The Way of the Warrior

Chapter 5: The News

I am so sorry, I had a major writers block. Hopefully things will be a little smoother from here!

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Four years passed. One early morning there was pounding on Iiren's bedroom door. She did not even bother to open it.

"What?" She called.

"It rained!" Phil's voice responded. Iiren remembered the claim she had made a couple practices ago that she would beat her fellows in a mud fight. She disliked mud though because it made things dirty, but no matter. It was time to prove herself once again.

Iiren stepped outside wearing some already soiled clothes that couldn't be used for anything else. All the boys were already out there, some wrestling and others already engaged in a mud fight.

"Alright, how is this happening?" She asked.

"All of us against you! Duh." Reg said.

"Are you sure you don't want to be on the winning team?"

"We are!" Nelson said.

"Oh well. Your loss seeing who the best captain is." Iiren shrugged. Reg's expression darkened, and Iiren knew she landed a hit.

"We all know I'm the best captain, right boys?" Reg said.

Phil was hesitant, "Weeeeell." He began.

"Looooooser! Get on the pretty princess team already!" Nelson exclaimed.

"You're going down for that Nelson." Iiren said, a dangerous confidence shading her every word.

"You know what? I'd like to stay without mud in my eyes long enough to see that." Aidan said with a mischievous chuckle.

"Well, the teams are even now! Shall we?" Iiren said.

"Two minutes to plan up then we start." Reg said. The two teams split up to opposite sides of the field.

Iiren liked strategizing, and was excited to implement that, even if it was in a mud fight. She gathered her small team around her, and they crouched down, so it was harder to see what they were doing or saying.

"Ok so, we are gonna make a plan." Iiren began in a whisper, "I think we all know Reg is coming for me. My guess is Nelson will go after Phil, and Falworth at Aiden, even if we just started without any planning. It just makes sense. Reg can switch it up but that doesn't change much."

The little girl made figure eights in the mud as she continued. "My guess is they'll attack first. When they come for you, lead them away from each other. This will cause us to be separated, but it also means they can't help each other either. You are one on one. Then it's time to muddy them like nobody's business. If you don't lose, then help the remaining people."

"What if he changes the plan?" Phil asked.

"This is our goal no matter what he does. Unplanned things are pretty fun too though." Iiren stood up, carrying a couple handfuls of mud with her. The two boys followed suit.

"You ready?" Iiren called out.

"You bet!" Reg replied. His team held mud in their hands and stood ready for battle. The two sides stared each other down menacingly, though Nelson and Aiden were failing at that.

"1, 2, 3...charge!" Reg yelled. The three boys ran forward, launching mud, just as Iiren had predicted. However, Falworth came after her, while Reg went after Aiden. Falworth had grown to be taller than the rest of them and more heavy set, so Iiren deduced the rival team captain had sent him after her to take her out fast.

Ha, just you wait.

She ran as fast as she could to the water bucket, which was filled with rainwater. She took it to a mostly bare dirt patch and dumped most of it for more mud. She tied the end of her shirt to make a pocket and scooped as much of it as she could into the pouch.

Falworth came close, throwing mud as soon as he could gather it from the ground. Iiren got splashed a few times, then began launching from her stash, without having to stop. She ran around him, dodging his attacks and getting him thoroughly dirtied, trying to get to a good angle to win the fight.

Finally, she hit him square in the eyes.

"Ok ok! You win!" Falworth exclaimed, clapping his hands to his face.

"You did good Fal!" Iiren said as she ran off. She saw Phil was struggling with Nelson, and Aiden was facing off against Reg.

"It's payback time." Iiren whispered with a smile. She scraped up more mud and ran towards Nelson.

"Iiren!" The Captain's voice rang out. The children instantly stopped what they were doing and turned to face him. The little girl felt a sense of foreboding creeping over her. She suddenly felt cold.

"Yes Grandpa?"

"Come with me." He said, holding out his hand. Iiren dropped the mud and hurriedly wiped her hand on her shirt, so it was clean enough to be held. The Captain led her into the guard house.

"Why don't you wash up first. I have to tell you something, but I think it's best if you're clean."

"Ok..." Iiren didn't want to wait. She cleaned herself as fast as she could, setting a new record. Once finished she ran back to her grandfather.

"Tell me."

The Captain nodded and took her small hands in his big rough ones. "Your brother and mother went out yesterday for a walk.... Evening came and they had not returned. Varian sent word for help finding them, so I went with the guards on a search. The Queen and King were with us as well." He took a deep breath. Iiren's heart began to race.

"We found them. Leo was crying and unharmed, but your mother... she was very injured..."

"Oh no.... Is-is she ok?" Iiren asked anxiously. Her grandfather did not respond. "No please no..."

"I'm sorry, Iiren." The Captain said, his voice breaking. "She..."

"No! No! Don't say it!" Iiren yelled. She ripped her hands away from her grandfather and ran out the door. Past the boys still playing out in the training field.

"What's up?" Phil asked.

"Be quiet!" She replied. She didn't bother to open the latch on the gate. The little girl climbed over it and took off into the town.

She has to be ok. She's fine. Leo is fine. She is fine.

They must be wrong.

Aunt Raps could do something!

Dad could make something!

I can help!

Iiren ran up to the front door of her house and knocked as hard as she could. Eugene answered the door.

"Where is my mom?!" Iiren asked. "She's ok right? Can't Aunt Raps do something? Dad could make something right?"

"I'm afraid that's not how it works kiddo." Eugene said gently, not cocky or joking for once.

Iiren rushed past him, not even registering Leo crying in Rapunzel's arms. She did not stop trying to run when Varian held her in his arms. The little girl at long last went limp, exhausted from her struggling and intense emotions.

Her world felt like it was turned upside down.