Silent as a hunter, black as a minion of darkness itself, the assassin crept into the room. His clothes were darker than moonless sky, his eyes lacked every emotion. The worst was the dagger in his hand; its blade was black and evil, dripping with lethal venom.

After making quickly sure that there was nobody in the corridor, the assassin closed the door and fixed his eyes on his target. A young girl, her hair like molten gold, slept peacefully in a bed next to an open window. Beautiful even as a child, she was a joy to her parents. Her lips curved a little as she smiled to something nice she saw in the dreamworld.

The assassin ignored all this. He had work to do and no time to waste. With a few, completely soundless steps he was standing over his victim. There was no hesitation; with a swift, sure move, the assassin lifted his evil dagger, pressed it against the little throat and wrenched.

The sheets were soft, dry and white. Within one moment, they turned wet and dark red.

* * * *

Two days had passed aboard the Golden Auria. Carried by tireless blessings of the sea, the ship rode over the waves toward east, in which direction they had turned after going around the peninsula in north of Capitan. Captain Tarkus was indeed an experienced seafarer. With the help of his navigator, he easily made the ship dodge every deceitful reef and rock in their way. The Golden Auria had already passed the Kingdom of Windia.

"Come on, now!" Silen shouted, pointing at Aryn with his spear. "I want to see some of your techniques. I'm challenging you!" The young soldier was standing in the middle of the rocking deck, fully dressed in his chain mail armor and ready to do battle.

The bodyguard sat cross-legged on the deck, holding up his hands before him. His face was a severe mask of concentration as he gestured with his fingers, repeating the same pattern over and over again. Four tiny globes of light, blue, green, red and yellow danced above his palms. One at time, each at its own turn, they suddenly leaped upwards, twirled and whirled in air and fell back down into Aryn's hands to wait for their next round. Next to the bodyguard sat Nina, her face in an equal frown as she attempted to burn every move those fingers made into her memory. When the ship had sailed closer to her former home, the princess had suddenly asked the bodyguard to teach her more about magic. Sensing that the girl was looking for a way to distract her thoughts from the depressing memories Windia always awakened in her mind, Aryn had been quick to agree. However, the bodyguard had reminded Nina that he was quite hopeless with magic; while four lights – five at tops – was the best he could do, a more experienced wizard could easily hold over a dozen.

"Hey, Nyra!" Silen called. Even enthusiastic as he was, the soldier indeed did remember to call the protector with his fake name. During all the time aboard, Silen had been burning with passion to hear more about Aryn's legendary master, about his ways and techniques he used and taught. The bodyguard's usually curt replies were nothing but drops of water to increase the soldier's thirst. Within one day at the sea, everyone in the ship was well aware that this Nyra fellow knew THE swordsmaster Pooka O'Silver personally.

Letting out a moan, Aryn clapped his hands together. The four lights disappeared in a multi-colored flash. "Would you kindly shut up?" he asked from Silen. "I can't tell you stories and show this thing to her at the same time!"

"Good", the Windian soldier smiled, completely missing Nina's frustrated scowl. "I finally got your attention. Now we can have our match".

Lifting his arms up toward the skies and joining his hands together over his head, Aryn stretched just like the little hunter he called his pet. "I'll pass".

"Why not?"

"Yeah, come on now!" urged a fair-haired sailor, who Nina knew to be called Sam. He was sitting nearby and spending his free time by smoking a pipe. "I've heard enough pleas from that soldier, Master Nyra. Go and kick his butt so that we can rest our ears for a while". His words were accompanied by chuckles and grunts of approval from the sailors close enough to hear him.

Aryn slammed his hand against his knee. "Now what have you gone and told them, Silen?" he asked with a tone that was both amused and dry. "I'm not a one to be called a master!"

"We can have many minds about that", Nina put in with a wide smile. She held firmly her ground against the hurt glare Aryn aimed at her.

"You too?" the protector snapped. Again he slammed with his palm, this time against his forehead. "Man, I'm surrounded by traitors! I'm finally starting to realize how Pooka really feels with all his fame".

"There's only one way out", Silen grinned. "And that's through me!" His final words were so trickling with menace that many sailors following the show gave him some applause.

