The clash of steel against steel and several cheers of onlookers could be heard easily from afar as Arrosh followed his young guide, trailed by the silent servant. The glint of their swords flickered in the blazing sun of the late morning and if he closed his eyes Arrosh could almost believe that he was home. Oh to be home once again. But that would never be possible. Not after what he had done.

He could only hope that Aravis and King Cor would be willing to have them. But that was a matter for after he saved his sister. If what he had heard was right, she had been sold to a man who wasn't likely to sell her again for some time. This could be good and bad. Surely these royals had enough money to persuade the man of the house to part with one measly slave girl. He'd work the rest of his life to repay them if needed.

"...you should try it!" The energetic boy at his side was saying something as they went towards the ring.

"Try what, Ramlet?" Arrosh smiled down at his nephew. His father hadn't been lying for once. The man's own features hid in the face of this young boy. Now that he looked for it, at least. This was the family he had only heard dreadful stories of his entire life. He had cast himself to the barbarians in the desperate hope of salvation.

"Practicing in the ring!" Ram's curls bounced as he skipped and hopped along like a jack rabbit through a garden, "I could get Sir Orran to teach you something! He's real nice and teaches me when Uncle Corin can't." They were closer now and the sound of fighting had died down as those around had stopped to look at the newcomer.

"I don't-" Arrosh began but was tugged forward relentlessly by the soft hand of his nephew.

"Sir Orran! Sir Orran!" The boy called, dragging them through the crowd of onlookers. He was either accustomed to the looks or took no notice of them as he bounced towards a large mountain of a man with a long dirty blond braid running down his back and a sword at his side. Who was king Cor in comparison to this monstrosity?

The boy ran straight up to the man, bouncing and gesturing back at Arrosh where he had left him behind several paces ago, "Sir Orran, this is my uncle, Arrosh! He's mum's brother from far away."

At that moment, the massive man did the most terrifying thing Arrosh could ever have seen a man of his size do. He smiled and bowed his head in greeting. Arrosh took a step back and bowed as well, his insides quaking. Men seemingly made of stone did not smile. He kept his head bowed and listened to his little nephew babble on. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the men finally begin going about their business and take no more notice of him. Words swirled around among them and some he could pick up.

"Harvest will be good this year. I can feel it in my bones."

"Heard he used to be a slave."

"Looks like he was."

"Looks just like the Queen more like it."

"You just think that because he's the first Calormene you've ever seen."

"Of course I could teach him a thing or two, if he's willing, Prince Ram." A deep, rattling voice came from above and Arrosh was shunted back to the matter at hand.

A hand tugged at the hem of his shirt and Ram was saying, "Don't worry. He won't do nothin to ya."

There was a mutter from the servant behind them and Ram screwed up his face for a moment before saying with mock primness, "There is nothing to worry about, Uncle. Sir Orran shall not harm you futilely. Fatally, I mean." He gave the servant, or tutor possibly, a look that asked if that was enough. Apparently, it was because no further comment was made.

Arrosh couldn't help but smile some, "Alright then, Nephew. I accept." If he was to stay on their good side he'd do just about anything asked of him. From one slavery to another. At least, this one was more comfortable than the former.

Orran smiled again and beckoned for Arrosh to follow him before heading into the depths of the milling people. Ram stayed behind to speak to a man and to stay near the ring.

They came upon several rows of racks containing various different weapons. "Ram timed your tour well." Orran gestured to them, "For the next two hours is the only time you will see these weapons before they are counted and locked away. Any other time they are only in the hands of the guards on duty and the nobles." He shifted so his back was to the prince behind them and fixed Arrosh with a hard look before continuing as though nothing had happened, "How much do you know of weaponry and the art of fighting, sir?" He gave Arrosh a glance over, "Prince Ram says you've claimed to know nothing. Yet, you don't have the appearance of a man who knows naught in the arts." His smile had vanished and his eyes gone cold. Strange how a sudden change in demeanor could really turn one's blood to stone.

Arrosh shrugged, not looking at the man, "I fear you have misread me, Sir Orran. I know nothing of these sorts of things." He glanced back at Ram, "I fear the boy is going to be dreadfully disappointed when he comes to the realization that I am far from the warrior Corin is." He looked up at the grim-faced man, his grin wilting like a flower in a drought, "Please, simply call me Arrosh. I am of no importance and there is no need to call me sir."

He bent down to look Arrosh in the face, still facing away from Ram, "If you are who you claim to be then you are important." His gaze pierced the boy's skin like nails being driven through him as he scrutinized Arrosh, "If you're merely the mercenary I, and several others, suspect you to be then you are not deserving, Arrosh." He stood and gestured to the racks, "Now, choose your weapon and we shall see what you're made of."

Arrosh chose a weapon at random, which happened to be an ax that was by far too large for him. He gave the man before him a look of confusion and worry, "I fear I know nothing of weapons, sir. How do you plan on going about teaching me something?" His grip on the weapon was loose and it hung low near the ground. Why must his heart try escaping through his throat? Ram had said he wouldn't be hurt. Surely, this giant wouldn't hurt him in front of the little boy. Surely.

Orran worked his jaw and looked over at the ring, "Well, we got to see what you're made of first, Arrosh. Then comes training." He took him by the shoulder and led him towards the ring, "Come, now, let's not disappoint your so-called nephew."

They stepped inside the ring and a chorus of shouts rose up from the crowd. Obviously, many were of the viewpoint that he was not who he said he was. By Tash, why had he agreed to this? He was going to die. The man did not care whether it was in front of the child or not.

