A bet

I am tired and hungry." Sheila complained. She was feeling particularly homesick and whined unendinly. They had been walking for the better part of the morning, and she had not had anything to eat for dinner the previous evening.

The howler looked in her direction. He felt crossed with her for no reason. He had gone many times without food and somehow, he wondered why she could not endure a little while longer. But more importantly, it made him feel incapable and somewhat filled with guilt for not being able to provide her something to eat. They had lost all the gold pieces in the fall and he had his bad luck with the hunt to end up with an extra baggage in the form of a girl who could not give any coherent reason for being out alone in the wild.

She had been a servant girl until she had fallen asleep to wake to their faces was the only coherent information she had volunteered. He did not ask about the imprint on her abdomen. She would have lied, he believed . A lotus. Red lotus in the wind. It must be some form of bad luck, he thought.

The switch had been terrified of her and would not sit near her, and as if a premonition, a stone had dislodged from the roof of the cave right over her head, almost crushing her but for the fact that he had lounged himself at her and thrown her out of the way.

Whoosh. An object zoomed past him at high speed, missing the side of his face by a few inches. He bounded after it without missing a bit as though he had been expecting it, his ruminations forgotten.

Sheila turned at the same time and watched him slash at the thing that had whizzed past with a knife which she recognised as that belonging to the priest. A hint of indignation rose in her at the fact that he could steal from a priest.

The object which he chased was like a large orange with rough skin, its stalk still intact. It made a buzzing noise and thick slime sloshed onto its sides as it rose over his head gliding smoothly out of reach.

She watched him chase it further, unsure why he would want something like that. As if the thing had a mind of its own, she saw it make an attempt to zoom right straight for his face as he took hold of a branch swigging out and up to slash at it. It missed him, but he did not and he let go of the branch, landing lightly on his feet, only a few paces from where the thing now lay on the ground.

Two boys had run out of the grass where the flying thing had come from and were standing there looking at him as he picked up the halves, oblivious to their presence. They did not seem to notice Sheila, their attention on Tera who was tearing at one half of the thing with his teeth, holding the other half out to Sheila.

"Curdle button. Quite rare. Have some." Sheila looked towards the boys as her fingers wrapped around the curdle button and brought it to her lips.

"That is our curdle button. We dug it up and it took off," said the taller of the two boys in indignation. Another boy who looked much older than the others, had also appeared come out of the grass, and was standing a few paces back looking at the scene before him. Tera looked up from sharing his spoil, a whit startled to see three men watch him share a curdle button.

"Huh? Didn't know eating a curdle button drew the crowd," he muttered.

"The fungus is ours."

"Eat up," He said to Sheila, popping the last of his into his mouth and turning to the men.

"Eat up," he encouraged quietly.

Sheila bit into the bright red flesh as she had seen Tera do. It was creamy, neither sweet nor bitter, but it did leave a sweet after taste that made her want more.

"That is ours," the shorter of the boys, wearing no shirt, was almost hysterical with resentment, and the other had to hold him back from attacking Tera.

"Apologies. We, I did not know someone had dug it up prematurely. No wonder it tasted bland."

"You wretch," the shirtless boy spat, restraining himself with effort to keep from attacking.

"You took something of ours and we must have something in return," the man said.

The taller boy was looking in Sheila's direction and she wiped her mouth to get rid of any curdle button bits, thinking it was the reason he stared at her. But then, everyone of them cast glances her way, including Tera and she moved towards him, wary of the rest.

"You like the girl?" Sheila heard him ask.

"What do you say, you loose, I keep the girl."

Sheila looked at the boy, hate rising in her heart towards him. He could not be more than sixteen, she thought. The thought of Monday lusting after a girl like this filled her with revolution.

"What do I get," Tera was asking.

"You already ate the stupid curdle button, fool," the shirtless boy said.

"Watch your language."

"If not what?"

"I will cut your tongue and make sure you never utter another insulting word. I will have your friend's sword if it pleases him," he said to the taller boy who looked at his friend.

