Evermore

Chapter 4 - The Dance

Theia woke before the sun everyday this week consumed with anxiety. As she did each dawn she went to a box and grabbed the stack of parchment from its resting place. She peered at the papers in her hand from home. Tomas had wrote to explain how Lucere was preforming well and how he missed her during her absence. Just feeling the parchment from her home made her fears calm for a moment. A bliss full moment until she reminded herself of their brothers naiveness. Theia feared that the letters from him summed that he truly did not grasp the full wrath of what is about to come should she lose this pending battle. She turned to survey the map of the Grey seas that covered a full wall in her massive tent. The Rune Runners had left a little a week ago and had not been heard from since. Alraric had been a part of the group like the decided. Her mind wandered if he were alive and if he had the answers they needed. She missed him dearly. They had not been apart since their first sword lesson when they were 6 years of age. While lost in her thoughts she was alarmed when she heard a loud yell come from the yard outside of her tent. She automatically grabbed her sword and ran to the entrance to peer from behind the cloth. A mass of people stood around a small child. Behind the small child stood a solider from Arctos with a whip.

Theia burst from her tent "What is the meaning of this?" Theia shouted to the members standing around the circle.

The soldier dressed in black spoke to down to her "He was caught snooping around the Dark Princes tent and drew on a pieces of what could have been useful parchment."

"He does not deserve lashings for a feeble act such as that. I am not sure how children are punished in Arctos but, a child would never be punished in Lucere for being creative." Theia replied to all who stared at her "I command you to stop and let him go now," she squared her shoulders at the sneering soldier to make her point. The man resistantly lowered the whip, from behind him Theia saw a fuming Donovan approach the ring of people.

"How dare you override my command of lashings? It was not your place to decide what his punishment was for his crimes." Donovan boomed at Theia. She marched to meet him in the middle of the circle which had grown in numbers to watch the drama unfold. She approached him and spoke to him as if they were the same height and statue.

"In case you have forgotten Donovan, we are equal in this fight. I can command what I think is right or what I think is wrong, and you were wrong!" She spat the last word at him.

"You defy me you peasant, I should order lashes on you instead," he said in a bombing voice that echoed through the whole camp.

"I would like to see you try!" Theia shouted back withdrawing her sword from her belt while thrusting it at Donovan. He quickly withdrew his sword and prepared to fight. He swung at Theia as both swords hit in a thundering clash. He wound up his sword around his back to gain momentum as he was about to hit her back she deflected it in quick time. The fight continued as all their subjects watched the battle ensue, intensifying with each step and cut. Theia danced around Donovan twirling expertly with her sword. Both of their years of training were easily found in watching this battle. She cut back and caught his bicep ripping his flesh open. Donovan let out a small grunt, the fire in his eyes blossomed as he was now out for blood. His towering frame went at Theia with a tough blow to her forearm as she dropped her sword. In a last effort Theia cut his feet from him as he fell to the ground. She sat on top of him pinning his arm with her knees. She pulled her dagger from her boots. The whole crowd could not believe what they were were seeing, stunned at the setting front of them. Theia wound up at Donovan with the golden hilt in her hand, she did not account his strength in his arms as he threw her to the ground and loomed over her. He reached for his sword and brought the shinning tip to the delicate flesh of her neck. He looked into her eyes which were bruised from their tirade. He slowly pushed the hilt further, it filled with a rich crimson running down the shinning blade . A sharp pain on his side made him withdraw his weapon as he fell to the ground beside her. He looked down to see her dagger in his lower stomach. Not in a place that would kill him but would wound him enough to need recovery. He looked back at Theia to see she was fading fast as the blood poured out of her neck. He pulled the dagger out of his stomach and yelled in agony. It did not slow him as he hastily went to her and swooped her up. "Someone get the healers and bandages now!" he yelled to all who were listening. He looked around but no one moved "NOW!" he boomed as chaos erupted around him. He entered her tent and laid her on her bed of rich colors. Her green eyes still gazed upon him as the blood leaked form her neck. He grabbed her hand towel and put pressure on the wound.