Chiba covered a yawn and started up the stairs to the second floor. She had tried to leave several times over the past two hours, but Rabi and Sasi continually came up with reasons for her to stay. In the end, the Qi siblings fell asleep in the same chair, and the old woman was able to escape.


    "Nix!" Chiba called his name when she entered the suite, a quick nce into his bedroom told her that he wasn''t there. "Damn dragon, she probably whisked him off. This is training time, not f*ckaround time."


    She walked into her own bedroom and slipped the ring off her finger. More and more she''d been taking it off, even though at one point, she had gone several years with it on. She didn''t notice therge magnum bottle until after she had changed into sleeping clothes. It was ced on her pillow with a red ribbon tied to it.


    Chiba smiled and picked it up. "At least he pays attention to my interests." She unstoppered the cork and smelled the contents. "Woah." She blinked suddenly, rubbing her burning nose with her free hand. "That''s some serious hooch."


    An hourter, the womany face down on the floor. A third of the bottle was empty. Chiba rolled onto her side, even though the movement took a lot of effort and immediately made her head spin.


    She held the red ribbon in one hand, smiling at it while she attempted to tie it around her finger. "My dear old Mum loves red ribbons. She''d tie them in my hair before I went off to practice... "


    *******************


    15 years Earlier, Eastern Jenzi.


    "Is it really necessary to continue on this path, Ellisand?" The older woman ran a silverb through her daughter''s golden hair a few more times before she started braiding it.


    "Mmber says I have potential, that I''m the best student he has." Elli waited while her mom tied the braid off with a red ribbon and then thanked her with a kiss on the cheek.


    "I just want you to be happy, Elli."


    "This makes me happy. The sword feelsfortable in my hand. I feel different when I"m holding it. Not just a pretty portrait to be hung on the wall and stared at."


    "I don''t want you involving yourself with that man, Elli. He has a very sordid reputation." C frowned at the silver brush. "Why is this bent? Have you beenbing Chiba with it again?"


    Elli winked at therge wolfhoundying across her bed. "Goodness no, Mother."


    The older woman frowned before shooing the dog. "Get off the bed, Chiba."


    The dog obediently jumped down and immediately flopped on the floor, her long tail wagging.


    "Don''t bete for dinner, Elli."


    "I won''t." Elli strapped her sword on and hurried into the hallway. The moment she left, the wolfhound jumped back onto the bed and went to sleep.


    ***********


    Mmberughed at his student. "Come on, it''s fine to lose a practice spar but at least hold onto your sword!"


    Mikael flushed, his pale freckled face turning red. "My hands are sweaty, that''s why I dropped it."


    "Elli seems to be able to hold onto hers." Mmber moved onto the next pair.


    The ginger-haired student swiped the air with his sword. He hated being paired with Elli during practice, she learned new things almost immediately and was faster than anyone he''d ever seen. "Again, Elli."


    An hourter the lesson ended, the students were all from wealthy families and left immediately after. Only one stayed behind to help clean up.


    Elli ced thest of the weapons on the rack and then started dragging the training dummies back into the corner. Her clear blue eyes stealing nces at Instructor Mmber who was writing in his ount log. She finished her task and then reced the used towels with new ones from the wooden box ced next to the wall.


    A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, surprising her.


    "You did really well today. That idiot Mikael looked like he wanted to cry." Mmber hands pushed under her shirt, and spread out against her stomach, enjoying the feel of rippling muscles beneath her smooth skin.


    "Someone mighte in!" Elli looked at the closed door. If her parents suspected that her weapons instructor had be her first lover, they would have torched the ce to the ground.


    "Rx. I locked it." Mmber turned her around, his eyes staring hungrily. Never did he imagine he''d find such a beautiful peach in Jenzi.


    Afterward, theyy on the hard floor together. Two lovers, their limbs entwined and glistening with sweat.


    "When the summer is over, I want toe with you." Elli kissed the side of his neck, her trimmed nails lightly caressing his bare chest.


    Mmber nodded and squeezed her perfect breast in his hand, the soft suppleness of it reignited his passion. "We''ll travel together, you can assist me while continuing to learn the sword."


    And so they continued, through the long weeks of the Jenzi summer until the first day of autumn approached.


    "I love you mom." Elli waited patiently while her mom brushed her hair and tied it with a red ribbon.


    C smiled. "I know Elli, that''s the third time you said it today."


    "Can''t say it too much, right?" Elli returned her mother''s smile.


    C nodded in agreement. Her daughter was acting so oddtely, much more attentive to her parents and rtives. Perhaps, she was maturing. "I love it when you smile, Elli."


