Lothan

Uh oh, she was in trouble now. She hadn't meant to talk to those soldiers, but once she met them, she had to, to save her skin. They had started to get down to talk to her eye to eye, and she knew that as soon as they did, she would be overpowered. Thankfully, her hand-to-hand combat skill took over, and she was able to get away. If those two muddy soldiers hadn't come along....well, she didn't want to have visuals at this point. It could have become messy. As it was, it was still messy, and she had to do something. Soon. She thought she may have been able to hold them off for a bit, but she was moving too slow with that branch, and had to leave it. That problem now was that they were going to catch her if they could. She couldn't risk that. At least not yet. They would slow her down. She had to get to her village as soon as possible.
Soon she reached Lothan, and the sight visibly disturbed her. Well, it wasn’t every day that you came across a village in this state of disorder. Really, it was odd. The outside homes were deserted, but the central village was completely swarming with not only men and women, but children, and what seemed like all of the animals in the village.
“What’s going on?” Varrelle asked a little boy as soon as he was in ear-shot.
“Didn’t yew know?” the boy asked in a voice that bordered on scorn and involved a lisp, but was laced with excitement. “The Thiltinianth are attacking me village.”
“What?” Varrelle said wildly. They couldn’t be. The fact that she might be sold back into slavery was unbearable.
“Yew aren’t from around here, are yew? Yew look thort of different from me mum and aunties.” the tike asked.
“No, I’m not.” she said dazedly.
“Well, yewd better get movin’, or ye won’t find a place of thafty afore the tholdierth come.
“Yes, I suppose I do have to get moving, don’t I?” she said quietly.
As she continued to push through the crowd, her mind raced. This was NOT what she had in mind. Not at all! She needed to find someone in charge.
She bumped into a small woman on the edge of the crowd.
“Excuse me madam, but you wouldn’t happen to know what’s going on here, would you?” she asked quickly.
“Why yes deary, I do. The Siltinians are coming. Not a large group I hear, but they are plundering villages. Our men-folk will take care of them, I’m sure.”
“Well, I’m glad that you are so certain of that." Varrelle said pertly
"Well, I'm sure that you can afford to sass me, looking like you do." the old woman said rather ungraciously.
"I don't have a choice as to my apparel." she said coldly
"Well I can't just let you walk around half naked." the woman replied "I have a few extra dresses in my shop. I'll let you have one, simply because it's what needs to be done."
"Thank you." Varrelle said humbly
They walked to a nearby shop and saw 3 dresses in the window. One was a light violet, and of a rough cotton; one was of a red, and made of a soft wool; and the final one was the same sapphire as Varrelle's eyes, and was of the same soft wool as the red dress.
The old woman seeing Varrelle's face light up at the sight of it, unbolted the door and got it out of the window.
"Here," she said, "there is a room in the back for you to try it on in."
Varrelle slipped into the room and tried the dress on. It was a little looser than fashion demanded, but otherwise, it fit perfectly. She tried a couple of combat moves, and decided that although it wasn't at all practical, she could still do what she needed to in it.
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed to the old woman.
"It's no problem." she said grumpily, " I just didn't approve of you going around half dressed, thats all."
As Varrelle walked out of the store, she saw an armorer standing outside of his shop. He was handing out weapons to the men of the village, and she boldly walked up to him.
"What do ye want gurl?" he asked in a harsh voice.
"Knives sir, if it pleases you." she answered demurely
"Knives? What would a nice gurl like yourself be wantin' with a knives?" he asked nastily. "Cutting things." she replied, "I need 3 flat knives. One for my belt, one for my shoe, and one for around my neck."
"Ay, but yur a queer one to be asking such things. I tell ye what. Check with me after I'm done givin' the real fighters weapons. THEN we shall see what's left."
This was better than she thought it would be. She wasn't very good with knives, but they were simple enough for someone to weild. The fact that the armourer hadn't said something more on the matter, or denied her her request was a miracle to her.
10 minutes later he called her over.
"There are 2 flat knives left. Neither is in wonderful condition, and ye are going to have to sharpen them, but if ye still want them........" he told her.
"Yes sir, I do." she said gratefully.
Putting both in her rough bag, along with her other supplies, she was heading out into the crowd again, when a voice cried out, " THE SILTINIANS ARE COMEING!"
She ran as fast as she could to the edge of the crowd, and waited.

(This is guineagal's next chapter. Did you enjoy it? guineagal is a splendid writer! I am honored to be able to create a story with her. :) It is unchanged except for some spelling and two inconsistencies that I found)