Pharmacum Province, Arietes Orbis
Year: 4998

The woods were silent and cold. Not even an owl could be heard through the dense undergrowth of the forest. Even the wind had fallen short and all Butcher could hear was the shaky breath of the men around him, waiting impatiently for something to happen. They were all deathly pale, jumping at even the slightest sounds and not daring to move for fear of being struck dead.

   It was just beyond them. The great prize with which King Haldit had bargained an even greater reward. It had been three years since the disappearance of Princess Adrastea and many unsuccessful attempts had been made to bring her back. Nevertheless, there were many who believed gold and jewels were worth more than a few lives, and such treasures were waiting for them, just beyond those trees.

   Butcher held his breath and waved for the men to stay low. He crouched down and brought the blade of his sword up, moving forward with slow and deliberate steps. The dark shadows of the trees towered high above him, the full moon creating long, ominous shapes on the forest floor. There were no clouds in the sky and the stars shown bright with a clear, crisp light that in any other situation, would have put one at ease. But it was those things, those few simple things, that made Butcher and his men uneasy. Everything was so still and so peaceful that it was almost suffocating.

   Movement. It was quick and small, almost unobtrusive, but there nonetheless. Butcher looked back at his men and signaled for them to stay quiet, nodding his head towards the spot. Gripping the hilt of his sword tighter the bandit moved slowly forward, brushing aside the thick ferns. Just have to get through ere', he told himself. Only a few more yards t-

   Suddenly a cry split the air and Butcher jerked his head around just in time to see one of the men tense up and fall backwards, clutching something buried deep in his chest. A flash of light zipped through the air past Butcher's head and embedded itself in the chest of the second-in-command who was hidden behind a large bush. There was a quick gasping, choking sound and seconds later his limp body fell to the ground. Shouts and screams rang out through the whole wood and Butcher watched as every one of his men began to panic, abandoning their hiding positions and rushing for the valley below, only to be cut down by another wicked blade.

   "STOP YOU COWARDS!" Butcher yelled, grabbing the sleeve of one of the bandits. "STAY AND FIGHT!" 

   The man thrashed about and tried to get away from his leader's strong grip, panic and fear written over every inch of his body. Butcher looked around him again, seeing the quick flashes of light that flew through the air, burying themselves in anyone who dared make a move. 

   "Please!" the man begged, getting down on his knees. "Please Butcher! Save me!"

   Butcher looked down at him in disgust. Such disloyalty and cowardliness. How could a man live in such a way? Without another thought Butcher let go of him and brought the blade of his sword down in a quick, effortless blow, striking the bandit across the shoulder, chest, and stomach. The man looked up at Butcher with shocked eyes and he held out his hand, reaching for the help that would never come, and then crashed into the thick layer of ferns covering the forest floor. 

   "WHERE ARE YOU?" Butcher shouted angrily, ignoring the chaos behind him. "SHOW YOURSELF! ARE YOU TOO AFRAID TO FIGHT FACE TO FACE?"

   Quickly the noise ceased and the bodies of all the bandits were scattered throughout the wood. Butcher stood alone in the night, surrounded by the dense forest and the blood soaked turf. 

   Suddenly, a figure dropped out of the trees not five yards away in a crouching position. Butcher brought the blade of his sword up and stood in a fighting stance, watching as the stranger stood up.

   "Who...Who are you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice confident.

   The figure stood there, a dark shadow behind the light of the moon, and all Butcher could make out was the casual way they stood and the two antlers that protruded from their head. 

   "Where...Where is the Princess?" Butcher continued. 

   The figure did not answer.

   "WHERE IS SHE?"

   "The recompense must be considerable, for the lives of many were lost."

   Butcher stood there in shock, for even though the voice that spoke was low and droning it was distinctly feminine and quite young. 

   "Tell me, what has his Majesty bargained with now? The Kingdom? Such is what it would take to bring back the dead."

   The girl slowly walked forward, stopping only a yard away in a pool of moonlight, and there she stood as cold as stone. Butcher could see the hatred and anger pent-up inside her and knew that they were not alone there. Somewhere in those trees...No, not somewhere. Everywhere. All around them. He could see them now, every which way he turned. Dark figures looming in the forest waiting to pounce. He was going to die, and if not by her hand by someone else's. 

   "You work for the Grapevine," the girl said. "The man with the scar. Where is he?"

   Butcher knew immediately who she was talking about but wondered if it would be wise to answer. Hammond would certainly kill him if he ever found out. However, the odds were not exactly in his favor here either.

   "Sa...Salmo...At least, that's the last place I saw him last," Butcher said, his eyes shifting to the dark figures around him.

   The girl stared for a moment then turned on her heel, walking out of the light to the ring of men.

   "What do you wish to do with him now?" a dark man asked as she brushed passed.

   The girl stopped and looked back at Butcher, narrowing her eyes. He looked so very pitiful for a bandit, standing there with sagging shoulders.

   "He is your prisoner. Do with as you wish," she said, turning to walk away.

   The man grabbed her arm and raised a dark eyebrow, a small smile playing at the side of his mouth.

   "You are not leaving mi querido, are you?" he asked.

   His voice was smooth and elegant and there was a certain roll, a certain sound in the way he spoke that made his whole being shine with radiance. 

