Getting to the drop off was easy. But two of the men didn't seem to think so. They're panting as one of the women in the group picked the lock of the cellar door to a cottage. By the look of Sulia's face and her eyes rolling, these two are new.
"So what exactly are we delivering?" I ask.
Alex sneaks a glare at me. Okay, so I'm not supposed to ask... apparently. Don't care.
"We're handling some magical artefacts." Sulia answers anyway.
From what I know about magical artefacts is that they're only allowed to be handled and owned by registered mages with great skill. The reason for this is because some of these relics can be very dangerous. If one doesn't know how to use it, worse if they don't know what it is, it can create devastating consequences. The fact that we're smuggling these to a buyer means they're not qualified. And by the looks of these packages, there's a lot. Two of them are handled by a large man with impressive muscles. His arms might rip his sleeves because of it. He has short blonde hair and green eyes. And unlike the ones at the pub, he doesn't look dumb. His towering presence could make anyone feel a child compared to him.
Sulia sees me staring at him. She leans in.
"His name is Nathan." She claps her hands. "Alright boys and girls! Time to do what you're paid for."
Immediately the team picked up the remaining merchandise and head back out of the cellar. As they do so quietly I ponder as to why we had to sneak into a cottage for all this. It's not normal to have all this in the cellar of someone's home unguarded. I look briefly back at Sulia as her team works. She doesn't seem to notice her hesitation.
"Here." Alex whispers as he puts a small crate into my arms.
"Isn't this a bit unusual?" I whisper.
"We're smuggling. This isn't unusual."
"I mean the fact that we're taking this from someone's home."
He looks up at the door leading to the house. "Yeah. But that doesn't matter right now. Right now we should be more focused on getting paid."
Everyone but a few exit the cellar with a crate, carried by themselves or in a pair, and start heading back into town. To everyone it's too dark to even see beneath their feet to spot stones or holes they could trip over. So the one's that aren't carrying anything carry fire torches as we make our way. We miraculously make it into town without being spotted. However, this is the risky part. Navigating without being spotted. And this is where my heightened senses become useful.
We go down alleyways and abandoned streets. The one with torches scouting ahead whenever we are forced into a main street. However, when we near the town's market we come to a complete stop. This place usually has a pair of guards patrolling through this area at night. Once confirmed that none are in sight, they start to move forward. I hear something.
"Wait!" I say in a hushed voice, crouching. "Someone's coming. Four people."
Sulia looks at me as if I were crazy.
But it's the truth. I hear four pairs of feet walking towards us from our left. One of them is heavier than the others, so I assume he is either large in weight or built like Nathan.
Sulia makes a move to step forward, where they'll be spotted. But Alex grabs her by the collar and pulls her back. He receives a angry crazed glare. Just then those four people emerge into sight. They're guards. Except one seems slightly intoxicated.
"You know, you guys are the best." The drunk slurs as he sways between two of them. "The perfect guards. I bet the commander will promote you. The asswhole. Did you - did you know that he likes to wear wigs. It's true. Whoops!"
He falls onto the male guard on his left.
"C'mon, Travis. Just a little further."
"Hey, hey. You know what we should do? We should all get together again. Except when you two aren't on duty."
I guess the drunk and one of the other guards got of their shift and decided to go drinking. Or at least watch this one make a fool of himself.
"Hey EVERYONE! LET'S go DRINKING!!"
"Travis! Control your voice." The only female guard commands.
Travis burps. "Sorry, Lily."
"Hmm."
"Man, I can't wait to get him back to garrison. We're going to have so much fun." Said the fourth guard with a smile.
"Oh, yeah. He is going to be so pissed when he wakes up." The one holding the drunk laughs.
"Should we use ink or paint?"
"Ink." Lily says. "Harder to get out."
"Are we going to do just his face or..."
By this point the four guards have walked past and a fair distance away to even notice the smugglers rushing across the streets. Once safe in the shadows Sulia looks at me with an impressed smile.
