Chapter 3

One week later

I was finally able to sit up now without my breathing being labored, because of the three cracked ribs I had gotten from the Wrath Vines. My shoulder had been reset and was healing fast as well. It only hurt to raise my arm a little past my head. Other than that I was fully functional. I wouldn't be roughing it, if I could help it, but I was able to defend myself again. Finally. There was a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" Thor's voice rumbled through the thin wooden door. I covered myself with the blanket I was given and made sure I was decent. I had been changing my wrappings and was only half-way done. From what I could learn in the past few days of being laid out on a bed, Thor was the leader here. I wasn't going to make him wait.

"Yes." As he entered and saw me Thor blushed a slight shade of pink, so I decided to ask if there were any shirts I could barrow since mine had been torn to shreds by the plants. "Any spare clothes I could barrow for now? All I really need is a shirt."

"Uh…Ye..Yes let me see if Tiz can find you one." Thor said clearing his throat and looking down next to him. I hadn't noticed her come in, as she was hiding behind Thor's legs. She looked to be extremely shy for her age. From her height she looked to be about eight to ten years old. I tried to cover for my horrid manners.

"Hi there. Sorry, I didn't see you before. My names Rem. Are you Tiz?" the little Tiz only nodded but she had the prettiest smile. Thor patted her on the head and gave her directions on finding a shirt and to come straight back here. She giggled and waved and ran out of the room.

"I think she might come to like you." Thor chuckled as he walked over towards me. He sat on the edge of the bed and started to tell me about all of the history and the Dagger Pagoda, and the now unified continent under him. He told me of the differences in the colony life and the life I would now lead here. I apparently had to prove I was worth feeding during the winter months or I would be kicked out.

"Ok… How do I prove to you that I am worth feeding" I said with a smile. My smile faltered though as I saw Zagi walk through my door without knocking. Tiz was next to him and dashed right over to me and Thor. She hoped up on the bed and held the pale yellow shirt up to me for inspection. I smiled down at her and took the shirt and laid it on my lap. I would put it on later when the men were gone.

I had a feeling Zagi was going to talk me into a corner that I wouldn't like; and well being nude in front of the two of them just really didn't seem like a smart thing to no matter how brief the moment would seem to be. I'm not shy in the least, and it's not something that they haven't seen before I'm sure; but from the looks and edginess between the two I would be an idiot to add to that.

"You could just test your skills against another fighter." He said lightly.

"Zagi…"

"You know she can do it. It is a valid option. Although, she has no weapon and weapons are earned here. " Zagi interrupted.

"So, all I have to do is earn a weapon in a fight, and win said fight…is it to the death or just a test of skills like ya' said?" I asked to clarify the rules and to see what I was getting myself into. I got an approving look from Zagi and Thor gave me a sad smile.

"Since you are a woman it will be a test of skills. As I told you, women are precious here. But you will go in to this fight with no weapon, against a man. Do you understand this?" He looked at me with a sad longing and worry in his eyes. I nodded. I had fought men twice my size and won what was a few brutes on this plant planet? I thought 'what the hell… I am going to have to earn my keep anyway, right?'

"You have to either: earn the weapon from him and make it so he is unable to continue the fight, or you have to incapacitate him in some other way without the weapon. Mind you, it's the better idea to have a weapon, because if you take it from him it will then be yours." Zagi continued for Thor.

"Ok. Anything else I should know, before the fight that is?" I asked just to see if there were any other tiny surprises coming my way. Zagi looked at me and chuckled behind his fist at my question. Apparently, I was hilarious today.

"I wouldn't go around trying to make friends here. This isn't the colonies and you earn respect and friendships. Just keep your eyes open and you should be fine." I looked to Thor for confirmation of what he was saying. He nodded.

"So, who am I going to be fighting then?" I asked apprehensively to the room.

"Me." Zagi smirked.

"Zagi…" Thor sounded upset and I didn't understand why. What was wrong with me fighting Zagi? I looked from one man to the other trying to grasp some clues as they continued to argue and ignore me completely.

XXXXX

"What Thor, it's the fastest way for her to earn, not only the men's respect, but some of the women's as well. It's the fastest way." I said to my leader. I was saying the right things, but really all I wanted was a chance to touch this woman. Naturally, Thor understood and thus this conversation, but still, I just wanted the excuse to touch her and fight the warrior I could sense in her.

"You know she won't earn the women's respect fighting you. You know that." Thor said grumpily running his hands through his hair. He had a point actually. There were a ton of women for both Thor and I that would cut any competition they saw down, so that they could stand out to us. I sighed because I knew what he was getting at. Thor didn't want to paint a gigantic bulls eye on this woman's back. But, what other option really was there? We were the best fighters and I didn't want him to have the chance to touch her before me. I'm a competitive son of a bitch. I admit, at least, that much.

"What other option would you suggest, and don't say yourself; that would cause a greater uproar than if she fought me." I was noticing that Rem was looking from me to Thor and back again as the conversation wore on. She looked pissed off that she was being talked over like she wasn't there, but she was smart and kept quiet. She was still figuring everything out and she was calculating. It was there in the crinkle between her eye brows and the hardness in her eyes. It could be a man's throat if you underestimated this one.

"Why would fighting either or you be a bad thing?" Rem asked and was ignored. She would understand soon enough.

"There is always Rada or Yui. They won't cause as much of a stir as us." Thor finally said.

"You know she could demolish them…" I said a little uneasy. I had made the mistake of forgetting about those two. They were normally just advisors but, they were excellent with swords as well. Crap.

"Not in my condition I can't. I will be lucky to disarm anyone like this." Rem remarked at her condition. "I mean I can hold my own and defend myself; but it'll be a push…"

"We can't really postpone it any longer Thor, the men and women here will want to know soon if she is to be a part of us, or to be kicked out." I said and smiled as I received two wonderful glares.

"I know that Zagi."

"Then make a decision Thor." I pushed. Hopefully this would go the way I planned. I loved Thor like a brother, and like a brother I loved pushing him the most. Others would see it as a dangerous tug of war between us. But on a subconscious level Thor and I understood one another.

We were attracted to the same things as well. That's why I wanted to win this. I wanted her. She was going to be mine. I had already lost Karim to Thor. I wasn't going to lose another warrior woman, which I was attracted to, again to him.

"Yui then. Let her fight Yui." I sighed. Yui was a good enough choice but I wasn't happy about it.

"Fine. I will go and set it up. Two days to rest up till then. Got it princess?" I wanted to poke at her a little. She was calmer than either Thor or me when we got dumped on this crazy planet. It made me wonder how things on Genesis were really run.

"I am not your Princess." She scowled at me with a glare. I laughed as I turned and started walking out of the room.

"Sure thing Princess." As I closed the door I heard a frustrated grunt and a chuckle from Thor and Tiz.

'This was going to be an interesting fight. I just hope she doesn't demolish Yui too badly'. I thought to myself as in walked out in search of Yui to tell him the fun news.

A/N: Reviews always welcome.