Dancer

I slipped forward and half bowed to the master before shifting my weight. The attack came suddenly and I slid to the left as I pulled both short curved blades and deflected one of the master’s. I continued moving as I slipped his next strike away and sliced with my other blade. It was deflected up and out and I brought my other blade in and turned to block a strike.

This was not the first time we had faced one another and I let the motions flow through me. Block, slid, slash, shift, turn, stab, block. Finally the master stepped back and bowed. I sheathed my blades and bowed, “thank you master.”

He smiled faintly, “do not thank me Dancer.”

I bowed again, “as you wish.”

He gestured to the door, “never forget the dance.”

I turned and walked out without looking back, that was a year ago. The court was full of talk about the elves that had returned with the prince. The Kingdoms of Ginge and Floff to the south were preparing for war and we knew the foul ones would be looking to cause trouble too. I was only a baron, my father had died suddenly ending my time with the master.

Each morning I went to the practice field to exercise. The other nobles and even the soldiers laughed. I moved through my dance ignoring those around me. I shifted at a disturbance and blocked the sword reaching for me. I slid to the side as my other long knife slashed and the elf slid back quickly. A new dance began as I slid his sword away each time it came towards me.

The elf was grinning as he blocked and spun, lunged and slid to the side. I followed and knew he was not as good as the master and finally slid in instead of away. One knife held his away and the other stopped against his throat. He froze in surprise and slowly stepped back and bowed, “your master taught you well.”

I turned and walked away, “you move to slowly.”

I had barely entered the keep when a throat cleared. I glanced to the side at another elf but continued walking. He fell in beside me, “we did not know your master still taught.”

I stopped and turned to look at him, “what do you want?”

He raised an eyebrow, “you have a problem with elves?”

I smiled faintly, “I have a problem with arrogant people.”

He bowed slightly, “my pardon.”

I turned but did not leave, “I was my master’s last dancer.”

I walked away and went to the small room the king had given me. I used the basin of water to wash and then dressed in the soft green clothes I loved to wear. When I walked into the throne room everyone stopped talking. I walked to the throne and bowed, “your majesty.”

He smiled slightly, “Baron Sinclair. I heard you taught our friends a lesson.”

I shrugged, “perhaps a small one.”

He grinned and then sighed, “I have conferred with the chamberlain about your problem with the bandits. I am afraid it is part of what is coming. We believe they are a small band of goblins with a rogue telling them what to attack.”

I nodded and glanced back as the elves walked into the room with a confident swagger. I looked at the king, “may I have leave to follow and remove these… pests?”

He sat back and looked at me before grinning. He looked at the prince, “take your friends and go with Baron Sinclair. He will command you until the matter is resolved.”

The prince frowned but nodded, “yes father.”

I bowed and turned, “I leave in an hour.”

It did not take me long to pack and I ended up sitting on my horse waiting for the prince. When the hour was up I glanced at the elves who were also waiting and shook my head before turning and leading my pack horse out. It was a half hour before the prince and the elves caught up. The prince was red faced and started to say something when I caught movement from the corner of my eye.

He jerked away and fell from his horse as I slash across in front of him. The arrow was knocked away as I dropped the lead rope for my pack horse and kicked my horse into a run. I slapped two more arrows away before pulling back on the reins and dropping to the ground. I pulled my other knife as I slid forward towards the three men.

I shifted and slapped a lunging sword aside before slicing across to cut the man’s throat. I spun and rolled a slicing sword up and over me as my other blade slice through his stomach. I slid in as the last man took a wild swing and deflected it away before slicing his hand. He jerked and dropped the sword as I slid closer and put a knife blade against his throat, “yield or die.”

He stood froze and finally stammered, “I yield!”

I snatched the dagger from his belt before stepping back, “who sent you?”

He looked from me to the elves as they rode up. I reached out and sliced his cheek, “who sent you!”

He jerked, “King Kronis!”

I turned as the white faced prince walked up, “you are very lucky prince Alex.”

He nodded and looked at the other two dead or dying men before looking at the last man, “who told you I would be here?”

The man looked around, “we were just to kill any travelers.”

The elves snorted but the prince had made me think, “when were you given your orders?”

He licked his lips, “this morning.”

My blade flashed and sliced open his other cheek, “King Kronis is two weeks away!”

He jerked back and dropped to his knees, “it was a messenger!”

I looked at the grim faced prince as one of the elves came close. He barely paused before slicing the man’s throat. I spun and looked at him, “what are you doing?”

He shook his head, “he was a hired killer and you know as well as I that he would have little information.”

I shook my head, “just what the messenger was wearing and if he had any badges.”

The elf blinked and I pushed him out of my way, “interfere again and your long life will end.”

I caught my horse and the pack horses and swung up before turning and heading towards the troubled villages.