Post by Squee on Dec 3, 2008 0:05:52 GMT -5
Would watch the gory detail I put in here guys. Don't want no one having night mares, now.
------
The blood curdling scream hit his ears, coating the forward part of his mind in fear and sending a burning straight to his heart. The shriek of utter surprise and pain created emotions he did not want in this war. If his attentions drifted to that of mortal functions, his performance was hardly a match if he was not focused on what pained him.
And he needed his concentration on the looming beast before him, who appeared much taller and stronger and faster than his kind should be. A mutated form, it was. A yellow ooze came from the wounds already inflicted upon the beast. It roared in defiance as the skilled man drilled a flurry of sword swipes at its weapon only to end the flurry with a quick slash to the wrist. More yellow ooze, the substitute for the creatures blood, gushed from the new opening.
Terion leapt just out of the way as the beasts huge broadsword swept in to cleave him in two. The animal swung once, usually, bringing all his body weight behind the swing to attempt in driving it into the man. Its red eyes flashed in anger and Terion brought his sword again, making precision cuts along the foul creature’s arm to nearly severe it from the living corpse it already was. Unable to bring the flimsy arm to bear, the beast on switched hands on his sword and lift it for another power swing.
His heart was on his throat. His eyes were on the beast, but his thoughts were drifted to the source of the shriek. All around him, he could see many versus the huge corpses. But none seemed quite as large or quite as powerful as the one Terion faced. The salt from his sweat was stinging his eyes, but if he failed to keep them open, the monster would kill him for sure.
The shriek… it had been unmistakably feminine. Females were not a driven force in this battle. They were waiting behind lines, ready to accept wounded and caress the ones that would fall into inevitable eternal sleep. Not many stood on the battle line to go toe to toe with vicious animals such as these. In fact, Terion only knew of one as he battered at the creature’s defense again, this time able to drive the first half of his sword through the beast’s neck, decapitating the monster. He stood back as the body fell in pursuit of its missing head.
Terion spun quickly, his eyes falling on the battle ground around him, scanning. The sounds were drowned, not there. He could hear the grunts of men, the howls of beasts, the clashing of steal on steal. Where was it? A battle ground was not so silent that he should be able to hear a pin drop. That was exactly what this was. He didn’t understand. He could see the gore, the terror, the flashes of swords and the spurts of blood as it arched the air. He couldn’t hear those ugly sounds that painted the picture with sight.
He opened his mouth half way, breathing heavily through it. The taste of battle was thick on his tongue. The smell was a further. It was like he was missing his ears. However, he could hear his pants as clear as he should be able to hear this battle.
The shriek. His eyes were searching frantically, looking among the standing bodies that were near him. Karia wouldn’t be foolish enough to leave him far. Would she? She wouldn’t think she could hold off further than ten meters. In previous battles, she had almost refused to leave his back. However, that had been against more manly beasts. These creatures were more bear than man.
And she wasn’t to be found. His heart was frantic on the rise of fear, his breath deeper. It didn’t grip it. Fear wouldn’t hold him down. He was a warrior, for God’s sake! He charged unworriedly into the heat of battle, not caring to dwell upon what could happen to his own life. But the life of another… the life of another that he would most definitely shed his own blood to keep safe… If the life of another that he cared so much for should pass of this world…
He couldn’t think of her dead if he had no knowledge that she was yet! He may not be able to see her, but that did not mean she was dead!
… Could it?
Swallowing his racing heart back to his chest where it belonged, Terion stepped forward. The heavy stride picked up in pace, carrying him at a trot across the passing battle. It waged, he could see it. The inability to hear was started to gnaw at him. He knew his hearing was not impaired. If it was, he would never be allowed on this battle field by the barons in the first place. Hearing was essential, in case the enemy got the idea they could jump you from behind.
He still couldn’t find her. By the God this was torture! Where the hell was she? That icy grip started to grow harder. Only his saliva warmed it as he swallowed with difficulty. It was starting to slither its way to his mind when everything stopped. Even the battle. The men froze. The predator loomed above them, some already looking hungry for a meal of human flesh.
