Chapter Two Blood Lock

 The Bounty Hunter Princess

Princess Drew was training with her father. She had being this for the past year. She had even sparred with some of the better trained knights! Even though she had always lost, which she did not mind, they have her room to grow. This proved interesting to her and caused her to come to respect them more and their service to the kingdom. The one knight that she came to respect the most was Sir Follied. He may have been known as an old fool, but even though he was thrice the age of the knights, he still knew how to fight well. In fact she loved to fight against him the most as he seemed to be the best fighter, yet she had grown to be able to beat him.

Her father had even hired several knights to carry large targets that eclipsed both knight and horse to gallop during target practice to make it harder for her. This, at first became hard but now they were easy as breathing. She never hit a horse leg and now they all knew that she was ready. Ready for her next chosen step.

This, she somehow knew, would be the last time that they would spar so she put her heart into the fight. She met sword strike after sword strike and he too, in turn, would meet hers. They met their blades again and again. Both striking and blocking their blades together. None were moving on in the battle. 

She jumped back, knowing that none would make any progress in the fight. She pulled out her now and fired several arrows at him. Once he was too distracted she pulled out her blade and charged at him. Then she, just out of a fluke, which was her accidently sending a rock into his knee, caused her father to fall onto his back. As he had an old wound there that did not quite heal right.

They then moved to the targets and fired shot after shot. Her father timed her as she shot after shot until her quiver was empty. Hitting her target always in its bulls eye.

"Good, that takes you five seconds. And, it embarrasses me to admit it, but I have nothing to teach you, so, it seems, that your training is complete." He admitted. "Now, it is time for you to make your decision. What fate do you choose?"

She looked down for a moment and took her time to think. She had thought about this moment and she knew that by this point, the moment that she would choose where to go, would be not only the most important decision for her but for many other people too. She had sometimes wondered why she had this unshakable belief in this choice. She had tried to see all of the ways that she would have made this decision but only one was left ahead of her.

"I think that I need one more job before I make my decision. So, I want you to give me a job as Bounty Hunter Bash, and father, do not make it easy for me just because I am your daughter. And nor for the sake of my mother." She said as she pointed to him.

Then her mother joined them and gave her a beautifully carved bow. It had two dragons meeting in the middle and their wings protected their tails with the long orange string that linked the tails.

"Well…" He covered his chin and stroked his long beard as he thought. "There is a witch, Thistle, that lives on the borders of our kingdom. She has been stopping the traders from coming into the kingdom. I have put four emeralds on her head. Do you think-"

"Consider her in your jails." She said as Sir Follied gave her a purple quiver loaded with black dragon arrows, made of the scales of the black dragons.

"Oh, you can not go on that! She is dangerous, too dangerous for you!" Her mother exclaimed.

"So am I, mother. You forget, I have taken down her kind before." She reminded her, with an excited smile on her lips.

"Yes I know, I guess that fighting is in our blood. After all, grandmother met my grandfather by slaying the sorcerer that had cursed father to become a dragon." She said her voice gave away more sorrow than she wished. "That day, when I lost my parents, I also lost my brother."

She frowned as she looked away as a single tear fell from her eye.

"So please, I do not want you to die." She said pleadingly.

Princess Drew let out a soft sigh.

"Don't worry. I will not. And by the time the morrow comes, she will be in your jail."

"But what if you do die?" She asked.

"Then raise my brother well. However, as I said I will not die, and you shall meet death before me. Plus I can't wait to let it be known that I'm the one that took her down!" She declared as she packed and set off to the Trader's Forest. 

She walked down the main path. That was where she would most likely be. She then climbed the nearest tree. She crouched and jumped from one tree to another. There she was able to find the small round hut with a thatched roof and layers upon layers of flat slates. 

She smiled to see that the smoke was rising from the centre. This was good. She closed her eyes and focused on the fire that was lit. She could almost see it and then willed it to expand. Her eyes opened and the witch ran out as her hut became eclipsed by fire. 

