They made their way back towards their own stall, saying little, letting the bustle of the crowds fill the air between them.

“Did she like jewellery?” Martin asked after a long while.

“Not really,” answered his father, his eyes downcast, staring at the stone in his hands. “She only wore a stone like this around her neck. She told me once it was her grandmother’s.”

“What happened to it?”

“I don’t know,” Kurt sighed. “She told me that she lost it, but couldn’t remember where. I tried finding a replacement for her, but no one I described it to seemed to know what it was. I never would have guessed it was Elvish. She was really upset for a long time afterwards. She loved that necklace.”

“You should wear it,” Martin said. “There’s a loop there for a strap.”

Kurt said nothing, heard nothing just then. As he and Martin walked, it felt as if the Great Market was changing about them. Familiar faces grew younger, took on subordinate roles as he and Sabine walked together hand in hand through this place. They had done this every Sunday before they had married at the crumbling old church on the northern end of the Capital. Kurt squeezed the stone, and in his head his wife squeezed his hand back…

“Papa?”

“I’m staying in the city tonight,” Kurt declared. “I need to take care of a few things. I’ll need one of the horses.”

“Okay, papa.”

“I have…business.”

“Of course you do, papa.”

“I’ll be back in the morning.”

“I’ll send Bader into collect you around noon,” Martin replied, unable to look at him just then. “Say hello to Bernice for me,” he added as he walked away.

*

Kurt moved on after the sun began to descend, leaving Martin and the boys to pack up. He had gold, silver, and copper aplenty in his pockets and he'd booked his regular room at the inn. It was the room he and Sabine had stayed in, when their relationship had just been an affair. He had never brought his son here. He wanted to tell himself it was because he was concerned for the boy’s soul, though that was nonsense. The whores were in an establishment down the street, not here. One of the scaled ran this place. He nodded to Kurt from behind the bar, his draconic head dipping slightly in recognition as the human approached him. One of the girls was sent to prepare Kurt’s usual room, just in case he wound up sleeping there.

“That time of the month already?” the dragon man asked, producing a black bottle and a stein. Green, sweet smelling liquid filled the vessel. “How the time flies, right Kurt?”

“Leave the bottle,” said Kurt.

“There’s a big fight at the arena tonight,” continued the barkeep, whose name escaped Kurt just then. “One of them witch hunters is fighting. Would you be interested in seeing it, maybe putting a little money down?”

“What kind of fight?”

“Minotaur bout, bare knuckle stuff. Konrad’s defending his title against this big fuck named Theo.”

“And he’s the witch hunter?”

“Aye," answered the barkeep with a nod. "To hear the stories going ‘round, you’d think this new fella's already got the belt. He’s young, and he’s meant to be fast for his size, but he’s a whelp. Konrad’s been doing this for years. He’ll pound that boy’s arse and leave him a stain on the ground, if you ask me." He rested his elbows on the bar, so that he and his human customer were eye to eye. "It’s easy money, Kurt. Whadda say? Come with me after I’m done here and make some easy cash.”

Kurt wasn’t nearly drunk enough to agree to something as irresponsible as this. He worked on that, though.

*

The innkeeper and a serving wench helped Kurt along the cobblestone sidewalk as he stumbled towards the arena where tonight's main event would take place. The stone walled stadium rose above all the nearby buildings by at least three storeys. They joined the queue, only to be told when they reached the front that it was standing room only, unless they paid for a private box.

“No way is he standing,” said the dragonkin.

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"A box it is, then!" Kurt hiccupped happily, as he started counted out the coins. Drunk though he was, he couldn't help but notice that his purse had grown noticeably lighter once he'd paid the man for their tickets.

The three of them went inside, tramping along the columned interior, laughing as they waved their stamped hands that guaranteed entrance to the privileged boxes on the top floor.

The sight was impressive. Braziers burned everywhere, lighting up the grounds and the flags that bore the sigils of each fighter taking part tonight. Vendors struggled through the packed house, fighting the tide of bodies seeking seats or places to stand as they offered reheated, overpriced meats and bottles of chilled beer. Kurt remembered his appetite as he sent the innkeeper off to put a startlingly large sum on Konrad to retain his title in the main event. The innkeeper nodded and whispered instructions to the girl. When they were alone in the shadowed box with its own roof and curtains, she slipped her hand down into his trousers. Kurt gasped, and melted down onto the floor until he lay prone, his pants pulled down to his knees and the big dome of his belly bare and trembling. The girl rubbed her hands along its sides and tried not to laugh as she whispered deranged, obscene things to the older man. Then she expertly mounted him.

Kurt’s purse was even lighter now, his chest shaking as he fought for self-control by the time the innkeeper returned with his betting slips. A knowing grin spread across his angular, reptilian features at the sight. They settled down with the refreshments Kurt’s money had bought to enjoy the show.

The fights were a blur for the most part, to the drunken and ageing Bauer. He only really remembered the last fight. Konrad, huge and muscular, had stomped his way into the stone circle in the centre of the arena. The crowd had welcomed the champion, but not warmly. Konrad was known for his devastating power, not his charisma, or his rapport with the crowd. He was the fighter everyone loved to hate.

When the challenger appeared, things could not have been more different. Kurt almost thought that the King had made a surprise appearance, so wild and rapturous the crowd's reaction.

