Steel Wolf

Camping Out

Mynletta Darkbow glared in the direction of the gate, the two dead local guards smoldering at her feet. She flicked her finger, smiling with satisfaction as the gate blew apart and her demonic imp minions hopped and skittered through the opening, fighting each other to be the first to please their mistress.

Constantly moving red hair framed her formerly beautiful angular face, giving her the appearance of a walking torch. A mass of jagged scars ran down her left cheek, disappearing into the collar of her dress, the remnants of a fight with the one she sought. She casually sauntered through the gate, more imps, and many other foul demons pouring through behind her. They all sought a small red scrap of leather in the fading sunlight.

-o0o-

Chuckling among those gathered around the fire.

"And then...and then...Tanaya the Bad Ass spit out a horse turd!" Scualdon could barely speak through the fits of laughter as he told the punchline.

The group roared with laughter, Tanaya being one of the loudest.

"But," she said, eyes tearing with humor "don't you dare leave out the part where you carried your own hand back...it was still twitching!" She grasped her wrist and waggled her fingers in show.

More laughter as the stories and tales of past battles and adventures went on. The princess sat silently through it all next to Tanaya, clearly out of her element. She drew her wrap more tightly around herself, inching closer to the tall woman to absorb some of her body heat. How this bunch could stand this cold, wearing nothing but short sleeves and linen pants, was beyond her. She was freezing! Staring at the fire, Serenna reached to take Tanaya's arm and place it around her shoulders, huddling close to the warrioress. Conversation ceased instantly, though it took several seconds for the silence to register on her. She looked up to see every face in the group turned toward her. She glanced to her right, directly into those lovely pools of blue, the face holding them passive.

"Ummm," said Tanaya. "Highness? It is forbidden for a mere guard to touch the personage of royalty, is it not?"

"I'm cold," Serenna replied, continuing, "and besides, I initiated the contact. You are to keep me safe and comfortable. My father ordered that I make the rules for the Royal Guard. I alter them as I see fit."

"Yes, Highness," said Tanaya in response to what sounded like an order. "May I suggest that her highness adjourn to her tent for the night? We have angled a fire to provide heat into it. There are several blankets, also."

Serenna seized the opening.

"I'll still be cold. You'll sleep in my tent this night and provide the extra heat."

Snickers around the campfire were quickly silenced by Tanaya's glare at the group.

"Of course, Highness," she said, rising and offering a hand to the princess to help her up. As they moved away, her arm draped around the tiny woman's shoulders, Tanaya's ears caught the snickers behind them. She surreptitiously bent her free arm behind her back and flashed her middle finger at them. The ensuing laughter echoed around the clearing.

They stopped at Tanaya's tent so the commander could retrieve her armor and place it in front of the princess' tent, slightly to one side. This marked where she would be sleeping in case one of the officers needed her. The princess stopped and gaped at the tiny two-man tent, a small fire with a backing directed the blaze at it. At its apex, the tent only came up to her sternum. She looked up at Tanaya.

"Unacceptable! Totally unacceptable! In order to enter it, I'll have to crawl on my hands and knees like a...a..."

"...guard?" Tanaya finished for her.