Tamashi Kugutsu's Story

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"My apologies... I require this."

With such soft spoken words... the lone merchant could never have expected the pristine black blade wielded by the beautiful young woman to quickly slice through his neck. The blood splattered quickly as the spluttering body fell from its seated position and Tamashi winced ever so slightly as a few drops splattered across her face and hair. The warm sensation was almost sickening against her skin in the cold Saturday morning air. Killing was never a very enjoyable thing to do, even for her.

It was still very early... but still closer to the daytime than Tamashi usually operated. She was on one of the popular trade routes heading to the capital city of Tier Lumina and had been stalking the caravan whose owner she had just murdered for a few hours maximum. She had scouted ahead of the small traders route to make sure she would not be interrupted in her assassination... and thankfully it had paid off. She grabbed a piece of ripped tarp from the back of the caravan where she had accidentally grazed with her sword and used it to wipe the blood from her face and hair, it slid off quickly as she hadn't given it much time to stick.

Putting Murasame back into its sheathe, Tamashi turned her attention to the caravans horse. The vehicle was simple enough for one designed to protect goods... a wooden base with a tarp covering to protect the goods stored within from rain, coupled with a single black stallion on the front ready to pull the kart ever forward for its master. The horse in question however was not too pleased at its owners death and began to buck and kick... perhaps trying to attack Tamashi, perhaps trying to escape... either way it didn't matter, it had the same fate either way.

Placing a hand to the bucking steeds forehead... Tamashi closed her eyes and began to speak.

"Silence now... and obey your owner."

In a sudden change of personality, the horse stopped bucking and neighed contently. It suddenly seemed to regard Tamashi as a friend rather than a threat and if one was to look extremely closey they might have seen the beasts eyes change color to a bright red.

Smiling contently and climbing into the kart from the front Tamashi began to root tiresomely through the various supplies of food and clothing that the kart contained until she found what she was looking for... farmers garb, a simple robe and straw hat and a set of papers that verified a traders right to enter into Tier Lumina and exchange goods free of danger and upset so long as the kart was allowed inspection at the behest of the Lumina fang.

These would allow her access to the capital city free of trouble and suspicion.

Donning the farmers robe and straw hat over her tightly fitted body armor was a simple task as the clothes were a few sizes too big for the girl. Stuffing the papers in her pocket and moving forward again to sit in the front seat of the caravan, Tamashi grabbed the horses reigns and flicked them without a hint of remorse for her actions, urging the medieval vehicle forward.

Though despite herself, she couldn't help but feel her lip twitch slightly at the sound of the caravans wheels bump with a squelch over their previous owners body.

***

Tamashi sighed in exhaustion as she was finally ushered through the checkpoint leading into Tier Lumina. Her rear was sore... the wooden seat and bumpy roads of the caravan and trade route had done no favours to her posture... or her bottom for that matter. The Lumina Fang at the trade route gate seemed uncharacteristically friendly as they gave her cart a quick check over... even more so when they brushed through her stolen papers and let her into the city without too much hassle.

"Probably because I am a woman... perverted human pigs..." She thought to herself as the cart inspection came quickly to a close.

By watching other merchant carts moving around the streets, Tamashi saw that many merchants seemed to pay local inns to watch their steeds and supplies while they explored the city by foot. Sensing a good idea in such plans, Tamashi quickly began to search the area... until a small little tavern caught her eyes. Glancing over the place she spotted a sign outside that displayed proudly the name of "The Azure Tankard... in fact to her surprise and perhaps luck Tamashi arrived just as another fellow dismounted his horse and proceeded inside. So they did indeed have the facilities to care for horses there? Excellent.

A young woman whom presumably worked at the establishment was picking weeds cracking through the cobblestone roads bordering the tavern and Tamashi put on her friendliest guise to speak to her.

"Hail! I am a travelling merchant and I was wondering...-"

The young woman rose a hand and interrupted Tamashi suddenly.

"Space to store your steed and goods m'am? For the sum of an extra 'undred gold we are able to store all of a merchants travelling supplies in our stables so long as said merchant rents a room of at least fifty gold per ni- eh?"

As the woman was talking Tamashi had removed her farmers clothes and stripped down to her armor and weapon, the young worker girl suddenly seemed very intimidated as Tamashi put a bag of one hundred gold pieces from the caravan in one of said girls hands and the horses reigns in the other.

"That is agreeable, I shall return this eve for my lodging."

Or so Tamashi said... she fully planned to be out of the city by nightfall... storing the horse and supplies was simply a means of avoiding suspicion... and giving her an easy disguise and means to leave the city unharmed should worst come to worst.

In all likelihood the so called "Azure Tankard" would be in ashes long before Tamashi got the chance to sleep there.

Storing the farmers clothes in the cart and nodding gently at the worker girl, Tamashi turned to leave and explore the city so that she might search the city for her targets... however before she could do so the damnable child whom she had tried to do quick business with called out again.

"E-eh! Madame, what is your steeds name? Before you go..."

Tamashi faltered a moment... she had no idea what the horses name was at all. So she quickly made something up on the spot in a moment of panic.

"Agro."

Nodding with understanding the worker girl finally gave a farewell.

"Agro... got it, thank you for choosing to stay with us this evening miss! Safe journey!"

With that the young woman handed "Agro" off to an older man whom had just arrived to assist her, turned and began to move towards the main tavern building.

Tamashi could have sworn that she had seen the girl mutter something as she headed for the door excitedly... something about a person named "Zianro". Tamashi shrugged.

She didn't recognize the name... therefore it didn't matter... therefore she didn't care. She doubted he was one of her targets and if he was then they'd surely be meeting soon enough.

For the time being, Tamashi would explore the vast city of Tier Lumina. She had a lot of work to do after all... and not too much time to do it.