Guardian turned his head toward the stranger. He did not know that man.

“Yes?” Guardian asked unsure what the stranger wanted.

“Would you consider taking in another servant?”

The young man had been listening to Guardian’s and Aiu’s conversation. He did not hear everything, just some words here and there as; he was too afraid to get too close at first. However, the stuff he heard about helped him to make up his mind. He approached monstrous beatsman for a number of selfish reasons.

Firstly, he heard that he was the one who killed Corpse Serpent, that was quite a feat so he concluded that Guardian was skilled hunter or warrior. Secondly, he heard that Guardian was quite loaded with coin; meaning he knew how to do good business. Thirdly, this servant girl had an audacity to ask for money and even after she did so, she was not punished. This meant that Guardian was lenient with his servants. He also must be treating them quite good, he even said he will buy something for the girl; concluded the stranger.

Lastly, he was in dire need of employment. He and his sister were barely scraping by. He has been struggling to find permanent job. His sister could get it easier, but she would be expected to perform some ‘special’ favours; she was quite beautiful. He could not allow that, nor his sister wished to do such things.

As it was now, they were impoverished, homeless and hungry. All they had was each other. Moreover, some gang was sending inappropriate hints and harassing his sister to do some ‘favours’ for them. He knew that this harassment would only grow, and something bad was bound to happen.

“I am in no need of servants, go away elf.” Guardian rebuked stranger’s offer.

“I am not picky in what I will need to do, I can even hunt with a bow.” He was natural with it.

He waved the young elf away ignoring what he has to say.

“I won’t cost you much either. Nothing but 2 silvers a week Master. I am sure such high profile person like you has a lot of coin. 2 silvers will barely lighten your coin pouch.” The elf continued his pitch of sales.

“I could use some help with my bow.” The girl spoke. She could use another teacher.

“I can do all sorts of things like cleaning and cooking, lifting and pushing. Whatever you need. I might be skinny and short but I am not afraid of hard work.” He managed to make the last line to rime. He felt proud of that.

“Do you know how to preserve meat?” Aiu asked him.

“Where are you getting at Aiu?” Guardian wanted to know.

‘Is she really just a servant?’ elf thought for a moment. She might be someone of importance to him. ‘Should I try to appeal to her instead?’

“I am good with a bow, quite good teacher as well. And as it turns out am able to preserve venison in smoke. Versatile  and cheap.”

“I was thinking that he could be quite useful. We could definitely use some help.”

‘You are not getting this do you girl. I don’t want a stranger snooping around steeling our sectrets. Where the herbs grew and how to make them into hefty profit.’ Her guardian thought in silence.

“I am the best helper around here. You won’t find anyone this skilled and this cheap.” Elf desperately was trying to sell himself.

“Why don’t you try him for a week or two. He could sort out our meat problem and do other chores like mixing soap, crushing herbs and getting fire wood.” Aiu listed some more boring chores she had to perform daily.

“When will you learn Aiu?” her guardian asked.

“Do you live in forest? I am quite good at living in forest, I know all about it. I am an elf, it would be perfect for you. Having an elf that is.”

“I do, how you guessed?” the girl was genuinely surprised.

‘It is because your Master is a hunter, not to mention the talk about herbs and gathering fire wood.’ The stranger reflected on the girl’s ignorance. He did not want to say the real reason how,

“Young girl you smell very nice. You smell like the most beautiful forest flower would. That is how I guessed.” This was an empty flattery, but partially true. The girl did smell nice.

“Not a girl! I am a woman, can’t you see.”

Her guardian let an amused chuckle. This was getting interesting. The elves were fun species too. Guardian decided to see there this will go.

‘No I can’t see that. You are flatter than a lizardwoman.’ He had to correct his previous sentence regardless of that.

“I misspoke, I misspoke. Of course I see. How would I not. The charm of a beautiful woman is definitely there.”

“Hmm, what do you say? Can I pick him instead of getting some salt you promised?” She looked at her guardian. This was more of a plea than a question. The price for a small pouch of salt was actually the same; it was priced at 2 silvers.

‘So long as the elf won’t get to see an actual alchemy stuff and where they got the herbs should be fine.’ Guardina concluded.

“Fine, I guess. Two silver a week is not a lot in grand scale of things. ”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

Bough the elf and young woman exclaimed in unison.

