Minirtha: Warrior Woman Ch. 01

The rains that plagued the woodland let up after one long night. The misty air was still and cool, and the life there seemed to wake up after sleeping through the cold wet night they had sheltered from. Upon the top of a high hill, hidden amongst the evergreen trees growing tall and plentiful, stood the mouth of a cave that was only made visible behind the foliage by what seemed like the vapors of mist filling the woods. Once one got closer, however, it became evident that this "mist" was in reality smoke from a fire just inside of the cave, close enough for the smoke to be drawn outside but in enough to have protected it from the rain. Next to the fire stood the pile of bones that had once been a bird roasted over the fire. That had provided dinner the night before, with leftovers as breakfast, to the builder of the fire. Having served its purpose, the flames were put out by the pile of dirt suddenly kicked in that direction. Now that the light was out, it was time for the one who had sheltered in the cave that night to venture out.

The light from the early morning sun bathed over the cave's occupant as she walked outside into the cool morning air. The rain made it extra chilled, so the woman's exposed nipples immediately stiffened up. Even though it was a morning that would cause most to bundle up in an attempt to stay warm, she went out rather underdressed. On her feet were only brown leather sandals, only really providing protection for the soles. Her feet mostly exposed to the wet ground she walked on. Around her waist she wore a loincloth of dark red fabric with black stitching and straps. The flaps that covered her genitals and buttocks hung down to just above her knees, with the wind occasionally blowing them aside to show the black thong she wore underneath it.

Over this loincloth was a leather belt with a buckle of iron. Attached to one side of her belt was the leather pouch that held her few possessions needed for survival; her fire strikers with various wear from regular usage, her wooden drinking cup, her steel cooking cup, the sharpening stone for the blades she possessed and the various herbs and potions she needed to heal illness and injury, along with several small trinkets whose meaning was unknown at first sight. The pouch was sandwiched on the belt between the skin she used for drinking water and the sheath that held her knife. The other side of her belt was the more interesting one. Attached to the belt here were the woman's two weapons. Her axe, used more often to provide her with firewood but still a veteran of her many battles, shined from the sling it occupied. The sharpened head of mirrored steel was set upon a long handle of blackened wood, a spike at the top. Next to the axe was the white scabbard that held her sword. The blade sheathed, all that was visible was the hilt of hardwood and gold. A closer examination of these two weapons would show they contained traces of blood from the many enemies the woman had faced.

This constituted the little bit of clothing that the woman was wearing. Sunlight was the only thing covering her naked upper-half and allowed for a better look at the physical specimen the woman proved to be. She was quite a beautiful woman when one saw her. She stood tall, six-and-a-half feet to be exact, which allowed her to stand out when she towered over the occupants of many of the lands she traveled. Her red hair, kept out of her face by the thin leather band dyed black stretched over her forehead, flowed down past her shoulders to just above her bare breasts. Her face was one that could easily be used as the model for that of a statue of any faith's goddess, with her soft, rounded chin, full lips and button nose. The thing that stood out most when you looked at her face, however, were her green eyes, sharp and alert, showing off the many fights and trials the woman faced but still retaining some softness and warmth deep inside of her person.

Looking at her body as a whole, it was a wonder she was not working as a model for a temple builder or sculptor who needed a stand-in for their goddess. Not wearing much clothing provided her with beautifully tanned skin and allowed all that saw her to gaze at her lean, muscular figure. She did not lose an ounce of her feminine beauty by being strong however. Her upper body was particularly strong, with excellent muscle definition in her abdomen, back and biceps. Her arms did not look that big until she flexed, letting those who saw her bulging arm muscles know that she was one strong woman. Her breasts, always exposed, were perfectly round and an excellent size for her frame while still being large. They were firm, with her brown nipples the perfect size, but currently hard thanks to the cold air. When she allowed one to feel them, they were quite soft to the touch. Her lower body was covered by the loincloth, but when one saw her legs they saw her lean thigh muscles provided by her walking everywhere. Her buttocks was also round and somewhat big and when she uncovered it was the talk of many of the men she came across. They thought it a wonderful sight to behold and deep down, though she would never show it in public, she enjoyed the attention.

