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A dangerous dance	By : Solaris & Manta Category: +M through R > Mighty Ducks Cartoon Views: 1282 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Mighty Ducks, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-A dangerous dance
- 2-Chapter Two.
- 1
- 2
Title: A Dangerous Dance.

Author: Kaladan Flashblade

Rating: NC17

Summary: Mallory dates Rowain.
Disclaimer: No copyright are harmed in any ways in the writing of this story. I do not own any of the Mighty Ducks, nor do I make any money off of this story, only my original characters are mine.

Feedback: Constructive reviews would be nice; flamers can keep their fingers quiet. Author's note: I hope you enjoy this story. Now onto the story. Please review. Thanks.
Nazan Skyhawk was watching Mallory very carefully since she came back from the mission that the upper brass placed her on, there was something different about her. He knew she was either falling in love with the wrong Raptrin or that she was confused about something. He walked over to her and asked, “Mallory, are you alright? You look confused or at least falling in love with someone you shouldn’t?”
“I’m fine, just thinking a little too much,” Mallory walked away from him and headed for her chambers. ‘How did he tell that I was falling in love? I thought I hid my emotions, very well. I hope I am not that evident with Rowain.’
The mere thought of the civilian police officer sent chills down her spine. Something about him made him attractive to her. She liked him very much. But she wondered if he would even dream of going out on dates with someone like her. All she could do was hope he accept her offer for a night on the town and maybe she could do it more often if he didn’t mind.
Nazan smirked. "By the expression I'd say that is the latter, don't get over your head."
Mallory turned to look at him and nodded before she slipped into her chambers and looked at the calendar. She wondered if Rowain would go out on a date, she would have to leave the base to find out. She quickly got into an aero car and drove past the guards and headed towards Raven’s Court.
The gates were open, she half wondered if they were ever closed. She took a deep breath and parked the aero car. This was his territory and she knew nothing about it, would she even get in to see him? She took a breath and walked through the gates and up to the doors and rang the chime. She stood there for a few minutes before the door was swung open and she came face to face with another Raptrin female.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“I wish to speak with Rowain Ringdove please.” Mallory asked.
“I’ll see if he will speak with you. Name please?”
“Mallory McMallard, we worked together on a military/police mission.” Mallory said.
“Wait here.” The female nodded her head and pushed the door closed. Mallory almost felt insulted by that. But she stood there looking embarrassed and out of place standing there.
“Yes, Cleo.” Asked Rowain, seeing her enter his office.
“There is an outsider standing on our door asking to see you. Said her name was Mallory McMallard.” Cleo said.
"Show her in, she's harmless."
“Are you sure? She’s of their military and they hate our people!” said Cleo.
“She’s harmless as she is a friend who understands us, Cleo.” Rowain stated gently.
Cleo breathed out, there wasn’t anything she could do to make him think otherwise for if he said she was friend then she must be accepted in. Cleo returned to the door and pulled it open. She looked at the female standing there. “He will see you. Follow me,”
Mallory felt Cleo's icy gaze on her as she entered Rowain’s office, the woman gave her the creeps. Once the woman was out of the room, Mallory asked the question about her.
“Oh, I must apologize for her. Our people do not really trust woosenames very much and when we find one who we can trust, they usually end up breaking the trust with us one way or another. Cleo doesn’t like outsiders very much.” Rowain said, as he waved his hand to one of the chairs in front of his desk.
“Woosenames?” asked Mallory.
“Our term for outsiders, Mallory,” Rowain stated. He looked at her and smiled slightly. “So what brings you here?”
"I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me for a night on the town."
"Do I have your interest that much? Most people who have tried to invite me out find I'm rather boring."
“You boring, nonsense, Rowain,” Mallory said. “I don’t think you are boring. Quite interesting, I say.”
"Very well, I'll go with you but no alcohol."
“I don’t really like the stuff myself,” Mallory said. “So how about tonight, at eighteen hundred hours,”
“That sounds fine to me. Shall I meet you at the gate of your base or you come here?”
“Meet me at the base. I know of a little café that we can have a nice dinner at.” Mallory said, as she stood up from the chair.
“Alright, I’ll escort you out to the gate, Mallory.” Rowain said as he stood up and walked Mallory down to the gate making small talk as they went. “See you tonight, Mallory.”
Mallory smiled and waved as she drove off. Rowain walked back to the door when Cleo blocked his way.
“What did the woosename want?” Cleo asked.
“She asked me out on a date, Cleo.” Rowain said, as he walked past her.
