Not wanting to continue looking without proper gear, I grabbed my longsword, battle axe, and three point spear. You might be thinking this is overkilled but each weapon had a use. Each weapon could kill a different beast in the wildlands. Without things like these, you would find yourself being cut down by something you should have had a spear for but only had a sword.

Not to mention, some beast had fur so thick that a sword cutting power wasn’t adequate. That’s where the battle axe came in.

After strapping on my gear, I stepped back out into the cold. Casting my eyes around as I hoped to find some trail that could indicate where that brainless woman went. I didn’t want to go trampling around in case I ruin any sign of her but fuck.

Why couldn’t she stay inside?

Maybe she decided to help the others?

I turned back around, checking for signs of the summer shoes. Low leather work shoes that feel better around the toes than thick fur boots. After two passovers, I found mine but not hers. So the empty banana could have gone outside but I should see some obvious signs that she left. Definitely with how high should have been stepping to avoid getting snow stuck in her shoes.

Getting a hand stuck in the tangles of my hair, I couldn’t come to the right decision. That blasted woman didn’t use any lick of sense. Leaving me no choice but to go check the fires for her and knowing damn well I don’t like socializing with those stuck up inbred fools.

***

Grumbling the whole while, I marched on over to the main square and I couldn’t help but count the number of tracks leading inward. It seemed that someone on horses came because there were quite large droppings. Which meant the bloody blue bloods are here.

Nothing can ruin your day then listening to a self pompous asshole with no understanding of the day to day of hunters.They hold festivals to hunt creatures that have been wounded and assess to be less of a threat than some of the biggest threats out in the wildlands.

I couldn’t help but hear the loud whispers that weren’t whispers as I made it to the square. The small women and children huddle behind a densely packed pack of real hunters who wanted to keep what was theirs, safe. But who could blame them, there has been more than one time that some Duke or lower ranking noble came out to a village trying to snatch up a pretty gal. The idiots thought they were some kind of Godly being because they are blessed with their forefathers' hard work.

Damn, savages learned real quick that we hunters on the outskirts of the wildlands aren’t the typical pansy. We will slit their throats and dare their fathers to send an army of limp dicks after us. It’s nothing but a free training exercise before we get into the real danger.

Like I thought, one of those blue bloods were standing on a stage. Preaching about the safety of something… blah.. Blah.. blah.

I scanned the crowd looking for that damn woman when I spotted her by a group of hard veterans. Men that I saw stare down a horde of trolls and then take them out like they were taking out the trash. Great men, I wouldn’t mind defending my wife from these blue bloods.

Marching over to her, I had to block one or two dumbasses that wanted to walk backward into me. I think of some of them doing it on purpose as he reached for my sword. Only a dead man would try to snatch a hunter weapon while he’s watching.

Which is why I slammed the side of my palm into his throat and elbow into his temple. Stepping over him as he sagged to the ground like it was the perfect blend of comfort. Muddy dirt and cold wet snow.

Few people glance back to see what the commotion was but it was over quicker than they probably would have liked. Definitely the blue bloods who stopped talking to watch. Shaking my head, I walked into the small group, who parted for me.

Smiling upon seeing my woman perfectly fine except not having the common sense to put on her winter gear. Coming out in a thick wool white gown with slippers that went from white to a dark grey. The bloody lass grinned from ear to ear as she entered my embrace. More than happy to pull my cloak around her poorly dressed ass.

“What made you come outside without proper garbs?” I questioned as I stroked her head.

I couldn’t understand the first two things she said, as her mouth was stuck inside the fur lining of my cloak. I finally couldn’t take all the mumbling and pulled her little brown head from my chest.

“Say that one more time?”

She looked me in my eyes with that annoying smile that she always does when she is being mischievous.

“The blue blood came from everybody's house, rounding us up for this meeting.” she said without any of that added nonsense she picked up from that blue blood tailor.

I glance at the slick hair little child before moving on to someone of real import. The commander that sat back on his horse, looking us over with wariness that predates fighting in regulated sparring matches behind thick walls. He looked like he fought a wendigo barehanded and only came away with superficial face clawing. Definitely if you see those piercing, blue eyes that seem to draw in these young lasses.

Before I could request any information, the chatterbox of the group came up and informed me.

“A horde was spotted north of us. They are trying to recruit us into their armies but why would anyone give up their freedom just to be stuck in an army that can’t even defeat a small contingent of us.” he whispered while adding in his opinion.

