The only inn in Skive would have been ruined long ago, had it not been, concurrently, the only bar within a radius of the next two hundred miles. Once this wreck was the elite restaurant in the city, but now all that was left of its luxury was massive tables from the old tree unknown to no one, and chairs of the same material that were equally resistant to the effects.

Weekly deliveries of beer turned the sad days of the northerners into colorful holidays: it must be assumed that they had long been fed up with filtered and boiled water a dozen times. To the great regret of the common people, the tadpoles-scientists did not hurry too much to give any other drink to grateful humanity, beside the most diverse poisons. That is why the soldiers from the gates of the Sun were animated so that day, with extraordinary zeal looking out for the long-awaited caravan. However, the drink was usually enough for exactly one day ... and it’s not a fact that the guard will get something. But for some reason, the Creator put hope in the hearts of people - and therefore they washed their eyes with the horizon covered by this great motivator.

“Yeah-aah,” Derrek pondered thoughtfully, seeing the high walls of the fort ahead. - This is how I never imagined my appearance at a new place ...

He once again straightened the small part of the body, almost having traveled with a metal heel on the nose of the lizard dragging behind, and in two short steps leveled with the same sluggishly wandering hunter.

“And I didn’t imagine that we would get here together,” Shadri answered. The second strap, thrown over her shoulder, pinched her right breast and strongly pulled off her nipple, causing Fury, reveling in pain, no longer control her behavior. Angry and self-pitying thoughts of the satellite pursued her all the way, only fanning the dark flame in her soul. “I love you very much,” she clanked with grim irony.

Suddenly the girl stopped and dropped the belt from her shoulder.

“Enough,” she appealed to the commandant, who was so stupid from the monotonous burgher labor that he continued to pull the strap out of inertia. - Let them continue on their own.

After patting the lizard on the neck, the white-haired woman took a couple of steps back and climbed onto the cart. The diplomat, having thought, joined her, comfortably lounging on the bodies of drivers. Heavy thought in his head rolled the idea, which Derrek decided to still voice:

“I still cannot believe that you managed to persuade me of this.” Tie three carts in a row, harness one lizard and portray pack animals yourself! Damn hundred kilometers ... Tell me who a bike like this a week ago would never have believed.

“I am very sorry that you have to go through this,” said the white-haired woman in a sad voice, comfortingly stroking his leg. The commandant, who was slightly taken aback, quickly guessed that this was another nonsense, which, however, did not prevent him from enjoying the process.

An hour later, a detachment of soldiers approached the stopped wagon train. He headed the procession of a young, but some kind of shabby-looking officer with tired eyes and dark skin.

“Lieutenant Fredr Smol,” he said unexpectedly affably for his appearance. - Good day, travelers. Sentinels reported that you brought us a caravan on your shoulders ... an act worthy of the heroes of some fucking legends! I have never met you before, have you ever been to our fort?

Relaxed looking at the sky, Derrek ran his hand over his bosom, took out a small bag with documents and handed it to the officer, grinning lazily:

- And you really black as ...

With some difficulty resting after the working days of a man, he raised himself on his elbow, looking at his army.The soldiers looked quite impressive, dressed in form and even more - the Diplomat did not imagine such zeal for the service, so that the real, real soldiers at the far garrison looked so smart. “Eck here are the officers lute!” - he wondered mentally, leaving a note for himself. What guarded more - all the fighters were extremely pleased. A bit too satisfied for the usual meeting of a battered caravan.

The black warrior's finger, meanwhile, slid along the official parchment, helping the poor fellow to concentrate on the letters: even though literacy courses were compulsory among the cadets, the lieutenant was clearly not listed among the best students in this subject.

“Co-men-dant for Ski-ve,” muttered Fredr, stumbling over hard consonants. Realizing what was said, he sharply raised his head, finally paying attention to the officer’s uniform. - Trunk in my ear, commandant! Mass media...

- At ease! - broke off his outpouring of loyal feelings Derrek.

The soldiers who had become agitated relaxed, but Smol could not calm down:

- Here is this damn power! So welcome, mmm ... - he looked at the papers with hate.

- Major Derrek Diplomat, Lieutenant. Now, be so kind as to send the carts to the fort for its intended purpose and take me to the deputy.

The weary barge-hacker was weary of getting off the wagon and straightening his shoulders. “And what should I do with her?” He thought and looked back at his companion, but she already jumped off the cart easily and walked towards the city.

- Shadri! Come to me tomorrow! - He called the hunter.

Fury only lent a shoulder, with a decent speed moving away from the train that had become disgusted with it. Jumping over the wall in front of the astonished spectators and hiding among the houses, secretly making their way through the narrow streets, the murderer still thought about her companionable partner with a certain amount of affection: he thought about her pleasant. And even very pleasant ...

The area was familiar to her, so Shadri turned off exactly where needed, and after some ten minutes turned out to be at the entrance to the tavern. Pushing a steel door, she was in a fairly bright room. Although there was enough space here, however, almost all the tables were occupied - people sat and talked, smoking and sluggishly picking at the plates. When the girl came, everyone turned to her, but quickly lost interest.

“A mug of beer, be so kind,” said Fury at the bar counter, addressing the plump tavern owner.

- Not local? - surprised the innkeeper, at once animated. - You came with a caravan?

“No,” Shadri said, feeling some kind of trick. - Together. And I'm waiting for a mug.

- There is no beer, and it will not be, until the caravan arrives. See all these people? - a man circled the hall. - All of them are waiting exactly the same as you - stand in line. By the way, - the fat man lowered his voice, leaning closer to her, - I remember you. And you owe me for the free cleaning of a couple of corpses from the room.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” the hunter said calmly, throwing a stack of credits on the counter, which immediately disappeared under the innkeeper’s palm. “I’ll borrow the old number ... and thank you for the treat.”

After picking up the key, the white-haired one went upstairs, sat on the bed without undressing, and at once fell into a shallow sleep. About an hour later she woke up and went down to the common room, leaving the bag lying on the nightstand at the head of the room. Going down the stairs, the girl immediately heard a call:

- Shadri! Come here, my savior!

Fury went to the table, carefully examining the seated. All of them were obviously officers, and, apparently, the table was long and firmly occupied by them. The head of the binge, of course, the commandant Derrek - pleased with life, cheerful and already a little plucked.

- Here, meet, gentlemen officers, - the Diplomat swept her around with a wide gesture, - your new heroine, and, concurrently, my future wife!

Without having reacted to this statement, the white-haired girl approached, kicked back the empty chair and sat down next to him, ignoring his left hand on her waist. She also took a mug from Derrek, taking a sip with pleasure. The companions looked at each other knowingly and approvingly.

“But I could introduce you,” the girl stretched out philosophically, leaning back.

- Good,...