"Any minute now. I may not be in my cursed form, but you don't need a wolf's sense to know something is off around here." Reta warned her, standing in watch by the shop entrance.
"I know, I know. It's been a while since I've used this, I just hope it's here somewhere."
Reta felt the vein in her head throb. "What! We came all this way for something you don't even know is here?"
Janette flinched and lowered her head, hiding behind the front counter. "I felt more confident about it in the morning, okay? We're talking about something I haven't used in years, nearly a decade really!"
"And you brought it to your shop because?"
Janette sighed and rummaged through the cabinets, digging out bottle after empty bottle of wine. "It's something close to me, let's just leave it at that."
The duo had arrived in Janette's shop at the Farmer's Den, but the setting didn't seem as welcoming as it once was. It was the day after those men visited Janette's shop, and yet they've made their presence clear. Flags decorated the road side and banners were plastered across the cobblestone walls, each one sharing the same symbol and phrase to any wandering eye who read them with intrigue. Reta was eyeing one such banner as soon as she stepped outside, catching the text in bolded black letters.
Divinity
Forgiveness
Strength
"Hm." Reta scowled, twisting her lips and narrowing her eyes. She clicked her tongue and looked around, observing the market stop's activities. There seemed to be less going on today late in the morning, with not as many travelers passing through the main road. Those that did would stop to restock, read the banners, and then be on their way. Despite the absence of those men Janette had described to them the day before, it would seem that whatever group they came with never left. Reta turned to catch a shopkeeper across the road turn away from her, fainting ignorance and pretending to be preoccupied. Another peasant, a middle-aged woman with a dirty face turned the corner only to freeze and retrace her steps back.
Reta scowled and turned back into the shop.
"We should get going soon, this place does not feel welcoming anymore."
"How so?" Janette asked, her feet poking out from the corner at the rear of the shop.
Reta looked around, reaching out to stroke the surface of one of the display tables before sitting on top. "Some have been watching us suspiciously. Call it intuition, but I prefer we make our leave now."
"Just a moment, aha! There you are." Janette cried out with a triumphant smile, thrusting the object above her head like a prized trophy. Caught in a firm grasp between her delicate fingers was a book, no different from any other. The cover was a dark black as if it were stained with coal, and the page edges looked yellow and worn with ragged corners. The front carried a symbol of what looked like an owl's head etched into the surface, as if carved by a dagger.
Reta frowned. "Another book, we came out here for another book?"
"It's not just a book, this is my birthday gift!" Janette exclaimed, tucking it away under her arm. "It was a gift from someone special when I was younger. I use to be quite the bookworm, so I-"
"I don't care much for your story, just grab your stupid book and let's go." Reta ordered, folding her arms over her chest in frustration.
Janette frowned and stashed the book into her satchel, carrying it over her shoulder and standing up on her feet before adjusting the hem of her dress. As she stepped forward to approach her, Reta heard someone enter the shop behind her.
"There you are, my little morning bird still sing-"
The old man found himself pinned down with his face pressed against the ground and his arm bent around his back. He squirmed and groaned in pain as Reta did not relent in her grasp, holding him steady until Janette ran toward her.
"What are you doing, let him go!"
"You know this man?" Reta hissed, keeping her eyes on his panicked face.
"Yes, he runs the shop next to mine now get off him!" She shouted, stomping her foot down.
Reta's face twisted as she contemplated her words before slowly easing off her weight from his back. Once she released his forearm, he winced and turned around while clutching his wrist. He looked at her with shock as if he were a rodent locking eyes with this wolf, but he felt as if she allowed him permission to breathe once she stepped over him and walked away. Janette moved in and offered him a hand, carefully getting him back to his feet. He was still aching in pain as he made himself comfortable sitting atop one of the display tables, keeping a watchful eye on his assailant.
"Terribly sorry, ow! I didn't realize you finally went and hired a bodyguard." He laughed softly, continuously rubbing his arm and shoulder.
Janette smiled nervously in return. "You can say that, what brings you here? I see the Den has taken up a new religion."
The old man snorted and rolled his eyes, "Ha, hardly! These blokes come in and leave their banters around as if they owned these lands. Had a bit of a run-in with them just this morning. Honestly, I'd much rather fancy a talk with your new guard then spend a minute of my time with them."
"Did they hurt you?"
"Nay, thank the gods. I feared they would mess about with me shop, but the garden was left in tact. Just a bit of intimidation, nothing I haven't handled before. Though, I'd keep me head down if I were you. This ain't something I've seen in some time, but I can smell trouble coming this way. Call it a sixth sense of mine, but ever since my time at the barracks I can tell when troubles coming on the way, and I'd advise you to keep your head down in this time."
