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---
title: Night Terrors
title: Passing Surprise
availability: private
access: private
---
> Just because the battle is over doesn't mean the fighting has ended. Some warriors never find relief from their wars. --- *The Horror of the Ghost Sword* (Act 2, Scene 4)
> Women who loved other women would use the word "peach" to signal to each other of their interests. --- *Slang in the Northern Cultures*
Karin woke up with a gasp. Blindly, she smacked around with her hand until she caught the side table and then used that to lever herself up into a sitting position. The sweat-soaked sheets slid along her naked body. She cringed at the slickness, but it wasn't any worse than waking up in knee-deep water.
A night of sleeping in a comfortable bed had done wonders to ease Karin's aches and exhaustion but she knew the nightmare would resume as soon as she passed out again. A month of comfort wasn't enough to erase her horrors. To get through the next night, she decided to prepare like she was about to enter a monster's nest and went shopping.
She grabbed a drier section of her blanket and used it to wipe the sweat from her face and breasts. She tossed it off the edge of the bed before slumping back against the cool headboard.
Two hours of cool air, warm sun, and window shopping netted her three bottles of rotgut, a few sets of clean underwear, and a new repair kit for her leather armor.
Nightmares continued to play in the back of her head. Images of monsters tearing into her body sent tremors through her scarred legs. Memories of claws, slashes, and having her intestines spill out across her hands was nothing compared to the startling clear memory of her ex-husband screaming at her the night she had packed up and left.
San Graif was a pretty little town and she rarely had a chance to stroll along the streets. In a town like this, usually she was crawling through sewers, running down the street toward the fighting, or setting up barricades for the bigger assaults.
"Damn that old man," she muttered. She reached out and grabbed the bottle of rotgut. Her efforts to sit up had knocked it over but the clear liquid managed to remain inside. She gripped the neck tightly and took a long deep drink.
She smiled and tried not to think about the nightmares.
The burn down her throat pushed away the memories. Thumping the back of her head against the board, she shook her head and let out a long sigh. "I need to quit doing this crap."
Karin came around a corner and spotted a dense crowd in front of a store. Instantly, she grew wary and tightened her grip on her shopping bag.
After a moment, she dropped her hand to her stomach. Deep scars crisscrossed the taut lines of her abdomen. Even without looking, she could remember each wound by touch.
With a second look, she realized the group wasn't unruly. Almost everyone was sitting on metal chairs and benches. A few were reading books. Others had their faces uplifted and their eyes closed. No one crowded the store entrance and there was a clear path for her to walk through them.
She had seen death enough times that she wasn't afraid anymore. Her second life had been brutal, exhausting, and violent. However she wouldn't pass it up for all the money in the world.
With her muscles tensed, she made her way through the narrow path. She looked curiously at the store as she passed but it was just a bakery and a small restaurant. Nothing looked remarkable about it at all except that it was packed with customers sitting at tables.
With a sigh, she cupped her sex and closed her eyes to drift away in an alcohol-fueled sleep.
Karin slowed with curiosity.
Then she heard the sweetest song drifting through the open door. It was a popular ballad, of a lover waiting for her missing knight. But Karin had never heard it sung with such clarity or passion.
The woman's voice wrapped around her, tugging on her heart and dredging up a swarm of memories of previous lovers that left her gasping. There were many of them since she had become a Rat Hunter and most had ended in sweet partings. More than a few begged her to say and the song reminded her of the longing she heard in their voices.
A tear ran down her cheek. She glanced around but only a few people watching her with knowing smiles. With a blush, she turned and peered around for a seat to keep listening but they were all occupied.
An old woman pointed toward the store front with a knitting needle. "A spot opened up in there, Love."
Karin turned and saw a couple getting up from a table. She said thanks to the old woman and headed inside, slipping into the abandoned bench before anyone else could take it.
Feeling guilty, she looked around as she stuck her bags underneath the table. Her fingers were just pulling away when she caught sight of the singer.
The young woman singing was beautiful with bright eyes and a slender build. She had a few streaks of flour across her cheeks and a dusting caught her short, dark hair. Her smile was brilliant as she delivered a plate of food while still singing.
"Oh, fuck me, Mother of Divinity," whispered Karin to herself. If there was a archetype for her ideal peach, it was the woman bending over the edge of the table while singing brilliantly.
Karin stared with desire and rapt attention until the song ended.
There was silence.
Then applause. Karin joined in enthusiastically, clapping her hands against the table. They were applauding even outside of the restaurant.
The singer stood in the center and smiled, her teeth brilliant in the light. She held the metal serving tray against her side as she turned around to face the rest of the tables.
When the sound faded, she turned and headed toward a kitchen.
An older man with similar hair color and nose stuck his head over a counter that separated the dining area from the kitchen. "Pay attention and do your damn job! New customer on twenty!"
The young woman turned and looked straight at Karin. She smile broadly and Karin noticed a dimple on her cheek. Brushing her hands on her hips, she headed over.
Karin inhaled sharply and then smiled back.
When the young woman approached, Karin got a better look. The waitress appeared to be in her early twenties, about half Karin's age. However, she smelled of flowers and fresh baked bread. She held out a menu. "Welcome to Lilard's. My name is Lilian. Is there anything I can get for you?"
Karin's stomach rumbled even as she felt a heat fluttering between her legs. "Do you happen to have any peach pie?"
"I'm sorry, peaches are out of season but we do have apple and pumpkin pies." Her cheerful voice never changed.
Mildly disappointed, Karin ordered a sandwich and a slice of pumpkin pie with heavy cream. She would have preferred of Lilian had answered with a sultry response. That would have meant that Karin had a chance of company that night; that would push the nightmares away. However, the young woman's response didn't mean know; not everyone used the same hints and clues to make their desires known.
No matter what, Karin could still enjoy the view and the fantasize that the young woman had said there were peaches on the menu. She smiled to herself and leaned back.
Lilian went around the room, gathering orders. Then headed over to a large bowl with little strips of paper. Pulling out one with her left hand, she peered at it. With a smile, she rested her hand on an older man's shoulder. "It's your favorite, Bil. 'The Ballad of Lost Waters.'"
The older man sighed and patted her hand.
"Oi!" snapped the older man over the counter. "Off my daughter!"
She favored Bil with a wink and pulled her hand away.
Karin had heard of the ballad, it was one about a lost wife and a man who couldn't accept her death. It was a sad piece to say the least. It was one of the songs a minstrel would sing near the end of the night, when only those losing themselves in bottles were still around to hear it.
She had heard the song too many times on fruitless nights and didn't care for the difficult tune. In her opinion, no one knew how to sing it properly.
Then Lilian started to sing.
Every sour opinion of the ballad faded away with the intense emotions rising up inside Karin. Like the previous song, it managed to dredge up memories that Karin had long forgotten. With a gasp, she closed her eyes and lost herself remembering the days when her grandmother had died.
There was no doubt, Karin had to come back to this place.

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---
title: Passing Surprise
title: Return Customer
availability: private
access: private
---
> Women who loved other women would use the word "peach" to signal to each other of their interests. --- *Slang in the Northern Cultures*
> The rich are the truest evil in the world but culture acts as their armor against accountability. --- *The River Queen Sacrifice* (Act 3, Scene 9)
A night of sleeping in a comfortable bed had done wonders to ease Karin's aches and exhaustion but she knew the nightmare would resume as soon as she passed out again. A month of comfort wasn't enough to erase her horrors. To get through the next night, she decided to prepare like she was about to enter a monster's nest and went shopping.
