Flames of Darkness (Started- Still accepting)

Spoiler

Sorry for double posting, but I figured that I might as well, since no one else is.

Hunter
I returned at midday the following day. My tribe hadn't been hard to convince. All they wanted in return were some supplies, and my word that I would come see them more often.

The city was bustling with activity. Soldiers were already starting to gather, lured by the kings promise of food and lodging, and merchants were already setting up stalls. The things they were selling were far from impressive. From what I could see most of them were selling tools, clothes and other useful objects, but nothing fancy or extravagant.

One of my tribesmen had told me about something quite odd that had happened by the pass a few days ago. Something the king should know about. I sniffed the air. I recognized the king's scent and followed it until I found him just outside the castle, talking to a messenger. The king was apparently sending him to a town in the east. A wise decisions. Most of our soldiers came from the east.

When the king turned towards me I turned back to my human form, immediately shifting my weight onto my left leg. "I've done what I said. My tribe will escort the parties through the pass, and the messengers that I sent out to Neko and Atra should be arriving soon if they haven't already. The king and queen should be arriving within a week, maybe two."

The king looked at my right leg, which I was trying very hard not to lean on. "You should get some rest." He didn't look like he had gotten much rest either.

"I can't. I need to help some farmers prepare a new field outside the city walls, and I need to make it rain in the east. If you come with me we can talk there." He looked inquiringly at me. "A man from my tribe saw something weird," I quickly explained.

"Lead the way," said the king with a nod.

We walked in silence towards the gate. I tried my best not to limp, but it didn't go very well. At one point the king looked like he was going to suggest that I should sit down or something, but I glared at him before he could say anything. I didn't often glare, especially not at the king, but I refused to be pitied by anyone.

Balik

I sighed, rubbing my heels into my eyes as I sent the messenger away, wishing I could go in his place,away from this dratted castle that seemed to be settling heavy upon me, squeezing everything, my strength, my youth, my happiness out of me.

"I've done what I said. My tribe will escort the parties through the pass, and the messengers that I sent out to Neko and Atra should be arriving soon if they haven't already. The king and queen should be arriving within a week, maybe two."

I managed not to start, my heart racing anyway, and turned to face him.

He looked awful.

I couldn't help but glance at his leg which I knew must be paining him. "You should get some rest," I murmured but ardently hoped he wouldn't accept my offer. I needed him. I had thought of a few things in the night.

"I can't," he muttered, and I barely withheld a sigh of relief. "I need to help some farmers prepare a new field outside the city walls, and I need to make it rain in the east. If you come with me we can talk there."

I raised an eyebrow.

"A man from my tribe saw something weird."

I nodded. Just another problem to throw upon the growing list, I was sure. "Lead the way."

We walked into the castle, and I worried my lip. "Hunter," I said before he could begin to make me aware of whatever he wanted to tell me. I glanced around the empty hall and opened a door. I wasn't quite sure what hid behind it; there are so many rooms in this castle.

It was a dark parlor of some sort, all the furniture cloaked in sheets.

"Those who come into our borders who plan to leave again need to be blindfolded," I stated in a tone that left no room for argument. "They will need to be enchanted against all spells that could penetrate them. I won't reveal more of our secrets than I must." I exhaled, feeling better, feeling as though I was still slightly loyal to my family's habits.

Hunter nodded. "Wise."

I smiled. "Thank you." I looked around. I didn't think I had ever been in this room. "Can you tell me here?"

Hunter shrugged. "There's evidence of enchanters mettling with our weather spells."

I swore. "Do we have any idea who?"

Hunter
"Do we have any idea who?"

"There was a group of them, and they were all wearing the same black cloaks without any symbols to reveal where they came from." I went over to a table and pulled the sheet of of it. Underneath was a big map that I had 'borrowed' from the archives. It wasn't an ordinary map. It was dotted with clouds that moved.

The king watched curiously as I put my finger down over a village in the east and a thick dark cloud formed. "Look at the pass," I mumbled, frowning as I concentrated. Magic like this was a funny business, use it the wrong way and all your energy will be drained out of you.

"It's covered with clouds. Isn't that a good thing?"

I had never shown him this map before, so he couldn't possibly know what it was supposed to look like. When I was happy about how the cloud looked, I put my finger down on the clouds by the pass instead. The clouds immediately grew darker, and I didn't stop until that were pitch black and glistening with constant lightning. "It is a good thing, but this is how it's supposed to look like. My tribe is guarding the pass for now, but if they hadn't someone might've gotten through."

"Then how do we stop them from doing it again?"

"I've told my tribe to cal for me if they see them again, but I'm afraid I can't do anything more than that."

I sat down in a covered chair with a sigh and rubbed my temples. The almost constant use of magic was wearing me down. I wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer. I still had that field to take care of today, and I should be traveling the north side making the fields there more fertile. Nothing would be able to grow there otherwise.

"Two young boys from my tribe are currently being trained to be shamans. I was told that they would send the weaker one to me soon, so that he could finish his training here and help me out later." I smirked. "I don't think I'm cut out to be a teacher."

