Chapter 1-A simple Job!?
I stood in the winery waiting for my orders; I was a mercenary you see so my loyalties went to whoever was footing the bill for my services at the moment, so one day I could be your ally the next the man trying to skewer on the battlefield, and I know this doesn't sound like a pleasant way to live but hey it's a living. I looked around examining the locks on my trunk to make sure they were secure, this was all I had left of my past life, and I would kill anyone who tried to take it from me I'm kind of sentimental like that. I turned slightly my armor rustling and the broadsword on my hip whispering against its sheath as I heard a creak which I realized a moment later was just my current employer pacing back and forth. The job was a simple one so I wasn't using my better equipment which I had locked in the chest. I was still on edge because I was not well liked by some people in Balandor due to me the aiding the Farians in their war with Balandor. I was just a child then but I had already killed people, I was a warrior trained by the toughest teacher in the world…Life. My life has been difficult since I was small; I've had to kill to survive, and many other things that would be frowned upon in normal society especially since I was so young. I was confident but I wasn't stupid, I knew that there was going to be a party for some noble, that meant that a lot of rich windbags would attend, and wherever money gathered trouble was never far behind so I had hidden on my person my father's blade Radiance, a beautiful and well-crafted sword that was forged in a city that few today remembered. The sword was light-weight but could deliver the damage of a blade much larger than itself, it was also beautiful to look at but this beauty held a dark secret this blade had shed more blood in the first month after it's forging than many soldiers do in a lifetime of war, and it would shed more blood before it left my hand I guaranteed this. I was starting to get impatient about the arrival of the person I was to escort to collect wine for the party when I heard the door open and as I turned to see who it was I was a little surprised to see how young he was. He had to be about sixteen or seventeen years of age, he was physically fit, with ginger hair tied into a ponytail, blue eyes, a brown leather vest over a white linen shirt, brown leather pants, and knee high boots. He wasn't paying attention but I could see that was about to change as boss stalked angrily up to him.
"Leonard where the hell have you been," the employer yelled at the boy named Leonard, "This guy has been waiting for you to get your ass here all day so you can get going to fetch the wine,"
Leonard looked over towards me and did something I would never have expected from he extended his hand towards me for a handshake.
"Hi my names Leonard," he said waiting for me to shake it.
"I'd prefer if we didn't get to friendly," I stated brushing off his warm welcome, "It lets me sleep better at night if the mission should go south."
"Wait wha-," he began before a wooden mug clocked him in the back of the head, I could have warned him to duck as I had seen his boss winding up to whip it at Leonard but I wasn't paid to protect him from his boss.
"Leonard quit your chattering and get your ass moving," the Warg screamed at his employee.
"Yeah, yeah we're going keep your shirt on," Leonard yelled back heading for the door with me hot on his heels. I did not want to mess with this warg, the sole reason for this being that I could sense something dangerous about this him.
"So we have to go to a warehouse in Parma and pick up the wine," Leonard said with a grin as we started off towards the main gate, "So you're new to Balandor right?"
"I've been here a couple of times," I commented lightly, "but not in recent years."
"Oh why haven't you been here in a while?" Leonard asked me.
"I've been paid to protect you not tell you my life story," I said snidely, "That costs extra I'm afraid."
"You'd tell your whole life story for coin?" Leonard asked me shocked.
"No I wouldn't," I answered coldly, "My life is worth more than money."
"You know you could be friendlier," Leonard told me.
"I'm being paid to keep you alive," I sneered, "not to be your buddy."
We continued to walk towards the main gate leading towards the Balastor plains in silence my words apparently hurting Leonard's feelings but I didn't really care. I have gone most of my life on my own, occasionally I would work with other mercenaries to take down a target, or I would travel with refugees when I felt the need to disappear. I didn't want companionship or fellowship, to me it was too big of a gamble, I had long ago given up on the notions of friendship, and the reason for this was because I was weak. I couldn't stand the thought of growing close to someone only to lose them again. As we walked towards the main gate in silence I heard someone say something that snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Did you see Archduke Dalem's procession?" a female warg asked her friend.
"Yes I did," her human friend answered, "I didn't think he would bring so many of his own warriors."
