Halfway through the next day they finally arrived at Wargdon, the town Carsein had mentioned. It wasn’t large, but lively, and at the town square a scent of baked goods and flowers hung in the air mixing with the smell of stables. As they passed a bakery her mouth watered and Carsein found her expression amusing enough that he bought her a loaf of bread. It was still warm, and she dug her nose into it inhaling the scent before taking a big, savory bite.

“So, I think we should stop by the inn first to survey our supplies and decide on what to keep and what to sell” he spoke as they continued down the street and past the well that seemed to be the square’s center attraction. She nodded.

The town only had one inn and at the doorstep Carsein paused. “I’m going to say that we’re married, so just go with it.” She raised a confused eyebrow but didn’t protest. They walked inside and a large woman who seemed to be the inn-keeper greeted the. She wore an apron over a rough hempen dress and her grey-streaked hair was gathered in a bun with several escaped tendrils clinging to her neck. Carsein spoke with her shortly and handed her some coin, receiving a room key in return.

Then she led them to the backdoor and up some stairs to a narrow hallway with several doors on each side, and pointed to the room to which the key would fit. Carsein bowed and then slid in the lock and they meandered inside.

The room was sparsely furnished with a wooden drawer, a bed with, one bedside table and no real décor to speak of other than an old woolen rug. Leo watched as Carsein spread out the contents of his backpack and the sheet-bundle on the bed and started arranging stuff into piles. She didn’t quite understand the system, but she was curious about many of the obscure items he had in his bag. Some of them she had seen before and learned their use. Like the small tool which seemed to be a wooden handle with a metal rod protruding from it, around 10 cm in length. It was for making sparks to light campfires.

“Uhm, why did you need to say that I was your wife?” she asked him as he worked.

“Oh, just so we could share a room, you know; save the money.”

That sounded reasonable. She did know that as an unmarried woman, sharing a room with a man like this, was highly improper. But they had been sleeping in each other’s arms for two nights in the woods already, so it seemed like a petty detail at this point.

When he was done with the sorting, he got up and scratched his chin as he did when he was deep in thought.

“Okay, this pile” he said and pointed to the largest one, “is things we’ll keep.” She nodded and he pointed to next pile “those are things we’ll sell.” The second pile was almost as large as the ‘keep-pile’. They weren’t going to carry around anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary.

Pointing to the third and last pile he spoke: “And these are the things we’ll need to figure out if we want to carry or throw away.” She nodded. Most of the contents in that pile were stuff he’d collected from her room at the mansion, but she didn’t feel any nostalgia for it, so she would leave it up to Carsein’s to decide. He was after all the survival expert while she was just a sheltered and spoiled princess.

“All right” he spoke exhaling and turned towards her. “We’ll need wander around a bit and get all this stuff sold. Then we’ll get some supplies and some more appropriate attire for you.”

She nodded and before she knew it, they were already out the door and wandering the market. Leo had always thought Carsein was just a crude mercenary, but the ease and politeness with which he conversed and traded with the merchants surprised her. She’d never noticed before, but there was a stoic air around him when he was around other people. It reminded her of something…

When they were finally done shopping it was nearly dusk, so they headed back to the inn. They had sold nearly all their redundant equipment and the rest they threw away. In their place they’d bought a lot of new items: A tent, two bedrolls, a pot for cooking, a bow for Carsein and some other miscellaneous things as well as two sets of traveling clothes and new shoes for her. Two sets of clothing weren’t much for a lady of her former status and the quality was nothing to speak of, but it was more than enough for her new lifestyle. And she couldn’t afford be picky.

At the inn they had a modest meal, though it was a lot better than the unseasoned food or dry bread they’d been eating for the last couple of days. Leo took a sip of her mug of hot water and breathed a satisfied sigh.

Carsein was still occupied by his meal, but she felt nature’s calling and excused herself for a moment to use lavatory in the inns courtyard.