Balik
I gave him a sympathetic glance, deciding not to question how the map had gotten there or if it was always here. There's no reason for me to worry myself over Hunter's business. "You surprise yourself sometimes," I murmured and sat on a covered chair, studying the map, and waved for him to sit down. I attempted to look nonchalant, so he would refuse out of pure bullheadedness.

"Is this affecting any of our other weather patterns, or just the ones in the pass?" My gaze swept over the rest of the map. Except for the eastern village and the southern part of Genor which always had too much rain, the land looked depressingly clear.

"I'm hoping the enchanters will have to be closer to have any affect without a tool like this."

"What if they have a tool like this?"

Hunter smirked. "You're looking at the only one left in existence."

I nodded. That was a bit of good news. I ran a hand through my hair. "You know, I haven't read anything but reports for months?" I asked randomly, frowning as the clouds around the pass began to lighten.

I didn't understand magic, never really wanted to, but I had finally accepted its necessity in the safety of my people.

He glanced at me for a moment, eyebrows raised in question, and I shook my head.

"I need to complain at some point, right?"

He cursed darkly as the clouds turned from a dark grey to a white again, attention taken away from my comment.

I studied him as he refortified the clouds.

He looked gaunt and exhausted. I'm sure the run hadn't been the healthiest thing for him, but as I thought back on it, he had been looking harried for the last few weeks... I just hadn't noticed...

...I was beginning to think I wasn't alone when I complained about having no free time.

I squinted at him and, when he had finished again, I asked slowly, "Is there no one else who could help you?" I raised a hand to stop him from interjecting. "Other than a half-trained shaman."

Hunter
I was just about to answer when the clouds over the pass faded away once again. "Oh, for fuck's sake!" This time I removed the spell completely and started over, adding some new spells while I was at it, making the clouds even more imposing that they had ever been before. I waited and watched the map intensely, and this time the clouds remained.

I turned to face the king again, and found him smirking. I didn't normally get angry, but I was tired and I knew that I had way too much to do to be able to rest anytime soon. I sighed. "A half trained shaman is better than nothing.. And no. I don't think there's anyone else that could help me. My mother is training her successor, so she can't leave our tribe. I'll simply have to do it alone."

The king was about to open his mouth in protest, but I cut him of. "You don't look especially energetic yourself."

"As I said, I haven't read anything but reports for months." He really did look tired. Not as tired as me, but still. Having a king that looked like a walking corpse wouldn't be good for anyone.

"That makes two of us," I mumbled. "Sit still."

I focused energy to my hands until they started to glow faintly and then put my hands on the sides of his head. He had never been very fond of magic, but this time he looked thankful. He should be, I thought to myself as I felt my own energy pour into him.

"You didn't need to do that, but thank you."

"Better me than you," I said with a sigh as I sat down on the closest chair. I still had that damn field left..

Spoiler

I am SO sorry guys. I've been swamped.

Spoiler

And of course I don't mind, Egs. Thanks.

Mikhail Carter (Atra)

I dodged a chair aimed for my head, and backed up, chuckling nervously, as a mountain of a man advanced on me, snarling. He was head and shoulders taller than me, his arms as big as my legs—a fight wouldn’t have a favorable ending. I raised my hands defensively. "Come on now, can't we just talk about this, like reasonable adults?

A bottle whizzing past my head told me that we couldn’t. I leapt over the bar as the mountain charged me, landing somewhat gracelessly, stumbling into the counter. Something came down over my head, and I started.

I narrowed my eyes at the barkeeper, a small old woman who held a broom over her head, which she brought down on mine once more. “Hey! Ow! Stop!” She didn’t. “What are you doing- hey- why are you hitting- stop it! Dammit!” I grabbed the broom and wrenched it away from her.

She gave me a dangerous look, and disappeared into a back room. Probably went to get something sharper to whack me with.

“Come over here,” the mountain sang.

I turned the broom over in my hands. A suitable weapon. “Gladly,” I sneered, leaping on the bar, bringing the handle down over his head, throwing the shards of broom left in my hands at him, and starting across the floor. He howled and grabbed the scruff of my neck.

I clawed at his hand, but his grip was true, and he quickly had another death-grip on my belt. “Shit.” I muttered.

He lifted me over his head and slammed me onto the bar, as if I weighed no more than a woman, and slid me down its length- smashing me into cups, and bottles, and ash trays, and cutting my arms.

He gave a final push and watched as I bashed my head into the wall, falling limply off the bar a moment later. I rolled onto my back, groaning, holding my head. “Shit.”

I forced myself to wobbly legs, and started as something jabbed my back. I whirled around to find the barkeeper standing in front of me, sword raised, ready to strike. “Shit!” I leapt across the bar, landing head-first on the ground on the other side, as the sword descended.

I rolled to the side, avoiding the mountain as he grabbed at me, and scrambled to the door- and out into the street, panting. Alright…lesson learned. Don’t cheat on a game of cards, when you’re playing a man who weighs as much as his horse.

