The Sword Maiden

Nightmares

Valeria was to stay with us that night, and go after the thief in the morning. Redwar asked if I wanted to go, but I said no. I had a feeling Valeria and Redwar had a lot to catch up on, and I didn't want to be in the middle of that. Besides, I wanted to ride Axe to my old village tomorrow.

Let me rephrase that. I didn't want to ride Axe to my old village. But I felt I had to. I had to see what had happened to it. I needed to see it before I left to find my family.

Thoughts like that caused a sick feeling to develop in my stomach and my hands to get sweaty. So I pushed them away. I'd think about them when I had to. When I was on Axe's back.

Firelight. Glinting on knife. Knife on mother's neck. Corban's voice. Blood.

"Ravine, Ravine!"

Must move. Can't move. Corban slashing. Mother falling. Screams.

"Ravine, wake up!"

"Ah!" I came awake with gasp and shot up, nearly knocking Valeria over. I glanced around, disoriented. Valeria was on her knees beside me, Redwar was holding a candle with a guilty look on his face. Why?

"What? What happened..." I questioned.

"You were screaming in your sleep. Something about a Corban, and mother, and a knife," soothed Valeria.

I rubbed my forehead. My hand came away damp. "I must have had a nightmare." I looked at them both. "I'm sorry I woke you. You can go back to bed now. I'll be alright."

Redwar and Valeria exchanged a glance. Then Redwar put the candle down on the table and walked out the door, instead of going back to his room. Valeria rocked back, pulling her knees up to her chest.

I crinkled my brow. "Where's Redwar going?"

She pursed her lips and rocked herself a little. "To battle."

"To battle?"

"With his guilt."

"His guilt? Over what?" I was getting more confused with each answer she gave.

She cut a glance at me. "He hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

"His history. Where he's from."

"No." The shaking of my head cooled the sweat on my brow. "No, he hasn't. I've tried to get it out of him. I'd really like to know where he comes from. But no, he hasn't told me." I looked at her with curiosity. "What is it?"

She gave me a small smile. "I think that's for him to tell you. In his own time. He will tell you. He tells everyone who comes here. He believes they should know."

"Everyone who comes here?" I asked. "What's that mean?"

Her smile grew wider. "You're not the only one he's taken in, so to speak. He took me in when I was an orphan and hungry, homeless, and hopeless. He's helped many. Everyone who comes here he's brought because they need restoration of some kind. And when they leave, they leave with a horse, with a sword, and with the restoration needed. It's out of his pain that he's given others healing."

There was a moment of silence as I processed this. Then she took a deep breath. "So. What's your story?"

I snorted. "You already know. My village was raided by Ravagers. My parents are slaves. I don't know where my brother is. I'm going to look for them. Simple as that."

"That's not all of it and you know it. Something must have happened to give you nightmares that bad. And I'm willing to bet that that's not the first time you've had them," she replied, leveling me with a honest gaze.

The truth was that she was right. I'd had many nightmares, all revolving around the same things: Ravagers, Corban, mother and father being hostages, them dying at Corban's hands... But I'd never screamed or talked like that before.

I grabbed my blanket and wrapped it around me, suddenly aware of the chill. "It all started with a corn cob race..."

I told her my story. Every stinking detail of it. It did feel good to get it out. I hadn't told anyone since it'd happened.

"After Redwar conked those two on the head, he brought me here. He told me Derrek had already fled. I've been living here for two months now. It's not been bad. I've definitely improved with the sword, and it's been wonderful riding Axe.

"But I'm going to be leaving soon, and I am going to rescue my parents. I'm also going to search all four corners of the world until I find Derrek or I die."

There was silence after I'd finished my tale. She was silent for a moment. Then she pulled the blanket she'd gotten in the middle of my story tighter around herself and asked, "Was this Corban a close friend of yours?"

"Yes." I looked away. "He was." My mind roamed over memories forced away. Memories of Corban.

"I think... I think even at one time we might have gotten married," I whispered. "Maybe. In another time and place. If he hadn't been," I winced as I said it, "A Ravager."

Valeria nodded. "You know, if it is as you said it is, there was a time where he wasn't a Ravager. Because he didn't know that he was. At that time, maybe he was Corban SwordCleaver, if not in blood than in name."

I nodded and let the silence grow thick between us.