19

'Tair,

What will I ever do with you? Now I know why you always had to stay home. You needed me to get you out of trouble. Sister how could you let your pride get in the way? Do you not know what this is going to do to me? Not to mention they might torture you and I can't handle the thought of that. I'll think of some way to get you out of there.

I surprise even my self sometimes. I just had a brilliant beyond brilliant idea. I can't believe I thought about it when I wasn't even really trying to. I put a spell on this letter so only you can read it. So here's my idea, I . . . I shouldn't even be thinking about this. Alright, I'll kidnap Princess I'talia. It'll be so easy. How could the King not realize the opportunity he just placed in my hands? I have been practicing with Master Sotur'i again and I have learned so many spells that it seems that Master Sotur'i was holding back. I tried to duel Sotur'i the other day and he beat me so badly it was shocking. But from that I have improved greatly, so I should be able to take any one on in a fight. I can't believe I'm going to do this. I . . . this is insane. This is something that you would come up with-not me. I will have to leave everything behind but you can't expect me to do nothing. I know you would storm the tower if it meant saving me. Sister I won't leave you to rot. I hope I am justified in my decision. I will write later telling you of my success.

Later:

Sister, I'm in a forest I can't say where but just know that I am well and so is I'talia. Though she is a little discomforted. I mean who wouldn't. I'm sure you've heard of her capture by now but I thought I'd give you the true version. I had told my contacts I was leaving and probably wouldn't return so I got final messages, none of which were very helpful. Early the next morning I packed up some of my belongings and sent them to the place I was going to head for after I had the Princess. I then took off my disguise, I can not tell you how nice it felt to look in the mirror and just see me. I had thought I'd lost my self. I've been called R'ay for the past while and I have to say I prefer being called Raina. I put on my Mages cloak and pulled up the hood. I snuck out of the inn I had been staying in and sat in the town main square waiting for the sun to rise and with it the people. I sat in the square for several hours. I had figured out that the Princess took a tour of the town every second day of the second week. It happened to be that day.

I sat in contemplation, I watched as the baker warmed his breads and as the beggars came out of their ally ways and sat themselves in the place that would offer them the best advantage of getting money. The young market slaves came early so as to have the ingredients for their masters breakfast. The worker builders carrying their heavy hammers and ax's and other building equipment headed towards the new section of the city. Strangely no one paid me any attention. Some people even bumped into me as the day wore on.

Around two in the afternoon I'talia showed up. Today she was with Gi, Benk, and Master Sotur'i. I had of course suspected all of them to be there. I had seen it before from my foresight. I soon was able to spot the guards and saw my opportunity. I'talia had stopped to talk to a young women of obvious high standing, the rest of the group waited. They had passed me by and I was now fairly close to Master Sotur'i. I wasn't using any magic so he couldn't sense me. In a sudden burst of power I lunged into the air and before Sotur'i could do anything I knocked him out with the hilt of my dagger. I now crouched where Sotur'i had stood. Every one spun around staring. I heightened my strength, and from that increased my speed, and ran forward grabbing I'talia and bringing her to stand away from every one else. I put my dagger to her neck and told no one to move or else she dies immediately. The guards who had half way drawn their swords stopped. Silence enveloped the square. Then Gi straightened up and said to me, "Mage Raina, I presume? If your anything like your sister I'taira then I highly doubt that you would actually kill the Princess." His men started forward. "You miss judge me Gi," I said. And with that I pushed the dagger harder into I'talia's neck causing a spot of blood to appear on my dagger. The men stopped. I turned to Benk and said, "She says she's sorry. She's very sorry Benk." Benk looked confused but I know it was just to fool the others, I could see in his eyes that he understood. While I said this Gi must have signaled to I'talia to pull my hood down because as soon as I turned to Gi my hood had been yanked off. Obviously it was so that people could identify what I really looked like. I couldn't do anything about this but pull the Princess closer and press the dagger harder. She gasped giving the first sign of fear. I could see surprise in the eyes of those around. I don't think it is much of a surprise that we look so much a like except for our hair but it seems everyone else does. I felt like I had enough socializing so I shot a small piece of paper through the air which landed at Benks feet. "Benk come alone with what I ask, and follow the directions from the place outlined in the note. If you don't you'll find her," I nodded to I'talia, "dead in the place I've indicated. Or at least you'll find whats left of her." With that I said a spell that sent the both of us through the air. We landed a little distance out of town where I promptly knocked out I'talia. I then traveled with her into the Mysterious Magical Forest, which is forbidden and we are probably a two days journey into the forest. Well that's the story. I hope you approve. But it was done and was had to be done. But I did have the best intentions in mind.

