Lakita's "A Sacred Bond Yet Untold"

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter two

It was two days after that night, and the skies kept clear. For a while, Theru had though that captain may have been wrong about the storm. However, it was at the end of that day, the clouds rolled in with thunder, and rain fell in waterfalls at a time. The sea raged wrathful with its rolling waves.

The sailors worked fast as they could, though it was futile. the ship was ripped apart and capsized by the sea.

Theru could not find barring in the icy water to head toward the surface. He began to sink to the water's depth, and slowly, his eyes closed. Only seconds before he blacked out, he could hear the memory of the sea maidens' song. Though he did not realize it was not memory, but truth. The hynm echoed in the waters.

"if i cannot find you
i will look up to the sun
do you believe
if i'm where your standing
you can see the sky above
do you believe..."

One of the creatures caught him on a raised stone, and breathed into him precious air. She stroked her long fingers through his hair, as her own blue-stone hair blew over, and look at his still peach face before her blue skin hand caressed it. She wrapped her arms around his chest and pulled him up toward the surface. She stayed with him for hours through the storm, holding him up to breath. When the sea finally calmed, she let go, and left him afloat.

Not long after she left, a ship came in range of him.

"Man overboard!" called out a crew member.

Theru was pulled from the freezing water, and brought to a half conciseness. He was barely able to slit his eyes open, only to see a pair of tall black boots.

"Another one? Put him with the others." said a man's voice from the one who wore the boots.

Theru lost conciseness again. He awoke sometime away, to the sound of a busy street. He forced open his eyes to see crowds of people, going about their way on a dirt road through a city. As he tried to move, he realized his hands were bound behind him on some type of wood, he could not see it well enough to guess. Looking about, he noticed there were several other men bound to the same branch.

"Welcome back, Theru."

Theru looked over to see, a close friend of his, Haruss, bound by him.

"Haruss? What happened? Where Are we? Where is the rest of the crew?"

"Slow down, one question at a time. You've been out for a few days, i almost thought you weren't going to make it. The ship was lost in the storm, and most of the crew with it, i though you were one of them until you got pulled out of the ocean and on board--"

"Pulled out? By who?"

"I'm getting to that. Those of us who survived were bought on board a slave trade ship to be brought here and sold. Brawress was just sold before you came to; would have been you if they didn't think you would die. Looked at you like a fish or goat in a market."

"So how do we get out?"

"Out?"

"Yes, escape."

"Theru, look around you. There is no escape."

"I refuse to be sold off!"

"Ah, you finally came around," said Theru's abductor. Theru now saw the face of the black boots from before. He was pretty clean kept, lined with dark hair and with darker eyes peeking out, topped by a rather large hat. "Good thing too, you'll be worth more now that your awake." he kneeled low and pulled Theru close by his shirt. "It doesn't matter whether or not you refuse to be sold, because the end result will be the same. You WILL be sold, and after--well i don't really care what happens to you after that." he stood up and let go of Theru, carrying a smirk on his face. Walking away to a "customer".

'This can't be the end' thought Theru silently to himself. 'I did not survive a storm at sea only to be sold off as a slave!' he looked about his surroundings, trying to come up with a plan to escape, all the while clenching his teeth tightly together. Then finally it came to him; he noticed that the end of the wood was blocked by a frail piece of bamboo, and with enough force could easinly be broken, and who was at the end of the wood bur Haruss; together they could force it open and set themselves free.

"Haruss?" Theru said lowly.

Haruss looked over at his friend.

"do you know what that is on the other side of you?"

Haruss looked over and realized what Theru was saying; he hid a smile and turned back to his friend. "On the count of three."

"Sounds like a plan."

"One...two..."

Their abductor payed no attention, instead having business with another man on his "merchandise".

"You're in luck, good sir. I just so happen to have a fine slave perfectly suited for that kind of labor; granted he is a bit rebellious, but can easily be broken to obey." he said with Theru in mind.

"THREE!"

The two men broke free, and though their hands were still bound behind them, they made a running dash; holding back joyce laughter as they did, but wore a smile on each of their faces. They ran opposite of where their abductor stood; down the busy street, through archways and and entrances. Their abductor followed closely, and from behind, they could hear the cheer of the other men who were bound and to be sold. It seemed as though there was no stopping these men from their escape; men, women, all were weaved past if they did not themselves step out of the way of the two men, and were shoved aside by the one grimacing man and his few subordinates as they pursued.

