“Strange,” Vivyka said, stopping her horse as they road through Hilltop Village that evening. “Everything kind of connects here.” The others stopped and turned to look at her curiously. “This is the place where your mother killed my parents,” she told Matt. “When she ordered my village burnt. It’s strange how our lives have connected over the years. Actually all of us only know each other because of Kieran.”
Sera nodded. “That’s true. Falcon and Julia were brought together during the quest to defeat her. Because of them, my parents got introduced to each other. They met Korin and his family during that time and also saved you and brought you to the orphanage. If it wasn’t for Kieran I wouldn’t have been born, neither would Tess.” She turned to look up at Matt. “Then you would have never meet Tess and Ayden, and we wouldn’t be together right now.”
“So my mother caused something good to happen?” He chuckled. “Oh, she’d hate that.”
She smiled. “I think some things are just meant to be.”
“Destiny?” Vivyka mused.
“Yes,” Korin said confidently.
Matt and Tess both rolled their eyes. “Let’s get going,” Matt said. “We’re destined to make camp soon.” He and Tess laughed, but Sera just sighed at them.
—————
They traveled north for few more miles before setting up camp just out of sight of the road. Ayden was just starting to cook dinner when Vivyka came to crouch beside Matt. He pulled out his cigarette case automatically. “That’s not what—well, okay.” She shrugged, taking one. “Actually, I was wondering if you were really against teaching me to fight or if it’s okay now.”
He looked surprised. “Thought you weren’t afraid of me anymore.”
“No, I’m fine, but I’d still like to learn. I think I might like it.”
He shook his head. “I won’t hit you again, even like that,” he said flatly.
“Please?” she asked. His body stiffened and his jaw clenched for a moment. They both thought of the same thing, both remembered too clearly her saying that word very differently just several days ago, as well as several years ago. They met each other’s gaze and understood. “Sorry.”
“Me too,” he said quietly.
She stood and walked to the campfire.
“I can teach you,” Korin offered. “What weapon do you wish to learn?”
Vivyka took another drag of her cigarette and studied him for a moment. “Well, not the bow,” she said, motioning to his. “I’m actually a decent shot with the crossbow I got a few months ago”
“Don’t I know it,” Matt said, rubbing his thigh at the memory.
She laughed. “That wasn’t even aimed, you should be glad it didn’t go elsewhere.” She glanced pointedly at his crotch.
“Very glad,” he agreed.
She turned back to Korin. “You use a sword, right?”
“All men do.”
“Shut up, Matt.”
“Can you teach me to use that?” she asked Korin seriously.
“Thought you were already an expert with swords, Viv,” Matt said with a snicker.
Vivyka heard him grunt and Tess laugh. She turned in time to see Matt grabbing Tess’ ankle and her hitting the ground. He flicked his cigarette into the fire, then tackled her. Vivyka shook her head. “Tess, can I borrow a sword?”
“She doesn’t like to share him,” Matt told her.
“Are you ten?” Tess asked, laughing and shoving him. “I don’t use a sword, Viv, I use daggers,” she reminded her before Matt grabbed her around the waist and his strong grip and caused the air to rush out of her lungs for a moment.
“You can use mine,” Matt told her with a grin.
Vivyka rolled her eyes, but went to where it was laying, sheathed, near him. She picked it up and walked back to Korin who stood waiting.
Meanwhile, Tess tried to elbow Matt, but he wrapped his other arm around her, pinning her arms to her sides and holding her tightly against him so she couldn’t move. “Damn you and your stupid strength,” she grumbled as she struggled uselessly.
Matt laughed. “Give up?”
“Never! Let go and fight me for real.”
“This is for real,” he told her. “You’re just stupid enough let me get a hold of you.”
Ayden shook his head at them, then turned his attention to Vivyka. “Do you want a shield?”
She frowned and looked around for one.
Realizing she had never seen a magic one before, he smiled and waved her over. She walked to him and he held her hand for a moment. There was a small flash of blue, then Ayden instructed, “Sera, hit her please.”
Sera pulled back her arm and slapped her, giggling at her friend’s shocked face, but her hand hit an invisible barrier about an inch from her skin. It glowed blue for a few seconds and then vanished. Vivyka grinned. “That’s awesome. How long does it last?”
“Depends on how hard you get hit. When you’re the one its cast on you can hear it when it breaks. If it does, just let me know.”
Vivyka nodded and went to join Korin several yards away.
Sera smiled. “As if he’d hit her at all.”
Ayden shrugged. “It’s more fun when you know you’re safe,” he said, then glanced at the others. Matt had finally let Tess up and now they were both on their feet throwing punches. “Though some people don’t agree.” He raised his voice so they could hear him. “I thought you were gonna stick to weapons.”
“She started it,” Matt said, blocking a hit.
“I should tie you both up until you behave,” he threatened.
Matt and Tess just laughed and kept fighting.
Ayden rolled his eyes. “One of these days I’m gonna do it,” he told Sera and she laughed, too.
When dinner was ready, everyone sat down around the fire. Korin pulled off his shirt and dug in his pack.
“What happened?” Tess asked, noticing Vivyka guilty face.
“Nothing,” Korin answered. “Just a small tear.”
“Guess I’m not very good,” Vivyka mumbled as she handed Matt his sword.
Tess shook her head. “Cutting his shirt is actually a good thing. That’s only a sliver away from cutting him.” She laughed when Vivyka looked worried. “The whole point is to try to hurt him, Viv.”
Matt eyed Korin. “You didn’t look like that bad of a fighter when you were sparring with Cael.”
“Teaching is different from sparring,” Tess said in Korin’s defense.
Matt smirked. “I think he just got distracted.”
The corner of Korin’s mouth lifted in a bit in a smile, but he said nothing.
“What’s that?” Vivyka asked, pointing at his chest.
Korin sat up straighter and pushed his long black hair over his shoulder so that his bare chest was fully exposed. He touched the scars—four long lines—on the right side. “When I was thirteen I met a bear in the forest. I escaped with this, from a single swipe of his paw. My grandfather told me that I was marked by the wild, and that it was my destiny to become a ranger. When the wound healed, he gave me this.” He touched the bear paw print tattoo that covered the center of the scars. “Later I went back and found that bear, to prove my worth. This time it was I who wounded him and took this tooth,” he said, touching his necklace. “The bear is now a friend, and stays close when it is possible.”
Vivyka reached out a hand, placed one finger on each line and followed the length of them. She smiled, a little awed by him. She watched her finger trace the outline of the tattoo, lingering longer than she should.
She finally pulled away, but let her hand brush against his chest as it went, trying to make it seem casual. “That’s amazing.”
His gaze met hers for a moment and gave her a small, warm smile before turning away and putting on another of his simple, deerskin shirts.
“Did you tell my dad about that?” Sera asked.
He nodded. “Yes. I asked why he became a ranger and told him my story in return.”
“Why did he?” Vivyka wondered.
It was Sera who answered. “He says that he can’t remember a time when he didn’t know he wanted to be one. There are a lot of rangers among his elven kin, the Saelythian. He grew up with them, so it was something he learned about at a very young age.”
“There is much I can learn from him,” Korin said reverently. “I would like to return to Brunya City when we are finished and speak with him some more.”
“He’ll like that,” Sera told him. “There aren’t many rangers, he’d be glad to teach you as much as he can.”
Korin nodded and smiled.
