Micheal flinched as Brigid slammed his tankard of ale on the wooden table. A belch erupted from the bearded man, who drunkenly laughed while reaching for another full mug to his right. When his hand grasped the handle he quickly brought it to his lips. The foam fell down the side of his chin as he drank deeply of the brew.
Micheal, his green coat sleeves bunching up as he placed his elbows on the table, coughed into his hand before speaking, "Sir, is it wise to be spending our recent gains in this manner?"
Brigid froze in place, tankard halfway to his mouth. His eyes moved to Micheal's sharp, bespectacled eyes. A sneer that made the younger man scratch at the stubble on his cheek slowly crept across his face. He methodically placed his drink back on the table, licked the stray droplets of ale from his lips, then placed his hands together with a heavy sigh, "Care to elaborate, Micheal?"
Micheal moved a hand through his spiky black hair, sweat dripping down the back of his neck into his collar, "Well, sir, we˗̶"
"I."
Micheal blinked twice, meeting his mentor's eyes, "Pardon me?"
"You were about to say 'we recently received a large sum of money" correct? That is incorrect. You have not, and will not receive any profits from this business until your apprenticeship is completed. Profit does not go to 'us', it goes to 'me'," Brigid said, clearly enjoying his apprentice's increasing nervousness.
Micheal readjusted himself in his seat, clearing his throat once before continuing, "Erm, yes. You, sir, received a large sum of money from a recent client and are currently spending said gains on alcohol."
"Yes," Brigid leaned back on his side of the booth, "And?"
"It just seems...wasteful," Micheal spread his arms out for emphasis, accidentally hitting a serving girl in her thigh as she walked past. He hurriedly apologized and waved her along, returning the smile she sent his way, before turning back to his mentor, "Many of ou...your properties require repairs and renovations. Many clients have complained about the poor condition of their abodes, and have threatened to withhold payment lest something is done.
His mentor lazily nodded along as Micheal continued, "Additionally, some of our clientele have been accosted by a group calling themselves 'The Vipers'. They have supposedly been extorted, beaten when they refused to comply, and had their family members kidnapped and forced into the gang."
"And, where are you going with this?" Brigid's eyes were focused on the foyer of the inn, following after the skirts of the barmaids and serving girls.
"I've done the math, sir," Micheal took a scroll from the inside of his coat and carefully opened it up, a smile growing on his face, "It should cost you no more than three thousand gold to accomplish renovations and two thousand to ask the guards to assist with the Vipers. With the fifty thousand you earned yesterday, and the thirty thousand you have in savings, you have more than enough to accomplish this before the end of the day."
Micheal's smile faltered when he saw his mentor's unamused expression. He nervously rolled his scroll up before placing it back in his coat, then waiting on Brigid's reply.
"Micheal," Montgomery spoke with little humor, his head being held up by his right hand, "what have I told you is the purpose of currency?"
"To be spent," Micheal replied with an obvious lack of enthusiasm.
"And who, pray tell, has the right to spend it?"
"The one who has earned it."
"And who earned all the money you are speaking of?"
Underneath the lip of the table, Micheal's hands were shaking as he balled them into fists and bit his lip. Brigid raised an eyebrow before the younger man replied, "You did, sir."
"Exactly," Montgomery reached forward and patted his apprentice on the head, "I did. I earned every coin from both those morons wasting their lives in hovels they will never leave, and I sold the house on the edge of town to that fine noblewoman. As such, I am the one who has the right to decide how I spend it."
"But, sir!" Micheal stood up, knocking Brigid's hand off his head, "Shouldn't you try and improve the buildings and land you own with that money? If the Lady saw the sorry state of your other properties, surely she'd be inclined to rescind her purchase."
Brigid nodded but didn't seemed perturbed at his apprentice's outburst, "Well done, Micheal. You have retained some of what I've taught you. However, your hypothetical situation will never come about. I will make sure of it.
Brigid finished his remaining tankard with a single swig before standing up, placing a hand on Micheal's shoulder, and smiling with his eyes closed, "You'd be surprised how easy it is to keep the upper class from noticing those below them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I shall be seeking companionship for the night. Please return to the office before me and ensure the ledgers are in order before I get back."
Brigid was gone before Micheal could utter a reply. The young man watched his mentor leave out the door, leaving a sack of gold to pay for the drinks with the Innkeeper. Once he was gone, Micheal slumped against his seat. He sighed in frustration, shaking his head at the negligence of his "teacher". If he had learned anything from his apprenticeship, it was what not to do once it was over. More often than not it felt like he was teaching himself. Constantly fielding complaints, writing and checking the ledgers, and cleaning the office when Montgomery went out for "companionship". He felt more like a servant than an apprentice.
