a good person, and when he thought about it, how could demons posses her? Could a demon live in someone like that? Great, now he was never going to sleep. His mind was starting to run. Maybe he could get some air. That might help.
He got up and went outside. Arkin was at the fire poking it with a stick. He turned to look at him. “Is everything ok?” he said in a soft voice.
“Yeah I think so. I just can’t sleep, you?”
“I’m fine. I can stay up all night and be good to go tomorrow. You did well today. I mean that.”
“Thanks. You did well yourself. So what happens now? What do we become?”
Arkin gave a deep sigh. “That will be up to you, I think. Let’s not talk about that now. Let’s talk about something that will put you to sleep,” he said with a smile.
Kovos laughed. “Ok, why don’t you tell me about some table or something you’re making.”
“Low blow from someone that hits things with a hammer for a living,” Arkin retorted. He always enjoyed picking on the carpenter for his craft. He knew Arkin was good at what he did, but Arkin worked with wood and Kovos with metal, so there was a bit of a rivalry. They both liked to talk about what it was like making something with your hands, something that people could use for generations, like those swords. They talked for about an hour before Kovos got tired and went to bed.
* * * * *
Sasha woke up next to Legon, her head resting on his bedroll. She was amazed at how well she slept. She thought that she wouldn’t sleep deeply because she was scared, but Legon was with her and he wouldn’t let anything happen. The air felt warm, so it must have been mid morning. She crawled out of the tent to have her suspicions confirmed. The sun was high in the sky, the morning dew long since gone.
Arkin was up, or at least she thought that he was. He was sitting on his heels with his back to her. It looked like his hands were on his thighs. She didn’t want to disturb him from whatever he was doing and began to go back in the tent.
“Good morning, Sasha,” he said in a deep, relaxed voice.
“Oh, good morning Arkin. Did you sleep well?” She wanted to know what he was doing, but she had to be polite. She did owe him her life, or at least that’s how she saw it. He chuckled.
“I am meditating.”
“Oh, ok. I didn’t want to be rude or disturb you.”
“You’re not. Did you sleep well? I know Kovos and Keither did. I think the whole forest knows that,” he said, turning his head and giving her a slight smile.
She laughed. “Yes, I think they did.”
A snort from inside the tent told her that Legon was getting up as well. He popped his head out. “Morning,” he said and then looked at the sky. “Oh, sorry. I don’t think I’ve slept this late in years.”
Arkin got up and moved to his tent, returning with a sheathed blade.
“Sasha, this is for you. It’s also Elven. It belonged to Legon’s mother. It’s the faloon. Elven women carry them.”
She took it. “A what?”
“Faloon. A thin, short sword that can be worn under most skirts. The handle can be easily hidden with a bow or anything else around your waist.”
“Oh, ok. Legon, do you…”
“Good idea, Arkin. I should have taught her how to defend herself a long time ago. It was dumb of me. I just always assumed that I could defend her… sorry, Sash.”
She was a little taken aback. He was feeling guilty about what had happened yesterday, as if it was somehow his fault those bastards had tried to hurt her. She knew that he would have done anything to stop it. She saw the marks on his wrists where the rope cut into him. She could almost feel them. There was nothing that he could have done to stop it.
“It’s not your fault, Legon. There is nothing you could have done. Even if I knew how to fight, do you really think that I could have stood a chance against them?”
“That’s not the point. The point is that you have always been in a danger and I haven’t taken the time to give you the basic skills you may need to just get out of a situation. I don’t expect you to be able