The Treason Blade (Battle for Alsaar Book 1) (9 page)

That brought
up an interesting question. Ishar paused a moment and then spoke softly, “And
where do you come from? Eira calls you Raanan warriors, but I have never heard
of such a place.”

A silence
around Traevyn, Gavin, and Glyndwr grew and their faces appeared so solemn that
for a moment Ishar feared she had overstepped her bounds.

It was
Traevyn who answered. “It is a place that no longer exists,” he stated quietly.

His words
puzzled her and Ishar frowned at their cryptic meaning. “I do not understand.”

Glyndwr kneed
his horse past her and entered the wood. “It is not something we speak of,” he
said tightly.

Gavin kept
his pace to hers. “Forgive him,” he said with sad smile, “Memories are powerful
things.” It was all he said before following Glyndwr.

Ishar glanced
at Traevyn but he only shook his head and motioned her forward.

They moved
deeper into the woods and silence reigned. The hunt had begun. The horses were
left soon after they entered. They worked their way on foot through the deeper,
more difficult terrain where the deer felt most safe and were less mindful.
Throughout the hunt, no matter how focused Ishar was on the pursuit, a part of
her mind flickered back to the men’s comments and she wondered even more what
had driven Varyk and his men to Alsaar.

It was late morning when Traevyn signaled an end to
the hunt. They had each brought down a deer and Gavin and Traevyn had slipped
several rabbits into pouches that hung from their saddles, caught inbetween
kills. Ishar had heard more than one of them remark about the possibility of a
rabbit stew before the day was out. Glyndwr and Traevyn had brought down the
first two kills rather quickly, finding the does near a small creek seeking
water. Ishar had followed with her kill of a fresh young buck standing proud
underneath a hill of overhanging trees. Gavin had been last but had made the
finest kill: a large buck with horns that spoke of many years upon his head. As
each one made a kill, they backed off to provide support to the others who had
not. They had sighted several more deer on their way out but Traevyn had
cautioned about being too greedy, to say nothing of the extra weight it would
be on the horses.

By the time
they fetched their horses and settled the carcasses across their rumps, the sun
was nearly high in the sky.

Gavin glanced
up. “Do you think we can talk Jaya into making for us a stew of rabbit
tonight?”

“Give her a
haunch of your deer and I am sure she will glad to,” Glyndwr said with a wry
grin.

Gavin
shrugged. “I had intended to give the deer to the holding so it matters not
where a haunch might disappear.
Eira’s table or Jaya’s?
Either way I will get fed. Besides, with the four children, Jaya and Ber have
use of the meat.”

Ishar
blinked. “Ber has four children?”

Glyndwr
laughed. “Yes.” He studied her. “You seem surprised.”

“It is just
that if any of you might have children, I would not have chosen Ber,” Ishar
spoke thoughtfully, before adding, “he seems the wildest among you.”

Now it was
Gavin who laughed. “No, we are all wild. Ber is just so full of life he cannot
contain himself. It overflows from him. This is why he says what he thinks, and
why he is the only one to have children.” Gavin pointed to himself and Glyndwr
and Traevyn. “We are all too focused on this war to think of anything else.” He
reached behind and grabbed a flask of water, taking a deep swig. “I think I
will wait until after this season of the Tourna is over before I bring a child
into this world. Ber is more the kind to say, bring life while you have life.
He is too alive not to have children.” Gavin
nodded,
his mouth firm as he spoke, “but if I had found someone like Jaya, perhaps I
would think more like he does.”

“Yes, but
unfortunately the village girls turn Gavin’s head but only a little,” Glyndwr
added wryly.

Gavin made a
mock swing at Glyndwr’s head. Ishar laughed to see them relaxed. They appeared
to have forgotten her earlier comment about their homeland.

Traevyn swung
his horse southward, away from the wood. “Come. It is time we were headed
homeward.”

