Lighting split the sky and thunder roared over Fristad. Water ran down the roads, but no matter how heavy the rain, the paths remained free. The water pooled in the middle of every road. Hundreds of small brooks gathered into greater rivers on the main roads, which herded the water away. The rainwater did not meet the ocean, though. The streams all wound their way to the walls, gurgling viciously though grated openings in each line of defence, before finally pooling in large basins. Each basin was lined with moss and coal. From them, the water continued on in a calm stream, flooding some of the fields both within and outside the confines of the city.

Theodorus was torn between investigating the rainwater irrigation system and following his current person of interest. Rain would come again, he figured. His target, however, may never again perform the same actions as tonight. He crossed the road and followed Kvist into the bathhouse.

Their recent sparing match had sparked his interest. Kvist was hardy, but she was also slow, and he had delivered quite a few blows. Yri had claimed that he did no harm, but if his strikes truly had no effect on her, then what had chased her away, and what had kept her away? Theodorus had not caught a glimpse of her for several days. On the other hand, if she was injured, then what motivated her to seek out a bath in the middle of the night?

Theodorus made his way across the main hall of the bathhouse on silent feet. It truly was a stunning building, and the plumbing was fascinating. He took a second to admire the stonework before he slipped into the room Kvist had chosen. He stayed in the shadows, watching Kvist shovel woodchips into the hearth under the basin. She added quite a large amount, and then some more. Surely she knew better. Theodorus sought for an explanation, a red thread which connected the dots of information he had collected thus far.

Kvist was clearly well trained. Thorun considerer her one of the best fighters among the Fri. Yet she was slow during sparring. Then she avoided it. No one became a skilled fighter by skipping training sessions, so her absence had to be involuntary. Kvist had also missed key meetings despite being part of the inner circle. Yri clearly knew what the problem was, and made an effort to kept it private. Realising what Kvist’s intentions were, Theodorus peeled from the wall.

“Excuse me.”

Kvist spun around, a hand on her belt. She also carried a concealed dagger, then. Interesting. Thorun sure knew the meaning of vigilance. Come to think of it, Sylvia had a dagger as well, even though she was a scribe. Theodorus wondered if this was a common thread among the Fri, or if it only applied to the inner circle.

“Who is there?!”, Kvist demanded.

Theodorus eased the hood from his head and stepped into the light of Kvist’s lantern. “Sorry to bother you.”

Kvist’s gaze was soft, barely focused, but directed toward Theodorus. She was scanning her surroundings, making sure that it was just the two of them here. She held her stance, ready to strike at any moment. “What do you want?”

“You are not really going to scald yourself, are you?”

“What is it to you?”, Kvist challenged.

“I take it you are pregnant.”

“Why? Are you friends with that guy?”, Kvist wondered. Slimming her eyes, she added, “I am not having a baby, so do not even start.”

“I do not know who your ‘that guy’ is, but I do know a better way”, Theodorus offered.

“And what would that be?”

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“Medicine. I will need a bowl, some hot water, and a cup.”

“Fine. But if it does not work, you will leave me be. And if you value your life, you will not tell a soul about this”, Kvist warned.

Theodorus tugged his face guard down, revealing a smile.

Kvist straightened her back and relaxed her arm. She produced a bowl and a cup from a storage room. Then, she removed most of the woodchips and heated a small amount of water. Theodorus got to work as well, mixing drops of fluids from little vials which he pulled out from under his cloak and then hid again. Kvist’s eyes focused on him now, on his hands and every movement they made.

“Where did you learn this?”

“Home”, Theodorus shrugged. “Where did you learn the bath thing?”, he asked in turn.

“Not home”, Kvist answered curtly.

“It is not very effective”, Theodorus commented.

“I know, but it beats the alternative.”

“May I ask why are you so intent on not having a child?”

“What is it to you?”, Kvist asked sharply.

“Just curious.”

“It gets in the way of duty”, Kvist claimed. “We are supposed to leave in a week and I will not fail my liege.”

Theodorus did not take his eyes off his work. “And why would you bother lying to a stranger about it?”, he asked casually.

Kvist huffed a laugh. “You are good.”

Theodorus smiled. “I know.”

“Cheeky”, Kvist teased. She drew a measured breath and sighed. “I have never been comfortable with the idea of a pregnancy. If I could remove my womb, I would do it in a heartbeat. I wish I had been born a man.” Looking back at Theodorus, she jested, “You do not happen to have a potion for that, do you?”

“I am afraid not.”

Kvist watched him for a long moment before she spoke again. “Besides, even if I could have someone else bear my child, I am not right.”

“What do you mean?”

Kvist pointed at her forehead. “Something is wrong with me. Do you have any idea how hard it is to wake up every day only to fight your own head for the privilege of getting up, of eating, of talking?”

“In a way, I do. Or I used to”, Theodorus admitted.

Kvist shook her head. “It is not something that happened to me. I have always been this way. My mother was the same way. She never overcame it. It is a part of me, and I can never shake it.”

“Then I guess I do not know”, Theodorus agreed. “What does it have to do with a child?”

“I am not passing this on. No way”, Kvist determined. “It never goes away. It does not matter how tired you are, you cannot take a break. You can pause training if you get hurt. If you are stressed, you can take a day off, sleep in, or take a walk by the harbour. But you cannot escape yourself. It does not matter how badly you need a break. It never stops. It never pauses. You have to keep fighting, no matter what. If you do not fight, if you give in, it is over. And there is nothing, nothing at all, that you can do about it. Sometimes it is easier, but nothing can make it go away. I would not wish it on a Wolf.”

Theodorus remained silent. There was nothing to say. She was right. He did not understand what it was like, and he never would. Condolences would only insult Kvist. He was surprised she even bothered telling him about this to begin with. Bathhouses did have a tendency to loosen tongues, but that usually involved alcohol, fruit, and paid company.

“Why am I even telling you this?”, Kvist wondered aloud.

“I was just thinking the same thing”, Theodorus admitted.

Kvist shook her head. “I must be loosing my damn mind, talking to you of all people.”

“You hate me that much?”, Theodorus joked.

“I do not hate you. I merely distrust you.”

“Why is that?”

“I distrust anyone who can sneak up on me.”

“That is fair”, Theodorus chuckled.

“How did you manage it?”, Kvist asked.

Theodorus shrugged a little. He picked up the cup and transferred the finished brew from the bowl, making sure the residue which had gathered at the bottom stayed behind. Double checking the clarity of the liquid, he handed the cup over. “Drink it all in one go. And be ready. As far as I know, it hurts.”

“I am not worried about physical pain”, Kvist stated. She chugged the brew and set the cup down. “You can go now.”

Theodorus shook his head. “I do not think that is a good idea. You may need help.”

“I can handle myself.”

“You could fall unconscious”, Theodorus argued.

“Pain is nothing to me.”

Theodorus bit back a challenging comment. Instead, he spoke softly. “I do not doubt you. I merely wish to make sure you are alright. I would feel terrible if anything happened to you after I provided this medicine to you.”

Kvist sighed, but nodded in agreement. After a few seconds of silence, she added, “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Theodorus rested his back against the nearest wall. It was not long before Kvist gritted her teeth and clenched her hands into fists. Theodorus stayed still and kept her silent company while blood ran down her legs.