"I would have been shocked if he didn't," snarled the warg women, "After the coward ordered the assassination of Princess Cisna and Queen Floraine,"
When I heard this I grew angry, I knew Archduke Dalem, and I knew he was one of the bravest men I knew. Leonard looked over at me and apparently saw my scowl at the women's comments. I didn't really care what people thought, I knew the Archduke was not responsible for the queens death, I knew he was no coward, and I knew he was a good man.
"Hey what's wrong?" Leonard questioned me.
"Them," I said jerking my head towards the two gossiping women, "They talk about the Archduke like he's nothing but slime."
The women were still gossiping about the Archduke and I was growing angrier by the minute.
"The Archduke?" Leonard asked a confused look on his face.
"Archduke Dalem," I told him, "The leader of Faria."
"Isn't Faria the kingdom that attacked Balandor?" Leonard asked me.
"Yes…and the Archduke himself led the attack on the castle," I told Leonard, "But his forces never breached the inner courtyard."
"How do you know all of this?" Leonard asked curious.
I was shocked by his lack of suspicion in his words, he was just curious, and he would remain that way.
"We're burning daylight," I told Leonard, "So if you don't want to upset your boss we should probably get moving."
"You're right," Leonard told me with a sigh, "If we don't hurry Rappci will skin me alive."
As we walked down the street I felt that I was being a little cold to the young man walking next to me. I felt bad he had done nothing to earn this cold attitude from me, I may have earned the ire of many powerful people in Balandor but Leonard apparently knew nothing of my history with the city, and I doubted he would ever find out so I decided to tell him my name.
"Leonard," I called out to him gruffly.
"Yeah, something wrong?" He asked me.
"No, I just realized I've been rude to you when you've done nothing to deserve it," I told him with a sigh.
"It's alright," He said, "As a mercenary you must lose a lot of friends to battle."
"Yes, I do but that still doesn't give me the right to be so rude," I apologized, "So let me formally introduce myself. My name is Eddoe Yonthanx, sword for hire, survivalist expert, and now bodyguard."
"It's nice to meet you Eddoe," Leonard said extending his hand.
"Look just because I've told you my name doesn't mean were going to be friends," I told him, "I'm sorry you seem like a good kid but this is just a job."
"Hey I'm seventeen," he yelled at me.
"Well you're not exactly showing it by acting out like this," I said a small smirk on my face.
"I am not acting ou-," was all he got when he was bumped by a man in a travel worn monks robe carrying a long object wrapped in white cloth.
"That was rude," I said with a slight smirk recognizing a man who was doing his best to stay incognito by looking like a poor beggar he could pass by with few remembering him, the poor of a city were often the best spies due to them being everywhere and that they are often desperate to change their lot in life.
"Was that a friend of yours?" Leonard questions me.
"Leonard the life of a mercenary doesn't exactly allow for friendships," I laughed, "and besides I don't really need friends in my life."
"How can you live like that?" He questioned me as we walked out towards the gate and whether through fate or like an excuse came up so I didn't have to answer.
"Come one come all to see the world famous Markus Revelers," shouted a small man dressed in a black top hat and white overcoat, "We are her to celebrate Princess Cisna's coming of age."
"I've never liked clowns," I said with a sneer, "especially such poor ones."
"I've never been to a circus before," Leonard told me, "I hope we make it back in time to catch a show."
"You won't miss much I'm guessing kid," I assured him, "I've traveled the world and have never even heard of the Markus Revelers."
"So where have you been to?" Leonard questioned me.
"Look kid my past is my business," I scolded Leonard, "I'm not probing you about your past now am I."
"Look if we're going to be working together I think I should know more about you," Leonard shot back at me.
"Listen we're not working together," I barked at him, "You're the client."
"You really are stuck up you know," Leonard said with a sigh.
"Listen we need to stop with this nonsense," I told him gruffly, "we're approaching Balastor plains and it'll be much easier to protect you if you're paying attention."
Leonard let out a sigh and began to walk ahead of me, I didn't understand him, I was purposely being standoffish and stuck up so he would leave me alone, but no matter what I did he was still being kind to me, and that was really starting to piss me off. We were approaching the gate that separated the area just outside of Balandor from Balastor plains. I could see through the gate and the first impression I had was that theses plains were beautiful.
"Wow," I exclaimed, "Nature is just so beautiful."
