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Rich wage war and the poor die (Felixia & Askeladd)

She nodded and continued to eat, quickly finishing and leaning back in the wooden chair. "That sounds reasonable...Alright, it is official, I shall be your worker." She stretched and looked down back at the map. "If you want to make it back to your territory in one piece...I would recommend you flush that camp out...The men you let flee and a new army in the making should be there. Plus...you are weak now...losing I don't know how many in the field and those in the town...." She shrugged and left it at that, "Ummmm, where do I sleep, Michael?" She only saw Maria's bed in the other bedroom and didn't think she would be sharing Michael's....not unless he wanted to be hurt. She stood around, looking from Michael, to the map, to just random things, unsure if her duties started today or not. "Umm, is there anything you desire, Michael?"
 
Michael smiled widely as she said that she would be his worker then he nodded and was very glad to hear it, "that is good to hear Janice, would you prefer to have my mark on your clothing or your body?". His tone was simply curious as he did not care either way what she chose, he himself had chosen to tattoo his own mark onto his body so no one could ever claim to be him, there were a lot of ways to fake being someone but to have Michael's tattoo, hair, unique armor, and unique blade it was near impossible. As she mentioned the camp he shook his head calmly "the men had their army defeated in but minutes their morale is crushed and so is near half their army, our losses were at worst two hundred leaving us with still twice that of their army". He explained calmly "Bellethane is an arrogant man but he would never attack this army again or else he would lose every personal guard he has, in which case High Lord Agthar would overrun his estate completely and kill him". He smiled at her like this was all normal to him which it was "as to where you will sleep we will get another cot and have you sleep in Maria's room until we have someone make another room in the tent for you alone" he said cheerfully "and yes could you help me remove my armor?' he asked softly before he stood up.
 
She thought about it as went behind him, loosening the straps and laces of his armor. Pulling the pieces away and laying them on the grass, she said, "As was demonstrated to me today...clothing can be ripped off and thus make me just another girl to be taken advantage of..." She stopped and continued to work, taking off most of his upper body armor and laying it out neatly. "So...I guess it will have to be skin, thought I don't know where I would like it..." She said, finishing the top half of him and moving down, unlacing his greaves. She wrinkled her nose and look up at him, "You should really take a bath...you are very sweaty." She wiped some sweat from his armor and onto the grass. After several more minutes of work, she finally had all of his armor off and on the ground neatly folded and grouped.
 
Michael stood still as Janice took his armor off of him piece by piece, he nodded as she said clothing could be ripped showing her to be another girl to take advantage of "only if they wish to die like those men today" he said in a cold tone. He could feel his body taking in more air now as the armor was being moved away from it, he sighed with relief at the feeling as he had felt quite constricted as there was no adrenaline rushing through him. "Well it can be anywhere but if you are going to have it then it should be placed where anyone can see it, perhaps the side of the neck, or the back of your hand, or on the palm as I have done, though it is your choice of course Janice" he said gently. As she said that he should take a bath he laughed softly and nodded, soon he was pulling his shirt off to reveal a chiseled body the kind that was only achieved after years of practice, but unlike the flesh upon his face it was not all smooth, many wounds ranging from thin white lines, to jagged rips were seen on several parts of his body. The worst wound was going from the right shoulder diagonally down to his left hip, it was large and easily seen no matter the light, but he did not care for he had many scars as it came with being a warrior.
 
Her eyes widened in surprise to see hoe scarred and chewed up his body was, not expecting that much damage. Wow...you....you sure have come through hell and back it seems." She said, stepped back and placing her hand on his chest, slowly tracing some of the scars, trying to count them. After a few tries, she stopped completely unable to tell where one started and another ended. She took a step back and looked at the back of her palm. "It's basically a tattoo...and I don't think my neck could handle it. I guess the palm would do it, like your's." She said, and picked up his armor, carrying it to his bedroom and putting it on the stand there. "Anything else, sir?" She called out, finishing with placing the armor on the correct part of the stand.
 
