"I don't know why you won't let me do the poor bastard in," Trevor complained with an accusatory stab of his porridge spoon at the rooster foraging near their camp.

Lisa smacked his spoon with her own and explained for the third time, "If you want to get more than one meal out of him, we have to obtain enough salt to safely prevent contamination. We can't trust the snow on the ground to keep the meat cold or clean enough for storage."

Trevor pouted and kept eating, mumbling into his bowl, "How'd he like it if I woke him up four hours earlier than usual?"

Lisa ate the bland, but hot, oatmash. They'd been eating dried rations while on the road, only eating hot meals at night. She hadn't been able to bring many quick items, which made her cautious. They'd have to stop at the next town for supplies. She had been glad the rooster wouldn't have to go to waste before then.

They'd traveled for three days together. Trevor didn't outwardly portray it, but he had a way with the animals. He knew how to keep the horses calm and happy, knowing how much he could push them and when they needed slack. Livestock husbandry seemed effortless, taking care of their menagerie of poultry easily. Of course, she knew her appreciation of his skills lay in her own ineptitude at such things. No doubt most boys in Wallechia his age had similar experiences.

So seeing him dispatch a rabbit that had come too close to their camp the second night had been surprising. His skill with a knife was near surgical. She should have expected it, but knowing he claimed to hunt monsters and seeing him in action were different. Even if the 'monster' had only been a thieving lagomorph.

She took another bite and said, "There should be a village along the road late tomorrow. I wanted to see about securing some supplies and information. It shouldn't take too long, but I was hoping to find lodgings and consider trading the poultry and wagon for something a little more convenient for travel. Then we can continue in the morning."

Trevor didn't respond right away and when she glanced up, he stared resolutely into his porridge. She finished her meal, unsure what he was thinking, but knowing it was tactless to pry. Then she washed her dishes and returned them to the wagon. She opened her trunk and searched through the contents.

When she returned to the fire, Trevor poked at the embers, boredom written plainly on his face. She sat next to him and held out her findings. He took the book and asked, "What is this?"

Lisa admitted, "I feel as though I have taken advantage of you. While I will pay for your services, I wanted to provide something more meaningful." Lisa opened her own book, side eyeing his reaction. "These tomes are part of my husband's extensive collection. I'm unsure if there are other copies, so I can't give them to you, but the knowledge is for everyone. And... if a copy were made, I'd happily part with it."

Did she feel guilty about manipulating him? Of course. She knew almost for certain that all of the books she had taken were duplicate editions. However, she only had Trevor's benefit in mind. Besides, education was important and he clearly craved knowledge. Thus, she felt justified... or so she told herself.

Trevor interrupted her moral dilemma by pointing out, "You saved my life. If anything, I'm the one repaying a debt."

Lisa flipped a page and coaxed, "I take no payment for fulfilling my life's purpose, Trevor... and I would be dead or worse had you not awoken when you did."

"I... just didn't want monsters like them to exist in my world," Trevor mumbled, his own guilt dripping from the admonition.

Lisa didn't know how to respond to that. Do no harm was her modus operandi. Yet, she couldn't deny the relief that her attackers were dead. Then there was the fact that she was only one person. Trying to do what she wanted was truly beyond her reach... much like the child beside her. Both of them could do so little to better the world.

Pushing such morbid thoughts away, she went back to studying. When she'd been in Vlad's library, this book had been more a curiosity than learning material. Its contents seemed full of superstitions and old wives' tales. Now that she had used it to heal Trevor's fever, she devoted her time to the book's words.

When the hour grew late, Trevor returned the poultry to their baskets, covering them with blankets to help ward off the night chill. Lisa turned in shortly after. Rolling to face the fire, she watched him settle with his book again and chastised, "Don't stay up too late, love."

Trevor grunted in response to Lisa's night wishes. He waited until the good doctor had fallen asleep to reluctantly put the book down, carefully tucking it into his bedding to protect from moisture damage. Then he crept away, around the wagon and past the sleeping horses.

The darkness encroached with menacing intent at the far edges of their campfire. Trevor hesitated only a moment, glancing back to the safety of the fire and the doctor. With a chill running up his back, he stepped into the shadows, his own intent in mind.

He backtracked for a quarter hour before starting a slow perimeter around their camp. Each night after they'd left Dr. Tepes's clinic, he'd spent several hours reassuring himself that they hadn't been followed by any malicious entity. So far, there were no signs of trespass, but he had to keep reminding himself to be the most terrifying thing out there.

