Alieya was having mixed emotions at the moment. She was not sure if Fox was just making a dumb excuse by saying that he didn't have his evening meal yet, so that he could talk to her in private. Or if he really telling the truth and haven't had his meal yet.
She wasn't even sure herself why she invited him inside her room in the first place. She could just brought the food outside and give him the food by the bench that they were sitting on earlier.
Why was she even serving him food. Her talks with Zaia earlier made her so confused. Alieya was totally conflicted as she watched the man in front of her ate happily, as if all the things that mattered to him was right in front of him at the moment..
"Are you just going to watch me eat here alone?" Fox asked when he noticed her silence.
"I'll just join you with the wine. I don't like eating at this hour of the night." She answered casually.
"Okey, if you say so. I was really lucky that I saw you outside or I might have a growling stomach all night."
"I was just actually thinking about things. Like, how long are we going to stay here? Or where are we going next?" Alieya said softly, as if the question was more to herself than to him.
"I agreed to search with you for the same kind of beast that I was contracted to, right. Do you perhaps want to bind a beast under blood contract if we can capture one?" Fox asked.
"It was one of the thing Zaia and I talked about earlier. She was even offering me one of the Midnight Dogs on her pack." She answered while pouring him the wine.
"This village only allow three beast contractors, right? One for each clan. But you are not from any of the clan. Maybe it's okey if you do it." Fox encouraged, he seemed suddenly happy with the idea.
"Yeah, But Zaia told me that the ritual takes a long time to be prepared, and I can't afford the resources needed. It's so expensive. It's no wonder why only one member are allowed for each clan." She answered with a weak laugh.
"What kind of resources do they need? Except for the beast's blood of course? Do they melt golds and jewels?" Fox asked curiously.
"Zaia said that it involves some expensive herb flowers that is only available once every 5 years and the ritual must be done at an specific time of the year. That's all what she know because the knowledge of learning the ritual is complicated, she said." Alieya answered.
"Well, maybe we need to get real rich first. And look for a stronger beast, maybe a dragon." Fox said.
"Dragons are believed to be extinct for more than a hundred years already. But that's only because people can't find them anymore. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a dragon in some hidden and uncharted land." Alieya seconded, laughing to herself at the idea already.
"Yeah, But first we need to decide when we're going to leave this place. We can't impose on Zaia's hospitality any longer. Maybe we will come back here in the future to repay her kindness."
"Yes, Now that we know that you're wounds are already healed up and all." She agreed.
"Do you think they will sell us a horse? You can afford a horse, right?" Fox asked suddenly as he finished his food.
"Of course I can afford a horse." She glared at him, almost offended by his question.
Alieya sometimes doesn't understand if Fox was being serious or was just teasing her again.
She knew from the start that their stay here in Zaia's village will not last long. Sooner or later they will have to leave.
She will talk to Zaia tomorrow about the horse, if their clan would allow sell her one. She also need some basic necessities like clothes and other personal stuff, she's a woman after all.
If everything goes well, She and Fox would be able to travel again the day after tomorrow or the day after That.
"You fell quiet all of a sudden." Fox said a couple of minutes later.
"I guess I'm getting sleepy already. Let's call this a night, shall we." She answered, faking a yawn.
"Sure, I have finished my meal too. See you in the morning then." Fox stood up from his seat and gave her a salute.
She just glared at him one more time before walking him outside her door.
----------
The sun was barely rising from the horizon when Stingray open her eyes.
She fell asleep at the ship's observation post last night. She made a few leg and arm stretches before she jumped down to the main deck.
Most of her pirate crewmates were still snoring besides the empty bottles of liquor they drank last night.
This in a normal sight to her as she had already been with the crew for almost one month and two ports now. They don't usually dock on ports for more than a whole day and today was no different. They arrived yesterday before sunset and they will pull their anchor after she delivered her message to the client later that afternoon.
The Hammerhead pirate's leader, Kingfisher had agreed to accept the job to attack and burn down the village as requested. In order to make sure it will be done, they need to purchase supplies and rations.
Everything inside the ship are rationed. From the food, the drinks, even the weapon munitions and explosive charges. She has a dual shot rifle given to her but she never actually used it yet, so her rations for her ammo was still intact. She prefers her dagger while working.
Later today, she will just carry her dagger once again, afterall she will just deliver a message.
Stingray walked briskly to their messy kitchen to look for something to eat. From time to time she would see some naked whore beside a snoring pirate. This kind of view doesn't bother her anymore. She is even somewhat relieved that her crewmates are allowed to pick some whore from the harbor. That way, she was being left alone.
