There was a new found respect for her in his eyes now. He nodded his head slightly and spoke calmly as he withdrew his hand from her own.

"You have honored me twice with this Lady Rayann. First you took a warrior's oath as a warrior without hesitation and second you spoke your oath aloud and not in my mind." he tapped his temple. "A great honor indeed from what I was told by others."

He reached out and had her lower her hand to the cloth. He turned reaching for his pack and withdrew bandages and a small wooden box. Setting the bandages down he opened the box revealing a white creamy substance inside. He stuck his finger in and swirled it around drawing out a glob of the stuff. He took her wounded hand in his and spread the cream along the cut she had made. It brought a soothing cool sensation to the wound. Myth looked the cut over for a moment before reaching for a bandage. He was impressed that she had cut just right and hadn't hurt anything vital. There was a smirk upon his face as he bandaged her up.

"The mixture will help heal the wound cleanly by morning." He reached for his knife "I have only ever used this knife three times... two of those times were for an oath. It is special for that purpose which is why I am not overly worried about cleaning the wounds... in case you were wondering."

Slipping the knife into its place in his garments once more Myth saw to his own wound and after a few minutes he placed the wooden box and bandages back into his pack. He returned to his place across from her and sat watching her for a moment before sweeping his gaze to the fire.

Rayann heard the respect in Myth’s voice and for some reason, she felt pride settle within her. For some reason, it made quite an impact upon her, knowing he felt that way about her. They were so opposite yet on this common ground they were now equal.

As he tended to the wound on her hand, she noticed a few things about the warrior she was certain he most likely didn’t know he was revealing. First of all, she noticed his touch was gentle. He made sure he didn’t handle her roughly in the least. Secondly, when he applied the salve he did so very tenderly to not cause more pain to her. Last, when he wrapped her hand he made sure he wrapped it tight enough without being too tight and once more used his gentleness to apply the bandage.

So, she thought, the hardened warrior is not as hardened as he appears to be to the world. This thought caused a slight smile to appear on her lips. When he was done, she brought her hand up so she could examine his handy work and nodded her approval. Looking over at him, she gave a warm smile and nodded then watched as he dressed his own hand.

When he returned to sit across from her once more, she saw the look he gave her before he cast his gaze to the fire. There was a moment of silence between them before her soft voice slipped into his mind once more.

Thank you, Myth. The pain in my hand is already gone and I can feel the healing of the salve already beginning. It’s good to know that should I ever need a nurse mate, you will do in a pinch.

There was a mirthful grin on her face when he cast her a look that spoke volumes of how he felt about being a nurse mate. In fact, it was enough to make her laugh softly, audibly. When she settled, her smile slowly faded.

What was the third time?

Myth shot her a look of confusion and she quickly elaborated.

You said you used the knife three times. Twice was for similar oaths we just took with each other but you didn’t say what the third was.

The look on his face changed and she once more felt as though she had just treaded on sacred ground.

I’m sorry….I shouldn’t have asked. There is no need to explain. Forgive me. My curiosity gets the better of me at times.

He could feel her eyes upon him the whole time he had worked on her wound and even after. He guessed that she was trying once more to get a better understanding of the type of person he was judging by his actions. He wanted to smile slightly when he came to that thought. She had proven to be quite surprising these last few weeks and even more so in the last days. One thing about her that stood out most was her curiosity, but he also saw a great deal of resolve in her as well. Looking at her eyes he knew in one moment she had decided to take the knife and do as he had done. He had only seen a moment of hesitation before her resolve forced her ahead not allowing herself to second guess. He wondered perhaps if she would have been so eager had she known all the rules to the oath.

He had been pondering this question when she asked her question hence his moment of confusion. His brow furrowed slightly as a feint memory surfaced in his mind. She had now asked and he was obligated to tell her the tale. He let out a sigh as looked to the cave entrance.

"As an oath taker you have the right to hear this tale."

He reached for his waterskin and took a long draw before he sat staring into the flames of the fire.

"Many decades ago when I was first learning the arts of the sword from my teacher I befriended a young human named Korrath. We both came from similar backgrounds and shared many interests. To our surprise we both were to be instructed by the same sword master. We were both pleased and while we were friends we were also very competitive rivals. Years passed and we brought out the best in each other and were even placed in the same unit when we went into the military."

he stirred the wood upon the fire

"Do to our similar skills we were chosen to undertake a mission that was meant to be very very quiet. It was a simple sneak in get some information and sneak out. We both knew that if we were being sent it was not going to be as simple as we were led on. We decided to take a two front approach to the matter and we decided to make a blood oath to keep our silence should one of us get captured during the mission. We took the oath and went our separate ways."

Myth let out a small sigh "Needless to say I was delayed about a day before I could start my own infiltration. Unfortunately when I had arrived at my destination I found that I was expected. I took a great many of the guards down before I was subdued. After that they hauled me off to the dungeons were I was asked questions about what I was doing there. I remained true to my oath and said nothing. They were intent on breaking me and after a couple weeks of applying some of the worst kinds of torture I can imagine they cast me into a cell to await trial since they knew I would never yield."

He dropped some more wood onto the fire as he continued in a somber voice. "I was placed in a cell with Korrath. I asked him what had happened but he claimed he had no clue. Somehow they had known and they had been waiting for us both. After a couple days we had regained our strength and we knew that our impending trial would be soon. Had the guards properly searched our tattered clothes they would have found our lock tools. In the dead of night we escaped the prison killed the guards and retrieved our gear. We decided to split up and would meet at the master's grotto on the next full moon."

"I made my return a few days early and had taken the offer of sparring with the master. When we had finished I had removed my weapons including my oath knife. The master gave the knife a stern look and took it up and pulled it from the sheath. I had not seen this yet but he asked if I had taken an oath. Reluctantly I told him that I had and when I turned to ask why my jaw dropped to the earth. The blade was glowing a sickly green color. My master asked whom I had made the oath with and I told him. He was most displeased and put the blade back in its sheath as he handed it to me. I was then informed of my duty as a warrior. Korrath had broken the oath which was why it was glowing as it was. As the person who owned the blade it was my responsibility to punish Korrath for breaking his oath...it was my duty to send him to the next life"

Myth's eyes lifted from the fire to Rayann "I never questioned my master's order Rayann. I simply waited in the highest branches of the tree for Korrath to come meet me. He never even saw me till the last moment as I dropped from the tree and plunged the knife into his heart." He closed his eyes and gave a shudder "I will not tell you what happened next."

