Reclaiming The Prize

---- there is the slightest hue of pink touching the sky to the west ----

----- the campfires all smolder, thin trails of smoke coming from some ----

---- the horses are grouped together, quietly grazing, every so often one picks up it's head, ears twitching as it hears something ----

--- across the river Moratar, the other half of the army is camped, only a few guards walking the perimeter ----

Staza: (still wet from the crossing, dismounts and ties his horse to the wood outside of the camp of Jaeger and Xavier)

Arissa: (her eyes darting around, thankful to be across the river and out of the water)

Staza: (looks at Arissa) There's a problem..

Arissa: (her voice a low whisper, sliding down from her horse and glancing up at him) What is the problem? Noone saw us cross...I'm sure of it.

Staza: (looks back at the rows of tents) I've no idea where to start. She could be anywhere...

Arissa: (bites her lip in thought, her eyes scanning the tents) Would they guard her? I'm sure not too many tents would have guards posted...

Staza: (scanning the tents) A good point, Arissa... ((Why didn't I think of that....))

Arissa: Want me to climb one of the trees and try to get a better overhead view? (smiling at his praise)

Staza: Just be careful.. Be certain not to make any noise.

Arissa: I will.  I won't make a sound.  (untying her cloak and draping it over the back of her horse, rolling the oversized sleeves up to her elbow so they won't get in the way, her bow and quiver firmly in place)

Staza: (watches her, his gaze often shifting back to the tents)

Arissa: (scanning the perimeter, looking for the best tree to climb)

Arissa: (points) That one looks good..  (moving swiftly to a tree not too far away from the tents, jumping up and clinging to a low hanging branch before pulling herself up)

Arissa: (exhilerated now that they have caught up with Imari's captors, climbing carefully from branch to branch, being very careful not to make a sound)

Staza: (looking up and watching her, his bow drawn)

Arissa: (glances down at the ground, thinking she is far enough up to get a good view, finding a thick sturdy branch with lots of foliage and inching her way out towards he tents)

----- there are only a few guards awake in the camp. Two are at the only campfire still burning, and one is squatting outside of a tent, wittling with a knife and a peice of wood)

Arissa: (glancing down, taking in the campground, studying the warriors, a shiver of fear trailing up her spine, her eyes moving from the campfire to the tent) ((that has to be it...))

---- there are some sleeping on rolls by the campfire as well ---

Staza: (scanning for anyone that might have spotted Arissa. But all is silent)

Arissa: (thinking how easy it would be to pluck them off with her bow as they slept...)  (sighing deeply, and pushing that thought out of her mind) ((Imari first))

Arissa: (starts inching her way back on the branch)

Arissa: (swinging down lightly to the branch below, her balance perfect as she crouches and swings down again)

Staza: (looks at her expectantly)

Arissa: (grabs the bottom branch, letting her feet swing down, glancing down at the ground)

Arissa: (lets go, falling lightly on the ground, stilling for a second, making sure she didn't make a sound)

Staza: (waits for her report)

Arissa: There are two guards awake at the fire, and one whittling outside a tent.  The tent is the farthest off to the right.. (motioning to the one she is talking about)

Staza: (follows her gaze)

Arissa: There are many soldiers, but they are still enjoying their slumber....

Staza: Good. It's on the fringe of the camp. We'll go around carefully and tether the horses far enough away that they won't draw attention from the soldier's mounts

Arissa: And we shall be well off with her before they even notice she is gone...(envisioning the daring rescue in her head)

Staza: (small sigh) That is the plan. But we'll have to take that guard out, as quietly as possible. And hope there's none of the bloody bastards inside... (pauses, not given to such language, at least not around women)

Arissa: I can kill the guard! I can be quiet!  (eager to please)

Staza: We'll see when we get closer... (taking his horses reins and leading him the long way around, keeping away from the clearing)

Arissa: (following behind, her belly churning with excitement, feeling as if she is in a dream)

Arissa: (hisses) I hate them, every last one of them!  They all deserve to die..

Staza: They are but men, Arissa. Do well to remember that about the enemy. True, they are far barbaric than our own soldiers. They are still but men.

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Jaeger: (props up on one elbow, having awoke as he hears one of the horses nickering)

Jaeger: (wondering if at last, the rest are now crossing the river)

Jaeger: (rises and begins to dress)

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Xavier: (sound asleep, flat on his back, one hand lying across Imari's behind)

Guard: (wittling contently, having only been at the post for 2 hours, making a little idol of the Sun God of Ramu)

Imari: (lying perfectly still, groggy, but awake, having drifted in and out of sleep all night)

Imari: (her body tender and sore, his words replaying in her mind..) ((the prize has been taken))

Staza: (stops on the fringe of the wood, looking at the profile of the guard as he wittles)

Imari: (glances over at him again, his face beautiful in sleep, her cheeks burning as his hand rests so casually on her bare behind)

Staza: A bow may be too risky.... (whispers)

Arissa: (moves up next to Staza, her nerves kicking in the closer they get to the tent, plagued by doubt) ((what if it is the wrong tent))  (whispering back) Can we slit a hole in the back of the tent?

Staza: We have to eliminate that guard. He's too close. Stay here. Only use your bow if absolutely necessary.

