It was finally quiet as Arielle pulled out a needle and a thin thread of gut from the saddlebags that they had brought into her chambers.
Eden had sent her army home. The prisoners were all taken to the dungeons and the throne room was being cleaned. Lillian escorted Arielle and Eden to the Lady Commander's chambers; a very large room with everything Arielle might need. The two friends slumped onto the thick fur rugs in front of the fireplace. They were tired, hurt, relieved, and anxious. Arielle sucked in a breath after Eden had taken off her chainmail vest and gambeson to expose the cut to her shoulder which was deeper than either one had thought. The warrior had set to sewing it up herself, but Arielle stopped her and told her that she wanted to do it. Eden only nodded.
"Lie still." Arielle said quietly as she ran the needle through the flame of a lit candle she put near the warrior's shoulder so that she could see better.
The bard had never done something like this before and Eden was hesitant to let her do it. But there was something in those green eyes that told the warrior that it was important to her. And the tension in Arielle relaxed when she saw belief in her reflected back in two sapphire pools.
Arielle carefully began to sew closed the deep cut that ran from the top of Eden's left shoulder and down her shoulder blade. She knew that Eden had put herself in a vulnerable position lying on the floor with the bard at her back. It was, she realized, one of those silent ways that Eden told her that she trusted her completely and the bard cherished it. And when she was finished, Arielle leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the spot that made Eden gently suck in a breath out of emotion.
Arielle put the needle aside and applied some healing salve to the stitched wound. And in the dancing light of the fire, Arielle paused to gaze at the lying warrior. She saw the angry wound she had sewn up, the battered knuckles with little bits of dried blood on them, and wondered what other wounds Eden had both outside and within. Arielle sighed at all the pain the warrior seemed to carry with her. One day, it will all just be a distant memory, my love.
"All done." Arielle said softly into Eden's ear, but received no response, "Eden?... Are you sleeping?"
"No..." came the slightly muffled response, "No, I'm awake."
The nearly frantic drive to find and rescue Arielle had now faded and Eden could feel the exhaustion and pain catching up with her. The bard's delicate touch was such a welcome relief, that she had almost forgotten what the bard was doing, sliding past the pain and into relaxing peace. Somewhat unwillingly, Eden sat back up, pulled on a new shirt Arielle handed her and then lay back down on her side as the bard lay down next to her on the fur rug, propping herself up on one elbow and resting her head in her palm.
"How are you feeling?" the bard asked quietly.
"Fine." Eden replied, turning her eyes slightly upwards to look at Arielle.
"As always." Arielle admonished gently.
"I like tradition." the warrior joked.
The bard laughed very lightly and their words died away for a moment as she gently tucked away a few strands of hair that had slid onto the warrior's cheek.
"Thank you for rescuing me." Arielle said after a moment, her face now a little somber, "As always."
"I'll always find you." Eden replied, reaching for Arielle's hand and taking it in her own.
The bard let the affection and devotion in those words flow over like like a gentle wave and then sink deep into her soul and bones. She realized that it was something she no longer only believed in, but simply knew and could rely on. There was no demon vile enough or prison hidden away enough to keep Arielle and Eden apart. Yet she never took for granted all the times Eden saved her, each one special to her and a sacrifice that she'd never forget.
"Where did you gather your army?" Arielle asked, remembering the line of spearmen standing shoulder to shoulder behind their leader, "How did you assemble it so fast?"
"Well, that army wasn't really an army." Eden explained slowly and quietly, her eyes scanning the room quickly as if she expected spies inside Arielle's chambers, "It was mostly the city guard of Tyre and some civilian volunteers in armor. I set them up in a formation to make them look like a large army."
"It was a trick?" the bard asked in surprise.
"And distraction... so I could find you."
"And what if it didn't work? What if I had given them the signal to attack?" Arielle asked with interest and then saw the slightest of shadows race across Eden's eyes and she found the answer to her own question, "If I had to use the signal then that would mean you were gone... and then all was lost."
A solemn air of what might have been covered them. Without a word, Eden outstretched her arm in silent invitation for the bard to shift nearer which Arielle did immediately. They both let out a sigh and just lay there close to each other, not needing to speak, but needing very much to simply be. The last few days had been rough on them and though they were together again, neither could do away with the impression they weren't necessarily completely safe.
A short time later, a loud knock at the door, startled the bard. She looked at Eden who gave her a faint nod, got up, walked over to the door, and slowly opened it.
"Yes?"
"Lady Commander." Lillian greeted, bowing slightly and then took a step to the side to introduce the woman beside her, "This is Innogen, your Weapons Master."
"Lady Commander." the Weapons Master greeted softly, bowing low.
"Oh." the bard replied, not knowing what else to say.
"Tomorrow, you'll be given a tour of our fortifications." Lillian explained slowly to the bard who looked like a lost child, "I'll also get you acquainted with our laws and so forth."
"Oh." Arielle repeated.
"We start in the morning. You are, of course, invited to the eating hall for breakfast."
Arielle now only nodded mutely, completely overwhelmed with everything Lillian was saying.
"Lady Commander, because of the recent unrest, I'd like to set up a guard right outside your door." Innogen suggested simply.
"Oh... I don't think-"
"You're not safe here by yourself." Innogen interrupted.
"I'm not by myself." Arielle answered, thinking that the Weapons Master simply didn't know Eden was there, "Eden is here with me."
A strange, strained expression abruptly crossed Innogen's face and Lillian eyed the two warily as if she expected an argument to erupt.
