Immediately, two men lunged at me with swords, bearing down. I targeted the closer first, who was lunging towards my abdomen. Once his blade was closer, I swung my leg up and kicked the blade, causing him to release it as it flew into the air. The second one stepped closer, his blade swinging wide towards my head, easy enough to dodge with a quick duck. He was swinging with both hands, using all his force, so even if I ducked early, he couldn't stop his swing quickly enough. Is this how bad I used to be at fighting when I first started training?
As I ducked the swinging blade, the sword I had kicked into the air was falling back down. I reached up and managed to grab the handle of the blade and brought it down harshly with one arm. The blade cut was clean. I felt an impact of resistance before the blade sliced through. His head dropped to the floor. The first attacker foolishly decided to tackle me, his eyes locked onto my face rather than my blade. Were only the rookies here attacking me? Is this to try and wear me down? I retracted my arm quickly, tucking my elbow back with the point of the sword facing the charging man; he didn't even notice until he had lunged into the blade, impaling himself through the heart.
I let the body drop and the sword with it. The red of the room stood still, most with their hands on the grip of their still sheathed swords. Half of them sat back down, the ones still standing looked around and did the same, leaving only about four people left, all incredibly young-looking.
"Well" The bald man spoke up, "You little shits joined the Black Hand to get rich, right. That right there's the best payday you'll see in your life, whatcha waiting for?"
The few younger men left standing all sat down one by one, their shoulders tense and eyes locked down onto the table. Only one remained standing, a man about my age near the back, holding a small crossbow. The bald man looked over to him.
"Miguel, sit the fuck down. You're gonna get yourself killed"
The boy with the crossbow twitched and pulled the trigger, hurling the bolt towards me. The bolt pierced my right shoulder. Everyone's head turned towards me as I pulled the bolt from my shoulder and pointed the bloodied tip towards the shooter.
"Don't do that again"
I dropped the bolt on the floor in the pool of blood that had formed from the two bodies at my feet. As I removed the bolt, I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Kona was standing in front of the merchant, Jackson. Once I dropped the bolt, Kona approached behind me, standing by my side as she placed a hand on my shoulder that was shot.
"You're good kid, maybe even better than me if you're lucky. Skills like that, you could start your own mercenary company, maybe even give us a run for our money in a few years, huh?"
"What the fuck was that?"'
"Huh? Oh. Well, they're smart enough to know it's better to be poor and alive than rich and dead. We're smart enough to know that someone with a bounty as big as yours isn't someone you fuck with. You want my advice? Make a statement, fucking loud one. One so loud everyone will know you're not to be messed with."
"How would I do that?"
"Take a bounty, of course, fucking big one. The big companies like us and the Ravens keep the big, big ones under lock and key. If you're interested, I might be willing to give you a job or two."
I didn't say anything; there wasn't any need to. I didn't want to stay here, even with a private room and a locked door; there was no guarantee of our safety. I turned back to Kona and Jackson. "Let's go"
"One more thing, kid. The giant lady with you, what's her name? She's a northerner, right?"
Before I could even turn around to stop her from engaging, Kona had readily spoken.
"Kona Godi, what's it to ya?"
"Fuck, a Godi. The famed clan of warrior kings and queens who value strength above all else. Tell me, little man, do you think she loves you for who you are? Or for what you're capable of? The Godi's breed with the strongest, that's their way and you… You're pretty fucking strong."
I had an overwhelming urge to walk up to the bald man and rip his head off in that moment, but I restrained myself. He was an asshole, sure, but that wasn't grounds for killing someone. I took a deep breath and unclenched my fists. I turned around and walked out.
Kona and Jackson followed. Kona came up and walked beside me.
"Well, that guy's an asshole."
"Does your clan really breed with the strongest?"
"What? Don't tell me you're letting him get to ya."
"Do you?"
"Well… yes"
"Is that why you're with me?"
"NO! No, no way. That was only at first. I was interested in ya at first cuz of what you did at the Saltfort. It was only after some time that I actually started to like you more. Hey, don't let that asshole get in ya head."
She wrapped her arms around my hand and held me for a moment, causing the two of us to stop walking.
"You're just all fired up, just breathe and listen."
She held my head slightly tighter as I wondered what she meant by listen. She pressed the side of my head into her large chest, my ear between her breasts, as I could hear a faint rhythmic thudding. She started to caress my head as I listened to the heartbeat. Standing still for a moment, I felt all that rage melt away as I was observed in this moment.
