I've been restless.
Too restless. in my sleep i saw the terrified images of the witches ive killed. images of their tear ridden faces.
Was it a spell? Or was it a curse? I didnt know. Since i killed the countryside witches, ive been feeling ill.
True. I took the bounty the church gave me. True: i had their pieces in my beasts. True, i ended up taking the lives of the beasts that ate them. thought it'll make the restlessness go away. but it didn't.
But i wasnt restful.
Since i was shot with a poison arrow a few weeks back, ive been restless too. I know i hadn't seen the one who did shoot at me. But that wasnt what made me restless.
The crones words rang on my mind like a curse i couldnt get them off my head.
its been months now, since the last of the crones died. But there were news of the witch queen being spotted around here and i was now in the middle of the bar of which the bounty of the queen was just about to be announced. heard it was quite hefty. heard she had taken out a lotta hunters been sent behind her ass.
"hello mate." some miserable soul said sitting next to me. He put a pitcher of beer next to mine and looked at me.
"what do you want?"
"heard you were going after the queen ey. wanna join us?"
"sorry mate, i roll alone."
"heard she is as rough as a troll."
"as beautiful as a princess, but as deadly as a basilicks. sure you can handle it?"
"wanna know how to kill a troll?" i asked him as i took my pitcher off the bar. "shine sunlight on it." i said and moved to a corner to brood.
why dont the monks ever get here in time? i cant stand all this muscle in one place is just begging for trouble.
"where is he?" some drunkard said three tables away after downing a full pitcher. "where is the motherfucker they call Adreana? where is the pussy that always takes our kill?" he asked looking around. the loud tarven fell dead silent as the sound of my name.
i turned from the corner i was in and looked at him. he was one giant asshole. but guess what, i was a bit off. punching something wasnt a good idea when i was in this mood.
they moved aside and made an aisle for him to walk directly towards me.
but he couldn't even go straight. what a lightweight. "twart."
i turned back to my cup and slowly drank my liquor.
"so you are the one. the legendary Adreana, the light bringer? why do you keep taking our mark?" he asked stumbling next to me.
"lose weight, you move like a tired rhino." i told him as he breathed right into my liqour. darm it. did je ever blow his nose or was his breathing just his way of blowing his nose.
"whats you say?"
"you just spoilt my drink. get out of here before i make you give birth to the child you've been carrying for ten years." i growled at his stomach. huge stomach. the guys behind me chuckled and i frowned at them. i hate laughter.
"what you say? so you're funny huh?" he asked moving in closer to me. i closed my eyes. breath you dont need to fight this asshole.
"just fuck off." i told him as i took my bota bag and took a sip from it.
he tried to grab it but he was way bigger than a boar and moved slow.
i moved out of the way and headed to the bar tender. giving him my back so he could try me. i dared him to.
he tried to jump me and i poked his throat not enough to kill him but enough to make him cough and struggle for air for a moment.
He stepped back, groaning and struggling for air. his mates took out their weapons.
what was this? Tuesday?
"pay your tabs if you're ready to die." i told them as i continued my way to the bartender.
they looked at me then their swords.maybe figuring that i was kidding them or something, they attacked.
the first one i didnt waste time, i dodged and lodged a small dagger i kept hidden beneath my arm braces on his throat. as i moved away from him, he collapsed spraying blood all over.
his partners stopped and looked at me. "I'm going to say this one last time, clear your tabs, or else im gonna have to clear you should you try to touch me."
"refil." i said giving the bartender his pitcher back and and my bota bag extra change for the mess i caused on his floor. he cautiously took the pitcher and the goatskin and filled the bag.
"seems like the monks arent coming, wanna make things a bit interesting?" i asked them as they seemed to forget to put away their weapons.
they quickly put it away.
the monk walked in the ln and walked to the front of the bar. climbed it and started shouting. "the Bounty for the queen witch, has been released. 100 pieces of gold for the one who will bring her head." they passed the paper around papers show8ng how she looked like. i took the paper and almost puked. it was a child. a child just like them.
well maybe tthey are not children as the church say. but if they are witches, whatever curse they put on me. she was going to lift it.
As usual i didnt bother with the pleasantries they shared after getting their bounty. nor did i care for the teams they thought of making.
i was like that.
i was the lone hunter. and they knew it. if they did try to join my hunt, they knew it didnt even matter who you were, a bard, a lucky go get hunter, you lost a foot. i didn't give a shit.
comes from spending years of childhood being bred to hunt monsters. but if monsters were afraid of me, why shouldnt they be.
even the king, he should know i deserve the respect.