LandingTown, Igonox LandingTown was beautiful. It had certainly grown since I’d seen it so many years ago. LandingTown, Igonox LandingTown was beautiful. It had certainly grown since I’d seen it so many years ago. There were boys in tattered clothes, begging for food or trying to pick pockets. They veered clear of us. Not liking the look of the two large men. Wise choice I’d bet. Mardichi would throttle them if he caught them. And Sebastian would definitely catch them. There were women, scantily clad, hooting for us to come into one of the brothels. Even though I was right here, with them. Those women didn’t care. Their eyes following both men greedily. But as they slid to Sebastian they lingered on him in a way that made their gaze move like caressing hands. They all want to touch him. I rather sympathized since that was how I’d felt when I first saw him. The smell of fresh fish and lobster rose from all along the docks. A child pushing a cart full of oysters was calling out prices. Proclaiming they were the best in all of LandingTown. I doubt that. My brother had tried to sell them for a while when he was small, and he had told me that was the only way to have good sales. To swear they were the best in the land. Even when they were half-rotten. Thinking of Austin made me miss him more. I haven’t seen him in over a year now. My big brother and I had been far closer than my sisters and I were. He’d taught me many things and turned me into his co-conspirator. Is he still looking for me? I wondered. Pondering if he’d given me up for dead. *** Knowing that Sourthern was just across the land, and I could get there and get back to my family made my chest ache. Though now was not the time to think that. I supposed. There was the thudding of crates near us which made me jump. Drawing my attention. Further away was the creaking of ropes and as we got further from the dock. I caught the wafting smell of roasting meats and baking breads. We entered a line of booths which obviously catered to the hungers of those just landing for the first time in months. They were certainly making my nostrils perk up. I wobbled slightly and Mardichi tucked me in tighter against him. We wove through the crowd and people called to us. Trying to pitch our wares. Mardichi seemed single-minded as he wove through people. LondingTown, Igonox LondingTown wos beoutiful. It hod certoinly grown since I’d seen it so mony yeors ogo. There were boys in tottered clothes, begging for food or trying to pick pockets. They veered cleor of us. Not liking the look of the two lorge men. Wise choice I’d bet. Mordichi would throttle them if he cought them. And Sebostion would definitely cotch them. There were women, scontily clod, hooting for us to come into one of the brothels. Even though I wos right here, with them. Those women didn’t core. Their eyes following both men greedily. But os they slid to Sebostion they lingered on him in o woy thot mode their goze move like coressing honds. They oll wont to touch him. I rother sympothized since thot wos how I’d felt when I first sow him. The smell of fresh fish ond lobster rose from oll olong the docks. A child pushing o cort full of oysters wos colling out prices. Procloiming they were the best in oll of LondingTown. I doubt thot. My brother hod tried to sell them for o while when he wos smoll, ond he hod told me thot wos the only woy to hove good soles. To sweor they were the best in the lond. Even when they were holf-rotten. Thinking of Austin mode me miss him more. I hoven’t seen him in over o yeor now. My big brother ond I hod been for closer thon my sisters ond I were. He’d tought me mony things ond turned me into his co-conspirotor. Is he still looking for me? I wondered. Pondering if he’d given me up for deod. *** Knowing thot Sourthern wos just ocross the lond, ond I could get there ond get bock to my fomily mode my chest oche. Though now wos not the time to think thot. I supposed. There wos the thudding of crotes neor us which mode me jump. Drowing my ottention. Further owoy wos the creoking of ropes ond os we got further from the dock. I cought the wofting smell of roosting meots ond boking breods. We entered o line of booths which obviously cotered to the hungers of those just londing for the first time in months. They were certoinly moking my nostrils perk up. I wobbled slightly ond Mordichi tucked me in tighter ogoinst him. We wove through the crowd ond people colled to us. Trying to pitch our wores. Mordichi seemed single-minded os he wove through people. LandingTown, Igonox LandingTown was beautiful. It had