⚔ The Warrior's Princess ⚔

⚔ Chapter 2

Fiak did not bother removing his shirt, not that Ran noticed too awful much, she was too busy looking over Valdr’s now bare back. Watching his muscle move under his skin with such breathtaking beauty her throat felt dry. “He is the one isn’t he?” Catharina dropped her head closed to Ran’s as she whispered the question. Ran looked up at her with haunted eyes, “How do I know for sure?” She whispered the question but their conversation was stopped as a loud horn was blown.

“Warrior Valdr had challenged warrior Fiak for disrespect to the Princess Ran. It will be a fair fight, no interruptions, no weapons and till one of them can fight no more.” A wave of opinions went through the watching tribe.

In a matter of moments Gildi and Rilo come to stand beside Ran as Rilo laid a hand on her arm. “Ran what has happened and why is Valdr fighting Fiak?” She said worriedly, Ran’s reply was delayed by the sound of flesh meeting flesh her head swung around to see Fiak bent over wiping blood from his lip with a look of hatred that covered his face.

Agmundr also approached them as he smiled down at Ran, “Well Princess, it would seem you have acquired a champion already.” He smiled down at her and she could not help the giggle that escaped her as she shook her head. “No, surely not. Valdr said he could not allow Fiak to disgrace the tribe by disrespecting a lady. It is probably just as simple as that.” Agmundr snorted and shook his head, “You are not familiar with us so I will forgive you the misconception. Valdr has never challenged anyone from our tribe before today for any reason. He is a quiet man that stays to himself unless we are out on a raid. I would rather have that man at my back than any other. He is a great warrior and a very dangerous one to cross. Fiak will wish he hadn’t before this is finished.” Ran was suddenly worried for Fiak and how much damage Valdr would do.

She looked up to find Valdr’s eyes pinned to her and Agmundr he didn’t look to pleased by the man standing beside her but she didn’t know him enough to be sure she was reading him right. The moment ended as Fiak came at Valdr again and the moment he had been distracted by Ran cost him as Fiak kicked him in the stomach causing him to double over. Ran bit her lip nervous as she watched the fight. It wasn’t long before Valdr’s strength overshadowed Fiak and with a warrior’s yell true to his Native American heritage she could see in the bronze of his skin, Valdr took Fiak to the ground. With one hand wrapped in the man’s shirt, Valdr pulled his upper body off the ground as he pounded his other fisted hand into Fiak’s now broke and bleeding face. When Valdr tossed Fiak down seeing the warrior was finished with the fight, his eyes raised to pin Ran to her spot before he rose up. He looked every inch the proud warrior she knew him to be with his hands still fisted, his muscles jumping visibly under his tanned skin. A drop of blood from the beating he had given his opponent stained his chest only serving to make him appear that much more dangerous. That hint of danger only served to make Ran’s blood boil hotter as she stood taking in every inch of this fine man before her. Valdr broke the trance they both had seemed to fallen into as he turned and walked into the night.

Ran’s eyes followed him as she wondered why he didn’t come for his shirt she still held. Looking up she realized Agmundr had left also and she now stood alone with Catharina.

“Does that man affect you as Valdr does?” Ran looked up never thinking of lying to her all-knowing caregiver and shook her head as she bit her lip. “Then go find the man girl. He probably thinks you were getting to know Agmundr even as he fought for your honor.” Ran gasped and looked the way Valdr had disappeared, “Well of course it wasn’t that way.” Ran whispered as she took off at a brisk pace in the direction Valdr had disappeared.

She soon caught sight of a grey fog that clung to the edge of the mountain cliff looking over at a valley below.  She stopped a short distance away knowing the thick fog was out of place of this warm night. Her instincts screaming that not all was as it seemed in this village of misfits that held powers she didn’t understand. The fog slowly swirled shimmered as solid mass started to take shape. Wisps of the grey wrapped around the mass like arms, surrounding a slowly forming shape of a solid man that now stood cloaked in mystery.