Picking your target

As you and your merry band of men and pleasure slaves continue up the street, with every last of the soldiers under your command now scanning the street ahead and the luxurious houses that you move past in the hopes of spotting any potential traps before they’re sprung, you eventually spot a figure peaking out from behind the gate to one of the large houses and instantly raise your right hand to make your group come to a halt.

The house to which the gate belongs is a very large one consisting of three or four stories, it’s hard to say from here just how many they are, and it is definitely one whose owner is quite ridiculously wealthy.

You don’t know what exactly it is that make you do it, but you turn around to the band of soldiers that are following your lead and let them know that they are to spread out and await your return before you begin to walk up towards the gate, moving across the street with strides that are much too confident for a man in your exposed position while your men bring the slaves along as they hurry over to take cover by pressing themselves against the high walls that run alongside the street.

Of course, you are not alone, as Maluba is now walking by your side, clutching her spear and looking as spectacular as ever, her large, round tits jiggling and bouncing as she keeps her gaze peeled on the gates.

“My order to stay behind and wait for me to get back was meant for you too,” you tell her, although you make sure to speak in a calm and non-accusing tone.

“I won’t leave your side,” Maluba responds, in such a manner that it’s perfectly clear that she has no inclination whatsoever to discuss the issue.

Perhaps it’s the fact that you’re approaching the mansion with a statuesque black beauty walking next to you that leaves whoever’s hiding beyond the gates too stumped to do anything, but you reach them unscathed and then stop as the figure you thought you saw earlier now steps out into the open.

“Well met,” you nod at the figure, who turns out to be a man dressed in a suit of armour which consists of hardened leather reinforced with the odd strap of metal here and there, and a metal helmet complete with guards for his cheeks and nose.

The man is quite obviously a mercenary, no doubt hired to protect the mansion, and your friendly greeting catches him off guard, prompting him to lower both his gladius and the large, round metal shield which he’s carrying.

“Well met,” the man finally nods his head at you, though he’s not exactly gushing with warmth and friendliness as he greets you. Somewhere, in the back of your head, you know that the two of you should already be fighting each other.

“I’m Thadeus, a soldier of the unified armies, my aim is to take the mansion which you’re guarding,” you introduce yourself, “and this is Maluba, who sadly enough is not a typical example of the members of our army.”

“I’m Basileios,” the man introduces himself, “a mercenary hired to guard and protect this mansion and its mistress, Lady Relia, and I can not let you take it without a fight.”

“Fair enough,” you nod in recognition of what Basileios is saying, “may I speak to your mistress before we battle one another?”

“She’s already left,” Basileios responds, so quickly that you doubt that he even knew that he was going to say it before the words left his mouth, “she hired a drake rider to get her out of this city.”

“And your fellow guards?” You glance around the grounds and the front of the mansion without being able to spot anymore armed men, “Surely you can’t have been the only one tasked with protecting this place.”

“No, there were six of us, but they were pulled back to the Citadel, the bastards…” Basileios explains, not without a strong hint of bitterness present in his voice.

“Then why didn’t you go with them?” You’re still not certain what it is that’s keeping Basileios from attacking you. Perhaps it’s the desire to partake in one last normal interaction with another human before he goes to his ****, or perhaps he’s wavering about whether or not to do his duty.

“There’s a woman in the mansion, one of the Lady’s slaves,” Basileios begins, and doesn’t need to say anything more before you grin and nod your head at him, though he nevertheless adds “I couldn’t leave her.”

“I like you Basileios,” you suddenly announce, “and I think that it would be a shame for you to die here today, so I’ll make you an offer: if we fight, I will either kill you or you will kill me, after which Maluba or another member of my **** will cut you down and kill you. On the other hand, I’m in need of a man who knows the city, and can vow to you that you will be treated as one of us if you choose to join us, and that you will get to keep your woman.”

“What?” Basileios doesn’t sound like he was expecting such an offer.

“Join us, Basileios, and you will become a soldier in the unified armies and your woman will belong to you and no one else,” you repeat your offer.