Chapter 2 The Visitor
I have never had to ask myself how long it takes before I'm bored. I never cared to find out before. Usually as soon as one job is done, I'm out on another one right away. But after the Naga job, things dried up fast and nothing came my way. It took no time at all before I was almost out of my mind with boredom.
Three weeks. Nothing happened for three weeks. I started getting antsy, trying to occupy my mind. At first, I spent some time in the library reading. That didn't hold my attention for long. I moved on to cleaning and sharpening my weapons. Of course, that led to testing them and inventing new and exciting ways to creatively take out an opponent. Opponent in this case being an old suit of armor I had gotten my hands on. The noise of metal on metal always made me grin.
I think I started getting on Simon's nerves by the end of the first week. When even the usually calm Doc is muttering that he "understands why the monks complained to Father Liam," you know things are getting bad. I can't say it bothered me much, though. Hell, he knew how I was when he approached me!
This all continued day after day. You don't realize how long three weeks is until you're chest deep in it with nothing interesting on the horizon. So when a knock came at my door one day, I was both cautious and intrigued. It was rare that anyone came around, and it could only mean one thing -- a job had arrived.
I suppose I should be grateful when a job comes to me instead of making me go hunting for it. Technically, I usually go hunting twice before I'm paid -- once to find something worth doing, and again to fulfill the job. So when something literally comes knocking at my door, you would think that I would celebrate.
Yeah, you would think that, wouldn't you?
Well, when I opened the door and saw who was on my doorstep, celebrating was the last thing on my mind.
A woman of obvious noble status stood in front of me, dressed in a light blue traveling dress with a cloak over it. Her light brown hair was pulled back and decorated with silver chains and charms. I might have mistaken her for one of the Elven races if I didn't know better. Her skin was soft and pale, her features delicate, but there was a strength in her eyes that told me she could hold her own.
A glaring man at her side was dressed in much more drab traveling attire, but the sword at his hip and the way he carried himself told me he was more than just a barking guard dog. The scruffy beard on his chin testified that he hadn't been acquainted with a mirror and razor for a while. Or maybe he just can't grow a good one.
The woman regarded me after I opened the door, looking me over with a scrutinizing eye. "You are Dominic Bennett?"
Since I don't really have a sign up by my door saying "Dominic Bennett, Creature Slayer" I suppose I could forgive her questioning who it was that answered. I nodded in response. "I am."
The look of relief on her face was obvious. "Very good. I have need of your assistance, then."
I didn't know who she was, but it was painfully obvious that she was a someone. Even if the quality of her clothes and jewelry, or the bulldog of a guard at her side didn't give it away, her countenance did. She held herself like someone with confidence in her place. Whatever her role, she would perform her duties with grace and aplomb. And probably kick ass doing them.
I felt an unconscious desire to bow to her. Growling to myself, I stuffed that thought and motioned them inside. I did not bow. To anyone.
The guard stepped inside first, watching me intently as if he expected me to attack them any moment. He made a quick inspection of the hallway before he allowed his charge to enter.
When she swept past me, I caught a whiff of very faint perfume mixed with her essence; light and airy, nothing pretentious about her. I didn't know how I knew -- it was rare that I could get a sense of a person's true self from their scent. I wasn't sure if it was something changing in me, or if she was just that pure. (Note to self: ask Simon if it meant I was going crazy.)
The guard, on the other hand, radiated fury and power, with an undertone of staunch loyalty. This guy would gladly kill or be killed to defend what he believed in. He glared at me, his hand never far from the sword at his hip. I had no doubt he was skilled with the weapon and had used it often in defense of his charge. So, I gave him my best shit-eating grin just to watch him tense up. He'd be on edge of the whole time they were here and I was going to enjoy poking at him. It wasn't often that I got to tease someone so uptight.
I shut the door and led the way down the hall, walking in to my study. I didn't usually have visitors, so I felt a little out of sorts for a moment. The jobs I typically took didn't require meeting in person, so it was unusual to have a face-to-face meeting with someone who needed me to do something.
