A TALE OF CAGES AND VINES (COMPLETE)

PART 8 - WEAKENING

Weakening

Another thug handed over to the guards and another bag full of diamonds being placed in Hunter's hand as Dev watched from her horse. She was now twenty summers and already tired of chasing down men just for her Master to use the money at a bar for him to drink and exchange stories with other guards.

Bars.

There were now bars on her land. Filthy places where men went to drink and meet women to...she shook her head at the acts performed there.

Hunter , as he was coming back with a grin, it slowly died when he saw the look on his helper's face," What is it now?"

Not wanting to alert him to her thoughts, she simply sniffed and looked away, "You promised that I could visit Ferdinand after this one? Are you still keeping your word?"

"You just saw that Minotaur last moon!" He exclaimed as he got on his horse and urged it go forth.

Once their backs were to the guards, Dev pushed her hair away from her face and she glared at Hunter," I want to see him again. Plus, it's a chance for you to drink again. It is a win-win situation for us."

Hunter huffed," I regret teaching you that concept."

"Are we going Master?" She asked again.

Hunter nodded but he was still unhappy.

That was all she needed. Digging her heels into her horse's side, it took off down the path with Hunter calling out for her to slow down.

She grinned over her shoulder," Keep up, Master!"

The ride took them through a field of flowers and past a hill. They rode over a bubbling brook and she stopped to pick some Makena before mounting her horse. They continued on riding and this time, they were side by side. Finally, the scent of salt hit her nostrils and she grinned as she cut through a grove before breaking through the woods.

The Blue greeting her from her left when she brought her horse about. A tall three-story building with a stable to the left side of the building stood them. The Shady Rest was etched onto a log that sat up on the foot of the building.

When they arrived at the Shady Rest, she grinned and got off her horse before racing into the bar.

As the doors slammed open, she winked at one of the waitresses. A female minotaur who replied with an air kiss. A few of the males inside grumbled at the attention she got. One by one when she passed the four other waitresses, they either kissed her cheek or patted her cheek if their hands weren't full.

Ferdinand was lucky. He had five waitresses who were willing to deal with the customers and the rush of riders during the night. It was also good luck on his part that they were all his wives.

Yeah.

He had five wives.

Dev wasn't sure how to feel about that when she first met him seeing as she was from a culture where they looked down on having multiple partners. Being unfaithful to your partner meant facing judgment from Inka and being turned to stone.

When she told Ferdinand this, he was shocked but he respected her beliefs. Unlike her, his kind believed in sharing love amongst many spouses. As long as there was respect and boundaries enforced. He also said it wasn't just the males who could take on multiple partners, there were females as well. But they were all married in the eyes of their people.

And Ferdinand had crossed the Blue to open his bar in her land to live out his days peacefully. Them coming across him and his wives were a stroke of luck on her part.