"You really do have good ears. Alright, you be the scout." She looks at one of the scouts. "Robyn, come here!"
The woman named Robyn creeps over.
"You take Rowena's box."
Robyn obeys and lifts it from my arms. I walk forward, ahead of the group, my footsteps light and silent. We keep walking along the streets, as they're assured that no one else is around. I suddenly stop and angle my head. Two, three... five. Two pairs approaching on our right, and three coming from the street ahead, just around the bend.
"Quick! Hide!"
We split apart and hide in the shadows of the buildings. Those carrying the torches immediately extinguish them and then hold them like clubs. But I don't think our hiding spots are good enough. As soon as those three round the bend, they'll see us and we'll and five on our tail. I look around me. I spot a damp blanket hung out to dry from one of the windows above me. A few rocks. And a rotten wooden cane hidden in a crevasse. I step back out and run up the wall. I just barely grabbed the blanker and I land smoothly on the ground, like a cat. I wrap it around me, tucking my head underneath. A weird and damp hood, but it works. I wrench the cane out of the crevasse and grab two of the rocks. I then rush across the street to Sulia.
"I'm going to distract them. You guys keep going. We're do I meet up with you guys?"
"On the corner of 32 Wynster Street, five blocks in that direction." She points.
"Got it."
With that I run out to the centre where the five people can see me. Turns out the pair were actually a couple taking a midnight stroll, hand in hand. A male couple. Guess it's the only time they can walk openly down the street. The three that have now just rounded the bend however, are guards. I threw the first rock at one of their stomachs.
"Ugh!" He grabs his stomach in pain. "Hey, you there! Ow!"
I threw the second and smallest at another's forehead. I then use the cane and wave it around as if were a sword.
"Woohoo! You weaklings can't get me." I tease.
"Grrr."
They rush at me. But I'm already on the move and run down the street on the left. "C'mon piggies! You're too slow!" I call back to them, keeping my head forward. The hood won't keep up if I turn my head.
"Get back here you scum!"
"Oink, oink! Gotta speak louder."
"Gaaargh!"
This last comment specially made one mad. He ran faster.
"Well, look at that! You turned into a wild hog!" I grin, knowing they can't see my face hidden by the hood that protects me from the street lamps.
I pick up my pace a little as the wild hog guard gets closer. The other two isn't too far behind him, but I can tell he's almost at his limit. Mentally going through the map of the town I determine that the smugglers and Alex are now far away. Still running I use my mental map to navigate my escape and where I would meet up with them. I see why Alex was determined that we explore the town. It was exhausting, but it's worth it. With the route figured out I full speed down the streets and make a sharp turn to my right. I run a few blocks, turn another right into an alley. The alley is L shaped, but I don't go all the way. A fence is just up ahead and I continue running towards it. I run up the 6 feet high fence, grab the edge and swing my body over it. I land smoothly in someone's backyard. At this point the guard will have no idea where I went. I sneak alongside the house and jump over the gate into the streets. I then head to the location.
By the time I get there, the smugglers were bringing the goods in through the back gate of someone's fairly large house. Alex is behind the group, looking around. Waiting. I jog over to him silently with a smile.
"I'm back."
He lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank God."
"Did you doubt me?"
"I just... didn't know you had it in you."
"Well, teasing is always fun."
"Not that. You were so fast, and you're not even out of breathe."
I open my mouth but he beats me.
"Let me guess... genetics."
I smile and we sneak into the backyard with the others. The backdoor has already been opened by a butler who has moved to the side to let them in. Sulia walks out of the house to ensure that everyone is still there. She sees me and smiles, then walks past me and closes the gate.
"You're quite resourceful."
"Thanks." I smile.
Everyone is let into the house and are welcomed to a nice large and luxurious kitchen, with floors that seem to shine in the light. We then walk into a hallway, turn a left and down some stairs. Even the stairs are luxurious. And the paintings we had passed in the hall show how well-off this family is.
The smugglers and Alex place the magical artefacts where the butler directed them. Sulia faced the butler.
