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[Xandria]

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Boar slaughtering was one of the most disgusting necessities of life. Slaughtering of any sort was always messy, yet somehow boars were one of the worst, second only to goats. The stench alone made one question the wisdom of cutting off their heads. Yet, necessity demanded it. With a deep breath, Xandria moved her right hand to pinch her nose as she brought her left hand down in an arc, decapitating the paralyzed pig. The resulting spray of blood made her curl her lip in annoyance and let go of her nose, breathing in deep.

“Yuck, yuck, eeeew!” She covered her nose with both hands, gagging from the stench. She turned away from it, and ran a few feet, still gagging. Next time, she was definitely wasn’t going to do that! Somehow, the unexpectedness of the smell made it worse. Taking a deep breath, clearing her much violated nose, she went back to the corpse.

She checked to make sure the gloves and sleeves of her armor were snug without allowing any skin to show. Closing her eyes, with her faced turned away, she shoved her hand into the hole where the head had attached to the body. She felt the dead parts clinging to her armor, and screwed up her face. Her hand clasped the fat within and scooped it out, dropping it in the bucket beside her. She continued until all the loose fat was gone, leaving just meat and blood. She pulled out a large glass container, and poured the blood within. She corked the container and looked at the carcass before her.

This is definitely not staying in front of my house! she thought. She looked at it, remembering a family on her estate that had just recently lost their sole provider, the husband, to a freak storm. If she remembered correctly, the woman had a few children. She picked up the carcass, her mind trying desperately to remember the name of the family.

Reaching the small lean-to, she tilted her head up, seeing no smoke coming from their chimney. She heard the sounds from within and knocked on the door. A young woman opened the door cautiously.

“My lady, such an honor! What brings you here?” the woman asked in wonder, her eyes shifting from Xandria to the boar.

“Well, I’m here because, um… Merry Christmas!” Xandria threw the boar down on the floor before the woman.

The woman’s eyes began to tear as she stared at the boar. Xandria noticed, and held up her hand. “Stop that. No tears.” The woman sniffed and nodded. Xandria smiled in amusement as a little girl of about four came out and started to grab a leg, pulling the carcass with her whole body into the house. Another child came out, older and male. The boy gave a derisive snort as he helped his little sister pull the meat in. “Christmas is over,”

Xandria arched an eyebrow at his impertinence. “Then perhaps you would prefer I take it away?” She reached down as if to take the body away.

“No my lady!” the mother shouted. She took a deep breath. When next she spoke, it was in a much calmer tone. “Of course we accept the meat. My son, he is foolish.” She turned to the boy. “Kevin, apologize at once!”

“Sorry ma’am,” he stated with solemnity, though his eyes held no penance. Xandria stared at him, intrigued.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Xandria scowled as she saw him look up at his mother. “Don’t look at her, look at me.”

Kevin lifted his chin and stared at her. “Yes, my lady, I do. We wouldn’t need such a charity if you dudb;t forbid hunting on these lands. I would feed my family with my bow!” he puffed up his chest, trying to hide his fear, though his eyes betrayed him.

Xandria swept her eyes over his scrawny frame. “How old are you boy?”

“Nine, ma’am.”

She nodded, staring intently at him. Her eyes moved to the corpse on the front porch, and swept back to him.

“Child you intrigue me. I will give you a chance, but it will be on my terms.” Kevin nodded. “There are certain parts of animals I am constantly in need of. I will give a list each week of what I need. You will kill the required beast and divest it of what I need. In exchange, you and your family may have what is left after I have what I require, to do with as you please. Do we have a deal?”

The boy’s eyes widened, then turned to his mother, his eyes looking at her beseechingly. She nodded. “Yes, my lady!” he shouted in his excitement, then bowed deeply. Xandria nodded, pleased. No more gutting pigs, she thought, a small smile forming as she left the shack.