Chapter Two Youngest Bounty Hunter

Strena's First Hunt

Strena had lived with  Zaryb for a year now. Yet she had lst Orion during this time. She still cried at night, even though she knew that she had to stop, but she could not help it. She was five to six years old! She sometimes had to remind herself of this. She even had to remind herself of her true name too. She had to chant it every night when she wasn't out with her parent's murderer as he took on job after job. Meanwhile as she did this she kept all the memories of her parents alive and she kept their faces in her mind. She did this to alleviate her fear of losing all these things. She would hold her nightgown, the last  and only thing that she had of her home, like a blanket, just to remind herself of what the clothes looked like.

She had spotted that her dark skin had become paler and there were bags under her eyes as she woke up from nightmares of that night. Yet when Zaryb had time off he would train her like she was a dog. She had developed a more muscular frame for a girl her age, but it was not as predominant like Zaryb's and she still looked like a normal child. Maybe one of those homeless children that she sometimes saw when she walked down the streets with her parents, but still a child. She had developed tougher skin and blisters with thin scars. Her nails were all uneven and some had been cut, clearly by using her own teeth.

It was on that day that had marked their murder that Zaryb came up to her.

"Master Zaryb, are we going out on a hunt?" She asked, trying to keep herself unreadable.

He smiled an almost pleasant smile.

"No, today, instead of me taking you, you will be bringing me." He said, placing a hand on her head.

Strena frowned, feeling both confused and uncomfortable.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"Today we find out what you have learnt over the past year. And this time it is you that will be picking the job. And, over the course of the next couple of months, you will be picking five more jobs. This will lead you to become a fully fledged bounty hunter. Just like I am." He explained.

"Then I'll get changed into my hunter's gear." She said, trying to keep emotion from her voice.

"Yes, and I think that you should pick a job, preferably a job that is a low paying one. They're the easiest."

"Thank you." She called as she got up. 

She walked up to the board and as she looked at the jobs she wondered which would be best for her at that age. She only skimmed the board but then one almost jumped up at her. She snatched it away before her rational part could respond and walked back. She then showed him the poster. He looked at it and his eyes lit up slightly.

"'Rescuing the Princess, Lorana from the evil Stonim'? ...Interesting...Why would you pick that one?" He asked.

"I dunno, it just felt right." She admitted. "Plus, Lorana's my friend so I wanna save her!"

"And how're you going to do this without being recognised?" He asked.

She frowned as her gut told her that she was not going to like where this was going.

Then his face changed to that face that she greeted when he killed her parents.

"Because if you're recognised by anyone I will kill them. Do you understand?" He said as his face softened slightly. 

For a moment she went pale as she suddenly felt afraid for her friend.

Come on Arielsa, think of something! If you don't he will kill her and…and…

No! Stop that, he will hurt me if I do.

"Well, I thought about that. Why don't we go to a hair morpher to dye my hair white and cut it and I'll go on as your illegitimate son." She proposed.

He smiled and nodded. She tried not to show her relief.

"Seems like a good plan." He admitted.

She smiled as she finished. She then washed and then changed and packed, just the way that she was taught. She had made sure to pack the essentials and after several beatings, she knew what they were. She then platted her hair the way Nigica had shown her. She hoped that she would get back from her job soon. Then again, she did say that it was going to take some time to get this one done. After all, it did take her to a far away kingdom. 

"Ready?" He asked.

She showed him the strap of her bag.

"Did you pack the spare clothes?"

"Yes."

"Some pots and pans?"

"Yes, and some food too!" She said, with a part of her wanting to show off. 

He gave her a look of pride.

"Good girl."

"Boy, when we're on mission." She said, jokingly.

He smiled and nodded. He tossed a coin to the cook. 

"Thanks Zarry!"

They then set off and then went to the hair morphers and he cut and dyed her hair, which took longer than Strena thought. When it was done she jumped as she looked in the mirror. She felt her book run ice cold. She really did look like his child. She looked at him again, her face pale. 

"He did a good job." She said, trying to cover her shock.

He smiled and paid the man. They then went on to the next ship and then they came to the tropical kingdom that she always went to when she was with her parents. They always told her that they wanted her to marry Prince Neronah, Princess Lorana's younger brother, but even though she would have loved that, she knew that Zaryb had put an end to those plans, and even though they would have learnt by now that she was taken, but it was all too clear that non could recognise her. Which was good. She didn't want him to die.

As she went on she had noticed that there were things that she had noticed that were different. The first thing that she noticed was how, with her parents, all of the soldiers would let her pass first or move out of the way to let her pass or move the curtain out of the way for her. Now they looked at her as if she was not worth the dirt beneath their feet. They even snapped at her several times as she bumped into then several times. 

She remembered that the streets were clean. Yet now she could see the rubbish on the ground and the beggars with animal skulls used as bowls sat here and there. She could even see the bloated dead animals with a swarm of flies over them and the dung.

