Disclaimers: Same thing that everyone else says applies here. Language, Violence, Naughty Bits, blah blah blah.

Chapter 21

The Reverend Judge's voice rang out clearly, silencing the chatter in the stands. "What takes place in the field here today shall resolve the crime of the razing of the village of Ember and the death of its people. Is the accuser or her champion here?"

Lorne stepped forward, closer to the center of the area. "I am here."

"Is the accused or her champion here?"

I lifted my blade in a warrior's salute.

"We call upon Tyr to help us settle this matter. Tyr's judgment shall come forth - through blade and strength, through balance... and resolve."

The judge stepped back and Lord Nasher motioned for the fight to begin. I glanced into the bright blue sky and then grinned at Lorne. "Well, if one of us is going to die, at least it's a nice day."

He glared and brandished his weapon, trying to make me make the first move. Still I smiled. "You really should have visited you mother more often. She was always worried about you. Now I see why, you look like you could use a bit of mothering."

His face darkened in anger and his grip on his falchion tightened.

"Tell me Lorne Starling, was being a slave to Garius that much more fulfilling than having a home and family who loved you?"

Make him angrier… Bishop, I certainly hope your advice was right.

His anger darkened face twisted into a savage snarl. "I'm going to carve my name in your hide while you still breathe."

I glanced around as covertly as possible, looking for the best possible place to fight him.

"Really? Can you spell it? Here, let me help. It's L.O.R.N…"

With a bellow he charged me, swinging his huge sword. His anger made him lose his firm footing and as soon as he was close enough, I sidestepped and gave him a little push in the direction of his charge.

Oops, maybe a bit too angry.

The crowd roared as he fell to his face in the dirt, his arms and legs scrambling to find purchase.

"Come on Lorne," I called, "we're both Harbormen. We could call it a draw and go on with our lives. You could go see your mother and me, well… I could go take a bath or something."

He got to his feet, face flaming from rage and embarrassment. Rushing me again, I spun out of his reach. He swung wildly with his falchion again, the sharp edge looking to bury itself in my flesh.

"Last chance Lorne," I warned.

"I'm going to kill you just like I killed those idiots in Ember. You'll be on your knees begging for death before I'm done with you."

Clucking my tongue at him, I shook my head. "What is it with people wanting to see me beg? I'll tell you the same thing I told them; I've never been good at begging, so do you want to give me another option? That one really doesn't work for me."

By now the crowd was silent; anxiously trying to hear what was being said. He moved again, rage making him clumsy. I landed the first blow, pinking his arm with a well aimed strike.

"Well Lorne, it looks like you just filled your dance card."

******

Air! Air is good. Lungs, work with me here!

This battle was going on far longer than it should have. We each sported multiple cuts, but nothing large enough to slow either of us down. For the giant bull he resembled, he was actually a well trained fighter. Each hit on him only managed to make him angrier, make his attacks that much more wild.

Chest heaving from exertion and the quickly approaching exhaustion, I tried a different tactic. Instead of dancing out of the way of his next swipe, I closed in on him, thrusting my danger deep through the shoulder joint in his armor. The blade flared to life in my hand and suddenly I wasn't quite as tired as I was before. In fact, I felt more renewed with each pleasant pulse against my palm.

Oh Bishop, you clever, clever bastard.

I made a mistake. So focused was I on sensations of the blade, I didn't notice the huge ham hock of a fist heading toward the side of my skull till I was sprawled on the ground, dazed.

Stupid girl! Pay attention! Daeghun would have my hide if he saw that.

As I got up from the ground, I watched Lorne rip my dagger from his shoulder and toss it far to the side.

And so I'm down to one.

At least now I knew how to release the enchantments. A mere scratch wouldn't do; no, the blades needed to bite deep to unleash their power.

Very fitting ranger.

As Lorne approached me again, I rose to my feet and managed to take a look at him. For as much as I felt better, he looked worse. His face was paling and his movements no long had quite the same force behind them.

I parried an attack just a moment to late, taking a deep cut on my arm. For all the swinging he had been doing, my leather armor protected me from the worst of it. We both bled from multiple wounds but it seemed as though he had the worst of it. I wouldn't be able to actually evaluate the damage until afterwards though, if I survived.

Seeing an opening I switched the blade to the uninjured side and shoved my remaining dagger into his unprotected sword arm, desperately aiming for tendons or muscles.

My strike wasn't true, but the bold of electricity that coursed through his body did the same job. His bloodied falchion dropped from limp fingers, leaving him weaponless but not defenseless. Roaring like an enraged animal he flailed, trying to dislodge the blade and stop the shocks that were making his muscles twitch and jump.

He got free of the magic quicker than I expected and next thing I knew was me being slammed against the arena wall. My head struck the stone sharply sending spots instantly into my vision. I dropped were I stood, crumpling to the ground.

I tried to regain my wits. Any weakness now would most certainly land me in a six foot hole. Trying to shake my head to clear my vision, I had to bite back a wave of nausea.

I heard Lorne's roar and watched him charge me weaponless, intent on killing me with his bare hands. Pretending I was still injured, (Pretending? HA) I grasped at my boot for the one option left to me.

