WARNING: There's an assault in this chapter, and I know that's going to be hard for some people to read. Just letting you know.

Chapter Two - An Arrangement

I was woken rudely when a client knocked on Devi's door. Grumbling about inconveniences under her breath, she bundled me into the cloak Fela had had made for me and shoved me on the far side of her canopy bed to hide her unwanted lodger from view.

Let's be honest with each other; I went back to sleep. Not truly, but I allowed myself to slumber just enough to further drive the ache from my bones without truly falling from consciousness. Thinking back, perhaps I recall money changing hands and something about back-rent, but that could have been dreams.

By the time I emerged from behind the bed to an empty room, Devi informed me that three other clients had come and gone since the first. Two of them were paying off interest, one opening a new "account". After a quick wash-up, I bolted down a piece of dried meat that I had leftover in my travelsack and headed off to the famed stage of the Eolian, where I began to play.

Off and on I took the stage, allowing generous time for others. Folks love my renditions of old classics, and a rousing chorus of "Jackass, Jackass" got me a few coppers. By the end of the day, I had about half a talent in various coin. Count Threpe urged me to come round to his place and serenade him and a few of his friends, and for the first time I seriously considered the offer; I liked the man, and as I was now in dire need of monetary influx, I told him I would next Mourning.

After a light supper at an inn nearer to Devi's side of town, I returned to the moneylender and deposited the remaining four jots onto her desk. She sighed and shot me a pitying stare before sweeping them into her hand and giving me a condescending pat on the head. I'd earned that, I suppose.

-0-0-0-0-0-

I slept fitfully behind the bed. Therefore, I can't be sure whether or not it was still night or early next morning when I heard someone pound on the desk.

"Son of a swine, I do not have it!"

"Then we can arrange something else. Do you have anything of value to pawn?"

"No! I did that to pay my interest last term!"

"Then I'm afraid we'll have to search down other avenues. Tell me, have you ever-"

"Char this. I'm not paying one thin shim! Your interest rates are outrageous and I will not tolerate it!"

With enviable fluidity, Devi's tone turned to frost. "I suggest you lower your voice, sir. Remember that I have certain collateral."

"I don't care! I refuse to be made a fool by some miserly, trussed-up, doxy tart!"

"WATCH YOURSELF!" she shouted into his face. It was then I heard a low hiss that may have been the beginning of a sympathy binding - I couldn't tell much from where I was behind the bed. But the next second, there was the clear, crisp sound of flesh striking flesh. "AH!"

"I won't pay, and I don't care about your ill-gotten collateral! I've had enough!"

There were some sounds of scuffling, and the bed creaked. Material ripped. Blinking at it, I watched Devi's hand appear over the side of the bed, scrabbling for something, but then it disappeared in the same instant that a squeak escaped her throat.

"You need be taught a lesson in manners, you, you... commoner!"

"Kvothe," Devi whispered, barely audible over the sounds of his grunting and the bedframe creaking anew. "Kvothe, please..."

"Calling out for your patron Amyr won't save you now, no matter who it is, you witch!"

Rolling to my side as quietly as I could, I looked for anything I could use; my sorry excuse for a pocketknife would be of little help. That's when I laid eyes on what Devi'd been searching out: a brick. A hefty, sizable brick. I picked it up.

"NO!" Devi gasped out. "No, no, no, merciful Tehlu, you can't do this - you'll only end up hurting all the worse from my revenge! Think about your actions!"

"I'll have the memory of this night to warm me! Now hold STILL!"

I took great care in coming to my feet, making as little noise as possible. From where I stood, I could see them through the curtains, but they likely couldn't see me - especially not the attacker, for his back was slightly turned in my direction. Not taking any time to draw aside the curtain, I lunged.

Down he went, a mass of angular limbs. Immediately afterward, I freed myself of the tangle of curtains and kicked him hard in the side, sending him to the floor. He did not stir.

For a long moment, I knelt there beside Devi's heaving form, holding the brick off to one side as if I would need it again. We both stared at the nobleman for another long moment, drawing in ragged breath after ragged breath. Once I'd decided he presented no continuing threat, I turned to Devi - and stared.

Now, perhaps you think this to be in poor taste. But I could count the occasions on which I'd seen a woman in full glory on one hand, and none of those times was I as close as this. My teenaged mind struggled to fathom her curves and valleys, the pale, supple skin in lanternlight...

"Kvothe, no..."

