Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Arthur!”

A booming voice in his mind brought him rudely out of sleep. Arthur glared at the wall and flopped back onto the bed. “What was that for, John?” he huffed.

“...You were having a nightmare, you had stopped breathing. I just-” John went quiet and breathed out. “Arthur,” he started up again. “I can’t lose you.”

Arthur let out a sad smile and opened his eyes again. “Well, I guess that I owe you some thanks. I do appreciate you watching for that, John.”

“Of course, Arthur. I do need this body as much as you do.” 

Arthur chuckled at that. 

“Sure. Tell me what it looks like outside, John.”

John took a breath (or something like one) and started. “There are wood shutters over a hole in the house that constitutes a window. Warm, golden light shines through the large gaps in the wood, bringing dust motes on its beams. The sky is a faded blue out in the early morning light, dotted with green hills covered in small trees and sheep. The animals are too far away to hear, but they move around regularly with a small shepherd guiding them. A tree branch reaches into our room through one of the cracks between the wood covering the window, some bright green leaves curling around the light wood. It seems to be a flowering kind, but the blooms haven’t opened yet.”

Arthur sat up and stretched. “Do I need to look out for this branch?”

“No, it is barely peeking through the window. If you wish to look out the window, yes, but you won’t run into it walking around.”

Arthur nodded and walked over to the washbasin he had previously mapped out. John stayed quiet as they got ready. He bristled when the water ran into his eyes, making Arthur chuckle. Arthur finished up his morning routine and sighed as he realized they, yet again, had no changes of clothes. 

“John, we may need to venture into town to find... suitable clothing.”

John sighed. “I am aware. Will your current clothing draw too much attention to us?”

Arthur shrugged and grabbed his pack to swing over his shoulder. “Not much we can do about that.” He undid his tie, slipped off the tattered suit jacket and vest, and unbuckled his belt. “I’ll keep it as sparse as we can.” John started to sputter out something, but Arthur continued: “Come on, let’s go shopping.”

John sighed. “Arthur, we have no money, how will we get anything?”

Arthur sat back down on the bed and dumped out the contents of their bag. Two books, the pallid mask and the Order’s mask, the Fallen Star medallion, ring, and robe, their soaked letters, Arthur’s wallet, a few sets of car keys, the Crystallizer of Dreams, the Glass of Leng, the shaving tin, Larson’s flute (in two pieces now), and Kayne’s dagger. Arthur had emptied the pack and went on to stick his hands in his pockets. He started laying everything else on the bed as well. His lighter, gun, an extra clip, the Vanguard, Daniel’s ring, Marie’s locket, three candles... Arthur froze. A thin, glossy picture that he could fuzzily picture in his mind. He thought about asking John to describe the picture of Faroe, but he couldn’t. He gently put it away and pulled out the worn letter from Oscar. He ran his fingers along the edges, already worn by his fiddling with them. John seemed to know not to comment on these and stayed silent.

Arthur sighed. “Not much of this will be worth anything at the market. Maybe the jewelry. John, what do they look like?” 

“The locket shines in the light coming through the windows, shiny but I’m not sure how to tell if the silver is real. The locket has some beautiful engravings on it, interlocking swirls all over the cover of it. The chain is almost soft in my hand as you hold it. The ring is thick, mostly silver with some black engravings and gold details.” John sighed as he finished his description. “We’ll see how much we can do with them.”

Arthur nodded. “I guess that’s all we can do.” He let out a breath and grabbed the jewelry. “Well, may as well head out now.” He walked towards what he remembered of the door, guided by John’s small nudges. “How do we get into town?”

John grumbled. “I don’t know this land any more than you do, Arthur. I guess we can just follow the road until we run into someone and can ask for directions into town. Or we can go back to the windmill and try to get to the top to see if we can see more of the land from there.”

Arthur sighed and turned around. “I guess I should have considered this before we left. Let’s try to go upstairs and see if we can get a sense of the land.” They walked back to the windmill in silence.

“You’re at the door, Arthur,” John said. 

Arthur reached out for the handle and went back inside. “Where is the ladder to the top level again?”

“Walk forward. It is farther in than we went before.” Arthur followed John’s directions and walked towards the ladder. “Turn to the left a bit, now, there!” Arthur put his hand out and felt the rough wood. 

“Alright, let’s hope this is sturdy enough for us,” Arthur muttered as he started climbing upwards. The wood creaked a bit but held well enough. They got up to the platform that John had seen before. “Now, how do we get to the top and outside?”

Arthur looked around for John and waited for his response. 

“It looks like we have one more ladder to climb, then there’s something above that. I believe it leads outside as I can feel a bit of a breeze from it,” John said after a minute.

“Alright, one more ladder,” Arthur muttered and started moving.

“Just keep moving forward until...” John paused for a moment. “Now! There! You should be able to reach out for the ladder again.”

Arthur stuck his hand out again and hissed as a piece of the wood buried itself into his palm. “John, can you help me pull this out?” 

John took his left hand and grabbed the splinter. “I’m going to pull it out now, Arthur.” He tugged and Arthur whimpered. “Arthur, you’ve dealt with much worse than a small splinter.” 

Arthur let out a huff of breath and said, “Well, I can’t see how big it is, can I?”

John just sighed and pulled harder. Arthur let out another whimper and the shard came out. Arthur let out a deep breath and shook his hand out. The splinter sat in Arthur’s palm, a thick but short shard of the ladder.

“Thank you. Now, let’s get going.” He started climbing again. 

They reached another platform and Arthur felt a breeze brush across his face. “Are we outside now?”

“Not quite,” John said. “Turn to your left.” Arthur followed the instructions. “There is a small door out to a platform through the mechanism of this windmill.”

Arthur started to slowly walk forward, trusting John to let him know if he was going to miss their door to the outside. 

“Now, you can push the door open in front of you.”

Arthur pushed with a grunt and steadied himself in the slight wind. “How far can I go John?” Arthur asked while looking around.

“You have about a meter before a small, wooden railing,” John answered.

Arthur nodded and took a couple of steps forward. “What does it look like?”

“We are behind the blades of the windmill. I can still see most of the land, though. There is a winding, dirt path leading out of this place and it weaves over hills and across bridges. Most of the land around us is farms, flat and empty. It looks like there is a village not too far down the road, although from this height I can’t exactly be sure how long it would take us. The ground is a flat brown, stark against the light blue sky and bright white clouds. I am also unsure if we would be able to trade in our things at just any town.”

“Hm, you may be right about that, John. Most of their banks, or something similar, would have been located in the main city. But, we may be able to find a jeweler or a traveling trader that can help us in the village, or at the very least, directions to the city.”

“Alright, so we are going to this village?” John asked.

Arthur nodded. “That seems like the only way forward.”

“Okay, then we have to get back down the windmill again.”

Arthur chuckled and traced his steps back out the front door. “Alright, John, time for a road trip. Is there a stable attached to the windmill?”

John looked around and sighed. “We are not that lucky, Arthur. We must go on foot.”

Arthur just nodded and started down the path. “Well, we’ve got some time to ourselves now.” He paused for a moment, turning his face down towards the ground. “John, do you... would you like to talk about... everything? How you’re feeling, what with the Dark World and your fight with Yellow and the King.”

John grumbled and stayed silent for a moment. “Arthur, you could never understand what happened with me in the Dark World while I was gone. Your human brain could not comprehend it. But, figuring out what I want to do and be from here? I... I guess it couldn’t hurt to try and put it into words.”

Arthur smiled but stayed quiet.

“It was, well, I told you, it was powerful to be able to... project myself as I did and to have my own form, it was... nice. But I want it to be my own body, not just a ghost of a projection that drains you. I... I may not be good at saying it but I do appreciate the host that you have been for me and I don’t want to hurt you like that did. I know, I know, I did hurt you and I did enjoy it, but it was the experience that I liked, not hurting you.”

“I can tell you are really learning some human emotions here,” Arthur said. 

“Arthur!” John said and sighed, going on. “I never enjoy hurting you, not even at the beginning. I do enjoy watching you get through the impossible experiences we’ve been thrown into together, but I never wanted you to hurt. And... I know that you may not believe that, after all, it was me who got Oscar hurt and pushed him away. But I didn’t-” he stopped and sighed. “I’m sorry that I took him away from you. I- I may have made some human mistakes, but Oscar was not one of those. I didn’t understand how that hurt you. I-” he growled and his voice dropped. “I still don’t understand how that hurt you.” He let out an unearthly laugh and snapped back to his reflection. “I still have a lot to learn about humanity, I know that, but I want you with me for that.”

