1 A Stroll in the Woods

Valery, more often just called Val, was making her way through the woods. She had been traveling for quite some time. Making her journey by foot was no small feat, but at the moment she couldn't afford a horse, or any better means of transportation. But soon that would change. This thought kept her in high spirits, despite the fatigue.

Val was actually on her way to do a job. No longer was she going to be doing the petty little acts like pick pocketing or snatching a few small morsels here and there. From now on, she was only going to be acquiring for those who had pockets big enough to give a decent reward. And she was on her first job with such a criteria.

Val felt that it was alright, because she would only be stealing from those who could afford it, to give it to others with similar pockets. Certainly the rich had enough money. She was just helping them spend it, otherwise, wouldn't all that wealth go to waste? Besides, it's much better than wasting away in some slum or slaving away in a mansion.

Pondering these thoughts, Val found a nice little spot. The afternoon sun was reaching its peak, and she felt like sitting in the shade to cool off for a while wouldn't hurt. She had actually left quite early in the morning, so she should still make it to the next village before nightfall.

She took off her pack, and placed it next to a large rock. She wrapped up her cloak to use as a cushion, and laid her head on it. She had no intention of dosing off, but she just wanted to rest her eyes for a bit. Feeling the breeze hit her face, and listening to the rustling of the leaves, Val fell into a bit of a trance. Suddenly, before she knew it, she had drifted off.

But her respite didn't last long. Suddenly, she was awoken by a loud shriek. Val took in her surroundings, and she couldn't find any signs of disturbance around her, so she thought for a moment. Not one to play hero, she didn't want to get involved, but another scream was heard. It seemed like a girl, and knowing the possible fate, Val couldn't just stand by.

She quickly left her things behind, and went in search of where the commotion was taking place. It took her a bit, but she was able find a bit of clearing where it seemed like there was a struggle. Val hesitated behind a large tree to assess the situation.

From her hideout, she could spot four figures in total. The one with his back to her was the biggest, and possible the boss. Behind him, there were two scrawnier men, who were holding someone down. There wasn't a clear view, but Val could tell it was a girl. She didn't look like an adult, but possible an adolescent. They were sneering at her, and the boss was making some chuckling noises. It was quite clear what their intentions were.

"Boss," the man to the right of the girl called, "we really found a rare gem here."

"Yeah," the man to the left of the girl said with a sinister laugh.

"Now, if you do as we say, then perhaps we might go easy on her." The leader threatened.

The three of them gave out a bit of a chuckle. It was apparent that the girl was rather frightened. Even if she couldn't see her face, Val could tell that she was trembling.

Taking a deep breath, Val took out her dagger, and began fiddling with the blade. She then sauntered over to the side of the tree to lean against it in a nonchalant way. The men were so engrossed in their prey, that they hadn't noticed that she came into view. Val cleared her throat, which caused the big man to turn around and the other two to look up in her direction.

"My, my, my," Val drawled, "what do we have here?"

The three men took a moment to take in the woman in front of them. She was fairly lean, but she didn't look frail. Her blonde hair went down her back in a braid, with some strands coming loose. Her green eyes shown like gems. Her smirk was rather charming, but devilish at the same time. The men's incredulous looks only disgusted her more, but she had to play it cool.

"I never would have thought that today would be so bountiful," the boss exclaimed.

The other two nodded in agreement. They remained where they were, thinking that the boss was enough to take on a small woman.

"I'm only going to say this once," Val said with an air of authority, "Leave the girl alone, or you'll have to deal with the consequences."

The three men looked at each other, and then laughed in unison.

"Why don't I just take you both?" The boss hissed.

Suddenly, he moved towards Val. She stopped fiddling with the blade, and grasped the handle of the dagger. She then shot it directly into the burly man's thigh. He groaned out in pain and hunched over, allowing Val to kick him in the face. He toppled over.

The other two hesitated for a moment, before releasing the girl to deal with Val. As the closest one approached, Val immediately kicked him between the legs. As his body curled over, she used the force of her body to ram her elbow into his face, causing him to tumble to the ground. The last man ran reached over for her, but she quickly crouched down and stomped on his foot. With his footing off, she pounced to land a jab at his neck. Struggling to breath, he staggered away.

Val quickly reached for the girl. This was the first time that she had a good look at the girl. She looked no older than fourteen, and she had such ethereal features. Her jet black hair hung loose, with it half braided at the top. Her deep blue eyes seemed to gaze through a person. Val was a bit stunned by her features, but quickly went to shield the girl. The girl remained quiet, and obediently complied with Val.