He poked at the flames in silence "You see if the oath maker breaks the oath the blade turns black and glows red. He is bound by honor to end his own life before the magic takes his soul. The longer the breaker takes the brighter the glow, and once the glow is seen through the sheath the soul is consumed in the flames of the underworld. Now should the partner break the oath the glow is green. The longer it takes for the maker to kill the breaker the more agonizing the death is before oblivion. In short whoever makes the oath is bound to kill the one who breaks the oath." He could see the meaning was now dawning upon her. He sighed shifting his eyes away from her.

"Sadly I could not tell you this before the oath was taken Rayann and for that I am sorry... however... should you make a cross cut before the wound heals you are allowed to back out. I can offer you this one escape... but only because you are not a warrior like me." Once more the blade was removed from its home and he set it upon the earth. "At suns light the wound will be healed..."

It was his turn to have a wounded look on his face this night. She had graciously and unquestioningly agreed to this but because of his respect he offered her this one option. It was his turn to worry about the issue of trust between them. He sat in silence shifting his eyes to the flames. He did not want to look into her eyes. He did not wish to see what she thought of him.

As Rayann listened to the tale Myth told her and saw the emotions slide across his face, something else happened as well. With each emotion HE felt, she was feeling it as well. She felt his elation at having a friend like Korrath. His pride at taking the oath with Korrath. The tension he felt when he had to sneak into the camp. The shock he felt when he realized they were waiting on him. The freedom he felt at getting loose. The anger he felt when his master told him what Korrath had done and the disbelief he felt when he was told he had to kill Korrath for his betrayal. She also felt the vengeance Korrath’s death brought Myth as well as the grief Korrath’s dieing brought the warrior. But what Rayann felt the most was the hurt Myth felt when he told her what the rules of the oath meant for them and that he had not told her up front. There was no way he could feign such emotions and she knew them to be genuine.

But there were so many things going through her mind she didn’t know where to begin. What had she just done to herself? Why didn’t he stop her from making this oath with him and tell her this before she made the oath? Would that have stopped her? And what now? What if he breaks the oath? Can she kill him? And what about her? What if SHE breaks it? He’ll HAVE to kill her. But the biggest question of all lay before her: What will you do now?

As she sat across from Myth and saw the way he looked away from her. There was true, heart felt regret for what he let her do without at least some kind of warning. Rayann’s lavender gaze settled on the handsome Elf’s face and she could think of only one answer. She would have changed nothing. Nor will she change it now.

Reaching across the expanse to slowly take the knife into her hand once more, she studied the weapon for a long moment in complete silence.

I suppose there is only on thing left for me to do now.

Taking a deep breath, Rayann turned the weapon, handle first, towards Myth, cradling the knife in her hands. When he lifted his head to see what she was doing and saw she was handing the knife back to him, he couldn’t help but blink. When his eyes finally drifted to her own, he saw there as no malice in her gaze nor was there any mistrust. Her soft voice slipped into his mind again and this time with the feel of a soft caress as well.

A warriors oath is something that cannot be taken lightly. I knew this before I took it with you. While I didn’t know the severe consequences of breaking such an oath, I understand why it has to be. We took an oath of secrecy, Myth. If one of us should break that oath, we have placed each other’s lives in jeopardy. I would rather die than do that to you. But if by some reason I break this oath, I would WANT you to end my life. I would no longer be trust worthy to anyone and if I am trustworthy to no one, including myself, then there is no reason for me to live. When the sun rises in the morning, our oath shall forever bind us. I only ask one thing of you now. In the future, I would prefer it if you told me everything up front so I know what’s expected of me.

He did not have to see her face to know what she was thinking. He could interpret her thoughts just by watching her body language. He could see the unease that settled over her as she pondered his words over in her mind. He could see a flinch of fear as she thought of the consequences of the breaking of the oath. He watched with some resignation as she lifted the knife thinking that she would take the out given her. His eyes shifted to her as she stared at the blade.

Deep within the lavender depths he could see the resolve and determination present in her eyes. He could see her weigh the options in her mind but could not hear them. His gaze lowered though when he caught the spark of a decision. Despite being prepared for any outcome he could only blink when she handed him the knife once more. He reached out and took it from her hand and placed it in it's home once more.

"Again I apologize... As I said I could not tell you the conditions till after you accepted since it was your first time. It is a strange way to do things but I have never questioned the master about his teachings and ways. Do not worry about my end of the oath though. Should I prove false the presence of the knife alone will kill me in time. You would only be giving me the mercy of a quick death. One I would feel most undeserving."

He let out a sigh and sat up straight and offered a smile to her once more. This had been most unexpected and he was proud of her determination. She had taken many steps since they had departed her friends and her brother. Though for some reason he was feeling a little uneasy but he couldn't think of why that was so. For the moment he pushed the thoughts aside and fixed his eyes on her. He caught himself admiring how the fire light was illuminating her form. There may have been a reddening of the cheeks for a moment before he cast his eyes else where for a few moments.

"You will have to guide me in this joining... as with the ritual oath you knew little now the tables are turned and it is now me staring at a mystery."

What ever he was thinking, Rayann could have easily discovered with her ability but out of respect for his privacy and to honor her own principals she would never listen in to any ones thoughts without being invited to do so. And even then she restricted herself to only what they wished for her to hear and see. For once, she found herself almost sorry for doing so. The look that crossed his face told her he was deep in thought about something and what ever that something was, it made her own cheeks turn a soft pink hue.

Thankfully he cast his gaze elsewhere before things got too awkward between them. While Rayann was no stranger to attraction to the opposite sex, she had never really been with a man, alone, for extended periods of time like she was with Myth. Rorie or her mother had always been within close range. And many times, before she put the blocks up that prevented her from hearing the thoughts of the young men she was attracted to, any chance they had were dashed on jagged rocks when she heard what they were thinking.

