FOUND

The Best Fighter Among Us

"Yah!" She yelled as she swung her sword across her body, knocking her opponents sword out of his hand and unto the ground. She twisted around bringing the sword up and right to his throat. Beads of sweat glittered off of her forehead and her breath was fast. She stared her opponent in the eyes with a scowl so fierce he became worried. She dropped the scowl and replaced it with a huge grin as she dropped her sword. She had a light, airy laugh that made everyone smile.

At her smile, the man with red, spikey hair lost his look of fear and joined her laughter. She bent down and picked up his sword, handing it to him.

"You're getting better."

"Thanks." He said shyly. "Not as good as you."

"Not yet." She corrected.

The dark haired man appeared and lifted her off the ground.

"How did my girl do?" He shouts over her laughter. "She kick your butt again Critter?"

He set her down and she shoved him, hard, at the sight of Critter's embarrassed expression.

"He is doing much better. It won't be long until it's me without a sword." She winked at the red headed man and he instantly appeared happier. She turned to Luc and scowled at him for what he said.

"Well, uh, food's on." Luc mumbles under her hard stare. Critter smiles and races ahead of them.

"Why do you have to make him feel bad?" She asks.

"It's not like I meant it."

"He is already insecure, being the youngest, and it is not like you all have been very friendly to him. And he is doing better."

"Of course he is, he has a great teacher." Luc tells her. "Probably the best fighter among us."

She scoffs at him and rolls her eyes.

"Best fighter among us? I'd have to disagree." A tall, broad shouldered, well built man announces. "I would argue that the strongest, bravest, and most handsome man she has ever laid her beautiful eyes on is the best."

"And who would that be Rask?" Malia teases.

"Me, naturally." He says matter-of-factly.

"Naturally." Luc mocks.

The three laugh as they enter the food tent. Malia smiles at the women behind the counters serving food to all of the men and children. She has only been here for a month, but she knows these women. She feels their oppression, she can sense how scared, tired, bored, and lost they feel by their small half smiles. She follows closely behind Raskanoff, a man who soon took to her side the minute he saw her enter the compound. Ever since she arrived and showed off her skills to the men there, many of the boys have eyed her and whisper about the things they plan to do to her when they get her alone. Raskanoff stands by her side to protect her. The boys are all afraid of him, due to his size and stature. She never questioned his friendship, but accepted it.

She sits at a table next to Critter, with Raskanoff beside her, and Luc across from her. The twins, who only look related because of their dark hair and light complexion, and the quiet Elijah who has never spoken a word to any of them.

"Mal, please tell Simon here, that you were not raised by assassins." Mason says in an exasperated tone. Mason and Simon are always bickering about where she came from, who her parents are, where she learned to fight, and where she got her looks from.

"And why would I do that?" She asks him with a serious face, but sarcastic tone.

"Ha! I told you! I finally figured it out." Simon shouts in his brothers face. Mason sinks in his chair and rests his head in his hand, letting out a breath. He looks confused and his lips move as he processes and thinks about what she just suggested. They should know by now that she is never going to tell them the answers to their questions. She doesn't know herself, but she can't tell them that.

Malia laughs quietly at Simons outburst. Declan, a skinny looking boy with large glasses that take up half of his face, runs into the tent out of breath. "Guys, you will never believe what is happening."

Luc insists that Declan sits down and takes a minute to compose himself. Malia sighs internally at how kind and considerate he is of others. As Declan catches his breath, Simon and Mason bring up different scenarios that could be so big, to make Declan come running in so excited and out of breath.

After a few minutes of anticipation, and the twins arguing, he speaks. "The King." He says. "Our King, King Maurice has declared war against Gralis."

"What?" Luc exclaims. "When? Why?"

"This morning." Declan answers. "He got word that the princess lives."

"She lives?" Simon and Mason say in sync.

"Who?" Malia asks.

"The lost princess." Raskanoff tells her. "When the princess was small, she left the walls of Declyia under the supervision of both her parents and the royal guard. But they were ambushed. The small child ran from the violence into the woods, and was never found."

"That is awful, but what does that have to do with Gralis?"

"Gralis directed the ambush. It is believed that they took the princess and have had her locked up for years." Luc explains.

"Queen Magdalena, stricken with grief and disbelief over that theory held a funeral for her daughter and has struck down any rumor of her being alive." Critter says.

"Exactly, so the King must have it on good authority that she truly is alive." Declan says. "He has requested that all of the men capable of fighting, go to the castle and ride over to retrieve the princess from King Allistar."

"He is searching for men?" Luc exclaims.

"What are we waiting for?" Simon asks.

"Lets leave tonight." Mason suggests.

The men around her rise and begin to walk out the tent. Raskanoff lays a hand on Luc's shoulder when he notices that she is right beside him. Luc looks over his shoulder at her big eyes staring up at him. "What do you think you're doing?" He asks her.

"You do not honestly think that you are going to save the lost princess without your best fighter, do you?" She smirks, Raskanoff snorts, the twins smile, Elijah and Declan look to Luc, and Critter chuckles softly.

Luc looks down at the small girl that he brought to the compound. The girl that he fell in love with the moment he saw her. The girl that could save all of their asses with one swing. The girl that is the best fighter among them.