1: The beginning of something captivating
“Daggers? Check! Empty purse and empty stomach? Check! Leon's Keep Grand Market? Right outside my front door! I think it's time for harvest,” Rilliana said with a broad grin, bouncing across her small room and out the door. Her blonde ponytail swung behind her as she ran through the secret tunnels. It was pitch black, but she had run through the sewers so many times that she didn't even need her good eyes to find her way. Rilliana climbed up a rope ladder and slipped through a crack in the wall. She emerged from behind some large bushes and stepped out onto the street, where she was immediately swallowed up by the crowd. The market was in full swing. Rilliana's trained eye immediately spotted a few easy targets, as the residents of Leon's Keep were far too busy watching the colorful hustle and bustle of the showmen and vendors. A paradise for any pickpocket. At a jewelry stand, Rilliana spotted a man examining a gold chain, and her nimble fingers slipped into his jacket pocket. She felt his wallet and grabbed it.
Easy money, thought Rilliana, slipping the wallet into her own pocket. She disappeared into the crowd in a flash, only to hear the man cursing loudly a moment later.
However, the young elf was already long gone, on her way to her favorite stall. It belonged to Olaf the baker, and as always on market days, the smell of his sweet, warm buns filled the entire street. Rilliana's stomach growled loudly as she followed the smell until she came to a halt in front of the stall, her eyes shining.
“Hey Rilliana, you look half starved again. Here, take one,” Olaf called out to her and threw one of the misshapen buns in her direction. Rilliana caught it deftly and hissed as she burned herself on it.
“Ah, shit! Thanks, Olaf, but tell me it's hot!” Rilliana called back, juggling the bread roll in her hands until she could safely touch it. The baker grinned broadly and leaned down toward her.
“The only way to keep your hands off my customers.”
“Cheeky,” Rilliana muttered back and bit into the bun. It tasted heavenly and she rolled her eyes.
“Is it so good that you won’t steal from my customers in return?” Olaf asked.
“I would never do that,” Rilliana said with an innocent smile and feigned indignation.
Olaf's mouth twisted in amusement and he waved her away. “Go on, get lost, you little thief,” he said with a laugh as Rilliana took another bite and walked around the corner, waving. She ran under an archway and noticed just in time that she had almost collided with two guards.
She jumped to the side and climbed a nearby staircase up onto the wall. Normally, the battlement was closed to the common people, but on market days it was opened to provide more space. Stalls were also set up here, but they were few and far between and offered strange products from foreign countries. Nothing that interested Rilliana. The elf climbed over the battlements and dropped onto a nearby building. The roof held, but creaked ominously, and she carefully walked to the edge to slide down to the ground. There was a loud bang as a window of the house opened and a woman appeared.
“Are you crazy, you lazy bum?” she shouted, so that the whole market square could hear.
“Sorry!” Rilliana shouted back, without giving her another glance, and mingled with the crowd again. Her eyes scanned the crowd for another wealthy target. Someone who wouldn't necessarily cry if a few coins were missing, and sure enough, she spotted a fat man stuffing himself with half a pig.
He can probably afford a lot, Rilliana thought, and crept up behind him. She bumped into a drunkard when he stumbled backwards into her, but Rilliana managed to make her way to the man. His attention was completely focused on the pork, and Rilliana seized the opportunity when he took a delicious bite of the meat. Her fingers moved toward a bulge in his pocket, but suddenly she was grabbed by the wrist and spun around.
“Hey, you maggot, what are you doing?” shouted a plainclothes security guard, lifting her a hand's breadth off the ground without much effort.
“I… I just wanted to shoo away an insect that had settled on the fine gentleman,” Rilliana stammered in panic, struggling against the grip, but his hand held hers like a vise.
“Are you kidding me, elf? I’ll show you what we do to thieves!” barked the guard, slamming Rilliana’s hand on the table and drawing a dagger.
“Markus, let her go,” said the fat man between two bites, “I don't want you to make a mess here. Besides, it would be a shame if this beautiful elf is innocent. If you're looking for work, come to me, I can take care of you. Harharhar!”
He laughed loudly and the guard threw Rilliana to the ground at his feet.
“Get lost before I change my mind, thief!”
Rilliana nodded quickly and scrambled to her feet. She breathed a sigh of relief and made her escape as quickly as she could.
That was close, too close.
My luck is probably used up for today, thought Rilliana, and found a quiet corner at the edge of the market, next to a few stacked bales of straw. She pulled the purse out of her pocket and counted the coins. The money would last her a few days, but she found a small crest in the purse that depicted the emblem of Leon's Keep.
A golden shield framed by roses. In it, the torch that guided travelers through the fog, and opposite it, the eagle that watched over the inhabitants of Leon's Keep with its wings. “It never watched over me,” Rilliana murmured, carelessly dropping the emblem back into the purse. Her eyes clouded over briefly as she thought about her past.
Her time in the orphanage, then on the streets of Leon's Keep. Always fighting, until her mentor found her.
“I should visit Arissa sometime…” Rilliana murmured, putting the purse back in her bag. The emblem would certainly fetch a good price.
“That should be enough for a few days,” she murmured, stepping out of the shadows.
Rilliana had had enough for today and didn't want to risk any more. She rejoined the crowds and drifted toward her hiding place when she was jostled again. She immediately sensed that something was different and that something was wrong. She quickly felt for her purse and realized it was missing.
“Who…?” she hissed and turned around. Just in time, she saw a woman with long, dark hair put the purse in her pockets and run away.
“Not with me!” Rilliana called after her and gave chase. Careful not to lose sight of the thief, she weaved her way back into the crowd.
Just as she thought she was making up ground, a broad-shouldered man pushed his way into her field of vision and prevented Rilliana from continuing. “Hey, where are you going so fast, little one?” he asked amusedly, actively blocking her path as she tried to get past. Rilliana's pulse raced and a vein appeared on her temple.
She didn't want to attract any more attention, but when he reached for her, she'd had enough. Rilliana dodged his hand and rammed her knee into his groin. He collapsed with a groan, and Rilliana simply stepped over him and kept running. Just in time, she saw the thief disappear into an alley, and she blinked when she thought she saw a tail.
“Is she a shifter?” Rilliana muttered, breaking into a sprint when she was no longer in danger of running into anyone. She had to reach the corner before the shifter realized her mistake and left the dead end. Rilliana skidded around the edge and ran into the alley. What immediately unsettled her, however, was that the shifter was standing in front of her.
Grinning from ear to ear. Rilliana had only a fraction of a second to study her counterpart. The shifter's dark hair fell gently down her back, and cat ears protruded from her head. One of them was pierced with a golden stud. Her yellow eyes and tail completed the appearance of a cat girl.
“Like what you see?” asked the thief, but Rilliana saw through the diversion just in time. Her eyes darted to the floor, where she spotted a tripwire, which she cleared at the last moment. The grin immediately disappeared from the shifter's face and she reached for a whip hanging from her hip. Rilliana used the momentum and tried to ram the shifter with her shoulder. Unimpressed, the cat girl dodged and let Rilliana run into thin air. The shifter immediately took advantage of the mistake and whipped her whip toward Rilliana. The weapon wrapped tightly around her wrist and with a jerk, Rilliana landed in the dirt again. Trembling with rage, Rilliana jumped up and grabbed the whip to make it difficult for the shifter to attack again.
“Give me my money back!” Rilliana growled, drawing her dagger.
“That's not really your money, is it?” the cat girl asked with a chuckle. Rilliana's eyes narrowed.
“Last chance.”
“Come and get it, sweetie,” said the shifter, grinning again. With her dagger raised, Rilliana leaped toward her. The cat girl drew her own dagger in a silver arc and blocked the blade.
“You've got fire in you. I like that!” she said, swinging her weapon.
A small cut appeared on Rilliana's arm, which immediately began to bleed.
“Oops, sorry,” said the shifter, licking her lips. Rilliana began to twitch and struck again. She had had enough of the shifter's games. Once again, the shifter dodged with ease and grinned amusedly.
“Are you even trying to attack me? I'm only asking because I have other things to do.”
