COTN House of Canaan Part 13

13. Pipa 

The lord lived more like a King; he has a castle for home just outside of Landan. Its also housed his column of guards and his adviser; the sorceress named Pipa. The lord moved with at least twenty personal guards when they are within the castle. Cedi had the castle watched for a few days from the nearby forest; concealed well from any inquisitive eyes. He have setup traps around the place so he would not be disturbed by anybody. It was not anybody who stepped into his hideout but a sorceress named Pipa. She stood in front of him as he was looking at the castle.

"Hello, Elf. My name is Pipa. I come to see you." She waved her hand and Cedi find himself fading into blacked out images.

Cedi woke up to the sight and sound of a tavern; sitting on a long table with a goblet of wine in front of me. He looked across the table and find the sorceress sitting there. She is dressed like an Elven warrior with a quiver of arrows at her back. Her bow is leaning next to the table while her sword is on the table.

"Elf, the place is filled with enemies. There are four factions here totaling twelve persons, and we are one of the four. In a short while, there would be a person walking in here. He would be wanted by all of them. You may question the need to do the needed here, but bear this in mind. That person is responsible for your people's demise. He led the attack on the place. You decide to be in or not."

Cedi did not have much time to think. The man walked in with his five personal guards.

"I am General Darren of Lord Netsu Guards. Those who seek me speak out or be silenced forever." Ten persons in the tavern stood up and drew their weapons. The five personal guards of the General spread out to face the ten who challenge their leader. The fight start between them just as quick with the announcement. It also end just as it happened. The ten persons are all dead on the flooring and the General did not even move at all. He soon left with his guards from the tavern.

"I wanted you to see this as the Man responsible for your people's murder is well protected. More to it, he is more powerful than you. So beware of him." Pipa then sweep him off to another place.

This new place is the main hall of a castle. Its not any castle but of Lord Netsu. The man sits there at the high back seat at the end of the Hall with part of his personal entourage of personal guards. Lord Netsu is a tall man dressed in his armor and wearing his sword despite the fact that he inside his castle. He does not believe in anyone and he keeps in himself always ready for any combat. There was General Darren with his personal guards standing before the Lord and he is complaining of having removed three factions looking to killed him.

"There is a traitor in this castle. I have my own sources. You have a traitor among those who walked with you." The General was ranting away as he points to the personal guards of the Lord.

The Lord raised his hand to silence the General. The Lord then motioned to the General to come forth. The man stepped forth and they speak in low tones. The General nodded and then the unexpected happened. The ten personal guards standing beside the Lord was shot by arrows from the hidden locations.

"General Darren, I have removed the potential threat. Now you would do your part." Lord Netsu motioned to his General. The General stepped back to face his guards. He took out his sword and then gave it to one of the guards. The guard took the sword and stabbed himself with it.

No objection; just plain obedience.

Cedi looked at Pipa who is now asking him to followed her.

Soon he is back at the forest again.

"I showed you your foes. You are no match for them. I am here to warn you. Beware on your next step, Cedi of Canaan." The sorceress dissipate into the air.

Cedi shook his head to clear if he is still awake or still asleep. She is real and yet they are not to the people they just met. If she warning him not to kill her Lord but he would as he killed his people.

The Sorceress may be right; the person Cedi going to against may be too strong.

He need to find another way to get at the Lord.

The tavern offers a quiet corner for him to think and most of all, its a place for information. He needed more of the later to think and it cost golds most time to get them. But sometimes, events can played into your hands.

"A toast to Dean. He was always a fool."

The three men wearing the dressing of the Lord's guards took up their drink to toast. They then put down their goblet and one lament on the fate of Dean.

"Bastard could had at least check the truth before he kills them. I wondered why we served as his guards when he does not act like our master. He listens to the Commander and he abides by the words. Ten good men killed for some unproven accusation. Damned the Lord!" One of them spoke up in defiant of his Lord.

"Hush, Cliff. The tavern may carry our names to the Lord. You and me could be next." His associate cautions him but he did not stop his discontentment..

"Hush I would not. Dean was like my brother. He died for nothing and that pains my heart." But his two companions had it with him, so they left him to his drunken stupor.

Cedi took the opportunity to buy him more drinks and more information was given to me. In the end Cedi had a plan working in his mind.

Every foe may have a weakness and once you find it, you would work on it.

Cedi followed Pipa to her home in the forest. He sidestepped the traps she had set in around the place and soon he find myself inside.

"Come in, Dark Elf. You done your work well. How did you find me?" She is dressed for her home while Cedi is still garbed in his armor. "Since you can find me, you probably know my real identity. Its rare for even an elf to find me but you did so that make you very unique."

"There are some of us among the elves who are better in identifying another one even though they hide themselves well with magic. I am a Guardian and we are trained to scent one like you. But in you, I find something more interesting. Why does a Genoe served Man? I thought you dislike them as they killed your people. So did your Father who also betray his own kind." When she heard his last words, she reacted fast with a slap across his face.

"I did not betray the people. They did this to us. They betray us to Man. The Councilors of the House sent us here to serve them. Their last words to us was served them as our new master. We did as we were told, even to the extent of exterminating my own House. We did not want to do it, but we are binded by the oath to the Council." She walked away from him to a large chest. She opened the chest and remove a small pouch. She took from inside it and pulled out a scroll.

