Chapter 2 Part Two-Rafiq
There was just something about her that unsettled him somehow. He needed to get to know her more. She was odd enough, being a woman in the King's Own of Tortall, but there was something else about her. Something about the way she looked at everything from a different point of view of things than other people that he was used to. He was practically lost for words when she bumped into him but then he saw that man coming over, looking like the protective brother.
He'd had to leave anyway, he was supposed to be reporting to The Duani while the visitors were eating. He slipped away from the people so that he could go to his room and retrieve the reports he had ready for the Duani.
He rushed to the small chamber that he was told to meet her in. The door was locked, so he pounded once and waited. Not a second later, the door was opened to expose a woman with strawberry blonde hair, watching him,
"Come in, Rafiq. Although I did expect written reports from you." The Duani motioned for him to sit in a chair while she took a seat behind the desk. "Something to drink? I can offer far better fare here in the palace." She looked over at a tray laden with cups, a pitcher of what looked a like wine, another pitcher of water, and a dish of melon slices.
"Thanks," Rafiq told her while reaching for the melon slices.
"So, tell me, why are you here?"
Rafiq took a bite of the melon and looked up at the woman. "I took a ship with Harun down to Malubesang and landed in Laryuat. They brought me into their main camp. I was then assigned to be a scout here in the city."
"A scout here in the city?" The Duani's fair brows cocked up as her head tilted to the side. "Scouting for what?"
"To see if it was true that Tortall was sent to help."
Her eyes narrowed and he waited to hear her lash out, to finally reveal the true nature of her work and hit him, have him beat, administer truth drops, anything.
Then she did like she always did, she did the unexpected. She smiled. "This is good."
"Excuse me?" Rafiq's dark eyes looked worried.
"Don't worry about it. What are you reporting to your commander there?"
Rafiq looked up at her with somber brown eyes; he'd come prepared for this. He reached into his shirt and pulled out a folded sheet of parchment and handed it over to her.
He had taken care to write two versions of this report. This one said that there were squads of Tortallan soldiers in Rajmuat that were here to protect Dovasary Balitang. It also reported that there was plenty of grain in the city to rule any type of a siege. Very basic information.
The Duani's eyes looked over the sheet for a few moments. "This is what you're sending the commander?"
"Yes. I answer to a man named Dek," Rafiq told the woman and looked down at the paper in her hands. She took notes off of it and handed back to him.
"This is good; it'll hold up against most truth drops and other things," the Duani said with a small amount of approval in her voice. "Now why don't you tell me about their forces?"
Rafiq cleared his throat and looked up with a look of defiance in the set of his jaw. Rafiq saw the slightest amount of annoyance pull at The Duani's mouth before she pulled a small pouch out from under the desk and set it on top.
Rafiq watched her as she pulled another silver coin out and set it in the bag. "They seem very coordinated, they have a real military man behind them somewhere. They aren't afraid of taking captives."
"Numbers?"
"I didn't have enough time to count them," Rafiq admitted. The Duani looked at him with those eyes that seemed like they were all knowing and she pulled a small copper coin out of the sash she wore. She cocked her head to the side and twisted the coin in her fingers. Rafiq swallowed and cleared his throat. "I know they have enough men to guard Laryuat, and have been broken up into squads. I believe their numbers are close to a thousand. They're all well trained." The Duani nodded.
After a few more questions and another bribe, Rafiq was leaving with a slightly larger pouch of coins compared to normal, he couldn't help but smile. He grinned to himself until he saw one of those men, the ones in the blue tunic. Then his grin disappeared as he thought of the girl that had been in the back of his mind most of the day. He should go out and get some fresh air to get her off his mind.
He wandered out onto the field where the King's Own were given space to practice; he guessed it would be best to send some information about the new allies' tactics to Dek. He looked out into the archery range that was set up and that was when he saw her.
She stood there with her golden blonde tresses glistening in the sun, pulled back into a horsetail that reached halfway down her back. She pulled an arrow back and rested her hand on a cheek that was tinted pink from the heat as her blue eyes lined her arrow up with its target. The muscles in her back relaxed as she released the arrow and it flew gracefully through the air.
Her entire composure was so serene while she did all this that it seemed natural for her to be out on the field, a warrior maiden for her country. It was captivating to watch her like this, but he had to speak to her.
"So you're an archer," he said while tucking his hands into his pockets. She spun around and over her shoulder he saw the arrow hit the center of her target.
She paused like she wasn't going to answer him. "Yes," she finally said. "I'm an archer."
"You're very talented."
"Thank you." She blushed as he stepped closer to her.
"So, how did you join the King's Own?" The question had been bothering him all day. "I thought women weren't allowed."
"They weren't. I asked to join and my lord Raoul agreed."
Rafiq's brows rose like the sour feeling in the back of his throat. "I see." He looked away from her to hide the moment of pain in his eyes. "This Lord Raoul. Were you lovers?"
Lael stepped back in shock as her eyes widened. "That's hardly an appropriate question!"
"I apologize." The bitter feeling he had experienced vanished as relief flowed through him. Her little outburst confirmed that the innocence in her blue eyes was not a lie. "But you realize that you answered my question. You weren't his lover."