Arthur smiled and cocked his head. “Well, I guess I should be grateful that you like me enough for that.”

John growled again and his voice echoed in Arthur’s mind, “Arthur! That’s- you know,” he sighed. “I guess you don’t really know. It might be selfish of me to keep you. I want to stay with you until I learn to be human.” He went quiet. Even as a voice in his mind, Arthur had to strain to hear the next part. “I need you, just you, to teach me to be human. And I want to do it together. Maybe I’ll get my own body, but I want to stay here with you.”

Arthur felt something tug at his heart with those words and frowned, opting to ignore that, for now. He hadn’t felt anything like this since, well, not even with Bella. Medieval England was not the time for that crisis, though.

“I think I want to stay as a voice with you until I become human. I am not the King in Yellow, I don’t want to be him anymore. All that power means nothing next to what I’ve felt with you.”

Arthur couldn’t ignore all the mixed feelings bubbling up, but he did his best to push them aside as he replied, “John, does this mean that you want to find your own body and be a human?”

“Hm, yes, I believe that is the best way for me to fulfill my wishes.”

Arthur chuckled. “Well, while we search for the Black Stone I guess we can keep an ear out for a body-summoning spell, or even just local witches.”

John chuckled with him. “I guess we will.” He sighed. “Arthur, I should ask you now while we’re talking about it, how do you feel about me staying around even after we find a way to separate?”

“Well, John, I don’t really know. If all goes well and I’m completely restored to how I was before you, that still doesn’t erase the terrible things that we went through. The things we went through together. I- I don’t know if I could let go of you if I am honest,” he chuckled. “I’ve gotten used to having you around. And I- well, it doesn’t matter, but suffice it to say that I care about helping you become human if that’s what you want.”

“Thank you, Arthur,” John said, his dark voice filled with surprising warmth. “Oh, Arthur! Move to the right, yes, just the edge of the path. There is a cart passing us, it looks to be a local farmer bringing his food to a market. There is just one man: a large burly man with dark brown hair, a long thick beard, and coarse-looking clothes, and he looks to be probably a decade or so older than you. He’s driving a few well-fed horses that pull his cart full of goods. He has bags labeled as oats and rye, then a few boxes filled with vegetables and fruits.”

Arthur startled as the smell of horses and other earthy smells wafted towards him.

“Good day!” Arthur called out as John described the farmer to him. 

The man looked back and slowed down. “Good day to you. Where are you heading?”

“I am just looking for the nearest village. I live up at the windmill nearby and needed to restock my supplies.”

The man nodded. “Ah, yes, Upminster Mill, right?”

John let out a triumphant sound at learning where they were.

Arthur nodded. “Yes. Uh, I came a little unprepared for this journey. Would I be able to trouble you for a ride to the marketplace?”

The man smiled and nodded at the seat he was on. “Feel free to join me up here or sit in the back, your choice.”

Arthur nodded.

“Steady yourself against the wheel, yes, there, and now-” John stopped as Arthur jumped up to join the man up front. 

“How far are we from the village?” Arthur asked.

“Another hour or so, I believe,” he said with a shrug and snap of his reins. “What brings you to the marketplace?”

Arthur debated how much to tell this man before shrugging off the thought. “I came here with nothing but my clothes and some mementos. I’m hoping to be able to trade some old jewelry for food and other items I may need.”

“Arthur, he looks like he is expecting more, maybe say you’re a foreigner? You are going to be odd around these parts,” John said.

“I am traveling from France on a pilgrimage,” he threw in.

The man nodded. “Not much of an accent, but good luck with the pilgrimage. The marketplace attracts the traveling traders, so you should have plenty of luck with that. My recommendation to you is to make friends with some of the farmers nearby, they’re usually willing to spare some food for a helping hand around the farm.”

“He makes a good point, Arthur,” John said. Arthur nodded.

“Thank you, I’ll make sure to keep it in mind.”

They stayed quiet for the next while, John seeming to focus on something besides describing the scenery. ‘Well, hopefully, he’s able to think about his issues while we have a break,’ Arthur thought.

“What brings you to the area?” the man asked Arthur.

“Oh, a friend told us about the place and we- I wanted something different and came up here,” Arthur replied.

The man nodded. “A wanderer? Or one of those odd nobles living the low life?”

Arthur chuckled. “Wanderer. Not very prepared for this journey, though. I came upon it suddenly.”

The man nodded. “Seems like it. Ah, I never caught your name.”

“Arthur,” he said, deciding to drop the last name for this era.

“Arthur, nice to be acquainted. I am Baldwin.” He paused for a moment. “How did you end up at that windmill? I’ve heard some nasty things about it.”

“Well, let’s just say that my friend and I may have had a bit of a falling out before they sent me here.”

The man chuckled. “Sounds like a hell of a friend. Are you planning to stay at the windmill, then, or find other lodgings?”

Arthur shrugged. “I’m not going to be stationary for long and the windmill does fine in a pinch.”

The man laughed again at that. “Well, keep an eye out for the witch that lives there. Heard some nasty things about her.”

Arthur nodded. 

“Arthur, you should ask him more about the witch,” John said.

“What do they say about her?” Arthur asked.

“She is barely human and seems to always have bugs following her. People say they are her familiars. Some think that she has robbed some travelers passing through,” the farmer paused at this and seemed to look for a reaction. 

Arthur let out a little chuckle. “I’ll have to be careful then.”

The man chuckled with him and rode on in relative silence. John started to pipe up again with more descriptions of the scenery as time went on. It was a bit past midday as they entered the marketplace.

“There are people in booths lining the city center. Some of the booths even have colorful canopies. Red, green, yellow, brown, and blue cover the square. People are selling food, mostly, but there are a few vendors set up that have other wares- clothing, jewelry, armor, weapons, fabrics, baskets- there are so many things here. Some people are walking around with food they must have bought from the stalls. It looks delicious, I can only imagine what it smells like.” 

Arthur paused to stop and take a deep breath. John was right, the smells were heavenly from the food surrounding them. Arthur scrunched up his nose as he was hit with the rest of the smells, a closer reminder to the bustling city he was used to. Pollution hadn’t hit here yet, but a lack of plumbing did wonders to create a similar atmosphere. 

“This is our stop,” Baldwin said. “Do you need help with anything?”

Arthur shook his head. “Thank you so much for the ride. And for the company.”

Baldwin smiled. “Of course. And I believe that my farm is near your dwelling place if you need anything. Just pass by the back of the windmill, go past the creek and you’ll see it.”

Arthur smiled. “Thank you, I will keep it in mind.”

They parted ways and John spoke up again. 

“What can we do for the farmer?”

Arthur looked up in thought. “We can probably pay him after we get our goods traded in.”

“Okay,” John said. “Do you think he is part of Kayne’s watchmen that he seems to have?”

Arthur shuddered and shook his head. “I hope not. I don’t want to have to worry about everyone we talk to. But we’ll be as careful as we can be.”

“That’s all we can do,” John said and went on to describe their surroundings. “People are all around, but not rushing like they were in Arkham. They stop to talk to each other, to look at each booth, and to eat the food.” He paused as Arthur looked around. “Oh, Arthur! There is a wagon on the outskirts of the square, people seem to be going there to make trades. That must be a traveling trader. If you walk forward and to the right, you should run into the wagon.” 

Arthur followed his directions and quiet corrections as they navigated the crowd. 

“The wagon is nearly in front of us now. It is a plain brown wagon with a red canopy over it and many different flags covering the sides. There is a table that comes out of one side of the wagon. The trader is standing behind it : a man in flowing green robes with brown clothing underneath them. He looks to be around your age.

“We can move forward, the customers before us are leaving,” John said.

“Hello there,” Arthur started and hoped he was looking at the merchant. 

“Hello, what can I help you with today?” the man asked.

Arthur wrestled around his bag and pulled out the jewelry. “I was looking to trade these.” Arthur relaxed his hand around them and let the man take them and look them over. 

“The man is looking over each piece. He seemed satisfied with the ring and set it down on the table in front of him. He is looking at the locket now. He drapes the chain over his splayed-out fingers, running it through his fingers while he looks closer at the locket. He pops it open and smiles.”

“Is this an heirloom? It looks to have a portrait inside it.”

He leaned closer to let John look at it. “It does have a portrait, a man, maybe a husband or son? No one that I recognize from the time we spent with Marie.”

