FOUL LANGUAGE: Not as intensive as in Pulp Fiction, but still...

THANKS: To my BETA readers, mentors and guides who came for my aid, and did an excellent work. I truly appreciate it...you are the best: LESIAF, Noa, Patti, Stacia and B. Smith.

warriorjudge@hotmail.com

There I was, standing in front of an insignificant whorehouse in Corinth. It was raining heavily out side that day, and I was cold and soaking wet. Just one last time I thought to myself for old time’s sake. Unlike the previous and numerous visitations I had paid in my past to such notorious establishments, I came there that night defeated. My body was tired and slumped. I wasn’t standing in an upright bearing as a victor, but otherwise. I grew sick from my old ways, which I had deserted mere two moons before.

I had been a warlord for as long as I could remember myself, so it seemed. Once I had picked up a sword, I never laid it down again. I was seeking blood, vengeance, battles and power. It’s surprising how easy it is to find those things when one puts his mind to it. I had killed more than I care to remember during those times of conquering.

When I turned thirty autumns, something changed. I realized my life was empty. I guess I finally grew up. I couldn’t remember what was it that had incited my rage all those years ago.

I felt that I needed new purpose in life, one that would make me happy. I wasn’t sure what it was yet, but I knew I wasn’t enjoying a good kill like I used to. The unquenchable desire to conquer and intimidate had subsided, and the taste of blood had grown sour in my mouth. I felt emptiness. I felt loneliness. My heart had been ice cold, as hard as a rock and as dark as the night. Back in my warlord days I hadn’t care for anything or anyone, and nobody had cared for me. I had realized that if I were to die, there would be no one to bury me, or mourn me, for that matter. I was beginning to grow tired of my life, and was questing of some peace and quiet.

So I thought I would go and pay a visit to my mother, but before I would, and before I’d leave my old life behind for good, I decided I would indulge myself and have a working woman, one last time.

So there I was standing at the threshold of a whorehouse. With small strides, I entered. Minya, the Madam, spotted me the moment I set foot inside. She approached me.

"Good evening, My Lord," She greeted me, flattering me with the honorific. She was in her forties, and her body appeared as if it had been through a lot in life. She kindly smiled at me. She always made her customers feel at home. She had a good heart, and had provided refuge from my enemies whenever the need arose.

"Evening, Madam Minya," I replied..

"Long time no see, My Lord." She smirked.

"Yeah...It’s been a while," I replied. We walked together to one of the tables. I drew out the chair for her to sit on.

"Chivalrous as always, My Lord." She chuckled. She motioned to the barmaid to fetch us some port. Meanwhile, I’ve looked around the dim-lit and awfully smoky chamber. Nothing has changed, I thought to myself. The same old prostitutes were scattered around praising each other: Ka me and I’ll ka thee. The ladies were lazily examining the establishment’s guests and luring them with cheap smiles, swaying of their frontal assets and the suggestive spreading of their legs. The unguent that was generously smeared on their faces looked like the Hordes’ facial war colors.

In one dark corner, I saw a big fat sweaty man bargaining with one of Madam Minya’s girls. She was with her back to me; hence, I couldn’t see her face. She had a small figure, quite slim, and stood approximately two heads shorter than me. What caught my eyes the most, though, was her beautiful long and smooth red-golden hair. It sounded as if she could handle the bargaining very well, but what stroked me was her sweet youthful voice.

"That’s Gabrielle." I heard Madam Minya’s voice pulling me out of my thoughts. "She is one of my most popular girls. She’s young, beautiful and knows her craft perfectly, therefore she’s slightly expensive. Too bad you came here too late, for as you can see, she is otherwise engaged."

"Well, no point in crying over spilt milk, now, is there?" I muttered.

"No, I guess not, My Lord." She answered. "Perhaps some other time...I’m sure she’ll be to your liking. She’s young and beautiful...just like you fancy them..." She purred. Madam Minya knew me very well. Well, at least, she knew I had a taste for young women.

The barmaid reached our table and placed a basin with some cheap port in it. I didn’t mind, for I wasn’t there for the port, but rather for the comfort that a nude warm body of a woman could yield.

"How come I’ve never seen her before?" I asked and poured the port into the goblets that were resting on the filthy wooden table.

"She’s what one might call a traveler. She travels from one house of, shall we say, ‘ill-fame’ to another. She came to my possession four moons ago," she informed me. There was silence between us as I was touring her small frame with my eyes, above the rim of my goblet.

"What would you desire tonight, My Lord?" Madam Minya inquired.

"An experienced lady," I immediately replied, and poured the port straight to my throat, emptying my goblet. "Not one whom I would have to instruct how to pleasure me, half the time."

"Shira!" Madam Minya called to one of the ladies that were perched on one of the high stools next to the bar. A blond woman in her late twenties approached us. She was fairly good looking. She was a bit slim, and had brown eyes. She sat herself to our table. The smell of the cheap perfume that she was wearing assailed my nostrils as she sat.

"Shira, this is the legendary Destroyer of Nations, Xena. Take good care of her. She’s financially rewarding, and contrary to most of our customers, she knows how to treat a lady" Madam Minya said matter-of-factly. I didn’t correct Madam Minya when she introduced me as the Destroyer of Nations. As for her remark regarding me knowing how to treat a lady, I must humbly agree that she was right. I have never brutalized the women I rented, regardless of my reputation, and insisted that pleasure would come to them as well during their service. I have never taken women against their will, though I easily could have. Back in the times when I had raided villages and conquered lands, I had ordered my soldiers never to rape women on the battlefield, and punished them severely if they hadn’t obeyed me. The punishment was death. I simply couldn’t tolerate that kind of beastly behavior.

"Shall we go upstairs, My Lord?" My purchase asked and smiled one of her artificial smiles.

"Yes," I muttered and slowly stood up on my feet.

"Enjoy yourself, My Lord" I heard Madam Minya calling from behind me. 

We walked upstairs and entered a room, which I wouldn’t have let my horse stable in. My rented lady took her exposing dress off and lazily lay her nude form on the bed. I stood at the side of the bed and stared at her body, observing her breasts and her sex, feeling the ever so familiar heat between my legs. I took off my sword that was hanged above the side of my right thigh, and my chakram that was hanged above the side of my left. Afterwards, I began unbuttoning my white silk shirt.