“She’s setting you up for a killing, Rowain,”
“I don’t think so. I think she is interested in me,” he replied, as he headed towards his chambers.
"Do you honestly think it is wise? Such people should never be trusted."
Rowain shrugged. "She's a red head, I can deal with Lolita, and she shouldn't be as hard."
“She might be tougher, she’s military and Lolita is a stuck up red head,” Cleo said.
"Do not underestimate Lolita; just because she likes following in her mother's footsteps doesn’t mean she's weak."
Cleo refused to say another word and walked away from him. “I say watch your back with her.”
Rowain sighed, there were times when Cleo just didn't get it, then again he never expected her to, she did her job and he did his. He went to his chambers and pulled out some of his better clothes and felt that he should at least dress down from his normal outfit that she had seen on him before.
~~~~~~
Mallory was back at the base and she was going through her own closet. She had only military garb but for one lone sundress that was red. She looked at it and placed it on the door. She looked at the dress and hoped that the higher ups will allow her to have a night out tonight so she headed to see the general.
Much to her surprise Nazan was waiting for her outside the office. "I believe this is what you wanted," he said as he handed her the leave pass. "As much as I think you are entering a dangerous dance between life and death, it's your life. Good luck."
“Thanks, Nazan,” she took it from him, walked back inside her chambers. She placed the pass on the dress and looked at the clock. She had at least another eight hours before the date. She decided to go on the training course and get a long run in before three pm.
Three pm came and gone as Mallory walked back to her chambers where she took a long shower and fully dried her hair before walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body.
It was odd how Nazan knew what was going on, but then again all of them seemed to keep good communications. At least she got the night free, though she'd have to finish up some paper work. Mallory sat down on her bed and picked up her papers and started to finish them off before she got dressed in her sundress.
Her alarm clock rang off at 1730 and she quickly hurried put on make up and the dress before she walked down to the gate to wait for Rowain to appear.
His car drove up about ten minutes later. "So where to?"
“It is about a five blocks away from here north. It’s on the right side of the street.” Mallory said as she got into his car.
They drove to the café and to Rowain’s opinion he thought the outside of the cafe was old looking and he liked it. “This café reminds me of home.”
”I’m sorry, if I had known I wouldn’t have suggested the café,” Mallory said sadly.
Rowain waved his hand. “No, this is a good thing. Good memories of home.”
Mallory led him to a far away table for two and sat down. “Tell me about your home. Surely you miss your folks being down here and they up there in the land of the Doves.”
"Dublin is the home country, though I grew up here in Keltor so this city and Raven’s Court is home to me. I honestly don't want to live in Dublin Prime it's a pretty rough place."
“So you were born and raised here?”
“I was born in Dublin but I lived here in Keltor. My folks moved down here soon after I was born. I didn’t even live in Dublin except for short periods of a week or two.”
“Hi, welcome to Café Lata. I’m Denise. What can I get you to drink?” asked the white feathered, black haired waitress.
“I’ll have a cup of tea, no cream, one sugar cube please,” Mallory said.
"Suscan Coffee, black." Rowain told the girl without even looking at the drink list.
“I’m sorry sir, but we don’t have any Suscan coffee. We ran out over a month ago and they haven’t been back to deliver our order of three hundred pounds of it.” Denise looked sad towards Rowain.
Rowain glanced at the girl, by the look of her she was new. "The owner keeps five pounds of a special dark in the back for Suscan and Raptrin clients. Go check if you don't believe me."
Denise went to the back and asked where the special dark coffee for Suscan and Raptrins are. It was about two minutes later, she returned blushing hard.
“I’m brewing a fresh pot of coffee for you. There are not much of the coffee beans left only a pound of it. I hope we last till the shipment arrives in another week,” Denise said, as she pulled out her pad. “What will you be having to eat?”
“For the time being our tea and coffee will do,” Mallory said, looking at the girl.
Denise nodded as she headed to the drink place and made Mallory her tea and looked at the coffee pot to see that enough coffee had been made for a cup of coffee. She poured it into the cup and grabbed a few packs of sugar and grabbed the cream before she returned to the table and gave them their tea and their coffee. She did ask if they wanted something to eat.
“I will have the lightly sugar doughnut. Rowain, what will you get?” asked Mallory.
“Do you have any Suscan pastries?” asked Rowain.
“Yes, it is filled with peanut butter jam,”
“I’ll have that,” Rowain replied. He forgot what the pastry tasted like as it was a long time since he got it. After the girl left, he turned to Mallory and said. “I am shocked that they had my favorite pastry.”
