Aggie awoke to darkness, which confused her greatly for the first moments of her awakening.

Something shifted against her leg, which caused her to immediately roll over, and to then find herself lying on top of someone very warm, and very hairy.

With a sharp gasp she quickly launched herself off of the mystery person. Running her hand through her hair, she forced herself to think, as the smells of stale ale, and sweaty human bodies permeated her senses.

She was in the secret Dwarvin settlement, she had brawled with a tavern full of Dwarves, she had fought with Arlen, and then after wandering around blindly outside for what felt like hours, she had returned to the tavern to find everyone asleep, and in complete darkness.

Aggie remembered that she had found whatever patch of dirt on the floor available and lain down, too weary to think of a better solution.

Slowly, and quietly, after catching up to her current scenario- she shifted to all fours, and gently reached ahead of her in the darkness. There was someone’s foot, but directly in front of that foot was nothing.

Aggie slowly moved towards that space of nothing.

She continued padding forward, until she found a wall, and then slowly began working her way around the black room keeping her fingertips to its rough surface to find the exit.

When she thought she had found a doorway, she reached for the handle, but with a dropping sensation in her stomach, realized she had forgotten that there was a step, and her foot had caught it unawares.

As she pitched forward into the darkness, her stomach dropped nastily, and before the great clamor of her fall could be both felt and heard, gentle hands grasped her shoulders. Aggie was then firmly, but slowly, pulled upright. Without a word, she knew Arlen had caught her, and he then proceeded to reach around her shoulders, and open the tavern door.

When he did, the faint glow of the stones above the dirt homes lit up Aggie’s sight- though the glow was far softer than it had been when she had first arrived the previous day, as though attempting to mimic the slow lighting of dawn.

Wrenching herself from Arlen’s grasp, the Lady stepped outside of the cloud of heat and body odor that permeated the tavern into the cool, and eerily silent outdoors.

She immediately began following down the path that carried past the tavern, and began to discern a hole in the rocky dirt wall that encased the Settlement, which would undoubtedly lead her to another web of tunnels where one could wander until the day they died.

“Where are you going?” Arlen called softly as he closed the door behind her.

“To find somewhere quiet to train.” She answered her voice tight, and her hand inching unconsciously towards her dagger.

“Good, let’s train together then.” Arlen’s words stopped the Lady in her tracks, but he strode past her confidently without hesitation.

Aggie jogged to catch up to him, and as a result she nearly crashed into his back when he stopped abruptly.

“What the-” Aggie’s words died in her throat when she followed Arlen’s frowned gaze, and saw what concerned him.

There, in a large empty fenced off rectangle from the rest of the Dwarvin settlement, with a hard packed dirt ground, stood the Minkies Queen, Jed, Bonnie, and Declan.

They stood in a line at the centre of the rectangle, each holding their weapons at the ready as though waiting with their stares fixed on Arlen and Aggie.

“What are they doing?” Aggie demanded- her voice hoarse at she stared at each of their somber faces.

“I do not know. Ned told me about this training ring last night, but I was unaware that the others knew about it.” His voice was uncertain as he approached the gate and opened the latch.

There was a barrel full of various weapons on the left side of the gate in front of Aggie. There were axes, blunted swords, wooden swords, bow staffs, bows and arrows, and the weapon Aggie selected and drew out; a long steel staff.

Aggie noted that Arlen already had his 2 swords on his back, and she hefted the cold weapon in her own hand, unfamiliar at using something of its weight.

Arlen stopped approximately 6 feet in front of the Queen, whom stood in the centre of the row of people waiting with her bow staff in hand, her expression unreadable.

“What the fuck is this?” Aggie asked tightly, joining Arlen’s side, and gesturing at the faces staring blankly back at her.

“We think it’s time we confront your issues with all of us.” The Queen explained calmly, her gray eyes dark.

Aggie crossed her arms, and glowered.

“And you are all armed for this discussion because…?”

“You are going to fight us while telling us your issue with the individual you face.” The Queen’s expression remained unreadable, despite the twitch of Arlen’s eyebrow and the slight flush in Aggie’s cheeks.

“Why?”

“We have become too accustomed with the darker side of the world. We have lost the ability to help someone heal inner pain in any way other than fighting. Therefore, it is a good way for you to air your aggressions. Bonnie and Declan will go first.”

Without hesitating to allow Aggie a chance to argue, the Queen and Jed walked out of the ring.

