Arion was holding the unconscious Kiara in his arms, her brow was covered in sweat. Her skin and lips avoid of any form of color. But she was still breathing, so she was still alive. Tom was indeed covering his back, while the strange group of people rushed in to finish the job. The man that clearly knew Kiara's name was closing the last part of the Rift, probably he was her brother. The man lowered his arms and sighed deeply, before turning around.

"What, in the name of the Gods, was she thinking?" he asked loudly enough for everyone to hear. Arion looked at his men, who all sunk towards the ground in exhaustion. He, too, was sitting on the ground, avoid of any energy to stand on his own two feet. The man knelt down and lay a hand on Kiara's head. "It doesn't matter, she closed the rift. That is all what matters."

"She is still breathing," Arion snapped in a low voice. And the man nodded in agreement.

"My uncle was heading your way a couple of days ago, but I gather you have yet to meet him. He was bringing a chest with all her clothes, some tomes and scrolls so that she would to study the magic that lies within her." the man said.

"And I would have being here sooner, if I was not occupied with cleaning up some bandits along the way." All of their gazes snapped towards the man that was sitting inside a wooden cart. "No worries, Lordling, I handed them over to your father's men." Lordling? That was a term he never heard before. But did that matter, he wasn't sure, he looked at Kiara who lay in his arms and shock his head. "But what is your excuse, Benjamin? The compound is not so far for you all to be late." Benjamin, that was the man's name. Benjamin opened his mouth. "I don't you dare to blame your father, you are a grown up man. You go when you feel the fabric between the worlds waver." Benjamin closed his mouth and let his head hang.  He was ashamed, good. He was not only late, he brought Kiara in danger again. Arion knew that he wasn't able to judge this man for his deeds before he met Kiara. But in the name of all the Gods, this man made it so difficult for him. "Actions speak louder than words, Benjamin. You kept saying that you are sorry, to me, to your father, and if you had to change right now, you would say it to your sister. You knew that she one day was going to face the Riftwalkers, that is the reason why you placed those tomes and scrolls inside her chest. That is the reason why you made those daggers. But you, of all people, should have known that she wasn't ready." The man looked away towards the direction of the rift. "Although she did a pretty good job, despite the odds." His gaze snapped back towards Benjamin. Who hasn't moved one inch. Good.

"I didn't know that she would be here." his voice was soft, and barely audible. Even Arion had trouble hearing it. But apparently his uncle heard him loud and clear.

"That is horse shit, and you know it." the man snapped. "The Lordling's army was camped a bit further than the compound. Still, they didn't only show up on time. They removed the villagers from the danger, and fought well, even though they aren't trained to do so. Something your sister will undoubtedly change, if the Lordling lets her." 

"And I will," Arion replied. "We now know what we have being fighting, and it is just out of pure luck that we didn't lose anybody." The man on the cart nodded.

"You have more common sense than my nephew here." He pointed towards Benjamin. "Go home Benjamin, pounder over what you have learned today. And do better!" Benjamin rose up and walked away, without saying another word. The man finally climbed out of his cart and came towards Arion and Kiara. "The few you left behind are already busy to set up camp, just outside the village. The wounded are already transported towards the large tent that you have made into a hospital. Let me carry my niece towards it." Arion wanted to protest, but he was not even able to stand on his own two feet. Let alone carry her, so he nodded, and her uncle took her away. He himself was helped up by Tom. 

********

Kiara's uncle was right, the camp was already in the latest stages. The portable forges were set in place, the tent that functioned as the mess hall was standing proud. The stables were ready to house the horses, even most of the soldier's personal tents were set up. His, or rather Kiara's included. This was the first time that his men were able to pull something like this. But then he saw the villagers walking between the tents, so they had help. Which was also something new. He hadn't time to inspect the village himself, which was on top of his agenda in the morning. Now all he wanted to do was to shut his eyes and sleep. But not before Kiara has woken up. He struggled to get to the hospital tent. 

"Captain, you look like the walking dead." the doctor said. "No surprise there." he sighed. "Are you hurt?" Arion shock his head.

"No, just tired. But thank you for checking in, Sonny." he replied. Sonny nodded and sighed.

"If we are going to fight these creatures in the future, I really need some extra hands. Right now, I am able to make do with the help of people from the village. But we wouldn't be that lucky every time we set up camp. " Sonny said. Arion knew that he was right about that, but there was nothing he was able to do about it now. "But you are not here, to hear me rant about my troubles. She is inside her old room, the one with the cell." Arion knew the room, her uncle was sitting next to her on the bed.

