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go back to the first chapter and read it.
1 Thieves Gathering
Kari groaned and sank to the ground beside a tree. She laid aside Crystal's staff, which she was using, for a crutch beside her and massaged her ankle. She had used most of her healing powers to heal other people's major injuries and didn't have the energy to heal the smaller injuries.
The rest of the party sank to the ground, just as happy with the rest as Kari was. They had been traveling for almost a day on foot and still hadn't got out of the forest on the outskirts of what was left of the village. All of the horses had either been burned or had run away in the attack.
"We're never going to get back at this rate." Said Yolie. She removed her helmet and ran a hand through her violet hair. A long scar ran across her cheek from an orcs sword.
"We will get back. It will probably just take three times as long at our present speed." Said Izzy.
"That makes us feel a lot better Izzy." Snapped Davis.
"Davis you seem to forget who's father got us into this mess in the first place." Said Tai his hair starting to smoke in anger.
"So know I am going to be blamed not only for my actions but the actions of my father as well." Said Davis standing. His sword pulled from its sheath.
"You know what they say. Like father like son." Said Tai standing and drawing his own sword. Sora and Ken stood in-between the two ready to fight men.
"Tai you know that what you just said is not fair or right. Now put your sword away." Said Sora, her voice as sharp and hard as steel. Tai tried to glare at his wife, but shrunk down under her stare. His sword disappeared into its sheath as quick as it had appeared.
"Davis you need to put away your sword, too. We're all tired and stretched thin. He didn't mean what he said." Said Ken.
"No." Said Davis.
"Davis put away your sword." Said Skye standing up.
"Why should I listen to a word you say." Skye held up his stump and Davis looked down at the his sword ashamedly then slid it back into its sheath. He might say he had nothing to do with the attack and he didn't, but he still felt guilty.
"Now that we've stopped having our temper tantrum we need to get walking." Said Sora glaring at Tai.
"Jeez Sora you don't have to get so angry." Said Tai running his hand through his hair. "Let's go." The tired group groaned and climbed wearily back to their feet. Kari tried to take a step forward but immediately he ankle crumpled from underneath her.
"You okay Kari?" Asked Tai and T.K. at the same time.
"My ankle can't support me any more." Said Kari.
"I'll help." Said T.K. He walked over to Kari and kneeled down beside her. She slipped her arm over his shoulders and he slipped his arm around her waist. Tai glared venomously at the pair, but Sora gave him a glance and he didn't say anything. Suddenly Skye turned and drew his one long knife that he had left. An arrow whistled out of the trees and stuck into the tree beside Skye's head.
Figures almost seemed to materialize out of the trees around them. All of the figures were dressed in cloaks that seemed to shift to blend in with the background behind them. Even though they were moving they were hard to see. Most of them had wooden long bows with arrows on the strings though a few had slender swords.
The group of magi warriors started to go for their weapons but the figures in green aimed their bows at them. They decided to leave their weapons alone. "I'm surprised that you could see us." Said one figure that was obviously the leader. The figure didn't wear any obvious weapons.
"I just sensed you with my wind powers. It's hard to hide from the winds no matter how good you are." Said Skye smiling. He slowly slid his knife back into its sheath, knowing that it would do no good against the bows. He flicked his wrist and throwing daggers slid into both hands unnoticed.
"That is true. But what I am wondering is why a group of thieves is traveling with a group of royalty and royal soldiers." Said the leader.
"You must be confused. There is only one thief here." Said Skye pointedly.
"Maybe." Said the leader shrugging. "Even a geomancer can be wrong some times." (Author's Note: For those who want to know a geomancer is a wizard with control over plants. Basically a magi warrior with power over plants for my story.)
"You obviously know who we are but we don't know who you are. That puts us at a disadvantage." Said Matt.
"I think you're already at a disadvantage." Said the leader glancing at the bows aimed at them.
"If you really know us than you know that isn't true." Said Matt smiling.
"You are right about that." Said the leader. She signaled to the other figures and they lowered their bows. "I'm Mimi, the leader of our nomad band." She said removing the green hood that covered her face. She was about the same age as most of the group and a little taller than average. Her body was of petite build and well formed. She had long mahogany brown locks and her eyes were the same color.
The thief band introduced themselves, but Mimi just gave knowing nods that showed she already knew. "I thought that Skye Tarve had a huge price on his head. Yet I see that he still has knives in his hands." Skye smiled and slid the throwing knives back into their wrist sheaths.
"Skye has fought and gotten a full pardon for himself." Said Tai. The rest of the party looked at Tai confused, but the thieves were happy.
