Hexblade's Charm

Three and then some - Market

It was one of those last warm autumn days when Hexi walked across the market in Lion's Arch. The streets were fuller than usual and he was just taking a stroll, looking at the colourful wares, occasionally stopping to take something up and examine it more closely.

Malyck had wanted to look up some more books for his research at the Grove for the past two weeks and was supposed to be back today. Happy for the last rays of warm sunshine, Hexi weaved through the masses, lost in thought. He should probably get Malyck something nice for his return. Maybe he could cook something; Rhia had taught him one or two recipes. He decided he would be able to pull this off.

The warlock sauntered over to the food section of the market, passing the usual apple stand that everyone at the guild loved so much and got together some ingredients. He started feeling a little strange and warm, so he slowed his walking, but it didn't help; something was bothering him. Suddenly, he realised that for some reason, his pants were feeling tighter than usual in the front. He frowned. This wasn't normal; he hadn't even been paying attention to the beautiful people around, and certainly had not had any thoughts in that particular direction. And sure, Malyck had now been gone for two weeks, but that should not randomly make him horny...

Confused, Hexi took active note of his surroundings. He was in one of the few places in town where the stone walls of the buildings were towering on both sides of the street and branching off into alleyways once in a while. The stands in this area were mostly selling candy and fruit; the smell of sugar hit him hard as soon as he started actually paying attention.

He stopped dead in his tracks, prompting some other pedestrians to bump into him and angrily swear at him. He ignored them.

"Oswald", he growled. Ever since their first passionate encounter in the chaotic evil maze, he had only seen the Mad King in his dreams. And even those had stopped after Malyck had started to reciprocate his feelings, and casual sex was out of the question. Still, their encounter had apparently left a deep enough impression on his brain that the smell of candy itself was enough to remind his body of the things it experienced in the maze...

"Fuck this guy", Hexi growled as the realisation came to him.

"I find that a little unfair", a deep, amused voice sounded from one of the pedestrians who passed him; the broad-shouldered man in a hooded cloak looked over his shoulder to give Hexi a wink as he strode past, and Hexi's jaw dropped.

It was him. Here, on the busy streets.

"What-" Again, Hexi swore quietly and raced after the hooded figure. He grabbed him by the arm and yanked him back. The man turned around with an almost bored grace, and he looked into the black, calculating eyes of Mad King Oswald Thorn.

"What the fuck are you doing in Lion's Arch? Get your stupid ass back across the dimensions into the Mists, where you belong!", Hexi hissed.

A passerby looked at them confused. Oswald smiled at them so they passed without comment, but his eyes remained icy.

To Hexi, he suggested: "Maybe we should take this off the streets, Heximander. I have several propositions to make."

"Just leave."

"After I have made my propositions to you, I might just do that very thing", Oswald said. "But for now, let us go over here. Noone will be able to see us if we go around the corner."

"That's not exactly what I'm going for", Hexi mumbled, but he followed.

Oswald led him with confident strides around several corners into a labyrinth of small alleyways, far away from the market. Hexi grew more uneasy the farther they left the crowd. He wondered what Oswald's plan was this time. There were no monsters to fight here, and he could not very well ask him to dance – or for anything else, for that matter – in the middle of a small alley.