She then took out her arrow and fired it at her, using her confused disorientation to her advantage. She hit her in her shoulder. She then took her arrow and fired another arrow at her, but even-though she aimed for her knee cap, she hit her thigh and then she fired at the other and this time she got to her knee cap.

Her hear looked up and then her tree branch start to break. Knowing that she was going to fall she jumped to another. This branch also started to break. She jumped to another and another until she had none left for her. She then jumped lower and lower until she was back on the ground. 

With this the witch looked to the fire of her hut and then looked back at her. She smiled as she fired a ball of fire at her. She dived out of the way. She then used her own magic to will the fire back at her and the fire became close to the arrows in her and they became hot and then she fell down.

Her eyes closed. She ran up to her and put her dagger to her mouth and let out a sigh of relief seeing it cloud up. She then put it away and picked her up. She then, by midnight, was back in the castle and the witch was in jail.

At sunrise her father paid her.

"So, what is your choice?"

"I choose the life of Bounty Hunter Bash. I prefer that life, and I do feel that that is where my destiny lies. However, I will say this, I will be known as Bounty Hunter Bash Drew." She explained.

"Then farewell, and I hope that you come back one day." He said, kissing her on the forehead.

"I hope so. I would love to get to know my little brother and make sure he will be a good king." She said and placed a kiss on the tiny baby's forehead then placed one on her father's back.

She hugged her mother who gave her a kiss on the cheek. She bowed and then left to pack her things.

Bloodline

Bounty Hunter Bash Drew woke up, knowing that it would be soon time for her to go. She knew that she had slept longer than she should have. After all, she knew that this would most likely be the last time she would sleep in this castle. So she wanted to enjoy it as long as she could. Yet she knew that she did not want to overstay her time here.

So she slipped out of bed and put on her hunters great and left the room and ate a quick breakfast. Then she walked to the doors. Then her eyes rested on her mother, there she smiled a weak and supportive smile but her eyes were filled with sorrow. She knew that it was tearing her mother apart, but she could tell by her being here, and the way that she was smiling, that there was something more. She knew that she was not here to dishearten her from going but there was something else that she was here for.

"Drew,"

"Bash Drew." Her daughter corrected.

She let out a huff.

"Drew," She said sternly. "I have come here to tell you something about the man that tried to kill you last year. Do you remember him?"

"Yeah." She said as she shuddered, not out of fear but at how much they looked alike.

"Well, when you told me about it, I knew that I should have said something back then. About the man that tried to kill you and why you two look so much alike." She said, almost delicately.

Bash Drew wanted to tell her mother to get on with it. Yet she had to stay her impatience. After all, she knew that this could very well easily be the last time that they were in the same room as each other. So she let her mother take her time. She looked down and gulped down heard, like she was swallowing something large and bitter.

"Well, let me tell you that when we were little he was not like the way that he is today. In fact, chillingly enough, he was a lot like you. You even act like he did!"

She felt her mind fully wake up. Her eyes widened as she looked at her mother disgusted.

"What?!"

I do what!?

"Yes, but before he was born mother and father wasere told by a seer, a warlock, that told them that my brother, Chashathrophogh, would be the bringer of destruction. Which was why they called him Chashathrophogh, for it was a dark elf name meaning that exact thing. Yet it also strangely means 'flower of the dawn' in light elvish." She said, almost as fast as she could.

"Mother. Please, take a deep breath. Then continue."

She nodded and took a deep breath and became calmer.

"And as I have already told you that story but I never quite told you how mother and father died. And the reason was because of how alike you two are, however there was another reason. It was because I wanted you to believe that my parents were good and whole people. However what that seer had said had always haunted them. Until they hired an assassin to kill him! THEIR VERY OWN SON! Can you believe it!" She shouted.

She then took a breath as she shook her head.

"So, that's why we looked alike…" She said, truth was she had figured out a fair amount of this before today, no, today only confirmed what she already knew. "And let me guess, when he found out he killed them."

"Exactly!" She exclaimed. "Anyway, there is more. For you see there is an evil warlock that is travelling throughout this land going from kingdom to kingdom, turning illegitimate royals against their parents and vice versa. Just recently I have come to discover that this man was the very seer that foretold my brother's destiny."