"Thanks Tai." Said Kari.
"Don't thank me he's earned it." Said Tai.
"Why are you wounded?" Asked Mimi.
"It's a long story. It would be easier to tell it in comfort." Said Joe.
"Sure let us show you to our camp." Said Mimi. The group of cloaked figures formed a loose circle around the thieves. The cloaked figures kept their bows lowered, but their arrows stayed on their strings.
They walked for a few minutes before Mimi worked her way over to Matt. "So they don't know that the rest of you are thieves." Said Mimi.
"No, and it would be better if you don't tell them." Said Matt looking over at the girl beside him. She probably held his life and the life of his friends in her hands because Tai probably wouldn't forgive to many people.
"Why would what would happen to you affect me in any way." Said Mimi.
"You'd just give us away?" Asked Matt shocked.
"Sure its not like I have any reason not to." Said Mimi.
"You want something to keep quite. That's blackmail."
"Not if you give into it. Just go out with me when all this is done." Matt looked at the Mimi surprised.
"What?!"
"Great, I'll talk to you about this when this is all over." Mimi walked away from Matt and rejoined the circle of people.
"Okay, now what the hell was that?" Matt asked himself shaking his head.
The group walked into a large clearing in the woods. A group of teepees made from animal skins were set up in the clearing. The village of nomads were larger than the village of thieves and had almost a hundred men in it. Almost all of them were armed with some type of weapon or the other.
The group of figures split away from the group and took off their color changing cloaks. They merged into the rest of the people. "My teepee is over here." Said Mimi leading them into one of the smaller teepees. They walked into the teepee. The floor of the teepee was covered with thick animals' furs.
The group arrayed themselves on the animal furs. "Okay now I want the whole story." Said Mimi. T.K. told the story , leaving out that he, Crystal, or Arvis were thieves, with a lot of help from the other people. When they reached the end it was almost nighttime. "So you're getting ready for war with the biggest kingdom there is."
"We had a huge massacre because of the Green Dragon kingdom. Nothing is stopping us from going to war with them." Said Tai. "Plus they won't leave us alone even if they didn't."
"Plus we get to have a fight with the assholes that destroyed our village twice." Said T.K.
"I think you're a little too happy about that." Said Skye.
"You lost your hand because of them." Said T.K.
"And I will probably loose another one." Said Skye. "It isn't that bad. I can still hold a weapon."
"T.K. just back off from Skye. You don't need to get mad at people for comments or things they can't change." Said Matt.
"Fine." Said T.K. frowning.
"Our village wasn't nomadic at first. We used to be a part of the Green Dragon kingdom. We were forced out of the kingdom by the Green Dragon army. I'm sure that we can help. We have at least a hundred good archers in our village." Said Mimi. "We also have some healers in the village."
"The Kamiya kingdom thanks you." Said Kari.
"We've been doing gorilla warfare tactics on them for years. This is just a step up. If you will give us a little while to pick up we can be ready to go in thirty minutes max."
"Great." Said Tai. "The sooner the better." The group moved out of the teepee and the camp practically exploded into action. The teepee's were taken down quickly and packed onto the few horses that the nomadic village had. They moved off quickly for such a large number of people towards the Kamiya castle.
Tai walked through the throne room towards his mother and father. His sword had been removed from its sheath and was with one of the guards outside of the throne room. He fell to one knee in front on his mother and father.
"You can stand Tai." Said his father.
"Thank you father but I have some bad news." Said Tai standing to his feet.
"You found Kari all right didn't you." Said his mother.
"Yes, but you both know about the boarder skirmishes that have been happening." Said Tai.
"Yes." Said his father slowly.
"It turns out that the Green Dragon kingdom has been making the attacks. We have to mobilize for war." Both his mother and father sat silently and just stared at their son.
"These are strong accusations Tai. I hope you have proof to support them." Said his father.
"They attacked and burned a village while we were there. We saw them with our own eyes."
"The Green Dragon soldiers?"
"They were the Green Dragon's orc allies."
"How do you know that the orcs weren't working on their own accord."
"But…"
"Tai. If you do not have better proof than we are not going to war."
"But…"
"Tai you know that we are not in complete control over the kingdom. We have to listen to what the holders say. They never want war and unless we have a direct act of war from them." Tai looked at his father shocked.
"Dad I always used to think that you championed justice. I see now that you only do it when it is the best for you. You're not thinking about the people that feed you your pretty pastries on silver platters, and that were cut down while they were sitting down to eat their bread and cheese on plates made out of wood. And to think that I used to look up to you." Tai turned and started to walk away from them.
