Part 5

Persha slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking up at the canvas-top of her bed. She wiggled the fingers on her arm and found out they were working perfectly again; aside from the fact that she was too weak to be able to continue wiggling.

"You're finally awake." said a familiar voice from the side of her bed.

Persha turned her head to the side and saw Adella sitting on a high backed chair with her finger placed between the pages of the book she was reading, to mark where she was. The priestess was beautiful beyond reason; Persha had not known people could be as beautiful as Adella before she met the woman, during her archer days. Adella's red-gold curls swayed as she stood from the chair and walked beside Persha's bed.

She raised Persha's arm and examined it as thoroughly as any priest would someone they had healed. "The swelling is almost gone and all the poison has been extracted, you've been asleep for two days now." said Adella giving Persha an accusing look as if she was saying it was Persha's own fault for not being careful enough that's why she got poisoned. The nerve! How was she to know that that assassin had any thought of poisoning her? And it was a hidden needle; anybody could have fallen prey to it! Well…Adella had a way about her of being the caring older sister who didn't want anything to happen to her sibling and both of them were close enough to be sisters as it was.

Persha sat up and clutched the blankets over her breasts. "How'd I get back here Adella?" asked Persha only remembering fighting the two rogues while the poison quickly took effect on her "Did anybody from the guild follow me?"

Adella gave an amused grin that had a hint of accusation in it. What Adella accused her of this time was beyond her. She gave a low sigh and didn't even bother to dig deeper since she knew that the chances of ramming down the walls of Prontera with you tongue was higher than succeeding at prying something out of Adella if she didn't want to talk.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, a familiar knock since Abenander was the only person she knew-or anybody else knew, she suspected- that liked to put musical rhythms when she knocked on the door.

"Come in." called Adella taking her place back on the chair

Abenander came in with a broad smile and a playful look in his eyes that was perpetually there. He had the exact same kind of red-gold curls as his sister and was every bit as handsome as she was beautiful. He checked her arm exactly the way Adella did. They were siblings through and through. Though, today she didn't pay much heed to Abenander since the man behind him caught all of her attention.

It was the Bard that she met the other day, the one she wanted to meet the day when she was poisoned and ambushed. Why was he here? Not that she objected, she could stare at his sapphire eyes everyday of her life and still feel elated every time she did. But she quickly regained her state of mind.

"It's you!" she squealed in delight much to her own dislike. Oh, the bard must think her a tavern maid jumping at the sight of every handsome man she saw. Handsome…yes,

"Well, Master Shaw has informed me that both of you are acquainted already." said Abenander.

"Master Shaw has never left your bedside since he brought you back." Cut in Adella flashing her smile again though this time there was more than a hint of accusation. Adella couldn't possibly think there was something going on between her and this master Shaw already? But Adella being Adella she probably did. "We had to pull him out of this room to get him to eat." Adella tittered lightly while Abenander gave an open grin.

Persha realized the bard was beginning to blush. So, he took care of her while she was in bed. That was a very good start. "Thank you for saving me Master Shaw, I wonder, if I ask your first name this time, will I get an answer." She was proud how calm and steady her voice was because inside she was screaming with delight as much as any tavern maid would, probably worse.

"My name is Jared Shaw mistress Melencarta." He gave a bow a very debonair smile. Persha thought she would faint again.

Adella immediately stood up and began to chivy both men out of the door. "Now that we're all fully acquainted, you men have to go out of this room. We'll meet again in the dining hall and have ourselves some breakfast. Go now; Persha's naked as the day she was born under those blankets."

Persha saw Jared stumble before Adella closed the door behind her. "Oh wipe that scowl off you face Persha!" retorted Adella "You should be more ashamed wearing those strings you dancer's call cloths! Now get dressed your man is waiting for you." Adella gave a warm smile before she exited the room herself.

Persha's kicked of the blankets immediately and rushed to her wardrobe. She opened the carved doors and quickly chose her dancer's uniform. Getting into the clothes quickly she checked herself on the tall stand mirror. With the tip of her fingers she pushed her hair behind her ears and picked up a heart hairpin from her bedside drawer. Checking herself in the mirror again her lips thinned before she replaced the heart hairpin with a stellar one. "I'm not a tavern maid; I'm a respectable dancer of Midgard." She repeated to herself with a slight hesitation since it didn't sound that right. With a final look at the mirror she left her room as well.

Persha walked down the familiar staircase towards the guild house's dining hall. She finally arrived in front of the two tall oak doors with the Rearing Red Stallion of Malacca. A servant opened the door and Persha nodded her head in thanks to him.

The room was finely lit by the sun's rays cascading from the high windows and the long table was set for four people with the remaining empty place waiting for her. Persha couldn't help but smile when she noticed the allure in Jared's face as she entered.

She glided towards the table and took the seat that was decidedly put beside Jared's. Abenander and Adella grinned in unison openly. Oh, how she wanted to knock their heads together.

Thankfully, the doors swung open and admitted the cook, to save Persha from the awkward moment. The cook was a large graying woman whose apron was straining over her impressive bosom and even more impressive stomach. Scullions carrying trays of food quickly followed her. Persha really doubted that four people could finish that much food. The scullions laid the trays on the table and one by one bowed and exited. The cook smiled approvingly before she herself exited and without a bow. Cooks almost always thought more of themselves than they should have: but who were you to argue when they prepared your food.

The room was immediately flooded by the mouth-watering scents of the meals and Persha didn't think she could contain herself any longer.

"Help yourself," Abenander said while gesturing with his hand. Persha immediately filled her plate with the nearest dish and began to eat maintaining her grace with all the will power she could muster.

"I thank you for your hospitality guild master." said Jared performing a slight bow with his head.

"Nonsense man, you deserve as much for saving the life of our Persha here." answered Abenander jovially before biting into a piece of meat. "If you ask me I say this isn't even enough."

"I agree Abenander," began Adella "and I think I know just the thing to repay Master Jared for saving Persha. Tell me Master Jared; are you affiliated with any guild at the moment?" Adella's eyes gave a predatory twinkle that made beads of sweat appear on Jared's forehead.

Persha looked at Adella then to Jared, eagerly waiting for his answer.

"Um…me Priestess? Well…I…I…um…no actually. In fact I've never even joined a guild."

"I see," continued Adella "and what would you say about joining Malacca?"

Abenander choked on his wine and was about to protest but Adella shot him a look that closed his mouth pre-sentence. These were one of the times Persha wasn't sure who was the guild master.

Adella looked at Persha "I'm told that we are short on bards, correct Persha?"

Persha nodded enthusiastically, too much for her own liking but there was no way to take it back now.

"You see Abenander this is a perfect opportunity for our guild. Sometimes I'm not sure if you actually understand the mechanics of being the guild master."

Persha gave Abenander a pleading look to back up Adella's argument.

"Fine! I accept. But what about you master Jared, would you like to be part of Malacca?"

Jared had the same surprised expression from the moment Adella brought up the topic of him joining and it didn't seem to be fading away. "Me, be one of the Red Stallions of Malacca? I couldn't possibly…surely…are you sure guild master?"

"Of course…I guess…Persha has indeed taken a shine to you so I'm told." His eyes drifted to Adella and back so quickly that Persha wasn't sure if she just imagined it. "We would be honored if you joined our guild; you have more than proved yourself with saving Persha's life."

"Very well, I accept. I am now part of the Red Stallions of Malacca." Said Jared putting fist to heart. A while ago Persha's face was bright now it was beyond blinding,