Sari rose late the next morning, exhausted after spending almost all night on the roof, and only coming down when he brother, Lyran, stuck his head out his window and roared at her to " put a ruddy sock in it, Sar, Please! I'm trying to sleep, so just stop damn well talking… no-ones up there anyway!!!"
Sometimes he could be an irritable jerk, especially when he had to ride all the way from the Scanra border, to witness his older brother achieve yet even more greatness.
Sniggering to herself when she passed a half-asleep Lyran conversing in the main hall with their father, she made her way to the kitchens intent on scabbing a late breakfast before taking her gelding Mooncloud for a ride on the old forest trails.
She entered the kitchens, and upon spotting a rather convenient bowl of fruit placed on a counter on her right-hand side she grabbed a few apples and headed to the stables.
Unlike knights or the men of the Own, Shang warriors only needed one horse instead of both a warhorse and a normal riding horse.
She entered the stables and searched the rows for Mooncloud, and upon finding him, she glanced at the horse he was a stall mate with.
And rolled her eyes.
Poor thing she thought, handing Moon an apple, she reached over and handed Honeysuckle the other. Honeysuckle!!!! What an idiotic name for a horse, poor beast, how terrible it must be like to belong Keira, she petted it absently, and despite the heartfelt sympathy she felt for the horse, she was also extremely jealous.
I'll bet we both know it wasn't Keira that's groomed you so well…She banished such stupid and mean thoughts from her head, she's my sister not a stuck up horrible ogre like Jacquelyn of Port Caynn!!!!
Once she had Moon saddled and ready she trotted him from the stables quickly, intent on getting out before she was further distracted.
Remember what the Panther said, she told herself fiercely, keep both eyes open, you never know what trouble could be waiting for the boy.
* * *
Only once she'd gotten a considerably large distance away from home did she slow Mooncloud to a walk.
Her head seemed to clear when she was in forests, and when she was higher than ground level.
A horse's whinny shattered her peace.
No!! Don't say there are people coming.
She urged Moon of the path and into the dense trees, after last night, and both her younger brother's anger with her, the last thong she was in the mood for were more people to use her as a relief for their troubles.
Oh no! She thought savagely as Micah came into view on his young mare.
Sighing she nudged Moon from the trees, can't avoid him forever.
Micah was surprised to see his sister suddenly come from the bushes, but didn't voice his brief shock.
" Are you still mad with me?"
" No!" he replied, clearly meaning it.
Well, that makes one of us, she thought to herself as they continued along the track.
They took the quickest path possible, up to the mountain range that bordered the Northern and Western side of Masbolle, the Wolfcall Range.
(A/N: I appear to have a bit of an addiction with wolf's right now, just in case you didn't know)
Sari recalled the conversation she'd had with her father, last night, in the lazy mid- afternoon heat.
After Micah had stormed off, Sari's parents had appeared, her father, happy to stay on the roof, wanting to talk about their youngest with their knowledgeable older daughter, while her mother had seemed more intent about trying to get her husband and child OFF the roof, though when they'd both made it clear they didn't wish to leave, she gave up and crept, obviously not wishing to stay up in the wind and dark on an unstable surface, back down, leaving her rather amused family members to talk to each other.
Sari remember the urgency of her fathers voice throughout their talk and, more vividly, she remembered the way he'd pleaded with her to look after Micah, saying,
'Sarini, please your mother and I can't do it anymore, he's too old, it's time for him to let us go! You know this.'
Her reply had been cold.
' Father I understand he has to go but why with me! I'm in training and once I get back they won't let him stay with me, no matter how much I beg, no matter my abilities and no matter who or what he is!'
' I know that Sar…. I guess he'll have to leave you when you get there' his voice had been full of regret.
'Father he is a child, he's only ten years old… why can't Adaim take him, or Ariana, she can take him back to Corus, he'll be safer with one of them'
' Your mother and I have thought of everything we can Sar! This is the only option…
Adaim can't take him, he cant be tied down by a boy, neither can Ari have him, she's to young…. You must have him, my girl, it's all we can do'
When she scowled angrily at him in reply he added ' besides, you understand him better than anyone, Sar, you're the only to take him, and I know you'll prepare him well'
'You know what you're saying father! You're saying that a boy's sister can care for him, prepare and be a better parent to him than his own! This is exactly why he thinks you don't love him as much as the others!!! Not because you cant help him, but because you wont'
She vividly remembered the look on her fathers face when she said those words,
He hadn't replied just bade her goodnight and climbed back down, ignoring her disgusted snarl of 'SEE' and disappeared.
Lyran stuck his head out moments later and roared at her…
Now, she glanced at the boy beside her, sighed again.
" Why do you keep doing that?" he asked, eyeing her questioningly.