Bash Drew's eyes widened.

"I wonder why that is…" She trailer off.

"Furthermore, I also found out that he is a dangerous rising dark master lord. So, so be careful. I-me and your father love you and- and I do not want you to die!" She cried.

She hugged her mother.

"It's alright mother. You just focus on looking after the little one in your stomach. I might find out why that is on my many hunts. If so, then I shall put a stop to it." She said as she got her coat on. "Come on! You can help me pack!"

They then walked together down to the kitchens and the cook gave her some food to eat on the way. They then collected her bow and arrow. Her mother packed her clothes. Within an hour and a half she was at the gates.

"Goodbye mother and father and thank you for all that you have done for me." She said kissing them both.

"Goodbye Bash Drew. I hope that you return some day." Her mother said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Don't worry I will."

"And do not worry about us. We shall be fine." Her father said, kissing her forehead.

Bash Drew smiled and nodded. She then walked on and left her kingdom and travelled down Trader's Forest. She passed the burnt remains of the witch's hut. She then walked down further until she passed the halfway point. It became night time soon after that. She then sat down and opened her back pack.

Too much food as per usual...She thought, chuckling.

She let out a passive sigh as she tucked into her meal. She eat only what she needed to for she knew that if she over indulged it would slow her down. She wanted to be at her best when she got to the nearest Bounty Hunter Tavern. She was about to lay down to get some sleep but heard a snapping of a twig behind her. She then heard a high pitched and bone chilling laugh. It was all too clear that whoever that laugh belonged to had no intention of letting her sleep that night. 

Now the question is who does that laugh belong to? Never mind that why is he even here? Well those are foolish questions.

"Well, well, well! What do we have here? A lonely lost little princess in the dark and dangerous forest." Said a calm and cold dark deep voice that was the voice of a large cobra but the tone was like a vulture. 

Her head turned to see a bald man with a hooked node and an unhealthy pale white skin, almost like as if he was ill. His white-grey eyes were sunken in with unmoving tiny dots for pupils. His chin was pointed like her arrows with thin lips. He was dressed in long dark robes like he was clothed in darkness.

"One would wonder if one really is Bounty Hunter Bash, the Striker of the Untouchable." He said as he smiled mockingly.

"So, you know my work. Now tell me, are you the one that has been turning illegitimate children against their families?" She asked. 

He let out a creepy but warming lyrical chuckle.

"Ahh, so you know about my work too? Then you must know why I am here then?" He asked.

She raised her eyebrow.

I hope he has a bounty on him.

"Yes, and let me tell you one thing. I will not turn against my parents like my uncle." She snapped as she pulled out her bow. 

Before she even thought about anything she fired. Her arrow fell before it even hit. He tutted as he raised his head to her. He looked at her mockingly. He then picked it up and walked to her. She fired shot after shot but all fell before they could hit. 

"Tut Tut,tut. What stratagem is that?" He asked. 

She smiled as she looked down and closed her eyes then a ring of fire surrounded him. He looked around him to see that the fire was connected by her arrows. He looked up at her, impressed. However, he was only mildly impressed. He then walked forwards and to her astonishment walked right through it! 

"There, there that's better!"

He came closer and closer. He stretched out his hand and smiled. He said something under his breath. She felt her limbs fell to her side. Her body fell. She did not know what was going on but she knew that whatever he had said had rendered her body useless. 

He then pulled her up and smiled. He looked at her in the eyes and as she did, she had the suspicion that this man had somehow hidden his true appearance. He licked his lips as he dug her arrow in her arm. Pain soon rippled throughout her body. She could not move to a point that she could not even scream out! 

She felt something cold against the open wound. She caught a glimpse of a test tube with her blood in it. 

"There, I will leave you now that I have what I wanted."

She then bumped her head as he vanished. 

She knew that she was going to see him again. 

She felt her eyes closed. Her mind lost to her dreams.

