Here's the second chapter. Sorry for taking so long. Thanks to all my reviewers. To the good reviewers, I'm glad you like my story. To the bad reviewers, you will be proven wrong. And if you don't think you are, you can just sod off. - Tomb Raider X


Chapter Two

First Mission and Learning

A loud, intense banging roused Tári from her deep slumber. She opened her eyes and looked around sleepily. Nessa and Merenwen were still asleep; their heads buried under the blankets. Tári stumbled over to the window and looked out. It appeared to be an hour before first light.

Tári's eyes widened. "Nessa! Meren! Get up!"

Nessa moaned. "Why? It's not light yet."

"Tiriel ordered us to be ready at first light," Tári said, fretting.

"Oh no. I forgot," Nessa said, leaping out of bed. "Meren! Get up!"

"I'm up, I'm up," Merenwen said, coming out of the washroom.

The three girls threw their clothes and armour on; and grabbed their weapons. They dashed down to the tavern, and hurriedly ate some food. They then ran to the stables.

Cameron was waiting for them. "Good morning. I trust you slept well."

The three smiled; while saddling their horses.

Cameron handed each of them a bulging supply bag and a water skin. "I put together some provisions for your journey. I didn't think that you would remember."

"You're right," Tári said, sighing. "We completely forgot."

"Good luck on your first mission," Cameron said. "Stay safe."

"We will," Nessa said, as they led their horses outside.

"It's about time."

Tári, Nessa and Merenwen looked up. Tiriel was sitting on a dappled grey horse, eating an apple with her dagger. A thick, full quiver of arrows and a bow were strapped to the right side of the horse. It appeared that she had already gone for a ride, as the horse's breathing was slightly quicker than normal.

"Morning, Tiriel. How did you sleep?"

"I didn't sleep," Tiriel replied curtly. She twisted her horse around and rode away.

The three girls mounted their horses; and rode behind Tiriel. Several villagers were already awake and stepped aside as Tiriel and the girls rode past. As they rode past the tavern, Tiriel glanced up and saw Wilmarie. She was standing at the entrance to the tavern with a smile. She lifted her hand and waved goodbye to Tiriel.

Tiriel lifted her hand and smiled briefly; before kicking her horse in and cantering out the gate, the girls following. They rode to the top of a hill.

"This is your first of many missions under my command," Tiriel said, looking straight ahead. "None of the missions we take will be diplomatic."

Tári glanced at Nessa and Merenwen. "Where is our first mission?"

"Germania."

"Why?" Merenwen asked.

"Several supply caravans have recently been assaulted and plundered. Our mission is to join up with a convoy of supply caravans and accompany it to the Roman stronghold in northern Germania," Tiriel said.

"How long will it take us to reach the convoy?" Nessa asked.

"Two days," Tiriel replied. "We will not stop till nightfall."

The girls nodded. Tiriel glanced back at the fort, before galloping away, the three girls following.


The sun had just set; when Tiriel silently called a halt. They made camp under some trees, by the side of the road. Nessa found some and made a fire, while Tári and Merenwen got some food out. Tiriel sat on a boulder a meter away, watching them from the corner of her eye.

"Food's ready," Tári called out.

Tiriel strode over to the fire and sat on the opposite side from the three girls. Nessa handed her a hunk of bread and cheese; then grabbed some herself. Tári and Merenwen were already eating.

"Do you realize, it's been five years since any of us have seen our families? I miss them," Nessa commented.

"I know what you mean. I feel the same," Merenwen replied. Tári looked at Tiriel.

"What about you, Tiriel?" Tári asked. "When last did you see your family?"

Tiriel scowled. "12 years ago," she said finally.

"That's a long time. Do you miss them?" Merenwen asked; but immediately regretted it.

"I do not wish to discuss it," Tiriel said tersely. "It is none of your business."

Nessa shot a glance at Merenwen, who took the hint. Tiriel stuffed the rest of her bread in her mouth; then pulled out her dagger.

