Despite James' normally chatty disposition, he remained quiet for the rest of the day. Maybe it was to stop himself from accidentally revealing more, or maybe he got bored of trying to get a reaction. Alex did not know which, but it left an awkward atmosphere in its wake.

ㅤJames spent his time spinning a stick between his fingers like a knife instead, skilfully passing from one hand to the other. It made Alex nervous enough that he considered retying James' hands but James would break free again and Alex would suffer the retaliation.

ㅤ“We should stop at this village,” James said, all of a sudden.

ㅤAlex didn't respond, confused. A few minutes later, when the dirt path became sharper and smoke wafted from the distance, it made more sense. Clearly, James knew the route better than he did.

ㅤ“We don't need to stop,” Alex responded, dismissing the suggestion.

ㅤJames let out a derogatory snort.

ㅤ“What the hell is your problem?”

ㅤJames levelled a glare at him. “My problem is that raging stick up your arse. The horses are tired, arsehole.”

ㅤ“They're fine,” Alex grounded out.

ㅤ“Just because you enjoy burning your candle at both ends doesn't mean you can exploit others with the same expectations. Just fucking chill and take that stick out, yea? You're an absolute tyrant.”

ㅤAlex tensed, anger welling up. “This tyrant is breaking every rule in the book for yer comfort. On my fucking head! You cannae throw a tantrum every time you dinnae get yer way.”

ㅤ“Are you going to do it or not?”

ㅤHis temper surged like a wave and fell again, replaced with a lethargic futility. James was entirely unimpressed with his outburst. But Alex was fatigued and in constant close quarters with danger—it was no wonder he was cranky.

ㅤHe regarded the horses, their breaths heavy and their trudge slow and lousy.

ㅤ“Fine.”

ㅤJames appeared satisfied, rolling the stick between his thumb and finger. “People normally pay to get my advice, you know? You're piling up quite the debt.”

ㅤ“I never asked for it.”

ㅤJames shrugged and they continued in silence with nothing but the clopping of hooves on dirt and stone to fill the air.

ㅤ“Thanks,” James murmured, out of the blue.

ㅤAlex flashed him a confused yet apprehensive look.

ㅤ“For breaking the rules for me,” James elaborated. “I feel nervous when my hands are trapped.”

ㅤAlex wasn't sure how he felt about receiving James' gratitude. He’d doubted the man was able to feel emotion, let alone appreciation.

ㅤ“You shouldn't thank me for it. If I had a real choice in the matter, I would tie you up again. I just know better than to try. I'm not breaking the rules out of the good of my heart.”

ㅤJames shook his head. “I don't see it that way. You could’ve suppressed me if you really wanted to. You're pretty skilled and I have nothing to fight back with.” James snapped the stick in his palm.

ㅤAlex wasn't sure how to respond to those words, nor how to feel about them, so he said nothing.

ㅤ“You're capable of being a lot more flexible than you first seem,” James went on to tease, his eyes dancing. “I just wonder why you reject your true nature.”

ㅤ“You're thinking too deeply about it. What would you know of my ‘true nature’?” The mood was quite pleasant, Alex wondered if he could take advantage of it. “Answer for an answer?”

ㅤJames barked a laugh. “Nice fucking try. I'm not doing that right now.”

ㅤAlex's mood dropped like bird shite. “Why?”

ㅤ“Because.” James did not elaborate further.

ㅤIn the village, the horses slowed to a stop without Alex telling them to, one ducking its head in exhaustion. The residents wearily peered at their visitors. Alex’s attire carried a quiet but vague testament to his noble-military standing. He’d expected them to be nervous of James out of some primal self-preservational instinct but quickly realised they were staring at him, not James.

ㅤJames started sniggering at Alex's fluster which wasn't helpful.

ㅤ“I don't know how you didn't expect this reaction.”

ㅤ“Fuck you.”

ㅤIt did nothing to dampen James' amusement. “That's more like it,” he said, giving Alex an encouraging back slap.

ㅤJames jumped down, without permission, and got chatting with some of the gathered villagers. Alex tried to keep the panic off his face, worried James might take some innocent citizens hostage.

