Poison Fangs' Illegitimate Bride

Ayane

I let her body drop and I felt my hands shake in disgust. Disgust that I had to take a woman's life.

"You killed her." The man said from behind me. I looked over my shoulder. He wasn't judging me, his face impassive. His eyes told the story of many deaths and his curiosity to why I did kill her.

"I did; she was part of it. She was bait and long devoted her life to being part of ruining other families." my voice shook slightly with anger.

"I can tend to the wound on your back now." I motioned him to come over.

"How am I supposed to trust you? You slit her throat how do I know you won't do the same to me?"

"Are you a part of this trade?" I asked listening to his heartbeat.

"No." He didn't falter in answering and his heartbeat stayed the same.

"Then I won't slit your throat." I answered.

"How do I know I can trust your word?" He asked.

"You don't. Take a stranger's helpful gesture and be done with it."

"You can help me?" he answered coming closer to the river.

"Yes if you want it." I wiped off the blood on my face.

He sighed "Please."

"Take off your armor and top." I instructed.

"Eager are we?" he attempted to joke but I simply ignored his comment.

I pushed him down in front of me, his back facing me once he had done as I instructed. The wound was gaping and I could see all of the raw flesh. There was some infection settling in but it was easy to remove. I opened my water flask and poured the water on and he yelled.

"Does it hurt that much?" I asked surprised.

"It's hot. I wasn't expecting that and some warning would be nice." He gritted out.

"Ah I see. Well I'm scraping out the infection with my dagger now." I told him as I pressed the tip into his wound. He grunted holding back a scream. I wiped off my blade on the grass and poured more water on his wound just to make sure.

"Do you have bandages?" I asked inspecting his wound carefully. There appeared to be no more infection, just raw and sore. I needed to close it or cover it at least.

"Not on me but my camp would have." he answered.

"How far is your camp?"

"That is classified information. I am a soldier of war." he told me secretly.

I stood up and looked at Gnash who was cleaning the bones of his kills.

"Alright well you better head to your camp soon soldier. That wound can cause some permanent damage if it isn't treated properly soon." I refilled my flask with water from the river.

"Are you a hunter?" He asked me.

"You could say that." I shrugged nonchalantly. He doesn't need to know my identity. I won't be seeing him anytime soon.

"Your skills surpass those of a hunter, woman."

"Sharp eyes you have soldier."

"What is your name?" his ruby eyes flickered in the sunlight of the setting sun.

I looked up at the sky bewildered.

"Dark so soon..." I trailed off pondering.

"It's Dark Night Season did you not know?" He asked looking at me amused.