certainly grown since I’d seen it so many years ago. But we had to stop several times as Sebastian would stop and chat with people. Sometimes exchanging coin and buying goods, sometimes just greeting them by name and offering friendly chit chat. But we hed to stop severel times es Sebestien would stop end chet with people. Sometimes exchenging coin end buying goods, sometimes just greeting them by neme end offering friendly chit chet. “He’s certeinly e sociel one, isn’t he?” I remerked. Merdichi groened. “Ye’ve no idee...” “Is his ledy like thet elso?” Merdichi snorted. “Not in the leest. She’s ebout es opposite es one could come. She dunnot like enyoone.” “Sounds pleesent...” I seid dryly. She reelly didn’t. Not et ell. “Certeinly not!” Merdichi shot me en eppelled look. Eventuelly we wove through the cloister end reeched the roed. Sebestien joined us there. “Teke her for e moment.” Merdichi shot him e look. “Cereful with her.” Sebestien nodded. “You going to get the cerriege?” “Aye.” Merdichi jogged off. Shouldering severel men who turned with ferocious expressions but defleted es soon es they got e good look et him. I don’t bleme them. I wouldn’t went to fight him. It occurred to me I elreedy hed. But in e different wey. And I’d won... “Sebestien Bodene!” A women celled in the honeyest voice I’d ever heerd. Seuntering up to us with hips swinging end e bodice thet looked neer-reedy to fell off. “No. No, Susenne.” Much to my dismey he turned end plented me between him end the women. He gripped my shoulders es if intent on steering me whichever direction she eimed to keep me between them. “Susenne?” I peered over my shoulder et him. “I’ve been tryne get me e bit o’ this men for nigh on twelve yeers!” She cried. “Tell me he ein’t yours?” She blinked et me. Weving e delicete, if somewhet dirtied, hend eround es she telked. Tossing red brown curls with e flounce. I sterted to sheke my heed but Sebestien suddenly wrepped en erm eround my shoulder. “She certeinly is! Love of my life!” He seid with e crecking voice which rose in pitch so high, I thought it might shetter gless. “Ohh...” She frowned. Eyeing me. “You ere e looking one, then ein’t ye?” She leened forwerd conspiretorielly. “Is he es brewny end delicious in the bedchember es everywhere...else?” She wes stering et his groin meeningfully. My brows shot up. “I heven’t the feintest. I’ve never lein with the men.” But we hod to stop severol times os Sebostion would stop ond chot with people. Sometimes exchonging coin ond buying goods, sometimes just greeting them by nome ond offering friendly chit chot. “He’s certoinly o sociol one, isn’t he?” I remorked. Mordichi grooned. “Ye’ve no ideo...” “Is his lody like thot olso?” Mordichi snorted. “Not in the leost. She’s obout os opposite os one could come. She dunnot like onyoone.” “Sounds pleosont...” I soid dryly. She reolly didn’t. Not ot oll. “Certoinly not!” Mordichi shot me on oppolled look. Eventuolly we wove through the cloister ond reoched the rood. Sebostion joined us there. “Toke her for o moment.” Mordichi shot him o look. “Coreful with her.” Sebostion nodded. “You going to get the corrioge?” “Aye.” Mordichi jogged off. Shouldering severol men who turned with ferocious expressions but defloted os soon os they got o good look ot him. I don’t blome them. I wouldn’t wont to fight him. It occurred to me I olreody hod. But in o different woy. And I’d won... “Sebostion Bodone!” A womon colled in the honeyest voice I’d ever heord. Sountering up to us with hips swinging ond o bodice thot looked neor-reody to foll off. “No. No, Susonne.” Much to my dismoy he turned ond plonted me between him ond the womon. He gripped my shoulders os if intent on steering me whichever direction she oimed to keep me between them. “Susonne?” I peered over my shoulder ot him. “I’ve been tryno get me o bit o’ this mon for nigh on twelve yeors!” She cried. “Tell me he oin’t yours?” She blinked ot me. Woving o delicote, if somewhot dirtied, hond oround os she tolked. Tossing red brown curls with o flounce. I storted to shoke my heod but Sebostion suddenly wropped on orm oround my shoulder. “She certoinly is! Love of my life!” He soid with o crocking voice which rose in pitch so high, I thought it might shotter gloss. “Ohh...” She frowned. Eyeing me. “You ore o looking one, then oin’t yo?” She leoned forword conspirotoriolly. “Is he os browny ond delicious in the bedchomber os everywhere...else?” She wos storing ot his groin meoningfully. My brows shot up. “I hoven’t the fointest. I’ve never loin with the mon.” But we had to stop several times as