"You can stop pretending, we are alone now, Alistair." Tamanari finally spoke once she was certain that nobody could eavesdrop.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Alistair sat up slowly, stretching his arms and legs.
"When I said I wanted to reward you?" Tamanari looked at Alistair and nodded. "Of course I meant it. My life is safe because of you, Alistair. Slave or not I owe you more than I can repay."
"You don't owe me anything, Tamanari. I saved you because it was the right thing to do. I don't need a reward." Alistair shrugged, his silver tail swaying side to side.
Tamanari stood up and moved to sit on the same side of the carriage as Alistair. "Which is precisely why I want to reward you. You saved me without expecting anything in return." She wrapped herself around his arm and laid her head on his chest.
"Tama....nari..." Alistair watched her snuggle up against him.
"Can we stay like this for a bit? We have an hour before we arrive." She looked up and met his warm gaze. 'His eyes are so kind when he looks at me. They are so beautiful.' She blushed as the two prolonged their gaze.
"If that's what you want, Tamanari, you won't hear me complain." He placed his free hand on her head and ran his hand backwards through her hair.
"I didn't think you would since a beautiful priestess is snuggled in your arms." They both chuckled softly. The heat in Tamanari's cheeks intensified when he started playing with her hair. 'I want to...'
'I want to...'
'...kiss her.'
'...kiss him.'
The two of them thought the same thing.
"Tamanari..." He moved his hand from her hair and down her cheek before gently grabbing her chin.
"Alistair..." She closed her eyes and leaned forward. 'I want him to kiss me.'
'I want to kiss her.' Alistair leaned in and closed his eyes as their lips made contact.
Tamanari let go of his arm and gently cupped his face in her hands as the two of them became lost in each other's arms.
They pulled away for a moment to catch their breathe before Tamanari pushed her lips against his once more. She ran her hand backwards through Alistair's hair this time. After a few more minutes, Tamanari slowly pulled back and bit down on her bottom lip. "That was...my first kiss..." She smiled and pressed her forehead against Alistair's forehead.
"That was...mine, too. I'm glad it was with you." He wrapped his arms around her neck and gently pulled Tamanari into his chest, holding her close. His tailed wrapped around the two of them.
"I feel the same way. Eek." She squealed softly and giggled when Alistair pulled her into his chest. "Your tail is so soft, fluffy, and warm." She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "We will arrive soon." Her voice held a hint of sadness.
"I know. We could always run away." He joked and kissed the top of her head.
"Yeah, but..." She placed her hand on his bomb rigged bracelet.
"The land you own his huge. We could survive out her for years, but..." His ears dropped and he looked away from her.
She gently grabbed his face and turned his head back to her. "But what, Alistair?"
"I don't want you to live like that. I want you to be able to live happily and peacefully. A life on the run isn't what I want for you." Alistair kissed her forehead before pulling away reluctantly. "It's almost time. Go back to your side, please Tamanari?"
She sighed helplessly and released her grip on his shirt. "This isn't fair..." She slid back to her side.
"I know, Tama. I'm sorry..." Alistair laid back down in the position the guards had laid him as the carriage came to a stop.
"Why are you sorry? Alistair?" She whispered his name but the carriage door swung open immediately. "Daddy?"
Standing at the open door was an elderly man, hair and beard silvered by the passage of time. "I'm glad you are safe, but what is he doing here? That worthless mutt isn't worth your sympathy." Lord Kawagami was in a fit of rage.
Tamanari extended her arm in front of Alistair. "I am alive because of him. Please do not speak of him like that, daddy."
"T-Tamanari?" Lord Kawagami was stunned.
Tamanari explained everything briefly but he understand the gist of her story. "I see that I will need to reprimand my scouts for letting something like that go unnoticed. You said you wanted to reward him? What did you have in mind?"
"Allow him to level up, at least to 5 or 10, outfit him better even it's leather armor and an iron blade, and third, I want him to be my guardian. You can not deny his strength. He succeeded where five men failed." Tamanari put her foot down. She wasn't going to allow him to push Alistair into an early grave.
'Level up? Level up! She's out of her damn mind! ...but. He saved her. She's right, I can't deny that fact.' He sighed and turned around to leave the carriage. "I shall reward him as you have asked. He will be allowed to advance to level 8. I will grant him better clothing and access to better gear, and he shall serve as your bodyguard. But! He will still be required to live in the pen and patrol our grounds for no less than five hours a day. Be grateful, mutt." Lord Kawagami stormed off back towards the manor.
'She really stood up to him....for me.' Alistair laid there in the carriage, fighting back his tears.
"Nurse. Help me get him to the infirmary so we can treat his wounds." Tamanari climbed out of the carriage. She grabbed one of Alistair's arms and put it around neck. She wrapped her other arm around his waist to support his weight. The nearby nurse rushed to Alistair's other side and mimicked Tamanari's actions.
