2

Lina wakes up as she opens her eyes but only sees darkness. She sits there, leaning up against the tree as she tries to listen and make out the voices and sounds of the world around her. Sounds of birds and water beating upon rocks reach her ears. She perks up her head as she hear footsteps arrive to her ears.

"Ah, sleeping beauty is finally awake, huh?" a man's voice rings out.

She tries to speak but finds a gag in her mouth. She wriggles for a second trying to get loose from the bonds.

"You want untied don't you?"

She nods as she wriggles around a bit more.

"Do you promise not to run away?" the man asks her calmly. He approaches her slowly as she stops moving.

She shakes her head as she hears him come closer. She slips her hand out of one of the bonds yet keeps it behind her back, waiting to make her move. He steps closer and closer till he finally stops and kneels down next to her.

"Well than that's a problem," he replies as he pulls off her gag.

"Yea I guess it is," she says finally able to talk again.

"Now once again, if I untie you, do you promise not to run away?"

"If you untie me I promise not to break your neck."

"Try your best little girl…but since your still tied up then I guess you couldn't break my neck. I think I like you better like this," he says with a chuckle.

"Well you see…I still can break your neck…so either untie me and live or keep me bound and die. Your choice really. I could stay here all day if I wanted to. Let your men try to take me on."

"I think I'll keep you untied…and my men could never hurt a woman," he says leaning into her, "without my command."

"Correct me if I am wrong but you couldn't give that order if you were dead…right?" she says with a grin.

"You are correct, but I have you bound, and I am still alive. What makes you think though that once you kill me my men won't just attack anyways out of revenge?"

"Because, my good thief, you and your men are from the Thieves Guild of the Crowing Raven and that specific guild worships Alahniha, goddess of honor and women. Even if you gave the order they could not go against their religion and forsake all they believe in," she says shifting a bit.

"Very well my dear…but that still leads us to the whether I am going to untie you or not. Since I see no point to letting you go and you untied runs far too much of a risk, I think I'm going to leave you tied. Just for safe keeping," he grins and chuckles, "also…I wouldn't try running if I were you. You'd never get home. You've been unconscious for 2 days. We are near the border of Grusthland."

"Very well then, your decision!" she says smiling slightly as she finishes slipping her other hand out of the binding.

He looks to her with a strange look then breaks out laughing. He looks to the other men near by as they begin laughing as well.

She brings her hands up quickly to his head and swiftly snaps it. The man falls into her lap as the rest quickly become silent. She tares off her blindfold and stands up looking around at the rest of the thieves.

A man steps forward and draws his sword onto her. "Foolish woman! You thought that we wouldn't dare attack you? You killed my brother, and curse be the god's, now you must pay!" he says as she runs at her.

She opens her eyes wide and grabs the dead man's sword. She ducks under the other mans blow and slices him across the gut dropping him to the floor. She looks to the other men who draw their swords and start to come at her slowly.

She looks around and sees an untied horse then her weapons near by. She whistles slightly and starts to run towards her weapons as the horse runs up along side her. She grabs the horse's main gently and jumps onto the horse. She reaches out to her weapons on the ground as she snatches them up.

The men run to their horses and start to chase after her. She looks back to the men chasing her then forward as she attempts to put her belt on. Successfully she hooks her belt and dodges a branch. She grabs her kitana's and ties them to her belt. She looks back behind her to the men as they start to gain on her.

"Damn it! Why is it every time my life actually starts to get good, it turns bad!" she groans as she pulls an arrow out of the holder and draws up her bow. She turns around slightly and aims for the closest rider.

She holds her breath as she draws the arrow back and lets it go. The arrow flies straight into the rider's throat as he falls down in front of another rider's horse. "Yess!" she claims as she turns around and leans forward onto the horse, holding onto the mane tightly.

She spots buildings up ahead. She grins and rides into a small village, tearing up dust behind her. She jumps off her horse at a nearby cross roads, grabs her arrows and runs to the nearest door.

She opens the door and runs into the inn and shuts the door abruptly behind her as she looks around. She waits a second, then takes a deep breath resting her head on the door. Suddenly she feels a push on the door as she backs away from it slightly allow the person to enter.