"Go ahead", Nina said, her eyes twinkling, "I think I can hold my own against the dangers of the world long enough for you to show him some manners".

"Hmm". Aryn's silence was one of those rare noisy types you can sometimes 'hear'. Though he said nothing, his expression spoke more than enough for him. Even a glimpse of his face was enough to reveal his current thoughts: Now what kind of demon has bewitched you all?

Sighing, the bodyguard finally did what everybody expected him to do: he stood up. "Okay", Aryn said, his eyes throwing daggers of warning at Silen, "You want to see some techniques taught by Pooka? You want to get a real bum rush?" He straightened himself into the full length and hid his hands into his sleeves. "Name the rules".

Had Silen been younger, he would probably have been running around in circles, clapping his hands together, unable to wait for the battle. But now, he succeeded in standing still and smiling broadly. "No blood, the first one to score a hit is the winner".

"Hmm", Aryn replied, tilting his head to one side. Then he bent down to draw a dagger from his boot. "Deal", he said. Without further ceremonies he took a good grip from the little handle and took a few steps toward Silen.

The soldier looked disappointed. He lowered his shield and spear, shaking his head. "Nyra, I want a fair fight. You may be good, but I don't think that you can defeat me with that thing alone".

"Hey, you told us yourself how good he is", shouted Hain, who had appeared sitting on the stairs leading to the upper deck. "Let him prove it now!" Many others agreed with him, their rough laughter and encouraging words easily quelled the wind and the constant splashing of waves.

Aryn grinned. "This is the only blade I'll need against you. Defend yourself". He whirled his dagger into a reverse grip and lifted it before him. The bodyguard waited a moment, allowing Silen to assume his battle stance. Then the short blade started to move. From right to left, from up to down and back again, the dagger drew smooth arches into air, first slowly, but with ever quickening moves. From left shoulder down to the right hip, up to right shoulder and across the chest back to the left. The sunlight gleamed on the blade as it flew and danced, as it slashed wounds into thin air before Aryn. Then his feet joined the movement. Standing on his toes, he took slow, cat-like steps, leaning from one side to another, following the short blade into a strange, mysterious dance. And never the bodyguard gave up his sinister smile, his green eyes sparkling.

Silen was getting nervous. Holding his spear and shield ready, he followed every move of Aryn's dagger carefully. The soldier had already guessed what the protector was planning. Distract your opponent with inoffensive moves in order to gain advantage of surprise. Though Aryn was moving carelessly, almost dancing, he would be sure not to step into the spear's range. But it wouldn't matter, Silen thought. If he just fixed his attention on that dagger, he would notice in time when it would slash out from that dance…

Abruptly, just like the Windian soldier had expected, Aryn attacked. Too bad that the protector did it in a way Silen had not expected. The bodyguard's left hand shot forward. Something round and greenish flew out from his wide sleeve. Silen, who had focused his attention completely in the dancing dagger, failed to move his shield in time as this new weapon hurtled at him with lethal precision. There was quite a comic bonk as the round object hit the soldier squarely onto his helmet-covered forehead.

"I won", Aryn announced calmly as Silen staggered backwards, his surprised shout quelled by the sailors' loud and rough laughter.

"What…!" the young soldier stammered, "By Windia, what kind of cheat was that?"

Coolly Aryn ignored the baffled Silen. Throwing glances across the rocking deck, he sought for his secret weapon. "Now where did it go? Ah, there!" With a few vigorous strides, the protector jogged close to the rail and scooped something up before it could roll into the sea. With a cunning grin, Aryn turned and introduced the weapon that had given him his victory:

"Want an apple?"

For several moments the wind, soaring cries of the birds of sea and the ever-present splashing of waves were all drowned by wild applause. Even Nina was laughing and clapping her hands. Aryn accepted all this with a humble look, performing a bow after bow until Captain Tarkus himself shouted and roared the sailors to leave his guests be and "get back to work before I have every one of you kiss the lips of a Fish Clansman, ye pirates of sweet water and sons of smoked mackerel!" as he put it, following every tradition of colorful seafarer's speech.

