“Both of us are where we don’t belong,” Haku said looking Commander Arduani up and down while she was busy with her task. “You more than I.” Gaijin women were so tall. Arduani practically towered over her. But she was still wearing her boots, while the White Feather was barefoot. “I should be with my daimyō.”

The Knight Commander didn’t turn to address her, simply continued mending her armor. “You’re needed here, and I’ve been asked to stay.”

Haku sat across from the other woman atop a trestle bench. This part of the temple wasn’t so attractive as the rest. She preferred it. It was quiet here. “I don’t deny it. But I failed my task. I should complete it.”

“You should.”

Haku raised her eyes in surprise, but Arduani still wasn’t looking at her.

“After the emperor has escaped,” she added. “This mission is your new priority.”

Haku didn’t take orders from this woman. She simply sought out the envoy sent from the order of the Purging Flame and found this warrior instead. She spoke to Haku almost like she was her subordinate.

She didn’t let it bother her. In fact, she didn’t much care. Maybe she’s simply direct, the White Feather thought. “You’re right, of course.”

Did she come to this woman seeking solace because of her worries for Ujio? She felt her face heat.

“Red is an interesting color on one so pale.”

Haku flinched. What was that supposed to mean? Instinctually she deflected from the unwanted attention. “I’m upset.”

“Indeed.”

There was a long pause between them, the sound of leatherwork and the far off sounds of camp from outside. It was beginning to get hot in here. Finally Haku said, “You’re an observant one, aren’t you?”

“Many things escape my notice,” the warrior woman said. Haku wondered if she had magic. No, that wasn’t possible. Her order hated magic. “Except you’re blushing like an apple, so I would have to be blind to miss it.”

She blinked. “Am I so obvious?”

The other woman sniffed, bemused. “I’m afraid so, little feather.”

Is that a smirk on her face?

Haku sighed, feeling frustrated—with herself, her failure to complete her task, and her failure to maintain a cool exterior. She needed to get her frustrations out.

She’s a fighter.

“I’m going to go train. Care to come along?”

Arduani seemed to think it over for a moment, her hands still busy with the inner lining of her armor. “Why not? I’m almost done here. I’ll meet you in half an hour.”

Haku nodded and flitted off in a patter of light footsteps. The knight commander was good with a blade, or so she had heard. She’d also heard that the mage was quite an adept fighter.

It would take one like Urhaggha to incapacitate him that way, she thought. Arduani didn’t seem to like him, though she was professional enough to acknowledge his fighting skills. I probably shouldn’t bring him up in our conversation later.

In any event, a duel with this woman, if even only a sparring match, would be entertaining, as well as a good distraction to clear the mind.