Hunter's Price

Tankards of ale can be heard slamming the tables accompanied by music, laughter, the entertainment of the topless serving maids and of course the slurred curse words of the local drunks from the Buckling Goose Inn right on dusk. 
 
Two figures form shadows with the last rays of the sun streaming behind them sinking into the valley. "Awoken, the Buckling Goose is just over the next rise, I'll get you patched up....... Back on your feet in no time slinging arrows and screaming abuse at the royals for screwing us on our contracts." 
 
The woman barely walking, using her companion as her crutch, raised her head slightly giving a slight smile before slumping it back toward the ground, a trail of blood flowed steadily from her left leg, her leather leggings torn from knee to ankle. A battered breast plate, the metal links stretched and bent. 
"That troll liked your smooth legs as much as I do hey." Hobin laughed as Awoken strained her head upwards again. 
 
"Piss off you arrogant bastard, you will be lucky if you get your hands on them again after that performance." She smiled briefly before wincing in pain, dropping her head again, sucking back the pain with her lips. 
 
"Ha ha, you were lucky, trolls of that size don't normally need more than one strike. His only downfall was he had my dagger in his back, a tad distracting for him to concentrate on you." 
 
"Are you going to be this arrogant the whole way Hobin? If so, knock me out and carry me the rest of the way, my ears need not bleed anymore from your speeches." Awoken cast a playful gaze toward Hobin as the two reached the ridge and the Buckling Goose was in sight. 
 
The world of Rasir was cold, barren with few roads to travel to get from town to town. Most had been lost to the damaging winds and the rainstorms that frequented Rasir forcing travelling merchants or travellers to forge new trails often leading themselves into danger as creatures lurked and waited in every shadow. Hobin and Awoken had been friends since childhood growing up together in the town of Triner.  
 
Throwing off the ties of typical work, the two spent their time training from a young age in secret with swords, bows and anything they could use as a weapon to defend themselves. By the time the two were 21 they were one with their weapons of choice, Hobin a master of any blade with Awoken a master of archery, no target could escape her bow. They forged a bond from childhood and it only grew and grew into love for one another and a passion so great the gods themselves would envy it. Hobin planned their life preparing them to use their skills and seek out the hideous creatures that walked the land of Rasir and offer to slay them to earn their fortune and fame as creature killers, the greatest Rasir would ever know. 
 
"Allow me to do the honours Awoken, when we reach the Buckling Goose, Tras can be a hard headed boar at times. I'll have an herbalist dress your wounds and be certain they use roe root for the infection.  
 
The pair reached the door of the Buckling Goose tavern, Hobin lowered Awoken down to a wooden bench just outside where a local merchant lay spewing curse words and mumbling incoherently laying face down testing the taverns dirt for quality.  

"Hey." Hobin called to the drunk merchant stumbling to look up at the new arrivals. 
"You think you can keep an eye on Awoken here while I grab an herbalist?" The man plunged back into the dirt. 

"Ahhhh, see, a guard right at the doors my love." 
 
"Why thanks, if he regains consciousness long enough to notice I'm here, I'll let him in on his quest." Awoken's frozen glare hit Hobin dead in his eyes as a sarcastic tone licked the air. She began unbuckling her thick hide boots trying to hold off her pain clearly searing through her leg. 
 
"Be right back." Hobin's eyes flashed a loving glance as he turned and disappeared into the Goose. The tavern was ablaze with laughter and drunks, Hobin passed through the locals being swung around as a woman danced by him grabbing his arms twirling by into the arms of another man as a bar maid stroked her index finger under his chin. 

 "Hey handsome, plenty of girls up for a ride. Good prices too, get your pick you will too with a face like that. Hell, I'll take that ride, I finish in a while." The bar maid giggled as she bent over to serve another man exposing her ass to Hobin accompanied by a cheeky smile washing over her face. 

"I'll keep that in mind." Hobin passed through the last tables and plonked on the stool at the bar unlatching his sword and dropping it beside him. It fell with a loud clink on the worn stone floor. 

A stern looking bearded man glanced up at Hobin, tracing him up and down as he approached from behind the bar. 
 
"Tras." 
 