His heart rate was quickening again.
Karia was a mobile person. She darted from point to point almost before your eye and mind could comprehend the motion. She was a mistress of the short blades and throwing knives. And when throwing a knife, both she and the target were usually moving in complicated patterns that made Terion’s head want to swim.
She wasn’t mobile now. She was prone on the dead grass of this plain. The churned spots indicated the beast who had struck her had left her alone as soon as she had hit the ground. One of her blades lay just beyond her fingertips, her palm lifted upward to the sky having let the blade fall from her grasp. Her head rested on that splayed arm, those dark blond locks falling behind her head with a few hanging around her face. Her eyes were shut and Terion might’ve took her for dead if it weren’t the uneven heaving of her chest, something he could just barely make out. Her other hand rested firmly against her chest, the fingers coated in the crimson color of freshly spilt blood. A line of arrows trailed up her left leg, starting from the ankle and burying themselves deep into the outer part of her thigh.
Ba-doom. They pound started deep in his ear, suddenly filling the silence. It was deep, baritone but loud. The sound came again: ba-doom… ba-doom…
The sword fell from his hand. His fingers wouldn’t hold onto it as he stared on in horror. Carefully he picked his way to her, leaving the sword. He wanted to say something. Anything would have sufficed, but his voice hid behind despair. The beating became louder with each step closer to her fallen body. Terion dropped to one knee, reaching over her with a shaky hand to stroke her cheek to let her know he was there. For a moment, the navy blue eyes flickered open weakly before shutting again, squinting as if it hurt to look at him.
Terion continued to struggle against his emotions. He wouldn’t cry. Men didn’t cry. Not even when women they loved were delivered a fatal wound. The gash was horrifyingly deep, beginning from left shoulder and cutting through the breast to curve away at the ribs. Her hand covered where the breastbone didn’t. Again, Terion swallowed. Her hand went out for the blood stained one as the other pick up her blade and placed it in her outstretched hand.
Her fingers slipped through the blood and pressed against her hand.
Ba-doom.
The gasp was sharp. His eyes flew wide open and he resisted the urge sit up. Hands clenched the blankets tightly. His muscles were tense, his entire body was tense, his mind took a moment to realize where he lay. His eyes narrowed in width as he stared at the ceiling of the small hut. The fabric pinned to the wooden frame blocked out most moonlight, making his space dark.
The hut was warm. The fabric kept warmth in and cold out. A good thing because it was approaching late fall and temperatures were cooler. There weren’t many furniture pieces in the hut besides the bed, a trunk, and a table not any bigger than a nightstand. The door was the only other thing that could be in the room. It was also the only spot where the cracks were not covered in fabric. But plenty of body heat and perhaps a small fire would quickly warm up any cold air. The blankets on the bed themselves were thick and trapped heat. No occupant would be cold.
Terion was glad he had not sat up. The head on his chest belonged to that of a light sleeper, and she was groaning in protest to his sudden tensing. The warrior man relaxed, his fingers untangling themselves from the blankets. He didn’t bring one up to touch her; he would only succeed in waking Karia. And Terion only knew then would he get an earful. She was such a defiant, independent woman, believing herself capable of anything a male was capable of. She had proved herself a handful of times. Being one of the best duelers Terion had ever come across counted.
He smiled dimly to himself as he looked at the top of her head. Karia shifted some, her face sliding against the thin undershirt on his chest. Her nails snagged him when her hand twitched in response to her movement. Her even breathing continued, beginning to lull him back to sleep.
When the knocking came on the door. It was rather impatient and perhaps loud. The images of his dream still in his mind, Terion nearly leapt at the sound. Self discipline had taught him better, though. His head tipped to the side to stare at the hut door. Whoever it was, he was going to make Terion move and wake Karia.
He curled his left arm to grasp her shoulder and give her a little shake. Instantly, her eyes flew open and she sat up some, the hand that had been resting against his abdominals now pinned to the bed beneath him. Her gaze flickered across the room for a moment as he patted her arm and began sitting up.