The day passed on on quickly and the time to deliver her message back to their client finally arrived.
Stingray jumped back again to the small boat she used yesterday and rowed steadily back to the port. She didn't wait to long before the group of 5 men from yesterday came to her view again.
She secretly unsheathed her dagger and hid it again inside her sleeves. She can't be too careful to anyone.
"Good afternoon once again." She greeted the men as she gave them her exaggerated salute.
Marco Decontre was wearing a stylish suit once more, as if to showcase his high standing in the society. the soldiers beside him were carrying a small wooden crate.
"I have returned as we agreed yesterday. Do you accept my job request?" Marco DeContre didn't seem to like beating around the bush.
"We accept the job. That small village that you were speaking of will be erased from the map in two days. I need 10 percent of the gold as advance payment. As you know, we also need to make some preparation before we assault the village. I also need the map that tells me the exact location of the village" She answered in a clear voice.
Macro DeContre seemed to have already expected her demands as he casually nodded to the four men beside him.
The four soldiers walked towards her and placed the wooden crates at her feet.
She watched them in a bored eyes as they opened the crates and counted the gold.
"I had assumed you would ask for 25 percent of the gold as advance payment. I brought in 25 percent. The remaining 75 percent of course will be given to you upon the completion of the job. The map is also there, as you can see." Marco DeContre explained.
"That's good to hear. If you have nothing else, then this will be the conclusion of our meeting today." She said.
"You seem to be forgetting something. It's a common practice for both sides of a party to give something as a guarantee before a business is closed in a dead. I just gave you the advance payment more than what you asked for. What is your guarantee that you will commit to your end of the deal?" Marco DeContre asked, almost suspiciously.
"It seems like it's you that's forgetting something. You approached a group of pirates, not some over-the-table businessmen." Stingray responded flatly.
"It's really not what I--"
"Look mister Le Compre, It's you that requested for our service. We don't usually accept just any job request. If you are uncomfortable about letting go of your gold, then we can just simply call this whole thing off. You can just hire some mercenaries, which I believe you already did and you failed." She said and spat on the ground, as if disgusted by the man in front of her.
"It's fine, I believe in your group. Let's continue on with the deal." Marco DeContre said after a moment of awkwardness.
"Good. Expect the village in a pillar of smoke in two days. You can head there personally if you have your doubts." She said as she picked a piece of gold and tossed it playfully in the air, then let it drop in the pile with a dull clang.
"Yes, I guess I will do that." Marco DeContre replied before turning his back and leaving the area.
Stingray stood there of a few more minutes then quickly put back the covers of the wooden crates filled with gold. She circled around the area to make sure that the client and his men had already left before slowly dragging the wooden crates towards her small boat.
Her bluff earlier almost backfired to her face when she lifted and tossed the gold bar in the air. She did not expect that something barely as large as a soap would be so heavy.
If she tried to catch that piece of gold, she was sure that her small wrist would have been broken by now.
Stingray let out a loud sigh when she finally loaded all the gold inside her boat. Kingfisher only asked for 10 percent of gold. That was 10 solid pieces, no more, no less. A cold sweat slowly formed in her forehead as she counted the gold pieces in front of her. 25 pieces.
She doesn't exactly know how much a single piece of gold bar was worth, but she believe that it should be enough to buy her a house.
"What if I ran away right now, forget everything and start anew?" She mumbled to herself
She wildly shook her head. She can't do that. She has a much more important mission ahead of her. And she can quickly accomplish it if she stays with the Hammerhead Pirates a bit more.
The thought of running away with all the gold was quickly put into the corner of her mind as she slowly rowed her boat back towards their ship.
Kingfisher was in good spirits when she reported back in his cabin.
The glittering gold was piled on top of his wooden table as he studied the map of the village closely. She already told him that their client, Marco DeContre would come to check when they attack.
Kingfisher nodded at her but kept his focus on the map on his hands.
Stingray had also studied the map for a short while. It wasn't very much detailed so she was able to memorize it in just a few glances.
The village was about five kilometers across, from border to border. On the east was the expansive sea where they would start their assault. On its north were the massive mountainous cliffs and on the west and south-west was the forest.
The planning will be Kingfisher's responsibility. He has a few trusted men, and strong individuals too. Stingray bet that they would be part of the vanguard. She was not sure what her part would be, maybe she would just slip in the group and make her own kills. She doesn't have to make herself stand out too much, it would be enough that she would be seen fighting with the crew.
The conditions of victory for her was that she should not die, she will not be captured by the villagers and that she still have to be with the crew after the assault.