The Hunted Ch. 02

"And thus, the Goddess looked down on the world, as man fell farther and farther into ruin, and took pity on us. She gave us what no king could, and we received a blessing so that we could rise from our past sins and grow into a bountiful nation! We must give praise to the Goddess for our blessings, we must praise the Rebirth!"

"There's a Verdant here?" Guindolyn mumbled to herself as she could hear the common sermon echoing throughout the main square. It wasn't the first time an acolyte had made the journey into Borea from the east, but it's a rare occurrence to be sure. Fortunately, such a distracting presence made it easier for her to go unseen through the crowd.

She finally had her first hint of these mysterious assailants, but even the Boss didn't know much about the pin that she showed her. It was her network that first saw evidence of a string of mysterious deaths all around southern Borea, with the town of Volaq being the next logical hit. The Boss told Guin time and time again that she was delusional that she would be next, that there was no rhyme or reason of these deaths.

But she knew.

There was a peddler near the north end of Volaq that might have more information. She goes by no name, but she always has what you want. Guindolyn had only had contact with her once before, as she was accompanying the Boss for a certain refill which required her to cough up a Queen's ransom to get. The Peddler smiled at Guin after the transaction, as if she knew she would need something from her. That memory always gave her chills.

But here she was, out of crowded areas and into the parts of Volaq that most don't want to think about. The drunks were still passed out where they were thrown out after drinking too much the night before. Cloaked figures shifted around the darkened alleys, some pausing to investigate who had entered their domain. Guin knew better than to do anything that would look aggressive, tensions can be at a breaking point between some of these gangs and thieves and she did not want to be in the middle of it.

If ever one got too close to her, she flashed the small brand on her right hip showing she was under the Boss's protection. Of course, the shameless moaning that filled the forgotten streets all around her was a constant reminder that there are other fates than what she was hiding from. She glanced at the closest couple out of the corner of her eye. She recognized the tattoos of the one who was pinning her prey against the wall from a well-known tribe that held influence not just in Volaq but all over south-eastern Borea. The more concerning thing that Guin noticed was that of the brand of the moaning woman, pinned under the strength of the tribalist. One her right hip, she had the exact brand as Guin.

Guindolyn brought her hood down lower as she would rather choose her partners. Hhana was enough for her.

Not a moment too soon, she saw the Peddler, already looking at her with a sharp smile on her lips.

"My, my, a new customer?" Her voice was slightly strained, but still easily heard. Guin walked closer to her before carrying on the transaction.

"I have something that I heard you might know about." Guindolyn knelt down and spoke with a hushed voice to make sure that no prying ears could hear.

"I know many a thing, yet there's still many more things I don't." The Peddler cackled at herself. It was impossible to tell the age of the sitting Peddler. There were almost no hints of wear on her skin yet she talked in a way that was older than the Rebirth itself.

"Do you know anything about this?" Guindolyn put the pin in the waiting hand of the Peddler. Her smile faded as she concentrated on every ridge and tarnish of the metal. It was hard to discern if the hunched woman was having trouble seeing or if she was an expert appraiser. Guin kept watch of the few passersby as she waited, but they all seemed to give the Peddler plenty of room.

"Ah."

"You know what it is?" Guindolyn tried to keep her voice down despite her excitement.

"Oh, yes, right away." She cackled once more. "I wanted to see the Borean silver shine, though. There're not many things made of this quality. Only up north can you find such pure silver."

Guindolyn swallowed her scream. She did not care about where it was made, how it was made. There was only one thing she wanted to know.

"What is it?!" The question still came out louder than she wanted.

The Peddler didn't answer right away. She looked up at the young Guin and stared into her eyes. Guin could not look away. The Peddler's pupils were milky teal, as if a painter stopped after one brush of paint on a fresh canvas.

"I have a question before I can answer yours."

The strain in her voice was gone, Guin felt a strange pressure weighing on her.

"Why are you wanting to know about this?"

The question was blunt but had a danger behind it. It's as if Guin answered wrong then she will not leave this alley.

"I fear that people are trying to kill me." Guindolyn lowered her voice as much as she could. "People that are wearing this."

"Do you know the reason for this fear, little one?"

"...Maybe." Guindolyn cringed a little. She could still hear the Boss laughing at her and berating her. Even Hhana let out a giggle when she told her. But this might be her last chance. "My mother died when I was seven. We lived alone in a small house, simply but happy. My mother treated me well, doting on me as much as she could."

"As a mother should." The Peddler nodded sagely.

"A week before she died, I overheard her saying something to a friend of hers. I can still hear it in my mother's voice: 'She is more important than anything else, she's the Ice Queen's blessing.'"

"You're saying that your father is the Ice Queen?"

Guindolyn nodded silently expecting the Peddler to laugh at her absurd claim just like anyone else, yet there was only silence.

"How many know about this?"

"The Boss doesn't believe me, and the only other person is my partner Hhana."

Without saying another word, the Peddler reached down and grabbed a dark grey stone as big as her hand from one of her many bags and started to speak in a language that Guindolyn had never heard before. As she did, she started to etch into the stone with a small metal pin. When she was done, she gave the stone, now engraved with a diamond with a line from the top point to the middle and radiating a sapphire blue glow.

"If what you say is true, then you must travel to the eastern capital of Fherrin."

"Can I at least know why?"

The Peddler paused before answering. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

*****

The slight scuff of movement from the other room alerted Guindolyn that Hhana was back just as she had finished packing nearly all their possessions into two medium bags.

