2022-11-10 17:37:53“Well, a rose is soft and fickle for a season, so it seemed a good match,” she replied. "No, I’m good for a rose, just odd of you to praise me as such."
The huntress gave a snicker while James' face went red with inconvenience. "As Alex turned to leave, he said, "We should be on our way; it is getting dark." The woman said, "Hold," "Why not make camp with me?"“Oh?” "And why would we do that?" James asked.Alex said as he took off his gear and started putting his bedding in the leaves. "We'd love to," he said.“What?” asked James, "This woman has asked us to be her guests; it would be impolite to turn her down, and I for one would welcome an extra hand in these perilous woods." James grunted audibly, "Ugh," but he soon also was putting his bed up for the night.Alex replied, "Scarlett, yours?" "I'm sorry, I do not know your name."James responded, "Alex," "Sir Alex and his companion the fool," "The fool has a name," "I would prefer you use it," and "James, is it?I prefer fool more," "Tell me once more why we're camping with her?"Alex laughed only. What is so amusing? James and Scarlett both asked at the same time. He just shook his head and smiled as he sat down on his mat. James attempted to sleep while lying on his side away from the two. While covering her body with her substantial fur cloak, Scarlett did the same.Alex was uneasy after talking to Scarlett.She had only praised him for his efforts to forget his past with the Nine.His agony returned as his thoughts turned to the faces of his former friends. He rolled and went attempting to shake the recollections while tears came to his eyes.The one thing that always brought him peace occupied his thoughts as he attempted to overcome his despair. a stunning tavern girl from the king's castle's face.Naturally, when he was younger, he tried to court her, but she always turned him down. Brytt was her name, and when he was knighted, he thought it would make her feel special.He laughed out of dread as he thought of her smile as she refused to extend her hand to him in front of all his friends.As he was laughed out of the room, he felt ashamed and enraged. He had been with many women during his knighthood, but she was the untarnished jewel of his memories, and he was relieved that she didn't waver in her resolve. Now, however, it was a pleasant memory.He quickly fell asleep.When he awoke, Scarlett had vanished, and the sun had just begun to rise over the mountains. James awoke when he began to gather his bedding. He also organized his belongings. After that, Scarlett showed up with three dead rabbits.She started a fire and began skinning the small animals.James covered his nose and yelled, "Ugh, that smells horrid." "Don't worry, the smell will pass once I cook them," he said, "Let's just hope you're a good cook."As she cut open the gut of one of the rabbits, Scarlett glared at him. James turned away as he cringed at the scene. The three of them silently consumed the cooked food as the fire roared and popped. Alex then took his food away without warning and looked around. Scarlett said, "I hear it as well." James got up and drew his sword.They were surrounded by five men riding armored horses. The province's crest was emblazoned on their breastplates, and they were covered in heavy armor. Alex looked at James, who was concealing his weapon, and said, "Knights."Scarlett grabbed her lance and held it in a battle-stance as the largest of the men pointed at her and said, "You're under arrest." Hold, Alex, who stood between them, asked, "What is her crime?"What are you?"I am Alex of Clan Tolbert, and I ask again:" asked the knight.What crimes does she have?“No peasant may hunt the beasts of the land without paying taxes for doing so, she has paid nothing,” "Explain the laws pertaining to poaching," "Poaching on the land of the king," and "How much does she owe?"Surprised, Scarlett looked at Alex.He appeared to be siding with the knights, and she hoped he would help her.Alex turned to her and said, "She owes forty coins; otherwise, she will spend a day in prison per coin."Allow them to take you, I'll work off your obligation and you'll be liberated inside two or three days,""You must be joking, it is out of line for the ruler to charge for nature's gift!And there's no need for you to shoulder the blame for me. "So long as you live in the land, you must obey the laws." "I thought you were different; you were a Knight of Omega, but I guess you're just another stuck up noble."James yelled, "You keep your mouth shut!