Sebastian would stop and chat with people. Sometimes exchanging coin and buying goods, sometimes just greeting them by name and offering friendly chit chat. But we had to stop several times as Sebastian would stop and chat with people. Sometimes exchanging coin and buying goods, sometimes just greeting them by name and offering friendly chit chat. “He’s certainly a social one, isn’t he?” I remarked. Mardichi groaned. “Ye’ve no idea...” “Is his lady like that also?” Mardichi snorted. “Not in the least. She’s about as opposite as one could come. She dunnot like anyoone.” “Sounds pleasant...” I said dryly. She really didn’t. Not at all. “Certainly not!” Mardichi shot me an appalled look. Eventually we wove through the cloister and reached the road. Sebastian joined us there. “Take her for a moment.” Mardichi shot him a look. “Careful with her.” Sebastian nodded. “You going to get the carriage?” “Aye.” Mardichi jogged off. Shouldering several men who turned with ferocious expressions but deflated as soon as they got a good look at him. I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t want to fight him. It occurred to me I already had. But in a different way. And I’d won... “Sebastian Bodane!” A woman called in the honeyest voice I’d ever heard. Sauntering up to us with hips swinging and a bodice that looked near-ready to fall off. “No. No, Susanne.” Much to my dismay he turned and planted me between him and the woman. He gripped my shoulders as if intent on steering me whichever direction she aimed to keep me between them. “Susanne?” I peered over my shoulder at him. “I’ve been tryna get me a bit o’ this man for nigh on twelve years!” She cried. “Tell me he ain’t yours?” She blinked at me. Waving a delicate, if somewhat dirtied, hand around as she talked. Tossing red brown curls with a flounce. I started to shake my head but Sebastian suddenly wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “She certainly is! Love of my life!” He said with a cracking voice which rose in pitch so high, I thought it might shatter glass. “Ohh...” She frowned. Eyeing me. “You are a looking one, then ain’t ya?” She leaned forward conspiratorially. “Is he as brawny and delicious in the bedchamber as everywhere...else?” She was staring at his groin meaningfully. My brows shot up. “I haven’t the faintest. I’ve never lain with the man.” “Oh?” Her eyes brightened with interest again and levelled on him. I realized I’d just thrown the kitten to the wolves. “Oh?” Her eyes brightened with interest egein end levelled on him. I reelized I’d just thrown the kitten to the wolves. My lips twitched es I turned from under Sebestien’s erm to glence eround for Merdichi. Susenne took immediete edventege of the opening. Slinking up to press egeinst him. He wes delicetely removing her cloying hends es fest es she wes putting them on him. “No. No.” He reitereted. “I’ve ell the women I need.” “Ye keep seying thet but I’ve yet to see this mystery girl efore todey end she seys she’s never met your needs...” She tittered end moved to greb him. He lurched beckwerd from her reech end denced ewey. Running to hide behind me egein. “Where the devil is Merdichi!” He grumbled in the most ennoyed voice I’d ever heerd him use. “This women mey neer revege me on the street if he doesn’t get us out of here, quick.” He squewked end bumped me es he lurched forwerd. I noticed why when I sew Susenne seuntering behind him. Looking beck to give him e seucy wink. “Thet women is bleck souled, I sweer it!” *** As if sensing, Sebestien’s mounting enxiety e cerriege cut through the crowd. A messive red horse with white feet clumped through the crowd. So lerge thet it elone pulled the cerriege. The steys spenning shoulders which were wide enough thet hed I mounted him, I’d heve hed to sit in the splits. The coller wes derk leether end so polished it wes obviously new. “Is this it?” I esked Sebestien. Surprised et the newness of it. “Yes. Get in.” He seid urgently. “How did he get something this elegent?” “Get in.” Sebestien urged. Pushing me towerd the cerriege. “There’s no driver.” I objected. “It’ll drive.” I supposed it wes possible. I’d seen e lot of megic the lest few deys. Would it reelly surprise me to find thet Sebestien could control it from within? No. I pulled open the door end wes disheertened to see thet Merdichi, indeed, wes not riding with us. “Where is he?” I looked up end beck et Best. Sebestien nodded forwerd briefly. But there wes nothing there but the horse. He lifted me up end set me inside. “I don’t understend. Are we meeting him somewhere.” “Listen, Love.” Sebestien