After two days, the city was operating relatively normally. Slaves mostly went about doing the work that they had been, though now they would earn money for it. Many of the troops that had come up from Southington were helping, and money from the coffers of the trading clans had been spread out among the people. It was a new way to live, but with nobody being whipped or sold, the people were happy to get used to it. For some people, they had no real trade, so they were learning one. This was especially true of those in the pleasure houses who had never been taught anything but how to use their bodies. Some of them were so overjoyed about the changes that they couldn't stop crying.

The older councilman from Southington who had taken Medya's truthstone was working as an advisor to the city, using the truthstone to interrogate people who had surrendered to determine if they could be trusted. If they were part of a clan, and they couldn't be trusted, they were executed. If they weren't part of a clan, they were sent north out of the city. They could live, but they couldn't stay. Quite a few normal citizens who were just tradesmen stayed. They had no love for the clans, as at any time they could have been seized under a false pretense and be sold themselves. To them, they now had their pick of new apprentices ready to learn a trade, and a grateful citizenry who wanted to finally learn to live their lives.

It would take time, but they would find a way.

Inez and Medya didn't see any of this. Medya was confined to a bed in the inn, her shoulder bandaged and Inez at her side tending to her every need. She had been so angry that she had almost lost the woman that she felt was her future that she scolded her the entire time that she was asleep when Liana carried her to the inn. But once the Kittani woke up, Inez couldn't stop kissing her and crying while telling her over and over how much she loved her. Katja just laughed at her, knowing that she would never stay mad at the cat girl.

"We have to go meet Hudd." Medya pointed out on the third morning after her injury. Inez was holding her hand while sitting next to her in a chair. Medya continued to recuperate, but her left arm wasn't going to be usable in a fight for several more days.

"Not until you're better, he can wait," Inez replied.

Medya just shook her head. "No. Every day we wait means he can find out who just took over the city and he could ride out to attack us. We need to take him fast. We don't really even need a big army. We could just sneak into the city and kill him. I'm sure you know all the secrets in the castle."

Inez thought about that for a while. If she was going to wait until Medya was better, they wouldn't be facing Hudd for over a week including travel time. But if they left now, they had a chance to get there before he was ready. "I'll ask Liana and her crew if they want to come. I can have Nahmia come as well, and Katja will go where we go. That should be enough to get us there if we look like traders. Then once we're near the castle we can sneak in if you can do that invisible trick."

Medya smiled over at her. She was feeling guilty that Inez was thinking more about her injury than the throne, when right now they needed to ensure the safety of an entire country, not just her. "Go talk to Liana, I'll be fine. But then tomorrow morning we leave."

Inez laughed softly at her recovering friend and then gave her a kiss on the forehead as she snuggled up in the blankets. "I love you Medya, I'll be back soon."

"I love you too, my queen."

Inez went off to find Liana, and as soon as Medya heard the door close, she opened her eyes. With a quick grin, she slipped on her clothes, and then went out the back of the inn. She had a quick errand to run.

Liana wasn't hard to find. All her crew had taken up quarters in the inn with Katja and Nahmia, and they had become fast friends. Currently they were out in the street teaching Katja how to use weapons, and she had a look of concentration while she was stabbing a practice dummy.

"Great work!" Liana commended the young girl, then walked over to Inez when she saw her approaching.

"You think she'll be good?" Inez asked.

"I do. That girl is fast and motivated. Even if she isn't as powerful as Nahmia still is, if she can slip a blade she'll skewer you," Liana told her.

"Good. She really wants to be a royal guard when we get back to the castle," Inez commented while watching Katja continue to practice. A young redhead with a ponytail was adjusting her grip and stance while Katja blushed.

Liana nodded thoughtfully at that. "She'd make a good one. She is loyal and brave. Nahmia, even at her age, would be another great choice."

"She would be, and I already expect her to join up. But I need more. Maybe an entire ship's crew worth. It would be better if they were all female and led by a woman I trust. Do you know any like that?"

Liana looked at her, shocked. "Are you truly asking us to be your personal guards?"

"I am."

"I can't think of a one of us that would say no to that! It would be an honor to have that chance!" Liana hugged Inez, before realizing she was still a princess. "I'm sorry princess!"

"Liana, you should know I'm not big on formalities. Nahmia can tell you, I was training with the guards for years, and I would continue to do so. Hugs are just fine with me, okay?" Inez reassured her.

Liana was almost bouncing on her feet in happiness, which was very out of character for the older woman. "Can I tell them now? I think Noa will be thrilled, she's really taken a liking to Katja, and didn't want you to go."

"Is that the redhead?" Inez nodded towards the girl still working with Katja.

"She is, yeah. She escaped to us a few years ago. She is a little older than Katja, but they both seem to lean on each other. Nahmia noticed it too, she approves."

