Only four of us left, Tom thought. Kervan, Diavla, Eubexa, and me. It felt a bit strange. I've gotten used to traveling with larger groups, or staying in cities with lots of people around. I guess it's been a while since I last traveled alone the way I always used to.

  I'm going to lose a lot of sleep, standing watches and driving. I don't want to make the trip days longer by lazing about just so I can get a full night's rest every night. It's just for a week—less, now. Three more days to the crossroads, and four more from there to Oak Mill. If everything goes perfectly, Varga, Orvan and the other four will be waiting for us just outside of town when we arrive. Tom snorted, knowing full well that it wouldn't be that easy.

  The oxen slowly walked, mile after mile.

  Kervan asked for time in the front wagon. He wanted more lessons in Western, which made sense. So, they traded off. Sometimes, Tom would be alone driving the salt wagon while Kervan and Diavla got language lessons from Eubexa. Other times, Kervan grilled Tom while Eubexa slept. In between, Kervan drove and talked with Eubexa, while Tom and Diavla got a few kisses in as they drove the salt wagon.

  The variety helped, since travel could easily become boring, especially as they had just recently covered this ground headed in the other direction. Tom learned a bit more Elvish, but the focus was on the elves learning Western. By evening, they had covered the expected distance, and were on schedule for their trip.

  Eubexa was now sleeping a great deal, and eating a huge amount at every opportunity. She apologized for it, but Tom told her not to. He had to keep reminding Eubexa that her health was the top priority. “I'd rather have you sleeping a lot because you're healing, rather than because your exhausted or getting sicker,” he told her, to which she nodded obediently.

  She didn't ask him for another “favor” with the control wand, and Tom was too embarrassed to bring it up. It didn't escape his notice that he had now had something like sex, of one form or another, with every female elf he had encountered except Sheema. Especially since that was also the only sex he had ever had. He found himself wondering how sex with human women was different.

  My life is so weird. Good weird, but definitely weird.

  He did get Eubexa to read him a bit of the book, starting from the beginning so that he didn't miss any important details. She was happy to do it, though she paused a lot while reading. Tom didn't mind. She's certainly a lot better at reading than I'll ever be!

  Kervan made himself a little nest amid the bags of salt. Eubexa had her bedroll and other things in the bed of the front wagon. Tom and Diavla used one tent, since Varga and Orvan had the other one.

  Tom made sure to take a long middle watch during the nights, so Kervan only had to keep watch for an hour or two at the start and the end of the night. He got private time with Diavla morning and night, and it was scary how intense his feelings for her were growing.

  I know the sex is warping my thinking, but...this is why a lot of guys marry, after all. They rearrange their entire lives so that they have someone to have sex with regularly. Tom knew that not all men were like that, but he tended to travel with rough-mannered single men, and that was most of his experience with attitudes men had.

  He also knew that a relationship could be much more, though. His parents, for example. Sure, he got a new sibling every year or so, but they were clearly also in love with each other. They were happy together.

  Tom wanted that. He wanted a happy life. It was painful that their current situation was only temporary, but he made himself think about it. At some point, probably six months or so in the future, he would have to part ways with Diavla and Varga and the rest of them, when he put them all on a boat to Salathin.

  I've only known them for two weeks or so, and yet it is already hard to think about life without them. Diavla especially, but now Varga as well. I wonder whether I could go to Salathin with them. Tom snorted. The elf lords or whatever they have would probably put me in chains if I tried it.

  Would Diavla consent to stay with me in human lands? We could live in a country that respects elves and allows interracial marriage. But, would she really be all right living the rest of her life without any other elves around, surrounded by humans all the time?

  Tom sighed. That's for the future, Tom. Stop brooding about it. Enjoy the present. After all, I could be dead tomorrow, or a week or a month or a season from now. It would be folly to sour the days I do have, by worrying about the days I might not have.

  Varga and Orvan had left the group on Fiveday morning. Fiveday, Sixday, and Sevenday were all very similar in their courses. On Fivenight and Sixnight, Diavla tried to teach Tom magic for a while. He did his best to concentrate the way she wanted, but...it just wasn't working. He always ended up sneezing, at which point Diavla gave up.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Sevennight brought a break in the routine—there was another group already using the camping area when they arrived. There was room for both groups, but Tom was cautious. He stopped the wagons on the road and got down.

  Diavla asked, “Tom, I go?”

  Tom thought about it and nodded. “Yes.”

  The campers had one tent, a donkey, and a small cart. The adults looked like husband and wife, and there were two children perhaps a dozen years old.

  They walked over. “Hello the camp,” Tom called.

  “Good evening, friend,” the man answered, getting up from the log he was sitting on. He walked over to meet them halfway, then leaned to one side and looked at the two wagons in the road. “There's plenty of room for you, if you're looking to camp here tonight.”

  “Thank you, friend. Before I do, I wanted to check whether you have any problem with elves.”

  “With what?”

  “Elves,” Diavla answered. She swept her black hair back to reveal her ears. The woman at the fire looked their way and gave a little gasp.

  The man stared at Diavla, then at Tom. “No, no problem with elves. I will ask that you treat your slave well in front of my children, please.”

