Joseki's Journeys: Sword Brother Ch. 04

“Why are people stupid enough to fuck with things that don’t belong to them?” he claimed loudly.

Zia sat there holding the boards tight and peeked up at me as his voice carried into the tavern. I knew he was talking about those of us in the tavern he said it loud enough so that we could all here. I thought our previous chat had gone pretty well so I was rather confused about why he was here and so obviously upset.

.* Red Hawk hoped down from his kaiila getting his crutches and hobbled in to the tavern, horn bow across his right shoulder. He took along look about the tavern and dismissed us all as beneath his notice. Which was very interesting as Imanja, talia, zia and I were all right by the batwing doors.

DeMonessa saw Red at the door and nodded a greeting to him as she was sat there obviously still trying to figure everything out.

Red Hawk spoke up quickly his voice loud over the normal buzz o conversation in the tavern. “talia, zia back to the lodge now!”

pepper moved in from the kennels then her blonde ringlets captured back upwards into girlish piggy tails, red ribbons curling downwards into bouncing curls as rounded hips carried her across the tiled floor to the slave furs where grabbed a hold of cin, and pulled her to the slave mats and out of the way, staying quiet the entire time.

I looked up at Red Hawk and decided I’d give him a chance to state his problems.

“Welcome to the Tavern.” I said in as polite a tone as I could manage.

I’m not even sure Red Hawk knew I existed as his glance passed clean over me. Imanja spoke up from my right. “Have you collared Valasca then Red Hawk?”

Red Hawk was stiff as he replied “I haven't not that is any of your business woman.”

I looked up to Red Hawk kind of wondering I knew he could see the girls were in service and it lacked real class for him to come into my home where my Home Stone is kept and demand anything. “Girls, now!” Red Hawk pressed.

DeMonessa shrugged from where she sat at being ignored and getting up she turned and walked out heading somewhere.

“Then” Imanja said “my blood sister sent her slaves to me to care for them until she was freed.”

talia rose worriedly to her feet looking to Red Hawk.

pepper pulled cin close and inched back towards the wall at the back of the slave furs, out of the way and listened quietly not daring to speak.

“Sorry it doesn’t work that way and you damn well know it.” Red Hawk swore at Imanja.

“Girls, now!” Red Hawk pressed again. “I have business to deal with.”

zia set the boards down next to me as she slithered upwards tears brimming her eyes as she jumped to her feet.

May zia leave please she doesn’t want any blood spilled. She loves this Tavern and is sorry she caused trouble in it.

I’d had enough by then, I stood up an looked Red Hawk in the eye.

“No Red Hawk, I don't think so.” I

I really thought we could talk this over and we could all go away happy. I was wrong.

Even before I’d finished speaking Red Hawk had drawn the horn bow from his back with his right hand and knocked an arrow and sighted down its length at me. He took aim at my chest and let loose his arrow.

Imanja in a moment that heroes can be made of stepped in front of me and took an arrow meant for my heart in her left shoulder.

Red Hawk with the smooth efficiency of a professional reloaded and fired towards my head. His arrow wasn’t true and the shot went wide. He reloaded again and sent another arrow in my direction but it missed its mark as well.

We all heard Raphens’s voice from the top of the stairs as he thundered.

“What just happened?”

“Itancan please we will leave.” Talia begged Red Hawk.

“Go it is done.” Red Hawk replied “I am tires of playing.”

“What is done?” zia gasped looking down at Imanja.

cin gasped seeing her Mistress laying there and held her sis in a tight embrace.

Pepper’s eyes widened and she pulled cin close as her eyes closed, seeing that Mistress Imanja hit instead of me.

Raphaen walked from the upstairs into the hall of the tavern, with a very deliberate pace as he looked over the scene.