The members of the crew laughed some more and then scattered, each of them going to attend whatever task they had on the Golden Auria. Soon Silen, Nina and Aryn found themselves as alone as they could be aboard a merchant vessel.

"That was no fight", Silen fumed as he sat close to where the bodyguard had returned to continue the magic lesson with Nina. "Hitting with an apple! That was very…very dishonorable, you curr!" Unable to hold his own hilarity locked down his throat, the soldier threw his head backwards and let out a booming guffaw. "What was the point?" he asked when he finally caught his breath.

"It was perhaps the most important part of the training Pooka gave me", Aryn replied as he began conjuring his globes of light. "It is a trick that holds true both in fighting and magic. Once you have learned it by heart, you always get an upper hand against opponent who doesn't know it". The bodyguard kept a short pause, watching as Nina carefully duplicated the gestures of his fingers. "Good. Keep your thumbs a little closer to your palms – just like that".

"Well?" Silen asked, impatient as ever. "What's the secret of Pooka?"

"It consists of two words", Aryn said. "Be creative".

* * * *

That night Nina got an unexpected visitor into her bed. Silent and without warning as always, Cat appeared out of nowhere next to her pillow. Perhaps it was a bit tactless from it to awaken a sleeping princess in the middle of night, but then again, Cat was cat. And cats, as we know, do not tend to follow protocols.

Nina flinched a little as the first thing she saw after prying her eyes open was a pair of glowing embers. Then she smiled, drew her hand out from the depths of her blanket and shyly stroked the animal's black, silk-soft back. Perhaps it was her imagination, but Cat didn't seem to be so superior this time. Actually, its eyes watched her in a manner that could have been construed friendliness. Nina could almost imagine the thought behind those yellow flames: Hi.

"Hi", Nina whispered. "What's up?"

Cat purred. The princess didn't know if this was an answer to her question or a reply to her careful petting. For a long time, it was the only noise in her little cabin, if the constant creaking of wood and gentle lapping of water were ignored.

Nina took a bit better position under her blanket. Supporting herself with one arm, she continued stroking Cat with another one. "Are you going to make me caress you for the rest of the night?"

It was probably just another masterstroke of her wild imagination, but Nina was almost sure that Cat looked extremely hurt. It swung its snow-tipped tail in a majestic arc, almost saying: Of course you understand that I'm allowing you to pet me only because my master happens to like you, too.

Nina grinned. "So sorry", she whispered, wondering if Aryn was ever crazy enough to talk with his pet in similar manner.

Hmph. Cat stood up from where it had been crouching and turned around. Its soft, arching back brushed the princess's nose as it did so. Like a queen, head and tail upright, the animal made its way to the door – closed door, Nina noticed, how did it get here in the first place? – and turned its flaming eyes back towards the bed expectantly. On that moment, Cat couldn't have looked more arrogant.

"Oh, all right". Throwing aside her blanket, Nina got onto her feet and took up her cloak. Wrapping it around herself she unbolted the door and carefully pushed it open. True enough, Cat slipped out into the narrow corridor, took a few soundless steps and then turned back to watch her.

Sighing, Nina stepped out, closed the door carefully behind her and followed the animal through the dark, sleeping ship. Her cabin was one of the three small private rooms reserved for paying passengers. Two of them were located under the bridge of the Golden Auria along with the Captain's private cabin. Perhaps Nina could count herself lucky as her room was next to the storerooms in the prow. Perhaps not, as the first night aboard had taught her that the sound of splashing waves was always on its loudest under ship's prow.

Climbing up short, steep stairs as quietly as she could, Nina followed the stalking ghost known as Cat onto the deck.

* * * *

Sitting on a heap of thick, tar-smelling rope, Aryn Seaholt reclined against one of the ship's masts and watched how stars winked at him from the gaps between dark clouds. As always, the wind had ceased in evening and sea was relatively still, letting the protector have a taste of that enchanting silence of night. Such moments were rare for him, and Aryn valued every chance to enjoy them.

It was one of those nights he felt inspiration lifting its head in the corner of his mind.

Burrowing his hands under his light-brown hair and supporting one leg with the knee of another, the protector closed his eyes and started gathering words.