Before Rilliana could reply with something snappy, the cat girl pulled hard on the whip, causing Rilliana to lose her balance again and stumble. The elf bumped roughly against the wall of the house and suddenly found herself between a rock and a hard place. The shifter grabbed Rilliana's arm and twisted it painfully behind her back. At the same time, she was pressed against the wall and felt the rough stone against her cheek.
“You're lucky, elf. For some reason, I seem to like you. What's your name, blondie?”
“Rilliana,” the elf hissed through clenched teeth.
“Nice to meet you… Rilliana… I have to admit, you have potential. No question about it, but you let your anger control you, you fight without thinking. Next time, try to control yourself. Then you might have a chance to get your money back. I'm going to let go of you now, and I don't want you to move. Understood?” she asked in a playful voice.
“Mhm, mhm!” Rilliana muttered, gritting her teeth.
“I asked if you understood me!” the shifter asked again, lifting Rilliana’s arm painfully.
“YES!” Rilliana replied immediately and breathed a sigh of relief when the shifter loosened her grip. Slowly, the shifter released the whip, but continued to watch the elf. She saw that Rilliana was considering her next move.
Maybe I can duck away and … Rilliana thought, but Trisha seemed to have read her mind.
“Nah!” said the shifter before Rilliana could even twitch, pressing her fingers into her throat. The elf felt something sharp pierce her skin, and any thought of escape vanished.
“We don't want to make a mess, do we?”
Rilliana gritted her teeth and nodded almost imperceptibly.
“I thought as much. Here, I'll help you,” said the shifter, taking Rilliana's hands and stretching them out against the wall of the house.
“I'll tell you what we're going to do. I'm going to leave now while you count to a hundred and continue hugging this beautiful wall. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Good girl,” said the shifter, stroking Rilliana's hair, “well then, see you next time.”
She turned to leave, but stopped after three steps, and Rilliana could hear her cursing.
“Finally found you, Shifter,” said a cold male voice.
“Faluden? How did you…?” asked the Shifter, and Rilliana heard panic in her voice.
“It's not exactly difficult when you're racing a thief and then take the time to play with her.”
“I'm just making some new friends… like you,” Trisha said with feigned confidence. “You could help me, by the way, if you find the time,” the shifter whispered to Rilliana. Rilliana just chuckled.
“29… 30… 31…” whispered Rilliana, and the shifter cursed again.
“Men, grab her,” said Faluden, and Rilliana felt the ground shake as his men approached her.
I won't get my money back, but at least the shifter will get what she deserves. Rilliana thought and grinned to herself until she heard a voice behind her.
“So we meet again, elf! Maybe we can have some fun later as a little compensation!” the mercenary whispered in Rilliana's ear. The elf's blood ran cold when she recognized the voice. It was the man she had knocked to the ground just a few minutes earlier. He grabbed her roughly by the hair and slammed her head against the wall. Instantly, everything went black before Rilliana's eyes and she collapsed unconscious.
Rilliana weakly opened her eyes. It was dark, but nothing her eyesight couldn't compensate for.
“Where am I?” Rilliana murmured and tried to sit up, but noticed that her hands were tied behind her back. The next moment, she realized that her legs were also tied together. As she struggled against the ropes, she sensed that there was another person lying next to her. She turned around and saw the shifter, who was also tied up. However, she did not seem to be conscious yet.
Rilliana turned away again and observed her surroundings while quietly working on her bonds. She was in a cage that the two women almost completely filled. Otherwise, she saw only a few stacked boxes, shelves, and a door at the end of the hallway, behind which she saw light. Freedom must lie beyond it.
“First, I have to get these ropes off, and then get as far away from this walking disaster as possible,” Rilliana muttered, trying to pull her hands out of the ropes. However, the loops were too tight, and instead of loosening, the rope only seemed to tighten.
“Come on!” Rilliana whispered impatiently, accidentally bumping into the shifter, who startled.
“What the…! Where are we?” she asked, looking around nervously.
“I thought you could tell me that,” Rilliana replied dryly and continued working on her bonds.
“Nah, no idea. I'm new in town and after you were put to sleep…” the shifter began, but Rilliana interrupted her.
“Yeah, I get it. Can you help me out here?” she asked impatiently as the shifter continued to look around.
“I'd love to, but my hands are tied.”
Rilliana paused and stared at the shifter in disbelief.
“Stop joking around and help me, okay?” she said irritably.
“I wasn't joking. Look,” said the shifter, showing her hands, which were encased in tight leather mittens.
“Oh… that makes it a little more complicated,” said Rilliana, blushing. She turned her attention back to her own restraints, which fortunately were not as extreme, and finally managed to free her wrist from them.
“Finally,” Rilliana said with relief and slipped out of the rope. Then she untied the knots around her ankles and was about to look at the cage door when the shifter said, “Hey, while you're at it, can you untie my legs too?”
Rilliana rolled her eyes but complied with the request and at least freed the shifter's legs. The mittens were secured with several locks.
“Who are these guys? They seem to really hate you,” Rilliana said when she saw the restraints. But then she turned away and fiddled with her necklace. The shifter raised an eyebrow.
“That was Faluden, one of the underworld bosses of Leon's Keep? Have you also been living here for a short time, or…”
“I probably work in a different part of town than he does,” said Rilliana, pressing two metal pins out of the necklace.
“I see… Well, our paths crossed recently, and since then he's wanted me on his team. But he can forget about that.
I can't stand the guy. However, he has some information I need, so I broke into his place. But things didn't go according to plan. By the way, I'm sorry you got dragged into this.“
”Mhmmm," replied Rilliana, but she was only half listening. She didn't want to hear the shifter's entire life story right now. Rilliana struggled to sit up in the cramped cage and began working on the lock with the metal pins. Unfortunately, her escape attempt was unsuccessful, as the lock was more stubborn than she had expected.
“Nothing is working today,” Rilliana muttered as she poked unsuccessfully at the lock.
“Hey, when you’re done trying that, maybe you could use my emergency master key.”
“Your what?” asked Rilliana, turning to the shifter.
“My lock picks. If you know how to use them, you should have better luck than with your toothpicks. It’s hidden in the heel of my shoe.”
Rilliana examined her boots, and sure enough, she saw something shiny in the sole. She carefully pulled out the lock picks and tried again to pick the lock. She turned the metal and it cracked loudly. Rilliana flinched and the shifter hissed.
“Girl, you're having no luck today.”
“I was lucky until I met you!”
“No kidding. Things went downhill when you tried to steal from Big Little John.”
“How long have you been watching me?”
“Long enough.”
Rilliana shook her head and leaned back.
“What now?” she asked, looking at the shifter.
“Wait, since our last resort is half on the floor and half stuck in the padlock.”
“Haha,” Rilliana said dryly and pulled her legs up to her chest.
“What's your name, anyway?” Rilliana muttered, lost in thought.
“Trisha,” the shifter replied without hesitation.
“Normally, I would say that I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, but I still blame you a little for getting me into this mess,” said Rilliana, closing her eyes as she leaned against the bars.
“No problem, I completely understand… hey Rilliana?” said Trisha.
“Yes?”
“You owe me a new lock pick.”
Rilliana sat with Trisha in the small cage for what felt like hours, and after boredom had taken hold of both of them, the first layer of ice began to melt. Rilliana learned that Trisha had arrived at Leon's Keep just a few weeks ago and had immediately gotten involved with the wrong people.
“What's so important that you wanted to steal from Faluden?” Rilliana asked, frowning.
“My adoptive father told me that Faluden had information about the whereabouts of my biological parents. I just want certainty, you understand?” she replied and fell silent. Rilliana said nothing. She knew only too well what she meant. Her own parents had abandoned her when she was still a baby, and since then she had lived alone in Leon's Keep. First in an orphanage, then on the streets, and not a day went by without her thinking about them.
“I must admit, I haven't seen any other shifters in a long time… or any other elves…” Rilliana murmured, and Trisha nodded.
“Father said the elves had retreated into the forests. They probably got tired of the nonsense of humans.”
“I can understand that. And they forgot about me,” said Rilliana, looking up as the door opened and several men entered.
Faluden stepped in front of the cage and studied the two women inside.
“Someone's been busy,” Faluden commented, examining the lock with the broken lockpick still stuck in it. “I'm sorry you got caught up in this, elf, but I'm always a little thorough when it comes to my business.”
