Wow...I hardly even remember writing some of this...I haven’t updated this one in a long time. This one has severe scenes in it in which we meet what’s left of Niroshami’s husband. We also find out what happened to Forest, Aspen, and Sight. And so now, for those who didn’t want to read this....

WARNING!!!!: VIOLENCE

That afternoon, King and warrior, set off for the small village with a few soldiers as escort.

“My father brought our people into a secure valley where the humans could not possibly find us without magic. They found out that it was for the most part an uninhabited land. So only a few remained in the De Khiren homelands. My father included. He was injured defending the palace from thieves.” He laughed. “And it wasn’t just the humans who were trying to steal from us either! There were many races that attempted to breech our barriers. Anyway, the wound festered and my father became very weak and frail, he did recover, but never did regain his energy lost to it. When he came down with the fever, we all knew he was done for.”

“I’m sorry.”

He smiled warmly at her. “There was nothing to be done.”

“Maybe but he was still a good person who shouldn’t have had that happen to them.”

He pulled the horse down another path. “It’s only about an hour down this way.”

There were a few De Khiren who bowed when the two on horseback entered the town, but for the most part, their attention was focused on the lump of meat in the middle of it.

The man had been skinned. Alive. He was tied to a board upside down by a rope around his middle, others held his hands and head against the wood.

Blade walked around the naked man, or what was left of him. She could still hear his pitiful whimpers through the sleek veil of red. Her professional eye ran over him, until a smooth hand was laid on her shoulder.

“Pretty good in my opinion.”

Blade turned to Niroshami, motioning to the genitals, she smilingly replied, “But my dear you missed that little bit there.”

Niroshami laughed. “No I didn’t, I got distracted when one of the women tried to stop me because her man fainted.”

A communal quiver rushed through the onlookers. Then Blade noticed the three arrows in the other woman’s hand, accompanied by a well made bow. “Why that’s creative.”

Frost came to stand next to Blade. Niroshami bowed, “Your Majesty.”

Frost gave the man a disgusted look, then turned to the older woman. “If he didn’t deserve it I’d hang you up there with him.

Niroshami blinked then smiled. “Then I shall continue. Emotion, or should I call you Blade now? Can you hold out his legs?”

She smiled, “Blade will be fine-”

A man in the back yelled out at the two women. “Let this murderer shoot, and see how true her aim is in the presence of our hunted King!”

Blade swung around with cold eyes. Before Frost could reprimand the man for such disrespect, Blade reached for the bow with one hand and spread the other out at the crowd of people hiding the man. “Let he who has challenged me, have his feet frozen to the earth on which he stands until I deem his release from it appropriate.”

A cry and many gasped rose, as the gatherers parted until a middle-aged man(which is really really old for a De Khiren) stood alone, he feet covered in ice.

She slowly advanced on him. “Now, from where shall I shoot. It is your challenge, now answer to it!” Her voice had turned to stone, and even though she has said the words softly, they had come out with more power than a scream.

Back with Frost, Niroshami shook her head. “He has now idea how close to being killed he is.”

Frost was pale. “I have a feeling he does.”

She shook her head again. “If he breathes wrong, she’ll cut him in half, long ways.”

The King to a breath of relief. “She only has a dagger.”

Pity played in the eyes of the warrior’s pupil as she gazed up at Frost. “It’s all she needs.”

They saw the man point to the water tower. Frost’s companion laughed. “Not much of a challenge.” She moved to hold the legs while Blade walked to, and ascended the ladder.

When she placed her hand on her husbands bare leg, Frost pulled her aside and took her place. He watched Blade stand at the tower, her hair waving like a raven banner around her. Her grasped the man’s skinless leg, noting than not even the toes were graced with skin. He nodded at Blade. She knocked the arrow and let it loose. He could hear it whistling through the air. His life was in her hands at this moment. Thwump! The arrow had cleanly sliced through the man’s foot, effectively pinning it to the spot. Frost moved to the other side, ignoring the man’s scream of hatred and pain. He pulled the other foot up. Thwump! Again, it went through and pinned it. Moving away to where Niroshami stood. “What is this Niroshami?”

He couldn’t look when the next arrow flew. But the sound was horrible. As was the curdled scream of the man.

She touched his hand. “The Black Earth Band’s execution of a rapist.” she went still and recited the code she had used to justify. “‘Let skin no longer touch skin. Let penetration no longer penetrate the flesh of another. Let life be taken by the soul.”

He scowled. “‘Let life be taken by the soul’?”

She did not take her eyes off of her husband. “When the ropes are taken off, he will be cast from this village to wander. They will live until they die in the memory of what they had done.”

“Lady help us...” he murmured.

Impossible but true, he heard another arrow fly. He looked at the tower, Blade’s arms were still positioned after releasing an arrow. A dull thud was heard.

In the shoe of the man, literally, frozen to the spot, the shaft proudly gleamed at the toe. The man looked down, then fell backwards, now seemingly able to move. The looked at the water tower. Blade was gone. When their gaze returned to the man, Blade was standing over him.

They rushed to where she stood motionless. She didn’t even acknowledge them. Her eyes stared at the man, totally emotionless. His green gold eyes were wide with fear. “How dare you challenge me such? You have no knowledge of who I am.” Her eyes narrowed. “Perhaps you would like my memories of what I lived through. Or were you even in the palace as I burned to the earth below it?” she turned to were the horses were tethered.

The man took off his boot and gasped. The arrow was embedded between his largest toe and the second one, but it didn’t even touch the skin. He called after her. “Your April and Sight’s daughter, aren’t you?”

Frost watched as she mounted, not bothering to answer. “Yes. She is.” he said no more on the matter and turned to Niroshami before going to fetch his own horse. “In the near future I hope you’ll come visit.”

“Ni.” She watched the two ride of back to the castle.

(AN: ...’Ni’ means ‘yes’. Thank you’s to the peoples who reviewed this....^_^ ! stickers for every one!!!)