Abigail Fredrickson

Rowan

A day ago, scouts came and alerted us of several thousand samurai moving east from Contra.  Which took us to where we are now.  The plain between the forests and the barren canyons that could be considered no man’s land.  Nothing behind us…and an army in front of us.

I take a deep breath.  This is proving to end up a considerably large battle, and not just a skirmish between two smaller parties.  And the last time this happened…  I shake off the thought before it can emerge.  Not the time, Rowan.  Not the time.

Ariel rides up to me, “The cavalry is in position on our flanks, and the archers, most of them, are hanging back.  What does it look like for them?”

“I’m not sure.  It looks like the majority of them are foot soldiers from here, but they may have their cavalry hanging around back.  Unless they left them in the forest to surprise us…?”

“It’s a bit too far for a proper shock,” Ariel shakes her head.  “They’ve probably been ordered to hang back until we’re engaged.”

“I just want to know why now.  They haven’t made a move like this for three months.  So why now?”

“Maybe they feel cocky,” she jokes.

“It’s not like they don’t have a reason to,” I frown.  “Saber’s samurai are the most highly trained warriors in this part of the world.  There’s a reason the kingdom hasn’t been attacked by outsiders since he came into power.  That’s quite possibly the only upside of his reign.”

“Not much of an upside when the citizens are being persecuted and occasionally slaughtered anyways,” Ariel mumbles.

“Where’s Kelly?”

“Back of cavalry with Terry.  She’s prepared to give us time for retreat if it comes to that.”

“If this battle turns out anything like the last one…”

“Don’t finish that thought,” Ariel rolls her eyes.  “If the Creator wills, we’ll be the ones making them turn tail and run.  If not, oh well.”

“Fair enough,” I take a deep breath, looking across the field again.  The ranks in the middle seem to be moving slightly.  Ariel’s also noticed, now sitting high and alert.  They’re not coming toward us, more like they’re shifting out of the way for someone.

When they come into view, I catch my breath, No…that’s impossible…  Because even from this distance, I’d know that figure anywhere.  Beside the prince stands Tigress, auburn mane hiding half her face, her attire decked out with orange and black stripes.

“Wh-” Ariel starts.  “…No.  No, that-  It can’t be…Tigress?”  I can feel her questioning gaze, but I can’t look away.

“Ti…”

“What is she doing?”

“I-I don’t know.  I don’t understand why she’d…She hates them,” I frown.  “Saber Demien ruined her whole life and destroyed every sense of self that she had.  I don’t…”  I break off, realizing the opposite army is beginning to move.

Ariel wheels Smoke around, galloping back to the left flank to lead the cavalry charge.  I take a deep breath.  Lunn should’ve been the one to lead this whole thing.  Just our luck he was on the wrong side of the forest when the scouts came.

The samurai are full on charging now, the prince and Tigress leading.  I hold my arm up, Hold…hold…  The closer she gets, the clearer I can see how her face is completely twisted in fury.  What happened?

The cavalry breaks away from our sides, charging towards the oncoming enemy and crushing them in-between.  I bring my arm down, “NOW!”  Our side bursts forward and meets the oncoming samurai.  It’s all I can do to keep my head and not die in the first few chaotic seconds.  It likely doesn’t help that my head is still spinning from seeing Tigress on the opposite end of the battlefield.  I lost sight of her in the first clash, but I can still see her burning glare in my mind, too clearly.

I spin my knives around, sending my opponent’s weapon flying, and kick him back.  He’s swallowed up in the raging battle around, but I don’t get much chance to orient myself before I have to deflect another blade.  The samurai beats me back relentlessly until I manage to find an opening and thrust a knife between his armor plates, rolling out of the way.  When I raise my head, I freeze.  Tigress lets her opponent fall and turns, hardened gaze locking onto me.

I barely have time to get to my feet before she’s suddenly in front of me, clawed hands flashing.  Deja vu sends me back to the first time I met her.  This time I know to duck and roll under her attack rather than let her get behind me.

“What are you doing?!” I gasp, sheathing my knives and holding up my hands.

She raises a brow, “Fighting you, what does it look like I’m doing?”

I block her strike, “I meant why!”

“Why am I fighting you?” she pauses, tapping her chin.  “Well, we’re on opposite sides, you’re currently here, I’m currently here, we’re on a battlefield.  Do the math, genius.”

I drop and roll backwards to avoid the sudden kick, “No-  Tigress, why are you fighting us?”

She pauses, watching me warily, “…Who are you?”

I hadn’t expected three words to feel like a knife in my chest.  I blink, W-what?  “You…you don’t remember?”

