Passengers (Other POV)

“So who are we picking up Gerard?”, I ask my usual partner. The man leans forward, making himself look smaller than he normally does before speaking.

“Three applicants for the Slayers’ Guild.”, The man answers in annoyance. “Do you ever read the dossier Orchid?”, He asks me.

“It’s the beginning of the day! How would I have checked it?”, I respond meeting his annoyance with my own. The almost dwarf of a human sighs in resignation.

“It’s a weekly dossier.”, Gerard responds as he walks off to the transport area.

-- -- --

The large trihorn lumbers towards our first destination. Fora, a larger town that has somehow still done well commercially despite the decades long civil war. I look at the first image on the piece of paper in my hand.

“So this is some small time noble’s kid?”, I mutter as I examine the small description next to the image on the paper.

“Apparently.”, Gerard responds as he pulls on the reins to get the trihorn to stop. “I’m always surprised Seruna still has nobility, even if low ranking.”, He adds as the trihorn properly stops just outside of the wooden walls.

“True.”, I respond as a guard walks over to us. Gerard shows our signed paperwork to the guard who nods and moves us along with a raised hand.

We move into the town proper and continue until we stop at a rather extravagant small building.

“Well this is the place.”, I say as I look down at the paper in my hand again.

“Huh, I thought it would be bigger.”, Gerard chuckles as he has the trihorn stop. “But I guess that’s how low nobility lives. Barely better than the ‘lessers’.”, The man mutters with smugness.

“Let’s just get this kid and leave.”, I reply as I hop of the seat onto the ground.

-- -- --

“So-”, I say to the boy in the covered cart as I lean my head back. I look at the paper again to remember his name. I know it sounded weird, “Heinrich. What made you decide to join the Slayers’ Guild?”, I finally ask my question.

“It is a noble’s obligation to protect the people.”, The haughty boy responds. Oh good, another one raised to think he is actually better than everyone else.

“An honorable decision!”, Gerard says as he moves a small branch out of his way. I lean forward to avoid the lower branches as we continue on. I huff at my partner in annoyance knowing full well that he was lying.

“Thank you.”, The boy replies clearly unable to tell the man is lying, “I was raised to care for the people in my charge. So I thought no better place to make a true change than to protect the people.”

“Why not just become a merchant or transporter like us?”, I ask the boy a follow-up question. A moment of silence falls between us, obviously the boy did not ever think of that.

“I can get practical skills with the slayers I would not be able to get from merchants.”, Heinrich finally replies.

“I see.”, Gerard and I respond. This kid is gonna die real quick in that guild.

-- -- --

“Poor kid.”, I mutter as I read the info about our next passenger. “She’s a soldier’s child.”, I answer Gerard’s question before he can ask it.

“Unfortunate, probably never gonna see him again.”, Gerard somberly responds.

“Yes…”, I say as we pull up to the tiny village of Gata.

A small group of people are standing in front of what I can only assume is the village hall. All of them seem to be hugging a relatively tall girl. There she is, Birta. She is an ogre alright.

“Hello there!”, Gerard greets the group with a wave as the trihorn comes to a halt.

“You must be the transporters.”, An elderly man says to us with a toothy grin. “Birta’s a great gal.”, He adds very proudly.

“Elder please stop.”, The young ogre says meekly as she steps towards the cart.

“Ready to go?”, Gerard asks the girl as I hop out of my seat to help her with her luggage.

“I am.”, The girl responds as she lifts her large luggage with one hand. Guess there’s no need for me to help.

-- -- --

We pull up to the dilapidated orphanage as I look at the paper for information about our final passenger.

“Lydia-”, I mutter as I scan the paper. “Only ten!?”, I exclaim.

“Damn, impressive.”, Gerard responds with a whistle at that information. He pulls on the reins and stops the trihorn. “I’ll stick with our current passengers so go get her.”, The man says with a movement of his head. I sigh in understanding and hop off the cart.

“Hello?”, I ask as I knock on the doors to the orphanage. After a moment a rather elegant older woman opens the door.

“Who might you be?”, The woman asks me with a disarming smile.

“Orchid, I’m a courier.”, I answer the woman, feeling compelled to do so. I turn my head back towards the cart as I continue, “We’re here to pick up Lydia.”

“Oh!”, The woman says, “I’ll go get her.” She turns around to head further inside but turns back to me before doing so as she adds, “It will be just a moment.”

The woman was not lying, in very short order she returns with a shorter purple haired girl. Something seems odd about the girl though. It is not the fact she does not stop staring at me.

“Never seen an elf before?”, I ask the small purple haired girl with a sigh as she continues to stare.

“N-no.”, The young girl stammers as she looks away from me. Of course she would be like that, it did not bother me anymore. “I’m Lydia by the by.”, She says with an out stretched hand but still looking at the ground.

“Orchid.”, I say as I shake her hand. “Do you need help with luggage?”, I ask the girl.

“No.”, She responds as she adjusts the relatively small chest.

-- -- --

“Alright, Min needs a break.”, Gerard says as the trihorn comes to a stop. “I’ll take her to the river nearby. Make sure no one attacks the cart.”, He orders as he hops from his seat.

“Didn’t have to tell me that. It’s the entire point of me being here.”, I indigently respond as I look behind me into the cart. “Alright everyone.”, I look at our three passengers as I speak, “We’re taking a short break. It’s too dangerous for you to leave the cart though.” The boy and ogre look at me confused. The younger purple haired girl seems fixated on that tooth necklace of hers. “I’m gonna take a look around to make sure we aren’t attacked by anyone.”, I finish before hopping from my seat.

I stretch as I glance around the forested swampland. I close my eyes to focus on the sounds. Beyond the buzzing insects and bird calls I hear a cracking of dead leaves and wood from footsteps. I enter a combat stance as I open my eyes, preparing myself for a fight.

“Alright elf.”, A disheveled man grunts with a hatchet pointed at me. “Give us the cart’s contents and you live.”, He orders me as another human steps next to him. “Don’t try nothing funny long ears.”, He nearly yells as he tightens his grip on the axe. I hear more footsteps from the other side of the cart. Three to one? I can deal with these two easily, but the other might be too far away.

“Iron binds!”, Gerard’s voice exclaims from the other side of the cart. Great! He came back!

“Wasn’t he supposed to be gone?”, The disheveled man yells at the other man next to him. Before the meek man can respond, I leap to him and quickly disarm him of his knife.

“Wha-!?”, The lanky man exclaims before I trip him to the ground and knock him out.

“Oy!”, The boss says with rage as he raises his hatchet, “You bitch!” He clumsily swings at me. But because of his clear lack of skill I quickly disarm him and proceed to also trip him and knock him unconscious.

“Hey! Hey!”, I hear a woman yell as I walk over to see Gerard walking Min back to the cart. “You can’t just leave me here!”, She cries in fear.

“It’ll rust away in a little while.”, Gerard coldly responds as he hooks Min back to the reins.

“Or the others will wake up and be able to free you.”, I say as I walk over to the cart to check on the passengers.