The Journey (EvaRose & Rage)

The Imperial City. It was exactly how he remembered it. It was huge, it was grand, and it felt like everything revolved around it. The walls were huge and white, spanning miles and miles. The streets and roads were made from white stone, and every house and every structure glimmered brightly in the midday sun. Every district, like the market district and the housing district, were marked by massive flags that cut high into the sky. The people crowded the streets and alleys, making the city glow even more with their radiant smiles and cheerful laughs. It was exactly how he remembered it, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Sir Haine smiled, passing through the gatehouse upon his trusty, white stallion. He wore his signature golden armor that shimmered with strange glowing white runes etched into its surface. Anybody from the Imperial City would recognize it- it was the unique armored bestowed upon the few knights that the king believed had the highest honor. He wore a red cape that hung down from his pauldrons, a hefty sword at his hip.

At a glance, he was a surprise to see. He wasn't old or middle-aged by any means, but his hair was a gallant silver. His eyes were an icy blue, and three single scars ran down his left eye. Other than that, his face looked gentle, his smile genuine. With his golden gauntlets grabbing hold of the reins, his horse trotted forth into the heart of the city, towards the tall castle that looked as if it pierced the heavens themselves.

On his way to the castle, he received numerous greetings and smiles which he happily returned. As much as he enjoyed the rush of battle, he did love peace every once in a while. He had been too long since he had been back in civilization, and he was going to make the best of it. Even if he was called here by strict orders from the king, there were a few others things he would have to take care of as well.

It took quite a few minutes of riding before he finally came to the castle gates. The guards acknowledged him and quickly opened the massive metal structure, greeting him with open arms. Haine smiled and slipped off of his horse when one of the troops offered to take his steed to the stable.

"Thanks," Haine nodded, "I'm here on business of the king. Where can I find him?" He asked, his voice a strange combination of roughness and friendliness.

"He's waiting inside." One of the troops answered, "I heard that there were others coming, and he requested that you wait in the main hall."

"Right." Haine nodded, "I'll be on my way." The troops all saluted with every step he took to the giant castle doors. With barely any effort he shoved them open, revealing the intricate designs and beautiful architecture that waited within. Haine made his way inside, waving to blushing maids and respectful soldiers. The main hall was a long room with massive columns beaming up to the ceiling on the left and right. And at the very end sat the throne, which was currently empty.

"I have to wait, huh?" Haine shrugged, crossing his arms and resting his back against the column. "Who else did the king send for?"

She could feel them looking at her, knew that there disapproving glances were directed at her, but it still didn't bother her. Let them move away while she walked down the street, let them women look at her in scorn because she showed off more skin than they were taught to. She hated their little white city, with walls that shielded every person inside for the horrors and truths of the outside world. They were too sheltered for their own good really. Knowing nothing but comfort was a bad thing for people, it made them weak and unprepared for the worse.

In all truth, she didn't care what they thought. It was the children that she cared about. She liked the way that they stared at the ebony hilt of her sword, which happened to have a emerald embedded in the end of it. The sheath was fashioned the same way, black with green swirls moving about it. Her clothes were what set her apart from others, especially the women. Her skirt covered half of her thighs, looking a bit torn on the edge of it. The upper half of it covered her chest at least, though her belly and lower back was bare to the world. She wore a pair of black boots, which looked exceptional with the rest of her clothes.

Jyade was her name, and it matched her green eyes. They stuck out from under her black hair, which ran down to the back of her waist, and the light brown skin. The thing that really made her stick out though was the little cat sized gryphon in her arms. It was still a baby, and would grow a lot during the next few months, until it was so big that a grown man could ride it. It was still big enough to eat a whole fish though, much to her displeasure. She didn't have enough money to buy a fish each day, which meant that she had to catch one instead.

She looked up at the tall castle as she neared it, hearing the soft chirps of the gryphon as it looked at the pieces of meat hanging inside a butcher's store. It was still hungry, since it didn't have its daily fish. Children were the only people who came near her, only those who didn't have a parent nearby coming close enough to look into Hunin's black eyes. Gryphons were smart and easily tamed creatures, the little one in her arms being no exception. It knew only to snap at those who attacked her, or that she told him to attack. The little children reached up every now and again, making her stop and bend down so they could touch it with their little fingers. She stood at an average height for a woman, no taller than 5' 5".

She had the shoo some children away as she stepped up to the castle, watching them laugh and run away happily. They were the only innocent things in the world, even some of the creatures were corrupted. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she stepped up to a guard, moving one hand from under the gryphon to take a folded piece of paper from her bosom, holding her hand out then for the man. "I have an invitation to see the king," she said loudly, knowing how knights seemed to despise her.

