Chapter 14: When I First Saw You, I Thought You Were Handsome. Then, of course, You Spoke

The Bazhir had been left behind two days before and Sathandra was sick and tired of walking. Well, sure they got to tag along and ride at the back of some wagons from time to time. But so far their luck seemed rotten. Not one of those caravans had been heading towards Westlake and so they had been forced to go on foot for most of the way. Constant jogger or no, Sathandra missed her beloved Benz. Why didn't these people have better transportation systems? They had magic, for Pete's sake. Why couldn't they have subways or cars then?

"Dad?" Sathandra panted a she trudged on beside her father. Her feet hurt and she could almost swear her knees had lost feeling several kilometers ago.

"Yes, lass?" James hadn't even broken into a sweat. Sathandra felt like she had rolled in the dirt somewhere. She needed a bath—desperately. She glared at her father.

"I hate you."

"Oh, I hate you too, sweetheart." James smiled in amusement. Sathandra only glared harder. "Don't scrunch your face up so much; you'll get wrinkles early and who'd want to marry you then?"

"No, I mean I really hate you, Dad."

"Yes, I hate you too."

"Aww…forget it."

It really looked like James was getting the better end of the father-daughter thing. He really seemed to enjoy having a daughter to tease, but somehow forgot about the spoiling part. Instead, Sathandra had to get dragged along on his insane quest for peace and justice.

"Dad, I hate you."

James laughed. "I think I'd believe you more if you didn't say that every few minutes since we left that last merchant caravan."

Sathandra tried to cross her arms as she grumbled unfortunately she lost her balance and would have gone hurtling into the dirt if James hadn't caught her arm. Sathandra could feel that rare blush on her skin as she righted herself. James who had only been chuckling quietly before that was now doubled up from laughing so hard. There were actual tears in his eyes.

Sathandra exploded. "That's it. I am disowning you!" She pointed a menacing finger at her father. "You are disowned. Disowned!"

James tried to stop laughing and was partially successful. "Oh, come now sweetheart. You just remind me so much of your mother. You're just as funny as her. You even look like her when you scowl. I just couldn't help it. Had to see if you would react the same way if I poked you here and needled you there…."

Sathandra sighed. She'd thought as much. "Dad, I am not Mom. You are supposed to spoil me rotten not drag me from the desert to the tundra."

"We're not headed to the tundra. Westlake is situated in a great valley. It's green…and colorful."

"It's not working. You are still not forgiven." Sathandra pouted.

James sighed. "What I would give to have been able to see you grow up." He got misty-eyed.

"Dad," Sathandra warned, "not helping. Besides, I thought you Shang warriors were supposed to be tough guys. No crying for you."

"Ah, but that's what we'd like people to think. They wouldn't listen so well if they thought we were actually human. Most people don't even remember that a lot of Shang actually get married and have children."

"That explains a lot. You know, when you walk by it's almost like watching a TV episode where the jock passes through the high school corridor and the crowds part in front of him."

James looked at her blankly. "Uh, nevermind. It's one of those other world things. Maybe when we have a lot of time to sit down and talk, I can tell you all about it. I think you'd find it fascinating."

"I think I'd like that. You know, you really are very much like your mother. But much more clueless about this world and more in touch with that other one."

"I know right. And I'm supposed to be some savior and such. Go figure. The gods always have to pick the person who seems worst for the job."

"That's not true. Your swordsmanship is amazing in its progress. Your form is very good. You know it's hard to find people who are naturals; you're one of those rare things."

"Oh, thank you. I now feel like one of those specimens under study. And you're just trying to get on my good side again. What happened to—and I quote: 'You call that a swing? It looks more like you're swatting flies!' Hm?"

"I was goading you. You hit like a girl."

"Well, excuse me. But I happen to be one."

"I know that. But I also know that you can do better. Your mother was terrible at swordplay. From the very moment she put her hand on a sword, everyone knew that she was more likely to chop off the head of an ally in a fight. Of course, there are some of those who aren't naturals but learn to be so good that no one can tell the difference. The Lioness is one of those. Also, many who study the fighting arts will argue that because naturals are, well, naturals, they don't try as hard as those who aren't to excel. And that's where your training comes in. Now don't let it get to your head that just because you were born good at the sword, you don't need to work just as hard as those less fortunate in that respect. You need to work harder so that people can't complain that you beat them 'cause the gods granted you a boon. You understand?"

"Um, yeah ok. I guess…."

James shook his head and chuckled. "Is it all the strange air in that place you come from? Because I think the words yes and no have been removed from your vocabulary."

"You know, Dad. It's strange how you speak so proper. Like a noble."

"I have a gift for mimicry."

"No, I think it's more than that. So they have like speech coaches in the Shang?"

"Er—no. They don't. But I liked visiting the library there. They have some of the oldest records known to man. Some I think are old enough that they weren't even written by men."

"Um okay. But reading doesn't necessarily make you speak better."

"True. It just makes your mind more open to influences like those people from the University or nobles who speak proper-like."

"Is proper-like a word?"

"I just used it, didn't I?"

"Hey, don't change the subject! You were saying something about the University? What's the University?"

"The University I'm talking about is the one in Tortall. There's also one in Carthak which was also the original one. It's where a lot of scholars gather together and study things like old texts and the Gifted learn the limits of magic and things like that."

"Ah, so it's like one of our universities back home. But are all the people there Gifted?"

"Most of them, yes. There are some exceptions, like those with Wild Magic or other ambient Magics."

"So it's all people with magic."

"Yes, I think so."

"How'd you fall in with some of them then?"

"We Shang travel a lot and apparently so do some mages. They do research. So we met on one of my travels. I think it was in the mountains of Galla. They apparently took a liking to me, probably because they thought I didn't look as dangerous as other Shang."

"Well, you do look nice, Dad."

"Thank you, my dear, for trying to flatter your aging father."

"No it's true. And you're not exactly old. Or old-looking…Wait, just how old are you?"

James smiled, "Older than a lot of Shang live to be. I think I have quite a few gods betting on me so they're keeping me alive at the moment."

But it really was true. If James Fireclaw had been in Hollywood he would have been classified as one of the world's hottest men. And he and Kat, her mother, would be like one of Hollywood's most beautiful couples. He had dark brown hair—a shade slightly darker than hers—the trademark Sathandra tan that people hailed as golden skin (apparently she got it from her dad), and the face of Adonis. Not to mention he was built from all that training and fighting. So yeah. He looked nice. Boy, was that ever an understatement.

Now that she thought about it, they probably looked like some film stars in one of those surviving-in-the-wilderness movies where they're chased by mobsters, wild animals, and other kinds of shit until finally they reach paradise and tada! Happy ending. Of course, no one actually believes that shit, but still they pay millions just to see Brad and Angie doing just that or was that Jurassic Park. Oh god…s, she really needed a life!