Ranger

Chapter 7

Kroger

When I got my armor back from Jewel I was happy to find that it smelled like her. I could get a whiff of her whenever I wanted to. It made me not want to take off my armor even more.

***

One day while I was running around with the dogs outside the camp I saw Misha sitting by herself. She looked like something was bothering her.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"We need more troops. Our current numbers are inadequate," said Misha.

"We could get the travelers to help us," I said.

"Those barbarians? You must be joking."

"I lived with them. They're alright. And you said you needed more people. It can't hurt to ask."

"I suppose. You could be our emissary." She saw my blank look. "I mean you could talk to them for us."

When Misha and me got to the traveler camp the men came out with their swords with Besnik at the front.

"What you want, gadje woman with wolf-beast?" he asked.

"Besnik," I started, "I know you probably don't believe me, but it's me, Kroger." I tried to think of what I could say to make Besnik know it was me. "You took me in because you said I could make you money. You taught me how to make knives sharp and throw them. I gave you a pearl that I found. You got mad when you saw Aishe kiss me so you kicked me out." Besnik put his hand on his chin like he was thinking. "If you still don't believe me you can get Esmeralda. She would know. She told me my fortune." Besnik said something to one of the other men in their language and he ran back to the camp.

A minute later Esmeralda came out of the camp. It took a long time for her to walk to me with her cane. She studied me. Finally, she said, "Kroger, it is you. I recognize your aura. My, how you've changed. My reading came true, yes?" I nodded.

"Kroger, I make you leave. Why you come back?" asked Besnik.

"Because there's a war. The bad people came and they're killing everyone and taking over. We need your help."

"Why you think I care?"

I thought about it. "You should care because you want Tobar and Aishe to have a future together. And if we lose, you'll lose customers and miss out on a lot of money. Misha is a princess. I bet she gives good rewards to heroes who help her save the kingdom."

"I think about it, talk to kumpriana," said Besnik. "Now go away."

"We never discussed offering money to those people," Misha said on the way back to the war camp.

"I just thought of it then," I said.

***

"I have news, Kroger," Misha said to me one day when she stopped by to check on me.

"Really? What is it?"

Misha took out a piece of paper. "We intercepted this letter from the enemy." She read it to me. "The creature known as the beast has been decimating our numbers. His presence on the field has reduced the morale of our men while bolstering that of the enemy. I am offering a substantial monetary reward along with lands and titles to any man who can bring him to me alive or his intact corpse. I wish for nothing more than to have his hide as a rug. It is signed by their leader."

"So then I'm doing a good job?"

"Yes, Kroger. With your help we have a real chance of winning the war. However, You now have a bounty on your head. The enemy will be hunting you. I want you to be careful, alright?"