 Everything that she did not like, but she knew that she had to see. It helped her see things from a different angle. This also made her wonder what else did her parents or her class hide her eyes from? What else did she now know or see? What other things did she see through rose coloured glasses because of her being a princess?

She then found a couple of guards and walked over to them. Zaryb followed her and looked around. Strena spotted that people were giving him a dirty look then looked at her with a subtle contempt and then quickly looked away. It was all too clear that they did not recognise her and probably did think that she really was his child! Even though it was a good thing that they did, yet she had to admit that she did not like that they did one bit.

"Hey, urm could-" She felt a fist in her gut.

"Kid, get away from here."

She clutched her stomach. She had to get over her sudden shock at the fact that one of the guards that had pampered her a year and a half ago had just hit her. She got up.

"Sorry, I just wanted to know where Stonim was." She muttered, feeling her throat tighten.

They looked at each-other and laughed.

"You planning on rescuing her?"

"Well, I wouldn't if I were you!"

"Why?"

"'Cause most likely than not 'e sold her to 'im."

"Who?"

"The king o' course!"

"No-that can't be true, he doted over her!" She cried.

"Ha! Unlikely!" They laughed as they walked away.

She walked back. 

Zaryb raised his eyebrow.

"Got what you needed?"

"Hardly!" She snapped.

"Thought not!" 

He then turned. 

"Come on!"

"You mean that you know where he is?" She asked.

"Yup. In fact I've had several interactions with him." He said as his face went completely pale despite the cheery tone to his voice.

She, still clutching her gut, followed him. He led them to a river where there was an island in the centre with a tower built like the high towers of the west where she had been living. Clearly telling her that he was from there and not a native of the country.

"Cone on!" He sang as he took out a canoe with two holes at the top. 

They both fit in and he paddled over to the island. They then walked to the front door and opened it as she walked in. 

"Why are we doing things this way? What if he had booby trapped the entire building?" She asked.

"Not his style." He told her.

She frowned as she walked over to the stairs and she looked at the rusty bannister. She placed her hand on it and pushed down on it. Seeing that it was safe she walked up to the top.

"Why did you do that?" Zaryb asked.

"The bannister was rusty and I didn't know if the rust had eaten away the metal." She explained.

He looked down and nodded, she could see that he was clearly impressed as they walked up higher and higher and higher. It almost took then forever just to get to the top where she saw her friend tied up above their heads. She was about to reach out to get her down and see if she was alright, but Zaryb placed his hand on her shoulder as a reminder of what he had told her. She nodded and lowered her tone.

"Are you alright?" She asked, trying to sound like a boy.

She looked down and shook her head and let out a muffled scream.

"We'll have you down soon!" She called.

"Will you!" A voice came from behind her. 

She jumped only to see that the one that stood behind her was none other than Stonim! She jumped back and took up the nearest weapon and pointed it at him. Only to realise that it was nothing but a book.

"I have to say Zarry, I heard that you had taken in a child apprentice but this is ridiculous! She's barely old enough to even give me a good fight and yet you're already making her into a bounty hunter like yourself. What next? Is she going to become an assassin before she's old enough to have her first crush?" He mocked. "Tell me, how does he feel about this?"

"Mock me all you want, just let me tell you that my apprentice will dispatch of you soon." He said. "After all, I have trained her well, regardless of how much she needed to grow up and improve."

Stonim laughed at that.

"Oh Zarry!"

Strena ran up to him and swung the spine of a skeleton into his gut and closed it as he hit him again across his face and dug the other corner into his throat so hard that the cuts on them flowed freely with blood. Yet as he looked at her he let out a loud and absurd laugh.

"Why! So it is her! Do you know how many people in the Sand planed are looking for you?" He asked.

Her eyes widened in shock as she glanced over at Zaryb, whose face had changed into that face that had killed her parents. She gulped with dread knowing exactly what that meant. 

"Good girl!" He said as he took out several small knives and threw every single one. Fearing for her life, Strena quickly pulled her friend down and covered her with her body to stop her from having a drop of Stonim's blood on her as he brutally killed him like he did her parents.

"Who's there?"

"The people that will get you out of here" She said, using a deeper voice.

"You know you look like-"

She passed out.

They soon took her home and collected their bounty and were back home.

The Job

Strena was glad that she was able to save her friend and even more that she did not recognise her or passed out before she could. This meant that Zaryb did not kill her the moment that they had done rescuing her. This put her in a good mood. She even had a better night's sleep. So when she woke up she was feeling very refreshed as she ran down the stairs feeling quite happy for a long time. She even hummed as she paid for her breakfast.

"Bacon and beans please!" She sang.

She then felt the butt of a wooden mug hit her on the head.

"Aw!" She shouted involuntarily as she covered her head. 

"What're you so happy about?"

"The job! And I'm buying my first breakfast!" She shouted.

"And what is it?" He asked.

"Bacon and beans." She replied.

He then turned to the cook.

