I talked about Targat, who we really are, how slaver raiders are just a small fraction of our nation and not very respected ones. And she told me a lot about them, their kingdoms, she was the daughter of the jarl, it is something like our patron of the house, so she was well educated and of course lacking anyone her age to talk to. It was not hard to become friends. When I felt better, we tracked and hunted down young theria, I took skull as proof and trophy, she took skin and meat for herself.

And after that, at least once each month I stopped by, stepped through the void to her room and waited. Once or twice I took her with me, to show her our garden, our pens for rare beasts, once I took her to the city and we had fun pretending we are master and the slave so she would not seem suspicious. And I was with her on Tanragar that night when raiders attacked”

She closed her eyes for a moment, then sat down on her cloak. Cold seeped even through the rough fabric, but… The cold reminded her again of her. Of that night.

“We drank maybe a cup or two more then we should, but we were celebrating. She received a letter, she got accepted to the Slagweld university. And that meant going far far away for home for a few years. To learn new things, see new places, meeting new people. And I could still just step through the void to see her. Her father left along with his karls to the big city and was supposed to return in few days so… Good time to let ourselves loose a little no?

Then the raiders came, as dravei raiders use to, iron skyship pierced the void and appeared on the sky, warriors armed to teeth in the streets, chaos, screaming, fires. When I look back, I should’ve taken her, through the void to my house. There was no way we could win, not without the men her father took away. I should have saved at least her. But no, she was her father's daughter, shieldmaiden, she would not leave her people and I would not leave her alone. So we fought, back to back in battle we could not win.

And when they surrounded us, I claimed she is my slave and they have no right to touch her. Of course, I was not dressed in the armour of my house, they had little reason to believe me. And they did not but they hesitated for a moment. I should take out insignia of my house at that moment, but with blood rushing in my head, I was not thinking straight. I took a crossbow from the ground, bolt lying nearby and I shot at the leader. You know the code of honour forbid draveii to use ranged weapons against the other draveii right? I missed, of course, I shot the man behind, and of course, with my luck, I hit him in the visor of his helmet. And then they were all over me and I remember I was kicking, punching but without much effect. But they didn’t try to kill. Why should they? So the world faded to black under the flurry of blows.”