Rico wasn't surprised to see Conor race out of the inn a moment after leaving a woman in his care. His boss was forever rushing around taking care of his many business ventures. Conor Castel never seemed to sit still for long.

He turned to Aya when she asked about a cage. "No, I'm afraid we don't have any cages around." Hopefully, the bird would stay close to Aya and not bother any of the customers.

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable? I'll send a barmaid over with the Edenberry wine." Rico escorted her to a nearby table and waited until she was seated before he made his way to the bar.

*******

Nate threw his head back and drained another shot of whiskey. He'd lost track of how many drinks he consumed but it must have been a lot judging by his blurred vision and mellow mood. It was rare for him to get totally wasted because he could never afford to buy enough liquor to do the job, but today his friend Rye was picking up the tab and Rye had a pocket full of coins at the moment.

"Lucky bastard," Nate said, grinning at his friend. "Why can't I find a gem lying on the floor?"

Rye stumbled upon the tiny gem this morning while sweeping the floor of the pet shop where he and Nate worked part time. He was going to hand it over to the manager until Nate convinced him to keep it and cash it in at the nearest pawnshop. "Finders keepers," his friend had said.

"I'm glad I listened to you, Nate," he said while patting his bulging pocket. "I still have plenty left. I'll keep some to use for my uncle and we can spend the rest. Let's order a really good dinner for a change."

Nate grinned. "That means steak for me."

Rye made a face because he didn't eat meat, not because he didn't like it but because he could never afford it. "I think I'll go with some kind of pasta dish or fish."

Nate reached over to the recently vacated table next to theirs and grabbed the half smoked cigarette someone left in the ashtray. Can't let a good smoke go to waste! As he lit the cigarette his eyes fell upon the woman sitting at a table with a raven on her shoulder.

"Holy shit! Get a load of that bird!" His vision wavered a little thanks to all the alcohol coursing through his veins. "What kinda bird is it?"

Rye shrugged his shoulders. *Dunno. I'm no bird expert. Maybe it's a hawk, or a raven. Or it could be one of those seagulls."

Nate smacked his friend's shoulder. "That ain't no seagull, you twerp!" He grabbed his glass and the pitcher of ale from the table as he got to his feet. "Come on, let's go and ask her about the bird."

Rye stopped a passing barmaid and told her to bring them another round of shots before he followed after his friend; both staggered a bit as they walked.

Without waiting for an invite, Nate plopped down on a chair across from Aya. "Hi there. I'm Nate, and that's my pal, Rye. We were wondering what kinda bird that is. It's seems tame. Are you an animal trainer?" He took another drag off his smoke while waiting for her reply.

A moment after Rye sat down, the barmaid arrived and set a glass of Edenberry wine in front of Aya before she moved on to pour the guys their shots of whiskey.

Nate stared at the raven while listening to the woman. He bit back a laugh when the bird split in two, his sudden double vision caused by alcohol consumption. That didn't stop him from filling a glass with ale and taking a sip. He was unaware of the foam mustache gracing his upper lip as he spoke to Aya. "That's a great story. I've heard there are people around who are able to train wild animals, but I've never met any."

"Me neither," Rye chimed in. When a feeling of wooziness came over him he decided to order something to munch on. Once he got hold of a barmaid he asked for a loaf of bread and butter; he knew that would help absorb the alcohol in his system.

Nate glanced at a couple of empty tables nearby, hoping to find another cigarette butt. Nothing. A sigh escaped him. Life sucked...especially when you never seemed to have money to buy the things you craved.

He chugged down the shot of whiskey before turning his bleary, blue eyes to the pretty lady. "Actually, we don't know shit about animals. We work in a pet shop, but the place sells pet supplies, not pets. I always wanted a dog but..." The sentence died on his lips. After another deep sigh, he gulped down some ale then let loose with a loud belch.

Rye laughed so hard he nearly fell off his chair. "I'm hungry," he said, once his laughter subsided. "I already ordered some bread but I got a feeling that's not gonna be enough. I think it's time for a real meal."