“Hey, you could still just let me go and…” Rilliana began, but he ignored her and turned to Trisha.
“I kept wondering why you wanted to break into my place of all places, until I finally found the answer today, and it's in here.”
He pulled something out of his suit and waved a scroll of parchment in front of Trisha's nose.
“And since it seems to be important to you, I'd say we keep it in a safe place, wouldn't you?” he said, handing the scroll to one of his men. Trisha watched it without blinking, as if she were afraid it would vanish into thin air the next moment.
“Do it,” Faluden said, and his henchman conjured a flame in his hand that completely engulfed the parchment.
“You bastard!” Trisha said, pressing her face against the bars. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. If her hands hadn't still been trapped in the sack, she would surely have tried to scratch Faluden's face.
“Don't worry, my kitten, I've memorized the scroll, and you know my price.”
“I will never work for scum like you!”
“Well, what a pity, then I guess I can't use you either, if your opinion of me is so firmly established.”
He turned to leave. The mage stayed behind and set fire to a few of the crates in the warehouse.
“Ladies,” he said with a grin and bowed to them. Then he turned and ran to the exit. The door was closed and Rilliana heard a bolt being pushed into place.
“That's it then…” Rilliana muttered and slumped down as the flames grew larger around her.
“Not quite yet,” said Trisha, trying to kneel down. As she did so, she rubbed her shin against her boot until it slipped off her foot.
“What are you doing?” asked Rilliana.
“I didn't want to do this, but I guess we have no other choice. See my foot claws? I want you to pull one out for me.”
Rilliana stared at her bare foot and the sharp claw on her toe. Then she looked up at Trisha.
“What?”
“Don't ask stupid questions and just do it, we don't have much time.”
“How did I get myself into this!” Rilliana cursed and carefully picked up a claw.
“Be careful. You don't want to cut yourself,” Trisha murmured, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
“You don't have to tell me twice,” replied Rilliana, her fingers resting dangerously close to the sharp edge.
“On three… one… two,” said Rilliana, pulling with all her might. Trisha gasped as the elf surprised her and turned pale.
“FUCKING HELL!” Trisha yelled as Rilliana held up a bloody claw.
“Now what?”
Trisha gasped in pain and nodded toward her hands.
“Cut… cut the bag open with that, then I can try to squeeze through the bars.”
Rilliana immediately did as she was told and cut through the leather straps of the mittens. Trisha immediately spread her fingers and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Finally… that was starting to hurt,” Trisha muttered, rotating her arms briefly to regain feeling in them.
“Are you sure you can get through there?” Rilliana asked incredulously.
"Pretty sure. Shifters have a few tricks up their sleeves, and there's only one way to find out, right?“ replied the shifter, squeezing herself between the bars, but this time more deliberately and with the help of her hands. Rilliana was amazed when Trisha's head slipped through the bars, followed by the rest of her body.
”Why didn't we do that in the first place?" asked Rilliana, looking up at Trisha, who was dusting herself off and gasping for air.
“Because this,” she said, pointing to her foot, “hurts like hell and I'll be feeling it for weeks.”
“I'm sorry,” said Rilliana, lowering her head to hide her embarrassment.
“It's okay. Wait a moment, I'll get you out of there right away.”
Rilliana watched Trisha limp around a corner and heard her pick something up off the floor.
“I'll get you out with this!” Trisha said as she returned with a crowbar and placed it against the lock. It cracked loudly and the lock broke in two.
“Come on, let's get out of here before we inhale too much of the smoke!” she said to Rilliana. Both women went to the door. Rilliana supported Trisha as they walked. They tried to open the door, but a bolt thwarted their plans.
“What now?” Trisha asked, looking around the burning hall.
“Maybe we can pry the bolt open with the crowbar?” Rilliana wondered aloud. Trisha nodded and positioned the crowbar.
“Let's try it.”
She pushed, and as if by magic, the bolt sprang open immediately. Both women squeezed through, and not a moment too soon. Because in the next instant, a burning beam crashed down behind them.
“That was close,” they both muttered at the same time and grinned at each other.
“Well… thank you for this little adventure… Trisha. I'd like to say goodbye now, though…” said Rilliana, looking down at the shifter's bloody foot. “Tell me… do you have a hiding place nearby?”
Trisha grimaced and shook her head.
“On the other side of town,” Trisha replied dryly, looking at the river and the harbor.
“Then come on, let's go to mine.”
“Really? But…”
“Just come before Faluden comes back,” Rilliana cut her off and began to support Trisha again.
“Hold still, I have to take care of your claw,” Rilliana said as she tried to wash the wound with strong alcohol.
Trisha bravely held still and bit her lower lip.
“It'll be over in a minute,” Rilliana said, wrapping a bandage around the claw.
“So this is where you live?” asked Trisha, trying to distract herself from the pain with the question.
“Sure. No rent. Hidden from prying eyes and a beautiful view,” replied Rilliana, pointing up to a hole in the wall covered by a cloth. The elf tied the bandage with a small bow and sat down next to the shifter.
“There, that should be enough for now.”
“Thanks,” Trisha murmured and leaned back.
“You're welcome,” Rilliana replied and smiled at her.
“In your condition, you probably shouldn't be walking around. You can stay here until you feel better.”
“I can't accept that. How will I ever repay you?” Trisha asked, trying to get up.
“Stay down!” Rilliana ordered, pressing her down onto the straw mat with one hand and supporting herself on the bed with the other. Trisha knocked her supporting hand aside and both blushed as Rilliana fell on top of her.
“You'll find a way,” Rilliana said gently.
“One thing comes to mind right away,” Trisha said, closing her eyes and pursing her lips. Rilliana did the same and closed the distance between them.
The young elf Rilliana quietly rolled out of bed after her new girlfriend Trisha, the cat shifter, had finally fallen asleep. After an exhausting day, they had both needed each other's company. A willing ear and a soul that listened. Even though they had only known each other for a few hours, they felt incredibly connected. Rilliana watched the shifter sleep for a moment, then climbed the ladder and crept to the large gap in the wall. She opened the heavy cloth and smiled wearily. Before her lay Leon's Keep. Her home, her haven. The port city was dark, but her eyes didn't mind. She had an unobstructed view of Leon's Keep at night. She nimbly climbed onto her desk in front of the hole and sat cross-legged on it to admire the city. She let her eyes wander over the streets of her city, but as expected, there was no one out anymore. With a glance at the huge tower clock, Rilliana confirmed her assumption: it was three in the morning.
“I wonder what the view is like from up there,” she murmured, brushing her blonde hair aside and finally closing her eyes. She imagined herself standing on top of the tower, looking out at the river as the moonlight reflected off the water. Rilliana focused on the sound of the wind and the gentle murmur of the river lapping against the harbor walls. The sounds helped her to dive deeper into her meditation and process what she had experienced. A lot had happened yesterday, and after a bumpy start, they had both barely escaped with their lives. If Trisha hadn't been there, she would probably have been reduced to ashes, but without the shifter, she would never have gotten into this situation in the first place. None of that mattered right now, though. They had escaped, and Faluden thought they were dead. Now all they had to do was go into hiding and wait for the dust to settle.
The moon wandered across the night sky and disappeared while Rilliana meditated to recover from her exertions. Only when the first rays of sunlight warmed her face did she open her eyes and stretch. Rilliana heard her bed creak softly and heard a quiet yawn.
“Morning, sleepyhead, how's your claw?” Rilliana asked, hopping down from the desk and sliding down the ladder. She turned to the shifter who was rubbing her left eye and trying to tame her wild hair with her other hand. It seemed to have taken on a life of its own overnight and was sticking out in all directions.
“Oh, it'll be fine,” Trisha muttered, folding back the blanket so Rilliana could lie down next to her. The elf complied and snuggled up to her.
“You're so warm…”
“And you're freezing cold… what were you doing up there?” Trisha asked, putting her arm around the elf.
“Meditating by the open window… I don't necessarily need to sleep, and I can do it better up there. Good view of the city, you know?”
“I… guess so?” Trisha murmured just as her stomach growled.
“I suppose you're hungry?” Rilliana asked amusedly, looking up at Trisha.