“You mean the Suscan pastry with peanut butter jam is your favorite?” asked Mallory.
“Yes and it tastes great. The last time I had it was when I was a child. It is eaten only during special occasions like a marriages or a celebration of a child’s birth or even to celebrate the end of a life,” Rowain said. His eyes looked like he was recalling a memory that he nearly forgot.
“What was the occasion?”
“The death of my grandfather on my dad’s side, he lived for a long time, ninety years before he passed on. He was not sad to leave us, as he said death is the next adventure in life.”
"Sounds like he came to terms with everything,"
Rowain smiled bitterly. "When a child is born among my people it is both a celebration of life and of mourning since most children’s lives are short. A funeral is a grand celebration, the only time it is somber is when the Black Dove dies."
“Has it happened in your lifetime?”
“Not yet, our current Black Dove is quite healthy for an eighty year old Raptrin and he still workout with his sword every chance he gets. He is poetry in motion when he is wielding his sword. Not many people workout when he is on the mat as he is someone you want to watch as he basically is the best at wielding his sword. His daughters Lolita, she wields a whip and Charlotte tends to be good with the scythe, energy or none, and she’s more lethal than he is when it comes to fighting with the energy scythe. I have seen her kill within two minutes of the first swing. She doesn’t give an inch and doesn’t get one back.” Rowain said.
"How old are they? The girls that is,"
"Charlotte will be 8 this year, Lolita is 17."
“Charlotte is eight and she kills?” Mallory whispered, looking at him in shock.
“Yes, I made my first kill at age seven and I’m only twenty-one years old.” Rowain said, matter-of-factly.
Mallory gulped. "Do you have to do it often?"
"Only as needed, but my people are trained at young age to be ruthless."
“Like the assassin who killed my team and the military officers?”
“Yes,”
Denise arrived with their pastry and the doughnut. Mallory looked at the pastry and wondered how it would taste as Rowain started to cut into it. He took his fork and placed a small piece of the pastry onto her plate.
”Have a taste of it. You will enjoy the taste.” He said, as he started to nibble on his piece that he had on his fork and then took a sip of the coffee. “Take a sip of your tea right after you have a bite. It will intensify the taste.”
Mallory did so and her eyes went wide, she hadn't expected such an intense flavor.
"I've never tasted anything like it."
"You should try more Suscan food, despite what regular people think, they have access to more then some of the richest ducks."
“I guess I should give their food more of a chance.” Mallory said, as she looked at the menu again. She noticed one section that was written in a strange tongue. “Do you know what is written in this section?”
Rowain looked at what she was pointing at and smiled. “Suscan writing, the owner must be a Suscan or a Raptrin as both races know each other’s writing,”
"Let me guess they don't share it with ducks."
"As a rule no, though if you want to learn I'll teach you the basics,"
“I would love to learn your language. We do have couple more hours left in my pass from base. Think that might be enough time to teach me the basic skills to understand the writing?” asked Mallory.
Rowain smiled as he pulled out his pad and started to teach her the basics of the Suscan language and then added the Raptrin language to it. It was about an hour and half later, and several pastries later, Mallory finally figured out the language itself. But it was still a bit hard for her to speak it. Rowain smiled as she was getting better with it. “It will take time for you to actually learn how to speak it like a native or a Suscan or a Raptrin would, Mallory but you are doing quite well with it.”
“Nazan will be shocked when he hears me speak in Suscan.” Mallory said with a smirk.
"Surprised and probably voice concerns."
“When he gave me my pass, he said, ‘ I think you are entering a dangerous dance between life and death’. I don’t know why he is so concerned about me dating you.”
“Dating? You mean this is a date?” asked Rowain, his eyebrow was raised in mild shock.
Mallory looked down at her tea cup and nodded. “I wanted to get to know you better and figured that you might not take to having someone like me ask you out on a date so I kind of lied about this.”
"I can see Nazan's concern; people who want us would use you as a means to get to me."
"So if we date I become a target for people like that assassin."
"It is a risk; it's up to you if it's worth it."
“It’s worth it. I am learning a lot about your people and the language that they use. Might prove to be useful in a crisis, Nazan and I could communicate in the Suscan language and be able to get our people to safety or get out of a serious crisis.” Mallory said.
"One thing you will have to keep in mind is that sometimes duck history and Suscan / Raptrin history conflict. We don't fight wars we simply end them, war turned a paradise into a cold waste."
“I remember reading somewhere about a myth about Puckworld being a tropical paradise.”
“It was no myth, but the truth.” Rowain stated.
"Really? Was the change gradual?"