He looked at Aya. "Do you and your bird wanna eat dinner with us? My treat." Smiling, he patted his pocket full of coins.

"What's your name, lady?" Nate asked. He groaned when he spotted a few members of the Black Death Knights gang enter the inn. Hopefully, their leader Kanet wouldn't show up and try to start some shit with him again.

Nate pulled his eyes away from the gang members sitting at a table near the bar. A soft chuckle sounded from him when Windtalker hid his head under a wing after Aya's admonishment. He liked the lady and her bird; it was a shame they couldn't share dinner with him and Rye.

"The rooms are upstairs," he said, after a sip of ale. "I'll walk you up there." Having him at her side would lower her chances of getting accosted by the more lecherous clientele.

Nate poked Rye in his shoulder. "Order me a steak with a baked potato. I don't want any vegetables."

Rye rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know you hate seeing anything green on your plate."

After Nate got to his feet he extended his hand to Aya. "The staircase is at the far end of the bar, next to the bathroom. I'll drop you off at the door to your room." He might be what many considered a street punk, but he always treated a woman with respect. Most older women scared him a little thanks to the constant verbal, and sometimes physical, abuse of his mother and grandmother. He smiled while waiting for Aya to take his hand.

A look of surprise came over Nate's face at Aya's words because he honestly didn't know that a girl could tell a lot about a guy by way he took her hand. As they climbed the stairs, he squeezed Aya's hand gently, hoping she picked up some good vibes from him. He wondered if they could become friends but thought it unlikely since he always had such bad luck when it came to women. His luck might start to change if only he could stop believing all women would eventually turn out to be exactly like his mother and grandmother, who belittled him whenever possible.

"Yeah, it'd be great if we could have dinner together sometime." Of course he was including Rye in on that because his friend knew how to keep a conversation going. I'd probably clam up after a few minutes and Aya would think I'm as boring as hell. Unlike him, Rye happened to be great with women. They seemed to love his easygoing nature. His friend had several girlfriends in the past but the relationships didn't last very long. Each of his girlfriends accused him of spending too much time taking care of his sickly uncle and then promptly dumped him. Why do girls have to be such attention hogs?

Nate glanced at the loud group of guys making wagers. "They're probably betting between themselves on tonight's boxing match at the Fight Club."

Once they reached room number 7, he released Aya's hand, procured a small card from his pocket, and gave it to her. "That's a pass that will let you get in one time for free at the Fight Club. I hope you'll use it to come and see me fight at the end of the week. I'm doing a freeform battle against this guy they call, The Masher. Freeform means we're not restricted to boxing. We'll both be using martial arts and street fighting techniques so things could get pretty bloody. If you come, bet on me cause I know I'm gonna win!" Nate had a lot of confidence when it came to his fighting ability.

He looked at the door before facing Aya. "Well, here's your room. I guess you wanna wash up or take a nap or something so..."

The loud growl that sounded from his stomach made him laugh. "Guess I better head back downstairs and eat that steak Rye ordered for me. It was nice meeting you. We'll probably stop in here again tomorrow night so hopefully we'll see you then."

"I think I'd like that...meet with you, perhaps you and Rye," Aya said. "It would be nice to get to know someone other than Conor and his bodyguards."

Nate's eyebrows shot up. Is she talking about Conor Castel? It made sense since Conor wasn't a common name, and only rich, powerful people had personal bodyguards. He frowned while thinking of all the things he'd heard about Donaldash's number one son; the one the crimelord was ready to pass his power to now that he felt it time to retire.

According to the rumors, Conor Castel was a jerk. He loved to bark out orders and thought himself above everyone else. Supposedly, he was a confirmed bachelor who liked toying with beautiful women and got a kick out of seeing them grovel at his feet. Now that he thought about it, the rumors were the same for Belald Velacor. Maybe all of the powerful crimelords in Bizmar were exactly alike. The look he gave Aya now was tinged with pity. How could he not feel sorry for such a nice girl hooking up with a bastard like Conor Castel?

