A/N: Chapter 25 of Mystical Eye of a Savage Hound. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own OCs. Revenge of the Sword Clan's Hound belongs to the rightful owner.
Chapter 25: Slave of the Ballack Tribe
Deep within the dense forest...
Vikir once told me about this feeling he kept experiencing of an indescribable creature that dwells within this area back when we were still in our training regiment. He knew more about the area than I because he was sent on missions around her more than I, sometimes camping out here for months before the mission has been finished. He tells me of his missions and what he had experienced out here so that I may learn and not make the same mistakes when I too am sent on missions in the area. It was thanks to his hints and tricks that I had a higher percentage of surviving than the others who arrogantly thought they owned the forest.
The forest demands respect and had laws that every living creature who dares to live within it obey without question. Vikir was a smart hound, but after he felt that feeling he was constantly on his toes, his senses on alert and he slept with one eye open. I took these behaviors seriously and then I detected the creature myself. It was only once but I could never forget the bone chilling sensation that gave me pause, like a prey trapped within the gaze of a predator. I couldn't even describe it because it was a brief encounter, but Vikir knew when he saw me when I returned. We swore right then and there that we'd go out of our way to avoid running into it whenever we were sent into the forest. Always avoid it.
To think I'd meet the creature who we swore to avoid no matter what so early in my journey...! I gazed upon the giant glowing eyes and many fanged teeth. The darkness disappeared and revealed the true form of the demonic creature, a very large arachnid who was oozing a purple colored aura. This creature has an S-rank danger rating! Known as Madam Eight Legs...!
"KKAAAAAAKKKKK!" The creature opened its maw and let out a very loud screech, the roar making the leaves rustle faster. The winds began to swirl around us, bringing with it a stench that I couldn't accurately pinpoint but it was something akin to death.
"Wh-What the – eup!" Camus was about to speak up, but I immediately covered her lips with a hand to silence her voice. Her brows furrowed as she looked at me with a questioning expression.
"Don't make any loud noises." I whispered in her ear and gestured for Adolf to relay the same information when he instructs the other members. "Its eyes aren't very good, but the ears and skin are very sensitive." I remember a particular memory when Vikir returned from drifting awhile in the area and chanced upon an old aborigine. My brother told me that what the old native told me was something like a fragment of a legend that sounded like a myth. A piece of legend like a ghost story.
It was the story of how a horror by the name of 'Madam Who Has Eight Legs' lived deep within the dense forest. Afterwards the name of this horror was written into the empire's monster encyclopedia that was completed over multiple editions; I'm surprised that Morgue doesn't have a copy of information of this creature but it's possible that the empire kept this monster a secret. It has a danger rating of S rank. A monster with the kingdom destroyer rank, where just one had enough power to end a nation.
Camus nodded her head in understanding and I removed my hand. We watched as Madam Eight Legs let out a loud shriek, this time spraying gooey green liquid that melted anything and everything it touched. I quickly dodged the splatters while Adolf used his magic to shield Camus who braced her body against his. The ground was soon full of holes where the liquid had burned away, confirming my thoughts that it was a very deadly poison that possibly had no cure if one were to be infected.
"'M-My hair! Madam's poison!'" Ahun suddenly cried out as his long braided hunter's hair got a bit of the green goo in it. Aiyen was on him instantly with an expression of worry flashing behind her eyes, a knife in hand as she cut off the dark locks without hesitation and watched it fall to the ground while getting dissolved by the poison.
"'Stupid idiot! You shouted in front of Madam...!'" She kept her voice low while admonishing him harshly, watching him fall to his knees as he tried to control his breathing. She gritted her teeth in anger and stared up as the arachnid turning around when it heard Ahun's terrified voice. "'If you weren't the shaman's grandson I'd kill you with my own hands.'"
"'Sorry...I'm sorry!'" He apologized profusely, but the young captain ignored him.
"'There's no time. Everyone, retreat!'" Aiyen continued to keep her voice low as she issued the order to the others, the Ballack warriors urging their wolves to run away from the approaching threat as silently and quickly as possible. Hastily climbing onto his wolf's back, Ahun with his newly cut hair, ran after the others without looking back.
"We're running too! We can't stay here!" Adolf ordered quietly as well, leading the whole party of Morgue and Baskerville while Camus held onto his back in the opposite direction back towards the Fortress. I ran alongside him, keeping my wits about me because we were still in the mist of the forest and could possibly be attacked by other animals. Perhaps by luck the mere presence of Madam Eight Legs had scared the others away so we ended up not getting bothered. This was survival, no such time to be quarreling with each other when an even bigger threat has shown itself.
"Kikek...kikek...kikek" Madam Eight Legs' mandibles clicked as the feelers along her legs flared out. Her many eyes illuminated as she stood still, taking in the information. Not one of the Bllack warriors fled in the same direction, but one by one, thus they were running away while spread out. But the Baskervilles and Morgues ran in a group and because of this small difference in retreat, the demonic creature already decided who she'd chase.
She's coming our way...! I looked behind as the arachnid began to move and was in pursuit, the ground vibrating and the trees falling over as she bulldozed her way towards us. For such a large creature she sure as hell moved very quickly.
"Damn it, what bad luck!" Adolf growled as he too felt the large tremors and they were getting more and more severe the closer she got.
"Leave it to me, Sir Adolf!" A magician from the rear stopped running and summoned a fire ball in his hands. He had such an arrogant look upon his face that I almost felt sorry for him, just a bit. "An insect-type monster's weakness is fire! Everyone knew that!" He sent it flying and caused a huge explosion that shrouded the creature from view. Another magician stopped beside him, looking on in awe and cheered on the other for such quick thinking. However, as they were about to celebrate some more and tell the others that the threat was annihilated, two long legs emerged from the ground and impaled the two magicians to death. Their blood scattered on the ground instantly and the creature was shown to have received no damage as she continue to scurry after the fleeing group.
"N-No damage!"
"She isn't slowing down! In fact I think she's speeding up!"
"We're not going to out run it! She'll devour us!"
"What in the world is that!"
"How were we not aware of its existence?!" The high representative of Morgue swore to himself as the others began to cry out of fear, some even resorted to praying to some god. The demonic creature opened its mouth to continue its assault on the retreating group, even swinging its legs for maximum damage to destroy a large radius of landscape.
Magicians and swordsmen alike were flung about and crushed by the unknown attacks, some didn't even get back up after sustaining fatal damages and died on the spot; we had no time to go back for their bodies least we have more casualties. Staffordshire grimaced as he took lead ahead of Adolf, hugging the Baskerville triplets who got hit by another unknown attack. However, they were still conscious and glaring at Madam Eight Legs while bleeding from the corners of their mouths.
