Engraved - The Hunted Warrior

Chapter 20.2 - Flight

At the back of the crowd Gretch stood on a crate. He saw the stocky warrior confidently step towards the feeble woman. They were not his concern. Instead he watched the old man who had plagued him. He was whispering intently with his chief.

What are they looking at, if not the fight?

They separated and started moving through the crowd, tapping people's shoulders. The Chief looked frightened.

What are they doing?

He scanned the two figures in the middle of the crowd. The woman looked irrationally confident, even cocky. She also seemed less bent over than the last time he saw her.

Something is not right here. What have I missed?

He stilled his mind and rubbed his tired eyes. He forced himself to scan the scene more carefully.

The tapestry banners. There is something wrong with them...

He caught his breath.

A warding pattern!

His eyes shot to the older woman.

"Who the hell is she?" he frowned to himself.

Gretch decided not to find out. He lept from the crate and raced for the Khashbal corral.

***

Shaleh stood next to Nurlan. Urlock appeared at her shoulder.

"We have to go," he whispered. "Something bad is about to happen."

"I can't," she replied. "I am pledged to another clan now."

In the circle in front of them Tolegan moved forward with confidence. His sword was raised playfully, as if sparring with a child. Chumerra let him come.

"Forget the agreement! Come now!" Urlock hissed in Shaleh's ear.

Tolegan swung the blade gently. Chumerra easily caught the blow on her sword. In one fluid movement she stepped in and flicked her blade across. A gash appeared on his cheek. Blood flowed down his face. He reeled back in surprise clutching his face. There was a collective intake of breath through the crowd.

Urlock grabbed Shaleh and started pulling her back.

"Father," she said. "I can't! You know I can't!"

Urlock cursed under his breath. Nurlan turned to him puzzled.

Urlock jutted a finger at him. "You better take care of her or I will return for your life!"

Nurlan stepped back in surprise. "What's going on?"

There was no reply. Urlock had pushed away from them into the crowd.

Tolegan flushed with embarrassment. Heckling sounded from the crowd questioning his manhood. He wiped the blood on his sleeve and approached the older woman more seriously. She stood poised and still. He feinted right but turned his blade to strike left. She was not fooled and easily stepped out of the way. His blade rang on hers again. She stepped in again while pushing his blade away. Her knee came up and struck between his legs. He doubled over despite his shirt of chains, and scrambled back out of her reach. She reestablished her footing and waited.

Awed silence covered the crowd. A look of doubt crossed Tolegan's face. He circled her more warily. She turned with him. Tolegan sprang at her. His sword whistled as it arched down. She deflected his sword with hers. It slid past her. He was open. Her returning slash raked downwards across his chest and thigh. The chain shirt was gashed open, his thigh a bloody wreck. He went down screaming. She stepped away and took her stance.