The woman was looking around my study and I felt a momentary urge to make excuses for its unkempt state. Like the desire to bow, I shoved it firmly away and sauntered over to my desk to sit down. Motioning toward a chair opposite, I watched her intently. She strode to the chair and sat smoothly, never once losing the confident air.
Once she was settled, I cleared my throat and leaned my arms on the desk before me. "Right. Perhaps now you can explain just who you are and why you have need of my specific services."
The bodyguard stepped forward, growling as he gripped the hilt of his sword. "Watch your tongue, you knave! This is Queen Aniya you're addressing!"
I chuckled. "Oh, wait, that's supposed to mean something to me, isn't it?"
"Enough, Boren." The Queen raised her hand to the bodyguard. "We have come into Mr. Bennett's home and need his help. We are in no position to make any demands of him."
Obviously the bodyguard didn't like that answer, but he fell silent, glaring at me with a deadly intent.
The Queen looked back at me. "I apologize for my abrupt intrusion. I admit; I was uncertain what the protocol normally is for requesting your services."
I raised an eyebrow. "I don't really have a protocol. Someone usually sends me a note, or sends word through mutual acquaintances, and they tell me what they want." I gave a shrug. "Pretty simple."
She gave a nod. "I see."
"So, what brings you to ask for my help?"
"My son. I need you to find him and return him home."
Nodding, I motioned for her to continue. "Alright. Let's start with the basics. Where he is, what happened, that sort of thing."
"Three days ago, I received word that he was captured in an attack on the outskirts of Traylav. He was serving with his Guard unit when the attack hit. He and several of his fellow soldiers were kidnapped."
That was a surprise. The Royal Guard was the capital city's most elite team of military men. They were trained extensively to handle more dangerous situations than the regular army, and the Guard was regarded to be one of the highest honors a man in service to the King could attain. For a Prince to join the Guard was a very unusual move.
I looked at her, a little disbelieving. "Why won't the Guard go after the men who were taken?"
"Tristan did not let it be known who he was. He wanted to serve without the special treatment a member of the royal family would get."
I raised an eyebrow. "That wouldn't keep the guard from going after their captured men."
She took a deep breath before speaking. "He was taken by the Galroth."
I grimaced. The Galroth were a particularly nasty race of enormous and dangerous ogre-like creatures that didn't take well to anyone invading their territory. Trouble was, they liked to change their territory a lot, so even when the humans were respecting the boundaries they knew, the Galroth took offense to their presence on the new territory. No doubt the men just being kidnapped was a lucky turn of events for the victims. They were just as likely to have been slaughtered, and with the Galroth usually banding together in the dozens, it was almost always a slaughter. Of course, they weren't likely to last long in the nest either, but it did buy them a little time. I noticed Bulldog Boren looked a bit uneasy as she spoke. Probably embarrassed his beloved military faced something they couldn't -- or wouldn't -- handle.
I whistled low. "He sure knows how to make enemies. So, you came to me in the hopes that I can swoop in, pluck your son from the grips of the Galroth and return him to you, hale and whole?" At her nod, I shook my head slowly. "Two questions. One, how do you know he's still alive?"
She gave me a level stare. "A mother knows."
I held her gaze for a long time, waiting on an answer that was less vague and, to be quite honest, less stupid. She met my stare, raising an eyebrow. I resisted rolling my eyes.
"Fine. Two, how do you think I'm going to get rid of a nest of Galroth and get him out? How can I, as one man, succeed where a whole unit of men -- some of the best-trained men in the country -- have failed? And, I'm assuming you're paying me to retrieve only him? What about the rest of the men?"
"If you return with any of the others alive, I will speak with the commander about a reward for their lives as well." She paused to stare at me in silence for another moment before continuing. "As for the success of the endeavor, I would like to say I have no one else to turn to, but let's be reasonable. I could go to anyone else and with enough money on the table, they would take the job. And they might get it done, at considerable cost of limb or otherwise. But I am not looking for just anyone I can convince with coin to make an attempt. I need someone who can succeed swiftly and with a ruthless efficiency. I need someone who has a reputation that promises results with creatures like this."