Orran, smiled over at Ram, "First, Prince Ram, we will see what he is made of. Then we will work from there." A cheer came from the now growing crowd. Ram whooped right along with them. Did he not understand what was going on?

"Absolutely not." The authoritative voice cracked like a whip through the air above the shouts, "Master Orran, please come out of the ring and bring the Queen's brother to me." Silence and a straight line to the beholder of the voice were formed. King Cor. All went to one knee as they saw who it was that addressed them. Arrosh scrambled to do the same. Was this the custom? Maybe he should have prostrated himself when he first came to them. That was the custom in Calormen after all. Maybe things would be going better if he had.

The king nodded and they rose. Orran immediately began to bring Arrosh forward and out of the ring, nearly dragging him down the line of onlookers. If the boy had wanted to make a good impression on them it was certainly lost now. Planted before the king, Arrosh bowed his upper half again. Was he in trouble? Had he done something wrong? Did they decide to not believe him? Did they change their minds?

"Come with me, please, Arrosh." King Cor's face was unreadable, he looked to Ram and his teacher, "We will discuss this later. For now, go to your studies." He turned and left, his pace brisk and leaving Arrosh needing to trot to catch up

XXX

"You do understand that pacing the room will not change the situation, right?" Corin lounged in his chair, feet propped up on a small end table in the parlor of her room. He picked at his nails, not looking up at her, "You know I'm not happy about this situation either. Narnia has been our ally for as long as I can remember and we can't just stand to the side doing nothing about it as this Telmarine king lays waste to it."

"I know!" She kept pacing, comfortable enough around the man to let her distress be seen, "I just don't know if I should regret my decision."

"Well, you know what your husband thinks about the whole thing and I think he's right for once." A smirk flashed across his face before he looked up, "Come now, sit down before you work yourself into a tizzy. Your brother needs you at top-notch."

She sat, placing her head in her hands and took deep breaths, "The decision has been made and I will not go back on my word to him. I won't." When her head raised, she was in control of herself once again. "I think Cor will have gotten my brother out of the ring by now." She stood with Corin, "Thank you."

XXX

Cor and Arrosh came to an expansive room, much like the throne room he had been admitted to not two days before. The difference was that this room had a large, round table with hard-backed wooden chairs lining it. Each chair had a crest upon the back of it and not a single person sat in them. It was just the king and the boy.

The silence stretched between them for a time, in which Arrosh took the opportunity to look around. It was a high ceilinged place with thin, colored windows lifting from the floor to a foot away from the ceiling on the eastern and north sides of the room. The patterns upon them were exquisite, portraying the various symbols that crested the seats. What was left of the morning sun trickled through the tops of them and cast their colors on the far wall and floor. Yet one was there that he did not see among the chairs, it was the face of a lion, the largest by far and placed directly in the middle of the north wall. His heart pounded at the sight of it and he found he couldn't look away. It was like nothing he had ever seen. Only in the horrifying stories of The Lion God of the North had he heard descriptions of a lion. How had he forgotten that he had cast himself at the feet of people who worship this terrifying god? Did they have sacrifices he knew not about?

"I want to tell you," Cor began, not noticing how fixated the boy had been on that particular window, "No matter what happens, I do hope you get your little sister back."

Arrosh turned, the window and his irrational fears forgotten, "Might I ask what that is supposed to mean, your highness?" He looked the man in the eye and quelled the tears that begged to swim up to his eyes. All was lost if he was unable to get their help. Was this what they had planned all along?

"All I'm saying is -" He began before the doors were opened once again. Aravis and Corin entered the room. Neither looked particularly pleased with the situation.

Arrosh looked around, his heart had either burst and no longer beat or it was going at such a rate he could no longer feel it. "Please, tell me what is going on."

"Let us all sit," Aravis said, her calm demeanor had shifted from when he had first met her. Her hair was askew and there were the traces of a frown laden on her face. What had he done?

When all were seated, Cor leaned forward on the table, his elbows propped against it and his hands folded near his mouth, "I will waste no time explaining. The situation does not pertain to you. All you need to know is this." He looked to the young man, "Plans have changed, Arrosh."

The world tilted and the boy had to grab the arm of the chair to keep from falling out, "But," His voice was barely a whisper. This was not good. He was never to free her now.

"But we will still help you in any way we can." Cor put his hands down, "I had planned to go myself, with the queen, and we would be back in just over a fortnight." He paused, looking at the worn wood of the table, "However, there are now circumstances that keep me from leaving and I must stay with my people. While they also need their queen, she has decided to continue with the plan to go with you. With her, will go my brother and two guards." His back was stiff and his jaw worked back and forth as though he was chewing the bones of his enemies. "As we don't want to attract too much attention, you will be traveling light. This evening, you will go." He stood, looking far older than he was, "Be at the gate after the evening meal. I would stay to entertain and help you, but I have matters to attend to." He looked to Corin, "Help him prepare for the journey, please."

Corin nodded, giving a small smile to his twin, "It's merely diplomacy and talks now, brother. We shall be back before anything happens! Worry not."

"By Alsan, may it be so."

Cor left and a brief silence came before Corin turned to Arrosh with a mischievous grin, "Pray tell, what is this I hear about you taking up in a bout with Sir Orran?"

A/N ~ Hello, fellow fanhumans! Once again, I apologize for my absence. I hit a spot of writer's block and finals is really a good excuse not to write anything at all. Well, not really but it's what I told myself. However, finals are done now and while I do have a couple summer classes they will be far more relaxed than this last semster. So, hopefully, I'll be able to update more often!

Thank you, to those still reading this. I know from experience that it's hard to keep reading a stories that only updates every couple weeks or month.