Free Forest & Kingdom Balance by Robert Reed Paul Thomas

back to no avail, the fully
extended stroke that would have decapitated him became a clean
slice of his carotid artery.
    “Spies? You treasonous worm!” She shouted at a
stunned Deminar. Her final stroke met steel as Yamikura’s blade
intervened. If it were not for her friendship with Yamikura, the
ensuing match of speed and skill would have been a toss up. Even
with her hesitation and his speed of movement, his free hand was
just able to grab her sword wrist while his blade momentarily
delayed her stroke.
    “Kalibra!” The Red Knight’s shout filled the
room.

Interlude
    Flight
    Wind streamed beneath his wings.
    “Idiot!” His mind shouted. “How could I be that stupid!” John did not
experience the exhilaration he normally felt in flight, his
thoughts were consumed by reliving the scene again and again. “Relax. Soar. Catch the wind.” John
repeated to himself as he flew effortlessly skyward and sought wind
currents that would best hasten his speed to the gate.
    “Peace. Find your center.” John’s inner flame brightened as his thoughts calmed. “The Caretaker will need to monitor and hopefully diminish
the after effects of my blunder.” He then dismissed a past
that he could not change and his thoughts turned forward. “I’ll have to take over with Dionara, I’ll need
to be centered and balanced.” He told himself. “Peace.”
    He landed below a rise just to the west of the oak
that shaded Dionara. John then opened his mind to the Caretaker. In
a brilliant flash of white light, John stood on legs once more,
naked; mind, body and soul.

Chapter Three
    History Lessons
    I
    “What!”
    Dionara felt as if she was falling without moving,
suddenly she was filled with the rage and pain of her parents’
death. “My mother was Queen! You know nothing of her. How dare you!
Her family was one of the most respected in the Kingdom.” Dionara
rose to a defensive posture as her hand dropped to find the hilt of
a sword that was not there.
    John instantly knelt before the Princess, head
bowed. “I am so sorry my Lady, please forgive me.”
    Dionara stood there a moment as her rage subsided,
then found herself about to wield an imaginary sword to decapitate
a man she had just met for the grave offence of offering his
condolences. The pain she had long lived with was slowly overcome
by a sense of profound foolishness.
    The moment passed and she lowered herself to sit
cross-legged before him. Resting her head in one hand, she placed
her other hand below John’s chin and raised his head. “It’s been a
long day.” She said and smiled, surprised to find herself lost in
his deep, beautiful eyes. “Be a dear and grab the wine and some
fruit for us, would you? Let’s eat down here, it’s more
comfortable.” She leaned forward and placed a kiss of apology on
his cheek.
    “Yes my Lady.” John’s anxiety from her reaction was
replaced by embarrassment as he felt himself flush in response to
her kiss.
    Dionara gazed off into the distance as John set out
their impromptu picnic. “Thank you.” She said absently, then took
sole possession of the wine decanter and poured herself a full
glass. John grabbed an apple and lain on his back while Dionara
watched dapples of sunlight play across him.
    “Froggy was about to answer any question I had when
he was called away, but now I’m not so sure I want the answers. Why
don’t you tell me of your forest home instead.” Her eyes lingered
to enjoy the magnificent view, the rolling hills of his exquisite
form accented by the sheen of forest green.
    John turned on his side to face her, “Yes my Lady,
but I must caution you that the Forest’s tale is interwoven with
the Kingdom’s.”
    Her desire to be free from the weight of her duties
resurfaced. “Please, call me Dionara. Perhaps if we simply talk as
friends I may be less inclined to behead you with my imaginary
sword!” She made the motions of withdrawing a sword and brandishing
it about. She returned the sword to