Me and Isabelle left early, performing one last task before exiting the city.

  "You're too charming for your own good, Jorma." I said, masking my voice as best I could.

  Isabelle had gladly volunteered to assist me in making him less charming. Both of us were disguised, we borrowed Jorma's workshop for a little art of our own.

  "Mmmm, MMM, Mm, Mmmm-Mm!" Jorma tried to communicate through his gag. "MMMMM! MMMMM!"

  Isabelle approached with red hot poker as I held his head steady. He struggled in vain, I'd tied him well to the chair, showing Isabelle useful knots as I did.

  SSSSSSSSShhhhhhhh

  One long diagonal line on his cheek. Jorma passed out. It took reheating the poker and two more lines to complete the thumb sized 'A' below his right eye.

  I magically cleaned the wound, simultaneously applying generous dark magic (unbeknownst to Isabelle), to ensure it would likely never be healed away.

  'A' was the adulterer's brand, best I could think of for this vile sleazebag. His name was known by Xeothea's, uttered always as part of a warning. Hans and Lando hadn't heard of him. A waitress at The Black Galleon had, stating he'd had his fun and broken the heart of one her aunts.

  I could only hope the brand would be sufficient to prevent Juniper's experience from ever reoccurring.

  There was still morning dew, as we left the city limits.

  . . .

  "...EASILY! Like it was nothing, with damp wood while it was drizzling. And she didn't use a flint and steel with some char cloth, oh no, that would have been too easy. She fucking gets the fire going by making a bow drill setup!"

  "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ritchie is sat across from me in the ice fishing hut, laughing his head off at my misadventures.

  "The Isabelle survival show doesn't stop there! She tells me to mind the fire, and goes hunting... not a half hour later she comes back with a hare. Proceeds to skin and clean it as good as I can... But perfectly relaxed, no sweat and quicker. Rubbing my nose in it, almost literally, with the aromas, she'd found the time to pick some chervil and wild garlic to stuff the bloody hare with!"

  "So it tasted good?" Ritchie said with a knowing look.

  "Of course it bloody did!"

  "You couldn't say anything could you?"

  "Nope, I had to stick to what I'd said, act the better man. Mmmm thank you Isabelle, good job. Had to check my dick that night, seeing her outdo me so badly, I was worried it had shrunk! I felt so fucking emasculated!" I punctuated my point by grabbing and shaking my privates.

  It had surprised me how true what she'd said about my caveman brain actually was, I wanted to be the man, hunt and light the fire!

  "HAHAHAHAHA... Ah... So how much does she actually know?" Asked Ritchie, brows raised.

  "Not much, she knows for sure I have a bank account now. So more money then I let on... Beyond that, I would hope nothing certain. She can tell I'm more skilled and capable than the aloof healer act. My need for skill points probably tells her something. Seen me do some dark things... but still calls me a friend so hey."

  "You thinking of telling any of them?"

  "Hey guys, I'm actually a 38 year old, lv80 something assassin. I faked my death, drank a potion made of dead teens to make myself younger, and dual classed as a healer— Surprise!"

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "Well. You can leave out the part about dead teens..." Said Ritchie chuckling.

  "You tell your friends you're a grandmaster forger?" I pried with a smirk.

  Ritchie cleared his throat, straightening his back.

  "To my few friends, I work document preservation and restoration."

  "Ooo fancy... Now... I told you about Juniper and Isabelle, and that I'm currently courting Tuana. Any ladies in your life Ritchie?"

  Ritchie hesitated. I watched him curiously. He's was in his mid fifties, of moderate fitness and average height. For his age, I'd say he looked good, he had the silver fox thing going for him, despite opting to closely shave his balding head.

  His moderate magic skills, used mostly for forgery work, also preserved his teeth. I figured a woman would be lucky to make him smile.

  "Actually... I would want a man in my life." He stated, studying me.

  "OK... So, any men in your life?"

  Something seemed to puzzle him.

  "You're not shocked or... err... going to make jokes— Want to leave?"

  "Are you going to try and bugger me, a master, heck if I bothered, Grand Master assassin, tonight?"