"What weapons do you carry?" Tiriel asked.

"We all carry swords," Tári replied.

"Bow and arrows?"

"No, none of us are able to manage a bow," Merenwen said.

Tiriel glanced up. "Most Amazonians carry bow and arrows."

"I was useless at that when I was young, and I still am," Merenwen said sheepishly.

"You still are young," Tiriel replied, fiddling with her dagger.

Nessa laughed. "How old are you, Tiriel?"

"Guess," Tiriel replied, slightly cheekily.

Tári looked at Nessa and Merenwen. "19?"

"18?" Nessa asked.

"17?" Merenwen said.

Tiriel smirked; but shook her head.

"We give up. You can't be older than 20, though," Tári said.

Tiriel glanced at Tári. "I am 22."

The three girls sat stunned for a moment.

"Did you really think I'm 18 or 19?"

Merenwen smirked, and looked at Tári and Nessa. Nessa rolled her eyes and threw some bread at Merenwen, who ducked.

"Don't waste food," Tári said, half-serious. The three girls laughed and fetched their bedrolls. They set them out next to the fire and lay down.

I'll keep watch," Tiriel said, standing. The girls nodded. She walked to her horse and retrieved an apple from the saddlebag; then sat on the boulder and ate the apple, using her dagger.

For a while, the three girls talked to each other, making jokes, and discussing things. But eventually, they fell asleep, exhausted from the day of riding, and Tiriel was left alone in the pale moonlight, gazing into the night.

Tiriel looked over at the three girls, sleeping peacefully. She allowed herself a small smile, as she remembered the look on their faces when she told them her age. A light wind blew across the camp, rustling the trees and revitalizing Tiriel.

Her mind went back to the question Merenwen asked: "Do you miss your family?" Tiriel hadn't thought of her family for a long time. Her mind drifted back in time...


"Tiriel, come. It is time to practice."

A seven-year-old Tiriel ran excitedly after her father...


"Tiriel, you must block properly."

"Sorry, father."

Tiriel swung her sword...


A nine-year-old Tiriel brought her hand to her face, touching the tattoos on her cheeks. Tears started to well in her eyes, as she watched the lone, dappled grey horse ride away with the accursed Romans.

"I will return, Tiriel, I promise. I will never forget you; I love you. I will return..."


"Help, Tiriel..."

"Father, Mother...NO!"


Tiriel closed her eyes, and sighed as the memories faded. She brought her left hand to her cheeks, tracing the tattoos. She carefully removed the leather black glove from her left hand; and gazed at the significant, deep tattoo on the back of her hand.

A black and brown hawk, wings spread in flight.

"Do you still remember me? I have not forgotten you all these years," Tiriel whispered to the sky. The wind blew across her face; and Tiriel sighed. She slipped the glove back onto her hand; then leant forward and watched the stars.


A boot in their backs unexpectedly awakened Tári, Nessa and Merenwen. After a quick breakfast, they were riding again. Tiriel was determined to reach the rendezvous point with the convoy before nightfall. They rode hard all day, and only stopped once to water their horses and eat some food.

As the sun started to set, they reached the rendezvous point and caught sight of the convoy. The convoy was travelling slowly, and was still about an hour's journey away.

"Can't they go any faster?" Tári asked annoyed.

"No," Tiriel replied. "The merchant is worried that he will damage the goods."

The three girls laughed, and Tiriel smiled.

"Take a break; you three deserve it," Tiriel said. "I'll keep an eye on them."

"Thanks, Tiriel," Nessa said. The three girls got off their horses and retrieved some food from their packs. Tári tossed some to Tiriel; who accepted it with a smile and a nod.

An hour later, the caravan arrived at the rendezvous point. "Let me do the talking," Tiriel said quietly, then took a deep breath and resumed a forbidding air, as she walked up to the lead merchant.

"I am Perini, a supply merchant," a short, pudgy man with sandy hair.

