Lerris turned to his cousin and looked at her, "do you have any bright idea on how we could flush that monster out in the open, because for sure, I don't like the idea of going inside that barn." He asked in an exasperated tone.
"And flushing the beast is a clever idea?" Lydia asked as she gave her cousin an incredulous look.
"Well, we have two choices, confront the beast out in the open where we could shoot it, or go inside and pray we don't find it standing before us." Lerris pointed out.
Lydia scratched her head in irritation but said nothing, since Lerris was right, going inside is out of the question. Even armed with guns, the odds were still stacked against them. At close range, they may be able to kill a Reaper but not as quickly as they would hope for, and given the tenacity of the beast, it may be even able to kill them both before it could succumb to the wounds that she and Lerris might be able to inflict.
Lerris gently puts down his makeshift grenade and took out a small Hanunah pipe and small bag of tobacco.
"You smoke now?" Lydia asked as she gave her cousin a surprise look. She had been with his cousin for quite a time now, but she never had seen him smoke a pipe. In fact, she rarely seen people do it except the Hanunah, as they were the only people who are too fond of it.
"Off course not," Lerris told her as he began stuffing the pipe with the aromatic leaves from his pouch. "I'll use this to light fuse later," he added as he began lighting the pipe with his flint, metal striker and piece of charred cotton.
Lydia watched her cousin struggled lighting his pipe, and after a moment, he had his pipe lit and puffing that thing. Once her cousin was satisfied with it, he quickly picks up his grenade and musket, and slowly made his way towards the barn.
As soon as her cousin reach the side near the barn door, he quickly lit the fuse of his grenade, and after a moment, he tossed the grenade in and sprinted back to where she is. Moments later, they both could hear the unmistakable sound of bear rearing in surprise, and before her cousin could even reaches her, the walls of the barn suddenly burst outward and at the same time, there was sudden roaring sound of thunder followed by a gush of intense winds, all coming from inside the barn, forcing her to duck her head down.
And after that, was a deafening silence around her, and when she looks up, she could see half the side of the barn was gone, exposing the interior of the barn. She then quickly looks for her cousin and saw him lying face down on the ground.
"Lerris!" Lydia screamed in horror as she stood up and ran towards his cousin. She felt almost crying when she reached him and gently touched him.
She heard his cousin groans the moment she touches his shoulder, "thank the heavens you're alive," it was all she could say as her cousin starts to stir.
"God, that hurts," Lerris groaned as Lydia helps him sit up before she looks around with her rifle at the ready.
"Can you stand?" Lydia asked while keeping a sharp eye on the broken ruins of a barn before her.
"I think so," Lerris said as he shook his head to rid the loud ringing in his ears and at the same time, trying to regain his bearing as he feels disoriented by the blast.
"The Reaper," he groaned again as he crawled to where his musket was and picks up before he struggled up to his feet.
"I don't think anything could survive that," Lydia said flatly as she stares at what remains of the barn.
Lerris blinked when he saw the barn. Half of this side of the barn was gone, and he could see tendrils of smoke coming out of it shattered ruins as small fires broke inside. He could not believe his little grenade could be this destructive, and for a moment, he became clearly aware of the second grenade that he has on the left pocket of his cargo pants.
Just as he was about to walk towards the now shattered barn, he remembers his pipe and quickly looks around for it.
"Here," Lydia said as she holds his pipe up to him.
"Thanks," Lerris said as he gave her a weak smile before he took his pipe and started inspecting it. Satisfied that it was still in one piece, he taps the pipe on the edge of his hand before putting inside his pocket. He then lifted his musket and slowly walks towards the barn with his cousin following closely behind. As they drew closer, he noticed a huge hairy mass sprawled inside.
Curious, Lerris quickly walks towards the hairy mass, and was surprise to find the giant bear laying on its back, with most of its right hind legs missing and its torso eviscerated with most of its guts practically oozing out of it. From the looks of it, the Reaper was standing right next to the grenade when it went off, shearing off its right hind leg and tearing its guts wide open, lifting it off the ground and throwing the beast several paces to where it now lies. The beast took the brunt of the shock wave as everything behind it seems to be intact, while other areas around the barn were practically broken and shattered.
"Good heavens," Lydia muttered in shock when she saw the giant beast.
"What on heaven's name happen here?!" They both heard someone screamed from behind them, and when they both turn to look, they saw Milos's riding in, towing both their horses and pack horses behind him, and looking completely aghast at what remains of the barn.
"We killed your Reaper," Lerris said casually as he lowers his musket.
Milos did not seem to hear him said that as he quickly jumps down from the horse and ran towards the barn, and stared at the ruined barn in disbelief, "you destroyed the barn!" He yelled at them.
"It can't be helped," Lerris said with a shrug as he hands his musket towards Lydia before drawing out his sword and walks towards the dead Reaper.
"It can't be helped?! What do you mean, it can't be helped?!" The young man demanded as he watch Lerris walk away. He quickly took a step back when he saw the huge Reaper laying just a few paces away from him.
Lydia saw the young man's reaction and grinned, "that's right, we killed your Reaper," she said sarcastically, right at the same time Lerris began chopping off the beast's head.