But Myth was different. He was no young stud looking to stake a claim or discover some secret she had. He was a man who was very sure of himself and trained in an ancient art of swordsmanship that required strict discipline and concentration. Self restraint wasn’t something he needed to think about anymore. It was second nature to him now. And even as he cast a look upon Rayann as she sat across from him after sharing such an intimate ritual with him, she cold see he was concentrating to not let his mind stray.

Was there more than friendship building between them? Surely the man looked upon her as more like a child. While he looked only slightly older than her, he was quite a bit older than her and had experienced life much more than she had. And besides, he was traveling with her out of duty. No. There was nothing but an obligation of his word to get her safely to where ever it was she was going. Burying the thought of anything more, Rayann blinked when she heard his voice penetrate her thoughtful mind.

Blinking, she realized what he was referring to and she let a soft chuckle escape her lips as she nodded.

It seems as though we both have much to teach each other.

While she wasn’t speaking verbally to him Rayann still felt suddenly parched and took a drink from her own water skin before settling once more. When her eyes settled on Myth’s green orbs, there was seriousness in her lavender depths he had not seen before.

My ability is more than just hearing thoughts. I can see images as well. Like watching a story unfold. You see. The mind not only thinks in terms of words but it thinks in images as well. Like watching a play on a stage with different actors but it’s what the images are projecting in your mind that I see. So, when you practice your moves, you see yourself moving in a certain way before you actually move that direction. While I’m sure you have words you recite while you visualize your moves, it’s the image I see that will guide me most. That way, it’s less work on you to ‘tell’ me what you’re going to do and therefore not interrupting your concentration. Basically you will do everything the same way you do now. The only difference will be that I can see what your next moves will be and based on that be able to conjure the correct spell needed and release it without putting you in jeopardy.

He understood most of what she was saying but Rayann saw there was still a slight hesitation in accepting what she was saying. Knowing there was no way to get him to understand completely unless she showed him, she uncurled her feet and stood up, smoothing out her robe, gesturing for him to do the same.

Let me show you. Practice a normal routine. Now, when you practice, don’t think about me. Just relax like you normally do and I will be able to see what you are going to do. Now that you’ve given me permission, my presence will be non invasive as I won’t have to force my way in to see what you’re doing.

There was a moment of hesitation on Myth’s part before he stood and withdrew his blade. Walking a few feet away from Rayann to keep from striking her by accident, he closed his eyes and brought his blade up, preparing to practice.

Rayann saw him take a few deep breaths then his breathing grew shallow. Knowing he was entering that meditative state he used for practicing his moves, she felt his mind open up as well. Now that she was making a conscious effort to enter his mind, there was no resistance and she could see what he was about to do.

The warrior Myth truly was could be seen and as he began his moves, Rayann saw each move he was making before he actually made them. As he moved with the grace of a large feline, Rayann was watching everything play out in his mind. When he went to make a killing blow with his blade, seconds before he lunged the blade she cast a spell causing his blade to glow a soft lavender color. He could feel the magic now infused in the blade and as he lunged the blade forward to kill his imaginary opponent, the lavender glow on his blade shot upwards and straight down at the same time then dissipated. In effect, the magic would have sliced his opponent in half easily.

Myth stood there for a moment after the spell had been dispatched with his blade still in position. Finally he moved slowly to stand then turned to look at her. Rayann couldn’t read the look on his face and she was no longer in his mind. As soon as the spell was cast and the enemy defeated, she withdrew from his mind out of respect for him.

An awkward silence surrounded them as they stood staring at each other. The seasoned warrior with an unreadable expression on his face and the young magi with a look of anxiety and wide, lavender eyes. Rayann swallowed hard as she stood there staring at Myth, unable to move an inch. Was he angry? Was he upset in some other way? Was he now regretting what he had agreed to? Only one thought ran through Rayann’s mind now: SAY SOMETHING!

Those long moments she spent in thought he felt curious about exactly what she had been thinking. It was quite strange for him to even care about something that trivial, but there was something there in her eyes. Through out his many years spent among his fellows he had learned to read the body but at the same time there was something to be said about a person's eyes. One could derive a great many things about a person seemingly through those round orbs alone. It was truly a strange thing that Myth could never put to words. Often he could tell the bravery of a person just by meeting there gaze.

With Rayann he was thrown a bit off. Try as he might there was a limit to what he could derive about this woman or her thoughts. He could always gauge the intensity of her thoughts through her actions but he could never get that feel for what they were when he met her gaze. It both intrigued and annoyed him at the same time because he could and had examined so many others with ease. Yet Rayann still sat here wrapped in an enigma for the most part with only her sense of purpose and determination gleaned through his senses. She also had a habit of sending his thoughts into a frenzy trying to figure things out.

He snapped his full attention in place after he asked his question and waited on her response. Again the look of conviction and seriousness displayed itself and he could only mentally shake his head. He listened without question as she told him of how her gift worked. In a way it did make sense in his mind at least. A good deal of time before his physical practice he was doing it in his mind. During his meditations he would conduct battles of his past in his minds eye to help in his learning to see his mistakes. She was simply reading his motions in thought as they were sent to his muscles. It was a strange concept to wrap a person's mind around but he could do it.

He did not question her as she asked him to stand and perform one of his routines. He had chosen a fairly standard non style specific routine and went with it. As much as she ensured her presence would go unnoticed it was not, but it was only because of the amount of control Myth had over his waking mind. Nothing he did happened on a whim. Every motion was examined and decided upon in the blink of an eye. However there was a palpable amount of surprise when the spell reacted and he saw the effect it could have on an opponent. He wore his warrior's face to hide the surprise.

He had shifted his gaze to her and his mind was considering a great many things. There was surprise from the spell itself, but the true surprise was how easy she had entered his mind. He had trained to protect against this kind of thing. Despite her request he had laid out a few defenses in his mind to know if she strayed and it bothered him that they were cast aside without so much of an alarm in his mind. Granted she kept were she intended but others had been placed as a test. He was gaining a healthy respect for how dangerous a power she possessed. In truth it may have scared him except that he knew her to be a person of such rarity a goddess was vying for her attention. He almost wanted to frown as his thoughts began to branch out to possibilities.

With a sigh he let his features relax, he had promised to trust her and though her power unnerved him he was going to honor his word. He offered her a smile that his is apprehension. "I am suitably impressed with what you have shown me... indeed a great deal of practice will be in our future..." Trust.... he had a feeling that it was going to bring him a great deal of pain in his future. He could only smile as he relished the challenge of facing that time when it came.