"Now, our payment."
But the butler just stares at her, devoid of emotion.
"Didn't you hear me?" Sulia pulls out a knife.
"The Master said he will pay you personally."
"Well wake your master then. I'm an impatient woman and we want our money."
The butler glances at her knife and nods his head. He heads up the stairs. A few minutes later a middle-aged man in his bed-robes comes down the stairs. He looks around the room, pleased to see his wares.
"I thank you for your service." His voice deep but cracked. "Here's what I promised."
He nods to his butler and he gives a tray of bags. Sulia nods to two of her men to take it. But before they could even lay a finger the butler pulls back.
"Ah, I want the lovely ladies to take these." The perverted master smiles.
She glances back and without a signal me and two other girls walk forward and take the bags, ignoring the look the pervert gives us. We leave and return to The Black Crow.
Sulia pours the gold onto the table with a few gems thrown in there. In total there's $12,000. She starts counting and puts a portion in one of the bags. She hands it over to us.
"Here you are. Your share. There's $1,680 in there."
Alex takes it. "Thanks."
"You should stay. Be one of us." Sulia suggests. "You've proven to be very capable."
"We're good thanks. We like to travel."
"With the occasional odd jobs." She smirks.
"Yep." I clench my teeth. I know she's implying illegal work.
Suddenly I feel a stare. I look briefly in the direction to see Nathan looking at me. But as soon as our eyes meet he turns away. I frown confused, but it only lasts a second.
"Well, we're off. Need our sleep." Alex slaps my back in a friendly gesture. "C-ya."
"Bye." I can't wait to leave.
"Alright. We'll meet again."
No we won't. I laugh in my head.
By the time we reach our room and take off our shoes we collapse onto our beds. We lay there on our stomachs, not even bothering about the blankets.
"Tonight was exhausting." I say. "Physically, mentally and socially."
"Physically makes sense. Social I get... because criminals. But mentally?"
"I had to pretend to be a criminal."
"Yeah, you were really good. Maybe you can be an actress."
"I was just thinking that."
We didn't talk anymore than that, as our eyelids grew too heavy. So we slept.
*****
When we woke up we packed our things and left the hotel. We then walk out of the town, down the same path we entered. When we reached a fair distance I hear rustling. I stop. Alex stops too.
"Who's there?" I shout.
Sulia appears behind a tree, a few drop to the ground and others walk out of the bushes. There's more than there was last night. But no Nathan. She's holding a fancy spear, while her subordinates are equipping with a mixture of swords, knives and axes. Not a single one holds a gun. I guess despite them 'earning' a lot of money, they don't have enough to buy a gun. They are very expensive.
I glance at Alex's gun.
"If you want your money... well sorry. But it's ours fair and square."
I take a deep breathe. Just go with it. It's okay.
"We don't want your money. We just want her." Sulia points her spear at me.
"What? What did I do?" I complain.
"It's not a matter of what you've done. But who-"
"Oh, shit!" Alex says and reaches for his gun.
"What the hell are-" I start.
"They're not going to give up anyway." He shoots one in the upper thigh. With that one shot, they all rush at us. "Rose, sword!"
"Oh, right!" I withdraw my short sword and block an attack.
Another rushes at me from my right. I kick the one in front of me in the balls, move to the side and slice the other's fingers off. He cries in pain and kneels to the ground. Within that time Alex has already shot five in the head. I move to the side again, hearing one of the girls attempting to attack from behind. She looks at me shocked, then I headbutt her. She clutches her forehead and I kick her in the stomach. She falls backwards and I stab her in the leg, making sure she won't attack again.
As Alex fights and shoots at Sulia's men, she has decided to focus on me. I block her attack, but she trips me by swinging her foot beneath me and pushes. I fall back. She lifts the blunt end of her spear and pushes it down with strength. I roll to the side right before it hits my head and kick her in the ankle. She gives out a shrill cry and kneels down. I stand up, raise my sword and swing down on her spear. It cuts the end of her blade. Then I swing kick her in the face. She lets go of her spear and clutches her face in pain.