Arlen had already drawn his swords by the time Aggie returned her attention to Declan and Bonnie whom were already ready. Bonnie with her claws, and Declan with his sword, they stood waiting. For once, Declan didn’t square off with Arlen, and instead, loomed over Aggie.

Aggie spun the staff in her hand, becoming accustomed to its weight.

She fixed Declan with her stare.

“Why do you find that you can’t trust me?”

Declan swung his sword at her, the precision of his movements and strength, overwhelming her immediately. It stunned Aggie at first, but fortunately Arlen had been ready, and blocked his attack as well as Bonnie’s, whom had swiped at him with her claws.

Aggie quickly recovered from the initial surprise, and swung the bow staff up towards the middle of Declan’s legs. He blocked the blow easily with a downward swing of his sword, then swung around nimbly aiming an elbow to Aggie’s face.

She managed to pivot out of the blow, but barely.

“Because you have too much uncontrolled chaos in you.” His answer came out in an even unemotional tone, and his words wasted no time in enraging her

Pushing with her left hand, she brought up the end of the staff towards the back of his head, but he only carried on his initial rotation as he blocked off the attack by spinning out of her reach, and flipping the sword in his hand. He moved to attack her again, and it was then she realized he was dancing with her more than fighting.

She spun the bow staff, and stared directly into Declan’s disconcerting cat eyes. She saw his eyebrow twitch in surprise, but continued staring directly at him as she advanced.

He attacked first again, and Aggie could see the effortless power he was putting into it. She knew she could never meet him in his strength, so she met his blow by striking over the sword and stepping in to him quickly, using his force to her advantage and redirecting it. She then utilized her proximity, and leapt up, intending to bash his nose with the top of her head. Declan anticipated the move however, and countered with his own skull. The hard knock the Lady received caused bursts of colors in her eyes.

While she was stunned, his left hand wrapped around the back of her nec, and pinched.

“Why do you taunt me?” Aggie gasped her head aching but her vision rapidly clearing. She jerked her knee up immediately after asking the question, but didn’t meet her target. She managed to hit just inside his hipbone, which with a grunt, brought Declan down closer to her. She was about to jab him in the eyes as he still gripped the back of her neck when he replied;

“Because it helps to not always treat our problems as though they are bags filled with lead. Don’t take life so seriously.”

His taunts were his way of helping?

Ludicrous.

Declan released her neck, nodded shortly, and without a word, walked away.

Bonnie joined him soon after.

Wordlessly, the Queen took the center of the field with Jed.

The red headed woman faced Aggie, while Jed faced Arlen- whom had managed to beat Bonnie twice, and her beating him once.

When Aggie looked at the Queen’s impassive face, she found her anger burgeoned once more in no time at all.

If the Queen saw the dark mood in the Lady, she did not show it. There was only a breath of stillness before she struck with the dull end of her spear towards Aggie’s middle. The attack was blocked, and Aggie immediately responded by bringing down the end of the bow staff near the Queen’s head. The Queen spun quickly knocking it aside, and swiping out at her opponent’s legs- which knocked them out from under her.

Winded on her back, Aggie was barely able to block the Queen’s next blow aimed towards her head, before she then thrust herself into a sitting position with a wheeze, quickly enough to be able to block the next strike.

With great effort, she sprang gracefully up onto the balls of her feet into a crouch, then

as she braced herself, in her blocked another wallop placed by the Queen. She then launched herself at the Queen’s middle, and threw them both back onto the ground.

Aggie now straddled the Queen, and as she stared down at her, found herself grinding out the words burning within in her.

“You and your people are responsible for my abduction, and now you all look at me like I’m the monster.” She seethed going to swing a sharp jab at the Queen’s face. The blow was blocked effortlessly, and the Queen’s legs suddenly jerked strongly to the right, hauling both Aggie and herself so that she was now the one on top.

“You blame us for being taken?” The Queen’s voice was abhorrently flat, and Aggie could not longer tell if the roaring she was hearing was coming from her or inside her head.

The Queen stood up off of the Lady, and spun the staff in her hand.

Aggie leapt to her feet quickly, and did the same.

“You separated Arlen and I, and let me-”

“I didn’t let anything happen to you Beatha. We had tabs on you. We did not know the Captain was a Shield and could block Jed’s sense of you.” The Queen’s voice was more forceful.