"I am Tiriel."

"Are you the escort the fortress sent us?" Perini asked sceptically.

"Myself, and the three young girls over there," Tiriel replied.

"This is an outrage. Young girls cannot protect us," Perini protested indignantly.

"Merchant Perini, Bishop Germanus and the Roman fortress commander would not have sent us, if they thought we could not protect you," Tiriel said quietly. "We are capable of protecting you."

Perini looked slightly nervous.

"As of now, I am taking control of this caravan. You will follow my orders only, and no one else's," Tiriel said calmly. "Is that understood?"

Perini nodded, fearful. "What must we do?"

"We will camp here for the night, and leave at first light tomorrow," Tiriel replied.

Perini nodded, and the caravan settled down for the night. Tiriel walked back over to the girls. "Thank the gods that's over with. That man is a cocky bastard," she said, through gritted teeth.

The three girls laughed at Tiriel's abnormal show of emotion; and settled down for the night, as Tiriel took her cloak out and put it on. She found an old log to sit on; and kept an eye on the caravan.


Three long days past rather uneventfully for Tiriel and the girls. They each took a section of the caravan to guard; Tári guarded the front, Merenwen guarded the middle, and Nessa guarded the back. Tiriel rode around the caravan; and kept an eye out for any raiders. On the fourth morning, as they rode alongside a thick forest, Tiriel pulled her horse back to Merenwen.

"Everything alright, Meren?" Tiriel asked.

Merenwen nodded. "Yep."

Tiriel grinned and rode to the front of the caravan, where Tári greeted her with a smile. She offered Tiriel an apple; but Tiriel declined.

"Anything wrong, Tiriel?" Tári asked.

"I'm not sure. I have a strange feeling, that something's going to happen; I feel we're being watched," Tiriel said. "Keep a hand on your sword. You may need to use it soon."

Tári nodded, as Tiriel went to tell Meren and Nessa the same. Nessa nodded when Tiriel talked to her.

"I feel strange too. I'll keep an eye out."

"Thanks, Nessa," Tiriel said.

She talked for a moment with Merenwen; then Tiriel warily rode next to the forest, a hand on her bow, ready to be pulled out and used in a moment's notice. She checked her arrows with her eyes, making sure that they were secure; then glanced around at the caravan and the merchants.

Suddenly there was a roar, and men burst out of the forest, swords drawn. Tiriel's bow was out in an instant, and she had shot four men before the three girls had drawn their swords. The three girls each protected a section of the caravan, and Tiriel rained arrows down on the Germanic tribesmen, killing half the raiding party before they reached the caravan.

Tári sliced one raider as he charged her; then threw a spear at another one. Nessa and Merenwen stabbed three raiders, as they tried to pull the two off their horses. Tiriel fired arrow after arrow, killing the Germanic raiders before they plundered the caravan. The merchants cowered under the caravans, shaking with fear as the battle raged around them.

Tiriel dismounted and slowly pulled out her sword, then assumed a fighting stance as two raiders charged her. She blocked the first sword and ducked under the second; then pulled out a dagger and decapitated the first raider. She parried the sword of the second raider, and stabbed him in the stomach.

Tiriel ran through the raiders, destroying them with composed and lethal precision. The three girls quickly killed any raiders that approached, protecting the merchants and the caravan. As Tári blocked the sword of a raider, another one knocked her off her horse without warning. Tári quickly got up, and defended another attack. The two raiders kept up the pressure.

Tiriel sliced a raider across the chest, and knocked him to the ground. As she cut his throat, she heard a scream. She whirled around quickly, as a raider cut a deep gash in Tári's side. Tári dropped to the ground, holding her side in agony. The raider smiled and raised his sword, as Tári closed her eyes for final blow. But it never came.

Tiriel pulled out her axe, and threw it swiftly. It buried itself into the raider's neck, and the man dropped to the ground. She charged another raider, and killed him before he knew what happened.