"Why do you say?" Janette asked in a low voice, glancing toward the entrance and back to him.
He leaned in close and cupped his mouth. "They've sent for a Hunter, and they ain't taking no for an answer. They're on the hunt for that monster girl from some time ago, Lyz made mention of it the other day. You know how she likes to gossip? Well, she spoke to them that day, her mouth just spitting out word after word about this one said this and that person did that. I'm sorry to say, but they roughed her up a bit 'till she spat out about that monster girl. Now they sending for more soldiers."
"By the gods," Janette gasped, her eyes growing wide as her heart began to skip. "Did they hurt her?"
"Nay, I think she was pushed around and got a few bruises. But she's closing up for a few weeks, we're following her and doing the same. I don't know who these folk are, but I've heard stories. Nasty stuff, nothing pleasant to tell the misses about back home."
"But, when are you leaving? You can't leave, how else are you going to make ends meet? That's been your shop for longer than I've been here!"
He smiled and brushed away her concerns with the wave of his hand. "Ah, we've saved up a bit on our years being here. What's the point of stocking up on some coin if you can't spend it, aye? I'm here today to stock up on what's left before going home. We'll figure something out, 'sides it's not like this is the end of it. We'll just be on leave for a month, until things calm down again. But Janette, do take care. After what they did to Lyz, I'd hate to hear them do something to you too."
Janette nodded and stepped back, helping him off the table before catching him with a hug. He smiled brightly and held her back, patting her back gently. "Well look at that, since when have you gone sentimental on me?"
"I just- shut up." Janette smiled back, pulling away and crossing her arms. "Promise me you'll take care, okay?"
"Of course, I got me a misses to get back to. Wouldn't leave her even if I be at death's door." He breathed in and slowly made his approach toward the entrance, pausing before looking back. "Hope to see you in the morning again, my little morning bird."
"I would get me a cane if I were you." She smirked in return.
He chuckled and waved back, closing the curtain behind him. Janette watched his silhouette fade away in time, turning around to face Reta as she tapped her fingers impatiently on the front counter.
"Are we ready yet?" She asked, raising her brow and setting a fierce gaze that it sent a chill under Janette's skin.
She shuddered and turned around, pressing the satchel to her chest. "Y-Yes, ready!"
Just as she pulled the curtain away, she crashed into someone and fell back, her satchel dropping on the floor.
"Excuse me, we're closed!" She groaned, rubbing her cheek and opening her eyes.
"Yes, forgive my intrusion. Many places around here have been closed, and it was not my intention to intrude upon you like so." The figure replied back, his voice carrying a certain eloquent accent as the words flowed together with proper pronunciation.
He reached out to offer her a hand as she accepted, feeling him practically pull her up as if she weighed like a bag of feathers. It startled her and she lost her balance, stumbling forward and pressing against his chest. Only, she didn't feel any tunic or fabric but rather a hardened surface, as if she were feeling up some sheet of metal.
Metal.
With a startled gasp she pulled away and fell into Reta's arms, looking up to this man with wide eyes as he laughed in return. His voice was different from the rest, but the morning sun was behind him, thus keeping his figure shrouded in a blinding light and leaving him as a shadow. Looking down, he stepped back and took a knee to which she believed was a fancy manner of greeting him. But she was mistaken, as he stood up and held out the satchel to return to her. With a shaky hand, she grabbed her bag and pried it from his loose grip, realizing that he wore fingerless gloves with a peculiar fabric to them. The type of fabric she recognized as those that increased one's grip strength, commonly worn by knights and other sword wielders.
"Thank you?" She struggled to find her voice, feeling Reta pull her back as they retraced their steps slowly.
He nodded and stepped inside, closing the curtain behind him as the details of his appearance were made clear. His fingers hooked around the edge of his black cloak, lifting it carefully before covering his body from the neck down. She had guessed from the brief feeling of his chest that he wore some kind of armor beneath that cloak of his. As he stood still, his eyes gazed between the two women with careful precision and purpose, but with just a quick blink they softened and remained half-closed, albeit looking more friendly to them. The bags under his eyes expressed the many sleepless nights he had endured in his lifetime, and the snowy white skin made his body look cold to the touch. His piercing blue eyes seemed mesmerizing and striking, to an extent that any women would find themselves lost in gazing into them for a lifetime. He drew his hood back, shaking his ashy long hair as it fell around his face like curtains parted in the middle, bouncing in the air as he drew in a long breath of the mildew air. He extended his gloveless hand to them pair of women before him, smiling politely and catching Janette's hand with a strong grip.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, mademoiselle. My name is Leone, Leone of the twenty-fifth night."
