Teajan: Return

Chapter Four

Talixa Vycian

Naxos's chamber, Barracks, Blackrift

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"Naxos you've had your fun! Now bring me my dog!" I demanded, my voice on the midway between laughing and yelling as the paladin tickled my stomach. It was a game we had played since we were still learning our vocabulary. Naxos would take something of mine and demand a ransom of laughter for it. The only things that changed over the years was him becoming a Paladin and the size of my breasts.

The Knight looked at me with his infamous smirk, "Now milady we've been doing this for years, You can't possibly tell me that you've forgotten the rules again?" He said sarcastically.

"And what if I have?" I asked trying not to smile as that would only make me laugh.

"Well then, I suppose I would have to tell you again." He said, rolling his deep blue eyes, I had almost blinded his right one when we were young. We had been playing chase in the courtyard, I tried to hide by climbing the walls of his father's house and onto the roof, but when he got up there I scrambled and accidentally kicked up an old, forgotten arrowhead he had barely got his hand up in time but the head still tore through and stabbed just outside the corner of his eye.

"You still have the scars." I said touching and examining his hand and face. The pale scars were not well hid within his olive colored skin, although if he did not wear his hair in a band he would be able to hide the one on his face.

"Of course, you didn't think I would sell them did you?" He said grasping my hand which had found it's way to his shoulder, using his other hand he brushed the hair out of my face.

"No... Not at all." I slowly said, my pale skin blushing. We locked eyes and slowly I brought myself towards him having to stand on my toes to get our heads on the same level. As he brought his head nearer to mine I began to close my eyes and pucker my lips in anticipation.

"NAXOS!" A voice boomed down the hall, me and Naxos both jumped apart. I knew the all too familiar voice to belong to my father's bodyguard.

"It's Halost." I whispered. Fearing that he might report Naxos and me to my father if he found out.

"No shit, I think I'd know my brothers voice." He whispered sarcastically as the heavy footsteps grew closer. "Get your dog." He whispered, pointing me to where it was.

"Why?" I asked keeping my voice low, and then I remembered the whole reason I was there. I waved my hand to silence the Paladin before he could let out a clever remark. As I walked to the chest and pulled my black pup out the door swang open.

"My brother, Brenin Vycian wishes to speak with you." The bald warrior said as he walked through the door. He was a good head and a half taller than his younger brother, and about as wide. They both shared the same olive skin and blue eyes, although Halost had more scars around his than Naxos did. Halost, seven years the elder of Naxos, wore plate armor adorned with the Vycian symbol, a tree with an eye in the center. "You too Lady Talixa." He said turning towards me. Me and Naxos glanced at each other and judging from his eyes he was just as confused and worried as me.

"Why?" Naxos asked his voice going from a sarcastic time to a more serious one.

"From what I heard, he wishes to speak with his two oldest children about a summons, and why he would want to talk to you brother I know not." The bodyguard replied. "however what I do know is that we must be going for Tivaus is already there, and you two wouldn't want to be taunted." He continued.

"Then let us go on with it." I said in defeat, knowing that the later I was, the more we would all have to suffer listening to my brother and father going on about the strategies used by Adacius against the Troth or whatever else they talk about.