“Elisabell,” the young woman shook my hand a little stiffly, as if worried I was going to snarl at her.

“Oh…? That’s a nice name,” I tried a little flattery first.

The young woman smiled, and looked away. The way she grinned and actually blushed told me that my attempt had not only worked, but that I had likely been one of the first to have praised her in such a way.

Poor girl. She was actually very adorable, especially the way she awkwardly walked. She was stiff, yet was trying to act normal. It made her seem much younger than she appeared to be.

Walking side by side with her, she was pulling on the reins of her horse. It followed, but its footsteps were heavy. It didn’t want to follow. Either it was unruly or it was fully aware of her shy temperament, and wanted to abuse it. Animals, especially horses, seemed to do that sometimes.

Her blush slowly died, and I looked away from her for a moment to study her brother.

He was walking next to Vim several dozen feet ahead of us. He too had a horse, but unlike hers it wasn’t walking behind him or reluctantly. It followed dutifully to his side, and the man wasn’t even holding the reins anymore.

He wasn’t as large as Vim, but he had a very comfortable gait. Just like Vim, he walked with confidence. Surety. He had a large sword on his waist, which sometimes tapped the ground thanks to how low it hung, and several smaller knives elsewhere on his body. Such as a long thin one on his thigh. He wore leather armor, but had a metal breast piece that looked… honestly a little tight on him. Not because he was fat though, but because he was muscular. As if it hadn’t been made for him at all.

Likely hadn’t been.

The two men were talking, and not as quietly as me and her. The man sometimes barked a laugh, or said something loudly. He spoke to Vim as he was a long time friend… and at first, I had genuinely thought he had been. He had spoken to Vim so calmly and with such a weird grin that I had thought they had known each other at first.

Yet it seemed it was just… the way he was. An affable person, maybe.

A stark contrast to the one next to me.

“Were you just training?” I asked her.

“Huh…!?” she startled, and turned her head at me quickly. Her shoulder length hair danced a bit as she frowned at me. “You can tell…?” she asked after a moment of shock.

I frowned and nodded. “Am I wrong?” I asked.

“No… how’d you know?” she asked as she glanced me up and down.

“You’re a little sweaty, and sound as if you were recently out of breath,” I said. I wasn’t going to tell her she smelled a little. If she was so on edge then who knows what such a thing would do to her.

“Huh… Brother has been teaching me how to use a sword,” Elisabell said as she tapped the small sword on her waist.

Glancing at it, I noticed the sheen of the metal beneath the handle. It was some kind of iron. It looked relatively newer, actually, though it seemed it didn’t properly fit the sheath.

“I’ve been training too. Everyone has to start somewhere,” I said gently.

She smiled and nodded, as if glad to hear it.

Her brother had mentioned she was a virgin of the field… and right after Vim had immediately asked of the plague.

Martin had responded of their family being dead now.

Which meant she was not a mercenary because she wanted to be… but because she had no one else to rely on.

Her brother was all she had.

“It’s a good thing you have your brother, huh,” I said to her.

She nodded quickly. “Yes.”

Feeling a little humbled, I wondered how Vim had realized their situation so swiftly. It was as if he had recognized it before they had even hinted at it.

Was it that obvious…? Or was it just something Vim’s seen many times in his life, and as such was used to it.

“So you two work as guards?” I asked, trying to pry a little without being too rude about it.

She nodded again. “Yeah… we patrol this road, and across the river. We keep anyone sick from getting too close to town. Or well… brother does, really,” she said. I noted the way she smiled at the end of her sentence. She had said that with a little bit of self-depreciating shame.

Either something must have happened, or it was just a simple fact. She wasn’t much taller than me really, and was young. She would likely not fare well against a grown man, even if they were sick.

Humans weren’t like us. Not able to overcome that physical gap as easily as we did.

“It’s the man’s job to do the hard stuff, you know? Don’t feel bad about it,” I said to her.

Elisabell glanced at me, and because she did her horse made a huff and stepped away. She had to turn quickly and tug on the reins, and hush it as to get it back into control.