“A little…” Trisha murmured, her statement underscored by another, louder growl.
“Just a little, then,” Rilliana laughed, and Trisha blushed. “Let's see what I have,” said the elf, rolling out of bed again and opening a dilapidated cupboard.
A box of cookies was the only thing inside.
“Aha! We're in luck!” Rilliana exclaimed, reaching for the box. But when she lifted it, she was taken aback. The cookies were heavier than she had expected. She shook it slightly and heard a squeak.
"Oh, come on, Nibbel? I told you not to touch my food,“ Rilliana muttered, pulling a mouse out of the box that had eaten its way through the cookies.
”Did they at least taste good?“
The mouse squeaked in agreement and scurried up her arm to her shoulder.
”You didn't tell me you had a pet," Trisha said.
“Well, between the side street where you robbed me, the number in the cage, and the beautiful night, I didn't find the time to tell you about Nibbel. He's not really my pet, either. He just comes by to raid my supplies and keep me company,” Rilliana explained, taking the mouse off her shoulder to show it to Trisha.
“Don't worry, I won't hurt you, little one,” whispered the shifter, gently stroking the mouse's head. Nibbel sniffed her hand and, after a moment's hesitation, climbed onto her shoulder. Rilliana smiled as her friends got along, but her expression turned serious when she saw the bandage on Trisha's foot.
“I assume you can't walk yet, right?” Rilliana asked, and Trisha looked at her amused.
“You want to get rid of me, huh?” Trisha asked with a grin and swung her foot out of bed.
“No, I didn't mean it that way,” Rilliana replied.
“I'm just teasing you. Let's just try,” she replied, swinging her legs out of bed and trying to stand up. Trisha's face immediately turned pale and she opened her mouth in a silent scream.
“FUUUUUCK! I THOUGHT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GET BETTER, NOT WORSE!” Trisha screamed, and Nibbel fell off her shoulder in fright and immediately crawled under the blanket.
“Let me see,” Rilliana muttered, kneeling down and carefully beginning to remove the bandage.
Trisha's toe was swollen and red.
“I'm sorry, I must have made a mistake when treating your wound. Your toe has become infected. I'll get you some medicine so it doesn't get worse, okay?” Rilliana explained and tied a new bandage around Trisha's toe.
“I guess I have no choice,” Trisha muttered and pouted.
“I'll be back soon and I'll bring something to eat.”
Rilliana put on a loose-fitting shirt and pants that had been patched several times, slung a small bag over her shoulder, and turned to Trisha.
“Take care, Rilliana,” said the shifter, extending her arms toward the elf.
“I’m just going to run a few errands. You better be careful not to bore yourself to death,” Rilliana laughed and returned the hug with a kiss.
“Rest so it doesn’t get worse,” Rilliana said gently as she broke the kiss.
With the morning came the townspeople out onto the streets. More than once, Rilliana had to squeeze her way through the crowds to get anywhere, and the delicious smell of bread rolls filled the entire street.
“Morning, Rilliana,” the baker greeted her when he saw her.
“Morning, Olaf,” she said, admiring the delicacies in front of her. “Could you give me four of those?” she said, pointing to the rolls.
“Sure… if you can pay,” he laughed, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course,” Rilliana said curtly and rummaged through her shoulder bag for a few coins. After the exchange, Olaf leaned down toward her and Rilliana pricked up her ears.
“Could it be that you've upset the wrong people?” he whispered quietly and in a serious voice. Rilliana bit her lower lip.
“Could be. Who asked about me?” she asked.
“An old guy, gray hair, long coat. Looking for a blonde thief.”
“You do know that some thieves in Leon's Keep are blonde, right?”
“He suspected the thief was an elf,” Olaf said, looking at her with concern.
“Well, that narrows the search down a bit. Thanks for the warning.”
“Take care,” Olaf said. Rilliana nodded her thanks and disappeared into the crowd.
After buying some ointment and medicine at the apothecary, Rilliana made her way back to her hideout. She took care to take detours to shake off any possible pursuers. Finally, she entered the dusty hallway and froze. Something was different. Every day she walked through this narrow, dark corridor and back again, but now, after the warning Olaf had given her… something made her uneasy. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. A smell she perceived subconsciously. Perhaps a whisper behind the walls. She could easily see her apartment door, so she could be sure that no traps had been set in the corridor. As quietly as possible, she let her bag slide to the floor. Rilliana herself crept to the door, ready to overpower anyone behind it. She swung her leg back and kicked the door with all her might, and it flew open immediately. Rilliana rushed into her hiding place and immediately stopped dead in her tracks. Trisha appeared to be unconscious and was lying tied up on the bed. Ropes stretched from her wrists to the headboard. Her ankles were also tied and firmly anchored to the foot of the bed. With one glance, Rilliana could see that the intruder had taken advantage of Trisha's injury and tied her up in such a way that she would feel incredible pain in her injured claw if she struggled too much against her bonds. Without thinking twice, Rilliana rushed to Trisha and began to untie the knots.
“Trisha! Wake up, what happened, who did this?” she asked, distraught, reaching for her daggers. Unfortunately, Faluden had taken them from her yesterday, so she worked feverishly to untie the knots by hand. Too late, she noticed that someone had crept up behind her. A muscular hand grabbed her from behind and a cloth was pressed over her face. Startled, Rilliana took a deep breath and smelled a sweet scent that immediately clouded her senses. Her thinking slowed as she tried with all her might to fight against the strong hand. But soon she had to admit defeat. Rilliana's arms grew heavy and she fell onto her side. With one last glance at Trisha, her head slumped forward and she lost consciousness.
Rilliana's head throbbed as she woke up. For the second time in two days, she had lost consciousness, and her head didn't seem to like it at all. She groaned, and only a muffled hum came out of her mouth. Something was stuck in her mouth and couldn't come out. The reason for this was a cloth that was cutting into the corners of her mouth. Rilliana tried to tear the cloth off, but her hands wouldn't obey her. Only now did she notice that her hands were tied, and when she finally opened her eyes, she couldn't see anything at all. A moment later, she felt the blindfold and a queasy feeling in her stomach. Her eyes were her most powerful weapon. Without them, she felt more than just defenseless. She couldn't get up. Her legs were tied together at the ankles and above and below her knees. Annoyed, she screamed into her gag to draw attention to herself. She heard a soft whimper from Trisha, who still seemed to be tied to the bed above her.
“Ah, you're finally awake,” said a rough male voice, and Rilliana felt someone sit down on the floor next to her. Rilliana blindly tried to crawl away from him, only to come up against a stone wall. Immediately, her head began to throb again and the stranger chuckled. He pulled her away from the wall and toward him.
“Listen, I don't want to hurt you or your little friend. It's just that you stole something from my client, and he would like it back. I would prefer if we could resolve this as peacefully as possible, don't you think?”
Rilliana nodded cautiously.
How did he find my hiding place? Was I too careless? Will he let us go? The elf thought and listened as he continued speaking.
“Good. Let's get down to business,” he continued in a cheerful and friendly voice, “I've been told that a thieving blonde elf has been roaming Leon's Keep and stole something valuable from my client yesterday. You don't happen to know where I can find his property, do you?”
Rilliana shrugged and mumbled into her gag.
“Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot, my lady,” said the stranger, loosening the knot at her neck to remove the gag. Rilliana also breathed a sigh of relief and carefully moved her jaw to get rid of the stiffness that had slowly formed.
“Will you let us go if I tell you?” asked the elf. She tried to sound brave, but she didn't believe herself.
“You have my word, if you tell me where the purse you stole yesterday is,” said the man again in his soft voice.
“The bag is in the pile of clothes in the corner by the window!”
Rilliana felt the stranger get up and go to the window. She could hear him rummaging around in her clothes until he cried out joyfully.
“I think that was good work from all of us!”
He came back to Rilliana and sat down again.
“You're lucky, elf. My client isn't interested in the money. He doesn't even know how much he had with him, so you can keep the rest. He just wants the crest back,” he said, emptying the bag over her. Coins rained down on Rilliana, rolling across the floor and under the bed.
“Tell me, how flexible are you?” he asked curiously. Confused, the elf turned her head in his direction when he suddenly lifted her legs with another rope and tied them to her hands, leaving her lying on the floor in a tight hogtie.
