Chương 37: Everyone Has a Price

"Then who are you? How dare you come into my land without cause, or invitation."

"My Lady. We are sent from The Harness."

"You say that like I am to know who that is."

"How could you not? The Harness owns the land northwest of here and will soon take over Fergus' territory as well. The Harness sent us as a welcoming committee my dear." The torchbearer bowed deeply. The six men stayed in perfect formation behind him.

"And so you have welcomed me." Auri said folding her arms across her chest. Her human form was wearing pure white riding pants and a fitted ladies jacket that matched her red hair.

"Might you take us to your estate where we can have a civilized conversation."

"No. Make your offer and be gone, for the hour is late and I am a very busy woman.

"So it would seem," Torchbearer said.

"So it would seem. Allow me to cut to the chase then. The Harness will buy this piece of land from you."

"It's not for sale."

"Everyone has their price. The question is, what is yours?"

"As I said, it's not for sale."

"The Harness offers a plot of northern land and gold beyond imagination for this small piece of forest. Additionally, I am told you have several sophonts living in your territory. As you may have noticed, Sophont's hold no power over The Harness. The Harness wishes to purchase them as well." Auri bristled.

"Auri. It's okay. We will figure this out." Andy sent.

"Well mouth of the Harness, was it? Neither my territory nor the sophonts who reside here are for sale."

"The Harness understands a woman of your nature will require time to think about it. He has more, many more people under his employ who are far more powerful than any sophont. The torchbearer's gaze drifted across the clearing. His gaze lingered on Andy and then on the Life Nexus within the forest.

"He has also learned of how you bested Lord Fergus and finds the story quite charming. He wishes to invite you to stay at his compound where he may properly court you. Auri stared and asked dryly "Court me?"

"Indeed."

"And if I decline?" The torchbearer's smile never faltered.

"The Harness is not accustomed to hearing that word." In the silence of the clearing snickers could be heard coming from smirking guards. Andy felt Auri's anger spike through the bond. Dangerously angry.

"You enter my land uninvited, demand I sell my people, then suggest I become a concubine of some distant lord?" Her tails lashed behind her, no longer concealed in illusion.

"Have I missed anything?"

"Only that these arrangements will be considerably more pleasant if accepted willingly." He smiled innocently. Andy's ears flattened as he felt himself begin losing control like he had in the ant colony.

"Okay." He sent to Auri.

"Okay what?" She sent back only to him, her face a still picture of composure. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere." I'm done with diplomacy and I'm choosing violence." Gustave sent amusement and circled lower." Excellent. I was worried we wouldn't finish this fight."

"See the ugly stick?" Gustave sent affirmation.

"I see it." Andy studied the formation. Six men in tight formation. Two bows on the left, and two on the right. Every position protected the staff bearer which meant the humans knew exactly how valuable he was to their success.

"On my signal make them look up."

"And then what?" Andy's gaze locked onto the staff.

"And then I show them what a very angry horse with a pointy stick can do without magic."

"My lady." Torchbearer said clearing his throat.

"Are you going to accept his proposal willingly?" More snickers came from the guardsmen. Auri laughed as well. A full laugh that sounded like it started at her toes. She laughed so hard that she was holding her sides and a tear trickled down her cheek. The torchbearer blinked in surprise.

"You find something amusing, my Lady?"

"I was merely wondering," Auri said "Do all of your negotiations begin with breaking and entering and end with kidnapping?" A few of the humans shifted uncomfortably. The torchbearer's smile remained fixed.

"The Harness prefers efficiency."

"And I prefer suitors to slavers" The man frowned.

"That hardly seems relevant."

"No?" Her eyes flicked towards the staff. Then back to the smiling man.

"You seem to believe that since you've brought some sort of magical trinket onto my land, I am somehow helpless." The torchbearer straightened hands spreading wide.

"My lady. I am offering you everything. You no longer need live in some godsforsaken land beneath a worthless Lord. You can have everything you could ever want and desire. Power, riches, companionship. Andy lowered his head slightly, as he signaled Gustave for the distraction.

"The Harness is generous. More generous than you can imagine. Please return with us, we have a carriage waiting." Gustave circled just above the edge of the dampening field. Invisible, harmless, tiny wind currents began gathering around him." Three seconds." He sent. Andy shifted his weight. One hoof digging into the dirt and then another. The torchbearer noticed and for the first time all evening his smile faltered.

"Why is the unicorn crouching?" Auri looked over her shoulder.

"Oh." A foxy grin spread across her face.

'Oh dear."" Now." Gustave folded his wings and he became a missile. He screamed from the sky directly above the humans. They all looked up. He was just outside of their dampening field, his wind powers in full effect. He was going to Sonic Boom. Boom. The clearing exploded. The concussions from the blast knocked the right-most guards off their feet and sent the other ones reeling. Andy launched. The earth detonated beneath his hooves. [5] The torchbearer shouted, "Stop him!" But it was too late.

His men were stumbling around. Most unable to hear due to the blast. Andy lowered his horn. A guard went flying. [4] A second guard lunged. Andy hit him shoulder first. One thousand pounds of pure muscle and speed. Bones cracked. And the guard fell. [3] The formation shattered. All four archers out of commission. The staffbearer finally understood the problem. His staff may have protected him from magic but it did nothing against momentum and a really horny horse.

"Oh shi–" Andy hit him square in the chest. Both of them went down in a tangle of limbs, dirt and splintering wood. [2] Gustave was dive bombing the rear guard. Talons and beak leaving gashes and gouges everywhere he struck. The rear guard fell. [1] Auri, still in her human form, slowly walked toward the torchbearer who was looking around at the devastation. His escort lay groaning(or worse) in the dirt. The torchbearer tried to maintain his composure. She brought her face inches from his.

"You threatened my people." He swallowed.

"You attempted to purchase my friends." He said nothing.

"You attempted to purchase me." Her smile was beautiful. It was also the most terrifying thing Andy had ever seen, (and he'd been inside a crinoid.) She leaned forward and kissed the man lightly on the cheek leaving behind a perfect ruby-red lip imprint.

"You may return to your carriage." The torchbearer blinked.

"Please, do send the Harness my regards and pass along my response to his offer: I'm not for sale." [HUMAN: DEFEATED X 7] [+700 XP NEW SPECIES BONUS +10] [SURVIVAL BONUS +50XP] [XP: 5121/?] [SPECIES: HORSE (MAGICAL BEAST)] [PURITY AFFINITY: ACTIVE] [GALLOP EFFICIENCY: 85%]