Warrior's Soul (Book 3 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 13

Between the sharp shadows of tall trees, the Hayvanis knelt in silence, their eyes on her. Disturbed by their reverent expressions, Leyla cleared her throat, "Why aren't they standing?"

Liam's habitual grin was missing as he shook his head in confusion, "I think they are waiting for permission."

"From the Hayvan?" Leyla asked, surprised. She looked down at the animal whose ears twitched while sitting motionless beside her.

"No." The answer came from over her shoulder. Leyla looked back to see the Sage approaching. His orange robes dragged along the dry soil as he took measured steps forward until he was standing to her left. The Hayvan observed the newcomer, sniffed, then turned its suspicious eyes back to Liam who was continuing to keep his distance. "They are waiting for your command, Protector."

"My..what? No..." Leyla looked at Liam, hoping he would disagree, but the man was too busy staring at the Sage to notice her agitation.

"Sage! What are you doing here?"

The Sage raised a brow from beneath his blindfold. "I should be asking you that question, Liam. Last I heard, you were staying with the Sky people."

So they knew each other? Wait, was that even important right now? There were dozens of men and women waiting on their knees before them!

"I will not command anyone," Leyla said, interrupting their conversation. Then looking from the sea of faces to Liam she frowned, "Tell them to go home."

Liam considered her with slightly raised brows.

"Protector," the Sage spoke, before he could give her a response. "The Hayvani are a proud people. They refuse to bow even to their elders and can go as far as to take their own lives if they believe their honour is besmirched. And yet these people are on their knees now because they believe you to be the embodiment of the Great Hayvan Spirit from their myths." The Sage turned his face towards the forest and the people he was describing. "Asking them to go home is the same as telling them they are unworthy. What do you think they would do if they believed they were shunned by the spirit of the Great Hayvan..."

Bloody Diya. She knew next to nothing about these people or their Greaty Hayvan Spirit since they were too elusive to have been recorded in the Warrior books she studied when young. Nevertheless Leyla believed the Sage; he had no reason to lie. She also understood that he was telling her to take responsibility for their beliefs; for their lives. But she had no intention of doing that. Even if she were not being hunted...she just couldn't.

"Alright," Leyla muttered, putting her sword back into its scabbard. Then she turned to Liam who was still watching her as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. "Will you translate for me?"

He nodded, then waited as Leyla cleared her throat and addressed the tribe: "Rise! The people in this camp are under my protection and are not to be harmed," Leyla paused, watching the Hayvanis stand, one by one, as Liam translated. "There is much I need to do, so ask your questions of the Great and Knowing Sage, then continue with your lives as you always have."

Liam finished his translation while pointing towards the Sage who stiffened before protesting in hushed tones: "Protector, you -"

"If you shun them, who knows what they'll do," Leyla interrupted. "So please, do your best."

Liam covered a laugh while the Sage shook his head in defeat, "I can hardly do otherwise."

Satisfied that he would handle it well, Leyla turned back to camp.

"For a young boy, you sure are quick on your feet," Liam grinned, following her.

Leyla frowned as she looked back to where the Hayvani were gathering around the Sage, "You should stay. He may need a translator."

"Who, the Sage?" Liam's green eyes shone with amusement. "You don't know much about him, do you? There's not a language in Gaia that he doesn't know. Tribes often seek him out to help in their negotiations for that reason."

Leyla had already gathered that the blind man was much more than just a healer, so she was not surprised.

"Protector!" Malia called out. Leyla slowed her step, taking note of the warm bread in the approaching woman's hands. Her stomach clenched at the sight of food. How long had it been since she ate? How long had it been since the children ate? Leyla's eyes slid to the fire, where the little ones were gathered, waiting while two mothers baked more loaves.

"Protector, please eat!" Malia held the loaf towards her while shifting her weary glance from the Hayvan on her left to Liam on her right.

"Later," Leyla spoke in the softest tone she could manage with her still gravely voice. "You should feed the children."

"But - " Malia started to protest, but thought better of it and stepped back. "Yes, Protector."

When they had moved out of earshot, Liam stretched his arms overhead, "You should eat you know, or it'll take longer to heal that injury."

Leyla looked down at the bandages around her arm and realised that she barely felt the throbbing now. There was just a tightness left where the arrowhead had pierced through her skin and the bandages looked clean so there couldn't be much bleeding. 

Leyla had always healed quickly but this was faster than even she had expected. The Sages' medicine was more effective than any she had ever seen.

Looking at the man who was still happily walking beside her, she narrowed her eyes: "Why are you following me?"

Liam grinned drawing the gazes of the women sitting around the fire. "Because I'm curious."

"Go be curious elsewhere," she muttered. 

For a split second Liam looked speechless, then he laughed showing a dimple in his left cheek. "Did anyone tell you that you have a bad disposition?"

Some choice words came to mind in response , but Leyla stayed her tongue when she caught sight of the Sage's disciple. 

"Waru!" Seeing the apprentice healer's eyes widen at their approach, Leyla put her hand on the Hayvan's head and made it sit. Of all the people in camp, Waru seemed the most afraid of the animal.

"Yes, Protector?" The young man pulled at his tunic nervously, before rambling on:  "Kaya is doing well. Her fever has not returned. Tai is watching over her while I get fresh bandages."

Leyla raised a brow at the awkwardly delivered report, then she shrugged. What mattered was that the little girl was alright. "Do you need anything? More water?"

"Ah, yes," the apprentice nodded. "We are almost out, so I was going to get Tai to go down to the river after I got back..."

"I'll do it," Leyla cut him off. 

"No, Protector, you don't need to do that! Tai will go..." 

Ignoring Waru's protests, she crossed to the other side of the camp to get the empty flasks. Tai, for all his height and strength, was still a child and going to the river so soon after the Timsa attack would be difficult for him.

"You have an entire tribe of Hayvani who want nothing more than to obey your command and you're fetching water?"

Leyla bristled at Liam's amused words. The Hayvani were not her concern. He was not her concern.  She was just here for Kaya. Spinning on her heel, Leyla reached into her shirt, yanked his coin from round her neck and tossed it towards him. "I won't be seeing you off."

Liam's brow rose as he pocketed his necklace. "So curt. They really should be calling you the Grouch."

When she only turned away in response, he called after her. "Are you kicking me out of your camp, Protector?"

She stopped, her shoulders tense as she looked back. "This is not my camp."

"Good!" He nodded, then the grin was back on his face. "Good, good, good!"

Leyla watched for a moment as Liam walked away, whistling merrily. Then shaking her head in bemusement, she turned back to the river.

Liam was a strange one.

The Sage wasn't easy to read, either.

When the Hayvan pushed its head into her side, asking to be petted, Leyla gave him a stroke and admitted that she probably seemed stranger than either man.