Stark knew the type of man Theon was, so imdiately they left their vicinity, he had sent two of his spirits to keep an eye on the road.
Shifu and the unnad goat man.
He gave them a simple ntal command. If they saw anything strange, one of them was to keep watch while the other one would find him.
That was how he knew they were coming even without being there, and that was also how he knew their exact location.
All that was left to do was set a trap.
First, he stripped. Since there was a slight chance they would recognize him through his clothing, he discarded them and went for only his boxers.
Thankfully, that made him even more crazed...
The reason he did not want to be recognized was because he could not kill the knights.
Killing them would be far too foolish. All he would accomplish is setting Theon on their tail, and there was no way to beat the brute at this point.
So he ca up with a different plan.
Today, he was going to put on a whole new persona. A show or a play, whatever you like to call it.
Stark was going to act the part of a slave trader.
That way, they would have a different story to tell Theon, one that would put them in the clear.
Stark eyed the knight in front of him, making his interest clear by his elaborate movents.
He laughed. "Clean face, nice teeth and a body that can work the mills... I say twenty gold pieces at least. What do you say?"
The older knight stepped back, his grip on his sword shaking.
"Stay away from you mad man! I will never be a slave!"
Stark brought his sword close to the younger knight’s neck and the man whimpered. "That was what this guy said so minutes ago..."
He took a step closer to the older knight, his dagger by his side. "Don’t be shy, slavery isn’t that bad! When you think about it, it’s free food!"
The man gritted his teeth. "I said stay back!" He slashed at the air, threateningly, but Stark would not be deterred.
And then he lunged, swinging his sword at Stark’s head.
His strike was unfocused and weak. A deterrent rather than a feasible attack.
’Too easy...’
Stark sidestepped the man, and drove his leg into the back of the knee, causing him to buckle.
"Argh!" The knight quickly got up and charged, his face locked in a grimace. "Don’t underestimate a knight you scum!"
Stark had already moved, with one hand on his waist and another on the dagger, he dodged every single blow the knight threw at him.
In a normal fight, he would never be this careless or pompous, but he needed to create an image in the knight’s head.
One that would last till he t Theon.
Clang!
His steel sword ricocheted off Stark’s silver dagger, sending sparks to the side. And then he rotated his body, sending his sword flying in a vicious arc.
Stark leaned back, the sword slicing above his head, then he punched the man in the liver, sending a shock throughout his entire body.
He gasped and jumped back, curving painfully to his side while Stark was laughing.
"Not bad, not bad, your swordsmanship is good. Would you like to be a rcenary slave? I hear they go for fifty coins a piece—"
"SHUT UP!"
Once again, he swung wildly, his attack fueled more by anger and tinged with fear.
Stark took advantage of this. He blocked the attack by knocking the man’s arm to the left, then drove his foot into the man’s groin, before twisting his wrist to make him drop the sword.
Finally, Stark bashed the poml of his dagger into the man’s skull, sending him to the floor, writhing in pain.
The man scread from more than one pain at once, while Stark laughed above him.
Then he paused.
’Wait, it needs to be more insane...’
"EHHAHAHA EHAHA EHEHE—cough."
He laughed so hard that he began to cough profusely.
"Uhum—excuse —Uhum!"
Stark sighed, his voice now crackly. Then he grabbed the man’s arm and began pulling him to his friend, his body brushing against the floor.
The man began to cry. "Please, I don’t want to be a slave! I have a family!"
Stark glanced at the man’s tear-filled face. ’Co on man, have so dignity.’
Even his partner had not cried this much.
When they got to the tree, Stark tied his next to his friend as well, then picked up a stick and walked to the dirt in front of them.
He began to calculate profits.
He pointed the stick at the first man.
"That will be twenty coins for the small one. A female brothel will probably buy him... girls like a pretty face."
At the ntion of the female brothel, the man’s face brightened, a little hope in his dark eyes.
"... or a brothel for gays. They like a pretty face as well..."
"No! Noooo! Kill now!" The man scread, shaking violently against his constraints, but Stark simply ignored him.
"And then the big guy will work at a sweatshop. He said he has a family so maybe we’ll keep him there only for thirty years."
"Please sir, I have money! I’ll pay you!"
At the ntion of money, Stark’s eyes brightened up.
"You have money? Where?"
"My pocket, my right pocket!"
Stark walked over to him and retrieved the coin purse. Then whistled as he got the weight of it.
"This is quite a lot."
The man nodded, a friendly smile on his face. He no longer looked like the knight that had acted so out of order just a few minutes ago.
"So can I go?" he asked, his voice hopeful.
"What about ? Are you only going to pay for yourself—"
"Shut up!" the older knight scread, turning his attention back to Stark, only to see that he had already walked away.
"The buyer will co first thing tomorrow morning, I hope you guys get good masters..."
That was all he said before walking back into the bushes.
The knights scread out, begging and begging but no answer ca. And they remained in an oppressive silence for a few minutes.
Only then, did they think to escape.
They struggled against their bindings, clawing and scratching until they finally broke loose.
And then they ran...
Never to co again.
Stark watched them from behind the trees, his smile hidden behind the mask.
"Problem solved."
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