“What is it?” Karia asked into his ear as he swung his legs off the bed and stood up. His fists reached for the ceiling as he went on his toes, slightly arching the back to stretch until he shook. He lowered his heels back to the ground with a sigh, flashing Karia a quick half smile.
“Late night visit. Nothing to worry over. Just stay there and stay quiet. You’re not supposed to be on this side of camp and we’ll both be in trouble if there’s so much as a finger waggle from you,” he whispered to her as he made for the door.
Terion propped it open about three quarters of a foot and rubbed the side of his face. He braced his weight on the door and wall, blocking view into the hut but looking as if trying to retain the heat within it. The blast of cold air hit his face as he breathed in, drawing a chilly breath that froze his lungs for about half a second. A shudder crawled down his spine as his green gaze fell upon the slight figure of the messenger. All messengers were small and looked like twig. The dagger that was sometimes on their right side posed no threat to a broad shouldered man like Terion, who could easily overpower a man the size of a twelve year old boy. It was the ranking that sometimes prevented Terion from ripping the annoying little men to shreds. They were usually annoying and delivered nothing worth celebrating over.
“What is it,” Terion grumbled, doing his best to sound like a man interrupted from an easy slumber.
“Just a checking in and to report that the enemy draws steadily closer in the night. They are in no hurry. But we have heard that the lady you have brought into this war is not present in her bed. Would you have any ideas of her whereabouts?”
Terion shook his head, keeping his eyes locked on the small man’s face. “No, I would not. She could be out in the fields doing a few more drills without the noise of the day distracting her. Karia is like that.” A stiff jerk of a head that Terion took as an acknowledgement was his answer. The man bid him the rest of the night well and Terion slid the hut door shut. He was met with a delightful smile on Karia’s face.
“What will you do if they return saying I wasn’t in the fields?”
Terion shrugged. “Well, they’ll find you eventually. Until then…” He leaned over and trapped his lips over hers. Karia was surprised by the gesture. “You can just remain with me.” A quick and simple peck to the lips and he drew back to recline comfortably among the blankets.
---
His dream haunted him through the night to the brink of dawn. Karia slept on dreamily behind him with an arm draped over his side. His eyes searched over the wall as he tried ridding himself of the nightmare. He couldn’t help dreading that this dream might be one that came true. The natural instinct after a nightmare was the dwell on how such a dream would become true. And it depended on the type of nightmare as well. If it was a crazy, lunatic dream where men grew to be eighty foot tall giants and rampaged a village like some mad lizard, then thoughts on whether it could become true were far out of reach.
But a dream like this one… where Terion felt he might freeze to death with chills, his mind active and his imagination still amazingly vivid. His father had always said he always had a wild imagination. Terion winced at this. His father had been slaughtered by the very beasts he and Karia were doomed to clash blades with. Which only made his blood colder and more sluggish through his veins as his heart skipped another beat.
No, he couldn’t lose two people to the same type of creatures. Just… please, God, not people he cared about. And even as dawn crawled up on him, Terion found no more rest for the night. Instead, her found himself staring at Karia’s hand. It was so much smaller than his, but her wrists were strong and her thumb clamped everything down in an iron grip. After a hand to hand combat exercise, Terion knew he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
The long fingers wavered subtly when Karia’s internal sundial rang alarms in her head. She was sluggish to move, even. Terion thought she reacted more. He felt her face press to the lower part of his neck and hot breath steam down his spine. They cured the chills and shudders. Her arm tightened some, and then he was sure she realized something was different. Her slight body peeled away from his and her arm jerked back.
“Well, morning to you, too, sunshine.” He rolled back into the vacant space Karia had now allowed him into. Terion did his best to smile, and smile enough that it touched his eyes. Karia’s face had flushed a light pink, but her neck was an angry red.
