Emrys sighed, he didn't know how long it has being since he had left home. For a stupid, small package that he needed to deliver in a small village. He was a member of the Adventure guild, for years now. But he was still getting these low level jobs. He has always suspected that his brother was behind it all, not out of malicious. But his brother, simply wants to protect him from everyone and everything. And all Emrys wanted was to be known, by something else then, Terence's little brother. Almost any other type of recognition would be fine, except for Goblin bait. The metal crate he was held in was not even big enough for him to stand in. The goblins, had taken all his weapons and supplies. And since his imprisonment, they thought about feeding him twice. Although he wished they left him to starve, the meals were awful and that was putting it nicely. They caught him, on his way back home, just his luck. The goblins were sitting around the campfire, speaking loudly in their own tongue. He didn't know it and he was not going to learn it either. He sighed again and looked up to the trees above the crate. That was the moment that he spotted there something that didn't belong there, a person. He couldn't see who, he was not able to which gender. All he was able to see was someone, lurking down on the goblins. Arrow cocked in the bow, and ready to be fired. Was that his brother? He hoped not, he wouldn't hear the end of that tale. Or was it someone that was sent by his brother, which was even worse. His brother would only people he trusted, and those are not easily won over. One of the goblins walked towards him, the goblins were wearing some kind of leather armour and a strange weapon hung on their backs. It was too small for a short sword, too long for a dagger. The arrow from the person's bow flew through the air and landed right in front of the goblin. Emrys could hear a string of curse words, which would an old class veteran sent on a run for his money. So that shot was a missed shot, good to know that the person that was here to safe him. Didn't blow their cover on purpose, but who was he to complain. The goblin screamed loudly, in his high pieced, ear bleeding high voice. The person jumped out of the tree, and landed like a cat on their feet. The long bow hung on their back, and when the person rose, they grabbed their short sword. They had done this kind of entrance before. It was very heroic, to say the least. And he hoped that the missed arrow was not an indicator about the rest of the upcoming fight.
******
Like she predicated, it was not hard to find the goblins at all, their trail led her to a small clearing. At first, she was not able to see, Lord Handsome's younger brother. But then she heard some noises that were not coming from the goblins. At the edge of the clearing stood something of a cage, that a hobgoblin would use to house wolves in. There was something inside the cage, that looked human. She looked at the goblins, who were discussing something loudly in their own tongue. The goblin tongue was one of the languages, she hadn't spent much time on. There was a tree standing near the cage, it was thick and strong enough, for her to climb in. She did, and she didn't look at the man in the cage. Once she was inside the tree, she was able to see everything a bit better. There were four goblins, no hobgoblins, that was a huge relief. And the fact that there was a man inside the wolf crate, meaning that she didn't have to worry about wolves, either. One of the goblins, stood up and walked towards the crate. She cocked an arrow in her bow and she aimed it, the string was not as flexible as the one of her old bow. Maybe she shouldn't have put all of her time in sword training, she should have trained with the bow as well. She let the arrow fly, and it landed just in front of the goblin.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she said under her breath. She had blown her cover, and it was for nothing. She shoved the bow on her back and let herself drop out of the tree. It was something she has done before, so the landing was easy. In the meantime, the first goblin made the others aware of her presence with a loud, ear-piercing scream. She rose up, while grabbing her sword, she was ready for them. The goblin that had screamed and towards her, knife drawn. But tripped over a tree root, face planting. She let out a short snort, while the second goblin jumped up out of nowhere. The screaming cut in her leg was proof of her negligence, she swung her sword towards the goblin. But he ducked out of the way, they were quick. She had forgotten that, but now that they remembered her of that fact... She blocked the attacks from the other two goblins. The first goblin, pulled himself off the ground. But was a bit wobbly on the legs and didn't attack her right away. The second goblin attacked her again, and also this time she was not able to protect herself. She was a bit rusty, but that was no excuse. The second cut was as painful as the first one, but this time the second goblin was not quick enough to get out of her way. She hit it with the cling of her sword, the creature screamed with his high-pitched voice. It was loud enough for the third goblin to lose focus. But the fourth goblin, didn't suffer the same problem. It jumped up, and its knife cut her face.
"What are you doing, pay more attention!" Terence younger brother screamed from his cage. He was the one to talk, he was currently inside a cage, not able to jump in and help her. Not that she needed his help.
