we ain¡¯t gunna risk it.¡±

    Dani let out a soft snort, her eyes on her breakfast as she poured warm syrup over the pancakes. ¡°It was a noble. He didn¡¯t say which one?¡±

    ¡°Naw, an¡¯ we weren¡¯t gentle wit¡¯ our questions.¡± Raycor said. He took a bite of the pancakes, and gave his nod of approval. ¡°We got others lookin¡¯ into it, an¡¯ the palace guards are lookin¡¯ into it in their way.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully that won¡¯t draw too much attention.¡± Dani said. She frowned a little as she started to eat, thinking about guards down in the Rat¡¯s Nest. Alodia probably wasn¡¯t going to be happy with their increased presence, but it was going to be necessary. Not just for their family, but for everyone down there. Sure they had gotten along fine enough without guards before, but Dani wasn¡¯t dumb enough to think there hadn¡¯t been more crime in the Rat¡¯s Nest than elsewhere in the city. People knew the guards didn¡¯t like to go in there, and even though it¡¯s people were poor, they were the target of all sorts of assholes.

    ¡°It won¡¯t. There¡¯s already been folks nosin¡¯ around from outside, the guards are just one more group. Folks assume they¡¯re out there watchin¡¯ over the scholars and mages.¡± Reshi let out a snort, his good eye sparkling. ¡°Let ¡®em think what they will.¡±

    ¡°Right. They¡¯re going to have to get used to more guards anyways. Maybe we can get some of the enforcers to join up, they know the Rat¡¯s Nest better than the city guard.¡± Gods it was too early for this talk. She wasn¡¯t even dressed yet! And she should be getting back to Mrs. Haversaun¡¯s now that she was feeling better. She had work to do!

    ¡°Aye, maybe.¡± Reshi said carefully, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°But what worry is that of ours, eh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my worry. I¡¯m supposed to be the lady of Rat¡¯s Nest? Fine, I¡¯m going to make it a safer place for everyone. What happened to use would never have happened to someone in the upper city.¡± Dani stabbed at her eggs viciously, spearing a clump.

    There was a moment of silence at the table, and Dani glanced up, studying the faces of her family. Unsurprisingly, Reshi was frowning, worrying at what remained of his own eggs. But Azra was looking at Dani with a touch of hero-worship, and there were traces of approval in both Therija and Raycor.

    She hadn¡¯t expected that. She had been sure that Raycor would side with Reshi, and want her to run. Azra was a kid, she just thought this whole thing was amazing, and Therija, well, Therija took after Najia, and Dani had a feeling Najia would have approved too.

    It was the maid who finally broke the silence, speaking to Azra. ¡°Little Miss, would you like to go attend lessons with Cressida and Mireya? They¡¯ll be working on their writing and reading, and later in the day they¡¯ll be practicing horseback riding.¡±

    Azra shot to her feet with wide eyes and a bright grin. ¡°Horseback riding?¡± She looked to Therija and Raycor, practically quivering with excitement. ¡°Can I? Can I go? I¡¯ll be good!¡±

    Raycor chuckled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. ¡°Aye, go ¡®ave some fun.¡±

    Azra let out a happy little squeal and ran around the table to the maid, where she stood bouncing on her toes. ¡°Thank ya Pa!¡±

    ¡°With your leave Milady.¡± The maid curtsied, suppressing a giggle as she took Azra¡¯s hand and led her out the door. ¡°Perhaps we will see the horses from Hesiodos this afternoon as well.¡± Her voice faded as they walked down the hall, the door shutting gently behind them.

    Reshi¡¯s head snapped up, and he stared at the closed door. ¡°Hesiodos horses?¡± He stood up, giving a nod to Raycor. ¡°Ye stay here an¡¯ keep an eye on the girls. I need ta check somethin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Aye. Be careful.¡± Raycor nodded slightly, but Reshi was already heading out the door.

    Dani let out a sigh, closing her eyes for a moment before returning to her breakfast. She supposed she would find out what that was all about soon enough.

 Chapter 60 - Wulfram

    Wulfram woke up early, in spite of how late he had went to bed. He could smell breakfast already waiting for him, a maid opening the curtains and doors of his room to let in the fresh air. Voices drifted in from the next-door garden, and he sat up when he recognized Dani¡¯s voice, sounding just a little cranky.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to be watched over here. There¡¯s a guard at the door, and don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t see you lurking in that tree Gull! Did you even bother to sleep?¡±

    He smiled and let out a soft chuckle. He¡¯d find out who Gull was soon enough, but it wouldn¡¯t be polite to go calling on a lady so early in the morning. So instead he climbed out of bed, and headed into the bathroom to get washed up before eating his own breakfast. Today was going to be a busy day, one of the first items on the agenda was removing the bracelets from himself and Dani.

