Bargaining

"A dead man." I kept my face smooth as the last memory of my home played for me again.

The man nodded as he was in the habit of doing, "Too bad, he probably had a blood price on his head to have taught you so well." He was trying to see if I would lose my head. He would have to try harder then that, I honor my family only so long as I am alive. My family honors me only so long as they can protect me, and my family can no longer do that. At least I don't have a false hope that they might have gotten away, or the fear that they might have ended up back here as well.

The silence stretched while the trainer thought, "You aren't much to look at. Small, and oddly colored. Your survival has caused me a few problems."

Again I did not respond, he had not invited me to speak, and I was behind on my blood debt technically, not that I was going to volunteer that information. From the age of 14 a man that served our lord had to pay a blood debt to survive. When my father had run away it was a liter of blood for a month of life. So if you managed to kill without spilling any blood you might harvest just over 5 liters. 5 months of life for taking a life. The amount over 5 would always go to the house you fought for, the matriarch would be incharge of how that time was used. A strong house could spend more of it's saved time to train the young and equip them. From the fact that he had just killed maybe a 15 year old, this house didn't have much to spare.

I am 16 the two deaths don't cancel the debt that would be charged against me if they knew that, it could be higher if they thought he was older plus the debt of having to be captured in the first place and the charges of lining up fights to begin with, I was probably looking at a ten person headcount just to get back to even with the kids that had been raised in the city. I was a pawn for the more powerful players in the city worth as much to them dead as a live, maybe worth more to them dead as then my debt would be erased.

"The boy you killed was being traded to fight in a royal that will be fought in two days." A royal is a free for all fight, father made it clear that unless the price was high enough I wanted nothing to do with them. My currenting standing was so low that I am sure the trainer doesn't care about my thoughts on the matter. "Now we are short a player. Since you seem to know so much already you might be aware that I cannot just order you to participate in a royal." I didn't react to the statement and the trainer raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any thoughts on the matter?"

"So far I don't have enough information to have any real thoughts on the matter, beyond questions."

The man leaned forward and rested his arms on the metal table. "What do you want to know?"

Not the approach that I was expecting, "What is my current debt to the house?" I knew better then to call it my house. I wasn't born here and I had not been traded. Unless I could clear the debt it would not offer support or protection of any kind. Hence why I sat naked and the man across from me wore leathers and a few weapons.

The man nodded, I clearly impressed him in some small way. "35 not counting what you might have earned today." So starting 7 in the hole if the house was playing me fair. Odds are good they weren't yet. But my looks must have helped. The debt wasn't as bad as I thought.

"How many are in the royal?"

"7 houses, playing 3 each."

"What is the house entry debt?" The trainer raised an eyebrow again. It didn't really matter except that I wanted to know where I stood when this was over. I wouldn't really have the option of turning the fight down, but if the man wanted to talk, I wasn't going to stop him.

".3" Low, that was good, I was pretty sure it would be if they were using young fighters but I couldn't be 100%.

"The house kill collection?" It was the direct price a house gets for a kill even if their entrant doesn't actually survive. The second amount taken off the top of kill in a royal

"1 plus any over 5." Over 5 was unlikely in a royal, smart people didn't risk it for just a few more liters. So at best it was 1.3 off the top. 21 entrants in total 20 of whom will die, possibly all if the survivor could not continue, hence why a house was not supposed to be able to order participation. 3.7 at best from a kill any that gets on the sand that eats into the 5 comes out of my portion.

"Is there a surplus bounous?"

"Think of yourself so highly?"

"It will take half the field to break even. I like to eat and not be cold, I am practical that way."

The trainer seemed to think for a moment. "A little over 9 would break you even with the house. I will pay you a liter bonus for anything over 8 kills." He would be willing to pay me, that would show a lot of faith in their new wild man. The trainer only gets a percent of the amount the house takes. Still much safer then fighting in the arena.

"Is there a continuing victor bonus? Beyond that I get to live to fight another day of course."

The trainer's cheek twitched, "Not for such a low class fight as this one." I didn't think so but I wanted to know.

I nodded then, "Thank you for the offer, I will serve the house to the best of my ability as she sees fit." The words were formal and I thought I could almost see a flash of humor in the trainer's eyes. He had to know I knew how much choice I really had but I didn't want to leave my standings soly to others, and the words also affirmed for the trainer that I will hold him to the numbers he laid out, if I won. It wouldn't really matter if I didn't win.

"The house of Estro looks forward to working with you to protect our children." I bowed slightly in the chair. "You may return to your cell, wilder."

I stood and left. The trainer followed me out. He had a reason to keep me alive now but I still felt like he would kill me if I stayed in range. Yet, I moved down the hall like I didn't feel his eyes on me. I knew which cell was for my use because the door was still open. Fresh bread and water were on the ledge. I closed the door, I didn't need the hallway light to see the small room and I felt safer in the darkness after the last few hours of my life. I ate then tried to find a comfortable place to sleep. The next two days were going to suck.

I worked out when I woke, I dared not over work myself but I also couldn't let myself get too tense. The fact that I was starving was bad enough for my conditioning. The next time the woman brought me food and water they had included cheese and a few rotten berries. I didn't eat the berries, they were too much of a risk, but I was grateful for the cheese. It was hard to tell time so far under ground, but it didn't matter. The woman had seemed more curious about me this time and less afraid, but she didn't stay and talk.

I got to eat one more time before I sensed the three men walking down the halway again. This time I opened the door but I waited inside still. The trainer nodded when he looked into the space, "Come."