Soon those words started to form sentences, then sentences joined together and became thoughts. After a quick inspection that everything was in order and replacement of a couple of words, it was ready to be spoken aloud. Relatively aloud, that is, as Aryn's voice was solemn and quiet every time he recited a poem:

"Ooh, what a beautiful poem!"

Aryn's hands were already inside his sleeves, grabbing the handles of his battle daggers before he recognized the familiar shape that had appeared before him. "Girl?"

"I wouldn't play a game against him, though", Nina continued with a level voice, hoping that the darkness was potent enough to conceal her surprised face. By the skies, that bodyguard was sometimes so unpredictable!

Aryn slumped against the mast and let out a loud sigh. "Now what the heck are you doing out here in this time? Aren't you supposed be sleeping?"

"Don't you ever sleep yourself?" Nina countered. "I was chasing this". She pointed at something black and furry on her feet. On that same moment, a pair of blazing embers opened and favored the bodyguard with a persistent stare.

"Now what's the point, Cat?" Aryn asked. He shifted on his place atop the ropes and drew his legs under him. Then he leaned forward and scooped his pet into his lap. "It's not nice of you going all night bothering little girls in the middle of their sleep". As he preached, he playfully waved his finger accusingly at Cat. The animal didn't seem to be very interested, though.

"That poem was about Eiji, wasn't it?" Nina asked as she sat down next to him, onto a barrel tied to the mast. "I didn't know that you are a poet, too".

Aryn took another deep sigh, this time through clenched teeth. His answer was patient and very clearly pronounced: "Yes, Eiji inspired it a little, and no, I'm not a poet".

Nina shrugged, lifting her fingers onto her mouth to stifle a chuckle. If she hadn't gravely mistaken, people used that tone when they were… she simply had to check this out! "What was it then?" the princess asked innocently, "A nursery rhyme?"

Aryn's answer was short and blunt: "Yes!"

"Don't try to fool me, mister Seaholt", Nina said with formal tones. She had to have some fun for a change. "I can recognize a poem when I hear one. And it was quite good, to boot!"

"It wasn't a good one", Aryn muttered and turned his gaze into other direction.

"Yes it was".

"Girl". Aryn's voice was grave and clearly forced to be calm. "Do you know that right now you are more annoying that on the first day we left Windia? It was not, understand? I'm a lousy poet and you just forget everything you heard, got it?"

"Yes, sir", Nina replied, performing a mock of salute. She managed to follow the order for almost half a minute. But since the silence between them simply begged to be filled, she couldn't help but to whisper: "Poet".

"Nnngghh!"

Next moments of Nina's life were completely dedicated to giggling. Every time her mirth threatened to lessen, she had but to take a look at Aryn's humiliated and sullen face to call a new surge of laughter forward. Slowly, her delight started to seep on the bodyguard, too. Soon he, too, was chuckling quietly.

"So, I finally found a flaw from your armor", Nina said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Mighty bodyguard Aryn Seaholt makes poems! Where did you get such a hobby, anyway?"

Aryn leaned against the mast and watched the stars as he replied: "My Master, Pooka, always thought that I needed a hobby to keep the temper of my youth in check. He told me to try poems, and… well… whatever Master Pooka says, apprentice obeys. Right now, if you get my meaning. He plays a flute himself. A long, beautiful silver flute, almost as beautiful as his sword. He's damn good with that, too". The bodyguard gave out a little laugh. "Actually, I really can't think a single thing he does but isn't good at. Except being humble, that is. One of his favorite quotes was 'It seems that my brilliancy is shown in everything I do'".

"He's one of a packet then?"

Aryn grinned. "You bet! The thing he is best at is probably how to live a life and look good doing it". Then he cast his eyes at the sky and sought for the position of the moon. "I think it's about time for you to get back to bed, young lady".

Nina yawned. "Right now?"

Aryn gave her a playfully stern glance. "Right now", he commanded with a superior tone.

