Why was it never easy?

James resolved to never, ever, EVER make plans again. From now on, he was all for running by the seat of his pants and making decisions on the fly. He didn't plan on waking up to a world where mermaids existed, he didn't plan on falling in love with her, he didn't plan on his plans for Gravitus being derailed...and he definitely didn't plan on taking anyone with him when he left Aldren.

James made one mistake when heading to the city gates while leading his horse. Two, actually. The first was when he decided to head through the slums, something no nobleman would be caught dead doing. The second was not ignoring the human woman with a dirt streaked face who called out to him.

"Sir! Please, sir!"

James met the woman's eyes and said nothing, but the woman quickly pushed a young girl in front of her.

"Please take my child with you!"

James looked confusedly at the woman. She hurried to elaborate.

"Please take her with you! I can't feed her or take care of her anymore, and her father, he...he..."

He saw for the first time the sheer desperation in the woman's eyes. As he read her body language with her slumped shoulders and the hard lines around her mouth that combined with the layer of dirt on her smelly thin frame, he saw that the woman had given up. There was no hope left in her, and the young girl beside her only kept her head down, her face hidden behind a threadbare bonnet as both their dresses dragged in the filth and mud they lived in.

"What about her father?"

"He'll kill her. He only sees her as another mouth to feed."

"You could leave. Find work elsewhere, start a new life."

"I have two boys to take care of. I can't."

"Why not take them with you?"

"He may be an awful father, but he at least works to feed them. Please, just take her with you."

James didn't know what to say. Of all times to ask for help, this woman just HAD to pick this timing. And of a fugitive no less!

"Your daughter won't be safe with me."

"Please! Sir, she'll...she can..."

She turned and pushed the girl towards him, causing her to yelp as he caught her. In the next moment the mother was scampering away, leaving him helping the child up out of the mud. He groaned, not knowing whether to call the woman a bad parent or desperate for her child to have a chance of a better life, no matter how slim her chances. Getting down on one knee, he forced himself to look straight into the eyes of the girl, who he now saw had blue eyes with brown hair and looked to be about twelve or thirteen.

"If you come with me, you should know that I will be a fugitive. I can't give you the best life, but as long as I am living I will do my best to ensure that you have a full stomach and attempt to see to your education. I'm sorry to ask this so abruptly, but seeing how your mother has left...what do you want to do?"

"I'll come with you sir. There is nothing for me here anymore."

James' heart nearly broke as he listened to her small voice. He said nothing else though, only nodded and helped her up onto the horse where she rode sidesaddle on account of her dress. Climbing up behind her, James flicked the reins and sent the horse at a canter, then a gallop until they were racing past the guards and out past the Aldren gates. Behind them he heard the shouts and cries of guards who immediately knew that something was amiss. Twisting in the saddle he looked back and saw archers bending their bows.

"Release!" came a cry from the walls. Immediately a wave of arrows came flying through the air, but as they fell towards them James pulled out a shield bearing the Gravitus family crest on it. Shielding both of them from the coming storm, James was relieved when the arrows bounced harmlessly off the shield and did not harm either the girl or the horse. Throwing the shield aside so that others would find it and connect him with the potential theft he had committed, James and the girl raced on, easing into a steady pace once they were out of range of Aldren. Remembering the route he had taken to get there, he waited until they came to a stream before he turned the horse's head and moved downstream. Behind them he could hear the faint cries of pursuing guards, which faded but did not completely disappear as they continued following the stream. When they came to rocky ground that would not reveal the horse's hoofprints, James directed the horse onto the opposite shore. There was nothing he could do about the water left splashed on the ground, but he hoped it would not be noticed or dry up before their pursuers found them. He then thought about what he could use to their advantage, from the land to the fauna to the native wildlife. But he didn't want to put his sudden passenger in danger so in the end he just made a break for it, remembering his earlier resolve to stop making plans. Surprisingly, it worked. They kept moving forward, and as the suns began their descent James finally stopped the horse. Helping the girl down, he decided not to light a fire and instead pulled out a pair of tents, handing her some food that could be eaten cold. She quickly began to chew the jerky he gave her without a word, washing it down with a pair of water bottles after he showed her how to unscrew the cap on the top.

Unsure how to begin learning about the girl he had been charged with, James contemplated asking about her family but ultimately decided broaching such a subject might be too sensitive for the young child. Instead he opted to simply make sure of her well-bring.

"Is the food to your liking?"

"It's tough, but okay."

"I see. Sorry about that. Well, I hope that it is just for tonight. And I apologize, but may I have your name? I still don't know it."

"I'm Elizabeth. My mother sometimes calls me Liz."

"Okay. Well, unless you tell me that you wish for me to call you otherwise, I will address you as Miss Elizabeth. In the meantime, please make use of the tent and sleeping bag as you wish. I will wake you later to keep watch. Oh, but before I forget..."

