Chương 296: 2.8

Bruiser was glad the kid actually listened. But then again she'd practically raised the fool half his life. So it made a sort of sense he'd eventually listen to her. Funny thing that, raising a kid. As they made their way down the Vah on the just that afternoon's liberated caravan barge. Bruiser kept to her usual silence, watching the fool son of old half-willy. Giant of a boy all blonde haired and blue eyed. He'd taken after his father. And Robin?

Bruiser was astounded every day how someone so clever and observant could be so incredibly stupid. But the boy was clever, he eventually listened to her after all. Better than Bruiser ever did her own father, or mother for that matter. Why was that? Before when she was a man Bruiser never thought much about kids. Like they happened naturally after you had a good time. But when she'd been a man it wasn't any concern of hers. Women saw to all of that. She wondered if that was part of her curse.

Despite her every effort, has she been changed to be more womanly in this? To care about these towering lanky idiots? Bruiser didn't think so. Half-willy (jokes on his manhood aside) had been plenty fond of this gang of foolish children. And only one of them was probably (almost certainly) his son. She wouldn't give the curse this. She took care of them for herself. Not because of the cursing wyrm's sorcery. Not that she'd tell any of them that. Bruiser still had some of her pride.

But still seeing them so happy like this? It was nice. Robin didn't know what Bruiser lost, didn't judge her for what she no longer was or what she had done. He was a good kid. Still way too fucking young for this business. The lanky colt of a man-child didn't even remember what it was like under the old countess. The origin of the waifs was just a story to him from when he was an infant, instead of a terrible event that actually happened.

Bar tales that had grown and changed so much he rightfully distrusted all of them. That was nice, not having people who remembered what you used to look like. Him and Half-Willy's boy were happily counting the silver they had lifted from that small caravan this morning. The owner of the barge guiding them down the river was eyeing the coins. Probably considering how much more he could have asked for.

Bruiser fixed the boatman with a glare until he noticed her and swiftly turned on the waters ahead of them like he should have been doing beforehand. The children hadn't even noticed. Idiots. Robin was too trusting. Far too young to be a bandit he was. Or maybe that was Bruiser being too old. She didn't feel like she was closing on forty-five. Honestly since becoming a waif she'd never felt better. It was something she'd give the curse a grudging bit of thanks. Pity about the whole being shorter than a child.

Even if John would have towered over her even when Bruiser was a full bodied man. Nothing for it. Life was life. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Just like Robin's mom had to move on, war begoten always cropped up after a campaign. Natural as weeds. One of the perks of going to war for some men. But usually you heard country folk treated their women better than her. Hell most soldiers might even come back and properly marry a girl after.

At least Bruiser heard a few of the boys among the old guard did that after a campaign. But It hadn't turned out like that for poor Ada. Poor robin and his mum were sent away. Bruiser found out about the whole story one night at a time. Listening to the poor girl bawl in the dark hours after her infant son went to sleep. That kind of thing had surprised Bruiser at first. Being treated as a woman like that. Let into the things she never even realized happened.

Like most of her new life, It was a shock, until it wasn't. Afterall she'd been an ear for men deep into the ale before. Ada wasn't that different. Suppose it's obvious men and women were not really so unalike. Look at Bruiser after all. Was no point in bemoaning the situation now, especially not after years of dealing with so many youths. But back then Bruiser was not as used to it, especially not from such a young and feminine speaker. Fortunes damn it, The poor girl was not much older than Robin was now!

And Bruiser had left off her mask. When you had a face like this? That could not help but show the truth of your heart? Yeah even without the whole 'sisterhood of women' thing people talked to naked faced waifs. Bruiser preferred to keep cloth over her face for a reason. Some of her fellows liked how people would spill their sorrows with just a bit of concern given. Bruiser didn't. But she got an ear full anyway. Still, poor Ada, at least an ear was something the waif could offer.

Especially with how sweet half-willy had been on her. And by the end of it Bruiser figured she considered Robin's mother a friend too. Well enough to look after her son after she passed, same as the giant oaf that was John. But now here she was with Robin, his mum dead from bad air and cursed lungs. His adoptive dad who'd been Bruiser's drinking mate long ago also dead from an unlucky stab. She'd avenged him quickly, leaving the skull of the guard who did it mulch on the road. But that didn't bring back walf-willy.

With him gone it left her in the role of something uncomfortably like a hen looking after goslings. Just Bruiser and a pack of children that were now on the cusp of realizing they might be men and women some day. Thank the stars that the fool boy still listened sometimes! He was clever and careful. But far too young by half, only keeping his eyes out properly while on the job. Robin lost twice over his proper wits as soon as he stopped working.

As if not a soul could wish him harm if he didn't pull a blade on them first! And the boy was utterly witless about the dragon which reigned over them all. He'd never met the Countess before, he didn't know what her mere words could do to a man. Too young and brave and foolish to know when they had obviously overstayed along the road. But Bruiser was repeating herself. At least he had listened when she tore off her mask and begged him with her naked face yesterday.

Begged the fool boy to get the crew out of these woods before the Shining Wyrm of Viznove came down on them like thunder from a clear sky. He'd grown so sure of himself dodging the damn Gryphon Lords. It had been such a close thing! Robin had insisted on just one more job to fill their pouches with silver before going south. Fool boy. Bruiser had seen the glint of scales in the sky days ago and heard talk among the villages they had been peddling their less liquid acquisitions too. The Countess was close.

That it took Bruiser bare faced showing Robin how absolutely terrified she was to convince him last night?! Foolish boy! But at least they were finally on their way for Light's End. The Countess never traveled so far south in Viznove before. With luck they could lay low and maybe find another road to ply their trade. Or maybe pick up work as mercenaries heading even further afield? Anything. If Bruiser had her way this pack of idiot children would take their coin and make way clear out of the Ridgetails.

Taking one of the cave sloops to some other vault entirely. But she suspected the fool boy wouldn't. He had a fire to his eyes. Bruiser blamed stories from his dear dead mother. Fool of a girl Ada! Telling her son about that day! When the Wyrm soared over her village. When a roar froze them all still. Telling her son about the day before his father took her that night in a war camp. Daft thing to put into a boy's head.

Bruiser just hoped that he'd listen enough to her again before it was too late and he faced a Wyrm's Curse of his own. Until then she was thankful for the cloth that covered her mouth and the hood to hide her brows. She could feel the squirming flesh of her face and did not want to even guess how her anger and fear for the boy looked. That roiling mix of terror. Hate. And just a hint of pride. Robin was far too good a kid for bandit work. But Bruiser thought he'd make for a master at it some day.