Upon her body she wore few adornments. Besides the headband, she wore steel bracelets on each wrist. Each ear was pierced with a silver earring with a small ruby dangling from them. On her neck, she had on a gold necklace that hung down her chest. On the end of the gold chain, resting in her cleavage, was a strange green charm with an odd symbol that looked like the runic symbol of some forgotten language and people carved into it, filled in with orange coloring. The charm was also in an unusual shape, partially an oval but sideways. She wore no other jewelry, but if one looked closely they could see her body displayed faint, small scars that told the story of this woman. None were large or noticeable since one's eye was drawn to her beauty, not to mention they were few and far between across her body, but looking at these marks told that this woman was a born fighter, a warrior that would be best to stay on the good side of.

Standing in the sunlight, allowing it to awaken her fully, the woman prepared to move from the cave. She picked up her shield, which she had positioned to help protect her fire from the winds and rain of the night before. This shield bore the scratches and dents of the many battles it had seen in its owner's hands. She strapped the shield across her bare, muscular back, ready to be grabbed at a moment's notice. She bent down and picked up her bronze helmet, a recent addition that had yet to see damage from a fight, tying it to her belt with her other gear. All her possessions gathered up, this warrior woman began to walk down the hill she spent the night upon and continue upon her journey.

She walked through the woods for quite some time, moving among the trees with little care. If any danger showed itself to her, she was more than capable of handling it and most likely not even break a sweat. She seemed at peace walking in nature, as if she felt more comfortable alone amongst the plants and animals of the woodlands than she did amongst the men and women of the countries she wandered. She would pause frequently to look upon the wildlife, smiling as she saw the animals tending to their offspring. Something in her eyes showed in her mind she was reflecting upon some past memory, a place and time distant from where she was now. Her gaze spoke of nostalgia with a bit of sadness within. She could not tarry long in this place; her journey must continue. As the sun was approaching its midday position high in the sky, the warrior woman emerged from the trees and onto a dirt footpath. She turned and headed west down the path to her next destination.

The footpath was small but well worn from the number of feet it saw walking along it. This day, however, the woman did not encounter a soul from the time she emerged from the woodland until she had arrived at an roadhouse after covering several miles over two hours. As she had not eaten since awaking that morning, she decided to stop in for a quick meal. She approached the door to the place, a sign hanging above her head identifying it as the Winged Toad Inn, and entered. Its basic furnishing was mostly devoid of life, as the inn looked like it had not been a great success for many years. The woman sat down at a table and waited. Despite being practically nude, her lack of dress did not seem to clash with the others visiting the roadhouse, all wearing various outfits, some revealing more than others. Eventually, a buxom blonde waitress in a green dress cut to fully expose her breasts (somewhat of a uniform to entice greater rewards from the leering men that seemed to completely populate the room) approached the lone female traveler, carrying a mug of ale to quench her thirst and ready to learn her order.

"Okay what would you like, love," the waitress asked in the seductive voice she had obviously picked up from years of flirting with the menfolk who no doubt paid her well. "Today we've got beef stew, fresh venison, roasted duck and as a rare choice at the moment we have some bear stew."

Upon hearing that last option, the redheaded warrior woman asked "Is the bear stew hot?"

"Yes it is, love. We put a fresh pot on an hour ago and it will be nice and warm on the stove."

"Bring me two bowls of it. And make sure that the bowls are full."

"Two bowls? Are we expecting a companion for this meal?"

The redhead shook her head and said no more, indicating she wanted both of the bows for herself. The waitress understood, retrieved two clean bowls from the wash pan and carried them to the steaming pot on top of the stove. She poured both bowls and began making her way towards the muscled female's table. On her way, she was waylaid by a male customer who whispered something in her ear. The woman quickly agreed to what the man had said and brought the traveler her order. The redheaded woman watched the full-figured waitress return to the man and follow him up the stairs, entering one of the rooms that the inn provided for travelers. So that was what he wanted, the woman thought as she turned her attention to the warm meal that sat in front of her.

