A/N: Hey guys I'm back thanks for waiting on me. Doing better but still sad that the old dog isn't around anymore.
Anyway this chapter was twice as long as I normally make them so I'm going divide it into two chapters which the second part will be out tomorrow.
Also I am aware of the SW sequel but not to worry it's set 10 years after the LN ending so not too much Canon is being messed with. And for those of you who may not know, Holo is not dead in the sequel's prologue it was just a fake funereal to be used as a business stunt. (In case you heard anything)
Lastly, in celebration to the sequel I remade the spice and surprise amv I made and made a new spice and wolf amv named "I'll be your Emmylou" Check em out on my channel BetweenThePipes49
Chapter 12
Wolf on the Roadside
Within the besmirched hamlet of Valenfurt was a modest warehouse type structure that only stood out from the rest of the structures only due to it's considerably larger square footage than the rest yet had nothing to advertise for it when compared to 'The Gold Nugget.' Within this large edifice were a vast amount of crates and barrels that stood idly by as if awaiting to be taken away to new locations.
Thronging about them were a modest amount of men finishing stowing and encumbering the spare areas with their loads while pausing to hear muffled sounds of a rather heated nature emanating from the main office that was in the corner of the depot. The exact details as to why the individuals were quarreling orally was not made wholly apparent as the vocalizations could not be made out clearly.
Just then another man approached the door and knocked upon it lightly with regret. The acrimonious debate was brought to an end before the individual was bidden to put himself inside the office. The door opened lightly to reveal a tall and slender man with a gruff face that was squared and complemented with a palette of sandy blonde hair and five o' clock shadow about his cleft chin.
"Martin, how can I help you?" came the stressing voice that forced itself to resound calmness.
"I'm sorry Jacopo, but someone is out front requesting to speak with you."
With a hardened face the employer asked almost disbelievingly, "What do they want?"
Martin timidly responded, "They are willing to transport wine up to Cross Iron immediately."
Jacopo let out a long and aggravated breath that did not want to break the argument yet wanted what was best for his business then turned to the first man in the room and said, "Libert you will have to excuse me while I deal with this."
He then pushed away from the desk and left Libert in the office in total silence. His transit through the warehouse was a feverish one as he moved through the aisle ways with such a hostile stride that it parted the positions of the other workers. With a swift and aggressive heave, Jacapo pushed the door that led to the main lobby open with such attitude that it caught the individual who called upon him off guard.
"I'm Jacapo, what do you need?" he asked with a tone of a man who struggled to remain polite.
Recomposing herself, the woman replied, "My name is Holo and I have heard you are hiring for anyone who can ship wine to Cross Iron. I have a large wagon with a shire pulling it…"
Keeping his face as rigid as stone the man cut in, "By yourself? The roads are riddled with bandits why do you think I can only hire freelancers foolish enough to make the journey?"
Hiding her irritation at that remark the she wolf responded, "I have an escort, will you allow me to take some wine off your hands or will you choose to stay burdened with it?"
Jacapo was caught off guard at her witty comeback, but he remained defiant, "You may take it at your own peril, but just know you are not paid in advance."
"Oh?"
"I have a checkpoint within the Nabakov trading guild in Cross Iron. You deliver there and then receive compensation."
"Ah by doing this you are not paying for a failed run in case the delivery is intercepted, yes?"
His eyebrows lifted, "Hm…Whoever thought a female merchant could be so sharp?"
She clenched her knuckles and thought of a quick and painful way to remove his tongue but held her peace as he walked to the door behind her which led outside and said, "Let's take a look at the wagon and your escort, hm?'
Before she followed after him, she caught note of Martin who had remained silent yet was giving apologies with his expression. She put herself in tow with Jacapo as the door was swung ajar and there stood the wagon hitched to Gallavaun with Ranger leaning against it with his arms folded who took his eyes off the ground and met the man with his stare.
The reason the swordsman was outside was due to the request of Holo so that there would be no ill interaction during the negotiation which would be problematic for striking the best deal. Jacopo looked at the wagon and the owner who had his loyal dog laying beside him. Then began to give it a full detailed inspection.