“How could I?” she growls.  “The last battle I was in, the Rebellion gave me amnesia.  I don’t remember who you are, I don’t remember my friends, my family, or even who I am.”  I stumble back when her fist connects with my shoulder, barely moving so it didn’t hit my face.  She lunges.  I drop to the ground, but as I get up, her foot connects with my stomach, sending me right back down.

I catch the clawed strike before it reaches my face and use her arm to get up, simultaneously pushing her away and taking a stance, “Tigress, I’m your friend.  Rowan.  I-I don’t know what Saber’s told you, but it’s not the truth.  Please, trust me.”  Tigress stands still for a second, eyeing me.  I hesitate, then lower my hands slowly, “I’m…not going to fight you, Ti.  You may not remember, but I do, and I know you’re my friend.”

Her eyes narrow.  “No…No, before we left, they warned me you’d try this.  They warned me that you’d try to trick me to get me on your side.”  She steps closer, “I’m not falling for it.”  I brace myself for the blow, but when it comes, it’s even harder than I expected.  My head snaps to the side so quickly it’s a wonder my neck didn’t break.  Even as I try to regain my balance, her fist collides with my chest.  I fall to the ground, but use my momentum to roll and get back up.

“I’m not falling for your lies,” Tigress’s snarl is punctuated by the sudden slash.  I bite my tongue, feeling the side of my face rip open, stinging, exposed.  I cover the wound with my hand, backing up, but not avoiding another close-fisted strike.

“Why don’t you fight?!” her voice is riddled with frustration, confusion, and hate.  ‘You’ll…only get hurt that way.’  ‘Quite possibly.’  ‘You’re a fool.’  ‘Probably true.’

I close my eyes, “I already said I’m not going to fight you, Ti.  Even if it means I get hurt.  I won’t fight my friend.”

“Let me make one thing clear,” Tigress grabs my arm, punctuating each word with a blow, “You.  Are.  Not.  My.  FRIEND!”

I fall backward, but roll once again, making myself get up once more, forcing a small laugh, “You used to say that before too.  Quite often.  Until you stopped.”

She growls, advancing, “I am not your friend.  And I never will be.”  She raises her hand.  I know this time she’s going for the kill.  I just shake my head.  Just as she starts to bring the clawed strike down, an arrow pierces her shoulder.  She growls, moving to break the shaft.

“Rowan!”  I look up as Smoke bears down on us.  Ariel grabs my arm as they break between Tigress and me, pulling me up behind her.  I hold onto her shoulders tightly, looking back.  Tigress had fallen back and is getting back up.  Someone breaks from the battle and moves to help.  The prince.

Once standing, she tugs her arm away, eyes locking onto me as Ariel rides away.  I can almost hear her frustrated snarl.

“They’ve got the upper hand,” Ariel’s clear voice breaks through my haze.  “They’re beating us back too hard.  We need to retreat.”

I squeeze her shoulder, nodding a bit dizzily, “Do it then.”

I don’t hear her shout, but I see our people separating from battle, falling back.  Looking back, I see a lavender barrier begin to form between the slightly widening divide.  It closes just as the last of our people disengage, keeping them safe and not allowing the samurai to follow.  Kelly.

“You okay?” Ariel asks.

I nod silently, watching the opposing army grow ever smaller, but focused on one person in particular.  “…Yeah…I’m okay…”  I choose to ignore the disbelieving hum she responds with, instead closing my eyes and resting my head on her back.  What…just happened…?

Tigress

I stand back from the shimmering film.  It feels impossible that something so thin can be so strong that I can’t even break through.  Reaching up to my shoulder, I pull the remains of the arrow out and cover the wound with my hand.  The lengths someone will go to to sell a lie…  I half wonder if he would actually have let me kill him in the end without raising a hand to fight back, or if self-preservation would have kicked in.  I doubt it would have mattered either way.

“When the Rebellion learns of your amnesia, they will stop at nothing to get the most dangerous warrior in the land on their side, Tigress.  I hope you know this.”

I purse my lips as the lavender wall slowly dissolves of its own accord.  The prince shakes his head, “They’re too far now.  They’re too far and it’s growing dark.  Best not to give chase.”  After a moment, he cautiously asks, “Are you…alright?”

I scoff, “I’ll be fine.  It’s just an arrow wound.”

“That’s…not what I meant.”

I roll my eyes, turning away, “If I can’t handle some boy attempting to trick me to the wrong side, then what good am I as a soldier?”  I can feel his eyes on me for a moment longer, but then he turns away as well, giving out orders to tend the wounded and set up camp for the night.

I do the same, pausing only briefly to bandage my shoulder.  It’s irritated protests against movement slowly die out after that.  What doesn’t die out is the persistent itch in my heart and thought in my head.  But I don’t dare voice them aloud.  Not here, not now.