“I got it from a friend of mine in exchange for helping her find her sister. It’s no one that she wasn’t willing to part with, and I have no reservations either,” Arthur answered the merchant.

“Do you work with the living or the dead?” the trader asked.

“The living, I help them solve their mysteries,” Arthur replied.

“Ah, so you are a coroner? Or an inquisitor?”

The man nodded. “A noble pursuit. Well, what are you looking for in trade?”

“I am looking to get some clothing and food.”

The man nodded. “I’ve got a selection of clothing, but food isn’t something I deal in. I’ll get you some coinage for that.”

“The trader is getting something from inside his cart. Arthur, how will we know what to get?” John asked.

Arthur sighed as he looked down. “We both know about the same amount about this time period, John. I guess we just get very little? We don’t want to be here long, anyways.”

“Okay,” John said. “The trader is back and holds his hand out with a small purse with some coins.”

“What clothing were you looking at?” the trader asks as he hands the bag to Arthur.

John hurried to tell Arthur what he was looking at. “The pants are nothing like I’ve ever seen before- they are soft fabric and don’t look very sturdy. But there are plain white shirts and many different styles of vests. The pants, or whatever they are, just have brown and green options. The shirts are all white, but the vests are different kinds of leather. They are intricately woven, lacing together in beautiful ways.”

Arthur smiled at the description. He had friends who had enjoyed some interesting clothing choices, so he knew what John was talking about. They only needed enough to blend in.

“The pants seem to be patched, though, Arthur,” John added.

Arthur nodded. This clothing had to be sturdier than what he had, even with the repairs. “Can I get a pair of the brown hose with a white tunic and a jerkin?”

The merchant looked him up and down and nodded, grabbing what he asked for. “Any preference on the jerkin?”

Arthur shook his head. “Any will do.” Arthur shrugged and grinned, realizing they still had their bag after sorting through it that morning. He shrugged off the bag and took the clothing from the man, putting it in his bag. 

“Thank you for your services,” Arthur said as he turned back to the main marketplace.

“There are people all around, walking from stall to stall. There are many different food stalls to choose from. Oh! We could go visit the farmer who brought us here. I can see him setting something up towards the back.” Arthur followed John’s instructions leading them back to Baldwin. “We should offer to help him, it’s the least we could do.”

Arthur nodded and followed John’s instructions towards Baldwin.

“Arthur! How are you finding the market?” Baldwin asked. 

Arthur smiled. “Haven’t explored much yet, but good so far. Got some essentials, so just food now. Do you need any help setting up your goods?”

“He looks surprised, Arthur, but he’s smiling,” John told him.

“Thank you. Could you grab the other end of that fabric there?” Baldwin asked.

John guided Arthur as they helped Baldwin set up. Soon enough, he had his set up.

“I am still in need of some food for my journey, could I trouble you for something?” Arthur asked.

“Of course,” Baldwin said. “Ye have seen what I have, what dost thou need?” he asked, Arthur assumed, gesturing to his wares. 

“He is gesturing to his wares,” John started and Arthur held back a smirk. “He has apples, cabbage, ginger, peas, beetroot, mustardseed, and some kind of grain. They look delicious, Arthur.”

“Can we get some plums, strawberries, and carrots?” Arthur said, pulling out the bag of coins he had got from the trader.

Baldwin is putting the foods on a scale he has and he is gently packing the food into what looks like a burlap sack for you,” John told him. 

“What do I owe you?”

Baldwin laughed. “Boy, I know ye haven’t got much yet. No need to pay, just come back next time and I’ll make sure you do.”

“No, no, I can’t do that,” Arthur said. “I don’t know how long I’ll be in town and I must pay you back for all of your help.”

“Baldwin looks pleased at this, Arthur. Open up the coin bag and I’ll get the money for you,” John said.

“The going rate for those is 2 pence, and a farthing for the sack,” Baldwin said. 

Arthur held the coin purse as John pulled out the right amount and handed it to the man.

“He is holding the bag of food out to you now.”

“Thank you,” Arthur said as he grabbed the sack. “I’ll make sure to be back soon. Thank you for everything you’ve done to help me today.”

“Baldwin is smiling widely at you. He is a kind man. Good for us to run into him.”

“I have a son close to your age,” Baldwin said. “I just want to pass forward the kindness that I hope he is shown.”

“Oh, that... That’s nice,” Arthur said, his voice going tight. Orange curls and a squeaky laugh echoed in his mind, pulling his heart tight. He forced himself to smile at Baldwin. “Thank you, again. I had better get on to the other booths now.”

“Baldwin nods at you. He’s waving now,” John said as they walked away. “Baldwin was a nice man. A change of pace from our last few encounters,” John commented and chuckled.

Arthur laughed with him. “Yes, he was. I think we should get some meat and a meal from here and then either head back or start looking around for some information on whatever supernatural or cult happenings are around.”

“Hm, yes, Arthur, let’s get the meat and some food.”

Arthur smiled as he followed John’s directions to the butcher’s booth. 

“There is a selection of fish in wooden buckets around the booth. The buckets are filled with water and hay.” 

“Good morn,” the butcher greeted. “How can I help you?”

“I need some supplies for my journey, doing a pilgrimage through here. Could I get one small fish?” Arthur asked, thinking that he shouldn’t need more than that for their time here.

“One cod for ye will be 20 pence,” the man said.

“The man is gathering the meats you requested. His broad shoulders are nearly twice the size of the barrel the fish are in. He’s placing them all in a basket for you, wrapped in some hard leaves. Oh, he’s turned back to look at you, you need to pay him.”

John helped Arthur pull out the coins for the merchant. He grumbled as Arthur paid the man and made small talk, he was new in town after all, better to be friendly.

“The butcher is waving you off,” John told him as Arthur walked towards whatever smelled the best to him. “You seemed to get on well.”

Arthur chuckled. “What can I say, I’m good with butchers.”

“Arthur!” John reverberated through his head. It took everything in Arthur not to burst out laughing at this, his chuckles barely contained. 

“Am I wrong, John?” 

John sighed and didn’t respond, letting Arthur wander towards the scent of food by himself. Arthur let him stew: after all, he was just getting friendly with the locals to ensure that they would have help digging into their investigation later, and if he happened to have a few good conversations along the way, all the better. 

Arthur let himself be guided towards a delicious smell, it smelled like some sort of hearty stew. The sweet tang of onion, the rich meats, and some spices in there as well. He stopped in front of the stall that his nose had led him to. 

“Hello,” he said, trying to look around at the food to get a reaction from John. To no avail.

“Hello there,” a woman said to him. She sounded a bit older than him, maybe in her 50s. 

“I’ve been smelling the food you have here all morning and just had to come over and try it. What do you have?” Arthur asked. If John wouldn’t help him, he could play the village idiot for a time.

“Oh, you must be talking about the stew. Yes, it’s got pork in it and lots of great vegetables and spices. I saw you helping Baldwin set up. He supplies most of the spices I use,” the woman said. 

Arthur smiled and nodded. “Yes, I was lucky enough to pass by him on my travel here and get a ride. I would love to buy a bowl of that stew,” he added, and held out his hand with the coins in it. They discussed the price and Arthur held the warm bowl with both hands.

Arthur moved away from the sounds of the marketplace to find a place to sit and eat the soup. “John?” Arthur said once he felt far enough from the crowds. “Can you tell me where to sit?”

John sighed. “There is a felled tree not too far in front of you, to the right a bit.” John made soft corrections as Arthur finally sat down. “Arthur,” John said as he started eating. “I did not like the Butcher. Not this one, he was fine, but the one who tried to kill us. Do you not remember that?”

Arthur chuckled. “Of course I remember, John, but I was just making a joke. And remember: we survived the Butcher.”

John grumbled at him. “Whatever. He scared me more than you, it seems.”

Arthur let out a soft, “Hm,” and started to sip the stew. “Well, John,” he said after a moment, “why do you think that is?” 

“I don’t know Arthur, probably because I want you alive more than you do. You like to make people unreasonably mad at you, although... the Butcher wasn’t always mad at you.” John paused. “Arthur, did you- did you like being chased by the Butcher? And making him react to you?”

Arthur shrugged. “I think that’s a little unfair of you to say. I do want to live as well, but I just- well, I guess I could just tell that the Butcher wasn’t the threat that you saw him as,” Arthur let out a small chuckle at that and continued. “John, I don’t think you’ll ever be able to understand me completely, as you were a god and I have only ever been a man. Sometimes, the thrill of being chased can bleed into a feeling of being needed. I have probably developed too much of an ego after my time with you. After all, it seems like everyone wants me.”

