Part IV

A year later.

Marianne walked down the path from Master Meajhun's hut, her blue cloak floating serenely on the gentle wind. Her eyes gazed absently at the clouds as she took the walk into town. Now that she was no longer an apprentice, she decided to enjoy her freedom. Not that Meajhun was a cruel master, but he was strict, albeit in a good-natured way. Once in town, Marianne found it dirty and decrepit. Most of the residential huts were missing a door or even a wall or roof. People leered at her as she passed and made sexual advances on her. She did her best to ignore them, but it was hard considering the frequency. Finally she arrived at her destination, the Blue Orchid Cafe. Since leaving home, she had cut her ties to her family's riches and would have to work to live. Since the job most women got was waitress or whore, she decided to become the former. She sat at the bar and asked the barkeep to see the owner. While he fetched him, she asked for water.

She examined her surroundings in the mirror behind the bar. Mostly drunk men looking her way, but a bit lower than her head. She sighed, knowing she would have to deal with men like this everyday, if they hired her. She regretted never learning unarmed, non-magical combat. One of the men behind her stood up and sat at the stool next to her's.

"This seat taken?" he asked. She shook her head, not looking at him. "Don't be so cold, woman! I ain't seen you around. You new here?"

"Yes." Her voice was politley uninterested.

"Well, maybe you'd like ol' Gremmy to show ya a few interesting sights. Like my chamber! Would ya like that?"

"I've already found lodgings," she lied. "So, no thank you."

"I didn't ask ya to live with me, I just wanted some fun for the night! Interested?"

"No, i'm not." She was getting annoyed with him, though she didn't sound any different then when he started.

"Well, maybe you don't need to be interested. Maybe I'M interested, and that's good enough for you! Now, we can either do this the hard way or the easy way. What'll it be?" Now she was audibly worried.

"Please, just leave me alone. I'm sure you can find someone else who wants to be with you."

"I don't want no whore. I want you! You got that cute, innocent look whores don't have."

"Maybe you should check again. Maybe they just hired one that does."

"'You got a smart mouth, you know that? You know no one's gonna say a word if I drag you to my hut kicking and screaming, don't ya? I don't know where you're from, but around here, i'm considered a gentleman for not doing it that way immediately. Now, what'll it be? You gonna walk to my home, or do I have to **** you?"

"Please..."

"I guess i'm draggin' you! C'MERE!!" He lunged at her and she shrieked. Her eyes closed tight, afraid of being touched. But the touch didn't come. Instead she heard a metallic 'WHACK!' She opened an eye and found a blindfolded man with a vibrating short sword smiling at her. She opened the other eye and gazed at him. Her mouth dropped a little. She could only see his mouth and chin under his black hood, but if that was any indication, he might be quite....She cleared her throat and dismissed this thought.

"Th...thank you, sir."

"It was a pleasure." Her ears welcomed his voice in like a dog offered shelter from the rain. "Men like this deserve a good whack every now and then." He sat in the man's former seat and asked the co-barkeep for water.

"No ****?" Marianne asked.

"No, I don't drink."

"You don't like it?"

"I do. I just need water more. Plus, I'm embarrassed to tell you this, but I can't really afford anything else."

"Why are you embarrassed to tell me that?"

He showed her a lightly sheepish smile. "It's always embarrassing to tell a pretty lady i'm poor." She blushed, but smirked.

"Why do you think i'm pretty? I don't want to offend you but you're blind, aren't you?"

"Hm? Oh, the blindfold. Sometimes I forget I have it on." This was a lie, but a well-hidden lie. "No, i'm not blind. This thin strip of fabric is actually a holy item. It negates a curse placed on my eyes."

"A curse?"

"Yeah. A demon cursed me to see only falsehoods, so a mage of reason made this for me. It lets me see things as they are. And to me, you are pretty." The blush returned. He smiled and took a long chug of water. He put the empty stein on the bar and asked for another.

"You emptied it already? You must have been thirsty."

"Traveling is thirsty work." He knew she was confused, so he looked back at her and smiled. "I'm a wandering mage."

"Oh." She tried to think of something to say, but she couldn't stop looking at him. She felt like she had to express her gratitude, or say something nice to him, but she couldn't find a word. Strange, she thought.

The door to the bar swung open and heavy footsteps entered.

"WHAT THE HELL!?!?"

The footsteps approached. The two from behind and stopped not a foot from them.