"You've never been to Balastor before?" Leonard asked.
"Never," I told Leonard truthfully, "I've only ever been on the Greydal side of Balandor before."
"So you've never been to Parma then?" He questioned ever curious about my past.
"How many active mercenaries do you ever see in a farming community?" I asked rhetorically, "I've only studied this region through literature but could you tell me something about the local fauna."
"Well the most dangerous thing you're likely to face here is a giant wasp," Leonard told me with a laugh.
"So this should be a cakewalk," I sighed displeased.
"You don't sound too happy," Leonard said with a slight grin.
"I'm not," I said simply, "This job is too simple for my tastes I would prefer if something like a dragon would swoop down from the skies and started burning stuff now that would be a challenge,"
"A dragon…you wish a dragon would swoop down on Balastor plains?" Leonard asked me shocked, "are you crazy."
"I've already kill three dragons one more shouldn't be that difficult," I laughed, "and I've always loved a challenge."
Leonard just shook his head and sighed as we set out across the plains. I was watching the movements of the monsters on the field like he said the most dangerous thing seemed to be the Giant wasps but they were few, a rookie would make the mistake of counting out the Kibbles and Polkans but they could bring down a rookie like Leonard in seconds if they were in a large enough groups.
"Hey there's a monster!" Leonard yelled charging it, "Let's get it."
I whipped towards Leonard as he started charging a kibble completely clueless to the ten other kibbles in the nearby tall grass.
"Stop damn it," I roared at him but I was too late he had struck the monster infuriating the others nearby.
He was a good thirty feet ahead of me and I didn't know if I would reach him in time so I did the only thing that I thought could save this fool I pulled out my war fan the Phoenix Wing and launched my attack. With a single wave of my fan I summoned a small twister which pulled the kibbles away from Leonard before they could completely swarm him. By the time I had cleared the area Leonard had been beaten into a state of unconsciousness.
"Why do I always get stuck with the fools," I muttered to myself raising my fan as a warm golden light began to shine from it washing over the unconscious boy healing his wounds and bringing back to consciousness.
"What happened?" Leonard asked groggily getting to his feet only for me to lay him back out, "What the hell was that for!"
"Look boy!" I barked threateningly, "You're hide is only worth something to me alive and your starting to make it more costly for me to keep you alive with your stupidity."
"Are you threatening me?" Leonard accused me.
"No, I'm warning you," I growled, "If you want to throw your life away do it when I'm not here."
"What do you mean throw my life away those were just kibbles," He yelled at me, "It was just dumb luck they beat me."
"It doesn't matter how they beat you," I shouted right back, "All that matters is that you lost and if I hadn't been here to save you you'd be dead."
"I could've taken them if you hadn't screamed," he accused me.
"Kid," I told him disappointed, "blaming others is not going to get you anything."
"What do you know," he started yelling at me childishly.
"I know that you have people who care about you," I whispered, "and before you say anything think about what your boss has done for you,"
With that I turned and began walking towards Parma furious at this boy, he had people who cared about him, people who went out of their way to hire people like me to protect them, and he just went into battle all gung ho. I hadn't told him what his boss was really paying me for which was to keep an eye on him throughout the celebrations due to Leonard's knack for getting into trouble. He had everything I wished I had but was denied either by myself or fate; he had a family, friends, and a home that he could return to. Fate had conspired to steal all these things from me and now I denied myself two of them until I could reclaim my home. Wait why in the hell is this bothering me is this bothering me so much.
"Shit," I swore softly to myself, "I like the kid…damn it."
He reminds me of myself when I was younger…so full of himself, so proud, so arrogant. Damn it! I wasn't happy with this situation all. In the couple of hours I had known this fool I had grown to like him. I didn't want him to suffer as I did, but this boy was reckless and proud so I knew if I tried to help him it would more than likely blow up in face. As thoughts and plans raced through my mind I looked up to see the gates of Parma were only twenty yards away from me so I just sat down and waited for the fool to catch up to me my anger had hardly dissipated. I sat there for about ten minutes waiting for him and when he still hadn't shown up I was starting to worry.
"Where the hell are you kid," I whispered to myself.