He could always leave, but Montgomery was the only Land Owner in town. The others had packed their bags and left the moment news spread that Lescatie had fallen. He'd have to head to the city if he wanted a new mentor, and he couldn't abandon the people in the slums. He had seen the ledgers and counted the gold multiple times. He knew Brigid was bleeding them dry, but what could he do? It was his word against Montgomery's and he was a simple apprentice. The only thing he could do was hold on until he became a full-fledged Merchant, hope the gold he had been saving was enough, and buy his mentor out. It wasn't the best or quickest solution...but it was all he had.
His hands came up to his face as he shook his head in shame. If there's was something better he could do, he'd do it. But as it stood ̶
"Pardon me, sir," a light voice said, followed by the sound of someone sliding into the other side of the booth, "Is this seat taken?"
Micheal moved his hands away from his face...then immediately looked towards the floor. He felt his cheeks head up as he tried not to stare at the scantily clad woman in front of him. He managed to stutter out, "N-n-not at all. Pl-please s-s-sit down.
He pushed his glasses up onto his face while looking down at the floor. A giggle from across the table made him look up into the deep, purple eyes of the woman before him. He found himself briefly transfixed by her appearance, before shaking his head and taking a deep breath to clear his thoughts, "Sorry, ma'am. How may I help you?"
"I was sitting in the booth over here," she pointed a black-gloved thumb behind her back, a matching short cape following her movements, "and couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I was hoping to ask you some questions if you wouldn't mind."
She leaned down, her black, cropped shirt bunching up around her breasts, accentuating them too much to be unintentional. Micheal gulped while wiping sweat from his brow with his sleeve in an attempt to keep his composure, "N-not at all. What would you like to know?"
"I heard one of you mention something about a noblewoman who recently came to town. Could you tell me what you know about her, and possibly where the house she bought is?"
Micheal was about to refuse until the girl started to pout in the cutest way he had ever seen. He felt his heart skip a beat, looking away to compose himself again. He turned back to her with a nervous chuckle, "Well, my mentor says I shouldn't give information on clients out to strangers...but..."
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The Huntress frowned at the sight in front of her.
"And the last stop on our little tour. My stomping grounds, the perpetual black stain on the face of Pran, the Slums!"
Nick waved a hand in front of him, slowly moving it across the area before them. Broken and rundown buildings littered both sides of the street. There were holes in the rooftops, shattered windows, missing or broken doors, not single building had been spared from the ravages of time. The cobblestones in the road were cracked or missing, leaving large black holes in their place.
"It's not exactly a welcoming place," Nick shrugged with a smile, "but it's home to me." He started walking down the street, beckoning the Huntress to come along. She followed in his wake, slowly moving her head left and right to fully observe the abject poverty around her.
The people were a reflection of their surroundings. Not a single person wore clothes without some hint of damage. Some stumbled around with their heads hung low, eyes focused on nothing more than the cold ground beneath their bare feet. Others walked fast and light, holding something to their chest while their heads darted back and forth. These avoided the alleys between buildings, crossing the street just to bypass them.
Nick looked up at her, trying to see her eyes under her hat, "There's a shortcut through here that will get us to the Market in record time. I hope you don't mind us passing through all this squalor, my Lady."
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Confusion lit up Nick's face as the Huntress shook her head, "Not at all, Nick. In fact, I'd be delighted to accompany you on a full tour of this section at a later date."
"Ooookkkk," Nick stood up straight, placing his hands in his pockets as he stared at the Huntress. He focused his eyes in front of them, his pupils scanning the entire area as they walked. He unconsciously moved to the left side of the street, waving to any faces he recognized as they passed by. Some waved back with friendly smiles, while others keep their heads down.
"I've been meaning to ask," he turned to the Huntress, watching as her gaze lingered on an unmoving man leaning against a dilapidated wall, "How did you scare off Revor and the others? I was too busy beating down the big asshole in front of me to see what happened."
The Huntress turned to him and shrugged, "Nothing spectacular. I incapacitated their leader, then knocked two of them two the ground, and disarmed the last one after he stabbed me."
"You got stabbed?" Nick asked with genuine concern, "Shouldn't we get that looked at?"
"Borrowing a phrase from a certain someone, 'It's shallow. It will heal on its own.'" the Huntress imitated Nick's voice as best she could. The young man looked towards the cobblestones, admitting that she had a point. She smiled beneath her bandana, "Thank you for your concern though."
"No problem, my Lady," Nick said as they rounded a corner, "I couldn't exactly...oh no.
At the sight of a woman in tattered robes on the side of the road with two children at her side, Nick moved his right hand to the side of his face, increasing his pace, "Move quickly and do not make eye contact."
"Why...oh," the Huntress deliberately stopped in front of the sitting woman, looking down at her with an unreadable expression. Nick's palm hit his face just as the woman started to push herself up. Her legs wobbled as she pulled the children, a boy and a girl, to their feet with her.
