Hard, dark eyes stared across the field at Linara. A man stood in front of her, relaxed but radiating a sense of tension. In one hand, he held a longsword, the other hanging free at his side. His ankle-length jacket was open at the front, revealing a plain shirt underneath. Despite not wearing any armor on his torso, his arms appeared unnaturally bulky, a hint of metal plates woven into the garment’s sleeves. Pointing the tip of his sword at Linara, they began.

Both combatants circled, slowly, cautiously. Linara felt the confidence of her opponent’s stance. This wasn’t the tall, axe-wielding man Rella had told her about, but someone else. Another unknown, or just simply not someone on the woman’s short list? The swordsman across from her was her own height, slightly tall for a human but not a giant.

He made the first move. A quick lunge, directly at her chest. If she didn’t react, it would be a fatal blow. Linara spun her weapon, pushing the thrust to the side, then advanced, swinging the butt of her spear at her opponent’s head. He brought up his free arm, catching the attack on his forearm, leaving no doubt that he was wearing armor under the sleeves of his coat. Stepping back, Linara narrowly avoided a swipe from the man’s sword. The first exchange ended with neither of them at an advantage.

Rather than waiting for him to make another move, Linara adjusted her grip on her spear, and swung wide, using the full length of her weapon. With both her full strength and the weight of her weapon behind the blow, when her opponent blocked the attack, he stumbled backwards under the force of it, leaving Linara open to advance on him, switching her grip to the middle of her weapon as she made a more controlled attack.

With a smile, the man parried her thrust away from their bodies, and stepped forward. Linara took one hand off her spear and slashed her knife upwards at his chest, attacking as she drew the weapon. He intercepted it with his armored arm again, the sound of metal on metal filling the space between them. With all of their arms occupied, he attempted to headbutt Linara at the same time she kicked at his knee.

The end result was him falling on her, knocking her down as she was only standing on one leg. Rolling away from him, she pulled herself back to her feet first, as he got up more slowly, changing his stance, facing her with one side forward, keeping his injured knee away from her.

Once more, Linara wasn’t sure if they had both scored a point, or only her opponent, but didn’t have time to think about it as he launched a series of quick thrusts from his new position. The first one wasn’t quite in range, but Linara pushed the next attack to the side, only for him to pull back and lunge forward again, and again. Stepping backwards, Linara gained more space, then mirrored the attack, from outside the man’s range, with even more speed and power. She wasn’t going to be defeated. He tried to replicate her defense, but the fourth attack slipped past his guard, the tip of his spear cutting through his shirt and the flesh underneath as he twisted to the side, barely avoiding having his ribcage pierced.

Without any hesitation, he ran forward, making a large, angled slash at her from above. Linara caught the heavy blow on her spear, delivering a kick to the same spot she had cut him, sending him staggering backwards, holding his side. Not giving him a chance to get back up, she charged after him, spear in front of her, ready to make another stab at his torso.

She was just barely too slow to notice the slight change in his expression. Every so slightly too late. A small twitch of the corner of his mouth, not enough to be called a smile. He brought his free hand up, redirecting the attack with his forearm. Adjusting his body ever so slightly, he maneuvered her spear between his arm and body, then trapped it there. If he had been off in his movements even slightly, he’d have driven the tip into his chest or arm, but instead he caught her weapon with one arm, and brought the pommel of his sword into her side, smashing it against her armor. It wouldn’t score a point, but she felt the impact.

From there, the fight turned deadly. Linara let go of her spear, drawing her dagger and scoring a shallow cut across the man’s leg as he tried to push her away with a kick. Seeing her with only the short weapon, he switched to a two-handed grip on his sword, and moved in with a heavy overhead slash.

Her instincts told her to step back and throw her weapon at him, to score the last hit and win. However, she doubted that he was unaware of the possibility. If she didn’t get the hit, she’d be completely unarmed. So she didn’t. Twirling to the side, Linara just barely dodged the attack, and lunged forward, her long-knife reaching but not quite connecting with her opponent as he stepped away. Linara chased, pushing herself forward and aiming a kick at his already weakened knee. He tried to move at the last second, but was still recovering from his earlier movement, and while Linara didn’t cleanly hit him as she intended, he still tripped, falling to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, she made a long, shallow cut down his exposed back. Apparently he didn’t have any armor there, either. These duelists were crazy.