Love,

Raina.

More recent:

I knew it! I knew it, I knew it! Well that's taking a little too much credit upon myself. After all I saw in the future that he would come and he came! Luc, he's here. So the princess and I were sitting down, she in denial, me in triumph. When the rock she was sitting on moved. She jumped up and screamed. Running as far from the camp as my spell would let her go. I watched the rock roll and walked over to where it came from. I looked down and there was a young man. I had expected Sol to accompany him but it was just Luc and Weed. I helped Luc out of the hole and Weed jumped up and went to sniffing and slithering around camp. He is so beautiful, Weed is I mean. No description could ever prepare someone to meet a creature like Weed. I welcomed Luc into camp and told him I had been waiting for him. I made dinner while he sat and rested and the princess started to edge back in closer.

After dinner was ready we all sat down to a-- fine meal. Luc seemed exhausted from his trip and the princess refused to eat. I have to tell you what I did. I didn't really mean to be that rude but the princess was being such a prat that I think she deserved it. I walked over to her with her dinner and offered it to her. "I think you poisoned it," I'talia said. "Why would I want to poison you when I can trade you for something?"I said. But she stuck her nose in the air and refused to eat. "Have it your way, I serve meals only at certain times and I guess you don't want it," I said. And with that I flipped over her plate and threw it on the ground. She looked hungrily at the spoiled food. Luc smiled. He always does doesn't he.

Later that night when the princess was asleep I decided to talk with Luc and see what had really happened. He told me how you ran off and how they were forced to hide to keep from being captured. Apparently Sol is not yet satisfied with what you have learned and decided to stay. Luc would get serious at some small brief parts but for the most he was smiling. Always smiling. I think he would make a perfect match for you. He is after all your complete opposite. You have to decide between Gi and Luc, I personally like Luc better. He might not be quite as gorgeous as Gi is, but he makes up for it by his charismatic personality. I like him and I'm happy for you both. You could teach him how to fight and he could teach you some humility. I give you my permission to like him. You can also like Gi, if you have to. Well good night.

Later:

You won't believe what happened! I'll have to start at the beginning. I was in a Mage's sleep which means my body's resting but my mind stays awake and alert. I sat up in a start. The future I saw too frightening to believe. Y'ata was coming. He was coming for me. He didn't care if it killed I'talia. He wanted me. An apprentice who had over powered her Master, who had fled from a army, and kidnapped a princess with no consequence to herself. I had accidentally woken up Weed who looked at me strangely. I crawled over to Luc and lightly shook his shoulder. He opened his eyes and sat up and, again, smiled. "Luc I need you to take I'talia to a safe place where you can watch over her and trade her for my sister. I'll try to catch up but . . . Y'ata is coming. He's coming for me. I'll leave immediately. But you two should leave as soon as possible," I said. Luc nodded and went around packing up camp. I walked over to I'talia knelt down and started to bind her hands with rope that I had. She woke up and looked at me tiredly. "Princess your leaving camp, with Luc. He'll take good care of you," I said pulling her to her feet. She looked between Luc and me. Luc smiled at her, having finished cleaning up camp and moved the rock standing next to the opening in the ground. Luc took her by the elbow and lowered her in after Weed. "Good luck Luc, and here are the direction for the trading. I might not be able to be there on time so I'll need you to do it. Or not to do it, I'm not sure that it will work ." "Good luck your self," Luc said giving me another smile. Then I couldn't help it so I said, "Luc just to let you know you have my permission to fall in love with my sister." I think that would be the first time I have ever seen a man blush so red. I had the smile that time. And you can't be mad at me because your in prison and need to be thinking positively.

I stood there for a moment then fled for my life. I have never ran so fast. I ran for all I was worth. If I had used magic it would have been far too easy for Y'ata to track me. So I ran. I had my Mage's cloak about me to keep me in the shadows. I ran into a clearing with a small spring and needed to stop for a drink. I was so tired. While I was in the middle of drinking a man sprinted from the opposite side of the clearing very much out of breath. We both looked at each other both breathing heavily when a Mage appeared out from behind the man. He ran to where I stood and we looked at each other and the Mage just laughed. It was so insane sounding that I could feel my hairs prickle at the sound. The man in an out of breath voice said quietly to me, "I'm s-sorry . . . I brought Y'ata here. I was . . . was running and . . . and I'm sorry I found you." I had controlled my breathing by now. "He's after you? I thought he was after me," I said. The man looked up at me again the Y'ata broke lauged. "I was looking for the both of you," Y'ata said. "Raina, Raina, thought you could run from me did you?" Y'ata paused to laugh again. "Ranger meet my new apprentice Raina." The man's eyes locked with mine, his full of accusatory. I felt awful under that look so I said to Y'ata, "I will die before I become your apprentice."

