In Marie's carriage, Lena kept stealing gazes at Toma and Leo while holding her mother's elegant red robe. Both of them responded with smiles that looked like rictuses to the little lady.

Her mother didn't comprehend what was happening with Lena today. She had never seen her in this state: trembling, eyeing in every direction in search of potential exits, gripping Marie's sleeves tightly.

"What is it with you today, Lena? Are you ill?"

Being only 5 years old, the young Lena couldn't find the exact words to express herself, so she said the only thing she felt was right.

"I am scared, mother"

"Ow, do not be my little spark," Marie said while bringing Lena closer to her, "I am here, as well as Toma and Leo."

At this sentence, both guards showed a radiant smile under their brown beard, puffing up their chests at the same time like two parading male pigeons trying to hook up with a female. But the coachman interrupted their circus.

"We've arrived at the bakery, my lady."

As per usual, Marie went out to greet the crowd of citizens. Once done, she filled the carriage with bread, leaving only three seats available inside.

"Don't worry, my lady," Toma said, "I'll sit with the coachman at the front."

Marie slightly bowed to thank him.

Sat at the front seat, the guard couldn't help thinking that everything was fine for now, but the little girl's behavior was too unusual. He felt they should hasten the plan. Therefore, he politely asked the coachman to give him the horses' reins, telling him he should rest for a while.

"Really? Thank you, Toma."

A devious smile appeared on the guard's face, while he drove the carriage in direction of the slums.

***

Tolbar dashed across the city, in direction of Marie's usual bakery, forcing his way through multiple yelling passersby.

'Damn it, I should have learned how to ride a horse!' he thought.

Stix had suggested he borrow a horse from the mansion. Unfortunately, the barbarian has never learned how to ride one and was forced to run.

Seeing a giant pile of muscles moving at high speed in the city stunned over hundreds if not a thousand poor citizens on their way to work. Thus, a beardy woman alerted the city guards that a bull-like man was running around fully armed. But Tolbar had to just show his insignia for them to let him through.

Finally, he arrived at the baker's shop to find it already empty. Meaning, Marie had already passed by here.

***

Blurred images of houses built out of improvised materials flashed by the carriage's windows, as Lena's complexion whitened. Seeing the little girl completely soaked in sweat with a blank face got Maria extremely worried.

"What is wrong, my little spark?" Maria asked.

"I want to go home."

The lady had already noticed her daughter's state of health, but she had thought it would get better with time.

"Alright, we'll distribute the bread, then we will go back home. How does that sound my little spark?"

Lena's breast cage contracted, making breathing excruciating. She grabbed her mother's robe even tighter in search of help. The little girl's finger turned completely white as she gripped the cloth with all her strength.

The sight triggered Marie's parental instinct. She couldn't bear to watch her daughter suffer anymore.

"Toma!" she said at the guard currently driving, "turn around immediately. We are going back to the mansion."

The order stunned Toma. He had to somehow change her mind.

"But why my lady? We're almost there!" Toma said.

Hearing Toma's answer angered her. He had never questioned an order before. Why would he do it now?

"Toma, I said turn back now!" Lena yelled.

The coachman watched the situation silently. To his surprise, the guard kept driving straight, oblivious to the lady's order. Therefore, he couldn't refrain from getting himself involved.

"I think we should do what the lady said. It sounded extremely urgent. Toma do you hear m..."

The old man hadn't had the time to finish his sentence before a steel dagger entered his throat. Blood spurted on the horses as the victim moved his arms around desperately in search of assistance. Tired of this bloody show, the guard kicked the coachman off his sit. The body fell on the road still looking for a way out of the inevitable. Each spasm it produced got progressively weaker until a completely cold, unmoving cadaver was left.

Toma sighed, "Sorry old man, I didn't want it to come to that. If you have to haunt someone, it should be lord Kabolt. After all, it's his fault for neglecting us over a savage."

Marie had the time to see her employee's body falling, before screaming out of shock. Next to her, Lena's muscles were trembling frenetically. The little girl's gaze met Leo's and incommensurable anxiety seized her as the man unsheathed his sword. She tried to say something, but fear paralyzed her.

"What are you doing?! Stop the carriage!"

Leo's weapon was now pointing at Marie's throat.

"You see, M.A.R.I.E. Oh, I've finally said it! Hahaha finally, after all this time! But more than that..."

His sword started to slowly slide down her throat to reach Marie's ample bosom. With a small downward slash, the robe revealed Marie's corset, which threatened to explode under the pressure of her body's feminine attributes.

"I've always wanted to f*ck you!" Leo said while leaking his lips, "But now is not the time. Almost but not yet, hehehe... not yet."

The lady was about to shout, but Leo pressed his blade against her chest.

"Scream and... well, you know," the guard said with a smirk.

At this moment, the carriage halted, and the approaching sounds of heavy footsteps echoed in the dark alley where the vehicle has been parked.

A huge bold man opened the door.

"Out, now." Kollar said.

"Wait, are you going to kill them now?" Leo asked.

Lena and Maries' complexion blenched.

"Yes." the giant replied.

"This isn't what we agreed on!"

At the sound of two men bickering behind him, Toma came down the driver's seat.

"What's happening?" Toma asked.

"Your colleague is thinking with the wrong brain."

The insult angered Leo, who pointed his sword toward Kollar.

"Say that again and I'll cut your throat!"

The remark made the giant smirk.

"Interesting. If you can cut me even one time, I'll let you have the woman."

Most barbarians liked challenges. It was in their nature to accept them, no matter the place and time. Though, some of them tired of that attitude which played a huge part in their current reputation.

Both men took fighting stances in the back alley, ready to draw blood, while unbeknownst to them, a teenager's light footsteps were moving off in the opposite direction.

***

Tolbar finally arrived at the slums, but the carriage wasn't parked at its usual place. Worry grew as he madly searched the poor habitats, scaring off the beggars.

At some point, he arrived next to a cadaver. At first, he thought it was a citizen who went hungry, which didn't happen often but wasn't uncommon. But the pool of blood dissuaded him from such a judgment. Anxiousness took over him when he flipped the body to reveal a familiar old man's face.

Following this discovery, he interrogated every poor citizen he found, even threatening some of them. Until a teenager came to him, halting.

"Mister! Ain't yu Miss's Marie's guard?" said the bucked teeth young man.

Tolbar immediately grabbed the smelly teenager by his tattered shirt, ignoring any formalities and greetings.

"Where are they!?" the barbarian hastened.

The young man almost wet his pants at the giant's killer-like glare. But then he remembered the beautiful lady with a content grin that shared her bread with them every morning. He remembered the little girl that sometimes accompanied the woman, laughing merely with poor citizens of a fallen kingdom. And he remembered the tall, muscular bodyguard who, with time, had learned to smile more often.

Therefore, for the sake of those smiles, he led the way.