Pyp sat up in the rocking chair, the old woman had vanished from the bottom floor of the house, Pyp walked around the spacious room. "You're up dear?" the old woman asked from upstairs.

"Yes" shouted Pyp why did the old woman sound surprised wondered Pyp. He moved over to look out the window.

"Want some breakfast dear." The old woman hurried down the stairs drawing Pyp's attention.

"Yes please," said Pyp remembering his manners, he took a seat at the oak table and asked the old woman, "What's your name lady".

"Oh, I'm no lady dear, my name is Prewyn, and my husband is Derlt."

"Well thank you for your hospitality Prewyn, my name is Pyp."

"It's fine, give a hand take a hand that's what I always say."

"Take a hand?"

"Well, nothing comes free now does it dear" replied Prewyn as she prepared breakfast. Pyp turned to look at her, he noticed she was putting pinches of salt onto his bread "I don't like salt on my bread" he said as he watched her.

Prewyn froze as Pyp spoke.

"It's not salt dear just some of my homemade spice."

"I don't like spices," said Pyp. She placed the food down in front of him.

"Just try it dear, I'm sure you're starving."

Pyp didn't want to refuse, Prewyn had let him into her home without question and helped him. Pyp pushed the food around on his plate for a while, just eat he thought; he needed to stop acting like a child. Someone outside began knocking on the door.

"Who's that?"

"Just Derlt coming back home," Prewyn said as she rushed over to the door. The knocking became faster and more urgent, Prewyn cracked the door open slightly and talked to the person outside in hushed tones. Pyp could not see past her hunched frame, but he noticed that there were slight wisps of black smoke coming from outside.

The Possessed! Thought Pyp, no it couldn't be those demons would have attacked the house and taken all three of us to the bank.

He still hadn't touched his breakfast, Pyp decided he would let Prewyn have this meal and he would eat later. Thinking about the bank and possessed had made him lose his appetite.

Prewyn shut the door and turned to face Pyp. "Not hungry dear?" Asked Prewyn as she saw the untouched food.

"Not right now," replied Pyp, "But I will eat it later."

Prewyn gave Pyp a sad smile "Alright then dear you can eat it later."

Pyp sat back down in the rocking chair and pulled his leather bag onto his knee, he pulled all the contents out and placed them on the floor. An empty water skin, a small parcel of hard biscuit that Pyp hadn't eaten, his flute and a small tinderbox. Pyp wondered how long he would stay here with Prewyn and Derlt, he had to get to the Baron’s Keep. Rigel had said that the Baron was to blame, and he somehow controlled the possessed. Pyp didn't know what to believe. When they had first entered the city, he had hoped that the Baron was safe in his keep and that Pyp would stay with him until Father came and told him it was safe. But with everything that Pyp had seen in Finepoint, who else but the Baron could have laid the city low? Baron Wenceslas controlled the city, and he would know everything that went on in it as Father did in High Vellyn. What should he do? Pyp asked himself if he could find Arthur and have him take Pyp back home to his father. He tried to imagine what his father would say upon his return; Pyp imagined his father with a large smile patting him on the back and welcoming him home. He knew that would not happen, his father was not an affectionate man, and he would find a way to be disappointed in how Pyp acted. His father reminded him of Arthur, Pyp thought they were alike in many ways, perhaps that was why he found himself quite attached to his taciturn bodyguard. He would leave soon Pyp decided, he had to get away from this place fast. The possessed would surely be looking for him, he didn't want to put Prewyn and Derlt in any danger not after they helped him.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The banging on the door started again, Pyp approached the door cautiously remembering the wisps of black smoke from the last unannounced visitor. He peered out the window next to the door and felt like a fool. It was a possessed. They had found him! That must have been a possessed before but why was it talking to Prewyn thought Pyp? Damn, double the fool he was believing that people in this hell would help him. Prewyn was planning on selling him to the possessed, it all came together in his head, the sudden sleepiness last night, the secret 'spice' she laced his breakfast with. Pyp jerked his head around and saw Prewyn standing in front of him.

