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Edited & Co-Written by Averis

The Riders

The Dawn of the Coming War

Once more the seasons changed, going from late summer to golden fall to frosty winter. My relationship with Ahn grew each day. Everyone coming to the city was saying that a new war was coming, a group calling themselves The Dawn supposedly had the Rider backing them up with a flight of dragons. Those that lived in our city knew that there was a mistake, for we hosted the true Rider, as supported by Felhorn and those that knew him.

Jarule:

"These fools are backed by some fake profit, don't you agree Ahn," I asked.

Nodding she said "The chaos that the Ryder brings is horrific every time, the world will fall to generations of darkness if he succeeds, The Dawn would be the final dawn." Stopping both verbally and physically for a second she turned and looked towards the keep, "Gerick is calling, tell Master Roland I'm at the stables, if anything is truly wrong Felhorn will tell you," she said before darting off, disappearing quickly through the crowd.

Deep down inside I knew she was right, Felhorn was as wise as Roland. I just couldn't help but wonder. I hope Felhorn would enjoy her first time, I don't know much about that stuff but things like that the first time should be a blissful one. She suspects something is going to happen, and maybe that's why she's taking this sacrifice now. I hope to express my feelings for the girl I love.

I've talked to every person I could about the subject and, looked into every single book on physical relationships. It just never made any sense to me on what would be the best time to do this. I mean I knew what she thought was romantic but, I just haven't had enough time to plan it out. I thought she looked lovely in every single way, and I wanted to express it in a way that I could prove it.

Wandering around the yard pondering to myself about how to romancing her. I mean she and I were on opposite schedules it seemed. After a while though I heard a loud argument coming from the horse stable, I went to see what the whole problem was. When I got there a human was arguing with Ahn.

"My horse is not in the condition I brought her in," he yelled.

Growling she said "You gave me a horse sick with a contagious disease that is killing her, I have been doing all I can to keep her alive, but a living body can only take so much strain."

"That is a load of shit, and you know it you insolent bitch," he said, finishing it off with a slap.

"Excuse me sir, you better apologize, she is a fine care taker of these animals and everyone here knows it! Otherwise they wouldn't trust her with a dragon," I said closing the distance.

Looking over at me and seeing the sword hanging on my hip she deftly moved out of the way and said "Be careful, he's the Duke of Dirhming."

"Apologize, I'll do no such thing you little whelp," he said, raising his hand to slap me I caught his hand and hit him square in the face.

"I think it would be best if you leave, were going to keep the horse here so she can die in peace," I said firmly.

That did it he drew his sword and slashed towards my chest; he was so damn slow compared to me. I quickly drew mine and pushed it away. Then he again charged towards my body swinging his sword. I blocked him time and time again. His attacks seemed to be flailing but then again he was a nobleman. And noblemen all know how to fight. By the time he tired I was still had not warmed up my even breathing was overshadowed by his panting.

Swinging my sword I knocked him onto the ground and pointed it at his throat I said, " Sir you have been bested, now please leave before I tell master Roland of your discrepancies here."

Coming up and disarming him of his sword, and quickly taking mine as well, Ahn said "Both of you will leave the stables before you spook the rest of the horses, and Master Roland is behind you Jarule," walking past me she quietly whispered "Thank you," and put the swords out of sight of the spooked animals.

Turning around I said, "Sorry Master Roland, I let my anger get the best of me."

"Anger, I saw no anger in that, all I saw was passion, now I suggest you go and walk out of here I need to discuss a few things with the Duke," Master Roland said.

Bowing I said, "Thank you master."

I walked out as quickly as I could. I'd never seem Master Roland angry and I wasn't about to either. I started looking for Ahn so I could apologize about spooking the horses like that, and tell her it wasn't my intention to do that but it seemed as if she had just disappeared. So I sat upon the bench below the apple tree and thought about how I'd make this up to her.

Feeling a light touch on my shoulder I turned around and suddenly she was kissing me, lightly at first but harder when I didn't pull back, breaking the contact she said "Thank you again, I could have moved out of the way but that could have provoked him to drawing his sword and as a 'simple peasant'" the scorn for the term was obvious in her voice," I'm not allowed to defend myself from him without it being a time of war."

"He was asking for it, besides he laid his hands on a woman I love, and nobody does that. Nobody regardless of his heritage," I said.

Grinning she said "You can only get away with that because you're the Rider, but it's that belief that you're in the right, along with the fact that you are actually in the right, that I fell in love with. I'm glad Gerick called me, this convinced me to stop waiting for you to kiss me, but the wait was so worth it!" before kissing me again.

"You mean your dragon convinced you to do this," I asked slightly shocked.