   The girl yanked her arm away and looked at him with a bored expression, crossing her arms.

   "That, Pavia, is of no concern to you," she replied.

   "But you forget mi querido, that you are a precious flower that grows only in my jardin."

   The girl sighed and tilted her head to one side as the man grinned, his white teeth sparkling like diamonds against his olive skin.

   "And you forget Pavia, that I am not a flower, but a weed. I can grow anywhere, and without your help," the girl said.

   "Ah, but you are far too beautiful to be a mere weed that grows on common soil!" Pavia replied, nudging her chin.

   The girl snapped her green eyes at him like two tongues of fire and he raised both his hands in defense.

   "Alright, alright! But remember, I only keep your secret if you keep mine. Consiguelo?"

   "Entiendo," she replied coolly, walking into the dark woods.

   Pavia watched as the girl disappeared into the night and he breathed deep the air of the forest, flashing his captivating smile once more and clapping his hands together.

   "Ah, Aule is a charming jewel, is she not?" he asked, looking at one of his men. 

   "What of the prisoner sir?"

   The smile faded from Pavia's face as he remembered the bandit. He looked over at the man who was still standing in the clearing uneasily and sighed, rubbing his forehead in a tired manner.

   "Must you always ask, Miguel?"

   Miguel clicked both heels together and bowed his dark head, gesturing for two of his men to follow him into the clearing. 

    As Aule mounted her horse she heard the hiss of steal followed by a short yelp, then a dull thud. 

   Didac Pavia never kept prisoners.

   Not even looking back Aule rode her horse further up the mountain. If she took the coastal route  through Sigmo it would only be a couple days' ride, but to reach Salmo she would need to take a ship over to Satis, which would take a week at least. And for such an undertaking Aule would need provisions. It was only a few hours ride to Hydria and the shops would be open by the time she reached there. Fresh vegetables and herbs would also be in stock, not to mention some of the best rose hip salad money could buy. Aule's mouth began to water just thinking about it. 

   The sun was just over the horizon when Aule rode into Hydria. The cobblestone streets were bustling with people and the noise of all the vendors shouting and hollering was enough to make her want to leave immediately. Hydria was normally a very small, quiet village, but on market day all the Cievens from all over Pharmacum Province would travel over the mountains to see the newly imported goods. The torches on the houses up in the trees were all blown out and most likely completely empty, for on market day, no one stayed indoors.  

   Stopping at a crowded livery stable, Aule dismounted and handed a few silver coins to the owner.

   "I shall attend her myself," she said, leading the big animal into the stable.

   The owner nodded and put the coins in his pocket, looking after the girl curiously. He had never seen her before but the long hooded jacket and the soft soled boots she wore suggested that she was from the mountains, and most people from the mountains came to Hydria every month or so to buy wool that was imported from Salliet. 

   "Eh," the man muttered, shrugging his shoulders. "New she must be."

   Inside a stall to the very back Aule removed the tack from her horse and then began wiping the animal down. She was a beautiful creature with a black coat and a clean head and a well muscled neck. With a solid body, deep chest, and well developed joints, she was the perfect horse for the mountains and had the endurance Aule needed. Such horses were hard to come by in Arietes and she knew how lucky she was to have one.

   "Well Jutta, finally we have a lead," Aule said. "I will not be gone long, so rest while you can. We have a long journey ahead of us."

   After she finished wiping Jutta down, Aule filled a bucket with oats and hung it on a hook on the wall. Satisfied that everything was fit for Jutta she left the stable and walked across the street to a produce stand. Aule silently inspected the fruits and vegetables while two woman next to her chatted to each other like a couple of hens.

   "Oh, how I do love fruit!" the tall one exclaimed. 

   "I as well," the other replied. "I am overjoyed that a trader came from Salliet with these. How long it truly has been since I saw a pear."

   "Mmm, yes!..It is a great pity that Princess Adrastea had to murder her parents before they opened a trade with Salliet," the tall woman sighed, handing a carton of strawberries to the vendor. 

   Aule silently went about choosing her produce but never once stopped listening to the conversation. No matter how much she despised crowds, it always amazed her how much information one could pick up just by listening.

   "How in Orbis did they manage to transport these?" the shorter woman asked.

   "Nix. Believe I do that they have a contract signed with those barbarians for stone casings that keep the fruit frozen while crossing the ocean."

   "Oh I see!"

   "A dozen of these, and a dozen of these," Aule said soberly, pointing at the apples and the carrots.

   The two woman suddenly went silent and awkwardly cleared their throats, just then realizing that they were not alone. Aule ignored them and tossed several coins over the counter, grabbing the burlap sack the owner handed her and walking down the street to a small restaurant. The ladies watched her curiously and wondered what such a young girl was doing by herself, and wearing such strange clothing.  

   "What a strange child," the tall woman said.

   "Yes, quite... Oh! You don't think..." the shorter one gasped, covering her mouth.

   "Think what?"

   "Didac Pavia...They say recruited a new member he has done. I heard...Well I heard that it was a young Cieven girl. Black hair they said."

   They both looked over to the restaurant and saw the girl enter, the leather hood still covering her head.

   "Perhaps...If it is, trouble she will certainly bring," the tall one muttered, biting into a pear.