Alicen plopped down onto her bedroll, gazing blankly at the wall in front of her. She hadn’t looked at the demon since they came into the room and so she didn’t notice him leave without a sound. She didn’t understand why she was shaken up; things like that had happened before plenty of times; they were bound too when you were female and have to frequently visit taverns like this. She wondered if her condition at present was due to what happened earlier with the demon. She was abruptly pulled from her daze when some tissue fell into her lap. 

Startled, she jumped and her gaze shot up to see the demon looking nervous and awkward. She listened to what he said. So, he had seen her crying. Damn, she had vowed the day she left with Halt that she would never let anyone see her cry. Then he held out a white rose. Her eyes widened and she could only stare at it for a few moments in shock. No one had ever given her flowers before. She reached out one small hand and took the rose gently from him. She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet fragrance before holding the velvet petals to her cheek as she looked up at him and gave a smile and a small tinkling laugh. “Only a few boys ever apologize with gifts and they are far and few in between. Thank you….” Horror dawned on her when she realized she didn’t even know his name.

“I never asked for your name! How terrible of me, I am so sorry!”