May We Meet Again
They heard the sound of a car approaching quickly. They had been in the kitchen.
“Go get your bow. I’ll get my swords. Kijo.” Leksa held her arm out and he climbed up onto her shoulder. Leksa ran towards the front door, violently swinging open the door that held her swords and throwing knifes. She unsheathed her swords when she heard the car crash into something in front of the house. She frowned. That wasn’t very peacekeeper behavior. She crouched and headed to the closest window. She peeked out and saw the disaster the front yard was now. The car had run straight into the fence and had kept going for a few feet, just barely stopping before the wall into the house.
She held her breath as a door was opened but quickly released it as she saw who exited the car. Anya quickly stepped out of the car, not bothering to close the door to the car. She headed to the front door and Leksa looked at the swords in her hand. Hopefully Snow hadn’t sent her to kill them. Anya swung open the door.
“Leksa!” She called into the house. “I’m not here for Snow. I’m here to help.” She glanced around the small hallway and looked at the open closet. Leksa stepped from her hidden spot by the window.
“Prove it. How can I trust you?” Leksa held her swords, flexing her arms.
“In 20 minutes more cars are going to show up. They’ll have guns Leksa. You need to get dressed and you need to leave here.” Anya had warpaint on and was standing straight. “If you don’t trust me then kill me here. Snow doesn’t know I left. I’m a traitor to them now Leksa. They’ll kill me when they get me.” She explained. Leska locked eyes with her, looking for any sign that she was lying. “Where’s Klark?” She looked around for any sign of the blonde.
“She’s fine.” It was a quick response but Kijo had moved from her shoulder to hang from her back and the momentary shift of weight surprised her almost healed back.
“Here.” Anya threw a bag at Leksa’s feet. “It’s your outfit from the games. It suits you. Yes, I had it washed, and yes there's no red cape. There’s an outfit for Klark as well. You two must change and prepare yourself. You’ll need to run soon.” Anya’s eyes flickered from the small monkey, whose head was poking out from behind Leksa, to Leksa.
“Well, make yourself at home.” Leksa briskly walked past her and grabbed her sheaths and her throwing knives. She headed toward the back door in the kitchen and poked her head out.
“We’re safe for now!” She called out. Klark would come inside in a few minutes and Leksa would help her dress, unsure of how the outfit would look on her.
It was a few moments but Klark was back in the house, her quiver on her back and her bow in hand. She saw Anya and quickly had an arrow on her bow and her bow pulled back.
“Can we trust her?” Klark’s eyes flickered from Leksa to Anya.
“Yes. We need to put these on.” Leksa held up the jacket that had been made for Klark. Klark nodded and put the arrow back in her quiver. Leksa laid out Klarks outfit on the table. A jacket that would go to Klarks hips was the first thing laid out. It zipped up and had a clasp at the neck to hold the top together. The next thing laid on the table was a light blue shirt. It was made out of a light and airy fabric and Leksa loved the feel of it. The pants she laid out were similar to her own in style but weren’t as black as Leksa’s were. The combat boot were the last thing laid on the table. They laced up with buckles, unlike Leksa’s, which could just be pulled on and laced on the top. Anya nodded at Leksa and left the two alone in the kitchen to get dressed.
“Will you do my warpaint?” Klark pulled the shirt over her head and then kicked off her shorts.
“Yes.” Leksa pulled the hair back by her temples and used a strip of fabric to hold them in place. There wasn’t time for braids but she would need it out of her face if they had to fight. “Is the jacket light enough for you? We can always leave it.” Leksa briskly pulled her pants on, having opted out of shorts that day, and buttoned them. She grabbed her throwing knives and quickly had the holsters around her thighs. “You should put your hair back too.” Leksa advised.
“Okay.” Klark had her pants on and was working with her shoes, trying to get them laced up and ready to go. Soon she was pulling her jacket on, leaving it zipped open. She pulled the quiver back on over the jacket and pulled her own hair back in similar fashion to Leksa’s.
Leksa held the warpaint in her left hand, a heavy feeling settling in her stomach. She shook her head, trying to clear the nasty thoughts and got a good bit of the black paint on her fingers.
“Turn your head to the left.” Leksa instructed. She brushed the paint from Klarks temple to her eyes, letting it be thicker by her temples and lighter by her eyes. It would bring out the color of Klarks eyes while making her look dangerous. “To the right...please.” Leksa added in the please to show her patience to Klark. Klark had obviously noticed and slightly smiled as she turned her head. Leksa finished with Klarks warpaint and applied it to herself, doing her usual from the temple to the eyes, and then the three tear marks. She put the warpaint back into the bag and handed it to Klark.
“Go and get your sketchbook and my book please. I’ll grab some food and try to talk Anya into coming with us.” Klark nodded and placed a quick kiss against Leksa’s lips.
Leksa rummaged through the cabinets. They had a little fruit left and some dried meat from her hunt a few days before. She threw it all onto the counter.
“Anya?” She called out. She heard footsteps and Anya was before her. Leksa grabbed the t-shirt she had discarded for her shirt from the games and handed it to Anya. “Wrap the meat please. There’s a waterfall with a cave about 45 miles north of here. I found it last week. Meet us there when you can break free from the fight.” Anya met Leksa’s gaze and knew not to argue.
“Okay. Give me two days to get to you but if I don’t make it, you have to promise me you’ll move on.” Anya finished wrapping the meat and set it down softly beside Leksa.
“Deal.” Leksa stuck out her arm, her hand open. Anya grasped Leksa forearm and they exchanged a warrior’s shake, their eyes locking and everything they wanted to say to each other passing in the air between them.
“Leksa. I hear the cars. Put your swords on your back. We need to go.” Klark looked at the wrapped shirt on the table with the fruit and instantly put it in the bag, putting the back over top of her quiver. Leksa took the swords and quickly felt the familiar weight of the X on her back.
“May we meet again.” Leksa blinked back her tears as she nodded at Anya. Kijo squealed from Leksa's shoulder in goodbye.
“May we meet again.” Anya echoed Leksa. Leksa opened the back door and handed Klark her bow.