Of course, there was something else in mind and every night he fought the urge to simply vanish into the dark. Every night, he'd return to the fire dragging his feet, but careful not to wake the doctor. The last thing he needed was to upset her needlessly. She'd be upset eventually regardless and he wanted to put it off as long as possible. Then he'd collapse into his bedding only to be woken up a few hours later by the crowing of the cockerel.

The next morning, he groaned and turned away, covering his face with the blanket. Footsteps and a feminine chuckle were followed by gentle fingers running through his hair. He heard the doctor coax, "Time to wake up, sweetheart."

The smell of toast and sweet butter wafted past and he pulled the blanket down enough for Lisa to shove it into his mouth. She patted his head when he sat up with another light laugh before going to the wagon to feed the animals. She didn't have to do that. He'd told her as much when they'd allowed them to forage each night. It seemed tending to others had been embedded so hard into her nature even animals wouldn't suffer any discomfort.

He munched away while he folded his bedding and rolled it into a tight bundle. Then he returned it to the wagon, placing the doctor's book near the trunk, and began checking the horses for travel. Considering how well they handled, they'd clearly been trained to pull. However, they were both quite plump, a clear sign of their leisurely stay with the doctor.

While he harnessed them, he thought about the doctor's plans. Though he could understand removing the poultry and their loud, messy nature, there didn't seem to be a need to swap for stronger horses. He doubted the village had replacements as healthy, too. Knitting his brows, he asked, "Have you ridden before, Doctor?"

Lisa answered from inside the wagon, "I'm not the most skilled rider, but I can usually stay in the saddle."

So perhaps a pack mule with a small cart? He considered what would work best for her. Surely she could saddle a horse if she could ride, right? Then again, he'd watched her struggle to reach the horses' withers and, though he had no doubt she had ingenuity, she didn't seem comfortable working in depth with the animals. They'd go lame before she reached the halfway point to her destination.

Within the hour they were back on the road and guilt started to churn Trevor's stomach. Should he barter for her to join a caravan? Though recent events made him force that thought from his mind. He couldn't think about... that.

"How are you at the three R's?"

Trevor glanced back where Lisa sat amongst the blankets piled comfortably. Several books were spread out around her. He stifled a yawn and returned his attention to the road. "My hand is steady enough."

Lisa braced on the side of the covered wagon and approached the driving bench. "Let's trade places. I can drive for a while."

Trevor raised an eyebrow, but offered a hand for the doctor to settle beside him before passing over the reins. After instruction, he watched for half an hour to make sure she had control before climbing into the back. He settled crosslegged in the pile and glanced through the books.

Lisa had placed a covered pad of blank parchment paper with a delicate fountain pen primed with ink next to a textbook on reading, writing, and arithmetic. He flipped the second book open and asked, "What am I supposed to do with this?"

Lisa answered without turning, "Just... take a look. See what tickles your fancy."

Trevor flipped through for a while, looking at the different methodologies and stratagems. Then he slowly began to work through the less complicated equations. Before long, he found himself absorbed, losing track of time.

Then the sound of voices jolted him awake, reaching for the knife on his belt. His sudden movement jerked the wagon and he grit his teeth, lunging toward the driver seat. The sun was several hours from setting beyond the rooftops of small thatched cottages. Lisa stood near the horses where they'd been hitched speaking with a couple, the woman heavily pregnant and leaning on her balding husband.

Lisa cast a worried glance toward him before resuming conversation and Trevor ducked back into the wagon, embarrassment and shock making his heart race a mile a minute. He took several deep breaths, trying to compose himself. Now that they were here, being in town was almost worse than the roads.

He'd known this was unavoidable. Eventually they had to venture back into civilization where it was harder to tell friend from foe. At least the monsters didn't hide their true feelings. When he felt more in control, he threw his cloak and fur mantle over his clothes and climbed down from the wagon to join the doctor.

He hovered near the horses a few more moments, gauging if his first impression had been correct. One of the horses put its head over his shoulder and he absently stroked its face while studying the village. A small corner market held different goods to be bought. A woman in a thick shawl pulled small buns from a clay oven and started filling them with meat that the locals eagerly took and consumed. Small kids played with dogs in the dirt.

Simpletons.

Somewhat relieved, but still cautious, Trevor finally approached the doctor as the pregnant woman's other young children rushed over and demanded her attention. He counted six under ten in shock. Then the doctor wrapped an arm around his shoulders, looping him into the conversation.

"Thank you, mayor, for your hospitality. My ward and I will get the horses and ourselves settled for the night, but I'd like to do some bartering with your quaint village before joining your charming family for supper. We have quite the distance to travel and need to refresh supplies."

