Prologue: A Girl from the Plains

I wasn't sure when I had awoken, hell, I didn't even know when I had gone to sleep. I was lying on something very fluffy that smelled strongly of herbs and flowers. A fire was crackling somewhere and a sweet voice was humming a relaxing tune. A warm hand found its way onto my forehead that was soon followed by the sounds of water and a wet cloth being pushed gently under my light brown bangs. I must have moved because the humming stopped and was replaced by speech,

"Are you awake?"

My eyes slowly opened and focused on the lithe frame of a teenage girl dressed in worn blue robes hemmed in gold. Her long green hair was pulled high above her head where it fell down her back. Eyes of the same striking emerald crinkled slightly as they settled on my own. I blushed slightly and averted my gaze. She was very beautiful.

"I found you unconscious on the plains. I am Lyn, of the Lorca tribe. You're safe now," she explained. My brow crinkled and caused my head to pound painfully. My guess was that I was somewhere in Sacae. But the Lorca...where had I heard about them before?

Lyn sat on the edge of the bed I was on and leaned closer to me, "Who are you? Can you remember your name?"

My eyes locked on hers and the answer came to me, "Touya...Minomoe."

"Your name is Touya? What an odd sounding name..." she looked around the room as if trying to remember something. "But--pay me no mind. It is a good name," She gave me another warm smile as she looked me up and down. I was a man of twenty-two, my hair was barely past my ears and the color of grain. My eyes were an unusual shade of bright gold and my clothes were light colored and loose and usually covered by a dark green cloak. " I see by your attire that you are a traveler. What brings you to the Sacae plains? Would you share your story with me?"

I frowned at her, she was way too talkative and my headache was way too bad. I sat up and stretched and listened to the cracking of my bones and she looked on with that smile. "You see-" I was interrupted by rustling and voices outside. Lyn immediately looked in the direction of the door, "Hm? What was that noise?" She turned back to me and pushed my torso down as I began to rise. "I'll go see what's happening. Stay here Touya."

She rose and walked away. I noticed that her robes were cut down each leg revealing knee length boots and taunt skin. An iron sword was tied to her waist and she exited the room only to return frantically breathing seconds later, "Oh no! Bandits! They must have come down from the Bern Mountains! They must be planning on raiding the local villages."

Lyn looked extremely worried but bravely continued, "I...I have to stop them! If that's all of them, I think I can handle them on my own. You'll be safe in here, Touya." I sure as hell didn't feel safe in a hut and with no weapon to defend myself.

"I can help you!" I started to get up and walk towards her but she didn't look convinced, "What? You want to help? Well, can you use a weapon?" Quickly, I explained, "I'm a tactician."

Lyn's eyes brightened, "Ah, I see... So you're a strategist by trade? An odd profession, but... Very well. We'll go together." Turning, she left the room as I followed.

Carefully, she crept behind some nearby bushes and motioned to me, "Over here! I can protect you and you can advise me, just stay close."

Looking out over the plain I saw that there was a small battlefield and neither us nor the enemy had a real advantage. Some small mountains were located to the south and a river was barely seen behind two men to the east. The distance to the first opponent was minimal and I'd want Lyn to make the first move, "You need to move to where he can see you but far enough away that he won't attack you."

"Right." She moved and I could barely believe that she was listening to me, her trust in me was too strong. Why did Lyn want to be so close to another person so quickly? Didn't she have anyone else? No, this isn't the time to think about this. I have a battle to plan.

"Wait 'til he comes forth and attack from the side." Her sword was drawn and she did as told and came down with a strong blow. He swung at her with an axe but Lyn easily avoided it and hit him again. "Rangy girl!" he yelled and struck her hard from behind. Her scream pierced my ears as she used her remaining energy to slash at his throat and defeat him.

"Victory," she sighed and started to fall. Quickly, I slid my arm behind her back to keep her standing. "Touya, I'm fine."

"Lyn, this wound isn't good, you need to be healed. Here, I have a vulnerary with me." My hand went into my satchel and pulled out a small bag of herbs. Her fingers touched my own and she untied the bag and rubbed the crushed plants onto her cut.

"We must keep going, I have to protect the villagers," she looked towards the last bandit. He looked tougher then the other. On further observation he seemed to be covered with various scars and a stern expression was permanently fixed on his ugly face. "Here I go."