"The coach seems large and sturdy enough.' said he, 'But you said you had an escort, I don't think one mercenary and a guard dog will be enough to ward off the kinds of threats one sees in that road."
Holo saw the arms of Ranger flutter as he most likely took ill to that comment. She quickly redoubled, "They have a good reputation."
"Oh really, I don't recall hearing about a masked mercenary and his dog being so infamous in these parts."
Ranger unfolded his arms and turned to face Jacopo who was on the other side of the wagon, "Concern yourself with your own profession and let me to mine." said he.
Jacopo grimaced at him then turned to Holo, "I can fit about four crates on here."
"How much will that sell for?" came her inquiry.
"About twenty trenni a crate then a bonus of ten percent of the total face value, but that's only if all the wine is intact. If any bottle be breeched or broken obviously there would be a deduction in pay. But of course we're getting too far ahead considering you need to make it to cross iron in one piece. For if one bottle is broken you must pay us for it seeing how the product isn't yours."
"It shan't be a problem." replied Holo with enthusiasm.
Jacapo did not find Holo's faith in the venture at all amusing or endearing and said partially to himself, "Speak for yourself."
Ranger let out a respire that made his displeasure known to Jacapo's lackadaisical approval for this act of service being bestowed upon him. Before the man could appropriately take note of the cutthroat's reaction he was already addressing him, "Perhaps a small demonstration can conceive some faith in our party and lay aside any doubt?"
Jacapo glared with a cross of epiphany and adrenaline that Holo took note of.
"You say you can dispel any threat, hmmm?"
Ranger flexed his shoulders, "It suffices me to say that I have proven my salt."
Motioning to Holo, the warehouse manager asked, "Can you vouch for him?"
The she wolf made a blank expression before answering with a slight hint of qualm, "I have my reasons to be confident in him…"
Jacapo tinged his eyebrows as his demeanor began to change, "And how long have you known him?"
"May inquire as to why you ask?" responded Holo.
"Well, it's not everyday that I meet a female merchant working her way up here and to have an escort such as this. I'm only curious to how the two of you crossed paths, that is all."
She looked towards Ranger and communicated with her eyes that she was unsure how to answer. For she was mindful that a slip of the tongue could be a lead for their enemies to follow. The masked man then took it upon himself to simply answer, "I so happened to make my services known at a tavern that she was occupying. Her destination was Cross Iron, therefore she approached me for hire to guarantee her safety."
Jacapo smirked as he looked at the bulkier details of the coach, "So I'm also curious how the little lady came across a wagon and horse like this. Definitely a bit much for one such as fragile as she."
Holo put a hand on her hip and declared, "I must agree with my company at this point, that your concern is to load it and let us leave, time is of the essence."
The deeper meaning behind her outburst was the delay in reaching Lawrence.
Jacapo turned to Martin and yelled, "Load em' up, I'll be in my office!"
He then marched off leaving Martin to guide them to where the wagon was to be positioned. As Ranger mounted the wagon and put it back into transit, Jacapo was still watching from behind the door and took notice of another anomaly with the duo, "If that coach is truly her's, then why is the mercenary piloting it?"
On the other side of the warehouse was a massive entrance whose opening was made clear when the two immense sliding doors that guarded it were pushed open. The shire then led the coach inside and the employees then quickly began loading up the crates in teams of two.
As they were laboring away, Holo turned to Martin who was overseeing the operation and asked of him, "I certainly hope that we did not bring upon you the souring of your employer's mood."
Martin took his sympathies upon the words Holo had just pronounced and replied with sincerity, "I do apologize for him, this morning we had discovered that some of our employees have been slain while on a delivery run in the night prior. The cargo had been taken as well."
"Oh dear he must shoulder quite a bit of the guilt." mused Holo.
"Well that and there was been quiet a deficit for our outpost."
Holo was quick to conclude, "That would explain why you hire outsiders and hold off renumeration until the cargo is delivered so that such losses do not break your business then, true?"
Martin paused a moment to show a surprised reverence at Holo's ability to conclude the fore thoughts of his employer. "Yes, this way should you fail, then the money that would have paid you for the service goes into reclaiming the lost product."