"You're not safe." Innogen repeated, "I really do insist a guard be placed here."
Lillian watched as the innocence Arielle's face slowly fade away, making room for a more mature determination mixed with a hint of annoyance. Lillian had seen what Eden could do and how she treated the bard, but was still hesitant to leave her completely stunned and innocent commander with the former raider.
"I don't need a guard. I'll be fine." Arielle said, her tone even, but stronger than before.
"I-" the Weapons Master started, talking a step forward.
"We'll see you tomorrow then. Good night." Lillian ended quickly, putting a hand on Innogen's shoulder, making her stop.
Arielle gave them a slightly nervous smile and closed the door.
"She's crazy." Innogen said quietly, turning around to face Lillian.
"She's new to us and confused. Give her a couple of days."
"We're commanded by a loon all over again." Innogen sighed warily as she turned and stomped off, leaving Lillian behind, compassionately shaking her head.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Arielle was startled to find Eden had been waiting behind the open door, dagger in hand, the entire time. She sheathed it when Arielle closed the door. The bard looked at her with a tired kind of amusement.
"Do you also think I need protection?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"From them. They're crazy." Eden answered, eyeing the door as if she thought they were going to burst through at any moment.
"Well, they think the same thing about you." the bard replied matter of factly.
Eden said nothing as they walked towards the large bed and sat on its edge.
"Why are you so suspicious of them?" Arielle finally asked, pouring them each some weak wine.
Eden seemed hesitant to answer the question and the bard realized that it had been a while since she had been wary of saying something. Arielle was interested to know what lay behind Eden's hesitancy, but she was also very patient and respected Eden enough to know that she would open up when she wanted to.
"They're religious fanatics." the warrior finally answered slowly, "They're obsessed with their so-called laws and strut around like divine perfection. All on the silly notion that they're chosen by God."
"You and I both know that God does have chosen ones." Arielle noted softly.
"Of course, but you don't see us running around converting everyone, do you? We don't preach or make people conform. We battle evil and that's all." Eden answered, the frustration noticeable in her voice.
"Maybe they have their own way of carrying out God's will?"
Eden fell into a pensive silence. Arielle had learned to differentiate between the times Eden pondered over the complexity of a situation and when it was rather over sharing something from within inside herself, something the bard knew was still quite difficult for her to do. And so Arielle waited until Eden let out a long breath.
"I... I once tried to join the Fiori. I had nowhere to turn to and decided to seek them out... I really did think that I might find peace here..." Eden slowly explained, "Instead it drew on my anger... Naila ruled the order then... Our dark sides understood each other well... We strove to outdo the Assassins and we grew by making fear our greatest weapon... For a moment, I was almost happy that I was making something grow and become powerful. And then one day I was given an order to eliminate a noble who somehow stood in our way... It turned out the noble was the only son of a wealthy merchant family who sympathized with the Fiori... with the son gone and father long dead, the wealth would fall on the only survivor- the lady of the manor who knew Naila well... Imagine my surprise when I crawled into the noble's room one night and discovered that he was only a boy of 12."
Eden took a long swallow, trying to rid her mouth of the bitterness that flooded it; a bitterness of being so selfishly used and of thinking that the bard was probably disgusted with her now.
"I left him alone and never returned to the Fiori. Naila fell into a rage over my supposed desertion and grew nearly obsessed with finding me and killing me... something that Shula seems to have taken over; she was Naila's greatest student... I'm sure most here remember me as that woman then... and they either hate me for how I changed the order or for how I left it..."
"But you're no longer that woman." the bard quietly noted finally.
"Not everyone sees things that way." Eden reminded.
"It doesn't matter what they see," she finally said with conviction, searching Eden's eyes for the doubt she wanted to drive away as she stroked her cheek softly, "I see more than all of them put together."
Eden smiled and looked down at the floor as she wrapped her hand around Arielle's.
"You probably do." she admitted rather shyly.
As quiet settled around them, they both noticed that once Eden would have snarled at Arielle for thinking well of her. And once Arielle would have rather leaned toward what everyone else thought. What a person could learn about themselves with a good friend by their side and death looming over their heads.
"I missed you." Arielle said quietly and she reached out with her other hand and pulled Eden closer to her.
Eden let out a long sigh and wrapped her strong arms around the bard, feeling her lean into her good shoulder.
"It was quiet without you."
Arielle let out a small, muffled laugh as she poked the warrior in the ribs gently. Their relief at being together again put them at a rare ease and they let themselves show more of their lighthearted nature, a nature Eden was surprised to have at all. They had also grown as used to their adventures as they could and their playfulness made the drama less dramatic and the pain less painful. Arielle hugged Eden as tightly as she dared; it felt so good to be near her best friend again, to laugh, to joke. There were so many times that they had almost lost so much that Arielle cherished all their time together to the utmost.
Secure in Eden's arms, Arielle felt safe enough to relax and let herself really feel all the things that had happened in the past few days. She could try to digest her new title, the attack on her in the dungeons, the death of Yasmine, a woman whom she hardly knew but had managed to change her life. Eden felt the bard shiver slightly and tightened her embrace. She had her own thinking to do: she fought the urge to slit Shula's throat for kidnapping Arielle and she wondered what the bard's new role would mean for the both of them. Soon Arielle told her of her talks with Shula, Yasmine's death and how she became lady commander of the Fiori. And just like she expected, Eden was both frustrated and proud of the bard for jumping into harm's way.