Karin sat down in her now customary seat at Lilard's. After three days, no one questioned her presence. It was early morning, but the bakery had been open for hours while they baked the breads, sweets, and breakfast pies. The rich storm of smells surrounded her and she smiled.
Two hours of cool air, warm sun, and window shopping netted her three bottles of rotgut, a few sets of clean underwear, and a new repair kit for her leather armor.
"Good morning, Karin," Lilian said as she brought over a cup of tea and a slice of apple pie. The usual cheerful tone was gone, leaving behind a subdued tone that Karin had never heard.
San Graif was a pretty little town and she rarely had a chance to stroll along the streets. In a town like this, usually she was crawling through sewers, running down the street toward the fighting, or setting up barricades for the bigger assaults.
"What's wrong?"
She smiled and tried not to think about the nightmares.
Lilian's eyes were red. She parted her perfect lips to say something but then shook her head. "Sorry. Would you like your usual?"
Karin came around a corner and spotted a dense crowd in front of a store. Instantly, she grew wary and tightened her grip on her shopping bag.
"Yes?" Karin said warily.
With a second look, she realized the group wasn't unruly. Almost everyone was sitting on metal chairs and benches. A few were reading books. Others had their faces uplifted and their eyes closed. No one crowded the store entrance and there was a clear path for her to walk through them.
Lilian smiled but it was forced.
With her muscles tensed, she made her way through the narrow path. She looked curiously at the store as she passed but it was just a bakery and a small restaurant. Nothing looked remarkable about it at all except that it was packed with customers sitting at tables.
As Karin watched Lilian walk away, she frowned. It was obvious that the young woman had either a bad night or a worse morning. Her gaze drifted to the opening between the rooms. Steam and smells poured across the counter, adding to the atmosphere of the nearly empty dining room. On the other side, she heard Lilian's father speaking in an excited voice.
Karin slowed with curiosity.
Lilian wrote up Karin's order and stuck it on a wooden spike for the back. "Order up," she said quietly.
Then she heard the sweetest song drifting through the open door. It was a popular ballad, of a lover waiting for her missing knight. But Karin had never heard it sung with such clarity or passion.
Turning around, the dark-haired beauty sighed before scanning the room. Her gaze stopped on the jar that contained the song requests. Glancing up at the rest of the room, she reached over and pulled it off the counter before stowing it out of sight.
The woman's voice wrapped around her, tugging on her heart and dredging up a swarm of memories of previous lovers that left her gasping. There were many of them since she had become a Rat Hunter and most had ended in sweet partings. More than a few begged her to say and the song reminded her of the longing she heard in their voices.
A prickle of concern raced through Karin. After listening to the sweet tones of Lilian's singing, the relative silence felt like a knives against her ears.
A tear ran down her cheek. She glanced around but only a few people watching her with knowing smiles. With a blush, she turned and peered around for a seat to keep listening but they were all occupied.
Laughter rose up from the back room. She recognized Lilian's father but it was the second voice that caused the muscles across her chest to tight painfully. She had heard that laughter more than once since she had become a Rat Hunter: Tristoh da Lamaster, a merchant lord with a talent for funding the wrong thing.
An old woman pointed toward the store front with a knitting needle. "A spot opened up in there, Love."
Surprised, she lifted herself from her seat and peered into the back room.
Karin turned and saw a couple getting up from a table. She said thanks to the old woman and headed inside, slipping into the abandoned bench before anyone else could take it.
Tristoh was shaking hands with Lilian's father, the distinctive sharp point of his beard was unmistakable from a distance. He looked pleased with himself.
Feeling guilty, she looked around as she stuck her bags underneath the table. Her fingers were just pulling away when she caught sight of the singer.
Karin sat down heavily. "Shit."
The young woman singing was beautiful with bright eyes and a slender build. She had a few streaks of flour across her cheeks and a dusting caught her short, dark hair. Her smile was brilliant as she delivered a plate of food while still singing.
There had to be a connection between Lilian's sullen mood and Tristoh's presence. She strained to listen to the conversations in the other room but it was too far away. She had to stew in her own thoughts until Lilian arrived to deliver her breakfast.
"Oh, fuck me, Mother of Divinity," whispered Karin to herself. If there was a archetype for her ideal peach, it was the woman bending over the edge of the table while singing brilliantly.
She reached up and rested her hand on Lilian's. "What is Tristoh doing here?"
Karin stared with desire and rapt attention until the song ended.
The muscles under her palm tightened and Lilian inhaled sharply. Then she looked up with a frightened look before leaning over. "You know him? Who is he?"
There was silence.
Karin frowned and then shrugged. "Me and the Rat Hunters had to clean up some of his so-called investments. The last one was..."
Then applause. Karin joined in enthusiastically, clapping her hands against the table. They were applauding even outside of the restaurant.
She paused for a moment as she remembered the giant mosquitoes that swarmed through the chimney of the farm house they had made their last stand. There was so much blood when it was over, too much of it was hers and she almost died from the attack.
The singer stood in the center and smiled, her teeth brilliant in the light. She held the metal serving tray against her side as she turned around to face the rest of the tables.
After shuddering, she continued. "... a few months ago. A mage he had hired to research a weapon had accidentally let a swarm of mutated mosquitoes into a village."
When the sound faded, she turned and headed toward a kitchen.
Karin sighed and she stroked her finger across the back of Lilian's hand. It was a selfish maneuver on her part, but the soft skin felt good against Karin's scarred fingers. "Almost everyone died before we managed to burn the nest."
An older man with similar hair color and nose stuck his head over a counter that separated the dining area from the kitchen. "Pay attention and do your damn job! New customer on twenty!"
"A-And Tristoh?" Lilian's voice cracked.
The young woman turned and looked straight at Karin. She smile broadly and Karin noticed a dimple on her cheek. Brushing her hands on her hips, she headed over.
"He got away clean. The law can't really touch rich assholes like him. Every time, he walks away with a tidy profit and a fucking smile on his---"
Karin inhaled sharply and then smiled back.
A tear splashed on Karin's hand.
When the young woman approached, Karin got a better look. The waitress appeared to be in her early twenties, about half Karin's age. However, she smelled of flowers and fresh baked bread. She held out a menu. "Welcome to Lilard's. My name is Lilian. Is there anything I can get for you?"
Surprised, she looked up to see Lilian crying. "Oh, I'm sorry. What's wrong?"
Karin's stomach rumbled even as she felt a heat fluttering between her legs. "Do you happen to have any peach pie?"
"H-He..." She looked back at the kitchen. Then she shook her head violently. "I, I can't...."
"I'm sorry, peaches are out of season but we do have apple and pumpkin pies." Her cheerful voice never changed.
She pressed a hand over her mouth before she let out a choked sob. More tears ran down her cheeks as she looked around. Then, stammering, she dropped her notebook on Karin's table and rushed for the door.
Mildly disappointed, Karin ordered a sandwich and a slice of pumpkin pie with heavy cream. She would have preferred of Lilian had answered with a sultry response. That would have meant that Karin had a chance of company that night; that would push the nightmares away. However, the young woman's response didn't mean know; not everyone used the same hints and clues to make their desires known.