By the second button, I heard loud screams that were clearly a woman’s, some muffled sounds of beatings, and hard blows being delivered to a body. They came from the next room. As if by instinct, I send a quick hand to my sword that was discarded on the floor and grabbed it. I run out of my room, much to the amazement of my lady for the evening. I burst into the next room, from which small voices of sobs were coming. In the room, I saw the fat sweaty farm-boy from downstairs had his hand in the air in the purpose of backhanding the blond lady, whom I had seen bargaining with him earlier. Glancing quickly to her I saw blood coming out of her mouth.

"WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!?" I yelled to the man.

"None of your business, you stupid whore!" he roared back, without even turning to face me. "Close the door behind you when you leave!" He ordered and laughed. I closed the gap between us with one hasty, big stride. I caught his raised hand in mid air, half way to its destination. He turned his head to my direction from over his shoulder. He was shocked from the strength I displayed in halting his arm.

"If you can’t play nicely with the ladies, than I’ll fix you, so that you won’t be able to play at all" I purred near his ear and aimed my sword between his legs to his crotch, from behind him. He slowly lowered his hand and turned to face me.

"Mind your own affairs, the whore and I were just having some fun" He said.

"Doesn’t look to me that the lady here is enjoying or approving it. Does she look like she’s having fun to you?!" I snarled.

"Well, I haven’t fucked the bitch yet...When I do - then you’d see her enjoying!" He laughed.

"On your knees, farm-boy!" I ordered with a cold voice.

"Who’s gonna make me, bitch...You!?" He kept on laughing.

"Some brain you got there, farm-boy...That’s right, me" I hissed and knocked him down to his knees with one strike. I saw the lady, sitting paralyzed on the bed, looking at me, with her green eyes. I turned the man on his knees so that he would face her.

"Now apologize to the lady for what you did to her," I ordered him and placed my sword to his throat. The lady on the bed was in shock, and evidently in distress.

"I’m not apologizing to no fuckin’ whore!" He mocked. My blood boiled inside me. I wanted to kill him so much that I could feel the itch in my fingertips, but I didn’t want to expose the lady to such a dreadful sight. Instead I chose to beat the stuffing out of him. Once he was lying semi-conscious on the floor, I pulled him back to his knees and repeated my order to his ears again:

"Apologize to the lady!"

"No way!" came his incoherent reply. He spat out a few teeth to the floor and I saw that his face was covered with blood as well. I raised my hand to heat him again.

"Please, stop. He’s not worth it!" The lady exclaimed.

"I want him to apologize to you," I explained.

"Don’t bother. He’s a pig. Just send him away. I cannot stand the sight of him."

"But he dishonored you," I insisted.

"I’m a whore. I don’t deserve honor," She replied quietly. "Please, My Lord. Let him go, I don’t want his apologies!" I couldn’t refuse her.

"This must be your lucky day...If it wasn’t for her, you’d be dead by now," I hissed. I pulled the fat man to his feet, opened the door and kicked his ass hard and out of the room.

"I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere. It’s just that there is a lady in the next room, waiting for me." I said and rushed out of her room and into my rented one. I apologized to Shira and left 15 dinars, her harlot’s pay, on her dresser, for I took her valuable time, even though I didn’t take her. She asked me if I didn’t want her to service me after all. I politely declined her offer and left.

I returned to the other room. The lady was still sitting on the bed, obediently waiting for me. She was wearing a red robe that was made out of some material that was known as "fake silk". I walked to the small table, on which there was a basin with some fresh, clean water, and a piece of cloth. I wet the cloth with some water and went back to the lady. I stood in front of her and gently tilted up her head so that she would look at me.

"I’ll try to be as gentle as I can. Inform me if I hurt you." I said. She only nodded.

I tenderly cleaned her face of all the blood.

"So, I heard your name is Gabrielle," I tried to converse a little with her so that she would get over the shock. "I’m sorry this happened to you."

"You shouldn’t be sorry, really. That kind of thing comes with the territory in my line of work," she said. As I cleaned her face, the more of it revealed to my eyes. I observed her.

"By the Gods!" I exclaimed. "You’re just a child! How old are you?"

"I’m of age," she retorted, but evaded my eyes.

"Like Tartarus you are! How old are you really, eleven? Twelve?" I demanded, and forced her to look into my eyes.

"Thirteen," She replied eventually.

"What’s a little girl like you doing here?! Where are your parents?" I questioned. She moved her chin from my grip.

"Dead!" She replied and bowed her head "Now leave me alone!" Since it was obvious to me that she didn’t want to discuss the matter any farther, I left it be, for the time being.

"Well, it appears that you only have a small cut on your forehead. Fortunately, you won’t be needing stitches." I muttered.

"Look, I have to keep on working otherwise Madam Minya will throw me out of here, and I have no place else to go." She said and stood up.

"I’ll pay the worth of an night with you to Madam Minya," I said. "Then I’ll get you something to eat, it looks as if you haven’t been eating properly for quiet some time now." I said.

Without wasting a moment I went down and paid Madam Minya 45 dinars for her under-aged employee. Madam Minya, of-course, smiled and told me that I shouldn’t have beat  the man so hard just to be with Gabrielle, that he only paid for an hour and would have soon be done. She also teased me and whispered to me that she knew Gabrielle would be to my liking. I just smiled at her without saying a word. I bought some rabbit stew with some fresh bread and a goblet of milk. I loaded the food on a tray and harried back to Gabrielle’s room. I entered her room and found her already sitting to the table, waiting for her dinner. I placed the tray in front of her and sat opposite to her, to the table. She began eating...no. Devouring the plate, wiping the plate with the bread I brought. Watching her lapping at the food like a starved child cause me a pain in my chest, which I didn’t recognized.

With in moments, the plate was sparkling clean, so much so, that I could see my own reflection in it.

"Drink your milk, Gabrielle" I said firmly, maintaining my stoic expression.

"I don’t like milk" She replied.

"You weren’t instructed to like it, you were instructed to drink it" I insisted.

"I would like to have wine" She kept on arguing with me.

"Wine is by no mean for little girls, Gabrielle."

"I’m not a little girl any more"

"I’ve paid good Dinars for you, so you do as I say!" She left me no choice, but to remind her of her place. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.

"Yes, My Lord" She gave up and drank the entire goblet.

After she finished her milk, Gabrielle stood up and went to sit on the bed. I watched her as she walked. She swayed her hips like a professional concubine. She might have been thirteen, but her body language, the way she carried herself, and her gestures were those, which fitted a woman much older than thirteen. I rose to my feet and approached the bed. I stood in front of Gabrielle. Without a moment of thought, out of custom, I guessed, she sent two small yet skillful hands to the buttons of my leather pants. 