Holo kept her hand supporting her chin and noticed that Ranger leaned against the wall in attempts to alienate himself from any interaction. There were still a few more crates to have their burdens laid upon the coach in which Martin could not help but suffer himself to state, "He's a rather brutish fellow, are you sure you will be safer with him then with the bandits and wild beasts?"
Looking upon the individual in question with a neutral glance the damsel rejoined with a slight defense in his regard, "I oft times ask myself that in certain moments." She then came to a rather perturbing thought in regards to the masked man which raised more questions more questions that she knew she would have to ask of him later, and in private.
Martin nodded and asked with more innocent honesty than Jacopo had, "So exactly how did the two of you meet and what binds you together?"
She realized that the man saw the pretense in her original testimony as to how they were united and could only lend herself to say, "It is complicated…."
At this point Jacopo took it upon himself to oversee the final installments of wine and wished to see the duo off. However there was a rather audacious sense of charm in his demeanor that was less than subtle. He approached Holo and took a moment to observe the fully loaded wagon and asked, "Is everything set in order for you then?"
She nodded with wariness to his abrupt change in demeanor and commented, "Yes, when we reach the Nabakov trading guild, to whom to we need to speak with."
Jacopo then said with a slithering kindness, "Call for a man by the name of Evgeny."
He noticed the eyelids of Holo spiked upwards as Ranger turned his head slightly.
"Do you know him?" he asked.
"Oh no,' replied the she wolf, 'In my travels as a merchant I have heard his name on occasion and was lead under the impression that he is a difficult man to meet with."
Jacopo sighed, "Yes, Evgeny can be stubborn, but if you hand him this (he pulled a rolled up parchment from his back pocket) he will recognize you as a toiler under my employ and will meet with you."
He then handed the parchment to her in which she unrolled it for review. It was a simple manifest that had Jacopo's signature on it and an empty line, most likely for the carrier to sign. Jacopo then invited her to his office to where the ink and quill lay so she may apply her name to the contract. As she receded from view, Martin observed that Ranger took an unfriendly notice to the departure and quietly moved himself to where he could see what was transpiring in the chamber ore.
Martin approached the masked man and attempted to still any hostilities by stating, "You can breathe easy, no one is going to cause you ill favor here."
Ranger's eyes met his with a foreboding scowl and was responded, "Odd, in my career those are the words I here before the bloodshed starts."
Martin ingurgitated his own agitation and asked with a quiver, "You must have been a mercenary for a good amount of time then, yes?"
Ranger calmly reset his face towards the office and simply stated, "There are many ways for one to make a living."
At this point Holo returned with the parchment in hand and was blowing on the bottom right hand corner. For recently there was an official stamp of approval in hot wax applied that was molded and engrained with the embroideries and symbols of the company it represented. However Holo had a slight perturbed enigma brewing through her head that was made manifest by her facade.
"It is time to head out now." said she, then took her place in the driver's box.
Ranger gave a last daring glance to Martin and Jacopo before placing himself next to her. The reigns struck the back of Gallavaun as he pulled around and head towards the exit and into the evening air.
Jacopo was next seen sitting in his office with his palms and fingers pressed together while positioned at the front of his bosom with an unsettling grin of peace about his lips. He was not alone for the man named Libert was present as well and commented on the drastic change in the man.
"You seem to be recovering quiet well."
Jacopo looked up with his eyes and stated coldly, "Well I believe I have just found the man who killed Wolfgang and set my slaves free."
Libert shrugged, "Well that's not my concern so deal with it the way you want."
"Oh but it is your concern, because I do also believe that this is the man who killed your friend and previous employer, Stephano and Baron."
Libert went pale and used the desk to stabilize himself, "How can you be sure?"
With a wicked smile, Jacopo pulled a letter from a compartment and handed it to the man standing before him for review. Libert took it and began to examine the script. He then shuddered and returned, "The one that Jurgen and Stephano have been hunting these five years, you believe it was her?"
"Indeed, and the man she's with has to be Stephano's murderer, there can be no other explanation."
"What if you're wrong?" protested Libert, "If we are to eliminate anyone it has to be for the right reasons and it has to be the ones in question beyond a shadow of a doubt."