Karia rubbed her eyes and face and neck, a weak, embarrassed smile on her lips for less than ten seconds. She didn’t try to reply. She didn’t get embarrassed often, but she had enough experiences that she knew what happened. She knew she couldn’t speak for all the gold in the world should she speak if embarrassed. Karia managed a few finger waggles in response but kept her jaw closed tight. Terion’s following bark of laughter was much louder than she had anticipated and she jumped.
“Bold we are under the hypnosis of sleep,” he muttered. The light died from his eyes when her brow grew heavier. He nibbled his bottom lip. “But even the bold can be outside of exhaustion. And bold you very much are, dear Lady Karia, but it is thought that you should not participate in this war.”
Karia’s angry frown stabbed at him like any dagger. It was as if the world had suddenly gone through a mini earthquake. He voice was rich with dark anger: “By whom?”
“By uh…” he managed to mutter as he drew in a breath. “By, well, er…” that breath was exhaled. Her gaze was pinning, wanting the truth and not afraid to draw it from him if it meant endless torture. “Er.. by… myself, actually.”
The surprise was evident on her features. “Why?” she asked almost breathlessly.
“You’ll think it’s stupid. Ah, hell with it, most of my stuff is stupid: the reason I train, the reason I wish for this battle, this and that and another. I don’t want you on the front lines. I want you safe.”
“So, what, you can go be with all the men and women?”
She was snarling now. Her jaw snapped angrily with every word. Those blue eyes were like a fire, the flames the color blue and much hotter than any orange flame in a fire pit. A knee now supported an elbow. Her arm was drooping restfully against that knee. She wasn’t tense in the shoulders, only in the mouth. Her body had already given up to the key of battle anger: fluidity in the body, but tenseness allowed in the head. Some could achieve in both areas, but Karia had only managed to master the body of a warrior and not the advanced warrior head.
“So you can get all the honor and glory? Or is it something else?”
Terion was now realizing his mistake in talking about such a sensitive topic of conversation so early on in the morning. Weariness and sluggishness would fight for dominance. It would make her grouchy. Karia was not a morning person by much. You’re a fool, Terion. His mouth opened and closed several times to excuse himself and state his dream behind this decision.
“… or do you plan on raping me in the next couple of days so you’ll have children.”
“NOW WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE!” he thundered, sitting straight up. “That’s a little too far, Karia. I apologize for bringing this up, but I assumed by too great of a standard that you would be in a mood to listen to my concerns.” Deep breath in, deep breath out. Hold eye contact. Show fire with fire briefly then let the water splash on the small, original fire before stomping out the one you created. Terion shook his head slowly, shifting more towards the edge of the bed, resting a foot against the ground. “You KNOW I wouldn’t do something like that to you. Man I may be, merely mortal, but I understand right from the wrong. And I am hardly someone who would do something such as THAT! Looters rape women as they purge the goods of their homes. I am no looter...”
His quick breath was taken and he was prepared to say another when there was something he wouldn’t classify as a pound or a knock.
“Karia! It is commanded you report out of there to your side of camp where you shall be lectured and identified the laws of war before given your punishment detail. Terion! As for being involved in the forbidden, there is also a want from our general to speak to you on policy and law. Punishment will be delivered upon you as well, and fiercer than hers shall be because of your like to messenger Hul last night…”
Caught! Terion cringed more than Karia. Like deer staring at a torch, she stared only at Terion, wide-eyed. His gaze was to the floor, not acknowledging her glances or even her quick touch when she left upon slipping her boots on and picking up her cloak.
“General wishes to meet you in ten minutes, Terion.”
The door of the hut shut closed. There was a scuffling of feet and Karia was off to see her own commander. The warrior placed his head in his hands, leaning slightly forward. This scenario had occurred to him last night.
Because she had been on this side of camp, she had ventured beyond boundaries placed. She was going to be seen as the faulty one. If he remembered correctly, it was almost a suicide mission when the war began as punishment. His wouldn’t be as severe. He had allowed her into his hut but he was in his registered area. If he had gone to her, he would get suicide.
