Lidia did not come out of the bathhouse for a very, very long time.
Long enough for the sun to set.
Long enough for the knight to wash up in the river, clean his armor, and even have a peaceful moment of reflection on his utterly ruined dignity.
Long enough for him to lie down for the night, staring up at the ceiling of the elder's cramped, one-room home, trying to push away the soul-crushing awkwardness of what had transpired.
But just when he was finally on the verge of sleep—
BANG!
The door slammed open.
The knight's body jerked as he shot up in bed, instincts immediately on high alert. His sword was within reach, but before he could even think about grabbing it, he realized—
It was just Lidia.
Storming in.
Like a vengeful goddess.
Wrapped in fresh clothes—courtesy of the kind village women—but still looking like she wanted to end his entire bloodline.