"That's were you come in." Said Jacopo while arising from his seat, "Ride out to Cross Iron tonight with a few of my agents and inform Evgeny of everything that has transpired here. He will be the one to decide if those two are the ones Jurgen needs taken care of."
"What makes you…?"
"….So sure that these are the ones we seek?" finished Jacopo who moved on, "A female merchant who meets a mercenary in a tavern who is just blatantly letting his profession known. Have you seen the man, he is a silent professional and would never recruit work in such a fashion. Also, if she is a merchant then how is it that she was not piloting the wagon? That could only be if the wagon was not her's. Lastly, they were so pressed for time and so confident they would make it safely that I can think of no other explanation other than that they are very formidable individuals . You see Libert, it was nothing grand that gave away their identities to me, but the small and simple abnormalities."
"If what you suspect is true and we are discovered as conspirators with 'the insurer.' That masked man will have our heads!"
"Let me deal with all of that, you must simply inform Evgeny that they will be arriving about midday tomorrow. He will know what to do."
The wagon wheels rolled over the rocky and finely cut dirt road that put the backs of our adventures to Valenfurt. The sky at this section of the day was blackened out save a sliver of amber fainting over the mountains. Holo glanced back one final time to see if they were being followed and was only answered by the receding view of the sickly town which by now had its lanterns lit which shown as small orbs in the proceeding darkness.
"You seem perturbed." observed Ranger.
Huddling the hems of Lawrence's jacket more closely around her torso, he was answered, "I did not like the feeling I received from that man."
The masked man had no criticism at the moment. It may have been due to his understanding or that the hour was too far spent for denunciation. Yet to the surprise of the she wolf the Ranger did have a heightened sense of awareness in regards to her anxiety and could detect that there was another slat to wall of vexation that troubled her so.
"I noticed your change in demeanor when coming out of Jacopo's office. Observe anything condemning while there?" he asked.
She pondered a moment before stating, "It was not until he retreated in there then beckoned me in that I noticed an immediate change in his attitude. It was as if he was relieved or grateful."
Astonishingly, a voice of approval followed her concern, "I saw that as well, along with his association with Evegeny cannot be a coincidence."
Moving her eyes to her feet, the she wolf responded, "Do you know if he is friend or foe?"
Ranger leaned back, "All that the informant told of us, is all I know."
"Well that is comforting." came Holo's droll.
She attempted to relax but could not position her body in an angle to her liking for the crates inhibited the ability to lean all the way back or even lay in the bed for that matter. After a few shifts she moaned, "How soon until he set up camp?"
"We are not."
This snapped her attention more than anything, "So what then? We are to go all night?"
Ranger spoke with more reason, "If bandit and animal attacks are as persistent and lethal as spoken for, then a cessation of movement would only serve as a higher likelihood of us being targeted."
"Yes, but could it not only be for a few hours?"
"Balance wisely the scales of risk and reward." came his only response.
Of all the reprimands and disapproving comments ever ushered in by masked man, Holo found this to be the most infuriating. For he put it into her discretion to decide whether or not they were to continue moving and stay alert at all times at the cost of slaking their fatigue, or indulge in a moment's rest at the cost of exposing their vulnerability.
She pondered a moment then concluded for him, "Even you must rest, how long has it been? Two days?"
"I can manage."
Holo sighed, "All I am asking is for a few hours and nothing more."
In her mind she was being more than reasonable, it should also be noted that those creatures of the canine class enjoy sleeping often. Ranger however was of no such cloth and only viewed sleep as a burden when an assignment was underway.
Suddenly, to her astonishment, the wagon was veered off the dirt road and was being piloted further into the thicket. This commute into unmarked territory was then brought to an end after a quarter of a mile had been reached. Ranger then dismounted and said, "We will rest until just before sun up. On one condition."
Holo stared upon him with face that was both expressionless and curious.
"No fires, we cannot draw attention."
Holo groaned to the demands of his compromise. Without fire it would keep them discrete yet would also deny them warmth. Atop this, it also meant that they would not be cooking food for the evening either.
