Chapter Twenty-four

A Little Dancing and A Little Fighting....well, Arguing

The dark man brought me back to the wagon where Kia and Leo where waiting. I don't know where Doyle went. Probably to chase that fly.

" Where did you go? How did you go?" Kia asked me in astonishment, more than scolded me.

" I had to... relive myself. Why, what's so interesting about me leaving?"

" Your ankle," I looked at it. It was bound, and hurt a little i was just noticing, but other than that it seemed fine. "Your ankle was twisted two days ago. How did you get better?"

" She is the Buhkadoo," The dark man said very quietly, than, "The one encased by light. She has healed herself with her never ending fire." ( I hope that sounds as odd to you as it did to me. Poor guy must be a little messed up in the head.)

Kia studied me again. Than she walked up to me and unwrapped a bandage on my arm. Nothing was there, only a little blood spot. She did this with all my bandages, and there was either a little blood spot, a bruise, or nothing at all. When she inspected my ankle there was only a large bruise. Than she removed the bandage on my head. She inspected the back of my head.

" That will be a scare, as well as this one on your back." She took her indext finger and traced over the scare that was, as I later saw, almost the whole length of my back going sideways from my right shoulder to the left. I would have looked than but there where men in the room and I was trying to cover myself as much as I could with a blanket.

" Uhh, do you mind if I can have something a little less revealing like my dress or something?" I asked. Kia went to a chest full of cloths. From it, she grabbed a long white shirt and black baggy pants. With it there was a belt and some black sippers. They all left for a moment while I changed, then came back in.

I felt very comfortable, and I ate all my food, which was very good. Spicy, but good. (The dark man introduced himself as Deign. pronounced: DEE-Gin. I have the urge to call him Dee. It fits him better.) When I was finished, I had a glass of heavily watered wine, and lay down. I was still tired so I wasn't much company.

Kia and Deign left and Leo lay down on a little couch and slept. I wasn't much in the mood to be awake either, so I slept.

When I woke up, there where at least a half a dozen different wild flower next to the bed. A couple I recognized, and others I didn't. There was even a loaf of bread.

I grabbed the bread and smelled it. It wasn't the ordinary piece of bread. It had onions and a little garlic, and many other herbs in it that smelled so delicious, that I grabbed it and took it out of the wagon with me. ( Leo wasn't on the couch anymore.)

It looked to be about five-ish. I wandered a little bit. I got a few odd looks, but they where from some of the old women. Everyone else was too interested in what they were doing, or they nicly said hello to me. Some even said it in a different language that I recognized from people coming in to the Dove. It means hello, I've learned.

As I walked, I ate some of the bread. I saw Doyle and went to him. He was doing something specific. He was in a hurry to find something. But it wasn't anything bad. He had a menacing look in his face. " Hey, what's up?" I asked him.

" Just the person I was looking for. Come with me." He eyes my bread. The he just grabbed some and stuffed his face with it. With a mouth full of bread he said, "Man, I sure do love Giffas bread. She always makes the best." Then I followed him to where ever he was taking me.

While we where walking to where ever we were going, we'd passed by someone and Doyle would introduce me to them. Most where somewhat older men playing instruments or old women sewing and weaving, or cooking. I was beginning to wonder where every one my age and all the children where. My question was answered, though.

As we walked past a wagon, and into a clearing, I saw Kia with some women and men around my age, along with other people of other various ages. I also found that all the children where gathering around to be told a story before dinner. That's where the rest of the men where, they where our getting some meat for dinner.

Kia walked up to me. "Have a nice nap?" She asked me casually. I just nodded. "Well, since your feeling better, do you wanna learn how to have a little fun?"

" What do I have to do?" I asked skeptically.

" Go on," Doyle urged me. "It's fun, trust me." So I followed Kia. She introduced me everyone that was there, including Giffa. She was the old story teller. She wasn't much to look at, but she had a kind heart, so I thanked her for the bread and she winked at me.

Once I met everyone, one girl, whose name I forget, took me and a few men who started a song on a bunch of instruments. It was a very interesting song. It was the same song that they played when they where at the Dove. She told me to watch how she danced. (Yes, they where going to teach me how to dance.) It was an interesting dance, well the beginning of it. I have to learn the last part another day.

The reason we stopped dancing was because the men had come with the meat. One particularly large, not fat but musically man, with dark brown hair and a few various braids and with tan skin most, not all, but most, of the people in the tribe have, if that's what you want to call these people, and he had a huge deer with magnificent antlers. He was introduced as Bal, Kia's father.

When the men came home, their women greeted them, and then I met Kia's mother, Mirra, a lovely thin woman with long raven hair and high cheek bones that frame her eyes. No wonder Kia was so fair skinned. I could now see that Kia's features reflected her parents perfectly.

