Another update already? gasp 'tis amazing! This story might actually be getting somewhere :-)

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Evening had come, casting the city in a gentle golden hue tinged with pink, it was gentle and serene. The great heat of the day having receded, leaving a comfortable warmth, it seemed perfect. On the surface at least. In the houses lining the emptying streets women were locking the doors and closing the shutters, men polishing their weapons, laying them beside their feet as they ate dinner. Children seemed less affected, but their loud rowdy games had ceased, replaced by quieter ones by the fireside.

It was known to all that a threat was swiftly approaching, yet the king had not disclosed any information. A shadow could be felt pressing upon the gates and all had an idea of what was coming from the tales shared by refugees. One word could be heard whispered around the city. Undead.

A fire was blazing in the hearth; Illyath sprawled in front of it while Agraelith stood above him shaking his head. "Stop it will you?" Illyath snapped, obviously irritated.

"Stop what?"

"All right, so maybe I deserved it but that doesn't mean you have to stand there rubbing it in."

"That was a pretty impressive slap," Agraelith was grinning. With an angry growl Illyath turned on his stomach, trying to rid himself of his friend's amused gaze. He did not find it amusing in the least.

There was a knock on the door and Illyath buried his face in his arms, "You go get that, will you?"

"I do believe this is your house, how about you get it?"

"You're cruel, you know that? But you still owe me so how about you answer it."

Another knock and Agraelith went to the door laughing, but it faded as soon as he opened it. "Erm…who is this?"

Carya stood with Ream in tow; he had a worried expression on his face as he looked up at knight in front of him. Even without armor it was not hard to tell what Agraelith did for a living, and even without armor he was still quite impressive and a bit intimidating. Standing framed in the doorway he seemed huge, broad shouldered and tall with his shaggy hair and handsome face, light shining from behind him. The sword strapped at his waist did not seem to comfort Ream either.

He seemed to shrink behind the elf and she knew that it was a good thing she had brought him; this young man needed a strong taste of reality. "This is Ream; I met earlier today at the lake. May I speak with you for a moment?" Agraelith nodded. "Ream, you can go in, I will be there soon." She noticed his anxious glance and gave him a reassuring smile. Once the door was shut behind him she looked at Agraelith who had a confused and worried expression.

"Carya…um…why exactly is he here? And how exactly did you meet him?" he did not sound mad and thankfully not jealous but was clearly utterly confused.

"I met him at the lake, he caught me by surprise and I pulled the dagger on him…after questioning he asked me if I actually used it…"

"He what?" he asked in astonishment.

"Yes, so I taught him how to throw…and I told him I would teach him archery and sword play. However, I think it best if you or Illyath taught him…preferably you."

He sighed, "Maybe its best if he just goes home, you don't even know anything about him."

"I have spent nearly the entire day with him and I am telling you, that boy needs to learn. There is a war coming, everyone know this."

"He does not need to learn. He needs to go back home," Agraelith stated firmly.

"I am not going to give up on him. Besides, he will go home right after we discuss everything."

"There's nothing to discuss," he made a move to open the door but she placed a hand on his arm.

"Please Agraelith," she said softly, "This is important."

Groaning he tried to keep his resolve but it was quickly melting under her gaze, why did she have to affect him like this? "I'll talk to him a bit and we'll see."

"Thank you."

Then he gave her a suspicious look, "And why exactly is it so important to help him?" The kid had been handsome enough, a bit young but then again everyone would be young for the elf. He urged himself to stop; he knew he could trust her.

"His father does not seem to be the encouraging type," she answered at last.

"And do you know his father?"

"No, but I could tell."

He really did not want to do this but if she really thought it was a good idea… "Fine, but I still want to talk with him."

They sat at the kitchen table; Illyath was still lying on his stomach in front of the fire, refusing to get up.

"What's wrong with him?" Carya asked low enough so Ream could not hear.

