Tavaar - 6th Edition

Okay. I failed to come through and write a short post yesterday. But if you had as many words in your mouth as I do in mine you would understand. I have to puke and spit them out or I will choke. I know it's disgusting, but I try to use a tissue. Anyway, we left off with Tavaar agreeing to let Khaiu coach her at sword fighting.

Today we have reached the time of Tavaar's only competitive fight against Khaiu. It took place the following Amaris (spring). This takes place shortly before the actual competition. As always, remember this is just a first draft with minor adjustments.

Now that the final pairings had been determined, the four warriors received their well wishes from family and friends. That done, Khaiu insisted the four of them meet privately. He led them to a secluded place to the east. Although pleased, he did not wear a smile.

“Well, we have all made it – as I expected,” he said.

“You should be congratulated,” said Klarissa.

“I agree,” said Tavaar, moving forward to give Khaiu a kiss.

He held up his hand. “Not me alone,” he said. “If you offer a kiss, then you must give it equally to each.”

Tavaar paused and then looked at Klarissa. At first, Klarissa just stared back. Then, she shrugged.

“Oh, very well,” she said, taking Tavaar in her arms.

Klarissa held the kiss long, and even when Tavaar began to pull away she held fast. At first, Tavaar was alarmed, but then she realized Klarissa was not actually kissing her. In fact, she was fighting to not laugh.13 (This note says we see just how far Klarissa is willing to go for a prank.) Suddenly, Tavaar understood and pretended to throw herself into it. When the two women finally broke and looked at the brothers, even Khaiu’s eyes were wide.

“I believe you said ‘equal’ kisses, Khaiu,” said Klarissa. “Your turn.”

“Your willing servant,” said Shello, moving eagerly toward her.

Klarissa raised her hand. “No. I think you misunderstand.”

Shello looked perplexed. “But – you said it was my turn.”

“Not just your turn, Shello,” said Tavaar. “It’s yours and Khaiu’s turn.”

Shello’s face went blank. Khaiu rolled his eyes.

“What?” Shello asked.

“Khaiu said equal kisses for all,” said Klarissa. “We did the hard one first. I think it only fair you do the same.”

Shello stood with a look of horror on his face.

“Oh, come on,” said Tavaar. “It isn’t like you’ve never kissed before.”

“That’s different,” grumbled Shello.

“Nonsense!” said Klarissa. “Give it a go. You might enjoy it. We had fun, didn’t we, Tavaar?”

“Oh, yes! It was quite fun.”

“Well, of course it was fun for you!” said Shello. “Look who you were kissing. Tavaar’s wonderful. But – Khaiu.”

Klarissa’s face frowned. “How do you know Tavaar kisses wonderfully?” She turned to Khaiu. “You said you wouldn’t allow that.”

“It wasn’t during training,” said Tavaar. “Last year, at the first bonfire, Khaiu and Shello came to Gahrem. They’ve come to a couple others, too. In fact, that’s when Khaiu invited me to join his training program.”

“Really? You weren’t so friendly with me, as I recall. Just a short compliment on my skills with the blade and an admonition to join you.”

“We weren’t at a bonfire,” said Khaiu.

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

“What about now?” asked Shello.

Klarissa’s mood had certainly been tempered, but Tavaar saw the impish glint return to her eyes. “Look, young warrior, I know you’ve been wanting me to kiss you ever since I began training with you four years ago. But unless you give Khaiu an equal kiss, you’re going to have to wait another four years to find out what I’m like.”

It was all Tavaar could do to keep herself from laughing. Shello looked as if he might cry. He turned on his brother in a fury.

“Chicken brain! This is all your fault!”

“My fault, is it? How so?”

“You and your stupid ‘kiss everyone equally’. Why can’t you just have fun like everyone else?”

“I don’t want to be like everyone else! And neither do you!”

“Don’t tell me what I want!”

“I know what you want. But she’s not going to give it to you unless you kiss me first. Neither of them will.”

Shello was beside himself in rage. “You’d better let Tavaar win today, because if you don’t I’m going to beat you to death.”

It was an unfortunate remark.

“So, you just assume you will beat me?” said Klarissa.

Tavaar also flared. “And I can’t beat Khaiu. He has to let me win. Is that it?”

Shello looked disarmed.

“Enough of this!” said Khaiu.

He walked forward, grabbed his brother by his shoulders and kissed him hard on the mouth. Klarissa and Tavaar exchanged giggles. Shello’s hands were clenched in fists. When Khaiu released him he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

“There!” said Khaiu. “Go ahead. Kiss away!”

Shello looked hopefully at the girls.

“After what you said, I don’t think I want to kiss you,” said Klarissa.

“Nor I,” said Tavaar.

Shello’s face darkened. “You promised equal kisses!”

“We promised nothing,” said Klarissa.

“Khaiu’s the one who said equal kisses,” said Tavaar.

“But you agreed!”

“Did we?” asked Klarissa. “When?”

“When you kissed Tavaar. That’s really the same thing. If you can kiss her, you can certainly kiss me.”

“Oh, thanks a lot!” said Tavaar.

“That’s not what I meant!”

“It doesn’t matter what you meant,” said Klarissa. “I never kissed Tavaar.”

“I saw you!”

“No. You saw Tavaar and me put our mouths together. We never actually kissed.”

“It was hard not to laugh, really,” added Tavaar with a look at Klarissa.

They both began to chuckle.

“But I kissed Khaiu!”

“Actually, it was Khaiu who kissed you,” said Klarissa.

“A very tender moment, I’m sure,” said Tavaar.

Shello stood with his mouth open. Khaiu groaned and turned away, shaking his head. While the girls laughed, Shello’s amazement turned to anger.

“Fine!” he said. Then he walked away.

“Come back, Shello,” said Tavaar. “We’ll kiss you.”

“No!”

“What about you?” Klarissa asked Khaiu.

Khaiu sighed as if weary. “You know, it’s all right to have fun, but I wish you two would understand that the time and place for teasing isn’t any time and any place.”

He started to leave, but Klarissa called to him.

“You don’t think this will distract him, do you? I mean our fight?”

Khaiu glanced after Shello. “No. It may even give him focus.”

“What about you?” asked Tavaar.

“I will be fine. You be ready. I want you fighting your best. Don’t be distracted.”

“I won’t,” she said, but softly.

Khaiu turned and walked away. Klarissa called after him again.

“You never told us what you wanted to tell us!”

Khaiu stopped and turned around. He stared at them a moment and then threw up his arms. “And I guess I never will.” He turned and left.