“I think she hates me,” Elisabell complained.

“Rather she’s just testing you. You need to be firmer,” I said.

“Brother says that too. But…” Elisabell finally got the horse under control, and she sighed in relief as we returned to walking normally.

Glancing ahead of us, I found only Vim had glanced back at us. The brother hadn’t. They were now a little farther away too.

Maybe it was some kind of tough love from the brother. To be honest it might be necessary… especially if she was to be a mercenary.

“Do you two belong to any band?” I asked her.

“Huh…? No… I don’t think so, at least. Brother wants to join one, but not before I’m ready. It’s my fault,” she said.

Her fault. Again with the self-depreciation.

I didn’t like that. But I knew better than to say or try to do something about it.

Some people were just… like this. Some grew out of it, others didn’t.

Plus she was likely younger than she seemed. Even if a tad taller than me.

“I’m sure it won’t take you long to get ready for it,” I said, hoping to lift her spirits a little.

She nodded, but frowned. Unsure of herself.

Then she gulped and glanced at me. “You came from the Capital of Stone…?” Elisabell asked.

I nodded. “A few weeks ago, yes,” I said.

“Were they at war? We’ve been hearing they’re at war, again,” she asked.

“Hm…” I frowned and was about to shake my head, but realized that they probably were. To her, and those like her… Landi was indeed very likely at war. “Maybe…? I know they’re getting ready to mass their army, but I’m not entirely sure where or why,” I said.

“Ah…” she nodded, fully focused on me.

“Is that where you’re from?” I asked, wondering why she wanted to know. She wasn’t as tanned as those in Landi’s city, but not everyone had been as dark. There had been some as pale as her.

“No… But Brother mentioned maybe heading that way. For work. So…” she mumbled.

I see. So it was just basic fear.

She worried if her brother learned of a war nearby, he’d take the two of them to it. For work.

I’d understand why that’d be terrifying.

“If you have a job now, and it pays well, why leave?” I asked.

“It’s ending soon. This region’s landlord is sending a group of knights. Once they’re here we’re out of work,” Elisabell said.

“Ah,” I nodded. That made perfect sense.

She sighed. “I used to think Brother was stupid. That he should retire after a few battles. Now I know why that’s not possible… I feel bad when I think of all the yelling and fights he used to have with my parents,” she mumbled.

I wanted to ask for more details, but figured if I did she might question if I was a mercenary too. She was speaking as if something was obvious. A matter of fact.

Maybe it had something to do with the pay, or the jobs. Maybe they didn’t get paid much?

“Times are hard right now as it is, too,” I said, choosing to focus on that instead.

She nodded and sighed. “Isn’t that the truth…”

“Have there been many sick here? In this area?” I asked.

She frowned and shook her head. “Not really. A few months ago we encountered a few, but since then the only people coming and going have been healthy. Maybe twenty or so sick people have shown up this whole time, I guess?” Elisabell said.

Twenty…? That wasn’t anything compared to Landi’s nation.

I wonder if it was because those who got sick were dying quickly, or if it had simply not spread as bad here yet.

The girl’s brother laughed loudly again, drawing my attention to him. He reached over to pat Vim on the shoulder, and I frowned at him.

Why was he so familiar all of a sudden?

I mean… I got it. Vim was a calm and even-natured man… plus he was obviously just trying to not draw attention to us… but…

Sometimes it was a little odd how easily he blended with strangers. Even though he himself seemed to not want to be so.

“Is he your husband?”

Blinking I turned to the young girl, who looked away from me. Embarrassed.

I nodded. “He is,” I said, and felt strangely happy to say so.

“Hm… is it normal? To find one? To marry a mercenary? Brother says it’s usually not normal for a woman to be in a band,” Elisabell asked.

What a cute question! Of all things to be concerned over that! “Mercenaries need to find love too, so I doubt it’s that rare,” I said.

Elisabell’s face contorted into an awry frown, and then she smiled and nodded. “Right…! That’s true…! Brother just says it’d be hard for me to find someone as a mercenary… he wants me to find someone else,” she said.

