Lunation of Fate

“That’s my condition. I’ll help you find the cure if you take me to Nhraim safely.”

Chastine wanted to get to the open city of Nhraim.

Like Juste, she also wanted freedom for her life.

Sold off from the bankrupt orphanage at 5, she was enslaved by many masters since.

She was taken cared of by them, even letting her learn their occupations.

But for her, being an enslaved human in an open city has apparently more perks than that of a slave in other human cities.

She can roam around the town without being imprisoned in the four corners of a room.

She can buy the things she wants.

She can live an independent life without following others’ command at will.

Going to Nhraim was somewhat her ticket to her lifelong dream.

“Why Nhraim?” Juste grew inquisitive of her goal.

“I’ve read it in books. Nhraim is the ideal place for those who want freedom.” Her eyes glimmered as she describes to Juste how awesome the open city is, to her opinion. “You can also live there if you want.”

But Juste was dismissive of the idea, “do you know how far it is from here?”

Chastine naively replied, “how far?”

Juste picked a small twig lying on the ground. He then cleared off stones, leaves, and other twigs in front of him with his foot.

He pointed the twig he was holding, touching the soil with its tip, and drew a circle on the loamy ground.

“For visual representation, here’s where we are.”

Then he drew other few circles beside one another with varying distances. He then drew a bigger circle at the far end of the first circle.

“Here is where Nhraim is.” He tapped the bigger circle. “Can you see how long will we travel to get to that city? There’s so many open cities nearer us, why did you choose Nhraim?”

Chastine’s resolve was unwavering. With her steady glare, she told Juste, “either it’s a deal or a no deal.”

“Pushing your luck aren’t you? You should remember you’re still near werewolf territory. They could devour you in a flash,” Juste convinces her otherwise.

But she had other tricks up her sleeve. She saw through Juste’s goal and used it to her advantage.

“Well who knows, the cure you might be looking for might be in Nhraim.” She felt like she won their battle of persuasion.

Juste found Chastine to have a point, and a good one at that. What if she’s right? Juste lingered at the thought.

“Fine, witborn,” Juste groaned, seeing an annoyance to his voice, “let’s get you to Nhraim.”

Juste added, “but don’t go running away from me until we find the cure for my curse.” He started to walk again.

Chastine replied, “Deal. I won’t runaway from you as long as you protect me.” She became giddy and followed him behind.

Moments passed and they found a small witborn village.

Chastine planned to spend the rest of the afternoon in that town. She was growing hungry and thirsty from all the things that happened to them since late midnight.

“I’m tired and hungry. Let’s get to an inn to eat and sleep,” she said as her stomach grumbled.

“I sure hope they’re neutral with wolfkind.” Juste was anxious at her idea.

“Don’t worry, Juste, I’ve a plan.”

There was a stable in the outskirt of that village.

She saw a large piece of cloth in there and snatched it to make Juste a hooded cloak. It’s to hide his striking fellhound features.

“There, we’re all set. Now we can get inside without you worrying.” Chastine was dusting off the makeshift cloak Juste just wore. She smiled at him.

“I have a hunch this is going to go bad…” Juste was apprehensive of her plan.

“Relax.”

They have reached the reception area of the town’s inn.

Chastine had talked to the innkeeper. She then told Juste the sad news.

“Juste, there’s only one room left.”

“How many beds are in that room?”

“Only one. A single sized bed.”

Without hesitation, Juste told the innkeeper, “we’ll take it!” Then he flipped a small gold coin and it landed on the table of the reception area.

Chastine was flabbergasted. She thought what Juste was thinking. Her face reddened because of her indecent thoughts.

She covered her face with her palms.

Seeing Juste covered in cloths, the innkeeper grew suspicious of them. “You don’t seem to be from around here.”

“Ah, hehe. We’re a pair of travelers from some human city.” Chastine was quick to come up with an alibi.

“What city?”

“Horotek City.” The city were she last went before fellhound turf.

The innkeeper wasn’t all that sold at her excuse. “We’re just making sure you are a pair of witborns. We live near fellhound territory. Sometimes one lot or two would try to break inside this village.”

Juste and Chastine gulped at the same time.

“Oh, hehe, is that so? Then come check my teeth.” She showed her pearly whites.

The innkeeper was convinced Chastine is a witborn. But what about Juste?

Juste couldn’t show his teeth. They will be kicked out of the inn if they find out his set of pearly whites was that of a fellhound’s. Or worse.

But Chastine was quick-witted. She noticed before that Juste wasn’t hairy, so she used that to their advantage.

“Well, my friend here is sick.” She elbowed Juste’s chest.

Juste understood what she meant so he covered his mouth and started to cough.

“You won’t dare get your face near his mouth. You might get infected.”

Chastine then offered his smooth limb. “You can just look at his arms. He isn’t hairy like the fellhounds.”

Juste extended one of his arms while Chastine rolled off the cloak to reveal his arm. No hair was seen on his arms.

“Okay…” The innkeeper then handed out the key to their room.

Chastine ordered two set of meals to her room. It was delivered right away.

“Phew, that was close!” She let out a relief after locking the door to their room.

Juste sat on the edge of the bed and was untying his bootlaces. He then lied down on the bed afterwards.

“H-hey, where will I sleep?” Chastine disappointingly asked Juste.

“Eat first, then you figure it out.” His eyes were closed but he had a smug smirk on his face.

Chastine feasted on her meal. She finished it in a few minutes.

Not long after, she went to the bathroom to cleanse herself.

It was just late in the afternoon, but she didn’t care; she needed to rest.

After her bathroom business, she went to one side of the bed and noticed Juste occupying the entire mattress, with his four limbs splayed on each corner.

How will she be able to sleep?

She did the what she had to do. She pushed Juste onto one side and squeezed herself in. Her position wasn’t comfy but she at least had a warm sheet to lie on.

Juste turned to her side squeezing her further.

He then whispered onto her ear: “do you want to go for another round?”

She was startled. She didn’t notice Juste was awake and she knew what he meant.

She also didn’t notice that she was staring intently at Juste mesmerizing eyes.

Juste was just trying to joke around. But seeing Chastine stare at him for an uncomfortably long time, he felt embarrassed instead.

He turned opposite Chastine, with his face beaming red.

Chastine also turned opposite of Juste, her cheeks looking flushed.

And they slept off the rest of the day in that position.