The flap of the King's tent opened as the village chief made his way through. He was grateful that the King accepted his plea to speak to him.

"My King, the village want their warrior back."

"The answer is no. She's mine now." The King immediately answered back, not even turning around from his work.

The chief bowed his head. "Please your Grace, have mercy."

The King looked up and shot the man a glare. "Were you present in the town square, when the fight happened?"

The chief swallowed. "Yes..."

"Then you heard the agreement. If Falcon lost against one out of the three, he... she is to come with me." The King's voice had a final tone to it.

"Your Grace..." The King stood up to his full height and placed his hand on his sword, as a warning. "I believe you have your answer. Now leave me be."

The chief lowered his head in defeat as he left the tent. The smell of cooked chicken filled the air, as a maid brought the King his dinner.

Meanwhile Yara was tied to a pole as the King didn't want her escaping, now knowing her fate. Four soldiers were in the secluded camp guarding her. They were still shocked that the warrior was a girl.

"What." She spat at one soldier who couldn't stop staring.

"My apologies, Yar-" He began mockingly, but was cut off.

"It's Falcon to you, mutt." She was still angry. She wanted to kill the King for tying her up.

Suddenly the King himself graced her with his presence. Keeping her face expressionless she, watched him making his way towards her.

"Yara-"

"Falcon." She interrupted. The King's eyes darkened before he gripped her chin, making her look directly at him.

"Dare interrupt me again and you won't like the consequences. Yara." He ended his sentence, adding her name on purpose.

She jerked her face out from his grip and glared at him.

"We leave at sunrise, tommorow. Behave and there will come no harm to you."

"I want to go see my mother." The King sighed. She didn't even acknowledge his warning. "Yes, she can come visit you here, later today."

Yara kept silent, staring infront of her. The King huffed and made his way back, to talk some business with his guards.

|♢|

It was cold the next morning, the sun was just about to show itself on the horizon.

Yara's mother came last night, bidding her a good bye, and Yara knew there was no backing away now. She didn't see this agreement as a punishment or as a soon to be negative experience in her life. She saw it as a new adventure.

During the night she was offered a bed, still tied up. She accepted, but when everyone slept, she found a way to get a nearby soldier's dagger, cutting the ropes so that she could sleep comfortable.

The King wasn't surprised when he saw the cut pieces of rope around her sleeping form; he expected it.

When he ordered the soldiers to wake her, one soldier's hand was almost cut off when he came near her, as she was already awake, just pretending to sleep.

The soldiers was now walking in a long line, approaching the gate, when Yara suddenly stopped and gave a long whistle. A dark horse, black as night came into view, trotting towards Yara.

The horse was already mounted. Yara climbed on the horse, and was now sitting in a comfortable possition.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Came the shrill voice of the King's colonel.

"I will ride my horse while you ride your horse, Colonel." The black haired girl was glowering at the colonel.

"The King didn't-"

"The King wasn't ask for his opinion." Yara was becoming quickly irritated with the Colonel.

"You little-"

"Little what?" bit Yara out.

"Stop interrupting me!" The colonel was now fuming with anger.

Yara just grinned. The man was easy to irritate, it amused her. She couldn't wait to get on his nerves again.

"I see you got yourself a horse," came the King's voice. He was sitting on his own horse, ready for the journey.

"It's my horse."

"Keep your horse in order, or it will be killed."

Yara couldn't believe the nerve of a King, how dare he even suggest something like killing her horse!

"Such cowardly nobles, always squealing out another warning." Yara was muttering under her breath, thinking of ways to strangle the King.

"Excuse me, what was that?" The King looked Yara in the eye.

She smiled sweetly. "Nothing, your Grace." She said mockingly.

"Respect." Is all he said before he glared at her, rushing his horse into a trot, making his way to the front.

"Respect my arse."

|♢|

The sun was already setting when they decided to set up camp. While they made a fire and ate. Yara sat in the corner, cleaning her weapons. The King was still warry of her, expecting her trying to escape, but she stayed with the group at all times. The King was pleased that she wasn't defying him.

As for the Colonel, he couldn't wipe off his scowl when he looked at the warrior. Yara went out of her way to get on the Colonel's nerves, she was often bored, riding along with nothing to do. Mocking the man was a technique to wish the time away.

When the soldiers started to doze off, their babbling quiet, the King stood up and made his way towards Yara. She was already asleep, leaning against a tree, her black hair a curtain in front of her face.

Taking the cuffs from his hand he took her wrists. Just as he touched her skin, he caught the fist just in time with the dagger coming his way.

"Woah, Yara. Calm down, I'm just cuffing you."

Yara was still a little dizzy from the sleep, but the moment the cuffs was mentioned, she sobered up. "No. Don't you dare put cuffs on me." She glared at him while trying to free her wrists.

"Stop defying me, Yara. I'm cuffing you and that's final. I don't want you escaping." His final tone ended with the final click of the cuffs.

He helps her into a standing position before leading her to his tent. "It looks like raining tonight, the other tents are full, so you will be sleeping in my tent."

Yara huffed. "Sleeping outside will do perfectly fine."

"My word is final, Yara." The King's grip tightened.

|♢|

Song: A day without rain by Enya