((D.C.'s Note: Fwee, chapter three! I don't know what made me do Muri and Vlad next... I personally don't like Muri all that much, so maybe it was just to get it over with. This seems to be focused slightly more on Vladimiir, though. Sadly, not much happens. They are both pretty laid back characters, and this chapter just doesn't seem as up to par as it could be. The next chapter will be returning to a lighter, humorous mood. Me promises.

Ah, and to straighten out anything that might be confusing... In the first chapter, Mikaela was not randomly in the forest. It might come up in her chapter in this story but will most likely won't be mentioned until 'Sigord and Circumstance'. It's a scheme not to be known yet. And about the question marks used after Näeth's first sentence. "Well met" is a greeting but also a question; therefore a question mark is needed. He says "brother" because he and Raevin are blood brothers.

Oh, and I wrote and proofread most of this in the middle of the night, so there might be a couple freakishly glaring grammar mistakes.))

Chapter Three: Fate of the Winding Path

-Vladimiir and Muri-

"You lose."

Vladimiir didn't answer. With a slightly puzzled expression, he plucked a card from the table and lapsed into a thorough examination.

Chuckling at this, Muri gathered the other cards to shuffle them again. "I haven't cheated, Dark One. Now, you can stare at that scrap of hide for hours like you did this morning, but you won't find anything interesting about it."

"Your card tricks are confusing, foreigner," Vladimiir commented softly.

"You flatter me."

"Not at all, I assure you."

Muri gave a mirthless grin and set the cards down. "And what do you mean by that, exactly?"

It was a challenge of intelligence, he knew. This strange horsewoman was always constantly hunting down his every syllable, probing to see if he knew what his own words meant. He could see in her cold, taunting eyes that she longed for the chance to leap at a mistake, to point out the dull wits of his own kind. It would not be this day that success would be hers.

"I meant what I said. If you have not the intelligence to understand, it is no concern of mine." Vladimiir returned her silent glare, gently slipping the hide card onto the table next to its fellows as if do away with the object defiled by his opponent.

The Darhani woman stood, resting a limp hand on her sword hilt. "Have you no honor at all? Insulting a guest without cause, bah! I am sickened to even look at you."

To take the bait or not... Vladimiir was confident her sword arm had been pampered too much since she had come to Hulmar, so a duel would certainly be an enticing way to vent his growing dislike for her. However, that was probably what the sly wretch wanted him to do. No, he couldn't let the fox outwit him in his own land of birth.

"Disgusting," Muri spat. "Not even the slightest expression of remorse passes over your dirty black face! Go ahead and speak truth, Vlad. Fear takes your heart even before my blade is turned toward you."

Several others in the mess tent had abandoned their meals to watch warily. Muri was usually a composed individual, but her feral side was one to be avoided. Yet that wasn't what most were grudgingly afraid of. It was the wrath of the silent Vladimiir, which rarely awoke without bloodshed.

Finally, Vladimiir got to his feet as well. "Your insults mean nothing to me, woman. You call my skin dirty because of its blackness, yet you yourself are dark. In your eyes I am nothing more than an animal without reasoning and emotion, but you are so caught between your two halves that there is no room for feeling or reasonable thought. When you have contained yourself, I'll consider listening to your opinions."

Many eyes filled with surprise followed Vladimiir as he left the tent, but one pair had fallen, dejected, to stare at a lone playing card set away from the rest of the deck.

.oXXo.

"Muri?"

"Do not call me that!"

A small shadow outside her tent hesitantly pulled back the entrance flap and stepped inside. It was Ya'Nai. "Mykiamuriam. Is that what you want to be called?"

"It is my name," Muri said from her place on her cot. She sadly glanced to her younger cousin, attempting to give a smile to ease his concern. "What is it that you are worrying about now? Has Dagyren been bothering you again?"

Ya'Nai shook his head, causing his long dark ponytail to flop over his shoulder. "Since this afternoon you have been looking terrible."

Terrible? That wasn't possible. No, it was her colorless, empty tent that was terrible. The dusty scent of her feather pillow, the depressing blue tones of the Hulmarian silk and wool blankets, and the insufferable feeling of being watched and packed too close to many hungry wolves.

"Mur- Um, I mean Mykia-"

"Be at ease, cousin. This land has never been to my liking. It is only the climate and irritatingly bad company that dampens my moods..." Muri half expected her timid cousin to slip away in a loss for words, but, instead, she heard a faint chuckle from the entrance. "Is something funny, ingrate?"

"No. It's just that you still speak so formally. Here in Hulmar, most people speak familiarly with each other. Well, save for nobles and such, I suppose." Ya'Nai plopped down onto the cot next to Muri, his usual awkward smile on his face.

His eyes were dark green, just like the new grass after a Darhani winter. Muri gasped, nearly whacking Ya'Nai in the face as she clapped a hand over her mouth. Darhan.

"Muri?"

"I can't stand this place any more. I'm going back to Darhan. Soon."

Ya'Nai flinched. "Why?"

That was a disturbingly good question. She came to Hulmar once every few years with her merchant company, so why was it that this homesickness plagued her now? After all these years she and her cousin had been reunited and still peace could not find her. "It's not of your concern. Go get some sleep, cousin."

.oXXo.

Wonderfully warm sunlight mingled unpleasantly with the smell of the army as the sun peeked over Castle Rivian's wall. The threat of an enemy company camped near Svitan had considerably slowed the traffic down to the river apparently. Vladimiir didn't care too terribly much because he often chose to pitch a tent outside the Alleline's 1. encampment in the woods. He could tell that half the camp was miserable, though.