Karin turned to watch Lilian race across the front of the store and out of sight. She swore violently and rushed after her.
No matter what, Karin could still enjoy the view and the fantasize that the young woman had said there were peaches on the menu. She smiled to herself and leaned back.
It took her only a few seconds to catch up to the sobbing young woman in the alley. The short distance had left Lilian gasping for breath between her cries.
Lilian went around the room, gathering orders. Then headed over to a large bowl with little strips of paper. Pulling out one with her left hand, she peered at it. With a smile, she rested her hand on an older man's shoulder. "It's your favorite, Bil. 'The Ballad of Lost Waters.'"
Karin, on the other hand, had been spending a year fighting. She wasn't even winded as she stopped in front of Lilian. She gingerly reached up to take her hands but then hesitated before pulling back. "What did he do?"
The older man sighed and patted her hand.
Lilian looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears. "He offered to buy my hand in marriage a-and my dad accepted it!"
"Oi!" snapped the older man over the counter. "Off my daughter!"
Karin's hands slumped down. "W-What in the...?"
She favored Bil with a wink and pulled her hand away.
"Last night! He came home and said I was to be married in a week. I haven't even met him until this morning! He just... that man just bought my hand like a sack of flour! My father... he's... he took the offer!"
Karin had heard of the ballad, it was one about a lost wife and a man who couldn't accept her death. It was a sad piece to say the least. It was one of the songs a minstrel would sing near the end of the night, when only those losing themselves in bottles were still around to hear it.
Karin flinched. "A bride offer? What does he think this is, Tarsan? We don't do that fucking patriarchal shit in Kormar! He should know that."
She had heard the song too many times on fruitless nights and didn't care for the difficult tune. In her opinion, no one knew how to sing it properly.
"I know!"
Then Lilian started to sing.
"It can possibly be legal."
Every sour opinion of the ballad faded away with the intense emotions rising up inside Karin. Like the previous song, it managed to dredge up memories that Karin had long forgotten. With a gasp, she closed her eyes and lost herself remembering the days when her grandmother had died.
Lilian let out a choked sob. "The bakery has been in our family for five generations. It was ours! But when I started to argue, my dad swore he would disown me if I didn't m-marry that man."
There was no doubt, Karin had to come back to this place.
Karin spun on her heals. "Screw the gods on this one."
"What are you doing?" asked Lilian but Karin was already out of the alley and storming back across the store.
Tristoh was in the process of leaving out of the restaurant when she reached the door. "Where is my lovely bride---?" he started, speaking loudly. The words froze when Karin stopped sharply in front of him.
She pointed a finger at his face. "What are you doing, Merchant?"
A scowl etched across his face. "What are you doing here, Rat?" He reached up to rub the side of his shoulder where she once stabbed him.
Behind Tristoh, Lilian's father stopped with a look of a surprise.
"Questioning your motives," snapped Karin. "This isn't Tarsan and---"
"I know we aren't in---"
"---and you should know better than to even make an offer. What are you doing?"
Tristoh pulled himself up and pressed a hand against his chest. "I promise you, Rat, I have nothing but the best of intentions."
Karin stepped forward. "The best of intentions? Did you have those when you told that mage not to worry about that blood sucker swarm? Or fired the guards on that zoo of yours before the monsters all escaped and started killing people."
"Those were all mistakes of---"
"Of your fucking investments! Every single one, Merchant! Every single one ended in blood and death!"
Tristoh looked around at the gathering crowds. "You should leave before there is trouble... Rat."
"I won't let you steal this girl."
"Why, just becuase you want her for yourself? Is she the peach pie you were hoping for?" Tristoh grinned and glanced to the side.
Karin blushed. She didn't need to look to know that Lilian had come up near her. Grinding her teeth, she shook her head.
Tristoh leaned forward with a smile. "At least I'm not a deviant lusting after a girl like her. Let me guess? Ask about peach pies the second you met her?"
"Shut up."
"I have only the best of intents for her."
"You only have the best of intentions for yourself and you know it."
Tristoh straightened and brushed an imaginary dust from his shoulder. "Well, fortunately for you, this is none of your business. It's between me and her father, now isn't it?"
Karin pulled back her hand to do something stupid but then she heard guards approaching.
"Go on, Rat," Tristoh said with a grin. "There are thirty witnesses and I'll have your woman-loving ass in a jail cell before you get your second blow in."
She ground her teeth together. Then she shook her head.
He smirked. "You won't win this fight."
Karin stepped back. She could see emotions painted on everyone's faces: triumph on Tristoh, anger on Lilian's father, and sadness and regret on Lilian. But she couldn't do anything, not at the moment.
With Tristoh laughing, she turned and stormed back to the inn.

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---
title: Return Customer
title: Table Settings
availability: private
access: private
---
> The rich are the truest evil in the world but culture acts as their armor against accountability. --- *The River Queen Sacrifice* (Act 3, Scene 9)
> The best and worst ideas are made at the bottom of a bottle. --- Kormar Proverb
Karin sat down in her now customary seat at Lilard's. After three days, no one questioned her presence. It was early morning, but the bakery had been open for hours while they baked the breads, sweets, and breakfast pies. The rich storm of smells surrounded her and she smiled.
Karin sat naked on her bed, her back against the headboard and her eyes focused on a spot three feet in front of her. She couldn't sleep despite her aching eyes, her buzz, and the exhaustion that plucked at the back of her head.
"Good morning, Karin," Lilian said as she brought over a cup of tea and a slice of apple pie. The usual cheerful tone was gone, leaving behind a subdued tone that Karin had never heard.
It had been two days since she stormed away from Lilard's and she couldn't stop thinking about Lilian. It wasn't fancy dreams of sex and fun, but the countless possibilities of what Tristoh had in mind for her.
"What's wrong?"
He was going to use her. That was too much clear. Nothing in their shared past would hint at love or romance. Even his offer, which had set off a fire of gossip throughout the city, was too large for anything besides one more of his investments.
Lilian's eyes were red. She parted her perfect lips to say something but then shook her head. "Sorry. Would you like your usual?"
It had to be Lilian's singing. While she was definitely a beauty, the way her songs brought back memories and ignited emotions. She had a gift, one that Karin could too easily see Tristoh wanting to use for his own profit.
"Yes?" Karin said warily.
What she didn't know is how. Would he put her on a stage and force her to sing? Would he sell her voice to the highest bidder? Or just rent her out until her eyes were dead and her throat ruined?
Lilian smiled but it was forced.
Karin pressed her lips tightly together.
As Karin watched Lilian walk away, she frowned. It was obvious that the young woman had either a bad night or a worse morning. Her gaze drifted to the opening between the rooms. Steam and smells poured across the counter, adding to the atmosphere of the nearly empty dining room. On the other side, she heard Lilian's father speaking in an excited voice.
Tristoh's next step was to marry her. The ceremony was in a few days. No one seemed to know what would happen after that but she couldn't imagine the rich man moving from his comfortable estates in Tarsan to a muddy town in Kormar. No, he was going to take Lilian away where she had no family, no friends, and no support. She would be helpless.
Lilian wrote up Karin's order and stuck it on a wooden spike for the back. "Order up," she said quietly.