The woman coughed a bit, speaking in a raspy voice, "Please, ma'am. Spare some time for a suffering old woman."
Nick came over the Huntress' left side and beckoning to her with a hand. He only came up to her chest, so she had to bend down to hear him whisper, "I know this woman and she ain't old. Got here a couple of months of go dragging those kids with her. Puts 'em for sale, but they always seem to come back to her. Trust me, it'd be better if we leave now before she ropes you into it."
The woman looked between Nick and the Huntress with faint hope twinkling in her eye, her mouth missing numerous teeth as she spoke, "These children are completely healthy, I promise! The boy's young and strong, and the girl's got the prettiest eyes! They'll do anything you ask of them, won't you?"
The two children nodded, their eyes focused on the ground below them. The Huntress could see their ribs through the tattered jerkins they wore. Their feet had dirt and cuts all over them, and their hands could barely close from the bruises that peppered their skin. Their matted, matching black hair covered their eyes, preventing her from seeing their expressions.
The Huntress didn't answer, causing obvious concern to come over the woman's face. Nick took note of the various eyes watching them from the shadows in the alleyways and across the street. Depending on how his client reacted to this, their tour could get a bit more difficult.
After what felt like a minute, the Huntress knelt to be level with the woman. She reached into her coat and took out her bag filled with coins. The woman's eyes lit up as the Huntress shook coins out into the palm of her other hand. Once she was done, she put up her bag and held her hand out to the cloaked woman, "This is two hundred gold coins. Would this be enough to purchase your children?"
The woman quickly let go of the kids' hands, almost yanking the money out of the Huntress' palm. She backed away while staring at the shining coins with reverence, "All yours, ma'am! I don't even know their names!
She leered at the children, a devious smile on her face, "You hear that kids! You're her's now! Get outta here, go!"
The boy and girl lazily stepped towards the Huntress as she stood up. They stood at her sides and gripped onto her left and right fingers in unison. The Huntress nodded to Nick and the young man returned it before continuing on their original path. Once they were far enough away from the woman, he said, "Rather noble of you, but I hope you understand that you just made yourself a target."
"You speak of the Vipers?" the Huntress already knew the answer.
Nick nodded with a grim look on his face, "Those assholes thrive here, preying on unsuspecting travelers, people who get lost on their way home, or the easy targets that litter this place. I don't fault you for helping those two, but you essentially just confirmed that you're a good mark for them. There was no way they weren't watching that exchange."
"I understand, but wouldn't word have spread about me defeating four of their members?" she noticed the children at her side were stumbling along, so she lifted them onto her shoulders. She could tell they were surprised by how both their heads started darting from side to side, wondering at their new height.
She felt relief in her heart. There was still time to save them.
"Not likely," Nick's voice was dark as he placed a hand on his chin, "Razor's not that high up on the ladder, and his gang is a recent addition to them. It'll take a bit before word about you spreads to here."
"You seem to know much about this group," the Huntress ventured.
Nick shrugged, "When you live in the Slums, you gotta know these things. It keeps you alive. Ah, here it is!" He stopped in front of a building with part of its wall broken in. He glanced around before stepping over the debris into it, "If we cut through here, we'll reach the Market in no time. Gonna need to watch your step though, there are a lot of...what are you doing?"
Nick felt a pit form in his stomach as the Huntress handed the children to him. All three stared at the black-clothed woman, who stood up straight and turned to face the way they had come. She spoke in a matter of fact tone, "Dealing with the issue you brought up. Take the children to the Market and wait for me, please. I'll be sure to compensate you for it."
"You're not actually...are you fucking insane?" Nick said while placing the children on the dust-covered floor, "Scaring off four random punks is one thing. You're going to fight those guys on their home turf! They'll have the numbers and the home field advantage! You'll be slaughtered!"
The Huntress turned towards him, reached out a hand, and patted his head. He jumped back, hands going to his head in confusion. The Huntress chuckled and spoke, "Thank you for worrying about me, Nick. You're a wonderful guide.
She knelt to be eye level with the two children, "Both of you be nice while I'm gone, ok? When I get back, I'll bring you to your new home. I promise."
They both took a step forward, but Nick pulled them back by their shoulders. The Huntress nodded to him, then ran off into the Slums.
"Crazy fucker," Nick mumbled under his breath while turning the children to face him, "Come on you scamps. She told me to get you to the Market, and damned if Nick Mercer doesn't finish a job."
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The Huntress stopped when she came to the wall that marked the end of the alleyway. To her left and right were similar walls, meaning the only way out was from whence she came.
And, as if on cue, she heard the telltale sound of leather hitting someone's palm.