    He wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to remove them, but his father had been right. A king needed a clear head, and the bracelets weren¡¯t helping him with that. He looked down at it, touching the blue gem lightly. As long as she was safe in the palace, it shouldn¡¯t matter if they were connected with the bracelets. She would be safe, and he would have time to talk to her and convince her to stay. Although things were likely to be complicated by some of the others that had arrived in the palace. Alastar would want to speak to her too today, and he had already been warned that her adopted father and uncle had arrived at the palace as well.

    Wulfram frowned thoughtfully as he pulled on his clothes for the day, staring off into space. Reshi didn¡¯t like him, he was sure of it. He was protective of Dani, and perhaps thought that Wulfram was just out to ¡®sow his wild oats¡¯ as they called it. ¡°She¡¯d have my head.¡±

    ¡°Who would have your head?¡± His manservant asked politely as he entered, the maid making herself scarce. The older man had been his servant for as long as Wulfram could remember, guiding him through his days in the palace and keeping track of all the classes, and later on meetings, that he had to attend.

    ¡°Princess Daniella.¡± Wulfram smiled at the older man. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again Christopher, how is your family?¡±

    ¡°Quite well sir. I have your agenda for the day if you would care to hear it while eating your breakfast?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I imagine I have a lot to catch up on after my trip.¡± Wulfram sat down at the small table, listening to the voices that drifted over the garden wall. He recognized Dani¡¯s voice, the man was no doubt her uncle, one of the women had to be Therija, and the other must be Gull.

    ¡°Indeed Sir. The high mage is expecting you and Lady Daniella in one hour to attempt the removal of the bracelets. Afterwards you are both expected to meet with the Hesiodos delegation to ascertain whether or not Lady Daniella is their missing princess. Should the results of that meeting prove she is their princess, negotiations will proceed in regards to the arranged marriage between the two of you. This afternoon you will be meeting with the Council in regards to The Tangle and the tunnels beneath the city.¡±

    ¡°And how has things been going with the Tangle and tunnels?¡± Wulfram took a sip of his milk, relaxing back in his chair. Sleeping on a real bed had done wonders for him, he hadn¡¯t been this relaxed in at least a week.

    ¡°Difficultly.¡± Christopher said dryly. ¡°The information from Lady Daniella has been useful, and Madame Alodia has helped us hire some guides.¡±

    ¡°But?¡± Wulfram raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°But the denizens of the Tangle are reluctant to speak with delegations from the palace. There are various groups that seek to either hinder our progress or extort funds from researchers traveling in areas they claim as their own. The guard presence in the Tangle has been increased, but patrolling is, by all reports, difficult. There is good reason that it is called the Tangle.¡±

    ¡°I see. Am I correct in guessing that attempts to map the place are also going poorly?¡± Wulfram thought of the small portion of it he had seen, with its narrow streets, dead-ends, hidden tunnels and makeshift rooftop roads. The people of the Tangle had built both up and down, digging into buildings that had been half buried in the landslide, or building on top of rubble left over from it. Often times one crumbling building would be cannibalized to make a new one, and it wasn¡¯t uncommon to hear of buildings falling in on themselves. He felt a twinge in his back as he remembered falling through one himself.

    ¡°Indeed. But our teams persevere. There will be a rough map to review at the meeting this afternoon, along with a proposal for a new layout based on what the area was like before the landslide.¡± Christopher pulled two folded sheets from his book, setting them on the table next to Wulfram. ¡°However, I have acquired a couple of copies for you to review prior to this afternoon.¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Good man.¡± Wulfram smiled as he unfolded the maps, looking at the mess the Tangle currently was, his breakfast forgotten in favor of curiosity. There were numerous buildings marked as unsafe for habitation, along with notes that many of those buildings were currently occupied. There were also symbols denoting access into the tunnel systems, some that Dani had told them about, others that they had found in their explorations. To say the whole area of the city was a mess was an understatement, the map gave him a headache just looking at it trying to trace the lines of streets beneath and apparently along, Widows Cliff.

    He shook his head, setting the current map down, and opening up the suggested map. It got rid of most of the winding streets, and many of the small houses that filled the area, replacing them with larger houses, marketplaces, and parks. Wulfram frowned, blindly reaching for his cup of milk and taking a sip. They couldn¡¯t have talked to Dani about this, there weren¡¯t anywhere near enough houses for the people of the Tangle. ¡°Who worked on this map?¡±

    ¡°Lord Roderick, Senior Scholar Vitomir, and the court cartographers.¡± Christopher moved Wulfram¡¯s plate as the prince set his glass back down, nearly in the eggs he had barely touched.

    ¡°Has it been presented to Lady Daniella yet?¡± Wulfram had a feeling he knew the answer to the question already. Lord Roderick would view Dani as beneath him, and probably assume she was stupid, and Senior Scholar Vitomir wouldn¡¯t think of speaking to her. The court cartographers would simply follow directions, it was unlikely they¡¯d stick their necks out suggesting that they discuss the plans for the Tangle with Lady Daniella.