I slowed my jog when I got a few paces away from the entrance, and cracked my stiff neck- my arms sore, my head throbbing. I turned as I heard the tavern door open, and my eyes got wide to see the mountain and the barkeep starting out it…the sword in the mountain’s hands.

I cursed and sprinted away from them, swiping a loaf of bread on my way- adding an angry vendor to my ensemble. I quickly blended into the crowd, and drifted the way it was moving- south- to the Arenas. I eventually gleaned that Cordel Silva had challenged Queen Anaki to a Match, and the crazy bitch had accepted. This I wanted to see.

~~~

I was a bit worried for her sake when Cordel’s final victim was dragged from the ring, unconscious- but turned to watch her unhurriedly stand, prepare herself, and casually stroll down the path in the crowd that had parted for her. I smirked. Her every step screamed her indifference to the Match.

What have you got up your sleeve, Shadowflame? You’ve got to know you’re heading for the biggest beating of your life…you’re too smart to enter a fight like this without some tricks…not that you had much choice, did you?

“I’ll let you have the first swing,” Cordel offered. Oh, quite the gentleman are you now?

“That’s very kind of you, but, ladies first,” Anaki sneered.

Hell yes! That’s my kind of chic-[i] I gasped, despite myself, as she nearly took a blow that would’ve taken her head from her shoulders. She backed several feet, before she lifted her hands over her head and blocked one of Cordel’s blows. You could practically see the whole crowd shift towards the stage, not a single man breathing.

She drove her elbow into his rib, and slipped behind him in a flash, landing a kick on his lower back. [i]Did she really just… “Yeah!” I bellowed. The entire crowd began cheering like a bunch of heathens—and I was rather surprised to find the majority of the support aimed at her.

~~~

I was grinning like an idiot. That was dirty. I shook my head admiringly. Dirty, but effective…

I had been wanting to talk to her—this would be my chance. It’s now or never. I thought, as she climbed out of the Arena and started towards her War Chief and Master of Spies. I grimaced. It wouldn’t be as easy to get away with doing the only thing I knew of to get me an audience.

A thief- erm, Ranger in training- had no prayers of getting an audience…but a prisoner…

“Hey Naki!” I yelled, coming up behind her, before I had a chance to fully think out my position.

She whirled around, but I decked her before she could say anything. She sprawled across the ground, and my jaw dropped- not even Cordel’s blow had made her lose her balance. I might’ve overdone that…

Before I had a chance to do anything – even dodge the blow that I knew would be coming just as soon as she got to her feet- her War Chief had a blade to my throat and had me forced to my knees.

“Shall I?” She asked a bit too giddily. “Or would you like the honors?”

My stomach did a flop. I hadn’t…exactly…really considered that she’d kill me over the blow. Stupid, stupid, stupid- you can’t just punch the Queen. Especially not when her War Chief and Master of Spies are standing right there! Damned fool.

The Queen narrowed her eyes and scrutinized my every detail before shaking her head. “No, bring him inside. I’ll deal with him there.”

She turned, too quickly, and stumbled back. I started forward to catch her, but Eira had slammed me into the ground, and dug her knee into my back. I noted, with some relief, that Ankinseth had caught her.

I was dragged to the dungeon, being kicked and beaten the entire way, and pushed down a flight of stairs. I sat, fuming, for a long while- going over what my plan was- and then deciding that I was going to die. No doubt about it. You were a damned idiot- hitting the sovereign of your country. How stupid can someone be?

I eventually stopped beating myself up, and began working on the steel door- wiggling, wiggling, wiggling the bolts in the hinges...with a grating noise, the door fell forward. I quickly caught it, stepped through, and carefully placed it back where it was.

I ran down the narrow, dank hall, and burst through the door. I saw a man of slight build standing down the next hall, and glared at him defiantly. I avoided fights when I could, bloody knuckles didn't feel very good, but I was a fighter when I needed to be.

He shook his head- and I realized that he was a she. And not just any she... Shit...it's her War Chief... If there was one woman who the thought of fighting was more distasteful than Anaki, it was Eira. They were two crazy chicks.

She laughed like a madman. "Almost caught me unawares as well," she snarled, threateningly. "But it looks to me that the gods aren't on your side today, youngling."

I swallowed, my head still throbbing from falling down the stairs, and did my best to glare at her. "You and the gods be damned." I tried to snarl. "Just leave me to my path, and go on yours."

She chuckled menacingly. "Oh, but you see, my path was to your cell."

"Well you'll find it where it was last time you saw it," I say, as I tried to step around her.

She dove towards me, bashing my head off of the wall once more. I howled and swiped my hand at her head, knocking her to the side. My vision was blurred, covered in dark splotches- I shook my head and threw my foot at her, landing a solid blow on her chest as she came at me. She grunted and fell onto her back, but held on to my foot, and twisted the the moment she landed- wrenching around on my ankle. I snarled again, and started up-but she was faster.