"This was our orders from the Council. Keep it." She handed it to me but I could not accept it. "You came here to find me and now you did. I am offering you proof of my betrayal. Why do you refuse? Is that not what you want? So you can expose me to Lord Netsu."

"Yes, I did. I learned of your behaviour and I followed you. I learned enough to know about you. I came here to kill you to get at your father. I was to leave some proof of your death to Lord Netsu so that your father would avenge your death. But you trapped me and tell me something which I did not know. Now I am confused." He is really confused. Her confession threw him off his plan. 

She laughed at him.

"Do not deceive me, Dark Elf. The only reason you can come so near to me is because I allowed you. I wanted you to be here. I took you on that trip to see the real Lord Netsu, and my father. The former is weak and paranoia while my father has pain for the death of his people. He uses his influence to kill the best around the Lord. I sent the guard to the tavern and baited you. All this is planned by me for you. I knew you would come here eventually. Why you might asked. I want you to kill me, so that my father would do as you planned. But I needed you to know why we did what we had to do. So that explains it all." She stood up and walked away from him. She chant some incantations and then he find her body bloodied as if she has been stabbed. She fell down on the flooring just before he could grab her.

"Why, Pipa?" He tried to hold back the bleeding but the wounds are too deep. Whatever she conjured up in magic, it seems to be doing the task.

"I could not continue in the tasks anymore. I need to have it stopped. Set the traps and leave."

Cedi is back in the forest.

He saw General Darren rode in with his personal guards. He waited for sometime and then he saw the alarm was raised. He can see guards running around and then the fire started to spread. The sight he waited to see was the General riding out with guards chasing him. He is riding towards the forest and that would be in his path.

Cedi raised the bow and pulled the string to hold the arrow firm on the rider. He released the arrow and hit the commander in the throat. The rider fell off the horse and soon the guards are over his body. They did not picked up the body but pulled their sword to slashed at the dead commander.

"I hoped you are happy now, Dark Elf."

He looked to the back and see the guard who was drunk some days ago in a tavern. Now the drunken guard is sober and he is holding the sword firm in both hands.

"You?"

"I am Dury, previous lover of Pipa. You have done as what she had planned. I tried to stopped her but she tricked me with a poison that immobilized my body for a day. It was in the wine that she served me before she died. I could not stopped her but your kind are difficult to predict. I stalked you since then, and when I saw the General riding into the castle, I know its what Pipa wanted. Now her wishes are done, I am carrying out mine. I am here now to fight you for the death of my love, my Lord and above all, I hate you for bringing out the real self in Pipa." The Guard is upset at now knowing that he was in love with an Elf. He is here to kill Cedi because only he knows now.

Dury charged at him with his sword and swing it from the head towards Cedi.

Cedi side stepped on the cut and moved my left leg to the back to avoid the charging warrior. He landed his wrist on the inside of his right elbow to force Dury to drop the sword but Cedi missed the mark and hit the forearm instead. Dury crouched down and knock Cedi with the right elbow into the arms.

Cedi hastily stepped back to avoid the blow, and Dury was quick to swing his sword hand to the right. Cedi had then drawn the sword to block Dury' cut and Cedi moved more steps back to give himself space.

That did not stopped Dury as he moved forward towards Cedi again with more force to the swings. Cedi blocked off the oncoming thrusts and then jumped aside to avoid more of it.

"Stand and fight, Dark Elf. I want to complete this." Dury is agitated and Cedi move in this time with his own swings. Dury blocked two of the swings but the third one he could not anticipate in time when Cedi cut into his left forearm.

This time Dury staggered back to check his wound. He looked at it and then back at Cedi. Cedi know the look and he shook his head.

"Why do you mock me?" Dury shouted back.

"I don't need Man like you to seduce our females. I disliked that very much." Cedi charged at him this time.

Cedi pushed his attack and did a short cut into Dury' left ribs. Cedi did not stop at there as his sword cut up into the heart on the upward cut.

Dury dropped down when Cedi pulled the sword out. Cedi swipe the sword at his armor before he placed it back at the scabbard. He felt remorse then as he just killed a Man because a White Elf loved him.

The one he loved rejected him for a Wolf.

Medi joined him soon without her pet, and she looked very much better. He inquired on the wolf and she just replied he is doing fine. She told him that she heard of Lord Netsu and reckon Cedi had a hand in it. She also told him something more, Lord Netsu survived the attack by the commander. So did the General; he escaped while his guard wore his cloak to draw the Lord's guards.

The General is now a fugitive on the run.

More to it, Lord Netsu has also issued out a warrant for the capture of an Elf with a large wolf.

"He hunts me. Silver is best left hidden for now. I have some information for you from my sources. There is one other leader identified by the surviving elves; he is named Elder Kane. He coordinated the murder of the House of Genoe. I want you in to get this Man. But the final kill would be mine alone."

Cedi nodded.

Cinderella - The Un-mentionable version.

"Cinderella, there you are. I been looking for you." I looked up to my handsome and charming husband. We been married since the day he fitted on the crystal shoe on my feet. After that day, it was a whirlwind of romance and love; a story waiting to be told to all.

Oh, how I wished it was so.

