The journey from the Blackwood family manor to the city of York was uneventful. Bal Das was quiet and subservient, not seeking to draw attention to himself other than to take care of any needs that they might have.

Gavina was more than a little annoyed and uncomfortable at the notion of someone trying to wait on her hand and foot. What kind of weak willed person would behave in such a manner, stooping and bowing to people like some kind of trained dog with no free will? Not to mention that it made her feel bad about herself to ask for or accept anything from him, like she was some useless arrogant prick who got off on being lazy and ordering around others.

William of course had no problem requesting not to have to carry his bag onto the train or having the servant fetch tea from the dining car, which Bal had declared unfit for consumption and proceeded to brew a pot himself, instructing the wait staff as he went that they might improve the quality of their service.

Conversation was sparse as tension built up in Gavina’s chest as she neared her destination, knowing that when she reached the city she would learn once and for all whether her father was simply busy and couldn’t make it to her, or if he truly was gone and in some kind of danger. The train finally pulled into the station with a steamy hiss and the crew stepped off onto the platform.

“So Captain, where are we heading to first?” William inquired.

“Da was stayin at an inn called the frosted tankard. That’s as good a place ta start as any I reckon. The keeper is bound ta remember me da and have some idea of what happened to im.”

“Excellent, I could do with a drink. Bal grab the bags and let's go.”

“Hold it right there ya scrawny shit. If the two of ye are gonae be a real part of ma “team” then there’ll be no more passin off of responsibility just because yer little friend here is some kind of submissive pet who barks and jumps whenever ye say. Ya carry yer own weight or hit the road. Got it?” Gavina said, invading Williams personal space every step of the way until she was directly in his face.

“.....Are you done?” He questioned without a hint of fear or remorse.

“I understand that you feel yourself the most experienced and qualified person here, but there is no need to get all alpha male on me with vague threats of violence. I am more than capable of carrying my own things, you just need to say so. I simply figured we have a strapping and loyal fellow like Bal Das here, so why not let him do what he does best and make everyone's lives easier and more comfortable? But if it is truly sooo important to you that I sweat and trudge along, then I am happy to do it. Now do come along, somewhere out there is a poor, lonely mug of beer, and I am going to rescue it right into my stomach.” He snatched his case from Bal, more resentful at the accusation of being weak and lazy than he wes letting on, and marched off in search of the “Frosty Tankard”.

York was a proud and ancient city, built by the Romans almost two thousand years ago. It has served as a political, military and trade center for centuries, it’s high walls offering protection for thousands across the years from invasion by land and sea. Pict, Scott and Northman alike. There was a cool breeze in the air, not unusual for a place that is no stranger to late april frost. William sauntered along, smiling and waving at the passers by with a large white grin on his face. This was the first true day of his quest. The hunt was on, and they weren’t turning back until they completed the task ahead. His companions on the other hand were stone faced and sullen as usual.

Bal was never a man for excessive displays of emotion, always focused on whatever task, menial or otherwise, was ahead of him. Striving for a level of perfection in all his duties that was simply astonishing to behold. He could make men feel inferior in the way they performed even the most inane household chore when compared to his own work. The staff at home lived in a constant state of unease and compulsive attention to detail to avoid the scrutiny of their foreign supervisor. William couldn’t think of a single time he had ever seen the old boy so much as furrow his brow or crack a smile. Gavina on the other hand was sporting her customary scowl, with just a hint of worry. This was the last step in confirming her father's fate of danger or safety. The stress must be dreadful.

It took an hour of wandering before they came across the area of town occupied by the majority of the boarding houses, taverns and pubs that catered to travelers and business men on their way north to south or vice versa. Colorful wooden signs dangled over doorways displaying a variety of clever and whimsical names accompanied by mascots and paintings to draw in crowds or to help regulars find their way, like a lighthouse in a sea of humanity. The one they were going to however was no such establishment.

The building was in a considerable amount of disrepair. Crumbled stone and a sagging roof made it stand out like...well not so much like a sore thumb as a throbbing and infected one amidst a handful of otherwise perfectly healthy fingers. The sign held only by a miracle to the rusty iron hinge and pole sticking out from above the cracked wooden door.

“Yep. If me da is anywhere in the city, this is where we’ll find im.” Gavina spoke up, her voice almost shaking in anticipation.

She pushed ahead of William and entered the equally shabby interior of the already shabby building. The floors were all cracked stone and splitting old floor boards. The tables and chairs were chipped and stained with decades of wear and tear. There were very few patrons and those that were there did not appear to be the type to approach and begin asking for help, not that many of them could probably remember their own names as inebriated as they appeared to be, much less a stranger's face who might not have been there for weeks.

Gavina looked around and spotted what she was looking for, or more accurately who she was looking for. The bar was being manned by a tall burly fellow with arms like a pair of tree trunks and covered in dark curly hair. His bald head was oddly squarish looking and he had one of the most severe underbites that William had ever seen. Yellowed teeth jutted out in different directions as he opened and closed his mouth to loudly chew a wad of tobacco. His eyes were the most disturbing thing about him. One was large and dark brown, standard looking by all accounts, but the other one was not a mirror of the former, but instead a small pinched looking thing with a milky haze over a pale gray iris. Pinkish veins spiderwebbed across the surface, creating an altogether haunting sight that all three of them attempted to avoid direct contact with. The finishing touch on all of this was a brow that protruded ever so slightly, combining with his other attributes to grant a subhuman, caveman like quality to his overall appearance.

Gavina tapped on the bar to get his attention from his current task of polishing what appeared to be the only glass drinking vessel in the entire bar. It was a simple but expertly crafted goblet that he must have great pride in owning to bother displaying it in such a place where the majority of the customers were chugging stale beer and cheap whiskey out of wooden mugs and the odd, dried up and ale cracked horn.

“Wha ye wunt?” The large neanderthal grumbled out, not breaking eye contact with his precious cargo.

“Ah’m lookin fer a man who would’ve checked bout a month back. Tall Scott, redhead, built like a brick shit house. Name’s Donald McKinnon.” She asked, fear and hope mixing in her chest like a boiling cauldron.

“Oi. Came ear n’ paid up for two months. You is daughta?” He questioned, finally turning to face her.

“Aye, did he say anythin about me? When he was comin back? When did ye last see im?” Excitement barely contained.

The Ogre of a man inspected her in silence for a moment before bending under the counter and pulling out a small iron lockbox. He fished a key from a chain around his neck and twisted it in the lock. He threw open the lid and dug about for a moment through some papers, notes and various bits and bobbles until he produced a letter with a blank wax seal on it.

“Left this ear fer you. Bout three weeks ago, ain't seen im since. Rooms upstairs, third on th’ left. Aint touched a thing.” He said as he handed her a spare key.

“Thank ye, much appreciated. Boys let’s go.” Gavina clutched the letter and raced up the stairs and unlocked the door.

The men followed up as fast as they could and walked in to find a very embarrassed Gavina hugging a wool sweater several sizes too big for her.

“Well what the bloody hell are you lookin at?! Ah’m just lookin through the old man's things for clues.” Anger and embarrassment apparent in her every word.

“Yes yes of course. I saw nothing else of the sort, certainly not any evidence that you are not in fact a hateful she bitch but instead a human being with emotion and feelings.” William raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Yer damn right, and don’t you bloody ferget it” She wiped a single rogue tear off her cheek and turned away to the small writing desk across from the bed.

There were piles of papers strewn across it, none of it making much sense at all to Gavina. There were several pages of dates in what at a glance appeared to be chronological order with various names written next to each one. Beneath those she found random newspaper clippings detailing an assortment of grisly murders and disappearances. A list of first and last names, none of which Gavina recognized, was lying face down under the inkwell. Several of the names she noticed were underlined or had one of a variety of symbols next to them. Oddly enough She also noticed a trio of charcoal sketches that made no sense to the rest of the materials. One depicted a gray wolf that appeared to be mid howl. The second one was a simple crescent moon with stylized moon beams raining off of it. The last one made the least amount of sense. It was a large clock face with not the standard two, but nine arms of various lengths. Gavina gathered up all the papers and stuffed them carefully into a leather folder and bound it up with string. She sat down in the chair and decided now was as good a time as any to read the letter Donald had left for her before he apparently disappeared.