With a shaking hand, Karin lifted the mug in her hand and sipped at the rotgut that had pooled in the bottom. It was warm and the acrid scents burned her eyes. She closed her eyes to focus on the burn as it ripped down her throat.
Turning around, the dark-haired beauty sighed before scanning the room. Her gaze stopped on the jar that contained the song requests. Glancing up at the rest of the room, she reached over and pulled it off the counter before stowing it out of sight.
She drained the glass. Looking at the bottom for a moment, she reached out for the bottle but stopped when she noticed it was empty. Her half-eaten dinner sat next to it, the bronze plate bright in the candlelight and a fork resting on the edge.
A prickle of concern raced through Karin. After listening to the sweet tones of Lilian's singing, the relative silence felt like a knives against her ears.
Annoying at Lilian's struggle, she set down her glass on the table and picked up the plate. She was surprised that the inn had metal plates, but it was fortunate for her. With a tap, she emptied the contents into the garbage can by the bed before bringing the plate to her lap.
Laughter rose up from the back room. She recognized Lilian's father but it was the second voice that caused the muscles across her chest to tight painfully. She had heard that laughter more than once since she had become a Rat Hunter: Tristoh da Lamaster, a merchant lord with a talent for funding the wrong thing.
With a smile, she thought about the metal serving trays at the bakery. As she did, she felt the edge began to warp as the beveled edge flattened into a sharp edge. She didn't need any pressure or even to touch it, metal sharpened with her thoughts. Absently, she ran her finger and enjoyed the makeshift blade. She continued to sharpen the metal until the entire rim was a killing blade. Karin continued to focus on it as she sharpened it even further, honing the blade to the point where the bronze itself couldn't get any narrower.
Surprised, she lifted herself from her seat and peered into the back room.
"Fucking asshole," she muttered. Gripping the plate carefully, she drew back and threw the plate at the wall with all her might.
Tristoh was shaking hands with Lilian's father, the distinctive sharp point of his beard was unmistakable from a distance. He looked pleased with himself.
The bronze disk sliced into the wall. It plunged deep into the plaster and wood; with a blade so sharp, it didn't need much strength to bury it. The plate vibrated from the impact.
Karin sat down heavily. "Shit."
She smiled as she listened to the ringing. Her ability to sharpen blades in the middle of the fight made her a valuable member of the Rat Hunters. Without her, the armored beasts they fought would dull or nick the blades in only a few strikes.
There had to be a connection between Lilian's sullen mood and Tristoh's presence. She strained to listen to the conversations in the other room but it was too far away. She had to stew in her own thoughts until Lilian arrived to deliver her breakfast.
Too bad it was murder if she attacked Tristoh. But it would be defense if she wasn't the one who initiated the fight.
She reached up and rested her hand on Lilian's. "What is Tristoh doing here?"
A bad idea came to mind.
The muscles under her palm tightened and Lilian inhaled sharply. Then she looked up with a frightened look before leaning over. "You know him? Who is he?"
Karin frowned and then shrugged. "Me and the Rat Hunters had to clean up some of his so-called investments. The last one was..."
She paused for a moment as she remembered the giant mosquitoes that swarmed through the chimney of the farm house they had made their last stand. There was so much blood when it was over, too much of it was hers and she almost died from the attack.
After shuddering, she continued. "... a few months ago. A mage he had hired to research a weapon had accidentally let a swarm of mutated mosquitoes into a village."
Karin sighed and she stroked her finger across the back of Lilian's hand. It was a selfish maneuver on her part, but the soft skin felt good against Karin's scarred fingers. "Almost everyone died before we managed to burn the nest."
"A-And Tristoh?" Lilian's voice cracked.
"He got away clean. The law can't really touch rich assholes like him. Every time, he walks away with a tidy profit and a fucking smile on his---"
A tear splashed on Karin's hand.
Surprised, she looked up to see Lilian crying. "Oh, I'm sorry. What's wrong?"
"H-He..." She looked back at the kitchen. Then she shook her head violently. "I, I can't...."
She pressed a hand over her mouth before she let out a choked sob. More tears ran down her cheeks as she looked around. Then, stammering, she dropped her notebook on Karin's table and rushed for the door.
Karin turned to watch Lilian race across the front of the store and out of sight. She swore violently and rushed after her.
It took her only a few seconds to catch up to the sobbing young woman in the alley. The short distance had left Lilian gasping for breath between her cries.
Karin, on the other hand, had been spending a year fighting. She wasn't even winded as she stopped in front of Lilian. She gingerly reached up to take her hands but then hesitated before pulling back. "What did he do?"
Lilian looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears. "He offered to buy my hand in marriage a-and my dad accepted it!"
Karin's hands slumped down. "W-What in the...?"
"Last night! He came home and said I was to be married in a week. I haven't even met him until this morning! He just... that man just bought my hand like a sack of flour! My father... he's... he took the offer!"
Karin flinched. "A bride offer? What does he think this is, Tarsan? We don't do that fucking patriarchal shit in Kormar! He should know that."
"I know!"
"It can possibly be legal."
Lilian let out a choked sob. "The bakery has been in our family for five generations. It was ours! But when I started to argue, my dad swore he would disown me if I didn't m-marry that man."
Karin spun on her heals. "Screw the gods on this one."
"What are you doing?" asked Lilian but Karin was already out of the alley and storming back across the store.
Tristoh was in the process of leaving out of the restaurant when she reached the door. "Where is my lovely bride---?" he started, speaking loudly. The words froze when Karin stopped sharply in front of him.
She pointed a finger at his face. "What are you doing, Merchant?"
A scowl etched across his face. "What are you doing here, Rat?" He reached up to rub the side of his shoulder where she once stabbed him.
Behind Tristoh, Lilian's father stopped with a look of a surprise.
"Questioning your motives," snapped Karin. "This isn't Tarsan and---"
"I know we aren't in---"
"---and you should know better than to even make an offer. What are you doing?"
Tristoh pulled himself up and pressed a hand against his chest. "I promise you, Rat, I have nothing but the best of intentions."
Karin stepped forward. "The best of intentions? Did you have those when you told that mage not to worry about that blood sucker swarm? Or fired the guards on that zoo of yours before the monsters all escaped and started killing people."
"Those were all mistakes of---"
"Of your fucking investments! Every single one, Merchant! Every single one ended in blood and death!"
Tristoh looked around at the gathering crowds. "You should leave before there is trouble... Rat."
"I won't let you steal this girl."
"Why, just becuase you want her for yourself? Is she the peach pie you were hoping for?" Tristoh grinned and glanced to the side.
Karin blushed. She didn't need to look to know that Lilian had come up near her. Grinding her teeth, she shook her head.
Tristoh leaned forward with a smile. "At least I'm not a deviant lusting after a girl like her. Let me guess? Ask about peach pies the second you met her?"
"Shut up."
"I have only the best of intents for her."
"You only have the best of intentions for yourself and you know it."
Tristoh straightened and brushed an imaginary dust from his shoulder. "Well, fortunately for you, this is none of your business. It's between me and her father, now isn't it?"
Karin pulled back her hand to do something stupid but then she heard guards approaching.
"Go on, Rat," Tristoh said with a grin. "There are thirty witnesses and I'll have your woman-loving ass in a jail cell before you get your second blow in."