A smile spread across Agraelith's face, "Licking his wounds I suspect, he ah…let's just say he maid a bar maid a tad unhappy." Raising his voice he addressed Ream, "So, your name is Ream I gather?"

"Yes Sir."

Agraelith nearly chocked on the wine he was currently drinking, it seemed like ages since someone had last addressed him that way. He had to hand it to this kid; he seemed to know exactly how to handle people. "I'm Agraelith, Carya told me that you uh…you wanted to learn some weaponry?"

The boy grinned eagerly, "Yes, I do."

"I'll see if I can help. I used to be a knight…" Used to be…soon to be again. "Have you held a sword before boy?"

"No…no Sir I haven't."

"Ever held a bow?"

"No…"

"That I'll let Carya handle, elves are the masters of archery."

This was a tougher case than he had thought; teaching a boy of…what was he? He looked to be around eighteen or nineteen, to use a sword and bow; he himself had started when he was around six or seven. Maybe this was why Carya had wanted to help him so much, he was obviously wealthy, no doubt the product of some wealthy merchant and a woman who came from similar status. There was also no doubt that he had been spoiled rotten.

"Does your father know?" he asked finally.

Silence. Oh Gods, so this was why Carya wanted to help the kid so bad.

"I take that as a no and I take it that if he did know he wouldn't be thrilled."

"No, he wouldn't," the boy acknowledged. "He…he told me that it was…beneath me…and that there was no need for it when we had our own guards…" he finally admitted.

"But I take it you don't think that way or else you wouldn't be here."

With a fierce look in his eyes Ream looked up, "I think that it's honorable, fighting for what you believe in."

Fighting for what you believe in…I fought for what I believed in and look what happened to me… "One thing you have to learn, fighting…real fighting, in battle, it isn't what anyone thinks. You can't really know what it's like until you get there, until you realize that all the training doesn't matter, what matters is staying alive. So while you may be learning boy, this doesn't mean you should run off and join up in the king's army.In fact, promise me that you won't."

"But why not?"

"You don't understand, it isn't your fault of course," he said raising a hand, "But raised the way you were…I don't think its right for you."

Ream looked like he was about to respond but Carya cut it, "He's right…for the moment at least."

"For the moment? You know as well as I do that—"

"That what? Just because he wasn't raised with a sword in hand doesn't mean that he can't—"

"How about you two stop you're bickering, look, Agraelith will teach you swordsmanship, Carya archer, and I'll give you a taste of some real battle." Illyath had appeared, drawn out of his misery by their heated tones. "Now then, I know you're father and you best be off, tell him you were with me discussing some business, if he asks you what then tell him I put together that guard of his he was needing."

Carya and Agraelith glanced at each other with slight embarrassment; Illyath had suddenly turned into the serious one of the group.

Ream stood, "I guess you're right. Thank you sir…and thank you Carya."

She stood and led him to the door, "Everything will be fine, you can come over tomorrow afternoon."

He looked like he wanted to say something else and she waited. "I um…I have to admit that er…at first I wasn't sure, you being a night elf and all…but I ah…I was wrong."

This took her slightly by surprise; he had managed to hide it fairly well. At least he had admitted it, and besides it did not really bother her. That was the first reaction nearly everyone who encountered her had.

"It is all right, go home now, before you're father starts worrying."

Once he had disappeared into the night she sighed and entered the house. Agraelith was no where to be seen but Illyath was hunched over the table, rubbing his bruised cheek. "So, set up guards for the merchant caravans?" she asked. "Is that how you acquired this?" she gestured around her to all his fineries.

"Sort of…" mumbled. She sat down across from him and pulled a map closer to her. "What are these?" she pointed to the spider web of lines, determined to figure out exactly what Illyath was up to.

"Nothing…"

"Illyath…I want to know." She glared at him and he froze, there was no way he was getting out of it.

"Fine, I set up the guards…and erm…"

"And what?"

"Well you see, when the caravans are attacked we make more money for their protection."