Dear Gavina,

If you are reading this, then it is safe to say I have been missing for a few weeks now. I am sorry to have put such a strain on you lassy, but it has all been in the name of the job. For years now I have been gathering together bits and pieces of information about the night your mother and brother were killed and the mystery surrounding that evil night. While searching I started to notice strange patterns and details that have led me over the last few years to think that I am on the trail of a far grander plot than a simple hungry beast out of it’s mind for blood. There is more to all of this, and I came here to York to sort it out. I left you behind because I have realized that should my hunch be proven right then we would be in far more danger than ever before, and I needed at least one of us left alive and safe to come and finish the job if I am captured or worse. I know there is no point in telling you not to come after me, so I won’t even bother . What I will tell you is to use your damn brain and be careful. Take whatever papers you can find on my desk, provided it hasn’t been raided by whoever has killed or captured me and take them to a man in London by the name of Moishe Smelyansky. He is a good man who works at the British Museum and Library and should be able to work out what I have gathered and point you in the right direction. Stay safe, and trust no one. I promise I will do everything I can to stay alive and strong for you, just like I know you will do the same for me. Be safe, and be smart

Eternal Love,

Donald McKinnon .

There it was. All the proof she had been wanting and dreading as to the fate of her father. Something or someone had taken him from her, possibly permanently, and he was counting on her to rescue or avenge him. All these years he had been working on this case alone, hiding it from her as though she would be a hindrance or a risk. Now the time was at hand to bring in the one responsible for shattering her family while she was still in the womb. She clutched the letter tightly in her hand, the paper crinkling and wrinkling in her hand as she turned to her partners to see Bal neatly folding and packing all of her father's scarce possessions into a neat bundle, and William sniffing at a dented tin flask he had picked up from the bedside table and recoiling at the smell.

“Good lord! Your father must truly be a specimen to behold if he is able to stomach this poison. It smells like turpentine mixed with sour goats piss”

“Get yer grimey mitts off me da’s stuff ya idjet! This is no time for muckin about. Somewhere out there some sorry bastard has made the ultimate mistake of thenkin they can put their hands on ma blood and get away with it. Well ah swear on every soul ah’ve ever saved including your own sorry excuse for a life mr. William, that when ah find the ones responsible, by the time ah finish with’em, nobody is gonnae be able ta tell which of us is the fuckin monster! Now it says here that there is some fancy pants back in London that can help us figure out what the hell any of this means” She gestured to the envelope of documents.

“But the first theng we’re gonnae do is go to the last place me da was supposed to be before he turnt up missin. There was a gypsy camp about a mile north of the city that was torn ta bits by somethin nobody has had the ability or interest in uncoverin. Bein as they were gypsies and considerin the gruesome nature of the crime ah doubt anyone has touched the place yet, so there should still be some kind fo clues as to what happened and maybe what caught me da. Leave the belongins, there’s still a week's rent left on the room. We need ta travel light incase the filthy buggers know we’re comin and have some kind uh trap set up. No tellin how much they might have learned or how long they were followin da before they jumped im. If he could catch their scent, then they could catch his just as easy.”

“So we can add unknown stalkers to the list of dangers besides potential werewolves. Splendid! This is exactly the kind of thing I signed up for” An ecstatic William began shaking and waving his hands about as he stored their belongings in the small trunk at the foot of the bed, removing a leather satchel from his own canvas bag.

“Figures he would be carrying around a to go bag around” Gavina whispered to herself.

She scowled at William for the way he was taking her situation so lightly, but saw that it was of no use. She just had to learn to accept that no matter how dire the situation was and no matter how well he may actually understand the gravity of the matter at hand, he was still a hair brained thrill seeking wack job whose loins stirred at the very notion of risk and stupidity.

“If I may offer madame” Bal suddenly spoke up, slightly startling Gavina who hadn’t really heard the servant speak up much since this morning.

“I would suggest we get moving fast if we are going to investigate thoroughly, we would not want to be caught unawares in the dead of night with enemies of this caliber on the trail of this case.” His voice was very self assured and calm, as though he had years of experience in such matters.

“Aye yer right. No more foolin around, William” As though there were any question who she was talking about.

She pushed past William who was blocking the doorway and led the other two downstairs. She walked by the bar where the beast of a man was now wiping down the counter. “We're headin out but ah’ll be keepin the room fer as long as me da paid up on it.” She called to him , hoping he didn’t try to squeeze more money out of her.

“Hnnn” Was the only response he offered, entirely uninterested in the goings on of their lives.

The trio walked back out into the crowded streets and wound their way through the hustle and bustle of the day towards where they initially came into town by train.

“I do enjoy the hustle of the city. So much more pleasant than the quiet and peace of home. *snnniiiiiffff* ah, the smell of shit and smoke, the sounds of a cart driver calling a horse a cunt, two filthy children fighting each other over a piece of green cheese someone just tossed out in the garbage. How could anyone ever stand living anywhere so dull as the countryside when there is always some wonder to behold behind the walls and stone of the city.” William pondered dreamily aloud.

He never had to look for something interesting in the urban jungle. Never had to sit around wishing something would happen to liven up a dreary day.

“All one needs to do in the city is step down the right street and you can find yourself mixed up in all sorts of mischief. You could fall in with a group of pick pockets, you could all pinch off together and do a bit of street gambling with your earnings, they could realize you already have a good deal more money than any of them and beat you silly, rob you blind and leave you to haul your busted ribs and twisted ankle home two miles, the adventure never ends!”

“Good lord man do ye have no dignity? The more you talk the more ah’m convinced you belong in a damned looney bin more than you do around people. Yer just one whiskey fueled bender away from hunting prostitutes through the streets like that bloody Ripper fella.”

“Oh come now I may be a bit eccentric but I am far from syphilitic enough in the brain to think that indiscriminate slaughter is the key to satisfaction. I shall stick to petty crime, and of course, you my dear. I can see no other pastime that would bring such a thrill as following an iron fisted she bitch into the shadows to slay the evil that lies within”.

Gavina stared into William's eyes for a good long moment before giving him a friendly but painful slap on the shoulder with a calloused hand.

“HA! That may be the finest compliment anyone's ever paid me. Ah might have to get that engraved on somethin one a these days.”

Bal Das hid it but he was utterly shocked at his young master's crudeness to a young woman and had all but expected Gavina to punch him in the mouth Something he would not have begrudged her for.

“Should we come through successfully on this endeavor, I shall personally present you with such a trophy.”

“Aye, Ah’ll hold ye too that ye weazily little shit. Now shut yer gobber and keep movin before you get so caught up in yer little ode ta York ye get run over by a cart” Gaina told him.

The three of them reached the outskirts of the city and a livery stable where they could get horses to take them out to the site Donald had been investigating.

“Well well looks like I am once again proving a good investment on your part eh my beggar queen?’ William mocked Gavina as he pulled out his purse and saddled up to the office.

Before going in he looked over his shoulder and yelled back at his companions

“Pick me out a fitting steed while I settle the account, you may take whichever pleases you.”

He walked through the door and engaged the clerk.

“Good day sir, my two companions and I are in need of mounts for a short trip through the countryside this afternoon.” He cheerily addressed the aged yet strapping looking gentleman behind the desk.

His hair was snow white and long, tied into a ponytail that reached between his shoulder blades. His arms were slender but strong and he had a deep chest. The most stunning feature about him was his mustache. It was enormous, almost entirely covering his mouth, leaving only the smallest hint of a grin beneath it. It was well maintained and combed, with tips waxed and curled up into horns that would be the envy of any bull.