"You killed it?" Milos asked in disbelief as he watch Lerris worked on beheading the beast by hacking off its neck with his sword.
Lydia said nothing, while Lerris kept on hacking. After a while, the Reaper's head rolled off. Lerris then wipes off the blood from sword at the beast's fur before sheathing it on his back. After that, he picked up the Reaper's head and walks towards Milos.
"Sorry about your barn," Lerris told the young man.
"How?" It was all he could asked as he stares at the huge head Lerris was holding.
"We bludgeon it to death," Lydia said dryly as she shoulders her way through the young man and walks straight to her horse.
Lerris chuckled at his cousin remark as he makes his way towards his pack horse, and pulls out a large sack, and then putting the severed head of the beast inside the sack, before putting the sack inside the wicker basket.
"You bludgeon it with those clubs?!" He asked in disbelief as he took a quick look at their musket.
"Does it matter how we kill it?" Lerris asked as he walks towards his horse and climbs up.
"No," Milos shook his head as he glances back at the barn, then grimacing at its sight, "but, how can I explain this to the Matriarch?"
"Simple," Lydia told him as she walks towards Lerris and hands him his rifled musket, who took it and slide it inside rifle holster on the right side of his saddle, "we fought inside and wreck the place, you did see where the beast falls, its inside the barn and not outside." She added as she heads back to her own horse.
The man vigorously scratch his head in frustration as he marches back to his horse.
Lerris wheeled his horse around as soon as everybody was mounted up and rides back to where they came from.
Lerris was hoping they would have a quiet journey back, but throughout their ride, Milos kept on badgering them on how things had transpired, and how did the barn end up like that, and when he and his cousin did not say anything, he kept on whining on what would happen to him if the Matriarch found out what happen to their barn. After some time, the man finally went silent and followed them with a sullen look.
"Back already, so soon?" The elder asked when Lerris and his party reach the gates. "Are you giving up?" he added with a laugh, while the rest of the men guarding the gate laugh with him, with most of them giving Lerris a mocking look.
"Milos, if you be so kind," Lerris said as he glanced at Milos.
The young man nodded sullenly and ride close to the pack horse and with significant effort, took out a large woolen sack, and brought it to the elder.
The elder stared at Milos first before looking at the sack that the young man was straining to carry. And when he took the sack, he was surprised on how heavy it was, that he drops the sack, where it landed with heavy thud.
"What is it?" The elder asked.
"Go on, open it," Lerris urged the man.
The elder glances back at Lerris, and with a snort, decided to open the sack, to look inside. He was completely taken by surprise when he saw the familiar head of the beast, as he let out a yelp and quickly took a step back.
"What is it?" Several the young men asked when they saw the elder's reaction.
"By the Gods, it's the Reaper!" One of the young men exclaimed.
"Reaper?" several young men asked in disbelief as they took turn in looking inside the sack.
"Bring the head of the Reaper to the Matriarch!" The elder suddenly bellowed after regaining his composure.
Several young men quickly took the sack and carried it inside.
"Do you intend to have us wait here for our bounty?" Lerris asked casually.
"Milos, escort them back to the Matriarch," the elder grunted.
"Yes, elder," the young man bowed at the elder, before he gestured at Lerris and Lydia to follow him.
With that, the men guarding the gate clears a path for them, before the three rides inside the settlement. And as they pass through the gate, Lerris could see the throngs of people lining up the street, looking at the men who were carrying a sack and running towards the Matriarch's mansion, with one of them yelling that the beast is dead.
At first, no one pays any mind at the young men, but here and there, Lerris could see folks walking out into the street and staring at the back of the young men, some were eyeing what they are carrying, while others asking their neighbors what is that all about. Soon after, the wide street was filling up with folks, and everyone was talking about from someone tried to kill the beast again, some poor souls died again hunting the beast, to someone killing the beast.
Lerris and his companion had a tough time riding through the streets that Milos resorted to shouting "make way!" repeatedly for some of the folks to clear a path for them. Even then, it took them some time to reach the other end of the street and rode through the plaza. But just as they were nearing the end of the street, Lerris noticed several riders rode out of the plaza and pass by them, in a hurry.
And when they finally reach the mansion, Lerris saw Ania waiting by the stairs along with several her retainers standing behind her.
"The Matriarch is waiting for you, hunter," Ania announced grumpily as Lerris, and his cousin dismounted and tied their horses at the nearby hitching post.
"You too, Milos," Ania added when she noticed the young man was still on his horse.
The young man quickly went down from his horse and tied the reins at the hitching post, while Lerris and Lydia made their way up towards the door, where they waited for Milos to join them. As soon the young man joined them, the guards open the door and ushered them in.
Lerris walks casually inside with his cousin walking beside him, while the young man followed close behind. Behind them, Ania and her retainers followed them. Up ahead, Lerris could see the head of the Reaper being displayed in front of the Matriarch, carefully place on some thick woolen rug. The Matriarch on the other hand was looking skeptically at the severed head of the beast, and even the people around her wear that same skeptical look.
