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Part 3
In the mountains…
The quest was not going well. Homefire Keep has ordered a band to hunt down the raiders. Although he wasn’t a soldier, no one questioned Orven when he demanded to be put in the band.
An elf named Qroish was in charge. Like most male elves, he was tall, lean and had an over-inflated opinion of himself. Orven have no problem with that however, far too grateful to the elves for freeing his grandfather to bitch about something so minor.
The band was doing well with everyone knowing his role. The elves were the magic and scouts, the humans were the muscle. As they say, the brains and the brawn. However, they had some problems thus far tracking the raiders through the mountains. Orven thought that was the reason he was summoned to see Qroish, so he was surprised when the ‘talk’ took another turn.
“You are jesting?”
“No, I am not.”
“I’m here to kill those women. Not take them as wives.”
“I understand but, Goodman Orven, you have just lost 2 sons. Taking an extra woman will help you replace them.”
“I already have 3 women. All relatively young, healthy and all of them are still of breeding age. I do NOT need another woman.”
“Another one won’t hurt. Perhaps a young female then. Not too young of course but…”
“No!”
“Having an extra body will help…”
“Forgive me Sir Qroish, but why are you so interested in my family affairs.”
“…The Keeper feels responsible for your sons’ death.”
“The Keeper is the ruler of Homefire Keep and we were under his protection. But the only ones to blame for my son’s death are those raiders, no one else.”
“Still you were under the Keeper’s protection. He feels that he owns you an apology for failing his duty.”
“Ha. You elves are strange. I will have my vengeance, Tord is under training in the Keep and the Keep is taking care of my women. The Keeper has already helped me enough.”
“We could use your help here; your son would have his training even without this incident and your women would be worked hard in the Keep. To do all those for you are only proper. The Keeper wants to give you something extra.”
“Those women’s death in my hands is all that I will need.”
“You are sure, Goodman Orven.”
“Yes I am.”
In the Keep…
Foz waited patiently for her sisters. As usual, she was struck with the job of cart-puller. Usually, she did not mind the job. As she was the biggest of the 3 woman, it was only natural that she pulled the cart. Tonight, she was more than a little grateful.
As their master has gone on his quest, he left his 3 females under the care of the Keep. In exchange for food and lodging, the women would help in the public works of the Keep. This was a system designed for women with no masters to help care for them, usually orphans or widows.
Or men who left their women behind on a stupid quest of vengeance.
Foz knew that it wasn’t proper for a woman to have such thought but she can’t help it, especially in their current position. As the new girls under the Keep’s care, the 3 women of Orven had the dirtiest job. Men or women, humans or elves, people still have to shit and piss. That means that every household in the Keep has a bucket of shit and piss they have to get rid off everyday.
Every night, the Keep would send out teams of women for night-soil duties. In their coat, pants and veils, the women would pull a cart with a big tub on it. They go to every household in their sector and collect the buckets. Pouring the shit into the big tub, they will then pull it out of the Keep for disposal. As the new girls, that was their job.
Jar came into view with the bucket. Suz lifted up the cover as Jar poured the disgusting contents into the tub. The smell was nothing short of horrible. Foz was glad she was as far away from the tub as possible. Suz quickly covered the tub as Jar went back to return the bucket to the household. When she returned, Foz picked up the cart and pulled.
It was the last household in their sector and Foz now headed for the disposal site. She set a quicker pace than usual as she wanted to get rid of her cargo as soon as possible. Her follow sisters-wives were running behind her with some difficulties. They aren’t used to all this running. Foz resisted the urge to go faster and slowed down for her sisters. Foz knew that she needed to be punished before she starts making big mistakes. Thinking improper thoughts like she had been were usually nothing but trouble. Very soon, thoughts would turn into mistakes. Foz wondered who she should ask to give her the spanking. Suz was devoted to their master and made sure none of the women did anything to embarrass him. She would give her a sound thrashing, but Jar was the eldest of the 3 women. By right, she should be the one giving the spanking.
The 3 women left the Keep proper and headed to the disposal site. The road beyond the Keep was well maintained and they had no problem reaching the site. The wizard was already at work.
Women of the Keep had dug a deep pit at the site. Other teams had reached the site already. They had poured the contents of their tubs into the pit. The shit and piss of the entire Keep was in the night air…but not for long.
The wizard cast his spell. A ball of fire shot from his hand into the pit. Before long, the pit of shit became a pit of fire. Foz knew that the pit had been enchanted by the elvish mages beforehand to keep the fire going. Magic is a strange thing. So few people had it, and every race has a different ability. Elves can enchant items while humans could call fire or ice from the air.
Before she could finish the thought, the fire had burn itself out. Foz pulled the cart forward. Time to get back to work.
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