Her Father's Killer

Hot bodies press themselves against Niada as she tries to maneuver her way through the busy city streets. The hand over her nose and mouth blocking out the garish smell of body odor and urine is knocked away as people shove back against her small frame.

To think she would miss the open space of the small fishing village she called home. It smelled much better than the beloved capital city.

It’s a violent struggle to not vomit at the overwhelming odors as she begins slipping past people to get to a side street to catch her bearings.

The dark alley smells worse, but at least she has a moment of space. Time to figure out where she is and which way she needs to be going. Niada couldn’t wait to be done with this wretched place and back home.

“You looking for some work dearie? You could make me quite a bit of money.”

Niada turned to look the greasy man in the eye. One eye, the other hidden by a piece of reddish brown cloth tied around the back of his head. His smile showed dull, yellow teeth. His body was built with muscles long deflated and an old military insignia tattooed on his left forearm.

This wasn't the first time some slimey creature had turned up and tried to trick her into prostitution. Unfortunately for those men Niada had been raised with ten older brothers and a father who served in the Kings personal guard until his death. The stranger never stood a chance.

She felt the slide of thin skin splitting around her blade, thick hot blood rushing around the cool metal saturating her hand. Adrenaline coursed through the girls veins as she smiled. Ridding the world of this rat would be her good deed for the day.

Slipping back into the chaos on the street Niada continued searching for the shop she had heard rumors of on her journey here.

The killing should have bothered her, she knew. Honestly though; Niada couldn't bring herself to mind taking someones life. Even more so if they were predators. The relief she got from the raging animal inside of her ever time she watched life drain from their eyes was satisfaction enough.

The young woman would never give that nasty old mans face another thought. That was fine by her.

It takes two days and searching eight different shops in the overpopulated capital but finally Niada had found the shop described to her. It was open; with beautiful antique weapons lining the walls. Armored pieces laid out on shelves and fine jewels in cases.

A soft smile appeared on the girls face when her eyes were immediately drawn to the familiar piece. Her first, and most important, reason for being in the capital.

“How much for that?” Niada asked the man leaning against a stool, nodding to the sword hanging on the wall.

The man’s chuckle in response is condescending.

“Now sweet thing, that’s a man’s sword it’s not for decoration. What would a little thing like you need with it?”

She smiles with enough force to show sharp white teeth. There must be something in her eyes because the old fart almost falls off his stool in shock. Her mouth is open ready to say something equally smart and stupid before a grunt interrupts her.

A young man walks up to the shop keeper. The way he holds himself tells Niada he is powerful. His choice of clothing, a tunic with the sleeves cut off, reveals muscles that he quite obviously likes to show off.

A large sword hangs from a belt on his waist. Everything about this man screams danger. Yet Niada finds herself wondering what mystery lies beyond the surface.

“If you can last in a duel with me for five minutes using that sword,” he points at the metal on the wall quite dramatically. “I will buy it for you.”

His accent tells her capital born, but the looks of him remind her of her father. She searches his bare arms for the familiar tattoo all of the Kings guardsmen share.

A shield with the Kings insignia is marking his right inner forearm just above the elbow. A wicked grin takes place on her face as she looks back up at the stranger.

Niada has the money in her bag but she isn’t above letting this guy buy her sword back for her and showing him up in the process would be an added bonus. Shrugging Niada reaches for the sword. Just feeling the steel in her hands again calms the anxious energy running through her blood.

“And if I were to lose?” Niada can’t hide her excitement. She knows that this sword will be hers once again.

“When you lose, you will owe me one favor.”

“I’m not sleeping with you.”

The man looks scandalized at the words Niada has spoken. Making the girl laugh. Obviously that thought had not crossed his mind.

“I don’t need to trick a woman into sleeping with me, little rat.”

The man smiles back. Niada refuses to notice the sparkle in his dark eyes. He’s only smiling because he believes he will beat her due to her tiny stature. The thick fabric of her clothes hide the muscles beneath.

She may be small but there was a reason Niada had turned twenty without any suitors asking for her hand. The men in her village were more afraid of her than they were her ten older brothers. She has never lost a fight.

When the man reaches his hand out Niada already knows what her decision will be.

“Do we have an agreement?”

Niada steps up to shake his large hand. The skin is rough and calloused; she at least knows that this will be fun.

As they find a space to spar in an alley to the side of the shop with the merchant watching to decide the winner Niada pulls off the large tunic that belonged to one of her brothers. Her sleeveless top shows the defined muscles of her arms and back making her competitor take a second glance in shock. She’s back to feeling like she has the upper hand.

Five minutes have passed and Niada is breathing harshly, sweat making her clothes stick to her skin. Her opponent stands with his sword pressed to her chest while the tip of her own blade rests against the thin skin of his neck.

“Want to extend the match another five minutes? This is actually pretty fun.” There is childish banter in her voice that seems to make his smile bigger.

The man chuckles. Niada almost doesn’t catch the way his eyes assess her form before he is attacking once again.

In the last few seconds before the ten minutes are up he has Niada’s sword at her throat. The merchant rings the bell and the people who have gathered to watch are cheering. She wants to smack the cocky grin off his face, wants to challenge him again.

He had unleashed all his speed in the second round, making Niada almost regret not taking the tie.

Her muscles ache in discomfort but she can’t keep the huge grin off her face adrenaline is still pumping through her veins from all the excitement.

“I will buy you the sword.”

Dark hair falls into her face as she looks up at the man. She hadn’t realized he had moved so close.

"Why would you do that,” her sentence dies off when she realizes he is still a stranger. Her suspicions growing as the man pulls her up to stand. It takes him a moment before he puts together what she is questioning.

“Siobhan. You can call me Bahn.”

Standing so close Niada can see the tiny scars marring his tan skin. The sign of a true warrior is never how sharp their sword is, her father had always said, a true knight carries his battles on his skin.

“Alright then, Bahn. Why would you want to buy my-this sword for me?”

Eyes so dark they seem black stare back at her as if seeing past whatever façade, she has put up. The very thought makes her skin itch. Niada takes a step back putting some distance between them. A difficult task now that people are starting to fill the streets in front of the shops again.

“The favor I am asking of you is quite taxing. I believe that the humility of losing is not a fair enough trade in the long run.”

At this the young woman raises an eyebrow. Niada feels less anxious knowing that this stranger will not harm her; she has an idea as to where this favor could lead and if she’s right she couldn’t have asked for something better.

Curiosity had always been Niada’s weakness it seems this time is no different. She merely nods her head to the man before following him back into the shop. Her father’s sword is returned to her and she is now committed to whatever this man wants of her.

“I need a recruit for the Kings Guard challenge. It doesn’t matter to me if you win I just need you to last the first few challenges.”

Bahn laughed at the look of surprise on her face which made the woman flush in embarrassment. She turned away from him before her thoughts caught up to her.

“Why not get an actual recruit?”

At this Bahn straightened; the smile falling from his face. A mask of indifference taking its place. The man stood silently refusing to answer. There was something in his eyes that made Niada feel like they were on the same side.

“Alright, but if I’m going to compete I’m going to win.”