Disclaimer: I'm not Tamora Pierce and thus I own nothing from the Tortall universe. The only things that are mine are my characters and my story. Thanks for reading =P.
The smell of blood, sweat, and medicine were the first to grace Zareth's senses. Then followed the sounds of death, from the mouths of wounded and dying men; accompanied by the ever present whisper of a healers incantation. Zareth stayed still, keeping his eyes closed, while allowing his body to rose from its magic induced slumber. As his body came awake so did his mind. The healing ward then. Seems like not only have I survived my ordeal but my accommodations have been significantly improved. He waited what seemed like hours until the sounds of healing were gone, and had been for a long time, before opening his eyes.
Surveying the his surroundings Zareth saw that he was indeed in the healing ward within Laden's Peak and was currently occupying the last bed in the room, right next to a window which presented a view of the courtyard. Slowly rising from his bed Zareth went through a mental checklist assuring that he was physically fit and healthy. After satisfying his expectations Zareth moved towards the infirmaries doors, but stopped just as quickly as he started.
Zareth froze in place, not moving a muscle, and stared at the light that was coming from beneath the door. There! A shadow moved, as if shifting his weight, and Zareth smiled to himself. Ha! That Lioness has left guards for me! She is one not to be underestimated.
Moving silently Zareth retreated from the door and slowly moved back to his bed. Without much thought he proceeded to look out the window and a smile touched his face at what he saw. Ohh this will indeed be a fun endeavor. Were his last thoughts as he opened the window and slipped out onto the roof and into a downpour.
The raindrop was frozen in time. Crystallized into a perfect sphere it seemed to hang in the abyss, invisible forces compelling it to fight its very nature and halt its heavenly plunge toward the land below. Alanna zeroed in on the image, her violet eyes etching every detail and character of that single raindrop into her mind, as the millions of others cascaded around her. She studied it as her blade almost seamlessly split that tiny peace of perfection into two halves and noted how the water erupted into chaos as it was obliterated by her steel.
Up, down, left, right. Halt, jump, lunge, somersault. Duck, dodge, parry, attack. Counter, defend, feint, repeat. Alanna's sword was her partner in this chaotic dance, matching her every move, acting as one but independent at the same time. The dance of battle was one Alanna knew personally and had for many years, and thus her movements flickered between grace and lethality blending the two into something new, something that defined Alanna to her core.
It was at this time, between extreme mental focus and physical strain that Alanna could retreat into herself and meditate upon her inner thoughts. Zareth has been unconscious for 4 days now and has yet to stir. It can't be much longer before he awakens, the Gift I used to put him to sleep wore off days ago. He must have been more exhausted than he let on.
Finishing a particularly difficult series of moves, Alanna paused in her exercise to wipe the rain and seat from her brow. Squinting threw the rain she looked towards the medical ward, but couldn't make out anything threw the heavy rain. Sighing she stretched before doing a backhand spring into a back flip and renewed her routine with vigor.
The minute he wakes up I'll have to ask him about the clearing. No single man could have done what I saw that night, and live at that! Yet as Alanna's movements quickened and quickened and her breath became shorter and shorter another thought began to wander through her troubled mind. And if he truly did kill all those men then why am I still alive, why didn't he kill me when he obviously could? As Alanna thought this she finished her exercise and was surprised when she sensed a presence behind her.
Quickly spinning around, both her voice and sword acted as one as she brought steel to Zareth's throat and asked to his smiling face, arms stretched up in the air in mock surrender, "Two questions. Why are you out of your bed? And why did you think it was a good idea to sneak up on a warrior in the middle of a rainstorm while she was focused on training?"
Zareth's smile widened as he slowly lowered his hands and used one to push Alanna's sword from his neck. "Two questions shall receive two answers. Firstly I woke up and was surprised to see that I didn't have a beautiful nurse pampering me and caring for my wounds." Alanna's snort interrupted Zareth and put a mock scowl on his face. "Well you may think its funny, but I was hurt. And I was sore when I woke up so I though I might take a stroll. Unfortunately a few guards stopped me from taking a normal route so I improvised." Zareth said with a smile as he pointed at the medical ward.
Alanna followed his gaze and had to squint through the rain before making at what he was pointing at. "Ah. So you used the window?" Zareth nodded knowingly before adding, "Yes and it was quite a challenge in the rain. Almost slipped and broke my neck."