"Yes, sir", the princess mumbled, got onto her feet and started heading back toward her cabin. Aryn was a weird fellow, she had decided that long ago, but this new revelation deepened the picture even more. Not that she had anything against poets or even bodyguards making poems, but that look on Aryn's face! Not even the darkness could have hidden that expression of total embarrassment. Well, at least she knew what side to stroke whenever she wanted to make herself laugh…

The protector followed Nina with his eyes until she had disappeared into shadows. Then he threw back his head, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Man, that had been the humiliation of his life! He had often hoped that he could perk the poor little princess up, give her something that would ease the ache of her memories, something that could lift her spirits from those depths it had tendency of sinking into. But, boy, he hadn't wanted to pay this price! Talk about embarrassment. Oh well, there was nothing that could be done about it anymore.

His gaze fell to Cat, who was catnapping in his lap. Then again, maybe there was.

With a quick move, Aryn grabbed his pet's tail and jerked, letting the furry thing fall onto the deck. Though its trip through air was short and over within a blink of eye, Cat managed to land onto its paws. Hissing quietly, the animal turned its yellow eyes at the protector, demanding an explanation for this rude behavior.

"Traitor", Aryn proclaimed. "To bring her here just when I got the right inspiration! You've got some nerve, pussycat".

* * * *

The wind didn't return next morning. White, cotton-like patches of clouds simply hung scattered across the skies; none of them moved. The round and merciless sun blazed like an accusing eye from a blue face. The sails of the Golden Auria fluttered lazily in a weak breeze. The weather was so hopeless that Captain Tarkus had given up and declared that the crew could spend the day as they saw fit. Except for a few unfortunate ones who had been ordered to take turn in keeping a lookout, the sailors obeyed gladly.

"Now this is just my type of luck", Aryn remarked to Silen as they walked across the deck toward the ship's prow. Ever since it had proved to be one of Nina's favorite places to spend time, the trio had picked up a habit of gathering there at least a couple of times every day.

"How so?" Silen asked, running his hand through his blond, curly hair much in a same way Aryn often did. The protector certainly hoped that the soldier wouldn't get hooked with the habit. "Just that wind happens to cease for once after several days of constant blowing? What a terrible loss".

"No, I mean that nothing ever seems to go perfectly with me", Aryn replied as they climbed up the couple of stairs separating the middle deck from the ship's bow. "Most of time I reach my goal, aye, but awfully often only after a few bumps and holes along the way".

"Nothing is perfect", the Windian soldier said with a shrug. He waved his hand at Nina, who was already waiting for them. Then Silen drew a broad smile onto his face and turned his eyes at the bodyguard. "Say, don't you think--"

Aryn had already recognized that expression. The soldier always wore it over his face every time he pestered the protector about a certain matter. "Don't start it again!"

"-- that such a lazy day would pass quicker if you told us stories about your legendary master?" Silen finished, paying no heed to the bodyguard's words.

"I would like to hear something about him, also!" Nina put in as she sat down onto the wooden boards. Perhaps by learning more about Pooka O'Silver would help her to understand better his pupil, too. Though Aryn had advised her not to linger too much with the decision of her future, Nina had no intention to make it any time soon. They were probably still starting their journey, the way ahead them was many times longer than what they had already traveled. The princess wanted to understand her bodyguard as well as she could so that she would be as easy burden as possible.

"Hoo-kay", Aryn sighed as he settled down and crossed his legs. "But before I start, I want you to promise me something Silen. You are a man of honor, aren't you? You will keep your word, won't you?"

Silen frowned. "Of course", he said, clearly not understanding what the protector was aiming at. "I always try to keep my promises". The soldier, too, sat onto the deck. Attentively he chose a spot where he was between the sun and his companions and spread his wings to offer a humble shelter from constant sunshine.

"I want you to promise me that if I tell you something really great, you won't nag me about Pooka for some time. Even my furry ears have their limits how much they want to hear about some matters".

Both Silen and Nina laughed. "On my honor I will swear that", the Windian soldier replied, lifting his hand into a salute. Then he added with a smirk: "Though I'm not sure if I can keep that promise".

"You'd better be able to", Nina added. "Or else he will give you a similar spanking he gave you yesterday!"

