Prince Vikas

"Shy....Shy…. wake up." Akiem shook her shoulder gently, causing her eyes to shoot open.

"Are we being attacked?"

He shook his head. "No, but according to Revarian, it's time we pressed on."

Shyana panted and looked around, surprised she'd fallen asleep at all. It was just as dark as when they had made camp.

"How long was I down?" She asked standing and cracking her back.

Akiem shrugged. "A few moments here and there. You never fully sleep anyway."

She nodded, that was a truth both of them shared since their first battle all those winters ago. She remembered moving her blankets over to her friend, only to find him as wide awake as she had been. They rested back-to-back for a long time after that, neither of them able to share whatever horror they had seen, but the warmth of their bodies provided the smallest amount of comfort.

Reaching into her pack, Shyana retrieved her canteen of water and drank a few sips, before handing it to Akiem. When he finished, she turned to offer some to Revarian, but found him nowhere in sight.

"Where's Revarian?"

Akiem pointed up. "He decided it was safer to sleep in the trees."

Her eyes turned to the large, looming trunks and she scoffed. "He didn't feel the need to tell us this?"

Before she finished her question, Revarian flipped down from the large limb and landed beside her. "You wouldn't have been able to climb this tree. Its bark excretes a slime which makes it impossible to grab hold unless you know how to find the grooves."

Shyana noticed the long trail of slime on Revarian's mossy cloak. "I can see that."

The comment made Revarian's head turn. "You can?"

Shyana felt slightly embarrassed. There were times she forgot Revarian was blind by how mobile he was. While Reuk was indeed his eyes, she doubted the hawk was concerned about the forest walker's appearance, when his safety was the top priority.

She reached onto the back of his cloak and withdrew the long trail of green slime. "Yeah, I got it off."

Revarian bowed his head. "Thank you, however a little slime is going to be the least of our worries. It's time to move on; I want to keep going every few hours. Any more time is dangerous to be in one place here."

They agreed and started to pack up, Shyana flinging her hand around to try and dislodge the slime from her fingers.

When they were ready to venture further, the slight ease they felt at the camp quickly dissolved into the ever-looming presence that seemed to circle around them.

There were constant wails and shrieks that stirred and then died down, like possessed tides through the trees. Though Shyana tried to ignore it, she knew they were definitely being followed. Trying to make her movements seem casual, the general stepped over a bush and slid closer to her advisor. "Can you feel it? We're being followed."

He kept his eyes forward, carefully trained to make his movements seem focused on the path instead of communication. "Yes, and not by something that would dwell in the forest."

She flicked back the red hair, which had fallen over her shoulder, quickly catching a glance behind her. "I would say a group of about four…maybe five…."

"I agree. Shall we cut them off before they get the chance to do the same?" Akiem inquired, his finely tuned nose inhaling to gather the musky scent they knew all too well.

Shyana smiled her dangerous smile. "I think this has gone on long enough. Let me notify Revarian."

"No need, general. Reuk has been watching them since we made camp and notifying me of their plans. There is a ravine coming up on our right, let's catch them there."

After a few more steps, the trio quickly melted into the ravine, Shyana staying behind as bait while the other two ran up the sides to ambush.

The general walked a few more steps, getting a good view of her surroundings before turning around with her hand on her sword, waiting with hungry eyes for the group of Thurucalns following.

It didn't take long for their footsteps to come closer, though they barely made a sound. While she didn't have Revarian's hawk or Akiem's heightened senses, there was one thing she was an expert in and that was killing Thurucalns.

She knew their movements, and how they would prefer to attack, so it didn't surprise her when they circled her like ravenous wolves. What did surprise her, however, was the voice which melted from the darkness. "Well, well, well, now what business would a Xhaian princess have in a place like this?"

Shyana glanced to the right to lay eyes on someone she'd only seen from a distance in battle. Armed with a deceptively young face, marred by two jagged scars that formed an "X" just under his left eye and a whip that was curled securely in the harness on his back, she'd know him anywhere.

He sauntered up to her as if he had not a care in the world or that they weren't surrounded by death at every turn. The sight made Shyana's blood boil. "I could say the same for a Thurucaln prince."

