Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Little Slave Girl ❯ Seek and Hide ( Chapter 10 )

"So, show me what you were talking about, Slave." The Princess sniffed, looking down her nose at the newly freed Ryven. Rubbing the feeling back into her wrists, Ryven didn't spare the child even a glance, instead, she strode over to the toychest and picked up her scabbard, sword within and strapped it onto her back as she felt more than a bit naked without it.

"Are you even listening to me, Slave!" Yarrah stomped her dainty foot, "I'll not have insolance! I'll not have it!"

Kami, won't the brat ever shut up? I can't believe have to put up with...

"If you don't answer me right now, right now, I'll...I'll..." Yarrah fumed her face turning crimson, she was clearly not used to be ignored, "Tell my mother!"

Ryven snorted, what could only be discribed as half-hidden snicker before she turned back to the vastly irritated little girl. Even amidst the obvious danger to herself and Rowyn, where ever she was now, Ryven had to admit, if only to herself, that she was having fun knocking the child down a few notches.

"Well, have you ever played a game called Seek and Hide?" Ryven asked, thinking that she most likley had, being a child who's been nearly all around the universe from the little bit of conversation she'd been able to pick up between the guards when they'd assumed she was still knocked out and wasn't paying attention. Still, perhaps the girl had never had anyone to play it with, being an only child and all.

The Princess folded her arms across her narrow chest, looking at the elf who was, in all respects, nearly as tall as the elf. She cocked her head, pale hair falling to the side and asked, "How do you play? Is there blood?"

I hope not!

"Hmm, it depends..." Ryven said, pulling the girl's interest in like a fish on a hook, "If the person who's it is too slow."

"Oooh! Then you get to be it!" The Princess smiled, coldly, clapping her hands, "And I order you to be too slow!"

Sick little kid, Ryven thought, Oh, well, at least it's going the way I planned...or at least...the way I'd hoped! Once she's hiding I'll be free to seek out Rowyn and...

"Let's get on with it, then!" Yarrah cried, "Tell the rest, and be quick about it, Slave!"

Ryven narrowed her eyes at being addressed as a slave, but held her tongue. For now. There would be time to give the brat her comeupance later. She relished the thought.

She told the child the rest of the game and turned around to close her eyes, holding her hands over them when the girl accused her of peeking. She sighed and began to count, slowly, listening with her more-than-acute elfin ears as the Princess scurried around trying to find a good hiding place. She heard the doors slide open and closed once, and the girl's footfalls began to fade as she wandered from the room in search of a better place to hide.

It was just as Ryven wanted. Exactly as she wanted. When she was certain neither the Princess nor her guards, or, thankfully! her mother, were anywhere in sight, she opened her eyes and looked towards the door. Slipping silently through the opening after figuring out how it open it, (it seems placing one's palm in the right location and covering a certain light within the hole made the door hiss open and closed), she came upon her first obsticale.

"So, Are you going to the gathering tomorrow night?"

"Eh, I don't know..."

"It's required, you know. She'll have our heads on sticks if we plead sick..."

Rough laughter followed as Ryven hid behind the corner from the two guards, who were discussing something in a tongue she could not gather. She realized swiftly that she wouldn't be able to understand anyone aboard this vessel save for those who talked straight at her wearing one of those translator things and she was trying to avoid anyone noticing her, much less pausing to pull her into conversation.

She studied the guards from a safe distance. They were so caught up in their conversation that they would probably haven't noticed her anyway, still, Ryven had been trained to be silent when need be. One was tall and thin with an obvious pouch and a slumping back as if he were ashamed of his height. He had a shock of pale auburn hair and a face filled with freckles.

His partner was shorter, but more broad. Actually, the complete opposite of his companion. His skin was ruddy with a thick dark beard and long hair tied back in a top-knot upon his head. They were both dressed in the short sleeved tunics and leggings that marked the royal guards of The House of Redshale.

Also, not escaping her keen notice, were the double-ended pike-like weapons, one blade was curved and jagged and on the other end was another curled blade, sharp at one end and shining with purpose. They looked similar to the ones the Princess' personal room guards had been weilding.

From the way they were holding them, Ryven could tell they were more than more decorative items. Her sensitive nose told her the tale of recent slayings done by those blades by the crusting flecks of dried blood cleaning had not removed altogether.

She swallowed and prayed that her training would be enough to help her pull through.

Pulling her sword from it's scabbard, she let out a wordless war-cry as she launched herself from her hiding place, intent on surprise and gaining the upper hand right off the bat. The skinny guard gasped, but was no slacker. He spun around and raised his weapon up, her blade glancing off the metal of it, sparks flying, vibrating up her arm and making her fingers nearly give out.

His partner attacked from behind, forcing Ryven to parry the one and then spin about and lurch forward with a kick to the other, hoping to knock his weapon from his grip. It was hard, fighting two opponites at the same time, but as the fight progressed, she could tell that they had never really fought anyone of her skill before and thier arrogance at thinking thier strength could outmatch her wit and skill was soon becoming thier downfall.

"Give up, Infant!" The skinny one sneered, laughing, as he parried yet again and spun Ryven's blade around, nearly making her lose her grip, "You are no match for the Royal Guard of...."

Finding an opening, Ryven struck and struck hard. Her blade, elven-crafted and thus magical, froze him the moment she stabbed it into his chest, ice crystals forming around the hole she'd made through tunic and skin, freezing the blood before it could seep out. She knew, by the way the activity had ceased behind her, that she had startled the other guard with her action. He obviously did not expect anything like what was happening!

As his body swiftly began ice, the look in the gaurd's eyes were mingled hatered, shock and fear, and she pulled her sword out just as the man whispered hoarsly; "Y-you've killed me..."

"You made it easy for me." Ryven said, swinging her blade in an arch. He shattered upon contact with her sword, pieces falling like rain all around them.

She spun around to deal with the other guard, her eyes narrowed, sweat dripping from her face and under her arms, but he just shook his head, his weapon falling to the ground with a clatter and backed away, eyes bright. "N-no...please...!"

Giving her sword a few good swipes on her cloak, she re-sheathed it and held out of hand, palm up, towards the leftover guard. "Give it to me. The translator."

The guard stumbled over his clothing, unhooking the small rectangular device from his collar and handing it over, nearly dropping it as he did so. She pinned it to her own collar and pulled her fist back, punching him hard under the chin so that he fell and slammed the back of his head against the wall, knocking himself out before she stepped over his still body and continued on her way.