"Ambitious, are we? You're not the first to ask about that one, sell-sword. And you won't be the last."

He leaned back in his chair. He seemed to enjoy having an audience. "That is Lady Aurelia of House Aris. From Silverwood."

"A noble?" Riku asked, raising an eyebrow. "What did she do to get a price on her head this high?"

"The bounty wasn't posted by the Legion," the captain explained, a cynical grin on his face. "It was posted by another noble house from Silverwood. A rival."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "The charge is treason. Consorting with forbidden magic. The usual political nonsense."

Riku feigned a thoughtful expression. "And these charges... are they true?"

The captain snorted, a look of pure cynicism on his face. "Who knows? When nobles start throwing accusations around, truth is the first casualty. All I know is the bounty is real, and the gold spends the same no matter whose blood is on it."

"But the bounty is real," the captain continued. "And it is massive. Enough to set a man up for life. That is why every bounty hunter, assassin, and sell-sword from here to the capital is out looking for her."

He looked from Riku to Lila, then to the disguised Aurelia. "But you'd be wasting your time. Someone reported seeing her vanish into the Ironwood a couple of days back. Most likely dead already. Eaten by a wild animal or killed off by bandits, probably."

Riku pressed on, his voice still casual. "A rival noble house, you say? Which one? It helps to know who you might be collecting from."

The captain's cynical smile vanished. His eyes narrowed. "That's not information I'm privy to. And if I were, it's not for the likes of you to know. Noble politics are above your pay grade, sell-sword."

"I just like to know who I'm working for," Riku said with a shrug.

The captain's patience snapped. He slammed a hand on his desk. "Listen to me, you grubby mercenary," he snarled. "You get paid when you bring me a head. That's all you need to know. I don't have time for your questions."

He glared at Riku. "But if you're so eager, then stick around. The house that posted the bounty sent word. They're sending from their house here in two or three days to follow up on any new leads."

He leaned back, a look of smug finality on his face. "So you can either get out of my office and wait with the rest of the vultures, or you can go after chasing random rumors to find the lady in the poster. Either way makes no difference to me."

Riku's expression didn't change. But inside, a new plan was forming. An agent. Coming here.

He waved a dismissive hand. "Now, unless you're here to report a real crime, I suggest you move along. I have work to do."

Riku gave a slow, thoughtful nod. "I see. Thank you for your time, Captain."

He turned and walked towards the door. Lila and Aurelia followed him in a daze. They did not speak. They did not look at each other.

They stepped out of the noisy guard's office. They were back in the chaotic, dangerous streets of Penitit.

Riku didn't know what to say. He looked at Aurelia's face and trembling hands and expected to see terror or tears.

But when she looked up at him, her expression was not one of fear. It was one of pure, utter confusion.

"Lady Aurelia," Riku began, his voice gentle. "I know this is a shock. But don't worry. We will protect you. That bounty—"

"My hair," she interrupted, her voice a whisper.

Riku blinked. "What?"

"My hair," she repeated, reaching up a trembling hand to touch a strand of her own mousy brown hair. "And my eyes. And... is that a mole?"

She looked at him, her stormy grey eyes, which were now a plain hazel, wide with bewilderment. "What happened to my face?"

Riku stared at her for a moment. Then the absurdity of the situation hit him. She was a wanted woman with her life in danger. But her primary concern was her sudden, magical makeover.

He couldn't help it. He burst out laughing.

Lila shot him a sharp, disapproving glare, but even she had to hide a small smile.

"It was just a small trick," Riku explained, his laughter subsiding. "A simple illusion spell. To keep you safe. It will wear off in a few hours."

Aurelia stared at him. Then she looked at her reflection in a nearby shop window. She saw the plain, common girl staring back at her. A wave of relief washed over her.

"Oh," she said, her voice a small, quiet sound. "I see. I was scared that my dear Ash would not be able to recognize me anymore."

Riku and Lila exchanged a confused look.

"Ash?" Lila asked gently.

