Moon Light Nights
Chapter 7
By: Moondreams
Serenity sighed mixing the awful smelling herbs.
"Rankin this is nasty," she said sniffing the foul batter. Rankin almost cracked a smile as he watched her wrinkle up her little nose. She had changed since he seen her since she was brought to Jeriah. Her skin had been tanned to a golden honey from spending so much time outdoors. Her hair had grown waist length and just as beautiful as when Endymion had first taken her. One hand was wrapped up and in a sling. A sword swung by her side. But it was something more then just appearances. It was how she held herself. She had always had the air of nobility but now she could back it up. She was braver now, making chances. Taking dares. Well that was the bad thing. From what both Orion and Adrian had told him was that she was at war with another girl called Elidi, a sultry and beautiful girl. She had the one who had dared Sharai to try standing up while riding. From what he had heard, Elidi had told Sharai that all Bedouins could do it and Sharai was stupid enough to believe it. That was how Serenity had broken her wrist. Rankin hoped she'd be wiser now. Rankin had heard the tale of the flashing silver light from Adrian and had kept an eye for it. This girl had great power and he could tell it. Something was different about this girl from the rest of the outlanders.
Orion woke up with a jerk. He sat up and pushed back the dark hair falling into his eyes. The flash of light had been present in his dream again. His vision had shown Sharai leading an army with a sword and the mark upon her forehead shining just as brightly. It had been a moon, the mark was a moon. He slowly got up and walked outside to stare at the starry night sky.
"Why me?" He yelled up to the heavens.
"I am just a simple weapons maker who happened to become a knight," he said this time with a much lower voice. It would be better if those inhabiting the tents around his wouldn't wake to hear him screaming like a mad man.
"I am not one to receive visions. Its up to Rankin. He's the one that deals with magic and visions. Not me. I barely succeeded in that part of my training," he said pushing his hair back from his eyes again.
"Why her? She's an Outlander. An Outlander is going to lead an army of our people, with Endy at her side and the other knights following, all his knights except me. Why?" he said with a feeling of dread in his stomach.
"Why?" he asked the heavens once more before going back into his tent. He knew he would not sleep tonight.
Endymion paced back and forth. It had seemed pacing was the only thing he could do anymore. Maybe it was the monotony of going back and forth that soothed him. He kept glanced over to the North of their camp. Rankin should have come back by now. Things were getting worse for them. He needed his friend's council as well as getting the report of Serenity. Sharai, he corrected himself. Queen's daughter. Nerfera was also interested in the little outlander whom she had heard much of. Last thing Adrian had reported was Serenity had suffered a broken wrist. He had grimaced as he heard the news. He wondered briefly if she hated him still.
"Endymion," a voice called out. Endymion's back straightened as if a rod had been placed in it. 'Please don't let it be....' Endymion thought as he turned around, 'and it is her,' Deva stood before him smiling. Endymion set his lips from to keep him from frowning. She was just as beautiful as he remembered her. Her dark hair was alighted with the colors of flames. Cat like green eyes peered at him with longing. Jewelry decorated almost every part of her making Endymion wonder if she was much heavier because of it. A merchant caravan from the City had arrived the night before but Endymion had never suspected she'd be with it.
"Deva," he greeted. She smiled up at him adoringly through thickly veiled lashes.
"Oh Endymion you would never believe the trouble I've had getting here," she said with a wave of her hand.
"Well Nerfera is in the tent over there. I'm sure you two have a lot of catching up to do," Endymion said starting to walk away. Deva caught on to his arm.
"It isn't Nerfera I've come to see," she replied smoothly. Endymion raised an eyebrow.
"Pity," he said and unwrapped Deva's claw like grip from his arm and walked into his tent. Nerfera looked up in amusement as her brother came storming into the tent. "If you even start listing her virtues I swear I'll drag you outside and order Adrian to behead you," Endymion growled at his sister before she could speak. Nerfera raised an eyebrow and laughed merrily.
