Sorry this chapter took so long for me to type. I hate typing up stories.
I don't own any familiar vampires/werewolves. Last time I checked, I wasn't Stephanie Meyer.
Chapter Ten
Grandma and I started a game of chess. So far, I was winning. I had both of her knights, one of her rooks, one of her bishops, and a number of her pawns. She only had one of my knights and almost half a dozen of my pawns. It was my turn, so I moved a rook forward. She captured it. In response, I captured her remaining bishop. She moved her queen, looking for an opening in my defenses. I moved my bishop. Her king was now on a diagonal from my bishop.
"Check," I said. She moved her king to get away from my bishop. A few more turns and I had her king cornered. "Checkmate, Grandma. I won."
"That you did," she replied.
Do you often win? Emmett asked.
Yes, I replied. Chess is a game of strategy, and as tharina, I am able to make and use wonderful plans of action.
Sounds like someone's boasting, he said. Jasper's looking at me strangely. He's able to sense emotions. I laughed mentally.
We must be confusing him. Emmett laughed. A knock came at the door. I opened it to see two Wind elves wearing the gray armbands of Wind Clan bodyguards.
"Rain-Tharina," they said, bowing with their right fists over their hearts. "Butterfly-Thar sent us to help defend. Is your fhreen here?"
"Not right now," I replied. "He is at his house. You shall meet him later."
Rain, do fire elves smell like something's burning? Emmett asked. I closed my eyes. Emmett looked worried. I nodded. Then my house is surrounded by fire elves.
No! He nodded, very serious. We'll be there in a flash.
Hurry. I opened my eyes.
"Fire Clan has made the first move," I said. "Emmett's house is surrounded. Who will come with me?"
"Wren and I will, of course," the taller, lighter-haired bodyguard said, revealing herself as Sparrow. Sparrow and Wren was the best bodyguard pair in Wind Clan.
"I will," Grandma said. "Gale? Or are you too out of practice?"
"I am too out of practice," Mom replied. "Luke?"
"I'll go," he replied, fastening his sword sheaths to his back. "We should leave as soon as possible." I agreed.
"Let's go, then," Grandma said. We ran out the door. Aunt Hail was outside with the horses. "Emmett's house is surrounded by Fire elves," Grandma said. "Are you coming or staying?"
"I'll come. I've been waiting for a fight," Aunt Hail replied. We flashed the rest of the way to Emmett's house. Emmett and Alice met us outside.
"Alice is allowed to know anything directly related to the safety of her family," I said. "She already knows our clan and Fire Clan."
"That makes things a little simpler," Sparrow said. "The vampire with the ability to see some of the future should be allowed to know as much as necessary."
"Jack can sense the abilities of others," Wren said, telling us Sparrow's ability and her human alias. "I can form barriers."
"How badly is the house surrounded?" Uncle Luke asked. Sparrow closed her eyes, silently mouthing words.
"There are six in the trees, none on the ground," she said, opening her eyes. "If they attack, we will have the same amount of fighters."
"More are coming," Alice said. "They just decided."
"Wren, once fighting starts, let no one in the house. Emmett, Alice, you will need to go in before she forms her barrier," I said.
Why? Emmett challenged. I took his hands.
I love you, I don't want you to be hurt, and we haven't yet taught you to defend yourself. Go in, for me, please. Emmett nodded.
"Be safe," he whispered. Then he followed Alice inside. A shimmering dome surrounded the house, and then faded out of sight.
"Wren, you formed your barrier already?" I asked. She nodded.
"I thought it a necessary precaution," she replied. "Your fhreen is in there. I saw the way you and Emmett looked at each other. He is your fhreen."
"Am I really that obvious?" I asked. Grandma laughed.
"Rain, we know you too well for much about you to be hidden. In addition, the tharina usually sets herself apart from other Immortals, letting no one close to her. I remember when the Lady Thar was tharina. She acted the same as you."
"So the tharina of ani'halA is now a protector of vampires?" a fire elf asked dropping out of one of the trees.
"I only protect these vampires," I replied. "I do not claim protection of crocodiles. These vampires are alligators."
"You're playing with ice," she said, with a wicked grin. "It would be a shame if you froze." I bared my teeth and snarled.
"Why do you attack innocents?" Grandma asked. "These vampires have done nothing to you. They are not a part of any clan."
"But the tharinA chose one of them," another fire elf said, dropping out of her tree. "That pulls them into our conflict. No longer are they innocents."
"He is the only one who knows," I replied. "His family is still innocent." The other four fire elves dropped out of the trees.
"Rain," Grandma said, warningly. "Think before you speak." The fire elves gathered themselves into an arrow formation, the normal attack formation of Fire Clan. The other elves with me gathered into a formation behind me, Grandma behind me and to the right, Sparrow behind me and to the left. We drew our swords ready for an attack. The fire elves attacked first.
I settled naturally into the dance of fighting: block, twist, stab, shift, and repeat with many differences. My opponent, the fire elf who spoke first, turned out to be a skilled opponent, better than Cumulus or Cloud. However, I soon saw she followed a very set pattern, meaning my reactions to her moves followed a pattern, though I usually avoid fighting in patterns. Once I recognized her pattern, I set out to break it, find out where and when her pattern left her open, and then proceed to use the openings. The elf I was fighting was the first to retreat. Grandma's opponent followed mine. The other fire elves retreated soon after, following their leaders. Wren took down her barrier.
It's safe, Emmett, I thought to him.
Good. It's annoying to be unable to explain why your family can't go outside when they all love the outdoors, Emmett thought back to me.
What, you're not going to ask me if I'm hurt?
I know you aren't, he replied. I was in your mind world the whole time.
"Is anyone hurt?" Cirrus asked, stepping out of the trees. We all shook our heads no. Emmett and Alice walked over to us. I sheathed my swords and leaned into Emmett. "I see you took my advice, sister dear," she said, noticing us. "I'm Raven's older sister, Sara," she said to Alice.
"But Sara isn't really your name," Alice said.
"Sara is the only name of mine you are allowed to know right now. Sara is my name only as much as you are Emmett's birth sister, or whatever you told the human authorities. It is what the humans are allowed to know."
I know, I know, it's an odd place to leave the chapter. Chapter 11 starts out as a continuation of this, so review to remind me to type!
Common Tongue used in this chapter:
tharina - princess
fhreen – the mate of an elf
ani'halA – Wind Clan