Aryn talked for a good deal of that day. Or rather, he tried to talk, but both Silen and Nina constantly interrupted him, tirelessly asking about this or that detail of the legendary master. This had quite a slowing effect on the protector's storytelling. It, however, didn't make his tales less interesting.

From what Aryn told them, Pooka indeed was one heck of a packet. From his incredible finesse in the swordsmanship to his life philosophy, he was a born master of the blade. Soon it became apparent that no matter whatever the rumors or tales told about Pooka, the truth was that they gave him no rightful credit. Aryn spoke of his master with great respect and – to Silen's great puzzlement – with more than just drop of humor every time the bodyguard told about his apprenticeship. Chuckling and smiling, the protector admitted that he had been almost everything else but a decent pupil. He had been impatient during that time. Very impatient, always pestering and bothering Pooka with endless questions. The most amusing stories were always about the clashes between the master and the apprentice. They ended – almost without exception – with Pooka showing how to put a pupil silent in creative ways. And from what Silen and Nina had cleansed, Aryn had deserved every punishment.

"During his lessons I usually silently sorted through all the synonyms for the term 'slave driver'" Aryn said with a little smile as he reflected his memories. "He was tough when it was about discipline. Result of even a small mistake was usually a heavy rain of insults. I sometimes really hated him for that".

Just as the bodyguard had once warned him, Silen had faced several shocks during these stories. "I – I thought that such a master could afford being gentler with his student", he stammered, frowning with wonder. "If he spent most of his time insulting you, how did he-"

"Ah, but that's only a part of the story", Aryn replied. "Every master insults the pupil now and then. Especially if he's such a mulish boy as I was. His technique of teaching may sound a little rough, but it worked on me. You see, he chided me so much that when I finally did something well, even such a comment as 'Not bad, Ears' really made my day".

Aryn quieted down. Now where the heck did that come from? The memory had simply popped into his mind. Years ago, Pooka had said it to him when –

* * * *

Large, white snowflakes fell calmly. They were absolutely in no hurry in floating down from the heavens toward the snow-covered hills. No wind bothered their journey downward. That was good, Aryn thought, since it certainly was cold enough even without such things.

The sky was dark. A full moon hung above the landscape, its pale glow was reflected from the snow, making the landscape glimmer with eerie, enchanting light. Here and there a few firs or some sleeping, leafless trees spotted the whiteness with their black shapes.

Adjusting his fur-covered coat tighter around himself, Aryn hurried forward, up a hillside, following an unseen path he had already walked so many times. Wiping the top his hood clear of fallen snow, he halted for a moment to catch his breath. Every lungful of air he drew inside came out as a large cloud of frost. The chilly fingers of winter stroke his face and every gap it could find from his warm coat. Oh indeed, thank goodness it wasn't windy tonight!

Still, freezing or not, Aryn had to agree with his master about one thing: it was beautiful out here. Nighttime was charming enough whatever the season. But in winter… it was as if the landscape had thrown away its humble, white cloak, revealing an enchanting dress of glittering snow-jewels. Aye, winter may be cruel, even deadly, yet it had its own, unrivaled magic. No wonder Pooka preferred a little hut on these hills instead of warmth of the village.

The name of his master reminded Aryn what he was doing out here at this time. Burrowing his head deeper into his hood he continued his way with a light jog. Down one hillside, up another one, and his destination was already in his sight. A little hunter's hut built into a shelter of a little depression, guarded by five tall firs. A little, warm light shone out from its windows, yet Aryn knew his master wasn't inside, not tonight.

True enough. A short distance away and up a hill, a dark figure could be seen. Sitting on a tree stump, enjoying his view of the snow-covered night, was Pooka O'Silver. Seemingly unaffected by freezing weather, he still kept his long coat open. Moonlight made the silver sign in his back shine with almost unnatural glow.

"Now how he can sit still in this weather?" Aryn wondered as he cleared his way through the snow. He wished that he could walk as easily and lightly as his master did. Heck, those black boots hardly left tracks when Pooka strode over snowy fields! The swordsmaster didn't move as the apprentice approached him. However, Aryn was quite sure that he was well aware of his pupil.

"Master". Aryn's quiet call was accompanied by a puff of frost.