"Milos!" One of the elders flanking the Matriarch bellowed when they saw the young man, completely ignoring Lerris and his cousin.
"Excuse me, master hunter" the young man bowed at Lerris before he ran towards the elders.
Lerris watch the young man intently as he ran towards the Matriarch and the gaggle of elders surrounding her. As soon as the young man reach them, the elders quickly surrounded the young man, and from the buzz that Lerris was hearing, he could assume that the elders were grilling for details.
"Enough!" The Matriarch snapped, and the buzzing instantly stopped, and the elders slowly parted, allowing the young to step back and stood just a few paces away from the Matriarch.
"Does any of you can distinguish if this beast really belongs to a Reaper?" The Matriarch asked in a loud voice, addressing the elders around her.
One of the elders, a man in his late forties, step forward. Lerris was surprised when he noticed that the man was missing his left arm, and he walks with a limp.
"It is Matriarch, without a doubt, as I recognize that scar of the beast's snout," the man declared, "that's the same place where Dario manages to land a strike with his spear, right before the beast tore him apart." the man added in a bitter tone.
"My man told us that you claim to bludgeon the beast to death with your long clubs," the Matriarch asked.
"Does it really matter how we kill it? The beast is dead." Lerris spoke calmly, addressing the Matriarch.
"Answer the question, hunter!" Ania hissed behind him.
"Yes, we bludgeon it to death," Lydia spoke up as she looks at the Matriarch challengingly.
Lerris could not help himself from chuckling about it, as he found the whole notion to be funny. In his mind, he could see himself trying desperately to beat the 12-foot giant bear quite comically, while the bear just stood there looking back at him, waiting for him to stop, so it could devour him. He only stopped chuckling when he felt a sudden jab on his ribs, as Lydia discreetly elbowed him.
"I'm sorry," Lerris said softly as he clutched his side, and tries to rub the pain away.
"Is there something funny?" The Matriarch asked.
Lerris took a deep breath and regarded the Matriarch for a moment. "I am a hunter, good mistress and not a bard who can spun a tale for your amusement." He told her. "The beast is dead, and that is what matters, and I don't want to relive in vivid detail on how we almost lost our life fighting that beast." He added.
Lydia winced when she heard her cousin and wanted to drub him, but to her surprise, she saw the Matriarch smiled at him.
"Well put, young hunter," the Matriarch told him while giving him a perfunctory nod of her head.
"I believe there is the matter of a bounty and a wager that we need to settle?" Lerris told the Matriarch, and as soon as he said it, he heard a hiss behind him, and when he glances behind him, he saw Ania looking at him acidly.
"Off course," the Matriarch said with a nod, and gestured to one of the attendants around her. After a few moments, a female attendant bearing a tray that holds two small leather bags, walks towards Lerris, and offered the contents of the tray to him.
"Sixty silver crowns for bounty, and sixteen silver crowns for the horses and their saddles." The Matriarch told Lerris when he looks back at her.
Lerris bowed his head in respect before he took the leather bags and hands it to his cousin beside him.
"You're not counting it?" The Matriarch asked when she saw what he did.
"Is there any cause for me not to trust you on your word?" Lerris asked.
The Matriarch smiled at him but said nothing.
"Is there anything else that I could serve you, good mistress?" Lerris asked formally.
"There is one more thing Enforcer," the Matriarch said as she stood up.
Lerris kept his face as placid as he could when he heard the Matriarch called him by his official title, and fought the urge to look around, as people around started talking, most of them sounded surprised.
"We have a slight problem with regards with a particular bandit," the Matriarch said casually.
"A man named Kint, I presume?" Lerris asked and immediately saw the Matriarch's face turned sour.
"Yes," the Matriarch said in a serious tone, "for years, that vermin had eluded our justice, and the local baron and magistrates seems reluctant to tackle with the man."
"Matriarch," Lerris addressed her formally, "do you want me to apprehend the man for you?" He asked.
The Matriarch gave him a levelled look, "I want his head, enforcer, and if you deliver his head to me, I will reward you with 4 gold crowns."
Lerris gave the Matriarch a stunned look, in fact, it took all his effort to maintain his composure, while around him, he could hear an almost collective gasp when they heard the Matriarch, as they all stared with stunned surprise.
"Mother!" Lerris heard Ania shouted from behind as she marches towards her mother, "you can't possibly offer that much for a single man?" she demanded.
"It's been two years since your sister died at his hand, Ania," the Matriarch growled at her, "and had any of you manage to catch him?!" she added angrily.
Ania took a step back, clearly, she was not used in confronting her mother's anger.
"For two years, that vermin had eluded our justice," the Matriarch said angrily as she shook visibly from it. "And if you can easily dispose of this beast before me, I can't see any reason that you won't be able to handle a mere human like him."
"So, you demand justice?" Lerris asked calmly.
The Matriarch marched towards Lerris until she was practically standing face to face with him, "I want revenge, enforcer." She almost hissed.
"Then I will bring the man before you, alive," Lerris declared softly that only the two of them could hear it, "so you can choose the manner of how you dispense your justice." He added in a solemn tone.