She landed on me, digging her fingernails into my wrists, as she tackled me- her knees strategically placed- one on my stomach, digging in, one on my throat, restricting the air I could get.

Panting, glaring, I tried to throw her off me- but she wasn't budging.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"Go to hell." I spat.

She grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed my head into the cold, stone floor. I howled, my vision breaking once more. The blood slammed into my temples viciously.

"Who are you?" She repeated through clenched teeth.

"Go to hell, bitch." I blinked through my pain.

She slammed my head into the ground once more, and goggled at her stupidly, the pain blinding me.

"A name, bastard!" She shouted.

"Don't...shout." I growled, my head screaming.

Her face twisted with rage. "I'll shout if I fucking want to shout!" She screamed, even louder. "And I'll scream, and I'll fucking sing if that's what I want to do!"

Her words pierced my skull, hurting everything within. I growled and jerked my fist free, bringing it around on her- slamming it into her face. She fell off me- finally losing her balance- and I was on top of her. I pinned her wrists down, not even bothering to choke her- since I was stronger.

"I said...don't...shout." I panted.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" I started at the loud voice behind me, and scrambled to my feet, guiltily facing the Queen.

Eira sprang up and started towards me.

"Eira!" The Queen said sharply. Eira pulled a blade out and kept advancing. "Eira, enough!" She growled, grabbing Eira's wrist and yanking the blade from her hand, jerking Eira around to face her.

The War Chief only narrowly kept herself from decking the Queen, who stood, glaring at Eira challengingly. "Are you quite through?" She asked coldly.

"Naki! Wh-what are- when did you wake up?" Eira asked, suddenly more concerned than angry.

"Recently," She growled, looking between us coldly. "What's going on."

"I was going to...interrogate...the prisioner." She smiled gruesomely.

"Oh...right, okay," Anaki said, waving her hand carelessly. "Have you seen..." She trailed off, rubbing her forehead.

"...Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Eira asked, placing her hand on the Queen's arm gently- the first tender gesture I had seen either woman give, or recieve, in the time I'd observed them.

"Like shit," Anaki admitted, ignoring my presence entirely. "I'm dizzier than bloody hell."

"Do you want to sit down, then?" Eira asked.

Anaki shook her head, which seemed to hurt her nearly as much as it hurt me to do the same. "No..."

"What are you doing?"

"If I bloody well knew, I'd tell you," Anaki spat. "Something's not right. I've got this feeling."

...no one was paying attention to me...I sidled along the wall behind the two women, not breathing, slowly...suddenly there was a dagger resting on my throat the tip dug into the wall. I swallowed, my Adam's Apple bobbing nervously, as I slowly turned toward the women.

The Queen held the dagger-Eira's dagger- in her left hand, her arm stretched almost behind her, her eyes narrowed, barely looking at me. "If you value your neck, I'd advise you to get your ass back over there."

"Most sound advice, My Queen," I murmured nervously, as I took several steps back.

Eira glared at me briefly and then turned back to the Queen. "What do you mean?"

Anaki sighed and- I could hardly believe my eyes- slouched against the wall. Anaki- Queen Anaki- the woman who always commanded respect. The woman who- though a bit rougher, and less refined than most Queens- always conducted herself with dignity...when she wasn't beating someone to a pulp.

The woman whose shoulders were always square, was leaning against the wall like a peasant-- and I began to wonder just how close Anaki and Eira actually were. Sure I was just a prisioner, she could do whatever she wanted in front of me and then kill me- simple as that. But to do it in front of her War Chief took trust.

"I don't know..." Anaki bit her lip. "But something's going to happen. I can feel it-"

"Q-Queen!" A messenger came staggering down the dank hall, out of breath, face flushed. "I've been searching everywhere for you!"

"I haven't been hiding," she growled, suddenly herself again, her back straight, but when the messenger looked down, abashed, she softened her voice. "What is it?"

"A-a letter, My Queen," he panted, offering a piece of crisp, folded parchment.

"From who?" She asked.

"K-King Balik Kache, of Genor."

"I know bloody well who Balik is...a letter from cousin dear...how interesting..." She took the letter and started to break the seal but seemed to think better of it. "Eira."

"Yes?"

"Don't kill him," Anaki said simply, glancing at me carelessly. "I wish to speak to him later."

"Yes, My Queen," Eira replied, a menacing glint returning to her eyes as she gave me a side-wards glance.

"And be quick, this might be interesting."

"But of course."

"I'll be in my room," Anaki smirked at the two of us. "Have fun." She twittered, wiggling her fingers in a mocking wave as she turned and left me to face...her.

Eira turned towards me, grinning like a lunatic. I was going to pay.

Eira
"You and the gods be damned. Just leave me to my path, and go on yours."

I laughed again, as threatened by him as I was by one of the puppies near the kitchen."Oh, but you see," I said brightly, "My path was to your cell."

"Well you'll find it where it was last time you saw it," he muttered and made to sidestep me.

I jumped him, pushing him into the wall as I followed quickly. He clawed at my head and I stumbled back for a moment. I wasn't ready to block the kick he aimed at me and took it square in the chest.

