1 Chapter One
This chapter is full of new names and words but the names are the hardest.
Sgiathach is not sgee-ah-thatch. It is a Celtic name meaning dragon. (Pronounced Sky-ah-tay) K'Sai (pronounced kay-sigh) is a word meaning sharp sai, or sharp dagger-like thingy.
"Aargh!" came an angry growl as a tall, purple-haired girl came at her opponent with her shortsword.
As she neared her opponent, she leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"How boring. The teacher has given me practice shortswords. That takes all the fun out of it, " whispered as she stopped and bowed to the silver- streaked, dark green haired girl opposite her.
"Of course, it's not helping the matter any that you're not even trying," the short, green- haired one replied.
"K'Sai, Sgiathach! Quit yapping those lips and get to work!" yelled the instructor beside the practice mat.
"Yes sir!" They hollered and saluted together.
Immediately, they threw all their weapons to the side of the mat where the instructor stood, somewhat frightened by the suddenness with which Sgiathach, the purple- haired girl, blocked smoothly with her rather muscular arms. K'Sai followed up with a forward palm thrust which Sgiathach did not block. K'Sai's palm hit her in the chin, but Sgiathach didn't let it bother her. She regained control over herself and backed off to do a mirrored crescent kick. This was not blocked either, leaving Sgiathach with a red chin and K'Sai with a rugburned shoulder. Then the two bowed calmly and smirked at the instructor, who, for some reason, didn't appear to be looking at them at all, but past them.
The two young girls, merely 13, turned around to see what it was that their instructor was staring at. Upon their full 180-degree turn, the two found that the room had filled with the male soldiers from the hated borderlands. It was not an unusual sight except that they dragged along a gallows on wheels.
On the gallows, K'Sai and Sgiathach saw what it was that the instructor was staring at. The General, the lieutenant, and the girls' maitress were hanging there, but not entirely, for it was only their skin.
The girls turned to the instructor who made a mumble, barely audible, but it was almost clear that he'd said… "Mommy". Then the instructor fainted, leaving the two girls to fend for themselves in a room full of full grown, combat- trained men.
One of the men walked over to the instructor's limp being and pulled out a longsword. K'Sai and Sgiathach watched, in horror, but never crying, as the man inserted the longsword in the instructor's stomach, whose eyes shot open as he was jolted to consciousness. The instructor looked the girls in their eyes and said "sister" and, promptly, died. The man that had killed him looked up suddenly.
"You will come with us," he growled at K'Sai. "And you will go with them," he continued, pointing at Sgiathach then at a small group of young boy soldiers.
A leader of a sort came out of each group, grabbed the designated girl and left. K'Sai and Sgiathach both quiet.
This chapter is full of new names and words but the names are the hardest.
Sgiathach is not sgee-ah-thatch. It is a Celtic name meaning dragon. (Pronounced Sky-ah-tay) K'Sai (pronounced kay-sigh) is a word meaning sharp sai, or sharp dagger-like thingy.
"Aargh!" came an angry growl as a tall, purple-haired girl came at her opponent with her shortsword.
As she neared her opponent, she leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"How boring. The teacher has given me practice shortswords. That takes all the fun out of it, " whispered as she stopped and bowed to the silver- streaked, dark green haired girl opposite her.
"Of course, it's not helping the matter any that you're not even trying," the short, green- haired one replied.
"K'Sai, Sgiathach! Quit yapping those lips and get to work!" yelled the instructor beside the practice mat.
"Yes sir!" They hollered and saluted together.
Immediately, they threw all their weapons to the side of the mat where the instructor stood, somewhat frightened by the suddenness with which Sgiathach, the purple- haired girl, blocked smoothly with her rather muscular arms. K'Sai followed up with a forward palm thrust which Sgiathach did not block. K'Sai's palm hit her in the chin, but Sgiathach didn't let it bother her. She regained control over herself and backed off to do a mirrored crescent kick. This was not blocked either, leaving Sgiathach with a red chin and K'Sai with a rugburned shoulder. Then the two bowed calmly and smirked at the instructor, who, for some reason, didn't appear to be looking at them at all, but past them.
The two young girls, merely 13, turned around to see what it was that their instructor was staring at. Upon their full 180-degree turn, the two found that the room had filled with the male soldiers from the hated borderlands. It was not an unusual sight except that they dragged along a gallows on wheels.
On the gallows, K'Sai and Sgiathach saw what it was that the instructor was staring at. The General, the lieutenant, and the girls' maitress were hanging there, but not entirely, for it was only their skin.
The girls turned to the instructor who made a mumble, barely audible, but it was almost clear that he'd said… "Mommy". Then the instructor fainted, leaving the two girls to fend for themselves in a room full of full grown, combat- trained men.
One of the men walked over to the instructor's limp being and pulled out a longsword. K'Sai and Sgiathach watched, in horror, but never crying, as the man inserted the longsword in the instructor's stomach, whose eyes shot open as he was jolted to consciousness. The instructor looked the girls in their eyes and said "sister" and, promptly, died. The man that had killed him looked up suddenly.
"You will come with us," he growled at K'Sai. "And you will go with them," he continued, pointing at Sgiathach then at a small group of young boy soldiers.
A leader of a sort came out of each group, grabbed the designated girl and left. K'Sai and Sgiathach both quiet.