    ¡°Not to my knowledge Sir, no.¡±

    Wulfram sighed and folded up the maps. If his sense of time was correct, they still had time before they had to report to Archmage Balariz. There were things he¡¯d rather talk about with Dani, but this was important, he didn¡¯t want her to be caught unaware in the council meeting this afternoon. ¡°Well then I suppose I should fix that.¡±

    He picked up both maps and headed out into the hall. He paused when he saw Reshi stepping out of Dani¡¯s room, one of his eyes swollen black and blue. Wulfram¡¯s eyebrows rose as he met Reshi¡¯s gaze, the bigger man striding right to him. ¡°Yer ¡®ighness. A word.¡±

    There was the barest attempt at respect in his tone, which surprised Wulfram more than the black eye. In fact, it was almost a request! ¡°Of course, please come in.¡± Wulfram stepped back into his room. ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    ¡°Aye. But I need ta talk ta ya.¡± Reshi followed him into the room, taking a brief glance around before closing the door. ¡°Ya just came back with the Hesiodos folks, din¡¯ ye?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± Wulfram said cautiously. What did Reshi want with the Hesiodos delegation? There was no way he could know that they suspected Dani was one of their own, was there?

    ¡°I need ta keep Dani away from ¡®em. Preferably I¡¯d get ¡®er out of the city ¡®fore they see her. Can ya help?¡±

    Wulfram stared at Reshi, did he know? But then why hide her from them? ¡°Given a good reason. Why do you wish to get her away from them? They believe she is their princess. If true, she¡¯d be treated very well. If the arranged marriage goes through, she wouldn¡¯t even be leaving the city.¡±

    ¡°Arranged marriage!¡± Reshi¡¯s face turned red, and he clenched his fists, fire sparking in his unswollen eye. He grit his teeth together so hard Wulfram could hear it, and he winced a little before talking in a much quieter voice, a tight lid on his anger. ¡°If they know, I need ta get ¡®er outta the city. I ain¡¯t gunna risk ¡®er goin¡¯ the same way ¡®er momma did.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about how her mother died?¡± Wulfram considered the drinks cabinet for a moment, before deciding it was far too early for alcohol. Instead he poured Reshi a glass of milk, and accepted his own from Christopher.

    Reshi took the glass with a frown, staring into the white liquid for a moment before downing the whole thing. Only when he was done did he speak, his voice soft. ¡°I found ¡®er. Was a miserable night, I was out huntin¡¯ not too far from Astash when I heard the fightin¡¯. Bad business.¡± He shook his head, the lines on his face deepening as he remembered the night. ¡°Weren¡¯t nothin¡¯ I coulda done ¡®cept die with ¡®em, but then I saw this little girl, runnin¡¯ from one of the carriages towards the woods. Can¡¯t¡¯ve been much more¡¯n a babe. Ain¡¯t sure ¡®ow they missed ¡®er. Too busy with the adults I s¡¯pose.¡±

    ¡°You were there? You saw the attack?¡± Wulfram took a drink from his own glass, only for politeness sake, before handing it back to Christopher. ¡°Did you see who did it?¡±

    ¡°Naw, was too dark. But I ain¡¯t no fool either. It were either our people, or hers. Ya seem ta have taken a shine to ¡®er, but already she been attacked by yer people. I ain¡¯t going to risk her bein¡¯ attacked by the Hesiodos folks. So I gotta get her outta the city.¡±

    Wulfram shook his head. ¡°No. She¡¯s safer here, especially in the palace.¡±

    ¡°She ain¡¯t! Especially if folks know who she is. Someone wanted all of that caravan dead, an¡¯ if they know they failed, they¡¯ll come after ¡®er again.¡± Reshi slammed his glass on the table, fists clenching once more.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe the Hesiodos people mean her harm, but even if they did, they could track her again if she left the city. And then what? All she would have by way of protection is you. Do you think you can take on a group of Hesiodos soldiers and their shaman? Or whatever else they send at you? Here she has the full force of Cresenvasht at her back.¡±

    ¡°If they can track ¡®er, why ain¡¯t they come fer ¡®er sooner?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure they could have tracked her before. But they can now, I¡¯ve seen proof. Reshi, they¡¯re not here to take her away from you, they¡¯re not here to hurt her. They helped me reach her when she was in danger, even though I couldn¡¯t do much. I swear to you, we will do everything we can to keep her safe.¡± Wulfram set a hand on Reshi¡¯s shoulder. It felt like a rock, the man was so tense.

    But he nodded, even though he didn¡¯t look happy about it. ¡°Ye best keep that promise then. If anythin¡¯ happens to ¡®er....¡± He glanced at Christopher, and didn¡¯t finish the sentence.