I may be Cinderella; once a maid to three nasty sisters and an equally nastier step mother. I did the works and cleaned the dirt, and above all, watched all my sisters; no, they are step sisters. You see that was the version you all read. The truth was never reveal; well it would be now as I am already married to this man.

I am Cinderella; undoubtedly sounded to the name but not by reputation. I was born to a lovely family, left by my mother on my birth; she was the lucky one. She never see me grow to who I was to be. My father saw it in me. He called on his trusted aides and the conclusion was I needed a mother. They found me one; a fat sow sewn into a tight corset while allowing the fats to bulged at the seams. She may had been a good Witch; preferably named as Fairy for their deeds, but she declined the offer.

"Its outrageous that I spend my nights with him. Why he snores like a pig? Grunts like a sow; incidentally I should know. And howls like a wolf baying for love. Please for the sake of his child, let me be her Godmother. That way I can only appear when she is in woes and not be my woe." So it was, I had a Godmother. But my imbecile father felt fit that he has some to snuggle onto at night than some cold feather pillows; he sought out a widow with three daughters. After all, he reckons if she can spot out three, another one more won't add much to her waist or was it bosom.

The wedding went by while I was sill hugging my Teddy Bear to sleep, but the chores came soon enough when dawn breaks on the departure of the honeymoon carriage. I was sent to the servant quarters and taught to be one like them. I learned my tasks, and tusk away any advancing stewards who thinks his ladle was mine to suckle on. Soon I developed a murderous heart but with layers of goodness to shield it from the rest. I would pickle the tea with saw dusts, or rubbed the chicken droppings into the liver and marinate them with paprika that would ail the nose to bleed. I was the best at doing this with a smiling expression or a dumber one if my step mother tells me so.

Soon my antics took its toll on my step sisters; they became like the by products of the family genes. Those dastardly contents I been feeding them brought out their vile looks. But who dares to comment. If there was, I would have the person do the water tasting upside down. Among the servants, I am the Queen there. Obey me or be tortured.

As for my step sisters, they have been well padded from such acts as no one takes notice of them at all. The servants smiled at them not for their presence but the fact that they are dumber than the servants. If any servants stepped out of line, the fury of hell would not matched mine scorned by anyone who breaks my rule. They know it all and are sworn to silence by my threats. Even the polished flooring are sprinkled with flour to cover the reflections when the sisters walked past.

The crunch came when the Prince announced the Ball. I wanted to go but the rest you know. So I pleaded with my Godmother bawling like a babe. She came eventually and asked me to stopped.

"Your shelling is rocking the sanity of my emotions. Pray tell me what do you want?" I told the Godmother of my wish and she thought hard. It must had been harder for her to turn me down as I would had skewer her over the fireplace and melt those fats. She gave me my wish and told me to back by midnight.

"Sure thing, Godmother. I am a good girl; I go to bed before midnight. Only bad girls come on the bed after midnight." She was livid but she was glad I accepted her terms. After all, I am a bad girl who comes on at midnight. How else do you think I get to sleep if I am all stressed up. I seen enough of rat's play of "How Hick dicked Kory at the Clock" too many times to remember how it was supposed to be exciting.

The Ball was on and I danced with the Prince as you probably read. It was not that easy as there was all these young admirers gnarling at him so I had to improvise. One thing I learned well at tailoring with the mice; a loose thread is a loose threat to the gown. I picked a few and let it ripped. I can assure you there were more falsies dropping off them than the champagne popping. I walked up to the Prince and stood next to him watching those harried ladies running holding onto their modesty.

"Sad when you don't have it." The Prince looked at me and I droop it down for him. "Natural buoyancy assured. No falsies here; only soft handle bars."

Next thing I knew we were waltzing through the night. I mean where else can you grope without having a slap on your face than to dance waltz on the floor. He sweep me at every curve and I mean the broom really reached under the carpets. I did remember in one stance, I did tell him to stop poking or I would had it broken. That reveal his true personality to me; he was into bondage. Trust me, we never stop dancing since then; tied to each other and refusing to be pried open. But then natural calls prevail; the birdie had to rushed for the water fountain while I was left holding onto my loosen corset.

It was then the clock struck midnight and I remembered my Godmother's warning.

"Darned, all those foreplay to go to waste." I rushed off for my last ride home and made it in time to the carriage. Did I tell you the darndest thing that happened then. The ride home was like a survival test, with the components all around me reverting back to their original self. I ended up with half of  the pumpkin covering my exposed boobs and the other half covering my mound de Venus. But I made it home and back to my own bed.

Was it embarrassing? No, it was not, as the paparazzi were still stalking the other half dressed ladies. The mosquitoes did bit me at the flank; bloody difficult to reach with your hands at times. So I had to paddle the ladle to ease the itch.

Then on, as you probably have read' I fitted into the shoe. Then it brought me to where I was at in the opening para here. My charming Prince leans over and kissed my lips while his roving hands on an exploration for softer pasture. Normally I would had consented but today I was in one of my foul mood. I grabbed him by his manhood and made know my other intention.

"Yes,...My darling." he squeaks while I squeezed. I asked him for the latest tabulation of gold pieces in the Treasury which he duly replied. He knows his position well; I am Domino. And in my bondage tryst, there are no safe words; only personal gratification.

If anyone wants to know about my half sisters; I married them to the barbarian's leader at the frontier. They are now happily married there with a dozen other harem sisters.

