I heaved a sigh, and looked off in the distance.
We'd left the small village of Wellspring ten days ago, leaving behind our dead, both Xyian andFirelander. We'd resumed our trek to the land of the Firelanders, the Plains of Keir's people.
Another few days ride and I would get my first glimpse of that fabled place which lay beyondthe border of the Kingdom of Xy. Another few days ride, and the great valley of Xy would openup onto the wilds of the Plains.
Another few days ride, and I'd be where I never dreamed of going.
I glanced over to where the army of the Firelanders moved past us, in their long slow march totheir homeland. Keir had left half of his force to secure Water's Fall and Xy itself, under thewatchful eye of Simus of the Hawk. He'd brought the other half with him, to return to thePlains. It was still an impressive sight as they would past us, all on horseback, an army of fiercewarriors, both men and women.
Or at least, what was left of Keir's army, after the ravages of the plague we'd suffered outsideof Wellspring. We'd left our dead, to be certain, but there were still problems, still conflicts atthe heart of the army. Conflicts as a result of an illness sweeping through the ranks of a peoplewho see illness as a curse. Conflicts as a result of the presence of a Warprize in their midst andthe changes that I represented to them. Conflicts that had been set aside for the rest of thisjourney, to be dealt with before the Council of Elders when we reached the Heart of the Plains.
We could have reached it sooner, but Keir had held the army to a snail's pace, claiming theneed to regain strength in the warriors, to hunt and replenish food supplies.
In truth, we were dawdling.
I didn't object. Keir and I had spent the last ten days together, making love at night and dealingwith problems during the day. How could I object to spending time with my beloved Warlord?
The silence behind me made me aware that I was the center of attention. I turned to face anangry Marcus, who had dismounted and was glaring at me with his one good eye. "And this wasyour idea?"
I glared at my guards, but they all found other things to look at. I faced Marcus. "It was."
"Why?"
"Because I need to learn to protect myself." I looked at Marcus and lifted my chin. "I have tobe able to protect Keir." Inside I winced even as I spoke.
"Protect Hisself?" Marcus gave me a steady look. "How so?"
I sighed, prepared for Marcus's scorn. "When we were in camp, when Iften was standing overKeir. That scared me Marcus." I gestured toward the others. "I can't be deadweight. You saidyourself that the Plains are hard. I thought I could at least learn how to—" the words camehard. "How to fight."
Marcus considered me long enough that I blushed and looked away. "I know it must seem silly
—"
"No, Warprize." Marcus looked off, down the valley, toward the Plains, and sighed. "Deathcomes in an instant, and you are learning that truth. A harsh truth, but a truth nonetheless." Heshook his head. "But you are on the wrong path."
"She wants to learn." Rafe protested. "What's the harm?"
Marcus turned to face Rafe. "Let me show you." Even as the words left his mouth, he'dlaunched himself at Anders, with no warning or sign, so fast I never really saw him move.
What I did see was Anders ward off Marcus's dagger with his own blade, which he drew withunbelievable speed. It all happened so fast, and then they stood there, Anders at guard andMarcus making no further move.
Marcus stepped back, and bowed his head to Anders, who inclined his head in return. Theweapons were sheathed, and Marcus turned back to me. "You see?"
I frowned, puzzled, and answered honestly. "No."
Marcus had a patient look on his face. "Anders had no need to think of the 'how'. He reacted.
He knows the blade, knows the movements, knows in the depths of his body and blood. Hasknown since he cut his first teeth and his thea handed him his first blade."
I blinked. First tooth? But that was—
"You think, Warprize." Marcus continued his lecture. "You think, and then you tell your bodyand that delay is fatal. Never mind the weight of the shield, never mind that you—"
"You give babies weapons?"
Marcus fixed his eye on me. "What do you mean by 'babies'?"
The language again. Just when I think I know the language of the Firelanders, something newcomes up. "Babies. Children that still crawl and soil their—" I bit my lip. "Like Meara, thebabe we found in the village."