"Ahhhh, Hobin, quickly despatched that troll nest, not expecting ye for a few days yet." 
The barman furrowed his brow staring hard at Hobin as he dropped a small sack of coins on the bar. 

"Trolls made camp in plain sight, just off the main road, made no attempt to hide themselves. Bold moves these days, they weren't no more than a days hike from here. Best guess is they were heading here, would have slaughtered the whole town." Hobin lifted the bag seemingly testing the amount of coin with its weight. 

Tras's expression changed from curious to concerned as he spoke not a word but listened intently to the master swordsman in front of him. Hobin continued, 
 
"Your lucky that merchant came across them when he did and alerted you Tras. I see he's made use of your fine ales and meads, found him eating your fine dirt outside." Hobin laughed. Tras's face lightened a little and a smirk broke on his face. The swordsman turned his head back to the coin purse on the bar. 

"Got a small problem though, we require more coin for this one, Awoken got pretty badly hurt, leg is all torn up......  Can I get your herbalist to see to her, she's outside keeping the merchant company." 
 
Tras motioned to a fiery red haired woman, she wore a white cloak that mopped the floor as she proceeded to walk outside to tend to Awoken's wounds. 
 
"Roe root! Be sure it's applied." Hobin yelled after the herbalist. 

Tras leaned in towards the swordsman, "Hobin, it's not my problem Awoken got wounded out there, ye contracted hunters, Ye hunt what the contract dictates, we agreed on the coin. It's a hazard of your trade. I won't pay anymore than the one hundred and fifty ries discussed." A firm look pierced onto Hobin from behind the bar. 

"Tras!" Hobin  shifted his eyes to the bearded barman. "We found four trolls, your contract spoke of three, an extra troll an extra fee, I ask for fifty more ries and a room for the night. Throw in some tankards and I won't charge the right amount for an extra troll and based on his size I should charge you by the pound!"  

Tras moved forward to say something as he was cut off by Hobin. "The rate stands Tras. It is a fair price." Hobin's stone cold eyes fell onto Tras, seemingly breaking the man's will. 
 
"Ok, ok, Ye get your fee, but proof would not go astray my high priced friend." 
 
"Don't get cute Tras, it doesn't suit your face coated in that hairy mess you call a beard. 
Proof is a days hike North, past Ponts lake, trolls lay just off the main road. You will find your proof there. Send a man, if the merchant is sober by morning he might be up to it, he knows the roads. 
 
"Fine, here be your coin, and thanks Hobin, I can be a tad icy I guess but ye have me gratitude. I not deny ye of that or of ahh Awoken, there she be." Awoken limped in seating herself next to Hobin. Tras continued, "the spirited woman with fire in her heart and death on her bow. Might I add ye beauty is causing the gods to anger my love, the clouds grow ever closer with storms lashing out of control whenever ye stop by, I see why too..... A beauty wi," 
 
"Treading in another man's garden while he sits so closely by normally loosens the head from a man's shoulders Tras." Hobin took a gulp from his mug not even moving his eyes to Tras. 
 
"Yes, well I be not a man to hedge your garden Hobin........ nary a man alive would anger that sword." Tras looked away burying his shame and fear in his fury beard. 
 
"Thank you Tras, I not stop a man in the middle of dealing his hand of compliments especially to a wounded girl fresh from deaths grip. Wouldn't that be so Hobin my love?" 
 
"My love, please it's just a scratch." Again Hobin returned to his tankard drawing in deep. 
 
"Well before we get into all that lovers twisted world of hate, I have further matters to discuss with ye two." Tras changed his tone to more of a professional one. 
 
"A job?" Hobin glanced up from his mug, a fire burnt in his eyes as a fresh hunt lit his embers like nothing else. 
 
"Ye might say, word arrived here last night, Talir has been taken by a witch...... A real nasty one too. Been there no more than a few days and already littered the towns waters with bodies, men, women and at last word, 8 bodies in a few days." Tras's eyes almost flickered with sadness as he spoke. 
 
"Witch, you say, Talir, why? What's she killing for?"  
 
"Best word I got was, she showed up in town midday, drew attention to herself demanding her curse be undone or she be punishing innocents to break it herself." 
 