“I assume you will feed and clothe yourself. Since you are getting paid, your needs are your own.”

“But of course Master. I can even sleep in a shed. As long as there is roof over my head It will be fine.”

The place he and his sister currently slept couldn’t even be called a shed. It was that bad. They lived in outskirts of city slums.

“Perfect.”

“When should I start, Master?”

“Can he start like today?” Aiu was eager.

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“Now it is.”

“I need to get my stuff… bow and the like. Tell me where you live and I will be there promptly.”

He also needed to tell the good news to his sister.

“You won’t be able to find our place even if I told you, so let me accompany you.”

“Is Master going with me to my place?” this was a problem. He might take back his offer if he found that he live in slums. No respectable man would go there.

“That is the plan.”

‘It would be better if he waited here. But I can’t ask him something rude like that’.

“Master, I live a challenging live in a dangerous are. I am sure you would not want to go to such unrefined place. It smells bad.” He added the last part for good measure.

“I am not bothered about it. Slums it is, no?”

“Yes.” Elf said quietly almost under his breath. He was not keen in taking his new employer there.

“What is this wait about? Show the way, do not waste our time.”

“You don’t mind going there?”

“Why would I care where you lived?” he did not understand the elf.

‘A lot people do. Everything is about status in this world. Some would not even employ an elf’.

Elves where shorter and physically weaker than humans hence unpopular as servants. However they were naturally good at other things, like arts and fine crafts. Now however, the demand for such things was nearly non-existent. Some elves where good with animals or bows. Those found employment easier, provided that they had sufficient skills. He did not. He was thrown into the world at young age, so he had no one to sponsor or support him.

“My guardian is kind, that is why he does not mind.” Aiu understood what the elf was talking about. She was discriminated against a lot as well.

They approached the slums and were walking around the edge of it. Normally one would get mugged there if he had anything valuable on. However her guardian did not appear as an easy target, his size was a good deterrent.

Some people even ran away to their hovels and shacks. They were perceiving danger; brutish monster was invading their streets and this could only spell trouble.

The trio approached what was ruined stone wall. It had some branches laid over its side and leaves for roof. This was the place elf siblings lived in.

By the looks, they had some guests. Three humans and two beastmen where standing near it. One of the humans was groping a frail elf woman from behind while other laughed. She struggled and protested, this was clearly not consensual.

“Come on, I know you want it. Five of us or a copper it is a good deal, no?

“Just a quick suck, nothing else.”

“Let me go! I told you I don’t do such things.” She shouted while trying to pry man’s arms from her chest.

“No? I heard different.”

“Just what are you doing!? Let my sister go?” the elf ran do defend her.

“Piss off you wanker!”

“She is an adult she can decide for herself. I know she wants it.”

The man grabbed her limps and moved them as if she was speaking.

“I want to suck dry these fine men, I am a slut!”

“Enough!” the elf shouted.

“Or else?”

“What can you do against five?” one of the other humans has spoke.

“Five? There is no need for you guys! Go and shag that elf twat. I can take down five of him no prob!” one of the beastman boasted full of himself.

The elf ran towards the beastman tryng to punch him in the face. Elf was kicked in his chest instead. He fell to the ground and got winded.

“Hahaha, what a wimp.” The beatsman laughed.

The others did not join in.

“Hahaha, a whim I said!” he repeated himself louder, normally they would join in. Maybe they did not hear him clear enough. The beatsman turned his head and looked at his friends. They were tense and looking to the side behind him.

Then turned his head and saw a tall muscled figure which was judging them all. He could feel danger in his bones. His fur stood up and his tail got stiff.

“What do you want big man?” another beastman said.

“You boys having fun?” Guardian asked.

“What does it matter to you, haven’t seen you around here.”

“I might want to join in.”

“Dude we found her first.” One of the human’s protested.

“We want no trouble with you just leave.” Another human said.

“What that beastman can do against five of us?” the one who was restraining the elf woman spoke.

The beastman who kicked the elf did not like there this was going. His hair was standing straight and his tail felt petrified. He might take down five wimpy elves, but he doubted if he and his friends would have a winning chance against that thing. He did not like how that monster was staring at them. A stare of predator, he could tell. He began to back away slowly.

“Jack, no. B-word.” a beastman standing beside him whispered, his fur was getting puffed too.