“Shouldn’t he have noticed when he suddenly couldn’t feel me?!”

“He did. Which is when we went looking for you. They moved quicker than we could- given that they blocked any sense of themselves from us.” The Queen stopped spinning the staff in her hand, and set it on the ground, staring passively at Aggie.

“I separated you and Arlen because it is dangerous to constantly rely on someone. It creates unfair expectations and dependence. It was poor timing the way things turned out, but there is no one to blame but Captain James Murphy.”

Aggie’s stomach roiled at hearing his name, and his face flashed in her mind. She felt a cold sweat break out over her body, and knew she must’ve turned quite pale given the small frown of concern on the Queen’s face.

“Last night, we were not looking at you as though you were a monster.” The Queen continued her tone slightly gentler, but still firm.

“We were looking at you with worry. While our reactions in hindsight were too serious for the time, they were born of a care for your wellbeing. We think you are very strong, Aggie. We just do not want you to lose yourself to anger and pain, and want to help you in your recovery.”

“I’ve told you how to best aid me.” Aggie was barely in control of herself. “Be fucking honest, and don’t treat me like I can’t handle myself.”

“Since your return we have been transparent with you, and have not undermined your capabilities. However, we will not overestimate you either. Are you so consumed with blaming everyone that you cannot see our reason?”

“No!” Aggie felt her vision blurring.

“You’ve blamed Arlen for not getting to you fast enough, and us for losing you, but you aren’t blaming the one who is truly responsible.” The Queen’s tone was gentler, but no less firm.

“BECAUSE HE’S DEAD!” Aggie exploded, her hands were shaking at her side.

Arlen and Jed ceased their combat beside them.

“ALL OF YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ME- YET YOU LET HIM GET ME AND- AND…” Aggie trailed off, suddenly aware that tears were pouring down her face. The vomit began rising in her throat as the memory of the Captain’s hands on her body seared through her.

She doubled over, and threw up what little had been in her stomach.

Arlen’s hands appeared suddenly holding her arms, but despite her trembling, she wrenched herself out from his gentle hold.

She rounded on the Queen and him, though spoke far quieter than before as the bile burned in her mouth.

“I’d have nothing to do with any of you if it weren’t for my needing to claim justice on the Prince.” She hissed, her tears still falling rapidly.

“Aggie, no one can be protected from all the bad things all their lives. Strength is gained by learning to overcome these things with what grace we can manage, and allowing others to help in the healing.” The Queen took another step closer to Aggie.

“Then why is it that nothing bad happened until you all came into my life? Why would I trust any of you?” She demanded crossing her arms over herself in an effort to stop the shaking. Her voice dripping with disdain.

“What has Tork done to you? What has Bonnie and Declan? No one told you to leave Sean O’Farrell’s Keep. No one told you to learn to fight. When we took you from Tork, it was because we knew Sean O’Farrell was on the road and would have intercepted you. Everything we have done, has been to help the choices you’ve made. You sought out the world Aggie, and sadly it met you head on.”

Unable to stand the shaking any longer, she slowly lowered herself to her knees and doubled over.

“I know.” Aggie’s broken whisper was barely heard. Unable to fight off the shaking or tears any longer, she squeezed her eyes shut and allowed the emotions to overtake her.

“I… I wanted a place in the world that cannot exist here. A place of my own that is free, and safe. A place that only exists in death.” She managed to say through her closing throat.

The darkness in her heart grew heavier, and she wondered if she had the strength to be sick again. Her breathes wheezed from her lungs as the overwhelming sense of hopelessness in the world encumbered her.

“That world doesn’t exist now, but we can try to make it for ourselves.”

Arlen’s soft voice came from directly in front of her, but Aggie didn’t want to open her eyes to see.

Instead, when he reached for her, and pulled her into his embrace, she let him, and she continued to cry silently, allowing him to comfort her.

***

Ned stood with Keynan in the shadows, watching the scene unfold somberly. The Dwarf for once looked appropriately grave as he witnessed the raw anger and pain of Lady Beatha.

Keynan gently touched his sleeve, and the 2 men turned silently away from the scene.

When they were further away Ned finally spoke.

“As I said to you all before sleep last evening; Lady Beatha is a gem encased in rock right now. If us Dwarves know anything, it is how to take a stone and uncover the gem.”

“I take it the fact that your specialty in creations for War helps in understanding Lady Beatha?”