I caught his foot as I fell and took him down with me. Luckily, I got up first and pinned him, positioning myself, hands locked around his wrists, one knee on his stomach as the other was on his throat, to make myself immovable.

She landed on me, digging her fingernails into my wrists, as she tackled me- her knees strategically placed- one on my stomach, digging in, one on my throat, restricting the air I could get.

He bucked a few times, but I leaned harder on my knees. Blood pounded in my ears, my chest rose and fell heavily, and I could feel my cheeks flame with excitement.

"Who are you?" I snarled.

"Go to hell."

I grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed his head into the cold, stone floor. I had to stop myself from doing more, clenching my teeth as to not crack his skull like an egg on the floors.

"Who are you?" I repeated.

"Go to hell, bitch."

My hand fisted even tighter around his hair, and I raised his head to bash it against the stones once more.

"A name, bastard!" I demanded loudly.

"Don't...shout."

At first, I thought I had heard wrong. Who the fuck did this kid think he was? Didn't he realize I was on top of him? I sneered and bent down to ensure he got the message loud and clear. "I'll shout if I fucking want to shout!" I put my mouth right to his ear. "And I'll scream, and I'll fucking sing if that's what I want to do!"

The son of a bitch broke my grip on one of his hands and, before I could begin to react, whacked me in the face.

I fell off, my position on him not fantastic for balance, and was suddenly glaring up at him.

"I said...don't...shout."

I tried to wiggle and buck free, but there was no freeing myself from his weight, and this was another reason for me to hate men.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?"

I sneered as he scrambled off and started for him once more.

"Eira!"

I barely heard my name through the blood pounding in my ears and chose to ignore it.

I groped for my dagger, revealing it as soon as I had a good grip. The prisoner backed against the wall, tinted red from the haze in front of my eyes.

"Eira, enough!"

Someone jerked on my wrist, hard enough for me to release the blade. I whirled to hit-

Naki.

"Are you quite through?" she asked coldly.

My pulse was slowing, my vision returning to normal. "Naki! Wh-what are- when did you wake up?" I studied her carefully for weakness, having to stop myself from demanding she return to bed.

"Recently," She growled, giving me a look that made me advert my gaze, embarrassed. "What's going on?"

"I was going to...interrogate...the prisoner." The thought made me give her a huge grin.

"Oh...right, okay," Anaki said, waving her hand carelessly. "Have you seen..." She trailed off, rubbing her forehead.

I approached her hurriedly, worried. "...Are you okay? How are you feeling?" I put a hand on her arm, an act of comfort more than anything else.

"Like shit," Anaki admitted, making me smile a bit. "I'm dizzier than bloody hell."

"Do you want to sit down, then?" I offered, knowing she would accept as soon as I would have.

Anaki shook her head, grimacing. "No..."

I frowned though I had expected it. I would try and use logic then, talk her into sitting down. "What are you doing?" I asked softly.

"If I bloody well knew, I'd tell you," Anaki spat. "Something's not right. I've got this feeling."

My brow wrinkled. I opened my mouth to say something.

Naki jumped in front of the prisoner, my dagger point against his throat.

I smirked. Bastard.

"If you value your neck, I'd advise you to get your ass back over there."

"Most sound advice, My Queen," he murmured nervously, retreating.

I glared at him, making sure he knew we weren't done, and then refocused on Naki. "What do you mean?"

Anaki sighed and slouched against the wall which made me all the more worried. She didn't show weakness- to anyone- easily.

"I don't know..." Anaki bit her lip. "But something's going to happen. I can feel it-"

"Q-Queen!" A messenger came staggering down the dank hall, out of breath, face flushed. "I've been searching everywhere for you!"

I glanced at her, stricken for a moment. She knew as well as I did how important her image was, but... I wasn't quite sure if she was herself yet. I was relieved to see her looking strong, even if she wasn't feeling so.

"I haven't been hiding." Her eyes softened as the messenger blushed. "What is it?"

"A-a letter, My Queen," he panted, offering a piece of crisp, folded parchment.

"From who?" she asked.

"K-King Balik Kache, of Genor."

I raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often we got a letter from Genor.

"I know bloody well who Balik is...a letter from cousin dear...how interesting..." She took the letter and started to break the seal but seemed to think better of it. "Eira."

I stood at attention. "Yes?"

"Don't kill him," Anaki said simply, glancing at the prisoner carelessly. "I wish to speak to him later."

My nose wrinkled, but, glancing at the prisoner with some of the vicious excitement growing within me again, I replied, "Yes, My Queen."

"And be quick." She tapped the letter against her palm three times. "This might be interesting."

I did a slight bow. "But of course."

"I'll be in my room," Anaki smirked at the two of us which made me tingle in expectation. "Have fun." She twittered, wiggling her fingers in a mocking wave as she turned and left me to face...her.

I turned towards the prisoner, feeling a grin crack my face. He was going to pay.