The man looked at the piece of paper and gave a light sigh that sounded more like a hiss to her. He opened the gates though and she stepped inside, much to everyone else's displeasure. She felt like taking her knives out and throwing them at the knights who stood before the castle doors, not wanting to see them at all. They didn't want to see her either, knowing very well what she was and what she did. She pushed open the large doors of the castle, looking in at the intricate design of the building. "Be nice and quiet Hunin, nobody wants to hear a chirping gryphon," she said softly, lifting the creature up as she spoke to it.

She made her way down main hall, looking up to see the knight who was leaning against one of the columns. Well, he was dressed like a knight anyway. Jyade moved to the other side of the room, not wanting to be anywhere near the armored man.

(I'm using my tablet right now, so there might be some spelling errors I didn't catch.)

(It's fine haha. You did a great job!)

The sound of her black boots on the shimmering floor is what caught Haine's immediate attention. When he turned his head to focus his gaze on her, the surprise nearly dropped his jaw. What she was wearing, what she looked like, the little gryphon in her arms... it was nearly overwhelming. To him, the sword on her hip looked wrong on her, and the lack of clothes or armor made him fluster a bit. Now, he definitely was no novice when it came to women, but to see such a... beautiful woman wearing what looked like rags over her body was NOT his idea of a fair maiden.

"Dear god, woman!" He stated, not afraid to speak his mind. "Have you no shame?! Wearing such revealing clothes... why, you look like you work in one of those taverns in the poor district!" Unlike the others, he wasn't afraid to speak out his mind and say what he believes is right. And he wasn't just going to ignore her looking like that!

"If you want, I don't mind lending you my cape." He stated, "I mean... you look like you can catch a cold like that." Despite the sword and the dangerous aura that she gave off, he couldn't help but still see her as a woman. It was the way he was brought up, the way he was taught, and the way he saw most women that made him do so.

"No need." A powerful, proud voice called out in the throne room. "She is not so weak as to get something like a cold." The king seemed to appear out of nowhere, his fancy shoes clacking against the ground. Haine blinked and immediately knelt to the ground, bowing his head to the king. The King took his seat on the throne, looking over at both Haine and Jyade with his every watchful, wise old eyes. Haine knew the old man well... he was definitely planning something.

Hunin looked over at the man as he spoke, while she chose to look down at the beast and stroke his feathered head. Though it looked like she was ignoring him, she was doing quite the opposite, thinking of some sharp remarks and choice words to send his way. To think, he was scolding her because she dressed like those women who worked in certain taverns do. The things that came out of the mouths of men. The women who worked and dressed like her were doing nothing more than trying to earn some gold. Maybe they were trying to feed their family, like she was trying to feed her gryphon. Men couldn't understand it, though they would stare freely at the bosom of such women.

It seemed that the little gryphon understood how its master felt, for the feathers along its neck started to rise up, the tip of its tail flicking back and forth. Jyade turned to look at the man, just before the king appeared, opening her mouth to speak only to be cut off by the old man himself. A soft hiss escaped her, but that was it. She angered an employer once, and would only make that mistake once. While the man knelt down she bent down, not really caring if she gave anyone who dared to look a glimpse of what her skirt was supposed to cover, and placed her gryphon on the floor. "Bow for the nice man, Hunin," she said softly.

The gryphon looked up at her, chirping softly before looking at the king. It bent its head down, bowing slightly to the man as she did. As she bent down, her hair fell forward slightly to reveal the pointed tips of her ears. She was part elf, mostly human but there was still enough elf blood in her to make the tip pointed. "I came at your request, your majesty," she said as she stood back up. Her lips were curved slightly into a smile, showing her obvious amusement.

She was ready to at least show the king respect, since he could have her executed on the spot if he wished. But, this man didn't seem like a bad king. At least, he seemed to old to really intimidate her. "Mercenaries aren't usually requested by the king himself. It does look like your knights are lacking a bit though, so I can see why you've requested one." She couldn't help but glance over at the knight as she spoke, talking about him more than anyone else.

Haine blinked, shooting an icy glare at the woman. "Your majesty, why did you bring such a harlot into the castle? I don't wish for the castle to become dirty with her presence, but it already seems far too late. He made sure to cast a scowl at the Gryphon as well, not being a big fan of those particular creatures. He certainly didn't have a bright history with him, and a few aching scars on his body reminded him.

The king couldn't help but laugh, his deep baritone nearly shaking the columns. "I bet this does appear strange," he smiled, "bringing in a skilled mercenary from a far-away land and summoning my finest knight at the same time... but believe me when I say that I have purpose." Haine stood up from his kneel, standing tall above the mercenary and even the king himself. Haine turned, focusing his attention onto his majesty.

