Chapter 7 - Engaging the enemy

Luzelle got up calmly.

"You know his majesty won't allow you to be with him," Emond continued, "and he has also now lost his wings...there is no way the nymphs or the knights will accept him."

"I don't care what the nymphs or anyone else think," Luzelle said calmly and then turned to me.

"Ai, there are some things I still need to say to you, but for now it is important that you rest."

It was several days later and I had recovered well enough to be able to walk around. Luzelle could not stay with me for long at a time as he had to issue orders or tend to other things and we didn't have to right opportunity to talk about things. He made sure that either Tannis or Emond was with me whenever he couldn't be with me. Mara treated the wound on my back with Tannis' medicine which was definitely speeding up the healing process.

Luzelle had sent Emond to report to his father what had happened and the palace sent reinforcements which arrived some days later. Several entrances to caves in the mountains were discovered and made it clear that the humans were using these to get to our world. With things out in the open the villages were not so reluctant to help, even though they still didn't trust the knights.

It was about a week later one morning when I got up early and started practicing with my sword again. My movements were still restricted and my back still hurt sometimes, but the wound had closed enough so that it wouldn't reopen. I thought about what had happened and felt angry at my naivety. If I had been more alert I wouldn't have been captured and lost my wings... it was a miracle that I still lived. I learned later that the liquid Luzelle gave me was a very special medicine normally kept by members of the royal family to use in extreme situations to prevent death. If it hadn't been for it I would have died. Cutting a nymph's wings is no small matter, in most cases they would bleed to death within minutes. The prince must have cared a lot about Luzelle to let him have this medicine which he had used on me...

"You are not still thinking of fighting are you?" Tannis asked sounding a bit worried. I continued practicing while replying to him.

"I am...I didn't come all the way here to give up as soon as I hit an obstacle... I have to persevere. And the human that...took my wings have not yet been found."

"So you want revenge?"

"No...but I want to stop people like him from harming other nymphs...to prevent anyone else from having to experience what I had..."

"Luzelle is making it his priority to find him, no doubt... I understand how you feel, but please...don't overdo it."

I stopped swinging my sword and looked at Tannis.

"Why, are you saying I am not man enough?"

"No. Even the manliest nymph would struggle to get back on their feet after losing their wings. You are extremely important to...Luzelle and it is my responsibility to make sure no harm comes to you while he is not here."

"If he thinks he can lock me up in a tower somewhere to keep me safe from the world he has a thing coming. I've told him from the start that I wanted to be a knight of the people and I will do everything I can to reach my goal."

"You sure are stubborn...but I can also see why he is so in love with you."

Tannnis' words caught me off-guard and made me blush.

"Um...doesn't it bother you that I'm a man too?" I asked.

"Not particularly. In Luzelle's case it might be a bit complicated, but he is my friend. His happiness is more important, so if he wants to be with you, I am not going to stand in his way."

Just then we were told that Luzelle and Emond had returned. I was a bit nervous about how to act towards Luzelle now since he kissed me and neither of us spoke about it again. How did he really feel about me? Was he really in love with me like Tannis claimed? What about my own feelings? I wasn't too sure if that would be the right thing to do. I still haven't told him that I'm actually a woman...would he like me less because of it? Was that why he was avoiding all the women at the palace by dressing up a woman himself? I didn't want him to come to hate me because of my gender...

Luzelle acted like nothing has changed, which was a disappointment and relief at the same time. I was included in the discussion of where our allies were headed and the reports about what is happening.

"It has been reported that a human with the description you gave has been spotted in this area," Luzelle told me and showed a forest on the map, east from where we were.

"We should be able to get there in about four hours," Emond said and then suddenly went quiet. They all obviously realised that I couldn't fly.

"Don't worry, I'll follow as best as I can on foot," I said trying to dispel the awkwardness.

"No, I have arranged for a sling to be made for you," Luzelle said matter-of-factly, "Emond and I will carry you with it. It will take way to long and you will most likely get lost if you travel through this forest.

