Improvise

There was something moving in the darkness, bellow a table. Our hero was only able to look at it in his peripheral vision. Tied as he was to that heavy armchair. He could not speak either, due to the gag. They had shoved some kind of cloth or cotton in his mouth, and he could not push it out because the gag was tied behind his head.

For some reason the first idea that came to him about the noise coming from the darkness in this basement was the image of a giant one eyes rat.

When they met he didn’t knew what that larger than usual rodent was. Later, came to him the information that it was a girl named Pulha. A human born wererat, apparently, as far as were anything can be considered human. Something he was not able to decide yet. Was clear enough that this Pulha was trying to eat him alive, in a classification for over 14 years old audience way. Not in the over 18 year classification. That he would personally have preferred, if invited to choose one or the other.

In the occasion this rat girl was wanting to eat him just for the sake of proteins, presumably. However, he was advised to be careful, since now she would be seeking him for vengeance. Since he had escaped her first try.

Our hero was surprised to see a different woman pushing herself from bellow that table.

She didn’t noticed him immediately, and explored the place with careful steps for a while. Must have noticed him at some point, but took her some time to walk close.

_Mutually Consensual boy! Pleased to see your situation has improved so much. No rats between you and the exit determined to eat you alive, this time.

The thief lassie helped him out of that gag, finally.

She was kind enough to let him drink some water as well.

_Yeap, I am truly going up in life, you could say.

She smiled a condescending smile. Resting her hands and upper body on his knees, for a moment.

_Just did.

_You could probably have your way with me, Mrs Thief. Given the circumstances. Not much I could do to stop you.

The lassie stepped back.

_Wow, darling, don’t you know the most basic facts about knifes and sheaths? I should start demanding payment for those lessons. Just this time, I will explain it to you for the goodness of my hearth. Do not get used to it.

She said, looking for something. Then moved a box a few steps, to sit on it.

_You have my undivided attention, lady. I am bond to listen.

_Women must have the looks, be pretty and smell nice. Men must have pretty voice and be powerful. Being dangerous helps too, but that comes naturally with power. Quite simple, really! You have a slightly under-average face, what to you is alright. But you have a weak voice, darling! More importantly: you are always in need to rescue! That’s fine for pretty lassies, we can easily get by with that, but is really, seriously, questionable strategy for a rooster!

_Since you mentioned needing rescue…

_I am not further undermining your manhood by cutting you lose from those ropes, boytoy.

_Can you at least tell me what those crazy people intend to do with me?

_They are not about to eat you, that’s obvious. These people look too snob to indulge in cannibalism with the first thing they catch in the streets. How knows what kind of garbage you have been eating…?

_You are not answering my question, exactly. But thanks.

_Prices are still low in **** market, I don’t think anyway could make money transporting you to a farm for heavy label, unless they own the farm and no commerce is needed. On the other hand, you are not qualified to be a house-**** in the city. Not in a house like that, certainly! I imagine they may want you as voluntary. Judging by some of those instruments I would say the lassie who got you captured dabbles into the arts of non-magical healing. They need to cut people in order to learn how things connect inside the body. I was told.

_And you are going to leave me here!?

_Hum, well, …you may have a point. Sort of. However, I already lost a week of research work in that warehouse, lest time your ass needed saving. This time, you will work for me, and we will do the work. Silently!

_Deal! I can be your apprentice…

_You cannot pay my price for tutelage, darling. Acceptance of a pupil in my profession, is not something cheap. Focus in carry what I tell you to carry, without making noise. We are leaving this place, but by a long shortcut.

She started working those ropes, and in a moment he was free.

_Try not to stand up too fast. Your body will need some moments to recover, and we cannot make too much noise here. Once we take the stairs up, we must became discreet like mouse.

_Please, Miss thief, do not speak about rats with me in a place like that.

_You can call me Vasha Sensei, boy! Only my closest friends call me thief.

They moved slowly, but decisively.

He was expecting they would search for some vault, or jewellery box. Instead, he followed Vasha Sensei directly to a big bedroom in the second floor.

The thieve opened a handkerchief, it had some kind of powder in it. He noticed with surprise how well he was seeing thing. With just the light of night sky coming from the large window, half hidden behind heavy curtains.

A young woman was on the bed, likely the owner of that mansion. She tried to fight when the larger woman pressed the cloth against her nose and mouth, but didn’t even had time to away properly. In a moment Vasha had the woman completely naked, arms immobilized behind her back, ankles crossed and secured tightly against her thighs. All with one single rope, that was tied in front of the prisoner’s body, far away from the reach of her hands. She had the girl gagged too, and did that so fast that he almost missed it completely.

Without a word she started leaving the room, stopping only to check if our hero was following with the merchandise on his shoulder. Which he was.

They left stepping on their own footprints, practically.

Without incidents.