"Keep running! Don't look back!" I turned around immediately after coming to a conclusion that if nothing happens then everyone will perish and die on the forest floor. Skidding to a halt I stood tall as the others raced past me, my eyes focused on the ginormous size that was Madam Eight Legs as she continued moving forward. When the other members of the Baskerville hounds turned to glance my way, I raised my voice for them all to hear, "Don't falter, brothers! Run like you mean it! Your mission is to survive, protect and get the Morgue magicians back to the Fortress! You're not allowed to let anyone die!"
"Viktoria!" Camus shouted, releasing her hold on Adolf and ran to me, stumbling a bit but didn't dare to stop. She clung to my back, arms wrapped around my waist and squeezing her eyes shut as voices of the others flew by trying to save their own skins or following my order without any questions. "You won't be able to stop that thing! It's absolute suicide!"
"I must try. Out of everyone here, other than Adolf who has to lead everyone while also thinking about those who got hurt, I am in better condition for fighting." I turned around in her hold and told her honestly, keeping track of how fast Madam Eight Legs was coming but kept my eyes on her. We can't talk for long before the demonic creature descends upon us so I have to at least give Camus a sense of hope that I'll make it out alive. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to part ways here."
"Don't do this! Come back with us!" The crimson-haired princess cried, clinging to me even tighter. Tears were quickly filling her eyes and falling down her cheeks, but she didn't bother wiping them away. "You don't have to play hero all the time!"
"You and I both know that even if one of us manages to survive, we'd be leading that creature to were the others are which will only invite more casualties; she probably wouldn't even stop there once our territories have been blown away, she'll flatten even the empire until there's nothing left. We can't allow that to happen. The best thing to do is to keep her here in the forest." I wrapped my arms around her in a hug and held her, wiping away the tears myself with one hand before slowly planting a kiss on her temple. She smiles at the small gesture and buries her face deeper into the crook of my neck, removing her arms from my waist and wrapping them around my neck instead.
"I hate this so much...I really do. So much so that if I weren't wounded I would gladly fight by your side. I wouldn't leave you alone." She tells me quickly, knowing that Madam Eight Legs was getting closer and closer. She felt as though there was so much to say, but time was of the essence so she could only say a few things that conveyed her thoughts. "But I know that is impossible...and I can't persuade you from taking these steps. Making you choose to sacrifice yourself for the rest of us leaves such a bad taste in my mouth and stomach."
"Princess, I won't stand here and ask you to wait for me within the confines of your room. That would be incredibly selfish on my part." We pulled apart and I stared at her with a tone of seriousness in my voice. This was about to be a fight for my life so even I don't know if I'll actually come out of this battle as the winner. "If I end up dying, don't think about wasting your time mourning this nameless hound. Live your life freely and leave me in your past."
"If you dare to lay down and die out here," Camus growls threateningly while tears fell down her face, shaking my clothes which she has bunched in her fists. "I will never ever forgive you. I'll scourer this whole area for you, even burn those barbarians to a crisp if they dare to get in my way." Releasing my clothes and placing both hands on my chest, she leaned close and pressed her lips against my cheek, a move that she did of her own violation. My eyes widened slightly as she pulled away and looked at me sweetly, "I can wait for you even if it is forever, you stupid mutt. I won't have a good night's sleep until you're back at my side, even if it's just your mangled corpse. There's so much I want to do in this life and I want you to be there by my side every step of the way. So please... do your best and come back quickly."
I smiled at her before moving forward to sweep her off her feet and approached Adolf who had stayed behind with worry. I handed her over to him and said, "Make sure she gets back okay and treated for that paralysis poison and any other abnormalities. Then tell my family that I was brave at the end of my life." And even if you don't, my actions here will communicate it well and everyone will watch my final act.
He nodded his head in understanding before running away with his niece in his arms, shouting for the others to not make my sacrifice be in vain. Camus looked over his shoulder and tried to maintain eye contact with me for as long as she could, committing everything to memory; I swore she even began stretching out her hands toward me. I raised my hand briefly in a small wave until they were out of sight. Turning around I took a deep breath, focusing on steadying my heartbeat, and prepared to execute my plan.
Madam Eight Legs is an opponent that can be fought if I held back and this crisis was the perfect moment to legally step away from Hugo's watch. When a dispatched hound dies at the scene, surveillance and control over it completely disappears. Thus death and camouflage is the plan to be executed here. Of course, if I did survive this encounter and return to Baskerville, I would be hailed as a hero. This would also be justification that I sacrificed myself for the daughter of Morgue.
"Krrrsks!" Madam Eight Legs clicked her mandibles together, noting that the enemies have continued running except for one.
I stood there analyzing her for a moment. This Madam hasn't fully grown yet so I was under the impression that both Morgue and Baskerville could have had a chance in defeating her if they combined their strengths; Camus would be absolutely furious if she knew I lied to her about this creature wanting to destroy our territories and then going to the empire. However, I didn't want any other scenario that involved corporation between the two families to occur. So when I realized that I could forcibly turn this unfortunate event into one where I can fake my death and disappear from Hugo's sight, I couldn't hold back the feeling of glee. If everything fell into place I would be greatly rewarded. If everything ended up badly then I would end up losing my life. That is a risk I'm willing to take.
When I become skilled enough to win a fight against Hugo, or at least until I can fully conceal my strength and control it, then I'll return to the clan. "Beelzebub. Don't hold back because I will surely die if I do." I whispered, feeling the demonic aura buzz and tingle as the red aura sword exploded from my hand, the jet-black aura red like blood and dark like the abyss began to rampage at the tip. The liquid red aura indicating the level of a graduate coated my entire body as Madam Eight Legs approached me at such a fast pace. With my mana increased with the blessing of the River Styx, greatly refined aura created through the high-ranking Baskerville Swordsmanship, and the magic sword Beelzebub. Not to mention, the Eye of Horan for that magical capability...there's a chance I may not win, but I'll use everything I have to crush you enough.
I rushed forward to meet Madam Eight Legs in the middle, using the surrounding trees to gain height. The demonic creature came to a halt and turned its many eyes up as I came down, striking it with four gigantic teeth. A cry of surprise rose from Madam Eight Legs as my attack landed upon its body. Following suit I released a strong ice spell right to the face, the many legs scuttling backwards as though it were attempting to escape the freezing cold. I continued to pursue it as its front legs quickly stomp out the remaining ice that threatened to freeze her in place.
"Baskerville...Fourth Fang!" I guided Beelzebub through the motion, the liquid aura stiffening up into the shape of four very distinct teeth. Madam Eight Legs opened its jaws and spewed a huge amount of poisonous goo, the venomous liquid colliding with the liquid aura causing a couple of discharges to illuminate the area like miniature bombs. Landing on the nearby branches of thick trees, I had to be quick on my feet because not too long after the attacks collided with each other Madam Eight Legs swarmed the whole area with all its limbs, each appendage lashing out and disturbing the fauna and wildlife that were trying to escape the fight.