"After much planning and consideration, I have decided that you two are the best at what you do," the king nodded, "Haine, you are my most loyal knight. You have done things that people have thought are impossible... and Jyade, you are cunning and strong, and I hear you're quite an adversary in combat. This has yet to be released to the public, but..." The king sighed, closing his eyes. "My daughter... she has been kidnapped."

"I see..." Haine's fist clenched, "those bastards... do you have any idea who they are?"

"I do," the king nodded, "however, they exist in a land far away. A land that neither you nor I have ever traveled. Jyade, it's your homeland." The king glanced over at her, his face serious.

Jyade couldn't help but stiffen a bit as she listened to the knight, grinding her teeth together and preparing a few words to shout at him later. She couldn't stand this man. If he hadn't been requested just like her, then she already would've had her sword out and challenged him. Hunin looked the knight and gave a light chirp before looking up at its master, looking for any sign of praise. He received a small smile, which seemed to be enough to make the little creature chirp happily and start parading around her legs.

She tore herself from her thoughts to listen to the king again, looking over at him as she did so. She caught a glimpse of the knight when he stood, knowing very well that she'd have to think again about just challenging him. After all, height was an advantage. While she listened to the king, the woman bent down to pick up the young gryphon, and turned him over so that he laid with his back on her arm again as she stood up. She heard the comments the king made about them, though her thoughts were on more... materialistic things. At least, they were until she heard what he said next.

Visibly stiffening, her mind seemed to go elsewhere. It was rare for her to do that, to retreat so far back that, even if her gryphon bit her, she wouldn't utter a single syllable. She almost knew what was coming as she blinked her eyes, returning to reality just in time to here what the man said about THAT place. That accursed place she escaped from so long ago. And now he wanted her to return there and get back his daughter. "You're funny," she said softly. She was glaring at the king, and openly at that.

A soft chirp from the gryphon in her arms reminded her why she was there, and what she needed. Turning away for a moment, just enough so that she couldn't see either man out of the corner of her eyes, the woman started to think. This was something big, and she did need the gold. "I'm sure you know that I do nothing for free, and I do have a growing gryphon to feed. I'm sure a man of you stature will be able to pay me handsomely though. Correct?" She turned back to look at the king, not really thinking about the knight. And why should she? This was, hopefully, the last time she'd see this "Haine" person.

"You greedy, blood-sucking elf," Haine growled, "the king's daughter is barely eight years old! To be stolen away to a land where you elvish folk come from is like going into hell itself. Can't you imagine how terrified she is?!" Haine nearly spat in disgust, turning his focus back onto his king. "Just say the word, your majesty. I'll be after her in a heartbeat, and I'll bring her back in one piece. I promise you that much, milord."

"I believe you, sir Haine." The king smiled, nodding his thanks. "But you cannot do this alone, and neither can she. The ones who hold her are powerful, malicious, and will not hesitate to kill you, her, or my daughter. That is why you both will be going on this journey together." Haine blinked for a moment, an awkward silence filling the large empty space in the throne room.

"What?!" Haine protested, jabbing a finger at Jyade. "You're saying I have to travel there with... with this demon?!" He glared hard at both her and the gryphon, his hand shaking in his sudden rage. She had been nothing but destable when she arrived, and now he was being told personally from the king that he had to go on a long, perilous journey... with her??

"That's right." The king nodded, "so the both of you need to put your differences aside quickly. There's not much time, and I want my little girl back as fast as possible."

She was stunned into silence. "This man calls me a harlot and says I have no shame and yet and still you want me to just forget that when you say so?!" She couldn't keep quiet any longer. She didn't care if this was the king that she was talking to. "I can't believe you want me to go about traveling with this arrogant fool of a man! I'd rather travel with orcs!"

Saying that was a sin in itself. Orcs weren't just something you traveled with, they were something you had to tolerate. It wasn't hard to know when one was around, they smelled so bad and walked so noisily that most could be heard half a mile away. Some, unfortunately, were smart enough to wash up and walk quickly when trying to look for fresh meat. Those were the most dangerous ones, of course, because that meant that they at least had a brain to go along with all that muscle. In her mind though, this knight, was no better than a orc.

"I would work better alone, your majesty," she continued, sounding calm at least. "I understand that you want your daughter back as soon as possible, but having the two of us go on a journey together... that's just not going to work. Anyway, I do need to get paid because some of us," she glanced over at Haine, "understand that you can't live off of good deeds alone." She looked away from Haine, starting to scratch the top of Hunin's head lightly. The little creature was looking at each person as they spoke, looking rather confused.