"Then make certain to add cooked tomatoes."

"But I don't like those!"

"I know!" He said, as he smirked. "But you need to eat some more vegetables. Now while he's cooking all that, pick another job."

She nodded as she walked over to the board and she looked for the cheapest thing that she could find on the board, knowing that it was going to be the easiest and took it.

Missing Dog

Help me find my puppy

Benny. He was last seen

by the river in my back

garden. He had not 

been seen since.

 

She showed Zaryb the poster. He only skimmed it and placed it down.

"This one's easy."

"So when do we get ready for it?" She asked as the breakfast came to her table.

"We don't."

"Why?"

"Because we don't accept these jobs."

She frowned out of confusion.

"Why not?"

"Because, it's a waste of time and it's easy to deduce what happened."

"What?" She asked, slightly upset.

"The dog got too close and drowned." He explained.

She felt hurt by that.

What?

"But why don't we at least find the body?"

That way we will be able to put that family at ease.

"No."

What?

"Why not? Won't it help them?"

"It would, but I can't have you getting sentimental." He said.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"What?"

"Senti…"

What was the rest of the word?

"Sentimental?"

"Yeah."

"Get a dictionary."

"What's-"

He threw a book at her. 

"Aw!"

She looked down to see the word dictionary on. She frowned.

"A book?"

"Yes, a book, now go and pick another, I think that you ought to pick that poster there." He said, pointing to the top right.

"But I can't reach up there!"

"Then, go for one that you can reach!"

"Alright." She said, as she walked up to the board again.

She snatched the closest out of anger. She then showed him. He took one glance at it.

"That is too difficult for you, at the moment."

She looked at it and then read it.

Find The Lost Dragon Egg

300,00o Emeralds and 1 Ruby

Help Dron find his wife's dragon

egg, taken by a bunch of bandits

by the name of the Hunger 

Highwaymen. They have not 

been seen since.

"How would you know?" She asked.

"The Hunger Highwaymen are one of the notorious highwaymen out there and if they ever saw you they'd rip you to shreds like a pack of starving wolves." He said, as he finished his drink.

She returned to her breakfast and soon finished it. She then walked up and spotted one that sounded like it was put there for a joke but she came to the conclusion that, that was the one to pick.

Magic Duck Missing

100,000 Rubies

Find Betraror the 

anthropomorphic

talking duck which is

said to have magic

powers. Return him

to the alchemists that

created him.

She then returned to the table as she laughed all the way.

"What has you in a laughing fit?" He asked.

"This!" She laughed as she passed him the poster. 

He read it and was also laughing along with her.

"You're right! That is funny, but I do think that it is being serious about this one. Although, I can't believe that someone would actually do something like that!" He laughed. "Alright, we'll be going."

They were still laughing as they packed and were soon off. They soon found out that Betraror was in the nearest town to their tavern. They opened the door and walked right up to the duck, which was, which was mainly covered in a black cloak to keep his true shape concealed, however his beak poking out gave away the truth. 

She had to laugh as she saw his wings carried the cards in his wings like fingers made of feathers. He placed a pipe in his beak down parallel to his cards. The tip of his beak stretched into a bizarre smile. 

"Remember, performance." He said in her ear, placing a hand on her shoulder. Without looking at him she nodded and walked on. She copied his action by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry to cut into your game, but I have to have a talk with you." She said, scratching the back of her hair.

"In a moment, I'm just about to win big!"

"Wow you really can talk!" She exclaimed, surprised.

"What?" He said as he turned to her. "What is a kid doing here!?"

She forced to gather her posture and coughed to clear her throat. She raised the poster. He looked at it, his pupils dilated. Then he relaxed and laughed.

"And what? A kid like you, thinks she can take me down?" He mocked.

She raised her eyebrow.

"You do realise that she is being trained by me." Spoke Zaryb.

He looked up, for a small and brief moment, looked scared. She then jumped and hit the duck in his throat. He staggered back and he hit the back of his head on his winnings. His eyes closed she hesitated slightly before she came closer and made sure that he was still alive and she then pulled him off the broken table.

"We'll be taking his winnings." Zaryb said as he picked them up and gave her coins made of precious metals and stones. "Here, hold these, you're far too weak and small to carry him."

They soon returned him to the alchemists that had created him.

"What do you think will happen to him?" She asked.

"Hardly matters, and do remember, it is not our place to be moral." He said. "No, that place died along with your parents." 

It seemed like he was about to add more to that, but for some reason, kept his mouth shut.

The Royal Toads

After the job with the duck, Strena felt good in her mood. She knew that she would have to choose her next job but she just could not help it, but she could not shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. It had plagued her since the moment that she had woken up. Despite the fact that she had to ignore it as it did her no good, it stayed with her right up until she walked up to the board. She looked at the jobs and wondered which one she should take this time. She spotted one that she knew that she would like.

