“Good morning, Darling.”

He tensed as soon as he heard her voice. Opening his eyes, he found Oliva standing in the door to his bedroom. Her long brown hair was twisted into springy curls. Their rooms were lavish, but she outshone it all. Gold glimmered on her skin, around her neck and wrists. Leaving the guards outside, she closed the door behind herself and smirked. Motioning along her silk dress, she prompted, “What do you think?”

“Oliva. You are as beautiful as the moon”, Afi responded.

“I know, but thank you”, she chuckled. With a flourish, she tugged the dress to the side, revealing one long leg.

Afi drew for breath. His mind was racing, but before he could find an excuse, she crossed the room and crawled onto the broad bed. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his. Her breath smelled of chewing mint and honey. Afi did not resist. First when she reached for the blanket, did he react. He took a hold of it as well to keep it in place.

Oliva sighed and rolled her eyes. “You are not having one of your mysterious headaches again, are you?”

“I am still rather tired”, Afi tried.

“Tsk, honestly. I feel like I have married an old man. Show me some vigour”, Oliva complained. Pulling the blanket off him, she wrapped her fingers around his dick. “At least this part of you seems awake.”

Afi clenched his jaw. “Oliva, please.”

“I am just teasing you. Do not worry about a thing. Just lie down.”

“I really—”, Afi began, but she waved a hand.

Straddling his hips, Oliva placed a hand on his chest, pressing him down against the sheets. “I have been patient enough, have I not? Be a man already.”

Afi opened his mouth to speak, but she hushed him again. “Do not start. Do you know what you are doing to me, Afi? You are embarrassing me. You are making me into a liar. What do you think people would say if they found out? Asexual? Come on! I thought I chose a man at the barracks. I took you in. Will you really embarrass me so as to force a divorce? That is awfully ungrateful. After everything I have done for you?”

Afi avoided her eyes. He felt so small under her lithe body. “I am sorry.”

Oliva leaned in and smiled softly. Stroking a hand over Afi’s chin, she shook her head. “Do not be sorry. Be a man.”

Afi did not answer. He lay still as she pulled her dress out of the way and descended on him. Closing his eyes, he felt his soul strain in his chest, reeling back from his wife.

Afi sat up with a start. He scanned the room. Finding Sylvia sitting on the windowsill, he exhaled hard.

“Bad dream?”, Sylvia wondered.

“I just…” Afi sighed. He shook his head instead of finishing his sentence. “Are you not tired?”, he asked instead.

“No”, Sylvia responded. Looking back out the window, she murmured, “This is a strange place.”

Coming to her side, Afi looked out, trying to see what Sylvia was referring to. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he frowned at her. Her gaze was lost somewhere in the road below.

“Strange how?”

“These people do not even know each other”, Sylvia said. “They walk by and do not greet, or even nod.”

“There are too many people in a city to know everyone”, Afi shrugged.

“I know that”, Sylvia grumbled. “It is still a strange thought, though. You see someone every day and you never greet them?”

“You will get used to it”, Afi offered. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “You will find plenty of people to greet.”

Sylvia shot him an annoyed glare and he chuckled. “Let us go see the harbour.”

Nodding, Sylvia hopped down from the windowsill. “I will get you some water to wash. Then we can go”, she determined. She took the washing bowl and headed out the door.

Afi looked down at his hands with a frown. While he felt disgusting, he was not particularly dirty. He ran a hand over his forehead and noticed that he was sweaty. Sighing, he shook his head. Cursed be his sleeping mind. Sitting down at the edge of the bed, he stretched slowly, joints cracking. He was stiff and sore, and still tired despite his rest. Most of all, though, he was relieved. They had made it here. Sylvia had a room for herself. She was safe.

When Sylvia returned with the filled bowl, Afi washed his face and neck before getting dressed.

Sylvia looked Afi up and down and smiled. “You look much better already. Though, we could both use a change of clothes. I suppose we should look for jobs in the city tomorrow.”

“Yea. A place to wash the clothes would also be good. Maybe someone can provide a basin.”

“But for now let us finally have a look at the harbour”, Sylvia grinned.

They left the room and Sylvia locked the door behind them. Pocketing the key, she walked down the stairs. The bar was much quieter now. Only a handful of people sat huddled around a table near the counter, sharing two clear bottles between them. Frida sat on the counter, feet dangling into the room, and behind her stood one of the men who had been behind the bar earlier. He was an elegant and tall man with long brown hair which fell smoothly over fine clothes.

“Sylvia, right?”, he asked.

Nodding, Sylvia walked over. She noticed he also wore golden earrings, and had a ring on his left hand. It complimented his dark skin.

“I am Even”, he introduced himself.

“Even”, Sylvia repeated.

“Someone is here to speak with you.”

Even motioned toward Sylvia, and a slender woman got out of her seat. She seemed terribly stiff, her back all straight and her shoulders drawn up. She stopped in front of Sylvia and forcefully bowed her head. Her hair fell into her face. “Sylvia Fri. I beg your forgiveness.”