Arielle didn't know how much time had passed when she could no longer keep her eyes open and turned to wish Eden goodnight only to see she had already fallen asleep.
"You don't ever tell me how much you really hurt, do you?" she asked the sleeping warrior, gently combing her fingers through her dark hair.
The next morning there was a loud knock at the door and Eden opened it.
"Yes?"
Lillian was a little surprised to find anyone other than her commander there and hesitated for a moment, absently fiddling with the bundle she had in her hands. She still didn't know what to think of the full armed warrior standing before her; whether to accept her presence there as a friend or threat.
"You have your own room." she said feebly, but Eden gave no reply and only looked at her with intimidation.
"I came to wake Arielle." Lillian explained, "I brought her our traditional dress."
"She's sleeping." Eden replied shortly.
"What time is it?" they both heard from the grumbling bard who had already decided it was much too early to be doing anything other than sleeping.
"May I?" Lillian asked, finding herself only partly trying to assert her position, but mostly actually asking Eden for permission.
Eden could hear Arielle waking and turning around in the bed, trying to chase off the rest of the sleep in her body and she knew the blond would want to see Lillian. But she consciously stalled for a few moments, staring straight into Lillian's eyes, reminding her that the warrior was a force to be reckoned with. She could see Lillian almost lean away a little under her icy stare. But the warrior simply took a step back and motioned with a flick of her head that she could enter, hearing Lillian's sigh of relief.
Eden waited in the corner while Lillian quickly talked to the bard, gave her the packet, and promptly left. Arielle spread the clothes out over the bed. There was a shirt and over that a long sleeved tunic with a hood. It reached the bard's hips with two wide strips continuing down to around knee height, one in front and one in back. Her pants were loose fitting, tied at the waist with a belt that was covered with a wide sash. Everything was in the same light, sandy tone except for the edges of the tunic which were finished with a darker sandstone hem which was the same color as the sash.
Arielle looked over in the corner to call Eden over and saw a blanket in disarray on one of the large chairs.
"But you fell asleep next to me." Arielle mentioned in confusion.
"And I get up earlier than you do."
"But why did you... oh... religious fanatics?" Arielle ventured and Eden nodded.
Eden turned and began to fold the blanket when Arielle let out a loud sigh. She was already growing slightly annoyed with the feeling that although she now lead the order, she felt almost as much its prisoner as she had down in the dungeons. The bard walked up to Eden and wrapped her arms around the warrior's waist from behind, resting her forehead on Eden's good shoulder.
"I really don't feel like we're in danger here." Arielle admitted quietly.
"True..." Eden agreed, turning her head to the side to see the bard, "but I don't feel like we're really safe here either."
Lillian showed Arielle around the entire fortifications, rather unwillingly allowing for the brooding warrior to follow a little behind. The whole complex was so much bigger than anyone would have ever guessed from looking at just the main gate. Lillian showed them a large cavern deep in the mountain that was full of natural nooks in which craftswomen of all kinds worked away. Arielle marveled at the things they could produce- from armor to clothing to furniture and they all had their crafts set out for anyone willing to buy. They walked into the courtyard where Yasmine had fought with Shula and the grand master lead them to a spot off to the side and several steps lower where they kept of few head of livestock and had small plots of land for the few plants that could survive the hot and dry weather. Separate from that and tucked away in a shaded place was a plot of what seemed to the bard to be all the herbs of the world. It was so special to them that only the healers had the right to tend the herb garden. Eden, ever so slightly satisfied for the time being that Arielle was in no immediate danger, left them alone in the library. Their library was impressive, filled nearly to the ceiling with all kinds of books, some more priceless than others.
"We are all educated. We can all read and write and do basic arithmetic." Lillian explained as a point of pride, "Some come with more knowledge, a set of skills or languages. Those who come with nothing, we teach. Then each is given a task that they're most suited for and that they themselves would like to do. Some tend to food, others to crafts, those who know languages usually becomes scribes and translators. Each woman here has her own purpose and contributes to the workings of our order. No one is idle, no one is useless."
She went on to explain the hierarchy of the order which was more to maintain order than a ladder of power. There was the Land Master in charge of growing food and storing it as well as all other goods the order kept or produced; the Weapons Master in charge of weapons, armor, and training; the Grand Scribe who kept the books for the order and was in charge of all administrative and medical duties; and the Sergeant who was in charge of keeping the peace and maintaining the defenses in good order.
Arielle was more than impressed as she browsed the countless shelves and Lillian told to about the general rules and traditions of their order. Lillian explained, listed, defined and the bard took note of it all, all the time wondering how anyone had the chance to breathe, let alone live under so many restrictions. She turned to look at Lillian when she had finally grown silent and saw that she wasn't the only one who probably thought that way.
"It wasn't always like this." Lillian recalled with a nostalgic sigh, "Things used to be... kinder... more understanding."
"All these rules are a lot to bear." Arielle noted in agreement, "What changed?"
"We were nothing more than a little band of lost women with many grudges against the world." the Grand Master began to explain as she motioned with her hand for Arielle to sit in one of the large chairs and then sat down after the bard, "Then Celestria gathered them up, gave them a purpose, and molded them into an order. She was our founder and greatest commander. The cornerstone of her vision was love of God and neighbor. She taught us that reason, kindness, and understanding would bring about more change in the world than a blade and shield ever would. That's the main idea that separates us from the Assassins... And we were kind to ourselves also. We accepted women from far and wide, of all kinds of walks of life. The stains of their past didn't matter if they wanted to reconcile with God and strive for the greater good. There were friendships here, sisterhood,... even love."