Oh. So this was something rather personal.

“I’m not sure… I could see why it’d be odd, but I’ve met many female knights and mercenaries. We’re not as uncommon as you’d think, I bet,” I said as I thought of all the ones I’d seen. When we had met Rapti I had seen a whole band of them, too.

“Oh…? Maybe he just means this region then. You said you’re from the north?” she asked.

I nodded, glad that such a thing wasn’t a lie at all. It felt weird to fib, even if it was necessary. “Yeah.”

“Maybe we should go up there then. I suggested it to my brother, but he worries we’ll be ostracized. Being pagans,” she said.

Pagans… “There are lots of pagans up north too, so I’d not worry about that,” I said.

Elisabell frowned at me, but then nodded happily. Excited to hear it.

Glancing ahead, I noted the buildings in the distance. “So there’s a town up ahead?” I asked.

She nodded, and pointed past our men. “It’s still a few hours off, but there are lots of families up and down the river. Fishers, farmers, and the like,” she explained.

Just as Vim had said. I wonder how he barely remembered certain things, like Hark’s name, yet remembered stuff like this in such detail. Maybe it was because they weren’t people he was remembering, but locations and landmarks.

“You wouldn’t happen to have any brothers that need a wife, do you?” Elisabell then asked.

Hesitating, I wondered what to say. She was really focused on the whole marriage thing, wasn’t she?

“I uh… no… Can I ask why you want a husband so badly?” I asked.

She frowned at me, not upset I’d asked but finding my question strange all the same. “I mean… I need one? Brother won’t take care of me forever, and I’ve no family anymore. Plus sticking around with him for too long might just get me killed… especially if he wants to go off to war,” she said, a little quietly.

An odd tingle ran down my tail, and I was glad she was so focused on her hands. She was twisting and tugging on the reins she held, absentmindedly. If she was more observant she might have noticed my tail shift beneath my leathers and clothes. It had twitched that harshly.

“Has he said you needed to… leave?” I asked quietly.

“Hm…? No? But it’s a fact he can’t take care of me forever. He can barely take care of himself half the time,” she said with a matter of fact tone.

I huffed as I glanced at her brother.

Was he then cruel, or was this just… normal? Maybe such things were more common than I thought.

I rarely noticed, being what I was. Even when alone, although lonely, I didn’t need help. I had been able to survive just fine.

But maybe it was harder here, and during a famine and plague… or well…

Thinking of Roslyn and her people, I had no choice but to accept the very real fact being forced onto me.

This world was growing harsh. Harsher than it’s been. Thanks to Landi’s actions. Thanks to us.

And the ones to suffer weren’t our people, since the Society and Vim protected them, but instead those like her. Like this young girl.

The disease and famine weren’t just killing people… it was forcing those who survived them into precarious situations and trials.

She wasn’t looking for a husband because she was yearning for love… but because she needed someone to rely on. Because the world was too dangerous to be alone, or to be with her brother who only could survive by doing dangerous things.

“Anyone in your band maybe? I’m not… really a good warrior, I know, or with horses…” she mumbled as she glanced at the horse, which had actually been rather amiable lately. “But I’m real good at cooking, and thatching roofs…! My family built all the roofs in the village I’m from,” she proudly added.

Feeling for her, I wondered what to say. She sounded, and looked, very serious and desperate.

Was it really that bad?

I couldn’t imagine asking someone who was basically a stranger for… a husband. Even if to her I was someone possibly trustworthy, being a fellow mercenary and a woman.

Yet here she was. Asking for help.

If she had been non-human, I could have offered her several names. But…

“I can ask Vim. He might know someone,” I decided. I was sure Vim wouldn’t care, or bother at all, but I vowed to at least ask for her.

Elisabell stepped closer. “Really…! Thank you!” she actually beamed a smile at me and I noticed one of her lower teeth, the one next to a canine, was broken. Not too uncommon, thanks to accidents. The rest of her teeth looked fine, though. We had to pause for a moment, and I almost stepped backward since she had gotten so close.