"Kkkkerkkk...kkkrkekkek..." Madam Eight Legs clicked its mandibles with annoyance as it maneuvered the huge body trying to land a blow on me, swinging its legs everywhere. I fired off a couple round of spells whenever I could while avoiding the wild attacks, a mix of ice and lightning followed by fire and a quick earth wall to stop the venom from splashing on me; I grimaced when I saw how fast the venom ate away at the wall, reducing the spell into a puddle of poisonous liquid in a heartbeat.
There's nothing I could possibly do against that creature's poison except for avoiding it, not to mention the long reach the legs can mow down given their length. This Madam Eight Legs is by far the most troublesome enemy I have ever faced! I tumbled off the tree I was perched in when a leg careened through, tucking my chin and rolling. Coming to a stop I took a couple quick breaths, my mind running a mile a minute as I thought about my next steps. Clearly I know I am not going to put a dent in this creature even if I went all out, but if I move a single inch backwards it'll take it as an incentive to push forward.
"The best defense is the best offense...so we should try and hit her with everything we have. We need to get to a higher place if we want to be advantageous." Summoning a magic circle underneath my feet, I propelled myself upward with a huge guest of wind. My eyes were squinting a bit because the air whistled past, but then it settled down like a calm before the storm. I found myself high in the sky, with Madam Eight Legs looking up at me with its beady little eyes.
"KIIIIIIIEEEEEK!" The large demonic creature shrieked with anger, clearly not use to dealing with a tenacious prey who was actually fighting back; it always felt victorious and superior because its prey always fell to any attack, however this prey was proving to be quite hard to handle. I took the chance to look down and over to the side since I have such a nice aerial view of the landscape, noting that Adolf and Staffordshire were determined to continue running forward without stopping. However, Camus and the triplets who were holding onto Adolf and Staffordshire respectively watch the fierce battle with their eyes the size of saucers.
"Once more, this might be the last one we'll try. Let's see if you can withstand it." Holding my left hand up I summoned a familiar red magic circle, one on a slightly larger end. A small ball of fire soon turned into a giant burning ball, something reminiscence of a sun that brightened up the night sky. This time Adolf and Staffordshire did stop their running and looked at the display of power, along with the others because they ended up mesmerized. "I'll crush you, you damn monster."
I threw the fire ball first, sending it hurling down towards Madam Eight Legs like a blazing meteor before I allowed gravity to take hold and fell downward after with Beelzebub pulled back. I pooled the red liquid aura into the magic sword, coating it so much that it flashed red like blood. Madam Eight Legs opened its mouth wide to spew as much venom as it could possibly produce, regurgitating the liquid till it coated half the fireball and caused a big bang. A large cloud of smoke occurred in the sky, shrouding me from the many eyes, however there was still enough of the fire spell left to smack into the large exoskeleton, burning and stinging its skin.
"Baskerville...Fifth Fang." I broke through the smokescreen covering and thrust Beelzebub forward, my arm straining to maintain the attack as the liquid aura collided with the demonic arachnid. A large exposition occurred as a result of my attacks connecting with their intended target, causing the ground to rumble immensely. Madam Eight Legs relied on its hardened exterior to take the brunt of the attacks, the mandibles clicking and chattering as it analyzed the situation quickly.
It seemed to have full faith in the defense of its enormous body, but it quickly planted the many legs firmly into the ground to act as a strong anchor so that it didn't get blown away from the after effect; I could hear the creaking in the many joints but after impaling its legs into the ground, the stance was absolutely sturdy like an immovable wall. What a smart adversary that even I couldn't help but respect. Now it was a matter of endurance, which one of us will cave to the other first. My vision started to blur, my arm was trembling, my breath labored like it was hard to breathe. I could've sworn I heard someone yell my name in the wind - a part of me thinks it was Camus, but I couldn't confirm it - before all my senses got jumbled up and shut down. I ended up closing my eyes and blacked out, the last thing I remembered was the triumph of victory glittering within the eyes of Madam Eight Legs as it prepared to deal me the final blow.
In the late morning hours...
I had a dream, a dream were I was back chained to that god forsaken guillotine and Hugo was standing before me with the millions of elite Baskerville hounds behind him. The moon was very round and clear that night, perfect for my death. Hugo's cold, red eyes were illuminated as he gestured for the executioners to let the blade drop on my neck. My head rolled not long after but my eyes were burning at the man's back as he turned away, seemingly done with a hound that has outlived its worth; it ignited my desire to live my second life and swore vengeance to kill him.
The sound of a small bird chirping rouse me from my very deep slumber, indicating that it was perhaps way into the morning. I attempted to open my eyes but noticed that there was a thick cloth and bandages covering them both, shielding my vision. From the feeling of something soft underneath my back I could only assume I was lying on a makeshift bed, I know what sheets felt like and I can assure myself that I was not lying on sheets. My second guess was it was some kind of animal fur.
Yesterday...no, a few days must have past by now...I survived my fight against Madam Eight Legs by some miracle...I laid there thinking back to everything that had happened. The massive creature had flinched from the attacks that led to an explosion in the final moments, thus I had escaped death a second time somehow. With a loud groan I attempted to sit my body up and assess the damage to my body, nearly blacking out again due to the immense pain and a kink in my neck. I was able to succeed in raising my upper body with only my mental fortitude, but the pain was nothing to brush off. Taking a couple of deep breathes I went about checking my body to take an inventory of injuries.
Muscles and blood vessels were all ruptured. The burden on the bones that had to support them was even in worse states. Fractures and fragmentation could be felt throughout, I winced and didn't bother holding back a cry of pain as my hand gently grazed over an area of my ribs; I even tried to move my fingers of both arms and frowned when I took note that I won't be able to wield a weapon until I have completely recovered. The recoil damage from using everything and anything I had was by definition formidable. There was no way anyone could have survived, but I let out a sigh of relief to be alive because it was combination of both the blessing of the River Styx and the ability I got from Murcielago's corpse.
"This is what I get for misdiagnosing Madam Eight Legs' combat capabilities, it has cost me greatly." I murmured, feeling around some more for some last minute analysis. According to my own diagnostics by touch alone, I had more bandages wrapped around other areas of my body: a good chunk of the torso from chest to ribs, upper and lower areas of left arm except for the elbow, the entire right hand, upper thigh of right leg and shin of left. Now that I thought about it, I had bandages wrapped around my head and eyes. I must be a complete mess to look at.
