Chapter 5

(Your POV)

You forced yourself from this state and pushed him away.

"I can not allow this kind of action Priest... I apologize to you for my weakened state, but if you EVER do that again I will take action against you." you told him. You could tell he was hurt as you were. It was true that you had the slightest feeling for this being, but that feeling was overpowered by your common sense. You knew it would cause more pain if you went on and returned that feeling and in return get discovered than if you were to stop this problem now. Yes! That's all that this was. It is only a problem and problems are things you solved well. "Now if you do not mind Priest, I shall be going to the Pharaoh and I suggest you go on with your duties for they are everything but following me around dreaming of something you will never have." You told him as you walked away in the direction of the main throne room...

Once you were near the door way, you fixed the few strands of wild hair from your altercation with the priest. Once you felt yourself normal and presentable, you stepped into the large room.

"My king you called for my presence?" you announced going down to a knee in respect to the man.

"Stand up Maza." spoke the gentle voice of the king. You followed his command and approached the stairs that led to the throne which your king sat.

"What is it you wish my lord?" you asked.

"Maza, There is a task I am offering you. You do not have to do this." He began as if sounding worried. You knew this tone. He was about to send you on a mission outside the palace gates where you were not as protected.

"My King, I assure you that no task is too dangerous for me and my men. What is the mission?" you asked.

"Maza you will not be allowed to take many men with you. Only two at the most that is what worries me." the Pharaoh told you.

"Well what kind of mission is it my king, why would it worry you so?" you asked. Then, the king stood up from his throne which surprised and somewhat scared you. He never had done such a thing before. He came down the steps where he stood in front of you the top of your head reached to about his nose.

"Maza," he began setting his hands on your shoulders, "Ever since you arrived here with Kira and Rubin, I have seen you and Kira as my daughters. Now I am asking one of them to possibly give up her life." You were somewhat startled. He had never acted this way as he gave you a task.

"W-What am I being asked to do?" you stammered.

"There have been rumors of an attack on the palace, and I need you to find if those rumors are true."

"How is that so dangerous my king I have done such things many a time?" you asked feeling relieved.

"But you haven't done one like this Maza..." came another voice. You looked over to see Master Rubin walking up a look of complete seriousness on his aged face.

"Master?" you asked concerned.

"Maza you will be leaving for a far off land. If we sent you as any sort of troop you would be killed on the spot, you will be going with no protection and no connection to this palace. Put in a simple way this is the most dangerous task we could ever ask you to do." Master Rubin told you. Your entire body slowly began to stiffen up.

"Who am I going after?" you asked quietly.

"A troop of ruthless bandits east of the palace. I would say a three day journey on horse back. They may only be bandits, but they have the numbers and the leader to do damage if we don't know what they are up to." The pharaoh told you. You took a deep breath so to calm yourself.

"I shall do this My Pharaoh, for I vowed to protect.. Even... even if I must die for that to happen." you spoke up.

"Hopefully it will never come to that Maza.. You should not be in danger if you can keep your identity a secret by taking on the identity of another" Master Rubin told you.

"How is that possible? If they know the palace then they should know me.." you replied.

"Not exactly... there is not much time to explain. Choose two men at the most to go with you and have them prepare." The pharaoh told you. You nodded and gave a small bow.

"I shall be gone by dawn's light" you told them before leaving the main throne room in search for the one person you had in mind...

"I am honored My Lady. I shall prepare at once." Kaban, one of your higher soldiers, replied when you told him about the task at hand.

"Yes Kaban, I thank you." You replied as you yourself went to your quarters to prepare for the journey. In your room, you were greeted by Kira.

"Kira.." you spoke as you noticed the look on your friend's face.

"You're leaving?" she asked. You nodded in response. "When will you be back?" she asked.

"I don't know Kira, and from Master Rubin and the Pharaoh told me... I... I ... I may not come back." you finally managed to get that last bit out.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just as it sounds Kira, the people I'm investigating will kill me if they know." you told her bluntly so to get through this yourself. That's when you felt your friend's tight embrace.

"Then make sure they don't know what you're up to Maza.." she told you. You hugged your friend back.

"I will Kira.. I will" you told her. Finally the two of you pulled apart and you could see the tears that threatened her eyes. You both had grown up with each other and thought of each other as sisters. And right now would be the hardest thing to do. "I have to change.. If you would excuse me Kira.." you told your friend. She nodded and left your room. You gave a small sigh and prepared for your travels...