“This man deserves your respect--” “James,” Alex shook his head at him. “But, what you did for me...” “Was to save you a hand, she must pay for her crimes and forty days imprisonment is the law, should she want my help it is offered.” “Do as you will,” Scarlett said. “I’ll be going now.” Alex blocked her path. “You need to either pay the coin or go to the dungeon, I cannot support you in yourHe said, "He saved my life, let us try to help you," so listen to him.When Scarlett realized that there was no way out, she released her lance. James took it, and she also gave him her bow. After that, she gave in to the knights and was taken to the castle through the woods.James and Alex were next. They gave the knights Scarlett's weapons when they arrived at the castle. They both immediately began looking for employment. While Alex looked for any odd jobs he could, James took a table cleaning job at the nearby bar. He quickly came across a traveling merchant whose wagon's wheel was broken."Need help, sir? "The corpulent merchant asked Alex, "Yes, my fine fellow, I would appreciate a helping hand in such a circumstance," and Alex replied, "What is your price of service?""I will permit you to organize cost once my work is done,""Is it true or not that you are certain that is insightful? “I do know, but I care little for others' dishonesty, I only wish to help where I can,” “Very well,” “This world is filled with many unscrupulous characters.”Alex examined the damaged wheel with his tools. He started working while the merchant sold his goods to the crowds of people in the nearby market. Using the materials that the merchant had given him, Alex made a new wheel. He finished with the new wheel securely fixed to the wagon after working for a few hours.When the merchant returned with a bag full of coins from the previous day's sales, he commented, "That's a fine job," and "I'd say you've earned thirty coins for your labor." Alex took thirty from the merchant's bag and placed them in his satchel.His royal crest was then missing when he looked in. He gave a quick survey of the area and wondered who might have taken it. Before heading toward the tavern, he shook his head and gathered his belongings. As Alex entered, James was collecting ale mugs while wearing an apron.James, who was too busy to recognize him, replied, "Just grab a seat sir," "Very well wench, but make it quick," and waited for James's response. He smirked at Alex as he turned around. He dared his friend to call him "wench" once more.“Oh I’m sorry James, I mistook you for a woman in that apron,” they both laughed, and James continued with his duties. "And I thought you were just another drooling drunkard, so I guess we’re even." He provided Alex with a water mug.Until he felt better, Alex watched him dash from table to table, bringing drinks and retrieving bottles.He dropped a coin bag on the table and said, "Here.""What is that?" “Did you steal these?” Alex inquired.“What?No!" That's a lot of money for only a few hours work," "It's customary around her to leave a coin for the server, but needless to say I think we can help Scarlett now," "Funny, I thought you didn't like her," "What makes you think that?" I earned them fairlyAlex drank the last of his water and stood up, declaring, "Nothing." After that, the two of them left the pub and set out for the dungeons. The knight who had taken Scarlett was there to greet them. James gave him the coin bag. Before nodding, he counted them all thoroughly. Before they could enter, he took them to the cells and ordered them to take off their gear and weapons. The large steel door was unlocked by the knight, and they entered to find Scarlett and a few other prisoners chained to the wall.As he unlocked her cuffs, the knight said, "Your debt has been paid in less than a day?" She inquired, to which Alex responded, "Yes," "This castle-town was ripe with opportunity," and "Well, how am I supposed to repay you?" She said, "There is no need, you do not owe us anything," and "I'm free to go?" even though I had done nothing to deserve it?“You are, all we ask is that you adhere to the laws of the province, including tax laws,” James said as he and Alex turned to leave. “But—”Scarlett stood there and observed their departure. As they rounded the corner, she felt her heart sink. After that, she looked at the knight.Where are my possessions?She inquired. She was led by the knight to a chest with her belongings in it. She carried her bow while donning her headdress and bracers. She then left with her lance from the wall rack.James counted out the remaining coins as Alex and James moved through the town. James replied, "I should become a full-time tavern servant," "We still have forty coins left," and "What are you going to spend it on?"“Not sure yet, I’ve thought about getting a second dagger,” "You should learn to wield a sword, a real weapon,” "There’s nothing wrong with daggers, they don't slow me down," "With the right amount of training, neither does a sword," and "Maybe I’ll have to show you that daggers can be just as deadly" are some of the responses that have been offered.
