Click here to read the first story, Tears of My Enemies.

Scent Notes: Drops of blood on warm leather, wisps of smoke, hot metal, and a freshly picked, juicy blood orange.

After a successful raid on the band of outlaws, Barbardia and her expanded brigade were heading back to their city. Of course, it wasn’t an actual city; it was pieced together from pieces of the downfall of society and all kinds of scavenged building materials. It was a hodgepodge of people and stuff that resembled more of a shantytown, but it was a functioning place to live in a world post traditional-societal collapse, and everyone who lived there was glad to have a safe place to live. Barbardia took good care of all who came to live under her, whether they came willingly or by force. The new additions to the group were grumbling, but she knew they’d come around eventually. They always did, especially since she adhered to a strict moral code and would keep them fed and sheltered no matter how much they complained about being captured. 

Time passed; life went on. As she had predicted, the band of outlaws had adapted just fine, and were living productive, helpful lives without issue. Some were even training to join in Barbardia’s brigade. That is, all except one. His name was Korvast, and he was a right pain in the ass. He was the outlaw who’d called her a “barbarian bitch,” and yet she had still shown him mercy and accepted him into the fold to come and live in her city. But Korvast just couldn’t help himself. He kept starting fights with anyone who dared to even look at him strangely as he wandered the city. He’d stolen from other people multiple times; once, allegedly, from a child who was carrying water (the most precious resource) back to her family. Xylon kept Barbardia up to date on his antics, as Xylon kept an extremely close watch on Korvast. She hadn’t even ordered him to do so; he took the job upon himself. From the rumors she’d heard, Korvast kept an eye on Xylon right back, and as of late, it seems as if Korvast’s antics had diminished. 

Barbardia was sitting at her desk in her private room, waiting for Xylon to come in and do her hair, when the door burst open. It was, indeed, Xylon, but he wasn’t alone. “Korvast! I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight, especially as I’ve heard rumors of some bad behavior on your part.” Korvast looked sheepish, and kept his gaze on the floor. Xylon nudged him forward, though he was so big, it looked more like a shove. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Tell her.” Korvast looked up at Barbardia, locked eyes with her … and mumbled something unintelligible. Barbardia laughed. “Okay, listen, you spoke up to me before with no problem when we were overtaking your little outlaw gang. Pretend that’s what’s happening now. Use your voice, please.” Xylon leaned over and mumbled into Korvast’s ear, tenderly. 

Korvast stood up straight. “I am very sorry for the way I’ve been behaving since you captured us,” he said, his voice finally loud and clear. Barbardia nodded her head. “Your apology is accepted. But do you know why you’ve been behaving this way, so that we can make sure it doesn’t happen in the future?” Xylon jumped in. “Well, see, I think he’s been a little confused and lonely, so he acted out. I’m offering to personally train him as a warrior, so he can learn our morals and code of ethics and also beef up his bod a bit because he keeps losing these fights he’s picking and it’s a little sad. We want good, strong people with solid morals here, right, Barbs?” 

Barbardia eyed them both, and said quietly, “Oh my god, you’re totally in love!” Xylon and Korvast looked at each other and blushed. “THIS IS THE CUTEST THING EVERRRRR!” Barbardia yelled, grabbing the three of them in a group bear hug which didn’t last long because they nearly crushed the normal-sized Korvast between their two extremely muscular bodies. “Oh, sorry about that,” Barbardia said as she pulled away. “We’ll work on that.” Korvast was now running a stream of conscious apologetic diatribe from his mouth apologizing for acting crudely, and he’ll make personal amends to everyone he wronged, and he was going to improve himself as a human and as a partner to Xylon, which made Barbardia tear up. “It’s okay, it’s okay, we’re all human and make mistakes,” she said, running her arm along his shoulder to soothe him. “Just be glad I only collect the tears of my enemies, and not the blood of my enemies.”

Scent Notes: Drops of blood on warm leather, wisps of smoke, hot metal, and a freshly picked, juicy blood orange.