7 Seven

Her gaze flitted between him and the goblins, taking in the sudden shift in the room. No longer was this a spitting match, no both of the smaller goblins had lengthened and curled their claws in preparation for battle.

She had yet to see what those claws did in person, only having seen the aftermath and death they caused. She knew if she watched now she wouldn't be able to sleep for weeks.

Closing her eyes and rushing into the stall with Vain, she prayed that the orc would make the battle fast, and hopefully not die in the process.

Focusing on untying her unicorn from the hooks of the stall was nearly impossible during the beginnings of the battle at her back. Cries and meaty sounding thuds echoed loudly in her ears even as she could barely hear anything over the thundering of her heart in her ears.

A loud roar from the orc nearly drew her attention, but she stopped herself mid turn, clutching the saddle in her hand as she tried telling herself it would all be okay.

Focus on the buckles. Focus on your escape. The battle hardly matters.

Her inner encouragement seemed to do the trick for even though the wet sounds of ripping flesh made her tremble in fear, she somehow managed to throw the saddle over Vein's back and secure the last of the buckles.

She waited there standing by her spooked horse for no more than a minute or so until a final gargling whimper was cut short by the sound of a swift blade. She didn't need to look behind her to know who had been the victor.

There was simply no way two goblins could win against a fully grown orc, even one with mixed blood like they claimed. There was a reason why half a world over there was an entire kingdom devoted solely to their peoples that had remained untoppled since the beginnings of history.

Though few in number, orcs have and will always be the strongest warriors of the known world. Elizabeth only hoped that might was on her side and not against it.

She might not have the same qualms others did about the mint colored race of peoples, but she was also not naive to the ways of man. She was still a lone women with a pocket heavy with coin and he was a stranger with weapons and a mean look.

He took no time between the completion of the battle to approach her, and she rushed to collect herself before he rounded the stall to find her looking scared. The last thing she wanted was to appear weaker than she was.

When he appeared his oddly smooth skin was splattered with blood and chunks of stuff she didn't want to think about. Hard amber eyes glared down at her with an anger born from a fresh battle, but for some reason the look didn't shake her. She wasn't even scared when he came to tower over her, barely giving her any room to breath.

This close she could see features she hadn't before, like his baby tusks and twin scars above his brow. The flecks of pale yellow amid the bright flame of his eyes. Surprisingly he looked somewhat attractive to her, even if it was in a primal way.

The ancient peasant in her swooned at the sight of the big bad hero.

His gaze roved over her as well, eyes lingering a touch on the blade tucked at her side. For a second she thought he was interested in it, but as the wry grin spread over his sharp teeth she realized it was the sight of it on her side he found amusing.

Just like the goblins.

Tilting her chin up in the air, she tried her best to gather her pride and appear confident as she addressed the orc. "I take it you didn't kill them just so you'd have better luck robbing me, correct?"

That wiped the grin right off his face. "After all that, the first thing you do is insult me?"

She has done it again. Insulting someone before they could insult her. To make it worse the orc hadn't even done anything to make her words justified, guilty of nothing more than heroics and a mocking smile.

Wincing at herself, her next words were a lot more earnest. "My apologies. I didn't mean to offend. It's been quite the long day."

He grunted once giving a nod in the direction of the burning town. He must have seen the smoke from wherever he had appeared, probably encountering some of the fleeing townsfolk. Likely he knew all about the situation she had just come out of, even if he didn't know the details.

A raid was a raid.

She could just imagine how the townsfolk must have reacted to seeing him on the trail here. No doubt they had been less than eager to encounter another stranger.

"Well then I suppose I owe you my thanks for coming to my rescue, Mister..."

"Fang. Just Fang," he grumbled, extending one bloody hand before seeing it's mess and taking it back. "and you owe me nothing. After all, it was my job."

"Your job is saving girls from goblins?" she asked with a raised brow.