"What curse?" Hobins eyes grew large. 
 
"They say, curse of lust..... An incantation cast on those-"  
 
"Those who take another's lover while sleeping with them, usually the affected partner seeks a sorcerer with a bleak outlook, few would want to cast it." Hobin cuts in. 
 
"So Ye know it Hobin? Many moons back this witch was an herbalist, alchemist, someone's apprentice. Found a liking to King Rasit's son, Haer..... Problem be that Haer was already promised to king Bast's daughter, the beautiful Amiri.... This alchemist, herbalist apprentice, ahh I think her name then be Serin, served Haer almost like his personal herbalist or alchemist, she's one of those, me mind struggles at times. 

Hobin shot a smirk toward Awoken, she returned his humour. 
 
"Yes, yes, whatever Ye two smiling about, quit it, this be serious. So long story short she rode him one night, and a few more times after that and word gets around that King Rasit's son Haer has broken his vow to Amiri, plunging King Rasit's and Bast's trading agreement through the marriage of their son and daughter into chaos closing off all trades and almost placing the two kingdoms at war. 
 
The King of Talir, Rasit, goes into a furious rage placing his own son in the depths of his morbid dungeon and using his court sorcerer to place the curse of lust on Serin the herbalist or alchemist...... Whatever she be, now as Ye know Ye two the curse turns Ye into a witch so ugly and deformed that Ye never find a lover again to pleasure your privates. So now she has returned in all her grotesque glory claiming she be cured or the bodies of the town of Talir will line the streets until they run red with their blood." 
 
Hobin draws another length of ale..... "King Rasit has done nothing about the witch? What happened to Prince Haer?" 
 
"No, claims no responsibility for it.... Has closed the castle, no one in or out..... The townspeople have no hope, no one to turn to. Last I heard, prince haer crawled out of that dungeon, slitting the throats of every guard posted that night and not heard from again, some have said he takes hold in the mountains in an abandoned mine plotting  his movement against his father. Some say he was killed a few days out in the wild by some stray beast. This was 15 years ago." Tras explained to Awoken and Hobin.  
 
Awoken fends off a tear drawing down her face. "Sad tale for Prince Haer and his lover. 
So why kill the townspeople? Why not attack the king for revenge or the sorcerer who placed the curse? And how is a witch capable of all this bloodshed?" Awoken questioned Tras. 
 
"She's not just killing cause she can or just random people, she's killing lovers to separate them from one another. As word reached her, the curse can be lifted in one of two ways. The original sorcerer can remove it or to kill innocent lovers. As word has it that may lift it so there she be killing to break the curse as the king will not answer her calls. Oh and she's not just any witch now, goes by the name Saristin... Means terror in elvish I think..... While she's been away she's been teaching herself magic, powerful magic.... Ye two aren't going up against a brainless troll this time. Ye need to be ready and Ye need to do something soon before the town is laid to waste by this Saristin." Tras finished, then began wetting his dry throat with a long gulp of ale. 
 
"Price and who's paying since the king has abandoned his people?" Hobin stood. 
 
"Hobin, these people are being slaughtered, and you want to bargain?" 
Awoken lashed out. 
 
"You know as well as I do Awoken, a witch or now sorceress is not going to go down easy, we risk our lives, we get paid, it's that simple." 
 
"Neighbouring towns have pooled together 500 ries pretty much in fear of her coming to their borders next." Tras answered the ever growing angered Hobin. 
 
"We deal with this witch Saristin then pay the king a visi. Send word Tras to Talir. We ride on at dawn tomorrow and we will need two of your best horses saddled and ready to leave first light..... Awoken, will you be ready by morning?" Hobins uncaring words never struck Awoken in a bad way as she knew his heart was in the right place just sometimes a little misguided. 
 
"Yes, the herbalist said the sap she used should melt the wound closed and no chance of infection with no pain by morning, you got one hell of an herbalist there Tras." Awoken smiled. 
 
"Well Ye know she's more than me herbalist, she's also me herbalist for my lonely sword at night, she oils it most nights in her own nectar, sweet smelling stuff." 
 
"Ok Tras, another time for your deviant ways." Awoken replied.  
 
