The argument had been resolved before they went to bed. It was resolved by the rather simple solution of it being a two-bed room, rendering the two’s red cheeks as just a mark of embarrassment from a pointless pre-emptive argument. Something they were trying hard not to discuss as they sat down for breakfast with Shani soon joining them and then the scholar…

He stretched, sitting down at the table with a smile as a server came out with their meal soon after. A significantly more colourful one than what everyone else was having. “Good morning everyone! I hope everyone’s nights were just as satisfying as mine.”

Shani scoffed, “I do not want to hear about what your dick did last night.”

A choking noise could be heard from beside Dyo as Hersyti coughed up his wine. All the while Ercole’s polite smile stayed on his face.

“I was simply asking if everyone had got some good rest for what I presume will be a day of travelling for everyone. It’s a little too early for me to start talking about that.” He chuckled.

“I was just making sure.” Shani murmured, “I know men who talk about it too much. Too much…”

“Well, I’m a lot more polite than your average sellsword.” Ercole said, adding, “No offence to you!”

Shani just gave him a look.

“So, where are you all going? If I might ask?”

Dyo’s eyebrow raised, “Where are you going?” he asked, turning to the noble.

“Back to Gaulik, though I’m taking the scenic route. There are just a few things I’ve learned in some old tomes that I want to find. But what about you? Might I remind you again, I’m not here to hurt such an interesting group of people I’ve only just met.”

He thought for a moment, “I… I don’t know, maybe to Emor to warn them about this, try to convince them to send orders to the legion? Maybe try and find a place to contact my father?”

The noble chuckled, “Oh, I’m sure the messenger from the legion would have probably already made it to the senate. From there they’re either going to debate it, or the right people will have been bribed to make sure the consuls never receive the message. Though the republic has learned its lessons since the collapse to try and stop that from happening…”

“Wait, what!? It can’t-“

“Oh, it does work like that. All you can do now is hope the debate goes in your favour, though it most likely will. You don’t have the influence to change the outcome in any way. But… If it does go your way, you can be sure to see the legionaries pushing past the provincial troops to drag the prince off to Emor.”

“Well… I guess then do you know-“

The door to the inn was slammed open as a short, brown-haired woman pushed their way in, panting. Her clothes were clearly that of the rural folk like Dyo’s, made of wool and of a simple, practical make, though tarnished by dust and dirt.

She slumped against the doorframe, catching her breath for a moment before shouting.

“H-help! Is there anyone who can fight in here, please!? I’ve been looking all over here for people who can help with band-“

The woman was cut short by the owner, rumbling down the stairs, pointing a finger straight at the woman and barking, “NO! No quests or adventure advertising here! I’m not encouraging roughens and mercenaries to make this their inn of choice! I’ve had enough-“

Dyo’s mind was set running, time slowing as he tried to process the situation. A bandit raid on a village and she is a messenger maybe to send help? That could, be it? And then…

He made a decision, interrupting the innkeeper as he shot up from his seat, “Can I hear her out!?”

Everyone went silent for a moment, all of the scattered patrons staring at him.

But, slowly, Hreysti and Shani started to rise too, followed by Ercole.

“I agree with the man,” Shani said, “I want to see if I can give some help to this woman. Common people deserve help.”

The owner, groaned, his tongue running across the inside of his cheek as he thought, “Fine. Just do it by your table, and don’t you dare let a rumour come out that this is a place for finding sellswords. You got me!?”

The short woman nodded quickly, dashing to the table and giving an awkward bow to the group. “I-I’m sorry for my outbursts oh-“

Ercole waved a hand, “No need to worry about titles, please. Just take a moment.”

The woman’s eyes shot to Dyo who nodded, with the woman then finally taking a breath, sitting down on the end of a bench.

“Thank you… I… I just got here this morning from my village about forty-three miles northeast of here.”

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Shani raised an eyebrow, whispering “Mile? Which-“ but before she could finish Ercole muttered a few words to her in Cudeshian, clearing her confusion.

“So, I’ve been looking around for help.” She continued, “But I’m not sure where to look.”

“Help with what?” Dyo tentatively asked, his spit catching in his throat a little.

“With a group of bandits… They… They snuck in as all the foot patrols have gone from the border I’ve heard. A-and these ones…” She shuddered, “They’re not like thieves with pillaged weapons, they’ve got armour and good weapons and there’s no way we can fight them…”

Oh…

Shani didn’t miss a beat, “How many of them are there.”

“Uh- We think about eleven of them, including their leader.”

“And what weapons?”

“Uhh-! I- I remember one with a very large sword and the rest had spears and smaller swords… I think… I’m not good with them! I’ve only used a bow and a knife.”

Dyo looked between everyone. His confidence somewhat faded. He knew exactly what it felt to be powerless like the woman and he could kill three people by concentrating- He shuddered at the thought, those briars tearing the men from inside out as their eyes pleaded for him to stop.

“It seems like a reasonable challenge.”

Dyo’s eyes flicked over to Hreysti, his face stern.

“As long as I find an axe, I can fight for you. As long as Dyonaigus still wishes to help you.”

A low chuckle came from Ercole as he leaned back, “Oh, I think this might be a very suitable diversion to join… Shani?”

