Even with the water covering his ears, he heard the gentle tapping on the wood frame of the panel door, and although the sounds of her words were muffled and indistinct, in his mind he heard her quite clearly, as if she were stood next to him.  He smiled to himself, now at ease with the mysteriousness of this place.  Not once had he felt threatened or endangered since walking into the tavern, and this woman, this Eve, would certainly rival even the most accomplished geisha.  He wondered what she meant by 'chat later', curious to find out what they would discuss.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, the bath was working it's own magic.  The salts that had been sprinkled in the water, added to the heat, were performing miracles on his weary frame.  Old Injuries, long endured seemed to ease, knotted muscles unwound, the smaller nicks and cuts he had sustained in his last encounter seemed to shrink and disappear before his eyes.  Slowly, every ache, every nerve seemed to ease, soften.  His breaths became longer, deeper.  And for a while, he drifted off.<br/><br/>His brief slumber did not last, a loud crack from the fire as one of the burning logs spat out a glowing ember brought him quickly to his senses, the water in the bath splashing as his hands gripped the sides suddenly.  Relaxing again once he remembered where he was, Kitsune took up the large bar of soap from a tray nearby and slowly worked it into his fur, quickly creating a soapy lather all over his body.  He stood in the bath, the water dripping from his short, reddy brown fur, rubbing the soap into his tail.  He was soon a foam covered fox, and lowered himself back into the still hot water to rinse the glinting suds away.  His fur squeaked gently as he did so, looking glossy for the first time in months.<br/><br/>Once he had rinsed the last bubble from himself, he lifted out of the large metal tub and stepped onto the soft matted floor.  Taking a large fluffy towel from several piled against the wall, he then spent some time rubbing it vigorously over his body, working all the wetness out of him.  A quick glance at the colour of the bathwater told him exactly how much he'd needed that.  Wrapping the towel around his midriff, Kitsune padded through the impressively large room to a table close to the fire.  A decanter sat there, with cups, and he poured himself a generous measure of sake whilst he warmed himself near the flames, careful not to let the pops and cracks of the escaping motes of burning wood jump into his fur.<br/><br/>Taking a mouthful of his drink and letting it slide slowly down his throat, he turned toward the large bed. A circular affair, thick cushions and crisp white sheets adorning it.  Setting down his glass, he walked over and lay himself down, resting on his back, his body melting into the softness of the thing.  Surely not even the Emperor himself knew such luxury! Bending his arms, clasping his hands behind his head, he breathed deeply, soaking in the opulence of his situation, and wondering what was to happen next.