"Lack of virtues, you mean, dear brother. She worships that ground you walk on as I said before. Besides Adrian wouldn't behead me, I scare him to much I think," said Nerfera sweetly. Endymion rolled his eyes. Poor Adrian always got so nervous around Nerfera but it was more of love sickness then fright. Adrian was usually the butt of many a joke until Rankin had turned an eye toward the feisty Nadia and most of the joking had turned to him. But Orion still languished over his Lanaa. Endymion frowned.
"Where is Orion anyway?" he asked.
"He rode to the City early last night. I was supposed to deliver the message but didn't remember it till now," she said and gave her brother an apologetic smile. Endymion did his best not to roll his eyes but failed.
"Did he say why?" he asked. Nerfera shook her head no.
The desert sands shifted tugging at Sharai's head cloth that covered most of her face. Fear shot through her like lightning and she swallowed hard. This is what she had been waiting for. She finished putting her belongings in her saddlebags.
"Am I to believe you are nervous?" asked Gavin who walked up behind her.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Sharai replied with a shrug.
"You'll do fine. The trials will be over before you know it," Gavin said as he put a protective arm around his friend's shoulder.
"Yes of course," Sharai managed to say. It wasn't the trials she was worried about where the Bedouin people would show off their skills but it was the fact of meeting him face to face. Could she bear seeing Endymion again? She mounted her horse and once again the students of Jeriah started once again their long journey to the trials.
Brat, Elidi and Sharai joined a tent full of girls as each one of them dressed for the trials. Brat was dressed in hunter green with a golden belt. Elidi was dressed in pale yellow with a blue belt. Sharai herself was dressed in indigo blue and had a white belt on. Tension hung thick in the air as one of the foggy mornings of the moon. They weren't many females at the trials but the few that were looked nervous. Fear knotted in the pit Sharai's stomach. She felt she was going to lose what little breakfast she had that morning. She bounded out of the tent aware of Elidi's snickers following her. She crept toward the outskirts of the small village away from the crowds that filled the sandy streets, away from the clean houses of clay or mud brick, away from the people and the colorful banners. She found a spot and went to the business of throwing up till her stomach hurt and she couldn't anymore. The nervousness hadn't really disappeared, to her annoyance, but it had eased up a bit. She wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve and wrapped her scarf covering her head and lower face. It provided a cool and much needed relief from the sun. She lowered it a bit to wash out her mouth in at a nearby well. She looked down into the cool waters reflection. Blue eyes stared back at her with wisps of golden hair escaping from the folds of blue material. She closed her eyes and took a deep sigh.
"It's natural you know to be so nervous," commented a deep male voice. Sharai didn't turn around for she knew it was Jeriah.
"Do you know everything?" asked Sharai slightly agitated at the old man. The old man ignored her question. Instead he grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around to face him.
"You have great power, right here," he tapped her on the heart.
"Use it wisely and don't forget to think. You're smaller then most of them but you're quicker," he said and gave her a gruff smile. Sharai nodded.
"Now go on with you. You don't want to be late," he said giving her a gentle shove. Sharai kept walking toward the games not turning back to look at her teacher. Jeriah gave a sigh. He prayed with all his might that whatever happened Serenity wouldn't lose her kind gentleness that which the world lacked so often.
When Sharai arrived at the grounds, she was relieved to hear that Gavin was waiting for her with her horse.
"Feel better?" he asked. Sharai nodded slightly annoyed that he knew. Sharai mounted her white horse gracefully as Gavin handed Sharai her sword.
"Now don't forget. Dismount them or cut their belts. If you draw blood or cheat in any way you will be disqualified so that includes scratching biting and all those other things you women use," he said with a smile and ducked but not before Sharai smacked him on the back of the head.
"Good luck," he said. Sharai nodded and waited till it was her turn to go.