Lerris saw the woman almost broke in tears when she heard his voice, but she looks up and closes her eyes and took a deep breath before she looks at Lerris again, first looking straight at his eyes, as if searching for something, then taking a step back.
"I will hold you to your word, enforcer." She spoke shakily.
"And I would keep my word to the letter and deliver the man before you, alive." Lerris told her in a solemn tone.
"Then you are free to go, enforcer, knowing that I would wait eagerly for your return." The woman said softly before giving him a slight bow.
Lerris returned her bow before turning around and marches towards the door.
"Four gold crowns?" Lydia said in disbelief as soon as they were out of the mansion.
"If we find him and get him alive," Lerris told her as they both head towards their horses.
"Do we even know how he looks?" Lydia asked.
Lerris pause and took out the wad of posters that he was carrying inside his vest, and began looking at it one by one, and after finding the one he was looking for, he hands the poster to Lydia.
Lydia looked at the poster in askance, "so this is the man," she said as they both continued their way to their horses.
"More or less," Lerris told her as he first unties the pack horse and held its rein before untying his own horse.
"So where can we find this bastard?" Lydia asked eagerly as she unties her own horse before mounting up.
"I have no idea," Lerris told her bluntly before he climbs up to his horse.
"What?!" Lydia asked loudly, causing some of the people milling near the mansion to glance up to them.
"Why don't we go back at the chapter house and think of something else." Lerris told her as he wheeled his horse around and started riding towards the gate.
Kint sat back at the side of the Pinyon Pine tree which common around these parts, while one of his men diligently keep a look out at the road ahead. They have been there since midday, waiting for the two hunters who had gone north earlier that morning, the same hunters that Pavle was supposed to waylaid, but for some reason, not only that the man failed to do his job, but he lost his life as well, along with three of his men, including his best tracker, along with his only two crossbowmen.
Normally, in waylaying people on the road, it is ideal to have an archer or crossbowmen with you, especially when you are dealing with hunters who by profession are trained archers themselves, but unfortunately, since both of his crossbowmen were dead, he no choice but to adopt his tactics. So instead of taking out their quarry from a distance, he had no choice but to wait for them to come to him and then try to overwhelm them with numbers, and for him, ten men is more than enough to overwhelm a young man and a woman who were armed with nothing but a long club, and only the woman seems to know how to handle a bow as she seems to be carrying a short bow on her back when he last saw her.
As he sat there, his mind wondered at the sight of the Pavle's headless body that was unceremoniously dragged out of the road and into the nearby bushes just beyond the side of the road, along with the rest of his men. He cannot imagine why would someone take the man's head, as the man had no bounty on his head. Pavle who was a thief and ruthless cutthroat, and he had been known to deal with some of the worse kind of people in the district, but he was too cautious, meticulous, and cunning in his work that it would be next to impossible to pin him to any crime that he had committed. And the man was even careful when dealing with dangerous men. The other puzzling thing was the wounds that killed his men. One of them had a hole bored through his skull while the backside of his head was blown off, the other two had a less gory wound, one had a hole on left breast where the heart should be and the back was a large hole, and other had a wound on his neck but the spine was shattered as evident on the exit wound at the back of his neck.
He had been a soldier once before he had joined Azad little enterprise, and he had seen numerous wounds in his time serving the Eastern Army at the Eastern Marches, but he had never seen such wound before, and he does not know of any weapon that could deal such kind of wounds. The closest thing that he could think that could pierce a man through and through was a ballista, but that would be impossible, as the ballista is a large unwieldy weapon, and it would take some time to even move it into position or even assemble it. And it would take four ballistae firing in succession to even duplicate what his men had describe what happen to Pavle and his men.
Suddenly, he heard one of his men shouted, "I see riders coming!"
Kint quickly rose to his feet and look ahead, and true enough he saw two riders coming, riding slowly, and even at the distance, he could clear make out the young woman. "Mount up!" He bellowed as he runs towards his own horse, while the rest of his men immediately scrambled towards their own mounts.
Kint estimate that they are still over a thousand paces away, a considerable distance to cover on foot, but with horses, they could reach the two in no time, and with their horses fully rested, he knew he could easily outrun them.
"Get them!" Kint bellowed as he set his horse on full gallop and charge towards the two hunters with his sword drawn, with his men following closely behind him, all galloping purposely, their eyes focused on the two figures up ahead.
But to his surprise, the two hunters just stop their horses and raise their club, pointing at them. That gesture incenses his men as they all raised their weapons above their heads and screamed as they charge head on.
And just as they were cutting the distance over half, Kint saw a brief flash and a sudden puff of smoke, followed by a loud sound of whipcrack. He did not know what to expect after that, but he did hear something whizzing past him, and when he looks behind him, two of his men were gone. And when he turns to look at the two hunters ahead, they still sat on their horses, unperturbed, and doing something with that ridiculous long clubs, and after a few moments, they raised their club again and pointed it at him and his men, and in an instant, he saw another flash and puff of smoke, and again punctuated by a twin whipcrack, then both quickly slam their club into a sheath beside their saddle before charging straight at them while drawing something from their waist.
