Cursing under his breath He-man threw aside the blanket that was tangled by his feet. Sleep had been hard coming and when it had his dreams had been of Teela. Teela being dragged away by some hideous creatures, crying and calling his name, calling out to him to save her; her bright beautiful face turning into that of a withered corpse before his very eyes.
Gulping lungfuls of cool night air He-Man staggered out of his tent he needed to be doing something, anything but not this endless waiting. Being under the King's command rankled him, as He-Man he was used to leading the Masters himself against whatever Skeletor could cobble together; being in the hierarchy of a command ill suited him. Neither did spending this much time in his father's presence whilst he was He-Man. Despite the Sorceresses assurances that the glamour would hold against all who did not know the secret, he was certain before long his mannerisms would give him away.
Flexing his strong fingers He-Man longed to feel a sword in his hand to hear the cry of battle ringing in his ears. Things were so much simpler for a warrior, you knew who your enemies were and you went out and fought them. If you won the problem was resolved and if you lost you were hardly alive long enough to mourn the fact. Frustrated by his own inactivity He-Man lashed out a nearby tree, pummelling the rough bark until his knuckles bled and the old oak was splintered and broken. Sinking to the floor he ran his bleeding hands through his messy blond locks, he had to do something, this endless waiting was unnerving him, but despite his earlier argument with Duncan the rebellious prince accepted the wisdom of the older man's words, He-Man could not be seen abandoning the army.
Suddenly as if by magic the answer came to him. Pushing himself up from the ground He-Man darted back into his tent. Reaching for the Sword of Power he smiled at the simplicity of his plan, there were several hours before dawn, He-Man had to stay and remain a figurehead but that didn't stop Adam from starting a search….
- - -
"You've been searching through those Tomes for hours don't you think you ought to rest awhile?"
Smiling despite his exhaustion Duncan rose slightly from his seat to greet the Queen. "Your Majesty."
Waving the formality aside Marlena took the seat opposite her old friend. "You should rest Duncan."
"I know." Man-at-Arms replied softly yet he made no move to comply. "I just…I cannot rest whilst there is work still to be done, whilst there is still a chance that…" Duncan broke off his voice gruff with suppressed emotion. "Forgive me Your Majesty."
"There is nothing to forgive, I to know what it is to lose a child and hope against hope that you will one day see them again." Marlena replied softly shifting uncomfortably in her seat, swallowing nervously as if what she had to say proved distasteful. "In fact I believe it is I who should be asking forgiveness of you…I sent her out into that storm…"
"What?" Duncan gasped. "I thought she abandoned her post. That she rushed off without thinking!"
Bowing her head in sorrow Marlena replied. "I disregarded my husband's instructions, even the Sorceress's warning. It is my fault."
Shaking slightly Duncan ran his hands through his cropped hair. "And I thought it was my fault, because I chose to keep the prophesy from her."
"Prophesy?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. Now is not the time for this." Duncan replied curtly as he reached for a discarded tome.
"But Man-at-Arms I…" The Queen began startled by her friend's coldness.
"If you will excuse me Your Majesty I have much to do." Duncan retorted his eyes now fixed on the book a clear sign that the Queen was dismissed.
"At least let me help." Marlena insisted standing her ground. "Please I need to do something...My husband is in danger…My son, the Elder's know where in this damn castle my son has vanished to, he clearly doesn't need me. I love Teela like she was my own child; do you really think I would ever knowingly put her in danger?"
Sighing Duncan bit back an angry answer, his emotions were raw right now, and warring with the ingrained respect and allegiance he had always felt instinctively to his monarchs. Then suddenly his own thoughts were pushed aside as the Sorceress's melodious voice rang through his mind, 'Duncan Adam has left the camp, he is on a wind-raider approaching Grayskull'. Growling under his breath about foolish, impetuous royals Man-at-Arms jumped to his feet startling the Queen.
"The Sorceress needs me to run an errand."
- - -
Taking a deep breath Skeletor stepped out into the dark enchanted forest, Havoc stick in hand he gouged out a rough pentagram in the rich earth. Turning his glowing red eyes around, he glared into the darkness, he was not eager to be overheard. Content that he was alone he reached into the pocket of his robe, his fingers grasping for the summoning amulet yet they closed on another object. A smooth round crystal, the same crystal that the day before had sat atop Evil-Lyn's wand.
