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“Stranger in the Night”

by Alice Montrose

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Laures woke up in darkness, vaguely aware of where he was – lying on a warm bed, his hands around his precious child.

Worried, he checked for any sign of serious injuries on Angelina’s body. There were none, except for the vicious puncture marks on her wrist. He sighed in relief – he had not lost control, after all. She had been right; he would no harm her, willingly or unwillingly.

He rose to his feet, his strength almost fully restored. He peeked outside the window, from behind the pulled drapes. It was still early, and the sun had not fully risen.

Letting the drapes back down, he carefully pulled the blanket over Angelina’s sleeping form – his own, made of soft wool, not the coarse thing the room had come with. Trailing one finger on the woman’s forehead, he whispered, “Sleep, my little angel. Sleep and heal.”

Though she was thirty-two years old, he still saw her as his child. He had raised her, and had made sure she had received the best education. She alone had chosen to remain by his side, and she was his best friend and only companion. ‘Father,’ she had used to call him – and still did occasionally – although they came from two different worlds. But in his loneliness, she had been the anchor to this new reality, this world he had to adapt to less he would truly die.

He left the room without too much noise, locking the door behind him and making his way downstairs, dressed only in his leggings and a clean shirt. It would probably be considered outrageous, but the villagers would never dare turn against the one that had saved them from the demons. It was a constant occurrence wherever he went.

One look around the hall told him that the other guests, the ones that had so rudely interfered the night before, were in the hall as well. And the young one was still watching him, his desire clear in his deep blue eyes. “Keep on dreaming, little mortal,” he whispered to himself.

The inn-keeper bowed to him deeply, and asked him, “Milord, what can I do for you this morning?”

The man's subservience made him sick; but he kept his calm. “Breakfast would be a good start. Toast, honey, warm milk, and plenty of fresh fruit. To be delivered here as soon as possible.”

“Yes, milord.” He turned to a teenage girl who was probably his daughter and ordered her to “go prepare what milord has requested”.

Wary, Laures leaned on the counter as he had the night before, and allowed himself to study the blond nobleman without the cover his hood had offered. A man who usually had his way, from the way he sat at his table returning Laures’ intent look. A man one normally feared; a man who was obsessed.

‘Yes… I know what you’re after,’ Laures thought. ‘Unfortunately for you, you’re not going to get it.’

He traded glances with the nobleman for a while, waiting for the breakfast he had ordered. The noble – Duke Janis of Aenix, Angelina had told him – was not unpleasant to look at, but he wasn’t Laures’ idea of a pleasant company. And after the previous night Laures truly didn’t need any more attention drawn to his person.

Besides, why bother with an infatuated mortal? The duke would get over it eventually, and Laures didn’t like being thought of as an object in a collection. He was far too old to find a purpose in such trivial endeavours.

He frowned as the nobleman finally made up his mind to come near him, ignoring the alarmed protests of one of his companions. A warrior that one, and more likely to identify a perilous situation when he saw it. Normally Laures didn’t even bother talking to those that would occasionally ask for his attention in such private matters, but instead showed him it had been a very bad idea to approach him. This time, however, there were people present besides the two of them, and the Duke was a respected man. So Laures decided to simply talk him out of it, threaten him a little perhaps, but not harm him physically. He wondered if the Duke would heed his warning.

As Janis smiled broader and approached, Laures decided to hide a fake yawn behind a gloved hand, in a clear display of annoyance. It did not seem to deter the nobleman, who stopped a few paces away from the counter – and Laures, implicitly – and offered his hand in greeting.

“I believe I forgot to introduce myself last night. I am Janis, Duke of Aenix. And you, I hear, are Laures, the village’s new hero.”

Dark eyes narrowed, Laures did not accept the extended hand. “I know who you are, milord. As for me, I am by all means named Laures –” ‘at least in this age and place,’ he added to himself, “– but I am no hero. I was simply doing what needed to be done. And I expect no rewards.”

Judging by the dark look on Janis’ face, Laures knew he had judged correctly. He had been about to offer him a reward, and he could easily guess what it would have implied. ‘No luck, mortal! What next?’

Changing strategy, the Duke exclaimed, “But surely there must be something you desire!”

‘Yes, for you to leave me alone, pestering human. Why can’t you take a hint and go away?’ Laures thought, but he only shook his head. “Nothing that you may offer interests me.” He knew he was purposefully being rude, but Janis was not the only headstrong person in the room. He had to keep his position and eventually the other would give up.

Catching movement from the kitchen with the corner of his eye, he smiled coolly at his undesired company. “If you will excuse me, my food is here and my companion will be very hungry this morning.” He scooped the tray from the serving maid’s hands before she even got the chance to set it down on the counter, and turned toward the stairs with the intent to go up, but he found his wrist caught in the nobleman’s hand.