“Well you’ve come to the right place then fine fellow, we have plenty of beasts out back in fine shape for a good run.” He answered back quite agreeably.

“Fantastic. I would like to know the price of the most expensive animals you have.”

“Plan on a bit of fox hunting do ye?” The clerk inquired

“No, I simply have no clue what animals my travel companions are choosing and have no interest in waiting around once I step outside, so I shall just have to pay the express price.”

“Well I think we can get you squared away then good sir” The talking mustache said with a completely obstructed grin.

A moment later William stepped out into the dim gray light of day and saw his fellow travelers standing near a rather mismatched trio.

By Gavina’s side was a short but lithe looking red mare, with shining black eyes that seemed to glare daggers of hate right into William's soul as she pawed the ground threateningly.

Bal das was finishing saddling a tall and powerful looking gelding, it’s sleek coat as black as midnight, it’s head held high in a calm but regal manner. Between these two impressive beasts stood the most pitiful looking creature that William had ever seen. It was a short stunted looking thing, with a shaggy gray coat and one milky eye. Flies buzzed around it’s twitching tail as it chewed a bit of tough dirty grass.

“What might I ask, is that beast? Might it have consumed my horse, or is it keeping it’s place warm while the stable boy brings it around?” William asked, a touch of confusion in his voice.

“That's yer beast, an ass for an ass, thought it was mighty fitting maself, and ole Bal Das here didn’t put up much of an argument.”

The Donkey looked over at William and let out a long noisey fart, as though to truly drive in the insult. But William was not one to let such things get to him.

“Very well then, just another humorous chapter in the saga of this grand escapade. No need to waste time, let’s be off.” And with that he approached the rancid beast of burden and hopped on it’s back and….was swiftly bucked and kicked off.

15 painful minutes later William was clomping down the road behind Bal and Gavina, a shining black eye plastered on his handsome young face. After a bit of struggle and a good deal of apples, the mangy donkey finally accepted it’s role as a steed for the day and allowed William to stay on so the group could get going.

The road was quiet and empty of travelers the whole way to their destination. Gavina had said it was a gypsy caravan that had been brutally attacked in the night, and nobody could make heads or tales of what happened, not that many were willing to invest too much time into solving the murder of a few dozen gypsies. Some of the more prejudiced members of the community even whispered that it was lucky the tragedy had happened, lest the nomades steal off with any valuables or children as they are said to do.

Gavina kept to herself the way there, rolling over everything she had recently learned in her head. Her father was gone, perhaps forever, and the only way she was ever going to have any peace over the matter was to try and piece together a bunch of scattered clues and hope that it would lead her down a path that she could even follow. She prayed their destination would reveal some kind of clue.

A cool breeze blew by and the birds flew and chirped overhead as the grim scene of the crime began to crest into view on the horizon. Broken wheels lay splintered across dying grass. Wagons lay overturned, multi-colored covers shredded and billowing in the air. Leather harnesses lie tangled and strewn about with ropes and boxes, mingling with bits and pieces of canvas and burlap sacks, long devoid of their contents. The most disturbing thing by far however were the human remains that littered the ground. Cracked femurs, split skulls and cleaved pelvises were everywhere, stripped of all meat after a month in the wild.

“Dear god, poor bastards never stood a chance. They were absolutely slaughtered, and not a damn person offered so much as to give the bodies a proper burial.” Sorrow filled Williams voice at the callousness of so many innocents left to rot like they were nothing.

He knew people weren’t fond of gypsies, often chasing them off to avoid the theft and mischief and superstition that followed them around, but he had always enjoyed the rare opportunity to cavort with the caravans of cheerful and mysterious folk. Weather it was conducting a raid on a nearby orchard for some fresh apples as the farmer tries to run you down, slipping through a whore house and picking the pockets of the wealthier customers discarded trousers, or just drinking and dancing around the fire with the seductive, raven haired beauties, their dark eyes that bored right into one's soul. He shook those thoughts away, no need getting lost in frivolous nostalgia when standing on what is essentially a grave.

“Aye, the cowards stayed away either from fear of the beast's return or from pure bigotry. Nobody has touched anythin in weeks. Look around and see if ye can find anythin useful.”

Gavina had more than a touch of disgust in her voice. She, like William, had her own pleasant memories of gypsies in her time traveling with her father. They were nomads like her, they understood what it was like to be without a home, without a place that you belonged. She jumped off her horse, tying it to the nearest wagon wheel and began to walk amongst the carnage, careful to avoid the human remains scattered about. The most noticeable thing about the destruction were the claw marks and gashes in the wood and soft earth. They seemed to be made by something with claws at least as large as a railroad spike. Trunks and chests were turned over, the contents too heavy to blow away, and those not edible, lay soaked and faded looking, but otherwise untouched. She bent down and inspected one of the leg bones lying splintered near a shattered horse cart. It was broken by unnatural means for sure, but the oddest thing by far was that there wasn’t a single tooth in the British Isles large enough to match the size of the creature that did this. She looked around and found this to be the case with every single piece of bone.

“Mr. Singh, does it appear to you that this was the work of any manner of hungry beast?”

“I believe we are of one mind on this subject, Lady McKinnon. There is a great deal of devastation here, but this is not the work of a hungry animal.”

“Aye my thoughts exactly. Not a damn thing was stolen either. Whatever did this was not lookin fer food or money. It’s like all it were interested in was killin everything in sight for the sheer bloody fun of it. What kinda monster kills without eatin or stealin?”

“In my experience, my lady, only men are capable of such senseless violence.” Bal Das answered.

“Aye again ye have a point, but this wer no man.”

“No indeed, what we have here, is a man WOLF!” William shouted out and dramatically wheeled around from the pile of splintered wood he had been inspecting and held up a tuft of coarse looking hair for the others to see.

It was gray and bristly, with a few streaks of white. Right next to the scrap that the hair had come off of was another set of deep claw marks that had also managed to press a human skull deep into the earth, only it’s mud filled eye sockets and a few teeth sticking out from the soil.

Gavina ran over to William and grabbed the hair out of his hands, shoving him aside and glaring at it as her hand slowly reached down into her back pocket, her eyes never leaving the smelly wad of gray in her hands, and brought up a nearly identical clump of fur, wrapped with a strip of brown leather and a small brass ring.

“This is the only physical evidence in the world as to who or what killed me ma.” She said, indicating the clump she had been keeping in her pocket.

“Me da found it on our farm the night that her and me brother were killed.” She held the two samples next to each other and saw that while hers was dryer and worn with age, they still clearly came from the same sort of beast.

“Da thought he might be on the track of the devil that took our family from us, and it looks like the old man was right.”

“And that’s why you’re gonna end up just like im you little bitch!” A voice shouted out seemingly from nowhere. A shot rang out and the wood to Gavinas back exploded and sent slivers into her face, the shot just barely missing her head.

The trio frantically looked for the source of the shot and saw the assailant just in time for Bal Das to dive into the mud and avoid a bullet to the chest. The shooter finally lept out from inside of a side turned wagon, hiding behind the mostly intact wagon cover and took aim once again at Gavina.

“I was wonderin ow long I’d aff to wait for you to get your sweet little bum up here to find your precious daddy. Figure me boss is startin to think I took the money and ran. Sorry about this mess love, but my employer has a bit too much on is plate for you to be muckin it up askin questions.” He walked towards her as he pulled back the hammer on his revolver and took aim, the barrel pointing directly between her eyes as she ran through her limited options in her mind.

Desperate to buy some scrap of time she blurted out the first question that came to mind.

“What the hell does yer boss want with me and me da, we’ve done nuthin but help people and kill monsters. We’ve got problems with you or anyone else” She feigned panic, having faced death enough times in her short life to not lose her wits.