They made
reasonable time, riding slow back across the water with their heavier load.
Ishar eyed the rushing water with care. At the village they stopped and Glyndwr
untied the strapping holding his deer. The villagers accepted it gratefully and
the four moved on upward. By the time they crossed through the outer gate, the
sun was showing its presence at a little past the high mark.

Davaris was
the first to greet them. He walked from the soldiers’ barracks as they passed
under the front watch tower and glanced over their kills. His eyes nodded
appreciatively. “It seems like we will be having deer tonight.” He nodded with
a smile. “Good. It appears to be something that Eira’s cook can handle without
ruining.”

Gavin patted
his pouch. “We were thinking we might talk Jaya into making us a rabbit stew if
a haunch of deer were to find its way into her kitchen.”

Davaris’ grin
widened. “That sounds even better. I will help you ready the meat.”

They
dismounted and lead their horses toward the gathering place across from the
barracks. Several soldiers came forward to help take down the deer and prepare
the meat. More men arrived and quickly led Gavin and Glyndwr’s horses away.
Glyndwr looked around and glanced back at Davaris. “Where are Ber and Lysandr?”

Davaris
nodded toward the east. “They went to check on the beach area and see how the
work was going.”

Gavin and Traevyn made their way over to where
Ishar stood, slightly apart from the rest of the crowd.

Gavin focused
his gaze toward her. “You are more than welcome to join us tonight,” he said
lightly.

Ishar knew
that the invite was well meant but her smile was missing as she answered
bluntly, “I am honored but I do not think Ber will be overjoyed to come home
and find a Haaldyn at his evening meal. I have done all the fighting for my
food that I want today. I have no desire for another fight to defend my honor.”
She sighed. “Truth be told, a man should be able to sit in peace in his own
home.” Ishar gentled her smile. “Please, the offer is appreciated.
Perhaps another time.”

Gavin nodded
as if he understood.
“Another time.
I will hold you to
that.” He moved away and began instructing the men on where to take the meat
before moving toward the place where Jaya stood watching. He held his and
Traevyn’s pouches in his hands.

*

Traevyn stood
still a moment, staring at the reins in his hands. He tilted his head toward
the inner gate. “Shall we?”

Ishar nodded
and led Simi behind Traevyn’s horse toward the horse shelter. Jusa met them at
the door but Traevyn waved him away. Ishar followed him within the confines and
down the aisle. They stopped, tied up their horses and begin to unsaddle the
animals. Traevyn was his quiet self and this no longer bothered Ishar as much.
She found she was becoming used to this calm silence of his. Ishar worked in
stillness alongside him, broken only by the sound of their work and the other
horses moving around within their separate partitions. Ishar set her saddle on
top of the wood beside Simi’s stall and reached for a hanging rag with which to
rub down her mare. Simi kept brushing her head across Ishar’s shoulder. The
horse wanted her forehead scratched. Ishar obliged the mare with a running of
her fingers across the soft hair above Simi’s dark eyes.

she
finished and put Simi in her stall, then looked up to
find Traevyn watching her from across the aisle. He was leaned against the wood
stall of his horse, waiting with his usual patience. She slid out of the stall
and stared back in silence.

Traevyn
smiled with a glint in his dark eyes. “I told you I have met Haaldyn in battle.
They were fierce warriors to fight as I recall, but that has been quite some
time ago. Perhaps my memories are not what they used to be. Would you care to
remind me, Ishar?” he said, his voice deceptively soft.

Ishar felt
her heartbeat start to race in excitement. She walked over to him and lightly
ran her fingers over the wood he leaned against. She watched the movement of
her fingers as she answered nonchalantly, “The Haaldyn you fought must have
been showing kind consideration.” Ishar’s eyes flashed as she turned her head
and stared into his. “Trust me, Traevyn, match me, and I will ensure you never
forget your impression of a Haaldyn warrior. I will make certain it is
imprinted forever on your mind.”

Traevyn’s
smile was feral. He leaned in close. “What shall we use?” He asked, his voice a
low rumble.

Her nose
flared. Ishar could smell the scent of damp air and woodland from the hunt on
him. She narrowed her eyes at his close distance.
“Swords or
perhaps fighting daggers?”