"Deal."

"Not yet. We'll have your trousers, we can let you have her skirts, if she wishes."

"What are you doing?" Sheila asked as Tera followed the men, unsure if they could be trusted. More than once she'd had the urge to run.

They arrived in a clearing where earthen pots stood hung on poles fixed to the ground.

"I see what you've been at," Tera said, smiling.

"Quaking in your boots already?" The boy handed him a bow and four arrows.

"A little I must admit. But you worry about yourself."

The body nocked an arrow, took aim and let it fly. It hit one of the smallest of the five pots sending it to the ground to shatter to pieces. His friends cheered wildly.

Tera's first arrow flew amiss by a wide degree and was greeted with boos from the boys. Sheila knew the whole affair was a mistake.

The boy took aim for the largest of the pots placed a much longer distance from them. He missed and cursed loudly.

When Tera nocked his second arrow and took aim for the same pot, Sheila shook her head, silently urging him to aim for those closer. The arrow flew straight for the centre of the pot, sending crashing to smithereens.

Upon closer examination, the shaft of the arrow was seen sticking out of a tree on the other side and Tera was smiling at the boy; but the man with the sword was not in sight. He noticed too and turned on the boy, the tip of his blade at his throat.

"Where his your friend."

"I don't know."

"I will cut your throat in one move if you don't tell me what I want to hear. Where is my sword?"

"I swear I don't know. He was standing right there."

Sheila almost felt sorry for the boy until she remembered he had wanted to have her.

"You too," Tera said to the other who still stood watching.

"I don't have anything to do with that," he said defensively, the look of resentment still in his eyes.

"Don't argue with me. I tell you to come, you come, end of story. Or you want to see some blood, boy?"

"Now, your clothes... both of you... Now! See which of them fit better."

After Sheila had changed into the shorter boys trousers, Tera sent them running back into the grass they had come from.

"Tell your friend I better not find him!"

"What were you thinking betting on me like that?" She asked him as they left.

"Oh, that!" Swish. "I knew he was not so good. He saw a man chasing a curdle button and assumed such a man could not shoot an arrow straight."

"You just let the arrow fly. What if he had hit it the second time without missing?" Sheila continued relentlessly. It was her who had been put up like an animal skin for the winner.

"Will you trust me?"

"Trust you? You are reckless. How am I supposed to.."

"Shh," he put a hand to his lips to quiet her and Sheila cast him a look that could kill, complying still. They were approaching human dwelling and she could hear voices - humans, animals. They had arrived at an open market. Swish. He stood upright and looked at her.

"Act natural," he said as though she had been acting less than that.

"What will we do at the market?" She stopped him. Most of her anger had been replaced with concern.

"We have nothing." "This is a great place to gather information. If we are going to get into the mines or the cells, we need to be prepared."

Information was good. But right now he wanted something for them to eat, and with any luck, he was sure to find it here. He led the way and she followed.

" We could be a husband and a wife or a brother and a sister, depends on the situation. Follow my lead."

They joined in with the crowd going from one stall to another. He slipped a knife hanging from a nail deftly to his hip as he chatted with the seller. Sheila looked on in amazement almost giving him away. But as the seller followed her gaze, she stepped between them, asking the price of a bolt she did not want. She got the man's attention. Tera picked a dagger, replacing the knife he had taken earlier and Sheila left the stand, afraid she would give him off with her eyes. It would take a while to adjust to living like this. The owner of the stall called after her but she walked away not looking back.

They moved around more. He stopped at a table offering wine to customers and started a conversation with the men who it turned out were were more interested in the women than a talk about the high walls of Axtek and its formidable security.

"You seem interested in those walls. My house is by the blacksmith's. You can't miss it." A half-drunk man sitting beside him offered. "I have a map of the cells. Authentic." He winked at Sheila.

Tera put a protective arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

"I can offer my information for free." He licked his lips as his eyes travelled over Sheila's full body.

Sheila looked at his chapped lips and unwashed face with revulsion.