Other than that, I guess I can consider this going according to plan. It's fortunate that I was able to leave Hugo's surveillance network though, and my death will have to be reported back home. There were many eyewitnesses, such as Adolf, Camus, Staffordshire, and the triplets so there's nothing to worry about there. Moreover I didn't die because of incompetency or a hound's foolishness, I died saving the next head of the Morgue family from monsters and barbarians. The Baskervilles will benefit greatly from diplomacy with the Morgues. Since the Baskervilles is a family of knights, this tale will greatly contribute to improving image both inside and outside the clan. Even in supposed death, I brought honor and profit so I wouldn't be treated pathetically.
"Hmmm? What the hell is this?" A frown etched itself upon my face when my hands moved up and felt something heavy hanging around my neck, a noose much like a dog collar. "So the pain I felt in my neck was because of this. And it saved my life." Just before I lost consciousness I felt something fly from behind and pulled before my body could be crushed by Madam Eight Legs. It was great timing because I would not have been able to avoid the demonic creature's attack.
Grabbing the noose with my left hand I imagine that there was an end to it and carefully got to my feet, nearly stumbling before leaning against what I suspect to be a wooden beam. I took a few shuffles around, listening to the small crinkles of dried leaves underneath my toes. I took a whiff of the air, smelling the scent of dry soil, fallen leaves, animal hair, and strangely a potion. Why would there be the smell of potion around here? Shaking my head and keeping the question tucked in the corner of my mind, I kept shuffling around with small movements so I wouldn't injure myself anymore, bumping against the soft texture of animal hides that signified the wall of my confinement.
Replacing my left hand with my right, I felt along the material until I found a spot where I could push it away, allowing myself to exit the confine. Every step I took sent my body into a burning frenzy but I had to know what the situation was around me. Since my vision was currently unusable I used my other senses to know. There were sounds of drums that filled the air, and from the small blasts of heat I can only assume there was a fire or fires burning nearby. Footsteps caught my ears, somewhat light but heavy at the same time. There was also smells and sounds of corpses being dismembered, it's a very distinctive smell that I got accustomed to. After gathering all of my information together, my instincts tells me that I was in a village of the Ballack tribe, a natural enemy of the Baskervilles. With the way my body currently is, there's no way I'd be able to escape.
"Walk faster! Faster! Quite dragging your feet!" An aggressive female voice hit my ears and I turned my head towards it, registering the shuffling of many individuals approaching. As the sounds came closer I was able to pick up sounds of nervous cries and whimpering. "If you don't want to get fed to the wolves! Pick up your feet! It's too late to be crying!"
I stood silently to the side, feeling the small to probably medium sized group pass me by without any words being spoken. My nose caught the smell of both Baskerville and Morgue together, which means that the Ballacks have caught their enemies and dragged them around as prisoners. There were also smells of individuals from perhaps other tribes that I couldn't pinpoint. It was unclear whether all of the prisoners who were walking past me had been severely tortured and abused, but I had a hunch that they probably got wounds and starved for a bit.
"Now climb the tree. The one with its pretty thorns all ready and waiting for you sniveling pigs." The Ballack female guard barked after guiding the prisoners to what appeared to be a very tall tree, at least that is what I infer based on some of the soft whispers around me; apparently whatever is happening seems to be a free show or entertainment among the Ballacks. What it actually was was a tall pole densely covered with thorns that were protruding like blades. The prisoners that climb up this tower of swords end up getting wounds and open cuts, their blood dripping down onto the thorns. Those who did not climb, the savages set fire to the base of the tree. Because the trunk was oiled the flames climbed the tree faster than most prisoners could climb the trees.
Screaming and wailing soon reached my ears as the prisoners were either stabbed and cut by the blade-like thorns and die from the excessive bleeding or burned to death from the fire or died by falling to the ground below. Under the trees the wolves were howling loudly as they push the prisoners up, even nipping at a couple of heels. Some ended up being stabbed to death by the spears of the Ballacks or bitten by the wolves themselves if the prisoners ended up refusing to climb. Even if I could not see this execution ceremony and burn the images into my mind, I could only imagine the horrors and pain the prisoners felt until their deaths, something akin to Hell.
"Good, you're awake. Took you long enough and you're just in time to hear those sinners get their dues." A rough male voice spoke up amongst the cheering and I knew it was directed to me. I turned my head to the speaker, indicating that I was giving him my undivided attention. "You can speak our language, right? I won't have to resort to, what do you call it, the Imperial language?"
"You're..." Based on the sound of the voice and the smell, this individual that was speaking to me was the Ballack male who was hellbent on getting his dirty mitts on Camus, the one named Ahun. Not only that, he was the one who actually dared to hurt the daughter of Morgue. Remembering what he did roused some anger within my body, but I held back because if I am being honest there's no way I could win against him as I am now. I have to be patient and wait, bide my time like a predatory on a hunt.
"So you recognize me, that saves me some time of re-introducing myself. I don't want to toot my own horn, but I'm kind of a known figure here if you haven't already guessed. Be thankful you're not like the rest of those sinners. It would be a shame if you ask me since you're somewhat of a special case, given your talents when we first met. You're not like the rest of them, even the captain could tell which was why she took interest in you."
This guy...he's quite arrogant when he knows he is the clear winner. But when he has a fire lit under his ass, he runs scared like a chicken. I kept my mouth shut and let him speak his words, staying silent but did not indicate that I was ignoring him. In fact I just nodded my head every so often. It's always the arrogant ones that squeal the loudest when they think they have successfully back their victims into a corner only to be the one who gets bitten instead.
"Staying quiet but nodding your head huh? Got nothing to say to me, I get it. You woke up and had to listen to something so heavenly in the morning, I would be speechless too." There was the sound of shuffling footsteps and I slowly tilted my head up because I felt that Ahun was standing in front of me, barely an arm's length between our bodies. "How does it feel to hear your comrades walk to their deaths? You must be filled with despair, unable to do anything with your ruined body." His breath hit my face and the tone of voice was one filled with absolute glee and elation. He leaned closer and whispered into my ear, "If you weren't the captain's pet dog, I would have had you roasted till there's nothing left."
Pet...That word sent me flashbacks of the time I spent underneath the thumb of Hugo from the previous life, wrapping me in chains that were too tight to break free like he owned me. It was oppressive, stifling, and I absolutely loathed it. I had always been at the clan head's beck and call, completing my missions without any questions. I was very loyal to the master even if I wasn't his favorite, I was basically the bottom of the barrel. I only gained his trust and attention after being forced to killed Vikir. It was a feeling I never wanted to remember but here it was rearing its ugly head for all to see, like a black mamba slithering out of a wicker basket.
What the hell are those eyes, this feeling of agitation and thirst for blood... After pulling back from me, Ahun couldn't help but flinch as he stood before me, his body stiffening and twitching in a fight or flight situation. Even though my eyes were covered by the bandages, the Ballack male could feel the burning orbs burn through the thin covering and pierce his soul like an arrow, a frightening aura that was exuded immense pressure that could barely rival Madam Eight Legs. It was intimidating and he realized that nothing he said had scratched my soul.
