The Tattooed Woman Pt. 13

The big woman blushed, "Well Captain, I don't rightly know what to say to that, or if I should be pleased or no, though I'm glad it is that you liked my cooking."

"Well Maggie, we did, and we liked your company just as much. Nyx here intends speaking on your behalf to an... acquaintance of hers and assures that you will be purchased by the new owners of an inn she frequents. You would be well treated there, and your cooking would be appreciated," she laughed, "and of course, we would be your best patrons! And I can say with certainty I will be most vexed should I find you unhappy, and I would not be shy in making my feelings known. Would this do?"

The big woman nodded, "Aye, it would but there's just..."

Ashunara held up a hand to interrupt and looked across at the young slave girl, "Cassie, it would please me if you went with Maggie, she would keep you safe, but I leave this choice to you. If there is some other you would go with, then speak."

The young slave blushed and looked to the tattooed woman sitting quietly by her side, "B... but, what about..."

Adair turned and took the young woman's hand in her own, "Cassie, you are my sister. I say it here, under the stars and before witnesses," she smiled and pointed up, "Rhiannon is listening, and I would not be proven false before her. You can come with me if you choose, but for my part, I would have you go with Maggie, for she knew you and loved you far longer than I and would look after you better. I will visit as often as I may, and if you need me, I will be there. And one day, when the time comes, I promise I will take you home with me."

Cassie trembled, "You promise? You won't just forget me?"

"My word on it Cassie, and I do not forget. For as long as the stars burn, we are kin and if any come between us, they will learn what that means."

"But I could go with you if I wanted. You'd not stop me or cast me aside?"

"I will never cast you aside, but though I do not yet know where my road leads, I sense peril on that path, but even if I falter, it would bring me joy to know you were safe."

Nyx looked blearily about the trees and wondered, "Holy fuck, I must have drunk more of that shit than I thought, where the Hell did all those bloody crows come from? Must be the mushrooms I suppose, nobody else seems to see them. Fucking Dwarves!"

Cassie nodded, though there were tears in her eyes.

Ashunara said nothing for a while and then cleared her throat, "So, Hildegard, Roseanne. You helped us with the wounded more than once and for that alone I would set you free here and now if I could, but in truth, I do not think there is anywhere for you to go, other than with me. As I promised though I will see you safe to the Temple of All Gods with the young ones and they will take you in. The Sisters there are well respected and held to be wise. Slaves or no they can often wander as they will and as their duties allow. Would this satisfy you? And Hildegard, if being a Sister is not to your liking and if it is your wish, I can see you purchased by a very fine bordello. It caters to the finest clientele and... ahem, I might know the madame. She would not abuse you, and you could do well there. But it is your choice."

Roseanne blushed and nodded, but Hildegard looked up and met the Captain's eyes, "The finest clientele you say? Would you perchance know any of the customers?"

Ashunara looked down at her hands, "Oh, I might know one."

The nun grinned, "Might I give you my answer in the morning Captain?"

"Fair enough."

Looking about she grinned, "Master Blacksmith, you appear to have an interesting and rare choice."

The big smith looked up, "Me?"

"Indeed you. The Orcs have offered to adopt you. They have even offered to pay."

"Pay?"

She chuckled at the man's confused look, "Oh aye, they have offered me a fine warrior to take your place should you join them, I would say that is a rare gesture."

"But what would it mean Captain? I'm not, er, well I'm not... an Orc."

"Well, to them you are, in spirit anyway. They say there is an Orc's spirit in that human body, probably some jest on the part of a quarrelsome God no doubt. If you decide to go with them, you will be one of their clan, and you will be free. But they live a hard life."

"Would I still be a smith, my craft is... all that I have really."

Ashunara smiled at the man, "I think you do yourself an injustice Master Smith, you have courage, and other qualities or they would not make this offer. But in answer to your question, yes, you would still be a smith, for Orcs greatly value the craft and blacksmiths, especially those that can craft weapons, are well respected. You might not learn the secrets of Elven metalworking, but you never know, Orcs are crafty and practical folk, they have a few tricks that are not known to either human or Dark Elf, and they trade with Dwarves for some goods, so there is opportunity there. But it would not be an easy life."

