A man stumbled out of the castle grounds. A bandage was wrapped over his left eye with red dying the white cloth. William half dragged him across the pavement, with one of the man's arms draped over his shoulder. His nose wrinkled in disgust from the horrid smell of dung, blood, and urine mixed into one, making him want to choke.

Aria stood at the edge of the gate. With bright eyes, a smile peered her lips the moment she spotted William carrying the man. She rushed over to them, nearly tripping over her feet in the process. She slid the man's other arm over her shoulder, taking him from William the moment that she could. Without a word exchanged between them, Aria began to walk away while using her weight to support the man. William shook his head at the very sight.

"Wait," he said as he stepped in front of her. Pulling the satchel over his shoulder, he handed it to Aria. "Inside you'll find some herbs, two vials, and a fresh roll of bandages. The vial with the green liquid will numb his pain, give him no more than three drops in water every night. The orange one is for you so that you don't get an infection. Take a bath, put both the herbs and the orange liquid into a bowl and mix well then rub the paste on your cuts. The bandage is to rewrap his eye."

Aria blinked a few times before reaching out for the bag. When she took it, she peeked inside while using her fingers to move around the object within. William's arms crossed over his chest as his weight shifted to one side of his body. Her eyes lifted, and she threw the satchel over her shoulder.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

She turned away and walked. William's lips parted as if to say something. Yet, his mind went blank. Subconsciously, he took a step forward with an arm slightly stretched out. William pulled back, looking down at his hand, then to the side. His mind swarmed with thoughts. With a grunt, he ran his fingers through his black hair. Looking at Aria's back, he began to mouth "thank you."

He turned on the heels of his boots, stopping the moment his eyes meet a sight of lilac. Her skin was fair, but her face was covered by a large laced fan. She fanned herself, and rounded brown eyes peered at him. The lids were coated with a heavy powder, which went along with the rose stain on her lips. William rolled his eyes at the sight.

She slapped her fan closed, then proceeded to wave her hand in a coming motion. With each step, her hips swayed elegantly. Golden locks bounced, and the bottom of her dress dragged across the stone pavement.

Following her, he absorbed the scene around him. Watching as servants ran errands for the evening supper, or perhaps a wardrobe malfunction. Nobles walked around and enjoyed the accompany of others. Many of which simply met to discuss potential business in the future.

Pollen brushed his nose as a woman ran past him while she held a basket of mixed flowers. He rubbed it, simply to stop the tingling sensation he felt from the scents. His eyes trailed towards the church, seeing as the priest in red bowed his head at those who passed by. Stopping in his tracks, he turned to the church. He touched the center of his head and closed his eyes, dipping his head as he said a brief prayer.

Once he turned back, he noticed the lady in lilac, raising from her prayer as well. Lifting the ends of her dress, she continued to walk down the path. He followed behind. One of his servants began to walk past him, dropping down the cart full of luminescent fish--a delicacy for nobles--and other versions of meat. The woman's dress was a deep purple, and upon the chest of her black apron was the symbol of a sparrow. It was the sign of the Underhill family. Her eyes met Will's, and without hesitation, she bowed to him.

He waved her off, rolling his eyes at the state of her bedraggled look. The woman in lilac motioned her hand as she entered the shack of a nearby building. Following her, he turned his head around, ensuring that no one was watching. Opening the door, he scanned the dull room that only contained a single run-down bed with an old dresser.

An arm wrapped around his, tugging him into the building. She pushed him against the closed door. Her arms trailing up his as she pressed against him with full force. Before he could say a word, lips pressed against his. With a quick peck, the woman stepped back while placing her arms on her hips. He narrowed his eyes, but a smile draped across his face.

"Good evening Valorah. Nice to see that you were taking a stroll through town," he said with mockery in his voice. Valorah frowned and proceeded to wrap her arms around his hips, tugging him closer. Her chest pressed against him as she brought herself closer and closer. "Where are we anyhow?"

"One of my servant's quarters," she said. Her voice was soft but there was a deep mysterious feeling to it. "I was thinking we could have a little fun today."

