No Princesses?

NOTICE: I lost most of the 3D files I was using for the artwork. It was crushing, and I will likely never rouse myself to remake everything and continue the story. Apologies.

No sex scenes were completed, if you're here for that. :-/ I did complete The Housewarming, though: https://chyoa.com/story/The-Housewarming-%28Completed%29.12051

This is intended to be played in Game mode, as there are a massive number of conditionals which will lock or unlock various story paths, partners, and even sexual positions. ;) Some areas will be very disjointed if not in Game mode. Please Like, and especially please Comment! It will help me know which partners or situations to write more about along the way. Thanks!

You're snapped out of your reverie by your horse shaking her mane. You blink and take a quick look around at the winding country road, plains and farms to the left and and light forest on the other. It's a hot day, and the clip-clop of 3 horses hooves keeps becoming a hypnotic white noise. You wipe your sweaty brow and regard your companions.

To your right is a handsome man with a dark complexion and facial stubble. Kheden is a large man, but not huge, with noticeable musculature. His skin is tan, and his dark eyes give him a dangerous look. His dark brown hair is tied up in a loose knot, and he wears light leather armor made of almost black hide indicating his rogue profession.

Kheden

Kheden's been your partner for almost five years. You literally bumped into each other in one of those taverns where adventurers are always looking for work. You each thought the other was being coy about having a job for hire. Luckily, as you both realized your mistake, you were both offered a job by one of those people who go to taverns looking to hire adventurers for dangerous but rewarding quests. Since that first quest, you've been inseparable, adventuring together or both joining larger groups.

A few paces ahead of you is your current client. Or rather, the son of your current client. You were been hired by the mayor of Havensport to escort his son home from university. There's been a rise in disappearances and bandits in this remote area of the country, and a wealthy young man would likely prove to be an enticing target. No one had been trying to summon a demon prince nor were there any dragons ravaging the countryside in weeks, and both you and Kheden were tiring of the crowded, dirty capital city. This escort job didn't pay a lot, but it paid, and some different scenery was worth it.

Talvin

The rider ahead of you, Talvin, is somewhere between boy and man. You know little about him, and he's barely spoken to either you or Kheden during the two days of riding. You assume he's around 20, as he's in university. Maybe he's finished, but it doesn't matter. You should arrive in Havensport soon.

At least Talvin is a nice enough view on the long ride. His face is young, but his features are still more masculine than feminine and framed by dirty blond hair. His skin is light, but not so pale as someone who never goes outside. His high-quality clothes would normally indicate a delicateness, but his frame doesn't appear frail at all. He's got on too many layers for you to see much, but he hefts his saddle and luggage with ease, neither of which are light. He insists on riding in front, probably used to riding ahead of the help due to his upbringing.

You figure you are somewhere in between the other two men. As Quim the bard, you're not built for power or strength, but you're fit and athletic as befitting an adventurer. You're face isn't rugged, but it's handsome enough. You can equally blend into a crowd or charm a room as you need. Your clothes also balance aesthetics with defense being a mix of leather and thick cloth with a touch of color. Your loose brown hair sweeps to the side charmingly.

You, Quim

While your partner has a dizzying number of small weapons concealed in the folds and flaps of his armor, you only have a few daggers and knives as well as your lute which also contains a spring mechanism that can launch darts dipped in a sleeping potion. You both have crossbows and short swords for more overt combat, but you prefer to support and distract while Kheden becomes a flurry of deadly swipes.

You wish you could safely play a tune to make the long hot journey more pleasant, but that would give extra warning to any malicious presences along your way. You drink half of what is left in your waterskin, then offer the rest to Kheden. He accepts with a smile. As he lifts the spout to his lips, someone bursts out of the trees on the side of the road!

“Help, kind sirs!” the bearded, disheveled mean cries. He cradles one arm in the other, as if injured. There appears to be blood smeared on the front of his loose shirt. Talvin pulls his reins and stops abruptly. You slow your horse with one hand and wrap the other around your lute. Kheden hooks your waterskin to his saddle, concealing the motion of palming a throwing blade. Both of you bring your horses ahead of Talvin to confront the apparently injured man. You slow, but don't stop.

“Ho!” Kheden raises his hand. “We can't stop. There's a town not far. We'll ride back and retrieve you.” This is a pretty standard ploy. You turn back to tell Talvin to ride faster, but you see some rough looking bandits already sneaking out of the trees behind him.

“Nice offer, but we'll take the rich brat, and you can die,” says the injured man. You look forward, and there are more bandits, one already handing a crossbow to him.

You count eight bandits, mostly with swords, and you expect there are archers still hidden in the trees. You offer the not-injured man a bright smile, hoping to draw everyone's attention to allow Kheden to do whatever else sly rogueish things he needs to do. “Now, there's no need for anyone to die. I'm sure we can work out something where everyone gets what they want.”