"I should have known you have no heart for children," Haine growled, "you're just a heartless beast like those orcs you just related me to." He turned back towards king. "I'm sorry my liege, but I absolutely refuse to work with this swine!" The king sighed, raising his hand to rub at his temples. This was going to be much, much difficult than he thought. Getting these two to work together seemed like mixing oil and water... but there was no other way.

"No." The King clenched his fist, his sudden change in tone coming off as startling. "Haine, I am ordering you journey with her to find my daughter. Jyade, I understand you work alone... but this is NOT something you can do alone. Believe it or not, Haine will be an incredible partner, but you two have to work together!" The king took a deep breath, calming himself down. Being as old as he was, he didn't wish to overdo it with stress.

"Look, I'll pay you triple if you journey with him." The king stated, taking a bag of coins out from his coat and tossing it to her feet. "This is a third of what you will get when you succeed." The bag made an incredibly loud noise from the amount of coins it held, echoing sharply in the void of the throne room.

Haine growled before bowing his head in defeat. "Yes, your majesty..." He grumbled, his voice leaking of disdain. "Whatever you say, sire."

The king smiled. "Good! Then it is decided!"

Jyade jumped back slightly when the bag of coins landed at her feet, definitely not having expected one that big. That was more than she was usually paid, in that entire bag itself. Still though, traveling with this man wasn't something she wanted to do. This man was insulting her as much as he possibly could, at least so it seemed. She couldn't stand this man.

She looked down at the bag and bent down to pick up. "Okay, your majesty, I'll do my best to help this... knight retrieve your daughter." She hummed softly as she opened the bag slightly, looking down at the coins inside. she was pleased with the sight, especially since she need some coin for the journey. This meant that she could feed her little gryphon well during the trip. "Thank you."

Jyade looked down at Hunin and scratched the back of the gryphon's head softly. She couldn't believe that she was going back to her homeland. She held the bag carefully as she turned away, starting to walk down the hall to the front door.

"Wait!" The king halted, "One last thing. To get to our border, I want you two to travel with a small caravan out into the forests. There have been a hefty amount of bandit raids, leaving many innocent deaths in their wake. But with you two there, I bet you could save a lot of lives." The king smiled, lifting his hand and giving it a "shooing" motion. "It leaves shortly, so you two better head out soon."

"Right, my king." Haine bowed again, "whatever you say..." He stood up and spun on his heel, his armor even glimmering in the dim light. He caught sight of Jyade and growled, refusing to look at the woman. He stomped by her, angrily shoving open the throne room doors and finally letting in some powerful sunlight. "Great..." Haine sighed, shaking his head. "I have to rescue a princess with a demonic harlot..." The guard who had taken away his horse immediately returned, and Haine wasted no time getting onto the saddle.

He turned, facing Jyade once more. "The caravan leaves at the east gate in little less than an hour," Haine frowned, "I have a few things to do. I'd hate to say it, but I'll meet you there." With a flick of the reins his horse took off, barreling down the streets. He had much to do, but little time to work with.

She still wanted to kill him. She glanced at the back of the knights head as he rode away on his horse, just picturing what it would be like to draw her sword and slice his head off. That was all she could do for now, unfortunately, was picture herself harming the man. A soft chirp escaped Hunin as the hungry gryphon looked up at her, cocking its head slightly to the side in a show of confusion. This creature meant a lot to her. It meant about as much to her as the princess meant to her father.

A soft sigh escaped Jyade's lips as she turned away and started to walk in the direction she came from. She looked around as she walked down the street, looking until she spotted the butcher's shop. She went inside and looked around until she spotted some fish. The butcher was looking at her with as much disdain as the women and men outside did. They all hated her, and she hated them just as much.

"I would like to buy one fish," she said as she dropped the bag of coins onto the counter.

He looked at the bag, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Where did you steal all this gold from?"

She glared openly at him then pointed to where the fish were hung. "I got it for doing a job. Now, are you going to let me buy that fish or not?" They just seemed to glare at each other for a minute, Hunin looking from one to another. The man finally moved away to pick up a fish. "You don't have to wrap it up," she said softly.

The man nodded and walked back over to her. "That would be five coins."

She took the coins out of the bag and handed them to the man, taking the fish from him. It was a nice, big piece of fish. Hunin looked at the fish, tilting his head back in preparation. She brought the fish to its beak and the gryphon quickly swallowed it. Once that was done she picked up the bag of coins and hurried out of the butcher's shop. She started to make her way to the east gate, soon reaching it.