John let out a growl. “Arthur, you don’t belong to anyone except me . I need you and I want you.” 

Arthur smiled around his spoon. “Alright, John. Now, tell me, what have you liked about the marketplace?”

“Arthur, the marketplace is magnificent. There are so many different colors filling such a small space. Vendors have fruits and vegetables of every color, from a bright red apple to a purple onion. The jewelry sparkles throughout the marketplace, shining rainbows on the ground every time the sun comes out from behind the clouds. Clothing of all sorts falls gently in the soft wind. The farmer, Baldwin, has been watching us as we go throughout the whole market. I think you remind him a lot of his son. And all the people you talk to light up with your kindness glowing on them. The merchant was smiling at you through the whole exchange, a little amused at your differentness. The butcher watched your moves closely with every movement of your long fingers. The older woman looked softly at your thin frame as you lit up over her simple stew. Arthur, you are a weird star in this dark world.”

“John,” Arthur breathed out.  

“We should bring that bowl back to the woman,” John said.

Arthur shook his head from the redirection. “Alright, John. Can you guide me back?”

John took Arthur back to the booth. 

“Thank you for the wonderful food,” Arthur said as he handed the bowl back to her. “It’s been some time since I’ve had such a filling meal.” He chuckled at this and smiled at her.

“Oh, glad to hear it,” she said, grabbing the bowl from him. “Feel free to come back whenever you want!”

“Oh, Arthur!” John said, stopping him. “There is someone that looks... mystical. It’s a woman. She has a box that she is standing on and speaking from- we are a bit far from her- and people are looking at her in anger and awe. I think she could be a start to our search for the mystics who will lead us to the Black Stone.”

Arthur moved towards the  crowd that John was speaking of, hearing some quiet conversations beneath the billowing words of the speaker. 

“I am not alone in my journey towards God. My husband is loving, He is there to marry all of us.” Arthur sighed as he heard people starting to walk away from the mystic. “John, this isn’t what we’re looking for,” Arthur said.

“What?” John said, not understanding the words he was hearing.

“Well, Kayne did say he had had soldiers here, so we just have to keep looking.”

“Arthur, is she not one of them?”

Arthur chuckled. “No, John, she is a Christian mystic. The Black Stone is not part of Christianity, as far as I’m aware.”

“Oh,” John said. “Where will we find these soldiers of Kayne’s?”

Arthur shrugged. “What do you think Kayne would do in these times?”

“Hm,” John said. “He always causes chaos, so whatever crazy cult was around at this time.”

Arthur chuckled. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to ask around to find the cults.”

“Do you think the bestiary would have anything?” John asked.

“Good idea, John. Let’s check it out,” he said and walked back towards the tree they had been at before. He sat down and took his pack off. He moved around the clothing they had bought and pulled out the bestiary. They opened up to the first page. 

“Alright, what does it say, John?”

“It has some handwriting in the front here, it says ‘Brother Walter, near Belhus Woods, in the parish of Alvilea’,” John said.  “We’ve got a lead!”

“Alright!” Arthur exclaimed with him. “Now we just have to find directions to it.”

“Oh, should we find a horse?” John asked. “Would that be expensive?”

Arthur shrugged. “Only one way to find out.” They walked back to the marketplace. The market sounds faded, but more rural sounds came to replace them as they traveled further into the village. “John, do you see a stable nearby?”

Arthur looked around slowly for him. 

“Oh, yes. It is behind the trader we went to.”

Arthur found his way back and waved to the merchant as they passed him. They made their way to the stable. 

“There are four horses here. One is all white, one is all black, and the other two are tan with black manes. They are all a similar size, smaller than horses I’ve seen back in your time.”

Arthur reached out to pet the horses, taking time to let each of them nuzzle his hand. “What do you think their names are?”

John sighed at Arthur’s obsession with animals and didn’t reply.

“Well then, if you don’t want to be part of this, I’ll just stay here awhile.” Arthur turned towards the horses, guided by his own senses in this place. “Hello there, friend, would you like to come with us a bit?”

John laughed as the horse shook Arthur’s hand off its muzzle. 

“On to the next one,” Arthur said quietly and moved over a bit until he could smell the sweet hay again. “What color is this one, John?”

John sighed. “This is the white one. You really should find the stable master and just ask for the calmest one.” 

Arthur sighed and wrapped his arm around the horse’s head to lean on it. “Alright, friend, we’ll come back to spend time with all of you. The silly man in my eyes doesn’t like to pet things as much as I do.” Arthur paused. “John, do you want to pet them?”

John laughed. “That is not the issue here, Arthur. I just want to get moving,” he finished, gently.

Arthur sighed and nodded. “Alright, we can get moving.” He turned to the person waiting on the horses. “Hello there, I am looking to borrow a horse for a journey I’m making to Alvilea.”

“The person turned around. It’s a younger boy, he nodded at you and went into the back, probably to grab the adult in charge. Yes, a man is walking out now. He is large with a big, long beard and no hair on the very top of his head. He has hair on every part of his body that is uncovered. He is leaning on the gate separating us from the horses.”

“Hello there, what can I do you for?” the man asked, his voice rumbling in the space between them.

“I am looking for a horse to get me to Alvilea, and directions there if you have them,” Arthur said.

“Alright,” he paused for a moment.

“He’s looking you up and down. I think he might be sizing you up for a horse.”

“How much riding experience do you have?” he asked. 

Arthur let out a small smile at the thought of his last horse ride. He had taken Faroe to ride a horse, just as his father had when he was younger. “It’s been a few years, but I’ve ridden a few in my time.”

“Well, sir, I can get ye set up with a calmer horse to make it easier. I think we can get ye our tamest horse here, Caine. We named him that to be funny, he’s not killing anyone’s brother, and I can help you get back in the saddle.”

“Thank you so much, I appreciate your help,” Arthur said. 

“Happy to be of assistance,” the man replied.

“Arthur, he looks a little too happy about this situation. He’s saddling up the black horse and has a subdued smile. He keeps looking over at you and smiling. Arthur! Why are you smiling back?! What if he wants to kill us?”

Arthur fought back a laugh and took a step over to the edge of the marketplace to reply to John while they watched the man get the horse prepped. “John, I think he might be flirting, not trying to kill us. And I highly doubt he would be smiling if he was going to kill us.”

“I don’t know about that,” John muttered. “The Butcher loved smiling. But Arthur, why are you encouraging the stable master?” 

“Why don’t you try and figure that one out, John? He’s probably ready for us now,” Arthur said and walked back towards the stables.

“I’ve set Caine up by the fence to make this easier for you,” the man started. “Oh, I never got your name?”

“Arthur,” he said and smiled. “And you, my good sir?”

He chuckled. “No need for any formalities, but the name is Daniel.” 

John joined in their teasing and Arthur pinched his left hand. “He is motioning you over by him. He is just in front of us.”

Arthur moved to be just behind Daniel to give John space to watch him.

“Alright, to make this a little easier, you can climb on top of this fence.” Arthur heard the creaking of the wood as Daniel climbed up. “Next, you will put your left foot in the stirrup, grab the back of the saddle, and use your right leg to push yourself up with that and your left leg. Lastly, you’ll swing your right leg over and find the right stirrup. And that’s it.” 

“He’s shown each step of the process,” John said. “I’ll help as much as I can.”

“Alright, Arthur, I’ll be behind you to help guide you,” Daniel said and pulled Arthur up onto the fence with him. “First, get your left foot in the stirrup.” John took this part and moved where they needed to be. “Good, now grab the back of the saddle.” He grabbed Arthur’s hand to guide him to the right place. “Now, spring off your right leg and straighten out your left leg.” Arthur fought back a groan with every injury making itself apparent as he moved up with the help of Daniel’s hands on his hips. “Good, now swing your right leg over.” Arthur leaned forward and swung his leg over. It took him a moment to find the stirrup, but he did and turned back towards Daniel. 

“You got it!” Daniel said. “Great job, Arthur, you’ve got some strength there.”

“Oh,” Arthur breathed out, smiling at Daniel. “Your help did most of the work. Should I try it myself now?”

“Of course,” Daniel said, his voice moving as he took a step back. 

“Arthur, he is standing just beside you on the fence, I assume to help you dismount.”