Opening the door to exit she suddenly jolted as a figure appeared from the dark in front of her. She quicklty regained her composure and bowed to the man. “Oh, excuse me” she said and moved to get around him but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you around here before, have I?” he said and despite his polite words, the tone and way he grabbed her was anything but friendly. Leo felt a slight jab of panic.

“U-uhm, no… I-I’m just travelling through. I have a companion that awaits me inside, so if you’ll excuse me.” She tried to yank her hand back, but he kept a tight grip.

“Yeah, I saw him. Looks like a big brute that one. Are you sure it’s safe to stay with him?” There was something in the man’s voice that felt sinister. She needed to break free and find Carsein. And fast.

“I’m sure!” she mustered all of her strength and finally managed to pull loose but as she turned to run, he grabbed her hair. She whimpered from the pain and cold claws dug their way into her stomach. “Let go!”

He spun her around and threw her up against the lavatory wall, “Where do you think you’re going?” he snarled. “Don’t you know it’s impolite to leave in the middle of a conversation?”

There was no conversation, he just wanted an excuse to be rough with her, this much was clear. “Good girls should learn how to behave” he whispered, his voice uncomfortably close to her ear. Then she froze, chills running down her spine, turning her blood into ice. His hand had slid up her shirt and was cupping a bare breast underneath.

“No!” she tried screaming, but he drowned her protests by covering her mouth with his. A slimy tongue forced itself in between her teeth and her stomach churned. How could she break free, how could she get away? Instinctively she bit him, and he recoiled with a howl, blood trickling down his lip.

“You bitch!” he shouted and then his hand whisked through the air aiming for her cheek. The impact sent her to the ground, and he lunged down after her. She tried to struggle but his body had her pinned down and his hands were everywhere.

“No. No!” she screamed, and he pressed his hand over her mouth to silence her.

Then they heard the courtyard door springing open with a loud band and angry footsteps scurried across the cobble stones. Barely did her attacker have time to look up before he went flying, freeing Leo from his weight. She scrambled on her hands and knees to get away and glanced up at her savior. Carsein’s eyes were practically glowing red from the anger as he stared at the man on the ground. He tried to get back on his feet but before he had the chance, Carsein had grabbed him by the throat hoisting him into the air. The man writhed, his feet struggling to touch the ground and he clawed at the hand tightening around his neck.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Carsein’s growled, his voice low and filled with hate. “I should kill you!”

Leo couldn’t do anything but watch with a pounding heart. She knew he meant it. He glanced momentarily at her and she flinched at the familiar expression in his eyes, a look he’d given her so many times when they’d lived at the mansion. But she wasn’t afraid, she knew it wasn’t directed at her.

He turned his attention back to the writhing man and hesitated for a moment, then dropped him to the ground. The man gasped then started coughing, his hands clutching his throat. But his relief was only momentary for Carsein drew his sword and pointed it at him.

Before any of them could blink it sliced through the air and something landed on the ground next to the man, making Leo gasp. His eyes widened and a pained howl sounded from him as he stared down at his arm, blood spilling from the stump.

“I spare your life. But if I ever see you again, I will kill you” Carsein snarled. The man hesitated a moment, the shock and terror freezing him. Then he scrambled to his feet, clutching his now handless arm, and sprinted for the courtyard exit, the one leading to the street.

Leo’s heart was thumping an unsteady rhythm.

Carsein quickly pulled out a handkerchief and dried the blood of his sword before sheathing it. It was a practiced motion and Leo shivered, unaccustomed to the violence that Carsein seemed so used to. He turned around and an expression crossed his face, but so fast that she didn’t have time to decipher it.

“Are you alright?” The softness of his voice was a sharp contrast to the hateful growls he’d let out and the violence he’d displayed just moments ago. Leo swallowed, then nodded.

Carsein seemed to hesitate but then he stretched down a hand to her in a helpful gesture. Leo gratefully took it and he pulled her to her feet. With trembling hands she quickly dusted off her clothing as if the gesture could wash away the lingering sensation of the attacker’s disgusting hands.

Why…? Why did these things keep happening to her? Was this what the world was really like? Was this what all men were like? She felt the tears pressing. She was so helpless and weak.