Find A Lost Friend

2,000,000 Emeralds

Find My Friend Who Is Currently In 

The Form Of A Toad. He Was Last

Seen Speaking With A Wizard In

A Black Robe With A Cage Filled

With Frogs And Toads

Well, I'm pretty sure that it's not like the one with the dog. She thought. 

She looked at the price and she was sure that it was a great deal of money. She had not yet asked Zaryb to explain how the whole money thing works, but she did not want to at the same time. She had to jump and take it. She then walked over to where he was drinking and eating his beans on toast. She ordered her meal and gave it to him.

She saw his pupils become smaller and then return to their original size. He smirked and placed it down.

"Sounds interesting." He said. "I guess that you could do this one."

He then gave her the poster as her meal came to her.

"Thank you." She said, trying not to let any emotion in her voice.

She soon dug in.

"Well, let's pack once you've finished your breakfast."

She nodded as she wiped the sleep out of her eye.

"Yes, Master Zaryb." She sighed which led to a bean going down the wrong hole. She coughed and he hit her on her back several times until it came back up and she forced herself to swallow it down the right hole. She then gasped for air, which caused her to cough.

"Breathe!" He said. "Slowly and deeply."

She did what he had told her and she soon got over her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Well, next time try to keep your one liners to yourself until you have swallowed your food alright." He said as he looked at her warningly in the eyes.

She nodded.

"Alright. I will do." She said as she returned to her food. 

She then did not speak until she had finished. She then left to pack. She then put her bag on her back and they set off. They caught the public carriage. They then journeyed to the nearest city of Toaphracropylis which was three hours away. 

She looked around awed by the large marketplace. She had never seen so many shops, nor as many people in one place! Her senses were overwhelmed by the shops, busy people walking to and fro and all the bright colours that met her eyes. She looked all around as her eyes drank in every detail. She even spotted that there were many animals and she could have sworn that some of them were speaking.

"Move it!" Shouted someone that had barged by her and Zaryb. 

She, immediately, looked at him afraid that he was going to kill them for what they did. But he just shrugged, clearly determined not to give into petty spite. She felt slightly relieved as the man walked further and further away.

He grabbed her hand like a parent would their child to make sure that he did not lose her.

"You know daddy, I can walk on my own." She remarked as she tried to yank her hand out of his, but his grip did not loosen.

"Not here!"

She looked around and sensed that they were being watched. She spotted a man looking at them. He had a black hooded robe on with gold lining and runes stitched in the lining in silver. She could see his smile as she knew he looked at them. Even though she could not quite see them she knew that they were the eyes of a predator. She somehow felt like she had made a target of herself. Yet she could not place as to why?

Did he recognise me? If so, then-

She jumped as Zaryb put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, just don't do that will you?" She snapped. 

"Sorry, it's just I was worried about you. Now, as for that toad that you wanted." He said.

She put on a sneaky smirk.

"Didn't mummy tell you not to get me one?" She sang cheekily.

He pulled her in close and kissed her on the cheek. She, despite everything in her body wanting to kill this man, forced a shy smile upon her face.

"Well mummy isn't here is she?" He smirked.

"No." She said as she took a glance back and spotted that the man was following them. 

She felt a hand push her onwards.

"Plus, why wouldn't I want to spoil my favourite daughter."

"I'm your only daughter!" She sang as she followed him as they squeezed past the crowd.

"Now, where do you think that it is?" She asked.

"Oh, I think I know!" He said.

She looked back as she saw the man was still on their tail.

"Ahh! Yes, I took a short cut down here." He said as he walked down a street with a lot less shops and people. 

He's seen him! She deduced. Good.

She then looked back and spotted that the man was still following them. She felt her heartbeat increase as she knew that the man was going to die if he continued to follow them. This also told her that he had recognised her and now she was going to be used as bait to kill this strange man. Yet something told her that that would be a good thing, yet she also did not want to see more death. So she still felt fear for him.

"Now as for another shortcut." He said as he ushered her down an isolated alley where he walked deeper and deeper. She noticed that there were less and less people walking to and fro. Soon they came to a section that had nobody but them.

"Oh, and may I just ask, why are you following us Froat, the Toad Turner?" He said, suddenly turning around to face him.

She screamed as she looked back to see that the man lowered his hood to reveal a face that resembled that of a frog.

"Oh, how did you know that it was me?" He asked, in an annoying high pitched voice.

"From the moment the girl picked the job."

"So this is Arielsa Zuvé! Well hearing about this is one thing but to see it is another!" He sang, clapping his hands together.

She took a step back as she knew that was going to happen next.

"What? Why are you so scared?"

"Alright, how many people know?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"Everyone that matters. After all, you killed the king and queen! Not to mention, that everyone knows that the little princess vanished. Yet then a month or two later it is revealed that you had a child apprentice? Anyone with a brain would be able to figure it out!" He laughed.

He looked at her.

"By the way, have you told her who you are yet?" He asked, looking at her predatorily. "Or have you told her what I do?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, feeling vulnerable.