"Any minute now. I may not be in my cursed form, but you don't need a wolf's sense to know something is off around here." Reta warned her, standing in watch by the shop entrance.
"I know, I know. It's been a while since I've used this, I just hope it's here somewhere."
Reta felt the vein in her head throb. "What! We came all this way for something you don't even know is here?"
Janette flinched and lowered her head, hiding behind the front counter. "I felt more confident about it in the morning, okay? We're talking about something I haven't used in years, nearly a decade really!"
"And you brought it to your shop because?"
Janette sighed and rummaged through the cabinets, digging out bottle after empty bottle of wine. "It's something close to me, let's just leave it at that."
The duo had arrived in Janette's shop at the Farmer's Den, but the setting didn't seem as welcoming as it once was. It was the day after those men visited Janette's shop, and yet they've made their presence clear. Flags decorated the road side and banners were plastered across the cobblestone walls, each one sharing the same symbol and phrase to any wandering eye who read them with intrigue. Reta was eyeing one such banner as soon as she stepped outside, catching the text in bolded black letters.
Divinity
Forgiveness
Strength
"Hm." Reta scowled, twisting her lips and narrowing her eyes. She clicked her tongue and looked around, observing the market stop's activities. There seemed to be less going on today late in the morning, with not as many travelers passing through the main road. Those that did would stop to restock, read the banners, and then be on their way. Despite the absence of those men Janette had described to them the day before, it would seem that whatever group they came with never left. Reta turned to catch a shopkeeper across the road turn away from her, fainting ignorance and pretending to be preoccupied. Another peasant, a middle-aged woman with a dirty face turned the corner only to freeze and retrace her steps back.
Reta scowled and turned back into the shop.
"We should get going soon, this place does not feel welcoming anymore."
"How so?" Janette asked, her feet poking out from the corner at the rear of the shop.
Reta looked around, reaching out to stroke the surface of one of the display tables before sitting on top. "Some have been watching us suspiciously. Call it intuition, but I prefer we make our leave now."
"Just a moment, aha! There you are." Janette cried out with a triumphant smile, thrusting the object above her head like a prized trophy. Caught in a firm grasp between her delicate fingers was a book, no different from any other. The cover was a dark black as if it were stained with coal, and the page edges looked yellow and worn with ragged corners. The front carried a symbol of what looked like an owl's head etched into the surface, as if carved by a dagger.
Reta frowned. "Another book, we came out here for another book?"
"It's not just a book, this is my birthday gift!" Janette exclaimed, tucking it away under her arm. "It was a gift from someone special when I was younger. I use to be quite the bookworm, so I-"
"I don't care much for your story, just grab your stupid book and let's go." Reta ordered, folding her arms over her chest in frustration.
Janette frowned and stashed the book into her satchel, carrying it over her shoulder and standing up on her feet before adjusting the hem of her dress. As she stepped forward to approach her, Reta heard someone enter the shop behind her.
"There you are, my little morning bird still sing-"
The old man found himself pinned down with his face pressed against the ground and his arm bent around his back. He squirmed and groaned in pain as Reta did not relent in her grasp, holding him steady until Janette ran toward her.
"What are you doing, let him go!"
"You know this man?" Reta hissed, keeping her eyes on his panicked face.
"Yes, he runs the shop next to mine now get off him!" She shouted, stomping her foot down.
Reta's face twisted as she contemplated her words before slowly easing off her weight from his back. Once she released his forearm, he winced and turned around while clutching his wrist. He looked at her with shock as if he were a rodent locking eyes with this wolf, but he felt as if she allowed him permission to breathe once she stepped over him and walked away. Janette moved in and offered him a hand, carefully getting him back to his feet. He was still aching in pain as he made himself comfortable sitting atop one of the display tables, keeping a watchful eye on his assailant.
"Terribly sorry, ow! I didn't realize you finally went and hired a bodyguard." He laughed softly, continuously rubbing his arm and shoulder.
Janette smiled nervously in return. "You can say that, what brings you here? I see the Den has taken up a new religion."
The old man snorted and rolled his eyes, "Ha, hardly! These blokes come in and leave their banters around as if they owned these lands. Had a bit of a run-in with them just this morning. Honestly, I'd much rather fancy a talk with your new guard then spend a minute of my time with them."
"Did they hurt you?"
"Nay, thank the gods. I feared they would mess about with me shop, but the garden was left in tact. Just a bit of intimidation, nothing I haven't handled before. Though, I'd keep me head down if I were you. This ain't something I've seen in some time, but I can smell trouble coming this way. Call it a sixth sense of mine, but ever since my time at the barracks I can tell when troubles coming on the way, and I'd advise you to keep your head down in this time."