At this point in time, Theru and Haruss felt they were on top of the world, invincible. They came to the town square almost running head first into a fine stallion and its rider; the stallion kicked up its front legs and cried out in surprise. Theru and Haruss brought themselves to a screeching halt, and turned fast so as to avoid being recaptured.

"There they go!" cried the devious man. "Don't let them escape!"

They made their way in a maze of streets and buildings, to the town's end; a moat bridge. The bridge began to rise, and the two men hurried faster, racing the rise of the bridge and their only escape. The spear heads at the bridge's end were now seen, and the two men raced faster. when they finally did reach the bridge, Haruss had taken the lead and was first to half scale the rising wood of the bridge; without a hitch he made it to the peak of the bridge, and leaped off to the other side. Theru scaled closing on a vertical angle of the bridge; the men watched in amazement as he was half way up; his footing began to slide from under him, barely was he able to put a toe on the peak of the wood, seconds before it was fully raised. But he could not make such a leap as Haruss had done, instead losing balance and falling. On one of the spear heads his bound hands were caught, and under the weight, broke; Theru fell into an dry moat.

From the guard tower, the guards looked down, amazed at this themselves of the man who dare defy logic in his escape. For a moment his body did not move, though soon he was up, and his bounds were cut from the spearhead, to which he grabbed soon after rising, and ran off to his friend, taking them farther away from the town.

"Well I'll be..." said the guard from his post, and called out to those below. "He made it! Both of them! They're making their way west toward the sun!"

All who stood below widened their eyes in disbelief, and following a passing silent moment were cheers for the men; only the abductor and his men did not cheer but stood silent. Rumors were soon spread of the men who dared to do what they did.

one of the abductor's men removed his hat from his own head, "I'll hand it to them, they're pretty good."

In a bitter mood, the Captain snapped, "Their price comes out of your pay!"

The bridge began to lower, and by now the two men were completely out of sight. Guards rushed to the men whom abducted Theru and his companion.

"Should we follow them? We can return them to you sir."

The captain kept silent for a moment. "No. That's alright." 'I love a good chase' he thought to himself 'perhaps now their new found legacy will make them a bit more valuable in price'.

Just as he finished his thought, the rider from before raced past; through the crowd and captain and over the lowered bridge.

"He's sure in a hurry, eh boss?" one of his subordinates in light.

The abductor just turned, and began back to his "shop". "Come," he said lowly. "We still have business to attend to."  

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter three

"That was some escape," Theru said.

"That was some fall!" Haruss laughed. "I can't believe you're even still alive, never mind the fact that you were able to even GET up!"

"But i was able to grab this," he opened his hand to expose the spearhead he took from the bridge.

"Well alright! Now cut my ropes."

Theru was already on his own to do that before Haruss spoke; a loud tear and the bounds were broken. Dark was fast approaching, and night was now on their doorstep, so to speak. Rather they were out in a plain meadow, completely exposed to weather and enemies alike.

"We'll need to find a place to set camp or an inn somewhere near by," Theru thought aloud.

"Well i happen to know of a nice little town close to here," Haruss said. "It's right that way," he pointed in the direction they had just come from, where they had barely managed to escape.

Theru looked over, and in realizing this, had brushed aside his friend teasingly. The two smile and released a large fast breath. They headed down in their original direction, 'the farther away from that place the better'; & who knows, a town might be near, one with an inn of some kind.

However, there was no town, & Theru & Haruss had to camp out; & so they built a fire. In case the slave trader had decided to further pursue them, they had decided to take shifts in keeping watch; Theru took the first shift.

"Hey Theru," Haruss mumbled.

Theru looked over to his tired friend.

"Do you remember that lullaby your mother would always sing when we were kids?"

Theru smiled. "How could i forget?" He swallowed to clear his throat, & began to whisper the lullaby in its tune.
"Don't be afraid
just close your eyes
& everything will be alright

the wind will howl
& thunder light
but do not be afraid
just close your eyes

just close your eyes
& hold on tight
to dreams & memories

& don't you cry
just close your eyes
& everything will be okay

& I hope & I pray
that maybe someday
I'll close my eyes with you."

Haruss had began to sing with him after the third line. The two smiled at Dealtara's memory; Theru's smile faded first.

"It doesn't sound the same without her voice..."

"Aye, but we can come pretty close," Haruss tried to comfort his friend, but saw that it was probably best to leave him with his thoughts. "I better get some rest for my shift. Two hours?"

Theru nodded; Haruss took th cue to sleep, turning his backside toward his friend.