"He turns royals into toads and frogs." He said, keeping his eyes on him.

Suddenly she became pale.

I knew it!

"You mean-"

"Yes, I want to add the two of you to my collection. Although, judging by that bracelet that the pair of you have, I'm going to have to sell you off as a pair." He said, pointing at them.

"What? He's not royal!" She snapped.

"Strena, please be silent." He said with a high-pitched cold tone to his voice.

He then took out a few small tiny blades at him faster than she could even see. He looked at them slightly confused as he fell. Then a cage rolled out from under him and the door opened then frogs and toads jumped out and with a flash she was soon surrounded by teenage boys and girls. She looked at the dead body.

At least he didn't put any blood on me this time.

"Look, if you're going to break a spell like that, you have to kill the enchanter."

She nodded.

"So, there are people who know the truth out there." She said with dread.

He nodded.

"What did he mean by 'have you told me who you are yet'?" She asked.

"I might tell you." He said. "But that's up to me."

She nodded.

"Time to collect your bounty." He said taking the children.

The Prophecy Of

The Lost Oracle

Strena looked at the board. She wondered what she should get. After all, she did not want to get one that would inevitably lead to someone's death. She looked around the board and spotted a job that she knew that would lead to a death, however there was something that had told her that she should pick that one. She did not know why but she just could not shake the overwhelming desire to take it. She also had this strange thought that if she did take it then she would know something important  by the end.

Find The Lost Oracle

2000 lapis & 300,000 Rubies

Last seen in the city of

Cupurucus three days before

this was sent out.

She took it before she could even have another thought, walked back to the table and she showed it to him. His eyes lit up as he drank his second beer. He gave it back to her and smiled. There seemed to be a spark of pride in his eyes.

"Sounds interesting. Can't wait to see where this one leads." He said with a chuckle.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Why's that?"

"What? Can't I be a little curious?" He asked, shrugging with a sly smile.

"Not if you're a killer like you." She sighed as she quickly ate her breakfast.

"Each to their own as they say!" He sighed and finished his beer. "Now, I think that you ought to get packing. After all, sooner we get this over and done with the sooner you can get paid!"

He yawned as he stretched.

"And the sooner I can become a bounty hunter." She said, as she finished her breakfast.

"Speaking of which, how old are you?"

"Wait, you're asking this now?" She asked, slightly outraged that he was taking an interest in her age now that he had been living with her only a year.

"Yes, why not?"

"I'm six now!" She shouted.

His eyes widened in shock but he quickly hid it.

"So you were five when you made your vows…" He muttered to himself.

"Yes!"

He smiled.

"Wow! You're going to be the youngest bounty hunter, beating that ten year old four years ago!" He exclaimed. 

Her eyes widened at that.

"Really?"

"Yes! Now, time for us to go and pack." He said, ushering her to her room.

This truth had blown her mind as she went to her room and packed everything that she knew that she had needed.

They were soon on the road and walked for a long time. After a long month's journey on a ship they soon came to the Olyma city Altheisus. It looked so bright and beautiful with pillars with many grape vines and olives. The people dressed in white and blue robes held up by metal circular brooches with many different patterns.

"This place-" She said breathlessly.

Then a man dressed in lilac with a single silver broach pulling two silver horses pulling a black wood carriage.

"Are you the bounty hunters from the Sand Planes?" He asked.

"Dessert Planes."

"How did you know?" Strena asked.

"Your skin tone. However, that is not important. I am Panduss and these are the horses that the Lost Oracle has bought for you. They are Jason and Homer." He explained.

"How?" Strena asked both confused and astonished.

"She's an Oracle. She saw us coming." He explained as he got into the carriage. She then pulled her up and she sat next to him.

"Now they know where they are going, so all you need to do is stop at the village inn." He said. "May the gods be with you!"

I can't say that's going to help. After all, if she had seen us coming, then that would mean that she must know who I am. If so, then I know that Zaryb will kill her. 

They soon came to a small rural village with houses and huts dotted all around. Then as night started to fall the horses stopped in front of the only inn called Mask Of The Royal. Where they, yet again, found out that everything was provided for them.

"It seems like she really knows the future!" She exclaimed when they were eating breakfast of ham, garlic cheese, olives and grapes. 

She was drinking grape juice and he was drinking red wine.

"Yes, she does… She even knew how to make the wine the way I like it!" He muttered as he drank and ate. "Makes you wonder…"

His eyes rested on her. It was all too clear that he was wondering the exact same thing that she was; did she know who she was. If so, then they were not getting their money. She looked aside as she felt the dread knowing that, if she did know then she would see him kill again and there was nothing that she could do about it. 

She hated the fact that she was so young after all, if she was older then she would be able to stop him for doing that. If she was older and more experienced then she would be able to fight him on the same level that he was fighting. If she was older and had more training then she would be able to fight him with the same inhuman speed and power.

She nodded.

