A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers! Due to some quirk on the Internet I
can't check my reviews right now, but thank you to everyone who took the
time!
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Dawn came, spreading its rosy tendrils of light out and across the mountains, to filter in between the leaves of the many trees and land with soft green light on the leaf-strewn forest floor. Small animals stirred in their burrows, and started their daily hunt for food and survival, and larger, untroubled beasts stretched luxuriously in the sun's rays. Lizards, frogs, newts, and snakes all crept out from under the rustling leaves to sun on their favorite rock, and bird song filled the air, marking territories, singing love songs, and just chirping their heart out.
All the glory of this sunrise was lost on the 4 grim men who entered silently into the forest. At least-they thought they were being silent. But Bertram, Frenery, Natal, and Michael made more than enough noise to alert a pair of finely tuned, expectant ears. Tayli stretched out her limbs and massaged circulation and suppleness back into them as soon as she heard the knights coming, the prickle and sting of her reviving arms and legs serving to make her alert and ready. Standing up on the broad limb she had chosen, she took up position, putting her left leg on a limb on the other side, and wrapping her right arm around the trunk. She held her bow with her free hand and twanged the string with the one around the tree. Reaching into her quiver, she drew out an arrow, nerving herself and hoping that she wouldn't have to shoot at anyone.
From her viewpoint, she could easily see the 4 men stepping into the clearing. Two carried bows-Natal, she saw, and the eldest, Michael. The ones she recognized as Bertram and Frenery carried unsheathed blades. They stopped in the clearing and looked around cautiously. Tayli had hidden her tracks well. * Chances are that they want me alive, * she mused. * So I don't think they'll shoot at me. I hope. * Taking a risk, she loosed an arrow straight into the grass. It landed with a thunk right in the center of the searchers. She had another arrow ready before they looked up to see her black-cloaked figure. Tayli knew she looked suspicious, with her hood and veil up, gloves, boots, and her deadly array of weapons. They had no real reason to trust her.
The men looked up, pointing at her.
"Get down here!" Michael shouted. "We won't shoot if you don't make us!" It was better to go down, Tayli reasoned, or they would shoot-after all, they thought her a murderess. Hanging her bow and quiver up on a small limb (she didn't want them to be taken from her), Tayli started making her way down the tree. In seconds she was on the ground, sword drawn, in a defensive position. Carefully, she walked into the clearing, to be confronted by two swords-a broadsword like hers, and Frenery's thinner, agile blade.
Michael and Natal's bows were still taught. If they fired now, she figured, the powerful weapons could send an arrow right through her. Luckily, they looked like they were only covering their friends. Bertram and Frenery advanced on Tayli, swords pointing straight ahead. She crouched, sword up and to the front.
Tayli loved her sword. It had been a gift from her Masters when she came of age. In warrior terms that meant a small mission to test the student when her turned 16. If they passed, they earned warrior status, though a few, like Tayli, stayed and became even better at the fighting art. The hilt of her sword was wrapped in black leather, and their was a small amethyst stone embedded in the pommel-the color of her eyes. The blade was made out of a perfectly balanced, effective mixture of gnomish metals. The scabbard and sword belt were black leather, reinforced because Tayli kept her blade perfectly honed. Like all good sword, it had a name: Kanai el' kumme (A/N: pronounced kanaiElkum).
She hefted it now, and suddenly an experience she'd had as a young girl flashed across her mind. Menlan had taken her to Bast, with its crowds of people pressing up on all sides of her. She'd tried to get away from the multitude, and found herself in an alleyway, surrounded by older boys with knives, while she'd only had her small dagger. She'd tried to fight, but, out-numbered and out-aged, had had to be rescued by Menlan. But she was experienced now, Tayli reminded herself, and trained for this.
Slowly, she and the two knights circled each other. She had an advantage in the fact that they couldn't see her face, hiding any telltale signs of calculations. When Bertram tried to sneak behind her she only stepped back farther, keeping the circle intact. Slowly, warily, nerves taught, they walked around, waiting for an opportunity.
