Chapter 3

She looked at me and then sighed and stood. She handed me her sword shaking her head. I smiled and stepped closer to kiss her. “Enough playing love, I need practice.”

I handed her sword back and faced her. Talia moved into place and I struck. Our practice went from a trick to a deadly dance that quieted the crowd. Talia was very good and I only moved her around the salle with difficulty. When we finished it was because I stepped back away from her, breaking the pattern. We were both covered in sweat, I smiled and slipped my sword back in its sheath.

Talia walked forward slipping her sword over her shoulder. She spread her clawed fingers and placed them on my chest before leaning close and giving me a kiss. She turned as Armsmaster Kregis walked up to us. He smiled at me, “I won quit a bit of money on you.”

He turned to Talia and in a quiet voice, “Princess, he would have beaten your challenge even if he let you fight.”

Talia smiled at me, “I know. The way he moved me around the salle told me that. I even know he was holding back.”

The Armsmaster nodded, “He is better than I.”

He bowed and walked away. I put my arm around Talia’s waist, “We need another bath. I will even wash your back for you.”

The next morning we were up early and back on the road just after dawn. Talia’s tunic covered her armor today, she did not want to draw attention. We stopped briefly for lunch but mostly we pushed the pace. Talia said this way we would get there before the evening meal. We turned off the main road just after lunch and followed a smaller less used trail for a couple of hours.

In the late afternoon we reached a large stone arch with an intricate crest carved into the stones. Talia sat staring for a long time and finally nodded to me and fell back to ride behind me. It was another half hour before we saw the manor. When we finally rode up in front it, there were Kittlings everywhere. I saw several that looked like they should have been wearing armor but were not.

I dismounted and moved to Talia and waited for her to dismount. She walked beside me until we were almost to the large front doors where two males and an older female waited. I stepped forward slightly so that I was in front of her, “I am Armsmaster Shadow Walker and I would like to see your clan head.”

The female was older and in the middle so I knew she was the one in charge. She looked from me to Talia, “Why human?”

I heard the horses shifting and felt Talia move. I turned slightly to see several younglings walking towards the horses. I looked at Talia and tilted my head, “Talia?”

She nodded and walked back to the horses. I turned back to see the older female’s angry face. I smiled, “Sorry, the Battle mares were her companions and they tend to listen to her better than me.”

The female’s face changed as she glanced at Talia. She looked back at me and cleared her throat, “What do you wish to speak to the clan head about?”

I looked into her face, “I promised your dead that I would return his weapons and armor.”

The females face went still, “All of our clan are accounted for.”

I glanced at the two males as they shifted hands closer to weapons. I smiled at the female, “Peace Kittling, I bring Fenris Silvertip’s spirit home. He was companion and personal guard to Talia Quick Strike, Clan Osia; Princess of the Empire.”

Both males jerked and the female hissed. After a moment she looked at the male on her left and jerked her head towards to door. As he turned to enter the house she looked at me, “Wait human.”

I bowed slightly and turned. I smiled as I saw Talia kneeling next to a small Kittling who was timidly stroking Lady’s muzzle. I walked back to the pack horses and stopped at the first one in line. Carefully I removed the bundle that I had packed on top this morning. On the way back to the door, I stopped by Talia, “put her in charge and join me, my mate.”

Talia looked at me with a grin and then up at Biscuit, “Watch the younglings and do not eat to many sweets.”

Biscuit snorted and Talia smiled as she stood to follow me. When we reached the door the male was back and the female gestured for me to follow. Inside we walked down a wide hallway and stopped at a set of doors with two guards. When we entered the room, there was an elderly Kittling female sitting in a cushioned chair with a middle aged male beside her.

The male held a naked sword and the female was holding a book, reading. Talia had told me what to expect and what to do. I slowly walked across the room and knelt in front of the woman. In the silence I placed the bundle on the floor and unwrapped it. Moving the weapons to the side, I lifted the armor and gently placed it on her lap, “Lady, I bring Fenris Silvertip home.”

The female placed the book beside her and looked at me, “Fenris has been gone from these lands a long time human.”

I waited as she finally looked down at the armor and slowly lifted back one edge of the scale shirt. As the crest came into view she sighed and her head went to her chest. When she finally looked up, I saw the pain in her eyes. “Your price human?”

I shook my head slightly, “No price mother.”

Her eyes widened slightly and I watched her mouth twitch as she looked up at the male beside her. I turned my head and reached for the weapons I had placed on the floor. I grasped them by the blades and held them out to the male, “His weapons Armsmaster.”

He looked at me for a minute and then with his free hand, took them easily. “Thank you Armsmaster.”

I smiled and looked back at the female, “Lady, my bond mate requests the honor of telling Fenris’s tale.”

She looked surprised and for the first time looked at Talia standing by the door. I watched as her eyes narrowed and then suddenly widen. She looked down at me, “Bond mate? What is her name and clan?”

I looked at her for a moment and finally nodded to myself, “She is Talia Quick Strike, Clan Osia; Princess of the Empire.”

The clan Armsmaster jerked, but the female only smiled and nodded. “Tell your bond mate it would be our honor.”

I nodded and she leaned forward and placed her hand on my shoulder, “I know your true name youngling. What you have done brings honor back to it.”

I looked into her face, “My family is dead, mother. I am a shadow walker and Shadow Walker I name myself.”

