Excerpt:

****
There were so many of them. Suddenly, Alexa realized how scared she was. It was worse than a nasty nauseating feeling you get when you have to go to a dentist. It felt like she was standing on the very edge of a bottomless pit and her feet slipped. With a sharp certainty she realized that in the very next hour she could die, here in a foreign land where no one really knew her and she had no friends.
"You still have time to hide. It is not your fight," Myro seemed to have guessed her fear.
"No," she shook her head stubbornly. She wanted to tell him that she was not scared and that she wanted to be here but the panic in her throat was so overwhelming that she did not want to risk him hearing it in her voice. At the very least she should try not to be a burden.
It looked as if every bush, each single tree hid a warrior. Alexa wished she could see their faces - were they human? Could she kill a human? Could she raise her sword and not close her eyes when it pierces the human flesh?
Something hit her on her back and she smashed into the wet grass face down as something swished by her left side and she heard a soft "plank, plank" behind her. Arrows. The attackers were human then. Munnediery did not use arrows much.
"Are you out of your damn mind?" hissed Ladir. He still was pushing on her back with his hand. "Don't move, don't raise your head." Next second the pressure was gone and before Alexa could decide to disobey his command, she heard more swishing sounds over her head and another "plank-plank" of arrows at the tree behind her. "Close your eyes now and try not to move." Terrified, Alexa followed his command. Next second she felt airborne. It was like riding a roller-coaster, but without the cart. Only by a strong grasp on the back of her shirt she could tell that it was Ladir carrying her, not her flying at the unbelievable speed through the forest. Suddenly, her feet were on the solid ground and as she instinctively reached forward with her hands she felt a tree bark under her palms. She opened her eyes.
"Stay here," said Ladir briskly and the next second he was gone.

***
It was dark inside, with only scant sunlight making it through the tiny windows up at the ceiling. The whole house was just one big room but it was very well organized for a storage. Along the walls she saw chests of different sizes, most plain but some with intricate carving patterns and metal locks, standing in accurate rows. The wall themselves were not bare - they held bows of different shapes and sizes, shields, pikes and many other items for which Alexa could not find a name or imagine the use.
"Wow!"she said. "Does it mean I can take my pick..."
"Actually, I think you will not be able to. But be my guest," said Myro smirking slightly at the corner of his mouth.
Alexa walked along the walls. Bow will be pretty useless probably. She never tried shooting arrows and two weeks were too short a time to learn. Even if she would master the art of hitting an unmoving target, she'll never be able to do that while riding a horse or running, not even talking about the sheer impossibility that anything threatening to her will be patiently sitting still, waiting for her to take aim.
The shields, however different in sizes, all looked heavy and big. Again, probably a useful tool, but not for her. Her eyes trailed over the assortment of weapons on the walls, none really familiar enough to ask for.
"I need a knife, a small dagger and a sword," she said to Myro, who clearly expected her to start with heavy ammunition and pick up more than she could carry.
"You do not want to pick a chain male?" It was a tricky question, Alexa sensed immediately. She wondered why. The idea did not occur to her at first because she never fought real battles. The first impulse was to agree, stipulating that it would not be too heavy or big for her. But then Alexa realized why the question was tricky. Münnediery did not like bows, they even used swords rarely, preferring the "claws-and-teeth" kind of combat. Chain male will not save her from either. It will only restrict her movements. As it all flashed through her mind, Alexa felt suddenly on the even ground with smirking Myro. She will pass this test.
"No, thank you. " She smiled the sweetest possible smile, and feigning innocence asked, "If you could get me couple of guns though, I'd feel much safer!"
Myro looked at her befuddled.
"Couple of what?"
"Oh, never mind. It's advanced weapon from my world, you know, serious one, not like this... metal junk." She waived her hand dismissively, forgetting that "junk" would not be a word familiar to Myro either. He kept staring at her, renewed apprehension at her foreignness in his eyes. "Just forget it. Let's pick a sword."
Once he committed to helping, Myro was very useful. In less than ten minutes, Alexa had all she wanted, plus a very comfortable baldric made probably for some small boy as it fitted her perfectly.
Alexa picked up her sword and did a couple of swings.
It felt different from the rapier – less flexible and heavier and somehow awkward, restricting the movements of her hand to a single plane. She, of course, held swords before and waived them in flashy show-off style in front of her brothers, cutting through the air. Thinking of the metal in her hand as a weapon made it different. Suddenly she doubted she'd be able to use it at all. Nevertheless, overcome with a childish excitement, she stretched her sword arm, piercing invisible enemy, jumped sideways turning, deflecting another imaginary attack, slashing with the sword through the air... Instead of a graceful pirouette, she overturned and stumbled and almost crashed into a nearby armor.
Myro laughed.
"I'll ask Sibor if he can teach you the basics and I will spar with you from time to time. But please don’t go asking others to practice with you – you’ll insult them.”
Alexa nodded. For now, it was enough.