Damn her, what madness had taken hold of her? Had she truly flung herself head long into danger and suffered the consequences or had the traitorous wench turned on him again? Perhaps crawling to Randor with news of his new allies. Yes…Yes that was more like her. Always looking out for the most powerful ally and then slinking back to him with her tail firmly between her legs and then like a fool he took her back. He should have learnt his lesson the first time, when she joined with the Snake men to release King Hiss, and yet all it had taken was a foiled attempt at revenge, a levitated rock and a few wry comments and he had taken her back.
Back into his army and on occasion back into his bed. Perhaps he truly did have a death wish, but there was nothing that stirred his blood quicker than the prospect his bed mate might stab him in the back; what was life without a little danger?
Rubbing his strong fingers over the amethyst stone's smooth surface Skeletor's mind wandered, back to the moment he had first laid eyes on her, she had been truly magnificent barely more than a girl and yet so self-assured and powerful. He had tried at the time to deny the attraction between them, he was a leader of men, a man of power and experience and yet he found himself ensnared by her charms. Normally he was the aggressor, the seducer, but from the night Lyn had first slipped into his tent he had been on the back foot in their relationship. And what was worse despite the distance he had forced between them, the coldness he had insisted on, he still burned for her and on occasion that ache had to be assuaged.
Every time he swore that would be the last, that he would purge her from his system. Then he had reached the agreement with Darconus and he had felt relieved and perhaps more than a little vindictively smug over what reward would be awaiting the witch after his victory. Yet that agreement now hung precariously in the balance.
Gripping the crystal so tightly at one moment it might fracture from the pressure Skeletor raised his arm determined to throw it away. Yet before he released it from his fingers the stone began to throb, sudden warmth heating his chilled skin, its magic was still active which meant the caster was still alive. Bringing it up to his face he turned his eyeless gaze into the crystal's depths.
"Show Me!" He commanded and the orb burst into life, showing the dense forest around Grayskull and a certain foolish Prince scouting the perimeter.
Lyn's spell had worked, just as she had promised and now he would have the young Prince within his grasp. Randor could have one night's reprieve, it would do him little good. Then he would have the king by the throat and the throne would be his, and when the kingdom was secure he would have every rock and stone overturned if he had to but he would find that little witch and she would learn just what happened to traitors.
- - - / - - -
Sitting on his throne Keldor's gaze drifted over the sea of courtiers, his eye noting the beautiful women who tried their best to capture his attention and yet none stood out from the rest they were all sheep, dull sheep fit for nothing more than a casual flirtation before they were married off and produced yet more sheep for him to rule. He was their shepherd, their beloved ruler, the one who kept their homes and the borders safe, who had expanded their Empire until almost all of Eternia was under his control. They had profited and grown wealthy under his wing and yet there were still those who sought to rebel against him. His own brother had tried to stand against him and had failed what chance did these mere peasants have?
Surely they had learned their lessons from Randor, he had not merely killed his brother he had annihilated him, turning those closest to Randor against him and letting them destroy him. He still cherished the memory, the look on Randor's face when his beloved wife consumed with jealousy turned on her husband stabbing both him and that slut of a mistress whilst they slept. It had not been hard to arrange a little lust potion here, a little befuddlement charm there whilst he stood in the background the loyal brother, taking on the mantle of kingship raising his brother's son as his own. There had been those who had seen through his web, Man-at-Arms and that lady-in-waiting Lynne somebody or other, they had been merely collateral and his reign had begun in earnest.
Now if only those damn rebels would turn to dust he could concentrate on his next challenge immortality, and the legend of Grayskull, with its power he could claim all of Eternia and learn the secrets of the Elders themselves and then there would be nothing to stand in his way.
"Why did you go and see them! Surely you knew they would tell you nothing of their true motives."
"I was just curious, let us see how you would react if someone who looked exactly like you suddenly turned up!"
"Peace children!" Keldor barked calling to a halt the bickering between Prince Adam and Milady.
"Forgive me uncle." Adams was at once contrite. "I just think Teela should take more care, if their intention was to kidnap and impersonate her in the hopes of assassinating you then going anywhere near those two rebels is merely asking for trouble."
"Well I do not agree, I was in no danger and I do not believe that was their motive at all." Milady replied hotly a frown marring her otherwise perfectly made up face. Forcing down her anger she tried to make her point coolly and logically, then perhaps for once she would be listened to as an equal and not dismissed as yet another pretty but dim courtier.
"Their arrival, their dress, if it was to be an impersonation attempt it was an extremely poor one and things simply do not add up, no matter how hard they try to hide it their ignorance of certain things is too complete to be an act. The Calling...The Arena both were foreign to them."
