The Sword Maiden

Again?

"I'm sorry, Redwar.  I let my emotions get control of me."  

Redwar let out a long breath and some of the fire in his eyes relaxed.  "I'll talk with you later Ravine."  His voice was mellow, like the usual Redwar,  I knew he had forgiven me.  

But when he turned back to Daxton, it was gone.  "Give Derrek his blade back, we're going to have a talk."  

Derrek hopped up and hastily took his blade from Daxton.  Daxton's carefree smirk was gone, replaced with the usual glowering look.

We were all silent as they left the clearing, Daxton being marched in front like a captured prisoner of war.  

Valeria let out a breath when they were gone.  "I wouldn't want to be in his shoes," she said, referring to Daxton.  

I shook my head as I lifted Bound to examine it for nicks.  "No.  I've never seen Redwar that angry."  I reached back in my mind.  "Well, except for being irritated with that thief you captured."  I smiled at the memory.  

Valeria giggled.  "Yeah, but he didn't act on it then."  

"How long were you and Redwar watching?"  I asked as I sheathed Bound.  Thankfully, my impassioned duel with Daxton had left it without any nicks.  It was almost a miracle. 

She wrinkled her brow.  "Quite awhile, actually.  I'm surprised he didn't interfere sooner...  Daxton sure does know how to fight, doesn't he?"  

I looked back to where we'd had our fight.  "Yeah, he does.  He pulled a few moves that I've never seen before."  

Her face lit up.  "Oh yeah he did!  Like where he ducked away from your pommel and nearly sliced your arm."  

I nodded.  "I only barely got away unscathed from that."

As I thought back over our fight, sometime was poking me in my mind.  It was something I should remember, something I should tap into, but I couldn't grasp it.  Solid, and yet not quite there, it slipped through my mental fingers like smoke.

Valeria glanced at the sun.  "It's nearly time for lunch, we'd better hustle something up."  

I nodded.  As the woman of the group, it fell to us to do the cooking.  Not necessarily because we were woman, but because all of the men were, to put it mildly, not very good cooks.  Valeria and I did it in an effort to save our taste buds.  

A delicious smell was wafting through the clearing when Daxton and Redwar came back from their little 'talk.'  Daxton still had the glower on his face, but something had shifted.  He picked up the stick he'd been working on before our duel and went back to whittling.  

Redwar sniffed as he came up to the fire.  "I smell camper soup."  

Valeria nodded as she stirred the warming soup.  "We thought it'd be best for Simran, if he wants to eat."  

"A good choice."  Redwar looked over to me.  "Have the horses been watered?"  

"No."  I shook my head as I stood from tossing pieces of jerky into the soup.  "I was about to go do that." 

"I'll join you."  Redwar took on last long whiff of soup before turning and heading to the horses.  

I followed after him, knowing that he wanted to talk to me.  I was a little apprehensive, but I knew Redwar was fair in his judgement.  I opened my mouth to apologize again my recklessness in the duel, but Redwar spoke before I could.