She calmly turned around, spotting six people entering the alley in a single file line. They spread out as they came, covering all possible corners to ensure she couldn't escape. All of them wore much finer clothing than the other residents of this area. They wielded brown leather clubs with a rope tied to the handles and their left wrist to ensure they couldn't be easily disarmed. They each had the emblem of two snakes hissing at each other somewhere on their bodies. A symbol of their induction into the gang no doubt.
The last one to enter stepped to the side to let in a familiar cloaked figure. The person pushed her hood back, revealing a feminine face with a mouth filled with holes where her teeth used to be. The tallest gang member titled his head towards the Huntress, and the lady vigorously nodded, "Yep, that's her! She's the one who took my kids! She's an evil, evil witch! Threatened to kill me if I didn't take the money."
She spat on the ground as the man turned to the Huntress, "Kidnapping kids isn't something we let happen around here. Us downtrodden gotta watch out for each other, you know?"
"Can we please skip the subterfuge?" the Huntress' response made both the gang member and his accomplice frown, "I'm well aware of how this works. I came here to ask if any of you would consider letting this all end peacefully, rather than shed any blood?"
The laughter from those around her was her answer. One of the gang members to her left, a young girl by the sound of it, spoke up, "Do you know where you are, bitch? Blood is one of the only currencies we accept here!"
As the crowd began to roar, the Huntress looked towards the ground. She spoke in a voice that sounded like a low growl, "I see. Then, I have one last question.
The Rakuyo fell from her sleeve into her palm. The Vipers jumped back as she snapped the two halves apart into a blade and dagger. She looked up, staring the woman who sold her the children dead in the eyes as she asked, "Does your blood count?"
Within the blink of an eye, the Huntress cleaved one of the gang member's arms off.
Their echoing screams went ignored in the dirty, dark alleyway of the Slums.
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Nick sat cross-legged on the cobblestone street, his eyes focused on the orange sky above. He looked between it and the children at his sides. Both were looking around in awe at the number of people wandering around the Market at this hour. It was likely neither of them had ever been out of the Slums long enough to experience a crowded street before. As he watched their heads swivel back and forth, a memory floated to the surface of his mind. Of a time when he was the only one able to defend Maggie from the bastards that prowled the Slums and the Main Streets. He spent many a day beating people down and getting beat down for the sake of his family. Could say that those fights are what molded him into who he is today.
And now he was looking at it from the outside.
Life sure has a funny way of making you remember important crap.
"Hey, kid," he said to the boy on his left. He placed a finger on the lad's head, "You're gonna have a real mom now, but don't get complacent. You'll be the only man in the house, meaning it'll be down to you to keep your sister safe. Don't let anyone touch her without going through you first. Got it?
The kid nodded in agreement, though Nick wasn't sure if the lad understood. He smiled and tossled the boy's hair, "That's the spirit. If you ever need help, come find me. I'll whip you into shape."
For the first time since he saw him, the boy smiled up at Nick. Nick returned it...until a familiar smell of iron made his nose wrinkle.
Instinctively, he bolted up while scooping the kids into his arms. He turned towards the alley he had just came from...and felt his mouth gape open at the sight of his client, covered head to toe in blood.
The crimson ichor dripped wherever she went, leaving a bloody trail of footprints behind her. She spotted Nick and he felt the overwhelming urge to run away as fast as he could right there and then. However, something kept him rooted to the spot, his teeth chattering as the seven-foot-tall woman got closer.
Her shadow fell over him, his heart entered his throat as her arms reached out from him...and her hands revealed an assortment of gold coins.
"This is your compensation for taking the children," her voice was surprisingly soothing despite the blood dripping from her clothes, "A hundred gold coins. I'd give you more, but I must save some to buy food for dinner."
With a shaky hand, Nick slowly took the coins then held the children out to his client. She carefully took them into her arms, deliberately attempting to keep the blood from staining their clothes.
She bowed as best she could to him, "Thank you for your guidance, Nick. I'll be sure to come to visit you whenever I have the chance.
The people gave her a wide berth as she started to walk away, some even running off while shouting for the guards. She stopped and turned back to address Nick, "I do not believe I have given you my name. It is Cynthia. Cynthia Albion. Goodbye, Nick."
Unable to think of anything else to do, Nick awkwardly waved to Cynthia as she disappeared into the town.
Once she was out of sight, he started racing back through his shortcut.
He had to get home. He had to tell Maggie had happened.
And how all their troubles were over.
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A halfbreed Mamono, her body camouflaged by the shadows cast by the setting sun, watched as a figure walked up to the immaculate house at the edge of Pran. Their body was soaked from head to toe in a red liquid that, based on the smell in the air, was human blood. They carried two children in their arms as they took out the key to the home and entered the building.
With a determined look on her face, she stepped into the light and approached the home...with her blade drawn.