Arissa: (nods, slinging her bow around and notching an arrow, crouching down in the brush, her face already streaked with dirt from their journey)

Staza: (pulls in a breath and exhales, touching her shoulder once before dropping in a crouch and moving swiftly toward the back of the tent)

Staza: (slips carefully around the side of the tent, dagger in his hand)

Arissa: (her eyes following him as she moves towards the tent, completely confident in him)

Staza: (snakes a hand out, grabbing the squatting guards forehead and pulling him back as he slices with the dagger across his throat, the warm gush of blood cascading over his hand)

Staza: (looks back at Arissa, giving her a quick motion to stay)

Arissa: (eyes rounding, her stomach doing a little flip flop, quickly scanning the area to make sure no one saw)

Staza: (slips into the tent, dagger ready)

Arissa: (nods at him, keeping perfectly still, blending into the foliage and greenery of the woods)

Staza: (stops, eyes widening at the sight of Xavier asleep... and his sister naked at his side)

Staza: (quickly shrugging off his cloak)

Imari: (facing towards the back of the tent, trying to keep perfectly still, trying to think of what her next plan should be...not wanting to give up the fight, but not wanting to end up with Jaeger again)

Imari: (the skin on the back of her neck prickling, hearing something, thinking it is probably the wind, hoping it isn't Jaeger, scared to look, but dying to know...slowly turns her head towards the entrance, looking up)

Staza: (lifts his finger to his lips)

Staza: (his eyes burning intensely with fury, wanting to kill the blond warrior as he sleeps)

Imari: (eyes widening in shock at the sight of Staza, stifling a small gasp, then her entire body turning crimson embarrassment as she realizes her brother is seeing her completely naked....with a MAN)

Staza: (his blade still crimson with blood, motions her to come to him, the cloak in his free hand)

Imari: (wets her lips, slowly trying to disentangle herself from Xavier, holding her breath as she moves to climb over him, wanting to hiss at Staza to close his eyes)

Staza: (keeping his eyes on Xavier, the blade longing for the Allendorian's throat)

Imari: (her muscles revolting at the movement, still sore from the beatings of yesterday and the coupling in the night, quickly snatching the claok and pulling it tightly around her)

Xavier: (rolls up, crouching, his hand flying to his sword)

Staza: (jerks Imari behind him, brandishing the dagger with a hiss)

Imari: (gasps, peeking out from behind his back, wondering what awoke him) ((I had been soo quiet))

Xavier: (runs his gaze over Imari, then looks to Staza) Who are you....

Imari: (frightened, pulling the cloak more closely around her, wanting to just run)

Staza: I am Staza, Son of Leotin.

Xavier: Ahhh... (doesn't look worried in the least) You've come to reclaim the Prize..

Imari: (stiffens, giving him a menacing look as he refers to her as a prize again)

Imari: (whispering) He's come to take me home.......where I belong..

Staza: For touching my sister, I will kill you. Perhaps not today.. but it will come to pass.

Xavier: (smirks) What makes you think you'll live to see another day?

Imari: (filled with shame, wishing her brother did not see her like that..)

Staza: (nostrils flare)

Imari: (inhales sharply)

Staza: Imari.... go to the wood.

Xavier: (dives and rolls into the entrance of the tent)

Imari: Staza....I cannot leave you...(gasps, jumping back as Xavier dives across the room)

Staza: (jumps forward, the dagger flashing)

Imari: (horrified whisper) Noooooo

Xavier: (swings his sword in an arc meeting Staza's dagger and cutting his hand with the tip... the dagger flies across, hitting the side of the tent)

Staza: (pulls his bloody hand back, guarding his sister)

Imari: Oh Staza... (squeezing her eyes shut, not wanting to see him hurt) ((this is all my fault))  (glances towards where the dagger flew, diving to retrieve it)

Xavier: I don't want to kill either one of you. Put the dagger down, Princess..

Arissa: (her eyes glued to the tent, occasionally scanning the perimeter, wondering what is taking them so long)

Staza: (his chest heaving)

Imari: (clutching the dagger) I cannot let you hurt my brother...

Imari: (her hands trembling)

Xavier: I could easily disarm you... but....

Xavier: Both of you.... Go... Go on. (moves to the side, away from the opening)

Imari: (blinks, looking to him)

Staza: (looks at the opening, then at Xavier) I warn you... if this is a trick... I've brought soldiers with me.

Imari: (smiles at him, so thankful, knowing Jaeger would of tried to cut Staza down without a thought)

Imari: ((I'm going home....))

Xavier: No trick. Just go... (looks at Imari and adds) Before I change my mind .....

Imari: (her emotions in turmoil)

Imari: (whispers) Thank you....and thank you for saving me last night...(inching towards the door)

Xavier: You can thank me by leaving... (his blue eyes intent on her for a moment, then he looks away)

Staza: Imari... Come... (moving toward the opening)

Imari: (pulls her gaze from him, hurrying towards the opening)

Xavier: (drops the sword in her path at the last minute)

Staza: (already outside, slides to a stop, looking back)

Imari: (gasps, taking a quick step back, her eyes flying to him, disappointed, thinking it was a trick after all)

Xavier: (pulls her to him, kissing her)

Imari: (her lips quivering against his, stilling at the sudden onslaught for a second before tentatively returning the kiss, desperately wishing he were not the enemy..)

Xavier: (his lips part from hers, hovering only an inch away, his breath warm on her face) Be safe, my prize.. (releases her)

Imari: (stands before him, unmoving for a moment, feeling as if all time has stopped as she gazes at his face, wondering if she will ever see him again....) I will..  (quickly turning to follow Staza)-