The last few wounded raiders retreated into the forest; leaving the caravan almost unscathed. Tiriel ran over to Tári, and rolled her over. Blood was pouring from the gash, and Tári's clothes around the wound were soaked with blood. Tiriel grimaced.

"Will she be alright, Tiriel?" Nessa asked, worried. She had a small cut on her arm.

Tiriel looked around. "Nessa, Merenwen, get the caravan together. If we move quickly, we can get the caravan to the stronghold before nightfall."

Nessa nodded, and got the caravan back together. Thankfully, none of the merchants were hurt, and they had no objections to moving faster. The caravan started moving, and Nessa brought the horses over to Merenwen and Tiriel.

"This wound is deep. I will need to get her to the fortress immediately. I could treat her here, but there is risk of infection to the wound," Tiriel said. She grabbed some bandages from her saddlebag, and wrapped them around Tári's abdomen. "That should slow the bleeding down." She turned to Nessa and Merenwen. "Nessa, take charge of the caravan. Keep them moving; don't let them stop. This area is no longer secure."

"What about you? What about Tári?" Merenwen asked; she had a bruise on her cheek.

"I will take Tári to the fortress now; for the wound needs to be treated as soon as possible. I'll use my horse; we'll get there faster," Tiriel replied. She gently lifted Tári to her feet, and carefully put her on the dappled grey horse; then mounted behind her, wrapping an arm around Tári's waist to steady her.

By then, Tári had fallen unconscious from the pain and exhaustion, and was slumped back on Tiriel's chest. Merenwen gently took Tári's limp hand. "Don't die, Tári. We'd miss your jokes," she said softly.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," Tiriel said. "Every soldier gets wounded once in a while."

Merchant Perini strode up to the group. "What is going on?"

"Tári has been wounded. Nessa is now in charge of the caravan. You will treat her with the same respect that you show me," Tiriel said briskly.

"Where are you going?" Perini asked.

"Tári needs immediate medical attention. I will take her to the stronghold now," Tiriel replied.

"Good luck," Nessa said. Tiriel smiled slightly; then kicked her horse and galloped off. She drove her horse hard down the road, leaving clouds of dust behind. As she reached the crest of a hill, she caught sight of the stronghold. She quickly rode down the hill, and through the large wooden gate.

As she brought her horse to a halt in front of a large building, a heavily built man in fancy Roman armour strode onto the stone stairway. He stared quizzically at Tiriel and the unconscious Tári, slumped in front of her.

"What is this? Who are you?" the Roman asked.

"I am Tiriel. I am the leader of the company sent to escort the caravan of supplies headed to this stronghold."

"I see. Then why are you not with the caravan?" the Roman asked.

"We were attacked by Germanic raiders, and one of my soldiers, Tári, was wounded. I require a room for Tári, so that I can treat her wound, and rooms for my other two soldiers, when they arrive with the caravan, and myself," Tiriel replied efficiently.

The Roman man scrutinized her for a minute; then clapped his hands. A young woman in a brown dress, and a boy appeared. "This is Faeroe," he said, gesturing to the woman. "She will show you to your rooms, and will provide anything you need. This boy will take your horse to the stables."

Tiriel dismounted, and carefully removed Tári from the horse. Four men arrived with a stretcher, and put Tári on it; then followed Faeroe towards the guest rooms. Tiriel snatched her saddlebags off her horse before following them.

They entered a room, and the men carefully laid Tári on the bed. Tiriel dismissed them all, and made her way to Tári's side. Faeroe stood by, ready to help.

"I need hot water and some spare linens," Tiriel told Faeroe, without looking at her. Faeroe nodded and left the room quickly. Tiriel pulled a dagger from her boot and put it on the table. She carefully removed Tári's armour and shirt, as the wound started to bleed again.


Several hours, as the sun was setting, Tiriel lowered herself slowly into a chair. Tári was sleeping peacefully, the wound on her side bandaged and healing. Tiriel looked up, as Faeroe entered the room.