From her father, she was given the muscle that would keep her safe, and her brown hair that would be the envy of any hair model in L.A. And from her mother, she was gifted with the high cheekbones that framed her blue-but-mostly-green eyes, and her elegance that allowed her to carry the muscular body her father gave her. ( I was envious that I didn't have the same parents, but than again I'm starting to think I don't really know who my parents really are.)

Anyway, Bal who, after receiving the information that I didn't know how to skin a hide from an animal, promptly educated me with the deer he had caught. I don't think I did that bad, but, unfortunately I have to report that Doyle was finished with the deer he helped skin way before bal and I were.

Leo seemed kind of outcaste, but Kia and Doyle where almost always keeping him company. And when we finally ate, we all ( Kia, me, Doyle, Bal, Mirra, and Leo) dinned together.

While we had dinner and wine (Oh, sweet blissful wine that I can actually taste and drink with out having someone take it away or have it heavily watered, how I have missed you.) many things where asked of me. Where I lived, what I did for a living, how old I was, if I was married, if I liked the food, how many bottles of wine I would drink before the end of the night ( I only went through one... with in twnty minutes.....). Not much was asked of Leo. He was mostly quiet. But when he was asked a question, it was devastating.

It went like this:

" So, Atryeu, that's an interesting name. I don't think I have ever heard that name." Bal questioned after many cups of ale.

" Well," Leo started. "It is actually a name from some companions of mine."

" Really, what sort of companions? Do they work, or are they filthylittle rogues? It's sounds like a rogues name."

I could see a little bit of rage in Leo's eyes, not much, but just a spark. He, too, has been drinking tonight. But he kept his cool, he didn't say anything. Instead, Bal went on to bag on the rogues.

" Those scoundrels, always out for anything they can get their filthy, grubby hands on. Filthy slobs..." He trailed of into his cup of ale.

Now, remember me the (also) drunk one, more or less, wanted to know what Bal had against rogues.

" Umm, Bal, sir, so why is it that you think so lowly of the rogues?" I asked.

" Well, my dear, it started with my great papa. He and the Rogue rogue where best of friends, side by side companions. One day they happened to stumble upon a chest full of gold and jewels. They decided that they would split the gold in half, seeing as it was only fair. Than, one day, the rogue and his rogue-ish buddies got together. They decided that they earned it because of some reason or another, or so they say. I think they were just greedy scoundrals. Anyways, they took all my papa's gold, and never returned. That's why you never trust a rogue. They will robe you blind of anything they can get your hands on, even you innocence my dear child, so watch out for them." His eyes flickered to Leo's and held them their, accusation filling his eyes.

I guess Leo wasn't going to tolerate these accusations. He stood up, both hands on the table to lean on the table and looked down at Bal. "Are you accusing me, sir, of wanting to thieve this poor child's innocence from her?" Leo pointed at me. Bal just stared in that way that basically said, ' What else do you think I was trying to say?'

" I assure you sir, if I where committing my time to rouging, I would not have been here, nor would some of your belongings. And I have heard that story more than once, and maybe there was more fault that lied on your peoples heads than the rogues. Maybe it was your Great "Papa's" fault for loosing all that gold, or maybe he didn't loss it, maybe he just said that because he was a terrible drunk who beet his wife and children, and lied consistently to make himself look like a civil man. And maybe his traits have been passed through your line, no offence to anyone else here, especially to Kia and her mother for taking care of me and Gwen. Thank you good mistresses, but I think I have over stayed my welcome. Good-bye!" I think I might have turned into a physical fight where it not for Doyle and the other men who held Bal back. But they almost couldn't keep a hold of the huge men. He actually broke free for a moment before more men and women through themselves on him. But you could tell that soon he would be free and would come strait for Leo.

At this moment I didn't know what to do. I looked for Doyle's advice but he was busy holding back Bal. Than Kia and her mother ran to me.

Kia spoke first. "Gwen go, help him. He wont get out of the woods alone! It's not safe! Hurry! And come back in two days so I may see that you made it out safely! Run! To you horse. Go!"

I was about to run to get you and Ayden when, "wait!" Mirra called. She ran to me. "Take this." She closed her eyes and whispered some sort of spell. "Now go, you will be safe. Keep the rogue near you, or he will not live." I didn't know what to think about any of this, but I did as I was told. I grabbed you and Ayden. I didn't even saddle him, nor did I grab my dress or shoes. I rode hard out of the woods.

I used my gift to create light. I found him with in a few minutes, but he looked like he was be chased by something. When he saw me he told me to run away, but I figured I was safe bacause of what Mirra told me, so I rode to him. I didn't know if what I was going to do would actually work, but I was going to try. I rode to him, and I reached out my hand, and he grabbed it, and somehow actually managed to get on Ayden behind me. But right than.........I don't really know how to describe it, but something like the scariest creature you could think of popped out of nowhere like a black and white, ghost-like blur, but was gone in a heartbeat. But I rode like I had never rode before. I didn't even know where I was, but Ayden did so I let him lead the way and soon we where at Leo's house, a little more calm then before.