Frenery lunged. Tayli swept up and blocked him, the sent him stumbling backwards with a shove. Unlike him, she held her blade in two hands to give more power. Now Bertram came, sweeping in a low arc to get her legs. She stepped back, the brought Kanai el' kumme up to meet the arc of his swing. They locked swords. Out of the corner of her eye, Tayli saw Frenery creeping in behind her. His sword was low. IN one fluid motion, Tayli sidestepped, swinging her sword down and around to clang against Frenery's, deftly flicking it in a trick she'd learned. It worked-he was disarmed just as Bertram's sword hit the ground where she'd been standing the moment before. Now the battle was on. The ringing sounds of metal against metal filled the air. She'd almost never been this hard-pressed, though Tayli kept them off. One of them at a time would have been easy to handle, but 2, rounding and sneaking and weeping, were more difficult. Though she took care only to shred their clothes when she swung, they only wanted her alive- wounds didn't matter. By the end, she'd run up several slashes on her arms, legs, and chest. They bled freely, but she gritted her teeth against the pain and kept fighting-she'd had much worse done to her before.
Silently, Michael and Natal watched as the fight raged on.
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William, drowsy from a night's lack of sleep, sat leaning against the cottage and soon dozed off. He woke to the sound of someone crashing through the woods. Jumping up, William cast about wildly-and saw that Terian had disappeared. He'd snuck off to fight. Cursing, William followed him into the trees.
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The crossing of blades continued. Tayli found herself with both swords pressing against hers. She sweated, trying to hold off their pressure, but finding herself being pressed backwards anyway. Just then, she heard the crazed neigh that meant that Moonflight was panicked of angry. Then a human scream-she recognized the voice-Terian. If Terian was near Moonflight now, her was in trouble-big trouble. Her mount wouldn't tolerate anyone near him but Tayli and the stable hands at home when he was alone. If she was near him, he'd keep calm fairly better. If she was mounted or holding him, Moonflight really couldn't care less. But now, Tayli wasn't even in sight.
She looked into Bertram's face, and Frenery's. They pushed down hard, but had been distracted by the scram. Now was the time. Suddenly, she jumped back, unlocking the swords, and ran to where she'd left her horse, sheathing Kanai el' kumme as she went. Her wounds throbbed and biting pain in her legs meant that they were wounded too. An arrow thudded into the ground by her feet. Oblivious to the pain, she pelted out of the clearing, expertly dodging trees as she went. It took only moments until she reached her horse.
Moonflight was rearing, powerful muscles standing out on his sleek frame, eyes rolling white in their sockets. He pawed the air, hooves flailing as they tried to find their target-Terian, who half-dangled from the reins, terror clenching his grip. He'd obviously tried to capture the stallion, and the plan had backfired.
Tayli paused for breath and in that moment, she saw Moonflight's front hoof come up in a deadly arc that she knew would land right on Terian's head. That, Tayli knew, could kill him. She couldn't let it happen. She lunged, cloak billowing behind her, knocking Terian away and at the same time grabbing Moonflight's head, pulling him down. As soon as he saw her, the stallion relaxed a little and lowered his hoofs to the ground. Tayli rubbed his head soothingly and he butted against her. Grasping the reins, Tayli looked around for Terian. He had released his grip when she had shoved him out of harm's way. Falling a few feet away, he'd scrambled into a sitting position, fear still in his eyes. She stretched out a hand to help him up, wondering if he'd take it. The Prince hesitated, and then placed his hand in hers. She pulled him up, but he didn't let go. She looked Terian full in the face then, his eyes on level with hers. Although he couldn't see, she met his wide green eyes, taking a moment just to let him trust her.
"Thank you," he said softly after a while, startling her a little. She inclined her head slightly in an almost imperceptible nod-Tayli couldn't even be sure he'd seen it. Suddenly, she heard voices and the pounding of feet in the woods. Jerking her hand loose, she looked around quickly before mounting Moonflight, fast, and then spurring him into motion. In seconds they had disappeared into the trees-right before the knights spotted Terian.
Tayli rode in an arc back to where she'd left her bow and quiver, got them out of the tree in record time, and then rode until she was on the other side of the cottage-* that should confuse them * she thought, satisfied but still apprehensive.
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A/N: Well? Is it good? In the next chapter you'll find out much more about Tayli, her sword, and that strange strange name- Kanai el' kumme.