Too distracted by her I'm tackled to the ground. The culprit has pinned me on my stomach. I reach for the knife strapped to my upper thigh and stab him in the thigh.
"Arrgh!" He lifts slightly from the pain. But it's enough.
I roll with him still on my back. Grab my knife out and knock him out with a headbutt. I lift myself up but I'm grabbed hold of by two women and pulled up against a tree. I bite the nose of the one of the left. She pulls back, blood covering it. I elbow the other in the stomach. But she doesn't pull back.
BANG.
She's shot in the head.
I look at Alex who has already killed a number of them, using martial arts to those who get close.
"I'm not giving up."
I turn at Sulia's voice.
"You are worth a lot of money. I'll be set for life."
"Wow. My brother put up a large prize money, huh."
I move my head to the side when she lunged her now staff, at my head. But she swings when it passes my shoulder, hitting me in the head. I drop my knife. She doesn't leave me enough time to recover and the lunges into my stomach.
"Argh!"
She raises her staff, ready to knock me out. As it swings down I raise my right arm and grab hold of the staff. I pull it down then yank it towards me. I side kick her in the stomach. She recovers quickly and swings a punch at me with her free hand. Not being able to block, I take the hit. She kicks my calf. I let out another cry.
"Rose!" Alex shouts. He fires another shot. However, it's not at Sulia. Someone got in the way.
She grabs my throat and chokes me.
"It says bring you back alive." She grins. "It said nothing about injuries."
I scratch at her hand.
"I'll just say it was necessary."
I whimper. I don't want to go back. I like me freedom. I look down at my left hand. Right. Right, I still have the sword.
I raise it and stab her.
She lets go of my neck and looks down. I've pierced her lungs... right near her heart. She falls to the ground with my sword. I look down at my left hand. It's shaking. I widen my eyes in shock. My breathing being inconsistent. I stand there. Just stand there. I don't hear anything. Not the sounds of cries or gunfire. I don't hear Alex calling out my name. My body goes numb.
I killed someone. I killed someone.
My hand continues to shake. It's blurry, but I can feel it. Sulia's dead body is the only thing I see clearly. Her eyes wide open, blood flowing out of her body. Her body contorted in an unnatural way from her fall.
I killed someone.
I feel a dark hand grab hold of my wrist, but it's quickly pulled away.
"Rose! Rose!" My name is faint. Alex grabs hold of my shoulders and shakes me. I snap back to reality. "Rose!"
My eyes meet Alex's worried ones. I hear punching. I look to my left to see Nathan punching a man beneath him. His large figure hiding most of the man.
"Rose, look at me!"
My gaze snaps back to Alex.
"It's okay. Your fine. Your fine."
My lips begin shaking. "I... I."
"I know. I know." He pulls me into a hug. "It doesn't feel good."
After a few moments the punching stops. Nathan approaches us.
"I'm sorry for the late arrival." His voice is deep. "I wasn't aware till I saw the note."
"Note?" Alex asks for me. I don't want to speak.
"I slept in. Sulia left a note that she's going to capture Princess Rose, and kill you." I can hear him puffing. He ran here. "That's... I didn't agree with that. And I'm tired. I'm tired of not being honourable."
"So you want to join us?"
"If you don't mind."
"Rose." Alex's voice is gentle.
"Huh?" I pull back and peel his arms away
"Can he join?"
"Well, I don't see the harm." Even though that sentence sounds normal, I don't feel like I'm the one speaking.
"Alright. Thanks!" Nathan smiles brightly. "It will be an honour to venture with you and Your Majesty."
"Thanks for the compliment." Alex says.
We start along the path. As we walk though, Alex picks up my knife, Nathan my short sword. They know I can't look at them right now. All that blood. Sulia.
Nathan hands my sword, Alex my knife.
"Thanks Nathan." I say.
"Call me Nathe, Princess."
"I'm not a princess anymore. Call me Rose."