She ground her teeth together. Then she shook her head.
He smirked. "You won't win this fight."
Karin stepped back. She could see emotions painted on everyone's faces: triumph on Tristoh, anger on Lilian's father, and sadness and regret on Lilian. But she couldn't do anything, not at the moment.
With Tristoh laughing, she turned and stormed back to the inn.
She smiled. It was time to go back to Lilard's.

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---
title: Table Settings
title: Customer Service
availability: private
access: private
---
> The best and worst ideas are made at the bottom of a bottle. --- Kormar Proverb
> The tradition of the bride price has not caught on among most of the more egalitarian of countries. --- Richol dea Lamaster, *The Tarsan Influence*
Karin sat naked on her bed, her back against the headboard and her eyes focused on a spot three feet in front of her. She couldn't sleep despite her aching eyes, her buzz, and the exhaustion that plucked at the back of her head.
Karin moved stiffly as she came around the corner toward Lilard's. Her leather armor creaked with each step. She had freshly repaired and oiled it, preparing for a battle. She had no doubt that Tristoh was expecting her to come back, she was predictable.
It had been two days since she stormed away from Lilard's and she couldn't stop thinking about Lilian. It wasn't fancy dreams of sex and fun, but the countless possibilities of what Tristoh had in mind for her.
The usual crowds around the restaurant were gone. There was no one swaying in time to music. No one reading books while enjoying Lilian's voice. Tristoh's corruption had already taken root and it was obvious that the restaurant's fate was on a knife's edge.
He was going to use her. That was too much clear. Nothing in their shared past would hint at love or romance. Even his offer, which had set off a fire of gossip throughout the city, was too large for anything besides one more of his investments.
Karin slowed to a stop near the door.
It had to be Lilian's singing. While she was definitely a beauty, the way her songs brought back memories and ignited emotions. She had a gift, one that Karin could too easily see Tristoh wanting to use for his own profit.
"Looking for Lil?" asked the old woman who had pointed out the empty table on the first day. She was knitting quietly to herself. Her eyes were narrow as she glared at the glass window. She worked her lower lip as she glanced at Karin and back.
What she didn't know is how. Would he put her on a stage and force her to sing? Would he sell her voice to the highest bidder? Or just rent her out until her eyes were dead and her throat ruined?
Head already throbbing from her hangover, Karin took a moment to process the unexpected question. She nodded. "Yes."
Karin pressed her lips tightly together.
"She's in the back."
Tristoh's next step was to marry her. The ceremony was in a few days. No one seemed to know what would happen after that but she couldn't imagine the rich man moving from his comfortable estates in Tarsan to a muddy town in Kormar. No, he was going to take Lilian away where she had no family, no friends, and no support. She would be helpless.
Karin turned to face the woman.
With a shaking hand, Karin lifted the mug in her hand and sipped at the rotgut that had pooled in the bottom. It was warm and the acrid scents burned her eyes. She closed her eyes to focus on the burn as it ripped down her throat.
The old woman bent over to dig into her kitting back. She held up an impressive-looking knife in a sheath. There was a name on the side, "Sindil". Flipping it over, she held it hilt-first to Karin. "Need a weapon?" Sindil asked cheerfully.
She drained the glass. Looking at the bottom for a moment, she reached out for the bottle but stopped when she noticed it was empty. Her half-eaten dinner sat next to it, the bronze plate bright in the candlelight and a fork resting on the edge.
"W-What?" Karin couldn't help but smile.
Annoying at Lilian's struggle, she set down her glass on the table and picked up the plate. She was surprised that the inn had metal plates, but it was fortunate for her. With a tap, she emptied the contents into the garbage can by the bed before bringing the plate to her lap.
"You obviously are going in with a plan."
With a smile, she thought about the metal serving trays at the bakery. As she did, she felt the edge began to warp as the beveled edge flattened into a sharp edge. She didn't need any pressure or even to touch it, metal sharpened with her thoughts. Absently, she ran her finger and enjoyed the makeshift blade. She continued to sharpen the metal until the entire rim was a killing blade. Karin continued to focus on it as she sharpened it even further, honing the blade to the point where the bronze itself couldn't get any narrower.
Karin shrugged. "Well, more of a vague idea. I was just going in to... make sure she knew she had an option."
"Fucking asshole," she muttered. Gripping the plate carefully, she drew back and threw the plate at the wall with all her might.
"Well, after what Jon did, it isn't going to be this place. This place had been in the family for five generations, it won't be around for the sixth." The older woman held up the knife again with a silent question.
The bronze disk sliced into the wall. It plunged deep into the plaster and wood; with a blade so sharp, it didn't need much strength to bury it. The plate vibrated from the impact.
Karin shook her head. A weapon would be nice, but that would make everything worse if she got caught.
She smiled as she listened to the ringing. Her ability to sharpen blades in the middle of the fight made her a valuable member of the Rat Hunters. Without her, the armored beasts they fought would dull or nick the blades in only a few strikes.
Tossing the knife back into her kitting back, Sindil returned to her knitting. "Three of his men are at tables one, seven, and fifteen."
Too bad it was murder if she attacked Tristoh. But it would be defense if she wasn't the one who initiated the fight.
Suddenly things seemed brighter. "Thank you," Karin said. "Who are you?"
A bad idea came to mind.
The old woman smiled sweetly. "Just an old widower who is severely disappointed in her greedy son. So try not to kill him?"
She smiled. It was time to go back to Lilard's.
Karin nodded. She turned, took a deep breath, and entered the restaurant.
Jon, Lilian's father, looked up from where he was serving food. "You aren't wanted in here."
Karin glanced around, spotting Tristoh's three men. They were all grunts and armed with short swords and leather armor. They also were turning toward her, their hands dropping to their weapons.
She looked at the counter leading into the back room and then to him. "I just want to talk to Lil."
The few real customers shifted uncomfortably in their seat.
Jon stepped toward the center of the room and held the metal tray with one hand at his side. "Leave. You aren't welcomed here," he announced.
Karin shook her head. On one of the tables nearest to the door, she spotted a metal pitcher. She reached over and grabbed it. Her energies flowed through her hand as she focused on the rim to sharpen it while she spoke. "I'm going to talk to her."
"She's been paid for."
"Your daughter is not something to sell. Tristoh is going to hurt her and you know it."
Jon's jaw tightened. "At least the restaurant will survive. You don't understand how close I was to losing everything."
"That was your daughter!" Karin stepped forward. She flipped the pitcher so she was holding it upside down. Water poured out across the floor.
One of Tristoh's men lurched out of his seat.
She backhanded him with the pitcher, slamming the side of the heavy metal into the side of his face. It crunched and collapsed but the impact threw him into a table.
He fell backwards, his foot lashing out and catching her elbow before she could bring down the sharpened rim into his thigh. The edge sliced off a corner of the table.
Before the hunk of wood hit the ground, Karin was attacked from the other side. The warrior swung his sword down, the blade whistling through air.
She jerked back, slipping on the water and ice. Desperate, she funneled her energies into the crumbled edge. The metal screeched as it was flattened and sharpened. Heat radiated through the metal, burning her fingers. She threw all her weight into blocking the blow.
The crumbled metal slammed into the blade. The edges, each one sharpened to narrower to a supernatural edge, sliced into the steel weapon and tore out a large hunk.
