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Post by Monday on Apr 29, 2007 21:40:29 GMT -5
Arania's feet dug into the dirt, as she prepared to fight Edgar. though it did not show on her face, she was utterly terrified. she had fought Aeron a thousand times in the last 6 months, and it was never easy. It was true that Aeron was among the best of the boys at fighting, but she new fighting Edgar would not be easy. he was much older and bigger then her, and though she hated to admit it, he was stronger as well. but he was big and clumbsy and she was light on her feet. Besides, she was a Perssian Princess, and a determined one at that. she new she could beat him.
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Post by Monday on May 5, 2007 11:26:06 GMT -5
She moved cautiously towards him, feeling him out. He had a decent fighting stance, but she was already looking for holes in his defense. His foot work wasn't that good, just making one big step after another. Then finally, after a moments pause, he was running at her with great speed. Her first instinct was to run. He looked completely terrifying, being a whole foot, at least, taller then her, his feet pounding hard on the ground. Luckily, the only benefit of this sort of attack was the fear it inspired. Arania held her ground, like Aeron had taught her, and waited to the last minute before side stepping him. For a moment he was very confused, and in the midst of looking for his target, he almost lost his footing completely. He recovered fast though and was once agian facing Arania. all she had to do was to disarm him to win, and she was quickly developing a plan. Before she could very far, he was charging her once again. She did as she did before, but this time, when she side stepped her, she hit his hand with the flat of her sword, hard. He yelped in pain, as his sword dropped the the ground, along with himself. Arania quickly kicked his sword to the side, and pointed her at his throat. "Surrender"
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Post by Monday on May 6, 2007 22:23:53 GMT -5
"Congradulations," Master Godfrid said, clapping his hand on Arania's shoulder. "You did very well." "Thank you." Arania said, beaming. Edgar stood a little way of, glaring in their direction. He was deep red with anger and embarrasement. This only made Arania's smile broden. "I'm going to keep a blind eye towards your training with Aeron, but I don't want to hear another word about." Arania glanced over at Edgar, who was known for spredding rumors, whethere they be true or not. "Don't worry about him," said the master, as if reading her mind, "He won't be saying any thing." He winked and strode off towards Edgar, who looked like he was about to cry. Arania almost felt a twinge of sympathy for him. Almost.
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Post by Monday on May 6, 2007 22:41:30 GMT -5
Two more years passed before Arania as if in the blink of an eye. Arania was now 11 years old, and a very excellent fighter. It was March now, and still very cold, but she could feel spring coming and wished for it every day. She had few worries besides her mother, who had caught cold early in Febuary, but was showing signs of improvement. Aeron and her were still best friends, and she was as happy as she could be. Until the letter came. It was from one of her father's more trusted men. The war had been lost, and everyone tied to the royal family had been killed. Including her father. Men were being sent to take Arania and her mother to a safer location. No one even faintly related to there leader was safe, especially not his child. The news hit Arania's mother hard. She went from improving to being much much worse in the coarse of a few days. There was nothing anyone could do. Before Arania had time to even think it a possibility, her mother was gone. and Arania felt all at once very much alone, as her world began to tumble down around her.
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Post by Monday on May 7, 2007 19:27:42 GMT -5
Arania remebered the day of her mother's funeral with awful clarity. Walking up that long ail to her mother's casket, looking down at that cold, emotionless face that used to hold so much joy, and finally closing the door on her forever. that was the hardest part. she walked back to where Aeron was seated and leaned her head agianst his shoulder. she let the tears flow freely down her face, as the priest gave his surmone. After dinner (Arania didn't eat much), Aeron walked Arania back to her room. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked her outside of her door. She nodded looking down, but then looked up at him with bright blue eyes, swimming in tears. "It's just that," she said, "now i'm all alone." "No you're not," he said reaching down and hugging her, "I'll always be there for you."