We both dismounted, not knowing what to say. I tied up Ayden and gave him some hay and water. He was happy, though thirstily. I went inside and Leo was changing his shirt. His back looked like it was burned, but it was rapidly going away. I was amazed at what I saw. But I was also tired and scared. I might have been halusinating. I went to the bed and grabbed the blanket and threw it over my entire body, including my head. (That's kinda what I do when I get scared) When it didn't help to get the monster out of my head, I sat up. Leo had already lit a few candles. I found some more on the wall and lit them with my gift.

Leo was sitting in his chair, staring blankly at the wall.

" You don't believe you're a filthy good for nothin' do you?" I think I startled him a little.

He looked away from space and at me. "No," he forced a smile.

I waited a minute for something else, and when it didn't come I said, "You don't always have to be strong you know. Everyone has emotions other than joy and happiness. Even you. I know something's wrong. What is it? And don't say your fine. I'm not blind. Maybe a little stupid, a little ignorant possibly, but blind I'm not."

He gave a little crake of a smile, a real one. "I don't care that he doesn't like rogues. It's not that, it's just... never mind, it's nothing, really."

" Liar," I accused. Than in a more friendly voice I said, "Come one, I wont tell anyone. Let it out. Let someone in. Even if it's just a crake, it feels better to tell someone, I know."

He hesitated. "I , uhh, I ..." I gave him that look that said I wanted the truth. "Fine" he stood up and started to pace around the room. "It's just that my father would call me good for nothing. I was always his second son." I gave him the confused look. He came to sit next to me. "I had a brother. His name was Samuel. He was always earning money for my father and being so... Perfect! I was never as good as Sam, ever. Nothing I would do could amount to what he did. And it's just that, my father was always like Bal. To everyone else he seemed to be perfect. Funny, smart, loving. The perfect leader. And I'm not saying that Bal isn't a good guy, I think he is. But he knows I'm 'in the business' and he has a grudge. But the way he said it. The way he looked at me, the way he spit ale at me, and accusing me of wanting to do harm to you... it scared me." After a few seconds of silence..." He was my father to me all over again."

" You don't have to be scared. They where just words, and your away from your father. He'll never torment you agai-"

" But he does. Every day I don't see my mother is when his voice echoes in my head: your stupid, you'll never be as good at you brother, no woman will ever love you, your nothing, you'll have to rape so child for sex then you'll have a bastard child like your mother by ..." He stopped talking to wiped a tear from his face. "You see, Bal accused me of the same thing my father accused me of."

" It's okay, it's-"I started but I was cut off.

" No! It's not okay. You don't understand." He looked at me.

" What? What don't I understand? I don't get it. Don't look at me like I should know! Please..."

His voice got quiet, I almost couldn't understand him, but he said, " You don't understand... that that's what I want!"

" What do you mean. You want... what?"

" You!!" He got up and walked across the room. I just sat there. I never thought of Leo as anything else than the hunky friend of George. Now, everything was just spilled out.

He paced across the floor again. When my senses returned, I didn't know what to do. Than I remembered a piece of advice that a friend gave me. ' Most everything can be solved or prevented by a huge.' What did I have to lose.

I stood up, walked to Leo and hugged him. It was awkward. I don't think he has been hugged in a while. He couldn't figure out what to do. After a few minutes of Leo, yes Leo! was crying on my shoulder, I broke the hug. I took my sleeve and whipped some of the tears from his face like a mother would do. After we just look at each other. (Not in a passionate kind of way, if you can imagine that, but that's how it happened.)

Finally I said, "You know, it's okay."

" For what," He asked. Than I kissed him. It wasn't a sloppy kiss or anything. It was a friendship kiss with a hint of passion, because part of me wanted to kiss him. Wanted him to hold me. Wanted him to... (nevermind, i'm old and dead now most likly so i wont fill your mind with the details.) I started to cry than. I don't know why, but we both went to sleep after that. We both faced the right wall, but I allowed Leo to hold me, because like I said, there was a part of me that wanted him. This was my way of compromising.

I did it. I got this chapter up thins weekend. YEEE-hawww! Uhh, about this chapter... yeah, not much to say... don't worry, i'm confused to. Like, i get it, but i don't so don't ask, and to Pinky i think that's who.... im sorry to ruin your fun or anyone elses, but our beloved ALanna will not be in this part of the story. In the next part, i already have it planed out kinda like a second book, story, thing. Sorry....uhhh Happy Halloween!