Chapter 4

Will was flat on his back, coughing for what felt like an eternity his lungs desperately trying to gulp in more air when it got knocked out of him as he had landed on the uneven ground roughly.

"Still think I can't fight then ranger?" Tyra had a mischievous light in her eyes as she said those words. Will groaned a little as he pushed himself of the grass and stood up rubbing his chest to face her where she was standing in a poised fighting position. That is definitely going to bruise he thought to himself dryly.

"Gorlags beard girl, where the devil did you learn to fight like that?" Tyra laughed.

"I see you've gotten used to our language then. We've learned to fight ever since we were born Will, boy or girl." She added seriously.

"Well this is definitely the last time I'm gonna contradict you when you say you can fight better than most boys." Will started to laugh then stopped as he realised he was increasing the aching burn in his chest.

"Maybe I shouldn't have punched you so hard." She said eyeing him and feeling guilty.

"Oh no that's alright it will give me experience."

"Experience for what?" She asked her head cocked to the side.

"For when we fight again of course. You didn't think I was gonna give up that easily did you?" He asked in a joking manner.

"Actually I did. I thought it was embarrassing enough the first time you got beaten up by a girl."

"Ah well no one was here to see that were they" He replied cheekily. He knew that if Horace or Halt were to ever find out about this they would never live this down. "Hey do you wanna take a break I mean we've been fighting pretty hard" Will looked at her then saw as she raised her eyebrow in a look of disbelief. "Alright then since you've been fighting pretty hard." He corrected. Tyra had to laugh at his sheepish expression it was too cute to watch.

"Come on then before you break another bone." She pointed towards a tree in which meagre shade could be provided against the sun's torture and he followed her.

"Well that's rich I didn't exactly break my bones did I?"

"Well you weren't far from it that's for sure." She replied wittily. She was having fun with this whole banter malarkey, usually any Skandian she would have the guts to say that too would most probably have flogged her. But this foreigner seemed used to the whole concept added to the fact that if he did get angry he couldn't flog her since she was stronger than him. She smiled cheerfully as she saw him gently lower himself to the ground so as not to bruise or hurt his buttocks any more. Make that a lot stronger she amended. She went over and joined him sitting down and breathing in the fresh, cool air. After a while of silence – well only 2 and a half minutes Will wouldn't be able to manage a while – he asked.

"Who are you? Not to be rude or anything but within 10 minutes you've managed to have me flat on my back, I mean a girl like that is worth remembering." She flushed at his compliment. Will had always been an easy going person and never had any problems talking or communicating with girls since he pretty much acted the same way around guys and girls.

"Well my name is Tyra and I'm Svengals niece I take it you know who he is?" She asked gently. She had heard her uncle chatter about the two Araluan slaves they had picked up and how the boy was a real scrapper, after seeing his shooting today she felt the same way.

"Oh yeah course I do he's great tell him that from me won't you?"

"Sure why not." Tyra saw him rub his chest again and came to a decision. "Right I'm gonna go home quickly and get a medical kit"

"No really I'm fi-"

"Do not say you are fine Will you have been rubbing that chest the entire time we have been talking now I'll only be a minute. See that house over there?" She pointed towards a ramshackle hut made from yet again more pine logs that had a warm curl of smoke coming out of the chimney and was located in a spacious outback.

"Yeah I see it." He said seeing that she was waiting for him to respond.

"That's where I live I'll be back soon try not to hurt yourself anymore if you can manage it ranger." She chided him gently.

"I'll see if I can manage it." He said haughtily, he had felt his pride had been provoked enough for one day. She laughed quietly at his expression and in the end he did too as she jogged briskly over to get the medical kit. He was glad that she had offered to bring him some medicine his chest was really beginning to hurt, if he had had any idea that girls could throw punches like that so help him God he would never have talked to a girl in his life! He closed his eyes and felt the breeze winding through his tousled hair that had become even more so after his encounter with Tyra. He thought about her. She really was quite a girl. "Hey never knew you could come back so quickly." His eyes were still closed but his ranger skills were finely tuned and he had heard her even when she tried to sneak up on him.

"How do you do that? It's uncanny you know" She asked pouting.

"Where haven't I heard that before" he sighed to himself "have you got the medicine?"

"Oh look who's begging for it now I thought you said you were fine." He opened his eyes to look at her. A smile was still lurking around her lips playfully and he sighed yet again and spoke with a tone that made her feel like a child.

"Well I only asked Tyra because if you didn't bring the medicine it would have been a waste of your time wouldn't it?" Tyra sniffed disdainfully at his logic.

"Take your top off." She said abruptly.

"I most certainly will not." He replied just as quickly.

"Will I need to see your wound and a woman's touch is much softer than a mans."

"Well not your touch seeming you caused this in the first place." He mumbled but he allowed her to take his shirt off where his prediction had been right. A huge yellow bruise was beginning to form all over his chest.

"Ooh that does not look pretty." She opened the medical kit box and got out a pain killing salve that she dipped her fingers into. When she looked up at Will he flinched at the smell of warm weed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing just make it quick please" He scrunched up his nose in a way to block the smell which didn't seem to work.

"O.K" She replied more than a little confused. She made him stand up and put both her hands on his chest rubbing gently at the bruise. She had to admit to herself his muscles were very solid and impressive. She would have never have thought this much muscle would be under his shirt and she was more than a little impressed. She looked up and realised Will was watching her. "What?" She blushed a little.

"Nothing don't worry carry on." And so she continued. It was unfortunate though for Evanlyn that she and Horace had to arrive at that moment in time.