Exodus

14- Returning to Haulsten



Now that she killed their supplier, inhibited the creation of the drug by reducing the number of people capable of making it to one, and tipped of the Runeford knights it'd be very difficult for that drug business to do as well. Hansel will eventually have to teach others how to make it, but that probably won't be for a while because he isn't the type to trust others. Today was also the day that Eugene finished the armor. It was supportive and comfortable even with the extreme amount of cleavage showing, but it was also designed in a way that she wouldn't pop out of it. 

"Land shark armor, it's a sturdy of a leather as it comes. This one even grants resistance to earth magic," Eugene boasted. 

"You both have been incredibly kind and like a family to me. I really appreciate it, I'll be back and maybe I can treat you both to dinner," she offered. 

"Yay!! That'd be sweet," Rachel timed in. Vixen didn't catch a lot of her due to her own activities and Rachel's work at the inn. 

She gave them a three way hug, got a little flustered due to something hard on her leg, so they quickly separated and once she changed and donned her cloak and mask she left for Haulsten. 

The trip was faster this time, there was nothing to take away from her travel. When she got near the bridge that separated Haulsten from the forest, she saw Ted hanging lifeless from a tree. She assumed Ted would blame her for this incident, and while that bothered her she didn't feel bad for him, he was a creep.

The guards greeted Vixen since they knew who she was, practically the only woman knight, and they snickered as she passed. She gave them a curious raised eyebrow, but when they remained silent she shrugged it off.

She headed for the knight's barracks since that's where she'd be staying, except Lucien was waiting for her on the pitch, tapping his foot. Vixen paled, when the elf was in a bad mood it was like she'd recieve a month of training in a day. The last time he was this upset she needed three days to recover from a twenty-four hour training session. 

"Well look whose graced us with her presence. I suppose you bloody well think you're a full knight already don't you," Lucien said coldly.

"I'm sor," Vixen went to say but was cut off.

"Drop the cloak and draw your weapon your majesty."

Vixen winced, 'This will be like last time.'

Vixen dropped her cloak and drew her two swords, stood in a sideways guard read to engage her furious teacher. She dropped her guard as Lucien was just standing there mouth agape.

"What in the hell are you wearing?!"

"Landshark armor."

"Let me rephrase my question, I can see the material for what you're wearing is incredibly high class and the workmanship is done by an expert, what I mean is how is it armor if it hardly guards anything?"

"Ah.. about that."

Vixen motioned Lucien much closer and in near a whisper told him a great deal about her ability, the scantily clad ability to be clear. How she was more protected wearing this, than if she wore platemail. Lucien, of course was shocked by this but made her promise in the future that for knight lessons, she'd be fully clothed because it was distracting. Lucien was also far too old to see her as anything but a child and that firm belief held back potential desire. 

A few weeks went by and for the first time in a long time, she felt like she had accomplished something worth while as she put down the paper. The article read:

Disorder in Runeford!

An anomous letter made its way to the Runeford Knights with details about "Skinny" Jack who went by the codename Hansel. His nickname was coined due to him leaving "breadcrumbs" for his peddlers to find to distribute among the city. This operation was projected to expand when a large shipment of theirs went missing. The knights used this letter as a key part of their investigation shutting it down after finding a lab in the St. Theor's church. Skinny and his right hand are still at large. Healers are being paid double to help cure the people addicted to his drugs ...

Vixen's knighting ceremony was just a few days away. She had been a squire to Lucien for almost nine years and just recently had been practicing with dual blades. It was with his help that she managed to get the skill and hopefully can develop it further. With her unique skill and ability set she can make real use of highly offensive techniques. Vixen graduated with fifteen other knights in training to include the boy she fought on the first day. They has started with twenty in their training group but they had lost a couple to accidents which is normal. Lucien, the captain walked among the young men and single young lady and attached a pin to their armor in some way, either on the cloak attached to their mail or on their leather. Vixen was in the new armor, that evey knight loved, though they never said anything to her. There were people in the crowd, parents, spectators, fans etc that were allowed a part of the ceremony to go up and congratulate the knight graduates. They all made a line and went to each and every knight to shake their hands. One of them had come up to Vixen while shaking her hand, left her with a folded up piece of parchment. Vixen found it odd but had no time in between the people shaking her hand to look at the parchment. Once the guests had their turn, the Duke of Haulsten came to say a few words and congratulate them as well. Vixen did not like this man, he stared at her lewdly, his rotten breath leaking out of his fat face, his bare belly threatening to expunge another button of his overcoat.

"My dear," the Duke said pompously, "If you need better paying work you can come live with me in the castle and be my personal uhherm body guard. What say you?"

"Thank you sire for the generous honor, though I believe one of my comrades may suit your needs better," she countered.

"Nonsense, on the contrary, they seem rather ill equipped for the job."

"Then may I suggest you look in another location sire? Perhaps a brothel?" 

Vixen did not give the now red faced Duke a chance to respond, she walked off the platform and off the pitch. Once she was alone she opened the parchment. Vixen was confused but also concerned, because there was only one thing on the parchment: a giant letter C written with lots of blood.


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