Arielle felt her stomach squeeze at the last sentence, but said nothing. Lillian leaned back a little in the chair and sighed heavily.
"But no one after Celestria had her charisma and wisdom. Faith and God were slowly pushed out by religion. Sisterhood and kindness were replaced with competitions of ambition and mutual suspicion. The greater good was forgotten in the obsession over position and power... Yasmine tried to turn back, but she didn't have enough strength and support with Shula constantly plotting against her in the shadows. She was sick of the constant intrigue and wished we could just go back to our better beginnings, where things were simpler and you didn't have to constantly look over your shoulder in fear of judgment. Innogen and I protected her as best we could, but..."
The hurt in Lillian's voice was evident as her eyes drifted sadly to the ground and silence settled between them. Arielle's mind processed the history she heard and brought back the memories of sensing so many times that something was not right in the order and that something was about to profoundly change.
"It's my duty to tell you," Lillian broke the silence, raising her gaze to Arielle, "that according to law, you can choose a different Grand Master. Anyone you wish."
"You're the perfect choice." Arielle answered, reaching out and giving Lillian's hand a friendly squeeze.
And at the slightly surprising moment for the both of them, they realized that in some strange way, they were already friends.
"Were Celestria's laws written down? Or her history?" Arielle suddenly asked.
"Of course."
"Show me where they are."
The Fiori wasted no time in getting their commanders in order as soon as possible after Shula was defeated. And although choosing the Grand Master and other leaders needed nothing more than Arielle's word, the choice of the Lady Commander's champion wasn't that simple. The blond announced Eden as her champion only to quickly learn that her favor needed to be tested in a fight. Arielle looked at Eden with an uncertain eye only to see her simply shrug.
"Very well." the bard unwillingly agreed.
She had full faith in the warrior's abilities and still hadn't lived to see anyone beat her, but she worried about the warrior all the same; it simply seemed to be in the bard's nature.
Being the Lady Commander's champion was a great honor, but when they saw that favor lay with Eden, half of the women automatically pulled out of contention. Eden easily beat the rest of the warriors who challenged her. The size, skill, or weapon choice of her opponents didn't seem to make the slightest difference; they were defeated before they even stepped out onto the dusty ring.
Yet, it wouldn't have been complete without Innogen challenging her at the end. The Weapons Master hoped that Eden would be tired enough that she could finally be beaten. But Innogen was too angry at the warrior, too focused on vengeance and while Eden kept a cool head, after three exchanges, Innogen was gritting her teeth as her nostrils flared in rage. Eden tried to communicate through her stance that she didn't pose a threat, but Innogen ignored it. And so Eden communicated instead that if attacked, she wouldn't hesitate to turn her into stuffing. Innogen launched herself at the warrior with a shrill cry and they forcefully battled it out, the sound of clanging metal ringing in their ears and dust filling their lungs. And when it grew quiet and the dust settled, Innogen was lying on her back, heaving heavily, glaring up hatefully at the warrior who stood over her with her sword under Innogen's chin.
"I think that ten opponents and Innogen are enough?" Arielle commented to Lillian.
"It seems so." the Grand Master admitted with a truly impressed expression on her face.
Arielle walked off with Lillian to get the sash that marked a warrior as the lady commander's champion, completely oblivious to what was starting to happen in the ring.
Eden had walked off to the edge of the ring and put the loaned sword back.
"I didn't say that I yield." Innogen stated simply and Eden turned to see a handful of warriors walking towards her.
In a few moments, Eden found herself surrounded by around eight Fiori, armed with clubs who seemed to share the same disgust with Eden that Innogen did. Eden quickly calculated her odds, but then sighed and gave up. The Fiori were Arielle's and Eden didn't want to stir up trouble for her. As much as she wanted to beat some sense into the ones who were obsessively trying to show their hatred of her, she had promised to protect the bard. Killing the Fiori, even if it was in self defense, could bring a backlash against Arielle, forcing her to choose between the order and the warrior guardian.
And there was also another little black thought that entered her head- she deserved it. The fact that Eden had tried to change and help the greater good perhaps wasn't enough. Changing one's ways was only part of the package that offered salvation. There was also punishment for one's sins. And though the warrior hadn't really done anything against the Fiori, looking back on it now, she realized she shouldn't have ever let helped Naila extend her influence over the order.
"I will never yield to you... and I won't let our lady commander yield to you and your toxic influence either." Innogen hissed.
Eden remained silent. Her empty hands hung loosely at her sides and her stare was emotionless. The stance made the Weapons Master hesitate for a moment, it wasn't the angry arrogance of the woman she once knew. But she then dismissed it as a trick and took a final step forward. Eden didn't move or reach for a weapon and simply waited. How ironic that I also never wanted Arielle to yield to my influence.
Arielle and Lillian returned with the sash to find dust being kicked up in the ring by a group of Fiori who seemed to surround something. Arielle quickly caught a glimpse of the raven hair she knew so well and bounded off before Lillian could ask what was going on and simply followed her.
"Stop!" Arielle demanded loudly.
The Fiori ceased fighting and absently shuffled back a little to give the running bard access to the warrior lying on the ground. Arielle fell to her knees beside the warrior.
"Eden, are you alright?" she asked, not trying in the slightest to mask her concern.
"I'm fine." Eden forced through her clamped teeth.