Alas she was at his mercy, it was formidable enough just to have him comply with anything she desired in terms of luxury, therefore she had to let come what may and work with it.
She dismounted and began to look about for an area to lay her head and found a spot next to a tree she could us to keep her head elevated. She found sit upon the soil and leaned against the mighty trunk and there began to situate herself to a more comfortable means.
Once situated she took a moment to glance up at the stars in the firmament. Upon briefly marveling at the twilight realm, of which each grain of cosmic sand seemed as a world of its own, Holo had a rather subduing thought. No matter where she was, her husband still dwelt underneath the same stars as she found herself positioned under. It was then she felt a tinge of dismal euphoria, hope perhaps.
Her ears then hung low as her thoughts began to betray her. It was recalled to her memoir the few nights prior when she had told her husband, 'I will always have faith in you.' Discouraged was her mind when pitted with the task of having him exercise the same unconditional faith of her that she herself bestowed upon him.
The pang only intensified when remembering the quarrel they had had the following day. She let out a sigh of discouragement which caught the assiduity of the Ranger who was situating the wagon.
Looking ore he asked, "What vexes thee?"
With fragile eyes she looked at him and said delicately, "I was thinking about the last things me and Lawrence had said to each other."
Fully aware of the incident the masked man rejoined, "Did the two of you often bicker as such?"
Slightly alarmed at his interest she responded, "We would have our fights at times yes, however they were the sort that when we would look back upon them we could only laugh."
Then with a heavy sigh, "I do not know why I became so angry with him, oh it was such a stupid thing to become upset about."
"I recall you becoming enraged with him not being honest."
"Yes but I acted as though he did it to be selfish. Lawrence could never be that way with me, or anyone for that fact. I now realize that he only wanted me to be happy, because I am sure seeing me upset vexed him terribly. And because of my childishness I caused him to say such terrible things…! "
"Perhaps, however he never said anything to sound as though he regretted his decision to become one in union with you."
"I know that, but to be separated shortly after this confrontation is almost unbearable."
"He did make amends with you and earnestly apologized, why does this event trouble you so?"
Rubbing her eyes with sadness that could only come from one's self loathing, she confessed, "Yes but I never said…." she then paused.
"Go on." urged the hood.
With tears speckling her cheeks she let out, "I never said that I forgave him! He told me he loved me and wanted to be with me. I felt so strongly the same way but held my silence! Even now I do not know why!" she wept.
The Ranger was silent while she took out her frustration through her tears then simply replied, "Think not of the future, nor the past, for the present is all thou hast."
Throwing her head back the she wolf bemoaned, "What good is having the present if it is the past I regret?"
"Because the present is that special time allotted to us to make right those regrets."
Shaking her head she inquired of him pitifully, "What of you? Have you ever wished you could so desperately take something back yet live out your life knowing it would never be so?"
Ranger's eyes turned into a slight scowl and suddenly spoke with rock hard conviction, "What I have learned is that when pitted against a decision and consequence that I wanted to erase from my past, it did me well to conclude that there is nothing more for me to do than move forward and accept the things I cannot change for the way they are."
Holo was silent for a small recess before answering, "I do not want to change the past, I only want the chance to tell him how much I love him… and cannot bare the thought of being denied that opportunity…"
Ranger tilted his head, "Well then, I suppose you have no choice but to move forward and earn the privilege to make that desire a reality."
Holo was unsure how to answer, for he was implying clearly that wallowing in the guilt of our mistakes never yields improvement and that the time must come for us to press forward and allow our trials to refine us into better creatures than we are. Yet was not despairing against the act of mourning such mistakes, for if there be no sorrow for transgression then when do we heed the call to become better?
She nodded then said, "I believe this day has been fatiguing and perhaps some rest will do us well."
She then turned over and acted as though she were to sleep. Ranger said nothing, he only scooted himself under the wagon and laid upon his back with his fingers clasped and resting upon his chest.
Before Holo completely shut her eyes, she heard something usher from his lips in a whisper. It sounded as though he said, "May the gods watch over us…"
Within the confines of her own nightmare, Holo again found herself fleeing from unhallowed pursuers with her assumed to be baby within her trembling arms. The babe wept loudly out of fear and terror from the unknown plight while her mother did all she could to keep her safe.