Laughing she said "No, this event, seeing you defend me when I wasn't allowed to defend myself due to his status."

"Well I'm glad I did, but I didn't think it was as romantic as what it should have been, I wanted the first time to be special," I said kind of upset.

Shrugging her shoulders she quickly grabbed my sword from the tree branches before handing it to me and said "You have been courting me for years, you have done numerous romantic things over the years, at any of them it would have been good to kiss me, but a girl is only willing to wait so long before she moves on her own."

"Well we both know I'm a fool when it comes to love," I said immediately covering my mouth as I said the last part of that word.

Grinning she said "Allow me to quote a master 'Truth comes in many forms, but now the physical truth of two I shall bestow upon you.'"

"What are you getting at," I asked, not sure what she was implying.

Pulling me along, she practically shouted "Sex!"

Heading through the halls in the castle we quickly arrived at my room through a few passages I wasn't even aware existed. Pulling me in she finally slowed down and said in a mocking tone "My body is at your disposal Master Rider, sir." The attraction I felt towards her was pulling me forward; I traced her curves, touching softly the body of the woman I have admired for so long. Her muscles visible through her layer of fur, her body hard from exercise yet yielding to my efforts. Time seemed to be gone as we explored each other, finding the points of pleasure on the other's body while feeling the ecstasy of becoming one with the one we loved. Even though we were different we fit together as though we were made with the other in mind. The passion of the moment, the feeling of wholeness and filling the hole we didn't even know had existed; I could tell both of us were feeling that.

By the time the sun was coming through the window I saw that she was already getting dressed, "Master Bertha somehow always knows where to deliver messages, the horse I've been working to save turns out to be pregnant, that is why the poor thing has been having such a hard time recovering from the disease." Finishing buttoning her leathers she walked over and kissed me, "Come to the stables after your meeting with the king, details are written in the letter on your stand," taking a few steps towards the door she turned and said "I've never felt more alive, and I will never love anyone else as I love you," before disappearing to take care of the other passion of her life.

Dressing in the appropriate attire for meeting the king, of course I was looking forward to seeing dad again. It had been years since I had seen him. I heard he had gotten older and looked as a proper king should. I was nonetheless enthused about it!

Entering the main hall I saw the king with Master Roland. They were both cheerful and laughing. There was no scowl upon either of their faces. I approached rapidly giving the king a great hug. It had been a year since I last saw him and he always made sure I knew my place amongst the people.

Smiling at me he said "Hello Jarule, I need to talk to you about something quite serious. I heard about your scuffle with one of the dukes, be very careful, he is a very powerful man as are a lot of other people. Also I feel that now that you are a Man, don't act like you're so innocent, I feel it best to give you this shield bearing the families crest. Also one last thing, the talk of a Ryder is very wide spread, I'm afraid it may be true, and Master Roland shares my concern. I feel it is best if you travel for one year testing your abilities, Master Roland also believes this to be a good idea, so you will pack what you can carry and head off with one person of your choosing, but we all know who that will be," he said.

"Of course, are you upset about my decision," I asked.

"No, no, I'd be more disappointed if you hadn't. Now though time is crucial, every single day counts. Hurry to the outlying kingdoms beyond our borders and the mythical creatures that we know of they might be willing to assist in the coming war. Another thing, do not come back here. We will move the school somewhere else we will send word of where, and take your journal. You will need it," he said.

I knew of course the journal he meant, but I needed to go see Ahn at the stables before anything else. I hope she'll come with me. I need her and she needs me. But she might be compelled to stay with the animals. I ran quickly to the stables, but I didn't see her there.

Ahn

Waking up I felt the cold of metal on my wrists and the muscles in my back complaining from my arms being locked behind me and the throb of my head from whoever had used that poisoned dart to knock me out. The movement of the cart I was laying down in would make it difficult for me to sit up quietly so I decided not to try yet. Listening I heard the voices of two males, one sounded ursine and the other had a distinct feline quality to it.

The Ursine said "Do you think he'll let us play with her after he's done?"

Laughing the Feline replied "This Duke is all but the Ryder himself, it's a miracle he hasn't been put to death for his cruelty, trust me when I say that there won't be enough of her left to hold, let alone fuck."

Stiffening upon hearing their mention of a Duke I knew immediately what this was about.

Groaning the Ursine said "At least he'll pay well enough for a night and a day."

Holding back the urge to puke I rolled onto my back and gently sat up, seeing I was right didn't make me feel any better about my chances with my hands cuffed as they were. Looking over at the ursine I saw he was the typical brown bear brute and had the enormous double axe strapped to his back to prove it. That left the much smaller cat; he looked like a lynx, as the one that poisoned me and the one that was the brains of the pair. Looking him over I saw several throwing blades hidden in easy to access places on his body, but that wasn't what caught my eye, it was the keys hanging from a strap on his belt that they fastened to. Slowly inching forward I lifted my left leg precisely and carefully I carefully put a nail in the knot and maneuvered it loose while slowly putting my right toes around the key ring.