The corners of her mouth flicked in a smile as she muttered an apology to him, before exclaiming, "hey! Recognise this place?"
That claimed his attention, "yeah! It's where Ari gat stuck on the cliff ledge, when she fell, and you ha dot climb all the way down to save her!"
He laughed briefly, remembering his mother's cry of "what do you MEAN Ariana fell off a cliff!" when they had returned, all of them dirty and Ari completely shaken, and his sister's frantic screaming when, she really hadn't been in immediate danger; the ledge had been perfectly stable, enough for their Sar to climb down and rescue her then seven-year-old daughter.
"That's right" Sari replied, remembering as well as he.
" That was a few days before you left wasn't it?" he laughed again, "one last saviour act before you went into training!"
She smiled at him but thought wildly, a saviour act yes, but most defiantly not the last… I suppose I'll have to tell him, obviously mother and father don't plan to…gods why ME.
She sighed quietly again, and turned to him.
" Brother, there's something we have to…. talk about," she murmured, knowing who would be doing the talking.
"When I go in a few weeks, you…you have to come with me," she said, now his attention was completely on her, and boy did he look confused.
"What? Why?", he said, confused about what she meant.
"You… you're in.. danger, and I need to get… to get you away from here…b..before you're killed."
He blinked at feeling VERY confused, danger! Him! Why? What had he done?
"I don't understand, why am I in danger? I don't get it! What did I do?"
She closed her eyes briefly, close to tears, and then opened them, willing herself to try to get him to understand the changes that were about to take place.
"Listen, we'll talk to mother and papa when we get back O.K they'll help explain".
"Then let's go back now" he insisted, eyes blazing.
She sighed, but consented and he led the way at a full gallop.
They were nearing the manor when, suddenly, bushes surged, and two men leapt onto the road.
They were armed, and looking straight at the boy slowing from a gallop before them.
But Nightfall, Micah's mare, wasn't prepared for such a quick and hasty stop, she skidded on the lose dirt and leaves, then reared back, hoofs flailing, while the master tried desperately to control her.
But what happened next shook him more than the confused horse.
Sar flashed past, drawing her sword, as Mooncloud bore down on the men, and reared back, in perfect control, unlike nightfall, and struck at the closest man with his hoofs, striking him, then trampling him as he came back down.
Sar was more than ready for the other man, who and turned to run, and thundered towards him, brought her sword up, then, down, slashing him deeply down the back.
He stumbled then fell, dead.
Micah stared, shocked, unable to speak, as she turned towards him.
Hardly stopping to think about the first man she had killed, She called to him "Micah, come, and hurry! There could be more".
He couldn't move.
She came back to him, and took Night's reins quietly urging Moon to lead them back home.
* * *
" YOU WERE ATTACKED! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WERE ATTACKED, SARINI?"
What do you think I mean, mother? Sari grumbled in her mind, before replying, " we were coming back from a ride, I'd just told Micha …. A bit…. And he wanted to come back here to talk to you because he was confused, which, by the way, isn't my fault, because you're the ones who…".
"Sari stop rambling," her father snapped, his ton deadly, remembering their conversation the night before, as well as she.
"What happened when you were attacked?" Keladry asked, clearly fighting to keep all emotion off her face.
Sari sighed mentally, before stating, in an exasperated tone, " we were coming back, and they came at us, from the forest onto the road, Micah was in front, galloping, then, when he tried to stop his horse skidded, then I passed him and killed one man, Moon trampled the other. Yes I did check they were dead!" she added, sensing her fathers' un-asked question
Sar blinked in surprise when her father tuned to Micah and asked, " Are you alright son?" Is he all right? What do you mean is HE all right? Of course he's all right! He's fine!! I'm the one who just killed two men to save him, and not a word of thanks. Why don't you ask me if I'm all right??? Of wait, I forgot DARLING Micah is the baby; therefore he's more important than some stupid warrior of Shang!! She thought bitterly, as her parents fussed over her little brother.
Micah didn't reply to his fathers' question, just stared at sari in a daze, hazel eyes wide with shock.
He couldn't understand it; his sister was the gentlest person in the family, yet she'd just killed two men.
He was in complete and utter confusion.
Domitan of Masbolle turned to his daughter and asked " and you, my dear, are you O.K?"
"Yes Papa I'm fine". She replied, through gritted teeth, eyes furious.
"Good, then go and find you brothers and sisters and tell them to come here immediately, hurry," he commanded.
" I think Ari is in the practise yard with Lyran, Adaim is probably in the kitchens, and Keira is un-doubtedly in her rooms, do hurry Sar". Her mother murmured distractedly.
Sari stormed out of the room, muttering to herself, but before she closed the door she heard her mothers voice " Sar? Thankyou, you saved him".
The door was slammed so hard it bounced back off the wall a few times, before Domitan rushed to close it properly.