Behind the young wolf mother were the shouts and screams of bedlam of both man and beast as a conflagration painted the horizon of the night's sky a bright amber which seemed as though it was the inferno of the underworld. The very flames of war burned brightly and thirsted for her head.
Her plight was stopped when seeing a massive delineation standing alone in the darkness. It was a great wolf with emerald eyes that stood as a statue garbed in ocre fur who did nothing when Holo's advance brought her within closer proximity with this subtle giant.
Holo pled with the gentle beast for solace and security while desperately wishing for her newborn to be protected. The wolf looked on, neither assenting or dissenting to her presence.
Then, as if by demonic sorcery, all was silent.
The blaze was doused, the snarls and yells were silenced and the wolf was absent, along with her baby. Holo went frantic and screamed in absolute horror as she fell to her knees in the snow and wept and moaned in ultimate despair.
It was during this scene of overbearing disheartenment that Holo detected the presence of another. She turned her head around and saw the man of blackness with his glowing red eyes coming upon her.
Scrambling away on her hind quarters Holo began to grow violent as the demon attempted to subdue her. She fought hard with gnashing teeth and claws as she desperately resisted his efforts.
The black figure took hold of her wrists and began speaking, however she would have none of it as she continued to thwart his personal agenda he seemed to have with her. She was then thrust into the ground and unable to move as the figure had her appendages pinned into the sod.
-"Holo!"
Suddenly the scene had changed. Instead of a frostbitten vista, there was still an autumn earth bed. Holo then found herself pinned down by a powerful being, yet it was not the dark terror she previously beheld. It was Ranger who had a hold of her with the sleeve of his right arm having four parallel cuts into the cloth that also lacerated the flesh.
"Be at peace…" he said.
It took a moment's time for the she wolf to fully come out of her revere and refocus her synapsis on the real world once more.
"What are you doing? Unhand me!" she demanded.
Ranger slowly yet reluctantly unfastened his grip and asked of her, "Will you make another charge for me when I do?"
She took time to recollect the recent events and quickly concluded with subtle alarm that it was Ranger she fighting against. The question yet to be answered was what drew him to her in the first place.
"Why did you come to me?"
Ranger, at this point, had arisen and was standing over her and replied, "You seemed to be suffering from a haunting vision whilst in your sleep."
"How so?"
"You were thrashing and making all manner of noise."
A species of emotions overtook her, namely that of embarrassment and contention. This left her only to adjudge that the haunting nightmare played a massive effect upon her body language as the realm of nightmares transitioned into the physical domain and made manifest with her scrambling and struggling in plain sight.
"Is everything well with you?" inquired Ranger with a slight tone of concern which took the she wolf by subtle surprise.
Yet in her stubbornness and discomfiture she mumbled, "I am fine, shall we keep moving?"
Though it was far from sun up, there was no complaint murmured from the lips of the masked man as he turned about and walked to the wagon in the attitude that he expected her to follow shortly after. Brushing the dead pines and top soil from her knees, Holo rejoined the man and they set off once more.
The transit resumed in silence between the two without much commute happening other than the simple road noise of hoof and wheel accompanied by the serenade of the crickets and rustling leaves. Ranger kept himself aware of his surroundings while Holo leaned back with her arms crossed and shut her eyes.
Ranger had an objection to this act of meditation when considering the peril that could befall them on the roads and voiced silently, "Do you entrust the burden of our security entirely upon me and Kaytaff?"
Holo winced somewhat and mumbled, "I can sense any bandit or wild animal from miles away before they would even have the chance."
Ranger had no comment and chose to remain silent. This left Holo in peace to resume her rest.
The most of the morning darkness hours where fairly uneventful. However tragedy came upon our wolfish heroine when the crispy sunlight began to crest over. The steam through her nostrils began to fluctuate and she quickly snapped from her respite and gagged. She pulled on Ranger's arm while covering her mouth in which the masked man halted the coach.
She rapidly dismounted and ran into the thicket, once there she stabilized herself with her forearm against a tree. And there a routine episode of morning sickness commenced.
