Blackgrove Tavern, Ten Years Later

"CLEARBURY is so boring lately. Maybe I should get out of this city and stay on a more exciting place. What do you think?" Temari asked the huge and bulky man behind the bar counter.

"I lost count of how many times you've said that, Temari. But you are still here," he answered without even looking up at her. He was busy wiping beer glasses with a towel. Despite his forbidding expression and intimidating build, the man didn't look out of place behind the counter.

Temari sighed. "I know. But every time I decide to finally leave this place I always get interesting clients. It was as if this city doesn't want me to go, you know?"

The huge man finally stopped wiping the glass and looked at her. "Maybe it is you who doesn't want to go, Temari. Maybe it was not the city that is holding you back."

Temari stared at his face. She couldn't believe she will hear something like that from him. At the same time, she felt a slight clenching in the pit of her stomach that she forcefully ignored. She chose to act the way she usually does: teasing and carefree.

"That's some deep words, Zak Henderson. I can't believe I will hear that from you."

Zak arched his brows and shook his head. "Shut up," he said gruffly. Temari grinned because she knew he was not really mad. He will never get mad at her. She knew that since she was sixteen, when they accidentally met for the first time since Zak got out of the orphanage when he was sixteen.

They were never close when they were in the orphanage. Not only because Zak was five years older than her but also because he was too serious and grumpy while she was flighty and busy trying to sneak away. However, when they were both out of that institution, they both realized they are actually alike.

Zak taught Temari a lot of things so she can survive the world outside the orphanage. His teachings were almost all illegal but she understood early on that it was the only way people like them can survive. The day she graduated from the orphanage, the head of the disciplinary committee told her that she will never survive outside. That she will either end up in prison or some old man's mistress. She didn't believe him and swore that she will have a good life, better than what he has.

She was so full of herself that day. She never knew anything.

"Don't look back," Zak suddenly said. Temari blinked. She didn't notice that he was staring at her face and obviously saw where her mind went.

She cleared her throat, straightened in her sit and lifted her chin. "I won't. Why would I when I like my life better now?"

"Good. The past is an evil beast. If you give it an opening, it will drag you to the darkness until you can never get out of it again. Be careful."

"I know, Zak. I only always look ahead of me."

His eyes narrowed while looking at Temari. He looked like he was about to say something. He wasn't able to do so because the door of Blackgrove Tavern where they are suddenly opened. Temari heard the sound of the bell on top of the door frame so she knew someone came even without looking.

"You're early," Zak said with a frown.

"I finished my mission earlier than I thought," a familiar male voice answered.

Temari turned to see who came. "Yo, Jax. You look… like you went to a desert or something."

She looked at the middle-aged man. Like Zak, he is full muscle though Zak is bigger despite the fact that Jax is older. He is in his late thirties and half of his face is covered with thick mustache and beard. At that moment, his whole body is covered with dust and sand.

He huffed and sat to the stool next to Temari. The dust from his body made her sneeze. "Sorry 'bout that. I did go to the desert. I found the person I was looking for there." He turned to Zak. "A mug of buzzer bear, please. I badly need a drink. I thought I will not survive that desert."

Temari's eyes widened. "There is a desert in Mowsland?"

Jax looked at her. "Sure do. There is one at the farthest south of the country. It takes two months of travel to go there, though." Then he groaned. "That client was not profitable. Half of the money they paid me just went to my travel expenses. Do we have new clients asking for services that I can do, Zak?"

"I will inform you when we do," the younger man answered as he put a mug of beer in front of Jax.

Soon enough, more people enter the tavern. All are men, most of them wearing hooded black cloak to cover their face and body. Some looked fresh while others looked like Jax, as if they came from a long journey. Everyone looked relaxed and at ease inside the tavern, as if this was their home.

And maybe it was. In a wealthy and luxurious city like Clearbury, where ninety percent of the residents are aristocrats and rich merchants, Blackgrove Tavern gives a place for people like these men and like Temari. People who don't have family titles, properties or even hundreds of gold coins in their pockets. People who have to resort to illegal things to survive.

The Kingdom of Mowsland might be wealthy and glamorous but just like any other kingdom, there is a community living behind the shadows. They rarely appear during the day and don't attend lavish events. They usually meet at night, in the old and hidden Blackgrove Tavern. Most of them are mercenaries and thieves.

Zak Henderson owns the place. He also serves as the middleman of all the regulars in Blackgrove Tavern. Most of the time, clients don't want to directly talk to the 'lowly criminals' they wanted to hire so they relay the message to Zak.

Sometimes, there are brave clients. Or maybe just plain stupid. They enter Blackgrove Tavern on their own during the time where almost all the regulars are present. Just like that night.

Temari has her eyes on the door when it opened. A tall figure covered in black hooded cloak entered. The figure stopped there and slowly looked around. All the regulars turned their heads and the tavern quieted down.

They all knew that this person is a client.