Haine spun the longsword in his hand, testing its balance and its weight in front of the blacksmith. He was in need of a new blade, and this once suited his taste. He swung the two-handed sword in his one hand like it was a stick, his massive strength able to control it completely. He grinned, slamming it back down in the scabbard on his back that was hidden beneath his cape. It was too long to be at his hip anyway.

"This is a good blade, Godfrey." Haine said to the blacksmith, tossing him a hefty bag of coins. "I'll definitely need it for the journey ahead." Haine turned around, reaching for the door to leave the blacksmith shop.

"One second!" Godfrey called. The bald, middle-aged blacksmith disappeared in the backroom before walking up with two twin shimmering daggers with delicate design. Magical runes were inscribed on their hilts, their shining blades concealed by their sheathes. "Here, I want you to have these." Godfrey smiled, setting them down into Haine's hands.

"But," Haine blinked, "these are enchanted! I can't just take these!"

"It's on the house, Haine." Godfrey waved, "you've done a lot for my family and this city, so think of them as a gift." Haine gave his good friend a worthy thanks and headed off, leaving the shop with a bright smile.

It wasn't long before Haine was back on his horse, trotting to the East Gate. The caravan up ahead was already organized, with three large wagons stocked up on food, resources, and merchandise. There were about a dozen guards on horseback awaiting for the wagons to get moving. Haine spotted Jyade and frowned, trotting up to her with his horse.

"Do you not have a steed?" He asked, coming up beside her. He felt dirty just looking at her with her lack of clothes. He was sure that they fought trolls with more manners than her. He scowled at the gryphon, the little creature making his scars throb slightly. "And must you bring along that beast?" He growled, "it will only get in the way."

"Beast?" Jyade blinked a few times as she looked up at Haine, actually looking confused. There was a smile playing at her lips though, a smart remark already having formed in her head. "You mean the one before me? It turns out that I must since the king ordered me to do so. The stupid thing can't stop opening its mouth and uttering unintelligent words. Isn't that right Hunin?" The little gryphon looked up at her sleepily and chirped softly. Since he just ate, the gryphon was getting ready to fall asleep in her arms. She held it closely to her, letting it feel the comfort that its mother was supposed to be giving it. The only reason she had it was because she found the thing starving in its nest, motherless and helpless.

"And of course I don't have a steed, you stupid human!" She snapped, finally letting out all her frustrations. She couldn't stand this stupid man who dared to judge her just by looking at her. "If you know nothing of elves then do not talk about them. I require no steed as you weak humans do, I can run just as fast and even longer than a horse, without leaving a single track."

She glared at the knight then turned away, walking a little ways away from him. She meant to put some of the coins away earlier, as she sometimes hid things in her boots. Small bags of gold wasn't the only thing she hid on her person, of course. Licking her lips, the woman moved a little ways from the caravan and towards the forest, looking around as she stepped lightly. The boots were heavy, yet she still didn't make a sound with a single step. She hated noise, and so she tried her best not to make any. Once something caught her eye she bent down, laying Hunin on the ground along with the bag.

She stepped to a tree, reaching up to taking a quiver full of arrows and a bow from one of the branches. Like all of her things, they were constructed of ebony, made by some of the creatures these humans scorned. Fairies, they could be a pain sometime, but their craftsmanship, in her opinion, was unmatched. Strapping the bow and quiver around her back, the woman started to think about where they were going. They said that once one enters that place they can never really escape it. But she did, and maybe she could again with the little princess in tow, and the knight "conveniently" taken care of.

She walked back to the gryphon, looking down at the creature for a moment before sitting down on the ground beside it. She made quick work of it, taking off her boots then taking a few empty bags from inside. She poured some of the coin into different bags, four in all, dividing it out evenly before stuffing the larger, now empty, bag into the boots. With as much gold as she had, she was starting to regret not purchasing a new pair of boots. She sat up slightly, tying the strings around the backs onto her quiver before standing up. "It's too much coin," she muttered under her breath as she picked up Hunin. Never did she think she would utter those words. But, now, she was starting to regret taking so much gold before she was done with the job. How much could she possibly spend? Unless, that is, the soft knight couldn't stand a week without sleeping in a bed. The thought made her smile a bit as she strolled back to the caravan, sure that Haine made sure everyone else was prepared by now. He was the "amazing" knight after all.

Haine just scoffed and ignored her, figuring that any hopes of conversation would be futile. He couldn't understand her, dressing like one of the working girls in a tavern... if she was a mercenary, she was ill-prepared! She was most likely a backstabber, one without shame or respect. Doing anything to get money... what a disgusting way of life. Haine shook his head, decided not to think about it at the moment. Any more, and he might lop off her head himself.

