I didn’t have another fantastic breakfast to look forward to. I hadn’t bribed the innkeeper twice in a row. Plus that would be overstepping most likely. Best not to piss off the person that controlled where I stayed. I wiped down my body and put on my clothes. Slipping on my boots once more to tread through the streets. I stretched my arms and back feeling the muscles and bones creak. I made micro adjustments with magic to ease the discomfort. The natural slow habit of aging my body so that I wouldn’t make the mistake of staying young once again and giving up what I was. Though sometimes people would mistake me for just being part elf, or from the fae realms the dangers of being discovered by dragon hunters made me wary.

Some might wonder why I would be afraid of a group of mortals. They don’t know the extent that they can reach to succeed in their goals. I had heard rumors that an entire kingdom was attacked through machinations of intrigue and politics just to weaken the mortal support a dragon had by destroying the very kingdom that she helped found. I might tell that story another time though.

I went to the vendor that had the rat stew and sat down for a meal. Fueling my mortal form would help conserve my energy for sustaining myself with magic. The Slumber itself was like how the bears of the world hibernated for long times to conserve energy through harsh times so that they would better function during the seasons that required their most strenuous of activities. Dragons fueled by magic needed to keep most of it ready for when the gods called us to fight against the world ending threats of a calamity. I didn’t dream during the Slumber. It was like being aware of everything around you but where days flash by and things come into clearer focus when I am approached by anyone or anything. Years could past in what felt like instants.

I had heard from some of my siblings and from personal experience that in combat it was easy for the opposite to happen. Where it felt like time itself slowed down and one could act infinitely faster than what was usually possible. I had heard of master swordsmen that claimed they could purposely go to and from this state. Their perfect records in fights seemed to back that claim.

Today something burned my curiosity. I shouldn’t meddle with the affairs of the mortal races but almost being attacked for my hard earned coins left a foul taste in my mouth that I couldn’t very much stand for.

I started to look for my target. There were a dozen ways I could get the information I wanted. I was going to use a little bit of magic in order to make it a little easier on myself and not attempt to finesse my way through the problem. I just needed to get one of them alone. I hoped one of them fancied other men. A little seduction never hurt anyone.

Wiping the little bits of stew that made it onto my cheeks and didn’t just go down the way it should I walked away from the meal and stepped into the greater area of the town. I would have to watch the guards and see where their eyes lingered on the people around them. Watching from afar I would have to use enhanced perception in order to observe it correctly from such a distance.

I set up on the corner of a building where I could see three guards as they mulled around in the court filled with market stalls and openings to the small stores and places to eat. I leaned back and let a little of my magic mold and change my eyes as I stared across the square. I watched as the eyes of my first target lingered on the bosoms and rumps of women that walked past him. A lascivious licking of his lips as he imagined what foul things he would do to them in the secret darkness of a home or alley.

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The second of the guards had the slightly pointed ears of someone with a far lost heritage of elves in their blood. His long hair slick with some form of oil infused in it to keep it in shape behind him. His body was lithe and I could tell the muscles beneath were coiled like that of a cat pretending to be uninterested while approaching a form of prey. I watched as he walked towards one of the stores and pulled free his club on his hip and smacked it lightly on his palm. The whisper of his voice reached my ears as he yelled across the way. “Looks like you’ve got trouble walking around your store!” The guard disappeared from view as he slipped inside.

The last guard seemed meek and quiet compared to all the guards I had seen so far. His face was thin, not from malnutrition like some. It wasn’t gaunt in those ways with cheekbones being stuck out with sunken cheeks. He had tight muscles running along his jaw. I layer of peach fuzz grew on his cheeks, It wasn’t as dark as the hair on his head yet. Making him seem just old enough to be entrusted with a job to do on his own. His muscles were tight and he was a little twitchy whenever someone bumped into him in the busy area. The man kept touching his coin purse everytime. Prepared for a cutpurse to steal whatever small coins he might be holding.

I kept my eyes on him as his gaze lingered upon the broader shoulders of someone with the marks of a blacksmith. The young man’s gaze followed the blacksmith for a long moment and I watched as he gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. I knew he would be the one to talk to.

I let my eyes morph back into proper human ones before I left, even the slightest of changes could rub against the quiet instincts people had. I put on my best smile as I approached him to talk things out.

As soon as I was in earshot I cleared my throat to get the guards attention. “Good guard, may I have a moment of your time?”

The young guard turned around and I watched as his pupils dilated for a brief moment as he scanned up and down my body. “What,” His voice cracked for a moment before he also cleared his throat. “What can I do for you sir?”

I put on a winning smile and stepped closer, “I was wondering if you knew of anywhere that was a nice place to drink. I had enjoyed the company of entertaining some of the soldiers but now that they have left I have nowhere to ply my trade. Maybe, you know where some of the guards go to relax?”

“I know of a quiet place where some of us go to drink. Most of the men like to go to a whorehouse and enjoy the discounts most of them give to us. Especially now that we are the only ones keeping the streets safe.” The young man straightened and squared his shoulders. His chin tilting somewhat up in pride.

I softened and stepped towards him. WIth a conspiratorial whisper I said, “I like quiet places to…. Relax.”

I could hear his heart rate pick up and his cheeks flushed as he caught onto what I was suggesting. “Well maybe we could share a drink. I’m Trevor, what is your name?”

“Dolan, pleased to meet you.” I stepped back to give him space, “Where can I find this place? What is it called?”

I could see his eyes shift and look into the distance as he thought of where he could see me in the most private place possible. I could see the quiet desire of someone that hadn’t had the flesh of another person for a while. “The frothing pig, the sign is a mug balanced on a pig's head. You can find it along the southern wall of the town. I don’t live too far away, if you find yourself needing to stay somewhere.”

I turned and stopped to look over my shoulder, “I’ll see what I can do to make it to the tavern. We can chat more.”

I saw Trevor’s hand twitch as he fought off the reflex to wave at someone that he was interested in leaving. A fonder farewell than strangers would use. I looked off into the distance and sighed. It had been a little while since I had the pleasure of another person. A few towns ago, a fond memory of passion felt in the dark of the night. Dolan proved to be a popular persona with those seeking the comforts of another’s flesh. Next time I might be someone a little more attractive and let myself indulge more. The pillow talking stories didn’t grant as much power as a crowd, but it gave something.

I stretched my arms above my head and sighed. Now I just had to wait for the day.