She watched him carefully, knowing exactly what kind of man she was up against. The prince was indeed a thing of legends, standing at the front of his armies just as she did. However, his title hadn't been stripped, as it was expected for Thurucaln royalty to lead in war. This one fact alone she admired about their culture, but it was hardly enough to dismiss the plethora of reasons she hated them.

Shyana scanned him up and down, the scrape of her blade loud as she unsheathed it.

The prince reached up to grasp the handle of his whip.

Without missing a beat, both of them began to circle, never taking their eyes from one another, though deftly aware of the bodies standing around them.

He smirked at her. "I will ask again, what madness would drive a pampered Xhaian princess from her lofty towers and bring her into the Fepican Forest? And for her to be so alone on top of it?"

She returned his sardonic smile. "Now we both know I'm not one to hide in a castle, and I am never alone, Vikas."

Responding to her call, both Akiem and Revarian leapt from their perch and landed at her back, extending their weapons at the four Thurucaln men, who were slowly surrounding Shyana.

Vikas glanced behind her. "Let's get a good look at your protection, shall we? A servile advisor and a blind man; well even for you, General Makea, this is audacious."

So, he had been watching her, but for how long?

Shyana and Vikas continued to circle, her hand tight on the hilt of her blade, his grip strong, as he fully released his whip from its harness with a threatening crack.

"I wouldn't say I'm surprised to find you here, Vikas, in a place where the scum of Tarru congregate. Seems fitting that your kind would feel comfortable in this pit of filth. I knew my army sent you retreating with piss running down your legs, but I didn't expect it to be this far."

His nostrils flared, long black hair caught the dead breeze, flying in all directions, but his golden eyes held her. "I hear a lot of talk from you, Makea, but not the answer to my question. Not that it really matters, you're outmanned and I'm not going to rest until I wrap my whip around your neck and hear it crack."

Behind her, Akiem snarled and from the heat rising, she knew his beast was very close. "I doubt that. There's no use trying to taunt me Vikas, we both know that you'll never touch me. But as a political courtesy, I'll answer your question, as I believe we are here for the same reason. Now who was it that gave me this lovely information…oh yes Dehn."

Shyana didn't miss the way the prince's eyes narrowed. While her army was only growing, the Xhaians reduced the Thurucalns numbers so much, that she was sure he would know almost everyone who fought for him.

A dark smile played at the edges of her mouth. "Dehn and I had a very intimate conversation on your behalf. It was quite enlightening about your army, your plans and oh yes, need I mention the Blood Song you seek?"

Vikas circled her, his smile losing its mocking and turning hard. "What kind of sorcery did you use on Dehn?"

Shyana weighed her sword in her hand, staring down the straight blade. "Oh, let's just say he is in a different state of mind right now; experiencing Xhaian hospitality at its best. Care to find out for yourself?"

With that, Vikas lunged just as Shyana stepped out of the way.

Circling back, the prince lashed out his whip, narrowly missing Shyana's knee. So that was his plan, take out her legs and come in for the kill. Though she had yet to fight him face to face, Shyana heard her share of stories about the man who moved within the shadows and struck like there was two of him.

Akiem and Revarian started in on their select opponents, trying their best to even out the score. Though the forest walker took no sides, Akiem took this attack personally and knew just how much it would mean for Shyana to eliminate the Thurucaln prince.

Vikas watched the lithe body of his opponent dip and weave, just out of reach of his whip.

This was the famous Crimson Blade. General Makea was a very well-known name in his kingdom, though he had never had the opportunity to fight her himself. He got so close once; she was distracted with a group of his men and he was just about to reach her, before one of her cursed soldiers struck him in the shoulder with a spear.

He recovered from the injury, but not from the lost chance of striking her down. Even now, he knew better than to underestimate her; there was something very different about this woman.

He was surprised by how she kept pace with him, seemingly copying every move he made just a few seconds after he thought it.

Shyana's heart raced, as she tried to predict his movements. She knew that if that whip wrapped around her, the metal claw at the end would pierce her skin and keep her where he wanted.

Vikas raised his arm just, as Shyana extended her blade, when a roar that seemed to shake the ground beneath their boots, broke up their battle.

There was silence and both prince and princess stared at each other in question, before the trees separated. A beast, far larger than either of them face, surfaced with an angry growl.