The city was crowded, noisy, and the stench made Nathaniel feel like gagging. Life on a ship was cramped, dirty, noisy, and he never had a moment's privacy but somehow being in the city felt worse. On the Hound he knew every man, every man knew his place and his duty, disputes were quickly settled before the quartermaster had to intervene to maintain the harmonious function of the ship. Down here, on land, Nathaniel's eyes could see a hundred strangers no matter which direction he looked. The din of unfamiliar voices chattering away, wagon drivers shouting at pedestrians and each other. Then there was the smell, worse than anything he was forced to endure on the Hound. Horse manure in the streets, human waste flowing through sewers built for a city half the size, and always the smoke and chemical stench from the factories.

Nathaniel hurried as quickly as he could through the streets, making his way north, past warehouses and factories and squalid apartment to the edge of the industrial district bordering on the old city. Robert's Anchorage had grown immensely in the hundred years following the Great War. Originally little more than a hub for surrounding farming communities, the city's location made it an ideal location for cargo going between the western and eastern coasts. Mooring towers were built to serve the ever growing fleet of airships sailing the skies between the western cities, and a railroad was constructed to move goods that were too heavy for airship to be practical.

Madam Vivienne's House of Entertainment was in an old warehouse that sat right on the edge of the old and new city making it convenient for both the labourers and sailors of the industrial district and the more well-to-do men of the old city. Any time, day or night, Madam Vivienne's was open to anyone who wanted a drink, something to eat, games of chance, to dance with the girls of the house, or to enjoy a show on the large central stage. The real draw of Madam Vivienne's, however, was the back half of the building where two dozen bedrooms were constructed for those looking for companionship from Madam Vivienne's ladies. This was where the house made its money. The food and drink, the musicians and dancers and comedians and magicians, all served primarily to act as a cover, providing a legitimate reason for husbands and politicians to visit the establishment.

Nathaniel arrived in the late afternoon. There were a few men seated at the tables playing cards, some with attractive young ladies seated on their laps. A lone young woman was seated on the stage playing the hurdy-gurdy. Watching from the corners were several large men. The bouncers looked bored but soon the evening crowd would be arriving and the men would have their hands full keeping the peace. Nathaniel felt a great relief to be off the streets. He had hidden his coin purse deep within his pack and made sure to keep moving but deep down he felt as though just having that much money on him would summon pickpockets or robbers as if they could sense his wealth.

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"Drink? Sumthin' to eat?" the short, curvy bartender said to Nathaniel as he approached.

"Room, actually." he replied.

"Very good, love. Any room good? Or did you have a particular one in mind?"

"Tabitha's room, please. If it's still available."

The bartender reached beneath her counter and pulled out a small wooden rectangle, painted red with the name "Tabitha" written on it in yellow letters on both sides. "You're in luck, love." she said with a smile as she handed it to him. Nathaniel thanked her and made his way past the bar into a narrow hallway. At the end were two more large men standing beside a closed door. Nathaniel flashed his token and the man on the right opened the door and nodded.

Once inside Nathaniel made his way down a broader hallway. Three more bouncers were playing cards at a table against the right wall. The wall to the left had 3 rows of doorways with stairs at either end of the hall leading up to walkways for the second and third story. Nathaniel walked to the end of the hallways and opened the last door. He knew this room well, he stayed here nearly every time he had leave in Robert's Anchorage for the past three years. He came to Madam Vivienne's with some of the other crew who had been there before. That night was when he first saw Tabitha dancing on the stage and he was immediately captivated by her. Long, wavy red hair, fair skin, and light blue eyes. What set her apart was not her appearance or even her skill as a dancer. No, what drew Nathaniel's eye to her initially were her intricate, mechanical legs that clicked as she danced jerkily, imitating a marionette. That first night with her cost Nathaniel almost everything he had earned on the previous voyage.

Nathaniel's heart was racing. He wondered what he would say. Up until this point it seemed so easy, simply ask if she'd like to leave Madam Vivienne's behind and join him starting a new life further east. Now the idea seemed so foolish. Why would she leave this behind? He knew how much a night with her cost, what could he offer her above that? He didn't even know what he was going to do next.

The sound of metal clicking on wood interrupted Nathaniel's thoughts. He turned and saw Tabitha standing in the doorway, wearing a short, low-cut black and purple dress that contrasted with her pale skin and showed off her polished wood and metal legs.

"Nathaniel, so good to see you again." she said with a smile. She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her before walking over to Nathaniel to embrace him, her legs clicking and whirring with each step.