“Beastman?! You think I am a lowly BEASTman? Do I look related to these two?”

Humans willy nilly called more fury or predatory looking races beastmen, anone who was not a human or elf was reffered as such. Some races were fine, but others took quite an offence. For example lizardmen preffered to be called lizardmen and not beastmen, to separate them apart. There were other such cases.

The beastman who was backing away just turned and ran with a tail between his legs..

“N-No.” He let the elf go and she ran to her brother.

“Chill, big man. We want no trouble.” One of the leader’s human friend tried to deescalate the situation.

They did not even notice that they were a person down.

“Too late!” He leaped forward closing the distance in seconds. He turned and swung his tail.

Knocking the two of the men down, the remaining beastman was nibble enough to evade.

“Fuck!” The human who was standing out of the reach exclaimed.

Guardian approached and picked their leader by his leg. The other two were now just bystanders. He turned around and swung the man throwing him away.

“Fly! You are a BIRDman now. I bet no one can tell the clear difference. He is flying so he is a birdman.” The man soared the sky. Then right above a building, crashing somewhere and sending a distant shriek of pain.

He was still offended. Having a tail, claws and sharp teeth did not make him a beatsman. He did not like to be called like that. Actually he did not know how others should call his kind, but definitely not beatsman.

“What?.. You want to become birdmen too?” he scowled at remaining three.

They turned and ran.

This has gathered a small crowd of observes. Apparently there were people around but no one cared enough to prevent a rape in broad daylight.

Elf woman emerged from that same crowd who was now dispersing. They did not want to become birdmen either.

“Who is he to you?” Guardian asked the elf.

“Thank you. Thank you, sir!”

“So?”

“Ah! Sorry, he is my brother.”

“Ohh. Interesting.”

“Is it weird to have a brother?”

“I assumed you are his lover.”

The elf woman’s face went beetroot red. She remained silent.

“He did not mention any dependants when he was promoting himself to me.”

‘How did he assume I am a depending on him? But true, he was the one who brought the coin.’ She did not see much work in her life, not after it became like this.

“Master, about this…” he spoke, his voice pained.

He planned to mention his sister after a week of servitude. He would check the environment to see if It was save for her. Then he would mention that he was taking care of her. Then beg for permission for her to live under the Master’s roof. He was prepared to even cut his wage in half for that.

“She is my sister. Would it be possible for her to come along?” he knew they can stay here no more. The gang would retaliate.

“It is only you I am hiring. She is your dependent not mine.”

‘Oh no, this bad. I am out of luck.’ The elf was falling into despair.

“So she won’t get any money. But if she works she can stay.” Guardian continued.

“Thank you. Thank you.” The elf woman thanked again and again.

“Thank you ,Master.” The elf thanked too, nudging his sister.

“Master, thank you.” She corrected herself.

‘The elves sure have fallen down quite far. Begging on their knees like this.’ He made a mental observation to himself. They were not a proud race anymore.

“Are you okay?” Aiu asked the elf. In her hand was a healing slave.

“Nothing but a scratch.” He lifted his shirt to have a look. Then he gasped in shock. There was a massive bruise on his chest, no wonder it was so sore.

Aiu smeared some salve on his chest. His pain subsided.

“Thank you … how should I address you?”

“My name is Aiu what is your name?”

“I pass my gratitude upon you Aiu. My name is Ellonwar Imsaf Ubun-Alonveri.”

“And her name?” she pointed at an elf woman.

“I am Anabique Emar Ubun-Alonveri. Please to meet you Aiu. Are you a herbalist?”

“Anabe… anabik. A-N-A…” she was trying to get it right but she already forgot her name.

“Ana is fine. You can call my brother Ell. He wouldn’t mind.

“To answer your question Ana, yes I am. I made it myself. How could you tell I am an herbalist? Did Ell whisper this to you?”

‘Not this again. Aiu you are wearing an herbalist’s dress and have a sickle on you. When will she learn?’

“I am an elf that is how. I know a bit about herbs too, but not too much. Just some basic stuff, which weeds to eat if you are feeling sick and stuff like that.”

“Ohhh, This is good. You will be able to help then.” She nodded in approval.

“You done?” her guardian spoke.

“Sorry Master, let me grab what we have and we will be able to go”