Author's Note: This is Part One to a story that will be at least three parts, possibly up to six parts. This is my first time writing a serious piece, it's not a quick fix at all. This is a fantasy story, hugely based on the world and events, but having lesbian characters. There isn't sex in this part, but I'm developing the sparks, there will be in Part two though, so if you can hang steady with me until then, you will be rewarded! This will have a comic adaptation which I am currently working on with an Artist. So, more to come. I will post new installments at least once a month, and they will be long. But, depending on my strike of inspiration, it could be as soon as a week. Critique is appreciated.
*****
Chubby fingers tore into tender meat as the genial man spoke, his energy spiking.
"Never seen a beast like it. I'd say it were gorgeous if the size weren't terrifying. About 14 feet tall, strong limbs, probably the biggest bear on this planet! I watched its hulking form skulk through the through the Skyther Woods. Now, I wasn't the only one that witnessed this beast,"
He slammed his fist down on the table, taking a moment to chew his food with his mouth closed. His company, Raven Venor received temporary relief. Her own seemingly delicate fingers clutching the napkin she'd held the entire time and dabbing away specks of the spit that had crossed from his side of the table to her face. It was hard to remain respectful and not place a sealing spell on the man across from her so that he could never speak again. However, the amount of luceat he was offering for this job was a heavy incentive.
Raven observed as he devoured his food with impressive speed. How it was that he could have so much luceat and control any underground crime was a mystery to her, but that wasn't what she cared about. His brows knit tightly together and beads of sweat began to form, as though he was in battle, causing a smirk to play on Raven's lips as she took another bite of her own food, then pushed the plate to the side, only half eaten to then reach for her flask and take a swig. Inevitably he would start speaking again. The burning liquid eased away all the vile insults that got stuck in her throat and returned her to the calm state that would allow her to continue listening.
"What a fine meal, are you not going to eat that?! I'll have someone pack it up for you and you can take it on the road. Anyway, an arrow flew to the beast, and you wouldn't believe what happened then! Before my very eyes, I watched as its' large paw swiped the arrow in flight, snapping the damn thing in two. Perhaps the hunter thought it was just a coincidence, as another arrow flew toward the beast, and it did it again, suddenly going down to its' fours and letting out a thunderous roar, and then it bolted. It was fast, and then it was gone. It was agile and aware, no ordinary hunter could get it," the man smiles and reaches into his vest, pulling out a velvet red bag, and dumping its contents between them.
Raven dark eyes widen, it isn't often that she gets paid upfront, her brow quirks as she gives the man a skeptical look. He gives her a wide smile and nods his head.
"Of course, this isn't for the job... yet, I hear you're quite talented at cards, how about we play a game? Should I win, you do the job, you'll be paid after, and then you'll owe me another job of equal value, for free. This will be a contracted deal, so you're bound by your word," he gives her a look, expecting a response.
She shrugs, quite confident that she can beat this man anyhow, but the money is still a lot for such a simple job, it wouldn't be a horrible deal to do two.
"And if I win?"
"This money is yours upfront, whether or not you do the job would be in your hands, but should you do the job, the same amount will be rewarded to you after the work is done. So, you double your earnings."
Raven smiles her first genuine smile of the evening. Easy luceat is the best.
She plays passively, humoring the man, sometimes making him believe that he can win, and then as she grows bored, she switches her game and plays aggressively. The game ends in her triumph, and he begrudgingly watches as she collects all the luceat back into the bag and tucks it into her belt pocket.
She rises from the table and winks at him.
"Don't worry, I'm still very likely to go out and get that beast for you."
Those words would turn out to be a lie. There was no way she could bring the beast to him.
Her experienced feet cast no sound as she stalked her target, it had taken an entire three days of searching to find it, and she certainly wasn't going to allow it to get away. The beast truly was large, and oddly aware. It avoided paths that people may travel on and generally avoided other animals as well. However, it could not detect her. Raven was patient, waiting for the perfect moment to strike with her enchanted bow. And then it came, the beast had stepped in mud and let out a displeased huff and began to shake out its paw.