Arielle cupped her hands around Eden's face, trying to make the warrior look at her. But the warrior wouldn't and so Arielle began to dust the warrior off with one hand, searching for signs of serious damage.
"It's fine." Eden repeated, lightly pushing away the bard's hands and getting up, "I deserved it."
"Deserved it?" the bard asked, standing along with her, "What did you do?"
"I'm here." Eden answered shortly.
The bard was so stunned by the response that she simply watched the roughed up warrior slowly walk away. There was a profound pain in that statement and Arielle understood all of it. It made Arielle's heart want to crack.
Lillian saw the great compassion the bard's gentle green eyes as they followed Eden until she disappeared within the walls. And then Lillian saw something she was beginning to think that her friend was incapable of- anger.
"What the hell do you think you were doing?!" the bard shouted, whirling around to face the perpetrators, "Answer me!"
The same Fiori who were tough enough to beat the warrior now stood like a group of chastised children, staring at their feet under the bard's angry gaze.
"We won't yield to her." Innogen finally muttered angrily.
"You won't yield to her?" Arielle repeated almost through her teeth, taking a step closer to the weapons master, "You would beat a person to death because of your dumb pride?"
"Pride? I won't have her poisoning this-"
"You won't have? You won't have?! You are not commander of this order!" Arielle shouted, surprising everyone including herself, "And I don't know if you're even its Weapons Master anymore."
"What?" Innogen said, looking at the bard in utter disbelief and the contempt in her gaze was abruptly replaced by fear.
As both women locked gazes, they noticed the change between them. The rough and reserved Weapons Master was now scared, feeling the ground shaking beneath her feet. The naive, innocent looking bard had showed that she was much stronger and more defiant that anyone would have ever guessed.
But as soon as her anger had erupted, it was gone. Arielle took a deep breath. She could see that Innogen had good intentions. She took her role as Weapons Master and one of her closest advisers very seriously. She wondered if Innogen felt responsible for the wrong road the Fiori had taken under Naila and that why she carried so much bitterness within her. It almost made her want to chuckle how similar Eden and Innogen were in that respect. Neither could deal with knowing that they had failed to protect something.
The lost look in Innogen's eyes confirmed the bard in her suspicions. The very suggestion that she would lose her position turned her tough exterior into dust. Being Weapons Master meant everything to her and without it she wouldn't just lose a title, she would lose her entire meaning.
"Lillian, do remember those manuscripts you showed me?" Arielle asked, not looking away from Innogen.
"Yes, I do."
"Good. I want you to completely disarm everyone who attacked Eden, take them to the library, and lock them up in there until each and every one of them read those manuscripts to the last letter. They will see what I want for this order... while I think about what I want for them."
Innogen opened her mouth to explain, but the bard turned on her heel and stormed off without hesitation, her squared shoulders and balled fists showing that even though she wasn't shouting, she was still angry.
"Well, I told you she only needed a couple of days." Lillian said, impressed with the bard and sad for her friend.
"No one ever threatened to take away my title." Innogen whispered, still a little shocked and then turned to her friend, "What am I going to do?"
"For now, don't make it any harder on yourself." Lillian replied gently, extending her hand and motioning for Innogen's weapon.
Eden awoke to find a slumbering bard squeezed up against her, her arm wrapped protectively around the warrior. Eden chuckled silently at the sight, trying not to wake her.
After her beating, Eden had locked herself in her chambers, refusing to see the bard and talk about it. Arielle soon grew frustrated with the wolf-licking-its-wounds routine and, rather unwillingly, used her rank and summoned Eden. The warrior appeared, but still wouldn't talk. Arielle finally relented, happy to at least have her nearby and got her to drink some herbal tea. The pain, tiredness, and Arielle's gentle care finally made Eden relax and she never noticed falling asleep. The bard stirred and brought her out of her memories as Arielle rubbed Eden's side a little.
"Someone could walk in, you know." Eden remarked quietly after a few moments.
"I'm Lady Commander, I got two strong bolts on the door." Arielle replied sleepily and with a drowsy smile.
"They would lock their commander in with the desert terror?" Eden asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well Innogen was more than willing to first add double bolts on the door between your room and mine." the bard teased.
Eden chuckled a little and shook her head at the passion the Weapons Master had in hating her.
"They should be more scared what you'd do if they barged in than what you might do to me." Arielle reasoned and propped herself up on her elbow, bringing her hand to Eden's chest.
As she got to know the Fiori, Arielle felt more comfortable with them and with her new found position. Eden, however, was more reserved and tense than she had been on the road or even in Jerusalem. The warrior had slid back into short or even wordless answers, her sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings as if she was expecting a revolt or assassins to emerge at any minute from any corner.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
Arielle gave her a look.
"What do you want me to tell you?" Eden asked with a slight grumble and shrug.
"How about something different than the 'stubborn warrior' version of the truth?" Arielle replied with a raised eyebrow.
Eden smiled at the determined bard. For a minute she wondered when she had become so bold but then realized that she had been like that the whole time, but too afraid to fully show it.
"It's nothing I don't deserve."
"That's not true." the bard said with conviction, cupping Eden's cheek and gazing at her with intense eyes, "And I don't ever want to hear you talk like that."
