Under One Banner

Chapter 14

Aryanna woke to see Kalya sleeping next to her still. She rolled over and stretched. She rose and left the room. She went about the routine of starting the fire, and making their breakfast, carefully taking the map off of the table so that no food would get on it. She looked out one of the windows in the house and saw it was still dreary out. 

“Morning Arya,” came a little voice from the door way. Aryanna turned and smiled at her. 

“Morning, hungry?” she asked. Kalya nodded and climbed into her seat. 

“Are we going to talk to Sheridan today?” Kalya asked as she started eating her breakfast. 

“I am going to try, hopefully he is around,” Aryanna answered, sitting down and eating her food. Once they were both done, Kalya washed up while Aryanna banked the fire. 

“Ready?” Aryana asked when they were done. 

Kalya nodded and they left. The two of them headed to the training grounds, once there Aryanna looked around, hoping Sheridan was there, she didn’t see him. She sighed but waited. 

Kalya took out her dagger out and started practicing throwing it. Aryanna joined her, practicing on a target next to her. She stood father away than Kalya and started throwing her daggers. All of them landed at the bullseye, only a few millimeters apart.

“Nice,” someone said from behind her. She whirled around to see Sheridan looking at her target, an impressed look in his face. 

“Thank you, I’m glad to see you,” She replied. He looked at her in surprise, then frowned. 

“Why?” he asked. 

“I spoke with Kalya, and she thought it might be a good idea for you to train us, but something has come up,” she said. 

His starting smile vanished when she said the last part.

“What happened?” he asked.

“One of our friends was taken by a man named Adonis, Kalya wants me to go after him, and I’m trying to find a reason why we shouldn’t but I can’t. If we do go, I won’t be asking you to train her,” she said. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said softly. 

Aryanna nodded. 

“What is keeping you from going after him?” Sheridan asked. 

“Mostly the fact that Kalya wouldn’t be able to keep up with pace that would be necessary. I want to go after him, it’ll give me an excuse to get out of this place,” Aryanna said. 

“Do you even know where this Adonis fellow is taking your friend?” Sheridan asked.

“I have map, leading to where the man lives, and is supposed to have a fortress there,” Aryanna said. 

Sheridan nodded, but didn’t say anything, thinking. 

He took a deep breath and started to say something, but stopped. 

“What is it?” Aryanna asked. 

“I want to get out too, I have no reason though,” he said slowly. 

Aryanna didn’t say anything, wondering if that was all he was going to say. 

“What if you had someone to help with Kalya when she got tired?” he asked. 

Aryanna glanced at him but didn’t reply for a moment, thinking over his offer. “You would leave everything here, and despite the dangers of the road you would come with two people you don’t even know?” she asked skeptically.