The stew was warm and delicious, easily satisfying the warrior woman's hunger and giving her a renewed sense of energy. She had taken little time to devour both of the bowls, finishing up as she heard a door above her open. She looked to see her blonde haired waitress emerge and begin to make her way back down to the customers having their food and drink, followed a few seconds later by the man she had been with. The man did not keep her long, the redhead thought. Shame, as I would have kept a woman like that in that room half the day. Our warrior enjoyed many a lover, male and female, and did look upon the buxom waitress's bare breasts bouncing up and down as she descended the stairs. It was almost enough for her to pause her journey to take a room at this roadhouse for the night and invite the waitress to stay with her. Sadly she could not delay her travels as she had a deadline to keep. Perhaps, however, she could return this way after her business was completed and she was free to layover for some days of rest. She was seriously thinking of taking this course as she pushed away from her table and approached the waitress to ask what she owed for the food and ale.

"What do I owe," the woman asked. Before the blonde could respond, the man she had been upstairs with came next to her and put his arm around her midsection, reaching around and squeezing her naked breast.

"Come back upstairs girly and laid down to rest with me," the man slurred. From his speech, it was obvious to anyone who heard him that he was quite intoxicated from the ale he had probably drunk since he had awoken that morning.

The waitress looked very annoyed with the drunken man and slapped his hand away from her breast. "Take your hands off me brute," she repelled with. "I want not your touch upon me until you pay me what was promised."

The man seemed to ignore this and once again his hand was upon her breast. "Aw come on, I ain't gonna pay til I get something I like from you. You know, something that will last."

Once again, his hand was slapped away. "I offered something but it was not I who could not last," she retorted with. The crowd in the inn laughed at her remark and the redheaded warrior woman smiled humorously. The drunk man was quite angered he was the subject of this joke.

"How dare you talk to me like that," he barked, once again grabbing onto the blonde. "Why I oughta take you back up to that room and..."

"The lady said she wanted you to keep your hands off her." The redhead who stood in front of him and the blonde decided to interject herself into their encounter. The man was not quite happy about this.

"Keep out fire hair," he snorted in her direction. "This is between me and this wench."

"I said that the woman does not want you to touch her," the redhead replied with, beginning to show signs of her growing anger at the man.

"Aw come on, just a squeeze is all I gave. Quite a good feeling too. See for yourself." With that he took his hand from the waitress's breast and placed it on that of the topless woman standing before him. He gave it a squeeze and the woman's expression turned to one of intense rage directed right at him.

"Filthy dog, you dare to touch me without my consent," she growled out as she took his hand and ripped it from her breast. She squeezed his hand, her grip as strong as a vise, and he soon heard the cracking of bone from her hands clamping down. He cried out and she let go. The drunk backed away from her, whimpering and complaining about his hand.

"You broke it. My hand is useless."

"I did not break it," the woman replied. "You shall have use of it again once you awaken from your drunken stupor." Now calmed down, she did not wish to fight this man as she normally would, not wanting to have a great advantage over him due to his intoxication.

The man did not let her offer what she would say next, planning to tell him to go back to bed and sleep off the ale, before he charged right at her, his other hand balled into a fist. The redhead did not let him make contact, however, holding her own fist out and driving it hard into his gut. The man collapsed holding on to his stomach and laid on the floor whimpering. Soon the whimpering was replaced by the sounds of snoring, the man passing out finally. Drunker than I thought, the redhead thought as she looked down on her defeated opponent.

She turned her attention back to the blonde waitress. From behind the buckle of her belt, she pulled out a small hidden pouch and from it pulled out two silver coins, handing them to the astounded woman.

"This should cover it," the warrior woman offered.

"I.. I do not know what to say as my thanks for dealing with the man. You do not have to pay me."

"I insist," the redhead replied and placed the coins in her waitress's hand.

"You know," the bare breasted blonde offered, "You do not have to leave. We have an extra room now that this man will be thrown out. You may stay the night here with us." Her hand brushed the redhead's exposed arm, feeling her biceps.