"N-no. It's okay. I can walk." Alistair stood up carefully and leaned on Tamanari for support. "S-sorry, my lady." He bowed his head.
"It's nothing you need to apologize for, Alistair. Nurse, never mind. We should be okay. I'll take him back to his room and treat him myself." The nurse nodded and bowed as the two of them left and headed back to the slave's living quarters. "You are quite the actor, Alistair."
"Thanks, you aren't so bad yourself, Tama." Alistair still leaned against Tamanari as they walked, not out of necessity, but because he wanted to be close to her.
'He's so close. What will people think?' She blushed as they walked. 'No. I don't care what they think.' She shook her head and smiled softly. "Okay. Let's get you inside, Alistair." The two of them stepped inside the building and back into Alistair's den.
Once they were alone, Alistair walked on his own and sat down on his bed of hay. "Damn I'm beat." He exhaled heavily and closed his eyes.
"Alistair." Tamanari laid down next to him and put her head on his chest.
"T-Tamanari. We can't." His voice protested but his hand came to rest on top of her head.
"Just for a minute." She yawned softly as she wrapped her arms around his chest. "I'll figure something out, Alistair."
Alistair started rubbing the top of her head, smiling softly. "I believe in you." Alistair slowly sat up amidst protests from Tamanari. "You have to go. The Slave Driver is on his way. I can smell him. Go, please!" He lifted Tamanari to her feet and gently pushed her to exit.
"I'll be back, Alistair. Please wait for me." She blew a kiss to him before dashing out of Alistair's den.
'Goodbye, Tamanari.' He laid down when she was out of sight.
Shortly after, the sound of footsteps entered the pen. "Wake up, Mutt. We have a gift for you." The Slave Driver kicked open the door to his den. "Miss Tamanari ordered us to dress and arm you better. Thank your lucky stars for her kindness." The man dropped a change of clothes and some leather armor on the ground. "Your blade will remain in the armory until we send you on missions or trust you enough to carry it." The Slave Driver left as quickly as he arrived.
Alistair sat up and decided to inspect his 'new' equipment. "Inspect Equipment." A status screen appeared with the stats.
Plain Clothes - Quality: Poor
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Plain set of clothes. Hand me down of a hand me down.
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Plain Trench Coat - Quality: Ancient
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An ancient coat that reaches to your ankles. Tattered and dusty.
Defense: +3
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"Figures. What about this?" Alistair picked up the leather armor. "Inspect Equipment."
Leather Armor - Quality: Poor
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The tanning and stitching appears to have been woven by a novice leather worker. The left side is longer then the right. A loose fit.
Defense +2
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"This isn't much better, but it's better than these rags." Alistair slipped out of the tattered brown rags and into the clothing he had acquired. Several minutes later and Alistair found himself fully clothed for the first time in his life. "Well, they are itchy and not very attractive, but at least they are warm." He picked up the trench coat and flung it around his back, slipping his arms into the sleeves with relative ease.
The sleeves were short and the leather was mostly brown, with darker pieces that had been patched together for one reason or another. "A little restricting, but I can deal with it for now." Alistair kept talking to himself to prevent himself from thinking about Tamanari. It didn't really help. 'Tamanari...' His fingers brushed his lips and he smiled. 'That was the first kiss I've ever had that was voluntary. Tamanari is so different. She makes me feel at ease. I never thought I would feel at ease around a woman again.' He thought about the Mistress and a small growl escaped his lips. 'I won't let her have her way with me anymore. I'll die before I let her touch me again.' He sighed helplessly and laid on his bed. He fell into a light sleep for a few hours.
A little later that night, Alistair tossed in his sleep. "Tamanari. I miss you." He whispered in his sleep and a soft whimper escaped his lips.
"I missed you, Alistair." A sweet voice filled his ears and he slowly opened his eyes. "Sorry to keep you waiting, my sweet Alistair."
"Tamanari!" Alistair reached up and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm happy you came." His tail started wagging back and forth.
"Ah. Alistair!" She giggled when he wrapped her in his arms. "I can see that." She ran her hand over his tail. "Your tail gives you away." She laughed and laid her head on his shoulder. "I couldn't stop thinking about you." She nuzzled her face into his neck and looped her arms under and around his shoulders.
"Tamanari. That tickles." Alistair chuckled softly when she nuzzled his neck. "I was waiting for you."
"I know. I tried to get away sooner. I've been trying to get you out of this place." She sighed softly and closed her eyes.
Alistair laid back down and pulled Tamanari on top of him. Her head came to rest on his chest. "As long as I see you, I can stomach this hell for as long as it takes." He ran his hand backwards through her hair. 'Beautiful purple hair tipped with turquoise.' He grabbed some of her hair and brought it to his face. "Such beautiful hair." He let her hair return back to her side.