If that kid got himself killed by a kibble or polkan his boss is going to have my hide…Damn it, where is he…could he have gotten lost…I doubt that though Parma is nearly a straight shot from Balandor.
"Damn it kid," I sighed turning to face the gates, "and I thought that this would be an easy job, but no the kid has to go and be difficult…I hope he's alright."
"Ahhh, I knew you had feelings," a familiar voice from behind me stated.
"You son of a bitch," I said turning around to face Leonard, "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough," he snickered.
"If you tell anyone about this I'll kill you," I threatened.
"Whatever, let's just get the wine," Leonard said with a laugh.
"Arrogant prick," I muttered under my breath.
He ignored my comment as we walked through the gate into the area between Parma and Balastor plains which I thought are more beautiful than even the plains. These woods were full of life, birds singing in the branches, crickets chirping in the grass, and smaller animals like foxes scurrying through the underbrush. It reminded me of the woods around my homeland that I would play in as a child but it was nothing compared to the forest I explored when I was growing up. I always found it interesting to study the local fauna and this always got me wondering that if things were different maybe I would have been a scientist or a historian but not the warrior I had become. Thinking like this always depressed me but I couldn't help it I loved to learn new things and the first rule of learning is to be open to new Ideas and possibilities. Apparently my depression had reached my face because Leonard began asking me questions…again.
"Hey, Eddoe are you all right?" He questioned me.
"Worry about yourself…all right kid," I told him.
"Look I'm just wondering if you're alright," he told me genuine worry in his eyes.
"Look worrying about others draws your focus from your objective," I explained to him coldly, "true warriors will leave the fallen were they are…the mission is more important."
"That's cold so…so you would just leave a person behind to die?" He yelled at me the worry being replaced by anger.
"You can do nothing for the dead," I continued explaining to him, "but to fail at the mission they gave their lives for is the greatest dishonor that you can let happen."
"Urgh so you would sacrifice others just to see the success of a job?" he yelled at me.
"Yes I would," I answered calmly; "To let ones emotions dictate what one does is folly."
"What made you so uncaring?" Leonard asked glaring at me.
"What made me the man I am today is none of your damn business," I whispered threateningly, "So you better quit your damn questioning me about it."
With that I stalked out of the woods into Parma nearly trampling a young purple haired woman.
"Hey watch were you're going," She yelled at me but I ignored her, "Jerk."
I really didn't care what this woman said to me I've been insulted and isolated most my life either by racial boundaries or just being myself. I will not act differently just to be accepted because if they accept me when I'm not being myself then they're not truly accepting me. I was angry at the fool boy even more now, why was he so determined to act out to be noticed, he had a home to go to what else could he want.
"That ginger haired twit," I scowled, "Is just a fool waiting to throw away all that he has for adventure…Leonard you're a damn fool!"
That's when I heard it behind me, the quick footsteps of someone running at me, the intake of breath from exerting oneself before an attack, the rush of air as a fist rushed towards the back of my head. I dodged it by simply moving my head to the left and letting the blow sail by my face, as the attack had left my attacker overextended I grabbed the arm, flipping the attacker over my shoulder, and as they hit the ground I had already drawn my broadsword the tip rested only an inch above the bridge of her noise. I examined my attacker quickly realizing it was the purple haired girl from before though now her garments were less than clean after I threw her into the dirt.
"Hmph…just another overconfident weakling," I muttered to myself, "Just like him."
"How dare you insult Leonard," she shouted at me, "I doubt you even know him."
"I know enough that he is a weak minded fool," I snarled at the girl my anger clouding my mind, "I know he seeks battle when he doesn't need to…A man who seeks battle seeks death…his or his enemies."
