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"What's that?" Kirtok asked when Elsa handed him a sealed piece of paper. It didn't look like anything special, and he wasn't expecting to receive mail from anyone.

"It arrived this morning by courier," Elsa said, shrugging. "It was addressed to you."

Gingerly holding the paper between his thick fingers, he broke the seal and unfolded it. He stared at it for a moment, the paper containing only a small, simple message. Kirtok's frown did not escape Elsa's notice.

"What does it say?"

Kirtok stared at the page a second more before reading it aloud to her. "Return to the guild immediately. This is an order, not a request. Conor."

"You returned your equipment and your guild dues, right?" Elsa asked.

Kirtok scratched the top of his head. "I'm pretty sure I did."

The day that Kirtok had taken Elsa's offer, he scrambled to get his possessions in order. He'd double checked to make sure his guild vest and whatever equipment was given to him was secured along with a lump sum of coin that he owed to Conor. Kirtok paid to have a courier deliver it to the Last Hill weeks ago.

"That stupid bard better not have taken off with my money," Kirtok grumbled. He turned away from Elsa and held the letter in front of him. Snorting up a thin stream of flames, he turned the paper to ash. Weeks of practice had given him better control over his strange power, and though he had found few uses for fire breathing, it had started to feel like a normal part of him over time.

"I just swept," Elsa said, gesturing to the mess on the floor.

"Oops," Kirtok said with a sheepish grin on his face. "I'll get the broom and clean it up then."

Elsa sighed and shook her head. "I'll do it," she said in mock annoyance. "I don't want you to break another one."

Days passed without any further incident. Kirtok continued to work hard in Elsa's inn as well as doing odd jobs around town that required some muscle. A few of the farmers even visited the inn on occasion, seeking advice from the minotaur. Much to Kirtok's surprise, the Freehorn's reputation as farmers was known all across the empire's outer provinces. Though he never owned a farm of his own, he had spent half his life as his father's only farm hand and more knowledge than he could remember had rubbed off on him at some point.

Nia would come by often during her lunch time to say hello and to tell Kirtok about her day at school. He was initially annoyed by the little girl's intrusions into his normal routine, but what could he say to dissuade her that wouldn't break her heart?

"She looks up to you like a big brother, you know," Elsa remarked one day after Nia left to go back to school. "You know she's an only child, right?"

After it was pointed out to him, Kirtok felt like he had a responsibility to take on a big brother role for Nia. He wasn't the most nurturing or kind hearted person, given his naturally gruff demeanor, but Nia never seemed bothered by it. For all the bitterness that Kirtok felt, he simultaneously believed that he could repay whatever debt he owed the world by being kind to this one little person.

A few weeks passed since the letter from Conor came. Kirtok didn't much care what the man wanted. He was done with the Ebonwolves and whatever dirty work they wanted him for. Being in Mullead had given him a place where he felt respected by those around him. He wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world. All in all, he felt that life had finally achieved some form of normalcy in his life. Though he occasionally had his bouts of anger, the slow, peaceful existence Mullead afforded him allowed him to control that impulse.

The inn that afternoon was quiet as Elsa worked to sweep up, getting everything ready for later. Kirtok helped to take the chairs off the tables, and sat down at the bar once he'd finished. Reaching up and over the counter, he grabbed a small book tucked away in the cubby just beneath the counter itself. The book was tiny compared to his thick hands, and he had to use a feather touch to turn the pages. Fernanda lent him the novel from the small library in her school house. It was a book intended for her more mature students. He found the tale of the swashbuckling minotaur pirate to be more engrossing than he initially gave it credit for.

Seafaring minotaur... what an absurd idea, Kirtok thought as he read through it.

The quiet shuffling of one of the inn patrons above, and the sound of Elsa's broom, were the only things that he heard as he focused on the tale he was reading. Though Kirtok worked hard during the times he was called upon to help Elsa, most of his time was spent sitting at the bar counter. It was remarkably relaxing for him, and in another life he might have felt bad for sitting around so much. Elsa seemed fine with it.

"Kirtok!" Nia shouted as the pitter-patter of her tiny feet drowned out the door bell. She ran by Elsa, giving her a curt greeting before climbing her way onto a chair to sit next to the minotaur.

"How's your day going, squirt?" Kirtok asked. He dropped one of his thick hands on her head and ruffled her hair.