So here's to the lines 'they lived happily ever after'.

Next time before you annoy your servant, asked is she named Cinderella.

Sleeping Beauty hits 502 hits...

I be darned, the lady who slept hit 502 clicks today. Thank you all, she ranked No.1 now. But I got a new one for you. Its posted just after this break.

COTN House of Canaan Part 12

12. The Hunter

The cities of Man is unlike that of the Elves. The Elves however lived in deep forest or in the case of the House of Canaan also deep beneath the ground. Its not a choice of theirs but borne of necessity with the encroachment of Man.

Man are more than Elves as they populate fast but they take up great spans of land on their claims but not for use. They are more than greedy and needless wastage. This city named as Temper; they claimed a large span of land outside the city walls as theirs but inside they crowd into close quarters into structures they called houses. They lived like elves do in the caverns but they do for fear of security. The elves do it as its their lifestyle.

They find themselves in the tavern as the drinks loosen the tongues and information are brought with more drinks. It was their sixth tavern that they had visited in so many days, as they hide their facial behind the hoods. The cloaks hid the side arms.

Cedi chanced on a drinking junior officer having his drinks. He is between the near the level of collapsed drunken state when Cedi bought him one more to the dozen he had before.

"If you...<hic>..looking for information, I am < hic> the Man. I worked < hic > for the Lord and < hic > he tells me more < hic > than he knows."The Lord has just signed < hic > off a consignment warrant for delivery of five hundred gold < hic > " Cedi slammed the drunken officer head onto the table knocking him off for the night.

Five hundred golds is a lot of money. It may be enough to buy some good warriors too.

Cedi saw the convoy passing the corner at the forest path as the two wagons pulled by the horses come to my view. He counted four guards each on the covered wagon, and a calvary squad of twelve guards riding by the side. The officer in charge is riding at the front with his eyes watching the two sides of the road. He is a careful man as he knows that the value of his load could bring in robbers.

Cedi can see the previous night drunken officer is riding at the rear of the wagons.

Cedi signaled Medi to attack first. She rode out in her horse to meet them but the riders are leaving instead of engaging her. Even the ones on the wagons are jumping off to get a ride from the riders.

Something is wrong. Cedi shouted out to Medi.

"Get out. Its a trap." But they were too late.

Medi has fallen into it.

From the wagon came out a group of ten Man dressed in armor with long pikes and nets. Cedi saw the riders who earlier fled now returning back with more reinforcements. They numbered now not twelve but twenty and they are all armed with pikes and nets too. At the same time, Medi' wolf came rushing out to protect the mistress. It ran to its mistress side and stood there. The guards on seeing her spread out with Medi and her wolf in the middle.

How did they know of her? He cannot allow her to fight alone. He was also riding a horse then but Gryphon is back in Dark Valley. Its more difficult to hide a Gryphon than a wolf.

She did the unexpected. She climbed onto her wolf and got it to charged the guards. They broke through but I could see the broken off pike on the wolf's hind leg. The wolf despite being injured ran for the tree lines with Medi on its back.

Cedi took out the bow and nocked in two arrows. He needed to buy them time to escape. He raised the bow and released the arrows. He nocked another two more and shoot them off. The arrows did not kill anyone but managed to wound two guards. They saw him and five of them are rushing over. He nocked in two more arrows and this time he aimed at one target; the junior officer who lead them here.

Cedi shot him with both arrows in the chest and then turned his horse to galloped away.

It took Cedi half a day to lose them but he took one more guard down. It was in the deep forest when they stopped following him. He watched the trail for a while before he doubled back. He need to find the wolf trail so that he can find them. The elves people are good trackers but he can hardly find the wolf until I looked up to trees.

Do wolf climb trees? I must be crazy but this is not ordinary wolf. And so is Medi.

Then it crossed his mind that she or both of them are probably caught by the guards but there are no signs of any struggle or a fight. Then he saw the sign on the ground. Its a well covered entrance and he found it. .

Cedi send the horse off and made his way down there with careful steps. There was two Elven traps which he defused before he crawled into the tunnel below the ground level. He had to crawl in for about a few feet before he land on the small hole the wolf has created. Its laying there with its wound tended by some Elven healing poultice. It growled at him when he tried to go near it. He kept his distance and then after sometime he heard someone coming in.

It was Medi and she is pulling a rabbit behind her.

"They found your horse. I saw them holding it. We need to leave now." She threw the rabbit to the wolf, and we both watched it eat it.

Then they got up and went for the tunnel.

"Give me half an hour and then come out." He crawled out and looked around for the guards.

Cedi move from the entrance to search them and soon he found them. The guards are out at the plains and settling down for the night. There are ten of them and they have his horse among theirs. He tied some rags to the two arrows and added in the special potion to the rags. He lit them and shot at the horses.

The arrows hit one horse in the hind and the other was at the neck. The wounded horse hit out at the horses as it body caught fire. It panicked all the horses which went berserk on the fire. The guards ran for the horses but they have ran off. Now Cedi trailed back to the tunnel and find Medi missing with her wolf. They must have left when he went to create the diversion.

But she left a trail. One that only an Elf can follow. Her wolf can still run and I am without my horse. That may take time to even the distance between us.

He caught up with them near the edge of the forest. She is sitting next to to her wolf and patting it. The wolf looked tired when Cedi walked up to them.