An ugly smirk curled the ends of Y'ata's lips. "You don't have to die, I could just kill your sister." "You wouldn't dare!" I yelled at him. By now the man whom Y'ata called Ranger had control of his breath and leaned close to me and whispered, "You take right, I'll take left." He paused then yelled, "Go!" I ran at Y'ata throwing spell after spell in his direction. I whipped out my sword and swung it at Y'ata's figure, but my blade bit into wood. I had hit a tree as did Ranger. Y'ata was in the air looking furious. "You both dare to try and stand against me?" he said. I opened up my mind to the future and I saw the spell Y'ata was going to throw at me so I said the counter the mere second before he cast the actual spell. He glared at me and said, "We must extinguish our foresight or else we won't have half a decent fight." I could feel his withdraw of power. I pulled my sword lose from the tree and I turned off my foresight. I slunck slowly over to Ranger and whispered, "You distract with the sword." Ranger nodded and ran forward. I protected Ranger from any spells that Y'ata was throwing at him and now they were in combat. Ranger is such a good fighter. Anyways it was an amazing fight. I threw spells at Y'ata and finally with the two of us working together Y'ata had to with draw. He screamed back at us viciously, "I'll be back, and not alone." He then disappeared in a flash of light. I became suddenly weak and my legs wobbled dangerously beneath me. Ranger ran to my side, "Come on we need to keep moving."

And so we did. We probably walked two or three miles before I collapsed and passed out. I guess the spells that I warded off from Ranger were extremely strong and had zapped me of my strength. That usually doesn't happen unless you the spells that you are blocking are too strong for your magic. So I was out and when I finally came to it was dark and Ranger was sitting next to a small fire. "How long have I been asleep?" I asked him. "About two days." He said. "Two days. That long?"I asked. He nodded. "Are feeling alright?" he said. "I feel fine right now." "Good. Are you ready for some food?" he asked. I smiled and said, "Yes please." It was then that I noticed that I still had my hood on. I had put a spell on it so that it couldn't be removed. So Ranger had no idea what I looked like. He handed me a plate of some sort of meat and a mush thing to the side of it. I thankfully excepted it and removed the part of my hood that hid my mouth. I bowed my head so that he couldn't see my face. Between bites I surveyed him. We'd been so busy during our fight against Y'ata that I hadn't even seen what he looked like. He has dark, longish (but not too long), sandy blond hair, with a small curl to it. Bright blue eyes that are so clear that you can almost see every feeling he feels through them. He's strong in build with a strong prominent jaw line and a perfect smile. I'm sure that no person could look as perfect as he does.

Back into the story, he watched me in silence for a minute then said, "I tried to take your hood off so you could breath but it wouldn't come off so I left it. Is it made out of material that easy to breath out of?" I nodded. "Why do you wear it?" Ranger asked. "It's part of being a Mage." "Ah, I forgot you were a Mage. Why else would Y'ata want you as an apprentice?" he said. I went back to eating. "Well we should probably introduce ourselves properly since we'll be traveling with each other for a while,"Ranger said. "What? Why would we travel together?" I asked. "Well Y'ata is planning to come back and we do make a very good team." I couldn't believe it, he wanted safety of a Mage. "I suppose that will be alright," I said a little uncertain. "My name is . . . Raina." I had thought of not telling him my name but then he had heard Y'ata say it. "Nice to meet you Raina. People call me Ranger." He said inclining his head in a small sort of bow. I was done eating so I pulled the cloth back around my mouth. "Do you also wear that hood because your disfigured?" Ranger asked. I laughed, I couldn't believe how straight forward he was. "No of course not. But since were getting more personal, why do the people call you Ranger?" He looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "You'll find out tomorrow. But for now you should get some rest. I'll take the first watch." He walked away into the woods. I lay back down and opened my mind to be flooded with the future. I let my body relax once again. For some reason I trusted Ranger. After I had taken my shift and he'd gotten some rest, the sun rose.

