The Sword Maiden

A Stranger

If I could slap myself upside the head and knock myself out I would've. Stupid me. Of course my village is where Corban would send his Ravagers. He knew I'd go there. I'd fallen right into his trap.

The two Ravagers regarded me emotionlessly. "Get up," grunted the one with the sword.

I got up, my veins surging with fury. I'm not going to back. That's all I could think. Once again my life became one mantra.

But before I could do or say anything an arrow landed behind the Ravagers and a calm voice said, "Don't move. Drop the sword."

The pair hesitated, but reluctantly let their swords fall. "We would have had you," the one on the right hissed.

Out of the forest came walking a man. His beard and hair were gray, and he had an arrow on the string of his bow. "Young lady, would you mind coming over here and covering them?" His voice was pleasant and mellow.

"Gladly," I replied, skirting around behind the Ravagers and taking the bow from his hands. The bow felt like a good and fast weapon. A feeling of power surged through me. Finally I was holding a weapon against my enemies.

The man drew the sword at his side. For a moment I wondered if he was going to kill them. The Ravagers wondered this too, they tensed.

But he didn't. He flipped the sword and conked them both on the heads. They dropped softly to the ground.

The man sheathed the weapon and took back his bow. "Come, we must be far from here when they wake up," he said, setting out at a quick march.

"But-" I began. He turned and I stilled.

"But what?" He prompted.

"My brother's around here, I must find him."

He shook his head. "No, you're brother is not here. He's long gone, there is no one here but us and them," he said with a nod to the fallen Ravagers.

No. Not Derrek. He couldn't have been taken to, could he?

The man saw the despair on my face and reassured me. "The Ravagers did not get him. He fled. His tracks lead into the forest."

I crinkled my brow. "Are you sure? How can you know?"

He shrugged. "I'm a good tracker. But we don't have time to debate this. Let's go."

He set off in a easy swinging walk. I was quick to catch up. "Who are you?" I was suddenly wary of him.

"I'm Redwar Volan. And you are?"

Volan. The name did not mention any of the names of the Seven Clans of Thathia. He must not be from around here.

"My name is Ravine SwordCleaver," I replied.

"I know you're SwordCleaver, otherwise you wouldn't claim that village as your home. What's your middle name?"

I was slightly taken aback at his bluntness. Ravine was my first name, and SwordCleaver identified what clan I was part of. My middle name was my father's name and family from which he descended.

"Why should I tell you?" I snapped back.

"Because I just saved you from becoming a Ravager slave for the rest of your life," he stated as we began to go down a small hill.

I bit my lip and felt a little regret for my harshness. "Sorry. It's Acantha, meaning sharp like a thorn."

He nodded once and that was that. We continued our trek through the forest for another fifteen minutes. I wondered if the Ravagers would follow our trail, but decided not to worry about them, mainly because I was tired of worrying about them. Great reason, I know.

After awhile I spotted a man-made clearing up ahead, with a cabin in the center and corrals with two horses off to the side. I knew it had to be man-made, because it was bigger than any clearing I'd ever seen in before. But it was close enough to our village I was half-wondering why I hadn't ever seen it.

"This is my home," he said as we stepped into the clearing. "You're welcome to stay with me as long as you like, until you've decided what you want to do."

"Thank you," I said, surprised at his generous offer.

He walked over the corrals. "This is Ladine," he said as he petted the buckskin's smooth nose. "She's my main horse. And that," he pointed at the bay with a blaze and white stockings, "Is Axe."

"Axe?" My question was prompted by the oddness of the name.

"He's as sharp as one," he replied. "He's also going to be your horse while your here."

"Oh I couldn't-"

"He'll sit around if you don't use him," Mr. Volan cut off my protest. "You do know how to ride?"

"I don't do it well at all but yes, I know how to ride."

"Good,"