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Post by Monday on May 8, 2007 21:16:40 GMT -5
Two weeks later, the men arrived to take Arania away, to a safer location, they said. When they first got there, she flat out refused. She didn't want to be taken away from her new family here, and especially not Aeron. He had protected her and watched over her for so many years that she had forgotten what life was like before he was there. He was all she had left in the world. In the end, though, it was Aeron who convinced her to go. "You have to go, it's for your own protection." "No," Arania said for the milleonth time, "I don't have to do anything, I don't want to. I'm a Persian Princess." "If you won't go for yourself, atleast go for me." Aeron argued. "If those people come after you, i'll have no choice but to defend you, and i could wind up getting killed. You wouldn't want that to happen, now would you?" Aeron said, looking down at her, smiling. "This is no lauphing matter Aeron," Arania said in frustration. "What if I never see you agian? You're like family to me." Aeron looked down at her smiling. "I promiss I'll find you. No matter what."
The next day the band set off, and Arania solemly waved good bye to Aeron. Maybe this whole thing will blow over in a few months , Arania thought to herself, then i can come back and be happy agian. The truth was, that Arania new that it would probably be several year before she would see Aeron agian, if ever. And the very thought of that made her nasous.
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Post by Monday on May 8, 2007 21:34:21 GMT -5
She had one comfort on her trip. And that was Singa. They had remained friends while living in England, but became very close on their trip back home. It was hard not to become friends when they were completely surrounded by people they didn't know. Singa had always been loyal to Arania's family, but their friendship strengthened this bond. Though Singa was very comforting and friendly, Arania still missed Aeron very much. She had not seen or spoken to him in a month, and it seemed that their friendship grew farther apart every step that she took towards Persia. The leader of the band said that they were headed to a remote village somewhere in Persia, where it would be hard for the invaders to find them. Arania was scared of the Arabians, but she was more scared of staying in hiding for a long time.
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Post by Monday on May 13, 2007 22:00:41 GMT -5
They had been traveling for about a month, when the commander announced that they were half way to there destination. Arania had been paying very close attention to the direction in which they traveled so that she could remember her way back when the time came, but she new that she could never run away and make it all the way there safe. One afternoon, their small band was approached by a much larger one. They surrounded them in a matter of minutes and the commanders of the two bands met and talked in harsh tones, but Arania could not make out what they said. Singa must have sensed something was wrong as much as Arania did. "Whatever happens," Singa whispered to Arania quietly, "promise me that you will not say a word. Don't even make a sound, and certainly do not mention your name under any circumstances. Promise?" Arania looked at her puzzled, "But, wh-" "Just promise me, Arania, please." she looked desperate, and even though Arania didn't want to, she promised anyways for Singa's peace of mind. Troubles quickly escalated, and the commander of the other party, was yelling at ours to disarm his men at once, and being out numbered our commander had no other choice to comply. Soon every soldiers sword was on the ground, and everyone was being lined up. Whatever was happening, it did not look good to Arania, and she couldn't help but think that it had something to do with her.
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Post by Monday on May 26, 2007 0:57:45 GMT -5
Arania and Singa were hidden among the rest of the now defensless group, but all could here what the other band's leader was saying. "Where is the Princess?" he said, "There is no need for anyone to be harmed, just deliver us the girl and we'll be on our way." he smiled then, his twisted mouth curving upwards, making him even more evil-looking then he was in the first place. "What use is she to you now? She can certanley never rule agian, and why would you want her to when the true ruler of Persia has taken the thrown?" Arania new as well as every other person did, that no one would talk, and would stay as silent as the grave even when the cold blade of a sword pressed against their throat. they were duty bound to protect her, and they would. She wanted right then more then anything to protect the men that were so willing to protect her, but she was as bound as they were. She had promissed Singa she would not breath a word, even as things went from bad to worse. "I am not a patent man," said the commander, and Arania new he really wasn't as his expression turned from sly amussement to utter fury in a matter of minuetes. "I will kill each and everyone of you, it makes no matter to me." He looked around at the group, and when no one said a word, he turned to the closest man, sword in hand and