"Captain, may I ask, what are the other choices you spoke of?"

"You can go to auction. You are a skilled craftsman and as strong as an ox. You would fetch a good price, and like as not be bought by a smithing house, and there, in time, you may learn the secrets of our crafts. Or, as you stood with us, and saved my life for that matter, I will free you if you wish it."

The man pondered for a while and then looked up with a grin, "If it please you Captain, I would go with the Orcs."

She chuckled, "Somehow, I thought you might Master Smith, but you mind those Orcish women now, I hear they can be a bit rough when they are feeling playful, and they might think a brave man, who is skilled in a craft like yours would be a fine catch indeed."

The Dark Elf laughed at the man's blushes.

Ashunara turned to the three adventurers, "Then there are you three reprobates."

Tallis smiled, and the Captain hid her grin as she turned to the Light Elf, "So, Lilion, normally for saving one of mine as you did I would offer to free you as I did the Smith, but I've decided against it, for I see no reason to favour one of your kind in such a way. You go to auction."

The Sunkissed girl hung her head and nodded sadly, holding back tears as she squeezed the hand of the young Dark Elf beside her.

The Captain continued, "It's a funny thing though, for I already happen to know who your buyer will be, and I might be wrong, but I suspect she will be a kindly Mistress."

The Elf looked up, "Who...?"

Tallis couldn't help but give a musical laugh when the Captain tilted her head with a wry grin and pointed.

The smile on the face of the Ljósálfar was bright enough to almost light up the clearing and the Captain looked at Nyx and rolled her eyes, "Well, that seems settled, now don't none of you go blabbing about this for if someone learns we have a fix in, they might up the bidding just for spite."

Looking up towards the swordsman she grinned, "So, Master Swordsman, how fares your pupils?"

He smiled, "They progress apace, good Captain."

"We have already spoken of your fate, any second thoughts?"

The man glanced furtively at Nyx, who appeared to be peering about the trees in a distracted way, "Perhaps one Captain."

Ashunara nodded, "I still have your indenture swordsman, I do not need to sell it to the arena, if you can think of a better owner then speak."

He nodded and looked about nervously, "Well, it... erm, it strikes me as... Uhm... unfair! Yes, unfair that I abandon my student when she has only just begun her lessons. Perchance, I could... maybe, um, stay?"

The Captain laughed, "Swordsman, you are another who stood with us in battle when you did not have to, you have earned your freedom by that deed alone surely?"

"Uh, well, again it would hardly be fair to abandon my pupil surely? And, it was um, your idea that I teach her after all, and besides," he grinned, "I still want my sword back."

The Captain chuckled and looked sideways at Nyx, "I tell you what Swordmaster, I shall keep hold of your indenture, just until I can find someone better suited to keep it. In the meantime, you would do well to continue to earn your bread by teaching our wayward sister."

The man all but beamed, "Damned good idea! Er, wait, so I don't get paid?"

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of some trifle we can entice you with."

Nyx looked at the Captain and blinked, "Huh?"

Ashunara shook her head in bemusement before turning to the wizard, "Well Quintus, here we are. You my arcane friend present me with quite the quandary."

The young fellow was sitting by Roseanne with his hand in her lap and he favoured the Dark Elf with an almost shy smile, "How so, Captain?"

The woman sighed, "Well, for one thing, almost more than any other you have been of great use to me, you saved two of my soldiers and helped heal a third, almost killing yourself in the process, and you fought by our side when those Hell Hounds attacked, destroying three by yourself. No other among us accomplished so mighty a feat. I already offered you your freedom, and you declined. In short, I feel I owe you, Sir, and I have been considering how to repay that debt, for, though I am no Dwarf, I would not care to leave the scales so heavily unbalanced."

The man looked almost boyish when he grinned, "Well Captain, if I can see those libraries you spoke of then I would not consider myself unfairly treated."

The Captain nodded, "Oh, they are real enough, but mayhap I might just be able to offer you more, though it might require that we both take some risk, interested?"

Quintus eyed the woman shrewdly, but nodded, "Colour me intrigued Captain, please explain."