He suddenly felt lightheaded and dizzy.
There was every chance he had just gotten Karia killed.
------
The blood curdling scream hit his ears, coating the forward part of his mind in fear and sending a burning straight to his heart. The shriek of utter surprise and pain created emotions he did not want in this war. If his attentions drifted to that of mortal functions, his performance was hardly a match if he was not focused on what pained him.
And he needed his concentration on the looming beast before him, who appeared much taller and stronger and faster than his kind should be. A mutated form, it was. A yellow ooze came from the wounds already inflicted upon the beast. It roared in defiance as the skilled man drilled a flurry of sword swipes at its weapon only to end the flurry with a quick slash to the wrist. More yellow ooze, the substitute for the creatures blood, gushed from the new opening.
Terion leapt just out of the way as the beasts huge broadsword swept in to cleave him in two. The animal swung once, usually, bringing all his body weight behind the swing to attempt in driving it into the man. Its red eyes flashed in anger and Terion brought his sword again, making precision cuts along the foul creature’s arm to nearly severe it from the living corpse it already was. Unable to bring the flimsy arm to bear, the beast on switched hands on his sword and lift it for another power swing.
His heart was on his throat. His eyes were on the beast, but his thoughts were drifted to the source of the shriek. All around him, he could see many versus the huge corpses. But none seemed quite as large or quite as powerful as the one Terion faced. The salt from his sweat was stinging his eyes, but if he failed to keep them open, the monster would kill him for sure.
The shriek… it had been unmistakably feminine. Females were not a driven force in this battle. They were waiting behind lines, ready to accept wounded and caress the ones that would fall into inevitable eternal sleep. Not many stood on the battle line to go toe to toe with vicious animals such as these. In fact, Terion only knew of one as he battered at the creature’s defense again, this time able to drive the first half of his sword through the beast’s neck, decapitating the monster. He stood back as the body fell in pursuit of its missing head.
Terion spun quickly, his eyes falling on the battle ground around him, scanning. The sounds were drowned, not there. He could hear the grunts of men, the howls of beasts, the clashing of steal on steal. Where was it? A battle ground was not so silent that he should be able to hear a pin drop. That was exactly what this was. He didn’t understand. He could see the gore, the terror, the flashes of swords and the spurts of blood as it arched the air. He couldn’t hear those ugly sounds that painted the picture with sight.
He opened his mouth half way, breathing heavily through it. The taste of battle was thick on his tongue. The smell was a further. It was like he was missing his ears. However, he could hear his pants as clear as he should be able to hear this battle.
The shriek. His eyes were searching frantically, looking among the standing bodies that were near him. Karia wouldn’t be foolish enough to leave him far. Would she? She wouldn’t think she could hold off further than ten meters. In previous battles, she had almost refused to leave his back. However, that had been against more manly beasts. These creatures were more bear than man.
And she wasn’t to be found. His heart was frantic on the rise of fear, his breath deeper. It didn’t grip it. Fear wouldn’t hold him down. He was a warrior, for God’s sake! He charged unworriedly into the heat of battle, not caring to dwell upon what could happen to his own life. But the life of another… the life of another that he would most definitely shed his own blood to keep safe… If the life of another that he cared so much for should pass of this world…
He couldn’t think of her dead if he had no knowledge that she was yet! He may not be able to see her, but that did not mean she was dead!
… Could it?
Swallowing his racing heart back to his chest where it belonged, Terion stepped forward. The heavy stride picked up in pace, carrying him at a trot across the passing battle. It waged, he could see it. The inability to hear was started to gnaw at him. He knew his hearing was not impaired. If it was, he would never be allowed on this battle field by the barons in the first place. Hearing was essential, in case the enemy got the idea they could jump you from behind.
He still couldn’t find her. By the God this was torture! Where the hell was she? That icy grip started to grow harder. Only his saliva warmed it as he swallowed with difficulty. It was starting to slither its way to his mind when everything stopped. Even the battle. The men froze. The predator loomed above them, some already looking hungry for a meal of human flesh.