With that I turned and stalked off deeper into the village, it was a quaint village, the kind I would have liked, not a lot of people to bother me, and quite. I did not know where my feet were taking me but I let them carry me where they would uncaring and by the time I realized that the noise of everyday life had died down and so had my rage, time alone is what I truly needed. I looked around and realized I had found my way to a small cemetery. I had always liked cemeteries for the sole reason being that they were normally quiet and peaceful, so I sheathed my sword, sat down, and pulled from my satchel an old leather bound book. It was my journal; the outside was bound in old cracked leather, on the inside the pages were yellowed by time, and emblazoned on the leather cover was a picture of a fox its left forepaw resting on a bucket helmet. I began writing in my journal in the flowing script of the Farians, though they spoke the same language as the people of Balandor their written language was very different, the words had a grace and beauty that bordered on art and it took a steady well trained hand to write it. Many Farians now only wrote in the language of Balandor as this was considered basic but I chose to continue to write in the old tongue just for sentimental reasons. Today I wrote about the job I was currently on, the hope that I may speak to Archduke Dalem, and that I could finally apologize for my sins to the royal family of Balandor. In the couple of minutes that I was alone I had written all I could about these topics. As I closed my journal something caught my eye, something I had not looked at for years, and so I looked at the earliest writings in my journal the writings written in neither the language of Balandor or Faria. I felt the tears well up in my eyes as I looked at the scrawled handwriting of a small child, the first words I had ever written in this journal, the words about my father, my beloved home, and the darkness that took it. I had sworn on that day I would do everything to bring about my father's dream, I would avenge him, and I would see this done even if it cost me my life. I stood up drying the wiping the tears from my face, I couldn't sit there and cry I had a job to do, and if the job didn't get done I didn't get paid. I started walking down the hill to where I had seen the beastwain earlier. As I arrived I saw the purple haired chick and Ginger standing there talking about how they were supposed to load the wine casks onto the wain, the casks that they were talking about were huge, they had to weigh about a hundred pounds each, and there was no crane to lift them into the wagon. As I approached the wain I had drawn my war fan with a slight flourish that drew the purple haired girl's attention.
"What do you want jerk?" She scowled at me.
"I wish to do what I'm paid for," I coldly growled back at her.
"Oh and what is that?" she barked back at me.
"My job is the same as yours," I told her coolly enjoying the look of confusion on her face, "I've been paid by your employer to protect the shipment of wine until it reaches the safety of the palace confines."
"Yeah right, tell me why I should believe you," the girl scowled at me.
"Yulie he's tell the truth," Ginger sighed exasperatedly.
"Leonard…you're kidding right," the girl named Yulie begged, "I mean he's a complete jerk…he attacked me…and insulted you."
"I didn't attack you girl, I defended myself," I retorted dryly, "As for insulting Ginger here…the truth hurts,"
"Yulie I know we don't like it but Rappci paid him to help," Ginger sighed, "and do we really want to load these casks on our own."
"No Leonard I guess you're right," Yulie sighed the fight seeming to drain from her, "besides we need to find Raus."
"I take it that Raus is the driver?" I asked to which I got a nod from Yulie, "Then you go find him I'll load up the casks."
"How do you expect load them all by yourself?" Ginger questioned curiosity once again shining in his eyes.
"With magic of course," I answered, "Now we've wasted enough time talking, go find the driver while I load the casks, and do it quickly we're running out of daylight."
As they walked away I used my war fan to summon a small whirlwind to pick up the casks one at a time and set them into the wain. I was done for what must have been ten minutes before they brought back a little rabbit like man with a slight beard. I glanced over towards the horizon gazing at the beauty of the sunset my fan aglow in the fiery light feeling a calm peace fall over me for the first time since this job started.
"Wow he looks almost serene right now," I heard Yulie whisper.
"I am at peace," I muttered without any emotional influx, "for the moment I am content with how this mission is going."
"He seems almost a different person," I heard Yulie whisper to herself as Leonard walked over to talk to Raus.
"I feel I must apologize for the rude comments I made earlier concerning your friend," I told her still without emotion, "but I feel I must also tell you why I was upset."
"Oh, and what could excuse you from being such a jerk," she taunted me trying to upset me.
"I'm afraid that your taunts are less than effective," I told her a small smile on my lips, "but the reason I was so upset with your friend is that I see so much potential in him."
"Potential for what?" she questioned me.
"He has the potential to become a defender of the people," I answered a light breeze blowing through the town my war fan swaying in the breeze, "but he is reckless and seems to care nothing for his own safety."
"What can I say Leonard is brave," Yulie commented a big smile appearing on her face.
"What he displays' is not bravery but arrogance," I retorted the calm never leaving my face, "to be brave you need to be afraid."
"Wait don't those two contradict each other?" she questioned me confused.