“Now I’m sure you believe that dear, but that don’t change the facts that the two of you are on your way to causin a right mess of troubles for a lot of fancy folks, and they simply can’t ave that. If ya think you are getting anythin more outta me just because I’m about to kill ya, you must think me brain dead” His pistol never wavering from it’s target.

It was then out of the corner of her eye that Gavina noticed Bal das, crawling on his belly towards the shooter, knife in hand and ready to strike.

“Thank the lord” She thought to herself,

“Just please for the love a christ don’t do anything sudden and get us both killed”

At that moment she shifted her gaze back to the gunman just in time to see William flying through the air with a human skull in hand, smashing it over the attackers head, presumably cracking both of them, and causing the gunman to fire off his pistol as his arm went flailing, catching Gavina straight in the bicep while he fell to the ground howling in pain.

Gavina fell and spun around clutching her wounded arm, her face turning red with the pain and rage she was trapping inside. She turned about, nostrils flaring and chest heaving as sweat and blood poured out of her to see William standing over his opponent, a massive grin on his face like his pig had just won first prize at the county fair.

“WHAT THE BLOODY FUCKIN THRICE DAMNED HELL WERE YOU THINKING YOU BRAINLESS TWAT!!!! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME!” She unleashed her furry at him, his insipid smile sending her over the edge far worse than the pain.

Williams smile faltered somewhat and he looked into the eye holes of the skull he was still holding in his right hand

“Now how is that for ingratitude Winthrop? You save a woman's life and the only thing she can think about is a bullet wound.”

This broke what little composure Gavina had. She charged towards William and took a swing at him that would normally have sent him reeling into unconsciousness, but instead only sent blinding pain through the extremity and caused her to stumble as he effortlessly dodged the attack.

“I’m beginning to think you have no intention at all of thanking me for saving your life. I swear you must have been a thespian in a past life because I have never seen anyone act so dramatically over a silly hole in their arm” William scoffed at her,

There was practically steam pouring out of Gavina’s ears as she reared back for another swing, but just as she was going in for the strike she felt a firm hand grab her wrist from behind.

“That is enough lady Gavina. You will only make your injuries worse if you continue this. Master William, please see to our assailant if you would be so kind, I fear he landed on my knife when he fell and has lost quite a bit of blood.” Bal Das’s tone was firm but gentle, clearly trying to diffuse the situation.

“Oh very well. Goodbye Winthrop, rest in peace. And thank you for all your help” He said longingly to the skull before unceremoniously tossing it back over his shoulder.

Bal took Gavina by the hand and led her over to an overturned pair of crates where he sat her down and began to build a fire out of scrap wood that wasn’t too horribly soaked. Once he had that going he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small folded leather wallet and opened up the brass clasp. Inside was a long coil of thread, a small pair of scissors and an assortment of needles and what appeared to be scapples.

“I am afraid I must ask you to remove as much of your shirt as you can, my lady.” He asked, no hint of joking or lust on his face.

“You fuckin what? Why do ah need to expose maself to you after everythin ah just went through ya cheeky bastard” The indignity mixing with the pain, anger and sadness of the past few hours.

“I must inspect the wound before I can sterilize and close it. I shall give you your privacy.” He turned and walked away several paces as he began to thread a small, slightly fish hook shaped needle.

Gavina sighed and figured he knew what he was doing, not really believing that such a stiff and formal man would try and take liberties with her in a situation like this. In a situation like this, it was battlefield rules.

She unbuttoned her shirt and pulled her bleeding arm out of the sleeve, the fabric painfully peeling off of the fresh sticky wound. She buttoned the shirt up as far as she could again and wrapped the empty sleeve across her chest, barely managing to cover much of her “gifts”, and tucking it into the other side of the shirt.

“Ah right, ye can come over now. But don’t be gettin no funny ideas, and watch those hands if ya want te keep yer fingers.” She had no idea where this sudden modesty and paranoia was coming from, but she didn’t care much for the feeling.

“Of course my lady, I would never dream of such behavior. I am an excellent field medic and will have you back to normal as soon as I can, provided the bullet is not still in your arm.”

She felt him take her arm in his surprisingly warm and gentle hands and begin to feel and prod around the wounded area. He raised her arm above her head, coming dangerously close to unleashing her barely concealed breasts.

“The good news is that the bullet appears to have gone straight through the flesh and left the bone intact, and the bleeding appears to be slowing already. The less pleasant news is that it is not going to be a painless fix.” His sonorous voice was soft and gentle, as though he truly did regret not being able to lessen whatever agony he was about to cause her.

“Aye, don’t worry about it. If ah can handle takin a bullet, ah can handle sealin a wee hole. Just get it over with as quick as ye can so we can get a move on.”

“Of course.”

Bal placed the small hooked needle in the base of the fire for several seconds before allowing it to cool and hooking it through the entrance wound. He pulled the thread through and began the delicate process.

There was a sharp stinging pain that traveled up her entire arm straight into her neck, but she grit her teeth and resolved not to show weakness. His motions were smooth and practiced, the work of a man who had done this countless times. He never applied more pressure than necessary, and made fast work of closing the first hole. As he started on the next one, her arm again raised high, her chest straining against its makeshift prison, she couldn’t help but notice how his eyes never once left his work to gawk at her. It was not the face of a man who was actively attempting not to be caught gazing, but that of one for whom such a thing was simply out of the question. He effortlessly kept his focus on the task at hand and allowed her the dignity she had initially asked for.

“Well I guess we have at least one gentleman in the Blackwood household” She thought to herself.

As she studied his face she also began to notice more of it. The sharp angles of his cheek bones, the granite squareness of his jaw line. The smoothness of his brow and the lack of lines around his mouth suggested a man who neither worried, nor laughed often. He was a professional under all circumstances, and strove for efficiency in all things. His eyes were the only thing that betrayed any kind of emotion under that composed exterior. She could see something like worry deep within them. Not only had his lifelong master's son almost been killed in front of him, but the companion he had promised to help as well. He had no issue putting his life in danger to help her before his efforts were thwarted by Williams rashness, but was simply focussed on everyone else around him.

“He really is a servant through and through” She thought, becoming so lost in her observation that she hadn’t even noticed that the sewing was done and that he was now staring straight back into her eyes with a questioning gaze.

“Is there anything wrong my lady?” He puzzled, not being able to guess why she was staring so.

Gavina’s face flushed red as she turned away and immediately called out to change the subject.

“William! How’s the prisoner!” She shouted over Bal’s head. An answer came suddenly from her right side and startled her to the point she almost fell over.

“Oh he’s quite dead.” Came the surprisingly casual response from William, who had somehow managed to approach her unnoticed.

“What the hell do you mean he’s dead?!” Came an unhappy response from Gavina.

“I mean he bled to death a minute ago. Fell on Bal’s knife and cut an artery in his leg I suspect. Dead as a doornail.”

“Why in the world didn’t you say something shite fer brains?!!!”

“I thought you two were having a bit of a moment here and didn’t want to be rude and interrupt. Excuse me for having manners. I don’t see what the problem is. We have your father’s notes, and the cunt did try to kill us, so what difference does it make if the sod went and bled to death like the selfish prick he was?” William was becoming annoyed at the constant criticism his stellar actions were earning him today.

“You really are a bloody idiot. If we had HIM, we wouldn’t need the notes, and could save ourselves a trip back to London and be halfway to saving me da. Now it’s all gone to ruin because you can’t be bothered to KEEP A MAN ALIVE FOR 2 MINUTES!!!!” She let out a yell, barely keeping herself from just ending him here and now while she pulled her clothes back on, completely ignoring the wide eyes she got from William as one of her bosoms was exposed ever so briefly.

“You know I am really beginning to consider just not doing you favors anymore if you are always going to be this ungrateful” His tone full of irritation and a touch of hurt, even if it didn’t match the impressed face he was making by the sight he had gotten a gander of.