Fending off his intrusive hand, Nia said, "One day I'll be big like you and you won't be able to do that anymore."

"Uh huh," Kirtok said, dog-earing the page so he could come back to the book later. "Keep on dreaming."

Elsa came out with a small lunch for Nia and set it down in front of her before she went back to work. The woman made a point to have something ready for her every time she visited her inn. If the girl was going to skip her lunch at the school house just to see Kirtok and her, she might as well make sure she was well fed and taken care of before she went back for her afternoon classes.

"So Nia," Elsa began, "What were you up to today?"

"We're learning a new book in school!" Nia said excitedly. "Did you wanna hear about it?"

Neither of them had to answer before Nia launched into telling them all about her latest lesson. Kirtok only half paid attention as the words flew from her mouth so fast they became a jumbled mess of noise. She picked through her lunch as she went along, and the minotaur couldn't help but be reminded of his own sister when she was that age.

The bell jingled as someone stepped inside from the cool summer morning. Kirtok casually looked towards the door while Nia regaled him with a tale of her morning's escapades, but didn't pay much attention to who it was. After a second, something clicked and he did a double take, frowning when he saw Doren walking into the inn.

"What are you doing here, Doren?" he asked, sliding off the bar stool. Nia fell silent, and a quiet whimper of fear escaped her lips as she shuffled back away from the door. Even if the girl couldn't understand what was going on, she could still sense that something about Doren was threatening.

"Ya in a lot of trouble," Doren said with a sneer. His fingers cracked at his sides as he tightened then released his fists.

"If this is about the letter Conor sent, I already quit the guild."

"No one just 'quits the guild'," Doren said, matching his hard look with one of his own. "The Ebonwolves gave ya a home and this is how ya repay us?"

"And I appreciate it, but this is my home now," Kirtok said evenly, maintaining his calm as best he could. He could feel the furnace within him being stoked, spurring him to action, to give in to his anger. He couldn't allow that to happen.

"An inn in the middle of the boonies?" Doren said, spitting on the floor. Elsa tensed at the action, her hands gripping the broom until her knuckles turned white. "Ya trading this dump for the Last Hill?"

"I happen to like this place," Kirtok said. "It's more civilized than a guild house." He moved to that he stood between Nia and Doren, trying to shield her from whatever malcontent his former guildmate sought to throw around. He felt tiny hands grasping at the hem of his kilt, the girl seeking comfort near him.

"Are ya saying we're uncivilized?" Doren said, his voice like a razor's edge.

"I only meant that I find this town much more peaceful and quiet than Swifthaven," Kirtok clarified. He picked his words carefully, realizing that Doren was likely to take whatever he said in any context he saw fit.

Doren cocked his head to the side, and Kirtok wondered what he was doing. He watched his eyes carefully, then swung his head around to look behind them. Coming out of the kitchen were two more Ebonwolves, one of whom was twirling a knife between his fingers while another was going to town on an apple like a horse.

Elsa shrieked when she saw the two thugs coming out of the back room. There was no way into the back door without going through the garden, and the fence was at least nine feet tall with no handholds on the outside. Where did they find the time to scale it in broad daylight?

Kirtok tensed when he saw them, remaining mindful of Nia who was still hanging close to him. She shook, scared of the tension she could sense in the room yet couldn't understand. His eyes darted from one window to the next and between the Ebonwolves around him. Of course Doren wouldn't come alone. No matter how brave or foolish the man was, he knew he was no match in a straight conflict against a minotaur. How many more were lurking just outside the inn or inside the rooms above? For all he knew, one of the patrons they signed in yesterday could have been an Ebonwolf in disguise, biding their time until Doren gave the signal to mobilize.

"Call off your men, Doren," Kirtok said. He felt driven to take action, but he stayed his hand. He couldn't possibly protect Elsa and Nia if he left their sides.

"Naw, I ain't stupid Kirtok," Doren replied, stepping towards him. "I know I couldn't take ya in a fair fight. I seen how ya work."

"Then at least let Elsa and Nia leave. They have nothing to do with this."

Doren sneered at him, revealing the tips of his yellowed teeth. "She has plenty to do with this. She's the one who took ya away from us. Ain't that right, bitch?" he spat on Elsa's blouse, then turned to regard the girl standing behind Kirtok. "This one, on the other hand. Ain't ya a cutie?"