(FF early morning)

You and Kaban mounted a single horse with him riding lead in the darkness of the early morning. You both decided going as family would do you both best. Then two people traveling together would not seem suspicious.

"Stay safe you two.. We hope to see you again soon" Master Rubin spoke up. You nodded to your master as your arms wrapped around the soldier's waist so not to fall off. Just beyond your master stood no other than the Priest.

"Don't worry Sir Rubin I shall protect the Lady with my life if necessary" Kaban spoke nodding his head like a bow to your Master. Your attention was lost as you looked at the priest. You could almost see admiration in his eyes. Most likely about Kaban and how you were with him. "Shall we go My Lady?" questioned Kaban bringing your attention back to him. You looked at the man for a brief second before nodding and looking back at the Priest. Your eyes met for a couple seconds before you felt the jolt of the horse beginning its trot away from the palace and into your dangerous travel. You turned your head back to face forward not wanting to leave any regrets. You could only think about your mission at the moment...

(FF Two days)

"My lady..." Kaban spoke up after the two of you had been traveling for several hours.

"What is it Kaban? And I thought we would not say My Lady while on this journey" you replied.

"I'm sorry.. Maza.. But, there is a small oasis it seems up ahead. I think we should make a stop and water the horse before going further." He suggested.

"Sounds alright to me we could fill the water sacks as well." you told him.

The two of you rode in silence as you had done the past two days. The only time the two of you spoke was to get your identities strait. The two of you made it to the small oasis and did as planned. Kaban helped you off the steed and onto the ground. You took the sacks for water and went to the water's edge so to fill them. The desert sun was not at its highest but it was still hot. As you filled the sacks you wiped a beat of sweat from your brow.

"Are you alright Maza?" Kaban asked as he stood next to the horse that was drinking the oasis' water.

"I am Kaban, It's just a little warm." you told him.

"Do you wish to stay here until nightfall when traveling can be much more pleasant?" he suggested. You looked at the man who was only a few years older than yourself. His light mud colored hair almost matched his tanned skin.

"Do you think it would be best Kaban?" you asked him.

"Yes, we wouldn't need as much water if we stayed here until nightfall, but I do warn you Maza that it could get very cold at night and more dangerous." he told you. You were only less than a day away from your destination, so danger didn't phase you as much.

"I agree at staying here Kaban. After two days of travel I think it would be nice to take a small break." you told him.

The two of you tied the horse to a near by tree and sat at the water's edge. At one point, you fell asleep under the shade of a nice sized rock near the water's edge unaware of the danger near by...

(??'s POV)

"Are they still there?" the officer asked you as he came up to where you were stationed on a ridge.

"Yes sir, it seems they are resting." you told your superior.

"They must be foreigners, because anyone in their right mind would not rest in our lands." you heard the officer mummer.

"Shall we take care of them sir?" you asked. You could see a look you knew well come to the officer's face. That look only meant a good thing for you and the other men but a bad omen for the travelers who were on your land...

(Kaban's POV)

You were leaned against the rock by the water's edge next to the sorceries that lay asleep. It was best for her to rest, because you knew that the next few days would be the hardest. You knew the lands the two of you had entered and the dangers that lay. You sat there carving at a medium sized branch you took from a tree. It was true you did not bring any means of protection from the palace with you, but you had been working on small things like this. It was true the sorceries had great power but you both decided it be best if she refrain as much as she could from using them so not to ruin her cover. You looked over at the female who laid on the ground a small blanket from the horse playing as a pillow for her head and the shade her blanket from the day's heat. She was a beautiful girl, but you would never think of her that way even if you wanted to. You had known her since she had come and started her command on the guard. You had gone with her on several missions and you only saw her as a close friend of yours and you knew it was the same with her. For that reason, the two of you could never think of each other in such a way. You were startled when you heard a faint crack. You stayed still for several seconds waiting for any other noise and was answered by another faint crack. You knew something was wrong and reached over'

"Maza, wake up.." you spoke lightly shaking the girl next to you. There was a small groan from the girl before you saw her eyes open.

"Did I fall asleep?" she asked sitting up.

"No time Maza, get up and walk to the horse carefully." you whispered to her knowing whoever it was, was still far enough away to not hear you. She looked at you startled by your cautiousness.