  "No—"

  "So, what? You're gay... and?"

  "Just used to getting more of a reaction... How are you so indifferent?"

  "Ritchie, I've heard some of the anti gay stuff. Had to study a tonne when I infiltrated that religious assassin sect, you remember? You made my documents and a fancy letter from one of their further bases. Before the organisation proceeded with a hostile takeover, remember?

  Fucking zealots, we shouldn't have let even the best of them join, would've been better all dead... I have a point, bear with me.

  Do you know what harm you being gay does to me or anyone else?"

  I gestured for him to answer, it wasn't a rhetorical question.

  "Err... none I would think." Was his unsure response.

  "And you're surprised someone who professionally committed harm, killing countless people over a lifetime, doesn't judge you?"

  He proceeded to tell me it was partially hiding his sexuality that had led to learning to hide entire identities. A difficult childhood had been eased by a love of art and calligraphy, seeking such work, he encountered his first experiences of homosexuality within a monastery. He assured me the scribe had not been that much older, it had not been the kind of exploitative diddling you sometimes hear about.

  As we talked, we caught a couple fish, lost bait to one. I told him about Connal, plus Géraldine and Louise.

  He also tried to tease me about my pink gemmed ring. I didn't laugh. He asked nicely that i continue, calling me and my ring very pretty... I laughed and carried on.

  "...never felt so clean. I would've thought a lesbian would've been shyer with where she put that washrag, I tell you. If it were a service I could buy, I would! Just have to turn up very tired or half dead at their door again, I guess. Hahaha."

  Ritchie let the laughter die down. Pensive, he considered his next words.

  "I'll take your advice, pay them a visit, if for nothing else, than a good sauna. It would be nice to befriend them, and like you said—"

  "Ritchie! I have no doubt they at least know where in the city you could go bag yourself a fella. But if you don't at least try. I swear I'm going to fucking ask them! Personally hunt down any suggestion they might have and arrange a date— Worst of all! Ritchie... don't make me do it... I will do the cooking for the date!"

  Ritchie grimaced. "Harvey please... you've cooked for me twice and I only just about survived."

  "Hahahaha... I remember when you had that urgent job to do for me, had to work through dinner so I made you a snack? But... when was the other time?"

  "You almost burnt my kitchen down putting cheese on bread..." Ritchie chuckled, shaking his head. "The other time was when I needed to travel with you, can't recall the kingdom... You stole a document for me to copy, then returned it the same night. Real fancy invite I think it was."

  "That prince's birthday party, I remember that... what did I make you?"

  "You concocted a stew at camp, it was bland with an edge of rancid, and had the chewiest lumps of meat and barely cooked veg. I had to forge that invite with an upset stomach."

  "Oh yeah... that explains the frequent toilet breaks I remember... Sorry."

  It felt so good to relax and be myself. Talking about the past, as if it was the past, nothing more, felt amazing. No apologising for my crimes, or withholding grizzly details. I learnt those couple nights ice fishing, that I could indeed call Ritchie... A friend.

  . . .

  Approaching Layla's village, I should not have been so surprised. Layla got my steely assassins gaze once more, having managed to appear as if teleported, beside me.

  "Hey Harvey."

  "Layla... Hey." I said unclenching my fists.

  "It's you fault you know— those fish for me?" She was already falling back, reaching for my pack.

  Had her cat like sense of smell detected the fish approaching?

  "Err... For us, yes. Sorry, what's my fault?" I asked, stopping to ease Layla's unhooking of the fish from my pack.

  "I'll let Audo tell you. It is your fault— Got them!" Layla exclaimed, waving the bundle of fish in the air like a championship belt.

  "Wha—" I could only watch as Layla sprinted away toward the village.

  "Luuunch! Mum! Fish mum! Lunch please mum!"

  I didn't have an opportunity to explain, there was a bundle of herbs amongst the fish, recommended by Ritchie. He had of course advised that they be given to someone who knew how to use them... I'd have been offended, but I did basically poison the guy once.

  What was my fault!?