That moment, he felt a sudden dread, but he fought the urge to flee as he knew he still had the numbers to overwhelm the two hunters, and with a bellowing cry he charges on, and just as he and his men were 60 paces away, he saw the young man pointed that thing that he was holding at his hand back at him, and at the instant he saw a flash and a puff of smoke and at the same time heard a loud whipcrack, he felt something smashed into his shoulder and throwing him off his horse, and the next thing he knows, he smash hard on the ground, driving all the air out of his lungs.
He heard two more whipcracks over the frantic sound of horses running around him, and after a few moments, the sounds of the horses running began to fade as if they were running away from him. Then out of the sudden, he saw the young woman standing before him, and grinning at him. She then kneels beside him, and saw her drew her right-hand back, and then blackness.
Lerris still could not believe what happen, he had expected a hard fight after he fired all his pistols, killing and wounding the nearest bandits that was closing on them, but for some reason, they all stop charging and quickly wheeled their horses around and fled southwards along the road.
He quickly heeled his horse and went back to inspect the bandits lying down on the ground, two of them were dead, but he knew the first one that he shot was still alive, as he made sure to graze him and not kill him, as the man eerily resembles the man on poster, the man the Matriarch wanted.
"It's him!" Lydia said excitedly as she jumps down from her horse and kneels on the man. At first, he thought, she was going to tend to the man, but instead, she smashes her fist on the man's face, causing him to lose consciousness.
"It's Kint!" She told him as she looks up to Lerris.
Lerris went down from his horse and walks towards the man, "we'll, I promised to bring him alive before the Matriarch, and I don't think she would be happy if we bring a dead man instead," he told her.
"What I want to know, is why these bastards are after us," Lydia told him as she began tearing up the man's clothes where the wound is.
Lerris knelt and moves the man around, checking his back, "clean shot," Lerris snorted, "he'll bleed to death if we don't do something about his wound." He added as he drops the man on his back again and stood up.
"Too bad, we don't have any of your sister's salve with you," Lydia said as she stood up and looks around them.
"That won't be a problem, we just need something to stop the bleeding," Lerris said as he went to the nearby dead bandit and started ripping his clothes off.
"What are you doing?" Lydia asked.
"Making a makeshift bandage," Lerris told her.
Lydia growled and kicked the man on the head, "first they try to kill us, and now we're healing this piece of trash!" she grumbled as she marches towards the other dead bandit.
Kint gasp for air and at the same time shook his head when he felt something cold splashes around him, and when he comes around and open his eyes, he found himself lying on the ground, with his hands and feet tied to something, and when he raises his head to look around, he saw the unfamiliar faces around him, all staring angrily at him.
"Who are you! What have you done to me!" He screamed at them, but they all stood there in silence as if waiting for something.
"Do you know who I am?! Release me!" He demanded.
"Oh, we know who you are, Kint, son of Hamon, from Cordel." He heard a commanding female voice.
Kint felt a cold brush on his spine when he heard that voice. He knew he have not heard that voice before, but for some reason, he felt a cold rush of fear in him that he nearly peed himself hearing that voice.
"Release me, you damn whore! Release me or suffer the wrath of Azad!" He screamed in defiance, but he knew it was useless, and he was even surprise to hear himself tremble.
An old woman dressed regally and with an air of authority suddenly steps into his view, "I have dreamed of this for several years, Kint, dreaming of having my vengeance for my daughter that you raped and killed," The old woman said as she glared at him.
He was about to say something, when suddenly he was lifted from the ground as both his hands and feet were pulled violently, and all he could do was scream, as he felt his entire body was painfully pulled apart.
"Defender of Hagrid," Lydia said as if tasting the words on her mouth as they rode out of the Hagrid's farm, "that doesn't sound right," she told Lerris as she rides beside his cousin.
"That's a position of honor in our clan," Milos said defensively as he rides behind them while leading the pack horse.
"And why is he following us again?" Lydia asked as she glance at the young man riding behind them.
"I'm Sir Lerris's page," the young man said proudly.
Lerris could only grunt when he heard the young man said it. He did not expect that old woman would so elated and overwhelmed when he and Lydia dragged the unconscious Kint into the great hall and presented the man to her. The Matriarch told him that she was not expecting to return that same day, and neither did her small court. Even her two daughters were so surprised that they suddenly became friendly to him. So not only did the Matriarch paid the bounty, but she also even made him her titular knight, and granted all the privilege and honor that comes with the position, including his own page. Not wanting to offend the Matriarch or her little court, he simply accepted it and goes with the flow.
"So, tell me again, how the Matriarch can raise my cousin to a knight?" Lydia asked.
"Because she is nobility, as she holds the Earlship of Hagrid, an old title and peerage, recognized by the crown, her domain encompasses a vast land holding that stretches twenty leagues to the west and ten leagues to north, which includes a number of farms, small settlements and hamlets." Milos explained.
"And why am I his page and not a knight?" Lydia demanded.
"You are his apprentice, are you not?" Milos said as if it was it was obvious.
"Will you two stop it?" Lerris growled as he rubs his temple.
The two of them went silent.
"It is just a title," Lerris said grumpily. "And that doesn't mean that the Matriarch raised me to nobility," he added.