"You rude...bitch! How dare you stare at me like that!" The Ballack male took a swing at my face, his fist colliding with my left cheek which indicated that he used his right hand. I stumbled to the side and tasted blood on my lips, the skin had split from the force. The noose pulled tight as I felt his fingers curled underneath the noose around my neck, holding me up before I could fall to the ground. A sharp pain exploded in my stomach that took my breath away – he either slammed a fist or a knee, didn't really matter what it was he used because he knew that my body was already broken – and I crumbled to the ground, immediately curling up and gagging.
"Gack! Khua!" My breath came out like a wheeze as I held myself together, arms wrapped tightly around my middle. The strike was pretty strong, like he had put at least half his strength into it, but I feel like he could just lightly give me a quick jab and I'd fall over like a newborn baby; I think he did this just to spite me and my situation. I haven't eaten anything as far as I am aware, so there wasn't anything to throw out other than bile and spit. "Guuuugh..."
"Tch, to think I was scared by you." He stated with mild anger and annoyance, spitting irritably and shaking out his hand from where he slugged me in the face. It was almost like he was chiding himself for being scared in my presence, perhaps mentally kicking himself because he was supposed to be a tough hunter who fears no enemy. "Don't stand around like a fuckin dumbass and go find your master! Use the end of the snare if you find yourself lost." With that last advice he stomped away with angered huffs.
I memorized your face when I could see back at in the forest, more importantly when you took Camus away from me. You'll be sorry once I had recovered to full. Probably held a grudge for getting pulled off the back of his wolf the other day and hurt his back, that savage bastard...I waited until I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore and my stomach had settled down before getting back to my feet, albeit a bit wobbly and wiped my mouth. Putting both hands tightly on the rope which was my only guidance I started to walk forward, putting one hand in front of the other. I must have been walking for awhile with the rope trailing both in front and behind me. I thought about what Ahun said about a 'master' and there's only one individual that popped into my mind, however I kept the name in the back of my mind because it was deadly to assume things.
After a couple more minutes, possibly hours but I wouldn't know, of walking in complete silence the rope soon became taut, as though someone else was holding onto the other end and I walked a little closer. My toes soon touching the edge of the path so I came to a stop and waited. My ears twitched and I heard the rush of water splashing against and between the rocks, a small waterfall perhaps somewhere in front of me but I couldn't judge the distance accurately; I also couldn't hear any of the voices from the others so I was in a remote area far from the village. My nose twitched for a moment but I couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary so I guess the individual was in the water to cover his or her scent. How sneaky. There was small noise like blub blub blub, as though the person in the water was blowing some bubbles to the surface. There was a deafening moment of silence to which I was thinking that we were perhaps staring at one another, waiting for one to open their mouth first.
"Get down." Based on the tone of the voice this person was female, and it was quite the familiar one. This was another sign that whoever I thought was my 'master' was right on the money.
"Hmmmmm?" The hair on the back of my neck rose as a warning that something was flying at me from behind, even before the individual spoke. The noose around my neck jerked forward and I felt myself getting pulled into the water with a large splash, but not before feeling the sharp surface of an arrowhead skim across my back enough to leave a small mark. The object ended up embedding itself into a tree trunk overhead, the shaft barely wobbling which indicated at least the basic knowledge of the weapon.
"Little brats!" The original occupant in the water stood tall to address the offenders, a small group of Ballack children with bows and arrows in their hands. They were all youngsters with eager expressions on all their faces, excited to be participating on their version of a hunt. "This is not the designated spot, go practice somewhere else!"
"Boooooo! We wanted to practice against that 'pale-skin walker'! She didn't even notice we were tailing her!"
"The perfect target are the ones who are unaware since the other smarter animals will just run away from us! Heard this special prisoner got seriously wounded in the forest and can't do much! A lame one!"
"Would've hit the mark too if you haven't opened your fat mouth!"
"Yeah! Yeah! I would have something to brag about to my mom and dad!"
"Scram! Or I'll give you something to worry about!" The kids let out dramatic screams and ran off, scared off by the light threat. Deep down they knew they wouldn't get hurt no matter what, but their attention spans were a bit short so they scampered off to indulge in something else.
"And that's that, we won't be bothered anymore – Ah, shit!" The voice from earlier exclaimed and there was a sound of something diving underneath the water. As I continued sinking lower and flailed about as a dramatic act, strong arms wrapped themselves around my middle and with powerful kicks I breached the surface along with the other, our mouths open and gasping for air. I was dragged over to the edge and dumped unceremoniously onto solid ground, the other individual huffed and puffed before hauling them self out afterwards. "Don't you know how to swim? I thought you'd surely know how to which was why I pulled you in!"
Honestly I could have survived a bit longer just by holding my breath until someone comes looking for me, but...whatever, there could've been way worst scenarios to play out in this situation. I just hope I did a good job making her think I was literally drowning...I didn't even bother replying to the words and just laid there silently where I had been dumped with my head turned to the side, the bandages all over my body were soggy and uncomfortable while my hair was plastered to my skin. The wind blew briefly so it should have felt a bit cold, but thanks to the controlled circulation of mana within my body I managed to maintain the heat.
"Hey. You're okay right? You didn't die on me so early right? Mother would have my ass if you were to kick the bucket so soon... also this pound wasn't that deep, there's no way you'd drown." There was shuffling of feet and droplets of water soon pelted down upon my face because this female was leaning over me, her two hands planted firmly near my head. My nose now caught the familiar scent and I confirmed my earlier suspicion that she is indeed Aiyen, the savage barbaric girl I saved at the slave auction and the one who led the group to do a raid against the Fortress. Two slender fingers found themselves pressed lightly against my neck, no doubt trying to feel a pulse.
Heh, still hasn't figured out that I'm just messing with you. I smirked internally to myself, keeping absolutely still as Aiyen frantically moved her hands about trying to get some sort of reaction out of me. The Baskerville hounds were trained in all sorts of ways to defend against torture and other techniques should they ever get captured by the enemies, so based on my rough calculation she won't have any success.
"Perhaps you'll regain breath if I do mouth to mouth contact..." Aiyen mumbled as she wrecked her mind trying to figure out why I still haven't moved yet; she had long since forgone trying to rouse me with her fingers, so she ended up having to resort using another part of her body. She gave a small shiver at the thought, her throat bobbed as she swallowed loudly, keeping her nervousness or apprehension at bay. Making up her mind, or at least steeling her resolve before her nerves gets the better of her and she backs out of her plan, she slowly leans down till I could feel her breath on my face. "T-T-This is just to save your life for your information, so I won't accept this as my first. D-Don't think badly of me either...!"