Arthur got his right foot out of the stirrup and swung his leg back over. He felt Daniel’s hands on his hips again. “I’ll guide you back to the fence,” he said. Arthur did a little jump out of the stirrup and let himself be pulled back to Daniel. 

“Now, I will let you do it,” Daniel said and took a step back, still staying on the fence. “I will be right here if you need any help.”

Arthur nodded and got himself ready with his first foot in the stirrup. He sprang up and swung himself over to be on the horse fully, again finding the right stirrup. He grinned over where he thought Daniel was. “How did I do?”

“You two have matching smiles. Really, Arthur, what are you doing?”

“You did great, Arthur,” Daniel said. “You’re a natural. Do you need some practice with getting him to move?”

Arthur could feel John fuming and smiled at Daniel. “Just tell me the basics and I think I’ll be good to go.”

John filled his mind with groans as Daniel worked through the list of basic commands for the horse. 

“Do you happen to know the way to Alvilea from here?” Arthur asked as he came to stand next to Daniel. 

“Oh yes, just head down south and follow the roads and you’ll get there in about an hour and a half or two if you keep up a normal pace,” he said. 

“Thank you. Now, what do I owe you?” Arthur asked. 

“Arthur, he’s smirking at you. Oh, this is a bartering system... Arthur, don’t do anything dumb,” John said, his voice rising with each sentence. 

“Well, I will give ye a choice. My usual rate is 35 pence, but for you, I would also accept a trade offer of dinner when you come back,” he said.

Arthur’s face burned and he let out a breathy laugh. “What if I don’t make it back?”

Daniel shrugged. “You’re just renting the horse, I’ll take my chances.”

Arthur smiled. “You’ve got yourself a deal. I will see you for dinner when I get back in town.”

“Arthur! What are you doing?!”

They shook hands, Daniel lingering until Arthur pulled back to mount the horse.

“Safe travels,” Daniel said.

“Thank you,” Arthur said, turning south on the road. “Stay safe, yourself.”

He started on their road and sent the horse to a trot. 

“How are you doing, John?” Arthur asked.

John grumbled. “I told you not to do anything stupid.”

Arthur laughed. “I didn’t do anything stupid. I agreed to dinner with a nice man, what’s stupid about that?”

“Everything!” John said. “We don’t know anything about him. And like you said, we don’t know if we’ll make it back.”

Arthur shrugged. “I think we know enough. He seemed nice and he had the opportunity to ask for something more but didn’t, he just asked for dinner. And John, we’re going to make it back. We have to.”

“I know, Arthur,” John said, his voice soft. “We will make it back. And fine, you did help our finances, but I think you enjoyed it a little too much,” John said.

Arthur sputtered. “John, I am just focusing on getting us back to our time. I would never-” he stopped and laughed with John in his mind. “Fine, it was a little fun, but I do think having a good relationship with the people who help us is a good thing.”

He paused. “Arthur, do you... Do you like men, romantically, and women?”

Arthur smiled. “There you go, I knew you would figure it out without my help.”

John grumbled again. “Daniel definitely helped. Wait, so, the butcher, both of them?”

Arthur chuckled. “Uh, kinda. The one here, sure. The one from back home, Dennis, I mostly did it to get him riled up; but I got into it more than I anticipated.”

John rolled his eyes, or he would have if he had them. “Arthur, this is a terrible time to figure this out.”

Arthur laughed at that. “You’re not wrong. What about you, John? Did your time as the King set any preferences?”

John sputtered. “I’m not answering that!”

Arthur chuckled. “You don’t have to, I was just curious. So, tell me, what does this countryside look like?”

John relaxed at the familiar routine and started, “We’re not going fast enough for it to blur like it did in the car, but the fields and trees blend like a watercolor painting. The fields are all covered in green, yellow, or white with their harvests. There are a few houses and towns that we are passing, but they are more scattered. Little wooden shacks, for the most part. It’s much more... natural than we saw in Arkham. There are many types of trees, but I don’t like the aspens watching us as we go.” Arthur gave a soft chuckle at that. “Along the side of the road are some flowering weeds, they are everywhere, but they are still beautiful.”

Arthur smiled. “Thank you, John. Let me know when any turns come upon us.”

They continued down the worn road for some time. Arthur shifted often to try to fight the discomfort of the saddle and John got a little annoyed at having to shift his hand every time he moved. They kept up some casual chatter and some directions from John and narration whenever he passed something of interest. The road stayed clear as they rode, not running into anyone else on their path. Arthur noticed that they had hit their one-hour mark and let John know.

“Not long before the town then?”

Arthur shrugged. “Maybe, or we may only be halfway there.”

John groaned. “I hope we’re close. I don’t like being exposed like this.”

Arthur looked around. “What do you mean?”

“Just- we have been hunted for so long and we are surrounded by fields and we’re on top of a horse. Not the most advantageous position to be in.”

“Oh, John,” Arthur said. “Life doesn’t have to be just surviving and running from the evils. There’s so much more to it. Love, entertainment, joy, sorrow, just... all of it. Maybe we can get some relaxation in these simpler times. And if not, we will make time when Kayne gets us back to our time. I promise you that.”

“Arthur-” John said. 

“I mean it, John, I want you to get a real taste of humanity.”

“Arthur, thank you. And yes, I want to experience those with you.”

They both let out a long breath and relaxed in the saddle. Arthur hummed softly as they went.

 “The King didn’t have a preference, “ John started. “He just chose whoever showed him more devotion.”

Arthur nodded. “I guess that makes sense. An eldritch being probably has little care for gender like we silly humans do.”

John chuckled. “I don’t think it’s silly. It’s unique. It shows how deeply you think of things. And you question things. Uh, sorry. I- I realize that I may not be-”

Arthur shook his head quickly. “No, John. I am in support of people being whatever they are comfortable with and questions help lead to that. Maybe one day...” He trailed off.

“Oh, okay. Yes, I think if I got a body I’d want to be a man, but maybe that’s because I’ve been with you all this time,” John said. “Arthur!” He said, causing Arthur to straighten up in the saddle. “There’s a town coming up, could it be what we’re looking for?”

Arthur grinned. “Only one way to find out.” He guided their horse to the edge of town, sliding off to lead them further in.

“There are a few people milling about. It looks like there’s a stable deeper in the city center, but there are hitching posts all over.”

“Alright, just the post for now. We need to get to the woods and I’m not sure how far that is.”

John guided him to the post and Arthur tied up the horse. 

“There is a man who has been watching us as we got in,” John tells him. “Do you think that means anything?”

Arthur nodded and John led him over to the man, giving his description along the way. A younger man, almost as thin as Arthur but with bright blue eyes and dark hair. 

“Hello,” Arthur said. “I am looking for Belhus Woods. Are those near here?”

“The man looks startled," John said, and... embarrassed?”

“Oh, hello" said the man. "Uh, yes those are near here, just a few miles outside of town. Why do you want to go there?” he asked.

Arthur smiled. “I am doing a bit of an investigation into rumors of spirits and I am led to believe it to be in those woods.”

“The man has gone pale now. He’s- Arthur, he’s going to grab you!”

The man held tightly to Arthur’s shoulders. “Do not set foot in those woods. None return from there. It is not safe. No artifact is worth your life.”

Arthur steeled his resolve. “Duly noted, but you know nothing about me and what I have already been through for this.” Arthur pulled the man’s hands off of him. “What is in the woods that’s so dangerous?”

The man let out a breath and Arthur heard the rocks clicking beneath his feet. “No one knows, but many think there is a witch or some creature protecting the artifact.”

Arthur nodded. “Thank you for the information. I promise I will be as safe as I can.” He went back to his horse, mounting him without assistance. “Come on, John, let’s find that stone.”

John seemed to vibrate in Arthur’s mind as they got closer to their goal. “Arthur, how will we find the Black Stone?”

“Probably the same way as the Grey Stone, find someone involved, hopefully, our “Brother Walter” and snoop around until we find something with yours or Kayne’s mark on it.”

“Alright. Oh! We are coming upon the woods now. We will be leaving Caine outside the woods, right?”

John chuckled. “I hope it’s both of them staying out. Do you think the horse could be our Kayne?”

Arthur laughed with him. “Maybe, but I think he would be a little more energetic if he was.” Arthur slowed and dismounted the horse. “I don’t want to get the horse hurt by pulling him into this, though, so he stays here.”

“How are we going to know where to go in the woods?” John asked. 

Arthur shrugged. “Not sure, just hoping that we will find someone that we can follow or something.”

