Chapter 3
Bridget led me to the end of the corridor where two large armchairs sat. Sitting in the one with its back facing us, was Brian. I walked around the armchair and sat in the one facing him. Brian looked me up and down and smiled. Turning to Bridget he said 'Wow good job.'
'Why do I have to wear a dress and you don't?' I asked teasingly. Brian was wearing a dark pair of breaches, a tunic and had a sword at his hip. His face was now stubble free and clean.
'You already stand out with your hair, wear a pants and people will start to talk.'
I looked at him serious now 'People are already talking.'
He looked at Bridget questioningly.
'Well' she cleared her throat. 'Some people are saying she will save us, and others are saying she is a demon.'
Deep frown lines creased his forehead. 'And how do we get people to just accept her?'
She was silent for a while thinking about our options. 'If she wore dresses like all the other girls, and acted ladylike she would satisfy the people who disapprove of her, and if she turned up at the training to watch, then she would keep the others happy.'
I scowled at the thought of wearing a dress all the time and of having to watch people train. Brian thanked Bridget and got up to leave, indicating for me to come with him. Half way down the hall we heard a loud scream and heavy clanging, when we rounded the corner we saw a small man dressed all in black standing before three other men, a forth lying dead on the ground, his throat slit.
With a grunt one of the men lunged at the small man. The small man stepped to the side around the attackers arms and so fast that I almost missed it stabbed the attacker in the ribs twice. With another grunt the man fell to the ground. The small man smiled a nasty smile that made my stomach turn. Without taking his eyes off us he swung his hand in an impossible angle and caught the third man across the side of his neck. Blood spurted out of his neck. The small man them flicked the blade into the chest of the fourth man. All without taking his eyes off mine.
He then turned to Brian, his smile stretching wider. He started to edge towards us tutting. 'Tut tut, silly little girl in a dress, should know better in this mess.'
I stood there frozen. He was right of course I shouldn't be in a dress, and I didn't even have my knife. However, beside me Brian pulled out his sword. The small man smiled again. 'Sillier little boy thinking he can win a lost battle. No, no should show him better.' his hand holding the knife went to his leg in a swift motion cleaning the dark, red knife.
My legs felt like led, standing there watching the man creep closer and closer to Brian. I knew I should do something but I felt powerless. Then the man was close enough to Brian he took a swipe at him. Even as Brian took a jump back I could see the knife slice through the front of his tunic and skin. And that was all it took.
Anger swelled up in me. Anger that the wars had started, angry that the nasty man had gotten past and killed all the guards, angry that when I had just found my friends and a piece of normality, this small evil man could take it all away effortlessly. But this time my anger felt different, it was red hot, I could feel it burning my skin.
The small man stopped and looked at me with a mixture of interest and fear. 'well, well they said special, but they never said this special.' I barley heard him I was concentrating so hard on keeping myself together. It was an anger so hot that I felt if I did not control myself I would break something. why am I burning?
But I became tired of holding myself together, I started to slip, so I just let go. And everything turned white and then black.
When I woke up I all I could see was white again. Different shades of white. And a bright light. I pulled the light away from my face. Seconds later I got it free an threw it to the floor with a crash. Kevin and Brian burst through the door with two women. Blood was splattered on their dresses.
