The road to Santia was desolate, more than usual. Rumors of thieves from the Everlands hiding in the tall trees spread quicker than a wildfire after a season of drought, it wasn’t long before they reached King Tobias who sprung into action almost immediately. By Royal decree, he gathered the council members and offered a solution to the matter at hand. 
As The Everlands Ambassador of Peace, Father was to take twelve of his best men to Santia, meet with King Behr and heal the broken trust between the kingdoms by leaving the men behind, including me, as a token of good faith. Under the command of King Behr, we were to rid the roads of their foe. A task I accepted from the moment the words were spoken.
 We made preparations for our journey and headed out the next morning, hoisting our colors high. I was the youngest among us, no more than a squire, but ready to take my oath as soon as Sir Humle would see it fit, in the meantime I traveled with father and learned of his wise ways how to make peace when war seemed a much less complicated path to take and this time was no exception. 
While knowing the dangers that lay ahead of us, Father chose the diplomacy route instead of initiating a bloodbath when our company was forced to a halt by the unexpected presence of two fully armored but most unlikely lone riders. Though concealed by the shadows of the early evening, as well as by the bulkiness of their armor, it wasn’t hard to tell they were prepared to fight. 
With my hand wrapped tight around my sword and ready to engage in any moment I couldn’t help but be amused at the courage displayed before my eyes, not from the man to my right, his bear-size was nigh intimidating, surely he knew that. But the one on the left looks like a small child, a young lad with a sword too big for his own good, yet ready to battle despite the disadvantage for someone of his size to fight any of us.
“You may go no further.” The man on the right commanded. “State your purpose at once.”
“I am Sir Darius LaFonte, Peace Ambassador of The Everlands -”
“I did not ask for your name, you old fool, I know who you are,” said the man amid chuckles even startling his wee companion, but I found his words insulting.
“You dare to make fun of my father?” I cried, outraged, unsheathing my sword. “I shall make you pay!” I threatened, digging my heel into Daeress’ side.
“Put it away, son,” Father commanded as he advanced on his stallion until they stood beside the bear-size stranger. “General Luna, what a surprise!”
“Darius, my old friend, it has been a long time since I last saw you. If my mind does not fail me, it has been nine years since you last stepped foot in Bellaterra for Elleanora’s birth celebration.”
“Indeed. The matters of the kingdom keep me rather occupied. How is that lovely wife of yours, Manuel?”
“Stubborn as usual.” They both chuckled, their laughter echoing in the wide and empty road.
“Some things never change,” Father stated as he turned to face me before shrugging. “I have a stubborn child myself. Does the little one follow in her mother’s footsteps?”
“Perhaps you should ask -”
The time for visiting was cut short when out of the darkness above us, from between thick branches, started raining thieves. 
A battle erupted instantly, moonbeams reflecting on the sharp blades cutting through foes and shadows alike.
Busy as I was in the melee, I missed the fact that my father had been knocked over by his horse until he called out to me. I watched his horse dashed madly down the road flooded with enemies dragging my father along, as his wooden peg remained stuck in the stirrup, preventing him from freely falling to the ground. Father couldn’t regain his poise and join the fight, or even defend himself. 
“Father!” I cried struggling to get to Daeress as more thieves continued to pour out like a terrible monsoon of doom. 
Our situation only worsened. 
Hell’s gates had burst open and allowed evil itself to escape. 
Our company was small, and their numbers were great. I watched as some of my father’s men fell prey to the enemy’s blade right at my feet. I feared if I didn't hurry, my father would be next.
“Dorian!” my father’s cry for help thundered in my head. 
Two men chased after him, my worry reached its peak. But then, amid the desperate feelings consuming me, as I struggled to reach Father swimming through the wave of foes, I watched as the small soldier pulled on the reins of his horse and veered in my father’s direction.
In just a few moments, he caught up with the men, swung his sword to the right and knocked one of them over to the ground. The second man intercepted my father’s stallion, but just as he readied his blade to strike, the wee soldier threw himself at the attacker causing him to fall off his horse as well. 
He had barely managed to get back on his feet before the first blow came his way as he attempted to free my father’s leg.
“Duck!” warned Father while he reached up for his leg trying to loosen the strap that fastened the wooden peg to his severed knee.
The thief came at him quicker than father’s warning and by the time the brave soldier turned around to block the hit, the blade was too close to miss its target.
“Nooo!” I yelled as the sharp sword swept the top of my father rescuer’s head knocking the helmet right off, had I not ducked it would have hit me also as I arrived just in time to aid the wee stranger.
This time I was the one who threw himself to the enemy and took him down, but even then, after knocking him unconscious, victory was not ours. 
The enemy surrounded us still, there was no time to waste.