"The caravan has been sighted. I thought you would like to know."

Tiriel nodded. "If they wish to see Tári, let them; though they must not wake her. I will be attending to my horse."

Faeroe nodded and told Tiriel where the stables were. Tiriel smiled and thanked her; then left.


Nessa and Merenwen rode quickly through the fortress gate, the caravan following. They slid from their horses, as they reached the main building. A hefty Roman man was waiting for them.

"I am Nessa, and this Merenwen. We are under the command of Tiriel."

The Roman man nodded. "She arrived earlier with a wounded girl, whom I assume is your friend."

"Tári. Is she alright?" Nessa asked.

"Faeroe will take you to see her."

A young woman with black hair stepped out of the shadows, and motioned for them to follow her. Nessa and Merenwen thanked the Roman and followed Faeroe.

"Your friend is fine. She is asleep at present. Your leader, Tiriel, requested that she not be awakened."

Nessa nodded as they entered a room. Tári was asleep on a bed in the corner. The two girls walked over and sat next to the bed, as Merenwen took Tári's hand.

"She will make a complete recovery," Faeroe said; then left the room.

Nessa and Merenwen sat and gazed at Tári's sleeping figure. They sat there for a while, and did not hear the door open.

"I see you have arrived."

The two girls spun around. Tiriel stood there, leaning against the doorframe with a slight smile on her face. She walked over to the bed, and sat on a chair opposite from the girls. "Well done; the caravan arrived on time."

"Thank you for helping Tári," Merenwen said.

Tiriel smiled. "Don't worry, it happens, and will happen to all of us in the future. As I said, none of our missions will be diplomatic."

"I didn't believe you at first. I do now," a weak voice said.

"Tári!" Nessa exclaimed. There was a scuffle, as Nessa and Merenwen hugged Tári.

"Careful of the wound," Tári said lightly. "We don't to re-open it."

The three girls laughed as Tiriel smiled casually. The cheerful spirit was interrupted, however, as the hefty Roman man strode through the door, followed closely by Faeroe. Tiriel quickly stood and faced the man.

"I am General Prieto, commander of this Roman stronghold. On behalf of my men, I thank you for delivering these supplies to us, for they were needed deeply. Is there anything that we may do to help you?"

Tiriel glanced at the three girls in turn. "We will require a small amount of supplies for our return journey. That is all."

General Prieto nodded. "When do you wish to depart?"

"We must remain here until Tári's wound has mended. We should leave before seven days have past," Tiriel said.

"Very well. Enjoy your stay here with us," General Prieto said; then left. Faeroe observed the foursome for a moment. "Would you like some food?"

"Yes, that would be nice," Nessa replied, laughing. "Riding in a saddle all day is very tiring."

Faeroe smiled and left the room, as Tiriel sat back in her chair, shaking her head. Nessa and Merenwen sat and chatted with Tári, telling jokes and keeping each other happy. Tiriel watched them, her mind deep in thought.

She finally cleared her head, and spoke. "What was your impression of the first mission?"

The three girls looked thoughtful for a moment. "It was interesting; guarding a caravan is a careful task. Though I wish the merchants were more respectful, and listened better. It would of made things so much easier," Merenwen said, pleasantly.

To the surprise of the three girls, Tiriel laughed for a moment. She shook her head in amusement, keeping a slight smile on her face. "These next five years will be interesting, but perhaps also enjoyable," Tiriel said.

"I concur," Nessa said, and put her clenched-up hand out over the bed. Merenwen glanced at Tári and smiled; then rested her fist on top of Nessa's. Tári carefully sat up and did the same. The three looked at Tiriel warmly.

Tiriel smiled, stood up and walked to the bed. She reached her gloved, left hand out and leant it on top of the other ones. The foursome grinned at each other.

"We are going to have fun," Merenwen said, and the three girls laughed while Tiriel smiled and shook her head.


Hope you liked it. Please review. - Tomb Raider X