I nodded, and wondered what to say. She suddenly looked very hopeful. She even released a deep sigh as she returned to walking ahead.

“That’d be so great. None of the families around here have any unmarried sons… the only man who doesn’t have a wife already is real old, so…” Elisabell said.

Keeping myself from asking something that would have likely hurt her, I instead decided to approach it from a different perspective. “Have you maybe asked your brother to take you to a large town? Before he goes off to war?” I asked.

“He doesn’t think we’d be able to afford to. We don’t have much… it’s why he was also thinking of going to the Nation of Stone. We could join the war, and I can maybe find a family to marry into,” she said.

Oh. Right.

Poor girl was either destined to marry the first eligible man she could find, or die in a war she had no say in.

Great.

Elisabell skidded a step, almost tripping. She collected herself quickly and tugged on the reins as the horse shook its head at her, as if upset her master was such a klutz. The girl smiled at me as she returned to walking normally, although with that same haphazard gait. As if tense.

Mercenary? Hardly. I bet part of the reason her brother was pushing for her to get married was because he saw the obvious. She was no warrior. And would likely never be one, no matter how hard she tried.

I sighed a little as I tried to stop myself from feeling too strongly for her.

We had just met yet I was now fully worried for her, and contemplating how to save her from a life of struggle.

How did Vim do it? So often? Now that I think about it we had recently argued over this. I had tried to argue he always affected people, even when he didn’t mean to. That his mere words were enough to change a life.

He had argued he only did it when fate demanded it. When it concerned one of us, or out of pure necessity. Like Hark.

And here I was, proving his point. Or about to.

Her fate didn’t affect us. It made no impact to the Society. Whether she survived or not didn’t matter. Whether she was happy or not, changed nothing.

Yet I wanted to help her. Just because I could.

Did I even have the right to, though? Would I then do the same to every downtrodden individual I meet?

Vim was actually not as bad as I had claimed. He could change every life he encountered, if he wished, yet didn’t.

He saw himself as a tyrant, because when he did change fate he did so in a dramatic way. In a way that no one could deny or fight against.

I had argued he hadn’t been… but here I was, contemplating who to set her up with. There were a few human men in the Society I knew, like that man Vim had invited in Lumen. Mark. He had been a good man, who had cared for his elderly parents. Though he had been married, there were several men like him there. It’d not be too hard to find this girl a husband if I really tried to.

But I wasn’t supposed to. Because if I did, that’d be the same as playing god. It’d make me as much as a tyrant as Vim.

So I wasn’t supposed to. Shouldn’t. Even if it made me a hypocrite. Even if I had done the same with Roslyn.

Glaring at Vim, who wasn’t even aware of my current internal struggle, I wished to pick up one of the small pebbles in the road and toss it at him. But didn’t, since it’d only make Elisabell and her brother weary about us.

Was I going to be able to do the same? As he does? Just walk past people who needed help? Really?

We were about to find out.

“Honestly it’s brothers fault. If he was a normal man and just settled down with a family, I’d not need to rush into marriage,” Elisabell grumbled.

Right. “Right? Let’s blame him, at least for now,” I said with a nod.

She giggled and nodded back, glad to hear I agreed.

Jeez she was adorable though. She had freckles all over her face, and her hair was the type of thin blond that let you see those freckles even in her eyebrows. She kind of reminded me of Lamp and her people, a little. She must have a similar ancestry as them.

She then sighed. “I’ve also considered converting. To become one of those nun women. But who knows if I’d even be allowed to. Brother says they’d burn me if I tried,” Elisabell said.

“Who’d burn you?” I asked.

“The church people…?” she answered as if it was obvious.

“I’d not think they’d do that if you wanted to convert, Elisabell…” I said. Or well, maybe they would… since she was only converting as to find a safe place to live.

I pondered it for a moment, as I tried to think of the religion that was in Telmik. Would they accept her? Maybe I should send her there?

Wait. No… how would she survive the trip? It cost a lot to travel… the food alone was so expensive that most people couldn’t venture too far from their home because of it, and that was if they were willing to never stay at an inn or something.