"Really?" Lydia said with a grin as she looks at the young man accompanying him, "and what about him? He is your page after all," she said, as she gave Milos a teasing look.
"He's a baggage that no one wants," Lerris said bluntly, "and the Matriarch just dump him on my lap, hoping I could make something out of him."
Milos grimaced at that, but did not refute him, as it was all true, being a knight is just that, a title, and without peerage, it really means nothing, just a badge of honor. As for him, the hunter was right, he was just a baggage, and the Matriarch simply gave him to the hunter without so much of a thought, and none of the elders, his father included even made a small protest about it. At least, the Matriarch's daughter was gracious enough to lend him a horse and some silver, while his father provided him with an old, boiled leather armor and his old heavy crossbow, while her mother presented him some silver crowns, before asking him to come back as a new man.
"Aren't you being mean to him?" Lydia asked as she gave Milos a sympathetic look.
"Why don't you ask him?" Lerris told him.
Lydia turns to look at Milos and saw him looking down trying his best not to cry. "Oh," it was all she could say.
"Man up, Milos," Lerris said aloud, "I don't know why the Matriarch gave you to me, but I won't have you acting like a lost puppy. You're a hound not a puppy, and by the Gods, I would make sure to turn you into a hound even if I have to kill you myself." He glances at the young man when he said the last part and gave him a wicked smile.
Milos raised his head and jerked back when he saw Lerris's face.
"So, what's next?" Lydia asked anxiously as she grins at his cousin.
"We go back to Nysa and stay for the night, visit the market on the morrow and then we head home." Lerris told her as he looks ahead of the road.
"What?!" Lydia exclaimed as she looked at her cousin, "but what about the rest of the wanted poster?"
"Haven't you had enough adventures?" Leris said as he gave his cousin a leveled look, "besides, I had to work on my craft, or have you forgotten about that."
"Didn't your brother Veit had that covered?" Lydia asked grumpily.
"Why don't we just head back to the chapter house, have a good rest and then think about it," Lerris told her as he looked at her.
Lydia sighs and nodded her head. She knew that stubborn look, she had been with her cousin long enough to know all his subtle nuances, and despite his calm voice, that look on his eyes is like him stepping his foot firmly.
"Milos, eyes sharp, we've been attacked twice this day, and I wouldn't be surprise if we ran into bandits again," Lerris said as soon as they rode near the knoll, and pulls out his musket, while his cousin did the same thing and started to ride away from him until she several paces away from him.
"Sir Lerris, you jest, bandits don't go near our lands," Milos said with a laugh, he would have said something to drive his point, but he kept his silence when they rode around the knoll and come across open field where the road had cuts through and saw several dead men lying about and the same number of horses grazing aimlessly around.
"You we're saying, page boy?" Lydia asked in a sarcastically as they rode on.
"Who are these men?" Milos asked as he glance down at the dead men.
"They came with Kint," Lerris told him without looking, while watching the road ahead of him.
"Why would that man be after you?" Milos asked, sounding a bit afraid.
"Who knows," Lydia said casually.
"Quiet and keep your eyes open," Lerris told them.
Milos said nothing and followed the two in silence.
It was already dark when they finally reached the Western Gate of Nysa, and like before, the guardsmen did not let them in unless they paid the appropriate toll, but once Lerris paid it, the senior guardsman gave them their token and ordered the rest to clear the gate.
With that, Lerris little party rode in silence and slowly made their way towards the plaza and into the chapter house. Once they were in front of the chapter house, the chapter house grooms ran towards them and took their reins and waited until Lerris and his companions had climb down their horses and took their belongings with them.
But before the grooms could lead their horses inside the stable, Lerris asked one asked the groom who was handling his pack horse, if he could sell the weapons that he and his cousin took from the bandits, he even showed the groom the weapons that was stored inside the wicker basket.
The groom looked at the weapons and told Lerris he knew a shop at the marketplace that buys used items such those and he even told Lerris that he could easily sell them at a fair price.
Lerris smiled at the groom and told the man he could have a fifth of the profit if he would take care of it for him.
The groom smiled deeply at Lerris and promised he would take care of it. And with that, the groom quickly led the pack horse towards the general direction of the marketplace.
After concluding his business with the groom, Lerris and his companions marched inside the chapter house and straight to the bar where the barkeeper and mistress of the chapter house.
"I see you're still in one piece," the barkeeper said with a grin as Lerris leans on her counter.
"Disappointed?" Lerris bantered.
The barkeeper barked a laugh, "not at all, not at all."
"By the way, I'd like to register someone as a hunter," Lerris told her.
The barkeeper took a quick glance at the young man standing beside Lydia, "taking in strays?" She asked.
"More like forced into me," Lerris grumbled.
The barkeeper chuckles as she took a parchment from underneath her counter along with a quill pen and ink jar. "That would be three silver marks," she said casually.
"Three? I only paid two silver marks before," Lerris complained.
"That was before, before they enacted the new laws." The barkeeper explains.