Just as Gavina was going to lunge forward and drag him into the mud, she felt the large heavy hand of Bal on her shoulder and was snapped out of her blood rage.

“Master William, lady Gavina has been through a considerable amount today, perhaps you may be so kind as to lay the dead here to rest, then she may be able to calm down enough to truly appreciate all that you have done here today.” Bals tone, the very epitome of calm and reason, though there was certainly some faint hint of warning in his voice that must not have been lost on William, for even though he seemed about to protest, he deflated and gave in.

“Very well, it seems that all the hard work once again falls onto my shoulders.”

“Yer damn right it does. We’re not leavin till every last corpse here is in the bloody dirt. And don’t even think about chuckin that piece of trash into the same hole as these poor bastards. You’ve got two graves to dig, so ye best get to it if ye want to make it home by dark.” More than a bit of smug satisfaction in her voice.

A glimmer of disdain flashed across William's eyes, but he silently turned and went off to find a shovel amidst the wreckage. For three hours the skinny little man struggled and worked to scratch out two holes, one shovel full at a time, half of them barely more than a handful of dirt and mud. Once he was covered in filth head to toe, sweating and sore all over, He dragged the corpse of the assassin into the pit and rather unceremoniously kicked him in, quickly covering him in muck as Gavina and Bal began collecting the bones of the innocent victims of this slaughter. In the meantime Gavina had been smiling at the sight of William struggling and cursing at the cold earth, a semi-fitting punishment for the trouble he had caused and his total lack of awareness as to why she was so furious with him.

“It’s like he just floats along in his own little fantasy world for crying out loud”

The co-conspirators stood aside once they had put the skeletons into the grave with as much care as they could, and allowed William to finish filling in the shallow little grave before collapsing on his back, chest heaving and moaning like a whore.

“Oh c'mon now Sarah, ye can’t tell me yer already tired after a wee bit of diggin?” She mocked him, though she was beginning to feel a touch bad about it considering his lack of complaint, and the shocking fact that he had managed not to stop once during the whole thing.

“More resilient than ah would have guessed for a rich boy” She thought.

“Gavina dear, would you mind dragging me over to the donkey so that it can kindly stomp on my head? I would do it myself but I’m afraid I can’t feel my arms and leggs. Oh, and after that, go ahead and finish what that rapscallion started by putting a bullet between your eyes, thank you kindly” William said, never looking away from the gray sky.

“Oh quitcher bitchin” She said as she dragged him off the ground and threw him over her shoulder, carrying him to his steed and tying him to the saddle.

“There you go, nice and comfy. We’ll get you back to town and hopefully you will be too damned tired to get into any more trouble for the day you idjit.” She said hopefully but not with much real confidence, as she tied a lead from the donkey's bridle to the saddle of her own horse.

Gavina and Bal hopped on their mounts and headed off at a healthy pace, hoping to avoid any more trouble, knowing that if their mysterious enemy had one agent roaming the country looking for them, then they had more. They trotted back into town and tied their animals outside the inn, and each grabbed one of William's arms, dragging him through the doors. Gavina hefted him against Bal and walked up to the bar to their innkeeper for a few words.

“Good evenin their grugg. Ye wouldn’t happen ta have a bath round here for ma friend in the corner would ye?”

He looked back at her, the disinterested look in his eyes never shifting.

“In the back. Boy bring hot water.” He went back to what he was doing, apparently making sure that his countertop was the cleanest one in the kingdom.

Gavina informed Bal and they went to drag William off and dumped him into a tub in the back room, a young boy of maybe eleven seeing them and immediately going over to a large cauldron of water over a low fire and filling a bucket.

“Just dump it on im, he’ll wake up if he doesn’t want to drown.”

The little boy simply nodded, the owner's silent demeanor apparently rubbing off on the employees. Gavina and Bal each walked out to the dining area and ordered up a bowl of stew on Williams credit.

“I dunno know what the hell we’re gonna do.” Gavina spoke, more to herself than to Bal.

“Someone with a lot uh time and likely a lot uh resources has me dah, and apparently wants me dead. I don’t know if they killed him, I don’t know what they want, I don’t know who they are, and the only way to find out is to go right back to where ah just came from. And even if this friend of da’s does figure out what all his damn scribbles and numbers mean, ah dunae see how the hell we are goin’ta be able ta pull one over on em with just the three of us. It feels feckin hopeless.” Despair painted her voice, she was even allowing herself to show vulnerability in front of what amounted to a stranger.

She had no idea why she felt so comfortable around him, perhaps because his stoic and subservient nature was simply less threatening and judgmental than someone like William. Or perhaps it was the precise and gentle way he handled her wounds earlier that made her feel almost safe with him around. Like he could make any pain or problem better. She decided not to dwell on these complicated and messy feelings right now and instead stuffed her mouth with food to avoid anything else from accidentally spilling out.

“You are a determined woman. I see great strength in you, and am confident that if your father lives, no matter what foe we may face, we have more than a fair chance at success. I will do all in my power to assure that whatever course of action you choose, we all make it through together.”

He sounded so sure of himself, as though simply speaking the words aloud made them true. He knew what she most desired, and he was resolved to make it reality. If this is how he served a man like William's father, there must not have been much the two of them couldn’t have done.

“I appreciate the sentiment, though ah thenk with William along ye might have yer hands full.”

“Master William may seem like a bit of a fool, but I assure you, I have known him his entire life, and he is far more capable than he comes across. He did not inherit my master's sense of duty, respect, nor caution, but he did inherit his inner fire. Through mental and physical pain, I have never seen the young master give way under any pressure. Either because he is truly strong of will, or perhaps he is simply crazy. I do not know the answer. But when the time comes, I am sure he will impress you.” His defense of his young charge was admirable and honest, but did little to ease Gavina’s concerns about the single greatest rogue element in their entire quest.

“Mah main concern is that now we can’t be sure who to trust or when we are safe. There's no tellin who all works for these shifty bastards, and we could very well be sleeping in the same building as one of them.”

“Then I suppose it would be prudent of us to leave the city as soon as possible and make a fast return to London.”

“Mah thoughts exactly”

“Well then I shall see to returning the horses first thing tomorrow morning. Speaking of which, if you do not mind finishing alone, I shall go outside and make sure they are tended to.” He excused himself and headed out the door to bring mounts to the Inn’s small stable to see they were fed and watered.

Gavina sat in silent solitude for a while, finishing the remains of her stew and getting a hunk of stale bread to soak up the leftover gravy, until she saw William come stumbling out of the back room. He was wrapped in a towel and looking considerably less filthy. Without bothering to even look in her direction, he stumbled up the stairs to their room, presumably to get some clean clothes on. He came back down, donning a fresh white shirt and ornate silk vest with black trousers, taking each step as though it was a small mountain crossing, and limped over towards the bar.

“Pint of lager, and keep them coming, and you might as well leave an entire bottle of brandy on the bar because I promise it will just save us both a lot of time tonight.”

In classic fashion, the only response he received from the bar troll was a single grunt. He took his large frothing mug and positioned himself near a group of bricklayers drinking in the corner.

“Good evening my fine fellows, how goes the life of the working man?” He asked, summoning up his previously buried cheer.

“You tryna have a laugh at me you posh little poof?” One of the burlier and dirtier of the group retorted back, mistaking Williams' genuine pleasantry for the condescending mockery.

“Oh no no my good man, I would never dream of it, I simply wished to inquire as to how the world has been treating you fine folks. You do after all lay the literal foundation of this lovely city. As for me being a poof, I can assure you your wife would be more than willing to testify to the contrary.”

There was a deafening silence as all eyes, even those belonging to the other patrons, fell on the grizzled worker, waiting with baited breath for his response. It came to the shock of everyone that rather than a deserved fist to the mouth, what William instead received was a hearty slap on the back that sent his skeleton rattling, and a thunderous laugh that was soon joined by the other men at the table.