"Why do you say?" Janette asked in a low voice, glancing toward the entrance and back to him.
He leaned in close and cupped his mouth. "They've sent for a Hunter, and they ain't taking no for an answer. They're on the hunt for that monster girl from some time ago, Lyz made mention of it the other day. You know how she likes to gossip? Well, she spoke to them that day, her mouth just spitting out word after word about this one said this and that person did that. I'm sorry to say, but they roughed her up a bit 'till she spat out about that monster girl. Now they sending for more soldiers."
"By the gods," Janette gasped, her eyes growing wide as her heart began to skip. "Did they hurt her?"
"Nay, I think she was pushed around and got a few bruises. But she's closing up for a few weeks, we're following her and doing the same. I don't know who these folk are, but I've heard stories. Nasty stuff, nothing pleasant to tell the misses about back home."
"But, when are you leaving? You can't leave, how else are you going to make ends meet? That's been your shop for longer than I've been here!"
He smiled and brushed away her concerns with the wave of his hand. "Ah, we've saved up a bit on our years being here. What's the point of stocking up on some coin if you can't spend it, aye? I'm here today to stock up on what's left before going home. We'll figure something out, 'sides it's not like this is the end of it. We'll just be on leave for a month, until things calm down again. But Janette, do take care. After what they did to Lyz, I'd hate to hear them do something to you too."
Janette nodded and stepped back, helping him off the table before catching him with a hug. He smiled brightly and held her back, patting her back gently. "Well look at that, since when have you gone sentimental on me?"
"I just- shut up." Janette smiled back, pulling away and crossing her arms. "Promise me you'll take care, okay?"
"Of course, I got me a misses to get back to. Wouldn't leave her even if I be at death's door." He breathed in and slowly made his approach toward the entrance, pausing before looking back. "Hope to see you in the morning again, my little morning bird."
"I would get me a cane if I were you." She smirked in return.
He chuckled and waved back, closing the curtain behind him. Janette watched his silhouette fade away in time, turning around to face Reta as she tapped her fingers impatiently on the front counter.
"Are we ready yet?" She asked, raising her brow and setting a fierce gaze that it sent a chill under Janette's skin.
She shuddered and turned around, pressing the satchel to her chest. "Y-Yes, ready!"
Just as she pulled the curtain away, she crashed into someone and fell back, her satchel dropping on the floor.
"Excuse me, we're closed!" She groaned, rubbing her cheek and opening her eyes.
"Yes, forgive my intrusion. Many places around here have been closed, and it was not my intention to intrude upon you like so." The figure replied back, his voice carrying a certain eloquent accent as the words flowed together with proper pronunciation.
He reached out to offer her a hand as she accepted, feeling him practically pull her up as if she weighed like a bag of feathers. It startled her and she lost her balance, stumbling forward and pressing against his chest. Only, she didn't feel any tunic or fabric but rather a hardened surface, as if she were feeling up some sheet of metal.
Metal.
With a startled gasp she pulled away and fell into Reta's arms, looking up to this man with wide eyes as he laughed in return. His voice was different from the rest, but the morning sun was behind him, thus keeping his figure shrouded in a blinding light and leaving him as a shadow. Looking down, he stepped back and took a knee to which she believed was a fancy manner of greeting him. But she was mistaken, as he stood up and held out the satchel to return to her. With a shaky hand, she grabbed her bag and pried it from his loose grip, realizing that he wore fingerless gloves with a peculiar fabric to them. The type of fabric she recognized as those that increased one's grip strength, commonly worn by knights and other sword wielders.
"Thank you?" She struggled to find her voice, feeling Reta pull her back as they retraced their steps slowly.
He nodded and stepped inside, closing the curtain behind him as the details of his appearance were made clear. His fingers hooked around the edge of his black cloak, lifting it carefully before covering his body from the neck down. She had guessed from the brief feeling of his chest that he wore some kind of armor beneath that cloak of his. As he stood still, his eyes gazed between the two women with careful precision and purpose, but with just a quick blink they softened and remained half-closed, albeit looking more friendly to them. The bags under his eyes expressed the many sleepless nights he had endured in his lifetime, and the snowy white skin made his body look cold to the touch. His piercing blue eyes seemed mesmerizing and striking, to an extent that any women would find themselves lost in gazing into them for a lifetime. He drew his hood back, shaking his ashy long hair as it fell around his face like curtains parted in the middle, bouncing in the air as he drew in a long breath of the mildew air. He extended his gloveless hand to them pair of women before him, smiling politely and catching Janette's hand with a strong grip.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, mademoiselle. My name is Leone, Leone of the twenty-fifth night."
