Arriving at the Hangman's Finger, the party of five sat down at a table and began ordering food. As they waited, Stephanie looked at the four, noticing Orion playing with Quixi while he discussed with Spartacus about whether or not they should have the rest of their family stay with the church. Looking at Hunter, who remained silent, she felt an unnerving sense as it felt like he himself, was watching her.
"Hunter you don't need to be so uptight. Remember you were the one who invited her with us." Spartacus smirked as he glanced between the two, before turning to Stephanie. "If you have any questions go a head and ask them, we will answer to the best of our abilities."
She looked between the boys as she shook her head. "I can tell you this. If we attack head on, everyone will die. I witnessed their strength, I know what they can do. How do you children expect to defeat such beasts?"
"You're right about witnessing their strength, but you underestimate our power. Besides, who said we're children?" Spartacus smirked as the waitress brought their food over. Hunter pulled out two silver pieces, giving them to her, before he began eating. Both Stephanie and the waitress' eyes widened as they looked at the two pieces. "Tell your boss that he gets twenty extra bronze pieces from the meal cost and the remaining bronze pieces are yours. If he doesn't give you your due tell the east guard captain and he'll inform me the next time I visit the town."
"T-thank you good benefactor." She stammered bashfully as a blush appeared on her face before bowing and taking her leave.
"How could you just give two silver pieces like that?" Stephanie looked at the others as Orion and Spartacus began laughing. Quixi looked up at Hunter with her big round eyes. "Big brother, do you like the waitress? Is that why you gave her so much? Is it because you want to spend time with her?"
Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing as they looked at Quixi in shock. Orion coughed as he turned to Quixi. "Cutie, that wasn't big brother's intentions. He was just trying to do a good deed since he's a kind hearted person. Besides he's too young to be loving a women."
Quixi looked at Orion as tears began to form in her eyes and her cheeks became red. "But if he's too young, doesn't that mean we are too young. But I love you, does that mean you don't love me?"
Orion's face became beet red as Hunter and Spartacus tried holding in their laughter and Stephanie looked at them all in complete shock.
"Quixi, Orion does love you, but what he means is that there are certain things that adults do when they love each other. Don't go asking him to do it because children are not ready to do that kind of thing. If you doubt Orion's love for you than how about we all go and help him get you an engagement ring, so that when you are an adult you can truly give each other your love by marriage. How does that sound?" Spartacus looked tentatively at Quixi as both she and Orion blushed heavily while looking down. She nodded before beginning to to eat, not looking up at anyone else.
Hunter turned and looked at Stephanie, causing her to blush slightly since she was still shocked by this event. He smirked before asking her, "That bishop said it took you six days to get from the farthest village to here. How'd that work?"
Her eyes widened as she blushed even more, [So he wasn't going to do anything romantically... Wait a second! Why am I even thinking like this? What the hell, he's only a little kid, what the fuck is wrong with me?!] She cooled down and turned to the others, "Dunham is a village located in the high hills. It takes about four days to walk to the village of Tutan, which is located on the same river as Adenville. It than takes about a day and a half by boat to travel from Tutan to Adenville. If we were to travel by horse it would take two weeks to reach Dunham."
"I see, so we'll most likely be taking a boat tomorrow." Hunter said as he looked at Spartacus.
"Once we arrive at Tutan, can you run ahead and find them, brother?" Spartacus asked, which Hunter gave a prompt nod to. He than turned back to Stephanie. "Do you have a place to rest the night?"
"I have some bronze pieces that should be able to get me a cheap room here. Thanks for the concern." She waved her hand calling the waitress over.
"Are you sure? If you want to stay with us for the night, it's free of charge." Hunter said as he took a deep breath in, smelling no coin on her. She looked around the table seeing Spartacus and Orion smile at her while Quixi stared at her with big eyes. "Big sister, are you coming to play with us?" She asked hopefully, smiling as Stephanie finally relented.
The party got up, leaving the Hangman's Finger and heading towards the Eastern gate as the sun finished setting, cloaking the town in a moon lit night. Arriving at the gate, Hunter went up to the captain, "Hey, spread the word to the entire guard. My family will be coming and staying in the church for a while as I have some business to attend to. If I find that anything has happened to them, there will be hell to pay."
"D-don't worry sir. I will inform the guards and we'll have a team of five watch over them and keep them safe." The captain shivered as he spoke to Hunter, [So the rumor was true, the church has requested the boy in black to go help kill the Feniri. I really hope he is powerful enough, cause if he isn't then we are all doomed]. "Have a nice night and stay safe sirs and misses." He said as the party walked away, heading for the dark woods in the distance.
"How far are we going?" Stephanie asked as she worriedly looked around her at the dark forest.