Blood Bond

Bounty Hunter Bash Drew spent three nights in a Bounty Hunter tavern. It had been a week since she was attacked by the man. She waited until she knew that she was ready and her arm was healed up before she took her first job. It was the first one that she had taken in a whole year that was outside of her home kingdom. Which meant, much to her solicit, that the posters of the untouchables had doubled. 

She ran her finger across the board. Her finger stopped when it met the face of a very handsome and young looking man that had the same air of the man that attacked her the other day. Her eyes widened when she saw that the price on his head was one hundred thousand emerald coins! She would have hit herself for missing out on a bounty that high, if there were none else in the room that is. Yet she could not help but feel like she had seen this man somewhere before.

Why does that man seem so familiar?

However she soon decided that it was not important and moved on. She looked at the board and soon found what she was looking for.

"Ah ha!"

Cashathrophogh…

Even now the name gave her chills. Smiled as she looked at him. Yet the smile dropped. She looked around, just to see if anyone was looking at her. After all, she knew what would happen to her if they knew the truth. So, seeing that they had not done that yet, she snatched it away before they could see the family resemblance.

She rolled it up and packed her things. She did not know how long this would take. She then went to the nearest farmer and hid among his hay. She let herself fall asleep as they travelled. She woke up with a silent yawn and then spotted that she was getting to the place. So she pulled up her things and then waited for a moment then, when they were at a bridge up ahead she left the carriage. 

She looked at the fast running river. 

It's loud enough. She thought as she climbed down to where the bank was. 

She then started to climb side wards, careful not to grip onto a weak point. She started to feel the cold fresh air, combined with the dampness of the river, had started to make her hand numb. She used her magic to keep her hand warm to combat that, however she was careful not to use too much. She soon came to a place where it was getting rocky. This, she found, made it easier to climb. So she stepped over rock after rock. 

She soon came to an area that looked like a beach. She then was able to walk and spotted one beaten down track. She walked over to it, knowing that there was only one person that used it.

She spotted that she was in a forest and then she saw the wooden hut that had only two floors and a thatched roof. It had a chimney that had smoke rising from it and a small red door. Where there were several chickens, sheep and goats were, going to and fro.

That looks quite homely. In fact, I wouldn't mind living in that for the rest of my life. 

She walked right up to it crouching as she did. She then hid at the side of the house and knocked on the door. The door opening and Chashathrophogh walked out and she took out a blade and hit his arm joints. She stopped when she felt a cold blade at her throat.

"Well that wasn't very nice." Remarked Chashathrophogh behind her.

She let out a scream as she turned back. She frowned as she looked back in front of her to see that the one in front had disappeared. She was able to mask her confusion.

"Neither is killing all those princes and princesses! Especially since one's your niece!" She remarked back. 

She threw her head back, hitting him in the chest and he was able to catch the blade. Then she spun and. Clang! The blade collided with another. They looked at each other, dead in the eye. Both were ready to do whatever they needed to. 

Then came clap, clap, clap. 

It came from behind her and she judged by Chashathrophogh's confused expression, this clap did not come from him. She looked back to see the man that had collected her blood the other day.

"You?"

"Hello again!"

"Who are you? Drew-Bounty Hunter Bash, whatever you wish to go by, who is this?"

"I never gave her a name. Well, I must say what a marvellous display! Now if you had used those skills in our fight...Well, you might have been better off!"

"What fight?" Bash snapped.

He let out a chuckle.

"Good point. But to be absolutely honest. I was going easy on you. After all, it's this what I needed." He said as he pulled out the small vial containing her blood. 

He then rested a malicious, predatorial eye on Chashathrophogh and smiled. Suddenly Bounty Hunter Bash saw a vulnerable look in his eyes.

"Well, it seemed that I was right in letting you go when I did. After all, I have been wishing to find you for a long time little Chash'?" He said. 

"So I have noticed. However I have no intention of being used as a pawn in your little game!"

"So that is why you have been hiding from me! Well, I have to admit that in a moment you won't have a choice. See, you are already are a pawn. Just ask the girl!" He said as he drew closer to her. 