“AHAHAHAAAAA You’re a cheeky little cunt aren’t you?! HA pull up a seat mate, you can buy us a drink” He said with a voice full of cheer and good humor.

“Well one is a good start, but unless I mistook a ladies choir for a bunch of strapping brutes, we are going to need considerably more than that!” Williams' spirits soared higher as he was set to enjoy a proper evening out.

A few rounds of drinks, two out of tune sing alongs and several swallows of brandy later, William caught the eye of one of the barmaids. She was a touch on the plump side, but that certainly never bothered him, and had a pile of brown curly hair that when let down would reach past her considerable backside. Her eyes were dark and gray but had a mischievous glimmer to them that set William to drooling.

He played it cool and beckoned her over with nothing more than a wink, which she returned before making her way to him painfully slow, stopping to flirt with every man she passed, careful to make sure he saw every last one of them pining for her attention. William saw a slack jawed and furious looking young man left behind by this little procession, but William, did what he always did in such situations, noted the disappointment, and continued on to his target. She finally reached William and without saying a word grabbed his freshly filled mug and drained it in a single go, never breaking eye contact as thin dribbles of foam wormed their way down her jaw and neck , and right into her cavernous cleavage. Williams eyes nearly popped out of his head at what to his mind was possibly the most seductive thing he had ever seen, and when she finally slammed down the large wooden mug, and stuck out her hand for a proper introduction

“Names Melanie” She greeted in a straightforward but still sing songy voice, a wide smile plastered on her face.

William did the only thing he could think of in response. He grabbed the nearby bottle of brandy and proceeded to drain it of the remaining half of its contents, not tasting a drop as it poured down his gullet. He wiped his mouth of the Amber liquid and took her hand in return

“William” He said, his head feeling as though it was on fire and several kilograms lighter.

She stared at him with disbelief that anyone would do that to themselves on her account, and could do nothing else but laugh out loud and ask him

“What on earth is a dandy like you doing here? Shouldn’t you be off at some ball or the like?” She inquired.

“The only balls I concern myself with are between my thighs, my lady. I much prefer the company of angels in rags to that of pigs in silk.”

“Hehe well what does that say about you and that fancy garment you’re sporting eh?” She giggled, gesturing to his vest and handkerchief.

“Oh I can assure you I am the biggest pig of all” He said with a wink and an exploratory squeeze of her rump.

She jumped up slightly and gave a playful punch to the arm at his forwardness.

“Looks like I have my hands full with you eh?” Her tone going from girlish to wanting very quickly.

“Not yet, but if you play your cards right and buy me a drink I think we can both have our hands full in no time”

They each shared a hearty laugh, leaning on each other for support.

“Would you like to join us madame? I do believe Robert here was just about to lead us in another shanty” He gestured to an open seat at the table while all the other men watched in amazement as he swept the wench off her feet with his brash manner.

“Well just try and stop me. If I don’t tire you out somehow, I don’t know if I will be able to handle you later”

“Oh it never gets easier, just ask my parents! AHAHAHA” He began laughing a bit too loud at his own joke, the liquor already beginning its work.

An hour passes by and drinks flow, songs are sung and bawdy jokes are told, but the fun was about to take a different turn.

The back of the tavern sported a set of dart boards where a group of men had been posted up most of the evening. One among them had been getting progressively louder and more insistent at his mastery of the game, while his manners dipped lower and lower from the drink of the night.

“I’LL SHHHHAY IT AGAIN” He shouted, pivoting wobbly on his feet

“NOT A DAMN W-ONE OF YOU CUNTSH CAN TOUCH ME IN THISH G-GAME, SHO PISSH OFF” He shouted, growing considerably more aggressive with his companions.

Gavina had been enjoying the alone time with a few pints and some light conversation with a stool neighbor about what they claim to have seen the night of the attack on the caravan, when the drunkards shouting and bragging finally began to wear down her shot nerves. By the time he began full on screaming she could no longer handle the ignorant display.

“SHUT YER FUCKIN GOBBER BEFORE AH STUFF A DART UP YER NOSE YA DAFT BASTARD!!!” The outburst was far more aggressive than even she had expected.

Every eye in the bar was now on her. The belligerent drunk stared her down as best he could with his bloodshot eyes and blurred vision.

“Yu fuggin talkin t-to me?” He slurred out.

“Ah don’t see anyone else flappin their jaws and givin everyone in town a damned headache. Ah’ve had a shite day and all ah am lookin ta do is have a pint in peace. But instead of all that, ah have to sit here and listen ye gabbin on about how damn impressive yer dart skills are, when a tipsy toddler could out toss you.” Her breathing was speeding up as she gained steam on the idiot.

“You callin me out ya uppity little bitch? I’ll t-t-take you to fuggin market any time ANYWHERE!” He lost control of his volume as he foamed at the mouth, his friends having a grand old time and not making any attempt to hold him back.

“How bout right here ya blustering bull. Three rounds, best score wins, winner pays the others bar tab, and you get the hell out of here and leave us all in peace.”

“HA! Fine, and if I win, I get a nice big kiss from that wicked little mouth of yours”

The idea sent shivers of disgust down her spine, but she was not about to back down or show that there was even a hint of doubt that she could win. She marched over and shook hands with the lout, and pulling a handful of darts from the worn out cork board.

“Ladies first” He sneered and mockingly beckoned her to the throwing line.

She ignored him and set up for her first throw. She closed her left eye and measured up her shot. Right as she flung her arm forward to send the dart flying, her opponent let out a loud

“BITCH”

This caused her arm to twitch enough at the last moment to have her dart smack into the wall with a dull and disappointing *thud*.

“What the hell was that ya cheatin sack of horse apples?!” She snapped, ready to let fly a fist straight into his throat.

“What’s wrong poppet, can’t handle a spot of ribbin?” He mocked her like she was some little girl in the school yard.

“Ah can handle plenty more than you have to offer” She smirked back at him, gesturing towards his trousers to the amusement of the audience and the anger of the victim.

He stared daggers into her back as she took her second shot. She hit a triple 15, earning a few claps and hoots from William and a few others who were just as tired of the drunks noise.

She was not afforded the luxury however of taking her last shot in peace, as the moment her muscles twitched to toss the dart she felt a hand place itself right on her ass, causing her to jump enough to throw off her shot, landing her a single 5 pointer. She looked behind her to see not only the disgusting smiling face of her adversary, daring her to say anything and be the one to complain first, but smirking faces of everyone else poorly attempting to hide their amusement.

The only one not doing so was William, who wisely looked like he was ready for a bomb to go off. She walked over to the board and retrieved her missiles and took her place to the side as her opponent set up his next volley. Gavina let him get out two shots, racking up an unimpressive twenty points, but on his last toss she hauled off and cupped his balls from behind good and hard, sending his dart straight into the floor where it stuck with a *thunk*.

“You sick little twat, who the fffffuck do you shink you arrrr” He growled at her, but soon saw the looks around the room and realized he was letting her get the best of him, making him look weak.

He grabbed his darts and glared her down, waiting for the chance at revenge.

The next round went smoothly, neither opponent making any move to disrupt the other. By the time they were ready to go in for the kill, Gavina was sitting 10 points down with 85. Gavina approached the line for her final go. She lined up a shot, going for a difficult triple 20. She reared back her arm and gave a twitch forward, anticipating yet another attempt to throw her off her game. Shockingly, no such assault came, and she felt comfortable enough to wind back and release her missile for real. But to her bottomless annoyance, a false sounding and highly exaggerated *ACHOO* that seemed to shake the rafters exploded forth as she took the shot, and she scored a disappointing double 1 instead. Laughter rang out and grated on her nerves like rough leather on chafed thighs. She was done with this one way or the other, and at this point the prospect of kissing the bastard was preferable to standing next to him a moment longer. She planted her feet at the line, and gripped both darts in one hand, ready to launch a dual volley at the board and let luck decide her fate.

