Freedoms War

Chapter 15

"Fuck" i hissed slamming my right hand down onto the bolted down table. Jax laughed putting her cards down. "Who's going to be admiral of the empire's fleet?" she asked teasingly as she put a hand to her ear. As if that would help her hear it better. "You cheat" i growled and she continued to laugh. "I expected you to be worse" she said in her defense but i growled crossing my arms as i sat back. "I thought we were going to be fair?" i asked and this got her to laugh harder.

"Me? Fair?" she asked. I knew i should have switched the cards. Or at the very least not let her deal the cards. Where the hell did she hide them though? Her long coat was off and her white tunic had no sleeves. Her legs. Or her cleavage. Which one was she touching? I can't remember. "I'm never playing you again" i growled and she leaned forward with a smirk putting her hand on my knee. "Says the witch who has the power, tell me though, will i get a nice hat?" she asked.

I got up and moved away from her folding my arms behind the back of my head as i walked to the door. "Jordan's going to kill me" i mumbled and closed my eyes as i stopped. Then i turned around re opening my eyes and dropping my arms. "You know when she finds out about this deal she won't make me her right hand?" i pointed it out and she scoffed. "If, she finds out" she said slowly with a smirk. I groaned "You're going to be the death of me" i said and walked back over to my chair and sat back down as she was shuffling the cards.

"I have a question for you" she said on a more serious note. "More rum first" i demanded and she didn't argue, putting the deck of cards down and grabbing the bottle to refill my cup. I took the cup downing it's contents in one go. I felt my throat burn from the liquid. My breath alone was probably enough to intoxicate a baby. "Shoot" i then said putting the cup down.

"You ever have any run in with any slayers?" she asked. I paused a moment. Slayers? "The one's that go about killing all Storm's creation?" i asked and she nodded. I sat back trying to think if i have. I came up empty handed. I have heard little about them. Just monster slayers. Nothing special.

"No, they weren't allowed at Red Keep and with my brief travel through the kingdom none had caught up to me. Why do you ask?" i said and she shrugged leaning back in her chair.

"Erisen has a group of slayers... i used to work with some of them" she said and i nodded. I could see how this would be a conflict. Me a child of magic, a Slayer a killer of monsters. Magic and monsters went hand in hand together. It wasn't unheard of for a slayer to hunt a witch. No doubt there was some kind of bounty on my head in there guild of Slayers. Oh shit, there is one in Erisen isn't there?

"And Ersien is home to one of their guilds no? how will we avoid that?" i asked. She shrugged "I was thinking... maybe... if we could... convince some that you aren't an abomination... we could get there help fighting the Rampids" she said. That was a beautiful point. But one not easy to achieve. How does one show it is not an abomination? "How will we convince them of that?" i asked. There was a mischievous look in her eyes that i didn't trust. I folded my arms over my chest ready for the worst she could come up with. "Well usually in Erisen, you get stripped and flogged to show repentance..." she said and i closed my eyes gritting my teeth. "Are you suggesting i under go that... just for a group of slayers?" i growled and she had a smug grin. "I wouldn't mind the view" she said picking her cup up and bringing it to her lips to hide her grin.

"I mean, if you want all the help you can get" she said slyly and i groaned. "Death of me, literally the death of me" i groaned out getting her to chuckle at my response.

"Hey, if i had the opportunity i would do it for you, gods know it isn't the first time i under went that punishment" she said as if to lighten up our strange mood. I shook my head "Will the other Slayers follow?" i asked the more pressing matter. Was i just getting a group of twenty men or was i getting two thousand. It made a big difference. "Don't know, they could be swayed to convince there brothers" she said putting her cup down. I nodded "i'll bring the opportunity to Jordan and see what she thinks" i said and Jax scoffed. "Need her permission to repent?" she asked in a teasing tone. I flicked her off with my left hand. She laughed "See, this is why i kept you here" she said and i rolled my eyes standing up again.