Wanted

"Good morning, lovely." Erico greets when Ragna opens her eyes.

"No."

"No?"

"I am not awake yet." Erico chuckles as she snuggles against his chest. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her closer to him.

Erico is silent for a moment, he gently strokes her long red hair. All this talk about Bluevale has gotten him tense. He could barely sleep last night. He also heard Ragna's conversation with Gary, which got him thinking. She is somewhat right, every time he hears the word he gets so angry he breaks things.

'I was not in a state to fight when they rescued me back then, but I am stronger now. I would love to find that bastard and break every one of his fingers.'

"Sweetheart." Ragna moans. "Do you really want to go to Bluevale?" Her eyes fly open and she pushes away from him to meet his eyes.

"You heard us?"

"I did." Ragna eyes him for a moment.

"I just feel like it would do us both good to visit that place again."

"Kill a sorcerer or two, is that what you want to do?"

"Or ten." Erico smiles. "And fight the monster who did those things to you. Give him a taste of his own medicine before killing him."

"But sweetheart, you know how dangerous that place is."

"Yes, but this time it will be different." Ragna caresses his face. "That client is going to hire mercenaries, we will have more people this time, and we already know what to expect so we will not be taken by surprise like last time."

"You can never know what to expect in Bluevale."

"Now you sound like Gary." Ragna pouts.

"Well, he knows what he's talking about." He kisses her forehead.

"Can you at least promise me to think about it?"

"I promise." He grins at her. "Do you want to know what I'm thinking about right now?" She smiles.

"I know exactly what you are thinking about right now." In a swift move, Erico is on top of her. Ragna squeals before giggling.

"I love you so much, my love."

"I love you too, Erico." He gently brushes his lips against hers before claiming her mouth in a more passionate kiss. The two lovers spend the next couple of hours in bed, making love.

"Can we just stay in bed today?" Ragna asks while caressing Erico's chest. He chuckles.

"Trust me, sweetheart, I want to stay in bed with you all day, but we have a tavern to run." Ragna moans in disappointment.

"Alright, but only if you make me meatloaf later."

"Your wish is my command, m'lady." Ragna bursts out laughing and kisses him.

***

Siv takes fast steps to the Blue Tavern. She has been a bit paranoid after selling all that jewelry. She looks behind her more than twenty times to make sure nobody is following her.

'It is a lot of money.'

She sighs in relief when she enters the bar and sees Gary sitting at one of the tables.

"Good day Mister Gary." Siv greets as she sits next to him.

"Miss Gene."

"So, is everything ready for the trip?" Siv asks as she pulls out a pouch full of Topaz from her pocket.

"Yes, I have already contracted a few men, and more will meet us at Bodo."

"That is great." Siv gives Gary the seventy percent they had agreed upon. Thankfully, after she sold her jewelry she had more than enough money to pay for the whole journey and live comfortably for a few months.

'It was crazy how much money the jewelry was worth.'

"Thank you, Miss Gene." Gary says before checking the available balance on the Topaz, using his bracelet.

"I should be the one thanking you for agreeing to take me there."

"Well, you should thank me after we return, if we do."

"Sure." Siv shakes her head.

'Is he still trying to scare me off?'

"So, we leave tomorrow?"

"Yes, let us meet at dawn at the South Gate."

"Alright, I will see you tomorrow then." Siv walks to Ragna and gives her her cut. "Thank you for your help."

"I hope it all goes well for you, and you get to rescue your friend."

"Thank you." She really wants to ask the redhead for the drink she had the first time she came to her tavern, but that would raise some suspicion. It was quite a unique drink, and Ragna even said that nobody ever orders it, especially women. Not that a lot of women visit her establishment anyway. Siv just gulps and decides to just walk away.

"Take care, Ragna."

"You too, Gene." The tavern owner watches as the young woman leaves.

"I have to go too." Gary announces as he walks toward the door. "Still have a few things to take care of, but I will be back later."

"Alright." He hears Ragna say before the door closes behind him.

He starts walking toward Gustaf's shop, he still needs to get a few things for the journey, things that he can only buy from his friend.

"Are you following me?" Gary halts when Gene steps in front of him.

"What? No, why would I?"

"Then why have you been walking behind me?"

"Umm, maybe we're both heading in the same direction." Siv eyes him for a bit.

"Fine."

'What an odd woman.'

Gary steps to the side to continue to his friend's shop, when he glances at the posters being glued by a royal guard to one of the nearby walls. Then he takes a second look.

"Shite." He pulls his hood to hide his face.

"What is it?" Siv asks but she sees the posters before Gary answers her.

'Oh, shit.'

There are two posters, one with Gary's face and one with hers. She can't read the text from this far, but she can imagine what it says. She quickly puts her hood on too, which earns her a peculiar look from Gary.

"Why are you hiding?" He asks.

'He is right, why the hell am I hiding? I am a different person now.'