She had a lot of confidence in my reputation. That's not to say my reputation isn't well-earned and deserved. I've yet to come across a job I haven't been able to complete, and I love a challenge.
Leaning back in my chair, I propped my feet up on my desk and tucked my hands behind my head. I could almost see bulldog's eyes blazing at the relaxed manner I showed his lady.
"That's a tall order, as I'm sure you're aware. It won't be easy. Or cheap."
She nodded her head. "I assure you, I can and will pay any fees if he is returned to me safely."
Boren sputtered and looked at the Queen in shock. "You can't possibly be serious to hire him, my lady! He's a thug, a criminal, at best! And at worst..."
"I would hire the devil himself if he could retrieve my son," she cut him off firmly.
"I wouldn't," I smirked, shrugging my shoulders. "He's an ass to work with and my rates are better."
My response seemed to throw her a bit and she stared at me, the look on her face telling me she was trying to figure out if I was just shooting off my mouth or if I really knew the devil. I just grinned back.
Finally, she gathered herself and looked at me evenly. "Well, Mr. Bennett, will you accept this job?"
Even if I hadn't been bored out of my skull for something to do, I probably would have taken it. This is a challenge that doesn't come around very often and I had to admit, it was intriguing.
I nodded. "Very well, I'll do it."
The relief on her face wasn't a show -- she had honestly thought there was a chance I would turn her down. Interesting.
"I'm very glad to hear that." Reaching into her cloak, she pulled out a coin pouch and placed it on my desk. "This will get you started. I know that travel is not cheap, and you have a journey ahead of you. Please, do whatever it takes to bring him back to me."
For a minute, I didn't know what to say. I wasn't faced with devotion and love much in my line of work -- all too often it was jealousy, hatred and greed that drove my jobs -- so I wasn't sure how to respond right away.
Finally, I nodded. "I'll do my best."
"I'm sure you will."
She gathered herself to leave when I thought of something.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you find me? I can tell you're not used to frequenting the places that my clients are usually found in."
She turned to look at me levelly for a moment. "I've heard much about you, Mr. Bennett. You take jobs no one else can or will take. You have beaten many creatures, several that no one had ever heard of before. When I was searching for someone who could take this job, everyone I spoke to said you were the one who could help me, if I was willing to work with a demon." She regarded me closely for a minute. "You don't look like a demon."
"Glad to hear it. They'd be pissed if they knew I was impersonating them, and it wouldn't do much for my self-esteem either. I'm not a demon." It wasn't a total lie. So far, we hadn't determined how much demon blood was in me, but I knew for certain that I wasn't full-blooded.
She looked slightly curious at that. "Then what are you?"
I raised an eyebrow at her and stared her down. "Does what I am really make any difference in getting your son back?"
She held my gaze for a long time then gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. "No. I suppose it does not."
When she turned to leave, Bulldog Boren gratefully followed her out of the house, sticking close to her side. I watched them make their way to the horses that were hitched to a nearby tree and mount up.
As they vanished into the distance, I heard footsteps behind me and glanced over my shoulder to see Simon walking down the hall toward me.
"Who was that?"
I shut the door as I turned to face him. "That, Doc, was a meal ticket. I've got another job."
I went through the details with him, feeling myself growing more interested the more I thought about it.
However, Simon looked worried at the prospect. "That seems like a rather daunting request."
I nodded with a grin. "It is, Doc. But hell, the money is good and I was starting to feel antsy for a real challenge. This is a perfect chance to really test myself."
"True... But, Dominic, are you certain? The Galroth? That is a very tall order, even for you."
The man had a point. I paused in thought.
"We'll need some backup."
Author's note:
Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying!!
Any comments or questions, send them to beyondanytherapy@gmail.com. And check out my blog for story updates at randyscorner.blogspot.com.