Traevyn
raised an eyebrow. “Fighting daggers are best used when your opponent does not
outweigh you to such an extent. You would have to get in close.” His mouth
brushed her ear. “That could be dangerous.”

Ishar laughed
softly and stepped away. She leaned back against the wood and crossed her arms.
“So, the choice is fighting daggers. I see you have a lesson coming the hard
way.”

Traevyn
shrugged. “I think I will prove you wrong. However, fighting daggers it is. We
will have plenty of time later for me to instruct you in swordsmanship, after I
have instructed you in the proper use and time for daggers.”

His tone held
an arrogance that was unlike Traevyn. She knew he was purposely baiting her but
Ishar could not help but feel her blood begin to pound hot within her. Her
Haaldyn training kept her calm. “Shall we see then?” She asked impassively.

Traevyn
turned away. “Follow me.”

He made his
way out of the horse shelter and to the area between the hay storage and the
fortress. It was the training area of the Raanan warriors. Ishar took deep
breaths to calm her breathing and prepare her for the match. Excitement flowed
through her. She wondered at Traevyn’s skill, the way he bore himself spoke of
the confidence of a seasoned warrior. Ishar wondered what it would be like to
face Traevyn as an opponent. She was about to find out.

Traevyn faced
her once they were in the training area. “We are not wearing full gear. We must
be careful if we use true blades. If you wish, I can acquire dulled training
blades.”

Ishar arched
an eyebrow at him as she slid off her sword and set it on the ground off to one
side. “I am not a fresh recruit. I understand the risks, Traevyn. True blades
are fine with me.” As she spoke, she drew the blades from their scabbards at
her calves. She bent her stance and knees ever so slightly and kept her weight
on the balls of her feet for quickness as she readied herself for Traevyn’s
attack. Her padded top and burda would prevent any deep cuts from occurring,
though she wished for a moment that she had wisely strapped on her forearm
guards.

Traevyn
pulled his own blades out. He balanced his stance and faced her. Once more
Ishar sensed the calmness that flowed through Traevyn and marveled at his
control. When he moved she nearly missed it but met the arching blades squarely
before deflecting them down and away to her left. Traevyn spun and arched a
right hook toward the back of her right leg. She knew what he had planned. He
had hoped to pull her leg forward and knock her backwards and off balance. The
true art of fighting with daggers was having the knowledge that grappling was
necessary to winning. An opponent had to be willing to get in close to defeat
his enemy. Staying outside was playing it safe and there was no win in that.

Ishar
recognized the move and went with it, letting her right leg flow forward as she
kept her full weight on the left. Once his right leg had passed, she brought
her right leg up, twisted slightly and kicked out, catching him in the side.
Traevyn fell backward. He rolled with the blow and was back on his feet and
balanced within seconds. Ishar smiled. He was good.

Ishar
launched herself forward, her body angled to avoid a frontal blow as she
slashed inward with her left hand and held her right blade in a block position
that quickly turned into a downward thrust. The move required that Traevyn
respond to both attacks simultaneously. She wanted to test his reflexes.
Traevyn blocked the left blow and stopped the right downward thrust. He moved
quickly, sliding his right leg behind her right and shoving forward, driving
her backwards and down.

Ishar felt
the loss of balance and realized that she was going backwards only a second
before she felt the shift of his weight coming down with her.
Oh no, you will not,
she thought,
falling backward and rolling immediately to gain a space between their bodies
and throw him off balance. She was ready for him as his weight fell on top of
her. Her feet caught his chest and with the rolling motion of her body, she
managed to throw him over and behind. She wasted no time. Her body’s recoil
from the throw brought her to her feet and she twirled and faced her opponent.
They both still carried their blades.

Therein lay
the art. It was one thing to grapple. It was another to fight blade to blade.
The combining perfection was achieved when one could grapple and the blades
become a part of your appendage, an extension of your arm and hand.
A part of you that could not be put away.