7: Surprise Party

Liran's eyes couldn't stop flicking back and forth between Aiden and the road. It was because of his silence, like he was brooding about something.

Whatever, he's just a voluntary guard anyway. She thought.

Her expression lifted when she glimpsed the slow, setting, yellowish sun along a wide river's horizon. Her mood further eased when she saw a fisherman hauling in a decent catch for the evening.

"Ooh, we can have fish for dinner. I don't think we can reach the Outskirts before nightfall." She ran off to barter with the fisherman at his riverside hut. He was routinely scaling and cutting up the flesh of a trout on a chopping bench.

"Evening good Fisherman. How much for one?"

The potbellied fisherman paused his butchering. "Evening. This one for milady. But those ones I sell for five coppers."

Liran examined the nearby stinking fish barrel where flies circled the rim. "Them?"

The fisherman chuckled.

"They're not fresh."

"Caught them this morning. Fresh catch of the sunturn."

Both Aiden and herself peered close into the barrel and held their noses. They reeked of offal. Even one of the fresh ones had an eyeball pop out.

"Are you sure? It's not even flapping. Don't fresh fish flap? This one stinks so bad, it's like a taxidermist stuffed it with a pickle that was soaking in a cesspit."

The fisherman blinked, then burst with laughter. "Fine, take this raw slice. On the house for making me laugh." He picked up a fresh piece he had just prepared and wrapped it in clean cloth.

"Really? Thank you!" Liran hugged the wrapped morsel. She caught a glimpse of the fisherman's milady from the hut's window and her expecting belly. "For the piece." She tossed three coppers on the bench and strolled back to the road with a whistle.

Aiden nodded with approval for her actions, but still he said, "He gave that piece for free."

"Yes, but his wife is eating for two. I figured giving three coppers would be a fair price since I'm taking away part of her need."

He momentarily stopped to reflect upon her words, which were invigorating to hear. All his life he had been surrounded by self-serving people: even his brother was tossed into that lot some times. But she didn't take advantage of the situation once she realized the truth of it.

An honorable bard. He thought, which made the corner of his lips twitch with a smile before retaining his deadpan expression.

Sure enough, night fell fast, and they had to find a place to make camp. They found a sheltered spot within a shallow cave, in part of the woods just off the main road.

Once they had a campfire burning, both didn't hesitate to blurt out their burning questions.

"So..." Both said at the same time.

"You go," Aiden gestured.

"Okay." Liran asked her questions. "Where were you going?"

Aiden answered factually. "I actually came from the Outskirts and stumbled upon you."

"Makes sense. I guess it's your turn," she casually said as she turned over the fish meat on its makeshift skewer over the fire.

Aiden frowned, thinking on his words as he observed her more closely. She was very exquisite for an alfar with pleasing curves and a tasteful dress style. But, then again, most alfaren women were. His ex-girlfriend certainly didn't lack fashion sense, but she was also part of that narcissism club and someone his brother constantly warned him about. Of course, his brother was right.

He wondered if that was the reason she was being attacked by bandits, considering he had heard stories of her kind being kidnapped for pleasure houses.

"Why did bandits attack you?"

Liran smiled as she handed him his potion of cooked meat. He thankfully accepted it and was impressed at how well cooked it looked: not burnt but not raw either. His eyes widened with awe when he took a bite, and it was tasty.

"Could go with some ale." She moped as she chewed her piece and, after a moment of silent chewing, realized he had asked her a question.

"Oh, yeah, them. Well, it seems they were chasing me down for something. Someone hired them." She crudely tore off another piece from her skewer with her teeth and heartily chewed so her mouth was making smacking noises.

Aiden frowned at the odd mismatch of her mannerisms and look. "Do you know what for?"

She shrugged her shoulders and answered with her mouthful. "No clue."

Sounds of rushing noises were headed their way. Both shared a look before hastily putting out the fire and hiding within the bushy area of the cave.

"I sniff her scent here," said a high-pitched voice with a squeak.

"Fresh camp, she might still be around," A girl added.

Liran frowned as she recognized her voice.

"Where're you going?" Aiden hissed as he watched her step out of cover toward the burnt campfire area.

"Clover-ko?" she whispered.

"You're okay!" Clover rushed up to her, shifting forms at the same time. She checked Liran's body with her human hands.

"Woah, yeah, I'm okay." Liran gingerly backed off. "But what are you doing here?"

"We were looking for you as we saw some bad men follow," she plainly answered with deadpan tones.

Liran was surprised to see a couple of strangers next to Bosnia. "And you are?"

Rat hopped up to Annoying Imp's shoulder, clearing his throat as he introduced themselves.

"Rat, er, -li?" Liran scratched her head.

"Just Rat and Annoying Imp. Vermin and Nigen don't go by or need your fancy titles." Rat let out a chet noise.

"Should you tell them about the corpses?" Bosnia yawned behind her human hand. She sniffed the delicious fish aroma and saw the half-eaten skewer Aiden was holding.

Aiden sighed, unable to ignore her pleading eyes, and handed it to her.

"So good!" Bosnia beamed with delight as she chowed down on the morsel.

"Thank you for the food on my sister's behalf." Clover formally bowed to Aiden, who nodded in response.

He suspected she had a similar sibling relationship to the one he had.

"Oh, I guess I should introduce my friend." Liran grinned and slung an arm over Aiden's shoulder. "This is Adam-ta."

He frowned. "Aiden-ta. Name is Aiden."

Liran removed her arm to take a better look at him. "I could've sworn you had said Adam. You look more like one."

Rat let out cackling noises with his laugh. "So this is why you, Kijen, were chasing after her. Kind of ditsy, isn't she? Anyway, those Soulless are no joke. Best we stay together. Safety in numbers."

"Soulless?" Aiden tilted his head to one side, not hiding his perplexity.

Both Liran's and Aiden's moods sobered upon hearing Rat recap their ordeal.

"Do you need me to heal you?" Liran instantly checked on Clover's arm and Annoying Imp's ankle. She began to unpack her lute.

But Rat scampered up to her arm to stop her. "Not here. Your sound magic could draw unwanted attention. The dark magic is still out there."

"But they need healing, and the Outskirts is still half a sunturn's journey."

Clover smiled momentarily when she added that she still had healing potions to last.

"Okay. If you're able to hang on until we get to my friend's place."

Liran got the campfire back up so everyone could stay warm as they rested the night away.