His horse trotted around the caravan, making sure everything was prepared. He spoke with the merchants and guards happily, even knowing some from his previous visits to the city from way back. There was a friendly around going around, and he knew that he was going to have to do everything he could to protect these people... especially since that harlot of a mercenary was going to be more of a burden.

"We're off!" The lead wagon called, the East Gate opening wide. Outside the gate lay what looked like an endless see of grasslands, the forest darkening the horizon. They'd mostly likely be there by the end of the day, and the bandits would really only attack at night. Haine adjusted the sword on his back and followed the caravan from behind, his eyes constantly glancing from left to right for any sign of trouble.

But he made sure to also keep an eye on Jyade.

Jyade sighed softly when she heard the call from the lead wagon, moving to the side so she didn't have to look at Haine. Hunin slept in her arms as she started to walk beside the caravan, scratching the back of the gryphon's head softly every now and again. The little thing always seemed to be calm in her arms, which wasn't strange given what she was. Elves just had a thing for animals it seemed, though those bloodthirsty predators still presented a problem. They were as much a problem for elves as they were for humans.

She thought about what had been said earlier, thinking about the poor little girl that was taken to her homeland. Even though she didn't show it, she felt sorry for the girl. She knew what it was like, to be a child in a world like that. The world the elves lived in used to be a wonderful place, until other creatures came and started to take over the place anyway. Now, it was more like a place humans and the like went to to be killed. She just hoped that they could get to her in time, before anything serious happened and she was killed.

She looked forward, in the direction of the grasslands and forest. She hated being in the grasslands, given that they could be seen easily. Hopefully though, they would be through the grasslands by night.

Haine stayed back, watching the caravan make its way through the clearing. Sure, it was a tad boring, but he wouldn't let it get to him. Although they were all on horseback, Jyade seemed to be doing fine, although it wasn't like they were galloping away or anything. Haine signed, cracking his knuckles that hidden underneath his armored gauntlets. Thoughts of the princess sprang to mind, and his heart was filled with worry and doubt. He had known the princesses ever since she was a baby, and for her to be kidnapped... it was unthinkable.

Hours passed by and the sun was finally teetering on the edge of the horizon. The caravan made it to the entrance of the forest but stopped. deciding to camp for the night. They didn't want to go through the forest in the pitch black darkness. Haine tethered his horse to a tree and turned, keeping a close eye of the people and their wagons. They were already setting up small campfires.

He saw Jyade and grumbled, crossing his arms. He didn't care if she was an elf or whatever... he doesn't trust her to be nightwatch, so mostly likely they'd both be up on the lookout for any beasts or bandits that would invade the camp. Sighing he ran his hand over the three scars that were slashed over his left eye, frowning in disdain.

Jyade sighed softly as the caravan stopped. She was ready to walk the entire night if need be, but Hunin was starting to move in her arms, obviously eager to get down and run around. The only reason she didn't let him down earlier was that she didn't want him to stray too close to a wagon and hurt himself. That, and the knight seemed to have a thing against the little gryphon. "Stop moving Hunin, or else I won't let you down." He seemed to understand because he stopped moving, just looking at her with slowly blinking eyes. She never would've thought a gryphon could be cute, not until she saw this one. The elf bent down to place him on the ground, reminding herself to kill the knight if Hunin suddenly went "missing."

As soon as he touched the ground Hunin started to run around, staying rather close to the elf. He was still a baby and yearned to be around a parental figure, which she obviously was. The elf moved a little way from the caravan and to the forest, feeling better near the trees than she did near the humans. Anyway, if she sat down anywhere near it, she was certain that knight would start to criticize her yet again.

Making sure that Hunin stayed nearby, the elf woman went to a tree at the edge of the forest and sat at its roots. The only thing she was looking forward to right now was the night, when all these humans would be sleeping. Being what she was, she didn't need nearly as much sleep as a human.

Haine continued to patrol, walking around the small caravan as the people drank, spoke, and eventually fell asleep. The twin daggers that he received from the blacksmith where on his belt, and one of them was uncomfortably rubbing against his thigh. "Goddamnit," he grumbled, "I didn't need two daggers, Godfrey. I don't care if they're both enchanted." He smacked one of them lightly, moving it slightly out of place to make it a bit more comfortable. It wasn't.

Making his final rounds, he spotted Jyade near one of the trees. He frowned when he saw her, crossing his arms. Trying to make conversation was pointless, and it would only lead to more anger and distress. And that was something he knew they both didn't need. He made sure to scowl at her before turning back to face the wagons, not even looking at the beast of a gryphon. Sure, it was small, but it was still going to turn into some bloodthirsty beast eventually.

And then he heard it.

