Chapter 7:

When I had a chance to think about my challenge to Dante, I was a little worried too. I knew less about Dante's fighting style than I did Xaedes's fighting style. Dante walked passed me and took his stance in the center of the field. I took a deep breath to steady myself and faced off with him.

There were a few things I could expect from Dante. One: Dante and Xaedes had trained together for several years so naturally, their fighting styles would be similar. Two: Dante carried one lighter, thinner blade. I had to assume Dante wasn't going to be a lumbering giant like my brother.

I was hoping my speed and agility would still give me an edge. I wasn't so lucky this time around. Dante charged me. Time slowed, but not as much as it had when Xeades and I sparred. I didn't have the time I wanted to counter his movements. I realized just how much quicker Dante was when his blade put a nice gash in my left shoulder.

The wound did not stop me. His eyes darted to the blood trickling down my arm and he paused. His hesitation gave me the opportunity to get the upper hand. There was a familiarity about his fighting style that made it different from Xaedes's. However, Dante still had the same habit of over extending his swing, knocking him off balance.

I kept him back for a few more swings of his blade. Dante came at me with a straight thrust of his sword, over extending his weight to his front right foot. I used my sword to bat his sword to the right, further knocking him off balance and causing him to fall forward. I darted to the opposite side of him. I used our combined momentum to plant a knee in his stomach.

Dante toppled to the ground coughing. I stood over him and dropped my sword at his side, "Satisfied yet?"

Dante glared at me while clutching his stomach, but he didn't say anything. I left him groaning on the field and walked back over to Xaedes and Marious, "Are we done measuring now?" they both were in a mild stupor, but they had the good sense to nod at me.

"Good… If anyone needs me I will be at the archery range," I grabbed my bow and quiver of arrows. As I started to walk towards the archery range, a sharp pain reminded me of the gash in my shoulder. I stopped and started to tend to the wound.

Dante had gotten up and joined the whispering Xaedes and Marious. The talked in hushed tones among themselves and caused my nerves to become even more frayed.

I had set down my bow and I was tying off the bandage on my arm when I noticed I had three scowling men standing over me. I took a step away from them and glared back at them defensively. Xaedes shook his head and allowed his lip to curl back into his smug grin. Marious beamed with pride. Dante seemed to be the only one to keep his scowl.

"Well I think you've surprised us all George," Marious slapped me on the back. I stumbled forward a step.

"I think you got lucky," Dante grumbled.

Xaedes placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. There was a twinge of pain and I flinched. Xaedes let out a snort, "Don't move so much or I'll make sure you end up with a scar."

I had to smirk, "Thanks brother."

The whole time, Dante's eye bore into me. Something about that look from him hurt me deep down. I had to get away from that look. Xaedes finished healing my shoulder; then he and Marious went off to find the last member of our group. I reached for my bow and looked towards Dante. He had turned to walk off in a huff. "Good," I thought. I didn't need the distraction

I set up at the end of the archery range in the firing pavilion. I was glad to be the only one there. It was that much easier to think. I just wasn't sure what it was I needed to contemplate. Archery is a mindless activity to me, so I let all my thoughts and stresses slip away from me.

I focused on each movement of the art. Setting the arrow on the string; placing my bow hand on the grip; setting the shaft of the arrow in the self; drawing the string while inhaling deeply; touching my chin to anchor the shot; taking another breath as I aim the shot; and finally releasing the string as I exhale.

I don't know how many arrows I actually shot, nor do I know how long Dante was watching. It didn't really matter to me. I was intentionally ignoring him. I was retrieving my spent arrows when he finally spoke.

"I'm still not convinced," he grumbled as I past him.

"Fine, don't be convinced. Believe what you want," I kept picking up the rest of the arrows and returned to the firing pavilion. To my chagrin, Dante followed me. I tried to keep my mind on practicing, but it wasn't working. I felt a cold shiver travel my spine when he walked up behind me.

"What do you want now?" I growled at him.

"I thought we could just talk," Dante crossed his arms and leaned up against the wall.

I was sorting through the arrows and avoiding eye contact, "What's there to talk about?"

"Old times perhaps? Your father? Why you like being a boy?" he chuckled.

"I don't want to talk. I want you to go away and leave me alone," I continued to futz with the arrows. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing.

"OW! DAMN IT!" I spun around holding my hand in pain. I had gotten a splinter, or three, and managed to slice my hand on one of the arrow heads at the same time. It was not turning out to be a good day.

