10 Compensation

Damien didn't know what else to say turning towards his Uncle Zeriffs direction, he called out to his uncle.

"Uncle Zeriff Henri said he would like to receive a reward for coming to our rescue."

Zeriff turned his attention that was on Savien, towards his nephew Damien.

An unsettled feeling ran down the middle-aged mans spine.

Asking for a reward so soon?

"My friends and I actually have some rather urgent business to attend to so if we could wrap up this transaction quickly that'd be the best for everyone involved." Henri said as she made her way over to the carriage, while glancing at the bandit tied up ontop of the carriage rooftop, a look of disdain plastered across her face.

Henri barely held back the sneer that threatened to erupt from her.

"Oh well this is rather rude of me to ask, but could you accompany us to the next town at least?" Uncle Zeriff said embarrassingly.

All their 5 remaining guards were currently unconscious, and the merchants as well.

In short, they were sitting ducks.

Henri glanced at the dead bodies still on the ground.

"What are you going to do with the bodies?" Henri inquired.

Zeriff was taken aback.'Why was this kid asking about the bodies?'.

"Its just if you don't bury them it will certianly attract wild beasts, or worse possibly sickness if you take them with you..." Henris voice trailed off at the implications.

Zeriff stiffened somewhat.

Damien noticed they still didn't get an answer on whether or not they would travel to the next town with them or not, and couldn't help but get anxious.

Summoning up his courage, Damien asked what his Uncle Zeriff had asked earlier.

"So would you please come to the next town with us. Please?" Damien pleaded.

Marie looked at him like he should just bury himself in the ground already.

"So you mean to say the compensation can't be paid upfront, right?" Henri asked trying to understand the situation better.

"Yes it's like that!" Damien answered enthusiastically.

"Well how far is the next town?" Henri queried with a sharp glint appearing in her golden eyes.

"About a day and a halfs journey." Uncle Zeriff answered her.

"I guess we can accompany your but do you mind if we move through the night tonight as well?" Henri asked as she looked towards Savien as if asking her a question.

Savien subtly nodded her head in response to Henris probing gaze.

Henri satisfied with her answer, awaited Zeriffs decision.

Damien sent a pleasing gaze in his uncles direction, as if asking him to agree.

"Okay okay...that's fine." Uncle Zeriff replied slightly shaking his head and letting out a long sigh.

Damien's absolutely thrilled that Henri will be accompanying them.

Marie is smiling on the outside but on the inside she is doing anything but, and the air in her immediate vicinity feels a little colder than normal.

"So as I asked earlier, what are we doing with the bodies?" Henri said as she walked to her three draigs who had patiently been waiting at the forest edge for her orders this whole time after the bandits they had been playing with disappeared.

Henri felt a warm feeling well up inside her chest, as she looked upon their adorable scaly faces.

"Alright, good job guys. I'm proud of you. Time to take a good rest okay? I'll take you all out soon to play with the others." Henri coaxed as she took some gems out of her bag and the draigs were swiftly sucked back into them.

A bittersweet smile appeared on that golden haired child's face, as if remembering happy memories but wishing to forget then.

Her Golden eyes squinted as if focusing on something that didn't exsist in the distance.

Marie, seeing that look appear on Henris face, couldn't help but flinch a little.

She still hasn't forgotten...

Marie had already forgotten what pains her and tossed her earlier memories she had shared with her family out the metaphorical window of her life.

Marie wished Henri could do that as well.

But also, she knew Henri would never forget what happened.

Even Marie couldn't forget what happened that day that happened a little over a year ago.

It was on that day that Marie realized how much Henri ment to her and became determined to get stronger so she could help fulfill Henris goal. And at the same time, protect her only family, Henri. Besides Savien. that smell ghoul doesn't really count.

Uncle Zeriff completely missed the weird atmosphere around the youths and answered Henris question the best he could.

"Well I'm sure they have families, that would

want there remains."

Henri turned to look at Uncle Zeriff.

"The souls are gone, and so to the people they once were. Physical bodies mean nothing in the end Sir Zeriff. Once dead, my body is no longer mine, for I am no more."

Henri explained rather cryptically as she walked back over to the dead guards bodies that lie strewn across the ground before the carriage wheels.

And began to help pile them up together.