"That's enough tomfoolery then, this ground is not comfortable at all." I spoke up, bringing my left hand up to block her mouth when she leaned close; I even pinched her lips shut with my fingers, feeling her squeak and spluttered in shock and perhaps embarrassed at getting caught. "Didn't peg you as the type of girl to do things half-assedly."
"So you were just playing dead with me and took great pleasure in watching me panic. You got some guts." She growls lowly within her chest after I had released her mouth. Rolling me onto my back she straddled my hips and kept a tight grip on the noose with one hand as she pulled me up close enough that if I were to turn my head just a hair either left or right, my nose would brush against hers. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you where you are."
"If you were going to kill me you would've already done so, or perhaps let me kick the bucket in front of Madam Eight Legs. That would've been the easiest way to be rid of me. Don't ask something stupid if you already know the answer." I retorted in response. She was silent for a moment before I felt the noose slack a bit, meaning she ended up letting go of me and rolled off to the side. I carefully got to my feet, even though my body still cried out at every small movement, and carefully shook any remnants of water out of my hair like a dog, the droplets flying everywhere.
"Well, regardless, I wanted to say that I'm thankful you freed me from the slave auction. We repay our favors twofold, and revenge tenfold. You saved me once, so I saved you twice." There was a small sound of shuffling as the other girl got to her feet. "Also you better be grateful that I'm stubborn by default, if I hadn't gone back to check on you you really would've been killed."
"Then the question should be why did you bother going out of your way to save me?" I asked her, wagging the noose a bit with a hand. "If you did it just to repay the favor, it's a weak excuse to throw this noose around my neck. And there were others in your group that tried to capture me as well during your hunt."
"You looked like you had a pretty high position in your group, forget the husband and wife hunting for a minute. I took note of your reactions back in that place with the Morgues, you aren't normal in regards to the others we Ballacks have ran into. In fact you perked my interest back when you saved me from the slavery auction, couldn't get you out of my mind no matter how hard I tried." The noose tightened up a bit and I knew that she took hold of the other end again. "Anyways, how much you reckon they'll pay to buy you from us?"
"They?"
"Mmmmhmm. Baskerville or Morgue, doesn't matter to us because I know they'll dish out whatever amount to get you back. Like I said, you are too valuable to give up." There's a tone of happiness in her voice as she said her words. "We'd be so rich if that were the case because we can give a ridiculously high number!"
That'll be really bad news for me. If hostage negotiation with Baskerville becomes a thing then my plan of evading Hugo's attention will fall to ruin. Not to mention if Camus caught wind of it she'll no doubt pester everyone and their mothers to bargain for my return, no excuses with her. And she'll take no for an answer, in fact I have no doubt she'll throw a huge tantrum if she doesn't get what she wants...
"Did you feel some hope in your bones?" Aiyen mused as I stirred about in my own thoughts and I swear she was laughing and grinning. "Unfortunately for you, you won't be able to return to your home because I've decided to make you my personal slave. In fact you should be grateful I'm already letting you borrow some of my clothes, even if it's just a couple of old buckskins, but I'd hate to parade you around naked for all those other males to leer at you."
Phew, thank god for her thinking this way...at least I can buy myself some time while I'm here living among them, maybe even learn a thing or two about how this tribe works. I inwardly sighed in relief and knew I was given a great opportunity to try and improve my skills while out of Hugo's sight.
"With your body as is you can't even function properly in the time being if you fell into the hands of a male. Therefore the only logical path for you is to get use to a life as a slave, which I can use for myself." Originally, the Ballack women only looked at the men they captured from outside for breeding purposes, I'd be under the same rule if I were to be captured by the Ballack men. If the hostage couldn't fulfill their roles, then he or she would be killed. Luckily or unluckily, Aiyen felt that I had more value alive than dead and thus she was very adamant towards keeping me instead of just handing me off to some other Ballack.
"Hmmm, let's shorten this a bit since you'll be stuck by my side from here on out; must be a pain in the ass constantly lugging this around so...don't even think about running away just because I'm showing some sincerity. I will hunt you down and drag you back without hesitation!"
"Something tells me you can just get another noose and tighten it around my neck." I commented dryly as the weight lightened considerably. With my hands I felt around the noose and followed the leash until I felt the smooth cut, realizing that the leash was cut to about two arms-length. "What do you plan to do with the extra length?"
"Wouldn't you like to know? A girl doesn't kiss and tell~" She said teasingly before jerking my now shortened rope three times and began to walk off, no doubt leading me back to the village since the noose was beginning to dig into my neck. I followed after her at a slower pace, my body screaming every time I took a step but kept my mouth shut nonetheless. Because I had obtained Murcielago's skill and it booted out the regenerative ability from the brown rat I got during my examination as a child due to the higher ranked monster, I could only recover slowly over time. It was quite the nasty conundrum that I never would've taken into account in the future, but it's already too late to do anything about it.
"By the way, your skin had some blistering red marks on it before you came to me, like your stomach and face. Did someone hit you or maybe you're a klutz and fell down." She spoke with a voice full of curiosity and borderline worry, glancing over her shoulder at me to make sure I didn't hurt myself. "What happened?"
"Your male companion decided to pay me a visit after I witnessed the execution of prisoners this morning." I replied as a matter of fact, feeling the disappointment and possibly anger radiating off her body; she may not hate that guy who hurt Camus, but I know she could barely tolerate him on a good day. "So blame him for laying his hands on me."
"Tch. That idiotic asshole...thinking that because he's such a hotshot he can do whatever the hell he wants without any kind of consequences. Just wait until I beat him within an inch of his life, then he'll think twice of strutting around like an arrogant cock." The savage girl clicks her tongue, muttering under her breath. Then she turns her head and barked out, "Why are you shuffling your feet like you're walking through mud? By the time we get back it'll already be sundown!"
"Glad to know that you're at least somewhat sympathetic of my conditions." I grit out from behind my clenched teeth, even going so far as to dig my heels in and became an unmovable force. I heard Aiyen stumble a bit and she swore a bit when the noose jerked and she proceeded to pull with all her might. I wouldn't budge and placed my hands on my hips. "Now we'll really won't be back until sundown."
"Cheeky little brat, still trying to play childish games with me after almost drowning." She spoke irritably, tightening her grip on the rope as she marched forward and jabbed a clenched fist unceremoniously into my gut, holding her real strength back since technically it would be an overkill. I doubled over from the sharp force and quickly swatted at the offending hand with one of my own. She laughed at my failed attempt to get out of her reach, pulling tightly on my leash so I wouldn't go far. "Not so tough now huh."
"Taking advantage of an wounded animal, have you no shame?" I grunted when she tapped my stomach with the knuckles of her hand, the fingers splayed out before pinching the sensitive skin; seriously it felt like my nerves were shot and on fire, I could fall over and not move until the next day. Brows furrowing and mouth curving down in a grimace I swatted her hand away more harshly, letting out a small growl of protest.