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Dawn came, spreading its rosy tendrils of light out and across the mountains, to filter in between the leaves of the many trees and land with soft green light on the leaf-strewn forest floor. Small animals stirred in their burrows, and started their daily hunt for food and survival, and larger, untroubled beasts stretched luxuriously in the sun's rays. Lizards, frogs, newts, and snakes all crept out from under the rustling leaves to sun on their favorite rock, and bird song filled the air, marking territories, singing love songs, and just chirping their heart out.
All the glory of this sunrise was lost on the 4 grim men who entered silently into the forest. At least-they thought they were being silent. But Bertram, Frenery, Natal, and Michael made more than enough noise to alert a pair of finely tuned, expectant ears. Tayli stretched out her limbs and massaged circulation and suppleness back into them as soon as she heard the knights coming, the prickle and sting of her reviving arms and legs serving to make her alert and ready. Standing up on the broad limb she had chosen, she took up position, putting her left leg on a limb on the other side, and wrapping her right arm around the trunk. She held her bow with her free hand and twanged the string with the one around the tree. Reaching into her quiver, she drew out an arrow, nerving herself and hoping that she wouldn't have to shoot at anyone.
From her viewpoint, she could easily see the 4 men stepping into the clearing. Two carried bows-Natal, she saw, and the eldest, Michael. The ones she recognized as Bertram and Frenery carried unsheathed blades. They stopped in the clearing and looked around cautiously. Tayli had hidden her tracks well. * Chances are that they want me alive, * she mused. * So I don't think they'll shoot at me. I hope. * Taking a risk, she loosed an arrow straight into the grass. It landed with a thunk right in the center of the searchers. She had another arrow ready before they looked up to see her black-cloaked figure. Tayli knew she looked suspicious, with her hood and veil up, gloves, boots, and her deadly array of weapons. They had no real reason to trust her.
The men looked up, pointing at her.
"Get down here!" Michael shouted. "We won't shoot if you don't make us!" It was better to go down, Tayli reasoned, or they would shoot-after all, they thought her a murderess. Hanging her bow and quiver up on a small limb (she didn't want them to be taken from her), Tayli started making her way down the tree. In seconds she was on the ground, sword drawn, in a defensive position. Carefully, she walked into the clearing, to be confronted by two swords-a broadsword like hers, and Frenery's thinner, agile blade.
Michael and Natal's bows were still taught. If they fired now, she figured, the powerful weapons could send an arrow right through her. Luckily, they looked like they were only covering their friends. Bertram and Frenery advanced on Tayli, swords pointing straight ahead. She crouched, sword up and to the front.
Tayli loved her sword. It had been a gift from her Masters when she came of age. In warrior terms that meant a small mission to test the student when her turned 16. If they passed, they earned warrior status, though a few, like Tayli, stayed and became even better at the fighting art. The hilt of her sword was wrapped in black leather, and their was a small amethyst stone embedded in the pommel-the color of her eyes. The blade was made out of a perfectly balanced, effective mixture of gnomish metals. The scabbard and sword belt were black leather, reinforced because Tayli kept her blade perfectly honed. Like all good sword, it had a name: Kanai el' kumme (A/N: pronounced kanaiElkum).
She hefted it now, and suddenly an experience she'd had as a young girl flashed across her mind. Menlan had taken her to Bast, with its crowds of people pressing up on all sides of her. She'd tried to get away from the multitude, and found herself in an alleyway, surrounded by older boys with knives, while she'd only had her small dagger. She'd tried to fight, but, out-numbered and out-aged, had had to be rescued by Menlan. But she was experienced now, Tayli reminded herself, and trained for this.
Slowly, she and the two knights circled each other. She had an advantage in the fact that they couldn't see her face, hiding any telltale signs of calculations. When Bertram tried to sneak behind her she only stepped back farther, keeping the circle intact. Slowly, warily, nerves taught, they walked around, waiting for an opportunity.