John humphed and said, “That’s a dumb plan.”

“Got something better, John?” 

“Uh, well, Arthur, I’m just saying.”

Arthur chuckled. “Well, John, let me know if you can sense the Dark Stone or anything else that can help. And keep your eye out for anyone else in the woods.”

They walked through the trees in relative silence, John piping up every once in a while to keep the branches out of their way and other things in the woods. No one else seemed to be in the woods with them. 

“Arthur, there’s a shack coming up on your right. Should we check it out?”

Arthur turned to his right and nodded. “Let’s see what we can find. Take me around the shack’s outside first before we go in.”

John guided him around the shack and told him what he saw. It was a ramshackle little thing, starting to fall to the vines of the forest around it. It seemed to have three entrances, one in the front and back and another leading to what looked to be a cellar. 

“Let’s take a look at the cellar, John. That seems to be the best place to find occult happenings,” Arthur said, starting to climb the stairs down to the basement area. “I assume it’s dark down here, John, but what can you see?”

“There is still a small bit of light from the doors we came through. The cellar, which is what this seems to be, is damp and covered in more food than you’d expect from this shack’s abandoned look. The floor is dirt, packed hard, and the ceiling above us is thin wood. The room is probably about ten feet wide, almost circular. There are some shelves around that hold various dried foods and fresh fruits and vegetables. There are also boxes all around that are full of food, some open with their contents on the floor. There is a hallway at the back of the room, but it’s much darker than the main room.”

“There’s a lot of food here. Do you think someone still lives here?” Arthur asked.

“Hm,” John said. “It’s possible. Do we need to worry about that?”

Arthur shrugged. “Maybe. Hopefully we are only here for a short time, but we should be as quiet as we can to avoid any trouble.”

“Alright,” John said.

“John, do you think we could light the black candles we got?”

John paused before answering. “Arthur, I’m just worried that those candles do more than light the way.”

Arthur shrugged. “Honestly, that could be helpful here. I’ll just get the candles out then,” he said, taking off his pack and feeling for the waxy sticks. “Ah, there we go.” He pulled one out and put his pack back on. He felt for his pockets, then sighed as he remembered he had changed into the local clothes after eating lunch. He unhooked the left side of the pack and grabbed the lighter out of the front pocket. He lit the candle and put everything else back in its proper place. “Alright, John, let’s check out the hallway now that we’ve got some light.” The candle didn’t seem to have much of a smell, or at least not yet.

“The hallway is just in front of you and if you stay forward, you won’t run into any of the boxes. There seem to be some rooms branching off of the hallway,” John said as they got deeper in. “Arthur, your candle...” he trailed off. 

The candle had just started smelling, an odd smell that Arthur couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t sweet or overpowering, but it burned his nose a bit. “What’s going on with it?”

“The candle was black when we lit it, but it’s now turning to a deep red with black flecks. The flame is flickering but in a way that seems to be... deliberate. I think it might be leading us.”

“Hm,” Arthur said. “Where is it taking us?”

“It’s going towards the left, not the door next to us but farther up,” he said. “Yes, just a bit farther. There! Turn to your left.” John paused for a moment, Arthur assumed to gauge the flame of the candle. “Alright, it looks like this is the door it wants us to try.”

Arthur reached out for the handle and turned, the door opening with not so much as a creak. “What does the room look like?”

“The room is large, nearly twice as large as the first part of the cellar. This place seems much too large to be in this time, it seems to have been made just to hide this stone.  The walls are not as rounded, just a regular room. It is filled with many boxes and bags of things. There are no shelves, no chairs, no bed; just the boxes and bags. None are labeled and they’re all sealed. There are no windows at all and the walls are all plain.”

“That... that is a little odd. Do you think they took a house from the future to here? That seems like a lot of work, but I’m not the god here. And nothing at all besides the boxes and bags?” Arthur asked.

“Yes,” John said. “Just those. And Arthur, I have no idea how things like this work. I don’t remember things like that from my time as the King and even if I did, I don’t think the King would have been moving houses across time.”

Arthur nodded. “Fair enough, houses aren’t exactly his speciality. Well, let’s check out what’s in these things,” Arthur said and kneeled down. He pulled off his pack again and got out their knife. “John, I could use your help with this.”

“Oh, yes,” he said and put his hand on Arthur’s. 

They worked through the boxes, Arthur planning to save the bags for later when their strength went down. “There’s just odds and ends in the box. Kitchenware, toys, clothing, just a little bit of everything.”

“Well, we might get lucky and find the Black Stone in here then. Is the candle doing anything?”

“Oh! I forgot,” John said. “It’s still guiding us further in, to the left.”

Arthur pulled himself up, keeping the knife in hand. John guided him around the boxes and bags, all the way to the wall of the room. 

“John, this is a wall.”

“I know. The light is going crazy, just jumping up. Maybe the wall is hollow?”

Arthur shrugged. “We could try to punch through the wall, I guess. Does there seem to be anything out of place?” He put his hands out to feel over the wall.

“There’s nothing obvious, no pictures or dents. Do you feel anything?” 

Arthur felt around, finding a hole in the wall that seemed to be missing a handle. “John! I found something.” He tried to pull it open, but no amount of force moved it. “Ugh, it’s stuck.”

“Could we use the knife to pry it open?” John suggested. 

Arthur tried it, feeling it start to bend and make some weird noises before the wall made a cracking sound as it finally opened a space in the wall. “What’s inside?”

“Arthur, I think... I think it’s the Black Stone,” he said. “It matches the changed color of the black candles. It has a... presence that I can sense.”

Arthur could feel it too, an uneasiness that seeped into his bones. He grabbed the stone and put the wall back into place. “Alright, let’s get out of here.”

Nothing seemed to happen after they grabbed the stone, no weird creatures coming out, no walls or ceilings collapsing, nothing. John guided him out of the cellar with no issues. Once they got outside, something seemed to change.

“Arthur, we need to keep the Black Stone. Kayne can’t have this,” he said, his voice falling back to the deep and echoing tone of the King in Yellow. 

“John, what’s going on?” Arthur asked, nervously backing into the woods, despite knowing he couldn’t get away from this. “You know Kayne is giving us more than the Black Stone. He’s giving you a body.” Arthur paused, not willing to bring up Faroe when John was acting like this.

John growled. “Arthur, the Black Stone could be ours, we could get that and more!”

Arthur shook his head and attempted to find his way back out of the woods by himself. He hoped he was going the right way. “John, can we talk about this once we’re out of the woods?”

“NO!” John roared. “I will not let Kayne have this. We are keeping this.”

Arthur groaned and continued walking. 

“Arthur! I can give you your sight and body back, your daughter, even your wife, and partner, and your job. And- and- whatever you want! Anything you dream of, I can give it to you.” John said.

Arthur shut his eyes as thought of the caves of Addison came rushing back, with John’s manipulation and mood swings. Thoughts of Yellow as well slipped in, the promises that would never be kept.

“You can’t give me anything, John. You never could, neither could Yellow. And I told you to keep Faroe’s name out of your mouth,” he spat.

John let out an echoey laugh. “Fine, pretend I don’t have the power. And what can you do, Arthur? I am just a voice in your head, you can’t make me stop talking.”

Arthur decided it was better to ignore him and kept walking. Hopefully, once they were out of the woods well... they were out of the woods with all of this. John was not like this, he had to keep telling himself. They would keep their promise with Kayne and everything would be how it should be. John could have a body and he could have Faroe. Kayne would, of course, find some way to make him regret thinking this, but he needed to focus on the good things to get through John’s outburst. He couldn’t think about the body John got and how it gets created; he couldn’t think about the other Arthur that he might be taking Faroe from, or another Bella. Arthur let out a breath and shook his head. Focus on the good. He can have dinner tonight with that nice stable hand, no matter how weird John is about it. 

“Arthur! You’re not listening to me! I am trying to help you,” John said.

Arthur sighed. “John, we’re going to keep our promise with Kayne and get what we want. And we have to get the horse back to Daniel, too.”

John groaned. “Not Daniel. I told you, you belong to me , you are mine .”

Arthur chuckled. “John, I’m not going to leave you. I am going to keep our promise and I would appreciate your help.” Arthur felt the leaves crushing underfoot turn to rocks. 

John sighed. “Fine, I will help, but only until we give Caine back. No promises on your dinner. And you can’t promise that anyway, because our Kayne could pull us away at any second, maybe even now.” They both paused, waiting to see if anything happened.