It wasn’t like her brother would willingly take her there, after all. Which meant she’d be alone.

A lone girl on the road, without much money… yeah… not a good idea…

But it wasn’t as if Vim would let her come, either.

I could just see it now. Us returning to Telmik, with a legion of helpless women and children that I’d pick up along the way.

I sighed at the thought, since I could actually see it happen. Not just because I’d give in and want to help, but because Vim would give in and let me do as I wished. Both because of his belief in free-will, and his devotion to me.

We started to pass the first building I’d seen in a few days, and I noticed it was made more of wood than stone. Only its base foundation had stones, and they weren’t formed brick but rather just large slabs of cut stone.

“That’s Grams house,” Elisabell informed me.

“Hm,” I nodded, and wondered if that was a name or a nickname for an older woman.

My thought never got answered, since we left the house behind before the person in question showed themselves. Nearing the next set of buildings, I watched as one of the distant figures near the river waved at us. Martin waved back at them.

“They’re fishing, but they’re the ones who make shoes,” Elisabell said.

As we continued to pass houses and farmland, the density of the buildings started to increase. It only took about an hour until Elisabell pointed at one of the larger, stone made, buildings and told me we were now in the center of the village.

“The other side of the river actually has more buildings. Me and my brother are currently living in one of the empty buildings next to the village elder’s house,” Elisabell told me.

“I see,” I nodded, and wondered where our member was. Vim had said they lived near the village, but I don’t think he mentioned they actually lived within it.

Wait… hadn’t Vim mentioned we were still a few days away? Yet here we were already, in the town.

Maybe this wasn’t their village.

“Is this village relatively newer?” I asked her, curious.

“Huh…? Oh… maybe? It has grown I guess. I remember hearing them complain about the empty buildings, they built a bunch and now no one is here to use them,” she said.

Ah. Maybe this village, although possibly a village even back when Vim came here last time, was new. A place that Vim didn’t consider a real village. He had said we’d pass houses and stuff before reaching the weaver’s village. These homes may very well be what he had meant.

“Wait… why can’t you just have one of them? If they’re not being used?” I asked her.

Elisabell shrugged. “I don’t know? But even if they let me… I can’t pay the taxes. It’s ten Earls a person. That’s what we’re getting paid for this whole job, and we’ve already spent several since then. I don’t know how I’d be able to pay it,” she said simply.

Earls. Must be the currency here. And ten…? Per person, and likely for the year?

If they got paid ten for a job such as what they were doing, it was likely not the lowest level of currency she was talking about. That meant, like other nations, these Earls were a higher valued currency than the normal one used.

Which meant it was likely a high fee. Interesting.

I wonder what happens if you don’t pay the taxes.

I wanted to ask, but decided to just ask Vim later.

“Do you guys get paid well? What do you usually make per job?” Elisabell then asked.

Wanting to groan, I quickly scoured my memories for any hint at what was likely standard. Although I had a lot of memories of money, from buying stuff to handling such things while working in Lumen… I strangely couldn’t remember any hint of a typical wage.

I felt as if Vim had mentioned it before, but…

I never paid attention. It was Vim’s fault, really. He just always had money to hand me whenever I wanted it. As if he always had an endless supply.

“Depends what we’re doing I guess… I let Vim handle that stuff, usually,” I said, deciding to just toss the burden elsewhere.

“Ah… true… Some men don’t let us handle that stuff, huh,” she nodded, understanding.

Well… no… but now I couldn’t correct her. If I did she’d find me weird.

Glancing at Vim’s back, I sent him a tiny mental apology. I hadn’t meant to make him seem like a rude husband.

“Can’t be doing too badly, though. You’re both dressed nice. Maybe it’s just this region… maybe brother’s right and we should go elsewhere,” Elisabell mumbled, mostly to herself.

Was I dressed nice? I knew I was dressed a little better than most people were, usually, but I didn’t feel as if it was that big of a leap in quality.

And Vim was definitely not dressed nicely anymore. He didn’t even have leathers anymore.