The fierce tone and look told Eden just how much it pained the bard to hear those words. And it set off a war in Eden's mind between her own lack of self worth and the pricelessness the bard saw in her. The warrior realized that not all that long ago, she would have pushed Arielle away and laughed her conviction off, but now it made her think instead, wondering that despite all the abilities she possessed, perhaps the bard sometimes saw more than she did. Surprisingly, the idea that the bard may be better than her at something didn't bring the anger she expected, but instead a light smile to her face.
"Sins aren't meant to be punished, but forgiven." the bard whispered in a tone of an experienced, wise philosopher weighed down by a great sorrow that the world still couldn't understand the simplest of things.
The tone touched the warrior's scarred heart. So she decided to let it be and let out a deep breath, resting in the green she loved so much and the protectiveness the bard was offering her.
"I think now is a good time to give you this." the bard suggested, reaching over to the bedside table and handing her prize over to the warrior, "You always were and now officially are my champion."
Eden looked down at the sash that seemed so insignificant just by itself. The title meant little to her, it was the responsibility she was after. There wasn't a day when she didn't remember her promise to always protect the bard, the need to protect burning from within her core and along her skin. But she was also aware that as Arielle's champion, the bard would be less likely to be challenged or bothered in any way. She knew very well that whether the Fiori liked her or not, they all realized that if anyone tried to hurt the blond commander, Eden would retaliate with a vengeance that would leave nothing standing.
Eden looked up into Arielle's eyes, seeing pride in her and care for her there. Eden smiled, took the sash without a word, and hung it on the hilt of her sword that was resting against the bedpost as it always did. She turned back to see the bard smiling widely at her, underlining the youth of her face.
"Your hair has grown." Eden noted quietly, raising her hand and pushing away a few strands behind the blond's ear.
"It has... I liked it shorter to be honest."
"I can cut it for you... if you want."
The bard knew that it was a simple thing. But it was also a somewhat intimate thing, a thing that people who cared for and trusted each other did and it warmed her heart to hear Eden suggest it.
"I'd like that." she said with a smile.
The Fiori were busy with stocking up for the oncoming winter, repairing damage, and implementing a few new suggestions that Arielle had offered. And while Arielle seemed to be finding her way in her new role quite nicely, Eden felt useless and out of place, facing a general animosity towards her that sometimes warmed up to indifference at most.
The warrior was able to pry the bard away from her tasks for a while and suggested swimming in a nice pool she had found since it was a hot day and Arielle didn't need to be asked twice. The bard happily took advantage of the weather and the surroundings, yet noticed that Eden was uncharacteristically quiet. Realizing that the warrior wouldn't say anything on her own, she began to gently ask and coax until the warrior finally revealed the weight on her shoulders.
"It just seems sometimes that everywhere I go, there is something there to remind me of who I was and what I did." Eden finally admitted, "Makes me wonder why change at all."
Arielle slowly made her way closer to Eden until she was face to face with the warrior and she felt Eden's arms slowly wrap around her, giving her a sense of security and place. Those arms, Arielle thought, anchored her to her place in the world, to her rock and her champion. Arielle looked up slightly to see two clear blue eyes looking back at her in gentle adoration mixed with a tinge of sadness. The sun glinted off the rippling water like off broken glass, sending tiny flickers all over their faces. There was nothing to be heard except for the lapping of the water around them and when she wrapped her arms around Eden, all she could feel was Eden's ribs expanding with every breath and the pounding of her own heart. The bard leaned forward and caught the warrior's lips in a gentle kiss that was so filled with love and reverence that Arielle thought that her soul wouldn't be able to contain it all.
"Careful." Eden warned very gently, resting her forehead against the bard's.
"Ah, yes... religious fanatics." Arielle replied, half disappointed that the moment had to end and half still floating in its feeling, "If they saw what I see, they'd completely forget all their religion."
Eden chuckled quietly and straightened up, but kept her hold of the bard underwater. She then faced away from the farthest corner of the pool and lay on her back, letting the bard lay on her stomach. She kicked through the water powerfully, swimming for that far corner, away from potentially prying eyes. Arielle smiled and let herself be taken for the short ride through the pool. When they reached the stone wall edge, Eden straightened back up and they stood on some large stones that let them keep their shoulders above the surface.
"You know," Arielle said quietly, idly tracing Eden's collarbone with her finger, "so many things have happened to us lately... So many good things... and bad... I feel like more has happened in these last months than in my entire life."
Eden listened silently, wrapping Arielle in a feeling of security and certainty that she could speak her mind and heart and wouldn't be judged.
"There wasn't even really time to fully understand all those things..." Arielle continued now looking up at the warrior and catching her attentive gaze, "No time to think... or heal..."
"Is something bothering you?"
"It's strange... It's when I felt so peaceful now that I realized how much really bothered me before... The pain... the fear..."
Eden instinctively tightened her embrace and her eyebrows crumpled slightly in concern. But Arielle smiled.
"But they seem gone now. Almost as if they were washed away... Isn't that strange? Maybe I'm just being silly."
"No..." the warrior said slowly.
"Tell me... Tell me what you feel..." the blond said gently, "I want to know what goes on in that beautiful head of yours."
"I... I..." Eden started and then let out a loud breath and gave up.
"Tell me." Arielle coaxed, whispering into her ear.
It wasn't a whisper of seduction or a command; the bard was telling her that she genuinely wanted to know. Despite their closeness, Eden still remained heavily guarded and it was difficult for her to talk about what she felt or thought. But the bard was patient and slowly chiseled away at the walls around the warrior's heart and soul, teaching Eden that she could trust her. Arielle moved her arms up, wrapping them around Eden's neck and resting her chin on her shoulder so that all Eden could see some a few wisps of blond hair. And in that moment, Eden found that it was the bard's genuine gentle interest and concern that let her finally speak her mind.
