Captain of the Guard: A Fiery Temper

Raven ran up the road as Cedric’s men were calming Fin’s horse and easing the soldier’s body to the ground.

“Looks like we need your services again, priest.” Vul said to the young man.

Cedric stopped his horse in front of the woman. He noticed several things. Although from a distance she had looked golden skinned, it had a decidedly orange cast to it. Her flaming red hair had blond roots showing. She had a masculine edge to her sharp features. Her leather breeches, boots and jerkin were well tailored. The boots alone were worth a month of Cedric’s salary. (Cedric was a soldier. He knew boots.)

“I had the situation in hand.” She said in a sharp, imperious voice.

Cedric looked at her for a moment and wondered what god he had inadvertently insulted or if one had merely taken a capricious interest in him.

“You’re welcome.”

“I wasn’t thanking you.” The woman put her boot to the chest of the brigand she had killed and pulled here blade free of the body. The dark red blood stuck to the thin blade, she wiped it on the body. “If you hadn’t interfered, your man wouldn’t have died.”

“Shut up.”

“No one speaks to me that way!” The woman’s nostril’s flared in fury.

“Not anymore, because I just did.” Cedric said flatly. “Now, shut up.”

She pulled her self up to her full height, which was not very significant. “For that insult, I challenge you.”

Cedric swung off his horse and walked up to the woman, she raised her sword before her, “I will have you know that you have insulted the honor of Autumn, blade mistress.”

“I am Cedric.” He snapped his arm out and punched her square in the face, dropping her. “And I don’t care.”

Autumn sprawled out before him. Her hand came up to her lip, which was bleeding. She snarled. “You cheated.” She sprang to her feet her blade flashing in front of her.

“My man died because of you and because he wanted to play hero. I don’t blame you for it.” Cedric looked at her for a moment and then turned his back on her. “Whisper, get everyone burying the dead, shallow graves for the thieves, we’ve already wasted time.”

The woman cried out enraged. Cedric sidestepped the blade she thrust at his back, lifted his elbow up and knocked her in the face. As she crumpled on to the ground, he drew his blade and held it at her throat. “Who cheated?”

Cedric saw anger, frustration and something unreadable on her face.