"Allow Gabrielle to show you her gratitude, beautiful stranger" She said with a husky low voice. She raised her mesmerizing green eyes and pierced mine with an intense look, which I’ve never seen on a thirteen year-old-girl in my entire life. She had the look of sexual desire in her eyes. I was too amazed to move. It was the first time I’ve noticed how beautiful she was. I hated myself for the throbbing and wetness I felt between my legs.

"You’ve been a life savior, Blue-eyes" She whispered seductively. She undid my pants in a heartbeat, and I soon found myself with my pants dangling at my knees, and my white silk shirt, barely covering my rear. "Gabrielle will give you whatever you desire, Blue-eyes. Only no kissing on the mouth." The throbbing and desire that violently attacked my engorged erect sex caused me pain. My britches were soaking wet. I was feeling excruciating need for immediate release.

"Please, let Gabrielle suck it for you...Oh...it is so big and hard" She hummed. I looked down at her and saw her sticking out a flexible, sensuous pink tongue, and moving her head towards my sex. I wanted to plunge my fingers into her blonde smooth tresses and push her face hard against my aching sex. There were no words to describe how much I wanted and needed her there. But I couldn’t. Although a professional whore, she was thirteen, nonetheless. With strength I didn’t know I possessed, I managed to curb my desires. I backed away from her and pulled up my pants. The pain in my loins was incredible.

"What’s the matter, Blue-eyes. Don’t you find me attractive enough? Am I not beautiful enough? I’m clean. I’ve bathe today. Have I done something wrong? Please allow me to try again..." The words simply streamed out of her mouth. She looked so disappointed.

"You are a beautiful girl, but you’re too young. I cannot use you like this." I explained as I buttoned back my leather pants.

"I’m a prostitute. I’ve been a prostitute ever since I was ten years old. Pleasuring people sexually is what I do. And believe me when I tell you, I’m good at what I do. You paid for me, so just let me do my job. I don’t want Madam Minya angry with me" She said and eased her robe into falling from her shoulders and onto the floor. Her body was revealed to me. Her body was muscular and gorgeous. She had a pale complexion, from lack of exposure to sunlight and improper nutrition. She had a taunt firm abdomen that was admirable. Her breasts were seemingly under-developed and small. Her sex was almost totally exposed, since she barely had any pubic hair, but merely a small, fair down. As I was tucking my shirt in my pants, too shocked to move, she closed the gap between our bodies. She threw her arms around my neck and pressed herself to me. I immediately grabbed her wrists with my hands, freed myself from her warm, arousing grasp, and created a distance between us.

"Put your robe on," I ordered then regretted "Please".

"Never in my life was I rejected. You cannot imagine what your rejection will do to my reputation, once word got out." She grumbled and turned on her hills, showing me her back.              

She seemed upset with me.

"I won’t tell a soul. If you’d like, I’d tell them that you’re the best one I have ever had" I said.

"Thank you, My Lord" She whispered. I saw her wearing back her robe and turning around to face me.  "Thank you for your kindness. No one has ever done something like that for me before...I’ll be for ever indebted to you, My Lord".

"Don’t nominate me for sainthood just yet, Gabrielle. You don’t know me." I pulled out a chair for her to sit, and sat next to her, to the table.

"All I know is that you have found compassion it in your heart for a worthless whore" I could hear in her voice that she was fighting back tears.

"You just caught me during a period of some changes, is all. I’m not a compassionate person, and I don’t own a heart. If only you knew..." I shook my head and covered my eyes with my palm.

"I don’t believe you’re heartless. I know..."

"My name is Xena." I cut through her speech.

"The Destroyer of Nations..." She murmured. Her voice sounded as if from a far, almost detached. Her eyes widened in astonishment. "By the Gods..." the words dropped out of her mouth.

"Would you care to reconsider the compliments you’ve paid me earlier?" I sadly jested. 

"No I wouldn’t. If you cared enough to deny yourself carnal pleasure for aiding a whore in distress, If you denied yourself once more, because the whore was too young, there is goodness inside you. I know you possess a heart" She smiled a brilliant smile, and her sparkling green eyes light up the room. That girl made me feel bashful and embarrassed. No one has made me feel like that before, not even the Queen of Egypt, whom I had had a passionate affair with, in the past. Somehow, she made me care for her. She stirred something inside of me. The reason for her effect on me eluded me, nevertheless, I was well aware of the strange power she had over me. It made me feel, somewhat uneasy.

"What do we do now?" She asked.

"Aren’t you tired...It seems to me like way past your bedtime. Wouldn’t you like to sleep?" I used my most authoritative voice.

"I’m not a little child, My Lord. Please stop treating me as one." She was firmly obstinate.

"Besides, I sleep during the day and work during the night, so I’m not particularly tired, since I’ve been sleeping the entire morning"  

"So, you’ve been working ever since you were ten years old..." I stated. I was trying to solicit her into a conversation.      

"Correct, My Lord" came her reply.

"Please, I insist you call me ‘Xena’. That’s how all the damsels in distress that I’ve saved call me" I chuckled. She began to laugh as well, and her laughter echoed like bells in my ears. It was charming.

"Xena, it is" She concluded after her laughter subsided.

After a short pause I asked her "What ever happened to your parents?"

"A warlord raided our village three years ago, and both my parents died trying to deafened my sister Lila and me. Lila died too. I was the only one in my family who survived the attack. Since I had to eat, I became a prostitute. There wasn’t a choice" She told me, without looking at me.

"From which village are you from?" I asked.

"Potedaia" She answered.

"You’re lying to me. I raided Potedaia ten years ago...You probably don’t remember my raid, for you were to young to recall...The Potedaians surrendered to me without a fight and so none of them died at my hand. Potedaia has been under my protection for the past ten years. One of my officers has been ruling in my name there, up until two moons ago, when I freed Potedaia from my realm...None of the villagers died during my regime. Your parents aren’t really dead, are they?" I hissed. I was so angry I could feel steams coming out of my ears. "Tell me the truth!" I ordered and stood up. I guess I was trying to frighten her into answering me honestly.

"You are right. I lied. My parents are alive. In spite of it, I left their house." She finally broke down in tears.