He smiled when Aya's fingers brushed against his stomach. It felt nice to be touched in such a pleasant manner instead of being slapped across the face while being told he was a worthless piece of shit. I have to stop thinking that every girl I meet is going to be like my mother and hate me.

"Listen," he said, taking her hand in his again, "if you ever need someone to talk to or just a shoulder to cry on, leave a message for me at the Fight Club as to where and when you'd like to meet me and I promise I'll be there for you."

He released her hand and took a step back. "Goodnight, Aya." He had to bite his lip to keep from telling her to stay away from Conor Castel. It wasn't his place to tell her what to do. She probably saw him as a young punk and wouldn't listen to him anyway.

"Take care of yourself. Hope to see you again, soon." Nate watched her enter the room before he hurried down the stairs to be intercepted by Stitch and Chip, members of the Black Death Knights gang.

Chip took a quick drag off his smoke before meeting Nate's eyes. "Kanet wants to talk to you. Right now he's probably at the Feisty Mule Inn."

Nate smirked while snatching the cigarette from Chip's hand. "Tell Kanet I'm in no mood for any more chit chat." He turned and walked away from them, joining Rye at the table just as the barmaid delivered his steak.

*~*~*~*~*~

After spending close to an hour going over the books with his accountant, Conor bid the man farewell and hopped aboard his carriage. Next, he stopped at the site of the Greyhound race track to check out the construction and felt pleased to learn that everything was right on schedule. The track should be ready for a grand opening by the end of next month.

He lit a cigarette before climbing into his carriage again, his thoughts turning to Aya as he rested his back against the cushioned seat. I wonder if she's looking forward to our dinner together tonight as much as I am. Conor was anxious to get to know her better. If he played his cards right, he might even get her to share his bed tonight. Now that was definitely something to look forward to.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Conor hopped out and made his way into the Sleeping Snake Inn with Wade and Trent following closely behind. Once they sat down at his private table, he flagged down the manager. He met Riko's eyes while blowing a stream of exhaled smoke into the air. "Did you take care of Aya?"

Riko nodded. "Yes, sir. She had a glass of wine then went upstairs a short time ago to freshen up." He thought it best not to mention that he saw Aya talking to those young thugs enjoying dinner at a distant table because that might upset his boss.

Conor crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "I'll have a brandy. Later you can bring over a bottle of Edenberry wine to go with our meal."

When Riko took off, Wade and Trent got up and moved to a nearby table where they could keep an eye on their boss without interfering with his dinner with Aya.

Conor pulled a small journal from his pocket and jotted down some notes while waiting for Aya's arrival.

Wade spotted Aya first and was about to go to her side and escort her to the table but the voice of his boss stopped him.

"I'll do it." Conor wiped his hands in the cloth napkin before he got to his feet and approached Aya. He smiled while his eyes ran over her, liking what he saw. "You look lovely."

Once again he set a hand on the small of her back as he led her to his table, located a few feet from the one holding his two bodyguards. "And you smell divine. Is that lavender?" His smile widened when Aya nodded. "Lavender is my favorite scent."

After Aya was seated, he sat beside her. "I took the liberty of ordering you a cocktail. It contains vodka and mixed fruit juices. Most women think it's an excellent before dinner drink."

He put the glass in front of her then leaned back in his chair. "Have you been blind since birth, Aya? Or did it come about due to illness or an accident?" Hopefully, he hadn't touched on a subject too painful for her to talk about.

Sometimes Conor wore specially made glasses in the evening because he couldn't see clearly in dim lighting. This minor problem with his eyesight bothered him immensely; he couldn't begin to imagine what it must feel like to go through life being blind.

 

New respect showed in his eyes as he looked at Aya. She handled her blindness with grace and dignity. When he first met her, he hadn't even been aware of her disability. In Aya's case, blindness didn't seem like a disability at all. She was a strong woman; her strength impressed him.