Her fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt, and she tugged him down to her face. Once more she kissed him and subtly slid her fingers under his shirt. Her perfume mingled in the air, smelling like a mixture of various fruits. The chain of his necklace pulled and moved as her fingers pressed against the silver ring. He pulled back from her, causing her to take her arm out from under his shirt.

"I thought we agreed..." he began before she hushed him with her lips.

"Who cares what we agreed on," she said in between their kisses. "You can't tell me it never once crossed your mind." Her arms crawled up his chest as she pressed closer, filling as much distance between them as possible. "We're going to spend the rest of our lives together anyhow."

A small sigh left his lips. He pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side. Blonde hair curled around his fingers as he pulled her close. Their lips interlocked, sparing them a few moments to breathe. His fingers pulled at the strings at the back of her dress, and it began to loosen its grasp on her body. Until it eventually fell to the floor, and he looked down to soak her in.

He felt her push back the ring so that it goes behind him. The ring pressed against his back, mentally burning him as it reminds him of what he was doing. He pushed it in the back of his mind, allowing the ring to keep him on a chain. Lifting her off the ground, he carried her over to the worn bed. Dropping her, he proceeded to climb on top of her.

***

William closed the door behind him, brushing off his disheveled clothes. He sneezed, covering his nose and blowing through his handkerchief. With narrow eyes, he glared at the door behind him.

"That bed was covered in dirt and dust. Out of all the beds she just had to pick that one," he thought to himself. "I need a drink."

William looked around, ensuring that no one was watching. He adjusted his belt, fixing it from its loose grasp. Running his fingers through his hair, he wiped away the sweat that coated him. A long sigh spilled from him. He glared at the door once more before leaving.

Walking into the street, he made his way out of the noble district. The sky had turned a muted pink and stars had begun to peek through. Families had returned home for their supper, minus a few individuals who were off to work or towards a tavern.

An old man had climbed up a ladder, using his shaking hand he attempted to light the candle within the lantern. He rubbed at his back as he mumbled under his breath. Will's eyes faintly glowed, and a small bolt of lightning shot from his finger, lighting the candle before the old man. He looked down at Will, bowing his head to him with a smile.

William took a sharp left and continued down an alley. His pace quickened, paying no mind to the things surrounding him. After a few more steps, he began to feel light droplets of water along his skin. Looking into the clouded sky, water fell and danced against him as the sky cried.

Finally, he reached a little building at the corner of an unknown street. The building had a small sign hanging from it, with a wolf sleeping and the words The Wolf's Den. He walked up to the door but stopped at the sound of someone whimpering in the alley nearby.

Walking over, he attempted to peer through the darkness. Voices filled his ears, at least the faint cry of a voice. Taking a step closer, the sound of shuffling feet filled the air. He tilted his head as someone breathed heavily.

"William?" the voice of a woman questioned. Taken aback by the voice, Will took another step closer and squinted his eyes. "Why?"

The woman came closer to William, stepping slightly into the light. Her green eyes pierced through him. His eyes widened, absorbing the sight before him. Her wet hair clung to her face while blood dripped down her left arm. He didn't expect to see her again, the halfling he knew as Aria.

Her body swayed. With her eyes closed, she began to fall. William stepped in, catching her against his chest. Without a second to spare, she pushed him back, only to feel herself falling once more. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he tugged her back towards him. The back of his hand pressed against her forehead, feeling the heat transferring to him.

"You're on fire," William said.

Slipping his arm towards her neck, she cried out in pain and bore her teeth. His other hand went under her legs as he lifted her off the ground. Her head fell against his shoulder, and with a shaking arm, she pointed towards the darkness.

"Sa...save. Leo," She cried. William backed away from the alley, carrying her towards the door of the Wolf's Den. "I...go."

"Hush it, I heard you the first time, halfling." After those words, William kicked open the wooden door. The man behind the counter dropped the tankard in his hands, glaring at William while he pursed his lips.

Paying no mind to the man, William slid Aria into a nearby booth. He made his way back out the door, walking into the dark alley before his boot collided with the leg of a man. Reaching down, he pulled Leo to his feet. Will wrapped Leo's arm over her shoulder, dragging the man's legs against the ground.