  Tom smiled. “Not a problem. And there are three of them, by the way. My name's Tom Walker, and this is Diavla Urula.”

  “Hans Vintner. Pleased to meet you. This is my wife, Lara. My boys are Seth and Dorian.”

  “The other two elves are Kervan...” Tom trailed off, realizing that he didn't know Kervan's last name.

  “Poriffi,” Diavla supplied.

  “Kervan Poriffi, and Eubexa Corvola...thank you, Diavla,” he murmured.

  “Is that it?” Hans asked. “Just you and three elves?”

  Tom nodded.

  “Well, you're welcome to share the fire, and the watch.”

  “Thank you. We'll be right back.”

  Tom and Diavla walked back to the wagons and mounted their seat. He led them into the clearing, and left a decent amount of room between the two groups. He and Kervan set up the tent between the wagons, while Diavla hunted for more firewood to supplement what the Vintners had already gathered.

  The boys came as close as they dared and stared at Kervan and especially Diavla, even after their mother told them to stop. Hans had to come over and threaten his children with punishment before they retreated. “Very sorry about that, miss, mister,” Hans said politely to the elves.

  “Thank you,” they both answered.

  When Kervan and Diavla started preparing dinner, Lara Vintner couldn't resist butting in. “No, dears, not so close to the fire, and you need to stir that more. Here, may I?” The elves got a brief cooking lesson as the woman rescued their dinner and made it more palatable.

  “Thank you very much, ma'am,” Tom said as he served out the food.

  “Have they been with you long?”

  “No, not long at all. We're still getting used to each other.” Tom scooped out a triple helping and brought it to Eubexa, who opted to stay in the wagon as much as possible.

  “Your other elf isn't joining us?”

  “She's sick, unfortunately, and keeping to herself.”

  “Very considerate of her.”

  “If you don't mind my asking, Mr. Walker, how does a man come to have three slaves? You must be quite wealthy.” Hans Vintner looked genuinely curious.

  “Well, I'm doing my best, at least! You could say I rescued them from unpleasant situations. I had the gold needed due to a windfall, and I'm going to try making my way south as a trader.”

  “You going to rent them out?”

  “Hans!” his wife hissed, shocked.

  “For day labor, woman!” Hans chided.

  “They'll be working with me for the time being, but if money gets tight, we'll all do some day labor,” Tom answered. “I've got to keep them all fed, after all, and I'm not afraid of hard work.”

  A little while later, Lara commented, “Your Western is very good, Diavala.”

  “Di-av-la,” she corrected gently.

  “I'm sorry, Diav...ala?”

  “Diavla.”

  “Diavla?”

  “Yes. My name is...bad for humans?”

  “Difficult,” Lara supplied. “Hard.”

  “Thank you. My name is difficult for humans.”

  “Well, your Western is very good, like I said.”

  “Thank you very much. Tom and Eubexa teach me.”

  They continued to chat for another hour. Hans Vintner had been pinched by a couple of bad harvests, and fortunately was able to sell his land to someone who believed they could turn it around. Able to pay off his debts with a little to spare, he decided to try his luck in the big city, so he and his family was making the journey. Tom gladly shared what little he knew of Rivermarch, and the entire Vintner family was very interested in all of it.

  Finally, it was time for bed. Tom excused himself to his tent, and everyone except Dorian and Kervan turned in as well. Tom fell asleep almost immediately.

  ° ? ? ? °

  Eightday morning, Lara Vintner helped the elves make breakfast, and as a thank you, Tom passed the family a few supplies. The two groups took down their tents and packed up. Before they went their separate ways, Tom spoke up.

  “Hans, Lara, I wonder if you would do me a small favor when you get to Rivermarch?”

  “What favor?” Hans asked warily.

  “If you could stop by the City Temple, and speak to Wiley Goodfellow, please tell him that Tom Walker sends his regards. Oh, and it's a beautiful place, by the way—since you'll be new in town, take the whole family in to see the Room of Altars right away. You'll be glad you did.”

  “Tell Wiley Goodfellow that Tom Walker sends his regards. I can do that,” Hans agreed.

  “Thank you. Safe travels and good fortune to you.”

  “And you as well. Good fortune, young man.”

  The Vintners left the clearing first, and then Tom took the reins of the lead wagon and got them back on the road heading south.

  “That was shrewdly done, M—Tom,” Eubexa commented once the family was out of earshot.

  “Well, if they have the bad luck to get infected by a demon on the road, they can be cured just by setting foot in the Temple, if they get there soon enough.” Tom frowned. “I hate not being able to be more explicit in my warnings, but causing a panic won't help anyone.”

  “Tonight, we...” Diavla paused and chatted with Eubexa a moment.

  “Tonight, will we reach the crossroads?” Eubexa translated.

  “Yes. From there, you said it was a fairly straight shot on the map to Oak Mill.”

  “It is. Will other people be camping there?”

  “Possibly, why?”

  “Because I want you tonight.” Tom noticed that Eubexa put a bit of the sultry tone Diavla had used into her translation.

  Tom cleared his throat, now distracted. “We'll try to find a more private spot,” he promised earnestly.

  The miles rolled past under the wagon wheels as they continued their journey.