"Who's at the door dear," she said in a calm voice matching the look on her face.

"A possessed," replied Pyp slowly moving toward his bag.

"I see," said Prewyn, he noticed she had something in her hand. Pyp realised it was a large steel candle stick when she swung it at his head. Diving back, he knocked over the rocking chair and frantically reached for his bag.

Prewyn smacked his hand as he snatched up his belongings. "Stay here dear you'll be fine, just let the Baron's men escort you to safety."

Pyp eyes flew around the room desperately searching for an escape. The front door was thrown open and in marched a man armoured in half-plate.

"I can get him!" Shouted Prewyn as the guard strode across the room, sword raised. The guard brought the sword down, driving it into Prewyn’s neck. Pyp looked in horror as a bright red geyser of blood exploded from her neck, silent pain settled on her face as she fell to the floor. The guard showed no reaction to Prewyn’s demise as he pushed forward, arms outstretched to grab Pyp. The fallen body of Prewyn gave Pyp a moment to dash away from the possessed guard, he flung himself out of the front door and pounded down the street without looking back.

There was a small group of possessed spread out around the street, but there were no bone men much to Pyp's relief; he'd seen first-hand what they could do and didn't think he could outrun them. The group slowly swung around and began plodding in pursuit, Pyp slowed his pace as he ran away. He knew that they wouldn't run to catch him, and he would need his energy to figure out how to evade his persistent assailants. Pyp was truly lost in the city, there were no buildings that Pyp recognised from Rigel's coaching. All the houses around him looked the same, there were no shop fronts or Inns just rows of small houses. He increased speed and rounded a bend whilst searching for a place to hide. Pyp heard footsteps behind him and knew the possessed were still following him. Whilst gazing around he noticed flocks of birds sitting on the rooftops, their silence and intense stares told Pyp they were not regular birds. They were being controlled by the same person who commands the possessed. There was an alleyway on Pyp's left he took off down it as the alleyway twisted and turned, splitting off into multiple new alleys. Pyp made sure he took different turns and paths trying to throw off his pursuers. The alleyway led to a wide-open square dominated by a large statue; it was a statue of the city's founder Koff Grund. Pyp looked around he'd been standing there for a while, and he heard no sounds coming from behind him. The square was not attached to any of the main roads in Finepoint from what Pyp could see the only way into the square was from several alleyways. Pyp thought he would be safe for a while; it would give him some time to gather his wits and come up with a real plan.

Pyp had to force down what remained of the hard biscuit to settle his rumbling stomach, he wished he had eaten some of Prewyn’s breakfast even though it may have killed him.

This hunger will kill me thought Pyp as he licked the crumbs of his fingers.

This was the longest he'd ever gone without a full meal. Pyp snorted. If Arthur heard what he was thinking he would roll his eyes and launch into some story about him in some campaign, and it would inevitably turn into some life lesson that Pyp needed to become a man. Arthur was always quick to lecture Pyp, but it was always the same tale of sacrifice, martial prowess and brotherhood. He never cared about the story or the lesson, but just having Arthur talk to him and not always guarding his tongue around Pyp like the other guards. That was enough for Pyp, it gave him a sense of familiar security.

He still didn't have a plan, he just sat thinking about nothing; it was frustrating trying to force himself to come up with some brilliant plan. Pyp knew life wasn't always like the epics and he was not like the heroes of old, maybe he should just stay here and wait. Wait for Arthur to come rescue him, everything else had been decided for him, coming to Finepoint, running out of that vault, being chased out of that house. Pyp’s mind went blank. What would his father do? Pyp didn't know, he never saw his father do anything. Then what would Arthur do? Pyp had seen Arthur act and whenever he was faced with a problem, he would do something. So that's what Pyp would do. Something.