Myth found himself falling silent as his mind became a blank slate. While he may have had more on the matter he wanted to say his mind told him to let it go, to change to other topics. Myth resigned himself to do this but he felt at a loss for words as nothing came to mind. Without really thinking about the matter his mind gave off a feeling to her that he wished to speak of other things things. It was not so much a desire to change the topic at hand but something else. Something that could not be given form or description. A sense of wanting and general interest that came from the quieter parts of his mind the parts his waking mind could not silence because they were beyond the waking minds control.

Rayann let out the breath she'd been holding without realizing it. While she saw a mixture of emotions swirl through his gaze once he let his lips curl into a smile, she knew he had, for the most part, been very impressed and had a new found respect for her abilities. The only thing Rayann wasn’t sure of was rather or not the respect was for her telepathy ability or her spell casting. Perhaps it was both. Somehow Rayann knew she would never really know as Myth was very good at making sure he never let his emotions show to the point of revealing what he truly felt.

For some reason, that fact brought a sense of regret to the magi. Was he so in control that he wished not to let anyone see how he felt? While Rayann could understand why that was necessary in battle, surely he let his guard down when he was not in combat or facing his constituents. The short time they had been together she had seen a brief showing of his emotions but nothing in depth. Then again, she was still a relative stranger to him. Or was she?

Thank you….a-and in time, it will only get better. The more you practice with me, the more I will learn your moves and be able to cast my spells even faster with greater accuracy.

As the silence engulfed them once more, Rayann stood looking across the short expanse into his eyes when she saw something in his green depths and felt something tugging at her from his mind. While she was sorely tempted to hear his thoughts, she refused to give into that temptation. Knowing full well once that bridge was crossed, there would be no turning from it ever again. But she felt as though she needed to ask him….something. She felt her cheeks warm slightly and she gave him only what could be considered a shy smile as her soft voice reached out to him again

Is there….something else you’d like to talk about? I’d be happy to discuss anything you wish to discuss with me. Anything at all.

She couldn’t prevent the emotions she was feeling from him from happening. Rayann had not yet learned how to turn that ability off and she was beginning to think perhaps she never would. But right now, she really didn’t WANT to. It was the only way she knew Myth was not some lifeless being without a soul. While he was trained to not let his emotions SHOW, he couldn’t prevent them from happening.

Rayann had never opened the topic of conversation up so broadly before with anyone outside her immediate family. Even now as she stood, with trembling knees, she knew that once this door was opened, it wouldn’t be closed easily. But something she felt from the warrior told her this was something they both needed. Something that would draw them even closer than they were already getting and it would be an essential part of their ability to aid the other when the time came. What ever that time may be.

Myth had been looking to the fire for a moment when he noticed a slight change in the shade of Rayann's cheeks. He couldn't think of anything he had said that could lead to a reaction like that. However he had a feeling it was something she was thinking. He could see a question brewing but when she spoke he could only chuckle slightly. He was fairly certain that had not been what she was thinking but he wasn't going to call attention to her slightly reddened face just yet.

"Just as long as we can avoid talking of combat and strategy. I am not saying I would rule out anything related to those subjects. I just would prefer that you be mindful in that it is not all I care to discuss. I grow weary of traveling with people who only wish to talk about the mission or strategy all the time. In truth it is because I find the topic boring and the people that try to discuss these matters with me are unimaginative morons that couldn't fight strategically in a bathtub let alone a battlefield."

He frowned at his own words and shook his head. His words rang with resounding truth in them. One of Myth's skills that were heavily discussed behind closed doors was his ability to formulate strategies. From time to time he had it had been noted that certain key strategies had been hinted at or off offhandedly stated by Myth in passing. It was that alone that surprised some because a few of his suggestions came after he delivered a report and simply glanced at a map. Rayann had seem a part of this skill at work when he worked the beast into the corner. Had it not been for the beasts natural abilities its death would have been a certainty. In essence Myth avoided the topic because he didn't like pointing out another persons lack of mental faculties when he was supposed to be relying on them for support. It was also one of the many reasons he liked to travel alone. Myth sighed reigning in his rampant thoughts yet again and smiled noting they were still standing.

"Please sit..." He motioned for her to sit with him at the fire though not exactly where. The smile on his face had changed slightly though if she looked close enough. The rough forced edges were slipping away showing it was becoming more genuine. "Rayann I would be glad to discuss anything... I do not find myself in a position often where I would willing engage in a conversation of any kind with someone. We have talked more in the last three weeks than I have with anyone in the last three years." He wished that he was exaggerating in that estimate of time. Granted up till now they had only discussed the trail ahead and the stops they would make. When the need had arisen Myth had talked of the beasts they may encounter though the beast had not been on the list.

"I'm afraid though with that being the case we should discuss anything you want.. cause everything I am used to talking about I would really prefer not to for once." he poked at the fire a little "I'm afraid beyond that I am so unaccustomed to wanting to converse with someone that I have forgotten how to have a normal conversation of any kind." He could only wonder how dreadful that sounded. He was such capable and bright person but in her presence was finding it harder and harder to talk sometimes but not for the reasons he was used to.

When Myth told Rayann he wanted to talk about anything but combat and strategy, she was more than delighted. It was no secret she had not one clue how to discuss those two things since she rarely had to use them. Combat had never been something she wanted to pursue. She found it much easier to be diplomatic than aggressive and when backed into a corner, she would use her magic as a last defense. While she didn’t like using her magic to destroy life, she knew there were times there would be no other choice. Such as she did with the displacer beast.

The smile that lit up her face spoke volumes of how glad she was NOT to be discussing those things with him. And to hear him state WHY he wished not to discuss them, Rayann couldn’t help but laugh. The cave was filled with her soft, mirthful giggle as she imagined what unimaginative morons looked like trying to fight in a bath tub.

Her lavender eyes twinkled as she sat down again at the fire, opposite him as before. Rayann liked this place. She could see his full face and see the emotions that passed across his features allowing her to make better sense of what she was feeling from him. She hadn’t told him yet she could feel his emotions and for some reason, she didn’t want to just yet. In the back of her mind, she somehow knew if she told him that fact he would find a way to close himself off to her and she didn’t want that to be the case. Instead, she WANTED him to open up more to her. Why, she couldn’t say. It was just a feeling she got that it was important to let him open up.