The remaining edge smashed against her hand and the tip snapped off.
Karin's knee hit the wet ground. She pulled back with her free hand, balled it into a fist, and punched the man in the balls with all her might.
His eyes almost popped out of his head. A low gurgle escaped his lips.
She released the ruined pitcher to uppercut him. Her knuckles slammed into the bottom of his chin, throwing him back.
Staggering to her feet, she stepped out of the puddle. She should have known better than make the fight worse.
Jon gulped as he inched back.
She grabbed the serving tray from his hand.
He flinched and held up his hand to blow a block.
Karin shoved him out of the way and stalked toward the door. As she walked, she sharpened the edge of the serving tray.
The last warrior stood up.
She threw the tray into his chest. The metal edge sliced through his sword and chest armor, embedding into his chest. Blood sprayed across the ground.
Karin pointed at warrior who stood in shock as his face paled. "Sit," she commanded.
He did.
She slammed the door into the baking area. "Lil!"
Lilian stood in the center, trembling as she stared at the door. Her eyes widened. "Kar? Is that you?"
All the speeches and things Karin was going to say slipped out of her mind at the sight of the frightened young woman. She rushed over and caught her hand. "I know this is stupid, but I had to tell you this: you don't have to go with Tristoh."
"I-I do. I'll lose the restaurant if---"
Karin interrupted her. "You've already lost it. If you stay with Tristoh, he's going to take you to Tarsan and you may never return here. He is a terrible person."
Tears sparkled in Lilian's eyes. "W-Where would I go?"
Karin inhaled and shook her head. She hadn't really planned this far. "I don't know where. Pick a place and I'll send you there. I have enough money, I swear."
"What about you?"
Karin stared at Lilian for a long moment. Then she lurched forward to kiss her. The touch of her soft lips to Karin's was everything she hoped for.
Lilian gasped, her body still trembling. Her hands lowered to catch Karin's hip. She didn't pull or tug, but held herself still.
Karin broke the kiss with a soft sigh. "Not a peach."
Lilian shook her head. "I'm sorry."
Karin shrugged. She turned to hide her embarrassment. Spying a stack of trays, she hurried over them. "Pick a place."
"Even though...?"
Karin took a deep breath to calm herself. Then she put on a smile before looking back. "I promise you, I will send you anywhere you want to go. Your voice is something that should be treasured as one of this country's wonders, not something Tristoh will use to enrich himself."
Lilian smiled broadly. "I... I always dreamed of singing at the Harmony Opera. So maybe Stone Over Moon Waters?"
"Done." Karin picked up the now sharpened trays. "Come on, lets get you on the road."
Lilian looked nervous and pale. She looked around the stone hearths and ovens.
Someone started to crawl over the counter.
Karin threw two trays at the wooden beam over the counter. The metal rim easily cut through the wood.
The warrior had only a chance to look up in fear before the beam crushed him against the counter.
Karin grabbed another two trays and kicked open the door. The sharpened edges shone in the air.
It bounced off someone standing behind it.
She kicked it again as she entered the restaurant side of the building. To her relief, the man with his chest impaled by a tray was still alive but sitting down. The one that she punched in the balls wasn't visible, so she swung the tray hard and slammed it through the door.
Stalking forward, she headed straight for Jon.
The older man gulped and backed away.
"If she wants to leave, she's leaving. Do you understand?"
He nodded violently. Then his eyes widened as he looked toward the kitchen.
Karin didn't look back. She focused her attention on the last warrior in the room who was blocking the door. It was the first man she had attacked. She pulled back her tray and smiled at him.
He held up his hands and dropped his sword. "He doesn't pay me that much."
"Get out of here."
Karin followed after him.
Outside the street was empty except for Sindil, who still knitted on her bench, and the retreating warrior.
Adrenaline surging through her veins, Karin stepped away from the door and prepared for another attack.
Lilian came out after her. She hurried for the old woman. "Nana? I so sorry, but I have to leave---"
Her grandmother put down her knitting and hugged her tightly. "Go, my love. Right now, I trust her more than your father."
"I'll write. I promise."
"You better. Now go." Sindil stood up and gave Karin a hard look.
Karin gulped and nodded.
Then the grandmother gestured with one gnarled finger at the window. "Run. I need to have a long talk with your dad."
Lilian wiped the tears from her eyes and then headed for Karin. She held out her hand.
Karin took the soft palm and held her firmly. Together, they hurried in the opposite direction of the fleeing warrior. She didn't know where to go or how she was going to get Lilian there, but she had hope that something would turn up.
Three streets and two alleys of frantic running later, she came around a corner to find Raol sitting on a wagon with a horse already harnessed into place.
Karin gasped in relief. "Oh, thank the Couple. Raol!"
He didn't seem surprised to see her; his talent was to show up when he was needed. Slipping off the bench, he came around to open the back of the wagon and held out his hand to Lilian. "Just her or both of you running away?"
No question of what had happened. No hesitation. Raol showed up knowing that Karin needed it and answers would be given later.
Karin worried her lip. "Just her. If I run, the Rat Hunters will pay the price."
Lilian gasped. "You're staying? No, you can't do that. Come with me."
Karin looked at the beautiful woman. It was heartbreaking but she knew Lilian would never be a peach. Going with would just be torture for both of them. "No, but draw ten thousands crowns from my pay and give it to her. And find her someone to take care of her in Moon Waters."
Roal grunted and nodded. He helped Lilian get into the wagon and then underneath a heavy canvas tarp. He crawled over to the bench and sat down. "I'll come back for you."
"Roal? She's not a peach or an apple. Please?"
He nodded without looking at either of them. "Of course."
Karin nodded grimly and looked around. It was going to get messy but she could trust Roal to take care of Lilian. She smiled at Lilian who was peaking out of the tarp. "Be beautiful and never stop singing."

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---
title: Customer Service
title: The Final Bill
availability: private
access: private
---
> The tradition of the bride price has not caught on among most of the more egalitarian of countries. --- Richol dea Lamaster, *The Tarsan Influence*
> In rural civilization, justice is a more fluid concept that frequently becomes personal. --- *An Exhaustive Review of Justice Systems in the Known World*
Karin moved stiffly as she came around the corner toward Lilard's. Her leather armor creaked with each step. She had freshly repaired and oiled it, preparing for a battle. She had no doubt that Tristoh was expecting her to come back, she was predictable.
Karin groaned and leaned against the rough stone bricks. The cold seeped into the bruises along the side of her face, giving her some relief from the morning's beating. As the stone warmed up, she rolled to a cooler section until the throbbing subsided.
The usual crowds around the restaurant were gone. There was no one swaying in time to music. No one reading books while enjoying Lilian's voice. Tristoh's corruption had already taken root and it was obvious that the restaurant's fate was on a knife's edge.
With a sigh of relief, she sat back into her seat. Other parts of her hurt but it was nothing compared to being kicked in the chest by that howling horse with claws or when the leeches were burrowing in her gut.
Karin slowed to a stop near the door.
The men Tristoh had bribed to beat her weren't seriously injuring her. That meant that he probably dropped crowns to ensure the judge would convict her with something serious. She suspected she would be looking at a murder or a treason charge. Fortunately, San Graif wasn't large enough for dedicated justice so she had a few more days to stew.
