Annabelle was the last to leave the room that day. While she had agreed to sleep on the floor, now sharing that same space with the new girl Casper had acquired, Elisayra, she desperately wished she had the bed. However much her back arched though, she could not complain. She owed Casper quite literally her very life. He had saved her. He had saved her when she knew she didn't deserve to be saved. Casper didn't just push her out of harm's way, he put his life on the line for her, a stranger, a bandit, a woman, almost literally scum, the bottom of the barrel.

Casper had without hesitation jumped in to save her. He had sustained injuries for her, because of her. Annabelle would happily sleep on the floor for the rest of her life if Casper had told her to, because it was the absolute, very least she could do to begin repaying the monstrous debt she had to him.

She sat alone in the room and waited for night to fall, sharpening her blade with the whetstone in her bag, she considered then for a brief moment to lay down in the sheets herself, perhaps just to take in more of his scent. That day she had been saved, Casper looked the perfection of man, she was awestruck. And then later that night in the rain, his expression, his presence. She almost envied Alex for getting the chance to change him. But she must be respectful, the very last thing she wished to do was make a fool of herself again by being presumptuous.

She had been saved, and foolish women often fall for their saviors. She knew this story well, it was what had happened to her mother. She made an effort, an effort to not find Casper attractive, to not want him, and it had been quite difficult, but she managed to hold on to her wills. Now was not the time for the idle fantasy of a woman, now was the time to repay the debts owed. She sat back up, sheathing the blade, and tightening the straps of her armor and boots, making sure everything was secure and ready to go.

By the time she got to the docks, the cool night air had saturated the area. The creaking sounds of wooden docks and vessels filled the night alongside that of the sea bird calls. The wind whipped up an unpleasant aroma of salt and fish as she walked out over to meet her employer. An older gentleman dressed all in heavy cloaks, a single lantern next to him, the signal that he was the employer.

This would not have been the first time Annabelle had taken jobs like this. And it likely wasn't going to be the last. After all she had taken to banditry because it was faster and easier than working legitimate jobs as a woman. Besides, when you are a bandit, it doesn't matter if you are a man, woman, young, old, human or otherwise, you take exactly what you want and how much you want and move on. Annabelle had always been strong, among the girls and even among some of the men, it was the only reason she was able to survive as long as she did. It made her good at this kind of work, very good.

Annabelle approached the man, her hands on her hips and lip curled down into a pouty scowl. He looked a rich bastard. A fat belly under nice clothes. His jeweled hands wrapped nervously around each other.

"I'm here for the job" Annabelle said, her voice coming out a bit lower and more like a growl. When you're a women doing work for a man that isn't whoring yourself out, you need to be intimidating, or else you won't be taken seriously.

"Ah! Yes of course...you seem to be the only one I'm afraid, I pray you know how to use that thing" the fat man said, his voice high and blubbery, alot of the sound coming from his jowls.

"I do, quite well in fact. no one else bothered to show up?" She asked, looking around the docks, prompting the rich man to shake his head. "Afraid not. Not many like this kind of work, how pray tell did you even find out about this job of mine?"

"I have my contacts in the city"

"I thought the Casabrans didn't hire women"

"Not usually not, not unless they're whores, I'm the exception, clearly, and I'm good for it."

"Very well then"

Even though she was a woman, the Casabran guild carried weight. It was all mostly a lie however. She had in fact been with the Casabrans for exactly eight hours, but they valued her for her tits instead of her swordplay and the fact that she had a slit more than she had muscle so she left them after one job. However she still knew a few hideouts and gathering spots, so she stole the job listing from all of them to make sure she wouldn't have to run into any old guild members, and perhaps even take the full jobs pay just for herself.

The man seemed upset that she was the only one, yet thankful that at least one person showed up. Especially as the time went on and the night got darker, He got more and more nervous at the sounds of the creaking docks or distant shouts. Annabelle propped herself up against the mast of the ship they were on, keeping her eyes out for anything in particular doing her best to ignore the jumpy rich asshole. She also spent the time pondering what he might need protection from. What manner of trade he may be doing that his him so nervous, and especially what kind of trade is paying so well.

She mulled over the possibilities in her head, all the common ones at least. Trying to decide what lines she would draw. She had a soft spot for slaves or young girls being forced into the trade, but that was simply life. She thought, as she considered the possibilities, she would draw the line at children for sex slavery. Anyone under 10, and she would kill them all without question and deal with the consequences later. That was really her only reservation. Anything else she could deal with if it meant helping to repay her mountainous debt to Casper.

To owe someone your life was not just a nice saying or a figure of speech, it was literal. Were it not for Casper she would not be here now. Everything she would experience from here forward was because of Casper, thanks to Casper. To owe him her life was not just a nice way of saying she owed him one, she owed him everything, so she would do everything she could to ensure that his sacrifice for her didn't go unthanked. When she won, he won, when she ate he would eat. Anything good to happen to her would be shared with him, it was the very least she could do.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Just then. As she was starting to wander off into daydream, the fat man jumped, or rather floundered to his feet. Annabelle looked out over the sea herself, as a modest ship was silently coming to the docks.

The approach was slow, no sails flapping in the wind or the noise of deck hands, all silent and quiet as could be as the ship made its landing on the docks and the plank set out. From the ship a group of 5 men came down, 3 of them holding a large crate and 2 acting as guards. With a 6th man approaching close behind, dressed in simple blacks and unassuming armor. The crate was set on the docks with the give guards now flanking the much taller man in black. He approached the fat one, and they looked at each other in silence for a moment.

"Show him" the taller man said. His face was shrouded in darkness, a thin crest of light from the fat mans lantern illuminated hard and angular features. The guards opened the crate. Annabelle looked down to see what might be inside, but couldn't quite get a look at anything because of the darkness. The fat man seemed to have the same issue, fumbling around for his lantern and hovering it over the crate to see the contents inside.