Taking him inside, he made his way towards the stairs. The man behind the counter rose to his feet after picking up the tankard. He put it down onto the counter and turned to Will, who had already made it halfway up the stairs.

"You're paying for that door!" his raspy shouted.

"Put it on my record," William shouted back.

After William placed Leo onto a bed into a nearby room, he returned downstairs. Pushing past the innkeeper, he took the tankard off the counter in the process. The man's rocky body turned towards William, towering over him as he gave narrowed his eyes with a raised eyebrow. William poured water into the cup and traveled over to Aria.

"Do you care to explain to me what is going on?" the innkeeper asked as he stepped out from behind the counter.

William knelt next to her and set the cup on the table in front of her. Pulling the satchel from her side, he opened it and searched for the green vial. The innkeeper watched as he rose to his feet, taking hold of the tankard in the process.

"She's running a very high fever and so is the man upstairs. You can charge their stay on me and get her a rag and a bowl of water and wet her head. I'll be back after I tend to the man upstairs," William commanded.

He grabbed a nearby cloth and made his way up the stairs. He poured some of the water onto the rag and set the cup on a nearby table. Wringing out the cloth, he proceeded to place it upon Leo's forehead. His fingers wrapped around the cork of the vial and proceeded to drop three droplets into the water.

Mixing it around the liquid, Will lifted Leo a little bit and brought the rim of the cup to Leo's lips. He forced him to drink, and eventually, he placed the tankard back on the table. Will looked at the man, watching as his breath quickened.

Running downstairs, he went to the booth that Aria rested in, and pushed her over so that he can slide in as well. He grabbed the bowl of water and brought it to her lips, she took it into her feeble hands and drained the water. William chuckled at her desperation. He pulled out the orange vial and the herbs and begun mixing them both into the bowl while he used his magic to warm the bottom of the bowl. The smell irritated him. A mix of mud and flowery smells was enough to bring him a headache.

Aria turned her head, while her eyes slowly raised to look at William. He could feel her gaze on him, watching as he mixed the herbs and liquid into a paste. He ignored her and continued to focus on his magic. A smile grew on her face as well as a faint laugh.

"Your eyes," Aria mumbled. "They're very pretty."

Will lifted his head, the glowing light of his eyes strengthened as he looked at her. She smiled as she raised her hand and tapped underneath her eye. He blinked a couple of times, while the glow began to fade away. Placing the bowl on the table, he turned back to her and spun his finger.

"I need you to turn around," he began. "And, I'm going to need you to take off your shirt." Aria looked back at him, and his eyes gleamed with mischief. "Oh, are you hoping I would do it myself?"

Her eyes began to close, causing her to fall forward before William pulled her back. Sliding his arm under her shirt, he lifted the fabric above her head. She shivered as his cold fingers trailed up her abdomen. He finally pulled it over her head, used the clean rag to dab away the blood that covered her back. She screamed and pushed him away.

The innkeeper walked over and handed Will a black bottle. Taking hold of it, he poured Aria a large amount into the wooden bowl. It released a pungent smell, enough to make William turn his head. He held it up to her lips, and she drank the entire bowl. She slumped her head and began to talk to herself, which showed Will that the effects of the alcohol had already kicked in.

"How do you keep managing to open your wounds?" William asked as he took hold of the green paste. She flinched the moment he touched her tanned skin. "It seems I keep running into you like this. But, for now, you're a good distraction. Probably better for me than drinking."

Aria moaned and her head banged against the booth. Will's lips curved as he continued to rub paste against her back. He spoke without fear of her hearing him, after all he knew she wouldn't remember this once the sun rose.

"There was something I wanted to say earlier, though I guess you could say my stubborn pride stopped me." The words left his lips with ease as his eyes dropped. "Or, perhaps it was something else that was going through my mind. Either way, I wanted to say...thank you. For, what you did for Wolfram. If only I was as strong as you."

Hey, guys, it's me, Anna! This chapter was a bit of a struggle because of William being the trouble that he is, to begin with. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it! What did you think of the chapter? Thoughts on William now that you've gotten to know him a bit more? Anything that could use some work? Thank you for taking the time to read, and have an amazing day!