"Tomorrow morning I’m taking you back to your  parents." I informed her with a tone that left no room for arguments. "A whore-house is by no mean a proper environment for little girls!" 

"I’m staying here! I’m not going anywhere with you!" She exclaimed. "You only rented me till first light, then I’m the possession of Madam Minya" 

"Well at least tell me what made you run away. What was so terrible in your parents house that you find working in a brothel is preferable?" I implored. The terror I sensed from her when talking about her parent’s house softened me. I didn’t wish to cause her strife.

"It’s none of your concern, Xena." She insolently retorted. She was so agitated that I’ve decided not to punish her for her audacity.

"Suit yourself. I’m going to sleep. A long journey awaits me tomorrow." I said. I went to sit on the bed. I took off my boots, placed my weapons on the floor and lay down.

"Please talk to me some more, Xena. I don’t wish to be left alone." She pleaded and approached the bed.

"You’re here for my benefit, not the other way around" I reminded her, leaning the weight of my torso on my elbows. 

"I’m sorry, Xena. I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise...It’s just that you treat me in a way that makes me oblivious to the fact that I’m a whore, and that tomorrow night I’ll service someone else." She didn’t disclose the look of her eyes, but I saw her lower lip tremble. I knew she was on the verge of tears. I felt a pinch in my heart. I began contemplating in my head whether I should take her with me away form there the next morning or not. On one hand, I was an ex-warlord, hopefully, on her way to be reformed. I had so much on my mind and my life were complicated, to say the least. I had countless of enemies seeking to make attempts on my life...and I had to face my mother in Amphipolis. At that moment, my mother was my prime concern. I haven’t seen her in fourteen years. My mother was an honorable, hard working and decent woman. The blood, which I washed my hands with, was her scarlet letter, that tainted her life with shame and disgrace.

"I’m taking you back to your parents tomorrow. I’ll buy you from Madam Minya." I announced, lay my head on the pillow and closed my eyes, as if not expecting her reply, as if it was the end of the discussion, as if her opinion had no bearing on the matter.

"I’m not going back there, and you can’t make me! I’ll run away again, I swear on every God you name!"  She lost the battle with her tears and began crying aloud. Strange sensations of pain and sorrow attacked my heart, and left me confused and hurting. She tilted her head back as she cried and pierced my eyes with hers. Those brilliant emeralds were irresistible and she defeated me with a sheer look.

"Don’t cry, please, Gabrielle..." I pleaded and raised to a sitting position.

"Say you’ll take me to where ever it is you’re going. Please take me with you...out of this pit...Don’t leave me here...I’m begging you...I’ll do anything you want, I’ll clean and cook for you, I’ll bathe you and wipe your boots, I’ll take care of your horse and I’ll share your bed... "

Back in my old days, I wouldn’t have tarried with thinking twice about her offer, but simply grab her with both hands. "You don’t have to be...in bed...with me." I said. I still couldn’t believe I was talking about sex with a thirteen year-old-girl.  "We’ll be partners, each of us would have her own chores. We would talk about it on the way" I said. What am I doing?!? Have I lost my mind? I don't need a tagalong brat...I’m not her mother, I’m not equipped to raise her properly...I’m a killer and she’s...a child Were some of the thoughts that nestled in my head at that time.

"Thank you, so much, Xena. You are my Guardian Angel...I just know it. You’re good" She wiped her tears with both hands and I could see her rich smile plastered on her tear stained features.

"Now, do I have your permission to sleep!?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yeah" She laughed. I could tell she was ecstatic from joy.

"Good" I muttered.  I closed my eyes and waited for slumber to befall me.

"Xena?" She drew my attention.

"Hmmm?" I hummed in reply, my eyes still shut.

"I want to sleep too, so that tomorrow I’ll have enough strength to travel." She said with enthusiasm that was enchanting. 

"Then I’ll take the floor and you’ll take the bed" I mumbled. I was so tired I could barely keep my head straight. Without standing up, I simply rolled my weary body from the bed onto the floor. Gabrielle burst into laughter at my sloth. Her laughter was contagious and I soon found myself laughing so hard the residents of the next room began knocking on the wall that parted between the rooms.

When Gabrielle and I calmed down, Gabrielle turned to me and said: "You’ll be cold and uncomfortable on the floor, Xena. You can join me in bed"

"Sleeping on the floor won’t kill me...Gods know I’ve had worst sleeping accommodations" I muttered and adjusted my body to the flat platform. I closed my eyes for the second time and awaited slumber. Just when I came so close to sleeping, it was Gabrielle’s voice that pulled me out of the land of nightmares once again.

"Xena, I’m cold. Can you please come into bed and hold me?" She asked with a hesitating voice. If I didn’t know any better I could have sworn that that beautiful girl was trying her best to seduce me. I gave up and climbed back into bed. She immediately snuggled up against me. I was lying on my side, cupping Gabrielle’s smaller body, shielding her from the cold. I watched her close her eyes and falling asleep. I felt her breathing stabilizes. She was asleep. Her warmth engulfed my wretched, lustful body that craved to take her in her sleep so badly it hurt. Fighting the desire that nestled in the pit of my stomach was exhausting. I took deep breaths to calm myself down and keep what was left of my sanity intact. Just before I succumbed to slumber, I was listening to the teardrops that pounded on the earth outside, remembering how Gabrielle had referred to herself in third person when she had unbuttoned my pants. Probably detaching herself from the horrors of her work, just like I used to do during my first kills  I thought

                                                                                    **************

The sun illuminated the sky in all her glory, the next morning. I was up before Gabrielle. The beautiful girl was still sleeping in my protective arms. I reluctantly entangled myself from her soft, trusting body. I gathered my weapons from the floor and armed myself. I washed myself with the water that was left in the basin. I placed my hand on my money pouch that was attached to my pants and walked downstairs.

I met Madam Minya downstairs, leaning against the brothel’s bar.

"Good Morning, My Lord" She bid me.

"Morning, Madam Minya" I retorted.

"I trust you’ve got your money’s worth and that Gabrielle satisfied you" She smiled suggestively, sending a brief glance towards my crotch. "I see that Gabrielle is still sleeping upstairs...you always enfeeble my girls, My Lord...you spoil them to much" 

"Gabrielle was to my satisfaction, thank you, Madam Minya. As a matter of fact, so much so, that I would like to buy her from you, so that I could have her all to myself" I stated.