"No, it took place in a matter of months; most remember that war as the Saurian invasion, as it was a civil war planetary war, known as the vendetta."
“The one that Drake DuCaine fought in and his wife managed to end after his death?”
"It ended for a couple years then it started up again, at that point to end the conflict the planet was made a waste and people either had to work together or become extinct. The Suscan and my people were not fazed by it, but the ducks were sent into a dark age."
“Which we are slightly coming out of, the Dark Age that is,”
"There still is a long way to go and you’re not in the clear yet, there are bound to be grudges remaining."
“And if they try to beat me up, they will have a very pissed off duck who is very good at hand to hand combat.” Mallory said. “Plus give me a puck gun and I’m even better.”
All Rowain could do was laugh.
"What’s so funny?"
"You’re thinking small, for those that still hold grudges it would be an invasion force."
“That counts for them too. I ain’t letting no invading whoosename try to take over my world without a fight.” Mallory said as she finished her tea and waved the girl over and asked for a cup of Suscan coffee with cream and sugar.
Rowain snickered. "You really are funny Mallory."
Mallory looked at him. “What do you mean I’m funny, I’m pucking serious about this?”
"I know. That's what makes it funny; Puckworld has been out gunned for a very long time. The only thing that keeps this planet safe is a couple old treaties."
“What old treaties?” asked Mallory, as the girl returned with the coffee, sugar and the cream.
Rowain reached over and poured the cream into the coffee cup and tore open three sugars and stirred them together. “Taste it, you wouldn’t like it black not till you get use to the flavor.”
Mallory took a sip of the coffee. It was far more different than any coffee she had before. “Okay why did you not answer me about the treaties?”
“Because you wouldn’t believe me and say that they are only myths,” Rowain replied as he sipped his coffee.
"Probably, especially since we haven't encountered any other planetary civilization."
“Only if you have been off planet, I have and I have seen Saurians,” Rowain stated calmly.
“I saw bones of a creature that the archeologist said was an extinct species at the museum?” Mallory alleged.
“Nope, not an extinct species a real species that still thrives to this date.” Rowain whispered softly.
"But that's not possible; if they were out there wouldn't we have made contact?"
"Has it occurred to you Mallory that they avoid contact with ducks on purpose? Ducks had their chance and blew it."
“Blew it?”
“Yes, blew it when Drake DuCaine attacked their ancestors and sent the ones he captured alive to dimensional Limbo.” Rowain stated calmly. “They only deal with Suscans and Raptrins.”
"Why?"
"Well the Suscans are natural merchants, and Raptrins didn't get involved, most of the time both just keep to their own politics."
“Oh, so they have their own leaders and military?”
"Correct, the Suscans have 9 leaders that form the Suscan council they command large galactic fleets, those the ships are merchant vessels they are still well armed. Around Raptrins is the order of the Doves. Our leader being the Black Dove,"
“And does he have a council that he listens to before making a decision that might hurt or help his people?”
Rowain nodded. “He does that only when he is unsure of the decision himself.”
"And your people accept that without question?"
"Without questions, though his daughter is always challenging his orders." Rowain shrugged. "No one else does though, after all, the Black Dove only has one shot, once dead, its oblivion."
“Oblivion?” asked Mallory.
“Death comes to our Black Dove and slays him personally and at the same time slays his immortal soul meaning he has no chance at reincarnation.”
“That’s awful.”
“True but as Lord Collin told me once; it is well worth it to protect his people. Till the day the prophecy is fulfilled.”
“What prophecy?” asked Mallory.
"When a Shadow will take down Death and become the new Death."
“And what will happen once that happens?”
“The Black Dove will die in his or her own time and not the picking of Lady Death,” Rowain stated.
"So your people are a bit superstitious."
"Not quite, at this point it's only a matter of time; the rest is simply common knowledge. The funny thing is with it, no one willingly wants to be at the top."
“Because they know what it would mean as in their immortal soul,” Mallory said.
Rowain nodded. “Anything else about our leaders?”
“One thing, who is the Shadows for Lord Collin?”
"Lolita and Charlotte, they are his daughters, Lolita is next in line." Rowain looked at the time and started to stand up. “I better get you back to base as you are about to break curfew.”
Mallory looked at the clock and started to bang her head on the table as she finished the coffee and stood up. “I hope they haven’t locked the gate yet. We have to hurry.”
Rowain threw down a bill and looked at the girl. “Keep the change.” And he hurried out the café, towards his car and started her up as Mallory hurried to the car and hopped in. They made it in time.
