I look out at the city of Khaleda. I won't be seeing this place again for a long time, not until I'm ready. The next time I come I'll have an army with me and unparalleled power.

I can hear a familiar voice off in the distance.
"Brianna!" It calls. I search the crowds to find it and there he is, Roan, pushing his way through to the end of the dock, his face is panic stricken as he pushes people aside to get to me. But he is too late, our ship has left the dock and I am too far from his reach. I stare at him, with sadness in my heart. I did love this man at one point, but I also feared him.

Roan calls to me again. "Come back!"

I watch him as I float out to sea and shake my head in response. He is still as handsome as ever, although his heart is tearing apart right now, I know if I stay, I will most likely die in Lesteros and so will everyone I love.

He falls to his knees as tears stream down his face. We have been through a lot together, he had shown me things I've never seen before. He has cradled me and cared for me at some of my worst times. I almost gave everything to him.

I reflect on how things can change so quickly. I am sorry Roan, for hurting you the way I did. I am sorry for leaving you with no explanation, no closure. I realize the next time we meet we will be enemies. My voice cracks and I whimper letting a quickening breath out. I must be strong. I keep my eyes on him until I can't see him anymore. I feel lost now.

I lean over the side of the ship watching the waves splash as we move through the water. My mind is a whirl wind of confusion and heart ache, I've never felt so unsure of myself. My thoughts are quickly interrupted.

"Brianna come look at this!"  I look back to see Vance in all new armor. His silver pauldrons are replaced with gold ones and he is in a full knight's tunic. Still the same blue but with a sigil of a mermaid with a trident on the front. He looks even better now than he did before .Tall, sharp, well built, with undeniably handsome features. The tunic brought out his deep ebony eyes and his radiant smile. I was falling for him as he distracted me from how I was feeling within seconds of laying my eyes on him. I run over to him and leap into his arms.

"Woah...Hey you're crying! What's wrong?" He wraps his huge arms around me and holds me tight. I decide not to worry him with thoughts of Roan.

"Just hold me for a minute." I reply.

"Ok." He runs a hand through my hair and down my back and kisses my head. "Are you ok?" He whispers.

I look up at him and fall into his eyes. I need him now more than ever.
I run my hand along his cheek taking in his handsome features.
I smile at him and nuzzle my face into his chest clutching his tunic.

"What's going on girl?"

"It's nothing, I'm just happy we found each other." I pull away. "What did you want to show me."

"Hmm...Come with me!" He takes me to the bow. This ship was exactly out of a pirate story, huge masts and sails, bays with fully loaded with harpoons and projectile weapons. There was a mermaid statue carved into the bow and the mermaid sigil on every sail. She was a beauty I still couldn't believe I was on a ship sailing across the stormy sea.

He walks me to the very front holding my waist as we look over the side.

"Do you see them?" He points at the wake. I didn't see them at first, but then all of a sudden I see flashes of iridescent lights in the water and then several splashes. There were shimmering dolphins jumping and playing in the wake. I gasp. As I watch them sparkle on both sides of the boat I can't help but to let out a howl. Vance lets one out too and we howl at the sun setting in the distance. I couldn't picture myself anywhere else at this moment. Here with the man of my dreams.

"Let's go inside. I'll buy you dinner." He says.

We head down the curved stairs of the upper deck and retreat into the hull. The ship had an abundance of rooms for sleeping in and a large dining area and kitchen.

All of the deck hands stopped me and either kissed my hand or bowed to me as we came into the room. They were all so welcoming, not like the castle in Lesterose. Even the women on the boat were nice and respectful. Everyone held Vance in such high regard. Instead of fearing him they respected him. He had developed relationships with these men over many years and earned his leadership with them. I found myself admiring Vance the more I spoke with his crew.

We sit down at one of the long dining tables, Vance is beside me telling me a story of how he once fell off the ship once as a child and had to be rescued. There were men having drinks and sharing stories all around us. We are approached by a well dressed man a little older than Vance.
He sits down on the other side of me looking me up and down.

He is undeniably handsome with brown hair, cut short and hazel eyes. He has a straight face with a great smile, one that warms you when he shows it. I blush profusely at the sight of him. He wears a knights uniform with a deep blue tunic and the symbol of a lion's head in black on the front of his chest. He smiles at me, I was a bit nervous at first, this situation reminds me of when Gregory flirted with me in front of Roan. I tense up waiting for a smooth tongue, and scoot closer to Vance he places his hands on my hips reassuring me.

"Good evening Brianna. My name is Kit Mercer I am Vance's best trainer and best man!" He says.