His eyes rested on her.

"Your mother did tell you how I was able to turn your parents against you." He said as he placed a cold hand on her shoulder. "Didn't she?"

She looked aside feeling her fear getting to her as her mind raced over what her mother said.

"What? How? Tell me girl!" He growled dangerously. 

"By telling them all about your 'future' and how you are going to bring destruction wherever you go. After all, I knew exactly what it would lead to! And when the tragedy struck! It was utterly hilarious!" He said then bursting out laughing.

Bash felt his blade slip from her and she fell forward. He looked at the man with nothing but full rather in his eyes. His eyes became wet as he drove his blade to his head with shaky hands. But calmly he took hold of his wrist making all his body freeze. Nah saw the frustration build in his eyes as he could nor longer move.

The man took out his knife. He then slit his forearm and took out another vial and collected his blood. He tried to use his magic against him but somehow he could not!

He then chuckled.

"You think that you can use magic like that do you?" He asked as he let go. "Well, let me tell you this. If you knew how magic truly works then you would not have to worry about me doing this!"

He let go and blasted him across and to the back of his own house! Bash Drew looked at him and tried to stab him but she too was blasted beside her uncle. They both got up and then raced to him but before they could get anywhere near him they were blasted away again! Bash Drew took out her bow and loaded her arrow. She drew it back and fired but the arrow turned and hit Chashathrophogh in his thigh.

She then ran and as he used his magic to propel her back she fired a shot. She spotted that the shot was getting closer and closer to him. As she landed she looked to see if the arrow had hit, but to her dismay it did not. She spotted that it was suspended in the air. He looked at her and his eyes gave her a mocking look. He then slowly turned the arrow to where she was and knowing what he was about to do she tried to back away but she felt something digging in around her wrists. She looked back and spotted that they were roots! She tried to use her magic to cut them but by then it was already too late, the arrow was in her thigh too.

She then watched as Chashathrophogh limped as he ran to Ravenymo but he was flung next to her and then the roots wrapped themselves around his wrists too! They then looked down to see that their legs were wrapped now too!

They then looked at him as he walked slowly towards them. He then knelt down in-between them. He took out a black box with a single crimson drop. He then took out their tubes of blood and then took out a small knife and pricked himself with it. He let the blood drop onto the drop at the top of the box. The crimson became bright scarlet and he opened the box. He then poured the blood into the box and then closed it and then shook it.  He then cut his own hand! He closed it and then used his magic to force their wrists together and he then dripped the blood onto them! 

Both felt strange like something was being wrapped around them, something they could not see or touch. They also felt disgust at the blood around their wrists and the mixing of their blood. This left them feeling a bit queasy as the evil sorcerer opened the box again and then dipped his middle finger into the mix and poked their heads with their mixed blood and closed his box. At this they both fainted.

As Bash Drew woke up she saw Chashathrophogh finishing attending to her wounds. Here was a look of anger in his eyes. Eyes that looked so much like hers. She was about to get up but he gently pushed her back down.

"Take it easy, I am not going to kill you. In fact I can't kill you."

"Why?" She asked, confused.

"Tell me, have you ever heard of the blood lock spell?" He asked.

"No."

"Well, it's a spell that binds one to another of one's own blood. As long as you have the right box, which that guy had. And no, the one who casts the spell doesn't have to be a relative, nor does it have to be consensual. What it does is keep two relatives together and should they part, they would become drained of energy and if they do not come back together within twenty four hours they would die. Should one die then so will the other and the life force energy will both go back to the box and the spell caster thus making both more powerful." He explained.

"Then why-"

He let out a bone chilling laugh of his own. Yet it was for a different reason. It was more of a lonely and bitter laugh.

"I'm willing to bet that he wanted us to kill ourselves!"

"Then how-"

"We have to destroy that box, and to do that means that we have to burn it, with the one who cast the spell. Then rub their ashes across this red mark." He explained as he showed her the red ring around their wrist.

She then looked up and found herself reaching out and wiped his tear.