"I would have to think about it, My Lord. After all, Gabrielle is my most profitable asset" She began her game of bargaining. Since I was anxious to leave the brothel so much, I’ve decided to succumbed to the game and spare her the threat of going to Corinth’ authorities to report enslaving of an under-aged girl to prostitution.

"Name her price" I declared.

"500 Dinars" She stated without a moment hesitation.

"Sold" I concluded the transaction and gave her my money pouch. "It’s all there," I added.

"I wasn’t intending on counting it, My Lord, for everyone knows the worth of Xena of Amphipolis’ word." She assured me.

"But I must insist that you would throw in some breakfast as an act of faith and good will" I said.

"But of-course...She probably had you work up quite an appetite." She smirked. If she was anyone other Madam, I would smack her already for her teasing remarks regarding my sexual habits and stamina.

"You are a hardheaded woman to bargain with, Madam Minya" I flattered her.

She ordered her cook to poach some eggs. After a few moments, the cook handed me a tray loaded with eggs, vegetables, cheese, bread and two goblets of milk, as requested. With quick big strides, minding not to spill the milk, I went back to my young protege‘. I opened the door with my leg and went in. I saw her sitting on the bed and rubbing her eyes.  She looked adorable, and a whim possessed me to go and kiss her. Of-course I remained in control of myself.

"Morning, sleepyhead"

"Good morning, Xena." She replied. She stretched her arms and yawned.

"I figured you’d be hungry" I said, and placed the tray on the table. Gabrielle went to wash her face in the water basin and afterwards approached the table. I pulled her chair for her to sit.

"You don’t have to do that for me, Xena. You don’t have to be all gallant with me. I want to be your friend. Friends don’t need ceremonial protocol or chivalry." She said and sat to the table. She looked into my eyes as if to examine my reaction to the word "Friend". I didn’t give away anything. Besides, she was too young to be my friend and even younger to be a bed partner.

"As you wish." I muttered and drew out a long breath.    

Watching Gabrielle eat was such a delightful sight that I’ve decided I would never deny the treat of viewing her when she laps so eagerly at the food. I told her that before we set to Amphipolis, I would like to go to the local market and purchase some decent traveling clothes, clothes that won’t disclose her former occupation. She merely nodded, and when reminding her of her recent past she bowed her head in shame. I took an oath never to remind her of that again, for it hurt her - and when she hurt, I hurt.

After we finished eating, we went downstairs together, where we met her former owner. 

"Enjoy your new possession" She chuckled.

"Gabrielle is by no means my possession, but my friend, and if I were you, I wouldn’t let that farm-boy I beat up yesterday to set foot in here again - he is brutalizing your girls" I informed her and went outside to the street, Gabrielle right behind me. I went to the stables to retrieve Argo; I mounted my mare and hoisted Gabrielle up to sit behind me. As we rode to the market I felt Gabrielle petit arms snake around my waist, followed by her palms spreading and resting on my abdomen. I did my best to ignore it, but I was constantly aware of their presence on my body. 

By the time we’ve reached the market, the sun was at its highest place in the sky. As promised, I bought Gabrielle strong leather boots, short comfortable leather skirt and a cotton vest. In a secluded spot behind one of the merchant’s boot, she discarded her cheap red robe and wore the clothes I bought her.

While she was trying on the clothes, I went to one of the vendors and purchased a beautiful doll for Gabrielle, so that she would have something to play with, like most girls her age. I went back to Gabrielle and hid the doll behind my back. I thought she would appreciate the thoughtful gesture.

After she was done, she walked back to the street where I waited for her, and exhibit herself to me, spreading her arms to show her body. She then turned around to display her backside and then, another turn, accompanied by a light sway of her hips to face me once again. She still haven’t gotten rid of the obscene customs of a whore I acknowledged

"How do I look?" She questioned and smiled at me. My eyes explored her body, and the new clothes accentuated every curve in it. Her red-blonde hair shone brightly at the graces of the sun. She looked stunning.

"Fine" I muttered "Just fine"

"What are you holding behind you back, Xena?" She wondered with a sweet voice.

"A surprise for you" I answered and tightened my grasp around the doll so that she wouldn’t succeed in grabbing it from me.

"Come on...Xena...let me see" She implored me, and plastered one of her coquetry expression that looked so fictitious to me, just like whores so often did. I wondered whether a doll was the compatible gift for her. She had this sensuous, pseudo-sophisticated behavior, but she was undeniably a young girl. Gabrielle sent her hands towards my waist and just before she made contact, I moved my hands from behind my back and revealed the doll to her. I didn’t want her to touch me for a reason I didn’t reckon at the time. Her expression turned from cheerfulness to one of disappointment.

"Don’t you like the doll...It was the most beautiful doll the vendor had," I said, not understanding the mood-swings.

"I’m no a little girl anymore, Xena...I haven’t played with dolls in years" She sounded so sad, so bitter. I couldn’t understand why was she so upset.    

"I’m sorry, Gabrielle. It’s just that you are thirteen. I assumed girls your age played with dolls. I meant well, it was an honest mistake...I thought you would like it..." I was on the verge of stammering and reached the conclusion that I had apologized enough. Gabrielle, who seemed offended and I returned to Argo, and I shoved the doll deep into the bottom of the saddlebag.

                                                                                    **************

We rode towards Amphipolis. At dusk, I found a beautiful spot in the woods for night’s camp. I left Gabrielle with the task of gathering some kindling for the fire, and I went for some fishing at the lake near by. It never took me too long to catch a couple of fish and that night was no exception. I returned to camp within a short period of time, while carrying with me, two big succulent fish for dinner. I knew Gabrielle would be pleased at my fine catch. When I returned, I’ve noticed that Gabrielle had dug up a pit for the fire, warmed up the

Frying pan, leveled the earth and spread the bedrolls.

"I’ve caught fish for dinner, Gabrielle. They are already gutted and ready for the cooking" I said and handed her the fish. She cooked them for us, and after they were ready she took them off the fire. We ate in silence. I was all caught up in my thoughts. I didn’t know what was I to do with my new protege. I was a loner. I’ve been alone for so many years that I didn’t remember how to behave in the company of others, much less a young lass. Gabrielle probably felt my preoccupation and didn’t initiate a conversation. Once we finished eating I turned to her.

