5

5

            Morning came all too quickly as the twins burrowed deeper into the blanket cocoon trying to escape the suns shimmering fingers. Carrick sat in the rocking chair with a small smile on his face as he watched the two. He was just waiting for them to get up; he had risen before the sun and went to the nearby stables and bought three horses paying three times the amount of Lira the horses were worth. Carrick had told the stable man that he was to never mention that the twins were ever there as far as he was concerned no one by the names of Klara, Kazira, and Nuka ever lived in that area. The man accepted without a second thought with the amount that he had acquired.

            His thoughts were interrupted when a loud thump echoed throughout the room. Carrick looked over and let out a soft snort of laughter. Nuka lay in a crumpled heap on the floor before he slowly sat up and rubbed his head.

            “So not nice Kazira, not nice at all,” Nuka whispered before heading outside to clean up.

            Not even a moment passed before Kazira huffed and threw the covers back not being able to stay asleep anymore. Rising out of bed she greeted Carrick with a small smile and a good morning, which he replied in turn saying that he was going to go outside so that she could dress in peace.

            She looked around before going to her trunk and pulling out a black and aqua feminine tunic. It sat low on her shoulders and had form fitting sleeves the sleeves and the bottom were black and as it moved up it faded into the aqua color. Pulling her halter shirt off she pulled the tunic on and placed her belt, that held her sword and daggers, onto her hips (after she pulled on a pair of black pants of course) and the pulled on her brown knee-high boots. She pulled loose her hair and shook it around her separating the braided hair before she put on a silver circlet that had the moon cycle on the front.

            “Well that’s as good as it’s going to get,” she stated. “Mother would be happy to see me wear this.”

            Outside Nuka and Carrick were talking about the paths that they were going to take when Kazira walked out. To say they were speechless was an understatement. Nuka recovered and pulled his sister into a hug.

            “You look positively radiant sister,” He whispered into her ear before he pulled away.

            Carrick swooped in and swept her up in his arms and squeezed her causing Kazira to gasp. He told her that she never looked so much like her mother as she did that day. She laughed and said thank you to both of the men when Carrick had set her on her feet. She suggested that if they were ready that they should head out soon before people began to wake, it would cause too much trouble if they were surrounded. The two men nodded and all three mounted their horses.

***

            The small group traveled for three days. Along the way they encountered three thieves of which Carrick knocked unconscious, a pack of wolves who Nuka scared with a really pathetic girlish scream (Kazira and Carrick had teased him the whole way about the sound), and last but not least a rather obese pervert who had the nerve to touch Kazira inappropriately; both of the men, though enraged at what he did, felt a great amount of sympathy for the man after Kazira was done beating him to a bloody lump of flesh. The fourth day of travel they had reached the Dragon Order.

***

            “Wow this is it?” Kazira asked completely unimpressed.

            “It’s a dump,” Nuka finished thoroughly disappointed.

            “What is the matter with you two? This place is great!” Carrick asked appalled at what the twins said about the Order.

            The Order, well to put it simply was a rundown church that had several poorly built huts around it. All in all it looked like a dump. 

            “Really Carrick? Is this really the Dragon Order that we’ve heard about, or are you just trying to pull a fast one on us?” Nuka asked.

            “You two…Look what did I tell you when you were younger?”

            “Don’t eat yellow snow.” Nuka Stated.

            “Well, yes. But what was the other thing?”

            “Don’t chase rabid animals with sticks?”

            “Damn it Nuka!”

            “Okay, okay, don’t judge things by their appearances; Things aren’t always as they seem.”

            While the two men argued Kazira had dismounted her horse, tied to a post loosely, and wandered towards the area looking around. Kazira’s aqua eyes took in every detail of the buildings and upon closer inspection were laced with sharp wires.  She had wandered deeper into the encampment; Carrick and her brother were beyond sight but she could still here them arguing. She shook her head, some things would never change. She used her feet to feel around for any traps and moved it just in time to keep it from being caught up in a metal bear trap. That’s when the inhabitants decided to attack her swords drawn ready to strike her down.  Kazira startled by the appearance drew her twin daggers.

            The first one to attack her was a young one maybe no older than fourteen summers, he swung a sword at her as if it was a club and not a finely crafted blade. Using his momentum against him Kazira maneuvered him to wear the hilt of her dagger hit the pressure point on the back of his neck knocking him unconscious. The others attacked in the same fashion a few seemed to have more training and dodged some of Kazira’s attack but in the end it was the older ones that stood, their ages stemmed from 17 to 20 summers.