Serenity sat on the seat of her horse and with a sweeping of her sword knocked her opponent from his horse. The crowded murmured its approval. She wiped her eyes with a grimy sleeve as more sweat tickled down her face. She messaged her newly healed wrist that was sore from the exercise. The games had been going on surprisingly all day. Now the sun was setting over the horizon igniting the clouds into pinks and reds. It gave a peaceful cool that Sharai had learned to savor. Brat had done well and made it to the third round. She had met with Elidi the round before and knocked her off her horse but not without a hard fight. When Elidi had gotten up Sharai could have sworn she'd seen tears in the girl's eyes. Guilt had gnawed at her insiders making her victory sour. Elidi had gotten back up and bowed acknowledging Sharai as winner as those before her. Sharai sighed and rubbed her arm as trying to keep her muscles from knotting up. A headache pounded behind her eyes as the crescent burned brightly covered by the scarf wrapped around her head. She looked up again only now aware of how deadly silent the crowd was. A rider was before her. He was completely black, as was his horse. They blended together making it look like both were one. Sharai rubbed her eyes again and blinked as if to see if he was real. Even his eyes were shadowed beneath his scarf. A shiver ran up her spine and her hands felt clammy. All the stories of devils and such magical creatures raced across her mind before she could push them away. Sharai clinched her teeth. She had to win, devil or not.
Elidi cleaned her sword as another tear rolled down her cheek. She stared at her reflection in the blade. She never cried, at least till now. There was always next year, a voice inside her head said. Elidi ignored it.
"Are you ok?" a voice asked. Elidi's back suddenly became ram rod straight but she didn't look up.
"This is the females tent. Get out, Gavin," she hissed hiding her face with her long hair. Elidi heard him take several steps closer. She stiffened as he put a hand on her shoulder.
"It'll be ok," he said soothingly. She turned to face him angrily.
"No its not. I am a failure. Don't you understand? My family will be right, I can't do this. Did you know I grew up hearing how that all my father ever wanted was a boy? And all he got was a miserable girl who was only worth to marry off to whoever would have her. Now I'll have to go back and admit that he was right," she broke off sobbing. "Would marrying be that terrible?" he asked. Elidi nodded.
"I want freedom, I would never be content to just be at home raising children. I would die from confinement," she cried. Gavin tilted her chin up.
"Stop crying. Look you are the best rider I know. Your skill with a sword is excellent. You placed third, Elidi. Not 50th or 60th but third out of some hundred people. You don't have to go. Jeriah will train you some more if you wish. I am sure of it," Gavin assured her.
"If I left..." she paused for a moment. Then she looked him squarely in the eyes, " would you miss me?" Gavin didn't move for a moment.
"Yes" he answered softly. Elidi nodded and wiped her eyes.
"Now come on. We have to finish watch this. Something tells me its going to be quite a show," he said and ushered Elidi out of the tent before she could ask him what he meant.
The flag was lowered and Sharai's mount sprang foreword, as did the black rider's. Swords clashed with a loud bang that roared in Sharai's ears. So the battle continued. Serenity would attack and the black rider would just ward it off. Sharai clinched her teeth, he was just playing with her knowing full well that he could hack her to pieces at a mere whim. And with a yell Sharai charged at him. Now what happened next few could tell you even though they had watched the fight. Even so the battle between the two would be passed down from generation to generation. Those who had seen it would carry it like a badge of honor. Even those who hadn't been there would say they had, although most of Bedouin people of the desert consider themselves very truthful, they love a good story. Many will tell you a strange light blinded the black rider as his sword caught on her scarf. Others will say that he was so awed by the golden hair she had that he was defenseless. Others will say that it was her beauty. But she did succeed in cutting his belt.
"You've done well," said the dark rider and he to pulled off his scarf that bounded his face. Sharai forced her eyes away from the black belt lying strewn on the floor to her opponents face. It was...."Endymion," she whispered. Whether he heard her or not his expression didn't show.
"I give you the winner, Sharai" he said and raised Sharai's hand with his own as the crowd cheered. The noise died down as a voice rose in the crowd.
"CHEATER. WITCH. OUTLANDER WITCH!" came a high chant. Sharai paled and touched her forehead where the moon had disappeared again. The voice grew louder more people joined in.
"NO," she screamed and covered her ears.
"STOP!" came Endymion's deep voice. The response was immediate.
"She is to be a knight. Enough of this. Sharai, the companion of the trials," he yelled again and the crowd rose up once again in cheers. He glared at the direction the chanter had come from. He didn't need to see the twinkle of jewelry to know who it was.
To be continued...
Sorry it took me forever to get this chapter out. I was going through major writers block and nothing I wrote sounded good. Thanks to Utena for helping me get back on it.