Haine blinked, looking around the darkness of the forest. "Whistling?..." He blinked. His reflexes and instincts suddenly activated, and his arms swung up to his face. His fingers immediately grasped something solid, the point of the arrow just inches from his face. "Damnit..." He growled, breaking the wooden shaft with his one hand.

"BANDIT RAID!" He snarled, reaching back to pull out the long sword from his back, holding it straight out with only one of his hands.

As the others began to fall asleep, Jyade spent her time playing with Hunin. The little gryphon eagerly did as she said, climbing up trees and back down them easily using his talons. She needed him to learn how to do that, since they were going through a forest and all. If they were attacked by beast or man, then she wanted Hunin to know how to climb up into the safety of a tree. One could never be too careful, especially when there was a man who seemed eager to annoy her. She could feel his gaze on her even as she ordered Hunin to climb down the tree again. The thing she couldn't understand, was if he hated her so much, then why did he keep looking? It wasn't like she kept looking at the weird, silver haired man.

The shout startled her, making her jump up from where she sat. Before she could even tell him to, Hunin started to climb up the tree and into the safety of the foliage. It wasn't like they were after the gryphon, so she was sure he'd be safe up there. Once she was sure he was safe, the woman unsheated her sword. It was a katana, made by the same person who forged her daggers. It was an amazing sword, since she took care of it and all. There wasn't a week when she didn't oil and sharpen her sword, which is exactly why it was such a good weapon.

She didn't see anybody at first, but now that she knew they were there she heard them. She felt the need to protect the caravan, and her coins for that matter. She could've ran if she wanted to, but her employer gave her a job, so now she'd fulfill his wish by doing as he asked. She moved closer to the wagons, staying as far from Haine as she could possibly be at the same time. For a moment, she didn't think that they would show their faces. It happened all of a sudden. Humans ran out of the forest, with swords in hand, obviously thinking that this would be an quick battle. And maybe it would be. There were many of them, and only the two protecting the caravan.

As soon as one of the men stepped close to her she swung her sword, just grazing his cheek in warning. She always gave a slight warning before giving it her all. The man continued his charge though, making her step back before swinging once again. She caught him by surprise the first time but now he blocked her sword with his own, pushing her back a bit. The two of them fought, Jyade soon being the one blocking his thrust. She was about to cut his hand when another bandit stepped up, blocking her sword. Being the elf that she was, the woman began to move faster, matching both of the men until a third came. Now she was at a disadvantage, being pushed back by all three and narrowly missing getting cut once or twice.

The bandits charged out of the forest, their battle cries roaring from their throats. "Shit!" Haine growled, spinning the two-handed sword in his right hand to prep himself up. The other guards that were supposed to protect the caravan were no ready for a confrontation, and it looked like dozens of bandits were closing in on the wagon. Haine growled, swinging his powerful sword with one hand. The bandit held up his shield to block, but Haine's power was too great. His wood shield crumbled with the blow, the long-sword slicing clean through his torso. The bandit hit the ground in two pieces.

Another came up behind him, but Haine's instinct was too great. Before the bandit could swing his sword down on Haine's head, the knight reached forward with his free hand, gripping the throat of the bandit and crushing his windpipe. With a quick jerk of his wrist, the bandit's neck snapped, and his body crumpled to the ground.

Haine's intention suddenly turned, the visual of the elf fighting off three men at once. Even if he completely hated her guts... she was still a comrade. Spinning his powerful sword in one hand, Haine roared, charging straight for her. His shoulder bashed into one of the bandits and sent him barreling into the dirt, knocking the wind from his lungs. Haine slid in front of Jyade, his long sword blocking the blades of the last two bandits that had been fighting against her.

He glanced back, making eye contact with Jyade. His warrior instinct fueled his icy blue eyes with their locked gaze, sending a clear message to her that basically said "I've got your back. Now get mine."

Jyade couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly, looking away Haine. Still, just for now, she could put aside their petty feud so she could live another day. She turned around with the speed and grace granted to elves, switching hands quickly before swinging her arm back to slice through the necks of the two bandits. Nobody would envy her for her strength, but her speed was matched only by the finest of elves, so in tune was she to the true nature of them. She wasn't dark and twisted like most of them now were.

As soon as their bodies crumpled she moved her hand back around to put the blade in her right hand again. That was the one thing people found confusing about her. Unlike most swordsmen, she switched hands. Her right hand was for speed while the left was for power, being that her left arm was stronger than the right. She saw the man Haine knocked away start to move and reached into her skirt to draw out a dagger. She made sure to focus on the others approaching before flinging the dagger as the man finally stood up. She turned as the blade became lodged in his throat, blocking the sword of one man as he swung at Haine's arm. The man fell back into the dirt, the hilt of her dagger sticking out for all to see.