“I thought you were letting us go?” Rilliana asked in horror, tugging at the rope, which immediately cut into her wrists.
“I am. Here.”
Rilliana heard a knife being thrown on the floor and guessed that it had landed in one of the corners.
“Your key to freedom. And before I forget,” he said, about to gag her again as she turned away.
“Come on, we're almost there,” the man said disappointedly, but waited to hear what she had to say.
“Please wait… My friend is injured, could you give her some of the medicine before you leave? It's out in the hallway,” Rilliana pleaded, praying to all the gods that the man really did have a heart. After a moment's hesitation, the man actually stood up and went into the hallway. A short time later, he returned and administered the medicine to the whimpering shifter, even applying the ointment to her injury.
“Yeeah, that injury looked really bad. You're lucky I kind of like you, elf,” said the man, stuffing the gag back into her mouth, which she accepted without resistance this time.
“Well then, ladies. Goodbye,” he said and closed the door with a swing. Trisha groaned with relief, while Rilliana tried to crawl toward the blade. Her body rubbed uncomfortably against the floor and scraped over the coins.
The knife must have fallen in this direction, right? Rilliana thought, crawling forward, only to make acquaintance with her wardrobe the next moment. She groaned into the gag and suppressed a scream as her head felt like it was about to burst. This was going to be a long night.
“Finally, this stupid bandage can come off,” Trisha sighed with relief and let herself fall onto Rilliana's bed before she removed the bandage.
“Now you just have to be careful not to put too much weight on your foot,” said Rilliana, lying down next to her friend.
“Oh, come on, I've been resting for… a month!”
Rilliana turned to her friend with a frown.
“Trisha… you've only been living here for a week, and yes, I mean it,” Rilliana replied, “I forbid you to walk too much!”
“Do you expect me to crawl through the city on all fours? Like a common cat?” Trisha asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rilliana began to grin broadly, and Trisha looked at her blankly.
“What?” Trisha asked, but then it clicked, “No!”
Trisha immediately tried to roll away and shouted, “NO, NO, no way!”
“But that's the idea! We still have those ropes!” said Rilliana, sliding after her. Trisha froze when she felt the edge of the bed beneath her and now threatened to fall off.
“Didn't you just tell me to take it easy?” she asked as a last resort, but something stirred inside her. Trisha's curiosity was piqued, and she had to know what Rilliana was up to. The elf immediately saw the sparkle in Trisha's eyes and knew she had won. This was going to be a great prank.
“Yeah, you're probably right,” Rilliana said theatrically, standing up, “and we don't have enough room here anyway.”
Rilliana sighed artificially and turned away to hide her broad grin. Trisha bit her lower lip. She muttered something incomprehensible.
“Excuse me?” Rilliana asked, turning back to Trisha with a serious expression.
“I said we could go to my place!” she said loudly, only to cover her mouth the next moment as if she had said something wrong. Rilliana smiled. She walked over to Trisha and leaned over her. The hairs on the shifter's neck stood on end when she saw her friend's lustful grin, and she swallowed.
Rilliana pushed a branch of the bush aside and looked nervously up and down the dark street. It had been her idea, but she didn't really feel like explaining to the city guard what she was doing on the street with the shifter in the middle of the night.
“The coast is clear, come out,” whispered Rilliana, stepping out of the bush and pulling on a rope in her hand. The bush rustled and Trisha poked her head through the leaves just above the ground. Her deep red face studied the street feverishly, but Rilliana was right. The coast was clear. Still, she wasn't looking forward to what would follow.
Her tail was tucked between her legs and a slight tremor ran through her body. “Mmmmhppp…” Trisha muttered into the cloth that served as a gag to express her concerns again, but Rilliana simply pulled harder on the rope. Trisha stumbled out of the bush and stared up at Rilliana with wide eyes.
The rope in the elf's hand was connected to a belt that was fastened around Trisha's neck. Her legs were folded at the knees and secured with more ropes and padded with cloths. The same was true for Trisha's arms.
“How did you manage to find a hiding place in the upper city?” Rilliana asked curiously, without looking at Trisha to hide her nervousness.
“Mmmh… nnn… mih b'fei'n… kmmh ih dmm… z'mm, w-mm ih wmmh!” Trisha replied through the gag. Rilliana giggled. “You sound cute when you're gagged,” she said, scratching Trisha behind the ears. She leaned into her friend's hand and began to purr briefly until a gust of wind hit her and she remembered where she was: outside, in the middle of the street, helplessly bound. Rilliana noticed Trisha's panic and quickly pulled her deeper into the shadows. She knelt next to her bound friend and began to stroke her gently. “Hey, you don't have to worry, nothing will happen to us. I know the city inside and out, and we'll get you home safely. I promise,” she said calmly, looking Trisha confidently in the eyes.
The shifter hesitated, nodded, and crawled ahead. Rilliana smiled and followed her. Trisha tried to take the shortest route to her apartment, but the townspeople thwarted her plans, and Rilliana kept pulling her onto different streets. Finally, they came to a corner of a building, a few meters away from a tavern. Loud laughter and the singing of drunks filled the street. Trisha looked up at Rilliana questioningly.
“Mmm… w-mm… shall we… now…?” said Trisha, peeking fearfully out from behind her cover to see if anyone was on the street.
"You sound really cute, but I still don't understand you. Do we have to walk past there?“
Rilliana felt Trisha try to kick her and glanced down the street herself.
”It might be difficult to get past there, but…" Rilliana murmured, noticing an abandoned house at the end of the street that had an entrance through the city's underground passages. That way, they could safely bypass the tavern.
“Come this way, Kitty,” Rilliana said, gently pulling on the leash. The two friends ran across the street as fast as they could. Rilliana put the leash aside and searched the shadows for a grate in the ground.
“Somewhere around here…” Rilliana murmured, pulling a wooden board aside. Behind it, she found the grate and pushed it open so that it swung up. Rilliana carefully climbed through and stretched out her arms to pull Trisha down. Trisha hesitated and looked doubtfully at Rilliana's thin arms.
“Come on, before someone comes around the corner and sees us. I can carry you,” whispered Rilliana. Trisha nodded hesitantly and crawled to the grate. Rilliana grabbed her hips and climbed down with her friend.
“Damn. You're heavier than I thought!” Rilliana muttered as they reached the bottom of the tunnel. Trisha hissed loudly and tried to bite Rilliana through the gag, but she was quickly out of reach when she was set down on the ground.
“Out! Bad cat!” Rilliana laughed and gave her a slap on the butt. Trisha immediately blushed and turned her head away.
"So. Take care of yourself, Trisha, there might be bigger mice than Nibbel down here… Although the mice will have to take better care of you, right?
Here, as a little reward,“ said Rilliana, untying the rope from Trisha's collar. Hesitantly, Trisha took a few steps forward and then looked back at her friend.
”Come on, let off some steam before we have to sneak through the city again. Don't worry, no one uses these passages. But stay in sight!"
Trisha didn't need to be told twice and ran off on all fours as if she had never done anything else. She looked more like a puppy happy to finally get out after a long day than a shackled shifter. Rilliana thought Trisha had learned to move effectively on all fours amazingly quickly. Was it because shifters and cats were closely related, or because Trisha's tail helped her keep her balance? Rilliana made a mental note to ask Trisha about her adventure. Rilliana reached into her bag and pulled something out.
“Hey, Trisha! Catch!” Rilliana suddenly called out, and the shifter spun around. The elf had smuggled a ball outside and threw it to Trisha. Beaming with joy, Trisha lunged for the ball as it rolled toward her, but she just missed it with her arms, and the ball rolled under her into the darkness. Trisha awkwardly turned around and ran after it, deeper into the tunnel. The ball bounced off a wall and into a side passage that led deeper into the labyrinth. Rilliana's eyes widened and she wanted to quickly follow. She was about to warn Trisha when she tripped over a rock and fell flat on her face. She cursed loudly and scrambled back up, but there was no sign of Trisha.
“No… no, no, no! Trisha!?” she called, and ran off when she got no answer.