Michael was not that reactive when she looked to him with wide surprised eyes, he had the same reaction from Maria the first time she had seen his body. As she commented on going to hell and back he laughed softly, "no not hell just a lot of battles, I was originally part of a mercenary group, my first battle was when I was twelve, that was eleven years ago now" he said in a slightly wistful tone as if he missed being a mercenary. As she ran her delicate hands over the scars a little shiver ran through his body, he did move an inch or try to put his hands on her he wanted her to feel safe here, as she said that she might get it on her palm he nodded "that is fine with me but once it is there you can't get rid of it" he said playfully. As she called him sir he frowned a little "Michael please and as for what you can do well you can go with Maria to get some more hot water for my bath please".
 
She nodded, "Alright, Michael." She returned from his bedroom and wiped her hands on her dress. "Be right back." She bowed to him then hurried after Maria. "So, how long have you worked for him?" She asked, curious to know since she only appeared to be a little older to herself. "And how did you, ummm, become his servant? A violated slave like myself? Saved your hide? Bought you?" She just threw out possibilities, since they would be the norm from where she had come from that slaves were acquired. They walked through the tents, given a wide berth by the soldiers because of their outfits. "Hmmm, they really do work..." She was impressed, obviously this master had tremendous respect. She relaxed her guard a little, not feeling at easy, but still not actively seeking threats.
 
Michael sat down in the chair and waited as Janice went with Maria, he thought of many things such as the battle that had just happened and while he thought he could not help but look up and watch the sway of Janice's hips and full rear through the dress. Maria walked with a powerful stride unlike most servants or women, she had been given a task and she meant to complete it as soon as possible so she could please Michael. "Knight Michael was part of a war party that came after the first, my home had been destroyed parents killed women taken everything was lost to me, I hid in the forest in the snow until I nearly froze to death but he found me in the morning curled up in the snow and took me in" Maria said softly. "I had nowhere else to go and what he offered seemed so good I could not believe it at first but over time he showed me more than enough to believe it" she said happily as she grabbed a bucket of hot water in each hand.
 
"Oh....I am sorry..." She muttered quickly, ducking her head and taking two buckets as well, starting to head back to the tent. "My parents were killed in a raid by...errr....your kind. They stormed into our village, slaughtering those who fought and hid...They took a lot of us girls and boys into slavery...thinking to make us, pets. Some of us....well, lets say that slavery was a blessing." She shuddered and remembered the sex traders, buying her friends to use in their exotic brothels and taverns. She hoped they found a better place...though it was unlikely. "I was bought when I was barely a cub....then raised in that village that just got raped all my adult life so far." She sighed and entered the tent again, heading towards the washing room again, going to the second tub and filling it with her hot water. "Alright, Michael, the bath is ready for you. Ummmm, should we dump this....bloody water out?" She looked at the tub she used, and thought about how much was blood and how much was water.
 
Maria looked at her with sad eyes "I am sorry to hear that, but you can take solace in the fact that you now have Knight Michael to look out for you Janice" she said in a gentle tone. As they came back into the tent Michael smiled at the two of them and then he looked to Janice as she asked if they should dump out the bloody water, he shook his head slowly "I will take care of that after my bath, with me it only takes one trip it takes a couple trips for the two of you" he said calmly. He stood from his chair and stretched out his body "will you ladies please excuse me so I might take my bath now?" he asked in a gentle tone.
 
She nodded and followed Maria into her sleeping area. She yawned louder then she intended and quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, wow, I am tired. " She giggled softly, watching Maria lay out another cot for her to sleep on. 'Thanks Maria...So what is his knightly schedule for tomorrow?" She asked, laying down and resting her head on the pillow, and laying on top of the blanket. "And since he won today...I am guessing you are heading home. Does he live in the castle? On an estate? What's the domain like? I should really know as much as I can if I will be living there....for good or bad."
 