Haine let out another battle yell, his huge sword cleaving through the body of the bandit that Jyade had just defended him from. The bandit's body crumpled down to the forest floor in two pieces, and the next thing that Haine knew was that they were completely surrounded, a circle of about a dozen bandits slowly closing in, the swords in their hands ready to taste blood.

Haine put his back to Jyade's, his right handed holding his two-handed sword straight out with his free-hand clenching into a tight fist. "Lay down your weapons and give up," Haine stated, "you still have your entire lives ahead of you. If you agree to back down, we promise not to-"

The bandits charged in, swinging their weapons high above their heads. Haine grinded his teeth, his giant sword spinning to knock the powerful blade of an axe that aimed for Jyade's head. He may not have been as fast as the elf, but his tremendous strength and tenacity was a feat to be reckoned with. He continued to fight as a machine, working with the mercenary as they fell bandit after bandit, blood splattering over the dirt beneath their feet.

She was the sharp, precise dagger that sliced like the wind. He was the sledgehammer, bashing into his enemies like a bull.

She forgot everything for a moment, focusing on the bandits surrounding them instead of the things he said about her earlier. She could care less right now. It didn't seem like their lives were on the line, but a single slip-up could be the cause of her death, and maybe even his. The bandits were dropping like flies, crumbling at their feet or being sliced in half by Haine's sword. The bandits were starting to lose confidence by the time there were only four left, but, like the fools they were, they launched themselves at them. Like the rest of them, those four soon fell to the ground, dead as a doorknob.

With the bandits having fallen, Jyade lowered her sword, her chest rising and falling quickly as she tried to calm her beating heart. She soon calmed down, looking around to make sure that there was nobody else left to fight. They had been so focused on the two of them, and rightfully so, that the wagons were left untouched. The rest of the people were awake, peering out of their blankets to look at the fallen bandits and the warriors. Even the other guards seemed in awe.

Now that they were no longer being attacked, Jyade stepped away from Haine, conscious of who she stood by yet again. The elf walked away from him and to one of the men from before, bending down to slide the blade of her dagger out of his neck.

"That was amazing!" She glanced up as one of the men stepped up and praised them. They were all getting up, praising the both of them for a job-well-done. She would have to agree with them, even thinking that the silver haired man did well. If she wasn't still angry after the way he put her down earlier, she would've told him that he was the best swordsman she had the pleasure of fighting alongside.

Her gaze darted from them and to the tree Hunin was in. With danger gone, the little gryphon was shimmying down the tree and to the ground. As soon as his paws touched the ground, Hunin started to run to her. She looked away from a moment, reaching into her bosom and retrieving a small rag. With it she wiped the blade of her sword, flinching a bit when Hunin finally reaching her and began to rub against her leg. With the blade wiped off, the elf sheathed her sword and started to wipe the blood off her dagger.

Haine panted, spinning his long sword in his right hand as he glanced around. It seemed like the last of the bandits were gone, dead at their feet. Haine took in a deep breath, and quickly noticed that he had been fighting alongside Jyade the whole time. He stepped away the same time she did, the a frown yanking down the corner of his lips. He'd really, really, really hate to say it, but during the fight she was fantastic. She seemed to be able to read him completely, and they fought alongside one another without getting into each others way. He had fought like that before, but never was it that solid or incredible. Shaking his head, he pulled out a rag from his belt and ran it over the blade of his longsword.

"Incredible!" One of the guards gasped, making their way over to Haine. "You two... I have never seen fighting like that before!" Haine smiled, spinning the sword in his hand before slamming it back down into its sheathe. "I'm just glad everyone's fine. Nobody is hurt, right?" He asked, glancing around at the wagons. Everybody nodded, and there didn't even seem to be a scratch on anything. Haine nodded, kicking one of the bodies over with his boot.

"Hmm..." He thought to himself, bending down to get a good look at the body. "Bandit all right. Looks like a simple forest dweller..." The warrior had been dressed in poor rags and had been equipped with a rusty, eroded weapon. "Looks like they barely made it by." Haine stood up with a sigh, moving his hand down to close the bandit's gleamless eyes. "Hey," he motioned to one of the guards, "do you think you can take these bodies out and bury them? I mean, we did all the fighting so I just think its fair." The guards nodded and got to work, grabbing the bodies and dragging them away.

Haine sighed, looking around before he found Jyade. He hesitated before walking over to her. At first he stood in front of her, just scowling into her eyes like they were before the fight. He finally sighed, shaking his head. "...Good fighting out there." He stated, spinning on his heel and walking back to the wagon. He just felt like it needed to be said.