Should this not have been a job, the bounty hunter may have taken a shot at taming the beast, but there was a lot of luceat on the line. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she aimed at the targets heart. She pulled back and released, a soundless arrow flew toward the target and pierced into its shoulder with the quick movement to dodge it.
It let out a deafening sound of pain and despair, almost enough to rattle Raven out of her concentration, but she persisted. Another arrow grazed the beasts side as it burst into a run. Raven pursued, changing her strategy as her right hand stretched out in front of her, with a clean swipe to the side, the ground in front of the beast rose to create a barrier, it crashed straight into it. The huntress believed this would be the death arrow for the beast, but as the arrow released from the bow, the target shrunk down, and the arrow hit the barrier. She tilted her head in astonishment as fur began to dissipate leaving behind a nude woman.
Raven cursed under her breath as her eyes scanned the unconscious form beneath her. Healing magic was the only magic she'd never bothered to try and master. After all, if her target dies before it can lay harm on her, what would've been the use? She mentally checked that off as a mistake and observed the wounds. The graze wound wasn't so bad, although ugly, the bleeding had already slowed immensely. The real worry was the shoulder. Raven was aware of the healing abilities of a shifter, however, with the arrow still lodged in her shoulder, it was certain not to heal.
She placed her thumb and pointer finger on the arrow, the energy pouring out of her finger tip burning through the wood till the back end fell off. Then, she gently rolled the girl onto her side, grabbed the front end and tactfully pulled it out. There was some bruising on her body as well from crashing into the wall, but that was already beginning to fade. Raven took out her flask and poured some of its contents on the girls' wounds. The liquid sizzled, showing that it was indeed working away at bacteria, when it came to a stop, the huntress gave the girl one more once over. She was down for the count, and by the looks of her tattoo, she was claimed by the Sylven family. That meant a very high reward the longer Raven keeps her away.
She smirked to herself as she took the hooded cloak off her shoulder and put it over the girl, scooping her up and over a shoulder. A deep sigh left the woman's mouth, it wasn't the first time she'd carried a naked woman, but usually it was for very different reasons and a much shorter distance.
She trudged along the woods into the town which she'd gotten her mission. It was a rather raunchy place. One she knew she wouldn't get arrested in for carrying a naked unconscious woman around, and where her name was known enough that an attack would be unlikely. As she made her way to the inn, she got countless offers for the girl she was carrying. Some were high enough that she considered taking the offer and then murdering them to retrieve her. But, that might ruin her reputation. So, she kindly deflected each one.
When she got to the inn, the bartender gave her a funny look.
"I thought ya' liked them sober and consenting," the bartender quipped, offering the woman a smirk.
Raven rolled her eyes. "She's just so tempting, anyway, let me get two room keys," she pulled a coin from her pouch and laid it on the table. "Keep the change, and I want a tab opened in my name."
"Sure! Room 27." The woman smiled as she pocketed the coin and handed Raven two keys.
Raven took them and went up the stairs. She gently placed the shifter on the bed and moved the cloak, observing the wounds again, she was no longer bleeding at all, but her healing barely progressed, why was she so slow at healing?
'She must not have healed herself very much,' the woman thought to herself as she grabbed the shifters wrists and put them together, performing a binding spell and doing the same with her ankles. She then brushed her fingers over the girls' lips in a temporary silencing spell. Now she could go out and find the girl some clothes and food without worrying about her escaping.
Upon Ravens' return to the inn, the girl was conscious and very upset, but didn't try to speak. Raven figured by now, she'd figured out that she'd been silenced. Upon more careful inspection, she realized that something about the girl was very familiar, but she couldn't quite tell what it was.
"Listen to me, the first thing I'm going to do is unbind your hands and ankles, do not try to attack me, I am not an enemy."
Raven was met with skeptical eyes as she approached and brushed her hand over the girls' wrists and ankles, reversing her spell. She proceeded to stretch, and to Raven's surprise, she didn't attack.
"Good girl, now I'm going to unsilence you, do not scream, or I'll just silence you again and you can listen, nod if you understand."
