The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

Foes Among Friends

"Where is that tree with arms when you need him..." John muttered grumpily under a palm. He was hacking wildly at what I think was supposed to be firewood.

I chuckled as I approached him.

"Fear not John, they are due back by sun down. We will have a crew once more and be on our way to Zanos."

He paused his mad swing and stared at me in shock.

"Make way all, positive Tayah is here to shed light on the darkness." He drawled sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes and made my way over to the spare axe buried in the sand. I ripped it out and took my position near a large hunk of wood near him.

"In all seriousness, what has you—as peppy as Captain tippy lippy—with a bottle of poison?" He huffed, swinging back into the wood.

I sank my blade satisfyingly through the large piece with ease. Call it luck or call it a slither of borrowed immortal strength...

"Simply cheering up an ever moping friend."

"I do not mope!" He protested. "I present the irritating traits of life in an entertaining fashion." He finished as he attempted a fourth swing and finally broke through the thick stump. He grinned down in satisfaction.

I laughed and leant on the handle of the axe. "Oh that is painting a very pretty picture of reality."

"It always helps when it comes from one so pretty." He retorted, batting his eyelashes at me in parody.

I mockingly swung the axe towards him and he danced back and levelled his own blade at me.

"I know! It is that Valkyrie isn't it?" He grin turned wicked and his eyes alight like the devil.

"John, shut the f—"

"You always are coincidently running off together." He drawled. "Oh, train me please—"

I lunged for his head this time fully intending to silence the moron. But he knew better and drew his axe up to catch the blade on his handle. It wedged itself halfway through and we both glanced down in shock.

"This is sailor property, how dare you!" He scolded.

I levelled his brown eyes with my glaring green.

"You never know when to shut your mouth so I thought I'd help you."

"By taking it off my beautiful face?" He scoffed. "I think not." He then proceeded to rip his axe from mine and shake his head. "Always so defensive when we talk of your interests, Tayah. I could tell you the vivid details of my own so easily—"

"That is the difference between you and I, John. I have interests. You have fleeting distractions."

"So, this is not a distraction?" John asked me, suddenly highly intrigued.

I groaned and turned back to the wood. But he was soon beside me and firing off his thoughts.

"I think we both know you do not usually hold interests for very long, Ashrive. In Harsley the Blacksmith's son lasted at best... two spans and a cask of wine. In Ravensbrooke it was the redhead and look how well that went." He chuckled while I glared over the wood. "—then of course that pompous Lord's daughter in Vayleron—"

"Her father and I had a conflict of interest!" I defended.

"That tends to happen when you bring a crossbow to the dining table." He retorted fondly.