"Well, if you go to the block, you will fetch a handsome price, probably more than all the other slaves combined, even including the sum I could get for the Swordmaster, for you have rare and valuable talent. Even at such a price selling you would be child's play, for exactly that same reason. Still, it still involves a random element, for I do not know who would buy you. Like as not it would be some great house, and you would be well treated, and as long as you performed for them you would live in luxury, though it is also likely you would be closely watched and apart from such trappings allowed very little freedom, for you are both valuable, and extremely dangerous. Also, other houses might consider you a threat and seek your destruction."

The man frowned, "And what is your solution, Captain?"

"Well Quintus, if I could, I would buy you for my own house, but I am only the second daughter and not Matriarch. Truthfully, I do not personally have anything like sufficient coin. My house already has a magister, and she is most formidable, but she is also old and was old even in my mother's time. Her name is Fiamma Vor and she was adopted into my house by my mother more than ten centuries before you were born. My mother knew her from her days of military service and she is a Battle Mage."

Quintus tilted his head, and there was a look of interest on his face, "What is it you propose?"

"I would have you sign an indefinite indenture with my House, I in turn will sign a letter of credit from the money lenders to pay for it so that those in my Company and those that sponsor this expedition receive their fair share. If all goes well my sister will accept my scheme as useful and pay the loan, and you will manage to convince Fiamma Vor that you would make a fine apprentice for her. I must warn you though my sister is a ruthless and canny woman, and of course, Fiamma Vor is a complete curmudgeon, with a penchant for setting things aflame."

Quintus scratched his nose, "What are the benefits and risks if I might ask?"

Ashunara laughed, "Well the risks are easy to explain, my sister may laugh in my face and effectively tell me to go fuck myself and I will have landed myself with a huge amount of debt. I will own you for as long as it takes to default on the loan, at which point they will call it in, I will be declared a debtor and I'll probably end up in a slave collar right next to you."

"Could you not simply sell me if that happens?"

"Unlikely, once the deal is in place the money-lenders will certainly put out the word and use their influence to discourage any subsequent sale, for if I default, they get you and me both, and I am a second daughter to my House, so they would likely see that as being worth some coin or influence to them I would think."

"And the benefits Captain?"

"You will be an indentured servant of my House, not a slave as such, also, I would consider you a "friend" of my House, an ally if you will, and thus you would have vastly more freedom than you might otherwise have, also, there is the possibility of you learning more of your craft from a thousand-year-old, ill-tempered, possibly slightly senile, and extremely dangerous battlemage, who might be a bit past her prime, but I sure as fuck would not tell her that to her face, as I'd rather not be vaporised."

The human's face split in a wide grin, "Erm, captain, if I accepted, would it be possible to visit the Temple of All Gods at times, as I feel myself drawn more and more to the... ah, tenets of that faith?"

Roseanne blushed and looked at her feet.

The Captain gave the man a patently false look of pious concern, "Well, I know nothing of human religious practices, but it strikes me as bad luck to come between a man and his.... Erm... Gods."

Quintus eyed her and pursed his lips in thought, "It seems that you would take a great risk for my benefit Captain."

Ashunara met his gaze squarely and smiled, "I owe you, and for good or ill I always pay my debts."

"Fuck it then! I'm an adventurer, what's life without risk and reward? I'm in."

Turning her attention to the last of her charges Ashunara threw up her hands with a shrug, "I have literally no idea what to do about you. The very idea of what could happen if you were to go up for auction gives me goosebumps."

Adair looked up from the fire, the reflected flames glittering in her green eyes, and she smiled, "I suspect that I might make a rather poor showing as a slave. I'm sorry."

"No, you're not, I can tell just by looking that you think the idea would be as funny as Hell!"

The woman actually chuckled, "I have to admit, there is a wicked part of me that is quite curious about what would happen. I suspect if my mother were here, she would scold me for it. But I owe you, Captain, you tended my wounds when you did not have to. You say you always pay your debts, how then could I do less? If you wished it and asked it of me, I would behave."

The Captain stared at the woman, "I also flogged you."

"Indeed, but to be fair, I did remonstrate with young Veroona rather forcefully, I could have simply pushed the girl away without smashing her ribs to splinters, but I was not quite... myself, at the time. So, perhaps I deserved it. In any event, I do not hold it against you."