"Something like that!" Vance laughs.

Kit laughs with him.

Vance is ordering us a drink now and doesn't seem too worried about Kit, so I carry on with the conversation. "Vance has told me you two ran into some trouble?"

"Yes, a gang of hijackers jumped us on the road. If it weren't for him we wouldn't be here." I reply.

They both laugh at me. "Yes Vance is very skilled in combat, but let's be real here. You were the one who summoned the Fell and destroyed them." I wince at his words.

He raises his brows. "You don't seem happy about that."

"I just wish I could remember what I did, I have no control. It's frightening." I start to fiddle with my dress nervously. Vance seems to notice and speaks up.
"Well that's what we are going to work on. What do you want to drink Brianna? I ordered you some sweet wine and juice. All the ladies seem to like it." He says.

I despise that drink. It's sugary and gives me a hangover just thinking about it. I turn to Vance.

"You should know me by now, I'll have a pint of the best mead and a spirit shot with a slice of lemon and salt." I wink at him.

They both look at each other then at me.

Kit bellows.
"A girl who drinks like a man! You'll fit in just fine here honey. Hey tender! Three shots with lemon and three pints of the captains brew!" Kit smiles at me.
"So those weapons you have are quite something. You know how to use them?" He leans forward on the table.

"Of course! I have trained with them since I was four years old."
Vance is listening deeply to this conversation now.

"Is that so? I'd like to see what you can do one day." Kit replies.

"She took me down pretty quickly." Vance replies.

Kit looks at me and then Vance.
"Oh really?" He is beaming at m with a wide grin.

Our drinks come quickly and we line up our shots. Vance lifts his shot first and we follow.

"Here's to finding exactly what we're looking for!" We cheers and take the shot, it goes down smoother than it should.

"So Brianna, how is it a mage is so skilled in combat?" Kit asks.

"My father trained me everyday until he...died." I reply.

"Oh? Who was your father?" He takes a sip of his beer.

"Sir Jedrek the great." Then he chokes on it. I smile. Vance is staring at me in disbelief.

"You.." Coughs." Have been trained by Jedrek? The greatest combat trainer who ever lived and he was your father?" His eyes are wide.

"Mmhmm!" I answer, taking a big slam of my beer.

"No way!" Vance says. "Jedrek was known for his ability with throwing knives. Is that true?"

"Yup!" I reach into down my bust and out a small knife.

"Where the hell did that come from?." Vance asks trying to get a better look. "What else you got in there?" He pulls on my dress and looks in. I push his arm away giggling.

"He taught me all he knew." I'm flicking the knife in my hand between my fingers fast enough for it to look like a stream of silver running through them. Then I pick a target across the room, there is a small wooden handle on a door leading to another room behind a group of men. I would have to deflect the knife off of something to hit it. I see a metal shield hanging on the wall with crossed swords behind it. Perfect.

"Alright let's see what you got." Kit says.

"What we betting on?" I ask.

"I didn't know we were betting." Kit says. Vance ooo's at me in the background.

"Alright! I bet you fifty gold if I can hit that wooden handle on that door over there. Right in the center." I reply holding my head high.

"Well that's impossible, you would have to be able to throw that knife around those men." he laughs.

"Are you betting I can't?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Alright your on! Let's see what you can do if you win we pay up. But if we win we spar together." Kit says he looks at Vance.

"I'm in!" He says. They pull out the cash and lay it on the table.

"Alright boys I'll show you how it's done. I'll even do it with my eyes closed." They both ooo at me. I laugh. "Ok now shut up and let me focus."

I keep spinning the knife and focus. What they don't know is that I've already sighted my first target in the exact location and I already know where to aim. I know the precise angle to throw using some mathematics my father had taught me and my skill to determine the distance I need to cover along with speed. This should be an easy throw.

Our bet seems to have caught the eye of almost everyone in the room they are all huddled around us watching. I close my eyes and focus still spinning it in my hand. "3...2...1..." I whisper. Then I throw and open my eyes. I see the knife shoot through the air, "ting!", it hits the shield and is redirected to the right where it stabs into the middle of the door handle.
"Wooo!" I fist pump.

The room erupts with laughter and excited hollers. They are both whistling at me.
"Bri! That was great!" Vance says.

"I don't really want the money boys I just wanted to see the look on your face....priceless." I wink at them.

Kit as beaming at me.
"Vance!" Kit yells.

"Ya?" He replies.

"We're keeping her right?" Kit asks.

"Oh ya!." Vance grabs my waist and pulls me in for a smothering hug. "I'm never letting this one go!"