"Two grilled breasts of chicken and veg Tras, oh and more ale. We will need our strength come morning." Hobin announced as he drew another mouthful from his tankard. 

Twenty minutes after closing Hobin and Awoken were alone. The only light was from the candles on the wall by the bar where they sat.  

"You about ready to head up?" Awoken starts to stand, favoring her good leg.  

"No, not really, babe. How's the leg feeling?" 

"Not too bad. A little sore and stiff from sitting. I'll live." Awoken straightened her bad leg out to show Hobin it was okay. He stood directly in front of her and grabbed ahold of her leg by the calf and lifted it up causing Awoken to fall back on the bar stool.  

Hobin's fingers moved in slow massaging movements up her calf towards her thigh, just behind her knee. Awoken said nothing as she caught the gleam in Hobin's eyes. Lust spread all throughout her body from just one look at Hobin. His brown eyes drowning her, his hands caressing her. That tingling sensation only he could create started not in the pit of her stomach, but in her garden. Wet, dripping, craving, and awaiting what Hobin will give her.  

"Here? But anyone could happen by-" Hobin cut her off by crashing his mouth down on hers. Awoken's hands found their way weaving through his wild hair, pulling him closer to her body. The one hand still caressing her leg, the other hand dragged his long, shiny, razor sharp hooked blade along her neck and down her tunic.  

Hobin broke away from the very heated and passionate kiss to look at Awoken. She's flushed and breathing heavy. Just the way he liked her, wanton and needy. He took his blade and sliced it down the front of her clothes. She looked stunned but said nothing.  

Hobin laid his blade on the bar stool next to him and faced Awoken again. Looking at her with her clothes torn down the center by his own blade drove him deeper into lust. Roughly, he tore away her clothes leaving her in nothing but her leather pants and boots. Her breasts free, bouncing from the force of him ripping her clothes away. Just as quickly, he had her stripped down to nothing. He could smell her arousal, taste it in the air around them.  

Hobin inhaled deeply and looked down at Awoken. She tried to grab at him but he pushed her arms away. He lifted her up from the stool and placed her on top of the bar. She spread her legs without being told and Hobin joined her on the bar, kneeling between her legs.  

He lifted her legs up and over his shoulders, the perfect view. Awoken went to lock her ankles together but Hobin pinched at her thighs, stopping her. She propped herself up on her arms to watch what he was doing. He leaned back and reached for the pitcher of mead sitting on the bar. 

"What are you doing?" Awoken asked. Hobin pushed her back down on the bar so she was laying on her back.He poured the drink all over her chest, watching it slowly dribble down the valley of her breasts, down her stomach and down further. He grabs her ass cheeks and lifts her slightly, drenching her in this drink, filling her with this beverage, watering her flower. His eyes locked on with hers. He tilted his head. She parted her lips. His decent was agonizingly slow and Awoken whimpered for more.  

"I'm going to get drunk off your sweet honey nectar." Hobin lifted her ass high off the bar counter and drank the mead from her delicate flower, gulping down not only the mead, but her sweet honey nectar. He slurped and gulped and tongued her flower. And just when she thought he was done, his fingers spread her honey mead coated lips and sought out her little throbbing bud.  

"Oh yes! Oh fuuuck yes, baby." She covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her screams. She didn't want to be heard. 

Hobin sucked and nibbled on her bud until she was writhing beneath his mouth. As she started to work her flower up and down against his mouth, he pushed three fingers deep inside her garden, eliciting a loud scream even she couldn't cloak.  

He drank her every last drop. The taste of her sweet juice combined with the mead created a lustful haze clouding his vision. He brought himself up on his knees, removed his belt and dropped his trousers. His glorious eretion stood tall with a slight upturned curve and pre cum already oozing out.  

"Please. Yes." Hobin grips her thighs, spreads them as far apart as they can and rams his cock deep in her. "Yes, yes, yes, yeeeessss!" Awoken chants as Hobin plows her garden. 

"Fuck, baby. I'm going to cum." Hobin's thrusts become more forceful. "I need you with me." Harder and harder. "That's it, baby. Take it. Take all of it." One more hard deep thrust and the both of them came together screaming each others name.