The Elf Thief

Chapter 43: The Commander and the Scout

            “You work at the stables, don’t you?” Rith whispered as he crouched down beside the boy.

            The brown-eyed boy nodded, his eyes wide and his face serious.

            Taking a deep breath, Rith asked, “Did you see Ytone come there early this morning?”

            A smile lit up the boy’s face as he nodded. “Yes!” he replied. “She came in and tried to take one of the horses. Nejer, the stable master, caught here and they had a huge argument. Some of the other boys and I hid in one of the stalls and watched it. It ended with the Scout punching him in the nose and walking out.”

            “Did she take a horse?”

            “No. Nejer wouldn’t let her. He said that only people with permission from the king could take the horses. She punched him when he said that women shouldn’t be riding horses anyways.”

            Rith would have laughed if he had the time. But he didn’t, so instead he turned and sprinted into the stables, right past the stable master, and jumped onto one of the stallions.

            “Wait!” Nejer yelped. He was a fat, bald man and Rith had always hated him. “What are you doing?”

            Pausing for a moment, Rith glanced down at the stable master. “What does it look like I’m doing?” he said calmly. “I’m stealing your prized stallion. And in the meantime, I suggest that you go to the infirmary. From what I can tell, it would seem that the woman who was not fit to ride a horse broke your nose.”

            Before the old man could stop him, the commander jerked the horse’s reigns and galloped out the west gate of the castle.

            Scenery rushed past him in a blur as Rith dashed across the countryside. His mind raced even faster with a thousand questions. Why didn’t Ytone say goodbye? Why did she leave at all? Where was she going?

            Questions still swarmed his mind as he approached a blonde figure, walking along the side of the road. A leather pack was strapped to her back and her arm still bound tightly in a sling.

            “Ytone!’ Rith yelled.

            Turning to face him, surprise covered the Scout’s features. Her blue eyes were wide in astonishment and confusion was etched in her brow.

            Not wasting a moment, the commander jumped off his horse and ran up to his training partner. As he grabbed her shoulders he resisted the urge to both shake her and to pull her into a tight embrace.

            “What were you thinking?” he snapped. “How could you be so stupid, Ytone? You know better than to wander the roads alone! There are bandits, elves, and I wouldn’t put it past my own men to attack you when you’re all by yourself!”

            Shrugging her shoulders, Ytone simply replied, “I wasn’t aware you were so concerned about my well being, Commander Rith.”

            “You weren’t…” he paused before roaring, “You weren’t aware I was so concerned about your well being? Ytone, are you daft? I have spent the last three months training you so you could protect yourself! I have told my men to treat you as an equal! I have stopped soldiers from taking advantage of you! I have made sure that nothing bad would happen to you since the night you lost use of your arm! How can you even think that I wasn’t watching out for you?”

            Fire sparked in the Scout’s bright blue eyes. “Exactly!” she shot back. “You spend so much time watching out for me when you could be doing other things, better things, with your time! I’m going back to the mountains, Rith. At least there I won’t be a hindrance or a burden.”

            Taking a deep breath, Rith managed to calm himself down. Gently, he took the blonde woman’s face in his weathered, battle-beaten hands and whispered, “You were never a hindrance. You were never a burden. You were…” He trailed off, searching for the right words. “You were you. You are you. Don’t go, Ytone. Please.”

            The Scout suddenly wrenched herself away from his grasp, leaving his hands holding nothing but air. “You know nothing,” she spit out, her back turned to him. “You know nothing about anything, you idiot boy.”

            There was no denying the pure amount of pain he heard in her voice. His chest tightened painfully as he watched her begin to walk away. Reaching forward, he grabbed her wrist. “Ytone,” he murmured. “What’s wrong?”

            As she whirled around to face him, Rith was surprised to see tears in her eyes. “You!” she all but screamed. “You are what’s wrong! Everything about you! Your eyes, your hair, your laugh, that stupid little half smile you get when you think something is clever, everything about you is wrong! By the One! Why do you have to be so compassionate? Why do you have to be so strong and caring? Why do you…why do you have to be you?”

            Shocked as he watched the clear tears stream down Ytone’s face, Rith simply stated, “You love me.”

            The commander winced in pain as the Scout hit his head with a canteen she was holding and all but screeched, “Yes! Yes, I love you! I love you, you blind, ignorant man! I have loved you since you gave me hope when I had none! I have loved you since you stood up to me in the throne room when I first saw you! I have loved you since you picked me up and carried me back to the castle when I was wounded.  I have loved you since you sat by my bed in the infirmary and promised me that I would swing a sword once more. I have loved you since I saw you reach out to a twelve-year-old boy who saw you as a god. I have loved you since I first met you because you, Commander Rith Talkinsson, are a better man than any other I have met!”

            He didn’t think twice. Before he knew what he was doing, he crashed his lips onto hers and held her close. She tasted bittersweet on his tongue; of the dust of the road and of fresh mint. He felt her fingers entwine in his hair and pull him closer. When he finally pulled away, he gazed through her eyes and into her soul.

            “I love you,” he whispered, as if it was some forbidden spell, never to be spoken aloud. It rolled off his lips and felt so natural, he couldn’t help but laugh. “I love you, Ytone. I love your fire, your determination. I love the way you spin your sword between your fingers before you attack. I love the way your smile lights up your entire face. I love the way your brow furrows when you concentrate and I love the way your eyes light up when you get angry. I love the way you are so easily baited into an argument and I love the way you refuse to admit that you are wrong, even when you know that you are. I love everything about you and if I had it my way, you would never leave my arms again.”

            Wrapping her arms around his waist, Ytone replied, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear those words from your mouth.”

            As he laughed softly, Rith couldn’t help but plant a small kiss on the tip of his training partner’s nose. “Come on,” he said, pulling away. “We should get back to the castle.”

            Hopping on the horse, the commander reached down and the Scout slipped her hand into his.

(A/N Meh. Not sure I like this chapter. Although I’m happy that Rith and Ytone are finally together. It was nice to get a small break from Dearekk and Sonya too. Remember to vote and comment! I enjoy feedback and it really does make my day! :)                                       

                                                                       ~*~*~Ninja Out~*~*~)