Aurelia's expression softened. A sad, wistful look entered her eyes. "My best friend," she said, her voice a low murmur. "My only friend, really. At the academy."

She looked down at the ground. "Ash would never believe any of this. The bandits. The bounty. Being rescued by a mysterious mage and his beautiful companions." A small, melancholy smile touched her lips. "Ash would probably say I'd finally gone mad from reading too many history books."

Riku saw the deep affection in her eyes. He saw the sadness of being separated from someone she clearly cared for deeply. He felt a pang of sympathy for the lonely noble girl.

"Ahem."

Clara's voice echoed in his mind. It was dry and laced with a mother's disapproval.

"I see that look in your eye, Riku," she chided. "Do not even think about it. This one clearly has a sweetheart waiting for her. You have enough complications as it is."

Riku's face flushed. What? No! he denied vehemently in his mind. I was just feeling sorry for her! That's all!

"Of course, you were," Clara replied, her mental voice dripping with skepticism.

"Lady Clara, you need to stop. I have no such intentions."

Riku then cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

Riku smiled. "Come on, Lady Aurelia," he said, his tone gentle again. "Let's find an inn. We need a safe place to rest and figure out our next move. We will definitely meet Ash later."

They found a small, quiet inn near the edge of the city. It was an old and dustyplace, perfect for lying low. For the next two days, they settled into a tense routine.

Riku and Lila would go out into the city separately. They would listen for rumors in the taverns and marketplaces. Aurelia, despite being under the effects of Riku's disguise spell, stayed in her room, out of sight, in order to avoid any trouble.

They learned little. The city was a closed book. The people were suspicious of outsiders. Every conversation was guarded.

On the morning of the third day, the atmosphere in the city changed.

The usual chaotic noise of the streets was replaced by a low, expectant murmur. The Tempest Legion guards, who usually patrolled with a lazy arrogance, now stood at attention on every street corner. Their armor was polished. Their spears were held ready.

"Something's happening," Lila said, looking out the window of their inn room. "The whole city is on edge."

Riku nodded. "The agent the captain mentioned. They must be arriving today."

They left the inn and joined the crowds that were beginning to gather along the main thoroughfare. People whispered to each other, their faces a mixture of fear and curiosity.

"Is it true?" a merchant muttered to his neighbor. "Is the leader from a Great House really coming to a backwater like Penitit?"

"I heard it's House Boros," the other replied, his voice a low whisper. "From Ironhold."

Lila, standing between Riku and Aurelia, went rigid. "House Boros?" she whispered, her voice tight with confusion. "Isn't that the one mentioned by Caelus as the house of soldiers backed by General Marius? What business could they possibly have in Silverwood's affairs?"

"These people seem to be the one who the captain mentioned earlier. The ones who put up the wanted posters."

Before Riku could answer, a horn blast echoed from the city gates.

The crowd fell silent.

A procession entered the city. It was not a grand, opulent display. It was a show of pure, intimidating military power.

A dozen knights, clad in black iron plate armor, rode at the front. Their horses were massive, black warhorses, their hooves striking the stone street with a heavy, rhythmic beat. The flags they carried bore the crest of House Boros: a crossed hammer and anvil, wreathed in lightning.

Behind them came a single, large carriage. It was not a fancy noble's carriage. It was an armored war-wagon, its sides reinforced with iron plates.

The procession came to a halt in the center of the main plaza. The knights dismounted, forming a silent, unmoving perimeter around the carriage.

The door to the war-wagon opened.

A young man stepped out.

He was tall and handsome, with a strong, athletic build. His black hair was cut short, in a practical, military style. He wore the simple, unadorned black uniform of a high-ranking officer of House Boros. There was no jewelry. No fine silks. Just the quiet, confident authority of a man who was used to being obeyed.

He stepped down from the carriage. His sharp, intelligent eyes swept over the silent, watching crowd.

Aurelia stared at him. Her face, which seemed to be confused, instantly hardened when she got a clear view of the person coming out of the carriage.

She knew him.

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