I studied my prey for a long moment and rested a hand against my hip, tapping my fingers against my stomach. "So..." I began mockingly, "This can go a few ways." I began approaching him, having learned that you don't ever give a trapped animal too much time. "All options are going to involve some of your blood being spilled."

My hand ached for a staff, but I supposed my fists would do just as well... My fists and feet and...

I felt my grin get wider, a feat I thought to be impossible. I needed to smile more often; I hadn't felt this good in a while.

He tried to dart away from me and succeeded because I was getting a bit cocky, and I tripped him, not wanting to go down the same path we had gone down before. I kicked him in the ribs once. "Now, I'm going to try again, and this time, hopefully, we won't be interrupted." I gave him another swift kick in the gut as he instinctively turned and knelt down for a moment as he curled. "And I won't care who sees you get beat up by a woman," I whispered. Straightening once more, I asked, "Who are you?"

He bit his lip, and I nodded, looking around the hall.

"Good. I wouldn't want this to be too easy." I kicked him in a very special place and walked into a room, taking long strides so I could hurry without looking like I was.

Hand to hand was no fun and... I may have been a little worried that the prisoner could have gained the upper hand. I found a fire poker and hurried back to see him on his feet, leaning against the wall as he wheezed. I rapped one knee, making it buckle. "All I need is a name."

He glared at me, lunged.

I smacked the shoulder closest to me... hard.

He howled, and I cracked him on the opposite elbow.

I poked and whacked him for the next few minutes, my eyes flaming with excitement when he caught the end of my weapon. "Finally going to put up a fight?" I sang.

He snarled and tried to wrench the poker from my grasp, but I had the handle and better leverage. I pushed it from his hold and accidentally hit him in the jaw. He flew back.

I swore and squatted beside him again, waiting for him to stir. It was only a few moments before his eyes opened. "Why go through all of this effort?" I taunted, expecting him to be down for a while after a blow like that.

"Anything to piss you off," he growled and launched himself toward me.

"Shit!" I tumbled back and hit him far harder than I truly meant to when I knocked away the hand twisting my other hand.

There was a sickening crunch, and he screamed.

I stepped on the mangled hand mercilessly, standing as I did so. "All this for little old me?" I asked sweetly and ground my heel into his hand, withholding a wince at the sound of bone grinding against bone. I refused to look away from the pained, angry, accusing gaze, and murmured, "Just give me a name. You've lost."

He looked away. "Mikhail," he muttered, voice husky, "Mikhail Carter."

I nodded. Perhaps, at a different time, I would have continued to find more information, but- for now- I was satisfied. I whistled loudly.

A guard ran up the stairs at my call, and I glared at him. "First, you have three weeks stable duty." A raised eyebrow silenced the man. "For letting this one slip by." I almost kicked Mikhail again, but slowed myself to a rough nudge. "Now take him back down and actually try to watch him."

The guard yanked Mikhail up, and I had to bite my lip, so I wouldn't tell him to take it easy. Instead, I threw the poker into the room I had thrown it into and left for Naki's room.
...
Naki was sitting at her desk, looking a bit less woozy, and looked to be deep in thought, bouncing a pen up and down on the top of the desk.

I knocked softly on the open door and smiled as she looked up. "Was it as interesting as you thought it would be?" I asked, nodding toward the open letter on the desk, and closed the door at her wave.

She studied me with a thoughtful gaze. "More so." She tapped the letter with her pen. "Balik is inviting us to attend his courts, offering to host a peace meeting."

I frowned as she did. "What are you going to do?"

Aelicine Selinnine

She sighed as she went back through her reports, looking at the poor excuse for a spy standing before her. He looked malnourished, and very, very scared, but was otherwise fine. She looked him up and down; it had been less than a week since he'd stupidly got himself kidnapped. He hadn't even managed to get past the boarder before a group of bandits had trussed him up like a fly in a spider web. Cool, efficient, and well executed, but inexcusable. There were only five of them, and this idiot should've made sure he wasn't stepping so hard he'd set of a pressure plate. What are they teaching these days? she thought. "So, you barely got out of the walls of the city, and managed to get captured?" she hissed. He flinched, scared. "You know what the punishment for capture is, correct?" The poor spy nodded, and drew his weapon. A daggar, well, if that was all, she could use the practice fans. "I challenge you to a... brawl. If you can beat me, I won't have you training with the helmsman." The kid would probably need a week of rehabilitation after she was done. The bandits didn't even stand a chance, and the boy in front of her was half their size, weight, and little more than a fourth their size. The youngling should've gone for a more... magical approach.

