Work

"You cannot work," Faith put herself between me, and my horse, "I doubt you even have the strength to lift your saddle onto your horse. Let alone ride him."

"I don't have coin," I snapped, "Therefor I have to work."

"I'll buy you food," Faith stopped him again.

I paused at that.

"Clothes," Faith takes advantage of the pause, "Shelter. Everything you could possibly need."

"If I had seen you last night," I stood to my full height slowly, "Your head would have already rolled." I paused, letting the full weight of my words sink in, "Now it would be a good idea for you to stay away from me."

I didn't want to kill a woman, and lucky for me she would be written off as crazy if she told anyone what she had seen. I hoped the threat would be enough to keep her off of me for a while. At least long enough for me to disappear once again.

"No you won't be doing anything," she grips my shoulder tightly.

"Let..." My body stiffens.

I try to move, but beyond breathing I can't move a muscle.

"I'm an apprentice mage," Faith lets go slowly, "And you are a weak young man who isn't far from starvation. You simply don't have the strength to transform again."

She picks up my saddle, and swings in onto my horse. My horse fidgets. He's well trained, but Faith isn't his rider.

"Shhhh," she offers him a treat that materializes in her hand, "It's alright."

I stare daggers at her as she continues to ignore me.

"Even if you were to transform now," Faith eases my bridle onto my horse, "You would most likely die. If you could transform on your own than you would have done it now. You see transformation type magic is very sensitive to the emotional state of their user. You are very angry now, and would have transformed at least partially by now."

I still could not move or respond in any way.

"Which means you do not transform on your own," Faith turns to me, "Now you are going to listen to me, and listen well."

I blinked slowly. Which was the first movement I'd been able to make on my own since being frozen.

"You have a very powerful curse on you," Faith looked me in the eye, "Now I personally would like to observe how this curse reacts when you are at full strength, and now on the verge of death, but I was sent out here with a goal to accomplish. I need a capable swordsman to train the king's army as well. Now I have a deal to offer you."

Whatever she had done to me was starting to wear off.

"You can act as my bodyguard until I get back home," Faith smiles tensely, "I will buy all your clothing. All your food. All your shelter. I will not share your secret with anyone, and if you like the work you've been given you can continue working with me."