Kirtok's hand flashed out, barring Doren's advance and keeping him away from Nia. "For the Pantheon's sake, Doren, she's only six! Let her go home!" He noted the terrified look in Nia's eyes. Kirtok had seen it before when hunting with his father years ago. She wanted to run, but her legs would not obey her, effectively rooting her on the spot. Of all the times that Doren and his men could've shown up, they picked the most inconvenient time to do it.

Doren backed off, standing back up at his full height, and grinned. "I've seen that look in ya eyes before. She's something special to ya, ain't she?"

"Doren, I'm telling you to leave her alone," Kirtok said more forcefully this time. "If any of you touch a hair on her head I will make every last one of you regret it."

They planned this, I know they did! Kirtok thought. He wanted to make them pay for intruding on his quiet, peaceful life, but that desire was secondary to protecting the people important to him. Elsa may be headstrong, but he doubted that she would be able to handle herself against a combat-hardened thug. She was in just as much danger as Nia, perhaps even more so if Doren was going to hold her hiring the minotaur against her.

A pair of leather boots scuffed the floor, and Kirtok swung around as he watched the man with the knife moving closer to Elsa. She was so wrapped up in his and Doren's exchange that she didn't even notice.

Kirtok pointed a thick finger at the man and said, "Back off! I'm warning you!" He felt the flames enter his mouth, and was forced to expel them between his teeth to keep them from scorching his throat. He knew he was losing control of the situation. Kirtok had to stay calm, but damned if they weren't making it hard on him.

The man backed away, holding his arms up defensively and sliding his blade back into its hip sheath. Elsa, now acutely aware of what he had tried to do, backed away so that she could keep all three Ebonwolf mercenaries in view.

"Is that any way to treat your family?" Doren asked in mock hurt.

Turning back to face Doren, Kirtok said, "My family died months ago. You and your Wolves never replaced them."

The room fell silent as Doren and Kirtok tried to figure out their next move. The minotaur was certain that he could take each one of them with ease, but he also knew he couldn't hope to protect either Elsa or Nia at the same time. If something were to happen to them because of his careless actions, he didn't think he would be able to forgive himself.

The minotaur had already lost one family. He had no plans to lose another. They were not blood related, and they weren't even the same species, but the people of Mullead were as much his family as his own had been. Kirtok couldn't protect his parents or siblings, but he would fight tooth and nail to keep the villagers safe.

Kirtok kept looking between them, focusing his attention on what they were doing and the sounds they were making. They wouldn't be able to sneak up on him without him hearing it coming first, but he sincerely hoped it wouldn't come to that. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation with the Ebonwolves. If things became bloody, they were liable to call down the entire rest of the guild and see him killed for his actions.

"Just walk away," Kirtok said. "I have no intention of bothering the Ebonwolves, nor do I plan on going back with you. Walk away and this won't have to escalate any further."

Doren shook his head. "It's far too late for that."

"Says who?" Kirtok snapped. "You? Or your father?"

With a weary sigh, Doren said, "This would have been so much easier if ya'd cooperated." He snapped a finger, and Kirtok tensed, his muscles ready to move the instant he saw something.

One of the men behind Kirtok made a grab for Nia. His filthy hand took her wrist, and she shrieked. The shrill sounds of her screams filled the room, leaving Kirtok momentarily deaf as he swung around. He backhanded the man across the face with one thick hand, and then grabbed his skull with the other.

It pained him to hold back his strength. These thugs deserved death for threatening the lives of those he valued most. But he couldn't afford to bring those repercussions down on them if he killed them.

"Nia, stay close to me!" Kirtok commanded as he slammed the Ebonwolf's head into the nearest table. The sound of shattered of cartilage filled the room as the table cracked and split from the force of the blow.

He felt the girl, sobbing and trembling in fear, grab onto his leg and hold fast. She was so small, her weight was inconsequential, but he remained mindful of her presence there, to keep from throwing her off.

The other man drew his dagger from his sheath, but Kirtok didn't give him time to use it. He snatched his hand and twisted, causing him to scream in pain.

"Drop it!" Kirtok yelled. When the man didn't comply right away, the minotaur snapped his wrist, breaking the bone with ease.

