Tree of Life Book III

Part I - Chapter 08

TREE OF LIFE BOOK III – PART I

CHAPTER 08

The Queen leaned forward in her throne. "How dare you?" She smirked. "Do you not know who I am?"

Nicole took another step forward. "Where is she? Don't deny it. I know you have her."

The Queen made a gesture with her hand.

Two guards, two of the men who had come in with Nicole, stomped up to her to take her arms.

Nicole swatted their hands away. She stepped back.

The men came at her again.

She went to shove back one of them.

The man evaded and grabbed her anyway.

"Hey!" She chopped at the man's arm and knocked it loose.

The other one joined in. His fist was in her face.

Nicole blocked. She jumped back in retreat.

More guards headed in toward her, to surround her.

Bolting out toward the nearest one, she made a flying leap onto the man's shoulders and then vaulted over him and into the air, tucking her knees in and somersaulting afterward.

She landed twenty feet behind him and swung around. She squared her stance. She held up her fists.

A new guard was behind her. A woman. She bear hugged Nicole, hoisting her clear off the ground.

Nicole threw her head back, pounding the woman in the nose.

The guard stumbled backward, her arms loosed. Falling, her fingers flung out, clutching for anything at all—Nicole's hair tie.

It came off. Her tresses were unleashed in that moment and blonde locks were everywhere.

Nicole shot out her arm. She yanked the sword from the woman's side. She bounced back.

The sword on gaining its freedom, found it a glorious thing and so sang for the sheer joy of it, a clean and radiant sound that echoed around the entire hall and everyone stopped for a moment to hear it and to stare.

For here before them was now come down, a flaxen-haired warrior, an Amazon, gleaming in the torchlight, holding her sword high, with judgement in the white of her teeth and the gold upon her head and on her shoulders.

The line of guards drew in closer. They formed a ring around her. They too unsheathed their swords.

Back upon the throne, the Queen took to her feet.

Everyone glanced up for a moment.

"Ware." She raised her hand. "This one—we keep alive."

The guards returned their attention to Nicole. They had her penned inside the circle of their formation.

At a signal from the leader, they all began inching in toward her, one step at a time.

One, two, three…Nicole counted off her foes as she swept her eyes over their faces.

Eight of them. One of me. Great. Nicole blew a strand of hair from her eyes. I guess I'll have to use what he taught me then.

~~~

Years ago, Julian had the opportunity to discuss with Nicole some of the eastern philosophies including Taiji and Taiji's interpretation into the art of swordplay. He had been studying it himself at the time.