"We pass." He turned her about and headed out the stall. They wandered some more. Sheila thought she could not take it any longer and turned around to tell him she did not care so much for information as she would for a quiet place away from everything. He was gone. She looked around her. Strange faces. Right in front of her was the butcher's stall. She turned away from it, searching frantically as she went.

There was an angry shout from the direction of the butcher's stall and she turned in time to see a large dog grab a chunk of meat from the table and run away. A man stepped out of the stall, nocked an arrow and took aim. Sheila looked on in horror. He was surely going to get him, she felt it in her blood, a fear that almost riveted her to the spot.

Without thinking, she ran forward, jostling against the bowman as though by accident. The arrow flew amiss, striking the ground beside a man brushing horses and startling his horse. He picked the arrow and went in search of the shooter.

The bowman half mad with his thick beard and blood shot eyes, turned on Sheila. "You witch, you did that on purpose." He grabbed her roughly by the arm and shook her.

"I...." the words stuck. "I am sorry." She immediately regretted it as the man's eyes took on a madder looking shade.

"Is that your thieving dog?" he flung her to the ground. "I want my gold and two copper pieces, that is how much you owe me."

"I suppose this arrow is yours." The man who had been brushing his horse asked, tapping bowman who turned angrily at him.

"Give me my devil of an arrow, and get out of my face!" He snatched the arrow from the man and turned back to Sheila on the floor.

Horseman tapped him on the shoulder and as he turned, landed him a blow to the jaw.

"What in the name of.." Bowman reciprocated with a punch to the side of the head and a fight broke out.

Sheila rolled to the side to avoid been trampled on and pulled herself up. She had bruised her elbow in the fall she realised, and rubbed it tenderly, moving through the crowd gathering about.

Someone grabbed her arm forcing her to turn. Relief washed over her as she recognised Tera. He led the way and she followed him back into the bushes.

"You are hurting me." she said as he touched her by the elbow. He stopped and pulled her to him by the same arm to examine it. She yelled and hit him across his chest.

"You are being mean."

"No, I'm not. I want to see."

"Be gentle, will you?"

"A bit swollen. You should have left that place." "He was aiming the damn arrow at you, and believe it or not, he was going to get you. I saved your howling butt, and this is what I get."

He said nothing, and for once, a look of remorse crossed his face and he turned away.

Swish. She followed as he led the way, to the place he had left the meat. Sheila picked the meat now wrapped in banana leaves.

"You know what you are? You are unscrupulous - a thief." Swish. "Don't act self righteous with me. You think I want all these... Quit looking at me like that okay. Want the meat or not?"

There was a daring look in his eyes that told her he was ready to toss it. "Alright, alright. I am too hungry to not want anything."

The girl was still by the fire when they returned. This time, she sat by its cold ashes, the fire having died out, Sheila's fur wrapped about her. Sheila stayed a little distance away, unable to get the image of her sunken face from her mind. Tera added more wood and set to cook the meat.

"You are certainly worse off than I imagined."

Tera said nothing as he put a stick on the fire. His reaction was a mere glance at her. The girl looked at them from one to another.

"Next time, I will be the one to bet on you."

"Quit your yapping, Princess. You are here and fine. Finally see how it is out of a King's Court?"

Sheila stood quiet, her mouth hanging slightly open to say something which Tera did not give her a chance.

"He was a boy and stood no chance. You think I would have handed you over to them if I had underestimated him like he did me? Now I see that I should have done so. Then, I would not have to deal with your self-righteous attitude."

Sheila looked hurt. "How would you feel if I wagered you for some stupid sword? And maybe if you became a little self-righteous yourself, then you would not dare to steal from a priest."

"I asked him to borrow it. And the thing about the bet, I got you a set of clothes better suited to travelling as we are, remember?"

"I did not tell you I needed a change of clothes."

"I did not hear you object."

"Because you gave me no choice. Fine, if you are going to keep defending yourself, I have nothing more to say to you."