"Looking for Lil?" asked the old woman who had pointed out the empty table on the first day. She was knitting quietly to herself. Her eyes were narrow as she glared at the glass window. She worked her lower lip as she glanced at Karin and back.
She thought about Lilian's voice and the memories that washed over her every time she sang a song. Leaning back against the wall, she smiled to herself. Her lips worked silently as she sang one of the song that Lilian had taught her to love and just let the pain ease away.
Head already throbbing from her hangover, Karin took a moment to process the unexpected question. She nodded. "Yes."
Even with her fears, Karin didn't regret a single moment. She didn't find a lover but she saved a songbird. She rubbed her split lip and just leaned back to enjoy the glow.
"She's in the back."
The door to the cells rattled loudly. She heard keys jingling on the other side.
Karin turned to face the woman.
Curious, she sat up.
The old woman bent over to dig into her kitting back. She held up an impressive-looking knife in a sheath. There was a name on the side, "Sindil". Flipping it over, she held it hilt-first to Karin. "Need a weapon?" Sindil asked cheerfully.
The door swung open and a guard came in. It was one of the ones that Tristoh had hired to beat her. She started to steel herself for another round of abuse but then she noticed he was covered in blood with thick bandages over one eye and a makeshift sling holding his arm. "She's in here, Mother," the guard said sullenly.
"W-What?" Karin couldn't help but smile.
Sindil followed after him, her knitting bag hoisted over her shoulder and a pair of needles in her hand. The yarn was stained and torn. The knife hung out of one of a scorched opening. She shuffled forward as she peered around until she spotted Karin and then came over.
"You obviously are going in with a plan."
Behind both of them, Raol came in with a grin on his face and his hands in his pockets. He had blood splattered across his chest. Karin noticed that he was carrying his ax in his hand.
Karin shrugged. "Well, more of a vague idea. I was just going in to... make sure she knew she had an option."
Karin stood up, winching a little from the discomfort.
"Well, after what Jon did, it isn't going to be this place. This place had been in the family for five generations, it won't be around for the sixth." The older woman held up the knife again with a silent question.
Sindil peered at Karin for a moment. Then she turned to the guard. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let her out now."
Karin shook her head. A weapon would be nice, but that would make everything worse if she got caught.
The guard looked nervously at Karin as he unlocked the door.
Tossing the knife back into her kitting back, Sindil returned to her knitting. "Three of his men are at tables one, seven, and fifteen."
Roal came up to pull it open and handed Karin her sword. "Tristoh left the city a surprise gift when he stormed away. A herd of bulls with thick armored plates and able to set fires with their feet. I need my sharpener. You up to it?"
Suddenly things seemed brighter. "Thank you," Karin said. "Who are you?"
Karin took a deep breath and took the weapon. Her thoughts slid away from Lilian with a rush as she started preparing for a fight. Energy danced along the blade as she sharpened it with a thought.
The old woman smiled sweetly. "Just an old widower who is severely disappointed in her greedy son. So try not to kill him?"
He gestured toward the door before heading toward it. "Come on, Rat Hunter. We have people to save."
Karin nodded. She turned, took a deep breath, and entered the restaurant.
Karin gave the guard a long hard look before she followed after.
Jon, Lilian's father, looked up from where he was serving food. "You aren't wanted in here."
The old woman caught her arm to walk with her. She was spry for her age but Karin suspected that she had fought off one of the creatures with knitting needles.
Karin glanced around, spotting Tristoh's three men. They were all grunts and armed with short swords and leather armor. They also were turning toward her, their hands dropping to their weapons.
Karin smiled at the image and rested her palm over the old woman's. "Thank you."
She looked at the counter leading into the back room and then to him. "I just want to talk to Lil."
"I'm sorry it took so long to get you free. Jon should have never pressed charges like that."
The few real customers shifted uncomfortably in their seat.
"She was worth it."
Jon stepped toward the center of the room and held the metal tray with one hand at his side. "Leave. You aren't welcomed here," he announced.
"She is," said the old woman. "Though, things were better when I was running the bakery. Twenty years ago, we didn't have my granddaughter's lovely voice but peach pies was always on the menu."
Karin shook her head. On one of the tables nearest to the door, she spotted a metal pitcher. She reached over and grabbed it. Her energies flowed through her hand as she focused on the rim to sharpen it while she spoke. "I'm going to talk to her."
Karin made it two steps before the words registered. She inhaled sharply and looked over.
"She's been paid for."
"Your daughter is not something to sell. Tristoh is going to hurt her and you know it."
Jon's jaw tightened. "At least the restaurant will survive. You don't understand how close I was to losing everything."
"That was your daughter!" Karin stepped forward. She flipped the pitcher so she was holding it upside down. Water poured out across the floor.
One of Tristoh's men lurched out of his seat.
She backhanded him with the pitcher, slamming the side of the heavy metal into the side of his face. It crunched and collapsed but the impact threw him into a table.
He fell backwards, his foot lashing out and catching her elbow before she could bring down the sharpened rim into his thigh. The edge sliced off a corner of the table.
Before the hunk of wood hit the ground, Karin was attacked from the other side. The warrior swung his sword down, the blade whistling through air.
She jerked back, slipping on the water and ice. Desperate, she funneled her energies into the crumbled edge. The metal screeched as it was flattened and sharpened. Heat radiated through the metal, burning her fingers. She threw all her weight into blocking the blow.
The crumbled metal slammed into the blade. The edges, each one sharpened to narrower to a supernatural edge, sliced into the steel weapon and tore out a large hunk.
The remaining edge smashed against her hand and the tip snapped off.
Karin's knee hit the wet ground. She pulled back with her free hand, balled it into a fist, and punched the man in the balls with all her might.
His eyes almost popped out of his head. A low gurgle escaped his lips.
She released the ruined pitcher to uppercut him. Her knuckles slammed into the bottom of his chin, throwing him back.
Staggering to her feet, she stepped out of the puddle. She should have known better than make the fight worse.
Jon gulped as he inched back.
She grabbed the serving tray from his hand.
He flinched and held up his hand to blow a block.
Karin shoved him out of the way and stalked toward the door. As she walked, she sharpened the edge of the serving tray.
The last warrior stood up.
She threw the tray into his chest. The metal edge sliced through his sword and chest armor, embedding into his chest. Blood sprayed across the ground.
Karin pointed at warrior who stood in shock as his face paled. "Sit," she commanded.
He did.
She slammed the door into the baking area. "Lil!"
Lilian stood in the center, trembling as she stared at the door. Her eyes widened. "Kar? Is that you?"
All the speeches and things Karin was going to say slipped out of her mind at the sight of the frightened young woman. She rushed over and caught her hand. "I know this is stupid, but I had to tell you this: you don't have to go with Tristoh."
"I-I do. I'll lose the restaurant if---"
Karin interrupted her. "You've already lost it. If you stay with Tristoh, he's going to take you to Tarsan and you may never return here. He is a terrible person."
Tears sparkled in Lilian's eyes. "W-Where would I go?"
Karin inhaled and shook her head. She hadn't really planned this far. "I don't know where. Pick a place and I'll send you there. I have enough money, I swear."
"What about you?"
Karin stared at Lilian for a long moment. Then she lurched forward to kiss her. The touch of her soft lips to Karin's was everything she hoped for.
