Chapter 2:Raiders
This is disclaimed! Don't sue, it's not polite. Did ya know that every 7 minuets some one in an aerobics class pulls a hamstring?
Tigress-of-Shang hehehe yes I know Neal's being stupid but, hehee, keep reading cuz his concern gets explained in time. Lia's, um, different… And my grandfather is Santa clause so….
To the rest of ya, Pysche and Lauren and whoever told me I spelled Nealan wrong thanx. Now read and review! For I have commanded it! hehehe
"Will you tell me in the morning?"
"Yes, I'll tell you in the morning."
Lia yelled out a loud whoop and ran out of the hall to the village. To tell Fairla. Fairla knew everything about me. She was one of those people whom when they looked at you, you told them everything that had happened to you that day. It was sometimes a very bad thing. Fairla had known that I wanted to be a knight before I realized that was what I wanted to do.That had been an odd conversation. She smiled as she remembered that day.
*Flashback*
'What am I going to do? I don't want to be hemmed down by the rest of my life. I don't want to be married. I want to help people, make a difference. I want people to remember me. What am I going to do?'Fairla had been laying down watching me pace. When Lia had said that she had sat up like she had been slapped, it had really funny now that Lia thought about it again. She had said that if Lia didn't know she wasn't going to tell her and that she would have to figure of out her my own.
*End Flashback*
In Lia's daze her feet had led her to Failas door. Lia knocked on her door. Nobody answered. Looking through the windows and seeing no one was home, and hearing commotion down the street Lia ambled that way.
There seemed to be people running around and screaming. Lia picked up her pace. As she drew closer to the epicenter the situation grew worse and worse. Lia stopped dead in her tracks, raiders a voice in her head whispered. Lia bent down and picked a dagger up off a dead man and threw herself into the fray. Her body took over all of her movements. She had always been good with the dagger.
Before long she was covered in blood. She wasn't killing the raiders. She would hit the raiders with the hilt of her dagger and knock them out. But even with her careful aim, she still inflicted flesh wounds, and unfortunately had them inflicted upon her. As the fight was nearing its end she heard the horn blow of reinforcements from the castle. She felt her fathers arms scoop her up before the world slowly faded into black.
~~:~~
Lia heard voices above her head, soft hushed voices. Her parents, and Kel and Dom.
'You can't be mad at her Neal, we attacked raiders when we where her age. And they weren't attacking our home.' Kel said.
'We had training!' He whispered fiercely.
' She is as good with that dagger of hers as we were. Better even. And she wants the training.' Kel said louder than she'd meant to.
'Hush up you two, I think she's waking up.' Her mother said. Her eyelids fluttered and opened. Dom was sleeping on the floor. Her mother was sitting on a chair with a book of Yamani poetry in her lap, looking slightly worried reached out and put her hand on Lia's head. 'Do you feel alright?'
'Fine, a little hungry. Oh, and I can't feel my arm.' That should have freaked her out a little but her head felt a little cloudy.
'We'll see if you can keep down soup, and then we'll move you to solid food.' Her mother said smiling.
'Papa, can I go? Please?' Lia begged. He sighed.
'Yazlia, if you really want to, you can go.' He said resigned to the fact that she would make her own destiny. Little did he know how right he would be.
He watched as his daughters face shined and her eyes lit up and sparkled as her eyes shone like emeralds. She looked so pretty, when she had been little she had been the favorite of the court. That had been part of the reason he had moved his family out of the castle, he had wanted them to grow up untarnished by life at court. And now his children were willingly going back. Life was real interesting some of the time.
'Thank you Papa! Lia said throwing herself at him. He caught her in his arms and hugged her, ruffling her short black hair. 'Don't thank me yet, you haven't even started training. You'll hate me once it starts.' He and Kel shared a wry grin after that. They both had [well lets say interesting memories of that place because any good Tammy fan knows that story.]
'Now, back to bed for you. 'Yuki said.
'But I'm not sleepy' and she wasn't she was slightly hyper. She was going to be a knight! ' Can Falia come over later? What's wrong?' The faces around her where sad, and made her fear for her friends life.
'I think maybe it's better if you don't go down to the village. It's been pretty torn up. Falia's helping rebuild.' Her mother said slowly. She didn't beat around the bush or make it seem better than it really was, Lia hated that. She just wanted to be told. She started to get out of bed.
'Lia, what are you doing?'
'I want to see the village' Lia stated she was moving slowly but by this time she had swung her feet around and had them dangling off the side of the bed. Slowly she eased weight onto her feet. Grabbing hold of the bedpost she pulled herself up to a standing position.
'Yazlia, maybe this isn't such a good idea, you need your rest.' Her father said carefully. His daughter had a temper and when she got an idea in her head it was hard to stop her, harder yet when she had made a decision.
'No I want to see the village.'
'At her house, going through her families things. Are you sure you want to go all he way down to the village?' Dom asked, finally waking up.
'Yes.' was her firm reply.
'Will you at least ride your horse?' Yuki asked quietly.
Lia considered it. It would be easier on her body and that way she would be in better shape when she started as a page.
'Okay, I'll ride Shanti.' Shanti was her horse, a beautiful black horse, Shanti meant winds in Yamani.
'Thank you, now if the men folk would please leave, so we can get Miss. Lia here appropriately dressed.' Lia looked down at herself, she was wearing her nightgown. Lia sighed, she hated when she needed help dressing. It had only happened twice before, and she hated it, it made her feel helpless. Lia didn't like feeling helpless.
'Okay, we'll see you later Lia' Her father leaned down and kissed her forehead as he walked out.
'Lets get this over with, skirt and shirt, no buttons.' Her mother just grinned at her.
'But that's no fun.' Protested her mother.
'I'll do it myself.' Lia threatened, her voice low.
'All right fine. Hang on I'm going to get your blue skirt, Make sure she doesn't go anywhere Kel.' The lady knight just nodded. She was busy examining Lia's books.
Giving Lia time to take full inventory of her injuries. Other than an arm that was throbbing slightly, what were left where multiple bruises and a sore body.
'So how long was I out?'
'Four days, we leave for Corus next week. Your father already sent the appropriate letters.'
'Wow. That's a long time.' For some reason Lia's brain still wouldn't function properly. It was like trying to talk in a language she only half knew.
'Not really, I was out for a week and a half once.' Lia's mouth dropped, that was a really long time. 'And in about a day or so your brain will wok like it's supposed to again.'
'Oh, good, I was afraid it was going to stay this way.' After a short pause. 'I don't suppose your mother ever did this to you. Dressed you up in skirts I mean.' Lia said. Kel laughed.
'No, my mother took me to parties where they looked at trees and made up poetry about it.' She said with and evil grin. Lia made a face.
Yukimi walked back into the room. Holing what appeared to be an armful of clothing.
'I wasn't sure what color you wanted. So I took them all.' Yuki proceeded to drop them on the bed. Lia groaned and grabbed the one on top, which happened to be a dark green skirt. Meanwhile Keladry was trying very hard not to let it be shown that she was laughing.
Dressing was harder than she thought it would be. Her aching limbs did not want to cooperate with her brain and refused to do what she wanted to. That and the fact that it took forever for Yuki to find a shirt to go with the skirt.
But somehow Lia managed to get out of the castle and onto her horse. Even with all of the 'Be careful.' and 'don't over do it.' warnings.
~~:~~
So, how was it? Completely horrible? Brilliant and Dispiriting? Tell ME!
Oh, and on chappie length will someone please tell me if they're too long? Cuz this ones really long sooooooooooooooooooooo…
~Ana~