Only the murmur of quiet conversation of random soldiers and the shrill calls of some bird or another disturbed the stillness of the sea of tents within the mighty walls, but it was hardly comforting. The delicious scent of the pines over his tent and the symphony of birdcall from deep within the forest were coaxing him away, demanding his attention. He would gladly go, but he vaguely recalled having to be somewhere...

"Vladimiir?"

The large man sighed inwardly. He had been so close to escaping through the castle gates.

"Vlad, good morning! You just ate, didn't you? Guess I just missed you in the mess tent then. Ah, Dagyren, Sinclair, and I are going hunting today! That means there might be some meat for evening meal. Make sure you're one of the first in line so that you'll get some of it! I personally think rabbit would be-"

"Be calmed, Nicholas," Vladimiir said gently, setting a hand on the cheerful archer's shoulder. That strange, fuzzy feeling that radiated from the flighty young man never failed to awake a puzzled, thoughtful side of his brooding counterpart, but Vladimiir wasn't sure that he liked it. It made him weak of mind in that state. "Was there something you needed to say?"

Nicholas suddenly grinned unintelligently and his eyes lit up with pride. "Oh, Muri was wanting to speak to you, I believe."

Hmph, I wonder what she wants. It's tiring having to deal with that prideful woman. "When did she tell you this?" he demanded. "Was it recently?"

"Uh..."

I shouldn't have bothered... Has the memory of a fish, that one. "Never mind, Nic. I'll go to her now. You did a good job telling me and I thank you."

As Vladimiir strode away from him, Nicholas couldn't help but beam at the praise. A moment later, he forgot what had happened and went to visit the soldiers on guard duty.

After searching the camp twice, Vladimiir had given up on finding the Darhani warrior. Considering it had been Nicholas of all people to tell him... Well, it was no wonder that there was no sight of Muri anywhere.

It was tiring really. After so much effort to soothe his antisocial nature with daily conversations with his fellow Alleline men, it seemed regression was his result. He couldn't believe that he was allowing a simple spat with a woman he disliked to smash his feeble ties with everyone else, yet it was so. Three days had passed since his last card game with Muri, since her strange anger had flared unexpectedly. Three days in which he had hardly spoken more than two dozen words.

I am slipping back into the old ways...

"Vlad, you old dog! I've been looking for you throughout that wretched forest, you know. Show some concern, would you?"

Turning in surprise, Vladimiir saw the strangest sight he'd seen in months. Muri, sitting proudly atop her horse by the castle gates, was wearing Hulmarian clothing. No del or silks of Darhan or even a sash about her waist or across her chest, as was tradition. A simple jacket, shirt, and riding breeches, most likely peasant made, had replaced her usual bright clothing. "Muri?"

"Cease your bemused staring, friend. It is most unbecoming of you." Muri swung out of her steed's saddle, landing awkwardly in her new pair of boots. She sheepishly glanced down at them, holding out a hand to her horse for support. "Viasoi and I managed to slip into town to buy several sets of your country's clothing. They might prove useful on the journey home."

"Home? To Darhan?" That couldn't be right. If Muri was leaving, that meant Viasoi and his Darhani merchant mercenaries would depart as well. The Alleline couldn't afford to lose such valuable allies with the advancing Fariesian 2. forces.

Though she nodded happily, a heavy air of uneasiness suddenly radiated from Muri. "Yes. I actually wanted to ask a favor of you. Only if you would accept an apology on my account, of course. I was quite out of line when I last spoke to you. Even before that, I have a feeling that I have roused nothing but resentment within you since I first spoke to you."

"Possibly." An apology. Vladimiir couldn't recall anyone ever offering an apology to him before. What an odd feeling. "You were the first to speak to me after I took refuge with the Alleline. When was that? Three months? Seven? I won't say that I haven't held you in low esteem before, but I still respect you, foreigner. If I can carry out this favor of yours, I assure you that I will."

"It is Ya'Nai," Muri said bluntly. "Hulmar is his home and I have given up trying to persuade him to accompany us to our land of birth. Until this war is over, please watch over him."

Vladimiir nodded solemnly. "It is already my duty to protect my comrades, but I will keep an extra eye on the cub 3. for you."

"No, you don't understand. It's that dreadful cad, the sandy haired thief archer that worries me. That one haunts my cousin to a point that it may become dangerous to one of them."

Puzzled, he nodded again. "Dagyren Arrin will not lay a finger on your cousin. You have my word."

"Um, thank you." Then Muri, the ever-confident warrior, fingered her wool jacket uncertainly. "Oh, and... Rheam. He to is of my flesh and blood. You mustn't harm him."

"I hold nothing against him," Vladimiir answered in a whisper as Muri climbed back onto her horse. "When do you leave?"

Tossing her head in mock disdain, Muri smirked. "Tonight. Odd how but a week ago it seemed our lives would be intertwined. Farewell, Vladimiir Rindell of Hulmar. The fate at the end of your winding path, which will be long and tiresome, will bring peace to the unwanted bloodlust within you. I am only sorry to say that I will not be there on that day. We won't see each other again, Vlad. I am not returning."

1. Alleline is the true name for the unofficial army this cast of characters belongs to. Creed refers to it as the Alleline Secondary Forces of Hulmar because, supposedly, it sounds more intimidating.

2. Fariesia is Hulmar's neighboring country that it is currently at war with.

3. 'Cub' is , for Hulmarians and Lamrenians, a term used to refer to children/ young adults or an affectionate name for someone younger than yourself. Here, because Ya'Nai is some years Vlad's junior, it can be used either way but is most likely used as the former.