Nodding slightly Keldor stroked his strong fingers over the cropped beard on his chin, he too had noted what Milady spoke of; the pair, if would could call two such oddities a pair, seemed out of place and not just because of their bedraggled appearance amongst his bejewelled court. For one they appeared to have been engaged in a battle, both had been wearing body armour, a practice unheard of for any woman during his reign. Then there was the way they held themselves, tense and ready to react at the first hint of a threat. The more he thought the matter over the more what he remembered supported this idea, they were fighter's perhaps even warriors and they hadn't been afraid. True the impostor had quailed slightly under his gaze but had held her own against the combined force of both the Prince and Milady and the other…
Keldor paused recalling the knowing look in those ice coloured eyes, so familiar and yet so distant, they had been confident, perhaps even smug, her presence had been so commanding that even Adam had unwillingly deferred his gaze. Some part of him gnawed that he should know her, there was something familiar and yet he could not place his finger on it. Perhaps she had been a past conquest, she was surely beautiful enough to have attracted his attention and there had been so many of those that remembering one from another was a nay on impossible task. Yet he was certain he would have remembered a night spent with a woman like that.
Shrugging aside such thoughts for when he had the time for them Keldor motioned for Teela and Adam to cease their renewed bickering. "It matters not, tomorrow shall put whatever skills they have to the test and perhaps we will uncover more about the matter then."
Resisting the urge to pout Milady bit down on her bottom lip, forcing a look of contrition on her face she graciously took her place at the King's left hand side and feigned interest in the dancing girls. Inwardly she seethed, she would show them, she knew she was right and it was about time her beloved was made to see it to.
- - -
How the hell could the witch sleep at a time like this?
Crouching beside Evil-Lyn's curled form Teela kept her eyes wide open, wide open and locked on the assorted scum they now shared a cell with. It was more of a dungeon really, full to bursting point with criminal filth and assorted stinking beggars. If only she had her staff or even a good blaster in her hand then she might have relaxed a bit, yet never enough to sleep. Clearly Evil-Lyn was either as crazy as they said or she placed far too much faith in Teela's abilities, as even she would hesitate before taking on an entire room.
"Here pretty pretty...Wanna come give me a cuddle?"
Scowling through her lashes Teela gave the offender her fiercest look, her blue eyes hard as flint.
"Oh I think she likes me."
"Knock it off crazy you know Titus will want first crack at them!"
"No fair...He can have the blond...I want to dance with the redhead. She looks feisty."
"Back off buster!" Teela hissed when the wild haired old man made a move towards her.
"Ooooh see she wants to play." He giggled, his glee soon turning to a grunt of pain as Teela's kick landed in his gut knocking the wind right out of him.
"I said back off! Now anyone else wanna dance or you going to cut me some slack?" Teela demanded flicking her ponytail back over her shoulder as she faced down the now wary jail.
"Yeah I do!" One of the prisoners challenged.
Damn me and my big mouth Teela thought as she crouched into position. "Come on now Evil-Lyn time to rise and shine!"
---
She was dreaming, she was proficient enough in the mind arts to realise this and yet she could not force her mind to a wakeful state. Instead she followed along her subconscious's ramblings catching fleeting glimpses of memories long buried, her father preaching, worse her mother laughing trying to teach her wayward daughter some new game or other and then Keldor.
The first time she had seen him, his presence filling the room and her vision until he had become her entire world, the first time they fought side by side their powers combined, the first time she had kissed him, the first time they slept together and the last...
"Forgive me I didn't mean to interrupt your meditation but I have a progress report from the scouts and I am sure this is something you would want to hear." She replied, confident in her conviction.
"Get to the point Evil-Lynn."
"The point is that I have just received word from one of our scout parties that much of Eternos's population is being evacuated from the city. It should be all but empty when you make the final strike against the Elders."
"Cowering under their old mother's skirts I have no doubt, the cowards." Keldor scoffed. "It doesn't matter where they hide, eventually they will have to come out, and we'll starve them out if we have to." He added turning back to the open window his attention drifting from the witch who stood awkwardly on the threshold before walking over to stand beside the overlord of evil.
"It is a beautiful evening." Evil-Lyn murmured. "The fates seem to be casting in our favour."
"Yes the reflection from the larva seems to give the hemisphere an ominous glow. Evil is stirring once more." Keldor replied glancing at the witch from the corner of his eye, the reflected shadows playing across her face.
"I am sure the sunset will look even better from the Palace." Evil-Lyn added smirking softly, leaning against the rough rock wall. "The accommodations will certainly be pleasanter."