Theo took his time making his entrance into the ring. He walked slowly, brimming with confidence and in little hurry. He was built beautifully, his body like a sculpted statue. His hide was sandy gold, and his face handsome with bright eyes. His horns were dark, short, and sharpened. It was clear that many of the crowd had come to see him, and he was happy to provide them with what they wanted. The challenger made a circuit of the arena’s interior, waving to those in the seats and boxes. He shook hands with his fans sitting or standing nearest the ring, making those who'd spent money on luxurious accommodation for the evening curse their wealth under their breath. The people called out encouragement and praise to him, and Kurt found himself joining in, swept up by a wave of emotion that, in his drunken stupor, he was wholly unprepared for.

Konrad had watched from the ring, silent, but clearly growing annoyed at the delay. He was massive, grey, and impatient. After five minutes he began tapping his foot. After ten he was pacing up and down along the length of the ring, snorting and glaring as Theo made his slow progress around the arena. When the challenger finally turned and seemed about to enter, Konrad smiled, slamming his huge fists together.

Theo turned again then, and began to do another circuit. Kurt swore he caught the smaller minotaur wink at the massive beast waiting for him. Konrad responded by howling, and tried to chase after him, but the scaled referee stopped him in his tracks. Theo started making rude gestures with his fingers. Two thrusts of his crotch at Konrad had the whole arena laughing at the sheer, suicidal audacity on display, which of course set his opponent off even further.

When Theo had finally climbed into the ring, Konrad had lost all self-control and his usual stoic discipline. He lunged at the smaller, lither minotaur, but Theo was as fast as he was enraging. He weaved to the left, slipping under the brute’s outstretched arms. Theo’s leg snapped out and his bare foot caught Konrad square in the back of his knee. The large minotaur stumbled as his knee gave out, eyes widening as he realised his mistake.

Theo did not give his opponent a chance to correct himself. He was on top of Konrad in an instant, striking at his kidneys and floating ribs with several quick jabs. Once Konrad was on the defensive and trying to protect his sides, Theo changed tactics. Speed, surprise, and the pain he'd put Konrad in combined to ensure he got his arms locked around Konrad's muscular neck in a choke-hold without much difficulty. Konrad tried rolling, kicking, elbowing and pulling at the smaller male, but Theo held onto him like his life depended on it.

Konrad forced himself back to his feet, or tried to. He got himself up on one knee and one foot, ready to push off and try to drive Theo into one of the pylons that supported the ring's cordon of ropes, but it was too late. The choke had its desired effect, and the champion collapsed to the mat, pounding three times with one massive open hand to signal his surrender. When the referee announced Theo’s victory, the smaller minotaur released the now former champion. When Konrad fell forward, Kurt swore he felt the ground shake when the defeated champion landed. As the realisation of just how much money he'd lost percolated through his inebriated brain, Kurt noticed that Theo was bending down to offer Konrad a hand back to his feet.

“Don’t know why they call him the Oak,” the innkeeper muttered. “He’s more like a sneaky rat, or a damned snake!”

Theo threw up his arms. The crowd screamed his name. Kurt wanted to leave, and things began to blur again.

*

Kurt stumbled along with the innkeeper and the bar maid, threading awkwardly through the satisfied, excited crowds. A lot of the arena's attendees were going off in search of drink and good times. Kurt had grown sick of his present companions and broke away from them. He found himself following a mixed group of mostly male humans and minotaurs as they sang their way down to a whorehouse Kurt was unfamiliar with. Growing numb and desperate to see the experience through, he plunged in after them.

There were lamps burning behind coloured glass. There were silk ribbons in odd places. Veils and beads were everywhere. Kurt was suddenly uncertain, nervous. There was a strange, musky scent in the air he did not recognise. He found himself trailing after the dozen or so boys half his age as they advanced with the fearlessness of youth. He found himself smiling as he did so, despite his losses that night. He missed being young, and free. When the madam came to meet this horde stumbling into her lobby, Kurt drunkenly fell in with them after nearly knocking over one of the humans of the group. The young fellow didn’t seem to mind, and after righting himself started telling the bigger, much older man in no uncertain terms how great a time he was having in the Capital. Kurt, for his part, was somewhat unbalanced by the collision, and wound up leaning on the younger man for support. When the madam led the boys into the bar to wait while she found them the entertainment they sought, Kurt was carried along with them. He didn’t mind, despite some reservations about what these boys might think about an old man joining them. Offering to buy the first round for them all definitely eased him into the party, though.

“That’s appreciated, but unnecessary,” said a minotaur, obviously the leader of the group. “Everything’s on me tonight, boys! You’re more than welcome to join us, friend.”

“That’s very kind of you, sir,” Kurt slurred at the end of the large table they had been left at. “Win big tonight, did you?”

This generated a general chuckle among the rest of the men attending. Kurt felt stung, though he was unsure why. He leaned in a little and tried to get a better view of the speaker through his alcohol-blurred eyes. Only then did he realise his mistake, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

Theo the Oak obviously caught his embarrassment, for he joined in the laughter then. It was not a mean kind of laugh, and surprisingly light for a creature of his build. When he stopped shortly after he had begun, his companions did likewise.

“You see me fight?” the large, yet lithe beast-man asked.

“I saw you win, sir. Don’t mean no disrespect to you, but I bet on the other guy.”

“I don’t mind that,” Theo said, smiling. “Someone had to. Now you have to join us. I insist. I probably cost you a bit of money tonight, no? Well then, let me give some of it back to you in hot whiskey and big, bouncy tits!”

The first tankards of ale arrived, along with many, many shot glasses. Songs began, and Kurt joined in, happy to be young and irresponsible again, if only for a night.