"Is that him, milady?" Livonna asked, sniffing air and pricking her ears up. "Really handsome one!" she smiled wistfully, looking at young blond elf in green suit.

"It doesn't matter, if he is handsome or ugly!" Dame Athanasia shook her head. "As I already said, he is the keeper of the runic key I need. Well, we need."

"And what's the problem, milady?" Wolffang smirked. "Easy peasy lemon squeezy! All we need is just to sneak into his house and find that key, right?" she put her hand on the bunch of master keys under her apron.

"The problem is, we don't know, where in his house the key is hidden, my dear burglar," Dame Athanasia slapped orcess's butt. "And if we will blow up the dark, searching his house through, he will find out, that somebody stole the key too quickly. No. We need to find another way."

"Maybe you will just subjugate him by your bite, milady?" Kajira asked, straightening her pointed hat. "And then you will easily make him tell you everything you need to know and after that - to forgot, that he even saw you."

"Elven blood is too tasty for mine kind," Dame Athanasia sighed. "I'm not sure, if I will be able to control myself enough not to drain him over. And if I'll turn him into vampire, that will break all our conspiracy. But I have a better idea. Wolffang, Livonna, you two should track his usual routes. Kajira, prepare our wolf-girl's clothes, please."

"What do you have in mind, milady?" Livonna looked at her mistress in confusion.

"Since we can't just invade his house and blow up the dark searching for the key, you will get it for me." Dame Athanasia patted werewolf-girl's head. "You will turn into your human form and befriend with this elf. Your wolfish sense of smell will help you to find the key, when you'll became the welcome guest in his house. And if you'll find out, that there are any magic traps, you'll find the way to let Kajira in, so she'll help you." she patted Livonna's head once again. "I'm sure, you'll succeed, my fair beast!"

Few days later, in the evening a three pretty young women, two dressed as a philistines and one - as an aristocrat, were walking down the street. One of them, a beauty with a wolfish grey hair, stopped and sniffed air.

"He is coming!" she whispered, turning to her companions.

Dame Athanasia nodded contentedly.

"Excellent! Livonna, dear, stay here. Wollfang!" she turned to the orcess. "Get ready!" the vampiress stepped behind an arch, hiding in shadows. Wolffang put her hand on the saber hilt. Few minutes later they heard foot steps approaching. Livonna nodded. Wolffang raised the sabre.

"Where do you think you are going, pretty?" she asked, smirking. "Do you have any money? Or any jewels? No? And what if I'll find some on your body?"

"Help! Please! Someone!" Livonna screamed, while orcess was coming closer.

"Stop right there, criminal scum!" both girls heard strict male voice, and the elf appeared from the evening shadows with a rapier drawn. Wolffang screamed angrily and tried to attack him, but even if she was planning to defeat him for real, she had no chance against a knight. So he quickly disarmed her and put his rapier to her throat.

"I surrender! I promise!" Wolffang gulped in fear. She was pretty sure, that he will just scare her away, but not capture. The knight looked at her sternly.

"And what should I do with you?" He sighed. "Call the guards and send you to the court?"

The orcess shook her head, looking at him pleadingly. The elf frowned.

"Well, I have an idea. Pull your skirt up!" he said, taking off his belt. Wolffang pouted, but submitted. Livonna smirked.

Few seconds later the whooping sounds of the belt landing on the soft skin repeatedly and the girlish screams of pain were heard around the alley. Wolffang was begging for mercy and weeping bitterly, struggling the pain. She quickly became almost ready to confess, that it all was nothing but a staging, but when she caught the gaze of Dame Athanasia, who was watching all the scene from around the corner, poor orcess bit her tongue. She knew very well, that her mistress will punish her for failed task much more severely, than even the elven knight. And she just screamed and wept in pain till he was satisfied and just kicked her away. Steal crying in pain, failed robber ran away, clutching her very sore bottom. The knight followed her with his gaze and turned to the girl he saved. Livonna smiled and curtsied.

"Oh, thank you, milord! You saved my life!" she finally noticed, that her breasts are uncovered and blushed, fixing her corsage.

"Not at all, young lady," the knight smiled back and turned away, giving her time to fix her dress. "It is dangerous walking alone so late, you know?" he said jocosely strictly.

"I know," Livonna sighed. "I know. My bad. My employer made me to clean dust in his library all over, and I made too many breaks to read..." she smiled guilty. "I was happy he didn't caught me, when I was reading his books instead of working, or I could get a spanking instead of payment," Livonna giggled and sighed again. "So I ended my work quite late. Right when highwaymen go out for prey..." she looked at the knight. "If it wasn't for you, I would definitely have been robbed, and possibly killed!" Livonna curtsied again.

"All's well that ends well!" the knight smiled. "Don't feel bad for your thirst for knowledge," he winked at the girl. "I hope, the book you were reading was an academic treatise, not just some romance novel. But even it was the latest, don't feel guilty. What is your name, young lady? I am Falaen, Knight of the Realm." he saluted.

"My name is Livonna," Livonna curtsied again, blushing. "You may not believe me, milord, but that was an academic treatise. About natural balance and the role of predators in its maintenance. I was always loving books, but my family was very poor, so I never could get a proper education." She sighed. "Well, now the robber is gone. I guess, I can continue my way home. I hope, nothing more bad will happen to me. Thank you very much for saving me and good bye!" Livonna sighed again and turned away, preparing to go, but suddenly the knight's hand lay on her shoulder.

"Not so fast, Livonna," Falaen smiled. "Night streets aren't safe enough, and my evening is free. Why should I not escort you home?"

Livonna smiled happily.

"Oh, thank you very much, milord."