The balding man settled his hands over his own bulging stomach and offered a kind smile. "Take your time. Guests are always welcome." Then he turned to his wife and gently held her elbows, assisting her back inside with their gaggle of kids in tow.

Lisa kept her arm around Trevor and ushered him toward the wagon. He leaned close to whisper, "I've never seen so many kids from a woman, let alone one as young as her."

Lisa shot back, voice full of derision, "It is possible, but not something I would recommend. Let alone the age gap between them is quite disturbing. I didn't want to broach the topic of her safety during delivery, asking such things as, are all of these adorable mud rats from your body?"

Trevor snorted and glanced sideways to see the doctor smirk at him in return. Then they worked together to unhitch the horses and take them to the stable. Trevor did as he planned the night before. The village didn't have a mule, but they did have a cart that they were willing to trade for the wagon. Trevor even managed to harangue them into throwing in feed for the horses, knowing Lisa wouldn't stop spoiling them.

When they went to the market, Trevor purchased a few meat pies, since it was still several hours before their evening meal, and watched as Lisa began speaking with the farmers about trading for rations. He stayed back, aware he drew attention as an outsider.

A couple girls a few years younger than him with their hair wrapped in cloth to protect from lice giggled behind their hands, stolen glances landing on him. He chewed and took a few steps past a three walled eating area set up around a brewer's cauldron. The men whispered about harvest prospects and others who had passed through the village in the past months.

Trevor then approached a stand selling blocks of hard aged cheeses. He traded the rabbit pelt from his kill several nights earlier for a small brick and listened to the women churning milk gossip about the villagers' business before hushing to low murmurs and fearful tones of a disease that killed villagers in a town a few days away. Once he heard enough to confirm it wasn't anything he normally dealt with, he moved on through the square.

Eventually, bored, he settled on a small stump at the edge of the square. The sticky mud and clay clung to his boots like an unwanted friend and the smell, gods the smell... He still felt tired. Struggling to keep his eyes open, he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back. Just a moment.

"Trevor, honey?"

He startled as hands gently cupped his cheeks and opened his eyes to see the doctor's concerned expression before she tsked with her tongue and brushed his hair off his forehead. She used the back of a hand to check his temperature and he groaned, leaning away and standing on his own.

"If you were tired, we should have gone to the mayor's home."

Trevor shrugged away and stood, shoulders slumped and arms across his chest. Every time she spoke like that, he felt like a small misbehaving child. He wasn't. And she had no reason to treat him so kindly. "I didn't want to interrupt your shopping."

"Well," Lisa said, gesturing to their now full cart, "I have finished and we should be able to head out in the morning." Then she prevented him from shying away with an arm and added conspiratorially, "We shall have to leave early or the locals will start asking to negotiate your hand in marriage."

"Dear lord, are they really?"

Lisa giggled maternally and placed a kiss on his dirty hair. "I've done as much misdirection as I can. Now we shall have to flee into the morning twilight."

Trevor snorted, keeping his head low while they walked across the village to the mayor's house. Once inside, Trevor returned to their sleeping quarters, a single straw mattress on a low wooden frame in a mostly bare small room. A chamberpot sat, slightly stinking, in the corner. A small wooden vanity with a hammered metal 'mirror' waited beside a jug of water.

Lisa slapped his hand when he reached for the jug and said, "Make sure it's clean."

Trevor shot a small glare at her back, smothering it when she turned to look at him. "I'm not going to drink it."

Lisa removed a small bowl from the depths of her skirt apron pockets and a jar of white granules from another. She raised an eyebrow and filled her bowl with water. Then she took a pinch of the granules and, after dipping her hand in water, scrubbed her hands with them.

"Washing up is important, Trevor. It is the easiest way to prevent disease and contamination to one's self." She used a small cloth from yet another pocket and dried her hands, using it to also wipe her face and neck. Holding out another cloth, she instructed, "Now you, and then we'll join the family for our meal."

Somewhat confused, but willing to humor the doctor, he followed her instructions, making sure his arms were dry since the doctor was insistent that the water shouldn't run back onto his clean hands. After she agreed his actions were sufficient, they joined the family, the daughters setting places at the table.

The pregnant woman sat in a rocking chair propping the smallest child, probably not even two, on her knee. Trevor frowned and glanced at the doctor. She gave a barely imperceptible shake of her head and settled beside the balding mayor. Trevor buried his indignation and watched as the oldest daughter served the rest of the family and their guests.

He sat beside Lisa and tried not to growl when he saw the mayor pat the doctor's arm. Lisa, to her credit, brushed him off politely and helped with the smaller children, all the while keeping an attentive eye on the pregnant wife. Trevor himself seemed to be a curiosity to the children. They asked him questions about his life and hobbies. Not that he really had either.