The night was silent, only the sound of crickets & night birds with the crackle of the fire echoed by the camp. After some time, Theru looked over to his friend, & saw a large insect creep over him, to which Theru brushed off. Then a voice aroused his awareness.

"Hello Theru."

He turned fast to see a woman sitting near beside him; his hand, out of instinct wrapped around the spearhead as though it were a dagger. He watched her, waiting for her next move.

"You shouldn't have come to these lands."

"What do you mean?"

Haruss groaned, & Theru looked back only a glance before returning his attention back to the woman.

"Demoria, holds at her finger tips, dark powers; she will kill you if she can. It's what she has been waiting for."

"She knows I am here?"

"Not yet."

Theru looked at the woman closely, & deep into her dark brown eyes with his emerald green eyes in question.

"Who are you?"

"I am your friend. My name is--"

"Theru?" called Haruss's voice.

Theru awoke to the morning in a room of an inn; his friend shaking him to wake. it was a dream; all of it. The camp, the lullaby, the woman, all of it. Then it came to him, what really happened. It was late & they did manage to find a town with a hospitable inn that would take them with no charge, that is, after Haruss had bragged on their epic escape. The inn keep & guests were so mesmerized by the tale, & it was clearly to detailed to be made up. They had murmured the lullaby before sleep, Theru was starting the fire pit for a warm sleep in the cold night before heading off to bed himself. Only the woman seemed to be fully fictional in his dream.

At past dawn, they set to leave, & were met by the inn keep & his wife as well as a few guests.

"Take this lads," the inn keep handed them a bundle of breads & meats. "You'll need it so that you can return with another grand adventure to tell us." He smiled & stepped back, his young daughter half hid behind him, watching Theru; never before had she seen such a hansom broad man in her lifetime, & was shy of him.

"Thank you," Theru whispered, & released a small smile to the generous inn keep.

a guest stepped out of the tiny crowd & handed to Haruss whatever coin he held. "All the guests have been inspired by you; we wanted to help, even if it's only in a small way." He said almost shaking.

"Again thank you," the two said, & the man stepped back into the crowd.

"Where are you boys headed?" the inn keeps asked with sincerity.

"I go to the castle of queen Demoria, i must ask an audience with her. As for my friend; what road do you take?"

"Theru, your mother would never forgive me, even in the after life, if I let you go this alone. My road is yours."

"Aye, well good luck to the both of ye."

The inn keeper's daughter stepped from behind her father, & shyly handed Theru a burlap. "Here, it's to hold everything for you. I--I weaved it myself." she said in almost a whisper.

Theru smiled & thanked her in a gentle voice. She did not step back as the others had, she was scared frozen in her shy manner. Her father came beside her & rested his arm around her.

"Best of our wishes," he said.

With that, the two men left. It was only a few moments after, that Haruss could not help himself to speak.

"I had a wonderful dream last night."

Theru sighed a laugh. "& what dream is that?"

"Our grand escape, only it was different."

He sighed another laugh & rolled his eyes with his head tilted back.

"Your laughing? Well tell me then, what did you dream last night?"

Theru looked over at his friend & then back in their direction, the sunrise behind them. "I dreamed of a woman."

"Beautiful?"

"Fair, yes. I couldn't really tell, my dream took place in the night hours."

"Ah, I see."

"She warned me that it was dangerous to go to Demoria's castle; claimed to be a friend in the shadow."

"& so says Theru the great escape who dreams of beautiful female lovers," Haruss teased.

Theru brushed him aside playfully. "It's not like that. I woke before the dream could finish. I don't even know her name."

"Would you recognize her if you saw her in the flesh?"

Theru thought back at the dream before answering. Then he turned to his friend with a reply, "Yes."

"Then you will definitely meet her, & I will meet her as well."

Again, Theru rolled his eyes.

It was about noon time when they finally took rest & broke bread & meat. The inn keeper's wife had lent them a map of the country & it's borders. As they dinned they plotted where to go next, taking note of what towns were near by; as it turned out, they had escaped from a town just outside the country's border.

"I think we should go here," Theru pointed on the paper, "The heart of the country. From there we can get a general direction of where Demoria's castle is."

"Enlighten me; why again are we going there if it's so dangerous?"

"Demoria robbed my mother of a home & husband, as well as me of a father. It's a story I will tell some other time perhaps."

"Ah, I see. I would think, that the castle & capital would be in the heart of the country."

"No, that would be too obvious, Demoria would never do that. Likely, she would be somewhere in this region." He drew a wide circle around the heart of the country on the map.