A man, about 5'11", blue eyes, and black hair, steps in and looks to her questionably. She looks to the man and smiles, bowing her head in apology.

"I am sorry m'lord," she says still slightly out of breathe.

"Lord huh," he smiles, " 'tis no problem." He walks over to the bar and takes a seat.

She smiles and bows her head once more, wiping the sweat from her face. She sighs slightly and makes her way to the bar and takes a seat at the far end.

She glances to the man as he pulls out a kitana and starts to clean the blade. "Nice blade you have there. Silver or steel?"

"I actually have no idea what it's made out of. It was made by dragons," he looks down to her, "All I know is that it found me first."

"It found you huh?" she says looking to him, "May I see?" She stands up and walks up to him.

"Sure, I hope she likes you," he says and lifts up the blade for her.

Lina takes the blade and gently holds it in her hand. "Nice blade," she says holding her hand over the blade as it glows.

He smiles and nods, "Thank you."

"Does she have magical uses?"

"She does if I hold her. There is a long since dead princess's soul in that blade. In my hands, it can become very destructive. I'm still learning about the sword, though."

"I see," she says looking closer to the blade recognizing the make right away, "I may only be a Rogue in Training, but I know a Cartelian Battle Sword when I see one. She is a very good sword, m'lord. Never let her go. Actually that goes for most things in your life."

He smiles to her, "I won't and I don't think I could even if I tried."

"I know what you mean," she says smiling and looking down to her Fire Blades, "I would not let these go even if it meant my life."

He laughs slightly and nods. She laughs and hands him back his sword. He takes his sword from her. "Thank you," he says and puts it back in it holder, "So where are you from?"

"I'm from the Rogue Encampment of the Flaming Blade. Though I was kidnapped you see and…I'm sorry. I should not bore you on how I came to be here. I apologize," Lina says smiling and bowing her head.

He nods his head. "Don't worry about it. No harm done. So you said you were kidnapped huh? Sad. What do you plan to do now?"

"Find my way back home I guess, you see, I'm a human and my encampment is elvish. The elders never approved of me going out on a quest. They always said I wasn't ready. Like with everything else. So just as the leader of the elders granted me a quest…" she pauses for a moment and smiles a soft blush upon her cheeks, "there I go again blabbing on when I should be quiet."

" 'Tis alright my lady. I like the elves. They have good wine and great women! But I hope you have a good trip back with no further troubles."

"Me? Not get into trouble. Yea that'll be the day. I'm too much of a cluts to not be trouble."

"With me, I'm not very smart so I defiantly know what you mean," he says with a soft laugh.

She nods to him gently and stands up, "If you'll excuse me I must adjourn our time alone…I'm afraid I have…" she looks out the window and sees of the thieves walk towards the inn, "…I have to leave." She smiles and nods quickly.

He looks up to her, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

She looks to the man and nods, "Maybe." She looks to the door and sees the two men enter the inn. They look around then they spot her as she jumps behind the bar and runs towards the back door.

The man who had been enjoying her company looks to the men and stands up after watching her bolt out like that. The two men start to chase after her but he steps into their path.

"Please step aside, good sir, this is none of your concern," one of the thieves says. The inn grows quiet fast as eyes are drawn to the heat building up in the middle of the room.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid I can't let you pass. Hurting a lady while under this roof is a bad idea. We don't like men who hurt ladies."

"We? Are you delusional boy? There is only one of you."

"Think again," he says smiling as a few men stand from the tables and walk to him. An amazon woman walks from behind the bar and stands next to him as well.

The two men laugh softly then quickly grow white and bolt out of the inn. The company laughs as the leader, it seemed, runs towards the back door. Just as he's about to step out the door a huge cast-iron pan flies out and hits him in the chest. He doubles over and looks up to her.

She stops just as she sees who it was and drops the pan and kneels beside him. "I am SO sorry! I thought you were one of them. Are you alright?" she says with a worried look on her face.

"I'll be fine…just knocked the wind out of me is all."

"What happened? Where are they?" she says looking around.

"My party and I kind of scared 'em off," he says laughing slightly.

She smiles and helps him up. "Thank you. I don't know how I can repay you."

"Well, you could let me buy you a drink…" he says smiling.

"Ok, that'd be nice," she says as they walk back into the tavern area of the inn.