***

Next day after the breakfast, as Myro instructed, Alexa put her sword on a big bag and went to look for Sibor.
She found him sitting in the yard in front the Commons House, seemingly busy. His sword lay on his lap. Using a strip of tissue - was that leather? - he was honing the blade in even wide strokes, mumbling something under his breath. Old soldier looked rather irritated by something. Funnily, Alexa had a very good suspicion of what had angered him.
“Good day to you, Sibor!” she chirped happily, trying to hide her fear of his decision.
“And what good in this day for me, erh?”
This will be difficult.
“I was hoping…” started Alexa, keeping her eyes down.
“Hoping, ah?” growled Sibor standing up. “Well, I was too! I was hoping that having taught finest warriors of this side of the Roulde mountains, I've earned some respect and…” He waved his gnarled hand through the air. “lets get over with it. I owe Myro – and will do as he asked, but know that my heart tells me against it.”
Alexa kept her eyes to the ground as he picked his sword and a big bulky bag from the ground.
“Lets go,” he said.
“Go where?”
“Outside of course! I am not teaching a girl in the full view of my soldiers!”
Alexa had no desire to argue.
They walked out of the gates and soon reached the lake. Sibor found the clearing that he deemed satisfactory and sat on the ground, stretching his legs leisurely.
Alexa stood in front of him acutely aware of his estimating gaze on her - it was as if she were to pass a physical exam to get on Olympic team... and she was failing. She rocked slightly on her feet, hoping it would add an inch or two to her height, knowing full well that with her height one or two inches would not make much of a difference. Tilting her chin upward she also tried to flex her shoulders and keeping her hands slightly raised, create an impression of some muscle. It was foolish, she saw Sibor's knowing smirk and ceased. He hmph-ed, picked a straw and started chewing it.
"Where is you sword?"he asked.
Alexa pulled out the sword from her bag.
"Myro said I should not be wearing it," she said tentatively.
"Nonsense," he cut her off. "Everyone will know what we are doing here. So if you are concerned with what people would think, better not even start it."
"I though we will not be practicing with the real swords?" So what is the point of wearing it now, she wanted to add.
"Are you planning to fight with a real sword?" Sibor asked, scowling.
"Yes, but..."
"Then we practice with real swords."
In response, Alexa put the baldrick around her shoulder and fitted her scabbard into place, tying one the straps the way Myro showed her yesterday. When she finished she looked up at Sibor, waiting for the directions.
“Jump!” he said with an air of superiority and ill-hidden sarcasm.
“Sorry?”
“You are not deaf, are you? Jump, I said.”
‘Why?”
“Because I told you to!”
Alexa shrugged, deciding not to argue – irritating elders never was a right move. First he wants her to put on a sword, then take it off... Whatever. She started to untie the tassel from the baldric’s strap when Sibor laughed. She looked up at him, feeling more than slightly annoyed.
“No, no… With the sword! Take it out of the scabbard and hold in front of yourself. Unless, of course, it is too heavy or difficult...” he trailed off, waiting for he to complain.
Well, the guy clearly thought her useless.
Alexa pulled out her blade. If Sibor wants a surprise, he’ll get it. She jumped up couple times, holding the sword at an arm’s length. Scabbard immediately slapped her side. It was not painful, but uncomfortable.
She looked at Sibor.
“Why stop? When I say “jump” you keep jumping until I command you otherwise.”
Fine, thought Alexa.

She kept a fast pace jumping as high as she could and in ten minutes the scabbard became more than an annoyance. It was starting to bruise her hip. Alexa held the scabbard away from her body with her left hand and continued.
Sibor smiled but did not say anything. He was clearly enjoying himself.
Ten more minutes later scabbard became heavy. Alexa’s palms got sweaty and holding it required more grip now. Every dozen or so jumps it would slip from her hand and it her hip. She wondered how long the pointless jumping would continue. Sibor did not even look at her, preoccupied with chewing on grass he was pulling from the lush surrounding him.
Minutes kept passing. Alexa’s breath became faster, her legs got tired and jumps became lower. She gave up holding the scabbard, settling on just trying to push in closer so it would not swing around so much. She also regretted not drinking as her throat felt dry.
“Stop!” Sibor suddenly shouted.
Alexa stopped, panting heavily she sheathed her sword.
“Did I tell you to put away your blade?” Sibor stood up.
“Draw it!”

Alexa held out her sword – her arm was shaking slightly.
“Evil gizzard! He waited for me to tire myself so he can beat me up and tell Myro that I am not able to hold a blade."
She flexed her shoulders - she'll make sure Sibor will not have it easy.
"En-garde!" she told herself quietly, moving her sword into sixte position out of habit.