"I know." She said as she finished her meal and drank her juice and he finished his wine.

They were about to pay but the inn owner shook his hands.

"No, your food's already been paid for!" He said.

Zaryb raised an eye and smirked.

"It seems that this Lost Oracle has saved us a lot of time and money!"

"Yes! It does!"

They climbed in their carriage and then the horses were back on the road. They continued until they came to a small circular hut that could only be the size of one room. It had a cone thatched roof that was darkened by time. The walls were white and the circular wall was bumpy and uneven. It had a black wooden door. 

They were about to knock on the door but the door opened revealing an old lady dressed in cotton and wool. Her eyes were turquoise and had a purple pupil. With long silver hair and a sweet smile and an energetic presence.

"Just on time! Come on! Come in!" She ushered as she took hold of their hands and pulled them in. 

It was all too clear that she was strong for an old woman. She soon closed the door behind them as Panduss sat by the horses. 

They saw the kettle which was whistling.

"Ahh! Finally!" She sang as she raced over to the kettle. 

She then poured the hot water into the three cups before they took their seats. She stirred and then put the wooden cups on a tray with biscuits on a wooden plate and walked over to the low table. She lowered the tray and then placed it on the table. 

They looked at it and Strena took the cup that was closest to him and as she took a sip. Then Zaryb followed suit. She took a biscuit and he took one. 

"So could you tell me, why did you put out a job to find you?" He asked with eagle eyes.

"Because I had to talk to you." She said, suddenly with a serious tone.

Zaryb took a sip of his tea.

"First Prince Zaryb, this will not end the way that you intend and she will know the truth when you meet the friend that will bring a great change in both your life and the world." She said as she took a sip.

He raised his eyebrow.

"Really?"

"I am not done, for she will not be the one to kill you but she will be the one that will be the cause of your death." She said, as she took a cracker and took a bite out of it.

He looked at her and as she saw a melancholy look in his eyes. Which suddenly looked very tired as he looked down at the tea.

"But the nightmare that your brother put you through will end before that final breath."

He suddenly looked vulnerable and almost sorrowful. Suddenly Strena felt sorry for him, but she still could never bring herself to let her heart go out to him. He did kill her parents after all. Yet she knew that she wanted to ask what he meant but she knew that she would never get the answers.

She then turned to her.

"Now, Princess Arielsa, the one who shall guide the death of the gods, your kingdom shall never rise again." She said.

What? That's a lie!

"Keep those thoughts in your mind like a fish is kept by the rod. For those thoughts will keep you from going insane." She said. "Even though you will never be touched by death."

"What?" She asked, confused.

"When you return to your old home, you will choose to roam, when that time comes you will know why, then it will be time to let go of your grief and cry." She said.

She frowned at that. Then she finished her tea. She put the cup down.

She closed her eyes and then she found herself walking down the halls of her pyramid castle. The halls seemed smaller somehow. She walked down them passing her old room and looked down. She suddenly felt a taste of nostalgia. She then turned and walked into her parents room, almost like she knew that this was where she should be going. She then walked in and then walked to the bed where she saw a man. She could not make out his image and took out a knife and slit his throat, almost like it was of little importance. 

She then left and then she walked out of the pyramid only to be greeted by her kingdom covered in blood. She woke up screaming.

"What?" He asked.

She told him her dream. He looked at her as if he knew more that he would admit or was letting on as he looked in the cup. He then sniffed and his eyes widened.

"Mandrake tea...Judging by the purple colour it was grown in the purple rivers of Noisivemet." He deduced.

"What?" 

"Oh, plants grown there seemed to have the power to give people visions of key events in their lives." He said as he looked at her with a hint of depression in his eyes.

"Hey, where is she?"

They looked around but saw nothing. They looked down at the table where their money was. 

Dreams and The Dragon

"Just one more job to go until I'm a full-fledged bounty hunter!" Declared Strena as she took a drink.

"Yes, it is." Zaryb said before he took a sip of his beer. "And, as you are six, that would make you the youngest bounty hunter with a licence bar none!"

"I know, I think after all this we should celebrate!" She laughed.

"Speaking of your age, you do seem to speak like someone who is twice your age."

"Well when you're drunk the others do school me about many things like maths and language. Then there's the dictionary that you gave me." She explained. "Although, I do have to ask you, why do you drink so much?"

He looked away for a moment. She could not see his face and he used a mug to obscure the rest of his face.

"Well sometimes, you just want to forget the world's even a thing." He said, with a hollow tone to his voice.

"Why's that?"

"You'll find out when you're old enough." He said, taking a sip of his beer. "Now I think that it's time to pick that last job."

"Alright.!" Dhe sang as she looked at the board.

She skimmed the board. She then took the job that her gut told her to go for. She then returned to the table.

"Here."

Rescue Princess Diona 

From The Mad Dragon

He read it and groaned out of annoyance as he read the description.

"You know I am starting to worry about you."