"Tai please understand." Said his mother.
"Oh, I understand all right. Have fun in your castle. I've people that actually work for a living to help." Said Tai coldly opening the door.
"You walk out of that door son and you've lost all of your noble heritage. I will disown you." Said Tai's father.
"I guess your not really my father any more then." Said Tai. "I can do this then." Tai turned and flicked off the king then turned and slammed the door. Tai grabbed the sword angrily from the guard who held it out to him.
"Tai what's wrong?" Sora asked matching his pace. Tai was moving fast however and Sora had to almost run to keep up with him. "Hey slow down some of us aren't running a race."
Tai scowled but slowed down anyway. "My mother and father aren't going to even care. They said that the holders wouldn't like it."
"But a village was burned down and everybody was slaughtered. They aren't going to do anything."
"Not until something they care about gets hit. And I'm sorry Sora but you aren't royalty any more. The king got angry and I'm not a prince anymore. Not that I would want to be if I had to bend over to the holders."
"Tai I don't care about you being a noble, and I'm proud that you would stand up to your former father." Sora smiled and turned to Tai and kissed him full on the lips.
"If your going to proud like that then I'll have to do things like this more often." Said Tai putting his arm around her shoulders.
"Wait until tonight to see how proud I am." Said Sora grinning at Tai evilly.
"And I thought that you were all proper."
"You'll be amazed at how proper its going to be." Sora and Tai walked out into the courtyard to where the group was. The nomadic village was set up outside of castle in the plains.
"What's going to happen?" Asked Kari standing up. She had finally gotten enough energy together and her ankle was fully healed. Both Sora and Tai reached behind their backs and removed the capes that showed their ranks as generals. They both threw them into the dirt.
"If you want to stay royalty then you better stay here." Said Tai.
Kari smiled at her brother. "And miss all of the fun. The Green Dragon kingdom had my arrows to meet."
"So your parents aren't going to help us." Said Skye walking up. He had a kite shield attached to his handless arm with his bigger knives attached to the back. A short sword was in a sheath at his hip."
"You stole them." Said Sora.
"Hey once a thief always a thief." Said Skye laughing. They all stood up and started to walk towards the gate. After all they had a war to fight.
End Note: That is the fourth chapter and I'm sorry it's so short but I had writer's block. Please read and review.
1 Thieves Gathering
Kari groaned and sank to the ground beside a tree. She laid aside Crystal's staff, which she was using, for a crutch beside her and massaged her ankle. She had used most of her healing powers to heal other people's major injuries and didn't have the energy to heal the smaller injuries.
The rest of the party sank to the ground, just as happy with the rest as Kari was. They had been traveling for almost a day on foot and still hadn't got out of the forest on the outskirts of what was left of the village. All of the horses had either been burned or had run away in the attack.
"We're never going to get back at this rate." Said Yolie. She removed her helmet and ran a hand through her violet hair. A long scar ran across her cheek from an orcs sword.
"We will get back. It will probably just take three times as long at our present speed." Said Izzy.
"That makes us feel a lot better Izzy." Snapped Davis.
"Davis you seem to forget who's father got us into this mess in the first place." Said Tai his hair starting to smoke in anger.
"So know I am going to be blamed not only for my actions but the actions of my father as well." Said Davis standing. His sword pulled from its sheath.
"You know what they say. Like father like son." Said Tai standing and drawing his own sword. Sora and Ken stood in-between the two ready to fight men.
"Tai you know that what you just said is not fair or right. Now put your sword away." Said Sora, her voice as sharp and hard as steel. Tai tried to glare at his wife, but shrunk down under her stare. His sword disappeared into its sheath as quick as it had appeared.
"Davis you need to put away your sword, too. We're all tired and stretched thin. He didn't mean what he said." Said Ken.
"No." Said Davis.
"Davis put away your sword." Said Skye standing up.
"Why should I listen to a word you say." Skye held up his stump and Davis looked down at the his sword ashamedly then slid it back into its sheath. He might say he had nothing to do with the attack and he didn't, but he still felt guilty.
"Now that we've stopped having our temper tantrum we need to get walking." Said Sora glaring at Tai.
"Jeez Sora you don't have to get so angry." Said Tai running his hand through his hair. "Let's go." The tired group groaned and climbed wearily back to their feet. Kari tried to take a step forward but immediately he ankle crumpled from underneath her.
"You okay Kari?" Asked Tai and T.K. at the same time.
"My ankle can't support me any more." Said Kari.
