Heirot

Knight bit back a moan as she drew apart from him, adrenaline fueling the need to rejoin with her. He had a split second to come to terms with the abrupt shift in mood, and then he heard it too.

Someone was crying out in the sands.

"What...?" he muttered, refocusing sharply on the howling winds, though his body was trembling in protest at the cold that had replaced Tenele's form against him.

Tenele pulled the slinky-silk gown over her, tying it at the shoulders. She hated the void and the unfulfilled desire that raged in her. But, the sound she heard concerned her. Someone sounded hurt.

"It's coming from this way. Might want to put on your pants," she said almost mournfully, reaching down and handing him his pants before she started off in a jog towards the voice.

"Hello?! Are you hurt?"

The figure's voice was hoarse from panting in the sand, but as soon as Tenele's question registered, the stranger resumed shouting at the top of its lungs, the words just a string of random syllables as far as Knight could tell.

The guardian skidded down the sandy slope just behind Tenele and approached the figure along with her. He held out a hand to keep Tenele back, in case this was some kind of scam. Who could get themselves into such desperate shape mere miles from the capitol? For goodness sake, if the sun was up, it was be easy to see on the horizon.

The figure was smaller than him, and the rags it wore looked well battered by the sands. Perhaps it really was someone lost. "Hey," he said gently, touching where he thought the figure's shoulder was.

The bundled figure stopped screaming, squirmed, and sank sharp teeth into Knight's hand. It sprawled away from him on all fours, and a small female face glared out at him from the worn fabric. More nonsensical ranting ensued, then switched to Ighten's tongue in the same string of speech. "Do'magrahal! Si couteki la no! Do not touch! You are not my male!" she seethed. Then, whining, "Cold!"

Tenele placed her hand on Knight's shoulder tenderly and stepped passed him. She crouched down in front of the female. "Are you hurt?" she asked softly. "I'm very good at mending things that are hurt. Can you tell me what happened?" Tenele reached out toward her. "He didn't many any harm. We heard you screaming."

The female looked up at her and just stared. Her face looked young, maybe fifteen. The gold-slitted eyes marked her as a reptilian. "Take me Capitol," she blurted. "My kin fell. I want fast horse." She scrambled to her feet, tried to go forward, and flopped back into the sand.

"What?" Tenele breathed, realizing suddenly what creature this was, but she did not yet recognise the face. The Queen's Maiden looked her arm around the young girl and lifted her to her feet. "It would be faster to port to the capitol. You don't seem to be in much condition to ride. The cold air is killing you."

Her green eyes found Knight. "Port her back to the palace. I'll get the horses and ride them back. Get her fire. She needs to be warm." Tenele turned the girl to Knight. "He won't hurt you. I know he isn't your male, but he can take you where you need to go faster than anything..." Tehele's brow furrowed. "Shit! The sands. You can't port in the sands. We have to take the horses. Ride with Knight, he's much warmer. He'll be able to protect you somewhat from the elements," Tenele said as she led the girl back to their horses.

Knight reached down more carefully to help the girl up. This time, small hands locked like vices around his forearm, but she didn't resist him as he hauled her up toward the horses. "Don't need this male. Where is Sho's male?" she ranted belligerently as Knight mounted with her weight easily against his chest. The guardian looked amused to meet a creature so utterly unimpressed with him.

Tenele knew the name. Sho... Talon had spoke of her often, and had visited her at least once to make sure the people were settling in. He hadn't mentioned that there were any problems with the town they'd started.

"We will be there shortly," Tenele encouraged the young girl, riding off towards home.

'My ken fell' Did that mean that her town had been sacked? And by who? Atul had mentioned relations with surrounding nations being strained, but those were all boarder towns... Come to think of it, she wasn't very sure where Talon had placed her people. But, she didn't think it had been too far, as he wanted to visit her.

The feisty reptilian eventually went quiet as they rode across the sands, although her vice grip never loosened on Knight's arm. He spared a few studying looks, though she was staring at him relentlessly. This was not Sho. He'd met the girl, as Vlad, and remembered the face well. This girl was similar, but not the same. "Your name?"

She frowned at him and said nothing.

"Are you Sho?" Tenele asked her as they came under the protection of the city lights. "Do you know who I am? Do you know who Talon Raider is?"

It was late at night now and the city streets were empty save for a few people. Tenele guided them on the shortest trek back to the palace, down the main strip of town. It wasn't the safest route to go when they didn't want to be noticed, but the faster she got the reptilian to fire, the better the girl would feel.

As if Knight hadn't just asked the exact same question, the girl turned a dutiful gaze toward Tenele. "I am Kie. Not Sho. Sho's kin." She looked down. "Sho fell. She gave me the water horn, to reach the Capitol...."

Tenele's stomach twisted. "When you say Sho fell, what do you mean?" Tenele's heart broke at the idea of the sweet brave girl that had helped save their lives not making it through whatever horror this girl saw. But, her heart hurt even more for Talon, who had grown very fond of her.

"She fell," the girl repeated in annoyance. "Trying to help the others."

Knight rolled his eyes. Apparently this one was about as tricky to communicate with as Sho. "Is Sho dead?"

He was rewarded with an elbow to the ribs, and the spry girl tried to wriggle out of the saddle. "We're moving!" he growled, barely restraining her in time.

She just pointed her chin high and glared straight ahead.

Tenele was in such a hurry once they got back to the palace that she simply handed the reigns to the stable boy and bid her apologies. "This is urgent. Please take care of Saber and the other for us. Thank you." Then, she guided Kie to the side entrance to the palace.

Once inside Tenele caught the first maid she saw by the arm. "Please collected Talon Raider from his room and have him meet me in my quarters. Tell him it is urgent."

Then, she turned to Knight. "Port us there, please. We need to get her warmed up. Maybe she will be more agreeable to discussion once she's not so cold."

Knight took the girl by the scruff of her cloak, since she wouldn't accept his hand or let him pick her up, and guided her down the halls behind Tenele.

The girl paused at the first sconce she could reach and looked about ready to hug it. "There is a warm place up ahead," Knight said quietly, without pulling on her. She paused and regarded him for a moment, as if seeing him for the first time. Without a word, she took his arm for balance and walked a little faster beside him.