Lorne reached down, grasping my neck in his huge fist and I let him. For me to have any chance to win this fight I needed him to be close. Lifting me from my feet, his fingers tightened on my windpipe. I struggled halfheartedly, trying to save my strength for what I needed to do. When the dots started to form in front of my eyes, I knew it was time to move. Focusing everything I had, I brought up the knife and thrust it into his ear.

The blade was strong, made for the skinning and cleaning of animals. Luckily, Lorne was no better than one. After the bone gave, the blade sank deep and still Lorne didn't release me. His eyes were wide but if anything, his fingers tightened reflexively. Fighting back the darkness that threatened to take me and the screaming agony in my lungs, I desperately twisted Bishop's hunting knife, hearing the wet squelch as I rotated it in his brain. With a last hard twist, the hilt broke off in my hand.

The beast still stood. Does this lummox not have a brain in that thick skull? It was too late for me though, my best just hadn't good enough. I stepped away from myself, watching my struggles quickly weaken. As they stopped completely, everything went black.

As I crumpled to the ground, my last thought was of him.

You win ranger.

******

I must have only been out moments because when I came to, the pounding feet still hadn't reached me. The next thing I noticed was something warm and heavy crushing my chest. I pried an eye open and suddenly wished I hadn't.

Lorne's still was body had fallen onto mine, landing on me as if he was a lover. His head rested on the side of my neck and when I glanced down, the remains of the blade glinted cheerfully out the side of his skull.

Blood and thicker things masked the side of his head, but luckily for me, it no longer pulsed with his heart. I had to swallow the bile that rose bitterly in my throat. The crushing weight was suddenly lifted off and Lorne's body was thrown unceremoniously to the side. In the process though, a grey chunk slid off his face to slowly trace a wet path down my neck. I lost it.

Rolling quickly to my knees I displayed the contents of my stomach for all to see. My body shuddered with each racking heave until finally I dropped to the side, exhausted.

I laid in the dirt, trying not to focus on the milling sets of legs around me. All the movement made me feel as though I would be ill again. A gentle hand pushed at my shoulder, rolling me to my back.

A vaguely familiar face entered my field of vision. "Lady Kathrynn, how do you feel?"

Numb, I stared at the older man's face above me. After swallowing a few times I was able to croak past my burning throat. "I have a man's brain on my skin. How do you think I feel?"

His kindly face smiled slightly. "I was referring to you physical self, not your mental self."

"Oh… Like I want a bath… And a nap."

"You can not fall asleep I'm afraid my lady, you have sustained a nasty head injury. Until we are certain how much damage was done, you will not be able to take your nap."

I tried to glare in the man's general direction. "I remember you now. You're Nasher's physician. Well, let me tell you something sir, after all that I have been through recently, if I want a nap, I'm damn well taking a nap."

"You most certainly damn well will not."

I blinked then managed a small laugh. "I like you Doc, a lot better than Nasher's other toadies. You actually have your balls still connected."

I hear snickers all around and rolled my head to see several guardsmen standing about me, trying hard to keep straight faces.

I noticed two of the doctor's assistants coming to us carrying a stretcher between them. I glared at it distastefully.

Trying for what was supposed to be a charming smile, but more than likely just came off as lopsided, I grinned at the guards. "I don't suppose any of you handsome gentlemen would assist a lady to her feet? I would prefer to walk from the field of battle, not be carried from it."

The doctor looked doubtful. "I don't think that's wise."

I pouted at him cutely. Or at least tried to. It was hard to be cute when you're covered in blood and bits of a body. He gave a resigned sigh and motioned two men forward to lift me to my feet.

The world swam but at least I was standing.

The day is starting to look up.

Once the land and air settled back into their normal places, I glanced around for my companions. They all still stood where they were at the beginning with one large difference. Casavir, Shandra, and Khelgar were all being physically restrained by the guards. I looked more closely and saw out of all of them; it was actually Shandra that the guards were having the hardest time holding on to.

I chucked to myself before wincing. I wish someone would give me a list of things not to do when you have a head injury. Even laughing makes it pound.

To one of the guards holding me up, I made a vague gestured vaguely to my friends. "What's with them?"

The guard smiled slightly. "It seems you command quite a bit of loyalty from your companions. When that Luskan dog first slammed you into the wall, all of them attempted to jump the railing. I never thought I would see a man in full plate armor try to vault an eight foot wall."

I managed to snort without injuring myself and let them lead me over to the booth where Nasher sat high above me. Torio sat in the box with him, but by now she was surrounded by Neverwinter guards.

Nasher stood from his seat and the crowd instantly went silent.

"Justice has been served. My judgment passed at the trial shall now take effect, as was intended. The Arcane Brotherhood of Luskan is to leave the city of Neverwinter within three days time, and they are not to be permitted within our walls again, by royal decree. The possessions of the champion of the Luskan ambassador, Lorne, are to become the property of the accused."

Wonderful. Ugh.

He turned to me, a pleased look in his eyes even though his face retained its noble expression. "To the accused - I believe you are in need of a well-deserved rest. Please return to the Sunken Flagon - that is a command from your Lord, soldier of Neverwinter."

My head began pounding from the roar of the crowd. Leaning on the guard I spoke to earlier I whispered, "Get me out of here before I fall on my face in front of everyone if you please."

He nodded firmly and with a small gesture all the soldiers fell into to rank behind me, an honor guard that somehow managed to make it look as though they were following out of respect, and not for the purpose of keeping me on my feet.

Life was good.