I had left the tavern to escape from any bounty hunters that may have followed after those idiots, but more importantly, I wanted to avoid explaining the situation to the townsguard. The last thing I need right now would be attracting more attention to myself.
The rain kept pouring onto my head. One of the bounty hunters managed to cut off my hood earlier. Thank my lucky stars — but then again, I brought this upon myself. If I had just kept my head down and let them run along after harassing the barkeep, I'd be sleeping cozy in one of the rooms by now.
Resting under a tree outside of town on a cold and rainy evening was nothing new to me, it had become a habit. Even listening to the sound of rain falling on the tree's leaves had become therapeutic to me, like a song that a mother sings to lull her child to sleep.
Sleep, huh? Maybe closing my eyes for a little while would not be so bad...
I heard the sound of the piano playing from a distance. The melody was so soothing that it was nothing short of magic. Listening to the sound felt as if the pianist was baring their soul to the world and telling everyone, "This is me. This is the anthem of my heart. Listen to me."
And listen, I did. I got out of the room and followed where the sound was coming from. There was a woman seated before the piano. I could not completely see her face but she had a kind smile and a caring voice. She gestured me to sit next to her, and I did. I watched her slender fingers press key after key as she gave life to a gentle sound. She grasped my small hands and guided it along the piano. Before I realized it, we were making the most hauntingly beautiful music I've heard in my life.
"This is the sound of your soul, Sieg," she said. "Listen to it." |
"That dream again, huh?"
When I opened my eyes it was morning. The rain had stopped and the sun had all but risen. The birds chirped happily above the trees, and it was a new day. I wish I could just cast aside the horrors of the night the same way that the birds do, but a man is different from the birds. They are free, and we are not. We are bound by our troubles — shackled by the sins that we commit... and I am no exception.
I gathered my things and went back to town to visit the guild for my next job.
"Ah, the Mad Wolf, so glad to see you here," said the woman at the counter. She was probably a decade older than I, but she looked like she was not a day older than twenty five. Some would say she was an attractive, but I disagree.
"Got a job for me, Karla?"
She snickered, as if she knew that it would annoy me. "You're not even going to ask me how I'm doing?" Karla played with her hair as she talked to me, I even caught her staring at my lips. It was nothing new to. She does it to everyone because it gets her bigger tips for the information she provides. But it never worked on me. I could see right through her vexing eyes.
"Just give me the job, Karla. I don't have time for your crap."
She stifled a laugh and handed me the parchment, "A certain noble came by last night. At midnight, actually — I mean talk about boundaries! I was already getting ready for my beauty sleep," Karla stopped talking and shook her head, "I'm getting off topic. Anyway, this noble asked for you by name," she added. Karla's face had curiousity written all over it. She rested her head on her hand, leaning on the counter. "Since when did women start looking for you by name? You're not thinking of cheating on me, are you?"
"First of all, we're not together. Second, I'm not even going to merit that question with a response," I replied. "What did she want?"
"She said she needed an escort to the Queendom of Regalia."
"She's a noble, she has more than enough soldiers at her disposal to keep her safe. I'm not a foot soldier."
Just as I was about to turn my back on Karla, she grabbed a bag of coins from under the counter. It must've weighed the same as my sword by the size of it. "That's only half of what you're being paid for. The other half, she said would be given once you reach the Queendom," said Karla. "If you're not confident straddling along that amount of money, I'll keep it safe for you until you get back."
While generally being one of the most deceitful persons I know, Karla had always kept her word whe she says "I'll keep it safe for you." With that amount of money, I'd be able to move to a more peaceful country and settle down. I guess there's no more reason to decline.
"You better not spend any of my money, Karla."
"I'll try not to spend it all," Karla bantered. She winked at me and handed me a mug of beer. "On the house," she said.
"No. No, no, no. What do you want this time, Karla?"
Whenever she gives me something for free, it's not really free and it usually ends up
"Relax! I just want you to be in the best state of mind before I tell you more about this job," she giggled as we sat down on one of the tables. "You won't be working alone, I assigned you a partner."
"No. The last thing I want is another person weighing me down on the job, I'm not a babysitter, Karla. I'm a mercenary!" I gulped the beer down then wiped off the froth on my lips.
Karla smiled partially and she gestured someone to sit with us. And of all the people, why did it have to be him! This big oaf is the last person I want on this job, I'd rather have my balls cut than to work with this trouble magnet.
"Hey, Ziggy, long time no see!" He said nonchalantly as if we were buddies. "Stop calling me "Ziggy", you idiot. It's Siegurd."
He chuckled, "That's what I said! Don't be such a kill joy, Ziggy. We're old friends, aren't we?"
"You have badly mistaken our relationship, Lucius. We went on one job together and I already hate working with you."
Karla burst out in laughter, "I love how you two get along so well. This is exactly why I put you two together!" Karla shifted her eyes towards me, looking at me with that sardonic smile of hers. If this was her way of torturing me, I'm not gonna let her win. I'll play along. At least for now.
"Your client will be waiting for you at the west gate by midnight. Don't keep her waiting."