“Want to do another date?” asked Mallory. “It is very interesting.”
“I would like that. Tomorrow afternoon?”
“I’ll see if it is possible. Bye Rowain.” Mallory waved and hurried through the gates just as the MP started to close the gate.
~~~~~~~
Weeks later, Mallory and Rowain were talking in the café speaking fluent Suscan, even though Mallory would mess up a word here and there. Rowain suggested that she try a real Suscan meal from start to finish at Raven’s Court one night.
“I would love to try it,” Mallory replied.
“Then, in two days, I’ll come and pick you up for the dinner.” Rowain smiled as he looked at her. She didn’t feel like she was just an ordinary duck anymore to him, she was beginning to be something more to him. ‘Was he falling in love with her?’ He wondered to himself. He shook his head to get rid of the thought.
“Rowain, are you okay? You got that faraway look to your face?” asked Mallory, waving her hand in front of his shades.
“Yes, I’m fine, just thinking about someone,”
“Who?”
“Lord Collin, he collapsed in the Great Hall this morning and gave us all a scare but the doctors say he’s okay. But I do not believe it. I think he’s sick and maybe starting the process of giving the title and status to Lolita,”
“You think he is dying?”
“Possible but with him, anything is possible.” Rowain stated as the girl came by and refilled their coffee cups with more Suscan coffee.
"You make it sound as if something is wrong about it."
"Lolita has flat out denounced being the successor; she wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps."
“Then, that leaves Charlotte to become the head Shadow and the next in line.”
Rowain nodded. “But I doubt Charlotte will take that step as Collin will threaten to do harm to those she cares about. He usually is very successful at getting her to obey his wishes. I doubt she wants to put her friends into any danger done by her father.”
"That’s cruel."
"That’s politics; I told you before no one become the Black Dove willingly."
"It’s still not something a father should do. Poor girl,"
"It's in the people’s best interest, Lolita has a good reputation among Suscans, she's brighter then her father and can easily make alliances. She is also more powerful then him. She’s a living weapon with Suscan magic. Dublin needs her, that's why Lord Collin is being so harsh."
“But wouldn’t he just tell her outright why he needs her to remain as his heir without threatening her friends who might be one day her greatest allies?” asked Mallory.
"Greatest allies, maybe, and Lord Collin hates ducks as a rule so he wouldn't pay much attention to who they are."
“Who knows maybe one day they might be allies to the Doves via their ties to Lolita, but anyways, how are you doing?”
"I'm alright, things have been quiet, you?"
“Nazan thinks I should stop seeing you. But you are just as addictive as this coffee is.” Mallory said.
Rowain laughed. “Addictive me?”
“Yes, you,” Mallory said, as she reached over and kissed him.
Rowain went quiet and waited for her to pull away. "I like you a lot Mallory, I just don't want this to go any further unless you are sure you want to be with me, any further and it's hard to go back."
“What do you mean?” asked Mallory.
"You're an outsider, if you want this to go further you will have to learn my people’s ways, it's not pretty and most can not handle it. It’s up to you though. I won't force it. Don't get me wrong, I like being with you, but I am bound by tradition."
“I’ll do it, just so I can be with you,” Mallory said as she leaned over and kissed him again. She whispered, “I’m so horny right now, I’ll mate you right on the table.”
Rowain’s eyes went wide when he heard those words. He lowered his shades just enough to look Mallory in the eyes. “Are you on the Lust?”
“No, but I’m horny,” Mallory whispered, her foot started to caress Rowain’s leg in a seductive manner.
Rowain sighed and got up. "Then find pleasure elsewhere, I like you but I'm not that type of Raptrin." he said as he walked out of the café leaving a confused Mallory.
Mallory sat there looking shocked and then she started to cry because of her own hormones she possibly ruined a good relationship with a good Raptrin. What she didn’t know that outside of the café stood Rowain watching her as she collapsed in the seat crying hard. He liked her but not in that way. She was a friend only not someone with whom he would mate with. He sighed and walked to his car and drove away from the café.
The waitress noticed how he left and her response, she couldn’t help but to go over to the table and ask what was wrong.
“I possibly made the biggest pucking mistake of my life. I told my best friend that I wanted to mate with him and he was turned off by my question to him. I ruined my friendship with him over my pucking hormones,” Mallory said, as she dried her tears with the back of her hand.
"You could always apologize." the waitress suggested.
“I could always do that but would he accept my apology?”