The twang of a crossbow preceded the stabbing pain that bloomed from Kirtok's outstretched arm. A second shot followed, striking him in the shoulder on the same arm. The minotaur teetered to the side, his hand flashing out to catch himself on a nearby table, but the furniture wasn't able to hold him up and he went crashing to the ground.

Everything was a blur after that as more Ebonwolves descended upon the inn, entering from the front door and appearing on the stairs. He distinctly recalled shouting for Elsa and Nia to run, followed by both screaming for help as Doren made a grab for them.

"Let them go!" Kirtok shouted, levering himself onto his hooves and snapping the bolts off his arm. Doren didn't so much as flinch, and Kirtok bellowed, reiterating his demands. "I said to let them go! It's me you want!"

"Aye, that's true, but these two will be a means to an ends: getting ya to coopera--OW!"

Surprising both Doren and Kirtok, Nia clamped down on the knorian man's arm with as much force as her little jaw could exert. He snapped his hand back, and Nia scrambled to get away, rushing for the door to Elsa's encouragement.

"Stop her!" Doren ordered the man nearest the door.

He didn't take more than a few steps before Kirtok acted. He grabbed a chair and flung it across the room, pegging Nia's assailant in the head and upper torso as it shattered against him. The door slammed shut behind Nia as she took off down the street.

Kirtok was getting ready to move when Doren called the other Wolves off. "Let her go. We got what we want, right here." He held an arm over Elsa's shoulders, and gripped her cheeks with a thumb and forefinger. "So Kirtok, will ya cooperate now? Or do I need to threaten this pretty lil' thing some more?" Without waiting for a response, Doren grabbed his short sword and held the blade up against Elsa's throat. Her eyes were wet with tears as she tried to struggle free of his grasp, but Doren was unrelenting. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself as Kirtok saw the sinister grin playing upon his face.

"If you think of making a move against us, I'll slit her throat, ya hear?"

"If you do that, then you'll be removing the one person stopping me from killing every last one of you," Kirtok threatened. He swept the room, counting up the remaining Ebonwolf mercenaries. Minus the three that were incapacitated or unconscious, there was Doren and four others in the room, plus who knew how many lurking around the village.

"Counting the number of enemies, eh?" Doren observed. "We taught ya everything ya know. I can already see what's going through ya head. But I'll tell ya this much, there are more of us in the streets, ready to act if they see a scuffle in here. You won't kill all of us."

"Maybe, maybe not, but I know even if I'm mortally wounded I won't stop until you're all dead or I bleed out. Either way, it'll be a lot of your fellows dead, and I doubt you or your father want that, now do you?" Kirtok asked, but Doren didn't respond. It was time for a different approach, and he hoped that perhaps he could appeal to the knorian's sensibilities rather than trying to threaten him. "Let Elsa go and we'll talk. You said this kind of violence isn't what your guild is about, so don't risk putting this black mark on your organization. You spoke of the Ebonwolves with pride. Do you really think this is what anyone here wants?"

The pair stared at each other, and Kirtok watched the heavy rise and fall of Doren's chest and the tightening grip on his sword. After a tense moment, he took the sword away from Elsa's neck and shoved her forward.

Kirtok rushed to catch her as she fell forward, gathering the small woman up in his arms and carrying her back to safety. All the while, the crossbows in the room were trained on him, watching him in case he tried to make a move to run.

"Are you okay?" Kirtok said in a voice meant only for her.

"I think so," Elsa said, nodding. "At least Nia got away safely."

Kirtok agreed, but how safe was she really? How safe were any of them? The number of Ebonwolves in the inn alone dwarfed the number of militia the village had. The authorities would never get involved in this affair, even if someone signaled them for help. Conflicts with Blackguard guilds never ended well, and unfortunately, the Lords in the Empire valued the economical benefits the guilds provided over the moral implications of letting one run around unchecked.

"Stay behind me," Kirtok whispered. "If anything happens, run for your room and get out the window. Okay?" Elsa nodded her understanding. "Good. And, I'm sorry that I got you into this mess."

Granted, he couldn't have predicted that things would end up the way they did. Kirtok had no way of knowing how Conor was going to react to him leaving the guild, but with threats of violence? The man had far more control over his guild than Kirtok gave him credit for if he could turn his Wolves into a bunch of thugs that would do anything to satisfy his bidding.