His heart rate was quickening again.
Karia was a mobile person. She darted from point to point almost before your eye and mind could comprehend the motion. She was a mistress of the short blades and throwing knives. And when throwing a knife, both she and the target were usually moving in complicated patterns that made Terion’s head want to swim.
She wasn’t mobile now. She was prone on the dead grass of this plain. The churned spots indicated the beast who had struck her had left her alone as soon as she had hit the ground. One of her blades lay just beyond her fingertips, her palm lifted upward to the sky having let the blade fall from her grasp. Her head rested on that splayed arm, those dark blond locks falling behind her head with a few hanging around her face. Her eyes were shut and Terion might’ve took her for dead if it weren’t the uneven heaving of her chest, something he could just barely make out. Her other hand rested firmly against her chest, the fingers coated in the crimson color of freshly spilt blood. A line of arrows trailed up her left leg, starting from the ankle and burying themselves deep into the outer part of her thigh.
Ba-doom. They pound started deep in his ear, suddenly filling the silence. It was deep, baritone but loud. The sound came again: ba-doom… ba-doom…
The sword fell from his hand. His fingers wouldn’t hold onto it as he stared on in horror. Carefully he picked his way to her, leaving the sword. He wanted to say something. Anything would have sufficed, but his voice hid behind despair. The beating became louder with each step closer to her fallen body. Terion dropped to one knee, reaching over her with a shaky hand to stroke her cheek to let her know he was there. For a moment, the navy blue eyes flickered open weakly before shutting again, squinting as if it hurt to look at him.
Terion continued to struggle against his emotions. He wouldn’t cry. Men didn’t cry. Not even when women they loved were delivered a fatal wound. The gash was horrifyingly deep, beginning from left shoulder and cutting through the breast to curve away at the ribs. Her hand covered where the breastbone didn’t. Again, Terion swallowed. Her hand went out for the blood stained one as the other pick up her blade and placed it in her outstretched hand.
Her fingers slipped through the blood and pressed against her hand.
Ba-doom.
The gasp was sharp. His eyes flew wide open and he resisted the urge sit up. Hands clenched the blankets tightly. His muscles were tense, his entire body was tense, his mind took a moment to realize where he lay. His eyes narrowed in width as he stared at the ceiling of the small hut. The fabric pinned to the wooden frame blocked out most moonlight, making his space dark.
The hut was warm. The fabric kept warmth in and cold out. A good thing because it was approaching late fall and temperatures were cooler. There weren’t many furniture pieces in the hut besides the bed, a trunk, and a table not any bigger than a nightstand. The door was the only other thing that could be in the room. It was also the only spot where the cracks were not covered in fabric. But plenty of body heat and perhaps a small fire would quickly warm up any cold air. The blankets on the bed themselves were thick and trapped heat. No occupant would be cold.
Terion was glad he had not sat up. The head on his chest belonged to that of a light sleeper, and she was groaning in protest to his sudden tensing. The warrior man relaxed, his fingers untangling themselves from the blankets. He didn’t bring one up to touch her; he would only succeed in waking Karia. And Terion only knew then would he get an earful. She was such a defiant, independent woman, believing herself capable of anything a male was capable of. She had proved herself a handful of times. Being one of the best duelers Terion had ever come across counted.
He smiled dimly to himself as he looked at the top of her head. Karia shifted some, her face sliding against the thin undershirt on his chest. Her nails snagged him when her hand twitched in response to her movement. Her even breathing continued, beginning to lull him back to sleep.
When the knocking came on the door. It was rather impatient and perhaps loud. The images of his dream still in his mind, Terion nearly leapt at the sound. Self discipline had taught him better, though. His head tipped to the side to stare at the hut door. Whoever it was, he was going to make Terion move and wake Karia.
He curled his left arm to grasp her shoulder and give her a little shake. Instantly, her eyes flew open and she sat up some, the hand that had been resting against his abdominals now pinned to the bed beneath him. Her gaze flickered across the room for a moment as he patted her arm and began sitting up.