With the match over, she finally stopped focusing on the fight enough to hear the crowd. They were roaring, screaming her name. Turning away from her opponent, she looked upwards at the stands above the arena. People were on their feet, yelling, waving their hands in the air.

She couldn’t help but smile.

Upon stepping into the city, Linara found herself swarmed. Young men, barely more than teenagers, clamored for her attention, some offering sums of money, others bragging of their bloodline or training, all begging her to mentor them. Older men spoke of the glory that could await her in the companies they represented. Others, in the wide range of ages in the middle, asked her what company she was from, and if she was recruiting.

Looking over the mass of people that met her, she located Sal, standing off to the side with George and Patram. The young woman’s face was drained of color as she stared at the crowd. The two guards, on the other hand, both wore wide smiles. Another lucrative day, it seemed. Pushing through the throng of people, she met the three, immediately handing Sal her spear and patting her on the shoulder. The action caused most of the hopeful youth to shy back. Turning, Linara addressed the remaining crowd.

“I have no interest in what any of you are offering. Get out of my sight. Anyone who is still here in ten seconds I will consider a challenger.” She turned back to her three companions. “So, do I get a cut of your winnings?”

Patram smiled at her. “As a much richer man, I’d happily give you a percentage of what I made. However, as a member of the city watch, I am very aware that fighters are not allowed to bet on themselves, even through third parties. Though I am very aware of how little you won in monetary value, since you are expected to be using your renown to move upwards in society. I can only say you are giving up your winnings, scaring them all off. All but one, it seems.”

Turning, Linara found Rella standing behind her, arms crossed, waiting patiently. “So, do I have to fight you again, or can we just talk?” The woman asked as Linara met her gaze.

“Depends. Are you here to recruit me?” Linara smiled as Rella stepped forward, joining their little circle.

Returning the smile, Rella shook her head. “Rather than your loyalty, I was wondering about setting up a business opportunity of sorts. A few words from you could benefit me immediately, and yourself further down the line. It’s not something to discuss in public, though.”

“Then let us find somewhere more private to talk. I believe one of these two fine guards owes me the best meal in town, anyway.”

George looked from Linara to Rella, putting on a wide smile, but his eyes continually shifted back and forth. “I-If you would follow me, then.” Sal shifted slightly, keeping Linara between her and Rella.

“If it’s a good place to talk to her, lead the way.”

The so-called best food in the city was an underground establishment, with only a few tables set up. Linara had some doubts on the quality of the food, but it did give them the privacy to talk. She sat down with the two women as the guards went and talked to the staff. Sal stayed close to her side, leaving Rella facing the two of them.

“So, tell me about your business opportunity.”

Rella crossed her legs and tilted her chair back. “You’ve got a newly earned, fresh reputation. Everyone wants in on it, as you’ve already seen. You don’t seem at all interested in joining a mercenary group. My reputation is in the dirt, and nobody wants anything to do with me, even though I’d love to have the respect that I should have earned in the arena these last three years. I think we can help each other.”

Frowning, Linara gave Rella her full attention. “I’m not familiar enough with how things work here to see what you are seeing in this situation.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The front legs of the chair slammed down as Rella leaned forward. “Endorse me. Make a statement. Say that I’m trustworthy, and the lies about me aren’t to be believed. Get a few notable people who want to work with you, and point them towards me, instead. If I just get started, I’ll be able to build from there.”

Linara tapped the table twice. “Tell me two things.” Rella nodded, her eyes showing not just eagerness, but hunger. “First, what do I stand to gain from doing this? And second, what are the lies that I have to say aren’t true?”

“You will be the sponsor of whatever force I’m able to assemble. Come back here, any time, and it’s yours. I’ll lead them to fight for you.”

“And the lies?”

“Darian says I’m an assassin.”

Linara raised an eyebrow. “Is that bad?”

Rella frowned, then looked away. “It’s…more complicated.”

“If I don’t know what it is, I can’t really say it isn’t true, can I?”