I quickly got back on my feet and turned around to aid my father, but I froze on the spot as if a spell of ancient Gods had suddenly petrified me.
A pair of confused deep brown eyes stared right back at me. Her tangled raven hair played wildly with the gentle breeze, while a trickle of blood ran from the top of her head down her forehead, nose, and lips.
Without hesitation, she cut my father loose and helped him sit upright.
I watched her every move and still, it took me a moment to realize the wee soldier was indeed a young lass! One whose feral beauty had me paralyzed. Speechless. Dumbfounded.
Her eyes grew wide and filled with terror. “Look out!” she yelled. I barely had time to react, blocked the blow and attacked the thief in return. Although I knocked him to the ground quickly, I was still reprimanded. “Mind your surroundings!” she stated.
First rule of the battlefield, I thought annoyed at myself, do not get distracted, Dorian!
“There are too many,” mumbled Father. 
“Nothing to worry, my Lord. We can manage,” she said, picking up a knife from the nearest fallen thief and getting back in her fighting stance with a blade on each hand. Despite her assurances, it was obvious that we needed more than a couple of blades and a brave child. “Not afraid, are we?” she asked me, although her eyes remained fixed on the approaching foes. “Eme destero yot, sottio!” she yelled, waving her blades. But regardless of how intimidating she wanted to look as she bared her teeth and grunted menacingly, she was still only a child and no match for the enemy.
“Stay behind me and on my signal, run as fast as you can,” I told her. She looked up and glared back at me.
“I don’t need your protection,” she responded with absolute indignation. “I’m not a coward and fear no pain nor death! Perhaps it is you, squire,” she enunciated with disdain as her eyes swept me from head to toe, “who needs to hide behind me -”
My eyes met her defiant dark brown gaze for a moment, there was no fear in them, instead, there was a fire that seemed to burn brighter than the midday sun. I was unsure if I found her words insulting or her courage amusing. Perhaps the latter, but the taunting in her voice was hard to ignore, and I forgo manners and diplomacy in exchange for empty threats. “In a different time,” I paused, turning back towards the enemy while still muttering loud enough for her to hear. “In a safer place, little lass, I would spank some manners into you!” She gasped. 
“How dare you speak t…” she stopped mid-sentence as the sound of thundering hooves echoed around us. She squinted into the deepening darkness. “Santia’s army!” She whispered in relief. “You better run now!” she yelled with pride.
The thieves found no doubt in her statement and immediately began running in all directions, new riders chasing after them, chaos took over for a few moments but then all things fell back into order.   
“Oin noma rof Kien Behr, urtreger yot apemasa!” Said one of the mounted soldiers. I had heard stories of them but never before seen a Santia soldier, their armor was coated in layers of green and brown paint, as to camouflage them while hiding in the forest. “Wens aressa yot?” His words confused me, but they seemed clear to her.
“He wants your sword,” she indicated dropping hers to the ground. “Wesot asgaris elo Kien Behr.” I stared at her as the strange words flowed through her bloodstained lips. “Eme noma Ellanora, eme hericha rof Nerossh Luna.”
“What language are you speaking?” I asked.
“Shhhh,” she hushed me, annoyed with my question.
“Alavar!” General Luna said from behind the soldiers who immediately parted left and right and allowed him passage.
“Son,” Father’s voice broke the spell the unfamiliar words had cast upon me. I helped him stand while the conversation continued.
“Eme Nerossh Luna, Demirov rof Bellaterra. Kien Behr eis essando eme,” said the General.
“The language they speak is Fieldstream, an old and almost dead tongue, preserved by only a few broken branches of Santia and Lerona’s Kingdoms.” Explained Father. “General Luna has made known to them that King Behr is waiting for him.”
“Nerossh Luna,” the soldier greeted as he put his sword away. “Benwove.”
“You speak this tongue?” I was baffled that my father would keep such a secret from me.
“Only a little, like an infant barely learning to speak. A few broken sentences and mangled words. I am much out of practice.”
“The soldier would lead us back to King Behr’s castle,” said the young lass nonchalantly then made her way to her horse and rode at the head of the company next to General Luna.
“She is just like Karianna,” father said, fastening his leg again. “Strong-minded and brave, and she will be no less beautiful than her mother.” He stated while mounting his horse, as usual, rejecting any help from my part. “Heaven helps the men that beseech her affections.”
“Indeed,” I stated as mounted as well. “She’s annoying, stubborn and -”
“And she did save our lives, Son,” Father stated. 
I stared at her in the distance again, thoughtfully studying her moves. Watching her ride regally away. An air of confidence surrounded her bloodstained face. 
Her small figure demanded respect and admiration. 
“That she did, Father. That... she did.”

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