Indecent Folks

I woke up alone in the room while I found a wicker trunk on the floor. I opened it and found a stack of my dresses and a jar underneath. I shut the trunk and took a quick look at the pub. The guys were having breakfast at a table near the door, so they didn't notice me peeking at them.

"Tea?" the server behind the counter asked me.

"I'll help myself," I whispered politely before heading back to the room. I took a bath and slid the jar of Sapper into my skirt's pocket.

When I got back to the counter, I picked up a teacup while the server sat on his chair to my right and read the newspaper. I took the kettle and watched the guys carefully to make sure no one would see me yet. I poured the Sapper into the kettle and gently shook it before filling a cup. I stared at it for several seconds while my memories in Dunfield flooded me. They weren't all good, but they could've been the most memorable events in my life.

I carried the kettle and walked up to the guys. Julian was first to see me while his eyes landed on the kettle. "More tea?" I asked. He nodded while the guys gently pushed their cups so I could fill them. When I finished, I let the kettle sit at the centre of the table while Julian finally introduced his guys to me.

However, remembering their names was the last of my concern since I already feel nauseous about what will happen today. "Are you okay?" Julian asked while his hand caressed the small of my back. I nodded and braided my hair while they talked about random stuff.

"I've sent word to the security bureau. We leave tonight for the briefing," Julian told them as he sipped on his tea. He furrowed his brows and glanced at his cup before he put it down.

I sighed deeply and picked up a slice of bread. When his words finally sunk into me, I shot a look at him. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"Just us. We'll go to Midplains and report to the bureau in person so they can set up the troop and-"

Shivers travelled down my spine. "You already sent word to the bureau? What did you say?"

"Nothing yet. I can't trust the messengers. This is going to push through, Dani. I already told you."

"When are you leaving?" I asked.

"After tonight's dinner. We'll be there around midnight and travel back here first thing tomorrow, so you'll be alone until lunch. Don't worry about your safety. The owner and workers here won't snitch on us," he said like my safety was even a part of my concern.

I glanced outside the pub and noticed a woman standing from a distance. She wore an all-black dress, a pair of spectacles and a fascinator that covered her face. Her figure was familiar. When I turned to Julian, he stared at me suspiciously. "Are you okay? You look anxious."

"I'm good. It's my first morning out of Dunfield, so it feels a little weird."

"Since when did freedom feel weird?" he asked, a little amused.

I stared at him as I pondered his questions. If getting my freedom back feels weird, then maybe I'm not really free. Perhaps I just need to be compelled to finally let go of what Dunfield made me feel, whatever that is. My lips formed into a smile as I held his hand resting on his lap. "You're right. Freedom shouldn't feel weird."

We will be truly free tonight, Julian, but you have to give up that job tonight. Time went so slow, maybe because I anticipated the sunset too much. We went into the backyard of a house just beside the pub. Julian and I sat atop a knoll while the guys prepared the wagon near the stables. The sun was almost setting as I stared at the orange sky.

"Do you think I could still go back to teaching?" I asked.

"No kingdom will run out of school," he jested. A soft chuckle escaped my lips while he rested his chin on my shoulder. "Every kid will be lucky to have you as their mentor," he mumbled. "You're the best swordswoman among your contemporaries."

When we got back to the pub, my shoulders dropped when I saw something on the counter. "Are you kidding?" I asked as I sprinted towards the counter and slid the sword out of its case. It's a lightweight double-edge sword.

"In case something happens, you should have something to protect yourself. Your original sword was hard to retrieve since the coppers already turned it over to the museum, but that will do for the meantime," said Julian. "Can you believe it? You were so good as a mentor that they displayed your sword in a museum?" he asked.

I gently shook my head. "They will probably view it as the sword of a...murderer."

He hugged me from behind as I stared at the blade. "Still, I know it's important to you. And it's not like you killed for nothing. We're not a secret couple, so even the monarchy knows your reason for killing them, although you didn't speak of it during the trial." We fell silent for a while until he spoke again. "How about I steal your sword before we leave?"

I chuckled and gently slapped his arm on my waist. "Don't ruin your record just for a sword."

"You ruined your record for me,” he whispered. "And I'll forever be indebted to you. All these years, you're the best thing I ever had," he whispered.

I smiled, but my head started to wander. I can only choose one ally in my lifetime, but I preferred Rougan of all people, a stranger and someone I just met. It's a good thing that it wasn't Julian because this only meant that he was the most genuine person I ever had. He loved me, and he stayed with me willingly. No magic, no hexing.

My eyes landed on the clock while he pulled away. "Dinner should be ready in the pub. Do you like to eat outside? It may get a little noisy."

"It's fine. Let me just wash up."

"I'll wait outside, then."

I watched him walk away as I held the sword in my hand. My eyes reflected in the blade as my mind got flooded with my memories that night.

"You don't want to do this," the man pleaded on his knees with his hands tied behind him. He looked at me with his swollen eyes and spoke with torn lips while blood dripped from his cheekbones. His comrades were already dead, lying on the floor. Their blood crawled in every corner.

I took my brass knuckles off and slid my sword out of its sheath that hung on my hip. "Your greed killed a person, and he was someone dearest to me. You killed him, so you could get the bounty instead. What a work of evil." "Forgive me, Adeline. I wasn't thinking."

"Forgive me too, then. I am not thinking." I swung my sword and beheaded the last man alive in the veteran hunting troop who killed my betrothed.