He'd turned out to be a fainter; she'd over done it. As soon as her fans snapped out the kid turned and hit his head on the door. She waited for him to come around, sitting on the bedroll she'd laid him on. She sighed, "Look kid, I can send you back to training, but right now, you're not fit for the field. If my practice fans turn you into a coward, just imagine what the next big guy you have to talk to will do. I can't trust you, and therefor, I can't use you. At least, not there. No word of this need even reach your family, you're cowardice, that is, if you agree to my terms." The kid was already begging, damn him. I was already cutting him some slack, the least he could do was shut up. My hand shot up and encircled his neck, a hint of my claws coming out as I drew my hood back. He gasped at my face as I flicked my whiskers, glad to be free of the constricting cloak. "You and I are going to get to know each other very well over the next few months," I said, my mouth causing that accent that set so many men of in the bar. "And when I say that, I mean you are going to be training under me, until you either decide to quit, or we make a man out of you." I dropped my gloved hand as the kid shivered. He was trapped between his honor and pride, and his cowardice and laziness. Like most folk, he valued his pride and agreed, and I sent him on his way, with a note to the helmsman. The kid was to be fed full meals and given nothing but a jerkin and a knife. This would toughen him up, if nothing else; the other students loved easy prey, and singling him out would be so much easier if he was shown favoritism. The next week would be a mix of hell and reprieve for the kid. And the following weeks? If he didn't quit, he might become one of her bests. He had potential, that's for sure. If he hadn't slacked off so much, he might've been better off, but the past was the past. She watched trainees in the grounds while reading other reports, sightly bored. She itched her now-hooded head and sighed at them. Still now luck in the mountain empire. To dangerous to send people there do to their cursed weather and dangerous passes. The Atra Empire had had a recent power struggle recently, but she didn't think it would amount to much. She sighed, jumping into the training pit, having decided to oversee this bunch herself.

Zea Aurifex

"Alright, girls, that's enough. This is getting a little out of hand."

"But I won! That means I'm better, doesn't it?"

"Ailene is the better archer, but Elara is the better swordsman. Now can we be done with this nonsense?!"

Elara and Ailene, my two lieutenants, had been arguing back and forth for days, and as entertaining as they were, one could only take so much of their bickering. Ailene had hit three enemy soldiers from two hundred yards out when Elara hadn't hit any, but that very afternoon, Elara had saved us all with some smart sword work...and they'd been at each other's throats ever since. I was never one to discourage a little friendly competition, but their contests were starting to get dangerous. Elara had nearly taken Ailene's head off in their most recent sparring match, and the last thing I needed in the middle of a war was a dead lieutenant.

Elara and Ailene grudgingly went back to stringing their bows. I just shook my head, and continued to work on mine. Disputes between my girls never lasted too long--we knew each other better than that. In the army, one's tent mates became one's second family.

"Captain Aurifex!" A messenger had run up to my tent, with a single scrap of parchment in his hand. "Message from the palace!"

"Go ahead," I said.

The messenger read from the piece of parchment. "The king requests that you attend a meeting," he recited. "Bring two of your archers, and arrive at the palace at midday. Pack lightly, as his company may be traveling later in the day. That is all."

"Alright," I said. "If he needs confirmation, tell him I'll be there." The messenger nodded, saluted me, and ran off.

"Ailene and Taygete," I called. "You heard him--pack lightly. You shouldn't need much besides your arrows and your traveling cloaks. Elara, you'll be in charge until I get back. I expect to see all of you alive and healthy when we return." I glanced at all of my girls.

Ailene and Taygete appeared by my side a few moments later. They were already prepared, and Taygete had brought my cloak for me. I slung it over my shoulders, saluted my girls quickly, and then started off toward the city.

would I be able to just introduce a new character and jump in?
if not, just disregard the creation of this character.

Spoiler

.

Rovaalian

He had been loitering the outskirts of a group of tents in the woods. He was sitting in the trees most of the time, setting up recurve style catapults in the trees, only large enough to shoot acorns. But that was fine, since that was what he would assault the inhabitants with. He would wait for one to be alone, and peg him or her with an acorn, that usually left a welt. He didn't know why he did it, but he didn't know why he didn't either, so he figured it wasn't a bad idea. But today was different. Today Rovaalian recognized a courier, a messenger from the palace. He was jogging merrily towards a tent in the center. After pelting him with two acorns to his back and to the inside of his knee, the courier entered the tent hastily. After he left, three women emerged from the tent, two with bows and arrows. All were wearing cloaks. There were no reasons to follow them. Then again, there were no reasons not to either. He decided to pack his few belongins from the small campsite he made a few yards from the camp, and follow the trio, bringing with him only his short swords, his dagger, his crossbow and bolts, and his pack of essentials, inside of which were rope, and string, and waterskins. And his cloak. Always his cloak. He wondered what they would do if they caught him? They wouldn't. Maybe they'd see him, but not enough of him to catch him. If they did, however, he meant no harm. Maybe he'd even help. Who knows. For no reason whatsoever, he decided to guard them from afar. It'd give him a purpose, at least untill he found something better to do. He laughed silently to himself. Surely I am the only one who does this sort of thing out of boredom he thought. He made after them silently, keeping them in sight the whole time. Feeling the need to give them a hint, he shot the center one square on the heel, a direct hit, with an acorn. As she whirled around, she didn't seem to have caugt him hiding low behind a falen oak, but Rovaalian lay still nonetheless. Rovaalian made an effort not to laugh. Maybe he meant a teensy bit of harm after all. Depends on how you define harm, he thought.

