Aaricia and the Noland Army

Just a Woman

"You? A woman?!" Dirty Simo laughed. "You want to fight the great Azzodonian army?" He mocked the lady standing in front of him, who was dressed in a long, hooded cape. His belly, grotesquely obese, pushed forward as he almost choked on laughter before asking the next question. "Are you mad?" A teardrop formed in the corner of his eye, and saliva dribbled down his chin as he spoke. Dirty Simo's attire consisted of an old, torn doublet that was indicative of his lowly status. "With a face like yours, woman, you don't need an army to conquer a kingdom! Present yourself at any banquet! Watch how kings and their entire subjects shall yield to your beauty!" His beard was stroked a few times as his eyes leered at the beautiful woman.

"A great reward shall befall upon all you men, if you help me fight," she said, dressed in a long hooded white cape, "I am Aaricia, the..."

"No one here gives an old lass' arse who you are, woman! I think we all know what constitutes your kind, me lady," interjected the fat fellow, in a husky tone as he held unto his crotch, "You see, most of the men here haven't had it for a long time." He looked filthy and unkempt, throwing his vile tongue out in such a despicable manner. His stench was awfully offensive she had to hold her breath for a series of moments.

"Shut it, Dirty Simo," a cool but authoritative voice said, revealing the tall, daring man, dressed more nobly, with a wielding sword frog, concealed in his cloak.

The fellow carries the carriage of someone to be taken more serious, she thought, for he apparently was the leader of the gang.

"Kufius is right; only a madman would think of rising against the Azzodonians. Besides, I do not see a man talking, or have you, boys?" Walking boldly, staring down provocatively at her as he sniffed. All the men murmured cynically in response to his remarks.

Aaricia smiled, "Bring out six of your best fighters," she said, "If I make them beg for their lives, you join me to fight the Queen of Azzodonia. I will also like you to set him free," pointing to a young man locked in a cage.

"Such an ambitious request from one who isn't in position to negotiate, Is that so?" said the leader, pointing to Aaricia's tied wrists, "You should know that because my men found you more amusing doesn't mean you aren't more vulnerable here," he smiled.

"Do you doubt all the dices you possess?" she asked, smiling.

"The lady is a gambler," he said, grinning back, "And what if you're to lose?"

"Then I will be your slave," she replied, squinting, "I'll do anything you ask, anything you want, besides, you know what my kind constitutes, so I don't think it'll be hard finding what way I can serve you!"

A stretch of booing echoed the tent.

"First of all, lass, you're already a slave here." Inputted the leader, "I asked them to bring you out of your cage so I'd have a good look at your voluptuous self, in order to see what fun we might have with you, and now you're trying to trade with threats? Asking us to join you disinvest the Queen of Azzodonia of her throne?" he paused, "If my own men could catch you off-guard while you slept, what the Queen's men would do to you, I wonder."

"Let's just say our meeting was divine," she said, "They say, a man often meets his destiny on the very path he takes to avoid it!"

"Hmm! So, you think we, here; my men and I are destined to serve you?"

"...Or destined to have our way with you?" said a husky voice interrupted by a smack on the head,

"No!" she sighed, "You're destined to help me bring peace and prosperity to the realm!"