The Warrior

Chapter 2

Eryn lowered her head and looked at her opponent through her eyelashes. She bent her legs and circled him, turning the handle of the ax in her hand, keeping it loose. She took a deep breath, and then with a war cry, she raced forward- slashing her ax in a sideways motion. Her opponent raised his sword and blocked her hit, sending her backwards.

She stumbled for a moment, and waited for him to slash his sword before she sidestepped and tried to hit him again. He quickly raised his leg and kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her to the ground. Her ax fell away from her. He clicked his tongue against his teeth.

"Eryn, you need to be prepared for anything!" he scolded her. Eryn's blood boiled and she quickly pulled a knife from her sheath and leaped to her feet, slashing at her opponent in all directions. He laughed as he side stepped away from every move, which infuriated her even more. She lunged forward and he suddenly grabbed her arm and twisted it, bringing her to her knees. He put more pressure on her arm until she was forced to drop her knife. She groaned from the pain. Her opponent rolled his eyes, obviously disappointed in her. He took a step closer to her, and suddenly Eryn leaned forward and bit down on his hand, hard.

He jumped away from her immediately, releasing her from the hold she was in, and Eryn sprang to her feet, smiling. "You need to be prepared for anything." She said, panting. Her opponent rubbed his hand, scowling.

"That may have worked this time, but a Roman wouldn't have brought you to your knees with your head still on." He picked up Eryn's ax and held it out for her. "You would be dead by now." Eryn glared at him and grabbed her ax, storming away from him. "Don't walk away from me Eryn." he warned.

"We are done, father." She said over her shoulder. "I have to meet with Esca."

"I decide when we are done." he said. "Besides, If you spend too much time with Esca before your wedding, people will get suspicious." Eryn spun on her heel to look at her father.

"We are getting married in three days. I think that people will understand." She said with a sarcastic laugh. Her father glared at her, so Eryn groaned and threw her ax to the ground. "Fine!" She said. "What else must you teach me today?"

Her father took a step towards her, searching her face. He sighed and said, "If you can tell me where you are going and when you will be back, you may leave." Eryn couldn't believe her ears. Her face lit up as she began to speak, but her father raised his hand, interrupting her. "In Roman." he added.

Eryn looked at the ground. She sighed, thinking for a moment, and then met her father's eyes. In Roman, she said, "I am meeting Esca by the boats. And I will be back before the moon is at its highest point. Happy?" He nodded his head once, and Eryn immediately took off into the woods.

Her father had insisted on teaching her combat in the woods, because he felt that she wasn't getting the proper training with the elders. Her father, being the chief of the tribe, had fought in many battles against the Romans. He was even held prisoner once, which is how he learned their language. He had always insisted that Eryn know her enemy better than herself, so from an early age he had taught her everything that he knew about them.

But tonight, Eryn didn't have to have a single care about Romans. It was just her and Esca. She pushed through the last of the trees and reached the waterfront. A large wooden structure seemed to float on the water, but Eryn knew that it was supported by stakes in the water. She approached the structure, but didn't see Esca by the water like he said he would be. She faltered a step, before breaking into a run toward toward the main pit. She had to push past some tree branches, but as she approached the huts her heart beat wildly in her chest.

All around the huts, her people were getting their weapons together and being painted in the traditional blue war paint. Eryn scanned theri faces until she found Esca. His face was being painted blue and he stared unseeingly ahead of him. She bolted to his side and placed her hands on his shoulders. He blinked when he saw her and seemed to awaken from a sleep. "Eryn?" he asked.

"Esca! What is going on?" She asked. He touched her face with his hand, and Eryn looked at him with worry. His brown hair was covered in mud, and his blue eyes seemed to stand out from the blue paint that covered half of his face.

"Romans," he paused, breathing heavily, "They murdered my brother." Eryn's heart skipped a beat as she finally registered what was happening. She felt dizzy as she stared at the ground.

"No, not Tywon...he's just a boy," she stammered. Esca shook as he suddenly broke away from her, finishing the last of his paint.

"They mounted his head on a pole." he said, angerly streaking the last of the paint on his face. "So, they need to be taught a lesson." He quickly reached down to grab his spear at his feet but Eryn quickly bent down and snatched it before him.

"I'm coming with you." she said. Holding the spear away from him. Esca studied her face for a moment, and the nodded. They both sat down again, and Esca held his paint bowl in front of him as his dipped his hand into it. He painted three streaks of blue around her left eye, two long ones beside her right, and a short one on her chin. Eryn closed her eyes, feeling his anger even on his fingertips. When he finished, Eryn quickly bent down and spread some mud over her hair. She looked at him for approval, and he swallowed before nodding quickly. Eryn squeezed his shoulder for comfort, and then turned from him to find some weapons.

He grabbed her shoulder before she walked away. "Eryn, I know you can fight.. But," Eryn's heart sunk, knowing what he would say. She turned to face him, and he was already holding the bow in his hand. "I just want to know that you are safe." She sighed, and then took the bow from him.

"I will cover you." she said. He nodded, and then she quickly turned from him to find some arrows. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She couldn't believe that the Romans were actually here, and that their first victim was a little boy.

They were monsters. Monsters who must be stopped.

Suddenly, everybody froze in their tracks. Eryn looked up to see her father standing in front of the largest hut with the wise woman. He locked eyes with her, seeing her dressed in war paint, and nodded his head once before raising his voice above the warriors.

"Brigantes!" He bellowed. "Tonight the Romans have trespassed onto our sacred land and viciously slaughtered one of our own!" A cry of anger rose from the crowd and everyone seemed to follow. "I will lead our warriors to battle! And the Romans know never to enter our land again!!" The cry increased in sound until everyone Eryn's father broke into a run toward the woods.

The tribe followed, and Eryns blood coursed through her as she followed her people.

The Romans were going to pay.