James pulled out the hunting knife he had used since his adventures began. He looked at it for a moment, remembering all that he had done and all of his travels before handing it to Elizabeth. To his surprise a new System screen appeared.

Hunting Knife

Common

James wondered why he could suddenly see the name of the item and what he guessed was the quality of the item. A quick search of his character status screen revealed one possible answer in his newest skill, Analyze. Shrugging because the skill wasn't particularly helpful or useful at the moment, he looked back at Elizabeth.

"Keep this with you at all times. I don't know what will happen, but I want you to be able to defend yourself if needed. Keep it in your inventory."

"Inventory?"

Elizabeth looked at him curiously. By now there was almost no light left.

"Don't you have an inventory? What is your profession?"

"I haven't chosen yet. I see my status, but I don't know what this inventory is."

After some further questioning, James learned that the inventory could only be used by people who came to their world by the System. And even then not everyone had one. Elizabeth only knew of the inventory in passing because of passing jealous remarks she had heard while living in the slums. By the time he learned this though it was very dark so he quickly bid Elizabeth goodnight. While she retreated into a tent and made use of the sleeping bag he had given her to use, he stayed up on watch in case they were discovered in the night. But despite his efforts, the stress of the past days and the exhaustion of keeping his eyes open without even a fire to light up his surroundings quickly proved to be too much for him and he also fell asleep while resting with his back against a tree listening for any pursuers or wildlife. Luckily nothing happened and he only woke up when Elizabeth nudged his shoulder the next morning.

Not knowing how close their pursuers were, James immediately resaddled and readied the horse. Helping Elizabeth back into the saddle, they continued to flee Aldren. It was difficult, but they both ate in the saddle, stopping only a few hours later when they came to a lake. Seeing their hygiene, James stopped thinking about putting as many miles between themselves and the Aldren soldiers. Helping the young girl down from the horse again, he quickly drank from the lake and then pulled out a brush, a bar of soap, and a couple sets of change of clothes for the girl to choose from.

"I'll be a few hundred meters back. Either call for me or come get me when you are ready. Take as long as you need."

He left the girl to bathe and change, wondering how in the world he had suddenly been thrown into the role of protective guardian. Shaking his head he retraced his steps and watched their trail, which was beginning to remind him of the stories he had heard of the Australian outback. For a few brief minutes he just looked at the land, catching sight of a small unfamiliar critter in the distance as it raced across the dusty plain. There was a barrenness, but also a beauty to it that made him appreciate getting lost in silence and the cries of the land. He was still impatient to save Jessica, but for a few minutes he gave his overworking mind and body a break and just lived in the moment. He placed his hand once again over the necklace, reminding himself of her like a remembered vow.

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"I wish you could see this with me Jess."

About twenty minutes later Elizabeth came and got him, not dressed in a clean dress and looking almost like a young middle or high school student. Asking her to wait where he sat, James returned to the lake and took a quick bath of his own, thankful to escape from the stench of mud, faeces and other unidentifiable substances. He felt great putting on a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a matching jean jacket. Taking out the tome, he started a fire, making it look like the book had been at the edge of the small blaze. Quickly heading back for Elizabeth, the two got back on the horse and continued to flee as far away from Aldren as they could.

As the days passed, James began to believe they might just make it. He was surprised when they weren't met by any guards or patrols. That all changed though when they came across a small mining settlement almost hidden in a canyon. By then both he and Elizabeth were sore from riding the horse for so long day after day. Silencing the voice in his head that told him to get as far away in the fastest way, James thought that one night off the road without sleeping on hard ground would do both him and Elizabeth some good. So turning the horse's head, they began to make their way into the canyon.

They soon found their noses engulfed with the smell of iron and rock, with the ringing and pounding of pickaxes and hammers as the sounds of mining and blacksmithing came from the forges and the dark mines. To James' surprise, most of the residents of the mine were dwarves with a few other nonhumans mixed in. He also noticed that the overseers of the mine were all human, and had the typical Azkar Empire distaste for those not of full human blood. Stopping at one of the forges, he got down off the horse and stepped slightly into the open air forge. Upon examining the dwarf's work he saw that the blacksmith was making a sword. As he watched, he saw the dwarf heat the steel and fold it over dozens of times with dizzying speed. Before his eyes a billet of metal quickly became an expertly crafted tool of war. As he quenched the metal in a bucket of liquid, either water or oil he couldn't tell, James could not help himself and and stepped forward.

"That is some amazing craftsmanship."

The dwarf didn't answer and just continued working.

"How long did it take you to develop this level of skill?"

Again the dwarf gave no notice of him, not even grunting in answer. It was as if he didn't exist to the dwarf.

"....Thank you for your time."