It all dawned on her, Illyath had at one point been a mercenary…and… "Wait…so you set up the guards…then you send mercenaries to attack them."

"Possibly…"

"Is that not a bit low? These are people's lives you're talking about Illyath, how many are killed? How could you…how…" she bit back a scream of all the things to do to make a fortune he had to pick something like this.

"I'm careful, no one's killed…all right…so there have been one or two but they knew what they were getting into when they decided to work for me."

She glared at him; her liking for him had suddenly dropped a considerable amount. He was playing with people's lives, goddess help them. Something else registered in her brain, "When you told Ream that you would give him battle experience…you couldn't possibly mean…ILLYATH!"

He flinched, "Listen to me, it honestly isn't that bad. Most of my money was made in all honesty, but…"

"But you then decide to stage fake attacks to make a bit extra on the side, you are a good for nothing…" she continued to ramble on and Illyath let her. Suddenly she surprised him with, "If he goes then at least let me accompany him."

"WHAT! You sit here and criticize me and tell me it's wrong and then you suddenly want to go!"

She had a guilty expression on her face, "My arrows cry for the air and my sword whispers for the taste of blood. I am a warrior…"

"All right, if you say so. I'll set you up on one that isn't rigged; there's been some word of bands of thieves acting up. You'll have to go soon though if there's a war approaching….what exactly are you planning to tell Agraelith?"

Another pang of guilt, "The truth, he can not stop me."

"Very true, but he'll try and you know he'll be heartbroken."

Heartbroken…the word only added further pain. She did not want to hurt him but he had to understand that she was a warrior at heart; blood was what she had once lived for. True, it had not been her chosen path but it was a part of her none the less…he of all people should understand.

"Where is Agraelith?" she asked at last, looking around.

"He went out, said he had some business to attend to," Illyath said with a shrug. She knew that there was much more to it but if Agraelith wished her to know he would tell her. Even if he did not wish it she would find out when he returned.

Only he did not return, at least not while she was still awake. After waiting for him nearly half the night she finally gave up, determined to talk to him the next morning.

He was sitting at the table, waiting for her it seemed, motioning for her to sit she did so. A feeling of foreboding creeping though her, this was not exactly how she had expected their meeting to be. "Carya…" he started, his voice soft. "Something Ream said last night, about it being an honor to fight for what you believe it…it made me realize something. I was going to do it even before that but it was the final push. Last night after he left, I…I went to see the er…you see…I'm a knight…and I…there was no way around it…coming here…It just didn't feel right if I didn't…" he stopped, knowing that he was not making any sense at all.

"Agraelith?" she asked worried, this was not like him at all.

"I joined the Thal-Morian's knights," he blurted out.

She was still for a moment and then a sudden swelling of emotions rose within her. "You did not even consult me," she spat. "If you truly cared for me you would have consulted me first."

"I had to do it then, it just felt right."

"It felt right not telling me?"

"That isn't what I meant, I knew that it was time, there's a war coming you've said it yourself a million times. I have to do something about Carya, I'm not going to sit by idly and wait," his voice had risen as well.

"But why did you not simply tell me," her eyes were cold as she looked at him head on and he could not keep her gaze.

"I had to do it," he repeated.

"You told Ream you would help him," she said at last.

"I will, he can come to the training grounds. I'm already an experienced fighter, today they're going to evaluate me and then see what happens from there."

"Go then," she stood, "Leave."

"Carya…"

"You are right, it was your own decision and I honor it," she did, she truly did…but a foreboding feeling was working its way inside her as she strode from the room, tears pricking her eyes.


Not as long not as interesting :-(but things will definitely start picking up. I'm thinking two more chapters and then the war arrives, and after that only a few more chapters before the end. This story is started to get dragged out a bit and I'm not sure how much more you all can take.

Next chapter: Agraelith and army and training Ream. Carya and Ream on their little adventure. Possibly a reconciliation between Agraelith and Carya but it might have to wait.

Please review!