"Cedi, there is a beast hunting us. It found us at the tunnel but I throw out a fake scent. It followed the scent and we escaped but I think its here now." She point at him or more to what was behind him. Cedi turned to look behind and he saw it.

Its a not a hideous creature that they would had branded as a beast, but this one is Man dressed in the fur attire of a Lion. The Man is also carrying a long pike and a large net. He smiled at them and then he looked at the wolf.

"Its a wonderful creature. Lord Netsu did not tell me of this wonder." The hunter caressed his fur attire and raised the spear to above his head. Cedi stood in between of Medi and the hunter.

Cedi drew out his sword and held it on both hands.

"Do not stand between me and the wolf." The hunter warned him before he dropped the net. He then reached out for his sword and brought it up to point at Cedi.

"I would kill it first."

The hunter hurled his spear at him and he had to duck down to avoid it. The hunter charged at him with a forward roll and then the hunter' sword was at Cedi' chest. The tip of the sword touched his leather armor and he was saved by Medi when she pulled him backwards. They both fell back next to earlier spear.

Cedi reached it out and hurled it back at the hunter.

The spear did not hit the hunter at where Cedi intended but the blocking of the spear caused it to cut the hunter' left ear. The hunter reached for his wounded ear, while Cedi pulled Medi to the nearest tree for cover. Medi had then motioned to the Wolf to run and it did.

Cedi looked to back at the hunter but he is no more there. He is pursuing the wolf and ignoring them.

"Medi, he has gone for the wolf. We need to follow the hunter."

They found the trail and pursued like a couple of hunters; jumping over roots and evading low branches. Medi' pet looked to be bleeding badly as the blood spots were quite obvious. It was round the large tree when Cedi instinct made him pushed Medi to the ground when the arrow hit the branch behind her.

"He has got arrows" Cedi told her as they crawled to the nearby tree for cover.

The second arrow hit the trunk of the tree; missing Medi by a few inches.

"He is toying with us. He knows how to shoot but he intentionally missed you. He is warning us not to follow him." Cedi peek back at the hunter.

"My mate is in danger. I cannot ignore it." Medi got up and ran after the hunter.

Cedi followed suit and they were still running through the night.

It was at dawn when they stopped at a boulder to rest. Medi who was sitting next to Cedi then leaned over and slept against his shoulder. Cedi did not move and let her rest. The sun was up for over two hours before she woke up. She looked across to him and smiled.

"I would find some food for us."

Cedi got up to look for some fruits or anything which they can eat. It was a short distance away looking at the tree when the trap was springed. He heard the scream and he ran back to her. He found her trapped in the net with a spear over her head. It s the hunter and he looked injured. There was scratched marks on her like a wolf mauling.

"Find the wolf and I would spare her life."

Cedi tried to step forward but the hunter pulled the net tighter.

"Don't try to cut the netting. Its a special rope for holding elves. Your weapons won't cut the ropes."

The hunter then looked back at Cedi. "Bring the wolf to me at the Matteo Plains. You know that place."

Cedi nodded and then he shook his head.

"The wolf is behind you."

Cedi spoke out to the Hunter but the hunter laughed at him. Cedi point the finger to his back.

The hunter turned to look backwards and the wolf jumped on him. The wolf collided with the hunter and they went down to the ground. As they were struggling, Cedi ran over to Medi and tried to pulled the netting but its tangled. Cedi drew his sword and slashed at it.

It broke open the netting as it was held down by magic. He got her free and then he noticed the two fighting on the ground have now disengaged.

Both the hunter and wolf are wounded but they are facing each other. The hunter has only his dagger and its bloodied. The hunter held out his hand to Cedi.

"Do not come near. This is between me and the wolf. This is our hunt; a hunt of pride as the better killer."

Medi did not take kindly of the fight. She had picked up her spear and wanted to join in. Its her mate in danger but Cedi held her back. She looked at him and he shook his head. He can see the pain in her but this is a personal fight.

"Look at your pet." Cedi told her and she did.

The wolf is looking at the hunter and then back at Medi as if it know Medi is looking at it. Its expression showed anger and then it faced back the hunter.

"What did the wolf say to you?" Cedi asked Medi and she just kept quiet.

The wolf starts it move by moving itself to the left of the the hunter. The hunter on seeing the wolf moving, also moved in the opposite direction. Its a bold move as the hunter is now coming with his back to us. He is so pre-occupied with the wolf he forgotten us.

Cedi did not wait for Medi to strike. He thrust out his sword at the hunter's back and stabbed past his armor. The hunter fell on his knees and looked at Cedi.

"You cheat me of my prize." The hunter spoke out weakly and Cedi smiled.

"Silver!"

Medi ran towards the wolf and held her pet. The wolf is bleeding at its wounds and is looking weak. Her mistress is showing emotions at the wounded mate.

Cedi set up some elves traps around to protect them then he went to search the area for the guards. They are all gone and the area is all cleared. He brought back food for the two and patrolled the area for days.

It was a week later when the wolf can move.

Cedi had Medi to take the wolf back to Dark Valley to fully recover like the Gryphon.

"I would meet you back at the Dark Valley in a month. I got some unfinished business with Lord Netsu."

For once Medi did not asked to followed him. She worried about her pet than the Nation now.

