Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Exile's Road ❯ Chapter 3

Exile's Road: Three

Midori hesitated in the doorway, hearing the honest appeal in the older man's voice. The black haired woman turned around reluctantly, looking over at the man who sat behind the desk. She took a steadying breath before saying, "Explain."

Commander Hudson nodded slightly, clearly noticing that she wasn't sitting down or relaxing at all. He was clearly no fool, no matter what risks he might be taking. "I can't go into too much detail but a certain noblewoman under my protection has been threatened," he said.

"So just assign her a bodyguard," Midori shrugged casually as she asked him, "what does any of it have to do with me?"

"I have given her a bodyguard," Hudson sighed, "but the first was killed in action and I have concerns that another may follow him in death."

That made Midori raise her eyebrows slightly. Any guard who was assigned to protect a member of the nobility had to be good, so whomever the killer was, they were even better. "Who did she annoy so badly?" she asked bluntly.

"We don't know yet," Hudson was calm as he continued on, "but they were wealthy enough to hire the Genin guild."

Midori kept the shock from showing on her face, but it was hard. The Genin were assassins, killers, the best from her homeland, which meant.... "You know."

"I know where you come from, yes," Hudson coolly agreed, "but who you were there and why you chose to leave, that I do not know." He smiled just slightly adding, "It's none of my business, unless you choose to make it so."

'In other words if I turn him down he'll look into my past,' Midori thought to herself bitterly. She stalked back towards the desk, the heavy wool shirt, leather pants and tough vest that she wore making her look like a warrior. "How do you know I'm not a Genin myself," her voice was a dangerous purr, "or some outlaw on the run?"

Hudson shook his head, "I'm a pretty good judge of character, Midori. You're no outlaw, whatever else you may be."

"I do have an obligation to the bar," Midori quietly noted, and even to her ears it sounded like a feeble sort of excuse.

"Garrison is an old soldier," Hudson smiled at her, "he'll grumble a bit but I think he'd be willing to lend you to me."

Midori clenched her jaw, running a hand through her short black hair. "All right," she nodded reluctantly, "but only temporarily." She looked at him with a scowl, "I assume I'll be paid?"

"Of course," Hudson rose, pulling a leather pouch from his desk and tossing it to her.

Midori spilled some coins out, mildly surprise to see the gleam of gold. "Looks like you've got yourself a deal," she offered her hand.

"Good," Hudson answered. They shook on it then he walked to a door in the far wall, opening it up to call, "Get my lieutenant, would you?"

"Yes sir!" the slim boy saluted then bolted down the hallway.

Midori observed that with amusement while finally sitting down. "So who am I supposed to be protecting?" she asked curiously.

"My second in command will be bringing her in," Hudson explained as they heard footsteps out in the hallway. "And here she is," he noted as the door swung open. The plainly dressed young woman in the lead had tawny brown hair and bright brown eyes that studied the room while following behind her was a elegant looking young blonde noblewoman.

'I should have known,' was the thought that raced through Midori's mind.

"Thank you Laur'ien," Hudson nodded to the tawny haired woman then to the blonde he said, "Welcome, Duchess Jantha."

The woman who had called herself Lady Jane had a flush to her cheeks as she looked at Midori, barely masking her surprise on seeing her here. "Commander," Jantha kept her voice level as she said, "may I ask what this woman is doing here?"

"This is Midori," Hudson kept his face carefully blank as he continued on, "she's something of an expert on the men who slew your first bodyguard. I've asked her to watch over you until we can find out who hired them."

Midori rose, smiling just slightly as she nodded to Jantha. "It's an honor to meet you," she paused deliberately before adding, "Duchess."

"Indeed," Jantha said quietly, looking away from her gaze.

Laur'ien looked back and forth between them, clearly interested in the exchange. Reluctantly she turned back towards Hudson, "How can I be of service, sir?"

"I'd like you to stay with them for the time being," Hudson nodded towards Midori and the Duchess Jantha as he explained, "they've tried attacking her with shapeshifters once before, they may well do so once again."

"Shapeshifters?" Midori looked over at Laur'ien, studying her with narrowed eyes before saying, "She's one of them?"

"Yes I am," Laur'ien frowned as she continued on fiercely, "and one who is very tired of being judged for the sins of her entire race."

"I wouldn't be here," Midori shot Hudson a dirty look, "but for my birthplace, so I can't feel much pity." She looked at Laur'ien thoughtfully, "But I suppose I can wait to see."

"She is a loyal officer of the crown," Hudson offered mildly, "with years of service."

"Lovely," Jantha muttered under her breath. She cleared her throat loudly getting both of the warriors attention as she turned to ask Hudson, "I assume that they will both be accompanying me on my day to day activities?"

"That is my intent, Duchess," Commander Hudson answered.

Jantha studied both Midori and Laur'ien and sighed. "They are clearly warriors," she said, "should we try to disguise it or...?"

"Be open about it," Midori answered her simply.

"Why?" Hudson looked thoughtful.

"The Genin are trained to spot disguised bodyguards," Midori said before smiling slightly, "and I doubt we could hide my nature easily. At worst such a disguise might hamper me in acting, rather than helping to protect the Duchess."

"I think she's got a point," Laur'ien agreed as the slim, rangy woman continued, "I could pass as a maid, maybe, but not easily and it wouldn't hold up long."

"If we've decided on this we'd best be going," Jantha said with a regal lift of her chin, "I have duties to be attending to."

"Good luck to you both," Hudson nodded to Laur'ien and Midori, trying to conceal a smile.

"We'll need it," Midori muttered.

"Sir," Laur'ien saluted before leaving. The young woman lead them through the halls of the guard's barracks and out into the sunlight, stretching in honest relief as they left the cramped structure. "So," she beamed at the other women, "you two know each other?"

"Something like that," Midori sighed when Jantha stayed silent. She looked over at the noblewoman and asked, "Can we stop in at the Drunken Bard? I need to go pick up some changes of clothes and my gear."

"Of course," Jantha answered. She frowned at Laur'ien then looked at Midori as she quietly said, "I'm sorry for getting you involved with this."

"I doubt it was your fault," Midori answered her softly, "I would suspect that Hudson got the idea from visiting the Bard after that brawl."

"The Commander asked me to look into you right after that," Laur'ien cheerfully agreed. Almost instinctively both women bracketed Jantha, eyes scanning the crowd intently as they moved down the streets towards the Drunken Bard.

"This is going to take some getting used to," Jantha sighed, the lovely blonde looking at her two protectors rather dubiously.

"Better some discomfort," Midori smoothly moved to block someone from bumping into her as she continued, "than being dead."

It wasn't long before they reached the bar, the three striding inside to meet the barkeep's surprised gaze. Garrison came around the bar with a frown as he looked them over and then asked, "Midori, what's going on?"

"Long story, Garrison," Midori sighed.

To be continued....