Lilian gasped, her body still trembling. Her hands lowered to catch Karin's hip. She didn't pull or tug, but held herself still.
Karin broke the kiss with a soft sigh. "Not a peach."
Lilian shook her head. "I'm sorry."
Karin shrugged. She turned to hide her embarrassment. Spying a stack of trays, she hurried over them. "Pick a place."
"Even though...?"
Karin took a deep breath to calm herself. Then she put on a smile before looking back. "I promise you, I will send you anywhere you want to go. Your voice is something that should be treasured as one of this country's wonders, not something Tristoh will use to enrich himself."
Lilian smiled broadly. "I... I always dreamed of singing at the Harmony Opera. So maybe Stone Over Moon Waters?"
"Done." Karin picked up the now sharpened trays. "Come on, lets get you on the road."
Lilian looked nervous and pale. She looked around the stone hearths and ovens.
Someone started to crawl over the counter.
Karin threw two trays at the wooden beam over the counter. The metal rim easily cut through the wood.
The warrior had only a chance to look up in fear before the beam crushed him against the counter.
Karin grabbed another two trays and kicked open the door. The sharpened edges shone in the air.
It bounced off someone standing behind it.
She kicked it again as she entered the restaurant side of the building. To her relief, the man with his chest impaled by a tray was still alive but sitting down. The one that she punched in the balls wasn't visible, so she swung the tray hard and slammed it through the door.
Stalking forward, she headed straight for Jon.
The older man gulped and backed away.
"If she wants to leave, she's leaving. Do you understand?"
He nodded violently. Then his eyes widened as he looked toward the kitchen.
Karin didn't look back. She focused her attention on the last warrior in the room who was blocking the door. It was the first man she had attacked. She pulled back her tray and smiled at him.
He held up his hands and dropped his sword. "He doesn't pay me that much."
"Get out of here."
Karin followed after him.
Outside the street was empty except for Sindil, who still knitted on her bench, and the retreating warrior.
Adrenaline surging through her veins, Karin stepped away from the door and prepared for another attack.
Lilian came out after her. She hurried for the old woman. "Nana? I so sorry, but I have to leave---"
Her grandmother put down her knitting and hugged her tightly. "Go, my love. Right now, I trust her more than your father."
"I'll write. I promise."
"You better. Now go." Sindil stood up and gave Karin a hard look.
Karin gulped and nodded.
Then the grandmother gestured with one gnarled finger at the window. "Run. I need to have a long talk with your dad."
Lilian wiped the tears from her eyes and then headed for Karin. She held out her hand.
Karin took the soft palm and held her firmly. Together, they hurried in the opposite direction of the fleeing warrior. She didn't know where to go or how she was going to get Lilian there, but she had hope that something would turn up.
Three streets and two alleys of frantic running later, she came around a corner to find Raol sitting on a wagon with a horse already harnessed into place.
Karin gasped in relief. "Oh, thank the Couple. Raol!"
He didn't seem surprised to see her; his talent was to show up when he was needed. Slipping off the bench, he came around to open the back of the wagon and held out his hand to Lilian. "Just her or both of you running away?"
No question of what had happened. No hesitation. Raol showed up knowing that Karin needed it and answers would be given later.
Karin worried her lip. "Just her. If I run, the Rat Hunters will pay the price."
Lilian gasped. "You're staying? No, you can't do that. Come with me."
Karin looked at the beautiful woman. It was heartbreaking but she knew Lilian would never be a peach. Going with would just be torture for both of them. "No, but draw ten thousands crowns from my pay and give it to her. And find her someone to take care of her in Moon Waters."
Roal grunted and nodded. He helped Lilian get into the wagon and then underneath a heavy canvas tarp. He crawled over to the bench and sat down. "I'll come back for you."
"Roal? She's not a peach or an apple. Please?"
He nodded without looking at either of them. "Of course."
Karin nodded grimly and looked around. It was going to get messy but she could trust Roal to take care of Lilian. She smiled at Lilian who was peaking out of the tarp. "Be beautiful and never stop singing."
The old woman grinned and squeezed Karin's arm. "Maybe after you save our city, I could make you one?"

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title: The Final Bill
availability: private
access: private
---
> In rural civilization, justice is a more fluid concept that frequently becomes personal. --- *An Exhaustive Review of Justice Systems in the Known World*
Karin groaned and leaned against the rough stone bricks. The cold seeped into the bruises along the side of her face, giving her some relief from the morning's beating. As the stone warmed up, she rolled to a cooler section until the throbbing subsided.
With a sigh of relief, she sat back into her seat. Other parts of her hurt but it was nothing compared to being kicked in the chest by that howling horse with claws or when the leeches were burrowing in her gut.
The men Tristoh had bribed to beat her weren't seriously injuring her. That meant that he probably dropped crowns to ensure the judge would convict her with something serious. She suspected she would be looking at a murder or a treason charge. Fortunately, San Graif wasn't large enough for dedicated justice so she had a few more days to stew.
She thought about Lilian's voice and the memories that washed over her every time she sang a song. Leaning back against the wall, she smiled to herself. Her lips worked silently as she sang one of the song that Lilian had taught her to love and just let the pain ease away.
Even with her fears, Karin didn't regret a single moment. She didn't find a lover but she saved a songbird. She rubbed her split lip and just leaned back to enjoy the glow.
The door to the cells rattled loudly. She heard keys jingling on the other side.
Curious, she sat up.
The door swung open and a guard came in. It was one of the ones that Tristoh had hired to beat her. She started to steel herself for another round of abuse but then she noticed he was covered in blood with thick bandages over one eye and a makeshift sling holding his arm. "She's in here, Mother," the guard said sullenly.
Sindil followed after him, her knitting bag hoisted over her shoulder and a pair of needles in her hand. The yarn was stained and torn. The knife hung out of one of a scorched opening. She shuffled forward as she peered around until she spotted Karin and then came over.
Behind both of them, Raol came in with a grin on his face and his hands in his pockets. He had blood splattered across his chest. Karin noticed that he was carrying his ax in his hand.
Karin stood up, winching a little from the discomfort.
Sindil peered at Karin for a moment. Then she turned to the guard. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let her out now."
The guard looked nervously at Karin as he unlocked the door.
Roal came up to pull it open and handed Karin her sword. "Tristoh left the city a surprise gift when he stormed away. A herd of bulls with thick armored plates and able to set fires with their feet. I need my sharpener. You up to it?"
Karin took a deep breath and took the weapon. Her thoughts slid away from Lilian with a rush as she started preparing for a fight. Energy danced along the blade as she sharpened it with a thought.
He gestured toward the door before heading toward it. "Come on, Rat Hunter. We have people to save."
Karin gave the guard a long hard look before she followed after.
The old woman caught her arm to walk with her. She was spry for her age but Karin suspected that she had fought off one of the creatures with knitting needles.
Karin smiled at the image and rested her palm over the old woman's. "Thank you."
"I'm sorry it took so long to get you free. Jon should have never pressed charges like that."
"She was worth it."
"She is," said the old woman. "Though, things were better when I was running the bakery. Twenty years ago, we didn't have my granddaughter's lovely voice but peach pies was always on the menu."
Karin made it two steps before the words registered. She inhaled sharply and looked over.
The old woman grinned and squeezed Karin's arm. "Maybe after you save our city, I could make you one?"