"I am trying," she whispered. But she doubted that he had heard her, which was exactly the point. The first goblin had finally gathered itself and jumped towards her. He had lost his knife during the fall, but that didn't matter to him. He was able to land some blows, into her stomach. Which were not so hurtful as the knife cuts, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt. She needed to take a few steps back, avoiding the second goblins attack. But now it was close enough for her to strike, and she killed it. The lifeless body dropped to the ground, its green blood poured on the ground. The third goblin looked at it, dropped its knife and ran. Knocking the fourth goblin out of the way. The first goblin was not so easily discouraged and attacked her again with its fists. But she swung at it with her sword, killing it in mid-air. But the heaviness of the sword got the better of her, and it swung into the fourth goblin, killing that one as well. The third goblin was still running, maybe to get some help. That was not going to happen, she dropped her sword, grabbed her bow, she expected the stiff string and this time she didn't miss. The third goblin, dropped to the ground dead.
******
She wanted to drop to the ground in relief, she had done it. The goblins were all dead and Lord Handsome's little brother was safe. But first she needed to get him out of the wolf crate. So she started to source for the key, at first under loud protest of the man.
"Hey, hey! Were in the Heudin's names are you going! There will be plenty of time to loot them, after you get me out of this crate!" Looting, there was nothing that those goblins had that would interst her. Except for the key, which she found on the third goblin. The one that had tried to run away. Another good thing that she killed it, instead of letting it run away. "Hey, hey," he repeated the same thing as before.
"Ohh, shut your trap," she said loudly, when she grabbed the key. Holding it so that he would see it. She saw that his gaze went over it, and he sighed.
"Hate to say it, but good call," he said, it was under his breath. But she was still able to hear it, she opened the crate and he crawled out of this. "Well, thank you. But were you not able to come a bit sooner."
"Be glad that someone came at all. You ungrateful ..." she didn't finish her sentence. He was the little brother of he imployer and chewing him out wouldn't be the best idea. "You know what, forget it."
"You are the girl that face planted in the snow, why in the Gods names did my brother send you?" He asked. Again he was so ungrateful.
"Because I needed a job, and I own him." she replied, it was the truth and she didn't had any reason to lie. He scoffes, and she was able to take him in. He looked a lot like his brother, only his eyes were not so deep blurme and not as bright. His hair was a bit longer and completly deranched, but that could be because he wasn't able to brush it.
"Good let us be off then. My big brother would be waiting, angestly, on our return." he said. She nodded, and walked to her sword which was still laying on the ground. Picked up her bag that she had left inside the bushes.
*****
Emrys never would have suspected that his brother sent the girl that faceplanted in to the snow, a couple of months ago, after him. But she had done the job and he was not going to complain about that. True she had suffered some blows, but that was something normal in their line off work. They were walking over the path towards the city. The grounds on which the city was being built belonged to his family, although his family would never rub it in the citizens faces. He sighed and looked at the woman who walked right next to him. She was so different then the other women he has met inside the city. To Hiubin with it, she didn't act like the other women that had passed through the guild either.
"I am Emrys, by the way," she nodded.
"I know, your brother told me." so far taking the gentlemen's route. She had saved his head and he wanted to be polite. "Audery."
"I beg your pardon?"
"My name is Audery, and this is how far our conversation is going to go." her hand went over the cut on her leg, it most hurt.
"We can stop, so that you can treat your wounds." he offered. She rolled with her eyes, but she stopped. And let her bag slide of her shoulder. She looked into it, and grabbed a healing potion. It was a oitment that she needed to put on the wounds. He wanted to offer his help, but she most likely kick his ass before if he did.
"Emrys, Audery. O thank Hiubin that the two of you are alright," Terence came running towards them. Right, there was something fishy going on here, and Emrys for one wanted to know what that fishy smell was. "O, Audery. You are hurt, please allow me to put that oitment on your face." his brother took the container, without waiting for an answer. Emrys eyes grew widder, o now he was able to see how it was. His brother had fallen for this, woman. There was however sticking a twig with leaves out of his brother's hair, Emys moved a bit closer to his brother and plucked it out of his hair. He had watched the whole fight, from the sidelines. Ready to jump in, if she needed his help. Terence had done something similiar to him, in the beginning. And his brother wished that he was still allowed to do so. But Emrys had put his foot down, just over two months ago. Now his brother did the same thing with Audery, but where the two of them differ was that she didn't need his help. She was being a bad ass all on her own, and Emrys to his regret, needed his brothers help. Maybe it would be a good idea, to tag along with Audery for a while. His brother placed the lid back on the container and sighed. "So, done. Lets go back. Madam Ward is waiting for the both of you with your rewards. Well done Audery, you finished your first job with flying colours."