As soon as they were free I gently brought my leg around, grateful for my natural flexibility and for the fact that Grand Master Roland had insisted I make it even greater. Passing the keys into my paws I felt four keys on the ring, and only one of them felt like a cuff key. Putting it into the lock between the two cuffs I carefully unlocked them and caught them before the keys still sticking out could make a noise. Removing the keys and carefully putting them on the floor of the cart I moved forward slowly and set the cuffs down noiselessly.

Grabbing two daggers from the Lynx I flashed to the side and stabbed one into the brown bear's kidneys and the other into the side of his throat straight towards his airway. Even if he didn't die he would be in debilitating pain. Before the Lynx had even finished turning to the side I grabbed the cuffs from where I put them and caught the Lynx's upraised hand that was grabbing at where the handle for one of the daggers I took should have been, putting it in the cuffs I waited for a moment before his other paw drove forward towards my abdomen, but before he reached it I brought my knee up and knocked the dagger out of his hand and pulled his arms together, forcing his other wrist into the cuffs.

The surprise was evident by the look in his eyes, "How could a simple stable girl possibly do this, your eyes are asking that question." I said

He nodded once before I brought my fist around and knocked him off the front of the cart and into the back, he would be out until we were back at the school. Picking up the reins I pulled them and directed the horses back the way we had come. The Duke and the Lynx would have much to answer for.

Jarule

I looked high and low but I couldn't seem to find her then I looked and saw a cart driving towards the school. I had no idea whose it was but I know she just wouldn't run off. So I ran down the stairs as fast as I could, taking them three at a time. I arrived at the main gate about the time the card arrived. Sure enough there was Ahn steering the cart, next to a troubling sight, a dead brown bear, and a lynx in cuffs.

"What did you do," I asked.

Gently bringing the horses to a stop she said "They knocked me out with a poisoned dart and when I woke I killed him," pointing to the bear, " and put him in the cuffs they originally had me in, that Duke from yesterday hired them to take me to him, apparently he's even worse than we saw yesterday."

"Ok, well we need to get ready," I said.

Hopping off the cart Ahn asked "Ready for what?"

"The king has asked me to leave the safety of the school, and I can take one person with me," I replied.

Tossing to ring of keys to a guard coming up Ahn said "That's interesting; I wonder who you'll take." As she walked past me I saw her smiling and knew that she realized I would take her.

"Quit playing, this is a serious matter. The Ryder is coming and he's bringing an army. Even with all of the dukes and their men plus the king and his men the army will still be small. We have to go to other countries and recruit them to join us, or we all die, as well as everything we stand for," I said.

Ahn turned to face me quickly, her face wasn't jovial anymore "Do you think I don't realize that, war, the biggest rider and ryder war in hundreds of years, is on our doorstep. I have seen war in case you have forgotten; I am trying to keep my mind off of it. There will be thousands in situations like I was in; the thought of us losing terrifies me. The only reason it even crosses my mind is that the latest ryder is a woman and most rulers are men, add that to the fact that dragons are almost invariable paired with the opposite gender, due to them being the same gender as the tamer or ryder or rider is primarily attracted to, and there is a potentially devastating force standing before us. So please do not remind me of the nature of the situation, I beg of you just do that favor for me, because all of it reminds me of my past, and I don't want to be that hard little girl anymore, who was tortured and who witnessed all of her family and friends killed before her eyes, and who was tossed to the men as a play thing. I was already reminded of that when I heard the bear talking about getting to play with me, and I could hear the lust in his voice and smell the arousal in the air." As Ahn finished her speech she started silently crying, not wanting to but unable to stop herself none-the-less.

"Look I didn't mean to upset you, if I lose I will cause one hundred years of evil, and I lose my life, and I become hated in history. You go mentioned but you don't become despised for your loss," I said trying to console her.

Ahn's entire body was shaking as she said "No, I simply become known the same way as the mate of the last Rider who lost, the mother of the horde, because I'll be given to the soldiers to use freely." Holding me tightly she whispered "Don't ever give up."

"Look at me," I said.

Looking at me through teary eyes she saw my strength and determination before asking "Yes?"

"I swear to you that I will never give up. I swear on the gods as long as breathe I will never let that happen and fight to the final breath. I will never let them win so long as I can stand. I will never let defeat be in my vocabulary. My resolve will cut through their corruption like butter," I said.