“What is it?” Karia asked into his ear as he swung his legs off the bed and stood up. His fists reached for the ceiling as he went on his toes, slightly arching the back to stretch until he shook. He lowered his heels back to the ground with a sigh, flashing Karia a quick half smile.
“Late night visit. Nothing to worry over. Just stay there and stay quiet. You’re not supposed to be on this side of camp and we’ll both be in trouble if there’s so much as a finger waggle from you,” he whispered to her as he made for the door.
Terion propped it open about three quarters of a foot and rubbed the side of his face. He braced his weight on the door and wall, blocking view into the hut but looking as if trying to retain the heat within it. The blast of cold air hit his face as he breathed in, drawing a chilly breath that froze his lungs for about half a second. A shudder crawled down his spine as his green gaze fell upon the slight figure of the messenger. All messengers were small and looked like twig. The dagger that was sometimes on their right side posed no threat to a broad shouldered man like Terion, who could easily overpower a man the size of a twelve year old boy. It was the ranking that sometimes prevented Terion from ripping the annoying little men to shreds. They were usually annoying and delivered nothing worth celebrating over.
“What is it,” Terion grumbled, doing his best to sound like a man interrupted from an easy slumber.
“Just a checking in and to report that the enemy draws steadily closer in the night. They are in no hurry. But we have heard that the lady you have brought into this war is not present in her bed. Would you have any ideas of her whereabouts?”
Terion shook his head, keeping his eyes locked on the small man’s face. “No, I would not. She could be out in the fields doing a few more drills without the noise of the day distracting her. Karia is like that.” A stiff jerk of a head that Terion took as an acknowledgement was his answer. The man bid him the rest of the night well and Terion slid the hut door shut. He was met with a delightful smile on Karia’s face.
“What will you do if they return saying I wasn’t in the fields?”
Terion shrugged. “Well, they’ll find you eventually. Until then…” He leaned over and trapped his lips over hers. Karia was surprised by the gesture. “You can just remain with me.” A quick and simple peck to the lips and he drew back to recline comfortably among the blankets.
---
His dream haunted him through the night to the brink of dawn. Karia slept on dreamily behind him with an arm draped over his side. His eyes searched over the wall as he tried ridding himself of the nightmare. He couldn’t help dreading that this dream might be one that came true. The natural instinct after a nightmare was the dwell on how such a dream would become true. And it depended on the type of nightmare as well. If it was a crazy, lunatic dream where men grew to be eighty foot tall giants and rampaged a village like some mad lizard, then thoughts on whether it could become true were far out of reach.
But a dream like this one… where Terion felt he might freeze to death with chills, his mind active and his imagination still amazingly vivid. His father had always said he always had a wild imagination. Terion winced at this. His father had been slaughtered by the very beasts he and Karia were doomed to clash blades with. Which only made his blood colder and more sluggish through his veins as his heart skipped another beat.
No, he couldn’t lose two people to the same type of creatures. Just… please, God, not people he cared about. And even as dawn crawled up on him, Terion found no more rest for the night. Instead, her found himself staring at Karia’s hand. It was so much smaller than his, but her wrists were strong and her thumb clamped everything down in an iron grip. After a hand to hand combat exercise, Terion knew he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
The long fingers wavered subtly when Karia’s internal sundial rang alarms in her head. She was sluggish to move, even. Terion thought she reacted more. He felt her face press to the lower part of his neck and hot breath steam down his spine. They cured the chills and shudders. Her arm tightened some, and then he was sure she realized something was different. Her slight body peeled away from his and her arm jerked back.
“Well, morning to you, too, sunshine.” He rolled back into the vacant space Karia had now allowed him into. Terion did his best to smile, and smile enough that it touched his eyes. Karia’s face had flushed a light pink, but her neck was an angry red.