"Excuses excuses excuses, you need to work on kicking that bad habit. Only the weak would bark so loudly, but hearing that little purr I wager you are lower than weak." She tutted mockingly before jerking at my leash, no doubt telling me to quit my bellyaching and hurry up. No more tricks or games. Letting out a loud sigh to show my annoyance I began to move my feet after her. "Shall we establish our titles first?"
"Titles?"
"Call me Master from now on."
In your dreams. I bit my tongue to not let that sassy comment slip out even if I wanted to say it to Aiyen's face. There's only so many hits my stomach can endure due to the slow healing of both the blessings of the River Styx and Murcielago's skill, not to mention that this savage girl can also use her status as a low graduate to do some actual damage. So until I have fully healed from my wounds, I have to limit myself from receiving unnecessary blows.
"Hahaha, I can tell that you absolutely hate calling me Master, the defiance I can smell emanating from your body language is my first clue. I'm going to enjoy taming you like the little disobedient puppy that you are." She stops walking to reach out and gently tap me under the chin with a finger, letting the appendage linger a bit longer than I'd wanted before dragging it slowly across the surface; I swore she was acting this way just to be an annoyance or to get underneath my skin, I could feel the lingering goosebumps even after she pulled away. "But before I can discipline you properly, there's somewhere we need to be."
"Where?"
"Isn't it obvious? I didn't peg you to be this impolite, another topic of education to put on your training regiment." She's back to laughing and jostling me because it amuses her greatly. I have a feeling that she'll continue to act this way around me as long as I am under her thumb. "If you're on someone else's land then you should go greet them. The head of this village, the Tribe Leader, awaits your presence. Let's get going!"
"What was that place I woke up in?"
"That would be my house, thought it would be appropriate given our...prior relationship if you want to call it as such." Aiyen says with absolute certainty, plodding along ahead and dragging me, I swear she quickened her pace too. "What that means for you is that you will live in front and wait on me as a good dog should."
Back at the village...
"You know, hopefully your eyes clear up soon because you're missing out on a lot of good Ballack culture." The savage girl tells me cheekily as we wandered around the hustling and bustling village, acting as my sight for the time being and narrating what was happening. The voices of the other Ballacks reached my ears, their tones one that gave off an atmosphere of a carefree living within the thick jungle that one would imagine was filled with danger. "It would take your very breath away, I assure you."
"Hmmmm. Do you normally share hammocks and food with each other?" I questioned, picking up and sensing all sorts of scents intermingling with each other. The concept of individual private property is either thin or non-existence, something Baskerville will never understand. For hounds under Hugo's direct orders who were trained very viciously, young boys and girls were taught to fight for their items whether it is property or food; we would never roll over, lie down and allow others to take what we have so we would continue to fight until we win.
"Of course! If you don't have a place to sleep, you can sleep on your friend's hammock and no one will refuse to do so. If you're hungry then you can get food from someone who's more affluent. That's how we, the Ballacks, live our lives in this forest, and it'll be good for you to get used to this." It seemed that these tribe members share the consciousness of sharing with each other. Firewood, meat, and alcohol were generously shared among members no matter their status, and there was no modesty. If members were abducted from outside the tribe, once they were recognized as members and family, they could go anywhere and come back whenever. However, the skeletons of the prisoners of war that hung over the thorn trees at the border of the village gave off a different message.
"Uh huh." I didn't push the discussion and decided to cut it off there, continuing to let Aiyen lead me by my leash.
"We're here finally. This is the Matriarch's house, perhaps the largest tent here in this village." I sensed the savage girl coming to a stop so I did as well, least I kept walking forward just to give her an excuse to yank hard to choke me with the noose. "You may have to remember this place by scent until...you know."
"Yeah yeah."
"Listen up good. This area is what we call the 'dignified zone' of the village, insiders within the family know not to wander around and act like fools. Children have to keep their manners in check and warriors who pass by always bow their heads reverently towards the entrance. If meat was grilled then we take care not to let the smoke to blow inside, and if the entrails are trimmed then the smell of blood shouldn't flow through either."
"Uh huh."
"I'm serious. Mind your manners."
Why does she remind me of Camus when I first arrived at Morgue and met with her mother? Do the enemies of Baskerville really think of us Baskervilles as unruly animals? I thought to myself, kind of listening as Aiyen chides me a bit as a reminder near the entrance before letting herself in without hesitation and dragging me behind her.
"Mother, we're here." She announces.
Mother? My ears perked up at the word with interest as I followed the savage girl inside. Since I have had limited engagement with the Ballacks back in my old life, I can only remember bits and pieces of their history from either my own experience as well as Vikir's and Hugo's experience. Most of them were led by males but gradually leaders of the opposite gender began to appear. It would seem that the leader is chosen based on experience and battle prowess, being male or female does not matter. The members of the Ballack tribe let their skills do all the talking.
"You're here, daughter." The voice, cold and commanding yet somewhat gentle and sultry when addressing Aiyen, responded in return. There was a sound of shifting as though the person in question had risen where she had been sitting, a throne perhaps if I were to wager a guess. "And you have brought with you the empirical girl whom you've been talking about every day since your kidnap until your mouth has run dry."
"Mother! When did I say that much?!" said Aiyen, a dash of red on her cheeks as she looked at her mother flabbergasted and embarrassed. Then she looked at me and jerked my leash to capture my attention, snapping, "Remember what I told you outside! Kneel down!"
Since Aiyen is indeed the Matriarch's daughter...then the one who occupies this tent is the one known as 'Night Fox'. I wonder what she looks like... Tilting my head a bit as if to give the savage girl an annoying glance, I quietly knelt down to both knees and tucked my feet underneath. I felt a hand pat my head as though I was a good girl. Keeping myself quiet I sensed the matriarch approach till she was standing before me. Out of everyone in the tent, she's the one that is the obvious threat so logically I shouldn't do anything stupid.
"You're quite young for your age and foolish enough to pick a fight with the creature of the forest. Alas that is what most bullheaded young bloods do nowadays, but that leads to a very quick death." The matriarch mused before directing the next words towards her daughter. "How are her eyes? Can she see anything if the bandages are removed?"
"The thought never crossed my mind, because I was more invested on saving her life, but I think I need to re-dress the bandages anyway so perhaps she's able to see something like blurred shapes. Of course it's too early to tell." Aiyen spoke from my side, watching as her mother observed me from head to toe with a critical eye. "Took a dip in the pound earlier because of some rowdy kids so all of the cloths are soaked."
"Hmmmmm, then why don't I remove the rags around her head now. The rest I'll leave to you." I felt the damped items become limp before falling unceremoniously to the ground. I squeezed my eyes tightly for a moment before fluttering them open slowly. At first everything was dark, then the light started to stream in and I began to see some blurry shapes. I waited a bit longer, blinking until I was able to see a bit better and the blurs were no longer blurs.
