Red Rivers and Nightmares

3. First Night

I am in Horse Shit Alley promptly at the twenty-third hour, and yet, I am the first to arrive. I start to frown but Iien and Akun arrive at the same time just moments later.

Iien takes one glance at me and I can see resignation before he looks from us and onto the wall. He is whispering as he begins my first journey, "Akun, can you jump onto the wall?"

Akun rolls his eyes and proceeds to do so with little effort, even with his pack on. Iien and I share an exasperated look, Akun tends to input attitude whenever he can.

Iien then continues with zero agitation, "Okay. I am going to throw Shizu and I's packs up. Catch them." Without much preamble he takes my pack off and then tosses them up. Akun catches them easily, once again. Now, Iien turns his attention to me, "Shizu, get on my shoulders and try to climb on the wall. After you have done that I will bring our horses through the Gate."

I hesitate to climb on as my curiosity spikes, "How?"

I barely see him raise a light eyebrow, "I bribed the guards to look the other way."

My mouth opens but he picks me up in the next second. I squeak as I move around to stand on his shoulders with the help of his hands. I lick my top lip as I slowly reach up as far as I can. I hesitate as my fingers do not reach the top but then I feel smaller hands wrap around my wrists. Akun pulls me up easily with my booted feet stepping off the wall. As soon as one of my knees make it on top of the wall I hear Iien below moving away. For those few seconds I finish making it onto the wall without Iien underneath to catch me which causes my heart to pound. However, it is not fear that accompanies it, it is the excitement of freedom. Akun gives me a look as I clamber onto the top with a wide smile on my face. I choose not to explain any of it and I jump down. Akun follows only a second later.

On the ground Akun simply stands up but I roll to my feet so that I do not risk straining or hurting my ankles in any way. I do not want to end my – our – journey before it has even begun.

I absently pat my clothes as I stand then Akun gives me back my pack. I thank him with a smile and take a moment to detach my sword from my pack and to my belt. Again, I feel thrilled but it dies quickly as I realize I forgot to ask where we are supposed to go next. I look at Akun fully then as I whisper, "Where to now?"

He tilts his head slightly, causing his unbound chestnut brown hair to attempt to fall into his eyes. After a few seconds he shrugs and his head straightens, "We should probably head towards the Outer Wall."

We are silent as we walk through the back streets. I want to take the paths that will cut through but Akun does not even seem to consider it. I honestly find it frustrating that he appears to know more about sneaking around than I do; I am older so I should know this stuff.

I straighten my expression from my pout as I realize we are approaching closer to the Red District rather than the Outer Gate. I keep silent as Akun does not actually leads us into the Red District. Instead, he takes us down a parallel path. I look at the buildings around us with interest. These ones are not nicely built. These buildings do not have the income that the whores bring to the Red District so they do not benefit. I take a second to look longingly at the brightly lit noisy area next to us, I would really wish to see the brightly and erotically dressed men and women eyeing up potential customers. Unfortunately, that will have to be for another adventure after we get back from this one.

Akun has us go down an alley so small that even children could not walk down it side by side. Suddenly, he turns a corner. I almost yelp as I try to quickly follow but end up clipping my elbow on the corner of a house. I glare at his back but he does not even acknowledge me. I huff and just as I am about to ask him to slow down, he does.