"What's this?" Hhana stood at the other side of the room, already taking off the small shawl that she routinely wears outside to try to avoid stares that her distinct hair and skin attracts.

"We're leaving for Fherrin."

"The capital? Do you know how to get there?"

"That's why I'm taking you along." Guin stuck her tongue out at the end of her jab, one that Hhana took as a challenge more than anything.

"It's over a week away."

"We should have enough food."

"Is this to do with your source?"

"Yeah."

"So she believes you?"

"I don't know."

As the back and forth was going on, Hhana made her way over to the busy Guindolyn before placing a firm hand on her shoulder, stopping the smaller woman.

"So you're saying that someone who might not believe that people are after you is telling to go to the capital and you just believe her?"

"She also gave me a glowing rock as well."

Hhana threw up her arms in exasperation. "Perfect!"

"I know it sounds bad but it's not like hiding out here is any better." Guindolyn stood on her toes to give Hhana a peck on the cheek before grabbing the last few possessions they had in the other corner of the room.

"Wait."

Guindolyn turned back for just a second before being grabbed around the waist and flung to the bed without warning.

"You're saying that you were expecting me to just walk days in public with you without at least a release first?!" Hhana loomed over the nervously giggling Guin with carnal hunger in her eyes. "You first come home late and then was just about to leave?! Did you want to get fucked in public?!"

Guindolyn couldn't deny that she had thought about that before, but that neither here nor there. She always thought that she had a pretty high libido before meeting Hhana, but her bronzed partner has her beat in that as well as any physical attributes, as well as many of the mental ones as well. It was foolish thinking that she would last a week without going wild without attention.

"Just make it quick." Guindolyn couldn't help but smirk as she dug her own grave as the loose fabrics around Hhana did nothing to hide that she was already raring to go. Hhana chuckled at her lover which sounded far more like a snarl than anything resembling a laugh. Within a second, Guindolyn's pants were off, her tunic pulled over her head as she could feel the throbbing head of Hhana's member move in front of her vulva.

"We'll see about that."

Guindolyn braced herself for a sudden thrust that never came. Hhana gently sank her cock into her, making a tingling sensation spread throughout her entire body. Another loving thrust sank in a bit deeper this time, eliciting a moan from Guindolyn.

It was all a feint.

With a growl, Hhana unleashed all her pent-up energy on the prone Guindolyn. Each thrust made Guindolyn's wet lips smack the base of her partner. There was nothing that Guin could do but to hold on as tight as she could as her eyes rolled back in her head as the spasms of an orgasm hit.

"You're lucky that we're in a rush!" Hhana let out a maniacal laugh as she somehow increased her speed. "I wish I could count how many times you cum!" Guin could barely hear her as a second rush hit her head on. But before a third wave could hit Hhana grabbed her waist and pulled her in as she came hard inside of her.

The two held each other, utterly spent, for some time before either one of them moved. Hhana was the first to get up, as she finally pulled out of Guin. Even flaccid, her cock was more than six inches as it waved hypnotically between her thighs as she stretched.

"Well, time to head?"

Guindolyn, her tunic still tangled above her head, cum splattered from her breasts to her belly, not to mention the load that had just started to ooze out of her, her legs just getting feeling back now, looked up at the already (but still barely) clothed Hhana.

"Really?"

Hhana looked back at her with the same contempt.

"You act like you've never been in public full of cum before."

Guindolyn could only look down sheepishly. She just sighed and sat up slowly.

"Fine, just give me a minute."

*****

The light clack of heels approaching made the Peddler's eyes slowly open to see a petit woman in a light blue cloak approach her. She started to mouth an incantation as she grabbed something under her billowing robe.

"Peace." The small woman raised her hands before her in a peace offering.

"You need no weapons to be dangerous."

The woman dropped her hands in recognition with a sigh. "I need help."

"You must be truly desperate to come to me." Without letting go of what was hidden inside her robe, the Peddler motioned for the woman to sit down. "I will hear your request."

"I need to find someone." She knelt beside the still wary Peddler. "Someone connected with this." She showed the pin with the crooked horns to the Peddler. "They are quite annoying to find."

"You can usually only find them when they want you to."

"Usually isn't always."

The Peddler paused as her milky eyes searched the kneeling woman intensely.

"For the information that I have, I need you to answer three questions first."

"That's a lot to ask." The kneeling woman turned her attention to the hidden hand of the Peddler beneath her robe.

"If you are so desperate to ask for my help, you have no other recourse."

The kneeling woman clicked her tongue, her annoyance proving the Peddler correct.

"Fine."

"Which master do you serve?"

The Peddler wasted no time on her first question.

"Neither."

The Peddler paused for a second, looking down before asking her second.

"Do you have similar beliefs with those that you seek?"

"No."

Another pause.

"What is your name?"

"...Idilwek."

The Peddler looked down for the last time before nodding to Idilwek.

"There had been many of those you seek near here, but for all my knowledge they have gone north, near the foothills of Hope's Ridge. Unfortunately, I cannot pinpoint any more than that." Before Idilwek could say anything, the Peddler showed her hidden hand. In it she held a rune that glowed a magnificent teal colour.

"So, head towards the capital?" Idilwek stood up, straightening her skirt.

"Yes, although I would do best to avoid the actual city if I were you. You won't find the same kindness as I have shown you."

"Noted."

"Safe travels, Idilwek."

Idilwek paused. She wasn't used to hearing her name. With only a nod, she walked away from the Peddler, hoping that the transaction she just made was worth it.