Much as I would like to say that I was like a brave knight coming to the rescue of my people as they were surrounded by a bunch of angry fuckwits with barely enough sense to know which end of the torch to hold away from them, it wouldn't be true. I'm not really a strong melee fighter, never have been. During the few classes I attended at the Academy before being thrown out, I was consistently used like an unbreakable punching bag by almost everyone in my own year. So getting into these angry bumpkins' faces while they were trying to decide which person to stick at the end of their forks didn't look like an enticing proposition to me. Instead, I sneaked around the back of the Leisure Lodge and knocked quickly thrice on the backdoor, then paused, knocked twice, then thrice again. A slit opened just above an average person's eye level, but an inch above my own. Like I said, Mother Huntress is a bit of a wicked witch.

"Damn it, Auri! Not right now", came a whispered voice.

"Let me in! I'm not letting these assholes burn this place down", I said.

There was an audible sigh and then the door opened just enough to let me in and was quickly closed again. The person there turned around and faced me. He was a fair-skinned youth with wavy blonde hair, blue eyes and a heavily muscled physique. The man's muscles, quite literally, had more muscles packed on top of them. He looked like he probably deadlifted elephants for shits and giggles. He looked pretty angry right now, but I knew him to be a kind and caring man with eloquence that could put a few hunters to shame. Those ones who were usually sent as envoys too, not those of my kind who hid from the council and took bits and pieces jobs here and there to eke out a living. I tried to calm him down and put my hand on his shoulders. He had a foot on me so it was remarkable that I didn't have to stand on my tip toes to do so. Hunters have their tricks.

"Ok, Erik. What's going on?", I asked. "Fucking hell is what's going on. Gertrude let in a destitute child and it turns out she's some runaway slave the old man in the manor up the hill bought for a pretty coin. You know how we all feel about slavery, so Gerty just broke off the child's slave collar and healed up her slave brands, but I'm guessing she was seen by one of the patrons who told the old man up the hill and now he's roused up the people of the village saying how the "house of sin" is taking away their god-given right to keep their own property. That weasel, Jonathan Straw joined in and started proclaiming how the house of sin is an affront to the gods. I'm frankly getting a headache and was gonna go out and bash his skull in if you hadn't knocked right that moment. Old bastard!"

"Well fuck! I was hoping to just put a few arrows through some eyes and arms but my usual tactic won't work today, will it?", I mused. Erik remained silent, but his expression changed subtly warning me not to do something stupid. Knowing how he's always got something to say just dampened my spirits further. I can usually come up with a quick and dirty plan, but for solving something this complicated in a matter of minutes, while having no one to rely on, was looking impossible... And just like that I had it! "Wait... no one to rely on... hmmm", I mumbled to myself as I happened upon an insane idea. "How old is the kid?", I asked. Erik was silent for a tick or two as if trying to place her age then said, "10 maybe 11. I just... We can't give her back Auri. You didn't see what that old bastard had done to her. It was horrible!" I put up my hands and said, "How long have you known me Erik?" He just looked me in the eye and nodded. "What's the current price for young girls in the slave market these days?", I asked, feeling dirty and more worthless than usual to even ask such a question. He looked me in the eyes and said, "We can't buy her. The youngest slaves go for at least 20 Aurix and knowing the old bastard he'll ask for double that, probably citing alleged theft on our part. The entire establishment would have to be closed down if we tried to buy her." I just pointed my index finger at myself and said, "Good thing I've got some extra coins on me right now."

With a twinge, nay, piercing agony over the uncertainty of my next step, I decided to return to Cassandra. I exited the backdoor and almost ran into her. I'd been getting really sloppy the past few days. Normally, I'd have sensed someone with her arcane power walking towards me. I really needed to go back home for a few weeks and just rest. A tired body and mind make the worst kind of mistakes. Anyway, it seemed like she'd followed me while taking a long way around in order to keep herself and Keshi hidden from the folks outside the front door. I non-verbally thanked the Huntress that she stuck me with a smart woman even if she was a bit nosy. I glared at her, more out of habit than anything and she glared right back with the same intensity. I'd be lying if I didn't admit she scared me a bit. "You're not planning on killing those fools out front, are you?", she quipped as she crossed her arms. "You know, for a mercenary, you really have a condescendingly low opinion of someone who just agreed to help you for free. Though the price may have gone up substantially since last we talked", I replied. She quirked her eyebrow, which had a comical effect on someone who projected such a strong aura of danger. "I need you to buy a slave", I said. "Why?", she asked. "Because we're saving her from a demented old arsehole and it would keep this fine establishment intact after we're gone", I replied. "You know, I need that money. But, I hate slavers about as much as I love the idea of getting away from here as quickly as possible, so if you can tell me what we're going to do with the slave girl once we buy her, we might have a deal", she said. I told her. She didn't like it, but she agreed after she heard my reasoning. So now I had graduated from just being a sloppy, average hunter to a sloppy, average hunter who bought slaves and bartered with slaver bastards. I would have actually preferred to burn this entire village's slave market and slave pens down, but my friends had a place here and they tried to do good for the less fortunate who dwelled here. A small greasy stain on my soul was a small price to pay to help a little girl and the only friends I'd known since I came of age.