“If it was me, I would accept your apology. Hormones can be very strong even before the bleeding day and the Lust happens. I know when I am close to start is when my hormones start acting crazy and I find someone who I totally know would not be interested in – very hot and very sexy. I would tell him it is your hormones that was talking and hope that you can repair your friendship before its too late,” the girl said.
“Thank you, I think I will write him a note and apologize to him that way.” Mallory stated.
“I’ll get you a piece of paper to write on.” She said as she headed to the back and got a pad for her to write on. She filled up her coffee before she placed the pad down. “Take your time in writing out the apology to him. The words might not come out immediately so jot down what you are feeling right now and go from there.”
Mallory looked at the pad and started to write down her feelings. Soon, she tore that up and wrote another letter, ripped that out and started again. Finally, the letter was done; it was short and to the point. She realized that she had to use the restroom and got up only to notice the spot of blood on her uniform. Her face went as pale as it could go. ‘No wonder I was so hormonal, I started, great.’ She hurried to the female’s restroom and washed her underwear in the sink before placing a thick pad on her underwear and hoped she could get the letter to Rowain before it started to drip any harder. Then again maybe she should wait till after her Lust that way she wouldn't have her hormones getting in the way.
She returned to the base, headed for her room where she got into her robe and headed for the tub where several females were located at.
“Are you on the bleeding day?” One of them asked, as Mallory started to fill up the empty tub with water.
“Yes, just started about fifteen minutes ago.” Mallory said as she wrote the time of when she started on the board above her tub as she removed her robe and slowly submerged into the water.
The girls all started to talk about their boyfriends and what they plan on doing after the day of blood was over. Just as Mallory started to get some sleep, she was wakened by the loud giggles that was in the room.
Mallory moaned softly. “Ladies, a question; would you apologize to someone for trying to nudge them into a sexual relationship and they turned you down and you found out that your hormones was the reason why you nudged them?”
"Got shot down? I'd apologize but who really knows if you can keep control the next time. Mind you a guy that could turn a girl down without second thought is a little odd. Unless they are attached most drakes wouldn’t be so quick."
‘Maybe Rowain is married and that’s why he shot me down? He doesn’t want me in a sexual way because it would threaten his marriage,’ Mallory thought to herself.
“The guy you want probably is married and hangs out with you knowing it won’t go there and you wanted him. Probably scared him,” spoke another girl.
"Maybe, I'll ask Nazan just to be sure."
“You talk to that strange Raptrin?” asked one of the other girls, as they all looked at her shocked.
“Yes, I do. He’s in the Special Forces like I am,” Mallory replied.
"He’s creepy, rumor has it he enjoys the idea of bloodshed."
“I heard that rumor about him.” Mallory said.
"Is it true?"
"He simply enjoys being a soldier. Which is good because he is an excellent one,"
"He’s still creepy, but if you think he can help you then there is no harm."
“Thanks,” Mallory said, as she reached the stopper and emptied the tub of the bloody water and turned on the taps to get fresh water into the tub. She sighed as this was the first time her bleeding day got that bad.
~~~~~~~
Three days later, she went into her room to change into a fresh uniform and saw the letter to Rowain. She picked it up and read it. She decided to go visit Nazan and ask him about Rowain’s marriage or if he is married.
She found him in the training room. "Nazan, I need to ask you something. It's kind of personal."
"Ask away."
"Is Rowain attached?"
Nazan held back laughter. "He isn't, why do you ask?"
Mallory blushed. "I made advances that I probably shouldn't have."
"My advice is to be careful, Rowain is a Mark; and thus has to take his relationships seriously, he's not allowed to gallivant, and one wrong move on his part could have a lot of repercussions. Also here's a warning, if you can't kill in cold blood you may as well walk away now instead of regretting it later."
Mallory didn’t know if she could kill in cold blood. “Why?”
"It’s expected on anyone who marry someone of the council ranks, there is no tolerance for weakness."
“Rowain is a council member?” asked Mallory.
“He never told you?” Nazan asked. Mallory shook her head. “Then, he’s an idiot for not telling you about his rank,”
"He did mention that he was a living weapon."
"So he did drop a hint then."
“I guess I am the idiot one since I didn’t pursue the hint he gave off,” Mallory stated, as her right foot started to hit her butt.
Nazan made her stop kicking herself. “Learn and live, Mallory. So what are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure, I want to apologize for the advance but now I am starting to be scared that he will not accept my apology,”
“Doubting yourself if he would accept your apology? I known Rowain for many years and yes, he probably got offended and walked away from you but he would accept your apology,” Nazan said before he headed for the locker room to shower.
"Do you think there is a way to make it up to him?"
"Ask me after I clean up."
