To Catch a Merchant Princess Ch. 03

Alicia had to fight the urge to skip as she hiked to the road a few hundred feet away, and then toward the city. A few minutes later, she passed between the guard towers and into the city proper.

Having never visited the city at night before, Alicia was surprised by the number of shops still open for business. Around half of the storefronts and booths were shuttered with closed signs, but the rest looked as though they would remain open the whole night through. Though the cobblestone streets bore only a portion of the daytime traffic, people and carts still moved from place to place in large numbers.

Some places thrived in the night, advertising their presence with bright torches, lamps, and in some rare cases, magical lights. The inns, taprooms, and brothels drew a fair share of the traffic moving through the city. For the first time, Alicia heard the sounds of Freeland's nightlife from a more personal perspective.

Plunging necklines dominated the attire of the women — especially the prostitutes. Despite the ample number of well displayed chests, Alicia noticed more than a few men turning her way with glances that ranged from curiosity to outright, debauched lust. While the attention made her tingle all over, it also carried with it twinges of uneasiness. Only the sight of a guard on patrol nearby calmed her nerves, allowing her to proceed toward the Red Dragon.

Alicia turned a corner amidst the sound of loud feminine laughter coming from a pair of ladies playfully fleeing two men chasing them. She had to step aside to avoid a collision with the first of the women, and caught her first sight of the Dragon as she did so.

As the owner intended, the first thing that she saw was the Dragon's primary advertisement. The red stone statue stood in the middle of a ring of fire that illuminated it, upon an island in a small pond in front of the inn. The dragon statue's head pointed toward the sky, its mouth open in a toothy snarl. Real flame danced in the night breeze, emerging from the stone monster's mouth.

Alicia fell into step with two or three other patrons approaching the inn, and a wide smile broke out on her face as she entered. The atmosphere reminded her of the small town taproom she'd entered with Thakkor as her first taste of civilization after escaping her kidnappers — if a bit more crowded and loud. A troupe of minstrels played in one corner, and several couples danced in front of the musicians in an area obviously set aside for such.

"First time?"

Alicia jumped a little from the voice, and turned to find a busty brunette barmaid standing next to her. "Yes, it's my first visit."

The woman laughed. "Come along then. I'll get you set up at the bar where we can keep an eye out for you while you get comfortable."

"Thank you very much," Alicia responded as the brunette waved for her to follow.

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"You are absolutely certain?"

"Oh, it's her, it is. Gone to the Red Dragon all alone. No soldiers or ladies in waitin' or nuthin'."

Coins changed hands, and the roughly dressed man scurried off to spend it, leaving behind his benefactor — who wore a wide, dark smile.

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Already nervous from the unwanted advances of a drunkard that had accosted her, Alicia felt even more unsettled when she stepped outside. Many of the lamps and torches had burned down, leaving only islands of light in the previously bright streets. A quick glance behind her through the window revealed the barman and one of his toughs still dressing down the drunkard, at least giving her the piece of mind that he would not follow her.

Alicia tried to take comfort in the pleasant evening she'd spent up until that unfortunate encounter. Fascinated by the interaction between people not caught up in protocol, she would have been content to people-watch. The single men would have none of that, though. Fortunately, Alicia's own coaching in manners and her pleasant demeanor meant that most of those men left her side feeling only disappointment, and nothing worse.

Nevertheless, the darkness made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Without even realizing it, Alicia quickened her pace. Only now did she consider that she still needed to travel the road home after midnight — alone. She briefly considered asking a guard to accompany her when she reached the gate, but realized that such had a far greater potential of reaching her father than anything else.

Resigned to the short but frightening journey, Alicia hurried toward the gate. As her eyes adjusted, she was glad that the full moon actually left few places completely hidden in shadow.

Just as she started to relax, a voice emerged from an alleyway as she passed it. "Well, look who we have here."

Before Alicia even realized what she was doing, she'd set her feet and snapped her dagger from its hidden sheathe.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," Thakkor said with laughter in his voice as he took a step back and held up his hands.

"Thakkor?" Alicia asked incredulously.

"Yep. Uhm — you can put the dagger away now, if you want."

Alicia blushed when she realized she still stood as if ready for battle. Her blush only deepened as she considered what she would have to do to sheathe her dagger — which she'd already done as she retrieved it. Thakkor turned away to give her a measure of privacy, only confirming that he'd certainly seen several more inches of her thigh than the skirt intended. Alicia slipped her dagger back in place. "I'm terribly sorry."

Thakkor laughed. "Don't worry about it. Nice dagger, by the way. It suits you better than that skinning knife you tried to gut me with last time. Surprised to see you here in the city."

"I'm surprised to see you as well," Alicia said with a smile, absently smoothing back her blonde tresses.

"I was just heading back to the inn. Ran into an old friend and went to have a couple of beers with him."

"I was just returning home."

"Alone?"

"Well, I..." Alicia trailed off, not really knowing what to say. Her heart knew exactly what to say, and screamed at her to ask him to accompany her.

"Snuck out, huh? Can't say as I blame you." He laughed again, the deep sound full of mirth. He pointed a thumb over his shoulder toward the gate and asked, "Want some company on the walk before you sneak back in? We're in town for a couple of days, so there's no rush for me to get back."

Alicia nearly swooned, her heart thudding in her chest and tingles running up and down her spine. "If you don't mind," she answered, pleased that none of her excitement had crept into her voice.

The couple turned toward the gate, walking side by side. Some scandalous part of Alicia's mind willed him to reach for her hand.

"Been coming here often?" Thakkor asked, and then winced. "Damn, but that sounded much better in my head."

Alicia laughed, having heard a very similar line in the Dragon. "This was the first time I found the courage, actually. I think I might try again tomorrow night, though."

"Any place special?" Thakkor asked as they passed through the gate, sounding a little nervous.

"I'll probably go to the Red Dragon again. I enjoyed my evening there," Alicia responded, her smile growing wider.

"I've heard about that place. Never been there."

"Perhaps I'll see you there tomorrow night."

"I'll make sure not to sneak up on you this time."

Thakkor and Alicia both laughed at the same time, and then continued down the road, chatting as they walked.

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With the couple now well out of earshot, one of the men huddled behind an outbuilding asked, "Why'd we let 'em go?"

"Ah, let us not be so eager. Preparations made in haste are only appropriate when there is not opportunity for a studied approach." He gestured for his men to follow, and then muttered under his breath, "Tomorrow, I will have satisfaction."

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Hope you've enjoyed this third chapter. Please take a moment to vote/comment, as that's the motivation that keeps me writing despite the trials life throws at me. The fourth chapter is already in editing, and I'm working on the fifth ( and what I assume is final ) chapter of the story. It was supposed to be four chapters, but Thakkor and Alicia had other ideas *laugh*