One of the houses was noisy as we passed it. It sounded like there were several people inside, notably children. There was a pair of men sitting on the outside porch, who had gone silent as to stare at us as we passed.

“They’re the largest family. They’re always having dinner together and stuff,” Elisabell said.

I liked how she didn’t sound upset or jealous at all. If anything she sounded a little envious.

Once we passed the noisy house, the road turned a little. Bending somewhat west. It led to more buildings, but they were noticeably starting to thin out and become less and less.

And it was here that Martin and Vim came to a stop.

“Ah… Here I thought you’d two would stay for a bit,” Elisabell said softly.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized to the girl that suddenly looked hurt.

She smiled at me, forgiving me, and we slowed as we came up to Vim and Martin.

“I’ve not got much, brother, but I can at least promise a long night of drinking and stories,” Martin offered Vim.

Vim smiled gently at the man and nodded. “I appreciate it, and under a normal circumstance I would have loved to share some of my own. But we’re already behind schedule. If I don’t reach our family before winter’s first snow there’ll be hell to pay,” Vim politely turned him down.

Elisabell shifted, likely upset to hear it.

Martin sighed but nodded. “That I get. I do. I really do. Alright then,” he said then held out his hand.

Vim took it, and the two men smiled and nodded to each other.

“May your blades not chip,” Vim said.

“And your purse stay full,” Martin nodded.

Then their arms separated and Vim turned to look at me.

“Ah… goodbye Elisabell. It was a pleasure meeting you,” I said to her.

“Goodbye. If we meet again, please uh… be kind to me,” Elisabell said as she waved as I stepped forward.

“It’s if we meet again on the battlefield, Sis’ I’ve told you,” Martin said lightly.

“Oh. Right. That…! Yeah!” Elisabell smiled sheepishly as we waved at each other.

Laughing softly, I nodded in goodbye to Martin as I passed him and his horse. He nodded back with a light smile as I followed Vim away.

“Bye!” Elisabell shouted as we drew farther away. I turned to give her a hearty wave once more.

After exchanging one last wave, I watched for a moment as her brother helped her back onto her horse.

Turning around, I sighed as I took my spot along Vim’s side.

“What?” Vim asked.

“I feel bad,” I said softly.

“What for…?” he asked, frowning at me.

“Her,” I answered honestly.

“Huh…? Why?” he turned a little, to glance behind us. But he didn’t look long.

“She’s just… pitiful. But no more than likely most women are right now. It makes me realize how lucky I am, I guess,” I said.

Vim tilted his head at me, and then rolled his shoulder. “Her brother asked if I wanted her,” he said.

Slowing, I nearly came to a stop. “What…?”

“What? Oh. Not as a slave, or a wife, but as a mercenary. He wanted to know if I’d take her into our band,” he quickly corrected my own line of thought.

Although that was a little better… at the same time it wasn’t. I returned to walking at a normal pace and groaned. “What am I supposed to think about that?” I asked.

“Not sure. Why were you worried about her?” he asked.

“She knows she’s not cut out to be a mercenary. So she’s looking for a family to marry into. Otherwise she fears she’ll either die on a battlefield, or be left behind by her brother eventually,” I said.

“Ah… figured.”

“And you like usual sound callous and without heart,” I complained. He didn’t even blink.

“What…? It’s typical. And will get worse, if the disease and famine become harder to endure. It’s difficult for young women to survive alone in these eras. It’s just the truth,” he said.

“I know but…” I groaned again as I nodded. It was the truth. But that didn’t make it less sad.

Vim smiled at me. “You can’t save everyone Renn. Though I do enjoy your desire to do so,” he said.

“Problem is I’m not really sure how I’d even save her… It’s not like I can force someone to marry her, or something,” I said as I glanced behind us.

They were both back on their horses, and slowly heading back down the road. Back towards the way we’d come from.

“You’re taking it too seriously. If it was me I’d just send her to Lumen or something. Just as you’d done with the pirates,” he said.