"Kaban-" she began, but it was interrupted by another crack but this one was different, because right after you heard a faint wisp of air just before a sharp pain entered your upper chest...

(Your POV)

You watched in sudden horror as an arrow pierced Kaban near his shoulder.

"KABAN!" You yelled holding your arms out so to catch your friend as he went to his knees.

"Maza, get on the horse and run.. now." he told you. How were the two of you found so quickly?

"I can't leave you Kaban." You told him as you took your hand and removed the arrow from right under his shoulder then quickly placing your hand on the wound applying pressure. You weren't even sure what was going on so you couldn't use your powers as you and Kaban had agreed.

"Maza quickly they are still far enough away for you to go. Get on the horse right away for it is the only way I can guarantee your safety." he replied.

"NO, I will not leave you here Kaban, If I go you shall come with me." you told him as you went to stand up, but you were stopped by a voice.

"Your aim is getting worse Syrin!" you looked up to see an older man who you could tell had to be a bandit.

"Too bad.. I was hoping to kill him so we wouldn't have to worry" spoke another as he stepped into your view from behind a large boulder.

"Who are you? What do you want?" you demanded.

"A woman with a mouth... interesting." the first one spoke.

"Stay back!!" you yelled holding your hand forward as if going to attack with a spell.

"What are you going to do slap us to death girl, cause I do believe we have the better toys.." the one you thought to be Syrin spoke as he dropped the bow in his hand and unsheathed a medium sized sword from his belt. They didn't know! If they had known who you were they would have backed away or said something different.

"If it's money you want we do not carry any we are only travelers on our way to Kalgoa" you spoke.

You were then taken off guard as someone grabbed you from behind. You screamed but your scream was muffled by a hand.

"Such a pretty girl.. What would you be going to a place like Kalgoa?" the voice of the one who grabbed you asked.

"Please sir.." you hear Kaban gasp in his pain as he stood to his feet grasping his bleeding chest. "Please.. Let her go.. She is the wife of my brother.. If you want someone take me please and let the girl go... so she can go home to my brother" Kaban asked. You wanted to fight so badly but you couldn't you knew if you used magic now that your cover would be blown which would put you and Kaban in even more danger.

"Your brother's wife eh?" the bandit asked as you felt him pull you closer to him making you want to vomit.

"Yes sir.. my brother's wife.. They own several fields near Kalgoa" Kaban told him.

"How rich is your brother?" one of the bandits asked. You could almost tell what Kaban was getting to, but you didn't know if it could work, but that sentence seemed to lift his spirits.

"My brother is quite wealthy even in time of famine he can fed himself, his family and the workers of his fields, and this year is a good harvest, so he should have some wealth." Kaban explained. You could hear the bandit who had you lightly laugh.

"Well, maybe killing you may not do me as good as keeping you alive… Go to your brother and tell him that if he ever wishes to see his beloved again that he can pay us a nice ransom for her. She is a pretty one so the price will be high wouldn't you say men?" The bandit spoke as you noticed many more men erupt from all around from behind rocks and trees. They all spoke in agreement all with one look on their face as who you now assumed to be the leader kept his hold on you. "You have by the next moon or we will either sell her off or just keep her to ourselves, of course we can not guarantee the condition of such a beauty by that time, so I suggest you get to hurrying..." He told Kaban who looked at you in shock.

"Please Kaban, GO! They don't know who I am!" you pleaded to him using telepathy. It was the one power you could use without the others knowing.

"But what is your price so that I can tell my brother.." Kaban spoke.

"Have your brother bring how much he thinks she's worth and if we like it than he can have her back.. If not.." swiftly, he took the one hand from your mouth and quickly took it and brought a dagger from his belt to your neck to the point you didn't want to breathe. "We'll just go ahead and kill her..." he finished. Kaban was shocked.

"Please! Do not harm her, I will be back with my brother and he will pay you any sum you wish..." he told the man. The bandit only laughed, pressing the metal harder onto your skin forcing a small moan of pain from your lips.

"I suggest you mount your steed and go on your way fool." the bandit spoke as you felt yourself jerked and dragged away.

"MAZA! Don't worry! We'll get you!" you heard Kaban yell as you were dragged away to a place you would later know to be worse than the underworld itself...