NANOWRIWO 2012: I done it and WON

Thank you, everyone who had visited my blogspot. This win is for all of you; your dedication and inspiration to me to create and write all these tales. Thank you once again.

Would the tale be published here? Yes. It would. This is the cover page.

Tawa Incident ( a preview )

"That's a Dream Catcher sign." I looked at her tattoo on the left side of her back; exposed by the large open sleeve of the shirt.

"Yes, it is. I had it etched on sometime back. Its the one spot where everyone close me would put their arms around. There I would capture their dreams; I let the good ones come in while the icon takes off the bad ones. From it, I I know you are one fated for me."

I just met this lady in the mall, and we started chatting over a cup of tea. Then she invited me to her place and I took the offer.. Now behind the closed door of her apartment, naturally we are to have sex, but here she is telling me a tale on her tattoo.

"Pardon me, Hewuti.." I did recall she told me her name was something to that sound. I am not sure now; pardon me, I was looking for a laid and not laid down for a lecture talk.

"Its Hehewuti; in the language of the American Hopi, it means Lady Warrior Spirit." She turned to face me and now I began to remember what was that attracted me to her. It was her heritage looks of the Great American with the sharp features of the people of the Plain. She was unlike any of the others who came in the glassy looks or classed down in the designing looks for females. This rare beauty was the one qualities which I spent my hour sipping tea with her talking about life. Funny, she sounded off with a lot of cliques, but I admit, I was more focused on her other attributes.

"You are not Paul Gaugin," I did let out that my name was that; a pick up stunt someone taught me. It was either that or McKartney. I know its a lie, but it drew on their attention. That's was what I needed then. " Your real name is Tawa: Spirit of the Sun."

"Hehe, I think I would drop the plans for the next round of tea. I just remembered I have an appointment with my doctor. You know the one they called a shrink." I got up from the settee and picked up my jacket. She pushed me down with both hands causing me to land back on the settee. Then she sat astride me on my lap and leaned over to looked at me in the eye.

"Place your hands on my waist." I mean if she is going to skip the introductions, and talks on spirits, I am in the spirits to proceed on. Her eyes are leveled with mine as her pouting lips are within my reach. I raised up both my hands and placed them on her waist.

"Higher nearer to my breasts." Wow! This is becoming my kind of an evening. I did as she told me and moved those fingers up like the slow train to Piccadilly. Soon I had my palms on her rib cage and the surge came on strong. I felt myself being dragged into her; no, not her as in here, but into her world. Soon I was standing next to her on the plains of the ancient land. We are both clad in the tanned leathers of the buffalo; me in long legged pants with an apron on the front, while she was a plain smock that reached to her knees. My chest was painted in the different shades and my hair was loose to the back flowing with the wind that blew it to the right side. She was like before with her waist length hair flowing behind her. On her neck was a necklace of rare stones and beads.

"Welcome back Tawa, Sun sprit of the Hopi People. Your name has been drawn to save your people in the coming crisis." I stood there and looked at where she points her hand at. I can see the great dark clouds that convene on the horizon. "The Bad Spirits are back to reclaim your people and land. And above it all, to cast the world into darkness."

"We plead with you to come back, and battle them for us." The lady that was standing next to me now prostate on her knees. I looked back at the approaching darkness and heard the calls of the land creatures.

I nodded to her request.

Then I am back in the apartment and the lady was still astride me.

"Could you be kind to boil some water in the kitchen. I do reckon I need a cup of tea would be ideal now." She got up from my laps and walked to the kitchen. I could had sworn she had clasped me too hard as I can now feel the arteries now beginning to expand again. I stood up and straighten my clothes; well, we ain't going to remove them, so I might as well be proper then. Then was the time, the apartment door was kicked in.

"Nobody moves, or you would be lying dead with more holes in your body." I looked at the new intruder; another fine specimen of the adonis features with tanned looks. He may be dressed casual but the gun he's holding was not; its a monster in his hand.

"Wrong address perhaps?" I tried to act funny but inside me I was flexing my muscles and joints. I could take this goon down in three seconds, but my lovely companion intervened. If you are expecting a flying tea pot, I would suggest you stick to British Intelligence.

"Ituha, put your gun away. He is a ....friend." My would be laid me down friend cautioned off the adonis. "Look at what you done to my door? That's coming out of your pocket."

She then looked at me.

"Pardon him. He is Ituha or its meaning Sturdy Oak. He's also my boyfriend." Ouch, that hurts; a blow beneath the belt for sure. "He's also my personal guard. My father hired him to protect me."

Well, Adonis placed his long barrel gun back into the holster under his suede jacket and offered to shake my hand.

"Ituha, but you can call me Itu."

"Blake. Jonathan Blake. Everyone calls me Sunny. I guess I am always the starlight of the party." He shook my hands; firm grip and well toned muscles. I like that in a man.

"Staying for tea?" He asked me and motioned to the table. There are three cups laid out now.

"I guess so. I like my tea stirred and not shaken." I took my seat across the lady of the house. This would be a long day.

( this is the first few para based on a picture of the lady above. You can said I was bitten by the 'skyfall' I did last week. I may expand on this to become a longer tale; spinning a few 'yawns' on the character, adding in some nasty foes; perhaps like Doctor Yes, and The Man with the Silver Rifle; plus some beauties like Pocahontas here, with a Russian lass named Kat etc.