The noise from the pub snapped me back into reality, so I jolted and looked around. After washing up, I went to the pub and found Julian and the others circling a table near the wall. Men and their women companions crowded the place as usual. I looked around to see if the Sunken women had arrived and noticed five familiars faces. Lauren was one of them who sat next to a man from the other table. She winked at me before looking away.

Throughout the dinner, I was shaking a little, and Julian noticed. "You look troubled the whole day. Are you okay?"

I sat straight and poured myself a glass of beer. "I'm good," I replied, watching the others drink as well.

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My eyes landed on a woman from the table to our left. She began exchanging glances with the guys, prompting them to talk about her. "I think I might want to have a little fun tonight before we leave," Edwin said with a smirk. "She's obviously into you."

I turned to Julian and pointed my thumb towards the counter. "I'm bored. Can I help at the counter?"

He furrowed his brows while his arms rested on the back of my chair. "Alright, but don't exhaust yourself."

I stood and walked up to the server as I took another glance at the women around. "Hi, can I help here?"

The server shot a look at me confusedly and glanced in Julian's direction. "Are you sure? These men won't respect anyone behind a counter. Especially a girl."

I smiled at him and walked closer. "Don't worry. I've been through worse."

"Alright, then. Those were newly washed glasses." He pointed at a tray on the side of the counter. "You may dry them off." Then he handed me a towel. I shot another look at the guys before I stood before the tray.

I served some beer at the counter afterwards while carefully watching the guys and the women. Eventually, they found themselves a partner. Lauren sat beside Julian while another woman and Edwin settled across from them. The other three scattered themselves on different tables in the pub. One pair was already making out, so I looked away and poured a glass of beer for a man sitting on the stool to my left.

Someone walked in, so I shot a look at the door. My shoulders dropped when I saw Paige walk in while some men stared at her, obviously mesmerized. She wore a simple black dress with a corsage made of black feathers pinned on her left chest. Then I figured it out; she was the woman outside the pub earlier.

She walked towards me, and I could see Julian and the others watching her. The rest were eventually distracted by the Sunken women, but Julian kept her eyes on Paige. Finally, she stopped in front of me and sat on a chair, so I pretended not to recognize her.

"What can I get you?"

"Whiskey," she replied with a small smile on her face.

I turned to get a bottle and poured the liquor into a small glass. "Enjoy."

"Can I have some peanuts?" she asked.

My eyes landed on Julian, who watched me intently, so I smiled at him before turning to the other side of the counter. I scooped a small bowl of boiled peanuts from a casserole and served it to Paige. She smiled at me while I rested my palms atop the counter. "How do we know if they were successful?" I whispered, making sure that I look like casually conversing with a customer.

"They will ask specific questions as a signal that they are finished. So I came here to listen."

I nodded and smiled at her. "How was Dunfield so far?"

"Peaceful," she implied before sipping onto her drink. Her eyes were contemptuous, and I understand if she won't easily forgive me for what I did. "Four of them were done. Your betrothed was the only one left uncompelled," she informed

me.

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I shot a look at Julian. Lauren finally got his attention back. He crossed his arms while he comfortably leaned against his chair. They were speaking fast, so they must be talking about something casual.

"Oh, so you have a betrothed?" Paige suddenly asked me, which made me confused. "That's the signal," she whispered. "She's done."

It took me a few seconds before I realized what she meant. They're now compelled. I sighed as I clenched my fist. We're successful, and we could finally go on with our lives. Like nothing happened. Like we never met.

"So once Sawyer compels me, we're free to go, right?" I asked.

"Wherever you want." She offered a handshake, so I took it. She gave me a genuine smile before getting off her chair. I watched her leave the pub while some pair of eyes followed her too.

I spent a few more minutes at the counter while the girls left one by one. When they were gone, I went back to the guys and pointed at the empty glasses. "Should I pour you another drink?" I asked. Julian smiled and shook her head as he gently reached for my wrist, pulling me to sit. He rested his arms behind me while his chin laid on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"I feel a little lightheaded. The girls were noisy," he whispered. I turned to Edwin, and he looks just as sleepy.

"I think you should sleep. You drank too much," I said.

"The room will stink. We'll get some fresh air first. Wait for us inside," he whispered before he called the others.

I took a deep breath as I watched them leave the pub. When they left, I went back to the secret room and glanced at the clock. It's almost midnight now. Sawyer must be around already.

I made myself a cup of coffee while waiting, but I jolted when I heard gunshots outside. The noise of panicking people from the pub banged in my ears as I froze in my seat. I sprinted towards Julian's bedside table and pulled a compartment to get his revolver.

I headed outside, where the men held their guns and swords as well. We stepped out of the pub while I looked for Julian and the others.

"Julian! Where are you?!" I yelled, but the crowd overwhelmed my voice.

"Get on your knees! For fuck's sake!" someone screamed behind me, and everyone ran towards the backyard of the neighbouring house. It was where we spent the afternoon earlier, so I huddled my way through the crowd and found four bodies lying on the ground.

My jaw dropped at the sight of Julian's guys, and facing them was him holding a gun in his hand. He turned to the crowd, so everyone stepped back, but I froze in my tracks.

"Julian," I whispered. The men beside me pointed their guns at him while he gave us a stern look. "What have you done?" I asked, looking at the corpses.

He shrugged and smiled at me. "The right thing," he replied before pointing his gun in his head.

"No!" I yelled along with the loud bang that blasted into my ears as he dropped to the ground. An excruciating pain rammed into my chest and travelled my entire body as I fell to my knees.