Araman

~ 21 ~

   The following morning, Raliena dressed quickly in the clothes that had been left in the tent for her and washed herself in the warm water basin on the floor.

She had decided to return to the camp with Lozni after their talk. She needed to know about her powers and if anything, the Lagania were providing a way to stop a man she knew little about.

"I will help you stop Dergen." She had announced when she stepped back into the tent. They were all still there, hunched over the table discussing something. "I will learn what Armon Lozni has to teach me, then I will decide if it is necessary for me to pledge myself."

There had been mixed feelings to this in their expressions. Yaline looked pleased. Jaya looked nervous and kept glancing at Zinib, who still had his arms crossed in front of him.

"It should not be your decision." Zinib had said finally, clearly unhappy with the announcement.

"But it is." Raliena snapped back.

"She must go willingly." Lozni added, trying to relieve the situation. "You know this, Zinib."

"Very well," Zinib said, and had strolled out of the tent. He was beginning to sound like Dergen.

After Zinib left, Jaya embraced Raliena warmly and Yaline shook her hand in friendship.

"We are pleased to hear it." Jaya said, grinning. "And we will celebrate the way of Lagania. It will be expected when we announce you will help us."

Raliena tried to protest, she had had enough of celebrations and could find nothing joyous in everything she had learnt recently, but Jaya was very insistent and Lozni explained that the Lagania had been travelling a very long time to get here and needed some cheer.

She was glad that they did not expect her to wear anything too formal. The only adornment on the clothes they left for her to wear was a black belt, with smooth clear crystals in the leather, to hang the sword they had given her. The sword was just as beautiful as the belt, the grip was bound with white leather and the strong cross-guard looked like crystal that refracted the light around it.

It felt good to be able to have a sword on her at all times. Raliena was not permitted to wear one around the castle in Verxia. The King did not see it necessary or fitting for an Araman to have one, let alone a woman.

She stepped out into the early morning and tugged the white furry collar of her brown jacket closer to her. The thick white shirt kept most of the chill out and she felt comfortable in the white breaches bound together at her sides. Her fur lined boots made it easy to walk between the tents to reach the clearing where she had first found herself surrounded by these unfamiliar people.

They bowed to her as she passed and she smiled and nodded back politely. Everyone was up and cooking or setting up for the celebration that was due to start imminently.

When Raliena reached the clearing she saw two men struggling to lift a wooden structure vertically into the air so she quickly ran to lend a hand. None of them looked up to protest as they wrestled with the heavy wood, then Raliena joined to give it one final push and it found its feet. The men looked up then and saw who had jumped in to help and each face turned to expressions of shock. Even Raliena had been surprised at the ease of which she had lifted it. She was strong but had never before surpassed the strength of a well built man, only matched it.

"Thank you, Lady Armon." One of the men murmured and bowed, still in confusion at how such a small figure had managed it.

"My pleasure." Raliena replied, smiling. She glanced up and saw Zinib watching her from across the clearing, his arms across his chest and a thoughtful expression on his face.