"I... I... I'm tired..." Eden began slowly, feeling the bard begin to absently rub soothing circles on her back, "I try so hard... to at least try to right my wrongs... to find my way... but it seems everywhere I go there's something there to remind me of who I was and what I did... and so I'm constantly torn between wanting to be better and wanting to just destroy myself."
Arielle sucked in a quiet breath from the magnitude of Eden's words. Eden hardly ever spoke of it, but the bard could feel the heavy sadness and burden of guilt the warrior seemed to always carry around. It pained her to feel it, yet not be able to do anything about it. She slowly loosened her hold and moved back to look at Eden who was staring down at the water as if lost and ashamed.
"Eden, you can't change who you are, but you can change what you do..." the bard finally answered gently, coaxing the warrior to look at her with a gentle hand under her chin, "Never be ashamed of who you are now... Eden, why don't tell me these things? Why do you battle all this on your own?"
"I don't want to lose myself along with you." Eden replied calmly, but with such frankness that the bard's heart skipped a beat and her breath caught.
Arielle looked into those two sapphire pools that often made her think drowning would be the most lovely way to die. Right now, they were full of sadness, pain, and solitude from years of being tricked, hurt, used, and forgotten. But among all that, she also saw Eden's love and adoration of her and a fierce protectiveness that extended so far that Eden was willing to protect the bard from herself. It made Arielle's heart ache and the prickly memory of their argument in Dorian's manner made the bard suddenly wonder how the idea to leave Eden ever popped into her head.
"The only way I would be lost is if I was without you." Arielle replied quietly.
Now it was the warrior's turn to be stunned. She had tried so hard to keep the bard's at longsword's length and failed miserably. Now she was trying to keep her from growing ever closer and knowing too much and again the smiling blond made nothing of it. When Eden wasn't afraid that the bard would somehow be taken away from her, she was wondering what Arielle ever saw in her that kept her from running away screaming. Arielle had left Dorian, it was true, but Dorian was also a watcher. Eden couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Dorian had been just a normal noble. But then there would come a moment like now when Arielle would drive away her doubts and inhibitions far back into the dark corners of her mind and leave her speechless and in awe.
"You and I... we're connected... Your joys and sorrows are also mine... When you're happy, I laugh... and when you're cut, I bleed... Why can't you understand that?"
"What I am puts you in dan-"
"I don't care." Arielle said with conviction, cupping Eden's cheek with one hand and looking her straight in the eyes.
Eden suddenly noticed a slightly different shade of green. It was a little darker as if marred by all the things she had been through since she had left Avignon.
"You have shadows of your own." Eden countered quietly.
This time Arielle nodded quietly and looked down at the water. It had surprised her most of all that there turned out to be things that she just couldn't seem to share with Eden. Every time she tried to talk about her ordeal in the cave, shame and disgust would surface all behind the ever present fear that Eden would leave her. She wasn't the helpless maiden Eden met, but there was still a part of her that desperately wanted to show the warrior that she was strong and brave.
"You have enough of your own-"
"I don't care." Eden said with a hint of flame in her eyes.
Arielle looked up to see that protectiveness surge to the forefront of Eden's gaze and posture. She felt the slight tension in Eden's muscles, her embrace tightening. A smile crossed Arielle's face as she spread her hand out over the warrior's chest and felt the strong heart beating underneath. Quickening for her. It made her smile and her eyelids flutter.
"My champion." she breathed and leaned in to kiss the warrior in profound adoration and gratitude.
"Lady Commander!" Innogen yelled, running straight into the middle of the throne room, "You have to see this!"
"See what?" Arielle asked curiously, but without the slightest hint of wanting to hurry after Innogen.
"We're under siege!" the Weapons Master finally blurted out impatiently and then turned around, running back to the ramparts.
"What do you mean, 'under siege'?" Arielle asked in surprise.
Yet no one had time to be stunned and they all found themselves taking off after Innogen. When they reached the ramparts, she pointed her finger out over the ramparts and everyone turned to see an army camped outside their fortress.
"That's what I mean that we're under siege." Innogen muttered.
Arielle felt her throat suddenly go dry as her eyes drifted over the massed troops. There were hundreds, if not over a thousand warriors, ranging from archers and spearmen to armored swordsmen and mounted knights camped outside her walls. They camped outside with an ease about them, sitting beneath the fluttering banners showing a fox's head holding a dead rat in its teeth. Arielle willed her body not to shake and her mind not to fall into hysteria.
"Jonas." she heard Eden whisper from behind.
"You know this warlord?" Arielle asked, turning to the warrior.
"Everyone from Jerusalem to Constantinople knows him." Lillian offered, "But I have no idea why he's here. We have no quarrel with him."
"We don't. But she does." Innogen said curtly, nudging her head towards Eden.
"What?" Arielle asked the Weapons Master.
"Eden's the only person I know who has ever defeated him in battle."
Jonas was a feared and ruthless warlord. He roamed the sands from Constantinople to the Anti-Taurus Mountains, harassing the Byzantines and Armenians. But he had been known to be brass enough to cross the mountains to clash with the Franks in Edessa and Antioch and the Turks surrounding them. Though some said his warriors were countless, he had the ability to almost disappear, popping up suddenly somewhere else and completely surprising his enemy. At his strongest, Karas began to pose a rival threat which resulted in Jonas' immediate burning desire to crush him. Eden and Jonas had once met in a skirmish outside Alexandretta where she had managed to fight off his band, killing five of his men and losing none of her own. Jonas had never forgiven her for that.
