“Likewise, my lady,” Reaylin said performing an awkward curtsy that just looked strange with her wearing pants and a sword strapped to her hip. As Adelina left, Reaylin looked back at Tam and Rezkin and asked, “So, what’s wrong with Frisha? Is she ill?”

Tam glanced at Rezkin, who did not seem inclined to answer and decided to just tell her and get it over with. “Frisha’s uncle rejected Rezkin’s proposal.”

Reaylin’s eyes widened. “What?” Her attention darted to Rezkin. “You proposed? Marriage? And, he rejected you? I can’t believe that! Who in their right mind would reject you?” Reaylin’s mouth snapped shut as she realized what she had said, and her face flushed once again.

Rezkin shook his head. “It does not matter, now. The decision has been made, and he is not likely to change his mind.” Changing the subject, Rezkin informed her, “Captain Jimson will be here in about an hour. We are to discuss our travel plans at that time. I assume that is why you are here.”

“Captain? He got promoted, huh? That’s great. Uh, yes, I came by to see when we are leaving for the tournament and how we plan to get there,” Reaylin answered.

Rezkin turned to Tam. “Perhaps you would like to take Reaylin on a tour of the grounds while we await the captain’s arrival?”

Tam scowled at Rezkin. He absolutely had no desire to be left alone with the neurotic female, but he replied, “Sure, that sounds great. You’ll love it, Reaylin.”

Rezkin was glad to be rid of the pair. He really did not like dealing with the awkward looks of mixed confusion and sympathy every time someone brought up his failed proposal. Rezkin had never been a prideful man. All of his experiences prior to leaving the fortress had to do with battle and training, which fell under the jurisdiction of Rule 14—Do not revel in success. He had to admit, though, that this rejection stung. The fact that the decision had been made based on the general’s opinion of Rezkin’s character actually caused that increasingly familiar tightness in his chest to return.

Rezkin wandered into the study that held the multitude of weapons. He retrieved two matching ones he had seen in his previous visits. They were identical and meant to be wielded as a set. Each one consisted of a central hardwood shaft about the length of his forearm. A curved scythe-like blade extended from the tip of each end of the shaft back toward the other end of the shaft but did not connect. They were most unusual weapons for Ashai, but he had seen them before. They were called su’carai and were used by the nomads of the mountain tribes far to the East. A foreign warrior had been brought to the fortress to train Rezkin in the use of the strange weapons, but it had been a while since he had worked with them.