Rella tapped her fingers against the table, rapidly. “The worthless dirt-eater spun a story that I use poison. Poisoned knives. Also that I take men into my bed in order to kill them, which is why you can’t find anyone that has slept with me. Only explanation for it is that I killed them all. Poison isn’t the way of Bavmont. You fight and win with your own power, so he slandered my ability, and then he made people avoid me, since anyone I get close to is just another target. I can’t even get anyone to trust me. That’s why I need an outsider.”

Linara stared across the table for a moment, then looked at Sal. The girl met her gaze, and nodded once. “Some say she’s a creature from under the earth, and she’ll skin men and eat their flesh while they are still alive.”

“I like pork. Cooked pork.” Rella said, glaring at the girl.

The two of them abruptly looked at Linara as she laughed. “I can tell you she’s not a monster. I’ve fought plenty, and they are all hideous, and far too dumb for that kind of deception. Reassure me that there isn’t a hint of truth in all of that, though, will you?”

“Of course not. I have no interest in the men here, and if I was using poison, I’d have won a tournament by now.” Her gaze did not leave Sal’s face, and the younger girl looked away, leaning towards Linara. “Speaking of nasty rumors, did your new trainee tell you why she’s still looking for a mentor at her age?”

“She didn’t.” Linara said, shrugging. “I haven’t fully decided on taking her with me or not, though, so tell me.”

“Don’t!” Sal shot to her feet, hands on the table. Linara placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder and pushed her back down, just in time for George and Patram to show up. George took the open seat furthest from Rella, leaving Patram to sit next to her, which he did with only a short glance in her direction.

“She made a promise to her parents to get a mentor two and a half years ago, when she came of age. Promised that if she wasn’t able to find one in a year, she’d help them with fishing. Like a good little girl. Their only child.” Rella smiled, cruelly. “Nobody wanted a fisher’s daughter, and the year passed. But, oddly, she still hangs around the gates and shows up every tournament, looking for a master. Introduces herself without a last name. Whatever happened to Sal Dagan? I wonder about that.”

With her hand on Sal’s shoulder, Linara could feel the girl tense up, ready to strike. Her hands were balled into fists. As Linara tightened her grip slightly, Sal looked up at her. “I…I ran away from them. I don’t have a place to go back to, not in the city. I sleep in a cave nearby. I lied when I made that promise, I just wanted to get away. I am not going to spend my life fishing and I don’t care what I have to do to avoid that.”

Chuckling, Patram leaned forward. “People just want an excuse to avoid someone. It’s easier to believe that there’s something wrong with someone and join in with others who avoid them, than take a risk, however small, that they might actually be whatever people say they are. This girl was disowned by her parents for breaking a promise, so you should never trust her. We all lied to our parents a few times at that age, didn’t we? And why does the poisoner have so many enemies that are still alive and perfectly healthy? Just so we have everything laid out, George here is a gambling addict who has barely managed to stay out of debt, while I take money from smugglers.” Linara looked at Patram, raising an eyebrow. Meeting her eye, he nodded and continued. “The food we are going to be eating here today should have been taxed when it was brought in. Someone labeled the meats as grain and nobody double checked.”

Letting go of Sal, Linara placed both her hands on the table, looking at the group gathered around her. “I’ll say whatever Rella needs me to say, but it sounds more like she needs anyone to vouch for her. Are either of you two willing to join up with her?”

Patram shook his head, but George looked over at Rella, then back at Linara. “If she isn’t using poison, and she isn’t keeping me around as a snack, I could help her out. See more of the world than just this city. If she doesn’t eat or kill me. All I’m saying is that if I were getting to the final day in the arena multiple times, I’d be celebrating it with someone, somewhere. Only a normal thing to do.”

“I’m married. I am simply not sleeping with anyone here. I keep my personal life separate from my professional life.”

George pushed his lips together, and Linara turned to Sal. “I’m not going to come back here for some time. Do you really want to come with me?”

“What else would I do?” The girl asked.

“Could stay with Rella. Be another part of her - I mean, my - mercenaries. You would teach her, wouldn’t you?” She asked, turning to the older woman.

Before she could respond, Sal shook her head. “I don’t care if I don’t come back here. You were amazing, and I want you to teach me everything you can. I’ll follow you wherever you end up going.”