Tera turned his back on her. He did not realise when the girl had moved.

She charged towards Sheila, the stolen dagger in one hand. Sheila saw her coming and grabbed her hand with the weapon in it. The girl's petite frame belied her strength; with a sweeping kick, Sheila landed awkwardly on her side, a hand raised in self defence. The alter was on top of her.

Tera seized the hand she raised to stab Sheila, pulling her her off of her. She came at him with such swiftness he had not expected of her, he was nearly thrown off balance. They struggled with the knife now pointed at Tera's chest.

Sheila seized her by the foot, dragging her away from him. She landed on her back and with both feet sent Sheila back against the cave wall. She was back at Tera, like a deranged woman.

He sidestepped her, landing a blow to the side of her neck. One thing was that her recovery was quick. Her arms went to his neck, her feet around his waist, weighing him down, choking him. Tera staggered forward with her weight on his back. He rammed her into the wall of the cave, once, then twice. Her grip did not slacken. He staggered to the mouth of the cave. There had been a sharp point sticking out of the rock and his hand felt for it. His breathing was coming out in sharp breaths. He went backwards into the rock. Her grip slackened and she fell to the ground. She was at it again, attacking him with her nails. Her eyes were blood shot, her pupils now tiny slits. A well aimed blow to her head from a stone which Sheila hurled at her sent her crouching to the ground. Tera kicked her hard across her midsection and she tumbled over, wiping blood from her face. He lifted her by the scruff, forcing her over the side of the cliff. She hung onto a small tree growing in the rock and he stood over her, watching her as she tried to climb back up.

"Help me," she cried.

He would not go close, his face set in a hard line.

"Help me," she pleaded.

Sheila looked down at her where she dangled. Her eyes had returned to normal and blood stained the side of her face. She looked pathetic.

"What are you doing?"

"She must have been possessed. Here," she stretched her hand to the girl. "You are not going to let an innocent girl die like that, are you?"

"If a girl wanted to kill me, or someone I am concerned about, innocent would not be a suitable word to use on them."

"Help me, please." The girl's moanful pleas continued.

Tera knew it was not the wisest thing to do. What proof did he have that she would not pull the Princess down with her. He touched the side of his face where she had scratched him. What ever had taken over her was strong.

He saw how precarious the Switch's position at the cliff's edge was, and though he had promised himself to not be useful, he could not get the nagging feeling that she would go over with the first wrong step. He got down beside her and together, they helped her up.

Sheila backed away cautiously not withstanding the fact that the girl was shaking. They stood at the mouth of the cave watching her cautiously as she came toward them.

"What is your name?"

"Kore." Her short hair clung to her head and the side of her face where blood smeared.

"Where do you live, and who are your parents, or husband?"

"I can't remember." Her eyes looked frightened at the realisation. She shook visibly.

"What were you doing out in the forest alone?"

Kore raised her eyes to look at this man. She had the urge to jump at him once again and scratch him to death. She averted her eyes. "I can't remember."

"Take some rest."

He looked at Sheila. "You have to kill her," he whispered.

"What nonsense are you talking. She looks better now." She whispered back.

"She won't stop. She is your Alter, an Alter never stops."

"Sheila thought that should mean something but it didn't.

"She is not truly living"

"What do you mean she is not living? She looks living alright." She glanced back at the girl lying on her side, her mind going back to what she had seen.

"She was killed and revived just before her body got cold." The loud cry of a bird echoed through the trees and they looked about briefly.

"Her mission is killing you and she will not stop."

"She looks innocent. It was as if she was taken over by something else."

It was Tera's turn to look behind him. "It is quite confusing that she stopped. I do not understand. But believe me, you don't want to be near that thing. Remember the wind and lotus?"

Sheila nodded.

"I could not remember at first but that is the marking of an Alter."

"But grandfather told me the markings are not visible."

"It all depends on who does the sorcery. She was created, I dare say, here as we arrived."

"You mean the person after me is here too?" "There is a possibility."