When they both settled, she tilted her head slightly as she looked over at him. If he wished not to talk about combat and strategy, they would find other subject matter to discuss. One that Rayann wished to discuss was his worldly travel. It was obvious he had been to places she would most likely never see and she was curious to hear about some of them. Once more, as always when she spoke to him, her voice slipped gently into his mind. But not only did he hear her voice, he also felt the deep rooted curiosity she had for the topic they were about to embark upon.

Tell me about some of the places you’ve been to. I know you’ve been to many places that I would never be able to go. Not that I don’t want to, but it’s not easy, a single woman traveling alone. Magi or not. It seems people frown on that sort of thing. I’ve often thought of disguising myself as a man, but that would be a little difficult. But please…tell me of the places. And don’t skip on the details. Paint me a vivid picture.

Hopefully she had touched on a topic he was comfortable talking about. And since he was Elven, Rayann knew he would be able to recall the places with a clarity no human could imagine. So she sat, with an eager look on her face, waiting for the man across from her to illuminate her mind with all sorts of wonderful sights.

His nose wrinkled at the thought of her trying to pass herself off as a male human. There were just to many things that would give her away, her personality, the curve of her jaw line, her soft eyes. The way her hips moved when she walked was still another giveaway. He blinked for a second as he realized his thoughts where sounding almost wistful and appreciative. For all the years he has had such an iron grip on his self control this woman has managed to chip away at it with her demeanor and attitude. His eyes shifted to the fire for a moment as he sought to find his trail of thought again. He was not sure but he was certain his face had reddened slightly and he felt a little embarrassed he had let himself go like that.

"I don't think I could see you trying to dress as a man Rayann..." His emerald gaze lifted once more "I just don't think it would suit you."

He cleared his throat as he focused his mind on her question. "Well you have certainly picked a rather broad topic now haven't you. Though I don't blame you for your curiosity. Humans in general have a strange way of treating their women that I will never understand nor do I wish to. Let me think on this... a good place to..." his voice trailed off into silence.

He could only smile to himself as he thought of the enthusiasm in her voice. She was correct in that he had been to many places in the world. Sometimes for business other times for work but he had traveled a lot now that he thought about it. Granted there were some things in his travels that he would not dare visit upon another persons mind. He pondered a good place to tell her about for a time and then a thin smile crossed his lips. He had thought of a good place that had existed but sadly did not anymore at least not as it was, he thought of his home in Syvanesti.

"Try to imagine a great forest... trees as tall as any watch tower or higher and just as big around. Strung in these trees hidden in the branches are carefully woven bridges. High in the canopy of these great trees if you look close at some of the knotholes you could see light streaming from within. All around you though you here only the sounds of the forest. The wind gently blowing through the leaves moving them so that the sun can filter down to the forest floor in little shafts of light. After a time the feint sound of music can be heard upon the wind. Its these little things that let you know that you are on the outskirts of any Sylvanesti city..."

His descriptions of the elves and their homes went on for a time as he painted her a masterful artwork of sound and color. At one point he took a breath and offered to show her letting her see it from his mind because he knew the words did little justice to the beauty he was describing. They laughed and talked of things till the sun was well past set and he wished her a good rest as they set up their usual defenses. He sat in silence as she went to sleep. He stared at the flames of the fire till it died. With a sigh he laid himself upon his bedroll. He took a moment to look upon as she slept and looked away trying to ignore a feint pain deep in his gut as he went to sleep for that night.

Rayann sat completely enraptured as Myth described Sylvanesti to her. She could only imagine how beautiful the city within the trees looked and the wondrous things one could find among the Elves there. To say the least, she was letting her mind wonder to the city and could almost see the Elves moving about in their tree top city with such grace and ease.

But when he actually invited her to see the images within his mind, she blinked. While Rayann couldn’t put a word to what she felt, she knew that this gesture he had offered her was a huge step in their strange relationship. With heart felt gratitude she thanked Myth for allowing her the opportunity and when she let her gaze settle on his, she slowly became absorbed in the images his mind was giving her.

The different hues of color she saw took her breath away and when she saw just exactly how high up the city was off the ground, she felt a quick moment of deep rooted fear but she quickly moved to the next image he provided her and she completely forgot about the height.

Like a butterfly moving from bright bloom to bright bloom in the summer, Rayann moved from image to image in Myth’s mind taking in all the beauty of the Elven city. She was so caught up in what she was seeing that she didn’t realize she had spent almost an hour letting her mind reach into Myth’s. Once the realization of how much time she had taken caught up to her, she eased herself from his mind and blinked then smiled brightly.

As a gesture of good faith for what he had allowed her to do, she offered him a similar experience. Only, instead of him moving about in her mind, she projected the images she wanted him to see in his mind from her own. Rayann talked of the childhood she had with Rorie and all the mischief they used to get into. She showed him images of their home, filled with love and affection, as well as the painful memories she had never let anyone see. While she never dwelled on those images, it was clear they had profound impacts upon her as an adult and she thought it important to share this with him. Again she didn’t know why, only that it was important she did.

By the time they had finished sharing parts of their lives with each other the hour had grown late and needless to say, Rayann was exhausted. With a tired yawn, she settled herself down and covered up with the thick blanket facing the fire and Myth as he sat across the fire from her. For the first time in a few weeks Rayann’s dreams weren’t plagued with dark shadows and the underlying fear of the darkness. They were filled with happiness and wonderment of the things she had been allowed to see with Myth’s gracious invitation.

************
Over the next few weeks, that’s how it went for the strange traveling duo. They found themselves talking more freely during the day as they walked for what seemed endless hours. Rayann would tell him more about the life she had led so far and in turn Myth would share some of his worldliness with her. It was a good mix and not once did they discuss combat or strategy until it came time for Myth to practice and allow Rayann to read the images within his mind.

Every evening before they ate their meager dinner they would take the time to hone the skills they were working on. He would practice his moves and Rayann would see his moves and cast spells accordingly. It got to the point where she was able to cast certain spells at different times that would aid Myth in many different ways showing him that sometimes it was better to merely defend against an opponent than kill it outright. In turn, Myth would show her the times when it was necessary to destroy an opponent rather than allow them to attack another day or another victim.