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The Righteous Way Chapter 6
It's not about lethality; it's about honor; daggers are the weapon of an assassin because they lack honesty, and a sword is meant to be seen, not hidden;" A coward could use a sword just as a warrior could use a dagger, I have no guilt using one," and "a symbol of the truth of one's intentions"James paid five coins each for two rooms at the inn by this time. Alex said his usual prayer of thanks as they sat down to eat. James waited for him, his stomach growling as he tapped his foot in annoyance.James asked as they began to eat, "How long does it take to say "thank you"?" "I not only give thanks for the food, but for the day being as fair as it was, for my victory over the bandits, for our encounter with Scarlett, for the good knights who showed us the way to this settlement, and for giving us the work needed to help our friend." "You really think some deity planned all that to happen before it happened?" James asked. "I not only give thanks for the day“Planned? No, yet advanced th
The Righteous Way Chapter 7
Scarlett leapt from the tree and silently grasped the window, "There is no need to hide Scarlett, we have no need for secrecy." She sat on the single chair while Alex sat on the bed after Alex pulled her in.The moon and the brilliant stars that shone through the window were the only sources of light.“Well, you’re here now, may I ask why you’re following James and I?” "I didn't want to bother you,""Your fool is of no consequence; I only follow you," "That fool is my friend, and his name is James;" I would anticipate the use of his name, "Either way, you're the one I follow," and "And for what cause?"Alex stood to gather his belongings and said, "I would wish to join you in your journeys, should you not want me I’ll be on my way." "I would be honored, but only if you apologize to James and disband the use of the word fool, he is much smarter than he lets on, we will leave tomorrow so be ready by then, you may take my bed." "No, a lowly peasant such as myself has no place in the bed r
The Righteous Way Chapter 8
James stood sweating under the hot sun. Alex stood across from him with a wooden sword in his hand. James charged with his two wooden knives and Alex easily blocked one with his sword and grabbed James ’s other hand twisting until he released his weapon. He pushed James away and waited for him to pick up the practice weapon once more.“Your attacks are obvious, you need to use grace, not brutality,” Alex said.James crept towards him holding his weapons up. He thrust and was knocked away, James then spun with the hit and almost struck Alex ’s side, but failed as Alex caught his arm before the blow.“Close, you used the momentum of my parry against me, very instinctive,”“Maybe you’re right, I should use a sword,”“Well, before you make the switch let’s try something else.” Alex dropped his sword and put up his arms in a fighting stance. James did the same. Alex swung at him and he ducked then retaliated with a flurry of strikes to his friend’s abdominal region before leapi
The Righteous Way Chapter 9
“You are a thief, aren’t you?” Alex asked,“Well not any... oh... you mean?”“Yes,”“What?” asked Scarlett,“Nothing wench, just leave it to me,”“James --” Alex tried,“No, let’s see what the fool can do,” Scarlett gave him a smile.Once Alex was free James began to look at the door. “No handles on this side or keyholes... but it’s a simple latch mechanism.” He pulled out one of his daggers which had been hidden in his pant-leg. He slid it through the crack and lifted the latch. “Still think the all-seen sword is the only weapon worth holding?” James slowly opened the door and peeked about. No one was in sight which gave him an eerie feeling. “I guess they all feel safe enough to leave us unguarded,” he said,“Be careful anyway,” said Scarlett.The three exited the building and disappeared into the shadows. Once they were a safe distance from the village James crouched in the dirt and began to draw.“Alright, so if this is the village we need to set up here, here, and here,” he
The Righteous Way Chapter 10
“That’s very clever,” said Alex as they stepped on the fresh made path, “I should learn how to construct one,”“Why?” asked James from under his hood, “If we’ve not horses to pull it?”“Because we could share the design with other kingdoms,” said Scarlett, “Typical you’d only think to use it yourself,”“And you like walking in the deep snow?”“No, I loathe it, but you should know by now we do not act for ourselves,”“I do know it, but sometimes I wonder why not make life a little easier,”“Because challenge invites growth,” said Alex , “While luxury invites stagnancy,”“I’m not asking for a castle, just a horse, maybe one for each of us,”“When I first met you how far could you run before being winded?” Alex asked,“I don’t know, a fair distance I guess,”“And how far can you run now?”James thought about it. It had been six months since that fateful day of their meeting. He realized he could run three times farther and faster now than before and was much stronger.“I see your poi
The Righteous Way Charter 11
“It can’t be true...” she cried, “I don’t want to be alone,”“You’re not alone, we can help you find a new home,” said James ,“I don’t want a new home! I want my daddy!”She ran away through the snow. Alex stayed behind staring at the moon while James followed her. She ran towards the city, but tripped and fell into a snow-bank. She laid there screaming until James picked her up to rock her.She only hugged him and cried as he carried her home. When they arrived she was asleep. Scarlett met him outside the hut. “What happened?”“We informed her of the truth, she didn’t take her father’s death very well,”“How would you expect her to take it?”“I know, but hopefully we can find her a new family,”“I guess we’ll worry about it in the morning,” said Alex now appearing around a corner, “We could all use a little sleep.”The troupe entered the hut and did their best to find places to sleep. James put Isabelle on her bed and he covered her before retreating to the floor. All three dri