"You’d better wash yourself in the lake, for I don’t think there will be another one until Amphipolis"

"Very well, then." She said. She took the dishes and paced towards the lake. I assorted her with my gaze. She knelt on the bank and washed the dishes from the scraps of food that were stuck to it. Once she finished with the dishes, she disrobed herself form her clothes, neatly folded them and placed them at the rim of the bank. I turned my face away from her so not to stare at her nudity. When she saw me all embarrassed in light of her out-bursting sexuality, she laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" I grumbled in a low voice.

"One could think you’ve never seen a naked woman in your entire life by the way you’re acting...Stop that nonsense, take your clothes off and join me" She mused and dared me. I was too embarrassed to answer her, at first. Bashfulness and shame in my nudity or sexuality were foreign concepts to me. Back in my warlord days, I had frequently taken women in the presence of an audience. Modesty was never an issue with me. But Gabrielle was too young for any of it, and I was an ex-warlord trying to reform.

"You are too young!" I told her.

"Come on, Warrior Princes, take your clothes off and get in...You haven’t got anything I haven’t seen before...naked women are hardly a novelty to me...unless you’re scared of me, warrior...is that it!?...You’re afraid of me, or from corrupting me...You shouldn’t be, really, I won’t bite..." It sounded as if she was courting me, toying with me. I couldn’t figure out whether she was wooing me or simply that that was the kind of behavior that she had gotten use to, adopted to herself due to her recent occupation.

I couldn’t let a thirteen year-old-girl provoke me without any retaliation on my part...I guess it was my blasted pride. And so, against my better judgment, I stripped myself in a hurry, to show her that I was confident in my doings. She glared at my eyes and nailed them to hers. I couldn’t take away my gaze from hers. Her green eyes twinkled almost majestically. A few brief moments had past and I was standing naked at the bank of the lake. I was watching her in the water. I observed the water cascading from her body, small droplets of water hanging on the tip of her small youthful breasts, and two small unripe nipples standing erect against the night’s chill breeze. She moved her eyes on my body as well, and that examining look sent a wave of heat washing through my body. I felt my legs shaking a little and a hot stream of lubricant pouring uncontrollably out of my sexual core.

"Wow...You’re beautiful" She mumbled, barely audibly.

I was afraid to move, for I wasn’t sure I could carry my own weight. The pulses that I felt in my clitoris was so strong, I thought I would come right there and then.

Without farther adieu, I run as fast as my shaky legs allowed and dived, head first, into the lake. I needed some cooling off. I was hoping my desires eluded Gabrielle’s eyes, alas it didn’t.

"Nothing like a cold bath to kill sexual lust" She smirked as I emerged to the surface, and winked her eye to show me that she could see right through me.

"I was hoping you wouldn’t notice" I almost whispered, but she heard in spite of it.

"You know I used to be a professional. A good prostitute is one that can read her customers needs and wants." She said with a small voice.

"I didn’t mean disrespect, Gabrielle." I apologized.

"Ravishing me with your eyes is hardly disrespectful" She replied. I nervously chuckled. "If anything, it’s a compliment. I never dreamed that Xena, the destroyer of nation, whose sexual conquests are as legendary as her military ones, would find me desirable." She moved in the water and stood in front of me. Never in my life have I bowed my head before another. I bowed my head before Gabrielle that night.

The moonlight silvered her body. She was magnificent, and I soon felt my heartbeat racing. In my mind’s eyes I could see my hand moving towards that unripe soft and glistening breasts and mold it. I didn’t know what was coming over me.

She splashed water at me and I reacted by splashing back at her immediately, listening to her sweet laughter dancing in my ears and deep into me.           

After we finished bathing, we got out of the water and sat on the bank, enveloped in our towels.

"I’ve paid 500 Dinars in order to by you from Madam Minya, 45 Dinars for a night with you and 20 Dinars for your cloths, which brings us to total of 565 Dinars, if I’m not mistaking. That a lot of Dinars, Gabrielle, and I want something in return for my money" I told her and looked at her. She lay back and removed her towel from her body, offering herself.

"Get up and cover yourself, that’s not what I want from you." I said and it came out a little harsh. She straightened up to a sitting position again and covered her sweet body.

"I’ll tell you what I’m buying from you with my money - I’m buying a promise. I want you to promise me you will share your body with another for the right reasons not for the wrong ones, and that the next time you would give yourself to someone this way, you’d be making love, and not performing service."  

"Why are you doing this for me, Xena?" She asked. I could hear a rush of emotions overwhelm her. 

"Because" I muttered and cast my gaze to the lake.

"Please, Xena. I want to know...why are you being so kind to me?" She pleaded.

"I had been a monstrous killer for many years. I had killed hundreds of men in battle, because I had lusted for blood, for power, and for dominance. Two moons ago I realized I wasn’t happy. I felt empty. Killing and conquering lost their grace and they were not enough to fill the void within me. I’ve forsaken my deadly old ways. I wish to claim my soul back, and you, Gabrielle, will be my first good deed, the cornerstone of my redemption" it surprised me that I have conveyed my inner most thoughts to her, but somehow it felt safe and right to do so.

"What about love?" She spoke softly. I retrieved my eyes to hers.

"Love is not for me, Gabrielle" I muttered almost bitterly.

"But ..." She tried.

I cut through her speech "Let’s just leave it at that" I concluded. "So!" I cried after a few moments of silence, then paused "Do I have your word, Gabrielle?"

"On one condition"

"You are hardly in a position to pose conditions, Gabrielle"

"I just wanted to ask of you to promise me you won’t leave me at your mother’s and then go on your way without me." She pleaded. She gave me an intense look as if she was trying to melt something inside me with her warmth.

"I don’t know what will happens in my mother’s house. Let’s just wait and see...But you must give me your word that you won’t give your body for money again, and I also want you to wait till you mature enough to know what you want, as well"

"You have my word, Xena" She sealed her promise with a handshake. I was at ease now that she gave me her word. I have extracted Gabrielle for the brothel, now I had to extract the brothel from Gabrielle. I knew prostitution had become her second nature, just like killing had become mine. I realized it wasn’t because of any flaw in Gabrielle’s character but merely because of difficulties and hardships in the circumstances of her life.

"I guess facing your mother will be a very hard thing for you to do" She stated.

"Yeah" I blew out one big, long breath to relief the pressure on my chest.

"It won’t be easy for her to accept you back. She bears a grudge and not without a reason. She probably believes that you’ve shamed her with your way of killing. She might not recognize you anymore. She might see a stranger before her and not her own daughter. It has probably been years since you’ve last visited her. She doesn’t know who you are. She knew her little girl, not the conquering warrior"

"I’m afraid you’re right" I was in awe of her fine perception and analysis of the situation. The life she lived made her more mature than even most women my age. She impressed me. "What do you think I should do?" I asked.