Spoiler

Sorry! Sorry, I've been on the road and dealing with a mass issue when I got back to my home state.

Dryden

I watched as Nalia led the War Advisor to me. A soon as they were within range, I pointed out the shadows that were crawling with movement.

"Now, I know I'm just a captain, but I'll be damned if I'm not positive what I know for sure isn't meant to be happening. And those shadows are moving. What do you want us to do?"

I glanced at Nalia, holding my hand out to her a I waited for the War Advisor to answer.

Aelicine Selinnine

Saddly, her trainees were all on their backs,breathing hard. Actually, so was the Helmsman. Maybe she had been a tad hard with them, blast it. "Alright, 10 minutes, and then the Helmsman has his way with you," she says sternly. She looks at him again, and sees a rather large bruise welling up. "All right, you twisted my arm. 15 minutes, and no more," she amends, climbing a wall and looking out across the streets. She saw a group of three archers coming through the afternoon crowd towards His Magesty's grounds and smiled. She knew exactly what they were doing. Then she remembered that the King was otherwise occupied at the moment, and sighed. Looks like I get to hand out the assignment. Again. I hope he's actually reading the documents this time. Last time, he was just loafing around in the library. It is rather irritating. And then he acted like he didn't know what was in them, just to get under my skin. She spat, If he wasn't the King, I would've laid him out a long, long time ago. But still, he did give me a house... Sighing, she slid down the wall, that being faster than taking the stairs, and landed, bracing her knees so she wouldn't fall. Brushing off her cloak, she ran off to catch up to the archers.

It took her a bit, because the crowd was getting thicker. She had to grab more than a few wrists to hamstring them and get a valuable back. It's funny how many people think that a cloak with a hood means ignorance. Eventually she found them and came into step next to them. "Captain Aurifex, yes?" The look from the one in the middle told me what I needed to know. It would've been much better if she weren't a human, but it would have to do. She pulled her hood down, exposing her blue-furred face. A few glares catching some of the common folk made sure another fight didn't break out. More than a few cocky young folk tried to prove themselves over her lifetime. More than a few stopped trying after one round. She handed the archer a scroll, a briefing document with the basis of the trip's route, geography, and other important information. "You've been assigned to His Highness's defense during a upcoming trip. I'd say you have two days to prepare. Hi Magesty is... busy at the moment, so he can not see you in person, but... These are your orders," she sighed. It was always hard to deal with people. She waited for the Captain to question her authority. Most of them failed to recognize her after she took off her hood, especially because her hood was becoming a defining feature. But, who knows, maybe this one would. She looked smart, and was one of the first grown humans she didn't actually have to look up to see their eyes. That was promising.

Rovaalian
In his hooded cloak, he managed to fit in well with the thick crowd, and managed to keep an eye on the women he was following. When they got into the square, he followed close behind. Once there, he could simply blend in. So far they were almost as boring as pelting innocent people with acorns, but the journey was interesting. He had been able to follow them here in less than a day, only a few hours in fact. Not five minutes later from the moment they got into the crowded square were they approached by a hard, griml, exasperated looking woman, whose face told off that she was doing something that she didn't particularly want to do, the same way a young boy neglects his studies. She handed them a scroll. Rovaalian tuned in his ears and managed to make out all that she had said.

"You've been assigned to His Highness's defense during a upcoming trip. I'd say you have two days to prepare. Hi Magesty is... busy at the moment, so he can not see you in person, but... These are your orders," she said to the short one in the middle. She made her way to the palace, where he assumed they would be staying in preperation for this "trip". Rovaalian intended to follow them. So follow them he did.

Balik
"Better you than me."

I closed my eyes, so I wouldn't roll them. "Every time," I murmured drolly and gave him one glance that spoke volumes before standing slowly. "Well, even though I have many reports to read, many laws to approve, but I think I am going to take a few moment to myself, for my own health." I gave him a hard look. "I think I will give myself two hours. I honestly hope I don't need to order you to accompany me. Surely you can find something to do for two hours that doesn't involve work." I paused, narrowing my eyes at him. "...Like sleep."

And I left, ready for a moment to myself.

...

I tapped a glass stirrer against the counter and stared at a map I had had put up a few days ago.

Perhaps I could raid both countries while they were at war, being a nuisance, but not enough to distract them both from their current conflict.

I shook my head and stirred a clear concoction. "Stop thinking about it. This is time for you, not the country." I was happy for a while, added a few things to my 'potion,' but my gaze- and attention- slowly reverted to the map.

Say this damned peace treaty works, what's in it for me? Can I ask for anything in return for being a mediator?

I worried my lip and dug the heels of my hands into my eyes. The stirrer dipped down to touch my arm, and I jumped, dropping the glass stick as I swore angrily.

The stirrer shattered, making me jump again before I ran to a bucket of water and submerged my entire arm. I sighed at the angry sting and leaned my head against the rim of the bucket.

Gods, I needed to get out of this forsaken castle for a time.