She rolled her eyes.

"I know that it's another royal, but daddy never socialised with the kingdoms of that region. This would make the chances of being recognised slim. Plus I know that we're not a bunch of handsome princes or noble knights, but we'll do."

He laughed.

"That's true. Well, in that case, I'm going to have to correct you in one thing, according to the description, we won't be facing a dragon but it's cousin the wyvern."

"How do you know?" She asked.

"While dragons have four legs, the wyvern has two and one is more primal than the other. So just think of it as the dragon's drunk cousin that everyone keeps mistaking for him."

She nodded.

Like I'm going to remember all that!

"Then I better get packing then." She said as she quickly finished her breakfast. 

She then raced to her bedroom and then packed. They then found themselves at the door. She showed him her bag. He smiled with a slight smirk. 

"I trained you well."

She gave a slight curtsy.

"Yes, you did."

He looked at her with a scolding look.

"Thank you, Master Zaryb."

He then smirked as they set off. They set off on a three month journey which ended in a market town. She then spotted a cat shouting at a dog. 

"Why should I come down! Keep away from me you psychopath!" He snapped.

"But let me love you!"

She looked back at Zaryb feeling a little freaked and she started, even though she was feeling cold, sweating. 

"Wh-"

"I see that you've never met a taking animal before." He laughed.

His eyes narrowed as she looked at her.

"What?"

"Yes, I heard that an eccentric man known as the Prince Captain made them."

She then heard laughing behind her.

"You 'earrd wha' I 'ad?" Asked a drunk.

"Wha'?"

"Las' year that King 'n' Queen were killed by tha' guy Zaryb!"

"Ha! Serves 'im right!" 

"You know wha' I 'eard?"

"No, wha'?"

"Tha' 'e butchered their daugh'er! Did 'er up so much tha' none could recognise 'er corpse!"

"Tha's no' wha' I 'eard." Said another. "I 'eard tha' none could find 'er body!"

She looked back and spotted them. She felt her heartbeat increase. 

"Wew wha' I 'eard wa' tha' she shtill livesh an' she's his pe'!" Said another that was even more drunk. 

She leaned into Zaryb to make sure that she was not recognised. He looked at her and then looked at the group. He then looked at her and laughed.

"I'm not going to kill them."

She looked at him surprised.

"Y-you're not?"

"Eh! Don' they look like them?"

He shook his head.

"No, they're far too drunk to remember anything, not to mention, they've probably taken far too much to an extent that even the most foolish of conversations would seem as the most intelligent than they actually are by far." He explained.

She smiled but she had noticed that it was a weak one. She even felt weaker too. 

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?" She asked, trying not to look weak.

He knelt in front of her. He then placed the back of his hand to her forehead. He then gave her a hard look. She suddenly felt like he was seeing right through her. 

"No you're not, and don't pretend that you are. After all, your fever is scorching." He told her. "Come on, we're going to the inn until I know that you're better."

She nodded. He held her hand as they went to the closest inn. He booked themselves in and the moment she lay on her bed she realised just how ill she was. She was caked with cold sweat like icing on a cake. She was so weak that she immediately fell asleep. 

She found herself walking down her corridor again and then she walked to her parents bedroom again and she killed that man again. She then walked down to her kingdom covered in blood again. She then turned to the desert and she saw an old tomb. She walked over to it and then she walked over to it. She walked down the stairs, almost as if the way had already been programmed into her. She found herself in a large chamber where she greeted a circle made of dried blood and then as she looked up, to her horror, she saw two people that looked like her father. 

She woke up screaming. She then felt two hands on her shoulder. She looked at him and saw the last person that she thought that she would see.

"Father?" She said as she looked closer to her right, only to see that she was looking at Zaryb.

He looked at her sternly and forced her to lie down.

"It's only a dream, it can't hurt you. Now, get back to sleep." He told her as he changed the towel on her head.

She nodded as he started humming a tune. She found the tune familiar, yet she could not quite place as to where she had heard it before. She found that it brought a strange nostalgia. She listened intently to the melancholic tune and was about to fall asleep when it came to her, that was the tune that her father had hummed to her every night! 

She looks at him with a sharp mind.

"How do you know that tune?" She asked, horrified.

He looked down with melancholy in his eyes.

"Oh, my parents used to hum it to me and my eldest brother when we couldn't sleep. Now I think that you ought to get some sleep." He said and then returned to the tune, stroking her head.

I wonder if his parents knew mine..She thought as she drifted off to sleep.

She saw herself in a different place. She was in a void of darkness and the first thing that she saw was Zaryb. As she looked at him he was all hunched over and she saw that his hands were flowing with blood and she could see, to her shock, that he was crying. No, he was weeping. She then stepped forward and then she saw the shadow behind him. It was large and in the shape of a humanoid creature that was the size of her pyramid castle then she saw his tail that was the shape of a fox. 