Michael quickly dropped his pants and slipped into the hot water, he did not even allow it to cool down he simply pushed himself into the water in one go. He hissed slightly at the temperature but soon got used to the feeling as it relaxed every muscle in his body making him close his eyes enjoying the feeling. Maria looked to Janice from her cot and then got an earful of questions, "well tomorrow we leave with Knight Michael's personal one hundred men, they all wear the wolf symbol upon their armor, the battle here is over and Agthar will reward him along with the other great warriors". "He lives on his own little estate with his army which is considered to be the elite of Agthar's command, and it is a peaceful land the people have no taxes and are allowed to keep the food they grow many are happy there".
 
"But...how can he show his power? Granted he has an army, but how can he show his power to the people?" She cocked her head to the side and looked confused. "And once we get to his estate, what would our duties be? Is it just us two?" She asked before yawning again, sitting up just to undo her belt and laid it on the ground. She allowed her tail out and stroked it lightly, enjoying the feeling. She always enjoyed being pet, mainly because of her feline heritage she guessed. She laid back down and allowed her tail to hand over the side, with her robe open enough to allow it some freedom for the evening.
 
Maria looked at Janice a bit confused, "Knight Michael has no need to show his power to the villagers, many of them have flocked to his estate because the way he is, in a way he is similar to the king though don't ever tell anyone I have said that, he uses peace and freedom to show his power and nothing else my dear" Maria said to her cheerfully. Michael meanwhile was scrubbing his body down with the crude soap that they had, he wanted the smell gone as much as anyone, his hair was soaked and clung to his head stubbornly, soon he was out and drying himself off with a towel. Maria went back to answering question "our duties are the same there, and there will be more of us though the other servants were not recruited the same way we were" he said in a low tone.
 
"Ah, ok...Meaning they....offered to be his servants?" She asked hesitantly, feeling a kinship with this woman due to similar circumstances. Knowing that they both had terrible backgrounds helped her connect. She knew they would be great friends in time, she smiled at the thought. "Soooo, anything else I should know?" She asked, feeling like she now knew enough to be a good maid...she just hoped that this master wouldn't be killed and pillaged. She sighed softly and pulled the blanket over her body, shrugging out of the robe and setting it under her cot.
 
Maria shook her head slowly "no most of them were fired or cast out by their old employer's some because they were a bit clumsy, others were falsely accused of stealing, and some just couldn't keep up with the work schedule that overbearing employers gave out". Maria looked thoughtful now and then nodded at her question "yes there is one thing, do not ask knight Michael about the jagged scar across his chest, I do not know how he got it but the first time I asked he seemed depressed and was quiet for hours" she said softly. Michael did not want to go to sleep he was too awake to do something like that, so he simply put his pants on and dried his hair before going to the papers to write down everything that happened today.
 
She nodded and yawned, curling up under the blanket. "Alright...thank you Maria for being a friend. I hope we will have a great friendship..." She muttered away, dropping dead asleep. She curled up into a ball under the covers, her tail moving and jerking about in her sleep. She did not dream that night, merely content to fall into the abyss and enjoy the sleep of the dead. She continued to sleep, into the morning till she woke up several hours after sunrise. Yawning loudly and sitting up to stretch, not minding the blanket falling away to expose her full upper body. Scratching her head, she looked around looking for Maria.
 
Maria nodded at her muttered words and she soon fell into a deep sleep as well, Michael on the other hand was recording everything that happened today and sending it in a letter to High Lord Agthar so he knew that Michael had killed near one hundred of his own men. High Lord Agthar would probably be furious and tell Michael that if he ever did such a thing again that he would strip him of his knighthood as always, but it never happened simply because everyone including the high lord knew that he cared not one bit for the title. Maria had woken up before the sun had even risen and was busy fixing up the tent and packing items, she had placed a blanket over Michael who had fallen asleep in the chair he had been writing in and now she was out getting breakfast for the three of them.
 
