The Airlea reached Nokos just before nightfall. The sun cast an eerie glow as it set behind the line of buildings that stretched beyond the docks. The shadowed alleys seemed darker, the townspeople rougher. Kain took his time securing his sheathe around his waist as he eyed the buildings, a certain amount of uneasiness raising the hair on the back of his neck.

Before Inna's Cove, how long had it been since he stepped foot on land? He'd visited plenty of towns, but rarely did he go as far as to exit the ship. His nerves gave him the feeling that he was balancing on the edge of a knife and that one wrong step would lead to disaster.

Despite this, he took a deep breath and bid the others farewell. Promising to be back soon, he climbed down to the dock--they'd decided against lowering a gangplank--and started into the village. His hand stayed near the hilt of his sword as he paused at a few shop stalls to inquire about where to find Artemios' contact. Within the hour he'd managed to find the merchant and strike a deal over the Airlea's cargo.

Afterwards, he made his way to a tannery, knowing that he'd need something more than his tunic and trousers if he was going to pose as the ladies' guard. Thankfully, the shop was still open when he arrived. The owner, a gaunt old man who was far too eager about Kain's request, quickly brought his attention to several different chest pieces. After some deliberation, he settled on a long-sleeved, white undershirt and a hardened leather cuirass. The protective piece covered his entire chest, back, and the majority of his arms. The rest of which were covered by a set of leather bracers. It was nothing fancy, but enough that he'd have some protection when they confronted Iliana's captors.

His part of the shopping done, Kain took advantage of the man's offer to change in the back, then set out to visit a few dress shops. It took some time, but he eventually managed to find a number of expensive-looking traveling dresses. They were simpler than the gowns most nobles wore, but fancy enough they'd fit the image Kain was attempting to give the girls. With the encouragement of a few coppers, he managed to arrange for the clothing to be delivered to the Airlea.

It was when everything was handled and he was making his way back to the port that the shouting reached his ears. Kain slowed despite his intentions to keep walking. His senses focused on the cries of, "please, leave me alone," and "I don't want any trouble," called out by a distinctly feminine voice. The source was a dark alley that led away from the market street. Hesitation fluttered through him. There was something about the woman's voice that urged him to go help despite his knowing that it was best to keep walking and avoid drawing attention to himself.

I shouldn't, he reminded himself. I'm here for Iliana, that's all.

With a muttered curse under his breath, Kain took off towards the voice. When he rounded the corner, his hand instinctively pulled on the hilt of his blade.

The situation was exactly what he'd imagined it'd be. Standing with her back to the wall was a terrified woman. The dying sun cast a faint glow over the alley, showing off the light olive shade of her skin. She wasn't from Eol. The three men surrounding her, were, however. They wore ragged clothing and their frames showed off sharp bones and hollowed cheeks.

"Now, now, no need to get like that," the first said, his voice a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "We jus' wanna give ya a hand, girlie. Yer 'ere to buy somethin', ain't ya? You an' tha' man of yers been lookin' for sum' poor lad ta do yer dirty work... Me and my boys 'ere, we're just lookin' to take ya up on tha'."

"Yeah! We jus' wanna 'elp ya," the second echoed.

The woman looked far from reassured. She pressed herself backwards, the fine material of her dress looking completely out-of-place against the wall of a dirty alley. Her eyes fearfully skipped between the men, her fingers clutched around the handle of a small blade. The weapon hovered in the air between her and those that'd encircled her. Kain had the distinct feeling, however, that it was only because they allowed it to be. There wasn't a single ounce of tension in the men, betraying their lack of fear.

"I-I-" she sputtered. "I'm n-not... I don't... Please, just--"

The first man struck out with his hand, catching her wrist. A startled yelp escaped the woman's lips as her blade slipped from her fingers.

"Of course, we need ta talk a fee first..." he mused.

"Let her go," Kain demanded.

All three men went stiff. The woman's eyes darted to Kain as the men turned. The first offered a lazy smile, his studious eyes a stark contrast to the leisure in his expression.

"Now, dun be like tha'," he said. "We're jus' havin' sum fun. If yer smart, yer'll just leave us be."

Kain drew his sword out and pointed the tip in their direction. "I'm rather certain that the lady is against whatever fun you have planned. Leave."

The man narrowed his eyes, then shared an unreadable expression with his companions. They all seemed to come to some conclusion, and he reached beneath the fabric of his leather jerkin. Kain's heart skipped a beat as a pistol was revealed. The woman gasped, the fear in her eyes growing even stronger than before.

"I-it's o-o-okay," she sputtered, clenching her trembling fists at her sides. She took a deep breath, as if to steady her shredded nerves. It was obvious that despite how terrified she was, the woman was attempting to be reassuring. "H-he... he's right. You should go."

Something unidentifiable flicked through Kain, a warm feeling filling the pit of his stomach. Despite everything, this woman, a stranger to him, was trying to protect him. He spun his sword in his hand and turned his body to the 'ready' stance. He couldn't falter--not when she was trying to be brave.

"What's your name?" he asked the woman, turning on a smile full of false confidence.

She hesitated. "It's M-Mara... Mara Leventis."

"Nice to meet you, Mara. My name's Kain, and I want you to run first chance you get, alright?"

Fear flashed across her face. "But, you--"

"Okay?"

She nodded as the men began laughing.

"Kid, I think you have the wrong idea here," the first man said, giving a pointed look at the pistol he'd leveled in Kain's direction. His finger tightened on the trigger, a hair's length away from firing. "Gun beats sword."

Kain knew that, of course. He was just banking on the fact that the sun had finally sunk beneath the horizon, casting dark shadows over the alley. To Kain, it made little difference. As long as there was even a small amount of light, he was able to see. This situation was different from the problem of the iku, where he'd had to see through the inky ocean waters. Here, his skills after nightfall were useful.

