Andrew and Bleda came into the town of Eagle's Nest during a quiet afternoon.
Neither knew just what they were supposed to do if the mayor refused to see them. There was, of course, the opportunity to go directly to the local lord.
But neither siren nor necromancer knew how to speak to nobility. They were children of the modern age.
An age where the nobles didn't mingle with the common folk anymore. Where their power was already taken by the state.
Andrew looked at Bleda, who was looking at the town's map. The man was tall. Andrew imagined just how snugly he would fit in those strong arms.
Then he blinked.
His inner siren was getting tricky. He didn't want to listen to it. He didn't want to commit to something he knew was for life.
But his body was letting out purring sounds every time Bleda so much as brushed his hand against his.
He was in the deep now.
Even Andrew knew that.
"Ok, the mayor's house is that way," Bleda said, pointing at a paved road.
"Typical," Andrew couldn't help but mutter. They had not seen much of Eagle's Nest, but from what they had seen, paved roads were a rarity.
"But I think we should speak with the Industrial Taskmaster first. Get him on our side," Bleda pointed at the far-right corner of the map. Where shops were lined by the walls.
"Why? Oh!" Andrew said as he thought it over. It was the industrial district, which was going to be using the mana stones, not the mayor.
If they had a need for the stones, then they were going to say so from the get-go!
"Andrew?" Bleda asked as he moved towards the siren. "Do you want to rest? You are purring again."
Andrew bowed his head. He didn't want to purr, but his inner siren was taking the wheel.
He had no idea what he was supposed to do if he started to purr before the mayor or the lord.
More than one siren who had mated with their soulmate had ended up in a cage in some lord's basement, just because their purring had made them into curiosities.
"I think I'll head to the inn," Andrew said, looking at the map. The inn was not far from there. Without Bleda by his side, he was sure that he would not purr.
Or at least he hoped he wouldn't.
"Let me escort you there." The necromancer began to walk down the road. Andrew was quick to follow.
"Why? Do you think me weak?" Andrew knew that he was being petty, but he still wanted to show his siren that Bleda was not the one.
Or, at least, that it was too soon.
"Andrew, you… you look prettier than normal. You smell better than normal as well. I just don't want something to happen to you."
Bleda gave him a soft smile. Andrew wanted to sink in the ground.
Darn it, why did his inner siren have to mate him with a man whom he barely knew?
People turned to look at them as they passed through the streets. Some even smiled at Andrew.
There was this little girl who was weaving a flower crown. She sniffed the air and then began to run after them.
Andrew didn't want to stop. But he didn't want to be mean to the child, either.
Bleda halted, stepping before Andrew.
"A crown for the prince!" The little girl chirped, waving her half-finished flower crown in the air.
Bleda nodded, stepping to the side.
"She is just a girl," Bleda told the siren. "Smile and thank her. It's no big deal."
Andrew knelt so he could be at eye level with the little girl. She giggled, putting the flowers in his hair.
"You're pretty!" The little girl said as she backed away. "I am going to tell the matron that I saw a prince and a knight!"
"The matron?" Andrew asked. "Not your mama?"
The little girl shook her head with all the seriousness a ten-year-old could muster.
"Mama is with the angels now. Papa died in the war. But your hair is pretty with the flowers!"
The girl turned around, skipping back towards a tall building.
Andrew felt so, as if someone had kicked him in the heart.
"I know what you think," Bleda said, as he took the siren's hand in his. "Your siren is making you want to adopt. But if you can't stomach being mated, what sort of a future will you offer this little girl?"
That was a very good question. Andrew's brown eyes looked the building up and down. Noted that it had a fresh coat of paint and its roof was made of red bricks.
It looked clean and well-kept. There wasn't even a single weed in the garden.
The little girl waved at him once more. Taking out a sandwich and beginning to eat.
"You're right," he said, hoping that this picture was not hiding something worse. Something he should do something against.
"Look, we are nearly at the inn," Bleda pointed at a building that had a couple of silk veils hanging from a nail. "Let's get you settled!"
The siren followed the necromancer. He forced himself to think about everything else but the fact that Bleda was close to him.
Smelling of clean soap and something that was entirely him.
The Mongol opened the door for him. Andrew stepped inside.
A hush fell over the inn. The patrons were looking at them, some with smiles, some with bewilderment.
The pianist stopped his piece.
Bleda took Andrew by the hand and then marched him to the innkeeper.
"We would like two rooms, please," Bleda said, as he took out his coin purse.
"One," Andrew said, as he tried to avoid Bleda's gaze. "Don't leave me alone."
It was just a whisper, but to Bleda, it might have been a call for help.
He nodded.
"One, then. With two beds," Bleda told the innkeeper.
Andrew wanted to protest again, but then he asked himself why he wanted to lead Bleda on with a double bed.
The man didn't deserve it.
Andrew needed time to figure it all out.