It was also during these practices that Rayann was able to practice her magic to make sure she never lost her ability to cast the spells she worked so hard to memorize and learn. It turned out to be an excellent trade off for both of them. Not only did they learn each other’s abilities and moves but it kept them in touch with what it was they had both strived so hard to achieve and still hoped to grow better at.

They both made sure that they were never out of the others site unless absolutely necessary due to the fact the environment was harsh and unpredictable. One evening, Myth had discovered an abandoned cave and instantly realized the temperature within the cave was more elevated than it should have been.

Rayann created a torch for them and they explored the back of the cave and found it opened up into a pool created by a hot spring. Rayann was almost giddy with excitement but Myth quickly pulled her in explaining he needed to thoroughly check it out before they did anything. While Rayann understood she did feel her hopes dim slightly and prayed there would be no reason found NOT to stay. When Myth was finally satisfied it was indeed safe, Rayann couldn’t hold back her enthusiasm and rushed forward hugging the warrior and placing a soft kiss to his cheek before stepping back and giving him a bright smile as she thanked him.

While Rayann was very excited she practiced patience as they ate their nightly meal and when they went through the ritual of learning each others abilities. But once everything was cleaned up and their bed rolls set out, she practically skipped to the back of the cave, lighting torches she had put together earlier with a quick cast of her fire ball spell. When she got to the pool, she illuminated several of the torches at once to give the area a soft, amber glow.

Looking behind her, she double checked to make sure Myth had indeed kept his word and was no where near her. As quickly as she could she stripped out of her clothes and tested the water with her toe. Finding the temperature to be nothing but heavenly, Rayann easily slipped into the water and dove under allowing her body to soak up the wonderfully heated water.

It was like she was a pampered princess and she couldn’t help but giggle at the thought. Warm baths were nothing new to her, but a warm bath in a pool this big was. While she took the time to thoroughly wash herself with the soap she gathered from her pack, she also took the time to relax. Not knowing when the next time would be that she could have this luxury, she intended to make the most of it. Especially considering how cold it was outside the warmth of the cave.

Letting her thoughts wonder, she stood in the pool where the water stopped just below her shoulder blades with her back to cave mouth where Myth was. Furrowing her brows, she slid her right hand over her left shoulder once more and let her fingers feel the mark on her skin again. She didn’t remember getting hurt. At least, not recently. She DID, however, remember falling on her shoulder as a child and having a mark there for the longest time. But she didn’t think it was this big. Or maybe she had just forgotten how big it really was. Perhaps she would get Myth to look at it for her. Just to make sure it wasn’t something to be concerned with.

Myth! By the Gods! She had forgotten all about letting him enjoy the warmth of the pool! How rude of her. Silently scolding herself for being so selfish, she got out of the water as quickly as she could, dried herself off and put a fresh tunic and trousers on. Since she left her robe back at the fire, she didn’t have to worry about putting that one, she scooped up her worn clothes. Scurrying to the fire once again, she went to quickly apologized to the him. She was half way through the words when she realized he was no where in sight.

Furrowing her brows, she glanced around and instantly became worried. While she didn’t see signs of a struggle or any blood, she knew sometimes those things were not always a give away something had happened. Swallowing hard, she clutched her worn clothes to her torso and called out to him with her mind in case something had come upon them she was not aware of yet. Even using her mind the voice he heard trembled slightly with a hint of fear thinking the worse had happened.

M-Myth? Wh-where are you? Is…is everything OK?

The weeks felt like they were flying by and with each one Myth felt he was enjoying Rayann's presence more and more. The conversations outside of their training as pleasant and enjoyable. At times it helped Myth describe a place more when he could simply show her the image. He made sure that not all the places he showed her weren't all beauty and havens. He made an effort to show her some of the darker places as well. Places that they should both be weary of ever going. He kept a constant vigil in the evening letting her pass into slumber, but his sleep was growing a bit un-restful at times as the knot in his stomach worsened. Some nights were not as bad as others but it was becoming hard to ignore.

The training quickly became one of the activities he most looked forward to in the day as it took his mind off his new found unease. He commented at least once when he revealed he could vaguely detect her in his mind that he didn't mind it at all and in fact felt a little more at ease since it made them more aware of what was going on. Admittedly it was taking a little effort to keep himself paced to a speed that Rayann could handle in practice.However he was beginning to compensate when she grew used to what he was doing he would move just a hair faster. Enough to throw her off but never enough to negate her attempts.

He always trying to push in some way though to help her improve. Where she tried to show him the need for restraint he showed her the need for the opposite. To facilitate his point on one occasion when they were accosted by a group of thugs Myth only wounded the mostly doing his best to make sure none of the wounds were lethal. At her request he had let the men go and Myth made a point to circle their path and a week later they were accosted by the same men again. With no near by constabulary to turn these men into Myth simply exacted judgment as the men had proven they had no intention of ceasing their activities. It was all about balance as they were both learning.

When they happened upon the hot spring cave Myth was weary at first but it had been growing late and he knew they would need shelter before the sun set. The nights had grown quite cold and Myth new the more sheltered the better. His search yielded little and he was happy to find such a cavernous space and the spring he found in the rear of the cave was indeed a welcome sight. They would both be able to enjoy a nice bath and feel some what human, as the term goes. He could only chuckle and felt his cheeks flush slightly as she had kissed his cheek. Oddly he found that somewhere his mind had wished her aim to be a bit off. The evenings practice and dinner went by quickly and he watched with amusement as Rayann tried to control her excitement as she wandered off for her bath.

His ears twitched slightly as he listened with his elven hearing. He could tell she had entered the spring finally but he also heard something else. His eyes opened and he looked down upon a familiar little shadowy figure, his commander saw fit to speak to him. He growled slightly and waved the thing away signaling it would be a minute. With the creature present he had decided it best to check on Rayann before he stepped out. Silent as a wraith he slipped up the cave and looked into the cavernous spring. A slight smile touched his lips when he saw her standing there amongst the water but it faded slightly as he noticed the mark upon her shoulder. With resignation he quickly swept past the fire grabbing his blade. Fixing it as he exited the tunnel his eyes focused on the shadowy thing. It did not immediately produce the orb he was used to and he grew impatient "Well were is the crystal you little whelp."