Especially his healing. Well, as long as he didn't get shot in the head. That would be a problem.

All this in mind, he lunged. Instantly, Mara shouted in alarm, and to Kain's shock she sprung forward to grab the man's arm. A loud crack filled the air as his shot went wild, sinking into the side of a building. The shooter snarled, throwing Mara off of him. She hit the wall with a small grunt of pain, but her actions were enough. The surprise gave Kain all the time he needed to seize the front of the closest' man's tunic and swing him around, posing the sword to his throat.

"Now, about you all leaving," Kain mused.

The men once again glanced at each other. The first let out a growl, then gave a jerky nod to the other two.

"Bitch isn't worth it. C'mon."

They backed down the alley. Once Kain was certain they weren't pulling a trick, he released the third man and gave him a shove in the other's direction. Within seconds they'd disappeared. He kept his eyes in their direction for a few moments, however, to make sure it wasn't a bluff.

"Th-thank you..."

He turned his attention towards Mara. Now that she wasn't being threatened, he took a few seconds to study her. Rich chestnut curls tumbled over her shoulders and framed her heart-shaped face. Her eyes, a striking, blue-green, stared at him with unconcealed admiration. When his eyes met hers, her olive cheeks filled with color. She ducked her eyes.

"I... I'm not sure what I would have..." she began.

Kain shook his head and stowed his sword. Within the minute he'd closed the distance between them and squatted down to offer his hand.

"It was nothing," he reassured her. "I'm sure anyone else would've done the same."

"No, they wouldn't," she replied, tone matter-of-fact.

She grasped his hand, letting Kain pull her to her feet. His gaze swept over the rest of her, taking in in her slender frame, dirty dress, looking for any injury. Beyond a rather dark bruise creeping out from beneath her sleeve, nothing seemed amiss. He released her hand and gestured towards the mark, which looked as if someone had grabbed her too hard.

"I'm sorry I didn't arrive sooner."

Mara's eyes flew wide and she tugged down on the sleeve. "It... it's no trouble. Really. I can't thank you enough."

Kain shrugged, his attention turning from her to the alley around them. If he let the woman be, there was a good chance she'd end up in trouble again. The late hour when combined with the town they were in added up to nothing good. Still, he'd promised the others he'd be back in a few hours. Hesitation swept through him, then he dismissed it. As long as he returned to the ship directly after escorting her, he should be fine.

"I'll walk you to your inn," he offered.

Her relief showed on her face, but she still seemed to hesitate. Her trembling hands grabbed at her skirt as her teeth chewed at her lip.

"I wouldn't want to trouble you..."

"I'd hate to save you only for something else to happen," Kain pointed out. "Let me see you to safety."

"If you insist..." she murmured.

"I do."

She relaxed somewhat, offering him a friendly smile. "Then I'd love to have an escort. We're staying at Faerie's Rest."

"Lead the way," he said, sweeping his hand out before him. "I'm afraid I'm not from around here, so I'm clueless as to where that is."

Interest flickered across her face as she gave a small nod. She took a step away from him, then paused. Spinning around, she bent down to retrieve her small blade from the dirt. She slipped the thin metal up her sleeve, then returned to leading him out of the alley. Curiosity fluttered through him as he watched her.

"You're a noble, aren't you?" he asked, waiting for her hesitant nod before continuing. "I don't think I've heard of a noble woman carrying a weapon before."

Mara chewed on her lip once again. She stayed silent for a moment, leading him into the now deserted market area. Then, she shrugged.

"Noble or not, I'm not stupid enough to walk around Nokos without protection," she replied. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks once again. "For what good it did me..."

"It gave me time to reach you," he pointed out.

A smile flicked across her lips. "I suppose so."

They fell into a comfortable silence for a handful of minutes. He found himself studying her again, attempting to figure out the nagging feeling that'd formed in the back of his mind. Something about her bothered him, but Kain had no clue what it was.

"Are you a sell-sword?"

Kain cocked his head, considering. When he and the others walked around Nokos together, it had been his intention to pose as a sell-sword hired to protect the ladies. It was the best way to draw the least amount of attention, as well as to deter situations like he and Mara had just left behind.

"I suppose."

A delighted smile appeared on her face.

"Are you free? My husband and I..." She trailed off as Kain shook his head. Her shoulders slumped, disappointment filling her features. Kain had to fight to hold back an amused smile. It seemed that Mara showed her every emotion on her face. "Oh, well... if you change your mind, although, I suppose stealing you from your current employer isn't kind, I still... Well, you know where I'm staying."

She stopped walking, gesturing towards a small inn settled only a dozen feet away. It seemed better cared for than the buildings surrounding it, but it still seemed to be a strange place for a noble to be staying.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kain reassured.

Her smile returned, along with a certain amount of curiosity. "I'd love to repay you if I could. Where are you staying? You said you aren't from here..."

"Nowhere, yet," he admitted.

"Perfect! You can stay here," she informed him, then paused, cheeks filling with color yet again. "I mean, if it's okay with whomever you work for... it's just, I could pay for the rooms as a favor... I mean, you don't have to, though..."

Kain laughed. "I'll tell them, see what they think."

She nodded, satisfied. Her gaze flitted from him, to the door, back to him again.

"Then... well... thank you, again... Kain."

"I was only doing the right thing."

She smiled. "Something not everyone does."

With those parting words, she started inside. Kain watched her for a moment, then turned to make his way back to the ship. 

A/N: And I've finally gotten to introduce Mara! Hope you guys enjoyed meeting her. 

Yay for getting the chapter out on time~!