Sneering Keldor turned to glare at her yet Evil-Lyn gave no sign of noticing his displeasure. "I no longer have any need or desire your company Evil-Lyn."
"Very well." Lyn retorted. "Then I will leave you to your rest and your brooding."
"Excellent I can hardly wait!" Keldor hissed sarcastically. "You know where the door is." He added when she showed no immediate sign of obeying him.
Biting her lip in order to stifle the urge to curse him Lyn stretched languidly and headed slowly towards the door. "Very well, will you be requiring my assistance tomorrow?"
"Offering to share my burden's again?" Keldor asked the contempt clear in his tone, causing Lyn's mouth to tighten and her cheeks to flush most attractively.
"That was not my intention." Lyn snapped. "If you wish to drain your strength before a battle that is your concern I was only offering to help."
"Help?" Keldor mused his eyes glinting with a hint of perverse amusement as he stalked towards the fuming Lyn. "You think I the Overlord of Evil needs help from you, you'd have me grow soft and dependant on you and then when my guard is down you will stab me in the back."
Drawing herself up to her full height Lyn lifted her chin and glared right back into Keldor's dark eyes. "If I had wanted that there would have been ample opportunities, or have you forgotten?" Lyn added a sadistic smile pulling at her lips, she knew she was courting danger, bating the lion in his den but she just couldn't help herself. "Has your memory become defective or merely selective?"
Growling in his throat Keldor raised a fist shaking it warningly in her direction. "You go too far Evil-Lyn, you always do." He hissed eyes glinting dangerously as he began to circle her, his pace slow and measured. "You should be more careful, soon I will not only be your master but your king."
"You are not my master, no one is! You do not own me Keldor." Lyn snapped lashing out with her hand to force the smug look from his face.
Catching her wrist easily Keldor pulled the flailing witch towards him grasping the collar of her cloak he tightened it till it pressed into the pale skin of her throat. Leaning down his eyes bore into Lyn's ice eyes, catching the flicker of amethyst in their depths a sure sign of her temper, their foreheads almost touching as he replied mockingly. "You are my bitch and you will wear my collar." As expected such an insult caused Lyn's eyes to narrow in disgust and she struggled in his grip, her free hand battering his shoulder and her foot connecting with his shin and it was only due to a quick deflection that her knee missed connecting with his groin.
"Don't you even think of trying that again." Keldor hissed his grip on the witch tightening painfully but she seemed to be beyond reason striking at him like a hellcat. Sweeping her feet out from under her Keldor forced them both to the ground, pinning her writhing form beneath his heavier frame waiting in mocking silence for Lyn to wear herself out.
"Get off me." Lyn hissed through gritted teeth, biting back a whimper of pain as Keldor's heavy body crushed against her forcing much needed air from her lungs.
"Poor little witch." Keldor muttered an amused expression flitting across his face yet he made no move to ease off of her enjoying the pained look in her eyes and the way her chest heaved against him as she gasped for breath. "You do not realise just how beneath me you truly are, pride is such a terrible thing in the weak."
"I am not beneath you." Lyn retorted her gaze burning into Keldor's. "And I am not weak!"
Barking out a short burst of laughter Keldor tightened his grip, pressing the length of him against her. "Yet the evidence seems otherwise."
"I hate you..."
"Liar."
"It is no lie!"
Brushing her cheek surprisingly tenderly Keldor leant forward and whispered in her ear. "You love me...You have since the day we met and that makes you weak dear Lyn, that is why I will never fear you and why you will never have power over me." He added before covering her mouth roughly with his own.
"Don't." Lyn hissed against his lips trying her best to push him away and fight the part of herself that wanted to draw him close. "We can't."
"Don't worry there won't be any more 'little mistakes' dear Lyn." Keldor retorted as his strong hands tugged at her armour. His amusement growing. "I really must remember to thank my dear brother for taking care of that problem for us...I think it might amuse him to learn his vaunted hands are not so clean right before I end his miserable existence."
"You bastard!" Lyn hissed in disgust yet she returned his kisses and gave herself up to the pleasure of his embrace.
"EVIL-LYN!"
"Whaa.." Lyn answered her mind jarring from sleep to wakefulness just in time to see Teela go flying across the room. "Great just what did you do now?" She asked offering the younger woman a hand to rise, a hand that Teela refused as she swept her opponents feet out from under him before flipping over his head.
"I think it was my superior conversation skills!" Teela quipped as she dodged fists and retorted with sharp jabs of her own.