A server came by, pushing a heavily-laden cart. Instead of fish, there were cuts of pork and steak placed in the center of the table, and ears of corn. “Farm down the river raises livestock and grows crops. Not much land, so it’s expensive, but the best around.” Patram explained.

“And none of it was labeled correctly when it came through the gates, I take it?” Rella asked.

“Even an honest, hardworking man such as myself makes mistakes from time to time.” He smiled at her.

That night, Linara paid for an extra room, keeping Sal close to her rather than letting the girl sneak out of the city to return to her cave. The next day she woke up and met with Rella, starting the preparations for setting up the woman’s company. There were several wide, open spaces within the city walls for traveling warriors to set up tents, so that companies could stay together. For the purpose of recruiting, Linara now had a single tent in the corner of one of the smaller of these areas. Rella brought a list of individuals she wanted to recruit, and Linara sent Sal to track them down, one by one, and bring them to her, since the girl was familiar with where they were all staying.

The first on their list did not show up, and the second entered, saw Rella, and immediately left, shaking his head before Linara could even say anything. The third also didn’t respond to the summons, and the fourth turned out to be the bare-fisted fighter from the first day of the tournament. His smile faltered for a moment when he saw Rella, but he sat down at the table across from Linara and nodded at her. Misunderstandings were cleared up and he agreed to take part, joining Sal to fetch the next one on the list. As Rella had predicted, things got better from there. Later in the day, George joined them as well, and Linara’s company, captained by Rella, grew larger and larger. By the time they reached the end of their list, word of what was happening had spread, and people were lining up outside their borrowed tent to ask to join.

It was all going smoothly until Darian limped in, his face twisted in rage, to stare at the two of them. Leaning on his spear, he opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off.

“Get out, Darian.” Rella snapped. “Or I’ll have someone break your other leg.”

Snarling, he raised his free hand, pointing at Rella. “A whore-lover like you has no right to steal from me!”

Instantly, she vaulted over the table and was pressing a knife against his face, just below his eye. Linara stayed seated, watching. “Commander.” She said, invoking the rank she had decided on for Rella.

After a moment of hesitation, the woman stepped back, her weapon vanishing. She was not wearing her belts, but instead a long-sleeved, button-up shirt, apparently still with places for her to store her knives. Rather than sitting down, she stayed standing, a pillar of tension.

“Darian, am I to assume you have a complaint for me about my recruiting methods?”

“Yes, you long-eared freak! Three of my own men have signed on to your total farce of a company! An outsider and-“

“Commander, if you were going to cut off one of his ears, which one would you pick?”

The words didn’t sound like her own. Deep inside her, she felt anger, rage. This man was here, not only continuing his previous disagreement with Rella, but insulting her, someone he didn’t even know? “The left one, I think. He holds his shield on that side.”

“If he insults me again, give me the ability to call him a one-eared freak.” Despite Rella facing away from her, Linara was sure she could feel the woman’s smile. Somehow, Darian’s face turned even redder, but he shut his mouth. “You being unable to control your own men is not my problem. I suggest you return to wherever you are staying and reconsider your methods of addressing the situation.”

Jaw-clenched, the man turned and limped out of the tent, as fast as he had entered. Frederick, the unarmed fighter, stepped inside after he left. “I’m sorry about that, Captain Linara.”

“It’s fine. How many do we have, in total?”

“Thirty four.” Rella said.

“Good enough. I’m going to leave you with that. Spend the rest of the day organizing however you like. I intend to leave this city by nightfall. Where’s Sal?”

“Talking with some of our younger recruits.”

Linara left the tent, looking around the area and finding the girl sitting on a stone bench, next to a boy who looked to be slightly older. The two were talking excitedly. Linara walked over, loudly, and called out to her. The girl shot to her feet, turning, her face red. “Get ready to leave tonight.”

“Tonight?” She glanced for a second at her new friend, then back up at Linara. “Not in the morning?”

“First lesson I’m going to teach you is that duty doesn’t have a schedule. You may need to fight, or march, at any time. So we march at night.”

Her frown instantly turned into a wide grin. “Yes!” She said, her voice almost squeaking in excitement.