She smiled as she sat back, “Sometimes youngling, the dead come back.”

She looked at Talia again and then up at her Armsmaster, “Quietly issue arms.”

She slowly stood holding the armor. She looked at the female beside Talia, “They will be joining us for dinner and the night.”

Talia and I were brought back to the horses where a young Kittling guided us around the large manor to a barn. As we were unsaddling the horses a small army of Kittling younglings descended on us. The Battle mares seemed to love the attention and it did not take long before they were settled.

Talia and I were shown to a room and left in peace. When the door closed Talia stepped close, “that is what I will miss.”

I hugged her, “Talia, with the crowd you are carrying it will not take long before it will be like that all the time.”

Talia laughed, “I tease you all the time about you raising them. Now it will be more true than ever. I will have dozens trying to father children when I next come into season.”

I squeezed her, “you forgetting something.”

She looked up at me, “Edward, because you are my mate does not mean all my children will be yours.”

I smiled, “Oh forgetful bonded, what happens when I smell you go into season?”

Her face whitened and then she laughed as she pushed me away, “Edward, rarely do male bond partners go into rut more then the first time.”

I grinned at her, “how strong is my bond? And how long was I in rut?”

Talia stopped laughing and looked at me. “You were able to control it.”

I watched her face, “That was before I had ever mated. It was before I ... loved you. I do not know how well I will be able to control it the next time.”

Her eyes widened and then her face softened, “do you ask for my sword?”

I smiled and stepped closer, “You have already given me your sword. Remember the salle?”

Talia’s eyes widened almost in fear and then she bowed her head, “you are right, I...”

I reached out and touched her shoulder, “Talia, I returned your sword. We may be bonded and mated, but we are still getting to know each other. I do not like the idea of you being with another.”

Talia looked up into my face and smiled as she slowly reached up and caressed my face. “I will think about it.”

When we were called to dinner, Talia had once more placed her armor over her tunic so that her crest showed. Talia stopped at the door to the dinning hall and turned to me and slowly removed her sword belt and put it around my waist. When she had it adjusted she nodded and I gently tilted her face up to meet my eyes. “Are you sure?”

Talia sighed, “My time as a Battle Maid is over. I am the last of my clan. You are my bond mate and the only lover I will accept into my bed.”

Talia turned to the door and pushed it open. The large hall went silent as we entered, but as we neared the head table the whispering and talking began. The clan head stood and the room went silent, “Clan! Out of times past, out of fear and despair clan Osia is returned! This is Talia Quick Strike, clan Osia; Princess of the Empire, heir to the throne!”

The hall broke out into shouting and after a few moments, Talia stepped in front of me and held up her hand. It took a minute and then the room quieted; Talia looked around the room meeting eyes, “Long ago I was born, seven sibs I had and many litters that followed us. I was oldest and it was the tradition for the heir to be trained in battle. In my fifteenth year my training was complete and father sent me out to be blooded. In one major battle and many skirmishes I fought and finally my companions and I were allowed to return home.”

She looked around the room, tears in her eyes, “We shelter in a Carvanesse with others returning home. In the night a small army came seeking to slay me. With them were two dark mages. Traveling with us was Arch Mage Gildus. Through the night we fought, with magic shattering stone around us. In the end, it was my companions and I, the mages dead, Arch Mage Gildus exhausted and injured. Many times Fenris Silvertip stood at my side and fought. As my companions began to weaken, Fenris pushed me behind them and fought on, not letting me fight beside him. His last words were to tell you, his clan, that he fought well.”

Talia paused, again looking around the hall, tears running freely down her face, “I will not say that; Fenris was the best of us. He never did anything only well, his fight is one the ancestors will remember. I live because only a few lived to pass his body.”

Talia looked down, “The mage Gildus found the entrance blocked beyond his ability repair or move. He placed me in a spell and shielded me as time passed.”

Talia looked out over the hall, “a month ago, one came and freed me. He walked out of the past to protect the future. His name surrendered to time and honor. He walks in shadow and darkness. His name is Shadow Walker; he is my bonded and my mate by challenge.”

Again the room broke out in talking as Talia turned to me and held out her hand. I smiled as I took it and faced the head table. The Clan head smiled and waved to seats beside her. Talia sat beside her and talked quietly through dinner. When we retired Talia was quiet and I let her have her peace as I held her against me.

We were up early and found the Clan gathered as we entered the barn. I had planned on leaving Damina since she had been Fenris’s mount. All the horses were saddled and the packs put on. Damina and Biscuit stood at the front with the Clan Head and her Armsmaster.

When we stepped in front them, she reached up and caressed Damina’s head, “Well youngling, it seems this lady wishes to continue traveling with you.”

I looked up at Damina as she seemed to nod. I smiled and looked at the Armsmaster as he held a small wooden case. He looked at Talia and quietly opened the case to show an intricately engraved long knife, “Princess you are and bonded to an Armsmaster; mated you are and life mated by your lack of sword. Regardless of all that, you are a Battle Maid. We Clan Trebel, give you this long knife so that Fenris may continue to protect you.”

Talia’s hand shook slightly as she took the knife, “Thank you.”

Our ride out was with an escort of Kittlings running alongside all the way to the stone arch at the road. As we rode Talia finally started talking again, the old clan head had told her that her clan had been plagued by assassins and sickness until only a year ago the last had died.