"Yeah it must have been that." Lyn snorted in amusement, as she casually tripped one of the men about rush the younger girl. "Either that or fashion envy?"
"Hey!" Teela retorted hurt, before breaking her opponent's nose with a quick up thrust of her palm.
"Then again perhaps it was your poise and social skills?" Lyn added rolling her eyes at the stupidity of the common man before a well placed side step sent another careering into a painful encounter with the cell wall.
"You could do more to help?" Teela grunted as she round housed two at a time whilst the amused witch lounged against the wall examining her nails.
"I am helping." Lyn retorted as she picked up a bottle and shattered it over an already concussed combatant sending him back into the land of unconsciousness.
"More than simply clearing up the stragglers."
"You interrupted my nap!" Lyn added peevishly.
"Some nap, you were moaning, nice dream was it?" Teela snapped waspishly. "Now let me think whose name was that you were muttering?"
"Fine." Lyn hissed her eyes narrowing as she entered the fight proper. Yet it seemed the pair of them attracted more attention and they steadily began losing ground.
"Isn't there some spell you could use to put them all to sleep?" Teela grunted as the pair were forced into a corner.
"What and make things easy for you?"
"I figure I could go for easy about now!" Teela retorted glancing about for anything she could use as a weapon before drop kicking the nearest target
"Oh you girlies gonna be sooo sorry." One particularly slow but strongly built thug warned as he touched his bleeding chin.
"That's enough." A strong baritone announced as the crowd was pushed back by a gray haired priest and several battle hardened warriors stepped forward.
"Stay out of this Old Man none of us want hear one of your sermons."
"Perhaps not but even you can count Titus and I think we are evenly matched." The priest replied calmly.
"I'm not afraid of your god and these girlies got it coming." Titus argued clenching his fists. "You interfere again and the truce is off, we'll pound you rebel scum just as hard as I'm gunna Blondie here!"
"In your dreams." Lyn hissed her eyes darkening to amethyst as she twisted her hands into an intricate pattern, feeling her magic respond to her coaxing, as they began to glow. "Perhaps his gods aren't scary enough for you...Still wanna dance?"
"A witch!" The hissed whispers abounded around the room and the prisoners backed away in terror.
"I didn't think they let scum like you in with us decent folk." Titus recoiled. "And to think I almost..."
"Finish that sentence and I'll finish you, permanently!" Lyn sneered her magic lashing out and lifting Titus up by his throat. "What's the matter never seen a woman kick a guy's arse before? What's wrong with you people?"
"I don't know." Teela interjected. "But perhaps you could cease with the light show and we'll find out. Lyn please these people are terrified."
Disgusted Lyn dropped Titus rubbing her hands together to remove whatever taint lingered. "What are you staring at?" She hissed at cowering woman who began to babble nonsense and held up her hands as if to ward Lyn off.
"Something tells me you're not from around here." The priest said. "Perhaps the pair of you ought to come with me."
- - -
Leaning against the rough stone wall Lyn tried to force her tensed muscles to relax. She had been on edge since last night's little spat, when people had reacted so violently to her use of magic and that so called priest had intervened and led them away. He had brought them to another section of the dungeon, a large dank room filled with assorted rebels, women and squawking children.
"You will be safe here."
Safe from the likes of Titus but not from other, in Lyn's eyes, more dangerous elements. Scowling into the darkest corner Lyn caught the glint of pale reflective eyes, they were still watching.
"Who are all these people?" Teela had asked.
"Some are ordinary Eternians who have been accused of spouting anti-monarchy statements, some are rebels that have been caught trying to smuggle people out of the cities and the others...well they are nomads, people that King Keldor would rather like to vanish from the face of Eternia. I assure you they are quite harmless."
"That shows what you know Old Man." Lyn had retorted cryptically.
Teela had of course ignored the witch's warning and proceeded to fall into a deep exhausted slumber but Lyn hadn't so much as dozed all night. There was danger here, perhaps not to Teela but almost certainly for her, and definitely for Keldor. Why would he bring the tribes here? Surely he knew what threat they represented, or had this Keldor not travelled the sands of fire and time, had he had no Lyn to warn him? Skeletor was an egocentric megalomaniac but he was no fool, he did not underestimate his enemies and he stayed clear when the tribes annually encroached onto his territory. He chose to ignore them and they in turn returned the favour, and as for her, Lyn had learned years ago to give her distant cousins plenty of breathing room.
Unfortunately they didn't seem inclined to show her the same courtesy.
"Good Morning."