 

Conor took a sip from the drink in his hand then leaned back in his chair. "There's not much to tell. I did a lot of traveling and know several languages. I have a large home on the north side, and have a younger brother and sister. Actually, we're not blood related since we were all adopted. I guess you could say that I'm an entrepreneur.  I own several businesses around the city. Some say I'm a workaholic." He chuckled. "I simply like getting things done and making lots of money."

 

He turned his head at the sound of raised voices and saw Kanet storm up to a table holding a couple of youths. The gang leader grabbed one of the guys by the front of his shirt, pulling him up from his chair and onto his feet. That's Nathan Dunn! Conor had seen his last boxing match at the Fight Club and won quite a bit of money by betting on him to win. He had no idea that the Fight Club champ was involved with the leader of the Black Death Knights gang.

 

His eyes slid to the burly bouncers who were already moving to break things up before a major brawl started. He watched the bouncers drag Nate and Kanet outside where they could continue to fight if they chose.

 

After another sip of his drink, Conor smiled at Aya. "How long are you planning to stay in Bizmar? Do you need a place to stay, or a job? I can provide both."

  

"There is nothing wrong with enjoying a hard day's work so long as you actually enjoy what you do," Aya said.  

Conor grinned around the cigarette he was in the process of lighting. "Oh yes, I honestly enjoy what I do." Every woman he had a desire to get closer to in the past complained about him working too much, yet each of them loved his wealth. They wanted to dine in only the best restaurants, see all the latest plays, and expected him to lavish them with expensive gifts. Those women had wanted all of his time as well as all of his money. Obviously, they didn't realize that money eventually ran out. Hard work, coupled with attention to every detail, would keep him a rich man.  

He exhaled slowly, sending a thin stream of cigarette smoke into the air. "True. I didn't ask for your advice but I appreciate you giving it to me anyway." He flashed her a charming smile then frowned when he realized she couldn't see it.  

"I already have my staff handling quite a bit of work," he told her. "I oversee what they do though to make sure it's been done correctly. It's rather difficult for me to place my complete trust in my employees. I've been burned by some bad seeds and have learned from that mistake." 

After moistening his mouth with a sip of brandy, he took another drag off his cigarette. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth when Aya said she wouldn't take money for time on her back. He had a feeling she wouldn't readily sleep with him and gave himself a mental pat on the back for reading her correctly.  

"Well, I could use a personal assistant to jot down notes, schedule appointments, and remind me of things. I fired the last one a week ago when I found him trying to open the wall safe in my home." He stared at Aya for a moment. "Hmm, I guess you wouldn't be able to jot down notes and read them back to me later."  

His brow furrowed. "I've never hired a blind person so I'm not exactly sure what your limitations are.  Why don't you tell me what kind of job you think would suit you and we'll go from there."

Impressive, Conor thought. Aya continued to amaze him. He knew plenty of people with no disabilities, yet they couldn't do half of what Aya was capable of doing. She seemed like the kind of woman who wouldn't let anything hold her back. He liked that about her.

 

"Well then, since you don't have any trouble reading or writing, I'm offering you the job as my personal assistant. But that means you'd be spending most of your time in my company."

 

He cracked a smile before telling her how much he intended to pay her each day. The amount was quite generous. "And as my employee, you'll get a thirty percent discount on food and the price of a room at the inns I own. Plus, I give out a very nice bonus for Solstice. You can have a couple of days off each week but I will supply you with a magic communication mirror so that I can get in touch with you if I need something done immediately."

 

Conor opened one of the menus, his eyes quickly scanning the familiar items. "Take a little time to think about my offer if you need to, Aya. You can give me your decision after dinner."

 

He took a final drag from his cigarette then crushed it in the ashtray. "What do you have a taste for this evening? I highly recommend the roasted beef or baked chicken. If you don't like meat, the pasta with marinara sauce is a good choice."