Chapter 1
The streets of Nün were flooded with vendors, each more desperate for gold than the previous.
Cultures came and went, yet generations walked with their hands deep in their own pockets to prevent a scheming pickpocket in Nün. It was also common to tell that someone might be a local from their tan-lines around their hands. The Nünites' hands were always a few shades whiter, as they spent almost every second within their own pocket.
A man's head lay back on the bedframe as an open window carried the sounds of the city into the humid bedroom. Sweat ran down his back. He looked down to see pale hands stroking him off in between an occasional tongue lick.
This whorehouse always carried the best women. Leagues better than the stinking nests that were down the road at
Farfirst
.
With each motion of her mouth, he started to inch closer and closer to climax--
KNOCK KNOCK!
A woman's voice shouted, "Hey Katran, you in there?"
He sat up, alerted. Katran looked at the girl through wide eyes and mouthed, "Quiet!"
She stopped completely. Katran motioned for her to keep going.
"Katran," the voice from outside the door boomed again! "You've only got two places to hide out, and I heard they tossed you out of
Farfirst
an hour ago. I know you're in there!"
The girl looked up at Katran as if he had betrayed her. He shrugged, then grabbed a handful of her hair and pushed her head down further until she started sucking again.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
The girl took her lips off of his dick and then whispered, "I don't think she is leaving anytime."
"For fuck's sake!" Katran sat up and started to grab his clothes. "I didn't even finish, so I'm not paying for the finale!"
She crossed her arms. "I don't care what you do at the finish line. You pay me for what I did." Her hand reached out and remained open.
He sighed and reached over into his satchel and forked out the payment for her. A few silvers fell into her hands, and she happily winked at Katran as she pulled on her robes and dropped the coins into her own pocket. Katran's clothes were on, but his dick was still hard. He had no doubt that it was visible through his pants.
KNOCK KNOCK!
"I'm on my way," Katran shouted.
He reached for the door and opened it to see Josipa waiting impatiently in the hall. "Roman just sent out notes about a new job. We've got to get moving. The payout is
big
."
As Josipa said this, the girl stepped into view and traced a finger down my arm, "Too bad you're busy with work." She eyed Josipa, "I hope your
colleague
is just as fun as I was."
Josipa started to walk back down the hall, and Katran followed, but not before calling back, "She's not a colleague. She's my wife!"
---
Josipa's black hair was tied up high, and it bounced as she walked quickly through the streets of Nün. Katran trotted along, grabbing at his balls once to readjust.
"What's the rush," Katran shouted!
Josipa didn't slow down. Instead, she signed at me with her hands, "
The Catchall
."
"Shut the fuck up."
She turned and smirked.
Katran trotted a bit and caught up with Josipa. She explained, "The note was smudged and hard to read, but there was no mistaking it. This is the Catchall, Katran."
"Which means the Salttails are probably already at his doorstep."
Despite walking through the crowds of people, Josipa and Katran spoke openly and without fear of eavesdropping. The two continued north, away from the seaport. Nün's saltwater breeze flowed through the streets today, and it carried schemes along its fluttering paths. Josipa caught the final words, "...so we'll hit the place at dusk. Don't be late..." Katran noticed a set of hands sign, "
Delivery around back. Payment under the barrels.
"
Josipa nodded, "Roman's on our side though. How many of his 'side-jobs' have we done for him over the last few years? Two dozen?"
"Yeah, probably that many. And how many times have we ever brought any unwanted eyes to Roman?"
Josipa smiled and held up a "zero" with her fingers curled to her thumb. Katran mimicked her, and bumped her knuckles against his own. "After he gives us the job, want to grab some seafood before we head out? I've heard the fishing boats came in today with mountains of cargo."
"Cargo?" Josipa said, "Are you asking me to dinner, or an extra job?"
"A dinner obviously! Poor words on my part."
"Is this how you make up for me walking into... whoever that was?"
Katran brushed it off, "Eh, she was nobody. Danica wasn't even there, so what did it matter?"
"What did it matter? If you're going to cheat on me, at least do it with a good-looking one. All I'm saying is, you could have done better."
"I'm glad you think so highly of me," Katran roped an arm around Josipa.
She met his eyes and looked at his lips. Josipa wanted to kiss him. She thought about that whore's lips on his, and her heart sank. Even in the depths of her heart, Josipa couldn't call it cheating.
They
had been cheated, and now they were dealing the cards Katran and her had been dealt. Yet, something about it had hurt her today. After seven years, why had it bothered her today?
The thought danced away, and she told herself to lean into Katran. She wanted to be pulled in closer to him. Instead, she felt them both get pulled apart by invisible strings.
So it goes.
"Do you think," Josipa asked, desperate to think about anything else, "Roman will be difficult today?"
Katran assured her, "Nothing we can't handle. We'll probably be in and out within a few minutes."
With a bolt of confidence, Katran pushed further into the crowds, leading the way toward the Catchall.
---
Nün was once like a delicious coat of caramel glazed atop a shining green apple. However, Nün was left out for too long; the apple quickly browned, and the caramel melted and transformed itself into a sticky mess.
The coast was so clear, the sand at the bottom of the bay could be counted as easily as the broken bottles buried underneath. Small tropical islands waved from across the horizon, and they invited people like sirens. Only delusional fools ignored the pirates tucked away from the safety of the coast.
Exotic imports flowed as freely as liquor. Taverns lined the streets, and cargo ships crowded the ports. Shops were open all night, just like the women that waited in the storerooms behind shops and taverns. Regularly, the women fucked their customers and faked an orgasm while they stared deep into the newest oil paintings from Belle's Hold in the north. The prostitutes would even haunt the art wing in the capitol of Nün in their free time.
Tucked away in the southern corner of Korema, the port city of Nün had found its foothold in debauchery many years ago. Despite this, its loyal citizens vowed to live their lives with honor, liberty, and a truth unique to each soul, and only a few believed that could be true.
Farthest from the truth, and deepest in the deceit was an elf turned oaf, Roman. His skin was fare, his belt was long, and his chins were many. Roman's office was filled with the aromas from a butcher's shop on a summer day.
The stink, the heat, the fat... it all added to the tension that was already steeping as Katran and Josipa argued with Roman.