"I'll help." Said T.K. He walked over to Kari and kneeled down beside her. She slipped her arm over his shoulders and he slipped his arm around her waist. Tai glared venomously at the pair, but Sora gave him a glance and he didn't say anything. Suddenly Skye turned and drew his one long knife that he had left. An arrow whistled out of the trees and stuck into the tree beside Skye's head.
Figures almost seemed to materialize out of the trees around them. All of the figures were dressed in cloaks that seemed to shift to blend in with the background behind them. Even though they were moving they were hard to see. Most of them had wooden long bows with arrows on the strings though a few had slender swords.
The group of magi warriors started to go for their weapons but the figures in green aimed their bows at them. They decided to leave their weapons alone. "I'm surprised that you could see us." Said one figure that was obviously the leader. The figure didn't wear any obvious weapons.
"I just sensed you with my wind powers. It's hard to hide from the winds no matter how good you are." Said Skye smiling. He slowly slid his knife back into its sheath, knowing that it would do no good against the bows. He flicked his wrist and throwing daggers slid into both hands unnoticed.
"That is true. But what I am wondering is why a group of thieves is traveling with a group of royalty and royal soldiers." Said the leader.
"You must be confused. There is only one thief here." Said Skye pointedly.
"Maybe." Said the leader shrugging. "Even a geomancer can be wrong some times." (Author's Note: For those who want to know a geomancer is a wizard with control over plants. Basically a magi warrior with power over plants for my story.)
"You obviously know who we are but we don't know who you are. That puts us at a disadvantage." Said Matt.
"I think you're already at a disadvantage." Said the leader glancing at the bows aimed at them.
"If you really know us than you know that isn't true." Said Matt smiling.
"You are right about that." Said the leader. She signaled to the other figures and they lowered their bows. "I'm Mimi, the leader of our nomad band." She said removing the green hood that covered her face. She was about the same age as most of the group and a little taller than average. Her body was of petite build and well formed. She had long mahogany brown locks and her eyes were the same color.
The thief band introduced themselves, but Mimi just gave knowing nods that showed she already knew. "I thought that Skye Tarve had a huge price on his head. Yet I see that he still has knives in his hands." Skye smiled and slid the throwing knives back into their wrist sheaths.
"Skye has fought and gotten a full pardon for himself." Said Tai. The rest of the party looked at Tai confused, but the thieves were happy.
"Thanks Tai." Said Kari.
"Don't thank me he's earned it." Said Tai.
"Why are you wounded?" Asked Mimi.
"It's a long story. It would be easier to tell it in comfort." Said Joe.
"Sure let us show you to our camp." Said Mimi. The group of cloaked figures formed a loose circle around the thieves. The cloaked figures kept their bows lowered, but their arrows stayed on their strings.
They walked for a few minutes before Mimi worked her way over to Matt. "So they don't know that the rest of you are thieves." Said Mimi.
"No, and it would be better if you don't tell them." Said Matt looking over at the girl beside him. She probably held his life and the life of his friends in her hands because Tai probably wouldn't forgive to many people.
"Why would what would happen to you affect me in any way." Said Mimi.
"You'd just give us away?" Asked Matt shocked.
"Sure its not like I have any reason not to." Said Mimi.
"You want something to keep quite. That's blackmail."
"Not if you give into it. Just go out with me when all this is done." Matt looked at the Mimi surprised.
"What?!"
"Great, I'll talk to you about this when this is all over." Mimi walked away from Matt and rejoined the circle of people.
"Okay, now what the hell was that?" Matt asked himself shaking his head.
The group walked into a large clearing in the woods. A group of teepees made from animal skins were set up in the clearing. The village of nomads were larger than the village of thieves and had almost a hundred men in it. Almost all of them were armed with some type of weapon or the other.
The group of figures split away from the group and took off their color changing cloaks. They merged into the rest of the people. "My teepee is over here." Said Mimi leading them into one of the smaller teepees. They walked into the teepee. The floor of the teepee was covered with thick animals' furs.
The group arrayed themselves on the animal furs. "Okay now I want the whole story." Said Mimi. T.K. told the story , leaving out that he, Crystal, or Arvis were thieves, with a lot of help from the other people. When they reached the end it was almost nighttime. "So you're getting ready for war with the biggest kingdom there is."
"We had a huge massacre because of the Green Dragon kingdom. Nothing is stopping us from going to war with them." Said Tai. "Plus they won't leave us alone even if they didn't."
"Plus we get to have a fight with the assholes that destroyed our village twice." Said T.K.
"I think you're a little too happy about that." Said Skye.
"You lost your hand because of them." Said T.K.