“She is shaping up to be an excellent warrior from what I can see. Give it another year, and she may become one of the most capable fighters of the continent.”

“There are some who have been trained from childhood- I doubt Lady Beatha will quite reach that level.”

“Those children once sent into the world rarely train as regularly, or face conflict as often as Lady Beatha tends to from the sounds of it. Therefore, if she continues following such intense training; she stands to become quite impressive.”

The 2 men lapsed into silence, each lost in their own thoughts for a few moments as they walked leisurely onwards.

“They both could use better weapons.” Ned announced as they continued to head towards the Settlement exit.

“In time. Lady Beatha is a competent fighter, and is good at sizing up her opponent, but could use some more precision work over the next while. She is far too focused on defense instead of efficiently ending them the fight. Arlen is managing well with the ones he has.” Keynan responded unfeelingly.

“Aggie knows how to end a fight quickly, but she is treating these combats as what they are; Training.”

At that statement, Keynan turned with a skeptical eyebrow raised.

“You think she is holding back?”

“Definitely.”

Ned then went on to explain.

“She wouldn’t be able to best Declan, or the Queen, but she would be far more ruthless if given leeway. She was entirely in her head when fighting today. Calculating and observing; she is far more effective when she isn’t thinking, and is immersed in the dance of combat like she was last night at the tavern.”

“How do we best train her then?”

“By overwhelming her in numbers and surprising her.”

Keynan frowned slightly in thought.

“Your idea of having her confront us using fight as a tool was an excellent idea-”

“Taking a trauma and morphing it into something useful is important.” Ned reminded seriously.

“Let me hear your thoughts on this question then: Will it help, or hinder Lady Beatha’s recovery to seek deadly revenge on the Crowned Southern Prince?”

Ned didn’t respond immediately, but clasped his hands behind his back, deep in thought.

“It will start a war if the Prince is executed on the North King’s lands. Regardless of who did it, the Kingdoms have been growing in their agitation if what I have been hearing from above is true. Then on a smaller scale, we have what it will do to Lady Beatha.”

Ned paused as he seemed to ponder how to explain what he had already concluded.

“If she kills him, it will fortify her belief that murder is the best way to handle issues. In a world she already deems too violent, this will only force her to descend further. She can find justice using other means.”

Keynan’s lips twitched.

“Such as torture?”

“Depends on the method. I definitely think some bodily harm is due to the brat. However, punishment on a political level could be another layer.”

“You mean to have him confess his crimes?”

“At the Lady Beatha’s funeral if possible would be excellent.”

“How? If we threaten him, it will lose any validity in the eyes of either Kingdom.”

“Ideally in a place he won’t realize others can hear.”

Keynan let out a sigh.

“This will require an incredible organization, and we have very little time to plot anything. We have less than 3 days to complete our journey and form a new plan.”

Ned suddenly smiled mischievously.

“Well you lucky minx, you happen to be speaking to someone with great access to magical artifacts… someone whose work has been left unused for far too long.”

Keynan chuckeld.

“You’d simply give us priceless items for the sake of revenge?”

“To stop a continental war and to aid shifting the balance of power?”

“Fair point.”

“I may require your above ground assistance at another time as well…”

Keynan shot Ned a sidelong gaze.

“What kind of assistance?”

“Oh nothing too grizzly. Information, tools, meat. I have only ever heard about meat. We are solely herbivores down here, and the way the elders talk about it makes me hungry.”

Keynana slowly nodded his head.

It was a seemingly reasonable exchange.

“I also think it would be amazingly good fun to see what Lady Beatha and her followers can accomplish.”

The Minkies man laughed.

“Very well, we will review what you generously offer today, and form a plan.”

“I would also love to make the Lady and Servicer’s weapon.” Ned added, his eyes gleaming.

“My grandfather crafted the Queen’s staff, and I think Beatha would suit one as well.”

“I recommend consulting Lady Beatha on her own personal weapon. Though maybe wait a bit before doing so.”

Ned shrugged, his eyes dancing with visions of weapons.

Keynan turned to look back towards the training ring.

Before the week was out, they should have accomplished the 3 tasks they had set out to accomplish.

Obtain the Thief of Souls journal without being caught.

Execute revenge on the Southern Prince.

Aid Lady Agnes Beatha in her healing.

Keynan’s face lit in a determined half smile.

And thus far, at least one was well under way.