“Well, looks like Kayne is letting us return the horse. Ready to go?” Arthur asked, pulling himself up on the horse.

“...yes,” John said. “I think the woods affect me and, obviously, the Black Stone. I’m sorry, Arthur.”

“Thanks, John,” Arthur said. “I can ask Daniel if we can just pay him if it makes you that uncomfortable,” he offered.

John chuckled. “Arthur, you have had little time for nice things while I’ve been here. Enjoy a date with a cowboy if that’s what you want. I know that you’re not going to leave me, especially for a 13th-century stable hand.”

Arthur chuckled with him. “Fair enough. Thank you, John. For your help.”

“Of course. I am here for you too, Arthur.”

John narrated the scene of the countryside they were riding down, telling Arthur about the animals around and little towns far away. They were a few minutes outside of Romford when something started to happen. John started to scream and Arthur stopped the horse. 

“John? What’s happening?” Arthur asked, his voice shaking as he looked around, his fear and curiosity driving his instincts.

“Arthur!” John yelled out, pain filling his voice.

Arthur dismounted the horse and tied him up to a nearby tree. There was a field nearby and Arthur knelt in it, holding his left hand, trying to comfort John as much as he could. John’s screams got louder and Arthur started to feel a headache and some mixed feelings of happiness and... some physical reactions he couldn’t understand. Could he feel John leaving his body?

“John, John! I think something is happening to both of us. John!”

“Arthur,” John growled. “I think we’re separating. I- Arthur, I’m sorry, I think this is hurting you more than me.”

Arthur ended up lying on his side, cradling his left hand through the pain. “John, John, John.” He just muttered to himself as John echoed through his mind, getting quieter and quieter until nothing was left. His world went black for a moment with the pain.

“John?” Arthur asked, finally able to sit up again. He was still cradling his left hand. He could... Arthur looked down. He could feel his hand and he could see. Arthur looked around at the blue skies, dark green forest, and over to their horse. Arthur felt a little overwhelmed with all of the new information flowing in. He stood still for a moment, and took some deep breaths. He let his heart rate slow before focusing on what had just happened. “John!” Arthur called out, looking around. If he had his vision back, John had to have a body now. But where was he?

“Arthur?” a deep voice called out behind him. 

Arthur turned to look. A large, tall man looked down at him. His dark hair was long enough that it almost brushed his face as he was still sitting in the field. His eyes shone golden, not brown in sunlight, just golden. John had claws instead of fingers and he had a dark crown coming out of his wavy hair. 

“Arthur?” he asked again, kneeling next to him. “Arthur, it’s John.”

Arthur smiled and stood up, his head swimming without John’s voice in it. “John, you, you’re you?”

John grinned, showing sharp teeth. “I believe so, Arthur. So, how do I look?”

Arthur laughed at this. “John, you look like you. Or at least, that’s what it feels like. You’ve got this long, wavy, black hair with a black crown peeking out from the top made of dark, obsidian horns. Your eyes are golden, actually golden. Your hands,” Arthur paused and gently held John’s hands. “Your hands are beautiful with long claws.”

John was frozen in his hold, staring at their linked hands. “I don’t sound... human.”

Arthur looked up at him and squeezed his hands. “John, you are you . Not completely human, no, but more human than god.”

John’s hands found their way up his arms, staying loosely on Arthur’s shoulders. “Arthur...”

Arthur looked up at him and grinned, pulling him closer and wrapping him in a hug. “John, you’re really here with me. And you’re you! You have your own body. This is amazing.”

John held him until he could barely breathe. 

John pulled back, still keeping his hands on Arthur’s. “Arthur... If I have a body, is Faroe back?”

Arthur looked around as if expecting his daughter to appear next to them in 13th-century England. Getting his sight back was amazing, but the joy and guilt he would feel once he got Faroe back... he didn’t think he was ready yet. But he had to be. And would she even want him back? Would she remember drowning? And would he... would he still be a terrible father? He shook the thoughts from his head. “I think Kayne wants us back before that,” he decided. 

John nodded. “Should we get- should we go back to town now? And... can we both fit on the horse?”

Arthur chuckled. “We can both fit on the horse, although it might be a bit uncomfortable. I can sit in front to guide the horse and then you can just sit behind me.” Arthur tugged John’s hand and pushed him in front to guide them back to the horse.

They saw the horse through the trees and both moved a bit faster to cover the last few feet before they left the forest. John moved behind Arthur again and wrapped his hands around Arthur’s waist, pushing him up onto the horse. Arthur felt his face burn, matching his pounding heart as he turned around to help John up. John let out a breath as he settled behind Arthur. 

“I guess it’s time to go back to the cowboy,” John grumbled. 

Arthur laughed. “That it is. Make sure you don’t call him that, though. We don’t want to mess up the past, even if it’s not our past necessarily.”

John chuckled. “Alright. How are we going to explain why you gained a new person in this outing? Especially because I’m not the most... human person?”

“Hm,” Arthur said. “I did say that we were following a lead that had a name attached to it, so we could say that I found you as part of that search. And hey, who’s to say that’s not why I was going there anyway? But you should probably stay to the shadows to hide the more inhuman parts.”

John chuckled and laid his head on Arthur’s shoulder, careful to keep his horns away from him. “Will that mess up your date, though?”

Arthur let out a small hum. “I can drop you off before we get into the village.”

“Arthur!” John said. “I do not want to leave you when I just got my body. What if Kayne tries to separate us?”

Arthur slowed down for a second and turned to look at John, bringing his hand over to squeeze his. “I won’t be leaving you anytime soon. Kayne won’t be able to take you from me that easily.”

John held tightly to Arthur as they rode on. 

They got close to the town and slowed down. 

“John, are you ready to be around people now?” Arthur asked.

John sighed and sat up. “I believe so. I can’t promise that I won’t hurt your cowboy, though. You’re mine ,” he growled and dug his nails into Arthur’s hips.

Arthur sat up but didn’t make a sound beyond a soft whimper. John let out a deep chuckle and slid off the horse. He put his arms out for Arthur to get off the horse. Arthur smiled and let John pull him off, wrapping his arms around the tall man. John held him and rubbed his back. 

“Now, to face the world again,” Arthur sighed and squeezed John’s hand. “You ready?”

John shrugged. “I think so, but I don’t know that the world is ready.”

Arthur smiled at him. “Well, we’ll see, now, won’t we?”

They started walking to the stables and Arthur let John’s hand go as they got in sight of them. Caine was quiet as they walked through the main square and let out a happy neigh as he saw the stable hand pop his little head out of the stall he was working in. Arthur chuckled and clicked his tongue to speed up Caine as they closed the last few feet to the stables. John stayed a few steps behind him and was silent as they walked over to the stable hand. 

“Hi, there,” Arthur said. “We’ve just come to return this fellow and see Daniel.”

The kid nodded and ran out back to grab Daniel for them. 

John found his place beside Arthur and stood still as they waited for Daniel to come out. It only took a minute or two but it felt much longer for Arthur with the lack of John’s voice in his mind. Daniel was just as attractive as his voice and Arthur blushed as he came closer to them. The broad cowboy, sans the hat and boots, came up to the fence separating them and grinned. 

“How was Caine for you?”

Arthur smiled back at him. “He’s a great horse, unlike his namesake. And I was able to find exactly what I needed thanks to your help,” he said. “And I picked up an old friend of mine along the way.” He looked over at John and smiled. He looked back to see Daniel’s grin falter and the man paled. Arthur rethought the decision to bring John into town with him. He hurried to say, “But I’ve still got to give you my payment.” 

Daniel turned to look at Arthur, still a bit pale, but he grinned a bit and grabbed the reins for Caine, turning to look over at John again. “Let me pass Caine off to Farrimond.” He turned to the stable boy and said, “Faron, can you take him from here?”

Faron grinned and gave an enthusiastic nod. Daniel chuckled and tousled the kid's hair. Arthur felt his chest tighten: he did really miss Faroe, and Daniel and Faron reminded him of her. He had a soft smile as he watched the exchange, though.

Daniel turned to Arthur and smiled. “Would you care to join me inside? Dinner is not ready yet, but we can talk and cook.”

Arthur nodded and followed the man inside, turning to John to give him a smile and nod. John would be able to take care of himself for a little bit while Arthur had a nice date before Kayne pulled them away again. Arthur looked around the man’s house and saw the little knick knacks around the house, including some handmade toys strewn across the floor. 

“Is Faron your son?” Arthur asked as Daniel came out of the kitchen. 