After the youngest babe was fed, the woman released him to wander around the dirty floor. Then she ate a few bites herself before claiming fatigue and rising unsteadily to her feet. The closest child offered a weak hand and Lisa stood as well. She squeezed Trevor's shoulder in passing and helped the wife to her bedroom.

Then a mug of something was sloshed toward Trevor. He looked at the bucktoothed grin of the balding man and glanced at the frothy drink. "Beer?"

The man simply tipped his own mug at Trevor and drank. Trevor sat with the mayor, listening as the man idly turned himself into a drunkard. At some point, the children left and piled into a pair of bunks in a side room. When he was sure the mayor had drunk himself unconscious, Trevor finished his first drink and silently left the table.

He padded in the direction Lisa had gone hours earlier. He found a partially open door. A short glance showed the doctor at the young wife's bedside. She startled and looked over before sighing in relief. Lisa offered a last whispered thought to the woman and rejoined Trevor in the hall.

She simply nodded toward their room and closed the door behind them. Trevor took off his boots at the edge of the bed and asked at a whisper, "How is she?"

Lisa yawned and stretched, covering her mouth and answering in one motion, "She hasn't entered active labor. False contractions, perhaps, but unless she progresses or asks for help, there really isn't much I can do at the moment." She started removing her outer garments and added, "Besides, we can't afford to delay our own journey to ensure our assistance is available during the birth."

Trevor looked away from her, politely, but frowned at the implied idea that he was being looped into helping with a delivery. "Surely there must be a midwife or two. Hell, I saw livestock as well if they really need experienced hands."

Lisa chuckled and lifted the edge of the mattress from the frame. "Hmmm... I don't see any insects, but we should separate our clothes and wash before accessing our things tomorrow." She dropped the mattress and pulled back the bedding. "Don't worry about it, dear."

Trevor waited until she was nestled under the covers to stand and inspect the room. It seemed to be along the back wall, though there were no windows. The doorframe was fairly sturdy with a heavy hinge in two places. He glanced around the room and spotted what he wanted, reaching to drag the chair and wedge it under the door handle.

"What are you doing?"

Knowing he was caught, he admitted somewhat sheepishly, "Barricading."

"Oh, I can see that," Lisa murmured, tone clearly teasing.

Trevor blushed in embarrassment and drug his feet back to the bed. He didn't pull back the covers, laying on top and using his cloak to blanket himself. The last thing he did was stubbornly face away from the doctor. "Goodnight."

Trevor woke warm and rested. It was such an uncommon occurrence, he took a couple moments to remember where he was. He smiled to himself and froze. Doctor Tepes.

He suddenly shot up in bed, eyes landing on the door, his barricade no longer in place. He climbed out of bed, instantly on alert. He slowly drew his knife. Distant sounds of life struggled to make it through the earthen structure of the house. In the hall, a dog ran past. He pushed against the wall, hiding his knife in his coat as the children of the house followed to pester the animal.

Then Doctor Tepes walked through the doorway ahead wiping her hands on her apron. She smiled toward him and stepped outside. Somewhat relieved, he followed her into the square where she stood with the stable hand who had already prepped their horses and cart for travel.

Feeling foolish, Trevor approached their horses and cart, fresh and ready as well. He double checked the cinches and mounted, adjusting to the different saddle, or lack there of. More of a padded blanket with modified stirrups. It meant they could ride double more comfortably, equally taxing both animals. A quick release knot secured the cart horse in line.

Then it was Lisa's turn to mount. Trevor slipped his foot free of the stirrup for her and offered a hand. Without too much trouble, she settled more comfortably behind him, adjusting her foot to the extra sling stirrups.

He made sure to keep his expression blank while he evaluated her. She hadn't lied about being able to ride, but could she handle the animals? They had at least a fortnight until the next town to test that.

As they started down the road, he involuntarily sighed in relief. Lisa stretched behind him and complimented, "You handled yourself well yesterday."

Trevor took a moment to consider a response. "It's... best not to draw attention. I've learned to listen more than I speak." He tried not to clench the reins and keep his voice level. "The less others know about me, the sooner I'm forgotten."

And the safer they'll be, he kept to himself. A heavy reminder to keep the doctor at arm's length. Their separation was inevitable.

Then Lisa began talking about a bird she saw. Trevor smiled at the distraction, unsure if it had been intentional or not. As far as jobs he'd taken, this was easily one of the nicest despite the reasons behind the need. Perhaps, despite everything telling him to disappear into the night, he could afford to stay a few more days with her company.