"It's a couple of hours away, but if you're willing to let one of us carry you we can be there in a few minutes." Hunter replied with a smirk as Orion and Spartacus tried holding in their laughter. Spartacus took off, disappearing in an instant, which caused Orion to scoop up Quixi and disappear as well. Stephanie, wide eyed, looked at where the three people had been standing just seconds before. Hunter put his hand behind his head as he looked at the others leaving. "I guess you don't get a choice, I'll be carrying you it seems. Do you want me to give you a piggyback ride or a bridal carry?"
Hearing the words bridal carry, Stephanie blushed as she glanced at Hunter. [I wonder what color his eyes are. Would they have any gentleness in them since he seems like such a dangerous person?] "Uh can you give me a piggyback ride?"
Hunter smirked as he turned his back to her and squatted down, bending his back forward slightly and putting his hands out behind him. "Ok, you are going to put your hands on my shoulders as you pull yourself up, wrapping your legs around my waist and then wrapping your arms around my neck, not to tightly please." He guided her on how to mount him and as she finished clamoring up he turned his head slightly so he could see her face as he squeezed her thighs.
"Y-you pervert! I trusted you and now your taking advantage of me!" Her face turned bright red as she angrily shrieked. Hunter laughed as he looked at her. "Relax lady Stephanie, I would never take advantage of you. If this is how you react just from me teasing you, I wonder how you will react once we are both older." He smirked as she blushed severely while going quite.
"Can we just get going, please?" She whispered weakly into his ear, catching Hunter's cheeks slightly reddening before he quickly looked forward. [Haha, you pervert. What comes around goes around. Maybe next time you won't think about teasing me again... well I guess it wasn't so bad. Wait! What am I thinking?! I can't let this pervert mess with my thoughts anymore. Once we get to their camp I will stay as far away from him as possible!]
Stephanie shrieked as Hunter took off, sprinting through the trees as if he were the wind itself. Looking around them, Stephanie watched as the trees merged together almost causing a slight hypnosis caused by the blur, the gentle rocking of the solid steps Hunter took as he ran, making sure that he didn't cause any bumps or jarring that could discomfort her, and finally the fact that she couldn't hear anything that was going on around her. She glanced at Hunter in shock and awe, not realizing he was slowing down until she suddenly heard that roaring sound of thunder.
Looking around she realized they had arrived at a clearing that had three sides covered by cliffs, with a waterfall cascading down from the middle cliff, and a pool below the waterfall which fed into a gentle river that was flowing past them into the woods. "Wow this place is beautiful."
Hunter gently lowered himself, allowing her to gently hop off before he turned and smiled at her as he stuck out his hand. Stephanie blushed as she looked at Hunter, contemplating on how she should think of him. Lost in thought, she was quickly shocked and came to her senses when she realized Hunter had not waited and instead taken her hand and was gently leading her towards the base of the cliffs.
Arriving at the cliff base, Hunter lead Stephanie up into the cave behind the waterfall. "What the hell is going on? Where are the others?" [Is he going to do something to me?] she worriedly thought.
"They are here, the fire has been put out so the children can sleep. As long as you trust me, I'll guide you to the girl's sleeping chamber and Sylvia can help you to an empty spot." Hunter felt Stephanie squeeze his hand as he lead her farther back into the cave.
"Big brother is this our new sister?" Sylvia walked out, using her heightened sense of smell to figure out where they were before she took Stephanie's hand and guided her into the room. "She's going to need some blankets and a pillow." Sylvia said over her shoulder, barely hearing Hunter walk off to the boy's chamber and then returning.
After leading Stephanie to an empty spot, Sylvia went back and grabbed the blankets and pillow from Hunter, realizing that his scent was on them. She smiled while shaking her head as she brought the items over and handed them to Stephanie. "I mean I knew big brother was kind and gentle, but I didn't know he could be like this," she whispered in Stephanie's ear, making sure to be quiet so as to not wake any of the other girls.
"What do you mean?" Stephanie looked at Quixi as she set up the blankets and pillow, climbing in once everything was done.
"Big brother has taken a liking to you since he gave you his own blankets and pillow for you to sleep tonight." Sylvia gave a toothy grin as she looked at Stephanie.
"W-what?!" Stephanie's cheeks became bright red, a red that spread onto her ears as well. She quickly dove under the covers, taking a deep breath before realizing she could smell Hunter's scent on the blankets. "Um, I-I'm really tired and it is quite late so I think we should go to bed." She stammered as she heard Sylvia giggling as she left to her own bed, crawling and curling up next to Quixi.
[Jeez what is that pervert thinking?!] Stephanie drifted off into sleep, not realizing Hunter was at the cave entrance using his heightened senses to make sure she was okay. Smirking glumly to himself he thought, [She isn't that bad. She is quite cute when she gets flustered, a pity that it can't work out though. The man who gets her will definitely be a lucky guy. He better treat her right, or I'll beat him.]