A lone shadow leaned upon the trunk of a tree by the roadside, shaded by the wide canopy from the bright sun. It was summer, and the sun was even more brutal than usual today. Yven would rather not pit her skin against the ultraviolet rays for no reason. She tipped the brim of her straw hat when the sound of hooves striking the stone pathway reached her ears. There was a mounted female exiting the gates of the city, led by a single male attendant. It was hard to make out their features, but Yven guessed it was her client.
Her guess was spot on. The woman was beautiful. Even Yven had to admit that fact, despite being a woman, although a certain curse might have altered her tastes slightly. She shivered at the thought of it, and pushed it away to a corner of her mind. The client, who was obviously of noble birth, smiled at her, flashing an impressive row of shiny white teeth. To say nothing about her flawless complexion and large bright eyes, long black hair and a massive rack that made every male turn to stare. A slight pang of envy rose in Yven's heart.
"A merry afternoon, Miss Yven. I hope you are ready for our arduous journey ahead?" She said, her pronunciation clear and precise, with the flair of a scholar. Someone was definitely brought up highly educated. Yven tipped her hat in response.
"Indeed a fine day for an adventure, Lady Priscilla. Shall we?"
"Yes, of course. Gerard, if you would lead the way."
Gerard was a tall man that had the look of a grizzled soldier that spent his lifetime on the battlefield. His eyes told her how much he thought of her abilities. That is to say, he thought nothing of them at all, and her fame was nothing but a joke. He wasn't the first one she met to have the same mindset, so Yven was quite used to it.
Lady Priscilla had contacted her for escort duty. They were traveling to the city of Bhors and wanted extra protection in light of the increased bandit activity of recent times. Yven thought it was a bit excessive to hire her for such a menial task, but since she paid good cash, a mercenary could hardly ask for more. She took the job, and now their journey began. |