"You’ll have to show her, not with words, but with actions, that you’re a change woman."

"It’s not going to be easy"

"No, it won’t. She probably wont trust you. She might even fear you."

"How will I do that?"

"I’ll help, if you would allow me to." She offered with a smile. "You will have to be patient with her, give her a time to get use to you, to get to know you, to trust you and to accept you, Xena. She’ll probably test you, and she’ll be examining you closely and doubt you every step of the way, but you mustn’t get angry with her. Remember who you were and understand her. She’ll make mistakes and so will you, but you’ll have to forgive her...You ought her that much" Gabrielle explain. She left me speechless. Her wisdom and maturity puzzled me. I admired her for it.

"I will try to do my best, Gabrielle. Thank you"

"That’s what friends are for" She retorted grinning, and then yawned.

"You’re tired, aren’t you?" I smirked. She simply nodded. "Let’s go to sleep then" I stood up and offered her my hand in order to assist her to stand, and hoisted her up to her feet. We walked together to the bedrolls. She lay herself down on them, covering her nudity with the towel. I went towards Argo in order to fetch two of my own night shifts, which were in the saddlebag.

"Aren’t you sleeping with me?" I heard Gabrielle’s small, disappointed voice calling from behind me.

"If you’d like, I’ll sleep with you. I was just bringing us night shifts, is all" I said "I forgot to buy you one in the market so I guess you’ll have to wear one of mine" I informed her, and she nodded her consent. I handed her my night shift. She wore it and lay back prone on the bedrolls. I did the same and lay myself next to her. She curled up against my body, pressed her back to my chest, took my armed, wrapped it around her own waist and placed my palm against her stomach. I was very tired. I must be getting old I admonished myself. I felt Gabrielle’s body all pressed tightly against me, reminding me of its presence, as if I could forget. Holding her youthful small body in my arms started me thinking. I didn’t know what was I going to do with her. She was so young. What did I know about girls her age? I didn’t know what topics could I possibly discourse with her. She was just learning things, I had already forgotten. She didn’t understand the world of adults, and it’s been seventeen years since I have been her age. We would bound to dreary one another soon enough and we would have to go our separate ways. I finally closed my eyes. They needed the repose.

"Xena?" I heard her whispering, inspecting whether I was still awake.

"What?" Came my inpatient response.

"Did you love your father?" She posed.

"I never knew my father. Why do you ask?"

"Because I think I hate mine and it makes me feel like a bad person" She replied. I sensed that that was a beginning of a long conversation and so I turned around and face her.

"If you hate your father then I guess it is not without a ground. What did he do to you? Did he spank you? Is that why you ran away?"

"No, I didn’t run away because he beat me" She answered. I could tell by her expression that there was something else she wanted to say, that was standing on the tip of on the tip of her tongue, but simply wouldn’t come out. Then it hit me

"Did he...Touch you..." I looked for some indication in her eyes, for some verification, but she gave me no sign, so I went on "Like your customers touched you?" I saw her eyes become nebulous with tears.

"The son of a bitch!" I raged and sat up on the bedrolls, freeing her from my hold. My heart was filled with burning hatred toward a man I’ve never seen in my life. I had those unfamiliar feelings that raged through me that I couldn’t even name. Gabrielle’s situation became horrifyingly clear to me.

"And where was your dear mother in all this?" I snarled.        

The wrath that I felt consumed me and there arose the craving for the taste of warm blood, like I haven’t felt it in a long time. There was only so much I could do to restrain myself.

"I don’t think she knew" Gabrielle’s voice cracked.

"I’m so sorry that the fates were cruel enough to bestow such dreadful fate upon you. But, hear this Gabrielle, I, Xena of Amphipolis, swear to you that for as long as I breathe, I would never let another human being use you this way ever again"

"Thank you" Gabrielle whimpered. "Would you hold me?"

I wrapped my arms around her minor figure and held her in a tight embrace.

"I feel safe with you" She admitted, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "You are nothing like what people say about you". She said as I unwrapped my arms from around her.

"What have you heard?" I asked and moved a stray lock from her face. She tilted her head and looked at me.

"The other women who worked with me at the various brothels I worked with said, that you’ve butchered entire nations, and that you were a ruthless, bloodlusting monster. They also said that you had a wasps’ hive instead of a heart..."

"They were telling the truth" I muttered.

"That might have been true once, but now you are on a quest to find your heart and I’m sure you’ll find it soon. You’re on the right path so it seems" Gabrielle stunned me with her words. After a few moments of silence, I lay down again and Gabrielle cuddled with me. I closed my eyes again, thinking Gabrielle finished her somewhat tedious chatting for the day, but I was wrong.

"They also said you were by far the best fornicator they have ever had...Were they right about that too?" She giggled. My eyes snapped back open in shock and amazement. Gabrielle’s giggling sounds neutralized my anger for her audacity.

"You’ll never know" I grinned. The young lass looked at me with eyes of a victor when she realized she managed to extort half a smile from me.

"Did I do something so terrible that made my father punish me the way he did?" She asked after a few moments.

"No!" I exclaimed, "You did nothing of a kind. Your father is a sick man, Gabrielle. It’s not your fault, do you hear me!?"

"Yes. Thanks, Xena"

"Now let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow, at dusk, we will arrive Amphipolis" I said with a somewhat sleepy voice. Gabrielle snuggled up against me and sighed a sigh of contentment.

Several more silent moments passed and then I heard Gabrielle’s voice again.

"Xena?"

"Hmmm" I poured angrily.

"Thanks for the doll, It’s lovely"

I held Gabrielle tight to me and smiled as I drifted off to sleep.

                                                                                    **************

Throughout the next day, Gabrielle and I rode to Amphipolis on Argo’s back, safe the few breaks we did for some resting and eating. Gabrielle seemed to handle the journey quiet well, as a matter of fact, by far better than I accepted. Though we rode and walked for hours, she kept her pace with me, and didn’t complain, not even a single time. 

While we were on the road, Gabrielle told me she had a dream.

"What is your dream, Gabrielle" I questioned.

"I want to be a Bard. I want to tell stories. I want to dazzle people with my imagination. I want to touch people souls with my words" She said enthusiastically. Her eyes literally twinkled.