We traveled a short distance to the top of a hill where there was a view such as I have never seen. Burnt buildings, black crops, lone crisp trees. How can one prepare ones self for a sight so deadening? We stood in silence for several minutes. Ranger turned away and headed further up along the ridge to the less burnt area and motioned me to follow. When we came to the top of the ridge it sloped down into a little green valley spotted with houses. "These are the people the fires didn't kill." Ranger said. "I spend all my time caring for the forests and ancient life. Sometimes working with robbers and then other times helping the people who survive the rampage of the rebels." "Wait that fire back there was started by the rebels?" I asked, shocked that we, who fought for a good cause, could do such a thing. "All will be revealed in time. For now I hope you will help me serve the every day hero's." He said heading toward the little village. He stopped and turned around. "Raina, " he said. "Your going to have to take your hood off or people will suspect you as an evil magician." I frowned I could see the trickery in his eyes. Very clever. But then again people would think that wouldn't they? So I unwrapped my hood and stuffed it into the back of the pack Ranger had helped me to make. My hair obscured my face so he couldn't see it. I swung around looking him straight in the eyes. He gave no reaction like so many other people usually do. But I could see in his eyes that he was surprised how pretty I was. I smiled causing him to smile with me. He lead the way down to the village and that's were our journey started.

When we went inside the village Ranger was immediately surrounded by little boys the eldest probably twelve. They all called his names each one telling him how they were the best at swords since he left. I looked around while he was busy with the little boy's and saw young girls emerging from every house. I could tell that they had just ran a brush through their hair trying to look as good as they could for Ranger. I smiled. They walked to each other and started to whisper excitedly until their gazes fell upon me. I could feel the hate from each one of those girls, the envy. It felt awful I was about to shrink away when one of the older women who had gotten through the swarm of boys asked Ranger who I was. Ranger grabbed my arm softly and said loudly for everyone to hear, "This is my fighting partner and soon to be fellow ranger." I shot him a glance at this, I had no intention of becoming a ranger. He pushed his way through the crowed and past the girls who fluttered at his passing. He lead me to a discrepant house and past it into a field. An old man sat on a broken ground tiller. He looked up when he saw Ranger and smiled. "Ranger my dear boy! Come to help me again have ya?" Ranger returned the smile and said, "I'm not good with fixing materials but my friend Raina is very talented in that area. She'll help you fix anything that needs to be fixed. When she's done helping you will you bring her to the town square?" The old man nodded and stood up. Ranger left and I didn't know what to do. The old man looked me over and said, "You must be one of those magic folk. Well . . . no use fighting about that. Help me fix this blasted tool and we'll move on from there." And so I went up to it having no idea what I was supposed to do. I recognized it from our farm and said the words that would hopefully put the tiller to rights. The old man looked over it once it was done and nodded and told me to follow him. I swear I fixed every thing that man owned. But the last thing I fixed was a rocking chair for his old wife who had to lay in bed because her rocking chair didn't work. He asked me to fix the rocking chair instead of telling me to fix it like he had done with the other stuff. I spent most of the day in that manner.

All in all I actually liked doing that work. After he couldn't think of anything else for me to fix he started to lead me back to the city. And since it was a far walk he started up a conversation. "Raina, that's what he called ya right?" I nodded. He contiued, "Are ya married?" I shook my head. "How long ya know the young Ranger?" "Not very long." I said. The old man kept asking me questions about myself that I almost regretted being alone with him. But at length we reached the village. Ranger was playing with the little boys while the girls watched and giggled at him. I can't believe we used to be as immature as those girls. I'm glad we grew up. Well as soon as I came close Ranger called out making everyone become silent. It must be that every time he opens his mouth people listen. "Boy's do want to see a real fight?" he said. The boys cheered and even the young men who had been standing a little far off perked up at that. "Raina will you be so kind as to engage in a sword fight with me?" I looked at him uncertain and realized that I had placed my weapon in the ground like I usually do, I wasn't sure if he wanted me to have such a grand display of magic. Ranger nodded seeming to perceive my thoughts and we circled around each other. He took lunges, which, with my enhanced speed, I was able to dodge out of the way and after a few attempts at that I summoned my sword from the ground. Ooo's and Ahh's rippled across the crowed as my sword blocked his. I reached out and grasped my weapon and we started to fight. It was so relaxing. We weren't trying to kill each other or teach something we were merely showing the art that we both cared for. Our movements were percise and we seemed to move as if in a dance, perfectly synchronized. We knew what the other would do and correlated our actions to counter the attacks. We finished after several minutes and the crowd was in silence. I looked over at the girls who stood with mouths open, gawking at the fact that I had sword played with their hero. Ranger and I bowed to each other and the boys ran up to the both of us telling us their favorite moves that we had done. After we spent the night there we left early in the morning and just travled. Ranger explained to me that there are two types of heros. Heros of man and heros of the world. This explanation will surprise you. Heros of men are those who end up in history books but heros of the world are those who in meekness serve to provide and save their families and all they hold dear. Ranger is a very interesting person.

I hope you are safe sister. I pray that your out of prison. I hope Sol isn't driving you crazy. I also hope Luc is safe. If you know anything about him and Princess I'talia or what's going on I would love to hear.

Love as always,

Raina.