“Trisha?” she asked again. No answer. Cold sweat ran down her neck as she imagined what could have happened to Trisha. Ignoring the pain in her knees, she ran to the corner where the ball had disappeared. Rilliana didn't even slow down, but skidded around the corner, and a weight lifted from her heart when she saw Trisha crawling in front of her with a questioning look on her face. Tears ran down Rilliana's face and she suppressed a sob.
“Oh damn it, Trisha!” she sobbed and hugged the shifter, who just tilted her head in confusion. Her voice broke as she tried to explain.
“I… I thought you had run too far into the tunnels. I would have lost you and something would have happened to you. I fell and… and you were suddenly gone… I would never have forgiven myself!” she sobbed, hugging Trisha tightly. Trisha let her have her way and nudged Rilliana with her nose.
“It's better if we leave it for today,” Rilliana said between her tears and was about to untie Trisha when she resisted her grip and pulled away from Rilliana.
“Hey, what's that about? Come here so I can untie you!” Rilliana said, following her. Trisha dodged her and shook her head.
“Do you… do you want to continue? Do you really want to go through with this?” Rilliana asked incredulously, wiping the tears from her face. Trisha nodded determinedly and looked up defiantly at the elf. As tears ran down Rilliana's cheeks and she sobbed, she began to laugh.
“As… as you wish. Come here,” Rilliana murmured, sitting down on the floor. The shifter beamed, lay down next to her, and rested her head on Rilliana's leg. The elf stroked Trisha's back until she began to purr again.
“May I… may I remove your gag?” the elf asked cautiously, and Trisha nodded after a moment's hesitation. Rilliana untied the knot and removed the cloth from Trisha's mouth. The shifter groaned softly as she moved her jaw to regain feeling in it.
“Trisha… these last weeks with you have been the best I've had in a long time… and… when I lost sight of you just now… I panicked, you understand? I…” Tears rolled down Rilliana's face again as she struggled for words. Trisha looked at her friend sympathetically and raised an arm as best she could, placing it on Rilliana's.
“You don't have to say anything… it was stupid of me to rush ahead like that and burden you with so much,” Trisha said, smiling at Rilliana.
“You burden ME? Which one of us turned the other into a helpless kitten?” Rilliana asked, wiping away her tears.
“I put all the responsibility on you and didn't take your… inexperience into account, and I'm sorry for that,” Trisha said seriously, moving a little closer to Rilliana.
“But I lost sight of you, it's my fault,” said the elf.
“Both of our faults…” Trisha corrected. Rilliana didn't look convinced.
“Besides, I have a little more experience in this area, I would say,” Trisha added, trying to straighten up again. “Come on, we have to get there before it gets light. We have a cozy bed waiting for us.”
Rilliana was about to ask what she meant, but Trisha had already taken a few steps forward and glanced back over her shoulder invitingly.
“Come on!”
Rilliana nodded and wiped away her tears before getting up and running to Trisha.
The shifter did not leave Rilliana's side until they reached a hole that led into the basement of the ruin. With the tavern behind them, the two friends made their way to the wall that separated the upper city from the lower city.
“Are we there yet?” Rilliana asked, glancing nervously at the moon, which was already dangerously low in the sky.
“Almost,” Trisha replied, breathing heavily, and disappeared behind some bushes. Rilliana pushed aside some branches and found herself standing in front of a heavy gate that blocked their way.
“Now what?” the elf asked.
“Press that stone over there,” said Trisha, pointing with her elbow to a stone with a small cat symbol on it, which she couldn't reach in her position. Rilliana pressed it, and the gate slid aside so that the two of them could squeeze through. They walked down a corridor until they stood in front of a wooden door.
“Take my key,” said Trisha, offering Rilliana her butt. Rilliana gave her a slap and Trisha flinched in surprise.
“I MEAN MY APARTMENT KEY!” hissed Trisha, her pulse racing.
“I couldn't pass up the opportunity,” Rilliana replied, grinning broadly as she searched for the key. The door opened quickly, and Rilliana's jaw dropped when she saw what Trisha called home. Red carpet had been laid throughout the room, and a four-poster bed stood against the wall. Several wardrobes, undoubtedly filled with countless items of clothing, lined the opposite stone wall, interrupted only by a door.
“Make yourself comfortable, Rilliana,” Trisha said, trying to climb onto the bed. In vain.
“What, how? Why?” Rilliana asked, shocked, pushing her friend onto her huge bed.
“Can't those questions wait until later? I'm a little tired.”
“Yes… yes. Of course,” said Rilliana, still confused, and sat down next to Trisha.
“Who are you?” asked Rilliana, looking nervously at her still-bound friend. Trisha just rolled her eyes.
“Untie me, then I'll explain!” she demanded, trying in vain to roll onto her back on the soft bed. She groaned with the effort, fidgeted briefly, and then just lay there, breathing heavily.
“A little help, please!” she whined, looking up at Rilliana imploringly.
“Of course, here.”
Rilliana helped her turn over and began to untie the knots. A short time later, the two were lying under a cozy, velvety red blanket, warming each other.
“So…?” Rilliana finally asked, waiting curiously to hear what Trisha had to say.
“So…” Trisha said, seeming to struggle for words, "where should I even begin?
Basically, it's like this… You and I are very similar in the way we grew up. The only difference is that I was adopted by a wealthy man from the next town. He… my father and his daughter became my new family and… we lacked for nothing. He taught me and I played with his daughter Celine and… mmmh."
Rilliana saw that something was weighing heavily on Trisha, and she squeezed her hand under the blanket.
“Trisha… you don't have to worry. I won't judge you.”
Trisha looked up, looking tormented.
“My father is one of the lords of Goramag, and he taught me not only how to fight, but other things as well.”
“Other things?”
“Look, Rilliana, I don't really want to talk about it… I… don't do that anymore.”
Rilliana nodded. She understood that whatever it was, it was weighing heavily on Trisha and it was better not to ask any more questions.
"The fact is, I enjoyed being with them. Even after his daughter moved away, he still treated me with love. I also enjoyed visiting Celine and…“
Trisha suddenly fell silent and began to tremble.
”Trisha?“ Rilliana murmured, alarmed, and held Trisha close.
”It's okay… Celine can't hurt you!"
That seemed to bring Trisha back, and she looked at Rilliana in confusion.
“What? No, my sister is… weird, but… she's okay, just…”
“Hey. It's okay, Trisha. Let's not talk about your sister right now.”
Trisha nodded and cleared her throat.
"Despite all the love I received from my new family, I still wondered where my biological parents were. Why had they left me alone? The questions you've always asked yourself. So my father helped me gather information, and we found out that one of his rivals, Faluden, probably had something to do with my parents' disappearance, or at least knew something about them. However, he caught me. He was impressed by my abilities and wanted to recruit me, but as you know, I refused."
Trisha raised an arm and pointed to the rich furnishings of the room.
“My father set this up for me so that I would have a place to live in Leon's Keep while I dealt with Faluden. He has good connections, which made things a lot easier.”
Trisha finished her story and waited for Rilliana to respond. She just looked at her with an expressionless face. Trisha was slowly getting nervous.
“Please… say something.”
Rilliana opened her mouth, but immediately closed it again.
"Trisha… what do you want to hear from me? Do you think I would judge you or turn my back on you because you're the daughter of a lord? Besides, I also have a few secrets and contacts in the city, and I'm far from being an innocent lamb. Come here," she said, hugging Trisha tighter. The shifter returned the hug and breathed a sigh of relief.
“You have to show me around later. I bet we can have a lot of fun here.”
Trisha giggled.
“If only you knew,” she replied, closing her eyes, “but please let me sleep for a few hours first.”
“Of course…” said Rilliana, trying to close her own eyes to sink into meditation.
Rilliana blinked. She was still lying in the four-poster bed next to Trisha, who was breathing calmly and contentedly. The elf smiled and slipped carefully out of bed without waking Trisha. She put on her tight leather pants and slipped on her shirt, which fell loosely over her body.
Trisha won't mind if I take a little look around now, will she? Rilliana wondered, opening one of the wardrobes. Inside were countless items of clothing in various colors. The other wardrobe contained darker robes, perfect for nighttime thefts, as well as knives and daggers in various shapes and lengths. The only thing missing was the door between the two closets. Rilliana opened it a crack and peeked inside. A corridor with two doors on the left and two on the right came into view. Rilliana looked at Trisha, who was still fast asleep.