“Okay,” Mallory sat down on the bench and looked at the letter she wrote to Rowain.
It was about an hour later Nazan came back from the men’s locker. "I'm not sure why I'm going to help you this much, but you’re going to have to get two weeks leave to do it."
"Do what?"
"It's a tournament, a bounty hunters’ tournament. It would be an idea date if you both participated. Though it'll either make or break your relationship with him."
“I’ll see if I can get two weeks off and sign me up,” Mallory said as she hurried out of the workout room.
"Mallory, wait a minute."
"Yes Nazan?"
"This tournament involves a lot of blood shed, so make sure you can do it."
“War brings out blood in a lot of people, Nazan. I can handle it.” Mallory said as she walked away.
“I hope you are right about that, Mallory. Maybe I should tell Rowain about Mallory doing the bounty hunters’ tournament?” Nazan said to himself. He smiled as he hurried away.
~~~~~~~~~
Nazan appeared before the gate leading to Raven’s Court. He strode towards the door; knocked on the door and the door opened to reveal a Raptrin female standing there. “Need to see Rowain, Cleo.”
“Okay, he’s in the workout room. Something or someone made him angry,” Cleo said, as she closed the door behind him.
‘Angry, nah probably his feelings were hurt.’ Nazan thought to himself as he hurried towards the workout room to find Rowain wielding a sword at a dummy. “Did you know that Mallory was only minutes away from her bleeding day, Rowain, when she asked you to mate with her?”
The swing that Rowain was about to do stopped in mid air, Rowain turned to look at him shocked. “What did you say?”
“Did you know that Mallory was only minutes away from her day of blood?” Nazan asked as he leaned against the doorframe.
Rowain stood up from his battle stance. "I wasn't sure, though I'm glad I walked away, otherwise I may have over reacted."
Nazan nodded. "It's something you can't be lax about. Do you even think Lord Collin will accept your choice?"
"It's going to take time, and I don't want to present her till she can meet all challenges."
“Well, she entered herself in the Bounty Hunter Tournament that is coming up. I think she is willing to do everything in her power to get you back. I think she feels that she destroyed her friendship with you by what she did and is doing that tourney as a way to get you back or to show you that she can live in our world and her own.” Nazan said nonchalantly.
"Very clever Nazan, you knew I was entering it. Think she can handle it?"
“When I suggested it, she said enter me in it, I’m going to see the General and stormed away. I think she will handle it. But you know they have ranks there. How can I get her in the rank that would make her actually kill another hunter, when she, herself is a rank amateur?” Nazan stated.
"Train her, you are an assassin. It should be a simple task."
"In such short time?"
"She's like our Shadow, she'll learn quick,"
“I hope so, I better get back and let her know that I need to train her in the ways of a hunter or she’ll be killed before she even get a shot in,” Nazan stated, as he turned to walk away, he stopped in mid stride and turned back to him. He pulled something out of his pocket. “She left this behind when she left to talk with the General. It’s for you.” Once it was in Rowain’s hand, Nazan hurriedly left the workout room for the front door. He decided to give Mallory a nickname and a face mask to hide her look and not tell Rowain where she was at. Make him look for her or maybe let her actions speak for her.
Rowain looked at the letter in his hand. He knew it was tear stained by the look of it. At first, he didn’t want to read it but his curiosity got the better of him and he opened it. ‘Rowain, I know I probably hurt your feelings by my request and I probably have lost your friendship too over it. But I was only moments away from my day of blood. The real me wouldn’t have been so upfront with my feelings but my hormones was doing the talking that day. I will understand if you never want to see me again. I am sorry that I ever said that to you. Please accept my apology for asking you to mate with me. I am sorry. Mallory’
Rowain tossed the letter, she was already forgiven. He knew he wouldn’t just drop a friendship over a simple case of a female duck’s hormones. She was still his friend and he started for his office to write her a letter in return to let her know that she was forgiven but stopped himself, ‘why not let her prove herself to me without letting her know that I have forgiven her? She would remove herself from the tourney if she knew that I have forgiven her. I want to see how she handles the bounty hunters and the bloodshed that comes from it.’ He went to the showers and took a long shower.
After he cleared the workout room and prepared it for what he needed, Nazan walked towards Mallory’s chamber and knocked on the door. The door slid open to reveal Mallory standing there. By her look, he knew she got time off. “Follow me and not a word. It is time for you to be trained in the ways of a hunter. To get ready for the tourney you must be trained.”
Mallory nodded and followed him to the workout room where she saw weapons of different kind from a staff to a sword case and a case for a helmet of some kind.