Frenery lunged. Tayli swept up and blocked him, the sent him stumbling backwards with a shove. Unlike him, she held her blade in two hands to give more power. Now Bertram came, sweeping in a low arc to get her legs. She stepped back, the brought Kanai el' kumme up to meet the arc of his swing. They locked swords. Out of the corner of her eye, Tayli saw Frenery creeping in behind her. His sword was low. IN one fluid motion, Tayli sidestepped, swinging her sword down and around to clang against Frenery's, deftly flicking it in a trick she'd learned. It worked-he was disarmed just as Bertram's sword hit the ground where she'd been standing the moment before. Now the battle was on. The ringing sounds of metal against metal filled the air. She'd almost never been this hard-pressed, though Tayli kept them off. One of them at a time would have been easy to handle, but 2, rounding and sneaking and weeping, were more difficult. Though she took care only to shred their clothes when she swung, they only wanted her alive- wounds didn't matter. By the end, she'd run up several slashes on her arms, legs, and chest. They bled freely, but she gritted her teeth against the pain and kept fighting-she'd had much worse done to her before.
Silently, Michael and Natal watched as the fight raged on.
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William, drowsy from a night's lack of sleep, sat leaning against the cottage and soon dozed off. He woke to the sound of someone crashing through the woods. Jumping up, William cast about wildly-and saw that Terian had disappeared. He'd snuck off to fight. Cursing, William followed him into the trees.
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The crossing of blades continued. Tayli found herself with both swords pressing against hers. She sweated, trying to hold off their pressure, but finding herself being pressed backwards anyway. Just then, she heard the crazed neigh that meant that Moonflight was panicked of angry. Then a human scream-she recognized the voice-Terian. If Terian was near Moonflight now, her was in trouble-big trouble. Her mount wouldn't tolerate anyone near him but Tayli and the stable hands at home when he was alone. If she was near him, he'd keep calm fairly better. If she was mounted or holding him, Moonflight really couldn't care less. But now, Tayli wasn't even in sight.
She looked into Bertram's face, and Frenery's. They pushed down hard, but had been distracted by the scram. Now was the time. Suddenly, she jumped back, unlocking the swords, and ran to where she'd left her horse, sheathing Kanai el' kumme as she went. Her wounds throbbed and biting pain in her legs meant that they were wounded too. An arrow thudded into the ground by her feet. Oblivious to the pain, she pelted out of the clearing, expertly dodging trees as she went. It took only moments until she reached her horse.
Moonflight was rearing, powerful muscles standing out on his sleek frame, eyes rolling white in their sockets. He pawed the air, hooves flailing as they tried to find their target-Terian, who half-dangled from the reins, terror clenching his grip. He'd obviously tried to capture the stallion, and the plan had backfired.
Tayli paused for breath and in that moment, she saw Moonflight's front hoof come up in a deadly arc that she knew would land right on Terian's head. That, Tayli knew, could kill him. She couldn't let it happen. She lunged, cloak billowing behind her, knocking Terian away and at the same time grabbing Moonflight's head, pulling him down. As soon as he saw her, the stallion relaxed a little and lowered his hoofs to the ground. Tayli rubbed his head soothingly and he butted against her. Grasping the reins, Tayli looked around for Terian. He had released his grip when she had shoved him out of harm's way. Falling a few feet away, he'd scrambled into a sitting position, fear still in his eyes. She stretched out a hand to help him up, wondering if he'd take it. The Prince hesitated, and then placed his hand in hers. She pulled him up, but he didn't let go. She looked Terian full in the face then, his eyes on level with hers. Although he couldn't see, she met his wide green eyes, taking a moment just to let him trust her.
"Thank you," he said softly after a while, startling her a little. She inclined her head slightly in an almost imperceptible nod-Tayli couldn't even be sure he'd seen it. Suddenly, she heard voices and the pounding of feet in the woods. Jerking her hand loose, she looked around quickly before mounting Moonflight, fast, and then spurring him into motion. In seconds they had disappeared into the trees-right before the knights spotted Terian.
Tayli rode in an arc back to where she'd left her bow and quiver, got them out of the tree in record time, and then rode until she was on the other side of the cottage-* that should confuse them * she thought, satisfied but still apprehensive.
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A/N: Well? Is it good? In the next chapter you'll find out much more about Tayli, her sword, and that strange strange name- Kanai el' kumme.