Chapter 6: Chapter 6 – Blood Spilled in the Forest

 

Dara noted the curious stares after she left, the disdain, and even disgust again, but she didn't care. They can feel superior all they like. Let them go into the forest and survive among the rank three beasts like she did.

Let them hunt, if they had the courage.

With the few things she bought, as well as the silver, Dara made her way back into the forest. Though a few tried to follow her, once she entered the old forest, that didn't continue. No one had the courage.

Once back to her new home, she left the silver in her house, doffed her clothes, and ran towards the river. This river was not an ordinary one with harpoon fish, razor crayfish, or stone crabs. This river was considered more dangerous, as the denizens were massive twenty to thirty foot long river pythons, a rank four water elemental beast. She licked her lips as she felt a presence approach.

"Hm. Water core. Sorry, Vurn. I need it for now." The python slid in slowly, like a normal over confident predator, and immediately began to coil about her body.

Dara's physical strength was not to be underestimated, but a river python didn't just use one muscle. Their entire body was a muscle that allowed it to confine their meals. She didn't allow it to trap her arms, reached up and yanked the head down.

The river python squeezed more, but as long fangs sheared through its hide, it began to recognize the threat Dara represented. It thrashed and tried to throw her off, but that did nothing.

She sucked away its life force, and the core dissolved to dust within its skull. She lifted her lips and licked her fangs.

"Delicious. Good meat." She pursed her lips, and covered her fangs. "I wonder if Vurn will buy you intact, but without the core?"

 

* * *

 

With newly washed hair, and fresh clothes, Dara made her way back to the town of Brayton. At first, the gate guards didn't recognize her, but when they saw the massive river python over her shoulders, they didn't try to ask for the entry fee.

While some saw her as a source of plunder, the guards saw her as she was. An incredibly powerful person that they would be stupid to try and rob. Gate fees were a standard tax that helped to maintain the walls, and guard force.

Home owners had to pay a small fee every six months, the equivalent of the entrance fee for twenty days in a row, as their property tax. Merchants paid by the wagon, nobility paid by the carriage, and commoners paid by the person. The standard fee was one large copper coin.

Their coinage was simple. Small copper, large copper equals ten small, ten large equals one small silver, ten small silver equals one large silver. If the transactions went more expensive then a hundred large silver, the stewards used the family stamp to sign a promissory note. It was the most common form when dealing with land, homes, or large orders with merchants.

Small families did not have the clout, and so Dara's old family could never cover those notes, though they accepted them.

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Guards were also left with distinct orders. Do not agitate the elementalists, however, they are free to encourage donations to their incomes, so long as they didn't go overboard.

"May I..." Vurn started, but stopped partway through his spiel. "...little lady?" He asked. "Is that..."

"River python. Minus the head. It thought I looked tasty, so I removed the head." She shrugged. "What do you think? Is the meat and skin valuable?" She watched as he struggled to speak for moment.

"Y-yes, it's valuable!" He stuttered. He thought for a few seconds. "I don't think I could carry it myself, and I don't have a cart yet. Listen, I can make the deals for you, but if you carry it to the blacksmith, he'll skin it, and pay you for it. We can take it to the butchers, and he'll pay you for the rest." Vurn said, but his voice squeaked from time to time.

"I can do that. It's only mid afternoon. I still need to get home and do some work, but I can spare the time." She grinned. "Don't you need someone to watch your stall?"

"Oh, bloody stones." He rolled his eyes. "Forgot. Let me go get my wife. She's the only one I trust enough to watch my stall. We both worked hard to make this work, and now she can stay home and watch our little girl." He smiled when he spoke about his wife and daughter. That emotion was not fake, or put in place conveniently. It was a part of him, so he couldn't help but let it shine. When he sparkled, Dara grinned.

That love for his family was the source of the light elements. That was why Dara trusted him over other shops.

 

* * *

 

"How did it go, Vurn? Did Gaeth or Dehl give you any trouble?" His wife asked as she picked up their three year old daughter. She grimaced, which drew Dara's attention. She had noticed something dark about her, but wasn't sure.

"No, they were happy to receive that. I also got a share for the deal I made." He grinned, but turned to Dara. "Be careful, young lady. I see some looks aimed towards you. The unfriendly kind."

"I know. Don't worry. I killed that python with my own two hands." She took her pouch, and a bag of root crops she purchased from him, and walked out of the forest.

"Will she be alright?" His wife, Iva, asked him cautiously. He snorted.

"Like she said. That was a rank four river python. It's not her anyone has to worry about. Remember those claws?" He asked, at which Iva nodded. "She kills with those claws, but isn't heartless. She let me make money on what she sold as a middleman." He sighed.

There will be blood spilled in the old forest today.

 

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