“She won't mind,” whispered Rilliana and disappeared behind the door. She immediately opened the first door on her left and found herself in a large room with countless books and a large sofa. In the corner of the room was a desk with a dozen scrolls stacked on it. Rilliana couldn't believe how big Trisha's apartment must be and how much money her father had spent to make it all possible. She hastily closed the door, not wanting to be caught snooping through the important documents. Instead, she opened the door opposite. Rilliana's jaw dropped when she discovered Trisha's bathroom, the largest she had ever seen. Everything was covered in white stone slabs, and in the corner stood a bathtub that could easily accommodate at least four people. A toilet and sink completed the picture. Rilliana considered taking a bath, but held back. She would rather bathe with Trisha when she woke up. She left the room and continued down the hallway. Rilliana opened the left door again and found herself in an empty room. On the opposite wall was a panel engraved with symbols. Rilliana couldn't read the strange writing, but her curiosity got the better of her and she went over and turned a knob, but nothing happened, so she pressed one of the symbols. Immediately, the panel began to glow and flash.
Hesitantly, Rilliana withdrew her hand and wondered if she had done something wrong when the light began to flash faster and faster. Suddenly, the door slammed shut and Rilliana was locked in. “Trisha?” Rilliana asked fearfully, but she received no answer. The room lit up and Rilliana held her hands over her face to protect her eyes.
When the light faded, Rilliana heard a beep, as if the room was telling her it was ready. Rilliana lowered her arms, and again she didn't know what had happened. Button-sized holes had appeared all over the walls, scattered haphazardly. A number flickered on the closed door, slowly counting down. Seeking help, Rilliana turned to the panel, but the symbols still meant nothing to her. Rilliana became frightened and looked around in panic, but she could find neither an off switch nor an escape route. The number zero appeared on the door and Rilliana braced herself for anything, but nothing happened.
“Um… can I go now?” Rilliana asked, but suddenly a rope shot out of one of the holes in Rilliana's direction, narrowly missing her and getting caught on the wall behind her.
“What the…?” she asked, ducking under another rope that shot toward her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that another number had appeared on the door, and her heart sank when she saw 179, which was not counting down, at least not by the second.
“You're not serious, Trish,” Rilliana said. She ran to the door and tried in vain to open it. After several attempts to pull it open, she realized it was locked and quickly let go as more ropes shot in her direction and anchored themselves to and next to the door. By now, the ropes were stretched across the entire room like a spider's web, and Rilliana didn't want to find out what would happen if she touched one, let alone got caught in it. She managed to dodge them once more, but then her luck ran out. A rope shot past her head and she ducked again. Rilliana noticed too late that another rope was being shot at her from the door, hitting her so hard in the back that it swept her off the ground and hurled her unhindered into the jungle of ropes. It happened just as she had feared, and from one moment to the next she was helplessly tangled in the ropes. The room continued to shoot ropes in her direction to minimize her chances of freeing herself. Rilliana struggled as best she could, but every movement seemed to make her situation even more hopeless. Suddenly, she felt a rope being tied between her legs, whereupon she immediately stopped her attempts to escape and blushed red. The only thing she could move now was her head, so she had no choice but to hang in the ropes like a puppet, a hand's breadth above the ground. Her arms and legs protruded from her body at different angles, and every movement tightened the ropes.
“Trisha?” Rilliana asked anxiously, sweat dripping from her forehead as the rope between her legs pressed deeper and deeper into her leather pants. However, she had no time to rest as another rope shot toward her head, and she leaned back. The rope whizzed past her nose and she felt the urge to sneeze. She tried with all her might to resist the reflex, but it was a hopeless endeavor as she finally had to sneeze and her whole body shook. Rilliana screamed loudly as the ropes around her tightened and the rope between her legs dug even deeper into her. The rope in front of her nose pressed into her eyes and wrapped around her head.
“Trisha!” Rilliana screamed in sheer panic. The next rope could wrap around her neck, and she didn't want to imagine what would happen to her then. She groaned with relief when she finally heard her friend's footsteps. There was a click, and the door opened behind her. Rilliana felt a weight lift from her shoulders.
“Rilliana? Are you in there? I can't open the door completely. Please tell me you haven't touched anything,” Trisha's nervous voice came from the door.
“Let's put it this way… I touched something and now I'm hanging around here a bit. Why do you need a room that shoots ropes at you?”
Trisha laughed out loud.
“Among other things, it's my training room. I can set all kinds of things in there. Why do you think I was able to defeat you so easily?”
Rilliana groaned as she remembered her miserable defeat and steered the conversation back to more pressing issues.
“And when can I get out of here?” Rilliana asked, annoyed.
“It depends. What number is on the door right now?”
“I don't know. The last time I saw it, it said 179,” Rilliana said nervously, fearing the worst. Trisha laughed again.
“So you managed to set my training room to restrain you and not let you go for the next three hours. Respect!”
“Three hours?” Rilliana asked, horrified. “Can't you get me out sooner?”
"Well, I could, but then I'd have to squeeze through the door, cross the room, and go to the blackboard, but unfortunately, I still have to rest my claw a little, and I don't feel like hanging next to you for three hours because of a little slip-up. I'll come back later. Have fun!" Trisha called, laughing again and closing the door. Rilliana was speechless once more. She was about to shout something after Trisha when a rope closed around her mouth, effectively gagging her. With her last ounce of strength, she tried to free herself, but the room had other plans, and Rilliana gave up when the ropes tightened around her. Annoyed, she exhaled through her nose.
She knew Trisha wasn't to blame for her situation, but she still felt a little cheated and hoped she could get revenge somehow. Rilliana began to tremble slightly as the rope slid deeper into her crotch.
Maybe it's not so bad in here after all.
Trisha shook her head with a smile and went back to the bedroom. She had panicked briefly when she couldn't see Rilliana anywhere, but then she noticed the open door to the hallway and heard the blonde elf calling and whimpering.
“Damn it, Rilliana. What are you doing?” she muttered, snuggling back into her blanket.
Rilliana had a dreamy expression on her face after Trisha finally got her safely out of the training room. She lay motionless on the floor and barely reacted to Trisha picking her up and carrying her to the bathroom. The tub was already filled with hot water and the foam was rising above the rim. Trisha carefully undressed her friend and placed her in the bathtub. Rilliana groaned.
“I'm in heaven,” she said softly, sinking deeper into the water.
“Not quite,” laughed the shifter, climbing in herself and lying down next to Rilliana. After their last adventure, there were clear rope marks all over Rilliana's skin. Trisha admired the marks and ran her fingers over one of them. They adorned the elf like ornaments.
“You look like a work of art,” she whispered and began to massage the elf, “my work of art.”
Rilliana bit her lower lip and enjoyed her friend's touch and the warmth of the water. Two friends had their eyes closed and Trisha had her arms wrapped around Rilliana from behind.
“Trisha?”
“Mmmhmm?”
“It's no coincidence that you have a room that shits ropes on you, right? You like that?”
Trisha giggled softly.
“You do too.”
“I do, but… why? I… I don't understand. I mean, when that stranger attacked us, I was scared for you… for us. But it was still…”
“Interesting? Funny? Exciting?”
“It was… arousing. Thrilling and…”
Rilliana's voice became a whisper and she blushed. Finally, she cleared her throat and said,
“You also said in the tunnels that I was inexperienced, but what am I inexperienced in? I thought it was just a funny prank to turn you into a cat, but it was… different fun.”
“Well, Rilliana. I think you've acquired a taste for bondage. And you're already deep in a swamp full of ropes.”
“Bondage?” asked the elf, letting the word roll off her tongue, “I think so? Can you teach me?”
Trisha giggled.
“I think you're already well on your way to learning more about bondage. I wanted to talk to you about it anyway after our little adventure last night.”
“Mmmmm.”
“Is there something else on your mind?”
“Can you train me?”
“You just had an adventure with ropes,” said Trisha, and Rilliana shook her head vigorously.
“No! I mean fighting! Teach me how to fight like you! I want to get so good that I can dodge all those ropes!”