Karia rubbed her eyes and face and neck, a weak, embarrassed smile on her lips for less than ten seconds. She didn’t try to reply. She didn’t get embarrassed often, but she had enough experiences that she knew what happened. She knew she couldn’t speak for all the gold in the world should she speak if embarrassed. Karia managed a few finger waggles in response but kept her jaw closed tight. Terion’s following bark of laughter was much louder than she had anticipated and she jumped.
“Bold we are under the hypnosis of sleep,” he muttered. The light died from his eyes when her brow grew heavier. He nibbled his bottom lip. “But even the bold can be outside of exhaustion. And bold you very much are, dear Lady Karia, but it is thought that you should not participate in this war.”
Karia’s angry frown stabbed at him like any dagger. It was as if the world had suddenly gone through a mini earthquake. He voice was rich with dark anger: “By whom?”
“By uh…” he managed to mutter as he drew in a breath. “By, well, er…” that breath was exhaled. Her gaze was pinning, wanting the truth and not afraid to draw it from him if it meant endless torture. “Er.. by… myself, actually.”
The surprise was evident on her features. “Why?” she asked almost breathlessly.
“You’ll think it’s stupid. Ah, hell with it, most of my stuff is stupid: the reason I train, the reason I wish for this battle, this and that and another. I don’t want you on the front lines. I want you safe.”
“So, what, you can go be with all the men and women?”
She was snarling now. Her jaw snapped angrily with every word. Those blue eyes were like a fire, the flames the color blue and much hotter than any orange flame in a fire pit. A knee now supported an elbow. Her arm was drooping restfully against that knee. She wasn’t tense in the shoulders, only in the mouth. Her body had already given up to the key of battle anger: fluidity in the body, but tenseness allowed in the head. Some could achieve in both areas, but Karia had only managed to master the body of a warrior and not the advanced warrior head.
“So you can get all the honor and glory? Or is it something else?”
Terion was now realizing his mistake in talking about such a sensitive topic of conversation so early on in the morning. Weariness and sluggishness would fight for dominance. It would make her grouchy. Karia was not a morning person by much. You’re a fool, Terion. His mouth opened and closed several times to excuse himself and state his dream behind this decision.
“… or do you plan on raping me in the next couple of days so you’ll have children.”
“NOW WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE!” he thundered, sitting straight up. “That’s a little too far, Karia. I apologize for bringing this up, but I assumed by too great of a standard that you would be in a mood to listen to my concerns.” Deep breath in, deep breath out. Hold eye contact. Show fire with fire briefly then let the water splash on the small, original fire before stomping out the one you created. Terion shook his head slowly, shifting more towards the edge of the bed, resting a foot against the ground. “You KNOW I wouldn’t do something like that to you. Man I may be, merely mortal, but I understand right from the wrong. And I am hardly someone who would do something such as THAT! Looters rape women as they purge the goods of their homes. I am no looter...”
His quick breath was taken and he was prepared to say another when there was something he wouldn’t classify as a pound or a knock.
“Karia! It is commanded you report out of there to your side of camp where you shall be lectured and identified the laws of war before given your punishment detail. Terion! As for being involved in the forbidden, there is also a want from our general to speak to you on policy and law. Punishment will be delivered upon you as well, and fiercer than hers shall be because of your like to messenger Hul last night…”
Caught! Terion cringed more than Karia. Like deer staring at a torch, she stared only at Terion, wide-eyed. His gaze was to the floor, not acknowledging her glances or even her quick touch when she left upon slipping her boots on and picking up her cloak.
“General wishes to meet you in ten minutes, Terion.”
The door of the hut shut closed. There was a scuffling of feet and Karia was off to see her own commander. The warrior placed his head in his hands, leaning slightly forward. This scenario had occurred to him last night.
Because she had been on this side of camp, she had ventured beyond boundaries placed. She was going to be seen as the faulty one. If he remembered correctly, it was almost a suicide mission when the war began as punishment. His wouldn’t be as severe. He had allowed her into his hut but he was in his registered area. If he had gone to her, he would get suicide.
He suddenly felt lightheaded and dizzy.
There was every chance he had just gotten Karia killed.