She nodded, “I will come with. I only need food.”

“Oh?” He asked, “I thought you were a mercenary.”

“A mercenary who’s far too generous with their contracts for their good.”

“Wait… You’ll all help!?” The woman asked, her mouth agape as she was struck in awe.

“I need to practise my sword fighting but I’ve done all of my shopping yesterday. So why not see where this goes…” Ercole chuckled, “And I’m quite sure that the individuals here will find this all within their capabilities.”

----------------------------------------

Dyo felt most of them had been cheated out. Everyone had been walking on foot. Everyone other than Ercole, who was sitting high on his sturdy horse, saddlebags crammed with his own belongings. So, for the last eight hours, they had been walking on foot, moving along paved roads near the east coast. The only break at all was for lunch and to take a breath by a small waystation. But now, finally, they were finished for the day, luckily for their new companion.

Dyonaigus, while not used to travel had quite the reserve of stamina and had managed to weather the journey quite well with Hreysti also in good condition. Shani was also doing good, stretching as she finally tossed off her pack and Ercole… Well, his horse did most of the work for travelling. But the villager, Agrippa was completely exhausted, falling right to the ground once they finally found the refuge by the side of the road.

Her name was Agrippa Dullia they’d found out, but Dyo couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at it. Agrippa wasn’t a feminine praenomen name and there wasn’t anything about them that might suggest why they might have been given it…

Dyo put down his pack and moved towards her, only to see her face… Softening, and in a very literal sense. Their body starting to shape and morph before his eyes as he became locked in place with a mix of awe and horror.

All until their shifting eyes caught Dyo staring at… Them? As their body then suddenly shifted back into the form of the brown-haired woman, their body trembling as their eyes darted between everyone.

A changeling…

A chuckle came from behind Dyo, “My, my, this week keeps getting more interesting…”

“Are they a spy!? One of Luki’s spawn!?” Hreysti barked, his hands quickly dashing in front of Dyo as the vampire's teeth bared.

The changeling shook their head “No- I’m just-“

“No need to be quite so aggressive Hreysti,” Ercole tutted, “while they are quite the rare sight, I can assure you this changeling has no supernatural bloodlust.”

“Changeling? Wh-“ Hreysti’s eyes flashed as he heard the last part, his glare fixating on the noble as Dyo put a hand on his shoulder.

“H-he’s right, I think. My mother told me about them, they’re people with no fixed form and have the ability to shift between bodies, including some animals, but none to truly call their own…”

“But they could still be a spy! Bait sent by bandits! From my homeland, clans often engaged in this sort of trap, but with regular humans…”

“They are not lying about their village!” Shani called. She was on the other end of the clearing, her head down as she rolled out sheets of canvas and unpacking supplies. “I can tell when people are lying.”

They all turned to her, and then back to Agrippa, Hreysti’s arm slowly falling to his side as their aggression tapered off. But the tension was still not entirely gone from his body.

“How can you tell that?” He growled.

“Because I have spent lots of time working with those who lie, and those who don’t. You learn to tell the difference.”

Agrippa’s eyes were still locked onto the vampire, the fear of them being ripped apart still clear in their eyes. “A-are you going to help my village?”

Dyo’s eyes widened, “Of course we are!”

They looked at him, the tension remaining for a moment as their eyes widened before- “Thank you! I-I didn’t think-“

“It’s alright. So, you were not lying then about the village?”

“Not at all!”

He nodded, “But… What were you changing into.”

They swallowed, “A mouse… I-I like to do it when I’m tired…”

“A mouse? You can turn into animals too?”

“A-A few, but not a lot though.”

Dyo slowly lowered himself down, sitting by them, “You can down it now if you want, Hreysti is just-“ he shook his head, “I- I don’t know much about his past, but I know he’s tried to stay away from people until now. He might apologise to you in a bit-“

Agrippa raised a hand, “It’s alright, I know people get weary of me whenever they find out about my- my true nature. I-it’s just I’ve never seen anyone with teeth or eyes like that…”

“He’s a vampire. It’s a sort of demigod but it’s not all blessings for him.”

They nodded, their eyes looking to one side as they watched Hreysti slowly slink away to help Shani with the camp. But their eyes suddenly shifted back to Dyo when they caught Hreysti looking back, “A-anger issues?”

“Not quite…” He swallowed, unsure of how to describe it without scaring the changeling even further, “More… The angst from the necessities of his life. It’s something that I’m helping him with. As I’ve said, he’s not interacted with people for a while because of it.”

“So… He’s safe to be around.”

“Yes.”

They let out a sigh, pent-up breath slowly venting from their lungs. “Two demigods then,” They chuckled, “I didn’t think I’d ever meet this many representatives of the gods in my life! Let alone-“

“It’s alright, you don’t need to go any further...” He muttered, his head slipping to the side.

“You said you were fleeing from the prince’s troops, and I know you’re just trying to get away from them, but it doesn’t make the help you and everyone else is giving me and my village any less important.”

“Have you settled down then?”

The sudden comment from Ercole made Aggripa jump, their head whipping around to meet the smiling nobleman.

“W-wha-“

“We shouldn’t leave all the work to just those two. From what I can remember it doesn’t seem to be the polite thing to do.”