Alastair doesn’t like the look of this village.

  He can’t exactly point out exactly what it is that he doesn’t like about it, but there’s just something… Off about it, that sets his hair standing up on end and the voice in his head whispering that he should turn his ass around and leave as quickly as he can. Back to the forest, preferably. Which has him really concerned about just what the hell is so wrong with this place, if the forest seems safer to him.

  But one glance at Nora is all it takes for him to push down that feeling and suck it up. She’s very obviously injured with that hobble of hers. And the way her mouth is slightly turned down, as she clenches her teeth against the pain, trying her hardest not to let it show. And the slight sheen of sweat on her forehead that he just wants to wipe away before kissing it –

  He turns away from her quickly, a blush creeping up his neck, as it does every time he’s looked at her for longer than a second since the moment he met her. It’s almost impossible not to admit to himself at this point that he’s got a massive crush on Nora, and that’s clouding his judgement just a little bit. Hence the pure lack of Emily or her ostrich, right now.

  But this time, he feels vindicated in his decision to ignore his instincts for her. He watches as an old lady sits on a stool in front of her house, her head nodding over and over as she slowly falls asleep before jerking up awake again. A young woman walks out of the house with a basket full of laundry on her hip, smiling as she walks past what Alastair assumes is her grandma before going off to wherever she’s going to hang the laundry.

  A few women stop and stare as Alastair and Nora walk past, whispering conspiratorially to each other. It sets Alastair on edge, but it’s a small village, he’s sure that him and Nora walking through would be the most exciting thing that’s happened here all month. One of them nods her head and walks up to the pair, causing Alastair’s shoulders to tense up and his eyes to track her for any signs of aggression or any hint of a weapon. He subtly moves his hand closer to his sword hilt, ready to draw it at a moment’s notice.

  The lady walks up to the pair without a care, unaware of how closely Alastair is watching her. She reaches the massive man and the injured lady with a sympathetic, worried look on her face.

  “Are ya alright, there, my dears? Do ya need someone to check ya over?” she asks them, as she steps closer to Nora, a hand raised up in concern and reaching towards the huntress in order to help support her.

  Nora shifts to the side, avoiding the helpful hand and pressing herself more against Alastair. “No, thank you.” she replies frostily, eyeing the lady with suspicion.

  The lady is taken aback for a moment, not expecting Nora to move away from her. Before that confusion could turn into something approaching suspicion or anger, though, Alastair steps in, a charming smile on his face.

  “We’re alright, ma’am. Just a spill in the forest, is all.”

  The lady glances up at Alastair, surprised for a moment at his polite and gentle tone that wars against his massive, scarred frame. She smiles pleasantly at him, and Alastair feels a slight bit of the tension in his shoulders relax.

  “Poor dearie. It’s a good thing she has someone strong like ya to help ‘er out.” she replies, as she presses a hand to her chest in relief. “That forest has taken far more fer less.”

  Alastair listens closely to her accent, having never heard it before despite all the places he traveled to before the farm. But it sounded similar to a small village he once visited when he was barely able to hold a sword, out in the middle of nowhere, days away from the nearest town. He can barely remember just how their accent felt on his tongue, but he’s always been good at fitting in, no matter where he is. So, he trusts his instincts, and hopes that they guide him right.

  “That’s right. But we’re safe, and ya can’t ask for more.” he replies, giving her a wink. “But we’ve worked up a mighty thirst here, ya see.”

  The old lady lets out an understanding “ohhh”, her eyes wide and mouth formed into an O.

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  “Well, go on then! Don’t let this ninny hold ya up!” she replies jovially, a pleasant smile reaching her eyes. She waves behind herself in a dismissive motion. “Go get yer drinks already, nothin’ better fer the pain!”

  Alastair nods to her, starting to move Nora in that direction. “Come on, then, hop-along. Just a wee bit longer and ye can drown yer worries.”

  Nora glares at Alastair but remains silent, and Alastair feels a cold sweat drip down his back.

  He’s going to pay for calling her hop-along in front of the other people.

  The lady titters to herself, amused at the couple in front of her. She fans her face and turns to her friends, raising her voice so that they can hear her.

  “Ah, young love! Ya love ta see it!”

  The rest of the ladies chuckle to each other good-naturedly, and Alastair’s fate is sealed. He’s going to have bruises tomorrow, for sure.

  They manage to make their way past the rest of the ladies uncontested, and eventually, they find themselves inside of a warm and welcoming tavern that was completely empty save for the barkeep.

  Alastair sits Nora down on a bench, hearing her sigh in relief as she finally stretches her leg and gets her weight off of it.

  Alastair stands and waits for her to finish stretching, smiling as he sees her shoulders relax and her teeth unclench themselves. She rolls her shoulders and stretches, letting out a soft yawn.

  Alastair glances around at the tavern, the bad feeling in his gut growing the longer they stay there. He feels tingles run down his spine, and he turns to Nora, about to tell her that they should leave.

  “Can you get me a drink? I’d kill for something cold right now.” she asks him first, looking up at him with a smile on her face.

  And Alastair, against his better judgement, can’t say no to that smile.

  “Sure, let me grab us something.”

  He goes to the bar and orders two cold beers from the barkeep, and the man hands it to him. Alastair drops a few coins on the counter and makes his way back to Nora, drinks in hand.

  He sits down at the table and hands it to her, and Nora starts chugging away like someone was about to take it away from her.

  “So… What do we do now? I doubt this village has an adventurer guild that we can check in at.” Alastair asks Nora, keeping his voice low.

  Nora finishes chugging her drink, letting out a satisfied sigh and clanking the mug back down on the table. She looks at Alastair with a smile.

  “Well, first, we’re gonna get absolutely hammered.” Nora replies, as she shakes her empty mug back and forth. “Then, we get ourselves a bath and wash off the forest. After that, bed. A soft one that isn’t made of pine needles.”

  Alastair cocks his eyebrow at Nora, a cheeky grin on his face. “Only one drink down and you’re already planning on getting a bath and bed together?”

  Nora’s face flushes in a way that sends butterflies through Alastair’s stomach, her mouth wide with shock and her eyes wide.

  Before she could retort with her usual stuttering or her usual violent punch to his arm, though, the tavern door violently swings open, letting in the sounds of voices.

  Many voices.

  And in walks person after person, each one laughing jovially or talking energetically with each other, clearly high-spirited and ready to have a fantastic time drinking. They spread through the room, one after the other, until all of the once-empty tables that surrounds Alastair and Nora’s are full to bursting.

  And each person is wearing a uniform, uniform in make and colour and sporting the exact same crest.

  The Wrenfall Army’s crest.

  Alastair turns to Nora, whispering quietly while pretending to take a nonchalant sip of his drink, as he eyes the barkeep who’s intently inspecting Alastair’s Greenbarrow coins with a critical eye.

  “Any idea how we’re getting the hell out of here in one piece?”

  Nora looks around, her keen eyes picking up every single detail and every usable thing in the place.

  She places her head down on the table and groans out loud, grabbing at Alastair’s drink and pulling it towards herself.

  “Pray for a miracle and drink while you still can.”

  Alastair nods his head, waiting for Nora to take a sip of his drink before he takes it back and gives it a good, deep glug. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the barkeep whispering to one of the soldiers, holding up his coin and pointing towards Alastair and Nora.

  Alastair takes an extra gulp, then puts the mug down in front of Nora. “Best plan I’ve heard so far.