“Oi, you can’t go for fuckin doubles. That’s a-gainst th-th-the….rules, yeah, rules” The indignity and confusion in his voice came as a real surprise after all the shenanigans that had been going on so far.

“After the shite we put each other through the last few rounds, a double toss is the last of our worries, you absolute goblin of a man. Now feck off and let me finish ma damn turn.” She zeroed in on the board once more and pictured the exact moment she would let fly her darts in the hopes she could land a 20, bullseye combo. With a quick muttering of affirmation and a-

“FUCKIN GET IT”-

From a thoroughly soaked William, she took a deep breath and sent her needles flying. They made a wide lazy arc and to Gavina’s amazement, she landed a direct hit on double 20, and a much less gleeful 1.

“Damn, bastard only needs a 12 ta win, no feckin way am ah lettin those slobery lips near me.” She growled under her breath.

“HA! Looks loik Ima be tastin those salty lil lips of yours me lady. I...I could hit an 11 with me eyes closed hahaha!!!”

Gavina saw her path to salvation and seized it immediately.

“Then do it ya feckin scrub, prove yer the man ye seem ta thenk ya are and there’ll be more than a kiss in it fer ya” She didn’t know where that last part came from, the idea of this beast taking any more liberties than he already had was less appealing than the bullet wound she has sustained earlier.

With bloodshot eyes traveling up and down her body, her nameless nemesis quickly agreed to the rise in stakes.

“Fuckin deal you little tart. I’ll ave you squallin like a bitch in heat by the time the nights over with hehehe” He lurched around towards the board and slapped a sweaty palm against his eyes, and snatched up his first dart

*Thunk* 5.

*Thunk* a second dart launched through the air immediately following the first, another 5.

His mates began to cheer him on and the tension in the room was palpable, everyone holding their breath to see if the braggart could get a measly 2 points and get his palms on the brassy newcomer.

He picked up his final dart, wobbling on unsteady feet and chuckling to himself in supreme confidence. As his arm cocked back to send it’s cargo airborne, Gavina crept up behind him and gave a half cough half shout in his left ear

“CUNT!” startling him to the point the dart found its mark in the wood above the board before falling to the floor.

Her opponent stared in disbelief, his booze pickled brain racing to make sense of what just happened, and how it could be possible some busty bitch from out of town could waltz in here and make a fool of him in front of the entire bar.

“You ffffucking cheatin little tart!” He spat out, stepping towards her menacingly as though to go on the attack.

The crowd looked on nervously as he raised his fist and clumsily swung it down, aiming for the dead center of Gavina’s head. But their concerns were baseless, as she easily side stepped his childish attempt at a cheap shot and harnessed the full weight and strength of her body into a single punch straight to the stomach of her assailant. As her clenched fist slammed into the swollen gut of her stunned victim, his bloodshot eyes bugged out of his skull, his fat slobbery lips formed the beginnings of a protest, but the air in his lungs rushed out in a single gust of pain fueled wind, leaving him to collapse gasping and vomiting half a shelf of liquor onto the floor.

Gavina turned from the pathetic scene with a smirk on her face at a job well done.

“Well that seems to have shut im up, could hardly hear me-self thenk” She walked as though to go up to her room when she suddenly remembered the terms of the bet.

She turned around and walked back to the nameless quivering drunk, and as she approached he managed to struggle to his feet and raise his fist, an animal like growl escaping from his spit and vomit covered mouth. But with no more thought than she might give swatting away a fly, she swung her body weight upward behind another fist and caught him in the jaw with a mighty uppercut that sent him flying backwards into the pool of his own bile.

“AAAAHAHAHA THAT’S MY GIRL, THE GLORIOUS LITTLE SHE DEVIL, BASH HIM ONE GOOD SQUARE IN THE GOBBER!!!” A loud and drunken voice called out over the crowd. Gavina looked behind her and it was of course none other than William, leaning against his new found female companion.

The crowd stared in amazement and then began to burst out in laughter and jeers at the sad pile of a man on the floor, whose shame would surely follow him the rest of his days.

Gavina stepped around the pool of body fluids, and reached into the unconscious braggarts pockets and lifted his wallet.

“Ah’ll just help me-self to ma winnins, don’t bother gettin up.” She spoke down to her snoring, helpless opponent, his eyes rolled back into his head.

She approached the bar and handed it over to the ogre who had been watching the entire episode with a look of annoyance at the ruckus it caused, and at the mess that now needed to be cleaned. Gavina tossed the wallet down onto the counter and looked at the bar keep with a touch of regret and respect, not wanting a confrontation with someone of his size after everything she had just been through.

“Take that fer the bar tabs, consider the rest payment fer the mess. I doubt he’ll be in much of a mood to argue with the likes of you about it when he comes too.”

Her only response was a characteristic grunt from her enigmatic beast behind the bar, so she took that as permission to leave. She headed towards the stairs and the peace of her room when the sound of William cheering her rang out through the building.

“THREE CHEERS FOR THE BUXOM BRAWLER, DAMSEL OF DARTS, GAVINA!!! He shouted louder and more annoying than the man she had just worked so hard to shut up.

The crowd was taken with him however, and a roar of applause and cheers followed suit.

Despite the feeling of embarrassment and disgust at the scene, she couldn’t stifle the small tingle of pride she felt at the appreciation. She was no stranger to confrontation with idiots who couldn’t hold their drink trying to start something with her for one reason or another, usually sex, but it was far less often that the reaction to her victory was so overwhelmingly positive. Most people looked at her like she was a freak or some kind of animal, and she would quickly find her welcome worn thin.

Up the stairs she went, down the empty hallway to their room, the floorboards creaking under the weight of her steps, accompanied by the sounds of snoring and bed squeaking making their way through the gaps in the doors to the other guests' rooms. She fit the old iron room key into the lock and stepped through into the empty room, plopping down on the bed and pulling off her boots before laying back and basking in the beauty of (near) silence.

That was the thing she missed the most about being on the road with her father. When they traveled together and the weather was nice, they would always save money by camping out in some grove or clearing off the side of the roads, far enough away as to avoid immediate detection by bandits. They pitched out their bedrolls and would share a meal of dried meat and bread together, chatting a bit about the plans for the next day, but primarily sitting in silent darkness so as not to attract the attention of whatever demons may be lurking in the shadows. The Peace of the forest, the gentle sounds of nature, brooks running over rocks, owls hooting in the distance, and the bright shine of the stars, wrapping her up in an embrace that she imagined only a mother could rival, and lulling her into deep and restful slumber.

As she reminisced about the treasured peace that was lost, the door flew open with a loud slam and William came tumbling in with his woman, falling towards the bed. Gavina barely managed to roll out of the way and get to her feet before she was landed on, and attempted to protest this intrusion.

“What the hell d-ya thenk yer doin you lecherous twats?!” She shouted at the pair of writhing bodies splayed on the bed.

“N-now now no need for all that my dear” William said after he managed to pull his face out of a canyon of cleavage.

“You are m-more than w-WELlCOME...” His voice shot up as Melanie’s hand shot down his trousers.

To join in, isn’t that right Meredith?” He asked, his eyes rolling in their sockets as her hand began moving in a fashion that Gavina was sure would forever render her unable to watch a cow being milked without gagging.

“It’s Melanie you daft ninny” His consort teased him, unoffended by the confusion.

She scanned Gavina up and down with a lustful, hungry look in her eyes as she bit her lower lip wantonly.

“But you won’t hear any objections from me. She’s a fit thing she is, wouldn’t mind getting lost in those hills” She stared daggers at Gavinas chest.

“You heathens bloody deserve each other!” She shouted before grabbing a pillow off the bed and stomping outside, slamming the door behind her.

“I couldn’t agree more my dear!” William shouted after her.

