Reflections of a Friendship

By Jedi Blu

(Formerly The Silver Songstress)

Disclaimer in 1st Chapter

NOTE: Sorry I've been gone sooooooo long. Family situations confused things for a while. But now I'm back. :-)

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CHAPTER SIX: Loss of a Friend

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PAST, 13 Years

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Adira was being ruthless in her practice sessions, men were afraid to come against her, and had been for the past six weeks. It was the eve of Kaliq's wedding day, and no one had stronger feelings about it then she did. And they were all negative feelings.

As she struck down her opponent, a seasoned warrior of two and thirty summers, she tossed her practice staff away and marched to the bench where her water skin was located. She drank from it heavily, her face a mask of determination and solemness.

"Your anger," a familiar voice said, "gives you great strength. Learn to harness it and you will lose many of your disadvantages."

Her smile was slightly bitter as she turned to face the warrior, she discovered that they were the only two in the training room. "Disadvantages? Such as what?"

"Size," was the cocky answer. Kaliq came towards her, his walk like that of a predator as he sized up his pray. "And your gender."

"It is getting old, Kaliq," she murmured, her eyes glazed over as she tried to distance herself mentally from the extreme dislike she had of the man.

He shook his head as he circled her. "No, it is only the truth. And you are beginning to realize that. Why else would you be so angry?"

"Because you are about to destroy one of the kindest women I know." She glared at him, any attempt at keeping her emotions at bay vanished at that moment. "How could you do this? She is afraid of you, and yet her father gives his consent! You will crush out any shred of life left in her. Jaide is far above you," she hissed out.

Kaliq laughed, a cold, harsh sound. "You must be joking. A woman above a man? And all that nonsense about crushing her.... She is a woman, and will be treated and used as she is intended to be."

"Used?" Adira was outraged, and on the verge of exploding. "She is a human being, with a soul and heart, much unlike you!" Her eyes danced with liquid brown flames, her stance was rigid, her tone scathing hot. "She deserves respect and dignity, and a husband who has the same. Not a demon in the body of a man."

While he was no longer laughing, Kaliq was still very much amused. The look in his eyes now resembled the very demon she had mentioned. "You are very insulting, Adira. Be grateful I do not show you your place for those remarks. Ardeth would be sorry to lose you." He stopped pacing when he was behind her, and she could no longer see him. But she could feel his piercing stare. "Although I don't know why. I am also puzzled with why you defend your dear Jaide so. You know all the women, daughters and wives of the warriors, fear you. I will wager that Jaide has never even said a word aloud to you."

"I keep my distance from the other women, they are given no opportunity to interact with me," Adira snarled. "It is by my choice. And I have seen Jaide, she is the kindest of women. She genuinely cares about all living, she is too kind and gentle for you. You will kill her."

"So long as I get a son first," Kaliq whispered, stepping up close behind Adira so that their robes almost brushed. "A woman has but one purpose. To serve the man who takes her as his own. Beyond that, she is useless. As are you."

The blood in the warrior woman's veins ran hot, almost boiling, as she stood under him. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, and sensed his darkness in the air. "I do not know what happened to you, Kaliq," she whispered, voice grown hoarse with anger. "But you are no longer a man fit to be a Med-jai."

He was enjoying harassing her, he knew he was making her uncomfortable. "And what would you do about that? A mere woman cannot exile a tribesman, or stop such a wedding as mine will be. You will remain silent, or else appear a fool for speaking against the heir's right-hand."

"I will not." She stepped away from him at last, the look in her eyes rivaling that of an angry Ardeth Bay. "I will speak out, and I will do all in my power to stop you from harming a kind human soul." She stood straight, her tone rising as she spoke. "I, Adira Manara Haddad, in the guardianship of the Heir Ardeth Bay, am accusing you of betrayal to the Med-jai law. You have allowed hatred and darkness into your heart, and you are no longer fit to fight alongside our commander. You have no honor to speak of, you should be stripped of all rights and all rank you have been given."

It was an insult, one so great that Kaliq could not help but be pleased. At last, he had a reason to fight the little warrior, and it would not be a fight which left both of them standing. "Alas, Adira, you have gone too far with your accusations." He drew his sword and threw his cloak away. "You have insulted my honor, and now you will pay the consequences."

Adira had only a slight moment in which to move away. He was after her before she could even grab up her own sword from where it had been thrown before. She rolled in the sawdust of the floor, came up, and barely deflected the first blow of Kaliq's sword.

He was the stronger fighter, he had even been known to defeat Ardeth at times. As skilled as she was, Adira would not be able to defeat Kaliq easily, and she knew it. Never in the practice ring had she defeated him before.

But this was no longer practice. One of them would walk away from this battle, and the other would never see another dawn.

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Present:

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Adira winced as Ardeth helped her tip the cup of bitter tea and drink from it, the pain in her head and stomach was horrendous. She could not remember ever having hurt so before, and doubted she would ever again. Her head rested back on the cushion that had been provided for her. She stared up at the ceiling of the tent, silent.

"Adira," Ardeth said quietly, gaining her attention. "I want to know why you disobeyed me."

Her eyes darkened, and he recognized her look. She was going to be stubborn. "I did not disobey you."

The commander was aghast for a moment, thinking she had told a blatant lie. "I commanded you to stay within the city. I commanded you to stay out of the army!"

"You most certainly did not!" she argued, ignoring the pounding in her head as she raised her voice. "Your exact commands were this, 'Adira, I forbid you to ride into battle at my side. I also command you to see to the safety of the city.'" She glared up at him, wishing she was not lying down but could face him at eye level. "I fought within the ranks, not at your side, and I posted guards throughout the city, in watchtowers. I made sure all was safe when I left."

Ardeth was at a loss of words, while he was still angry, he also knew when he was beaten. She had caught him, using his own words. "Your trickery will get you into worse trouble one day," he growled, running his hand through his dark hair.

She managed a weak laugh, her eyes picked up some twinkle. "Not much worse then this."

His look, the sudden seriousness of it and the way his eyes looked down into hers, made her become completely still. "If you were to be lost in battle...I do not know what I would do." He lifted her hand in his own once more, he just held it firmly.

The woman in her was reveling in his suddenly warm attentions, but the warrior in her became uncomfortable. Especially when she began to reason things out in her mind. "I am as any warrior, Ardeth. It is my duty to die for my cause. It would be an honor."

The way he now regarded her was familiar, he had looked at her that way so many times, right after she had said or done something to amaze him still further with her abilities. But there was a hint of something more there, something gentler. Even when she had faced Loc-Nah, years ago, Adira had never been more frightened then she was at that instant.

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