Daniel did something between a grimace and smile. “Yes, he is. Is that... is that alright?”

Arthur chuckled. “Of course. I have a daughter back home, she’s living with her grandfather right now, my late wife’s father.” Arthur looked around the house, seeing the details of the walls, grains of the wood lying around, the texture of the fabrics around. Arthur would have to get used to seeing again, but it was a good adjustment. He turned back to Daniel to see him grinning.

"I love Faron,” Daniel said. “He's such a good kid. But his mother was not the same.” He grimaced. “Sorry, that was a lot. Tell me about your daughter.”

Arthur gave his shoulder a squeeze and guided him to a bench in the living room. He laced their hands together as they sat down. “My daughter is named Faroe. She's strong willed like me and as beautiful as her mother,” he started. He thought of what life would be like when he got Faroe back. He would make it better, he had to make it better. “I... I haven't been the best father to her, though. About three years ago, I had hired a nursemaid for Faroe while I was working on a composition. She had to leave a little early and told me this as I was playing but I was distracted and did not hear her instructions to check on Faroe taking her bath and it was only with a loud sound of Faroe knocking the bath over that I was able to jump up and save her from my negligence.” Arthur let out a deep sigh as his chest got tight with the guilt, and love, he felt for Faroe. Daniel pulled him into a hug. 

“We can start on dinner now,” Daniel said with a soft squeeze of Arthur’s shoulder. Daniel moved around a bit in the kitchen as he gathered the ingredients for dinner. Arthur took some deep breaths to calm his nerves and put his head in his hands. He shouldn’t have lied to Daniel, but hopefully it would be a little more true soon. 

“We are rushing through the introductions and getting right to the meat of it all. But I have a feeling that I will not get much time with ye and I want to make the most of that time.” As he said this, he pulled Arthur into the kitchen with him and intertwined their fingers together as he did so.

Arthur smiled at him. “Well, we can get to normal introductions. My name is Arthur Lester and I am a single father to a wonderful daughter who is six years old. I do investigations for my job but I used to be a music composer. I still play instruments when I have the time.”

“Ye are a multi-talented man, Arthur. I would love to hear ye play sometime. Now for my introduction. I am Daniel, a single father to one son who is fourteen years old. I work as a stable keeper. I do not get much free time but I do enjoy cooking.”

“What do you like to cook?”

“All sorts of bread,” Daniel said with a bright gleam in his eyes. “When we have the ingredients for it,” he added with a sigh. “Oh! I have some bread I made. Would you like some bread with our dinner? I just have to warm up our stew.” 

Arthur nodded. “That sounds lovely, I would enjoy that.”

Daniel got up and put the stew over the fire, bringing two plates with bread on them. They waited in the quiet with their hands together as the stew boiled. Daniel was as gorgeous as he was sweet. Arthur watched as the fire turned Daniel’s eyes teal, his thick brown hair and beard tinged with orange light in the room. Arthur let himself relax and laid his head on Daniel’s shoulder. Daniel looked over at him and wrapped his arm around the smaller man. 

Dinner went smoothly and Arthur enjoyed the calm as he adjusted to having his sight again and finishing Kayne’s quest. The comfort and quiet was nice, even if it was temporary.

“Thank you for the wonderful night,” Arthur said and grinned as he gave Daniel a hug in the doorway. 

“Will I be able to see you again?” Daniel asked. 

Arthur looked over at John who had been lurking in the shadows nearby for hours. “I would love to, but we have something else to do that I think will take us far away from this place.” He looked over at Daniel again. “I am so sorry. But thank you for all the help you have been and the amazing evening we had.”

Daniel moved forward and grabbed Arthur to pull him into a hug. “Stay safe. Take care of Faroe,” he said into Arthur’s ear. Arthur felt his eyes well up and squeezed Daniel. They parted and Daniel gave Arthur one last kiss on the cheek before he let him go.

John found his place next to Arthur and nodded at Daniel as he pulled Arthur away. They walked to the edge of the town before they started talking again. 

“Arthur, did you have to go through with that? Did you not think about what’s going on here? We have a magical stone in our possession, I just got a physical form after... who knows how long it’s been now, and what about F- your daughter?” John said.

Arthur shuffled nervously and looked at the ground. The grass and rocks were beautiful, but nothing could distract from all the feelings he was dealing with. “John, did you ever think that I’m not... John, I don’t know if Faroe wants me back. I am sorry that I left you alone for my date, I just felt that I needed to keep my promise and I- honestly, it was nice to have a break from the chaos of our life.”

“Arthur!” John yelled, not quite as loud as he used to be in his head, but still loud enough. “You are-” he let out a groan and sighed. “Well, Arthur, how was your... date?”

Arthur chuckled and grabbed John’s hand. “You don’t have to ask about it if you don’t want to know.”

John sighed and looked over at Arthur. “I do want to know. It looks like it went well.”

Arthur smiled and kept walking towards their original place. “It did go well. Daniel was so sweet. Faron is his son, so we bonded over that. And he is an amazing cook. And then, well, it’s been so long since I’ve had anything close to romantic contact and he was nice and kind and-”

“Stop, stop, stop,” John said with a grimace. “I take it back. That’s enough.”

Arthur laughed at this and grabbed John's hand. “Are you ready to head back to the windmill?”

John let out a long breath and grinned at him. “It's time to get back to our lives. And you have to get your daughter back.”

Arthur's mouth thinned to a frown and he nodded. “I am going to be a better father now, I am going to be the father she deserves.”

John squeezed his hand and they walked out of the town. It was going to be a long couple hours walk but they had so much to talk about now that they could escape a bit from each other if it got to be too much. 

The windmill towered over them as they got closer. Arthur felt his heart race as he anticipated all that would go down when they got there. Kayne had a tendency to throw the worst things at them and Arthur had already been through a lot today. 

“Arthur, how is this going to work?”

Arthur sighed. “I don’t know, John. Kayne just does his own thing. Maybe he’ll just grab us-” He stopped as his sight faded to black and pain ran through every part of his body. 

He woke up to the unfamiliar feeling of someone laying on him. He shifted and winced as he felt something poke his shoulder. He gasped and sat up as he saw John passed out on top of him. 

“John, are you okay?” Arthur asked as he pulled John to lay on his lap. John stayed still and said nothing. Arthur ran his hands through John’s hair and tried to take deep breaths as he looked around. “If this is you, Kayne,” Arthur paused and looked down at John, running his hand over his cheek. “Fuck you,” he spat.

Arthur looked around as a radio crackled to life. “You Call it Madness, I Call it Love” crooned over the speakers, joined with a sharp, off-key voice that Arthur couldn’t find. The song played all the way through and crackled away, replaced with Kayne finally showing his face. 

“Johnny, time to get up,” he said with a snap and John jolted up, slicing Arthur’s cheek open with his horns. Arthur just shook it off and turned to look at Kayne, holding tightly to John.

John took sharp breaths and held to Arthur like a lifeline. Once his breathing evened out, he turned to look at Kayne. “I have my body, we have your Black Stone, so give Arthur Faroe back,” he snarled as he wrapped his arms around Arthur.

Kayne rolled his eyes and sighed. “So impatient. Oh well, I need that Stone first.” He laughed at their shocked faces as he grabbed the Stone right off of Arthur. “It looks great, boys! Good work.” He grinned and Arthur and John both felt their stomachs drop with the shift in power.

“Arthur,” John whispered to him. “I don’t think this was the right choice.”

Arthur scowled and huffed. “It wasn’t much of a choice, was it?”

John growled and Arthur shrugged him off. They both held eye contact for a minute before turning back to Kayne in unison. “Now, your side of the deal, Kayne,” John said, his voice echoing like before. “Give Arthur Faroe back and send us back to Arkham.”

Kayne laughed and nodded. “Of course, star. Now, Artie, you ready to do better?”

Arthur tensed and John held his hand. 

“Or do you want to try to fight me for the Stone back?”

It was a tempting thought, but Arthur was so tired. Kayne had gotten this far and Arthur was happy to make him someone else’s problem. “Kayne, we’re ready to go back.”

Kayne laughed once more and snapped, sending them back to Arthur’s house with the radio playing the same song. Arthur turned to John and grinned, holding him tightly. 

“We made it, John!” he said.

John chuckled and held him back. “That we did, Arthur, that we did.”

They both stayed like that for awhile, letting the radio go on to something else.

“Dad!” a small voice cried out, and a small redheaded girl came into view.