The sound of beating hooves came in an echo, as though it were near & fast approaching them. Theru stood up & squinted to see where it was; in the distance he could see the riders approaching fast, & Theru knew exactly who it was, even from the distance he was at.

"Haruss, get up! Grab everything! We have to go! Now!"

Haruss did not argue, but hurried to gather everything & followed Theru into a running dash. "What's going on Theru? Why are we--"

"It's that slave trader!"

"What?! He sure knows how to pick the time to find us! I thought we lost him back there at the city!"

"That's why it's perfect timing; we let our guard down! Do you remember where that town is near by? We saw it on the map."

"Yes, it's this way!"

The men shouted back & forth at each other as they ran. It seemed a lifetime's run until they could see the next town in the distance, all the while the pirates gained closer to them on horseback.

"How did they even find us!?" Haruss shouted.

"I don't know, but I'm not stopping to find out!"

Finally, they made it to the city, their bodies slamming into the iron gate that surrounded it. Each looked up with anxious & flustered faces.

"It's gated?" said Haruss.

"The map didn't say if it was or was not."

"Maybe we can climb over it!"

"There's no time;RUN!"

They would have to try & out run the men again as their only hope of getting away; but the men were gaining fast on them. It was only a few minutes & they were cornered, backed against the tall iron gate of the city. The riders had sprung out from the right & left, which forced Theru & Haruss back at the town. The slaves man rode up slow through the crowd with a grimacing victorious smirk about his face, & looked down at the two men who had escaped from him.

"You boys put up quite a mess of my store. A word of advise though, when trying to escape, never let your guard down, & change direction; it'll make the chase more fun if I don't know where you are." His eyes went back & forth between Theru & Haruss, but he never let Theru out of sight. The other riders began to unhorse & brought shackles & ropes. "You boys ought to consider yourselves lucky; you'll be sold at a much higher price now." he laughed to himself & moved his hat about his head.

From the left, another rider pushed through past the pirates on his horse, & blocked their way to the two men. He was hooded & cloaked well, except for his mouth & jaw, no other part of him was seen.

The captain dropped his smile into a frown of displeasement. "Who are you?" he said impatiently.

One of his men spoke out. "Hey boss, that's the hurried rider from the other day!"

The slave trader looked at the rider closer, "He is, isn't he? These men are mine, find your own slaves!"

The rider's horse took a step forward, to further block pass to the men.

"Move aside!" the slaves man shouted.

"Slave trade is forbidden in these lands, go back to where you came." the rider said at last.

"& who are you to stop us?!" he cried, turning an angry red.

The rider removed his hood, bowing his head as he did, & revealed a woman's face. "I am Maira, dutches of the west."

The pirates expression changed into a worried shock. He had done one of the most humiliating things to both himself & this young woman, & could only hope now to slip by unnoticed when she looked away.

"I will say it once more; go back to where you came, or face the penalty of your crime."

He seized the opportunity & pulled out. "Alright men, we take our leave."

She unhorsed as soon as the pirates began to ride off, & walked around while holding the reins of he horse, to see the faces of the men she had ultimately saved. As she came into view, Theru recognized her immediately.

"I witnessed your grand escape back in Shoales. You almost rushed into my horse."

"You," Theru began. "I had a dream where I saw you."

Maira simply smiled at him for the gesture.

Haruss looked back & forth between Maira & Theru. "This is the woman from your dream Theru? She really is lovely."

Maira let out a laughing giggle; Haruss turned red in his face, & wished he had said nothing.

She grabed higher at the reins of her horse, "Come, I am famished from my search for you; & you must be too, from escaping those pirates." She led her hoarse around to the gate entrance, & the two men followed; transfixed by her, & relieved for their rescue; they smiled as they walked in following her.

One of the pirates was confused by the captain's decision, & again, spoke out of turn. "Are we really just going to let them go & give up boss?"

The captain grunted. "A pirate doesn't know when to let go of his prize unless he is dead; & even then, I'm sure there's a way to keep it."

"So we're going back after them boss?"

"You half-wit! Keep quiet!"

They continued to trot their horses onward, but with new sinister smiles.  

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter four

Maira seemed a decent person; kind, brave, righteous. She took the two men into the town for a proper meal, to invoke friendly conversation. Though it was not the most pleasing of conditions, they dinned in a tavern, Maira never failed on her sincerity; nor did Theru & Haruss in their gratitude.

"From where do you hale?"She had asked at some point in the conversation.