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A little while later, Cassandra walked out the front door. I was crouching on the roof of the Leisure lodge with a bow strung and an arrow nocked on it. Erik kept a spare bow for me at all times. Surprisingly, this one looked like it cost a pretty penny as the draw weight was higher than average and almost the same as what I liked. I was thinking of taking it away with me and just apologising to Erik next time we met. It really was quite a good bow. Apart from the bow, a dozen throwing knives hung from a bandolier across my chest and a couple of daggers which I'd kept with my spare set of clothes at the refuge hung from either side of my waist. There were enough arrows in the quiver lying next to me to tear a couple of holes through each and every one of the bastards standing outside the front door. I'm not much good in a knife fight against hunters and monsters, but these were normal people. I didn't want to hurt them, but I would if it came down to it. Besides, I'm guessing the Huntress would forgive me for brutalising a handful of zealots and slavers. I had it on good authority that she hated those kind with a passion. Cassandra made it across the yard to reach the gate of the establishment which was open but no one dared walk through it as Gertrude, the lady of the establishment and my best friend stood right there brandishing a massive trident at the crowd. It wasn't a fancy, ceremonial trident either. It was a black, battle scarred and ugly dented piece and I'd seen her use it. To say she was proficient in its use was like saying the Huntress was good at tracking and hunting. You give most people a weapon and there's about an equal chance that they'd stick it up their own arse as there is that they'd use it to actually fight better. Most people are actually better with just using their fists, which is incidentally how most Hunters fight any way. But, Gerty was different. She was such a gifted weaponmaster that most polearms sang to the tune of her whims. So anyway, as I was saying, Gerty was keeping half the town at bay, sweeping the Trident into the way of anyone trying to get through the gate. It wouldn't last. Someone would foolishly test her, thinking she was "only a woman" and get stuck like a pig and the situation would quickly go to hell, half a tick after that.

So, I let out a great sigh of relief as Cassandra reached Gerty and simply whispered something in her ear. I could probably have heard her if I concentrated enough, but with both of them half distracted, I needed to be completely alert and that line of thought saved us. That prick, Jonathan Straw, Huntress stick him at the edge of her own spear, decided to make his move, but I was ready for him. You see, I'm not very strong when compared to most Hunters, but I take a lot of pride in my marksmanship. Most hunters would scoff at that because you can't really fight a hunter in ranged combat. We can simply catch or deflect any amount of arrows and bolts you shoot at us. But, Jonathan Straw wasn't a hunter and I wasn't even close to an average marksman. I shot the arrow I'd nocked and it landed right between the big toe of his right foot and its index finger and before he could show his shock, just to spite that self-righteous godman, I nocked another arrow, aimed it at the handle of his pitchfork and let it fly. I wanted to cut his thumb off, but it just doesn't do to go around cutting thumbs of the village priest, so I decided to just take my fun where I could find it. I paused for a couple of ticks to see the shock on the blond-haired, middle-aged priest's face. Pretty face too, pity he was an unreasonable prick. And just then he started to speak, so I let fly another arrow. This one barely missed the tip of his nose, exactly as I'd intended and buried itself between his two disciples standing behind him. I was having a bit of laugh, but I needed to make my point with words if it was to go through his thick skull. "Next one is going through your eye, priest!", I shouted. He visibly gulped and backed away.

Just then someone threw a pitchfork which probably would have landed between Gertrude and Cassandra, but Gerty probably thought our point hadn't been made yet so she simply caught it by haft while it was in flight and broke it by stepping on it. Then in a stupendously graceful motion, she made a half turn and drew a literal line in the sand with her trident and said something. I decided that my role in this standoff was at an end and decided to listen to her. I let my concentration narrow in towards her. "Another body part, arrow, weapon or person crossing that line, better be prepared to get stuck and then sliced into a dozen tiny pieces. Cassandra here has a business proposition for you people. I think most of the council is here, so she's offering half of her current bounty and two future bounties for free, for the slave girl. Better take that offer before we make you fools take it."

"Shut up and let the adults talk, pastor", I shouted from the roof just as I saw Jonathan open his mouth. He glared at me and I winked at him. He probably couldn't see me, so I decided to smile and give him a thumbs up. His face looked he'd eaten soured curd and he decided to let the women continue. It didn't take long for the village council to consider the offer, though it felt like an eternity to me. So, I'm impatient with this kind of stuff, so eat me! The old man, Anders actually agreed after only a little haggling. Prick!. He took 5 Aurix for the girl, a written promise from Cassandra that either she or I would complete two future bounties for free and one more at the price decided solely by the village council. The contract expired after a year, so if we were not called upon for three more future bounties inside that amount of time, we would be free and clear. Though, if I was being honest, that would never happen. Then with a sick gleeful look, Anders went his way, probably to buy more slaves. One of these days, I'd have to do something about him. Jonathan Straw's face just kept getting angrier throughout the whole exchange. The man had been shamed and now the one backing him had taken his money and fucked right off. I'd have felt pity for the old fool, if I hadn't known how much hatred he nursed in his heart for Gerty and the rest of the people of Leisure Lodge. He had his own slaves too, but apparently no one in the village thought any less of a godman for owning slaves. I just get to visit the nicest of places, with the most wholesome of populace, I tell you. As the crowd started to thin out, Jonathan Straw's back literally gave out and he decided to limp away with the help his two disciples. I saw Cassandra and Gertrude talk for a little while but decided not to eavesdrop. I do have some manners! Cassandra then went back inside and Gertrude pointed to me and softly said, "Thanks, you stupid bastard!" I just smiled, knowing she could see my expression. "I need to be gone now, Gerty", I said just as softly, "Important job. Keep the girl safe, okay? You can tab me for her expenses and I'll pay them next time I come around." I didn't know how I was going to accomplish that as I'd just had my bounty overridden and then gone into further debt with Cassandra, but damn it, I was going to find a way. She gave me a thumbs up and mouthed, "Don't worry about it. She's my responsibility. I freed her." I wasn't going to argue with her, but decided to pay her something extra next time I stopped. I nodded and walked towards to back of the roof and jumped off it right outside the backdoor to wait for Cassandra.