Several shapes emerged from the shadows. All were quite familiar to him as they smirked. These were the men he had staged the fight with back in the witch wood. Myth was suddenly curious about why they were her. Almost as if to answer his thoughts one stepped forward speaking. "The commander decided to send more personal messengers Captain Myth. She is concerned that this little trek of yours might be taking to long. You've been with the woman nearly two months and have yet to steer her to the west towards the Queen. She has been following your movements and it seems you are deliberately avoiding the path set before you."

Myth crossed his arms before him and snorted fixing the lead man with his stare. "So you are saying that the commander has deemed my judgment in error and questions my ability to follow my orders?"

The man shrugged slightly "You could basically simplify it like that yes. Both the high general and the queen feel you are acting towards your own interests and not in the interests of her majesty. If not for the other gods the queen herself would likely be here punishing you herself as we speak. Instead she has sent us to free you of your charge and take the woman to her majesty with all do haste." the man smiled slightly "So Captain by order of High General Hades you are relieved of your charge. you are to report to the north fort and leave the magi with us... those are your orders."

Myth could only stare at them with hard eyes for a long time as his mind began the task of determining his path. He had spent a great deal of time with Rayann and she was having a profound impact on him, he could no longer deny it. However now he was faced with a choice between this woman and his duty as a warrior of the queen. This woman was to be her chosen and sadly Myth knew what this supposed honor entailed. She would know pain and suffering the likes of which no mortal should endure. He could only wonder if he could leave her to that fate. Was his sense of duty that strong that he would condemn this innocent in such a way. He closed his eyes and dropped his hands to his side speaking in a quiet voice "Very well... she is in the spring at the rear of the cave...."

His eyes opened and dropped to the snow at his feat as the men moved to pass him. His eyes raised slightly as the leader passed his shoulder and Myth spoke in a low voice "You are looking more lively since our last mission together..." The man chuckled in response "Well the undeath potion has finally run its curse and left our sys..." His voice was cut off as Myth's arm snaked around his neck and in one powerful jerk there was an audible snap. the man's corpse fell to the earth as his two companions stopped and stared wide eyed at Myth. The elven warrior had made his choice, he chose her.

Blazing emerald eyes looked up at them as he smiled dropping their leader. "The woman is in my care and you will go through me before you go after her.."

Both the warriors looked at him in shock for a moment before they looked seeing his sword was in its sheath. Their weapons were drawn and they smiled thinking they had the upper hand. They charge Myth as he stood their arms at his side. The first moved in bringing his blade down as if to split Myth in two. With a smirk the elf clapped his hands catching the blade in mid air. He wrenched it the side and swung out an arcing kick that sent the man sprawling as Myth threw away the sword ducking as the blade of his other foe passed above him in an attempt to decapitate. He was still mid spin from landing the kick and flinging the sword. The connecting foot hit earth as he dropped low lashing out the other leg to sweep his opponent off his feet. Myth rose quickly as the closest one scrambled back and the other sought his blade. He glared at them smiling a vicious smile "I will show you both where my nickname comes from..."

Myth only to two aggressive steps forward before he vanished from sight. Both men stared wide eyes and looked around. There was a fountain of blood that erupted from one as his head fell from his shoulders mouth open to scream but without his attached vocal cords there was only silence. Myth stood behind him in a crouched position sheathing his blade. He stood slowly looking at the last man still with the grin on his face. Blood spattered over him as the body of his latest victim fell over spraying him. "I told you to never cross me and here you are... two of you down and only you left to fight me." Myth scratched his chin "Tell you what I'll give you a sporting chance... I'll not use my sword."

Fumbling with his belt the man produced a small vial filled with a prismatic liquid that shifted color in the light. Myth frowned recognizing the concoction. The man smiled downing the contents "If that is how you want it Myth..." Myth knew this to be an enhancement potion. The man's strength and speed would be drastically enhanced. This alone made it bad for Myth especially without using his blade. The upside would be it would burn the man's stamina very quickly as well. He fixed his eyes on the man as the vial was cast away. Though thee was no outward effect Myth could sense the change. There would be no holding back from here, it was all or death.

The blows were fast and strong and Myth was hard pressed to keep up, but he was no ordinary warrior as he had shown on many an occasion. His opponent had scored several decent blows but Myth's own skills prevented them from being life threatening. They had been going at it pretty hard for several minutes and Myth knew the potion would not last much longer. At the same time though his own strength was fading fast. For the last few moments he had been working to bait his foe into a horizontal strike. His efforts paid off and as he spun to bring the blade around Myth moved in spinning as well. He brought up his right armored forearm. There was a ring as the sword struck it but did not penetrate. Myth had these armlets made for this move. Myth was still in motion and he came around driving his left fist into the man's wrist. Everything Myth had was in the blow and there was a snap as the man's wrist broke. He was still following through on his attack as his left foot came out around in an arc with a high reverse roundhouse nailing his opponent in the head. The blade fell and the man once again found himself being flung into the snow.

Myth was breathing hard with numerous cuts upon his person. He watched as the man tried standing but as Myth had though his potion had run out and he was now as weak as a newborn baby. With labored steps he walked up to the man standing near his head just to his right side. Staring down Myth continued to breath hard as he drew his blade slowly from the sheath. Runes upon the blade blazed with a pale blue glow as he tapped the tip on the human's nose. "You learned a valuable lesson about potions today... they are good against unskilled louts... but a true warrior uses his own.. strength." Myth raised the blade and stabbed it through the human's heart and gave it a twist before drawing it out and severing the head in one motion. With gritted teeth he moved towards the cave. His clothes were now in tatters after that encounter and he could feel the cold wind upon his skin.

As he drew near the cave he heard her trembling voice in his mind. She had finished her bath and had not found him at the fire. He felt a slight pain of regret as she entered knowing what her reaction to his condition would be. His voice was weak and he was moving slowly as he entered the cave. He could see the shock in her eyes as she saw him. He managed a smile before going to one knee "Everything is fine now... I just had a talk with some... old friends..." If she looked she would see the corpses of three familiar men. He knew she would be cross with himbut it was a battle he wanted her nowhere near and he would stay with that story for it was truth.