“I thought of that, but how would I get her there, Vim? Roslyn and the rest had each other, and some of the coins I gave them. Even if their ship doesn’t make it, they will… hopefully… but that girl would have to go alone. Even if I gave her some money that’s no way to do it. It’d be dangerous for her, too dangerous,” I said.

“Well… I suppose that’s true,” Vim nodded after a moment, all the while studying me.

“What…?” I asked after a moment. Why was he looking at me like that? He had a weird frown on his face.

“You get heated. When worried about someone. Makes me jealous,” he said.

My tail once again twitched. If it had been out, I’d have smacked him with it.

Glancing around, I sighed at the buildings we were still passing. Most weren’t near the road anymore, but built off in the distance and away from it… but it was still too populated of an area to reveal my tail or ears.

Even though I didn’t see anyone.

“Where is everyone, by the way?” I asked.

“Hm…? Likely at the river, Renn. Fishing for food. I heard voices coming from over that bend over there occasionally as we went through town,” he said with a gesture towards the river.

Oh. Right. Food. Famine.

“Not sure how this place lacks food. The ground seems more like the one I’m used to. They should be able to grow food here, shouldn’t they?” I asked. Most of the ground was now lush with grass, and it wasn’t the pointy brown stuff either.

“You’d be surprised. Plus it’s more than that. The disease likely killed a lot of able bodied people, so that means less workers. Plus it means less money, since not working as efficiently. That means tools that break don’t get replaced or repaired. And even if you grow food, it doesn’t mean you grow enough of the right type. You still need to buy other foods and stuff, which now you likely can’t afford or can’t even find thanks to the aforementioned lack of workers,” he explained.

“Hm… So right now Lumen should be investing in farms then, huh?” I said.

“You’d think, I guess,” he said.

I sighed as I glanced behind us, now almost unable to make out Elisabell and her brother. They were but tiny specks in the distance, blending with the buildings around them.

A tiny groan escaped as I thought of that poor girl. I felt as if I was abandoning her.

“Calm your heart Renn. I know you feel for her, but she’ll be fine. One way or another. You’re acting as if she’s starving to death as we speak,” he said.

“She may as well be, Vim.”

“Really…? You think her situation that dire?” he asked, interested in why I thought so.

I nodded. “She’s willing to marry the first man she can find. Abandoning any thought to happiness or choice. Out of desperation and need. That means even if she succeeds… and finds a family to marry into; all she’ll be doing is extending her life. It doesn’t mean she’ll be happy afterwards. It means she’s basically abandoning her heart. Her heart is what’s in dire need, and that’s what makes me sad,” I said.

For a few steps, Vim said nothing… and I had to glance at him to realize why. He had a somber look on his face as he nodded at me, and then smiled.

“What…?” I asked after he continued to be silent.

“Nothing. My mother would have liked you,” he said.

For some reason that made me blush. “Really…?”

He nodded again. “Yeah. Is this what also bothered you about those pirates?” he asked.

“Yes. Roslyn even tried to sell her daughter to me, if you don’t remember. That desperation was what made my own decision. When she did that is when I decided to help them, any way I could,” I said.

“Oh right. She had done that huh…” he nodded as he remembered.

Really… why did he forget such things? Was it just because they were human?

“Well… I guess Roslyn wasn’t really her trying to sell Rosie, honestly. But it felt the same. I just… feel horrible for such people,” I said.

Such people reminded me of Nory.

“Hm. I can relate I guess. It’s a form of freedom, after all. You’re right… what that girl is being forced to do is basically abandon her free-will, because the world won’t let her do aught else. A predicament to be sure,” Vim agreed.

“You agree too?” I asked.

“I do. I never said that I disagreed Renn, I just don’t think you and I have either the right… or the responsibility to save them from such fates is all,” he said.

“Right…” I nodded, although I wished I could disagree with him.

Passing the last house for the visible distance I could see, I reached over to poke him in the arm. “Mind if we hold hands Vim? Else I might run back to grab her, if we don’t,” I begged.

Vim didn’t even say anything as he wrapped my hand into his, and nodded.

Walking hand in hand, we left the village and the mercenaries we met there behind.

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