Fighter in Love

Chapter four- Back home

Hi, guys just wanted to thank you again for all the star pushing reading and any comments left! :)

"Now tell me because I don't fully understand the situation," Krix said as he sat in one of the chairs. The others sat down in seats situated around him at the long table. 
"While acting as an apprentice and hired sword, we will be looking and listening for the ones responsible for the death of our people. Judging by the place that the bodies were, it looked as though a battle of even numbers took place. Also, the men that were lost were formidable so a mere skirmish would not have ended in such a loss." Junta explained leaning towards Krix from across the table. " Adrian has also agreed that five hundred gold coins would be enough for all expenses." He said as he motioned to Adrian, sitting next to him.
"While out there, I will also be learning about trade and how to speak to people which will be beneficial for honing my skills and expanding my knowledge," Toril added as she leaned back in her chair to the left of Krix who had nodded in response.
"And when you find them?" Krix asked looking at both of them.
"We kill them." Junta and Toril answered simultaneously. This response made Krix smile but Adrian, frown.
"Isn't that a bit drastic?" Adrian asked causing them all to look at him oddly.
"Killing them is decent enough," Krix responded plainly.
"They should be happy that they are not to be ripped to pieces in battle," Junta added with a nod.
"A life for a life." Toril agreed with a nod.

"I suppose so...but it must be in a way that no one suspects murder. It will ruin not just my life but yours as well." Adrian sighed giving in to their ways. His thoughts were spinning around with different ways to look at how these people were. They were warriors yes, so they lived by a code of sorts. At the same time, one of them is, in a way, a lady. And should not be involved in such affairs as searching for her husband's murders. But as he was quickly finding out as time went by, Toril was every bit a warrior like the others. Lastly, he knew that they felt strongly about this so it would be best to stay out of their way at times. Although, he could try and change their minds should the situation get too dire, by simply talking them out of it?

"Then it's settled."Krix smiled, turning to Toril. "Now that is done, would you like to dance with your old man? I have missed our time together very much."
"Dance?" Adrian asked looking back and forth between him and Junta.
"Really? But mother would disapprove. " Toril said standing up.
"I will allow it this one time, Toril." Everyone looked towards the voice by the door. Her mother stood proudly and smiled at her."Well, what are you waiting for?"
Toril and her father went outside where they picked up swords and faced one another. Those that saw either stayed to watch in a growing circle or went to tell others of the spar.
"Wait I thought that they were going to dance," Adrian said looking to Toril's mother for an explanation.
"A dance with swords, merchant." The woman explained as she watched her daughter start to raise her blade.
"Ready father? I won't go easy on you." Toril began to circle with Krix.
"Oh really? Could it be that you have been practicing at night again?" Krix grinned holding his blade towards the ground.
"Perhaps," Toril answered happily.
Junta and Adrian stood side by side watching the spar but with very different faces. Junta was smiling and Adrian was horrified. The young merchant's thoughts centered around the fact that she was a woman and so small compared to her father, who was bigger even than Junta. There was no way she could win this fight let alone manage to walk away from it. He had watched the fight between her and Junta but her father looked even fiercer than the younger man.

The two seemed to move as one before Krix swung his sword up and Toril swung hers down. A loud crashing sound rang in the air before the two began to turn and swing the swords in a rhythmic pattern of fighting. Toril would turn around, moving her feet in a way that she was able to stop her father's blade coming at her from the side. Then with a swift move, she thrust her sword for his gut just to have it parried away by his own blade. The people around them watched with smiles and cheers for every strike.
"She is the only one that can match him in combat, do not look so afraid." Toril's mother told Adrian while placing a hand on his shoulder to calm his tense body. "Watch closely, merchant. See how every time one strikes, the other blocks and strikes back only to have that be blocked as well?"
Adrian listened to her and watched the spar more closely, realizing that the woman was right. Every time that a sword cut through the air it hit nothing or the other sword. Not once did either Krix or Toril get hurt. As he figured that out, the two sparring were beginning to slow down. Krix lowered himself to the ground as he swung for Toril's calf, but missed when she jumped over it and swung her own sword down towards his head. Quickly he held up his sword horizontally to block the blow and push her away. Toril took the blow and flipped backward in the air before landing and readying herself for another blow. Both Toril and Krix ran towards one another to meet in the center blade to blade. After holding their ground for a minute or two, they decided on a draw and backed up, lowering their swords.
"Good fight father." Toril smiled as she caught her breath.
"You too my daughter." Krix agreed while catching his breath.
As they grabbed each other's forearm to show a sign of a good fight, those that were watching came up and patted their backs, congratulating them.