The Righteous Way Chapter 12
“This place looks promising.” James said,“What about Isabelle?” Scarlett asked, “This is no place for a child,”“Take her to the beach,” James said, “I’ll bet she’s never seen the ocean.”Isabelle’s face lit up as she tugged on Scarlett’s cloak. “Can we? Please!?” Scarlett smiled. “Of course, let’s go for a swim.” The two ladies left for the bay. Guards soon arrived to break up the scuffle and after the fight was over James and Alex entered. Broken tables and chairs were strewn everywhere. Broken glass from the many smashed bottles littered the wet floor. As the patrons filed out with bruised bones and faces Alex approached the distraught tavern-master.“Animals!” he shouted, “Every last one of ’em!”“Would you like some help?” Alex asked,“What help? Don’t you see my tavern!? It’s smashed to pieces,”“Well sir,” said James , “My companion and I are skilled woodworkers, we can fix up your tables and chairs in no time,”“And what would you ask in return?”“Food, water and three
The Righteous Way Chapter 13
He kept pushing forward listening to Isabelle’s screams. Something grabbed the back of his shirt keeping him from swimming farther. He looked back to see James trying to hold him. “Don’t be a fool, we can’t catch him!” James shouted, spewing the seawater from his mouth.“We have to! I will not leave her!”“And I won’t let you die in vain! She’s gone Alex , there’s nothing we could have done!”Alex watched the boat disappear and felt the overwhelming dread enter him. James pulled himself and his friend along the rope he’d tied to the ship until they were at the side. James pulled himself up followed by Alex .James went to the helm and steered the ship east towards the shore. He locked the wheel and went to sit with his companion who laid on the deck in agony over the loss. “There was nothing to do, he would have killed her,”“And we condemn her to a fate worse than death? To be some pirate’s slave?”James wasn’t sure what to say, he too was feeling the loss of Isabelle weigh on
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Chapter 105
Feeling his back pockets, Alex told him, “Well come with me, we drops down to Bank of Montreal. I needs a bit of air, and a smoke maybe.”The door to Jimi Jak's opened, sound blowing out to the street for a moment or two and then gone, muffled inside. Alex lit his cigarette while he and Staunch went down the steps, which were now soaked in beer, streaks of blood, and littered with smoked down cigarettes butts from a successful, savage night. The Bank of Montreal only across the road from the bar, they crossed over once cars whizzed past.Nobody was inside the bank's ATM lobby. Alex passed Staunch the rest of his smoke before heading up towards the doors.“Not sure which one'll work,” Alex said thumbing through a handful of stolen debit and credit cards. “Might be a few minutes.”Alex went in to the bank machine and Staunch stood alone, drunk, in the dead of night. Occasionally, a car passed, a sound of laughter from the bar flew on the breeze, and a short time Staunch actual
Chapter 104
Inside, the wood stove crackled nice and hot. The evening outside, even in summertime, cooled enough to put a chill in the bones. Brian and tom sat at a medium-sized kitchen table; they'd just finished off a good feed of minced moose burgers and deep-fried home fries. Don cooked a lot of things, but the boys loved their late night lunches – usually the same every time, burgers and fries or moose sausage and fries. As they relaxed in their chairs, Don brought them each a glass of ginger-ale, and a good portion of liquor for himself. The boys drank their pop and Don got his kit: one cigarette rolled, and a joint, as well.“Gimme a smoke,” Brian said, hand out.“Yeah, right,” laughed Don. “I ain't that nice, boy.”Brian laughed and Don lit his smoke.“That was wicked grub, Don,” Tommy told him. “Thanks again. Was friggin' starved.”“Today's been a long one,” said Brian.Between puffs of smoke, Don asked, “What'd you two shits get up to all day?”The boys looked nervous at one another, sl
Chapter 103
The majority of the poor girl's murder only came back to him by way of time. Once months went by, the nauseating days of his freedom stretching on, and on, he pieced together several images from the night he first made death; him, the craftsman, making death by hand. Her throat bulged under a tight grip of his clenching fists. She tried to grab him, poke at his eyes, but the force of his hands clamping into her skin and taking the breath out of her heaving lungs kept him safe from any real damage, save a couple scratches. He did not actually orgasm; all the same, his penis shot up erect and stiff like a great monolith against her and he pressed it to her, putting the entire weight of his body down on hers, crushing the clutching bits of life from her flailing, pathetic existence still trying to hold to this world.From the start, he made a fine and thorough killer, an efficient machine created for the sole purpose of killing. Her body would never be found; it still sits buried, rotted
Chapter 102