Feeling terribly awkward, Sylvia looked to Afi.

Afi shrugged a little.

Frowning, Sylvia wondered, “What for?”

Surprised, the woman looked up. “I was told my sworn dishonoured me by assaulting you.”

Realisation dawned on Sylvia. She was speaking of the rude sworn who spat at Afi. “You must be Anja.”

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The woman nodded. “Anja Fri, at your service.”

“Anja. I am so sorry about what happened.”

“You are?”, Anja asked bewildered.

“Your sworn died in that confrontation”, Sylvia pointed out.

“Yes. I know”, Anja nodded. She inhaled deeply. “I had hoped that some time on the road would instil discipline in him. It seems my hope was in vain. He never listened. He barely even listened to me. I take it he was as unruly as ever, even under the direct command of the sisters.”

Sylvia let her gaze fall. “I do not wish to speak ill of the dead.”

There was a prolonged pause.

Eventually, Anja asked, “Will you look me in the eye and tell me that he brought this upon himself?”

Sylvia met her eyes. Anja was clearly profoundly saddened by the loss of her sworn. Sylvia shook her head. “No. I had my part in it”, she admitted. “I will tell you that he started it, and that he attacked Yri before the end.”

“Death sentence”, Even commented.

Anja nodded. “As it should be.” She thought for a moment and then bowed her head again. “If there is anything I can do to repay my debt, please let me know.”

Sylvia shook her head. “You have no debt with me. A life was lost. That is all there is to it.”

Anja clenched her jaw. She nodded stiffly, and then strode out the door in a brisk pace.

“Would you look at that. A Fri with a gentle soul”, Even teased.

Sylvia frowned at him, but he offered no explanation.

“Riti wanted to make sure you know about the bathhouse. And I must agree, you smell like horse”, Even said flatly.

“A bathhouse?”, Sylvia inquired.

“If you walk toward the stables from here and turn right at the third intersection, you will find a low stone building. You can bathe there. The water is hot in the evenings, but you can always kindle the fire on your own if you want to bathe at a different hour”, Even explained.

“Oh. Thank you. That is good to know”, Sylvia smiled.

She could feel Afi’s excitement at the prospect as well. Nodding to Even again, Sylvia turned to leave.

“Going out?”, Frida asked.

“Yes. I want to see the harbour.”

“Do you need a leash for your dog?”, Even joked.

Frida shot Sylvia an apologetic look, but made sure to laugh.

Ignoring the comment, Sylvia left the building. As soon as the door closed behind them, she looked to Afi. “I am sorry.”

Afi shook his head in dismissal.

Side by side, they rounded the inn. The road forked out and wound away between several broad buildings. Picking a road at random and walking onward, they soon emerged from the labyrinth of houses. The last row of buildings was dominated by warehouses and workshops. Each had two main doors, one toward a broad stone road, and one toward the water. A wooden walkway stretched along the edge of the water, from the eastern end of the central district, all the way to the western end. The walls jutted out into the waves, making sure the area remained isolated. Little boats dotted the water all along the wooden path, and larger ones were tied to piers, poking out among the boats here and there. In the middle, at the closest point to the Harbour Inn, a long pier reached for the horizon. Toward the far end of it, a large ship lay moored. Sylvia counted three masts. She had never seen a boat in her life, not to mention a ship of this magnitude. Walking out onto the pier, she looked up at the huge vessel, the high wooden walls ending in a simple and sturdy railing at the top. Up there atop the deck stood a building, painted blue and green.

Craning her neck, Sylvia wondered, “Why is there a house on the ship? I thought you stay below deck.”

Afi chuckled in amusement. “You mean the quarterdeck?”

“Have you been on a ship?”, Sylvia wondered in astonishment.

“You have not? Even though you are a scribe?”, Afi asked, equally surprised.

Sylvia shook her head. “Never. I had yet to leave home.”

Afi’s eyebrows raised. “Southerners stay at home for a long time”, he commented.

“I guess”, Sylvia shrugged.

Afi looked out over the water. “Better that way, I suppose. It can be dangerous. The water offers no shelter against storms.”

“I would love to sail some day”, Sylvia said wistfully. She looked up at the ship again. If something as large as this could float, she was not worried about wind.

Turning around, she noticed there were plenty more bollards on the other side of the pier. She wondered if there was another Fri ship somewhere, out there on the vast ocean. Walking all the way to the end of the pier, she eyed the back of the ship. Windows peeked out from the upper half of the construction. The lower half was dominated by a large ruder blade. It was so simple in theory, yet so complicated to build and steer. Sitting down at the edge of the pier, she let her eyes graze on the vast blue. To think entire countries lay somewhere out there. Right south of here was Eshein. And there was Severn to the east, just past the East Cut river. And whatever lands lay beyond. Cvart and Alena, was it? She would have to find a map.