Trisha opened one of her eyes.
“I saw what you did in my training room… believe me, I'm not THAT good,” Trisha replied.
“Still! When we first met, you made me look like a beginner too.”
“Yes, that was a pretty embarrassing performance you gave.”
“Oh, come on,” said Rilliana, breaking free from the embrace and drifting to the other side of the tub, “I wasn't that bad.”
Trisha furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms.
“Well, yaaaaaaaa…”
“Stop! Stop! I don't want an answer to that. I get it.
Can you teach me how to fight now or not?“
”Heh. I think that's going to be a pretty difficult task.“
”Don't exaggerate.“
”But I accept this NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE task!“
”Trisha…“
”It could be dangerous! Very dangerous!“
”Are you serious?“
”We'll start today!"
“Wait, today?” asked Rilliana, but Trisha didn't seem to be listening to her and got out of the bathtub. With her fist raised high, she stood in front of Rilliana, water dripping from her bare breasts. Rilliana's mouth fell open and she stared at her friend longingly.
“It's best if we do it now! Right away!”
“Wait… what?” asked Rilliana as Trisha jumped out of the bathtub and pulled the elf behind her.
“Wait, Trisha! What do you mean?!” cried Rilliana as Trisha dragged her behind her, laughing maniacally.
“Trisha? I thought you wanted to teach me how to fight, not bondage,” asked Rilliana.
She looked nervously at the device Trisha was fiddling with. She couldn't see exactly what Trisha was doing, and she couldn't see over her shoulder either, as she was helplessly tied to a chair with ropes and was getting more and more nervous.
“Trisha? Come on, say something…” said Rilliana, watching Trisha reset a pointer on the device.
“Do you remember what I told you when I pinned you against the wall?” she asked, nodding briefly at the device and turning to her friend.
“That I let my emotions guide me too much?”
"Right, now I want to see how you react under pressure so I can get a clear picture.
Emotions are good in a fight, but too many of them and you'll lose. The same goes for stress,“ Trisha said, pointing to the device.
”This device will activate as soon as I leave the training room. After that, you'll have an hour to free yourself, otherwise it will explode and there will be quite a mess."
Rilliana's blood ran cold.
“You're not serious, are you? Trisha, get me out of here right now!” demanded Rilliana, looking fearfully at the bomb.
“Don't worry, Rilli, I have every confidence that you can free yourself and defuse the bomb. You just have to press this button here,” said Trisha, pointing to a large red button on top of the bomb.
Rilliana looked down at her body and examined her restraints. Her hands were fixed behind the chair and a rope led from them to her feet, so she couldn't touch the floor. Other ropes were wrapped around her body, pressing her against the back of the chair. There was also a rope that Trisha had threaded through Rilliana's crotch and connected to the other restraints. In disbelief, Rilliana looked up at Trisha, who was now approaching her.
“Trisha, could we nimmmh, hmmhh!”
“Naaahh, don’t worry. Just try to escape. An hour is more than enough time,” Trisha interrupted, stuffing a cloth into her mouth, sealing it with another, and securing it to Rilliana’s neck. They both listened as the bell at Leon's Keep rang seven times.
“Oh! Perfect. See you in less than an hour,” Trisha said cheerfully, hurrying to the door and waving goodbye to the elf. Rilliana watched her go with a mixture of anger and fear, but she had no choice but to try to accomplish the nearly impossible task. The bomb began to tick, and panic immediately seized Rilliana's heart. At first, she tried to tear the ropes apart, struggling with all her might. But they only seemed to get tighter, just like a few hours ago. Once again, she became aware of the rope between her legs. Her head flushed red as it pressed into her pants.
“MMHHMMAAA!” she screamed through her gag, but the shifter did not show herself.
In Trisha's study, the catgirl sat down in a cozy armchair at her desk. Her fingers wandered over a few buttons until she found the right one and the wall in front of her became transparent. Through the glass pane, she had a clear view of Rilliana and her struggle against the ropes. Trisha watched with amusement.
“Listening and planning are probably not her strengths,” Trisha muttered with a grin and rested her head on her arms.
In the training room, Rilliana fought a futile battle against the ropes. Every pull, every twist, and every jerk of her body was punished with a tug between her legs. Exhausted, she let herself hang in the ropes and glanced at the bomb. Fifteen minutes had already passed and she had made no progress. Sweat ran down her face and tickled her. Annoyed, she shook her head to get rid of the drops, but to no avail.
Trisha would never put me in danger, would she? I need a different strategy. She thought, trying to calm herself. Rilliana began to feel her bonds, searching for a knot. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found one.
“Mmmmh?” she murmured, trying to see the ropes over her shoulder. The knot was rock hard, and Rilliana turned pale when she realized her mistake.
I'm such an idiot, Rilliana thought and began to pick at the rock-hard knot with her fingernails. Her fidgeting had tightened it, and now she feared that all the others were the same. Her fingers could hardly find a weak spot. Nevertheless, she did not let herself be deterred and kept trying until it loosened. She breathed out contentedly when one of the ropes came loose and glanced at the bomb. She froze. Another quarter of an hour had passed. The calm she had worked so hard to achieve was gone in an instant as she feverishly searched for another knot, now that she had more room to move. With each new knot she loosened, she was able to move more and more until all she had to do was loosen her hands and legs. A bell rang and Rilliana looked up in fear.
FUCK, FUCK, FUCK! ONE! Rilliana counted in her head and continued to struggle with the ropes, because after all the movement, they had become particularly tight.
TWO! Would Trisha come in and rescue her?
THREE! Just a little bit more and I'll be free.
FOUR! Done! I can untie my legs later!
FIVE! She tied my legs to the chair again?
SIX! Trisha, please!
SEVEN! Done! Now just the button!
On the other side of the wall, Trisha sat with a devilish grin, counting each chime aloud.
“Seven… Eight!”
A loud bang echoed through the wall, and even Trisha flinched in shock as the whole room turned white. The door flew open and foam poured out. Trisha could barely suppress her laughter as she heard the soft popping of the foam bubbles and then:
“TRISHAAA!”
The door to Trisha's study slammed open and a foam-covered Rilliana stood in the doorway. Trisha couldn't hold it in any longer and began to laugh loudly. She pounded her fist on the table and held her stomach. Rilliana wiped the foam from her face and glared at the catgirl, who couldn't seem to stop laughing.
"Bahahahahahaha! Your face! And all that foam! Oh, you should have seen it!“
”Was this all just a stupid joke to you?“ Rilliana asked angrily, wiping the foam off her arms.
”What? No! It's all part of the training!" Trisha said seriously. But a second later, she started laughing again. Rilliana just stared at her darkly.
“Come, sit down. I'll explain it to you,” Trisha said quickly, pointing to the sofa next to her. Grumbling and cursing, Rilliana walked over to Trisha and wiped off the rest of the foam.
“Now I'm curious,” Rilliana muttered and sat down.
"Basically, it was a repeat of our fight… just less bloody, but you failed for the same reasons as last time. You acted rashly and tightened the knots so much that you only made it harder for yourself. Besides, you didn't keep an eye on your surroundings, otherwise you would have seen the knife behind you the whole time. You could have just tipped over the chair and freed yourself. For a moment, I thought you had seen it, but… well.“
Rilliana felt like an idiot.
”But that's why we practice. So you can make your mistakes in a safe environment.“
”And making a fool of myself is just a tiny bonus, right?"
“Twenty-five percent. A little revenge for dragging me through town tied up.”
“Haha,” Rilliana said dryly and lay down on the sofa. Trisha suppressed a laugh as the foam from Rilliana's back spilled out from under her on both sides.
“Not a peep.”
“I won't say a word.”
“Mmmmhmm, sure.”
“Come on, you deserve something tasty to eat. How about fish?” Trisha asked, standing up and taking a few steps toward the door. Rilliana's mouth watered. When Trisha cooked fish, it was always a feast. Her anger immediately vanished, and she hurried over to Trisha, trying to get past her.
“Rilliana, haven't you forgotten something?” Trisha asked, pulling hard on the rope between Rilliana's legs. The elf cursed loudly as her legs gave way beneath her and she fell to the floor, her face bright red.