“We will start working on hand to hand combat and then I will add a weapon to the mix after you learned to do the hand to hand combat, Mallory.” Nazan said coldly. “You will not call me by my name only Master for I am your Master. Now fight.”
Nazan went right into hand to hand combat with her, not even giving her the chance to get ready for it. He made her fight hard for an hour without stopping. He wanted her to work hard and harder than she ever did before. He wanted her to be as perfect as possible so she could have the chance to win Rowain’s heart back.
He leapt towards the staff and grabbed one before he returned to fight her. He attacked her with the staff to see how she would react to it. She took several blows to her sides and to her arms but she kept attacking even though she was blocked by the staff. He smirked as he watched her expression go from shock to the look of determination to get rid of his staff. He knew in two hours, he will switch weapons again but the next moment he found her fist in his face and his staff in her hand. How did she do that? He wondered. I had a good hold on the staff? He scowled, he was going to have to keep a close eye on her.
Mallory felt the pain in her ribs and her arms as he attacked her. She tried her hardest to get the staff from him but then she noticed that he went lax on the staff, she decided to go as fast as she could and yank the staff from him. ‘Yes!’ she cried out mentally as she shoved the staff into his face.
Nazan turned and raced towards the other staff before she could start her attack. She raced after him swinging as she went. “You aren’t supposed to do that. That wastes valuable energy!” He turned and charged her with his staff in hand, making her block and attack with the staff.
This went on for another two hours with the staff, making her sweat very hard. It also got a crowd from the other military officers and personal. He decided to grab the sword and see how she would react with them, although he left the sheaths on, he would drop the sheaths after he got her some armor on her shoulders and around her neck and waist. He noticed the look of shock in her eyes and the gasps from the watching crowd. He was fully aware of the crowd and ignored them but Mallory was not ignoring the cries. “Mallory, pay attention to me, not the crowd, do not heed them, picture them not being here. Watch your opponent as that is what you need to watch and listen for. If you get distracted by the crowd you are good as dead. A soldier never allows himself to get distracted, it is a sure way to get himself or herself killed.”
"But--"
He pinned her. "No buts, you want your shot you are going to have to learn quickly. In a battle there are no second chances."
She grabbed his head and slammed her head into his and rushed for the weapons, grabbed the sword and even though she didn’t know how to wield it, she attacked with it.
He deflected it and restrained her. "You loose this one, better luck tomorrow."
Mallory looked at him. “Meaning I’m done for today?”
Nazan nodded. He whispered to her. “Tomorrow morning will be the start of more training. We do not have much time before the tourney and you need to be on top of your game to win.”
“Okay. But why did you use the swords?” asked Mallory.
“You will be using one in the tourney and you need to know how to handle one.” Nazan stated, as he took the sword from her and placed them in their sword case and locked it. He glanced over at her. “If you don’t know how to use one, you are as good as dead.”
"No guns I'm guessing?"
"No guns, no magic, just sheer skill."
“So that is why you are going at me with all your strength?”
“If I was, you would be on the ground dead. That’s how fast and strong I am when it comes to fighting, Mallory. I am very much deadly when I fight. I don’t take prisoners unless I need to get information from them and then I kill them.” Nazan whispered to her.
"What is your real profession?"
Nazan grinned. "I'm an assassin."
“So being a soldier isn’t too far away from being an assassin?”
“You could say that, it just has a lower pay for doing my job which I could get more credits for as an assassin,” Nazan replied.
“So you get more for being an assassin than being a soldier?” Mallory asked as they sat down by each other.
“Yup, there is usually someone out there who wants someone out of the way and will hire an assassin to do away with that person for a price. For me, if the person wanted someone dead, a hired hit would cost them; three mil or more depending on how the hit is to be done and the more complex it got the higher the price went. A soldier doesn't even get that much per year.”
"So why be a soldier?"
"It's a hobby for relaxing, I know for you it's a serious job, but for me when the higher ups here see me doing stuff and are impressed I'm only doing it half assed."
“I think they are impressed with how you handled me today, they clapped and cheered,”
“In a fight, you are supposed to pay attention to your opponent or you are good as dead, Mallory. Be thankful, this is only training the ones at the tourney can be duels to the death especially the higher rank you are the more likely you are to kill your opponent but those duels are very rare now. They don’t allow that to happen anymore.” Nazan stated.
“So what rank would I be?” Mallory asked.
“Rookie, unless you get better in the next two weeks,” He said before he walked to the showers.

Stay tuned, the next one is coming.
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A dangerous dance