Annabelle had never seen anything quite like it before. A large fragment of stone, black as the very night itself resting in a bed of hay. The fat man's eyes went wide, trying his best to contain his joy at the sight of a plain old rock.

"Payment" said the tall man, his voice hard and sharp like stone. The fat man again fumbled around, producing a heavy coin purse and stealing a glance over to Annabelle to make sure she was still there. The tall man in black hefted the purse in his hands. Feeling its weight, opening it up and fingering through the contents

“good night" the tall man said curtly, signaling his men to leave,

An easy enough payday Annabelle thought

The tall man stopped, coin purse still in hand.

The air between them became tense.. Annabelle shot a glance over to the fat man and Wondered if he was foolish enough to try and short whoever these men were.

He turned around, the coin purse still in his hands as he eyed over Annabelle. "I’ll Return the coin, if you give me your guard"

"What?" The man said. Confused.

"What?" Annabelle said, offended.

"Give me your girl and I'll return your coin. She is strong, capable, I can see it in her eyes, I could do well with a soldier such as her. Hand her here to me and you get your coin back"

"Of course!" the fat man extended his hands to catch the thrown sack of coins, his eyes meeting Annabelle's and then shooting to the ground.

Fury rose up in Annabelle. Half because of this offensive transaction but because they believed they could take her.

The 5 guards rushed her quickly, and she struggled to remove the sword from its sheath before they were on her. 3 men tackled and gripped at her chest and arms while the other two went for her legs. She struggled against them, Looking for any spare opening but they were hard on her now. She felt one of her arms being twisted behind her back and the familiar sensation of coarse rope starting to be pulled around.

Annabelle struggled and fought. Twisting at her arm. Fumbling with her free hand for the sword but it was being held down. Then she saw her opening, an exposed knife on the back of the guard grabbing at her stomach.

She elbowed the man in the back of the head, his grip loosening around her as she went for the knife and raked its blade across his exposed back. His scream alerted the others to her. One began driving heavy punches into her rips. Causing her to cough and ache and yell out with pain.

She managed to free a leg and drive a knee into the crotch of one of the men, once, twice, three times, and he fell back rearing on the docks, grabbing his jewels and groaning. She shoved one off her arm and felt a cold stabbing in her leg, and then blood running down. She pulled her sword up as fast as she should and drove it down with a yell into the stabber. He stumbled back, leaving the knife stuck into the thick muscle of her leg.

Annabelle stumbled forward. 4 of them were still on her. One bleeding hard from the back. They all now drew their weapons. The tall man standing behind them with a hard frown and the fat man scared, wanting to run away.

With her sword out now, they wasted no time coming back on her as quickly as they could. One sword strike clashed with her own, she stepped into it, anchoring her weight and half-handed the blade, using the added leverage to drive the greatsword into the mans shoulder, forcing him onto his knees. She felt a blade carve a line down her side tearing into her already sore ribs,

She pivoted on her back leg. Taking a step back and sending the attacker stumbling. She hacked down in a wide arch that took half his face off, carving down into his collar bone and off his chest. She barely dodged a lunge aimed clean at her other leg, hefting the pommel down onto the attackers skull with a thick crack.

The 4th one was on her now, grabbing her arms from behind. Digging is knee into the slash down her side. Annabelle's knees buckled under the pain. The man who was recovering the groin attack aiding in lifting her up. Grabbing her legs despite her kicks. The tall man in black smiled at her, a thin. Leering smile that made the rage build more. With one violent yell. She rocked her head back and into the nose of the one behind her.

She heard the crunch as his nose snapped and felt the blood pour down the back of her shirt. She fell hard to the ground, rolling to get herself up as the man still had hold of her feet. Annabelle scrambled and reached for the dagger on the body of the man whos noes she had broken, and threw it with every ounce of strength at man holding down her legs.

It only grazed him, but it was enough for him.to falter, long enough to twist and pounce on him hard. Mounting him to the ground and punching him in the face over and over and over until he stopped moving. Her fits stung with cuts and bruises, her body was bloody, both the enemies and her own. She stood up with a growl and the tall man frowned.

"Ill be seeing you very soon girl"

"You'll be seeing me now pig!" She growled and moved to strike him, but her fist met empty air as he vanished.

A mage then, she thought. A troublesome enemy to have just made, but better than the alternative. She turned. Her body aching and blood still oozing from her wounds. None fatal, assuming she left that knife in her leg, but still, they hurt like hell.

She took a few stumbling steps towards the fat man.

"big...mistake" she growled out, a bit of blood and spit pooling from her lower lip which had gotten split in the fight.

A few men still groaned around her, trying to crawl away as she took a few more steps at the man.

"Please! Forgive me, it's just business, truly!" He held out the coins in his hand "take it. Take it all!"

"I will" she spat on the ground and closed the distance. Her first met the man's soft, fat face and drove him to the ground. he let out a girlish squeal as his blubbering body bounced against the deck as he tried to cover his mouth and bring his arms up. But his arms didn't don't do well against the weight of the great sword and the fury in Annabelle's swing cut through them, and bit into his skull. The man gurgle, spasmed, And died.

Annabelle looked around the docks. She could see the torch light of guards beginning to run down to the docks, clearly alerted by the sounds of fighting.

"Shit" she grunted. And limped to push the bodies quickly into the ocean, not without grabbing the two coin purses on the fat man's belt. As well as a few rings from his severed arms. The guards were close now and she eyed the crate and its contents. The stone didn't look too large. But she was weak and already limping and slow. As much as she wanted to grab it, she couldn't risk it. And stumbled away from the scene into the night.