"If only I could but I must be on my way. My business is elsewhere. But I shall be free in a few days and plan to return by this route. I hope to be able to stop in and spend more time." A look of seduction in her green eyes and a smile on her face were directed at the blonde as she turned to walk out the door.

"Before you leave, I did not catch your name. Who are you?"

The redhead turned and looked back at the waitress. "I am called Minirtha. And you shall hear my name again quite soon." She smiled again and walked out the door to continue on her route, leaving the patrons of the roadhouse (and one infatuated waitress) to watch her travel on.

Minirtha continued down towards the crossroads. She turned and headed north on the widened Capital Road. Soon the dirt she had been walking on turned to cobblestone. She looked up at the sky. The sun's position told her daylight was still plentiful; the business she had with the drunk did not delay her. She should be able to make it to Obstanus before they close the city gates at dusk. That meant she could be first tomorrow to see the Queen of Hyperal, a hard woman to bargain with, or so she had been told. She knew next to nothing about this land and had never traveled here before, but she never questioned when hired to perform a job. If she wanted to make it there today, however, there must be no delays and she could not afford any more rest, save short, far-between breaks for water. The day was still mild so she did not worry about this, easily covering an hour without stopping. As she prepared for a sip of water, however, her attention from the journey was superseded by the sounds of voice she swore cried "Help!"

The warrior looked around, wondering if she were imagining things after traveling far. She listened, waiting to hear the voices again. She swore that one was male, the other female. She turned to hear from every direction. Soon, to her southwest, she heard it again: "Help us please!" This time it sounded more urgent. This would have been a predicament for most, as the pleas were coming from the direction opposite of her travel. But not for Minirtha. Her generous nature and sense of chivalry mostly reserved for men compelled her to go towards cries of help, even if they meant to delay her from her journey. She left the road and headed into the woods, stealthily moving towards the source.

She stalked for some time, quietly moving as she had done many times. She wanted to find the trouble without revealing herself to it until necessary. As she moved through the brush, she continued to hear the request for help, each time getting closer and each time more urgent than the last. Soon she only heard the male voice, worrying her that she may be too late to save the female. She came to a hill and realized that the voices were on the other side of it. Now she could also hear that in addition to the male, whose pleas now sounded muffled, there was the grunting of others. Minirtha quietly moved up the hill, stopping before reaching the crest. She took this time to untie her helmet from her belt and place it on her head, remove her shield and attach it to one of her wrist bracelets, and unsheath her sword, the weapon she was most deadly with. Whatever the trouble was, she wanted to be ready for it. She dropped onto her stomach and crawled the rest of the way up. She peaked over the top of the hill, down to the foot and saw what was causing the commotion.

There, in a clearing of trees, stood five Piktans rummaging through the supplies of a human man and woman nearby. The Piktans were horrible creatures; wicked monsters with nothing on the mind other than greed. When grown, they were large, standing nearly ten or eleven feet, covered in green slimy skin and purple hair that was almost always filthy and tangled. Their bodies were a rare balance of just enough fat and muscle to make them dangerous opponents. All they wore was sackcloth wrapped around their waists and each carried a giant battle axe. Off to the side, laying on the ground bound and gagged were the two humans, frightened beyond any fear they had ever known in their lives.

Looking around, Minirtha surveyed the situation and quickly came up with a theory of what was going on. It appeared the man and woman had been traveling with a large chest of wares on a handcart they were pulling. It appeared the Piktans ambushed them, given the smashed state of cart and chest. The monsters gagged the two and began to go through their belongings, looking to steal anything of value. That was what had happened to this point. Minirtha knew, having dealt with Piktans before, that once they took whatever they desired, the man would be bludgeoned to death and the woman would be carried off to the Piktans' lair to face unspeakable horrors that she would not survive. She could not let this poor innocent woman undergo such a tortuous end, knowing the Piktans liked to draw out the suffering as long as possible. She had to put a stop to it. Despite being outnumbered, her bravery directed her to stand up and slide down the hill, shouting a command as she rushed the grotesque monsters.