"If it makes you feel any better, when I was fifteen, I was to marry. Custom is that we hold a fistfight tournament. Then whoever wins is the strongest, and then I fight him. If I win, I don't have to marry; if I lose, I marry him."
"Did you win?"
"I lost. But I didn't want to marry that man, I didn't like him, and he was a lot older than me, twenty six I think. So instead, I ran away and went south."
"I thought you came south for a bloodletting?"
"Aye, that was the other option. A godi must either marry and continue the bloodline or fight and die with honour."
"So you would have rather died than marry?"
"Aye… that was… till I met you."
I looked up after she had said her corny line; her face was red. No doubt, even just saying those words was a struggle for her. Her bright red face twitched with pressure building underneath, for how embarrassed she clearly was while she tried and failed to remain calm and collected. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
She released me from her grip and crossed her arms, facing the other way. No doubt caused by my laugh.
"Thanks."
Her arms unfolded and drooped to the side as she turned half towards me, giving little more than a smile and a nod.
We decided it was too dangerous to stay here for the night and continued onward. Jackson in particular wasn't too happy about it, but thankfully, the next rest stop was only an hour away.
As Kona and I lay in our shared sleeping bag, I couldn't help but think about what the bald guy said. Kona noticed I was lying with my eyes open, staring at the stars.
"What's wrong?"
"Just thinking about what the guy said."
"That guy again? He was an ass, so what?" She rolled onto her side and draped an arm over my chest.
"No, that bit about making a statement. Maybe that's actually a good idea."
"Oh? Who you wanna go after then? That Goran guy with the biggest bounty?"
"Maybe, he said the big guilds have the larger bountys to themselves. When we get back to Ravens Rest, I would want to ask Corvis about it."
She let out a faint moaning sound like a 'mmhm' as she nuzzled into my shoulder. The wound that was there, of course, completely healed already. Maybe going after Goran might be the best way forward. Or some other large bounty, I would rather do that than stand in the middle of town, yell out my name and kill anyone that comes at me until everyone gets the message. I would rather do something good.
We continued our journey towards Eastwatch. Arriving after a few more days of travel, where we were paid the full amount of the job listing in coins. With that money, we booked a stay at the merchant inn near the front gate just to be safe and to take advantage of our trading license before it expired.
After locking our travel packs in the inn room, we went towards the guild hall of the town to look for the next job. The first thing we did upon entering the hall in look at the wanted board. It was laid out almost exactly the same as the one in Ravens Rest, with bounties posted by the church, separate from the rest and the higher the poster, the bigger the bounty. Kona reached up and took my bounty down right away, staring it in disbelief for a moment before presenting it to me. The bounty was listed for one million franks.
"After Akame is ye?"
An old woman's voice called out. Kona panicked and scurried to put the poster back up on the wall as an old, decrepit woman walked closer.
"Mmm, prolly best ye dont. A price that high must be dangerous, but word is kids in Raven's Rest. Must not be that dangerous. Maybe just pissed the church off just the right way. Even still, might need an army for em."
She cackled, and Kona smiled awkwardly at the old woman.
"I was just looking. I don't think I could beat him by myself."
"Ye two after a big score then aye? Try thissin."
The old woman hobbled closer, raising a walking cane and tapping against the poster halfway up the wall.
The bounty was for a man named Turok. It explained that he broke away from the Sand Fist gang and headed into the woods near Eastwatch, and has been committing serial banditry, often resulting in murder.
Kona held the poster up after reading the details aloud, stating that we would take the job.
The old woman nodded and slowly hobbled towards the guild clerk counter, walking behind it as she spoke.
"Hope you get em. Been a hassle round these parts, they have. I'll offer a bonus if you get the leader alive. As for the rest."
She slid a finger across her throat. Kona and I approached the counter and placed the wanted poster on the counter table for the old woman to process. She took out a notebook and wrote something down, closing it again, she pushed the bounty poster back over to us to take.
"If'n ya kill him, bring his ear back. He's got on pierced like in the drawing. If you can manage his whole head, that would be better."
I grabbed the wanted poster and slid it under my cloak and into a pocket. Kona leaned forward to the old woman.
"Say, has there been much interest in that million-frank bounty?"
"Interest sure, people actually taking it? Not so much. There was this one kid, a bit taller than that quiet one you got, blonde hair. Seemed intent on finding 'em."
Kona and I exchanged a glance. There was only one person we could think of who would fit that description and be looking for us. Nigel.