Brought to my senses, I maneuvered the brick in front of my face until all that was visible was her own. It was panicked and ashamed and enraged all at once. A tear leaked from the corner of her eye, though she was not crying in earnest. "Kvothe, what are you doing?"

"Covering the rest of you," I managed to sputter. "From my sight, at least. I... I'm sorry, I didn't know what to- I wanted to act sooner, but I was afraid if I was too reckless he might-"

"You acted soon enough," she said with a bleat of laughter she didn't truly feel. "The despot was given no chance to satisfy his urges."

"Are you allr..." The question petered out in my throat. "What a stupid thing to ask. Of course you aren't. Here, I'll get you some new clothes, where's-"

"Don't mind it. He only ripped my undergarment." She quickly maneuvered buttons and things into place, then sat up and slid backward to the wall, grabbing up one of her pillows and clutching it to her chest. "I... I'll be fine, I promise."

Nodding, I allowed the brick to drop over the side, not able to find the wherewithal to care if it scuffed the wall or floor on its way. Then I slid across her bed to the other side and glared down at the form. "What shall we do with Sir Hastiness?"

"Boil him in oil." Then she rubbed at her face. "I suppose you ought to go and fetch a constable for me."

"I'm not leaving you alone with that pile of excrement in here!"

"I'll be fine," she repeated, mostly to herself. "This isn't the first time it's happened. I just... I usually have better luck fending them off than this. He rushed me, I was caught unawares, and I couldn't find my brick either, and..." Her face crumpled into a shambles. "And then I felt him on my leg, the sweaty, throbbing- and I couldn't move fast enough, everything I did he responded to faster than a blink, I wanted to claw his eyes out but he had my arms pinned, so I tried to kick out with-"

"STOP!" I ordered, hand on her shoulder. She pulled away, and I fell back, stunned. "Devi... I don't know what to-"

"No, no," she sobbed, wiping her eyes furiously as she took several quick, deep breaths to steady herself. "No, you're right. This isn't the time to fall to pieces. I can do that after he's gone." She took another breath as she stared up at the canopy over her bed. "Go down the alley, turn right onto Kings and go up Fifth. You ought to run into a gent named Garnet making his rounds. I've known him for a year or more, he'll believe me without asking a bunch of asinine things."

"Here," I whispered, fetching her the brick and placing it beside her on the bed. "In any event."

"Thanks," she said with a watery smile. "Knew there was some reason I keep you around."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Off I went to fetch the man. Long story short, he was more than happy to cart off the offender, remarking that he smelled booze on his breath and that the torn and ruined unmentionable on the floor lent her claim a lot of creedence. He'd likely get banished or expelled from the University (if he was a student), and perhaps jailed or even executed for such a savage attack. Once he was out of our hair, I made to settle on the floor but she begged me not to.

"Right," I sighed bitterly. "Not comfortable with anybody in the room now. Wouldn't dream of holding it against y-"

"It's not that." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Listen... don't leap to any conclusions, but I want you to sleep in the bed with me."

"EH?"

"You honor my wish with the greatest of ease," she told me flatly with a glare. "Please... for my peace of mind, it would be nice to have someone I trust at hand. I can trust you, can't I?"

"Perfect gentleman," I assured her.

"Good. I propose this arrangement; you'll remain fully clothed, as will I. And..." Fingertips presed to her thin lips. "And if it doesn't prove to be a fatal mistake, we can continue doing so until you have paid your debt. I get security, and you get to use an actual mattress. Fair?"

"More than." My voice was nervous. "Only that... well, I've never kipped in a bed with anybody before."

Her eyes narrowed. "After what happened here tonight, surely you're not entertaining any possiblity that we'll-"

"God's charred body, no!" I yelped. "What he did was disgusting, and I hope his bits and pieces rot away in prison. I'd never take an unkind hand to you, at the very least because you've earned my respect among a thousand other reasons! But with that said, you are still..."

Frowning, she put a gentle hand to my arm. "You're kind to a fault, Kvothe the Bloodless. And awkward to a fault, as well." Then she chanced a smile. "Now, what's this I hear of you respecting me? I must be going about my business all wrong if I'm earning that."

"It's a grudging respect."

"Ah. That's more tolerable."

To Be Continued...

NOTE: So that's a little hard to take, I know, but there's even weirder stuff around chapter 5 or 6 coming. Fun stuff between now and then, though. Whee!