“Now where were we?” He asked his playmate as she grabbed him by the curls and shoved him down

Out in the hall, Gavina threw down her pillow and laid down in front of the door. She wanted to be furious with William, to go in there and throw the two of them out of the room to rut in the hallway like the animals they were, but she couldn’t muster the anger. Despite how angry it made her at the time, she was forced to admit that the little gremlin had saved her life today, and risked his own in order to do it. That in and of itself was impressive considering up until that point she had still believed that he was nothing more than an idiotic aristocrat looking for a bit of fun, who would go running at the first sign of danger. But believe it or not the crazy bugger had stuck around and showed no sign of backing down. He had been more upset at doing manual labor than he had been at the sight of a field of corpses.

“The least ah can do is let im tag along until he breaks” She thought.

“But honestly, ah’m not sure ah should hold ma breath with this one.”

She closed her eyes and tried to drown out the sound of a creaking bed and two voices, one moaning, one squealing.

“Can’t even tell which is which with those two” She thought, causing a small chuckle before she drifted off to sleep.

……………...

Bal Das found himself alone, wandering the quiet streets of a residential neighborhood, with the citizens already well on their way to sleep. He did not care much for the noise and distraction of taverns and bars. Even during his days serving his master in India, he had always relished the occasions when Lord Blackthorn would allow him to slip off into the jungle or mountains for a bit of solitude rather than remain in camp with the soldiers, locals or fellow hunters that they were traveling with at any given point.

Thinking back to those days filled him with a great deal of nostalgia. He always carried out his duties faithfully to his master and was more than happy to serve him in any capacity that he saw fit. That being said, there was little that could compare to the sense of joy and purpose he felt when he was aiding the Viscount through the dense underbrush on the trail of a wounded predator, helping him navigate a winding, crocodile infested river, or dragging him off to safety after a skirmish with a group of bandits. He had risked his life many times on his master's behalf. Some in his position would have claimed the debt owed to Blackthorn was paid numerous times over, but to Bal Das, there was no comparing the saving of a life one was obligated to help through oathe of service or loyalty, and the act of a kind stranger, risking his privileged and valuable life to save that of a filthy peasant child. He considered service to the Blackthorn family a sacred thing, and would never falter in that charge. Thoughts of his master soon lead him to those of the son.

William had always been a rambunctious and short sighted child. His soul hungered for life and experience above all else, at the expense of wisdom and common sense. Bal Das had spent many nights listening to the concerns of his master over the legacy he was leaving behind, and the well being of his family if William was left in charge. Out of respect Bal said very little in response to these fears, as any answer he gave could create a rift in the valued relationship he shared with his master, but he had never truly shared his Lord’s concern for William.

The boy was rash and impulsive, of this there was no doubt. But he was also loyal, endlessly curious and hungry for adventure in the same way that his father had been in his younger days. In his heart he believed that this journey they were on could be a spiritual one for the young master, and that perhaps his stern and steady new companion might act as a guide for him along the path to greater purpose and understanding. Perhaps he might even help her as well.

Before he knew it Bal Das found his way back to the stables of the tavern and stood outside the gates, gazing up at the stars. They were a wash of diamonds against a tapestry of black velvet. He took a deep breath and allowed the sheer spiritual energy of it all to fill his soul.

He could never understand the constant squabbling between believers over the nature, name or location of God. Many of the evils of this world could be avoided if more opened their eyes to the idea that god is all around, that he is us, and we are him. That he was not simply the maker of all, but he was all. This thought filled him with peace each day, and gave him the strength to face any challenge. And from the evil he had seen today in that field, he knew that he would need all the strength he could muster to face these new horrors of beast and man.

………………

As the first rays of sunlight started to peek out over the horizon, Gavina began to stir from her none to peaceful slumber on the wooden floor of the hallway. The sounds of not only William, but two other amorous couples across the hall (Possibly in the same room) kept her up late into the night.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes only to have them be met with a sight she would not be able to erase from her mind for many nights to come. Williams' obnoxious lover from the night before was stepping over Gavina’s head, exposing the fact that she had not seen fit to wear undergarments. Gavina stifled a scream of horror and rage as the image burned itself into her pupils.

“What in the bloody hell are ye doin ye crusty slag! Ah had a rough enough night sleepin without havin you flash yer gash in ma damned face the moment ah open ma damned poor eyes.”

Melanie and William, who had entered the fray after hearing the commotion, looked at eachother and giggled, seemingly ignoring the anger in Gavina’s voice.

“Oh don’t be such a whiny little prude.” Melanie chirped at her.

“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, I imagine you have one yourself just like it.”

Gavina stood up and straightened out her shirt that had ridden up in the night, exposing her firm muscular midriff.

“Aye, with a few less miles on it ah reckon, ya painted up hoor. If ah were you William ah’d check me purse, she’s liable ta have sucked ye dry while ye were passed out from that idiotic display of debauchery ya put on last night.”

The resentment was in no way hidden in her voice as she stared down Melanie. She wasn’t one to tell people how to live their lives, but she had very little patience for women who would degrade themselves just to empty a man’s pockets. It wasn’t as if women weren’t stared at and judged enough, some had to go and live up to every dirty thing that men already thought about them and make it that much worse for the rest.

Melanie frowned, wounded by the accusation.

“My my you must be the most foul tempered and strangely dressed nun I have ever met to be that judgmental. I know it can be frustrating going too long without a bit of the old in and out, but you don’t have to take it out on me for snagging the best pony in the stable.” She threw back, taking Gavina’s anger as jealousy.

Gavina on the other hand was struggling between disgust and anger, a barf or a brawl reaction, at the very suggestion that she somehow was unjustifiably angry over sleeping in the hallway, not because it was her damned room, not because she had a sore back and splinters in her arse, but because she was jealous that this little tart had snagged William for the night instead of her.

William did not seem as concerned with Gavina’s negative attitude, instead giving a small chuckle.

“My dear I assure you it wasn’t my money she was draining last night.” He gave Melanie a nudge and the two of them began to giggle and grope each other to Gavina’s disgust.

“I’m sorry if you didn’t get as good a night’s sleep as you might have liked but it is no reason to take your anger out on dear Malory here.”

A swift elbow to the ribs jolted his memory.

“Apologies dear, I mean Melanie. Anyways you are more than used to abusing me by this point so please continue if you must assault someone with that razor tongue of yours. Though honestly I recommend that you loosen up before you cut your own throat with it. Now let’s all calm down and go have breakfast, we have a long journey ahead of us and I am sure that you don’t want to waste any more time bickering here when you could be off on the hunt, saving dear daddy eh?”

He gave her a wink and felt that he had done a fine job mediating that little cat fight before it escalated to something violent and erotic.

“Aye, have it yer way, but next time ye try and pull something like that, ah’ll toss ye naked into the damned hallway, or better yet the street, and ye can root around in the mud like the pig you are.”

She turned and began to stomp away, but suddenly found herself stopping short before turning around and walking back to William. She reared back her fist and popped him one hard in the shoulder while he was once again getting lost in Melanie’s bosom. William let out a short howl of pain, looking with confusion as to what he could have done wrong in such a short period of time.

“Don’t ye ever call him ma daddy again, ah’m not a little girl lost at the bloody county fair.” She drove home each word with a deadly amount of venom.

“Fine fine point taken, you know I wasn’t serious when I suggested you go about beating me whenever you are upset. I promise you I am going to say far more offensive things down the road and if this is how you react every time then I am afraid that I might just fall apart before we get any work done.” He squeaked out, rubbing his bruised shoulder that was already quite tender from the evening's rompus.

“Ye could always try being less of an irritating little shit ya know?” She threw back.

“We are already on a possible monster hunt, so I believe we have enough fantasy in our lives dear.”

Exasperated, Gavina straightened out her clothes and headed downstairs to get some much needed food after the drinking last night. She did indeed have a long day ahead of her, she planned on heading straight for this Smelyansky.