eyes blazing. "Wait!" and everybody froze. "I am the princess." but it wasn't Arania that was speaking. It was Singa. Arania's heart skipped a beat. Singa stepped forward with grace and dignity. Arania could not let this just happen. It didn't matter what she had promised, she couldn't let her friend be taken away in her place for her. She reached forward and grabbed Singa's arm, but when she turned and faced Arania her eyes were like steel and her voice was steady. "Don't" and slowly Arania's arm fell beside her. By then the commander had walked up and was eyeing them specutivly. "Who is this?" he asked Singa jestering towards me. If he had been taught any manners as a child, they certanly didn't show now. "This is my serving maid." Singa said as if she had said it a million times. "I suppose you'll be wanting to take me away?" When he nodded his head in agreement, Singa asked for a few words alone with Arania, to say good bye. "Why are you doing this," Arania asked, tears already beginning to swell in her eyes, "I should be the one going, not you." "No," Singa said, in that same sure voice as before, "You must stay in reclaim Persia. I would gladly sacrafice myself for the sake of my country. And for you." She smiled at Arania. "Besides, we both know you would never stand a chance against those guys. but myself on the other, that's another story." she said winking at her. Arania laughed in a garggled kind of way. "Be safe Arania. It's a dangerous world out there." They rejoined the rest of the group were Singa, the leader, and about a third of the band headed off the way they came, while Arania and the rest of them headed in the complete opposite direction. Arania watched as Singa's figure slowly faded away. She never saw her agian.
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Post by Monday on May 27, 2007 22:48:29 GMT -5
Arania silently cried as her and the rest of the group was led on. They walked for hours and, it seemed to Arania, with no sense of direction either. By dawn the next day, however, they reached a small village near a trickling stream. They were led to a small house with bars across the windows and guards at every entrance, and were given water and a little food. Not that Arania actually ate any, not because of it's unappitizing apperance, but because she was sick with fear and grief. A little while later, they were lined up, and people came by inspecting each one of them. They exchanged words between each other at each person, and a couple of times, one man, Arania assumed he was the buyer, would turn to merchant, hand him a few coins, and the person they were inspecting would be tied by the wrists and led outside. Eventually thye came to her. The buyer had dark beard that covered his face, and a large belly, but wasn't very tall. Infact, Arania was almost as tall as him, and she was only 12. "We just recently recieved this one," spoke the merchant, as if she wasn't even there, "She's a bit scrawny, but is very youthful, and has a very unique look about her, as you can see." The buyer nodded, then pushed up Arania's chin as if to inspect her closer, "You are very different," he said, smiling with nasty rotted teath, "even if you are just a scrawny little snipe." Arania didn't know what came over her, but she hated these men talking to her as she was just property, so she gave him a very nasty look, and spit right in his face. Instead of getting angry, though, he just kept smiling at her, with the same narled mouth. "I'll give you a warning this time," he said to her, "because you're new. But the next time you do such a thing, you'll regret being born, much less misbehaving." He turned to the mercant, "I'll take her." and just like that, Arania now belonged to someone.
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Post by Monday on Jun 10, 2007 22:05:22 GMT -5
Her and the rest of the people that were purchased, three very strong looking men and an old lady that she had heard was a healer, were led to a small caravan of people. The other slaves and her were tied the base of the tree for the remainder of the day, which wasn't very long. Her captor tied the last sturdy not just as the sun was beginning to set. For a few hours she tried to escape, struggling agianst her bonds in any which way she could think of, but after a while she became tired and drifted into a weary and restless slumber. They were awoken early the next morning without a word spoken to them. they were given water and food, but no one paid the least attention to them. "Please," she said to one man, "can you tell me where we are going?" she said to one man, but he just walked on by her without even a glance. She attempted to get many other peoples attention, but everyone ignored her and those who didn't not just looked at her with an expression of disgust; a few with one of pitty. Before the day had gotten hot, but was on the edge of becoming so, she was tied to the saddle of a horse, and shortly afterwards they started to move. She thought that it was be no triffle what-so-ever to simply walk, but walking through the dessert is a much different thing. The heat set in almost immediatly, shortly followed by thirst, and before to long the ropes that bound her knawing at her wrists quite painfully.
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