So, I was the first ever nymph to travel in a sling. Somehow none of the other knights objected about me coming along and I noticed that Luzelle carried a lot of authority. I never realised he was such a big shot in the knights...although he did get the prince to let him go on this journey with me so he obviously had quite a bit of influence... It did earn me and Luzelle some curious looks since Luzelle was very obviously protective about me. We eventually touched ground and split up into groups and I went with Luzelle.

After some searching we eventually did find the humans who had captured me before. They were hiding in a hut which we set alight to force them to come out. Luzelle sent Kitka to alert the others of our location. We were hoping to hide until reinforcements arrived, but we weren't so lucky since the came out and spotted us before we could hide ourselves.

"So, you're still alive hey?" the little man sneered, "lucky little bastard."

"I could say the same of you," I retorted, "although I think your luck ran out now."

"I told you we should just have squished the cockroach," the bigger human said, obviously taunting Luzelle since his eyes stayed on him.

"I take it this one is important to you?" he continued, "disgusting how you insects just do it with male or female," he spat, "perhaps it makes you feel the same exhilaration I did when he screamed in agony as I cut off his wings?"

It was as if something in Luzelle snapped. He snarled and attacked the larger man in anger. I very soon realised that it was their plan to get Luzelle off guard and that the little man was going to stab Luzelle in the back. I quickly drew my sword and threw myself forward, blocking it just in time. The little man cursed.

"So, it's you and me then?" he sneered, "It seems like you still have some life left in ya."

We fought for a while and I was able to find an opening, causing him to stumble and fall on his butt. My sword was pointed at his throat.

"Do it if you have the balls."

"Do you have no regret for what you've done?" I asked, "Does it not make you feel sad when a life is taken?"

He laughed a disgusting laugh.

"Like I care what happens to insects. By the way, your wings fetched a handsome price. I would have been set for quite a while had it not come to this."

"Is that all it is to you? About profit?"

I could feel anger boiling in me, but forced myself to keep calm.

"Think you are all pure and proper? Wait until life throws you in the sh t-hole and you have to crawl your way out to survive. It's not like your kind has never done anything to humans."

I was surprised to hear this.

"What do you mean?"

"You really don't know? I'm amazed you haven't gotten yourself killed sooner... nymphs in the human realm mess up humans minds, playing with them until they finally go crazy. How would you like to be trapped and used for sex every day, huh?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing...was this really true? That would then explain his hate towards nymphs and although I can't forgive him for what he did to me, I can understand... I didn't realise that I had let my guard down and the next moment he pushed me so that I tripped and dropped my sword. He grabbed on to me and we were wrestling in the sand. He was clearly stronger since he was a man and human too. I could feel the muscles on my back complain from the overexertion, but I managed to keep him from cutting me with the knife he had produced from his boot.

"Die already!" he was shouting in frustration. I could see in the corner of my eye that Luzelle was still engaged in combat with the large man and couldn't expect any help from there. What was I going to do? I was desperately trying to get the man off me, but he was heavy. The next moment there was a high pitch sound and the man screamed and suddenly let me go. Kitka had grabbed on to his face and dug her nails into his eyes. He grabbed her and flung her away.

"Kitka!"

She hit a tree trunk and was now lying on the ground without moving. How...DARE HE! I picked up my sword quickly and faced him again. He could not see since both his eyes had been clawed and he was swinging his knife around madly. I knew I couldn't hesitate anymore and pushed my sword through his stomach. He had a look of surprise for a moment and then sunk down to his knees and then just fell over without saying anything. I felt sick. I didn't want to see this anymore...

Just then Emond, Tannis and two others arrived and joined Luzelle against the large man and killed him. I had gone to Kitka and was relieved to find that she was unconscious, but otherwise seemed okay. I would have to ask Tannis to check her later, but for now I just gently held her in my arms.

"Ai?"

I felt Luzelle's hand on my shoulder and looked up at him.

"It's over now," he said, understanding the turmoil in my heart and mind. I knew it only meant that my assailants had been killed, but that the fighting between nymphs and humans would probably still take a while.

"I...I want to go home," was all I could say, knowing I must sound like a such a child right now, but Luzelle didn't say anthing.