"No. My job is saving you. Your father sent a messenger to hire me to keep an eye on you two nights ago. I was supposed to become your new guard in the stead of your father and his attendants. It appears I arrived a bit late."

Elizabeth shook her head in confusion, unbelieving of the man's words. "My father never spoke of any guard."

Fang didn't seem to care about her confusion, continuing as if she hadn't even spoke. "Either way, I am here, and it is my job to protect you. For the next two years I will be your shadow and protector, which means in times like this I must take the lead."

"What are you talking about?" she scoffed. "Take the lead? Two years? My shop just burned down barely an hour ago. I'm not in the right mind to grasp a word your saying."

"Exactly. You need a protector to escort you back to your fathers estate in the city now that you no longer have the safety of your town and shop. We must hurry if we wish to avoid any more of those creatures."

He reached out to take her shoulder in his hand, but she snatched it out of his grasp. "I'm not going anywhere with you until I know for sure you were hired by my father. I'm not so stupid as to believe some random man's word who came from nowhere. I'm grateful for you saving me, but that is not proof of your well meaning."

She didn't miss the subtle rolling of his eyes as he reached into his pack to pull out a piece of parchment sealed with the unmistakable wax emblem of her family name. Snatching it from his hand, she opened it and skimmed over the majority of the contract, noting her fathers unique handwriting that came from learning multiple languages in his youth.

In his own words her father had ordered this orcs sole protection of her, writing in explicit detail to not worry over his daughters qualms. The letter detailed how he predicted she would be enraged by learning of his hiring and insiting he leave, but he would pay more than enough to justify Elizabeths "unique personality".

"With all due respect, little human, you don't have much of a choice. I'm taking you whether you want to go or not."

"Gods damn it!" she cursed, tossing the paper back to him like it burned.

The orc caught it effortlessly, tucking it back in his pack. "Well, now you've seen all you need to know. We're leaving now, before it grows dark."

"Don't think you can order me around just because my father said his word was over mine." Elizabeth growled, moving to pull herself astride her unicorn.

"Oh, lady, I can do a lot more than order you around."

Her gaze flashed back to the orc, noting the twinkle in his eye as he took her in once more from head to toe.

"It's my job to get you from here to your fathers protection. I do believe your father wrote I could do anything I saw fit to keep you safe."

"I'd like to see you try."

With a huff she urged Vain forward in an attempt to escape, only to be immediately stopped by Fang fisting the reins and pulling them both to a halt. His fiery eyes met hers, clashing like swords.

"Where do you think you are going?"

Elizabeth tried to pull the leather from his grip, but she found it unmovable.

"I need to find my friends. We were separated during the raid. If you insist on dragging me you may, but don't think you're going to stop me."

"Your suitor and the little brunette? Your father mentioned them during our meeting."

She hadn't thought the two had actually met. She never thought her father would choose such a brute if he saw him in person.

"Yes. Eric and Mary. I sent then to the cove a bit aways from here. They should be waiting for me."

"Well, then they can wait for a while. I'm not corralling three village humans across the depths of the Dark Woods."

"Well then we're at a standstill. I won't travel with a brute who'd leave my friends for dead and you won't deal with traveling with them."

"I can make you come. There's no rule against tying you up."

"Lets see you collect payment for your work when I escape and run right into some beasts mouth before the week is out."

Fang smiled slightly. "At least you admit you'd run right into trouble."

He let out a small sigh and looked back and forth between her and the stable doors.

"Very well. We will go find your friends, but mark my words; If you start an ounce of trouble along the way I will take you over my knee and leave your red ass bound on the back of that horned beast as we head towards the city."

Elizabeth bit her lip at the sudden clenching in her belly his words caused. On one hand she was a fully grown woman and should slap him for daring to talk to her like that, but the other hand was wondering just what she'd have to do to get him to snap enough to do that.

"Fine. However, don't assume I will be docile."

"Oh, wouldn't dream of it," he said, amused.