"Not entirely," I answered actually enjoying explaining myself, "True bravery is when you still do it even though you're terrified, an example would be you want to protect your friend from some scorpion monsters but you're afraid of scorpions but still you go to protect them, now that is true courage to face your fears for others."
"I guess you make sense," Yulie told me, "and you don't sound as mean as you did before."
"Don't tell anyone," I told her, "I can't have people thinking I've gone soft."
"Why?" She questioned.
"That's my business," I answered her, "and in my business friends are a luxury that I can't afford."
With that I turned and left for the main gates of Parma to wait for Raus to get the beastwain moving. As I waited I examined my surroundings noticing little conflict there was in this rustic village. Anywhere with little conflict will be torn apart as soon as some appears…pity. I turned when I heard the rattle of the beastwain signaling its approach. I was shocked to see Yulie standing there with a longbow and quiver.
"Is she coming with us?" I inquired.
"Yes," Yulie answered, "and I don't care what you think."
"Hmph," I snorted, "Do what you wish."
I watched her walk out of the gate and as I watched her I examined her much closer. She had bowl cut purple hair, a yellow leather shirt skirt, mid-thigh boots, and I think short shorts. I wasn't sure about that last one though I prayed to god I was.
"Why is it that you two are so defiant?" I turned to ask Ginger tucking away my war fan and drawing my broadsword.
"It's just who we are," Ginger told me.
"Hmph," I growled, "We better get moving before she gets too far ahead."
We took off after Yulie and the beastwain. When we caught up with them Ginger, Yulie, and Raus all started talking to each other as I actually defended the beastwain from giant wasp attacks. They were out in force since the sun was setting, I wasn't grumbling about this though as it was a challenge, and I was always looking for a challenge. Before I knew it the outer gates of Balandor were in sight but something was wrong.
"Do you hear that?" Ginger questioned.
"What I don't hear anything," Yulie answered.
"That's the problem," I said calmly, "there are no birds, and no insects...something's coming this way."
As soon as I said this birds came flying out of the trees and thunder footfalls could be heard and out of the trees came a sylvan troll.
"You've got to be kidding me a troll," Yulie yelled.
"It must have smelt the wine," Leonard shouted.
"Less talking more fighting," I yelled readying my broadsword.
I saw the troll's movements, I saw him favor his left leg, I saw his eyes dart from the wine to the greatest perceived threat which is the ranged fighter in our group Yulie, I saw the tightening of the muscles in the hand that gripped its hammer, and before I knew what I was doing I was on the move.
"Move you purple haired dumbas-," was all I managed to get out as I pushed Yulie out of the way and took the full hit from the troll's hammer which sent be me flying into the side of the wain and flipped over it into the brush on the side of the road.
"Yulie are you all right," I heard Ginger yell.
"I'm fine but what about that mercenary," I heard Yulie yell back, "Leonard watch out."
At this I was up out of the ditch rushing at the troll, my broadsword in hand, the world blurred around me, I swung my blade feeling it strike the trolls hide, and cleave through it like a hot knife through butter. There the troll fell cut in two at the waist; its hammer falling from its now limp hand, and the ground shuddered as it hit the ground. I turned around to see the awestruck looks on Yulie's, Leonard's, and Raus's faces which were priceless.
"How did you kill that troll so easily?" Yulie cheered, "It was huge."
"Actually compared to most trolls that one was actually quite small," I stated truthfully.
"Why don't you just take a compliment?" Ginger asked, "Instead of being so modest."
"I'm not being modest," I told him, "That troll is actually is small compared to most trolls."
"W-w-well then don't you think we should get moving then," stuttered Raus looking around nervously.
"He's right it's starting to get late," Ginger commented.
"Wait a minute," Yulie shouted turning towards me, "You called me a dumbass."
"Yes," I said unflinchingly and as I said this I noticed both Raus and Ginger flinch.
"Well aren't you going to apologize to me?" she asked me with a glare.
"No," I told her as I saw Raus's and Ginger's jaws drop.
"And why the hell not," She shouted.
"The reason is you are a dumbass," I told her dryly, "Only an idiot would stand there and try to shoot when they had a troll barreling down on them."
I had apparently stunned all of them into silence with how blunt I was with my comments. As I began walking away I heard whispering and then a hard thwack followed quickly by Ginger's groans of pain.