Afi knelt down at her side. Closing his eyes, he listened to the water licking along the side of the ship. Sylvia noticed his fear subside. Instead, sadness tingled over her skin, searching for leverage. Shrugging it off, Sylvia focused her attention on her care for Afi instead, in the hopes that he might feel it.

Afi inhaled deeply, savouring the tang in the air. “The ocean smells just the same here”, he remarked before opening his eyes. “It is not as windy, though.”

“It is windy in the north?”, Sylvia inquired.

“Very”, Afi nodded. “The way I understand it, the mainland protects the south from storms coming from the east. Northern Sev is more exposed that way. Cities are built in the cover of bays and hills.”

“Do you miss it?”

Afi tensed at the question. He looked down at his hands, rubbing them together. “I should not miss it.”

“What do you mean?”

“It is a cruel place. I have been wanting to get away for a long time now”, Afi admitted.

“But?”, Sylvia prompted.

Afi shrugged. He avoided Sylvia's eyes, instead watching the sun sink into the ocean. The world was tinted orange around them. It was a warm colour, warm like Sylvia's presence at his side.

“There is this bell”, Afi began “It is a big bell, hanging under a small wooden roof. Four pillars hold it up at the edge of the water. At all times, a Wolf will sit under it and watch the ocean. Whether it rains or snows, he will sit there, and he will keep his eyes peeled. Even in the dark of night, a Wolf guards the bell. If a ship approaches, he rings the bell. I used to wait for this signal day and night. I was a light sleeper. Any creak or chime would wake me. When the ship finally came, I ran down to the harbour as fast as I could. We would climb onto roofs and stand on our toes to get a better look. When my father strode down the pier, I would bow to greet him, but he would always pick me up instead of bowing back. I never understood why he did that. I thought he did not respect me.” Afi shook his head. “He knew, even back then. He already knew that it was all wrong.”

“Where is he now?”, Sylvia asked.

“He never came back. I was seventeen when the ship returned without him. Someone said he had stayed in Cvart, but I never believed it. He would not just leave. He was a Wolf, one of the pack. He would never abandon us. He was no coward.” Afi huffed a laugh. “Stupid, eh? No, I bet he did. I bet he found a way out. I just wish he would have taken me with him.”

Sylvia placed a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. “Afi, you know you are free to go, right?”

Afi frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

“You are mine to command, and I say you can go. You saved me more than once, and you got me here. I consider us even.”

Afi shook his head. “How could we ever be even?”

“You saved me. I saved you. You protected me on the road. You kept me and I kept you. We saved each other. Just as you told me in Surtearv, you are free to walk away. I will tell them to leave you alone. This place is not kind to you. It will never be.”

Afi shook his head again and waved a hand between them. “No. I swore my life and I meant it. I am your shield now. You are the only kindred soul I have.”

“Two lonely souls sitting by the water at sunset. How cliché”, Sylvia chuckled. “What about your wife?”

A pained expression ghosted over Afi’s face. His heartbreak pierced into Sylvia’s chest like a spear. She took a slow breath to calm herself.

Afi shook his head. “Sylvia, I have no reason in my life. I have not had one in years. I failed to protect my daughter, but I will not fail you. I will not leave your side.”

“There is nothing here for you”, Sylvia urged.

“There is. You are here.”

“Afi. You are only drawn to me because of that oath. This country is in shambles. Even if we stay right here, there will always be danger. Do you really intend to protect me until death do us part? What good will that do?”, Sylvia asked.

“Sylvia. I have a confession to make. When you fell unconscious, I considered running away. I was about to leave you, but never again. If I learned anything in Nyberg, it is that I will forever protect you. I do not care if it is my soul or my oath that tells me this. For you, I would fight the world. If I can conquer just a moment’s peace for you, I will do it.”

“What if I order you to leave?”, Sylvia tried.

“Please do not send me away.” Afi’s voice was hushed, worried.

Sylvia hesitated. The sadness clawed at her, forcing its way inside. “What would you do if I did?”, she asked.

“I will kill myself”, Afi said at once.

Sylvia’s eyes went wide.

Afi forced a smile. “Liege, I have nowhere to go. No one would have a Wolf. The Wolves would not have a sworn. I am both now. So, if I cannot be here, I might as well be nowhere.”

“Never do that! Never even think about it. That is an order”, Sylvia said firmly.

Afi nodded, but she doubted he truly set the thought aside. “If I die—”

“I will not let it happen”, Afi interrupted.

“If”, Sylvia began again, meeting his eyes with firm determination. “If I die, do not take your life. Find someone else to protect, and when you cannot do that, then learn to read and write and start copying books. It is a worthy cause and you can see it as a service to me if you must, but do not dare to take your life. It is not yours to take. That is an order.”

Afi nodded again, this time with sincerity. “Yes, Liege.”