    The young woman didn''t reply, she understood that she was beautiful. Her radiance was reflected in the nces of the men and women who looked at her. Mmber was different, he saw her intelligence, and humor. He saw how hard she worked at bing better, he loved her.


    "I had a great summer Mom. Thank you for letting me take sword lessons."


    Her mom waved off the thanks. "No more talk of swords, Elli. Your father is settling up with that fellow as we speak."


    Elli stared at her mom''s back as she walked out the door. Immediately she rushed to her closet and pulled out the bag she prepared. She peeked out the doorway before running down the hall.


    At the backdoor, she skidded to a stop and eased it open, pausing when a wet nose pushed against her. "Get back Chiba, you can''te."


    Without ncing back, she sprinted across the backyard and into the orchard. A few minutester, she stepped onto the path, her chest heaving while she gasped for air. "Thank goodness!" She spotted him walking toward town, waving with her free hand, she waited for him.


    "Elli." Mmber''s dark eyes seemed surprised to see her.


    "I''m ready!" Elli hugged him tightly. "I''ve been packed for days."


    Mmber shook his head slightly. "It isn''t going to work Elli. I barely make enough to feed myself."


    "That''s fine! I have some credits." Elli stepped away and hefted her pack over one shoulder. "Not much, but if we take it slow it willst a while."


    Mmber nodded in agreement. "We should be fine then, how much did you bring?"


    Elli''s face lit up in a radiant smile. "Three thousand credits." She reached into the side pouch on her bag and handed it to him.


    Mmber took the credits and ced them in his bag. "I was worried that I didn''t have enough to make it to Safarza. This will really help."


    "Safarza? I thought we were going to Broyan?"


    Mmber shook his head. "Listen... This was the best summer, I just can''t afford to be tied down."


    "W-What?" Elli felt her heart pound against the inside of her ribs, her stomach twisting at his words. "That''s not funny."


    "Don''t make this hard, Elli." Mmber stepped away from her. "Next time I''m in Jenzi I''ll pay you back."


    "Pay me back?" Elli stared nkly at him. "I love you. Why are you..."


    "Enough, Elli." Mmber nced down the trail toward the house, all he needed was the old man to find him. "Your silly notions of love and romance are pathetic. Just call it what it was, a really good f*ck."


    Elli dropped her pack on the ground, her knees shaking to the point where she couldn''t stand. "This is a joke, a terrible joke."


    Mmber spared her onest nce and then stepped around her. He stopped a few secondster at the sound of a de being pulled from her scabbard.


    "Y-You bastard!" Tears were streaming down her face, her de gripped tightly in one hand as she approached him. "FINE! You don''t have to love me, but I won''t let you rob me."


    Mmber pulled his own sword and dropped his bag. "Put the sword down. You can''t possibly beat me."


    Elli shed forward and attacked with a sh across the face, he pushed the de aside with his own and then buried his fist in her stomach. The young woman folded in half, gasping for air.


    "Stupid." Mmber shook his head and kicked her in the side. He was about to do it again when a deep rumbling growl caused him to freeze. An old gray wolfhound stared at him, its hackles were raised and teeth were bared. It moved slowly until it was in front Elli.


    "No, Chiba. Go home." Elli spoke quietly, gasping for breathe between sobs.


    The swordsman moved forward, shing at the old animal,ughing when its blood sshed onto the dirt. He finished it off with a single thrust.


    "CHIBA!" Elli crawled toward the dog, pulling it onto herp. "Why?"


    Mmber didn''t bother to answer, he picked up this gear and walked away.


    Behind him the girl sobbed quietly, her hands trying to stem the flow of blood, even though the animal was already dead. She looked up at the fleeing figure, tears blurred his form. "You didn''t have to do that. You didn''t have to."


    **************


    A breach opened in the suite just after midnight, Nix stepped through a momentter. "Chiba? Still awake?"


    He noticed her door was open, so he peeked his head in. The smell of strong liquor osted his nostrils. He tried not tough at the figure sleeping curled up on the floor. "The hell Chiba."


    He pried loose the bottle from her hands and sat it on the nightstand. "What are you thinking? That''s straight-up moonshine."


    A cacklingugh sounded from the floor. "Nix... My lubley prendis returns."


    "Let''s get you up." Nix bent down and picked her up easily, surprised at how light she felt. Immediately she hugged his neck and kissed the side of his face, covering it will drool.


    Sheughed against the side of his face. "Heh... my faithful dog."


    Nix chuckled while he carried her to the bed. He set her down gently and pulled the nket over her. "You''re the one who''s slobbering."


    "Sorreee." Chibaughed into her pillow. "Night lubley Prendis."


    "Prendis?" Nix used his sleeve to wipe her drool off his face. "Night, Chiba."