A Bounty Hunter's Bundle

The King

The next day, Valkyrie and his mate, Lincoln strode towards the castle. The Bounty Hunter was dressed in dark drab clothing, his boots echoing sinisterly on the pavement. The head in the bag swung at his side, and he has a vicious sneer on his face--that Valkyrie like far more that he had the words to describe.

"You look like a benevolent mad man," Valkyrie murmured to him, ignoring the fine dressed females that had gooey eyes on the both of them.

"I feel like one..." Lincoln snickered, swinging the head in a bag, and using it to match his swagger."I got my very own melon in a to go bag. I will give it to the king and it's gonna be a good damn day."

Valkyrie rolled his eyes, his twin swords shining in the daylight. From the way nearly everyone watched them, he figured it must because of their appearance. They were dressed in black garb, with glinting weapons all over their bodies. The Bounty Hunter had that massive evil hat upon his head, but no trench coat--he didn't need one anyway. Valkyrie himself had his hair pulled back into a half pony tail, twin swords, and a dark cape, that matched Lincoln's.

They looked more dangerous that mercenaries and no one bothered to stop them. Valkyrie was used to being stared at like that, but he could see Lincoln enjoyed it far to much.

At the gates his mate clicked his tongue, "Lincoln Crosalk, and Valkyrie...."

"Tenafell," he added in, in a bored tone. The guards nodded, gave a salute then opened the massive gates. Lincoln strode down the massive walkway with a near spring in his swaggering gait. Valkyrie couldn't feel the same because of the last encounter with the king, had left him with a sliced face and dying hopes.

Inside they dropped to one knee, and bowed waiting for the king to be summoned and brought to them. He certainly took his time, and when he came in, he coughed, and the glass in his hand shattered. Other than that he made no signs of anger as he snapped his fingers for the glass to be cleaned up then sauntered to his throne and sat down.

"Ah...Lincoln...I see you have finally returned."

"Yes my lord," the Bounty Hunter responded proudly, looking up to the king, and then tossing him the head in a bag. Lincoln's curly hair had been cut short again, and he braced a forearm on his knee.

"The bastard was raising an army, I shot him before he could even get his weapons. We then disabled his whole small squadron. We are now lead to believe that is the end of his threat."

"He had others though," Katarin demanded.

"But...." Lincoln replied confidently, "He had his highest ranking followers with him and they are all dead, their bodies hidden well. I'd like to see the group recover from that."

Katarin glared him down, but at last gave a long heavy sigh, "I will have your funds transferred to your account. I want you to know, I am not the happiest with this mission, and if I so much as hear of the regrouping, you must know that you have let me down."

"If they regroup, I will track them down individually and kill them all."

"I suppose if that is even possible," the overlord growled, anger easily displayed on his dark face. Lincoln tensed, as the king waved his hand dismissing everyone. Even the guards.

"I want a few moments alone with my Bounty Hunter and the warrior." The beings in the room instantly dispersed. When they were gone the king rose to his feet. He strutted over the Bounty Hunter, and slapped him so hard across the face he slammed to his side with a grunt.

"How dare you!" Katarin hissed, placing a boot on Lincoln's stomach. The Bounty Hunter lay still watching the king with wide brown eyes. Valkyrie ground his teeth, and went more taunt that a barbed wire. His mate. The king was hurting his mate.

"My lord...." Lincoln whispered softly, not giving in to his fear, and meeting the king's gaze evenly. The King knelt down, with a dagger drawn, and flicked back the Bounty Hunter's shirt in a fluid movement.

"I suggest you stay right were you are, unless you want your....your, mate and your babies hurt," Katarin snarled viciously as Valkyrie rose to his feet, swords drawn. He didn't take another step though.

The room remained tense, as the king held Lincoln pinned to the floor, his small pregnant belly exposed. Katarin snarled, and traced a large scarred finger down the Bounty Hunter's pudgy stomach, causing him to flinch.

"Please don't hurt them..." Lincoln begged as the king grabbed his jaw.

"You were to get rid of them!" he screamed, looking furiously at Valkyrie. The warrior stared back with equal anger. He didn't like his mate being forced like that.

"It was his choice. They are his," Valkyrie responded his voice emotionless.

"They are my family, and I want them..." Lincoln added in, his brown eyes blazing with anger.

Katarin gave him a hard shake, before removing his weight off the Bounty Hunter and drawing to his feet. "I want you out of my kingdom. You are a disgrace. Take the funds from the account and leave tomorrow. If you are not out by then, I will kill you." With that the king turned on heel and stormed out.

Lincoln began to sniffle, and Valkyrie rushed to his side, wrapping his arms around his small mate. "It will be okay." He put Lincoln his feet, kissed his forehead, and put a comforting hand on his belly. "Come, it is time to go."

Lincoln nodded, and fell into stride behind the massive warrior. His face was neutral, even angry all through the town, until they reached his warehouse.

He burst out sobbing at once, "I've served him for years! He raised me since I was a boy! How can he do that to me! Especially when I need a place to stay now more than ever." The Bounty Hunter held his belly, and Valkyrie growled in anger at how Katarin had shunned his mate. He wrapped his arms around Lincoln, and rubbed his back.

"We will go to the farmhouse and rest there. Then...then Lincoln I will take you to my homeland, were you will not be shunned. Were you can have the twins safely and find a new king to serve. Were I can care for you and love you," Valkyrie promised nuzzling his face against Lincoln's soft hair. His mate nodded reluctantly.

"When this is all over...when I've had them, and recovered, I will return. And I will kill Katarin," he snarled.