"Alright Doren, what do you want?" Kirtok's voice was gruff, but calm; commanding, yet reasoned. He had control of the situation once again, and though he was outnumbered ten to one, he was not afraid. Even in twenty to one odds he wouldn't have been scared, such was the stubborn nature of the Freehorn. He'd set his mind on staying in Mullead, and it would take the end of his life to change that.

"Come back to Swifthaven. The old man wants to talk to you," Doren said, sounding none-too-pleased with the turn of events. "Ya letter cut him deep, and he ain't happy."

"I noticed," Kirtok said with a huff. "You will leave Elsa alone if I go with you?"

"Kirtok!" Elsa pleaded, but the minotaur held up a hand to silence her. He would protect her no matter the means, and if leaving was the only course of action available to him for the moment, then he would take it.

"We only want ya," Doren replied. He made a few hand signals and the other mercenaries began to move. Most went for the door, quietly putting their weapons away as they shuffled out. Others came to retrieve the unconscious and wounded men that had come out of the back room. Kirtok tensed as they came near him, but they were good on their word and kept going. Afterwards, only Doren and two others remained.

"I'll go," Kirtok said with no further hesitation. "Give me a few minutes to pack my rucksack."

"No weapons," Doren said casually, pulling over a chair and plopping down in it. "And woman, be useful and get me a drink."

Elsa looked to Kirtok for directions, her eyes filled with fear, yet her body language and the set of her jaw suggested that she wanted to fight. The minotaur shook his head. Now was not the time to do anything stupid. From what Kirtok had gathered during his time at the Last Hill, Doren was one of the most experienced and most ruthless of all the Ebonwolves. Fighting him would only make matters worse for everything, and at best would result in his death at the cost of one or both of their lives.

"You won't try anything while I'm upstairs." It was a statement, not a question. Doren gave a short nod and crossed his arms as he waited impatiently for Elsa to fetch him something to drink. Kirtok nodded to her, and then ascended the stairs to get his gear.

Rations, water, an extra kilt, a lantern... Kirtok thought as he packed the items into his bag as quickly as possible. He gave a quick look at the wood axe in the corner behind the door, wanting to take it with him. It was far too large to hide in his rucksack, and the Ebonwolves were liable to inspect his bag before they left town anyways. Best not to cause more problems, he thought.

Kirtok rejoined the mercenaries downstairs and stood near the door, waiting for them to get ready. Elsa looked to him once more, and he said, "Elsa, I'll be back as soon as possible. Just be careful, alright?"

"Ya have nothing to worry about, she'll be just fine," Doren told him, cutting Elsa off before she could respond. He twisted around in his chair. "I'll be staying here, just in case."

"What?" Kirtok snapped. "You can't seriously believe --"

"Can and do," Doren interjected. "How do I know ya won't run off as soon as my men and I are clear of the village? Gotta make sure to stay and keep an eye on ya collateral." His eyes drifted towards Elsa, whose skin blanched when she saw the look on his face.

Rage seething, Kirtok ground his large bovine teeth together. Doren was serious, and he wasn't going to leave either. What could he do now? He couldn't leave someone like him alone and unchecked in Mullead.

"How do I know you won't hurt her as soon as I leave?" Kirtok asked, and Doren shrugged.

"Guess you'll just have to trust me, won't you?"

Growling, Kirtok was about to make his rebuttal when Elsa said, "Go Kirtok, I'll be fine."

One look in her eyes told him that she was serious. Even though Doren was strong enough and ruthless enough to do whatever he wanted, she was unafraid. If this is what it took for Kirtok to settle whatever score Conor wanted to settle, then she was determined to make sure everything was fine on her end.

"If you're sure," Kirtok said, feeling uncertain. He wanted to be there to protect her, but what choice did he have that wouldn't result in a mindless, bloody conflict that could see disaster befall the entire village, all because of him? He couldn't afford to let that happen. "But if anything happens to her, I WILL kill every last one of you."

"If ya say so," Doren said, nonplussed by his threats. "Better get going, or ya gonna make my old man impatient."

With one last exchange of looks with Elsa, Kirtok was ushered out of the inn by the two Ebonwolves who were left. The minotaur hoped that this would not be his last time seeing the Peaceful Pegasus.