Florian opened his eyes. He was sitting on the ground, back to a huge tree, and his skull felt like it was splitting with a sharp pain at the back of his head. He rubbed his head and groaned. He then remembered what had happened and got up with a jolt.

“The elf!” he exclaimed.

He was startled as a voice spoke nearby. He turned around to its source.

“Your princess is not here. But I know where she has been taken to,” said a blonde man with a sly face.

“Where? Speak!” said Florian.

“Oh, I can tell you. But for a price,” continued the stranger with cunning in his voice. The wily man rubbed his fingers together as he said it. “Get what I’m sayin’?” he said in an unpleasant tone.

Florian did not have time to waste. He searched his coat for his pouch.

“Here, this is all I’ve got,” said Florian as he threw the money pouch at the man, who grabbed it. 

“Oh, how generous of you. Your princess is in a place called “The Shack,” in the slums of Flor,” he answered. 

Florian turned his heels and quickly headed to the slums. It was around fifteen minutes away by foot. He had to hurry before the day ended. It was already afternoon. He must have been knocked out for two hours at least.

***

In the slums of Flor, knaves and crooks were at the corner of every street. Florian had grown up in the less dire slums and those were the worst parts of it, it seemed. He kept wary eyes and listened to every sound carefully in case he might be followed. He had to be on the hooks against attackers and thieves. But fortunately he did not encounter any problematic people on his way to “The Shack.” He arrived at his destination and took a glimpse at the building. It was made of planks of wood and was a relatively large structure. For the underbelly of Flor anyway.

As he was about to enter, a woman came out through the door and looked at him. She was immodestly dressed and had equally indecent demeanors.

“Oh, are you looking for company, pretty boy?” she said with a knowing smile while she swayed her hips on one side and placed a hand over her chest.

“Out of my way! Tell me where the princess is!” Florian ordered.

The lady was stunned by the sheer disrespect of Florian towards her, when she deemed herself so charming and enticing. 

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!” said the cheap girl with a frown and an offended tone.

“Whatever…” said Florian as he entered the shack.

The offended lady was even more irritated.

“Yeah, go find another woman. You’ll have to pay her anyway!” she said nastily.

Florian ignored her and walked down the dark entry room. It smelled terribly the moment he stepped inside.   

“Greetings,” said a man’s voice from the corner of the room. “I suppose you came for the company of our women?”

Florian did not notice the man and jumped. He squinted to his left and saw the man now. He was at a small desk and wore a black hood. 

“Uh yes,” lied Florian.

“That’ll cost you around 15 gold for one woman. But you could spend more for more company…” continued the black-hooded man. 

“Then I’ll give you 100 gold. Is it enough to be with anyone I choose?” continued Florian.

“Ooooh, that’s a premium. Hand over the gold and you can do as you please,” said the hooded man.

“Hold on,” Florian said.

He placed his hand in his coat and pulled out a pouch of gold coins. Meanwhile, the pouch disappeared from the hand of the sly man he encountered before.

“What the!?” said the crook at the other extremity of Flor.

***