Wrapping her robe about herself, and closing it with her belt, she walked out of the bedroom and looked around. She just saw Michael passed out at his desk and smiled faintly. "I guess I should just leave him there...Maria must of thrown the blanket over him." She also saw that the tent was starting to looked pack and decided she might as well help out. She went about stuffing items into the travel chests and tried not to make a lot of noise while working. After packing up half the tent, she looked up and saw Maria walking in, carrying food. She smiled at her and went over, taking her plate from her and setting it down on the table. "Heh...do we need to wake him up?" She asked in a whisper, still trying to be quiet for Michael.
 
Maria looked at the tent calmly seeing that Janice had taken the time to pack up things without needing to be told, as she asked if they needed to wake Michael she shook her head and walked over to the desk. Without a word she simply put the food in front of Michael and then went to sit with Janice, Michael's eyes slowly opened as the scent of breakfast wafted into his nose and he yawned lightly before stretching out. This resulted in him pushing the blanket from his shoulders and revealing his upper body which he had not covered since they had gone to sleep, he nodded at the two of them before he started digging into the food ravenously, though he might be a knight he ate like a foot soldier fast and sloppy.
 
After sitting down on the grass and starting to eat, and looked up when she heard Michael digging in. She laughed and tried not to cough up her meal, thinking his display of eating was the funniest thing she had seen in awhile. She held her hand over her mouth and continued to chuckle till he finished finally. She breathed deeply then went back to eating, still snickering every so often. She bit into a biscuit and smiled, thinking things might do well after all...though she had another question, "Hey, Michael....is it alright with you if I am allowed to have a dagger, for protection?" She asked hesitantly, not sure if servants were allowed weapons.
 
Michael could hear her chuckling and snickering at his eating habit, he did not mind as Maria had done the same when she first met him, but neither of them truly understood why he ate like that. On the battlefield during a siege or just a standoff there was no time to eat slow it was get it all down or you might be going into battle on an empty stomach making you weaker, so he would get a little messy and no one would ever call him civilized while eating but he was alive he thought. "Sure you can have a sword if you want it Janice" he said as he looked up from his meal, he pointed at a heavy wooden chest "it has a bunch of knives, throwing knives, short swords, daggers you name a small to mid sized weapon and it is probably in there" he said calmly. "But you may only use it if you feel you must Janice, I need to know that you can control yourself" his eyes were firm now as he looked at her "I can't have you pulling out a weapon every time someone touches you on the shoulder to get your attention or something, because if you draw a weapon on the wrong person they will kill you without hesitation".
 
"Oh....alright....thank you." She finished her meal and walked over to the chest, opening it and digging through it. She took out large groups of weapons, unsure what she should use. Most of it was too big or two awkward for her to use, so she stayed near the daggers. They were small enough for her to use without much trouble, and they could be hidden easily. She bent over the chest to dig deeper, her tail wagging slightly under the robe, making her dress swish back and forth. "Ha! Here we go..." She pulled out a curved dagger with a sapphire in the hilt. "So pretty...." She purred, eyes on the stone and mesmerized completely.
 
While she was looking through the chest of weapons Michael finished off his food and now Maria took the plates away without a word, he glanced at Janice as she said something and then pulled out a curved dagger with a sapphire in the hit. "Be careful with that one make sure it is always hidden, there are too many that would kill you simply for the dagger itself but the sapphire would make it even better for them" he said calmly. He stood from his chair and walked over to his armor and sword but he only grabbed the sword from his bed, "I will at the river on the left hand side of the camp please come get me when you two have finished packing all of our belongings up" he said softly before heading out the main flap.
 
Shaking her head violently, she looked around, thinking she missed something. "Huh? Oh....something about the river after finishing packing...or something." She found a sheath for it and slid it in, strapping it to her belt, the gem clearly visible. She went to the girl's bedroom and packed everything up, slipping on her necklace and ring again. Then she went to his bedroom, packing everything up. After half an hour of hard work, the tent was finally taken down and the supplies loaded up on wagons. She smiled and whistled, heading towards the river where she thought Michael orded, walking through the dismantled camp.
 
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