One had to admire her bravery as she neared the man, he was at least two or three times her size yet she kept her look of determination on her face, "Who ya think ya are? Ya think ya can stand up ta Batta the Beast? Ya got another thing comin' lil missy." Lyn got the first strike but only a minimal cut appeared on his ripped body. His fingers closed around the handle of his axe and with one quick swipe Lyn was sent sprawling onto the ground clutching a gushing cut across her waist.

"He-He's tough. Ah Touya, it all comes down to this last blow. If I fall you must flee." I could only stare as she got back up and approached the man again. "This is it!" The two fighters said in unison as Lyn ran forward.

Batta laughed pompously, "Ya think tha' can beat Batta the Bea--HEY! Where'd ya go?" My eyes grew wide as Lyn leapt off the ground and came down on Batta from every direction. Her sword slashed and she fell onto her knees behind him. "Wha..? How...How did ya- -?" He fell forward with a smash. Dust from the battle began to settle as I ran towards the green haired girl.

"Whew... that was close. I surely underestimated him," Lyn's face showed that beautiful smile that seemed to light something up in my chest. "Sorry if I worried you."

"Are...are you alright?" I knelt down beside her and took in the damage. She had lost some blood but she seemed to be okay. Her eyes looked towards the Bern mountains, "I..I'll need to be stronger if I'm going to survive... Strong enough so that no one can defeat me."

"Lyn..." Those words struck something in me. This girl was something else. So young yet so brave. Lyn has definitely been through more then the usual person in this warring era.

"Let's go home Touya. I'll make you dinner and then you can be on your way."

"Alright," I smiled back and helped her back to her house.

I awoke from my place on the floor wrapped in animals' skin and surveyed the circular room that Lyn lived in. Various pots and pans were tacked to the walls and her food was stored in a small cabinet in the corner farthest from the door. Heavy golden curtains covered the remaining parts of the walls. To the right of the cabinet was a stove that was blocked by the long legs of the aforementioned girl. I yawned and wondered over to her.

"Good morning, Touya." Looking over her shoulder I saw eggs frying on a coal black pan. "That fight yesterday must have taken a lot out of you."

"At least I don't have the physical proof," I frowned and sat down on a nearby stool. She laughed and handed me a plate of food. As I ate she watched, "Say, Touya... I want to talk to you about something. You have some experiences in the ways of war, I could tell." Her face showed a serious expression and her voice matched this emotion, "Would...Would you allow me to travel with you?"

I sat my plate aside and caught her gaze, "Listen Lyn, I... Your still very young. I would be okay with it but you'd need to be sure of it, your parents too." I carefully explained. She was indeed young and a life of killing isn't good for someone like her. She has so much more to live for.

Her eyes were downcast as she answered, "My mother and father...died six months ago." The surprise was evident on my face as was the emotion that was starting to grip her voice, "My people--the Lorca--they don't...I'm the last of my tribe... Bandits attacked, and... they killed so many people. The tribe was scattered. My father was our chieftain, and I wanted to protect our people. But I'm so young and people were old-fashioned. They wouldn't follow a woman. No one would follow me."

The Lorca, the great slaying of the Lorca. How could I have forgotten? The nomad tribe that was torn apart by bandits that left no one alive. Except this girl, somehow she survived. I looked upon her, she must have been so afraid when it happened. She was strong but the remembrance of the events were causing crystal streams to flow softly down her pale cheeks. Even sad she still managed to look beautiful, "I'm sorry, I've been alone for so long..." Her hands were balled by her sides and she had closed her eyes tightly, "No." Lyn exhaled slowly. She looked forward and wiped her eyes, "No more. I will shed no more tears."

All I could do was look on. I wanted to hold her like a father would a small child but she was no small child anymore. She was indeed a woman. She was a strong woman. I did the only thing I could think, I rubbed her back soothingly.

"Ah." She looked up at me, "Thank you. I'm better now. Touya, I want-- I must become stronger, so that I may avenge my father's death! Yesterday's battle taught me something. I won't become stronger by sitting here alone. Touya, tell me you'll train me, that you'll let me travel with you!"

"I....Alright." This is such a bad idea...but how can I say no? "If your sure that's what you-"

"You will? That's wonderful! Thank you!" Her arms wrapped around my neck and I as forcefully pulled into a hug, I laughed slightly and patted her back as she continued, "Oh, thank you! We'll be better off working together, I know it."

She pulled away and started excitedly pacing around the room, "You'll be my master strategist and I'll be your peerless warrior! We can do it!" She flashed me a thumbs up and her eyes crinkled in a happy smile, "Right?"

I smiled and flashed one back in return. What the hell was I getting into?

Author's Note-----

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