Trouble.

You awaken to the sound of your cage's door unlocking. Cora does not stir beside you. You raise your eyes to the door, but do nothing further.

The door opens to reveal another mercenary. A bald, spare, middle aged man with flinty little eyes.

"Hah!" the mercenary snorts. "Four hours of whipping does nothing, but one night with you and she's all friendly? You must be some kinda scary to pull that off my friend."

Cora awakens at the sound of the mercenary's voice, and her sapphire eyes widen when she sees him. She scrambles back to the far corner of your cage, and watches the man suspiciously.

"So," He begins, striding towards Cora. "I figure I'll have a go at her before we send her off, if you don't mind."

"Actually, I would like to keep this one." You say, standing. "And I would rather you didn't."

He looks at you, his eyes hard. "I just said that to be polite. I don't really care what you think."

You step between him and Cora.

"Go talk to Oren. This one is mine."

You see his beady eyes flash with anger. "Right, that's it!" He roars, and he draws a cudgel from the belt at his waist and takes a swing at your head.

Clearly this man has never seen one of your fights.

If he had, he would never have been so foolish.

You dodge his clumsy attack, and allow your momentum to carry you into a quick punch to his nose.

You feel cartilage give way, and he falls backwards without a sound. He doesn't lose consciousness, however, and he holds his now broken nose with his hands and moans softly.

You lean down over him and quietly ask. "You alright?"

"Yeah." He grunts. His voice is still angry, but there is no fight left in him.

You offer him a hand. He takes it, and you help him to his feet. Then, patting him on the shoulder, you say: "Then go talk to Oren."

"Yeah" He says softly, turning and shambling out of your cage.

You sit back on the floor, and wait for Oren to arrive.