Until they reach the door that gives access to the basement. From where the large bodyguard woman was coming. She was wearing an embroidered nightie instead of the heavy full plate. Still, her body seemed strong, and she moved with confidence. On one hand, she was holding a war-hammer.

The head of those things in here is ridiculously small, compared to what it is supposed to be in any decent fiction, our hero thought to himself. The sight of one, strangely loses the funny nuances when someone who knows how to use it as a deadly weapon is holding one. And blocking your only escape route while doing so. Interesting paradox.

The warrior hit a metallic disk nearby with the weapon, causing a loud reverberation. And sounds of movement. Barking animals, that could even be dogs. A frightening confusion.

_Follow! The thief guided our hero back upstairs, and through corridors, up and down passages. Steps coming closer all the time, and the warrior woman closing distance.

Finally she reached a window in the fourth floor, from where they gained access to the outside. The structure had higher floors, but there was enough place to run from here. Just there was no where to go. No other building close enough for a jump, unless they could jump over 50 meters in distance. Outside, on the ground, three dozen guards followed them with the eyes, pointing their pole weapons and swords at them.

Even if they could climb the building down, that would do them little good.

The warrior in nightie came through the window, followed by an anthill of guards.

_Let’s not be hasty, now!_ she said, lowering the war hammer.

I knew why. Her employer was still tied, and sleeping soundly, on my shoulder.

_Do you trust me?

Asked the thief woman.

Our hero was ready to, under the circumstances.

_Then, I will buy you time. Give me the package.

He did that.

_Now, jump to that tree, out there. No one will bother to go after you while I am still here, holding their precious highborn merchant. Once on the ground, just run away from this place, in the direction to the Imperial Palace. First Xor-azar-ox Church in your way, look for the door behind the statue of Raz, tell them you are a Razore spy and want to surrender. They will take care of your wounds, lock you, and send word to sister Eknia. Fast as you can, don’t look back! The moment they resolve the situation at hand, with me, they will be running to catch you. Good luck, boy.

_What about you?

_I can take care of myself. You are a different matter, if they catch you they are going to enjoy taking **** for this.

Our hero considered his options. Was a long fall, least six meters down to reach the taller branches, if he could manage to jump that far. Those branches would certainly not hold his weight, and there was another honest eight meters down, until he reach the actual floor, which was severely inclined in a mean ladder. Covert on grass, to be fair, but still…! Then, he was supposed to run??

Keep running, with who knows how many broken bones?

Was a jump of faith, for sure.

He jumped.

To keep standing and fighting with broken bones and pierced organs is a very “orc thing”, everyone knows that. Orcs would not like to admit, but to run away in “strategic retreat” with the same injuries is not entirely unheard of, actually. It was fast, too fast.

Vasha sensei was imprecise in her predictions. Because a handful of soldiers do came running after him, the moment he started running. Ratter falling and capsizing downhill, for several meters, until he reach the descending ladder, and start running up street. By mercy or whatever deity is responsible for protect atheists, the guards didn’t had a straight line to run from where they where and where this bold escape had deposited our hero.

They had a beautifully straight line of shot for their arrows, to compensate that. In the light of oil lamps provided by public illumination the rain started. First one, then another two in close succession. Next, some twenty or thirty arrows singing their way in chorus.

Fortunately, when they landed our hero was almost beyond reach.

He took one arrow on his shoulder, another a little lower, and one in the opposite arm.

The guards reached the point where he had been hit by the arrows a moment before he disappear between the buildings, in a street on top of a stone stair. They came, half a dozen of them, and then some.

Despite his orc endurance our hero was not running as fast as he would like, and had no idea how far his destination was.

The guards were faster, even needing to stop sometime and look for the blood trail, to know which direction he had turned.

They caught him in the shadow of the nearest Xor-azar-ox church.

Surrounded by a handful of men with short swords in hand, our hero prepared himself to fight, with bare hands.

Growing branches, emerging like tentacles from the grass bellow them immobilized and strangled two of the guards. While a third screamed with his flesh and clothes burning in tall flames. The other guards turned to run. While four knights in shiny full plate armour arrived from the church. Followed by priestesses in religious robes.

Again, for the second time in this short period, our hero lost his senses, and passed out.

Twelve hours before that, Superior Mother Oshay had a vision. She saw the possible future of a wounded man knocking at their Redeeming Door, and declaring to be a Razore spy.

Since there are always looking for those repented souls, but cannot trust them. And cannot refuse to take them in for interrogation either. The Reverend Mother in charge of six temples in this area alerted the order. She demanded a division of Devote Brothers and alerted her own priestesses to stay in that church. Waiting.

Messager was send, and when our hero came back to his senses he was healed.

Sleeping in a comfortable bed, in a spartan but spacious and well-ventilated room. A woman with fair face and huge feminine attributes in her upper body, was sitting on a chair next to a table in a corner of the room. Reading a book, with the usual expression of serenity on her face.

Our hero recognized her in a glimpse.