"How long did she stay in here, before escaping?" he asked while Arion sat down on the chair.

"One night," Arion said. Her uncle started to laugh, but somehow the sound of it was a bit hollow. Arion didn't know how to react, so he did nothing and just waited for the man to continue.

"She was the best student I ever trained. My only regret is that it was not because she wanted to learn, it was because of the imposible desire to prove something to my brother. To prove that she wasn't useless. But he kept on pushing her, almost breaking her. The bittersweet moments of love that my wife, Benjamin's mother, and I were showing her was barely enough to keep her together. Do not mistake the lack of Benjamin's actions of love, he did his best. But the boy has being conditioned to see his little sister suffer. One time he offered up his comfortable bed, instead of her straw filled sack. That same night, my brother found them and beat up Kiara. It was so bad that she wasn't able to pick up a sword or pen for a week. This scared Benjamin, and I, for one, do not blame him for that." the man shock his head. And Arion felt sorry for Benjamin and Kiara. "Do not take my next words the wrong way. But I am glad that my brother left her for dead, it was the only way for her to break free from the abuse he put her through." Arion only nodded, agreeing with the man. Her uncle sighed and pushed himself up. "Time for me to unload her stuff, and to go back home." This shocked Arion, her uncle was leaving her while she was still unconscious?

"Do you not want to wait until she is awake?" he asked. But the man shock his head. Now that the man was up close, Arion was able to look at him closely. The man was a different shade of blond, but he had the same gray eye color as Kiara.

"She has suffered enough by my families hand, it is better for her if she never sees us again. Something that is not going to happen as long as the rifts are a thing." he said. Arion looked confused. "But right now, the Core of Protection are not fighting this battle on our own. Encourage her to teach you and your man how to fight. Give her this." He gave Arion a package. "Those are daggers made from Segeus steal, Benjamin made them for her birthday. Which is tomorrow." Tomorrow, he has nothing to give her. "Do not worry about it, she has learned not to expect anything. Another thing I blame myself for, all what I could give her were weapons. Everything else got taken away from her." Arion balded his fist, he hated to even think about how bad things were for her. Not even daring to celebrate her own birthday, not even able to hope for a nice gift.

"Is there something I can do for her?" Arion asked. 

"You already doing it, Lordling. You have given her a place to stay, compassion and respect. Making her a part of your army. Keep on doing that, and you will make her life so much better, and that is all I ever wanted for her. Al what we all wanted for her." he said, and this made Arion feel a bit better about himself. But there would be something he could do to give her a bit more. Her uncle left the room, and Arion followed him. While his mind was all over the place. The cart of her uncle was standing in front of his, Kiara's tent. There was one box, one single box. Was that it, was that all she had? Even his men who were constantly on the move had more. Two sometimes three boxes, with clothes, tomes and scrolls and other stuff that kept them busy. Her uncle, got out the crate and handed it over to Arion. "I know what you are thinking, and yes. This is everything." Arion's blood started to boil. "Benjamin's mother left her so much clothing, jewelry to fit four of these boxes. But like I said, all of that was taken away from her, by her own mother." So Benjamin and Kiara didn't share the same mother. But apparently the mother of Benjamin did everything in her power to care for Kiara. "Kiara has always been a strong child, and she did her best to not show any emotions. But still, it was enraging to see, how a grown woman stole from a ten-year-old and got away with it." Arion nodded, even he got angry, and he wasn't even there.

"Is there something she always wanted, except approval of her father?" he asked, trying his hardest to sound calm. He knew that he was failing miserably. Her uncle gave him a friendly smile, but didn't say anything for a while.

"I can see that you are a good man. I can think of one thing, a horse." he said. Arion nodded and watched the man climb the cart. "She loves those creatures, and always begged her father for one. And that stubborn asshole was not able to see that it was not only a want but also a need. So I know for a fact that you would make her day, no you would make her year if you gave her one." A horse, the army had a few spare ones that normally pulled the carts behind the main group. But those were needed inside the camp, Kiara had rode one of those. She needed one of her own, that was for sure. And he nodded, that was something he could do. Her uncle chuckled, and drove off. Arion wanted to call him back, pleading for him to stay. But he knew that her uncle left her in his care, and he would do everything in his power to take care of her. To be there for her, to support her and show her that she is more then enough just the way she was.