"We come from Tennor in the Northern Ice lands." Theru answered.

"It's actually very lovely in the summer; like a spring time elsewhere. It's an island of harbor men at the southern most point of the ice," Haruss said in cheer of his meal & drink. "You should visit it some time; you know, if you can feel up to it."

"Do you not think it snows here as well?" She asked almost teasing with a smile.

Haruss stopped to think a bit for an answer. "Well I've just seen so much grass & plant life I assumed it."

"You are to quick to judge." she lifted her drink for a sip of it.

"& you, lady. From where is it you hale?" Theru was curious about her, & felt he had known her else where outside of dreams.

"I hale from the capital. My mother is a high name & my father is of late," she stopped for a moment & continued in a quieter voice. "I never actually knew him."

Theru studied her face from where he sat & realized why he had felt the connection; he too had a late father that he had never before met. "I know your sadness, lady. I too had a father i had never met; I was told he was killed a a knight in service when I was an infant new to the world."

Maira looked over at him with a small smile, as though she had learned that she was not alone. "& what of your mother?"

Theru turned back to his plate. "She is meeting my father of late."

Maira kept silent & let her expression fade. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Haruss to remained silent; feeling guilty that these two had lost some one important in life, while he had lost nothing. Yet, after some time the silence was too much, & he had to break it. "So,lady, what brings you so far from the capital where you hale?"

She looked over & remembered where she was for the current time, & smiled. "I was fixed in my way to the northern oceans."

"What is it you are seeking there?" Theru inquired.

"My main objective was to see the maidens of the water; though the journey has rather turned into quite the adventure."

Haruss smiled & gestured his hand. "Ours is the same way."

"Where do you go?"

Theru answered for Haruss so as to not give off too much information. "We seek an audience with the queen Demoria."

Haruss laughed. "A bad storm came up just a day or so from port & tore apart the ship we were sailing on. It was then that the men from before had pulled us onto his ship & meant to sell us off as slaves. Actually he sold off about five of our men; only Theru & myself were left before our grand escape."

"Ah, yes, i had heard the details from locals before following you. If it is an audience with the queen you seek I may be able to get you one, but in exchange you must accompany me on my journey first."

Maira did not leave much room for any sort of negotiations; Theru had thought it might be difficult to get into Demoria's castle, since one does not simply walk in & out as he pleases himself to do so. It had appeared that this may be a faster way of his avenge to his father & mother. "Very well, lady. We will accompany you to the sea. I happen to know the maidens personally & perhaps could make the search easier for you."

Maira smiled widely as a child would & filled her eyes with joy. Haruss stopped in his meal & searched about Theru's expression to see if he was serious on the matter, & remained baffled.

"Are we serious Theru? It might not be such a good idea."

"Relax Haruss, what could possibly happen?"

"After these past few days I'm not sure how to answer that."

"Come, it's an adventure; like when we were boys, do you remember?"

"I trust you with my life Theru; I want you to know that. Don't let me down, or worse."

Haruss finished his meal in a few bites after. Maira jumped from her seat & playfully tugged on their sleeves in her excitement. Theru had slid easily from the barstool, though Haruss had held a drink in his hands as he was pulled away & placed it on a tabled just before the door.

"If we go on horse back it'll be faster. Come let's get you each a decent horse." Maira was set on getting to the sea more than ever before & could not wait a rush to get there. Theru had stopped her just before she entered the stables to say his peace as a gentleman.

"Dear lady, we don--"

"Call me Maira, it will be far easier in the end."

He sighed before speaking again & looked slightly down to see her bright happy face that held such big green eyes. "We do not require horses. The sea will not be leaving from its place; & I myself would like to walk the country to view it better than to rush past it."

Haruss rolled his eyes at the two of them, either way suited him, but he awaited the decision of lady Maira. Maira stood silent for a while in thought, & smiled again.

"Alright, sounds fair enough. Though at the very least, let me hand you something to better equipt yourselves with."

"Lady?" Theru was confused by her gesture. Haruss but silently sighed; he had secretly hoped for a horse to ease the journey he had gotten himself into.

"In case of danger," she explained. "& stop calling me 'lady' Maira."

He could see there was no point to argue; & the fact that mermaidens were tricksters who would soon drown one's self if they felt need of it, served only to think it may be best to be armed in preparation.

outside the town, Haruss fidgeted with the sword that he had received from Maira, while she carried out conversation with Theru. It was clear that Haruss had never actually wielded a sword for himself, except for the wooden ones that boys play fight with in their games.