ㅤThe criminal in question passed him a knowing look and smiled, shaking his head slightly. It seemed Alex's thought processes were that predictable. It annoyed him a little.

ㅤDespite his concerns, James charmed them. He flaunted his chains, boasting about the rude carvings he’d etched into the town hall exposing the love affairs of an official—lies that were met with raucous laughter. It irked Alex with how charismatic James was with them, compared to the combative attitude he’d taken with Alex.

ㅤAs Alex inspected the horses, one of James’ new friends approached to help. It was determined that the horses were simply tired and the man ran off to procure food for the beasts.

ㅤ“We've actually been having some problems with bandits,” Alex overheard a villager confide in James. It caught his attention. “We've done all we can, warned people off, asked for help, but nothing.”

ㅤHe approached them. “Bandits?”

ㅤThe men looked at each other cautiously, unsure of Alex's presence. “Yea, a whole gang of them. They're picking off the merchants travelling from Bullmar to Lyeaister.”

ㅤAlex frowned. He hadn't heard anything of the sort. “When did this start?”

ㅤ“It's been months. A lot of the merchants like to stop here between their travels, so we've spoken to them and, apparently, it's got worse. People have died 'cause of them.”

ㅤ“It's bad for our village as well,” another said. “Our economy relies on merchants. They've been trying to find other paths since it began. We've got families to feed.”

ㅤ“It was reported?” Alex asked, making sure.

ㅤ“I travelled to the knights' post myself.”

ㅤSomeone must’ve stopped the information dead. It should’ve been immediately relayed to Alex’s family as the overseers. He doubted it was his father’s doing—bandit gangs were awful for trade between cities. His father mustn’t have known either.

ㅤ“I'll deal with it,” he told the men. “I'm sorry nothing has been done yet.”

ㅤThey seemed surprised by his apology and unconvincingly thanked him. Humility was still an awkward burden for a noble to bestow on commoners, unfortunately.

ㅤJames was quietly regarding Alex. He hated being the recipient of that analytical gaze, the criminal might see right through him.

ㅤ“What?” he hissed, his patience running thin.

ㅤJames shrugged and wandered away.

ㅤAlex glared after him, getting pissed off. James was a scary motherfucker. He just happened to be a handsome one at that.

ㅤJust one more day and he’d never have to see him again.

ㅤJames had stayed out of Alex’s way, taking an interest in some lasses. Whilst Alex felt gravely uncomfortable with him talking to the women in the village, antagonising James by pulling him away would create more disaster.

ㅤThey were plying James with beer and Alex considered intervening, but didn't. He might learn something if James was lightened and languid from alcohol.

ㅤThe horses only needed a short rest. The men said the horses' stamina must’ve been weakened from travel that’d happened hours before Alex took them. They hadn’t rested enough in between. It was good news.

ㅤThey offered James and Alex overnight rest in their village, probably to get on Alex's good side but he didn't want to make the journey even longer so he declined. He didn't think he could stand to be in James' presence for another hour—let alone another day. They still had some hours of light to work with.

ㅤ“James!” he called, the carriage ready to leave.

ㅤJames stopped flirting immediately and jerked his head around. He said his goodbyes and strolled up to the wagon, a pleasant smile on his face. Alex thought it would've been harder to pull him away than that.

ㅤ“We could’ve stayed a night, you know,” James said. “She has a friend.”

ㅤAlex couldn't have been any less interested. He said nothing, picking up the reins.

ㅤJames hummed in thought and tilted his head, regarding him, his mood still affable.

ㅤ“No, no. I've got it!” James exclaimed, pleased with himself. “You thought you couldn't bear to spend another minute with me, let alone another night! I'm right, aren't I?”

ㅤAlex couldn't help but be swept away a little. “I actually thought ‘an hour’.”

ㅤJames laughed, his smile lighting up his face. He looked younger.

ㅤ“I might start thinking you like me a little bit.”

ㅤ“Nonsense.”

ㅤHis head didn't like James and that was what mattered.