The Last Favor

 Ten.  Tristan took a sip out of his beer, still lost in his thoughts despite the decisive look on his face. After all, he made his choice and by all means, he’s one to stick by his decisions so he reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin. Taking one last breath, he flips it and patiently awaits its landing. After another sip of his beer, he carelessly stares at the result: “cursed”. In the 50/50 odds he had, the fellow truly hoped his first toss would be a “blessed” but that’s not the life he knows. Or at least that’s what he was thinking when the used coin turned into dust. Nine. After a big gulp, Tristan got up and headed to the door when he heard: “Hey, Lezterp” cried the innkeeper. “I have an offer for you.” “My lady?” Tristan intrigued. He doesn’t appreciate it when people call him by his race. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t feel like he belongs to them anymore. “I do not entertain the idea of having the likes of you around lad, but I’m willing to spare you a room if you do me this favor” she declared with a strident voice. “Name your price” toneless, he was ready to leave. “there’s a boy on my door. He won’t leave. He’s bad for business” complained the Alletune woman. “He looks orphaned. Probably a bastard. I don’t really care. I want him off my doorstep. And I want it dealt with quietly. I know your kind is good with that.” “And you’ll offer me a room in your inn if I kill this boy?” “No! Good Gods! I want no blood on my floor nor my conscious.” She exclaimed appalled by the Lezterp’s cold attitude. The hunter simply nodded and walked out the door to find this lad. As Tristan opened the door to the exit, he questioned whether this was really worth the trouble on a cursed day. Shaking his head, he concluded having a place to stay the night is still safer than whatever he could come up with and such a rare opportunity for cheap luxury is not something he’s used to. Squinting his eyes, his hunt for the boy began. However, he did not to search for long due to the commotion the young thing was causing. Not one to waste his time, Tristan marched up to the lad and throwed him over his shoulder as one would with a sack of potato, completely ignoring the seven-year old’s struggling and crying. Tristan strode comfortably for a good half hour and threw the boy aside to the edge of the village then walked away, fully abandoning him. He started heading towards the inn to collect his reward when the kid surprised Tristan by grabbing his leg with might. Uncertain of his intentions, Tristan tried to shake him off his leg but the stubborn lad held tight. Leaving him no other choice, the hunter grabbed the laddie by his shirt and threw him a few yards away then kept moving. The obstinate brat quickly wiped his tears and tried again with as much might as his first try, only to fail once more. Not that it mattered for he tried again. This time however, the stranger who had given him this small interest didn’t seem to bothered by him anymore for he kept walking despite the weight on his leg until he reached a tree. The stranger then started fumbling around his satchel and pulled out a rope. As soon as the small victim realized what his intention was, he immediately released the leg and ran but far too slowly for the professional hunter who quickly grabbed the lad’s wrist and hung a rope to it. He then attached the rope to the tree leaving the small boy looking like a dog on a leash. Tristan then pulled a piece of bread and threw it to the boy as he walked away. After all, he was asked to keep the beast alive. He started making his way back to the inn while the boy enjoyed his meal. It’s been a while since the last time Tristan slept on a bed. And it’ll still be a while longer because the brat who turned out was hiding a dagger in his boot for some reason cut off the rope and attacked Tristan’s leg once more. “You’re not worth the trouble” he sighed and removed the kid from his leg once more. He then turned and started heading towards the tree instead of the inn. “Are we done playing?” wondered the kid out loud. Unbothered, the Lezterp lied with his back against the tree getting ready to spend another cold night out. The kid, uninvited, sat on his lap while introducing himself “I’m Bryce. What’s your name friend?” Tristan grabbed the kid once more and removed him from his legs carelessly. Afterwards, he turned his back, shifting as far as possible from the kid all the while lying on the tree. “Are you mute?” asked the kid but received no answer. Now with Tristan’s experience, this is usually the part where even the most pestering people would take a hint and leave him alone but this kid seems to be no ordinary person. He kept bombarding him with questions that remained unanswered. Tristan was never a man of many words and he has no intentions whatsoever to change that. After a while, the small thing tired himself out and fell asleep next to the hunter lying on the same tree. Tristan took one last glance at the little creature, relieved that he can finally rest. One would think, with his experience, someone like this Lezterp would know better than to take a job on a cursed day. Tristan fell for a mistake not even the youngest Lezterps would make by simply underestimating the powers of the coin and the abilities of the lad. Or maybe he simply overestimated himself. But it matters not, for he did not dwell long on the thought and quickly fell asleep.