"You really like my hair, huh?" She teased and looked up at the man who had taken her first kiss. She blushed when she thought back to that moment, her gaze shifting to his lips. "Can we..." She looked down and shook her head. "N-nevermind." She closed her eyes.
"Hm. What's wrong?" He caught her gaze before she looked away. He placed his hand on her cheek and she looked back up again.
'He is...so gentle with me.' She inched her face closer to his lips. "I want you to...kiss me again..." She blushed and closed her eyes once more.
"T-Tamanari..." He caressed her cheek gently with his thumb. 'Why am I doing this?' He looked away for a moment, his heart thumping loudly against his chest. 'I...' He turned back to face her. She was still waiting, her lips inches from his face. 'Screw it...' He leaned in close and pressed his lips to her's once more.
Tamanari squeezed Alistair and pushed herself closer against his body when their lips met. 'I think I...'
'Is it possible that I...' Alistair took his other arm and wrapped it around her body, his hand coming to rest on her lower back.
'...love you...' The two of them pondered their feelings as they broke away from the kiss.
"Alistair. I don't want to leave." She whispered softly.
"Then don't." He continued to caress her cheek with his hand.
"I don't want them to hurt you, though." She turned her head to the side and kissed his hand. She placed one of her hands on his and held his hand against her cheek.
"No amount of physical pain they cause could compare to thought of not being with you, my sweet Tamanari." He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. 'I didn't think I would ever enjoy the warmth of another person. Mother...' His mind flashed back to the day that his Master's previous wife order his mother to death by flogging.
Tamanari saw the look of pain and regret in his eyes. "Alistair...what's wrong, sweetie?" She gently shook his body. 'That look...'
"T-Tamanari..." He whispered her name and pulled her tightly against his body, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "I was just thinking about mother. She would have liked to meet you. I'm sure that she...would have loved you." He buried his face into her hair, sobbing quietly.
"Shh. It's okay. I'm sure she's happy just knowing you found someone you could lean on. I would have loved to meet her, too. I'm certain she's looking down on you right now, smiling happily." She tried her best to sooth this trembling man in her arms.
Alistair sobbed quietly for a few minutes but then tensed up. 'Someone is watching.' Alistair looked behind Tamanari. "Look out!" Alistair rolled over, positioning himself on top of Tamanari.
"A-Alistair!" She squealed at his actions and closed her eyes. 'Is this where he...takes advantage of me? I thought he was different!' She shut her eyes tightly. Thunk, thunk, thunk. "W...what...?" She looked up at Alistair and followed his gaze to the spot beside them, where just moments before they had been laying together. "A-arrows? What's going on?" She watched Alistair jump to his feet and run out of his den. "Alistair!" She called after him.
"Where did he go?!" Alistair growled and tried sniffing the air for a trail. Something hit his nostrils and he fell to the ground with his hand over his nose. "What! They muddled my sense of smell. God, that stinks!" Alistair tried to look around but it was to late. The assassin was already gone. "Who was there target? Was it me?" Alistair ran back inside to check on her. "Tamanari!" His room was empty. "Where is she?" He growled and ran inside his den. There was a note laying in the spot where he had left Tamanari.
"We have your woman. If you want her back in one piece, come to the lake where you killed those merfish. Don't dally, I can't guarantee the safety of a pretty woman from my men. They have quite an appetite."
"Tamanari! I'm sorry. This is because I wasn't strong enough. I let my weakness leave me vulnerable. I'll come for you. Please just be strong." Alistair crumpled up the note and put it in the pocket of his trench coat. "I need a weapon. I guess I'm breaking into the armory."
Using the cover of night and the clouds that blocked the moon, Alistair was able to make it to the armory with relative ease. "I have to hurry!" He dashed into the armory and ran into the Quartermaster.
"W-What the--" He was quickly knocked unconscious with a chop to the neck. Alistair dragged his body out of view and swiped the keys from him. After several failed attempts, he found the key that opened the armory. After a quick scan over the inventory, he finally found a good weapon.
Arondight, The Divine Blade - Quality: ???
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Arondight is a special blade of unknown origins.
Attack + 500
Defense + 300
Mana + 500
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'What the hell? Those are some amazing stats, but what's with the unknown quality and that vague description? Why was it sitting in here? With stats like these why isn't someone wielding this blade? It doesn't matter. I can ponder these things later.' Alistair shut and locked the armory before tossing the keys on the guards body. 'I'm coming, Tamanari!'
Alistair set off on foot towards the lake where Tamanari was waiting for him. 'If they touch her, I swear this will be their last night in this world.' Alistair howled loudly into the cold night.
After a few minutes, an answer returned in the form of another howl. "We here you, brother of the winds. We shall come to your aid. We will wait just south of where we met. We will help you save her." Alistair translated the howling coming through the night and smiled. 'I will owe them more than I could ever repay after this night.'