Lerris shook his head and took out three silver marks and handed it to the barkeeper, before turning to Milos. "You have to put on your mark on the contract, and better read everything so you'll have an idea and what you're putting your head into." He told the young man.
Milos nodded at Lerris and walks towards the counter and took the parchment and started reading its contents.
"Do you have a spare room for my apprentice," Lerris asked.
"Apprentice?" The barkeeper gave the young man an appraising look. "I do have a spare room, a silver mark for the night."
Lerris said nothing as he took out a silver mark and pushes it towards the barkeeper.
"Barkeeper, what about our clothes?" Lydia asked politely.
"You're such a beautiful creature," the barkeeper said to Lydia.
"I know," Lydia said with a smile, "our clothes?"
"And feisty," the barkeeper said with a laugh and stop when she saw Lerris staring at her, "forgive me, but she is." she apologized.
"Our clothes?" Lerris asked.
"It already up in your room." The barkeeper told him with a smile, then wrinkles her nose after she leans closer to Lerris, "and I think you need a bath," she told Lerris bluntly.
Lerris chuckled, "I think you've read my mind," he said.
"How about you, princess?" the barkeeper asked as she looks at Lydia.
Lydia simply gave the barkeeper a nod.
"Do you want to bathe together or separately?" She asked as she gives Lerris a sly smile.
"Separate, if you please." Lerris told her.
"What about you boy?" The barkeeper asked as she turns to Milos.
Milos simply shook his head as he kept on reading what is written on the parchment.
"And your dinner?" the barkeeper asked.
"Just give us your best meal, and I'll pay later after I finish my bath," Lerris told her.
"I'll have someone fetch you once your baths are ready," the barkeeper said.
With that, Lerris pick up his musket and headed upstairs, leaving Milos at the bar, still signing the parchment that the barkeeper gave him.
As they walk inside their room, Lerris saw their clothes neatly stacked on top of the beds, with Lerris clothes placed on the top bed while Lydia's clothes were place at the on top of the lower bed. They were both placing their clothes inside their saddle bags when they heard a knock on their door, and when Lydia opens it up to answer it, she saw one of the serving maids standing outside and was holding several towels on her arms and informed them that their baths were ready.
Both dropped everything and headed out of the room, with Lerris locking the door behind him and followed the serving girl where she took them to the bathing room, leaving them each with a towel and a cake of soap. As soon as the serving maid and his cousin left, he quickly closes the door and started taking off his clothes and jump inside the big wooden tub and started taking his bath. He did not how long he stayed, but by the time he got out the tub the water was already lukewarm. He also taken the liberty to use the water on the tub to wash the clothes that he was wearing all day. Once he was done, he quickly dried himself off and started donning his clothes, and after that, he heads back to their room, where upon arriving hung his wet clothes on the nearby chair. Sometime later, Lydia came back already dressed up and drying up her hair with the towel that she was carrying.
"Lerris," Lydia said as she sat down on the lower bunk bed while drying her hair with a towel.
"Yes?" Lerris responded nonchalantly while stuffing his saddlebag with his clean clothes.
"Can we stay for another day?" Lydia asked as she stop drying her hair and stared at his cousin.
"Why?" Lerris asked as he glanced at her.
"I just wanted to explore the village and buy something for my mother and sister." She told him as she resumed drying her with a towel.
"We could stay until midday, but after that, we have to leave," Lerris told her, "I don't like pushing our horses too much."
"I don't mind that," she said, giving her cousin a small smile.
"Well, I'm famished, let's go down at the common room and have some dinner," Lerris said as he stood up and took his and belt baldric from the peg and dons it.
"You go one ahead, I'll be joining as soon as I'm finished." Lydia told him.
"Suit yourself, the key is on the table," Lerris told her, pointing at the key, "just lock the door on your way out," he added as he walks towards the door.
Lydia nodded as she took the key and watches her cousin walks out of their room.
After going down from the stairs and into the common, he picks out the nearest table that was not occupied and sat on it.
"Your admirers are back," Lerris started as he heard the barkeeper behind him, and when he looks up, he saw the barkeeper standing there with a couple of mugs on her hand looking down on him, she then places both mugs down and joined him at the table.
"My best mead, and it's on me," the barkeeper told him.
"Thank you," Lerris said as he picks his mug and took a sip. It is a bit lukewarm, but the taste was good for a mead. "It's good," he complimented as he puts down his mug.
"Thank you, it's my own brew," she said proudly.
"By the way, good mistress, is there anyone I should be wary about?" Lerris asked candidly.
The barkeeper smiled at him, "not much, there's a couple of watchmen and the baron's own men, but they are here out curiosity. They can't seem to wrap their heads around on how a young man and woman can manage to kill two bandits."
"I guess we were just lucky," Lerris said with a grin.
"I guess you are, considering you came back in one piece after your forays in Hagrid's land." She said with a knowing smile. "I know a lot of things about your quest there and seeing you and your friend coming out of unscathed says a lot of things about you."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Lerris smiled at her.
"I take you manage to take down the beast?" She asked casually.
"We did," Lerris answered as he took another sip from his mug.