"& how did you come about this quest, for an audience with the queen Demoria?" she asked as she walked beside him, holding close the reins of her stallion.

Theru looked up & tried to think of the simplest way to answer her. When he had found one, he looked back at her. "My mother, said she had once met the queen as a girl. She wanted me to do the same."

"So it was her dying wish?"

"Yes." Theru looked back to the sky, remembering his mother's eyes; the eyes she had gave him. He remembered her smiles & her tears, the way she was gracious about everything in life; whether it was letting some small animal pass her before she continued to walk, or listening to the stories the harbor men would tell her. He realized, that in every way she was a queen among people, & never sat well unless she was humble as a princess should be.

Haruss had fallen over from swinging around his sword, trying to figure how to use it. Theru & Maira looked back at him, though they never altered from continueing on. Haruss picked himself up & began to dust off his clothes when he had heard Theru call to him.

"Haruss, I'll show you how to use that when we get to camp."

He stopped what he was doing & looked up. "Right. Let's move on then." he sheathed his sword & picked up pace to catch up with them. In seeing this, Theru & Maira turned back to the road ahead, & walked in silence.

Camp was made not one hundred yards from where Theru & Haruss had rested before their chase across the valley. Haruss unsheathed his sword & again began to swing it about, while Theru placed down the fire wood for the night to come. Maira had seated herself & with a smile hide her chuckles as she watched Haruss.

"So how does one go about using this kind of thing?"

Theru dropped the last of the fire wood in its pile & turned to get up. He grabed Haruss's arm before it had swung into him. "You're going to cut some one's head off like that." he went for his own sword & unsheathed it. "Place your feet firm; like so." He placed his footing & held his sword so; & Harus followed. "Ready?" He swung gently & again. Haruss could barely keep up until he fell in a rhythm. They moved a bit faster, & Haruss was pushed back on his footing. "You can't always fall back Haruss, move forward. You have to be aggressive at this."

"Just how is it you know all this Theru?"

"Simple, I practiced with Crovaldi."

"The old knight?"

"Former knight. He Taught me since i was a boy to his dying day."

"But that was over three years ago."

"I know, but i still practice."

Neither man stopped in their practice as they spoke, & the metal banged of the other in a ringing sound as they did. It went on for a few minutes longer, before Haruss finally lost footing & fell. In good sportsmanship Theru extended his arm to help up his friend.

"I think I can get it now, Theru."

Maira stood. "Do you mind if I have a go?"

Theru bowed his head in silent acceptance, & Maira rushed to get off her cloak & unsheathe her sword. Theru kicked at the tip of his own sword & regain his posture.

"On your mark Maira."

They both stood their footing & breathed deep. "Mark," she said; & they began a duel of mid pace & heightening. They locked blades; in amazement Theru stared strait into her eyes as they smiled in her excitement of a spirited mach. He smiled himself & had it look as though it were an advanced child's play game. He pushed her off, & she came from behind; he turned & deflected her blade, leading her into a spin to which he jumped over. Back & forth they pushed each other, moving each other only an inch at a time. Theru spun & swiped low; Maira seemed ready for it & backed away only to move in again. It was only minutes long & moved at a fast pace, though within the duel, it seemed a lifetime & everything slowed for them. Alas, Theru too, lost footing & fell; Maira's blade tip was pointed at him, & they both breathed heavily. All in that moment stood still as they watched each other.

"A duel well played, lady," Theru said. "I yield."

Maira pulled her blade away & allowed him to stand. Haruss jumped up from where he sat with applause; he smiled wide in awe of them.

"A brilliant duel!" he called. "Wonderful from beginning to the end!"

Maira looked back at him & hid her blush of his complements. When Theru had stood himself up entirely he watched the huntress dressed lady of the land before he spoke again.

"How does a daughter of a high family come to know how to be so skilled in the way of the sword?" He asked her in all his amazement & eagerly awaited her answer.

"I too, learned from knights of old who grew fond of me as a child of their own. My uncle especially, from my father's side. His wife had died in child birth & the baby with it, so he took to me like a father."

Theru watched her a bit more, his eyes turning a bit sad by her story.

"Whatever the reason, I am certainly glad you are on our side rather than against us," Haruss said in an almost teasing manner. "Now if niether of you mind, I'll take my rest."

Maira nodded & retrieved her cloak to take rest in herself. Theru took his time to go back to the camp fire & did so, lost in his own thoughts. The chill of the night's breeze did not even wake him from it.