Pooka didn't move immediately. His golden eyes were fixed on glowing, white hills. This close, Aryn could see how the swordsmaster held something in his gloved hands. It was a long, beautiful flute, crafted of white wood and decorated with purest silver. Pooka's fingers caressed its surface gently, as if preparing to lift it to his lips.

Then, slowly, almost reluctantly, the swordsmaster acknowledged his apprentice's presence. Mouthing something that sounded suspiciously much like 'idiot' Pooka turned to Aryn and gave him a little nod. "And what might you be doing out here at this time, Ears? It's almost midnight".

"I…um" was all Aryn managed to say. He couldn't help but to feel a little disappointed as the swordsmaster had decided against playing his beautiful flute.

One of Pooka's frost-white eyebrows lifted slightly as the pupil hesitated. "Well, lad?" he said, wiping a single rivulet of silver from his face, "Spit it out and off with you."

The boy finally found the word he had been looking for: "…Sorry".

The eyebrow moved just a little more upward. The apprentice knew that this was Pooka's way to say 'Just what the heck is moving in your little head?'

"I – I've been thinking a little", Aryn said, shifting his weight from one leg to another. "About that what you told me about warrior's path all those weeks ago. I'm… I'm not sure if I should even be thinking about this but…" He paused to swallow a pebble stuck into his throat, "How can I ever know when I'm following the right way?"

Pooka lifted his flute onto his shoulder just like he did with his sword. "Ears", he started with an amused and a bit jeering tone, "Are you really troubling your head with a question like that? Are you saying that you don't know how to choose your way?"

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable under his master's wolfish eyes, the apprentice slowly nodded.

There was a pause. Aryn could almost have sworn that he heard how the snow fell. Then the corners of the swordsmaster's lips started to curve upwards. It wasn't a mild half-smile nor a sneer Aryn had gotten used of seeing on Pooka's face. It was a real honest grin! With it, a little, deep sound came up from his throat. So quiet it was that Aryn wondered if he had heard it only in his imagination. No, it really was there!

Pooka O'Silver, the man whose face was even and cool like marble, the man with self-discipline possessed by few, was actually laughing!

"Ha, ha, ha. Aryn, you're finally learning! It certainly took a long time, but you're finally, really, doing it". Shaking his head with mild mirth, the swordsmaster stood up and shook the snow from the hems of his coat.

His words hit Aryn like a hammer. Had he really heard it right? For all the seasons, for all the lessons they had gone through, this had been the first time Pooka had called him by his real name! No Ears, no Idiot, no Loghead, but Aryn!

"Not half bad, Aryn", Pooka smiled as he led their way back towards the hut. "All this time, I had almost given up the hope of you ever learning that thing. You're almost making me proud, lad. Listen, from this point on, we'll put all this 'how to live well' crap aside".

"What?" Aryn halted into his tracks. Though his spirit was soaring because of all this flattering his master was pouring on him, he had never been so puzzled in all his life. "We're ignoring all those things you've been preaching to me all this half a year?"

Pushing the door of his hut open, Pooka whirled around and tapped the head of his apprentice with his flute. "Aye, Ears. Now don't be lying to me, I know well that you thought all those lessons to be incredibly boring". As he talked, he stepped inside the yellow warmth pouring out from the hut. After a short while, he returned with two swords: another was his own, magnificent silver blade, and another was a humble, dull practice sword. "The point is, I really can't tell you that you're going to live like this or that. It would be almost the same as telling the sun when to rise and when to set. All I can give you is an example – a fine one, I might add – but the rest is up to you. I made you take the first step of creating your own world. You're going to do the rest by yourself. But remember as an example, those paladins of that St. Eva church you may have heard about are all idiots. They are so sure of their cause. Never let others guide your path. Listen to others, yes, consider what they say, yes, but blindly follow their way, no. Make your decisions yourself. It's good to have a little doubt now and then. As long as you keep it in tight control, not letting it to nibble your basement, it's good for your mind and it makes sure you're not following the wrong path… hello? You're still following me?"

It took a while from Aryn to answer: "I guess…"

Pooka nodded grimly, tossing the practice sword to his apprentice. "Good. I'm through talking. Let's clash some steel".