Lael rolled her eyes. "No. He's very happily married. And I've no interest in him that way." Rafiq was about to ask if she had that interest in anybody when he saw the muscular man coming up behind. The bitter feeling was back.
"Is this man bothering you?" the man asked her and touched the hilt of the sword on his hip.
"No, he's not," Lael replied, sighing. "We were just speaking, is all."
"You sure?" The man seemed very persistent.
"Positive. Did you need something?"
"Avery wanted us to meet for orders and I offered to fetch you." His chest puffed out slightly like he should be rewarded.
"I don't need fetching like a dog, Drew," Lael said. "I'll be there in a minute. I've got to get my arrows."
"I'll wait," Drew offered his ego deflating from her remark.
"I can do it myself, thank you," Lael shot a glance at him. "Where are we meeting?"
"The stables," Drew answered solemnly.
"I'll be there soonest." She waited for him to turn around and start walking away before she slowly moved toward the target.
Rafiq stayed with her, reaching the target at the same time she did. he had to talk to this woman. He had to speak to her without on of her comrades coming up and disturbing them. He wanted to be alone with her. He needed to know. "I want to see you again," he admitted.
Lael shrugged. "I'm sure you'll see me."
The simple statement felt like a blow to the chest with all the other mixed emotions of bitterness and joy, but Rafiq smiled and stepped closer. "I want to see you again. Alone. Just the two of us. Together." He knew he was being straightforward with her but he had to get his point across so that she understood just a tiny amount of the urgency behind it all.
Lael bit her lip. "I've my duties, and you've yours."
Rafiq knew she was just making excuses; she wanted this too, she was just unsure. "We can make time, I'm sure. I'll find you." He started to walk backwards away from her, and she smiled at him finally. He grinned and lifted a hand in goodbye.
^_^
It didn't take him long to find the wing that had been set aside for the King's Own. After he had done that, he only needed to find which room only had one occupant, which was simple after he spoke with a maid.
He found the room and picked the lock, thank The Duani's people who trained him. He went into the dark, sitting cross-legged on her bed as he waited for her. He didn't want to have her send any of her squad mates after him for being in here, but he doubted she would.
It wasn't too much longer before she had slipped into her room. She sat gingerly in window seat and Rafiq was stunned at how she once again seemed so perfect in his eyes.
"You're finally alone," he said quietly.
Lael jumped and unsheathed her sword, looking into the darkness He lit a candle and Lael could see his smiling face. "What are you doing in here?" she asked breathlessly, sheathing her sword.
"I told you I wanted to see you again," he replied. "Neither of us have to be anywhere at the moment, so now is as good a time as any," he said honestly.
She narrowed her eyes slightly but nodded. "You're right, I guess. Why did you want to be alone?" She sat back down on her window seat.
"Because whenever I start to talk some over-muscled man comes stomping up to keep me away from you." He stood up crossed the room, his hands tucked into his pockets like he was completely at ease. Truthfully though, he should have been bouncing off the walls with excitement.
"Julian and Drew are just looking out for me," she told him and glanced at her walls. "They don't mean any harm."
"To you maybe." Rafiq laughed. "If you ask me, Drew looks like he would like to run me through with his sword."
"You go tell him I was hiding in your room, in your bed, and we'll see if I can walk out that door." Rafiq sat beside her on the seat. "You can't tell me nothing is going on between you two."
"There isn't."
The joyful feeling swelled in his chest and gave him the courage to press on with his questions that he needed answers for. "But tell me, why did you join the Own?"
Lael sighed, like she had told this story many times before. "I wanted something new. Something different from my family. My brothers are knights, my sisters in the Queen's service--"
"Your family doesn't disapprove of this?" Rafiq was caught off guard by the way she made it seem like a girl fighting was nothing to them.
"My family is very progressive, they don't really know about me in the Own."
"But why fight?" he asked her, searching for an answer in her innocent eyes.
"Why not?" Her voice was calm.
Rafiq sighed; he was always intrigued by women fighting. He grew up in a home that did not approve of it, but he never really thought of it the same way until he met her. "Women should be protected. They shouldn't have to do the protecting."
Her blue eyes turned icy. "Why shouldn't they fight? We have a right to protect what we believe in just as much as men do."
"But you have the ability to bring life into the world, that isn't something you should risk on the battle field. You should leave that for men."
"Are you telling me that I'm wrong?"
Rafiq realized that he had touched a sore spot and should stop right away. "I'm sorry. It was how I was raised. It's not that I don't think women can fight. It's-" he sighed and looked away from her hard glare. "I wish certain ones wouldn't."
The look of anger on Lael's face softened and she laughed. "Are you saying you're worried about me getting hurt?"
He felt a blush come to his cheeks. "In a way, I suppose. Yes." His confidence was growing and he felt just how close he was to her.
Lael's cheeks began to turn crimson as well as she looked at his smiling face. "Well, Rafiq, that is... something. Listen I should really be getting to sleep soon, I have training, and watch, and-"
"No need to make excuses, Lael," he told her with a grin, and he stood up. "But you should know, you're not with me yet."
Suddenly they both stopped as they heard knocking on her door. "Lael, I heard voices, are you in there?" called a male voice from outside her door and Rafiq's chocolate brown eyes widened as he looked over at Lael.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this, please review! Please? We beg of you to review! Even if it's one word! Please?