"That’s sounds very nice." I said. I was never a woman of too many words.

"What’s your dream, Xena?" She asked.

I didn’t answer Gabrielle immediately. "I dream of complete serenity"

"You wish for the past to stop screaming in your head. You want the sounds to be silent, the smells to evaporate, and the sights to be invisible. You want not to remember the past so vividly. I know what you feel," She said. I don’t know why, perhaps the fact that a young girl understood me the "great" Xena too well, her words rose resentment against her.  

"What do you know about any of this, little girl?" I didn’t mean for the mockery to be so evident in my voice, but Gabrielle was a clever girl. It didn’t go through her unnoticed, and she didn’t fear me either. She jumped off Argo’s back, almost losing her balance. It took me by surprise. She stood at my right side and looked up at me.

"Take a  look at me, Xena." She glared at me. "Take a long good look at me!" I didn’t know her kind had such an expression in store. "There is no child in me anymore. The little child in me was slowly murdered over the years. It began when I was six years old and my father came up to my room for a goodnight kiss and slipped his hand under my night shift, touching me where he wasn’t allowed to. Ever since I was ten years old, men have penetrated me like one with a grown woman, taking me, taking the little girl away from me. So, go a head warrior, and take a close look at me...you won’t find a little girl in me...She’s long gone!" Gabrielle was trembling, fists clenched. For a few heartbeats I kept steal on Argo’s back, my eyes wide open. I looked into her eyes, and there was no young girl in there, at that time. She turned on her hills and began striding away from me.

"Gabrielle!" I called after her. She didn’t turn around but kept pacing, creating distance between us. I dismounted Argo and ran after her. "I’m so sorry, Gabrielle." I said and grabbed her arm.

"I’m leaving, Xena. It hurts to have you treat me like a child" She sounded embittered.

"I won’t do it any more...Well not on purpose anyway...Please stay with me." I never heard myself begging to another soul in my life, and there I was, practically begging her to stay. She finally gave up and turned around to face me. 

"I’m not leaving, Xena...I just walked away to give you a little scare, undermine your confidence" She smiled.

"Well, you failed!" I announced. I wasn’t going to let her patronize me.

"Yeah..." She muttered skeptically and chuckled. I couldn’t contain a chuckle myself; she simply looked too adorable for me to fight it. We both mounted Argo again and went on our way to Amphipolis.

At dust Gabrielle and I have reached Amphipolis. The small village’s streets were empty. The natives were indoors, having their dinner, tucking their children in. Gabrielle and I dismounted Argo’s back. I had Argo stabled. Slowly and heavily we paced towards my mother’s tavern. The closer we got to my mother’s tavern the shakier my legs have become. When we stood at the threshold of the tavern, cold sweat bead my body.

"Here goes nothing" I whispered to Gabrielle. She just looked at me. I guess she knew there was nothing she could have said that would have made me feel better.

Gabrielle and I walked into the tavern. My mother was just coming out of the kitchen. I stood frozen on the spot when I first saw her. She looked so much older than I’d remembered. The moment she spotted me standing in her tavern, she dropped the tray she was holding in her hands. The loud shuttering sound of the tray’s impact with the floor silenced the tavern’s guests. My mother didn’t say a word to me. I saw her approaching me, slowly closing the gap between us. I couldn’t read the look she had in her eyes, but that look made my skin crawl. She reached me and stood toe to toe with me. She was a head and a half shorter than me, but she made me, the ex-Destroyer-of-Nations, feel small. Up till that point she didn’t even glanced at Gabrielle. My mother glared at me only. I saw shock, anger, contempt, sorrow and so many other things I couldn’t call by their name. The silence that fell in the tavern was deafening. All the establishment’s guests were looking at us mesmerized. Even the tavern’s rats didn’t squeak. I felt wild palpitations in my chest. I didn’t know what to do.

"Gabrielle, go and sit down" I whispered to her, not taking my eyes off my mother. She did as I asked her. As she walked towards one of the wooden stools my mothers broke eye contact with me and moved her gaze to Gabrielle. She ran an inspecting gaze on my young protege, from head to toe. By the expression my mother had on my face, I just knew that she realized Gabrielle was a prostitute.

"Hello, Mother" I eventually said with a small tremor in my voice.

"You are not welcome here, Warrior. Please take what you want from us and leave. None of us will resist you." My mother said with a cold, foreign voice that made my blood freeze in my veins.

"I’m not here to raid Amphipolis, nor am I here to conquer it. I just came to talk to you, mother" I said quietly.

"I have no daughter" She said bitterly and I saw tears well up in her eyes.

"Sure you do. It’s me, mom, your Xena" I said, fighting back tears myself. I send my hands in order to touch her, hold her, but my mother turned her head to the side. She disowned me. My arms fell defeated back to my sides, my head falling forwards, my chin touching my chest and my tired shoulders pathetically slump.

I turned around and faced the door again. I began pacing heavily, praying I wouldn’t break down and cry in front of all the people.

"Milady" I heard Gabrielle’s voice from behind me and my legs planted themselves into the floor. "Xena is the only daughter you have. She is a changed woman. She came here today to make amends, to repent, to earn your forgiveness and regain your love. Your daughter saved my worthless life. I swear to you, she is not a warlord anymore. Please...at least talk to her. Don’t do something you’ll regret for the rest of your life. She is the only family you have." Gabrielle pleaded for my sake. "Xena!" She called after me. "Go to the kitchen. Your mother will meet you there shortly" when she saw that I haven’t moved, she went on encouraging me "Go on, Xena...go on". I did as she said. I didn’t look at my mother. I was afraid I wouldn’t see approval in her eyes.

I went to the kitchen and waited for my mother there. I looked around. The kitchen remained the same, as if seventeen years haven’t passed at all, with one difference, the kitchen looked a little smaller than I had remembered. After a few moments, my mother came in.

"Where is Gabrielle?" I asked her, for I thought she kicked her out.

"So, that’s the name of the whore with the golden heart"

"She is not a whore" I defended my protege’s dignity.

"Come on, Xena, spare me your lies. I have seen enough whores in my tavern to recognize one when I see one. Besides, I know that only these kind of women would be willing to accompany a low-life warrior such as yourself...for the right price, of-course" Her words were poison, and they were ruthlessly gnawing at my heart.

"I guess I deserve it" I muttered

"You deserve a whole lot worse than a couple of harsh words"

"You’re right" I whispered.

"She’s under-aged. I