However, a horde was a big deal. While we might not be displaced but that didn’t say the same about other villagers. A lot of them weren’t hunters or trained in the way of the nomads. They were soft belly fodder at the worst.

“So why are some of the houses on fire? I thought we were under attack.” I whispered back.

Old Beck turned his piercing grey eyes upon me, “these soft fools lit the homes of those that didn’t want to respond to their so-called speech. It's a good thing you came armed because we might have to kill a few of these fools before they realized we can’t be pushed around like their sheep.”

I nodded and tightened my grip on my blade. I might not have been as young as Chatterbox but that didn’t mean I couldn’t still move as if I was his age. If these fools wanted to start something, then I was more than ready.

“You receive support from our great kingdom. We allow you to sell your trappings, buy our products, and metals. This makes you owe us. You owe us your services and loyalty…”

One of the hotheads step forward with no fear.

“We buy those things with fair barter. If there was no need for these things, then fat belly merchants wouldn’t march all the way up here for rare pelts and winter produce. You bloody blue bloods just want us to die for you. So your bloody sons can laze around in riches behind those false walls full of trappings of other men. You want me to work for you then show me a real blue blood that can last a round with me.”

I studied the speaker to see which little fool was speaking out of turn. It was obvious they came with the intent to subjugate us. They brought their very best troops. It was clear to see as they didn’t look distracted like the last bunch. No this group looks onward with intent of someone motivating themselves to kill enemies.

The commander didn’t need to be spoken of again. However, I wondered how these guys plan on putting us in line or killing us off.

No, the better question is which man betrayed us? There is no way these soft bellied fools would dare attack us without some kind of assurance. So what was it?

My eyes scanned the crowd, looking for the nervous or too relaxed one. The fool that stood relaxed like he knew what to come had nothing to do with him. Maybe a smirk on his lips to signify that he knew what others didn’t. This kind of person had to be someone that always showed signs of being a coward.

Like any group of people, we have our fair share of cowards. But only two really come to mind when thinking about who could betray us. One of them is the village chief’s son. Reason why is because he simply isn’t made to be a hunter.

However, he is smart and good with the backend things. Someone you would respect but not as much as a hunter. While I wouldn’t classify him as the type of coward to betray someone just because of a lack of respect from hunters of his age. The older generation understands his value and offers him what he’s due.

But I would still classify him as a betrayer type. He might have ambition. He knows he wouldn’t amount to much in our caste system that revere hunters and warriors more. The same can’t be said about the blue bloods who emphasize smarts.

The next would be the hotheaded fool who got himself into a duel. However, I feel like he is too stupid and would die right away.

“You want us to challenge you?” The blue blade pointed at the loudmouth fool, a smirk slid across his lips.

I knew it was a bad idea the moment someone with quiet steps while in metallic boots stepped from the line-up of blue bloods.

“You aren’t scared of a tanner boy, are you?” Ted’s son spoke out as if he was the smartest cookie.

I don’t mean to suggest I am the smartest brute here but my brains allowed me to process information at a rate that kept me from making mistakes like this. Like walking into a trap preset as obviously as this was.

The blonde blue blood ran hand through his hair, pushing a curly lock back only for it to fall in front of his forehead again.

“It’s not that I am afraid of you. It is just that I don’t like doing things without having something on the table. Say..” The blue blood looked at the four idiots before his smile widened. “How about if my man beats you, then your crew joins our company? And if you win, then you get this chest full of gold? What do you say?”

The blue blood kicked a chest lid open, revealing the shiny contents that more than pulled at my heartstrings. But it seemed that was all the kid saw.

I shook my head as the idiot took the bait. Too confident in his skills when he failed to even make it as a hunter or village warrior. He was nothing but failure. Yet, his gang of misfits decided to challenge a man who looked like he was an expert fighter with a sword.

I turned to the leader of this group with a frown. “We should clear the crowd before they get into the height of whatever they plan.”

Rhys looked at me with a calm face that spoke of his experience in these kinds of complicated situations.

“I would have already led our men if odds were on our side but there is a rift opening. We will need them as much as we wish to bury them.” Rhys nodded in the direction of the rift and I caught sight of the distortion.

I cursed under my breath and turned back to the fight to see Ted’s boy slammed into the ground. Cut on his cheek, arms, and stomach. Nothing the boy could do but show how easy it is to sit down.

The blue blood clapped his hand while Ted’s boy scrambled off his ass. Disgusting, that he had to learn the hard way when he could have been listening to his pops grumbling.