The list is endless...... welcome to the world of Jonathan Blake aka Tawa 2012. He likes his tea stirred not shaken. Ciao, from the Plains with Love. )

COTN House of Canaan Part 11

11. Elite Guards

They used the gold to buy them information on the Judas people or more for the traitors that betray the Nation. They sat themselves in the taverns and near the entry posts. Many travelers coming through will be able to tell you the latest in the news. In their midst of buying information, they found something interesting. The Elite Guards are looking for them to answer for the death of Enit. So its going to be a battle between the elves again.

Cedi lent out words that he would like to meet them.

"Cedi, you can't be serious. How can you leave me out? I thought we are partners." Cedi did not explain when he left her for my rendezvous with the Elite Guards.

They agreed to meet at a quarry; a most unusual location considering that the area is an abandoned one with no workers there. The place is secluded and on three sides are the rocky rock face with many of its scrapped off the surface. Its also an ideal place to bury someone dead as there are a number of small deep ponds there in the area to dropped a corpse. Cedi carried his usual arms and rode there on a horse.

There was Dern waiting there for him on a horseback, and carrying the long sword; the mark of Judas Warrior..

"We meet again, Dark Elf. The last time we met, my good friend died. Today, since you come alone, I guess its either you or me who would need to die. I am here to avenge my friend's death." Dern drew his sword and was to charge at Cedi when the whistle was sounded.

Dern stopped his charge and looked up at the rocky landscape. Cedi followed the sight and saw the guard up there. He is signaling something and Dern rode up to Cedi.

"Hurry. Follow me. We are being spotted." Dern led him to a path by the quarry and from there they rode on until they came to a thick forest. They soon reached a clearing, Dern stopped to dismount.

Cedi followed suit and was soon to find himself surrounded by a dozen more elves like Dern.

"Dark Elf, meet the Elite Guards."

Cedi looked around to see the dozen elves wearing their Elite Guards uniform all standing there. Their uniform are a dark green uniform with the black waist belt around their waist. Their headgear showed their insignia with the long feather stuck to the headgear. Its the pride of the guards to have that on their confirmation as the Elite Guards. For those of them who are Guardians; its the Guardian Dark pin on their tunic. 

They all carried the same long sword like Dern but they also armed with bow and arrows. One of them walked up to Cedi and introduced himself.

"I am called Jedi; last Captain of the Guards. Dern said Enit went back to assist the two of you but he did not return. Later Dern found his dead body killed by arrows. The arrows shaft were broken off so he does not know who could had murdered his friend." Captain Jedi points to Dern as he speaks.

"He seeks his revenge on you so I allowed it. I placed sentries so that none would intrude on your fight, but my sentry picked up the sighting of Man coming. Not one but many so we signaled to Dern to call off the fight. Now we are in the clear from them, you may do so to fight."

Cedi looked at the Captain and confront back the Captain.

"I shall not spill Elves blood as there are not many of us left. I only seek those who are traitors to the Nation but not all of Judas are traitors. Enit told me he is not one and that is the case, his friends may also not be one too." The Captain laughed at him and said Dern' honor must be restored. Dern still demands his right to challenge him.

"Okay, I agreed but I would like to suggest we fight with sword." Cedi find these warrior men are egoistic and unless he fulfill it, he would get nowhere with them.

The men leave them a wide enough circle and Cedi have a duel coming up with the warrior. Dern raised his sword into his battle stance. He started swinging it to show his skills with it. Then he charged at Cedi with it but Cedi side stepped and chop with her hand on his wrist then elbowed Dern in the face. Dern was out of the game.

"I know his arts. I teach them the advanced class."

By nightfall, Cedi was drinking with them around the fireplace. Captain Jedi told him that the Elite Guards was demobilized from combat duty after the collapse of the Judas House, they became mercenaries. They did hired new recruits to make up their strength but not many stayed that long like Dern. He was one of their new recruit after the demobilizing.

During the Man's war on the Nation, they tried to sell their skills but no other Houses would take them. The Houses trust no one outside of their own, hence they ended up as independent fighters. They gave up when they realized the cause is lost. So they went back to their last line of work. They do served for Man but only the ones which can pay their golds.

Daken pay well but he wanted only two of their best. It was to be Enit and Jedi but Jedi was still on assignment so he asked Dern to stand in for him.

"We would join in your fight if there are golds. We know you took from Daken." So these elves are driven by gold than by re-uniting the Nation.

"So you would fight for only gold." Cedi looked at them and their captain nodded. I thought of the words to use for them then I thought of one which might make it work.

"I can get more golds but I need help. Daken may be dead but his treasure still remains with his house. The house is under the guards of the Lord Netsu now. He is the reigning Lord of the City now."

He saw their reaction.

"Netsu has more guards than even the King himself. He also has in service a sorceress named Pipa; many said she is a descent of the elves and she is powerful in her spells. I think this is a task which we can take a break from." Captain Jedi look to his men and they all nodded to him.

"Okay, then I would do it myself. If I am successful then, I would be use the gold to buy your services. But there is one question I need to asked of you." Cedi removed the dagger he found at the cavern opening. "Do you recognise this?"

Captain Jedi took it in his hand and he replied to me; "it was mine."