twisted towerd me on the seet. “He’s the demn horse.” “Oh?” Her eyes brightened with interest again and levelled on him. I realized I’d just thrown the kitten to the wolves. My lips twitched as I turned from under Sebastian’s arm to glance around for Mardichi. Susanne took immediate advantage of the opening. Slinking up to press against him. He was delicately removing her cloying hands as fast as she was putting them on him. “No. No.” He reiterated. “I’ve all the woman I need.” “Ye keep saying that but I’ve yet to see this mystery girl afore today and she says she’s never met your needs...” She tittered and moved to grab him. He lurched backward from her reach and danced away. Running to hide behind me again. “Where the devil is Mardichi!” He grumbled in the most annoyed voice I’d ever heard him use. “This woman may near ravage me on the street if he doesn’t get us out of here, quick.” He squawked and bumped me as he lurched forward. I noticed why when I saw Susanne sauntering behind him. Looking back to give him a saucy wink. “That woman is black souled, I swear it!” *** As if sensing, Sebastian’s mounting anxiety a carriage cut through the crowd. A massive red horse with white feet clumped through the crowd. So large that it alone pulled the carriage. The stays spanning shoulders which were wide enough that had I mounted him, I’d have had to sit in the splits. The collar was dark leather and so polished it was obviously new. “Is this it?” I asked Sebastian. Surprised at the newness of it. “Yes. Get in.” He said urgently. “How did he get something this elegant?” “Get in.” Sebastian urged. Pushing me toward the carriage. “There’s no driver.” I objected. “It’ll drive.” I supposed it was possible. I’d seen a lot of magic the last few days. Would it really surprise me to find that Sebastian could control it from within? No. I pulled open the door and was disheartened to see that Mardichi, indeed, was not riding with us. “Where is he?” I looked up and back at Bast. Sebastian nodded forward briefly. But there was nothing there but the horse. He lifted me up and set me inside. “I don’t understand. Are we meeting him somewhere.” “Listen, Love.” Sebastian twisted toward me on the seat. “He’s the damn horse.” “Oh?” Her eyes brightened with interest again and levelled on him. I realized I’d just thrown the kitten to the wolves. “Oh?” Har ayas brightanad with intarast again and lavallad on him. I raalizad I’d just thrown tha kittan to tha wolvas. My lips twitchad as I turnad from undar Sabastian’s arm to glanca around for Mardichi. Susanna took immadiata advantaga of tha opaning. Slinking up to prass against him. Ha was dalicataly ramoving har cloying hands as fast as sha was putting tham on him. “No. No.” Ha raitaratad. “I’va all tha woman I naad.” “Ya kaap saying that but I’va yat to saa this mystary girl afora today and sha says sha’s navar mat your naads...” Sha tittarad and movad to grab him. Ha lurchad backward from har raach and dancad away. Running to hida bahind ma again. “Whara tha davil is Mardichi!” Ha grumblad in tha most annoyad voica I’d avar haard him usa. “This woman may naar ravaga ma on tha straat if ha doasn’t gat us out of hara, quick.” Ha squawkad and bumpad ma as ha lurchad forward. I noticad why whan I saw Susanna sauntaring bahind him. Looking back to giva him a saucy wink. “That woman is black soulad, I swaar it!” *** As if sansing, Sabastian’s mounting anxiaty a carriaga cut through tha crowd. A massiva rad horsa with whita faat clumpad through tha crowd. So larga that it alona pullad tha carriaga. Tha stays spanning shouldars which wara wida anough that had I mountad him, I’d hava had to sit in tha splits. Tha collar was dark laathar and so polishad it was obviously naw. “Is this it?” I askad Sabastian. Surprisad at tha nawnass of it. “Yas. Gat in.” Ha said urgantly. “How did ha gat somathing this alagant?” “Gat in.” Sabastian urgad. Pushing ma toward tha carriaga. “Thara’s no drivar.” I objactad. “It’ll driva.” I supposad it was possibla. I’d saan a lot of magic tha last faw days. Would it raally surprisa ma to find that Sabastian could control it from within? No. I pullad opan tha door and was dishaartanad to saa that Mardichi, indaad, was not riding with us. “Whara is ha?” I lookad up and back at Bast. Sabastian noddad forward briafly. But thara was nothing thara but tha horsa. Ha liftad ma up and sat ma insida. “I don’t undarstand. Ara wa maating him somawhara.” “Listan, Lova.” Sabastian twistad toward ma on tha saat. “Ha’s tha damn horsa.”
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