My eyes then focused on a pair of very toned legs and I slowly dragged my gaze up till I made eye contact with the so-called matriarch. She is a tall, imposing figure of a woman, toned arms crossed over her bosom were on full display as she stared down at me with absolute authority. She wore the traditional Ballack cloak and trousers made of eagle feathers, leaving her muscular torso exposed to where I could see all the scars she's accumulated from her battles; in fact the first thing I noticed was the obvious scar on her face, a wound dealt by Hugo because he told me he wounded a Ballack warrior who gave him his nose scar.
Thus, seeing this wounded warrior for myself solidified my hypothesis that she was indeed the famous 'Night Fox'. Behind her was a very intimidating throne, with all sorts of wild animals that were strung and stuffed like trophies from the hunts she's been on. There was a long, large bow resting across the throne as well, her signature weapon. The reason why members of Baskerville nor the magicians of Morgue could cross these mountains was because of her, she was an absolute menace that even Hugo didn't dare to cross.
If the past version of me had went up against her, or Vikir since he had always been the strongest between the two of us: head-on combat would be zero percent because she is very lethal if allowed to get close and assassination would be zero percent because of her mastery with the bow. If I were to run away from her it would be less than twenty percent of survival. No, that twenty percent applies to Vikir, it would be zero percent for me. Yes, she was able to put a large scar across Hugo's nose and impale Adolf in the chest with a single arrow; both clan heads were able to survive their encounters but that was all it was.
It wasn't just the Baskervilles or the Morgues that fell to her arrows, demonic creatures like Cerberus didn't leave fights unscathed and that is only if they survived their encounter with her to begin with. This woman before me was on the level or maybe slightly higher of Hugo and Adolf, a top predator that would be impossible to deal with in my current state. I weighed and juggled my options, but it came down to do whatever it is to not give her a reason to shoot an arrow through my head or perhaps beat me to death in a gladiator ring.
"I don't believe I've ever seen your face before, not among the ranks of the imperial army that cross into Ballack territory. There is no doubt in my mind that your blood is one of Baskerville...however," She reached out quickly and held my chin with a strong hand, staring particularly at my eyes. "upon closer inspection you have different colored eyes. That's quite rare among imperial men and women as far as we're aware. You are the very first one I've encountered."
"Didn't I tell you, Mother?" Aiyen pipes up with glee, looking between me and the matriarch excitedly. I felt like the gaze I was receiving from this Ballack leader was like that of a top predator perched from above, scrutinizing its insignificant prey below. Had my chin not been in her grasp I would've kept my head down to avoid looking at her. "This one is special and truly doesn't act like the other dogs we've had to deal with."
"Even if that was the case, what are you planning to do with her?" The matriarch questioned as she lets go of my chin, folding her arms across her chest. She had already grasped my physical condition just from her gaze alone; her quick analysis of anyone and everyone who steps foot into her domain is very accurate. "She's no different from a dead person, completely useless and will only slow you down."
"She'll be useful once she receives good treatment, I sense unknown potential within her; I have a gut feeling that she may end up being a valuable asset to us Ballacks. Besides, you said it yourself, this one actually picked a fight with Madam Eight Legs and survived... well, barely." Aiyen gestures with her head in approval when I indicated that I was getting very uncomfortable kneeling on the hard surface. Getting to my feet slowly I began moving around the matriarch's tent, taking in all the sights and smells in wonder and ignoring the other two as they continued their discussion. "Had it not been for me she would have died a pitiful death on the forest floor, and that sounds pitiful to me somehow."
"Running rampant without knowing one's place might come back to bite one in the ass...well, it doesn't matter if her body is destroyed or not." The older female mused, rubbing her chin in thought. "We could always find a good Ballack male to seed her...or perhaps if you want to bear children of your own, we'll have the males compete to see who is the most suited and then this imperial girl could act as a surrogate if you choose not to carry."
"Ah, Mother! Don't be so hasty, I'm going to be using her as a slave! It'll be useless if she gets pregnant while supporting me on a hunt! Also I would totally be down for carrying my own child, how dare you even think that." Aiyen spoke quickly, getting a blank expression from the matriarch as though she didn't believe a single word coming out of her daughter's mouth. The younger of the two nervously rubbed the back of her neck and said after coughing and clearing her throat, "I mean...if you want her to produce heirs for our tribe that are of mixed blood I wouldn't be opposed, but I want to put this conversation and the other one on the back burner! We need to talk about them some more!"
"Hmmm, then we'll continue this talk later when the time comes to decide her future. Whether we allow her to be a part of our family as a proper member, execute her when she's of no use, or perhaps...let her live out her days as a slave until death." The matriarch smiled and gently rubbed her daughter's head with a hand, making the smaller Ballack female to blush and act a little shy when receiving affection. "It's up to the owner what they want to do with their slave so I'll listen to whatever you have to say in that regard."
This wooden pillar, there's something wrong with it... I found myself in the middle of the tent, a hand placed on the sole object propping the structure up with a slight frown on my face. I was surprised that the matriarch hadn't done anything about it or that her house is still standing, but a small thought in the back of my mind indicated that she probably doesn't know the real reason for the poor structure. Even the barest rain shower and this place starts flooding due to the leaking in the roof...
"Slave! We're leaving." Aiyen spoke up immediately, walking over to hold my leash when I turned to her. Pulling me to the entrance, she quickly bowed her head and said, "Bye Mother, I may drop by again later or whenever you need us just call!" The matriarch smiled briefly and waved us off.
We walked for awhile in no particular direction without a conversation between us, I took note of how the savage girl's facial expression changed the moment we left the tent, but I kept my mouth shut since she'd want to be lost in her thoughts. Some of the other members we walked by greeted the young Ballack, ignored me completely and then went on their way. Aiyen at least returned their greetings with a smile on her face, watching as the members of her family walk away before wordlessly continuing on hers with me not too far behind.
"Listen up, I'm going to give you your first order." The young captain finally spoke up when she finally stopped walking and I took a look at my surrounding. These were smaller-sized tents, perhaps to house at least one or two Ballacks at a time or a small family like one or two children, but my nose twitched when I recognized a particular scent. This tent we stopped at was Aiyen's home, the one I woke up in. "It's to build a house! Build your own house that you'll be living in from now on!"
"A house?"
"Uh huh. A house." She planted her hands cockily on her hips, mouth twitching with confidence. There's no way those imperial bastards would know how to build a simple lodging, they always had to ask others for help.
This girl has some improper thoughts going through that head right now, probably thinks that I can't build a simple house...I eyed her for a minute before letting out a sigh. Seems like my life as a Ballack slave may not be as simple as I thought, but knowing that it will be different than my life as a Baskerville hound fills me with slight interest.