            “Hold; you novices!” A rough voice stated.

            The others sheathed their swords and all fell down holding their stomachs. Kazira looked on and saw several medium sized rocks lying on the ground next to the boys. She gripped her daggers tighter when she saw an older man walk into the area holding another rock. He was tall, maybe a bit shorter than Carrick, shoulder length black hair pulled into a short braid. His clothes were the basics, brown pants, light tan shirt, and brown boots; on his wrists he wore brown leather wrist guards with the emblem of flying dragons adorning them lightly. 

            “Well, look-y at what we have here; a young lass with hell cat temper,” the man stated with a slight Irish accent.

            Kazira watched the man carefully as he walked up to her; not once on his approach did Kazira lower her guard.  The man stopped in front of her and looked down at her with a grin and slowly pulled out a dagger of his own and tapped hers only to be shocked when she attacked and landed for cuts on him before darting away from him keeping him a fair distance away from her. All of the things she was expecting she wasn’t expecting him to start laughing; this shocked her as she watched him bend over and clutch his stomach.

            “This, I didn’t expect this. A young lass that can land a hit on me and so quickly.” The man bowed to her as a sign of respect. “My name’s Lyreco, but you may call me Reco if you wish. May I know the name of the young lady before me.?”

            Kazira gave a wary gaze before saying her name.

            “My, what a beautiful name that is my-lady.” Before he could finish Carrick’s voice entered the area.

            “Reco really? Why must you constantly try to harass someone?”

            “Ah Carrick my friend; we weren’t expecting you till tomorrow.” Realization donned on him. “Don’t tell me these two are the children of Kain and Klara?”

            “They are.”

            “Well then they are family!”

            With that said he rushed up to Kazira and swept her up into a bone crushing hug.  Nuka looked on and sighed, it seemed that Kazira was getting so much affection now that it was irritating her.

            “Um, Reco was it? You might want to let her go.” Nuka stated nonchalantly.

            “What; why?” Was all the Reco could get out before he felt a searing pain in his side; he released her and fell to the side clutching his side that felt as if it was burning.

            “Oh it’s not that bad you big baby. It’s just some stun powder,” Kazira stated looking down at the man with a bored expression.

            Reco looked at her before sighing and sitting up.

            “Well you are certainly your father’s daughter pulling the same tricks and everything right down to the bored look!”

            Kazira look at Carrick who smiled and nodded agreeing with Reco. He told her that her father had made stun powder and when Reco had hugged him he used it. He gave Reco a bored look before calling him a Woos. Kazira looked at Nuka; if she was more like their father did that mean he was more like their mother?

            “Anyway lets gets these novices up off the ground and we’ll go in a get you two set up in your rooms.” Reco said pulling out a horn. “You might want to cover your ears.”

            The three did as they were told and watched as Reco blew into the horn causing all of the fallen boys to jump up in fright. It was quite an interesting scene the boys scrambled around pulling up and stepping on the others before they all fell into a line before Reco, every other second taking a glance over at Kazira in wonder and fright. Reco commanded all of the boys to go to the mess hall immediately and enjoy dinner and await further orders from Carrick. They all nodded and began to walk away only the older ones remained.

            “What do you think you novices are doing?” Reco asked in wonder.

            “Sir, we were just wondering why a girl is going to be here?” One of them asked sneering at Kazira (to which she returned it tenfold).

            “Carrick is her guardian they have permission from the Order to be here. Is that all?”

            The boys nodded before turning and leaving sending small glares at the twins. Kazira and Nuka looked on at them with neutral eyes.

            “Oh yes we’ll feel real welcome here.”

            “Is that how they greet newcomers?”

            “Nuka, Kazira, quit it.” Carrick stated walking behind them cuffing the back of their heads with a solid slap. Before asking Reco to lead the way to where they will be staying; the twins followed slowly taking in their surroundings together, before looking at each other. Nuka smiled and fixed her circlet that had tilted sideways causing Kazira to smile back and lightly pushing him.

            “We’ll be okay Kazira. I know that we will.” Nuka stated as they stopped at the door lightly.

            “I hope so Nuka. I really do hope so.” Kazira whispered as they entered the “church” building.