James got back on the horse and being mindful of the young girl Elizabeth quickly found a room for her at the only inn in the wide mining town that was more like a small outpost. After she was safely settled in her own room, he made his way to the bar where he saw one dwarf that stood out to him. A burly fellow, his muscles were larger than a bodybuilder's. He was wearing a mixture of fur and leather that left his arms bare, with a long braided beard that flowed thickly over his chest and on his feet were a pair of thick boots. Though there were other dwarves in the room, he saw that everyone else seemed to subtly look to him.

The moment he stepped into the room all conversation died, and many of the dwarves looked at him with suspicion, distrust, and outright hostility. In fact, the look they gave him was almost exactly the same as the one humans gave nonhumans in reverse. He quickly looked at the dwarven bartender.

"Excuse me, how much would it cost me to ask for a round of drinks for everyone?"

The dwarf girl looked at him with a mixture of fear and anger.

"Two silvers."

"Very well."

He pulled out the money and handed it to her, along with another five coppers.

"For your trouble. And please, see if you can serve this gentleman first."

He pointed to the particular dwarf that he had noticed. Her eyes widening slightly, though from what he could not begin to guess, James ignored her reaction and carefully moved to sit down across the table from the dwarf who sat sipping at his mug. Instantly he felt that all eyes in the room were on him.

"Good evening."

The dwarf looked at him, eyeing him warily. A few moments later the drink he had asked for was placed by the dwarf's free hand. He tore his gaze from James and looked at the fresh pint.

"Mighty generous."

"Well I hoped that I could have a conversation with you, sir."

The dwarf took the offered drink and drank deeply. Then he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and looked over the rim of his mug at James.

"What about?"

James hummed as he pondered how to tell the dwarf his thoughts. But he again reminded himself how badly thinking had gone for him in the past and decided to say the first thing that came to mind.

"Alright, I should tell you upfront that I am a fugitive. I am running from Aldren, and perhaps the entire Azkar Empire."

"That's quite the feat. How'd you manage that?"

"I stole a magic technique from a noble family."

"Good for you."

"So, I am taking a young human girl in my care to a fortress I received from the System. The problem is, I have never seen it. I don't know if the fortress is in good condition or if it is a fortress only in name. And from what I have seen so far, you dwarves seem like expert craftsmen. May I ask a delicate question and ask how much you are getting paid?"

"Twenty copper a day."

The air thickened with repressed emotion. James felt his features scrunch up in confusion as he saw the dwarf turn and spit at the ground angrily.

"But...I saw a dwarf craftsman earlier. He should have had no problem making more than twenty swords in a day. And the quality was amazing."

"We are paid a flat rate. If we don't work hard the humans who run the mine deduct our wages claiming we aren't performing or working hard enough."

"Oh, nooo!"

James winced in sympathy.

"That's crap! Any of your creations could probably sell for at least a silver each!"

"That's just the way it is."

"In that case, I have an offer for you. What about if I pay you and your people to come with me? I could pay you all at least a silver a day, and the Empire would have less swords to suppress your people with."

"And what if you stop paying us?" the dwarf asked him, his drink now forgotten as he looked carefully at the human.

"Then I will pay you in advance. Consider it a gesture of trust."

"And what if we take your money and just leave?"

"Good. I wouldn't want to work with people I couldn't trust anyway."

James took out a pouch of money and placed it in front of the dwarf. He didn't take it, but just looked at James. He returned the look, letting the dwarf come to his own conclusions. At last the dwarf reached out and peeked into the small sack.

"There's thirty gold in there. Enough to pay your people and cover any unexpected costs."

"Boss, let's do it."

They both turned and saw a similar looking dwarf approach from the corner of the bar.

"Yeah boss. You know the humans don't pay us what we're owed."

"I'm tired of working long hours while my boy goes hungry."

"My wife can't afford to fix my boot."

The dwarf waved his hand, silencing the calls for his decision. He met James with an even stare.

"I need something else. What if going with you doesn't work out or you run out of money? What then?"

James thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

"How about education? I can teach any who wish how to read, and I do have many books with me on a variety of subjects."

He pulled a few textbooks out of his inventory, causing a wave of surprised murmurs to go through the watching crowd. Laying the books on the table, he spent several minutes going over subjects of arithmetic, geology, chemistry and several others. Despite his stoic facade, the dwarf was privately amazed by what he saw. He had never had a chance for an education, so seeing all the knowledge just placed within his fingertips was something he never would have thought possible.

"Can adults learn?"

"Of course! Here, keep these for now."

The dwarf felt like something even more valuable than the gold was just casually given to him. Stunned, he watched the human quietly stand up.

"Think about it. Let me know when you know."

"Wait!"

James paused by the door to the bar and looked back as the dwarf hurriedly stood up.

"We'll do it."

James smiled and walked back over.

"Happy to be working with you. May I have your name, sir?"

"Grobar."

They clasped hands, with Grobar's meaty hand nearly engulfing James' smaller hand. The human smiled and turned to the bar, tossing over a gold coin.

"Drinks all around!"