"Quiet as a mouse, she is. She won't eat much, won't make a sound neither."
"Look kid, I don't care if she's the queen of the lands, I ain't got no room for another mouse. This place is in the middle of a war-"
"That's exactly why I need you to take her in, Marcus. I don't have anywhere else to put her that's safe. I trust you."
"Well, you shouldn't."
"Fair enough. Will you take her?"
"I ain't making no promises. Besides, how do you know I won't sell her to a slaver for a bit of gold?"
"Because we both know that if anything happens to her, I'll find you, Marcus. And I'll skin you up both sides and make you wish you were dead."
Marcus scratched at the half grown beard. Astra was a hard woman and he knew that he couldn't afford to make her angry. His gaze shifted to the small girl standing between them. She wasn't more than six or seven years and the tiniest slip of a thing. She looked as though she'd hardly seen a decent meal in days and the gaunt circles under her eyes told him it had probably been more like a week. Where Astra had found the lost soul was beyond him, but he didn't question her. Not after she'd saved his life. No, he was oathbound to her.
"Marcus?"
"Aye, alright. I'll take her in. How long will you be gone?"
"Can't say. You've seen this place." Astra pointed around at all of it. "Ashan is dying, Marcus. Someone has to do something about it."
"And you think you're one to do it?"
"I don't know. Maybe." Her mouth was set in a grim smirk. Marcus knew the look well enough. There'd be no turning back at this point. Astra was determined to see it through, no matter how foolish anyone else thought it. As he opened the door and ushered the little girl inside, Marcus wondered if he'd ever see Astra again. From the looks of the city, probably not.
"Go on then. I'll make sure the girl's safe." And as Astra turned on her heel to leave, he called out as an afterthought, "Hai! What's her name?"
There was no response as Astra turned a corner and was gone from sight.
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