"Okay, go tell your crew. Then find a few wagons and pavilion tents, we're going to pretend to be a merchant caravan headed to Glirion tomorrow morning." Feeling much better about the situation, Inez went back up to her room to see Medya, stopping only in the common room to grab some date flatbreads. Medya loved them, and she knew it would cheer her up.

Medya, meanwhile, had ventured out into the marketplace as soon as Inez had left the room. After she had escaped her old life, she was never out in anything that showed her face, and she would frequent the stalls of many fellow Kittani to try and give them business. While they had a stereotype of being thieves, that was really only those of them that had no other choice. In fact, their nimble hands were far more suited to finer crafts such as jewelers, tinkers, and scribes.

To a jewelry maker is where she was headed, an old friend named Dasi who she had helped once when someone had stolen some of her wares. Now, she came to give her a sale. "Dasi!" she whispered to the older woman manning the stall. "Care to help out an old friend?"

"Medya!" she cried out happily, bustling over to give her a hug. "I'd hoped to see you after I'd heard about you helping free the city!"

Medya blushed at the compliment, not liking the attention. "Dasi, I only helped a little, there are a lot of people that wanted the clans gone. But let's not talk about that. You have goods, and I'd like to buy something."

"Well, how can I say no to that? What are you looking for?" Dasi asked, her tone changing to that of a businesswoman in no time.

"I need a pendant, preferably the silhouette of a cat." Medya stated.

Dasi smiled widely. "You know me all too well, of course I have cat pendants! Here, come look and see what strikes your fancy." She gestured to a tray of different pendants, half of which were those of cats. Obviously, being descended from a race that had been created by sorcerers who wanted to see what would happen if you mixed a human with a sand cat, the Kittani folk had an affinity for cat symbols. Like these gorgeous pendants.

As soon as Medya saw the pendants, the perfect one jumped out at her. It was a lovely silver cat, sitting in profile with its head turned towards the owner. It had chocolate diamonds for eyes that matched Medya's own, and while the silver was a little lighter than her grey fur, it was close enough. She lifted it reverently, a smile playing over her lips. "How much for this and a matching chain?"

The older woman shook her head. "I still owe you from the last favor, and now you've freed the city. I cannot take your coin." She smiled at Medya and closed her fist over the pendant. "Take it, and give it to whoever has captured your heart."

"Thank you Dasi, it's perfect." Medya bowed her head and walked away into the crowd. As soon as Dasi's back was turned, she doubled back under her invisibility spell, and slipped 100 gold pieces into the woman's box. She wasn't sure it was enough, but she felt better about taking the pendant that way. A spring in her step, she made her way back to the inn and up the back stairs. She quietly opened the door, only to find Inez sitting on the bed glaring at her.

"You have a nice nap?" she growled.

Medya groaned, she had wanted this to be a secret! "I umm... couldn't sleep."

"So, you snuck out of the inn?" Inez cocked an eyebrow at Medya, who couldn't look her in the eye.

"I needed to clear my head?" Medya wasn't hopeful that this was going to work.

Inez stood and walked over to her, pulling her into an embrace, then lifted her before walking back to the bed and sat her down. She knelt and pulled off Medya's boots before looking up at her. "Lay down."

Medya immediately did.

Inez crawled into the bed next to her. "Do I need to lay here next to you all day to make sure you rest?"

Medya smiled at her, knowing Inez wasn't too mad. "I like the sound of that. Otherwise, I might have to sneak out again, and you wouldn't be happy with that," she purred, wrapping her good arm around the princess.

Inez let herself be pulled into Medya's neck, inhaling the scent of her fur that lay along her back. She always smelled so good, like the air right before a rainstorm, and she couldn't get enough. "Do you have any idea what I'm going to do to you once your arm is better?"

Medya shivered at those words. She'd already fantasized so many times over the last few days about Inez using the regeneration cream on her, but that had to be put off until her wound was healed. But it didn't mean she wouldn't think about it. "Tell me, what will you do to me?" she whispered eagerly.

"If you sneak out again, not a damned thing!" Inez growled.

Shit, she really was angry.

"I'm sorry, I really am!" Medya apologized. "But I had to do something before we left."

"And you couldn't have me do it for you?" Inez countered.

"No. It had to be me."

"Can you tell me?" Inez asked quietly.

Medya wanted to wait until her coronation, but she hated seeing the woman she loved mad at her, so she sighed and nodded. "I got you something. A present. I had to get it here, since I knew who would sell it. But I want to wait to give it to you if that is alright."

Inez felt a rush of love for Medya once more and sighed into her. "Of course, it is. I'm sorry I was upset, I just got scared when you weren't here. I can't lose you."

"I told you, you have my heart. I'm yours," Medya reminded her.

"And I'm yours."