Coughing and sputtering she eventually could regain control over her gastronomical functions but could not sustain herself and eventually fell to her knees.
Suddenly she detected another presence and turned about to see the masked man observing her from a distance.
"Do you find my illness amusing?" she asked of him with a searing disapproval of his presence.
He called back, "It is not safe for either of us to be alone on these roads."
"It is not as though I ventured too afar off." she weakly protested.
With the morning mist encircling his feet the man returned with defiance, "I am taking risks with nothing."
Sitting on her rear with her back against the tree she looked up at the burning morning sky that was in it's infancy, Holo replied while panting, "From a thorn in your side to a potential risk to your agenda. I cannot help but wonder what I am to you."
Holo was not entirely herself for the hormones of pregnancy were impacting her mood greatly. This and now was the time in her mind to raise further inquiries and investigations in regards to what united them.
Ranger however simply answered her inquiry by stating, "As we have both concluded to, we are partners as was our agreement."
"But to what end? I wish to save my husband, but what of you? What drives you on this campaign?"
"They have Matthias and Jurgen is a man who must be stopped."
Holo shook her head, "I am not a fool, the way you handle your enemies and the way you treat other people. What is one life to you to risk yours over?"
She then stooped her face while her skin was still diaphoretic, "And Jurgen, as evil as he may be, is an enemy of the Count not yours."
Ranger dinted his brows into a tight crease, "You think me as one with ulterior motives whose loyalties are undetermined…" said he with clear discontent for her hidden declaration.
Turning to face him she smiled almost sinisterly, "Like I said, I am not fool, I want to know what really drives you to bloodshed. What your real goal is in hunting down this man and bringing an end to his conspiracy."
Ranger paused a moment as if he was unsure how to answer, eventually he voiced back, "What concern is it of yours what drives me? You have seen my skill and devotion to the cause, it astonishes me that I am seeing more criticism from you than gratefulness considering…"
"Considering what? That we are on the same side?" she chortled, "It feels as though the longer I am with you, the less I am beginning to know you. Do you not see, this is not a question of loyalty, it is a question of trust."
He let out a slight huff, "Trust, the liquor of the gullible."
Becoming marginally more calm, Holo replied, "Perhaps, however if you do not want to tell me more of yourself, then what of the Mu-halen Zhan-Shen? If I cannot trust you can I trust the clan that you supposedly came from? Are their merits and ideals something to be considered praise worthy?"
It was the first time she had ever witnessed him take a posture that could be translated as offended. Then with a brooding carom he said darkly, "Question my means if you will, it matters not. However never question my motives. I am here now, let that suffice. Now if you are finished resolving your illness, the road to Cross Iron awaits us."
Holo then chose to haggle in the spiritual sense, "Under one condition. Before I set foot towards the wagon, can I know from you if I truly am in good hands, and that you will never abandon or betray me?"
Ranger was set back as Holo calmly finished, "Because those are the fates of the gullible are they not?"
The masked man then walked up to her and nearly made a demand in his question, "Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?"
She was briefly silent at the moment before looking up with a solid tone of seriousness in her eyes as she set a bold expectation, "Promise me."
There was standstill that followed which left only the chirps of passing birds to fill the intervals of silence between them. Eventually his eyes met hers and he extended his hand towards her.
"You have my oath that I will never betray our partnership. And that the two of us together will bring Jurgen to justice and see your husband safe."
Holo was still yet to be convinced and said, "Swear it."
Ranger suddenly withdrew his hand and unclasped his sword. Then placing the blade in his palm, he wrapped his fingers tightly around it then sharply pulled it back which separated the skin of his palm.
Then extending the hand towards her again said, "I swear it."
With wide eyes and a deathly still face, Holo gapped upon his dripping hand and chose to extend her's as he hoisted her up and said when getting her to her feet, "Satisfied?"
She nodded at his sincerity which was quickly answered by him asking impatiently, "Now then, can we take our leave?"
Before she could answer they heard a series of aggressive of barks and snarls from off the road that were identified with Kaytaff. Someone was approaching the wagon.