"Interesting" the barkeeper said as she places both her hand under her chin and looks seductively at Lerris. "I've heard stories that several large bands of mercenaries tried to do what you did, and they all failed quite miserably, and yet the two of you manage to kill the beast in less than a day."
"You can't beat luck, good mistress." Lerris said as he smiled at her.
"Did you know that you and your companion was the very first to ever kill a Reaper in over a hundred years." The barkeeper said as she runs her finger over the rim of her mug.
"I didn't know that" Lerris told her truthfully.
"You just increased the guild's reputation, my dear." She said as she looks at him.
"I'm just doing my job." Lerris told her honestly.
"And you had done it beyond what anyone in guild could expect," She told him before she rose up and took her mug, "your companions are here, should I bring your food now?"
"That would be excellent, good mistress." He told her.
"Before I forgot, you owe me five silver marks for the food and bathe, and additional silver mark for your horses." She said bluntly before taking another sip from her mug.
Lerris took out six silver marks and hands it to her.
"A pleasure doing business with you, young master," the barkeeper said as she took the coins and marches off towards her bar and calling one of her serving maids.
"What was that all about?" Lydia asked as she sat down beside Lerris while watching the barkeeper goes.
"She is just asking on how we fare on our little quest," Lerris told her candidly.
"Sir Lerris, if I may ask?" Milos said as he sat down on the table with them, "I know I am your page, but do I have to be a hunter like you as well?"
"If you are going to follow me around, then you better well be one, or else I have no use for you, and you had to earn your keep." Lerris said in a straightforward manner.
Milos winced at that.
"How good are you with your sword?" Lerris asked.
"I've been trained with the swords and bows since I was little, sire, so I think I could be handy with a sword." Milos said confidently.
"We'll see," Lerris said with a nod.
"Here comes our food," Lydia said gleefully as she watches two serving maids bearing trays walks towards them and started serving out their food.
Lerris stared at the food hungrily as they were being serve, and it was quite a collection, as there is stuffed chicken, sliced roasted pork, vegetable stew, and several plates of sliced bread, as well as a pitcher of mulled wine. In all, it was worth all the silver that he had paid for it.
"Let's eat," Lerris said as he started digging in.
"What's taking Kint so long?" Paren heard his master, Lord Azad said as he walks out of his room, behind the man, he could see a young woman lying on his master's bed, stark naked. That could be the young girl that his brother Gregor had brought this morning. Azad had been eyeing that girl for months, and it took Kint's cunning manipulation to force the girl's parent to use her as a collateral for their loan. He really did not understand how the man does it, but he had a knack of creating misfortune and forcing someone to borrow large amount of money, especially around farmers.
"You know how he is." Gregor told Azad as he sat on the nearby long bench, enjoying his pipe of tobacco.
"He was never this late before," Azad told him as he looks out of the window and noticed it was almost dusk.
"If I didn't know him better, I'd say he'd be enjoying molesting a young man right now." Gregor said with a laugh.
Paren shook his head. He only knew Kint by reputation. While he was still working as a guardsman, he had stories about the man, and his tendencies to rape young men and women. He asked his superiors once about the man, and why no one has apprehended him yet, and his superiors told him that all that he heard about the man was just stories, and no one had filed a report against the man. But when the clansmen of Hagrid reported murder and rape against the man, the magistrate and the guardsmen dismissed it, infuriating the clan's matriarch so much that she puts a bounty on the man's head. But after several years, no one has claimed for that bounty, and the man could still walk freely around. Later, when he fled the guardsmen after he killed a fellow guardsman on drunken brawl and was taken in by his brother who was already working for Azad, that is when he finally learns how Kint could walk freely despite his crimes. For years, Azad protected the man, using his money and influence to keep Kint out of jail and out of the headsman axe. He also learned that their partnerships go back when Lord Azad's was nothing more but some baron's bastard.
"He better deliver that young woman intact, or else" Azad growled.
"I don't remember him reneging his promise nor gave you a broken goods before," Gregor told Azad.
"By the way, when is that damn magistrate coming here?" Azad asked as he went towards the nearby table and help himself with the bottle wine.
"The magistrate from Lazor should be here in three days," Gregor responded before puffing his pipe.
"Good, we need to mark the girls we have right now and send them to Cordel as soon as possible," Azad told the man, "I don't like the idea of keeping the girls we took from a raid much longer, if somebody started looking for them, we would be in trouble."
"I doubt somebody would look for them so soon, we just took these girls two days ago, nobody would know they were missing at least for a week." Gregor pointed out.
"Nevertheless, I want them out of here and sent to the Eastern Marches as soon as possible," Azad told Gregor as the man took another puff from his pipe.
"Eastern Marches?" Gregor started, as he looked at Azad, "those girls are worth more down at the Southern Marches."
Azad shook his head, "Dasan has been sending me letters, demanding where the girls are that I promised, and you know how he is." Azad pointed out.
Gregor was about to say something when someone started pounding on the door.
Paren stood up and walks towards the door and opens it, and as soon as he opens it, Treman, one of Azad's personal guards walks in, "My lord, it's Kint!"
"What happen?" Azad asked nonchalantly as he takes a swig from the wine bottle.
"He's dead!"