Eden felt all the glares now on her, but pretended not to notice, her brain furiously trying to find a way out of her predicament. The Fiori would have every excuse to expel or maybe even kill her, but it was the danger Arielle was in that bothered her. Because no one knew that Eden was here. No one except for the Fiori.
"Everyone inside." was the only thing Arielle said in a tone that wouldn't let anyone dream of arguing.
"What should we do, Lady Commander?" the Land Master asked, obviously nervous.
The throne room was soon flooded with noise when Arielle said nothing. Everyone began suggesting something all at once with everything from fleeing to attacking them head on to mumbling that they were all going to die. Arielle had laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them, chewing on her bottom lip and knotting her brows. The bard was thinking hard, but Eden knew that Arielle was completely lost with commanding in a situation she knew nothing about. But Eden also knew that Arielle was the commander of the order and trying to act as such and the warrior wasn't going to step in and usurp her authority. So the warrior patiently waited, wondering if the buzzing noise was bothering Arielle as much as it was bothering her.
"Quiet!" Arielle finally said loudly and Eden barely smothered a grin.
Everyone turned to look at her and Arielle fidgeted under the gazes that all were looking to her for answers she didn't have.
"Do you have a plan for siege?" she asked Innogen.
"No." she answered grimly.
"You don't?"
"No one ever seeks this place out. There was no need."
Arielle sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, afraid of what else she might learn that they were completely unprepared for.
"Do you have any kind of defensive strategy?"
"Yes."
"Good. Put that into motion." Arielle answered and then took in a deep breath and Eden could feel her nervousness as her own heart began to beat faster, "I want all the archers on the ramparts and towers. I want a second line of defensive positions created inside the walls and then a third inside the keep. No matter how they attack us and how far they get in, we'll defend ourselves to the end."
"Yes, Lady Commander." Innogen said.
"Eden, what else do you think we should do?" the bard asked turning to the warrior.
The room fell into a stunned silence along with Eden who would have never imagined that the bard would publicly ask her for advice, risking her authority by doing so. But she saw the tired and frightened moss green eyes looking at her, asking her to help and the warrior wouldn't even dream of ever saying no.
"You should stock up on provisions and water." Eden said slowly and grew a little bolder with Arielle's faint smile of gratitude, "Take all the food and put it in one room and under guard. Stock up on water and if there's any way, check and guard the water supply on the outside of the walls... in case they want to poison it."
"Is that what you would do?" Arielle asked gently and Eden nodded.
"Maybe that's what she's already doing." Innogen suddenly accused.
"Innogen, we're under a siege that no one ever thought to prepare for and we don't have time for personal arguments." the bard intervened tiredly and then looked at everyone, "We have to work together now. No dissension or desertion... You can all try to kill each other when this is over."
No one was in the mood to laugh and solemnly shuffled off to their responsibilities.
Eden became very grave and isolated as the days dragged on. Fearful of what the Fiori might do to the warrior, Arielle kept her away from them. Eden advised her as best she could on how to prepare for and handle the siege, but the bard went out to put the words into action. The bard quickly learned that the most difficult thing was keeping up morale in a situation that seemed hopeless. With bands of Fiori either wanting to run away and charge into the army, Arielle had finally ordered that no one leave without her permission; doing otherwise would be desertion. A thick tension hung in the air as they could nothing but wait for an attack that Jonas didn't seem to be in a hurry for.
The day had been a long and rainy one and Arielle's head was pounding when she finally went to get a little rest. She sat on the edge of her bed, the multitude of conversations echoing in her mind. Innogen wanted to finally attack though Lillian was afraid the Fiori were too small in number. A few thought of negotiations to find out at least what Jonas wanted. Arielle showed interest in that less bloody idea, one that Eden reacted against angrily, telling her that Jonas was a crazed but clever savage and shouldn't be negotiated with. The warrior made her give her word that she wouldn't talk to Jonas; Arielle had promised.
The bard ran her fingers through her slightly damp hair and then noticed a sheathed dagger lying on the bedside table. Intrigued, Arielle shifted over to it, picked up, and noticed a note underneath it.
[Arielle, I have an idea and went to find help. I know you'll be angry, but please don't be. The Fiori can't hold out very long. This is the only real chance we have. Please, wear the dagger and stay close to Lillian. And remember you are the commander and none other. Be safe. Eden.]
Arielle wanted to cry. She wanted to pound her fists against the walls and sob her heart out. She was tired of fighting, worrying, and living all her days with Death's cold breath on her shoulder. She was torn between being Arielle and Lady Commander. She was afraid for Eden yet angry that her order was blatantly disobeyed. Eden didn't consult with her or even tell her and instead snuck off in the night. Yet, she knew that she would have tried to convince Eden to stay. What did Eden plan? Was leaving the only option? What would happen if it didn't work? Was her sudden responsibility to the order more important than her responsibility towards Eden? Was she being selfish? What if the warrior didn't-
Promise me you'll live. Promise me you'll return.
"I order you to return to me." Arielle whispered.
Author's Note: I am so ridiculously sorry for not posting for so long. My life has just been crazy recently. I'm not dropping the story; I would never do that. Thanks for all the reviews and support and to Fluval66 for checking up on me :)