"Look you two can beat on each other later," I told them not letting them see the small grin on my face, "but it would probably be better to get the wine into the city before you cripple each other."
There was a bit of grumbling as we moved the beastwain through the outer gate and towards the city. We walked for a good ten minutes before we reached the inner gates and by the time we did night had already fallen onto Balandor.
"I promised Rappci that we'd have the wine back before sundown," Ginger sighed.
"Don't worry kid," I assured him, "I'll explain that we had a delay."
"Thanks," Ginger told me.
"It's not a prob-," I began before I was cut off by squealing.
"Oh, a circus," Yulie was squealing society.
"Sorry folks," Ginger began, "but the delivery comes first."
"Aaaahhhhh," Yulie whined.
"Don't worry miss," I comforted Yulie, "You're not missing much, this is one of the drabbest circuses I've ever seen, and I've never even heard of the Markus Revelers…World famous my ass."
Wait a second…I just comforted her…what the hell is going on damn it…I feel like I know these people…what the hell is wrong with me...I never comfort anyone…Damn it. I turned around to see her staring dumbstruck at me and I couldn't figure out what was happening to me.
"Can't this beast go any faster!?" I questioned hurriedly.
"I'm sorry boss," Raus answered, "but no he can't."
"Well let's just hurry up and get it to the palace," I stated becoming calm and detached once more.
We hurried on with me leading the way past the carnival and to the palace gates where two guards stood waiting. As we approached one guard signaled for us to stop while the other shifted his pole-arm.
"What business do you have here," the guard who stopped us asked.
"Rappci wines here sir," Ginger jumped in stating this bit of information cheerfully, "where here to deliver tonight's wine."
"Where the hell have you been," the second guard snarled, "you were supposed to be here hours ago?"
"Well you see there was a mons-," Ginger began to explain.
"We don't want your excuses," the second guard barked.
"Take the wine to the kitchen entrance," the first guard said pointing to his right.
"Of course sir," Yulie jumped in bowing slightly, "we at Rappci wines look forward to serving you again."
We turned towards the direction the guard had pointed to and lead the beastwain in that direction.
"Yeah I look forward to serving you again," Yulie muttered fuming, "Serve you a knuckle sandwich…Jerk."
"Look Yulie calm down," Ginger said trying to calm her down, "Rappci really needs this."
"Yeah but-," she began before I cut her off.
"Getting you out of scraps with the guards is above what I'm being paid for," I barked at her, "and you would not last in the dungeons of this place."
"Oh and why do you think that?" Yulie roared at me, "Is it because I'm a girl."
"They don't care if you're a girl or if you're a child," I shot back at her glaring, "All they care about is how much information they can get out of you and bet on how long it takes you to expire."
With this I picked up my walking pace so Ginger was in between me and her. I really didn't want to get into a fist fight tonight. As we approached the kitchen entrance I saw a portly kind faced woman standing there waiting for us. As we approached Ginger ran up to her and began explaining why they were late and by the time I got there I only caught the last part of the conversation.
"This is the wine for the party," Ginger said with a slight bow.
"Thank you lad," the woman said giving him a warm smile, "This should do fine."
With that she walked back in to get help unloading the casks.
"How long do you think we have to wait?" I asked turning to where Ginger was only for him not to be there, "Where did Ginger go."
"Leonard," I heard Yulie whisper up the steps from me, "What are you doing."
"Don't you want to see what all the fuss is about?" Ginger asked Yulie approaching a door that was ajar at the top of the stairs.
"Leonard I don't want to get arrested," she whispered at him but he had already gone through the door way so she quickly followed him inside.
"Well this was to be expected," I sighed, "He suspected that they would sneak in…I should have asked for more."
Their boss hadn't just paid me for the defense of the wain but knew that they would more than likely attempt to sneak in to the party and I was being paid to babysit them. It was a good thing that I had business with someone here. So I followed them up the stairs where I paused and took a deep breath before stepping into the blinding light of the castle.
Here ends: Chapter 1-A simple Job!? This story is based on one of my favorite RPG's White Knight Chronicles. The story shall be changed to what could have happened if the player's avatar character had been more integral to the story instead of just being along for the ride. Thank you for reading this. The next chapter is called Party Crashers. White Knight Chronicles is owned by Level 5.