Paying her to lie, sounded like a foolish endeavor. Well, regarding these instances anyway. Rais wasn't in any mood to judge her, considering what they'd just shared.
He sat up from the bed, taking his clothes in hand and quietly thanking her. In truth, he didn't really want to leave. So few were his chances to bask in moments like this, he relished it when the opportunity came knocking. He dressed slowly, cleaning himself off and tied his belt back around his waist. Back to duty, solemnity.
"I don't take anything for free," he murmured and kissed her cheek a few seconds before there was a knocking on the wall at the entrance. He sighed when they called his name and he pressed his forehead against hers, mask to horns and the clanking made him laugh. "That's my master calling. At least he has the courtesy to make sure I'm decent. Have a good day, Naadia."
He bowed as he left and quickly departed with a sleeping Anki. The other guards had carried him off to the carriage. The streets would come alive soon enough and as they rolled off, Rais taking his seat beside his Merchant Prince, another carriage moved along from across the way, keeping some distance and following them.
It was customary to let Anki sleep off the night before. All his meetings were pushed back and his associates were escorted from the manor to come back the next day. All was well, or so it seemed. Rais was at attention now, although the other guards seemed less than pleased with him. He couldn't be bothered with their opinions, be it hate or envy or some combination of both. It wasn't often Anki treated a servant of his as a friend, and perhaps that was the source of their ire.
All was quiet, all was well. A seeming calm before the storm. It wasn't often that it rained in Essyrn, but when it did, it was wonderful. A cold front from the east, Rais suspected as he stood outside of Anki's chambers. The master would likely rouse soon, want a drink, or at least be updated on the goings on.
Rais knew never to let him sleep too late, and as the day waned into evening he gently rapt knuckles on the door. No answer. "Anki!" and when he opened it, he was greeted with nothing more than a peaceful scene. He frowned, the sheets were rolled up as if a body was in it. Or had been in them. And as he crossed the threshold to check, his hand sunk deep into nothing more than pillows. And Anki was gone.
Rais' eyes shot wide, gut growing cold. He swiveled around and twisted toward the door. Nothing, no sign of him! As if the man hadn't even been here. And the only thing that moved was the air shifting through curtains from an open window. "What in the fucking hell, Anki!?" he growled, running to the door and seeing nothing, save the rain that pelted down from the awning over the window.