"Well that answers one question. Only one remains." Alanna said as she wiped of her sword and sheathed.
The mischievous grin on Zareth's face immediately made Alanna uneasy and his answer didn't help. "Well I saw you practicing in the courtyard and though that the best way to recover was to exercise." Zareth said coyly as he looked Alanna in the eye.
"Are you asking me to spare with you Snowson?" Alanna asked as she walked over the forge to get out of the rain.
"It would please me Lioness." Zareth replied as he followed her and took a seat near the forge, rubbing his hands near the fire to warm them.
Hmm. If what I have seen in the clearing isn't proof enough that this man is dangerous then I should definitely not put a sword in his hands. Yet although Alanna thought these words something else was telling her otherwise. Something that could only be described as primal was urging her to cross swords with him again. Damn it all to the Peaceful Realms! Alanna thought as she rose and walked over to a wrack of weapons. Looking through it Alanna searched for something before she stopped and drew out two objects.
Zareth stared at the two wooden practice swords in the Lioness' hands and didn't say anything as she walked back into the rain. He just stood and followed her and caught a practice sword when she threw it at him.
Alanna stood in the rain and stared at Zareth for what seemed to be hours before simply saying. "I'm sorry Zareth, but I do not trust you enough to give you back your sword back." Zareth nodded at this in understanding and opened his mouth to speak, but Alanna silenced him by raising her hand. "I saw the clearing Zareth. I saw the bodies. And it was me who destroyed the curse that was placed on your body by the Scannran mages. Everything that you have told me has been truth. When I say that I do not trust you I do not mean that I don't trust your words, for they have all been true in the time I have know you." At this Alanna raised her wooden sword slightly and started to circle Zareth.
"I say that I do not trust you enough to give you back your sword back because I fear that if I fight you with a sword then blood will be shed. Not perhaps because of malice, but because we are warriors and that is our nature." When she had stopped talking Alanna had fully circled Zareth and was once again directly in front of him. Looking him straight in his eyes Alanna studied Zareth for what could have only been seconds but seemed like years. Then see some hidden signal Alanna suddenly threw the entirety of her being into her sword and lunged at Zareth.
Once again Alanna only had the time to see the slightest of smiles touch Zareth's lips before their swords clashed in midair. Then almost immediately Alanna lost grip of her mind and all that was left was the pulse and rhythm of battle. The two danced with each other, exchanging blows, trading hits, seeking the others destruction; yet at the same time each supported the other, forever balancing between defeat and victory where one mistake was all it took.
As the dance wore on the steps became quicker and quicker, and each dancer began moving at inhuman speed; trying to both keep up with and annihilate their partner at the same time. Yet in all this chaos and among the dance of battle a thought began to poison Alanna's mind. Zareth is much more skilled than I.
This single thought didn't take long to weaken the mind of the Lioness. And with her mind her arms grew heavy and her feet turned into lead. Her breathing became labored and her steps less and less graceful. Soon she had given up the task of annihilating Zareth and was forcing everything she had into keeping up with her partner in the midst of their dance among swords. Yet Alanna knew that once one gives up trying to destroy their partner in this dance among blades then there is not much hope left for them.
And as soon as that poisoned thought had crossed her mind it seemed like the Lioness had been staring at her sword leaving her hands, as Zareth twisted it out, for an eternity. Yet the eternity suddenly became very short as a wooden practice sword smacked her in the chin, bathing her world almost instantly in black.
Zareth brought his wooden practice sword across the Lioness' chin with about 20% of his full power, but still flinched when he heard the wet smack of wood against skin and saw Alanna's eyes role into the back of her head. Then with the same quickness he had delivered the blow, Zareth sprung forward and caught the Lioness before she face planted into the mud beneath her. Then as gently as possible he carried her to the medical ward and, ignoring the perplexed look of the guards at seeing the person they were supposed to be guarding carrying their unconscious leader to a healer, placed her on his previously occupied bed.
Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated in a loooong time, but hey here's a huge friggin chapter for ya so eat it up. Oh yeah PLEASE REVIEW IT INSPIRES ME TO WRITE. ONE DUDE REVIEWED MY STORY AND THAT INSPIRED THIS WHOLE CHAPTER. SO YA…. REVIEW! Thxs =)