"But I gave it away as a gift" Captain Jedi continued, "to Lord Netsu. That is also how I know so much of Lord Netsu. I gave him the dagger when we were given extra gold I offered him the dagger when he asks for it as a gift."

"When was that?" Cedi asked.

"We did a mission for him when he wanted to hit the Orcs. That was three moons ago." So that how the dagger ended up later in the cavern opening. Cedi walked back to his horse and Jedi called out to him.

"Dark Elf, if we do the mission; but what share of the golds belongs to us?" They took a short time to work out the sharing and Jedi agreed to consider on the mission. Then he told them the truth.

"The men are getting tired of making small payment of golds for their lives. Some of them are too old to continue fighting, but the newer recruits wants more recognition like the old guards. They are more committed to the guards honor than us. That' why Dern wanted to fight you. Its an age old tradition of the Guards. But among the four of us who are older ones, we may considered to retire soon with our golds. We seen too many of friends died for the cause and their families awaits with empty purses."

Cedi looked at Jedi. Jedi may be right as they have seen their share of battles and its time to called it over. Cedi told him he would come back to him on the plan. 

"Cedi, you are back. So how was your meeting?"

Cedi was not interested in her but he was looking at the surprise of the day.

Its his pet Gryphon and she is back.

"Oh, Leoni flew in this afternoon. She must caught your scent in the Dark Valley."

Cedi hugged his pet and looked to it wounds. Its fully healed and she is now able to go with Cedi on his mission. Cedi turned to look at Medi and told her they have a new mission with the Elite Guards as allies.

"We are going to raid the City Treasury. Lord Netsu would not think we would attack there." Medi was shocked at his words.

"I thought we were ransacking the Trader's place." Cedi smiled and told her he changed his mind.

"You are with your pet. I would create a diversion at the City Treasury. It would divert the guards to the Treasury. You would go in and get the golds we want. That is my new plan. We strike at dark night after the second guards change. Good luck, Medi." Cedi mount the Gryphon and flew away.

The Elite Guards brought a wagon with them and they stayed in an alley facing the City Treasury building in the city of Landan. Its also housed the Border Army's payloads before its distributed. Its not any building but a small castle with its high walls and four sentry towers on the four corners. The entrance is by the high thick wooden gate and its manned by six guards holding long pikes. Above the entrance is a long narrow window with a outer ledge; it has two more sentries there.

"Cedi", Jedi now called him by his name, "there is a four man patrol on the side walls. They would walk the perimeter every hour. Inside that gate, is the barracks with ten more guards, plus another twenty inside the Treasury Main Building. It quite impossible to break in with our small force."

"Is the wagon ready?" Cedi asked back the leader.

Jedi nodded.

Cedi checked the contents on the wagon. It contained a dozen large barrels of oil. Cedi took out a small cannister from his tunic to add its mixture to the oil in the barrel before sealing back the cover. He then asked the men to unload eight barrels onto the ground and turned it over on its side.

Cedi assigned one man per barrel and then told them push hard the barrels towards the City Treasury gates. The remaining four of them and Cedi stepped out to pour arrows to remove the advancing six guards. The alarm was raised and the sentries started releasing their arrows at them.

The barrels has rolled now on its own momentum towards the City Treasury walls. As it was not controlled by the men, it rolled in an uneven pattern towards it.

Cedi then whistled into the air and the Gryphon of his came swooping down to the City Treasury walls. The Gryphon opened its mouth and released a spurt of flame at the barrels. Cedi have coated the barrels with some oil on its side plus with my mixture in it to make it highly flammable. The flame caught onto the barrels and lighted up the front walls. The mixture made the fire spread out wider and also more intense in heat. The wooden gate soon caught up in the flames and Cedi told the men to pushed the wagon forth.

"Push the wagon through the gates. It been weakened by the flame." Eight man took their strength to push hard on the wagon and rolled it like a battering ram against the wooden gate. The remaining men took to fire flaming arrows over the walls. The wagon surged onto the gate and broke opened on impact. It shattered the burnt wooden structure and the wagon was in the compound.

Cedi signaled to the Gryphon who swooped down to set the wagon on fire as its rammed into the main building structure.

More guards came running out of the building but they were withdrawing from the place. Cedi got the group of men running for their horses to flee the scene. As they were riding away, she can see more guards of the Lord Netsu running to fight the spreading fire at the City Treasury. They are concerned as their paymaster just placed their wages there this morning.

They rode over to the Trader's place to see Medi riding her pet carrying some chests attached to her saddle.

"You are right. They flee the scene to help at the fire. I was only confronted by three guards." Medi rode past me on her Wolf.

It scared the horses so we rode off in different directions.

"Jedi, there is enough gold here to raise an army. I want your men to train them. Go back to where you feel comfortable to do the training." Cedi gave him most of the gold to do the needed.

"I am needed elsewhere. I would be back to check on the progress." Cedi told Jedi.

"You trust me with so much golds." Jedi asked of him. Cedi looked back at him and smiled.

"Yes, as you are an Elf. If I can't trust you who else can I trust?"

Jedi accept the task and he said his men would return to the old Judas camp. Cedi watched them ride off with the gold.

"Do you trust them?" Medi asked of me.

"As much as I do of you." I replied to her. "I have to if I am to rebuilt the Nation. But if they betray me, I would do them as I would with a traitor."