Sibor did not even unsheathe his sword.
"Attack," he said.
"But you don't have a weapon! I can't attack unarmed men!"
"What did I say about disobeying me? You want to learn, you have to listen!"
OK, that does it!
Anger flared up inside Alexa as she swung her blade in a wild arch, aiming for Sibor's shoulder.
Somehow, the blade did not even touch Sibor's shadow. It moved right past him and continued on its curved path until it met the ground with a loud "fyuink!" Alexa could not stop it in time, having invested too much force in the swing.
"Whoops!" said Sibor with satisfaction as Alexa pulled the blade from a ground. "One more time, shall we?"
**********

***
He expected her to be beautiful. He was prepared for extraordinary and special.
Alas, she probably would not be even called pretty.
***
He saw a small body quiver as blood kept pouring into the dark soil drop by drop taking the girl's life away.
"No!" Screamed Ladir despite himself. "This girl can not die - what about the kids? What about me?"
"It's all about you, Prince. She has to die in her own world before she can be born into this one. And she has to be born into this world so you could meet her and become whole again. That is her faith, her purpose..."
***

"No," he said with finality that astonished even him. "There's got to be another way"
"Well," said the evil voice that he knew would say that. "There is always a choice to make, free will to change the faith, yours - or hers. A trade of sorts. Would you want to do that?"
In a second a mirror became transparent again and Ladir saw himself holding a girl in his arms - she was older now, and she became different. The frail teenager was gone replaced by a woman, small but somehow powerful, an equal he yearned to have in his life. He watched his other self lean over to kiss her, entangling his fingers in her long reddish hair as she said something to him smiling softly.
He noticed the room they were in - it was in the Palace and it meant he was finally where he belonged.
But the price was too high. True, the girl would never know that he made decision to leave her brothers alone in another world, she'll never know that he permitted her death in order to have her here, but Ladir himself could never forget that and it would destroy his happiness sooner or later.

When did he start caring for humans and their fragile lives - the girl would never live long enough for him to care - was not that true? Human's life is short and meaningless... But already Ladir knew that this will never hold true for him again. Her life meant too much. He wanted her to live it in full, hugging her brothers, caring for her future children, even if they were not his. This girl for some inconceivable reason became precious for him and that feeling was too strong to ignore.
"What is the choice?"
"The choice is not an easy one..."
"Is it ever..." He whispered more to himself than to the Mirrare.
"See for yourself"
And the mirror changed again.
He was in his wolf form, running through the strange world - days or maybe weeks, looking, desperate for a girl from his vision. He could not find her. Trillions of foreign smells surrounded his as an impenetrable wall and he could not sense her. His time was running out. She would get killed if he did not make it in time, did not gain her trust enough to lead her through the Mirrare to his world.
Then he saw her sitting next to the very tree he wanted to lead her to, reading again, smiling and wrinkling her nose just as before. Softly he came from the bushes, careful not to scare her, reluctant and hopeful at the same time.
She was so trusting, she let him eat her bread - that was enough for his magic to work. He wanted to leap into her embrace, enjoy her gentle hands on his fur just for a second... She laughed. Silver bells of her laughter were heard inside his soul as Ladir watched the girl fall under his spell next to Mirrare tree.
The mirror blackened and then a picture changed - it was now his world as he saw beasts leaping from behind the trees at the girl he lead here. But he was not close to her - another person was defending her as beasts attacked. The person he hated, loathed with his whole soul - Myro.
And as a battle ended he saw her look at his brother with eyes full of admiration and maybe love and mutter words of thanks to him. It was unfair - why it's got to be him? Why not anyone else?
"Where am I?" he asked Mirrare "Why I'm not with her?"
"Choices, Ladir, choices... If you made this one - she'll never be yours."
And he saw the great wolf leaping in front of an arrow defending the girl as she ran to the Mirrare tree.
He saw the wolf turning into his human form, bleeding on the forest floor as the girl placed her palms onto the tree bark and entered the Mirrare to disappear into her own world.
He saw his hated brother crying over him as he pulled an arrow from his wound.
He saw his brother being crowned in his place entering the Palace room that was rightfully his.
"Choices are yours, dear Prince," repeated Mirrare God. "I'll be waiting to see what you'll choose."
"Will she be happy, back in her world?" asked Ladir but then decided he can't stand the thought of her never missing him and turned away from the mirror that showed him the answer.
He walked towards the village deep in thoughts, but his choice was already made.
He just never knew that the last picture Mirrare god would have shown him was the girl beating her tiny fists at the tree, begging Mirrare to let her in, hoping to see him just once again.
"Choices..." repeated Mirrare sadly.