She then heard the sound of running water as she took step after step towards him. She looked down and she saw that she was in a shallow body of blood that she could not see the end of. She then spotted that she could see faces in the blood. One looked familiar to her and as she leaned in closer she, to her horror, saw that it was her father! 

She woke up again screaming. She then looked next to her and saw that Zaryb was fast asleep. The image of him crying flashed in her head. She wondered if both of her dreams had any significance or if they had any meaning behind them. She just could not get either of them out of her head. 

She looked at him and as she sat up she slid up to him and was about to reach out to him, but she retracted her hand. 

Why is he doing this? Why did he kill them? And why did he know that tune? Why does he drink so much? She wondered but as she sat back down she noticed that she was feeling very well. Better than she had for the entirety of the journey. 

When the next day dawned she told him that she was better he still told her to continue to stay there. Even though she liked the rest she knew that the more that they rested the more likely that they would be beaten by another bounty hunter.

"I am aware." He said as if he was reading her thoughts. "However, you need to recuperate. But you could think of a stratagem of how to beat the wyvern."

"Well, I was thinking of having you fight it while I get the princess out of there, and join you after I have put her into a safe place. After all, you are the better fighter." She pointed out.

He touched his chin and nodded.

"That's a good plan."

They were at the cave the next day. They both walked in and as they walked in they spotted that the wyvern was lying and sleeping on a body of gold, silver and other coins made of many precious stones with other treasures from all over. She looked up and spotted a girl with a golden dress and curly locks with deep blue eyes. 

"That's her." She whispered.

She then looked around and spotted a golden chain attached to the gold cage that she was in. She then looked up at Zaryb. She could see that the moment that she looked him in the eye that there was something different about him. There was that look in his eyes, the look that she had seen when he killed her parents. She suddenly got an uneasy feeling in her gut. 

"Are you sure you're ready for this kid?" He asked.

Trying to look brave, she nodded.

"Let's get this over and done with." She said, trying not to look too scared.

He pulled out a blade as she moved over to where the chain was. She looked at the handle that was held to the floor by another chain that had a lock. It seemed that someone did not want for her to be dropped, not even the dragon, something told her. She walked over to it and pulled out a small hair slide. She crouched to get to the lock. She started to pick it when she heard a roar from behind. Knowing that, that must have meant the wyvern was awake, but she knew better than to look. Dealing with that was Zaryb's job not hers. 

She was almost done when she felt the fire next to her. She dived out of the way as the fire came close to her side. She looked back questioning him, but he just raised his eyebrow and shrugged. Then she saw the challenge in his eyes, almost as if he was challenging her on what she would do next. She then looked aside to see the wyvern looking at her with glowing green eyes. She knew that, by the look in Zaryb's eyes, that he was not going to do anything to help her. 

Giving a spiteful look she picked up some coins in front of her and threw it at him and dived out of the way as the flow of fire came out of his mouth, melting the gold and silver. She smirked as it did as the molten metal did not change its course and the wyvern roared as the mixture of gold and silver blinded him. 

He breathed out fire erratically and as he did she returned to picking the lock. She then took hold of the chain and put it around her neck as she lowered the golden cage. She then looked up and an idea entered her mind. She smirked.

"Oi you up there! Start to swing!" She shouted.

That was when the wyvern snapped its attention to the girl. She then gulped but she kept lowering the cage but as the wyvern came closer and closer to her she took the chain around her neck. She then kept the cage lowering, however, to her dismay the cage was not moving. Which meant that she would have to move it herself. She then looked back and spotted that the wyvern was close to her. She then used the chain as a whip and aimed it at his jaw and when it hit she heard a grim cracking sound. 

She then climbed up the chain, knowing that it was low enough for her. She climbed and climbed until she was at the top. She did not look down for a moment and she started to kick the part of the chain next to her. She spotted that, when she did look down, the cage was not swinging as wide as she knew that it should. She then put her foot against the chain and pushed against it, but she did not remove her foot from the chain. Even though it was slightly tedious it paid off as the cage hit the wyvern and hit him so hard that he flew and hit the back of his head against the wall of the cave. This caused a loud roar and then a spike fell from the roof of the cave and stabbed the wyvern in the heart.

Knowing that he was not going to get up again she slid down the chain and picked the lock of the cage. She looked back at the coins and Zaryb picked up as many coins as he could carry. He then stuffed as much as he could in her bag without it getting too heavy. They then left the cave and went on a long journey and returned the very quiet Princess Diona to her parents.

On  their way back Zaryb looked at her

"Tell me, do you still want the pendent of Artemis?" He asked, with a smile.

She smiled and nodded. He smiled too and held her hand and when they arrived back in the town, he then went to the jewellers and bought it using the coins that he had gathered from the cave. He soon put it around her neck and smiled.

"I never thought that purple was your colour, but it suits you better than I thought!" He said as she held her hand almost like a parent. "Come young bounty hunter! Let us all celebrate!"

She smiled as they returned to the tavern.