To Be or Not

The older mercenary looks around in alarm trying yet failing to see the source of destruction. Raksha knocks him of his horse as we jump down. The two females remain unconscious, the younger mercenary comes to his feet puking at the sight of the second mercenary blood and guts spewing out of him.

"How dare you?" the older mercenary comes to his feet wiping dirt off his ass.

"Who are you?" the younger mercenary manages to ask right before he throws up again.

"That's not important," I say, "where are you taking them?"

"That doesn't concern you," the older mercenary growls drawing the curved blade he carries on his back.

"We'll decide what concerns us," Raksha says sending him flying against the trunk of a tree with a single motion of her hand.

Uncle Ambrose yaws stretching his arms high, "this is boring," he says.

"You could play with them if you'd like," Raksha says.

"I'm good," he says dismissably looking at the younger mercenary, "what kind of mercenary pukes when he sees a man's inners spewing from him?"

I walk over to the younger mercenary placing my sword to his throat, "A week one," I say.

Aunt Sonia and Ren make their way up the road, aunt takes a look at the scene and cocks her head to the side, "what to do," she says wiping her claws clean.

"Your friends won't be coming," Ren adds.

"Where's Pearl?" I ask.

"She's gathering herbs," Ren says.

"Why?"

"She didn't say and I didn't ask."

"You could be less overbearing," Pearl says as she emerges from the trees.

"If keeping you alive is overbearing then I'll continue to do it until the day we die," I say, running my sword through the younger mercenaries' throat. I let it dissolve turning into liquid poison.

"What makes these mortals so special that they would have mercenaries as escorts?" Raksha asks to which the older mercenary responds by attempting to spit at her, "No good," she says shooting a blazing arrow at him the dark flame consumes him until nothing remains.

"They're not mortal," I say as one of the females' stirs. Pearl moves towards her but Ren pulls her back Raksha shakes her head placing silver chains around the two females their enchantment falling.

"Witches," Ren snarls, "We should have let them take them."

"The problem with that is," I say, "that's exactly what they wanted."

"Let me go," the female says her obsidian eyes cold as a winter's night.

"Princess Thea of Adrastea you're a longs way from home," Raksha says, "tell your servant to stop pretending I don't have time for this."

"Raksha," Princess Thea bares her teeth as if there where anything menacing about her.

"Where's Adrastea?" Pearl asks.

"On another continent," I say, "it's an island not far from the Witch Lands ruled by a mortal King and Witch Queen."

"Oh," Pearl purses her lips as if contemplating something, "can we trade the Princess for gold?"

Uncle Ambrose lets out a laugh wrapping an arm around Pearl's shoulder, "that's my niece I taught you well."

Pearl looks up at him with no humor in her eyes, "yes that is one of Uncle's specialties."

"That's right all along with drinking and running from trees," I say.

Uncle Ambrose sighs, "I told you I'll replace the sweets I took."

"Who steals from children?" Pearl asks, "especially on their birthday."

"Ambrose," Raksha says, "get rid of this mess," she lifts Princess Thea and her servant they levitate in midair. The servant comes to, eyes going wide as she looks down then at her Princess.

"The chains are special," I say, "you can't use your magic no matter how strong you think you are."

"You would be starting a War," the servant says, "do you know who my Princess is?"

"No one important," I say, "can we be done with them?"

"Not yet," Raksha says, setting them on the ground and dragging them by the silver chains she's wrapped around them.

"I hope she kills them," Ren sends me s we follow Raksha back to the cave we made our camp in.

"Remind me again, why do you hate Witches so much?" I send him.

"One got my brother killed," he sends that cold demeanor back in place.

###

"I still can't believe their traveling with us," Pearl says as our carriage hits yet another pothole.

Princess Thea and her cousin, not servant Vania sit as far from us as possible. Raksha sits on the other end her closed one leg outstretched the other bent towards her. Aunt Sonia rides out front with Uncle Ambrose while Ren scouts from above in his eagle form. Pearl and I sit on opposite ends of the entrance her knees drawn up towards her.

"How are you?" I send Ren.

After a while he answers, "Fine."

"That's all I'm getting?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"More than fine."

"Ruby right now is not the time."

"Prick," I send before blocking him out.

"Ruby," Pearl calls out.

"What?"

"Have you been listening to anything I've said?"

"Of course," I say, "Raksha those what Raksha wants."

"I guess," she says just as her stomach growls.

I shake my head and break free the tiny bundle holding my last lotus cake. "Here," I say, "next time be more careful."

Pearl takes the lotus cake, "How come he never steals from you?" she asks taking a bite of the tiny cake.

"You know you can eat it in one bite," I say, digging into my satchel until I find a purple apple, "he knows better than to steal from me," I slice the apple handing her half then slicing the remaining half into a fourth and handing it to Princess Thea and Vania. The latter just looks at it as if it would bite.

"Ruby beat him to a bloody pulp once," Raksha says without opening her eyes she reaches into her satchel bring out to small boxes and sliding them towards us.

Pearl opens hers first gasping at whatever's inside. I open my box and find a ruby in the shape of a wolf on a silver chain its eyes are two tiny obsidians' and a tiny silver dagger rest in its maw. Pearl holds up her necklace an obsidian jaguar with a pearl in its maw and emeralds for eyes.

"Thank you," Pearl says clasping the chain on.

"Thanks," I say before clasping the chain around my neck.

Raksha remains silent whether she heard us or not only she knows.

Princess Thea asks what many tend to, "you two are sisters?"

I tilt my head to the side watching her and Vania's every movement, "what's it to ya?"

"I was just curious," she says looking away.

"You don't have to be rude," Vania says holding her head high like an ostrich.

"Was I rude?" my question seems to throw her off, she flinches before looking away.

"How much longer?" Pearl asks.

"Not long," I say. The smell of brine and fish filling the air the carriage comes to a halt.

"Welcome to Antares," Uncle Ambrose says popping his head into the carriage.