I was concentrating on the pain in my hand and still avoiding Dante as much as possible. I stood there trying to look over the damage. I leaned up against the ledge of the firing pavilion, and watched as the blood began to ooze from the gash in my hand.

"Here, let me take a look," Dante grabbed my hand. I let him take my hand, but turned away so I would not have to look directly at him. I felt my hand being pulled this way and that. I felt him remove the splinters from the wound and I flinched with each splinter. Then I felt that twinge of pain fade, like my shoulder had earlier.

"There. Good as new," Dante whispered.

"Thank you. Now please go away," I jerked my hand out of his. Dante grabbed my wrist and I finally lifted my eyes to meet his.

"Finally you look at me. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me," Dante smiled and my heart fluttered. I knew if I looked at him that would happen.

I tried to remove my wrist from his grasp, "I am avoiding you. That would be the reason I keep asking you to go away."

He let go of my wrist, "You really want me to go away?"

"YES!"

"Make me," he gave me a mischievous grin.

I closed my eyes and took a long deep breath, "Fine. If you won't go away, I will," I opened my eyes and glared at him for a split second. I turned to pick up my bow and quiver, but he spun me back around.

"Please don't turn away from me." Dante looked almost desperate.

"Why not, it's what you did to me," I don't know where it came from. I don't even know why I said it.

"You remember," he was shocked.

I shrugged out of his grasp and turned around to grab my gear, "I remember you leaving, but that's all I remember."

"What else do you remember Lake?" Dante reached out his hand to touch my face. I flinched away from him as started to run away.

I had to run again. I had to get away from these feelings of hurt and betrayal. Tears were threatening to burst forth and they could be heard in my very shaky voice, "That it hurt to watch you leave," I whispered to myself as I ran. I didn't look back at him. I ran the entire way back to my room at the Inn. I kept the tears in check until I locked the door behind me.

I flopped on the bed and started to sob. I think I was crying for several reasons. I was angry at myself for breaking the façade. I felt hurt and betrayed for no apparent reason. And I felt so alone. I didn't know what "it" was that Dante wanted me to remember. I didn't understand why it was so important to him.

I curled up on the bed and before I knew it, I was asleep. It was a nice restful sleep that came with being exhausted. I woke up a little later to Laura gently nudging my shoulder.

"Lake, wake up and eat for me, please?" Laura smiled at me.

I sat up and rubbed my sleep crusted eyes, "What time is it?"

"Oh, mid afternoon sometime," she smiled.

I started to munch on the large turkey leg she had brought me, "Anything happen while I was asleep?"

"Plenty," she grinned, "You seem to be very popular. Your brother came by to inform you that you would be in Castletown a few extra days. It seems that there was a problem with one of your companions. He didn't give me all the details. Then as Xaedes was leaving, Lord Dante came by asking about you which earned a glare from Xaedes. They traded insults with each other then left."

"Really, I hope Xaedes punched him a lot," I said through a mouth full of turkey.

"Lake, now really… Then Lord Marious also came by asking about you, making sure you had everything you needed. I told him you were fine, but resting."

"I fine people. Really, I was just more tired than I thought I was."

"Yes and the stream of tears that trailed behind you as you ran means you're fine," she crossed her arms and glared at me.

I looked away from her, "It's complicated."

"Everything with you is complicated and being in love with Lord Dante doesn't help matters," she said mater of fact.

"What?" I turned white.

"You're in love with Lord Dante."

"I AM NOT!"

"Not that I blame you. He is one of the most handsome men around and he's available," she winked at me.

"I don't care that he's available. I don't love him. I don't even like him," I lied. I was confused about my feelings for him. I didn't know how I felt about him, and here Laura was accusing me of loving him. I took deep breath to clam my nerves.

"Good. If you don't like him, tonight will be much easier," she smiled.

"Tonight? What's tonight?" there was a pang of foreboding in my stomach.

"We are going out to the Pink Dragon tonight, remember. I have already given George's excuses as to why he will not be at dinner. Xaedes seemed to be the most easily fooled. Lord Marious wasn't thrilled, but accepted the excuse. Lord Dante, on the other hand, was not fooled at all."

"Great. One night, right. Just one night," I shook my head.

Laura smiled deviously, "Yes, one night."

I took a deep breath, "Bring on the doom."