"And I will probably loose another one." Said Skye. "It isn't that bad. I can still hold a weapon."
"T.K. just back off from Skye. You don't need to get mad at people for comments or things they can't change." Said Matt.
"Fine." Said T.K. frowning.
"Our village wasn't nomadic at first. We used to be a part of the Green Dragon kingdom. We were forced out of the kingdom by the Green Dragon army. I'm sure that we can help. We have at least a hundred good archers in our village." Said Mimi. "We also have some healers in the village."
"The Kamiya kingdom thanks you." Said Kari.
"We've been doing gorilla warfare tactics on them for years. This is just a step up. If you will give us a little while to pick up we can be ready to go in thirty minutes max."
"Great." Said Tai. "The sooner the better." The group moved out of the teepee and the camp practically exploded into action. The teepee's were taken down quickly and packed onto the few horses that the nomadic village had. They moved off quickly for such a large number of people towards the Kamiya castle.
Tai walked through the throne room towards his mother and father. His sword had been removed from its sheath and was with one of the guards outside of the throne room. He fell to one knee in front on his mother and father.
"You can stand Tai." Said his father.
"Thank you father but I have some bad news." Said Tai standing to his feet.
"You found Kari all right didn't you." Said his mother.
"Yes, but you both know about the boarder skirmishes that have been happening." Said Tai.
"Yes." Said his father slowly.
"It turns out that the Green Dragon kingdom has been making the attacks. We have to mobilize for war." Both his mother and father sat silently and just stared at their son.
"These are strong accusations Tai. I hope you have proof to support them." Said his father.
"They attacked and burned a village while we were there. We saw them with our own eyes."
"The Green Dragon soldiers?"
"They were the Green Dragon's orc allies."
"How do you know that the orcs weren't working on their own accord."
"But…"
"Tai. If you do not have better proof than we are not going to war."
"But…"
"Tai you know that we are not in complete control over the kingdom. We have to listen to what the holders say. They never want war and unless we have a direct act of war from them." Tai looked at his father shocked.
"Dad I always used to think that you championed justice. I see now that you only do it when it is the best for you. You're not thinking about the people that feed you your pretty pastries on silver platters, and that were cut down while they were sitting down to eat their bread and cheese on plates made out of wood. And to think that I used to look up to you." Tai turned and started to walk away from them.
"Tai please understand." Said his mother.
"Oh, I understand all right. Have fun in your castle. I've people that actually work for a living to help." Said Tai coldly opening the door.
"You walk out of that door son and you've lost all of your noble heritage. I will disown you." Said Tai's father.
"I guess your not really my father any more then." Said Tai. "I can do this then." Tai turned and flicked off the king then turned and slammed the door. Tai grabbed the sword angrily from the guard who held it out to him.
"Tai what's wrong?" Sora asked matching his pace. Tai was moving fast however and Sora had to almost run to keep up with him. "Hey slow down some of us aren't running a race."
Tai scowled but slowed down anyway. "My mother and father aren't going to even care. They said that the holders wouldn't like it."
"But a village was burned down and everybody was slaughtered. They aren't going to do anything."
"Not until something they care about gets hit. And I'm sorry Sora but you aren't royalty any more. The king got angry and I'm not a prince anymore. Not that I would want to be if I had to bend over to the holders."
"Tai I don't care about you being a noble, and I'm proud that you would stand up to your former father." Sora smiled and turned to Tai and kissed him full on the lips.
"If your going to proud like that then I'll have to do things like this more often." Said Tai putting his arm around her shoulders.
"Wait until tonight to see how proud I am." Said Sora grinning at Tai evilly.
"And I thought that you were all proper."
"You'll be amazed at how proper its going to be." Sora and Tai walked out into the courtyard to where the group was. The nomadic village was set up outside of castle in the plains.
"What's going to happen?" Asked Kari standing up. She had finally gotten enough energy together and her ankle was fully healed. Both Sora and Tai reached behind their backs and removed the capes that showed their ranks as generals. They both threw them into the dirt.
"If you want to stay royalty then you better stay here." Said Tai.
Kari smiled at her brother. "And miss all of the fun. The Green Dragon kingdom had my arrows to meet."
"So your parents aren't going to help us." Said Skye walking up. He had a kite shield attached to his handless arm with his bigger knives attached to the back. A short sword was in a sheath at his hip."
"You stole them." Said Sora.
"Hey once a thief always a thief." Said Skye laughing. They all stood up and started to walk towards the gate. After all they had a war to fight.
End Note: That is the fourth chapter and I'm sorry it's so short but I had writer's block. Please read and review.