He lived on a decent cul-de-sac in Grand Falls, down near the river. Out back of the house sat a spacious garage separate by a large concrete pad, itself leading up into the long driveway. In the garage he had a nice spot for all his woodworking equipment: table saw, bench, racks of drills, hammers, handsaws, wrenches, and plenty of storage space for fresh wood and the like. At the back of the garage stood a door, behind the door, a room, and in that room were secrets. Locked away with only him and the stale air of the garage's workshop, those secrets grew, multiplied like mould in the dark, and he had a place where his wife would not disturb him; she left him to his business, and without her knowledge his rotten secrets, only coming out when he wanted her there. The man even installed a state-of-the-art security system for the entire property, including the garage, which came with intercoms; often, he would simply call his wife on the intercom to let her know it was fine to bring him
Chapter 101
Back over under the Canopy and its branchy cover, Tommy and Brian stopped in an inlet of trees and alder bush. They were scared. Still, the boys were beyond determined to be done with the whole situation. Only trouble was neither of them, with all their heart, wanted to relinquish their hold on the money, those pieces of jewelry, all of that. Even as all the trouble of the world might perilously be wavering only inches above their heads, like one of those cartoons were an anvil hangs on a thread about the coyote's head, all Brian or Tom managed to see were the endless possibilities the contents of that bag could provide them; the images of a future path different than their own dominated them, overthrew those young and impressionable minds.“We could just toss the duffel bag in the woods someplace,” Brian remarked; half sure of himself, half kidding himself.The look gave his friend spoke enough on its own.“This is fucked up.”“We can't just get rid of it – not now,” Tom told him.“Y
Chapter 100
Then, Staunch saw the wide birch shooting up near the lake's edge. His heart pumped in short bursts, rapid, and then short, slow again; a combination of nervous fear and the traces of meth still beating around in his brain. Alex stepped ahead of Staunch, who straddled behind wanting to stay but needing to follow. The hole sat only feet away now, closer with each and every stumble. Any minute now they would be right upon it. Stopped for a breath, frozen even in the pulsing rays of daylight, Staunch collected his emotions, his swollen and frayed nerves like wounded and exposed electrical wires, and he caught up to Alex . The two men stepped in around the birch alongside one another, with its hollowed middle, and Alex knelt, no words, at the edge of a roughly bore hole in the muggy earth; a hole where once they deposited all their stolen goods, a hole now empty, void.“Why'd you push me in the fuckin' trees like that?”“I just told ya,” Brian said, “there were people comin' and I di
Chapter 99
The car parked a few lengths away from them. Two men got out of the driver and passenger sides; they looked normal mostly. One man – tall, tattooed and fairly muscular, the type who spends his free time lifting weights and self-obsessing over the tone of their muscles, bronzed and starved to death – went to the trunk, as the other – smaller, not much, than the other, and with the look of still being in high school due to his teenage way of dressing, but donning a cane in one hand, limping considerably and aching from an obvious back injury – looked to be moving slowly towards Alex and Staunch. They both walked towards the waiting Firebird.Staunch and Alex each got out and greeted the men.The smaller one extended a hand. “You Alex ?” He shook Alex 's hand. Turning to Staunch he asked, “And that must make you – what's it – Stench?”Alex cackled a dry couching laugh. “It's Staunch, actually.”“Shit, sorry.”Staunch looked calm, but underneath a volcano boiled, bubbled fierce in
Chapter 98
Brian understood. He knew now, and along really, what Tommy felt wasn't a mental illness, a real delusion making him paranoid and insane; they both felt it, in different ways. It was the yearning for a new and different life instead of the shit existence they'd both experience up until now. While Brian and Tommy tried to create their own identities and shape the future of their lives, no matter how savagely they fought to do so, they were and always would be inhibited by the families which gave them life, shackled to a dirty destiny. Their parents each were destructive and heartless people; more concerned with their own lives and failed expectations and schemes than bothering to worry about the tiny, lonely humans they created from thin air, leaving them to grow into ungardened plants with no discernible paths ahead of them aside from anguish, despair, torment, and days on this wretched earth long and hard as the road to Hell.This gauntlet of living is what truly made Tommy lie and c
Chapter 97
Brian decided it best to save his breath for the walk out from the station, especially considering Tommy planned to dig in three different places all around the area. He kept seeing more money, enough to dive into like Scrooge McDuck, and the thought made everything else fade away.But Brian's conscience, the well of his soul, wouldn't let him rest comfortably. He knew letting Tommy's delusion go on was risky; for days on days now, near a week, Tom has talked of nothing aside from the treasure, pirates, and all the like, and it slowly consumed his sanity, each day that passed. He kept on letting Tom pursue the dream of a legend that most likely was not true, in the slightest, and his spying conscience eyed him, judging, and made him feel as if his entire body were slowly being torn into quarters, drawn by horses, his every fibre wrenched in pain. Yet nothing stopped Brian. He certainly made no real efforts to curb Tommy's lust for treasure hunting.He went on watching Tom, who took hi