"What exactly would you say is good about it?" Evil-Lyn retorted sharply to Teela's all too cheerful greeting.
"Well I see a night's sleep did nothing to sweeten your temperament."
Scowling Lyn shrugged off the insult. "Unlike you and your precious masters I am not constrained by the need to see the positive in things, why bother searching for a silver lining when there is clearly none, it saves time in the long run."
"And the Award for Miss Positive Outlook goes to..." Teela trailed off sarcasm dripping from her tone.
"We were captured mere hours after arriving in this dimension, my magic is depleted, we've been thrown into a dungeon, attacked by practically everyone we've met and I am having to share a bunk with you! Just what exactly does your pea-sized brain find to be positive about that?"
"How about the fact that you don't snore?" Teela mocked enjoying the way Lyn's composure cracked enough for two high spots of colour to appear on the witches pale cheeks.
"When we get out of here I am going to enjoy torturing you until that annoying voice of yours gives out...Now how is that for positive?"
"Jeez I guess you aren't a morning person."
"When it comes to exchanging meaningless prattle with you Captain there is never a good time of day!" Lyn retorted her gaze moving from Teela back to the cloaked nomads.
More eyes were now staring at her out of the darkened corner, clearly their little spat had awoken those that had slept through their arrival the night before. Clenching her fists Lyn tensed in anticipation, as what were once whispers and furtive glances became louder as the elders became involved and several gestures were made in their direction. Not even when the old priest wandered over with what passed for breakfast did she break her gaze.
"I am not hungry."
"Come now you must eat...I know it is not the most appetising." The old man coaxed before reluctantly handing her share over to Teela to mind for her. "Perhaps now you have rested it would be a good time to discuss..."
"Now is not a good time." Lyn hissed, her words prophetic when two large and one petite figure stepped out of the group of nomads, like smaller shadows bleeding off from the larger, their long dark cloaks hiding all but their eyes.
"What do you thinks' going on?" Teela asked as the trio made their way over to them.
"Honestly I don't know normally they keep to themselves...I don't know what they call themselves no one here speaks their dialect."
"They have no name in Standard. However they call themselves Dahae." Lyn answered earning a surprised glance from both the priest and Teela as the witch was not one to offer information freely, but from the way she held herself ready for a fight Teela assumed Lyn had met these people before."No don't approach...." Lyn began but the stupid priest had approached the advancing Dahae his hands raised in peaceful greeting.
"Greetings I am Father Trebus.I...."Yet before he could even finish he was swept forcefully aside.
"Bloody fool." Lyn hissed. "Stay down this has nothing to do with you."
"We can't just leave him." Teela insisted hotly her fists clenched as she prepared to launch herself at the much larger opponent.
"Stand down Captain." Lyn snapped. "It's not him they are interested in." And as if to prove her point the burly pair began to circle her.
Ducking out of the way of the first Lyn was unprepared for the second's seizing her wrist and forcing her arm painfully behind her back. "Let me go NOW!" Lyn demanded struggling futilely as she was half dragged half carried to where the smaller figure was waiting patiently.
"Svasti." The smaller figure muttered gesturing to a cursing Lyn.
"I don't speak you dratted language when will you bloody people realise this!" Lyn snapped struggling with her captors.
"Lynah?"
"How....Who the hell are you?" Lyn spluttered her pale face turning deathly in its pallor as the now obviously female nomad pushed aside the scarf that covered her face enough for Lyn alone to get a good look at her. "No." The witch gasped shaking her head in disbelief, before slumping boneless in her captor's arms, hanging like a limp doll between the two burly men.
"I rather think it is I who should ask such a question, since I know that face you are wearing cannot be your own." The female hissed, her tongue lisping over the foreign words, threat inherent in her tone and her actions as she held a nasty looking dagger against the witch's throat. "Who are you?"
"I am a stranger from a strange land but I assure my face is my own!"
"That is impossible, but then it is widely known that all the sorcerers of settlers are liars fortunately we have ways of exposing such trickery...šamán yachay." She demanded reaching out to accept a dark looking vial from what appeared to be the tribal shaman.
"What the hell are you...?" Lyn began to protest but her words were cut off as one of her burly captor's grabbed hold of her short white hair jerking her head up as the woman forced the noxious potion down her throat. Choking as the liquid burned through her body Lyn shook as she felt fiery tendrils travel to her core, a sudden scream ripped from her throat as it sank claw like into her magic. Unable to resist Lyn collapsed unconscious with the pain coursing through her entire body.
- --