The utter terror that settled on Rayann’s face was undeniable. When Myth stumbled back into the cave the way he did, she knew he had fought the battle of his life. Literally. And he now had the marks to prove it. For a moment, she stood rooted to the spot, unable to move. The clothes she had been holding dropped form her hands as they became too weak to hold them. Her knees trembled and she was afraid to take a step for fear her legs wouldn’t support her own weight.

When he dropped to one knee, Rayann let a soft cry slip past her lips and rushed forward to help Myth. When he mentioned he had to talk to some friends, she looked beyond the entrance of the cave and saw the carnage and the way the snow had turned dark with the stain of their blood. Quickly looking away and shuddering at the thought of what may have happened out there, she turned her full attention to Myth.

Kneeling to help him, Rayann reached out to help draw him to his feet once more so she could help him into the cave where the fire was. Without realizing it, her hand touched his bare skin and when it did, images of what happened rushed to her in the order they occurred and she gasped quickly removing her hand like she’d been burnt. While she saw nothing but the battle that had taken place, she felt the emotions he had felt during those fights and knew there was much more to what happened than a mere discussion among rivals.

Questions ran through her mind so fast she was having trouble understanding them all. Why did he feel such regret? What was the discussion about? How did he know these men? How did they know he was here? What were they doing all the way out here? Where did they come from? Who else knew Myth was here? But the real question that burned in her mind was: What did they really want that made him turn into such a killing machine like this?

But it was the look in his eyes and the emotion he felt from him right now that affected her the most. There was deep rooted hurt in his eyes and she felt such a profound regret within him that she didn’t know what to do. In that brief moment of contact between them, a terrible truth had been revealed and both knew things were forever changed.

Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she reached out again, this time making sure she didn’t touch any exposed skin and helped him to his feet. She didn’t say anything as she helped him get back over to the fire and ultimately stripped him down to bare skin on the upper half of his body. The wounds she saw made her wince. While they weren’t life threatening, they were still painful. No matter how hard he tried to hide it.

The bruises that were starting to mar his skin made her brows furrow even more. Rayann saw this fight was no mere fight. It was meant to punish Myth but for what? What had he done that was so bad as to beat him so viciously? The answer lied somewhere out there in the remains of the bodies and before it was all said and done, she would find the answer.

I….need to get some water from the spring. I’ll need to clean these wounds….and put a healing salve over them. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.

Taking the worn tunic she dropped earlier, Rayann walked back to where the spring was and not a moment too soon. Tears stung her eyes and blurred her vision so badly she could hardly see where she was going. She should have known better than to trust anyone but Rorie. He was the ONLY one who had ever truly cared about her and loved her for being who she was, not what she was. While she didn’t know what had sparked the fight while she bathed, she saw enough in the flashes of images to know the men Myth had killed knew Myth and knew him well. While that didn’t disturb her too much, the fact they had the crest of the Dark Goddess on their uniforms DID. And it appeared as though Myth knew them quite well and not from an opponents point of view. The sense of familiarity she felt from him was too disturbing and it was that fact that crushed her.

She’d opened up to him like no one before. Not even Rorie. Sharing things with him that Rorie would never have known but Rayann felt somehow Myth would be able to relate to her like none other could. And now Rayann saw that what she felt for him went beyond friendship. Nothing but a broken heart made a person feel like this and she knew without a doubt now she had fallen in love with the quiet, mysterious warrior. How could she have been so foolish? Why, of all the people in Krynn, did she have to give her heart away to a man she was certain was deceiving her? And why, instead of being angry at him, was she more sorrowful at the fact of losing him? He didn’t feel the same about her so why should it matter?

Because some where, in the back of her mind, Rayann knew he felt something similar. She could FEEL it in him. While she knew he would never admit such a thing, it hurt her even more to know he had feeling for her yet kept deceiving her. How could someone be so callous as to do that to her?

Never. Never again would she open herself up to anyone like she did Myth. And never again would she dare fall in love. There was simply no way she could live through something like this again for right now, she felt like dieing.

Grief of a love never professed yet now lost forever washed over the young magi and Rayann stumbled a few more steps before dropping to her knees and sobbing quietly into the worn tunic she was to use to wash Myth’s wounds. They would have to part ways now and that, coupled with the fact of how she truly felt about him, crippled her like nothing before.

Fate was indeed a fickle bitch and Rayann had just discovered this first hand.

At first he wasn't sure how he knew but Myth new the moment she touched his skin she saw something. He wasn't sure what it was that flashed in her mind at first but her searched his head for her familiar presence he could tell. The light touch of her mind permeated everything in his head. He may not know exactly what she heard but after moments of searching he knew what she saw. This alone caused him to feel more grief because he knew she would sense the emotions in those scenes.

Emerald eyes watched her as she walked him to the fire and he could see the hurt developing. He admired the control she was showing for the moment but he didn't want to say anything. In fact he had no clue what to say to her at that moment. He allowed her to help strip his upper body down but kept his eyes cast away. He couldn't bring himself to look into her eyes. He was certain the feelings he had seen growing would be shattering at any time. There was so much to say but he couldn't bring himself to speak. His mind was so lost in trying to decide what to do he could only nod when she said she was getting water.

He sat in silence for a few minutes with his eyes closed. She may not have thought he could but he heard the sobbing. She may as well have been sitting right next to him. He cursed his elven heritage for that reason at that moment. With a heavy sigh he reached for his pack and rummaged through it finding his rank and insignia. Taking a breath he forced himself to his feet anf began shuffling his way to the spring using his sword for support. What he saw as he came into the cavern was no surprise. She was hurt and he had been the cause. All he could do now was be honest with her. He would live with the consequences but he would let her know how he felt and what he had done.

His voice drifted through the cavern as he drew near. It was the softest she had likely ever heard and the pain on his face was all to apparent. "Rayann..."

He hesitated as she looked his way and he could feel his stomach twist in a knot. "I wish to have a talk with you... about a great many things... Things I am not proud of, things I wish I could change. You need to know these things because I know what you saw in my head and I know what you are likely thinking... I simply ask that you give me the time to speak my mind and decide what you wish to do from there."