Ashunara's eyes narrowed, "Girl? She's two hundred years old."

The woman lowered her eyes, but her smile remained, "So she is."

The Captain made an almost hopeless gesture with her hands, "So, what do you want to do? I offered you your freedom once, the offer remains."

"I would travel in the Fae."

"Ah, you would need a collar for that."

The woman's smile broadened, "I seem to have one already."

"You would wear my collar, why?"

The woman looked back up and her eyes narrowed as she considered, "I'm not entirely sure, but I sense that you and I are not yet done with one another, just as I sense that there is something beyond the Veil that I seek. So, if you could tolerate my presence I would... offer my service, for a while at least, that is, if you would have me."

Ashunara pondered, "We'd need to get you some armour, and maybe a sword?"

"I have armour already Captain, I doubt you could find better, I have not used a sword in some time, but mayhap it will come back to me."

The Captain grinned, "Regardless, some part of me screams at how bad an idea this is, and another part is intrigued beyond all common sense, either way perhaps making you blend in somewhat might not be unwise," she considered and eventually shook her head with a snort of resignation, "if you want to travel with me for a while, then I won't object, as long as you abide by my commands."

"Thank you. I promise to pay attention to your commands."

"Hmm, that's not quite the same as abiding by them though, is it?"

Adair looked back down at the campfire and smiled.

...

Gorsini looked up from the campfire as Dana pushed aside the barrier of bush and branch that crudely camouflaged the mouth of the cave. It was snowing heavily outside, and she shook off the white flakes from her shoulders, stamped her feet and moved across to crouch by the fire as the man poured a mug of hot soup for her, "Here lass, Magda bagged a couple of hares while you were away, and I turned them into a broth. My cooking may not be up to much, but I can still make a decent soup, or so I keep telling myself."

The woman took the cup with a grin and blew on the concoction within. It smelled good enough, and it was hot at least and she nodded her thanks. On the far side of the fire, she saw Magda wrapped up in her bedroll with only a few strands of her blonde hair showing from the warm cocoon she had made of her blankets.

Gorsini followed her gaze and grinned, "She went out and bagged those hares after standing her watch, so I thought to let her sleep."

Dana stirred her broth with a wooden spoon before sipping it, she looked at her Captain and raised her eyebrows appreciatively and the man smiled happily, "Good, is it?"

"T'is not so bad Captain, mayhap you missed your calling and should have been a cook, rather than a swordsman. What did you add for the flavour?"

"Oh, I had a few onions and some pepper from the stores we filched from those dead riders. Seems they liked to eat well enough, and it would have been a shame to let it rot. Their loss is our gain and all that."

The scout nodded, "Why did we not take their horses Captain? If I might ask."

The man picked up a blanket and draped it about the girl's shoulders as she settled by the fire before answering, "It was a hard choice, for they would have been useful, but in the end, they are just too easy to track, and we can move through thicker woods without them. As in all things when you live the life of a sellsword on the march, you must weigh what you might gain by what you might lose and make a choice," he grinned, "then you live with the consequences. Well, if you are lucky that is. Now tell me, lass, what did you see?"

The woman ate her soup and wiped her chin, "Well, the shrine is empty. The Dwarves and Dark Elves have left some days past. It has been snowing as you know, and this makes the tracks harder to read but even so it seems clear enough that there was some fight."

Gorsini frowned, "Between the two factions?"

"I think not Captain, it appears that some threat emerged from the woods and both Dwarf and Dark Elf fought as one against it. I backtracked it and it looks to have emerged from a place where the grass and bushes were burned in a wide circle. The place reeked of sorcery."

"Who won?"

"There are tracks of both Dwarven and Dark Elf parties leaving the shrine so I would say they were the victors, but I found a cairn where I suspect the Dwarves have lain the bodies of their dead to rest, I did not disturb it to ascertain numbers, but it was not very large so I think they may have lost only a few."

The man stared at the fire for a bit as he digested the news, "You checked all about those woods when we were there did you not? I'm sure Ashunara's scout would have done the same. I think you might have mentioned some great magical circle had you come across it."