* * * *

"Aryn? Aaa-ryyn?"

The bodyguard blinked and focused his eyes back to Nina. "Huh? What?"

"You've been quiet for some time now", Silen said. "What was running in your mind?"

Scratching the back of his head, Aryn gave out a little embarrassed laugh. "Oh, nothing. I just remembered a funny little detail. Never mind that". Giving the thought a dismissive wave with his hand, the bodyguard changed the subject: "You know, Pooka only taught me the basics of battle. Footwork, how to grip my blade, honing my coordination and speed, the stuff like that. No specific techniques or styles. Most of the tricks I use I learned by myself. According to my Master, that way I could make up my own style, tailor it to suit me".

"Be creative", Silen quoted, absently rubbing the place on his forehead where the Deadly Apple had hit.

Aryn grinned. "Exactly".

There was a short pause before Silen continued: "That also explains why Master Pooka's weapon of choice is a long sword, but you favor two shorter blades, right?"

Aryn didn't reply immediately. He lifted his gaze, watching the limp sails above their heads before he said: "Yeah".

* * * *

It was another sunset aboard. Just like the ones earlier, the sun was falling behind horizon, mixing its wheat-golden light with blue skies. Against that background, the once-white clouds looked now brown.

It was a sunset just like the ones before. With one exception: somebody had seemed to pass a few bottles of rum to brighten the crew's free day. About an hour earlier, the ship had been echoing with sailors' happy songs. Now, the vessel was quickly becoming quiet as the demand of sleep was overcoming the crew's cheery mood. Aryn couldn't help but to feel a bit sorry for them; tomorrow they would wake with one heck of a hangover. Not to mention Captain Sandell's remarkably loud voice ringing straight into their ears. But that was tomorrow.

"Where's the girl?" Aryn asked as Silen approached him on the deck. The bodyguard was sitting in his favorite place, atop a heap of rope, leaning against the mast.

"Ni – Anina went into her cabin", the Windian soldier replied, sitting onto a barrel next to the protector. "She said that she wanted to be alone a moment. I can understand why".

"Probably". Aryn threw a quick, warning glare in Silen's direction. "Are you going to ask about Him again? Remember your promise!"

The soldier laughed, opening and re-folding his wings. "No, not this time. I just came to chat about something else. Like that Hain fellow says, talking is a good way to kill time aboard a ship".

"What do you want to talk about, then?"

Silen asked about Aryn's plans. Where would they be heading after reaching Coursair, where was he going to take Nina?

The bodyguard didn't exactly know how to answer. He had been hired to take the princess away from Windia, but other than that… he had no idea. Where would Nina want to live now on, it was her decision. Until she would finally make it, all they could do was to wait and keep her safe.

As they talked, the sun disappeared below the horizon. The light slowly faded, to be replaced first by dusk, then by darkness. Hesitantly, one by one, the stars came out where they had been hiding during the day.

A sudden squawk startled them both. Plunging down from the skies, a little, dark shape headed straight for them. Fluttering and beating its wings, a crow landed carefully, yet completely without any fear, next to Aryn. Both bodyguard and soldier startled as the bird turned its head at them.

Its eyes were dimly glowing with unnatural intelligence.

"By Windia…" Silen hissed, slowly reaching for a dagger in his belt.

The crow clearly noticed this, but it didn't seem to care. Calmly, purposefully, it lifted one leg. Attached to it, there was a little capsule usually used with message pigeons. The bird didn't even flinch as Aryn slowly extended his hand and carefully removed a little piece of paper.

Then the crow squawked, jumped into the air and fluttered away. The only proofs that it had even been here were a single feather floating through air and the message in the bodyguard's hand.

Exchanging puzzled look with Silen and summoning a little light for reading, Aryn unfolded the paper and skimmed it through. In the green illumination, the soldier could see how the bodyguard's expression turned into a frown, then into a shock and then his features darkened, assuming their ominous edge. "Damn", he muttered.

"What?"

Aryn didn't waste time to reply. He turned and dashed across the quiet deck, heading toward the ship's prow.

Previous: Chapter VIII
Next: Chapter X
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