Laures couldn’t help grinning as Janis flinched at the contact with the cold skin. It was no human’s flesh, and Laures knew that; it was the reason he normally wore gloves. He glared down at the startled Duke with what he hoped was more than a little impatience.

“If you excuse me, milord,” he added, his tone clearly implying he had not enjoyed the conversation. He easily broke free from the frozen grasp and made his way upstairs, not bothering to look back; showing distress or the barest hint of interest would have only served to encourage the man’s advances. And Laures had the feeling Duke Janis would try again. No matter, he and Angelina had planned on leaving that morning anyway.

He was right, of course. After Angelina had awoken and had had her breakfast, and Laures had made sure the loss of blood would not in any way affect her severely, they had packed their bags. There was no purpose in prolonging their stay as their goal had been accomplished and the demons destroyed, and Laures did not wish to linger because then the villagers would start asking uncomfortable questions, questions he had no desire to answer. When they were done, he sent Angelina ahead to the stables with their luggage – there wasn’t much of it, for they always travelled lightly – and he went on to pay for the room, this time fully dressed and armed.

As expected, Duke Janis was in the hall; he was talking to the inn-keeper and the smile on his face as he saw Laures come down the stairs for the second time that day quickly turned from malicious to friendly. The gleam in his eyes as he sized Laures betrayed his thoughts, however; for once, Laures was very thankful of his ability to read people so easily.

“Is milord leaving so soon?” the inn-keeper asked, drawing a smirk from Laures’ otherwise unreadable face. It had been some time since he had last been addressed in such a meek voice, and it reminded him of a time long ago when people would bow in his way. He had hated every second of it.

“Indeed,” he answered firmly. “How much do I owe you?”

The man swallowed hard, daring a glance in the Duke’s direction. No doubt trying to decide how much his life was worth. “Nothing, milord. His Excellency has settled the pay for you and your companion.”

“I see. Very well, then.” He threw Janis a glance that told the Duke that Laures did not like to be bought, and continued in the same firm voice. “Kindly return His Excellency the money he has given you. Now.”

Whether because of Laures’ voice or his icy glare, the inn-keeper produced some coins from the pocket of his apron with shaking hands. It was clear that the nobleman would never accept the money back, but the gestured served Laures’ intention to get his point across. He took notice of the five gold coins, likely twice as much as the room and food had been worth, and offered the inn-keeper as much, and two more.

“For the wreckage I caused last night,” he said, and started walking toward the door. He could hear the horses in front of the inn, and Angelina’s soft steps as she paced around. He allowed himself a small smile as he thought of her.

I was with great annoyance therefore that he turned around and caught Janis’ arm in his right before it could settle on him, his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he frowned at the Duke for one final time. Or so he hoped.

“I will not let you leave,” the blond man claimed haughtily, making it clear to Laures that Janis wasn’t quite sane, courting danger the way he did. ‘I suppose I’ll have to spell it out for him after all.’ He wasn’t very fond of those who wouldn’t take a hint – or more than one hint – and keep their distance. And he doubted Janis was just plain stupid; more like obstinate.

“You truly don’t get it do you? I want nothing to do with you. It’s that simple.”

“But I want you!” Janis insisted, making Laures roll his eyes. He had sounded like a child asking for his favourite candy.

“I don’t care what you want, Janis of Aenix. I am also going to say this just once. For your safety and that of your men, you will stay away from me. Courting danger has never brought anyone any good. And I am dangerous!”

“Yes, you are,” Janis answered, nearly purring in spite of the tight grip Laures had on his hand. “A dangerous beauty begging to be conquered.”

Letting out a hopeless growl, Laures finally gave up on fine manners and released Janis’ hand, gripping him by the neck instead and lifting him up effortlessly until his feet left the floor. “Heed my words, Duke Janis. Should you or your men come anywhere near me again, you will pay with your lives. I do not have the time or the patience for your foolish games, nor do I feel any desire to share your bed any time soon. This is my last warning. Leave me alone!” he seethed.

With that, he released the man and walked away with barely a glance at the heap of blond hair and expensive clothing on the inn’s floor.

Angelina cast him an amused look from the door, but only after they had mounted and had guided their horses on the path leading out of the village did she start laughing silently. “You truly did that to a duke and got away with it!” she exclaimed, making him chuckle as well.

“A stubborn duke,” he added. “Let us hope he finally understood the message and keeps his distance.”

“He will,” she assured him. “After all, why would he want to pursue a stranger in the night?”

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~ The End ~

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