Ethan, her childhood friend

Ethan looked at the map as his carriage moved down the road. He was getting close. The village Azar was staying at should be in sight soon. He willed the map to roll up in his hand before sliding it into his jacket. He had kept in touch with her ever since her 'exile'.

The first time he sent a letter to her, he hadn't gotten a response. He knew she needed space so he gave her some time before sending another letter; still no response. He kept sending one every week in hope to contact her. Fortunately for him, his tenacity paid off. She finally answered.

She had written about her rampage, how she had let loose as she tore through the village and the surrounding area. To some it might have been off putting, the way she'd talk about her fights and such. Always going into detail about how she felt and how she savored the battle, Ethan for the most part skimmed through some of those parts, but they were expected. It was who Azar was, so he learnt to deal with it.

They had been a strange duo ever since they were younger. Ethan had always been fascinated with magic, often finding himself studying in the library whenever he was available. While other boys loved to play outside and rough house, Ethan had been a bookworm who rather spent his days with his head in a book.

Azar meanwhile had been the exact opposite. She loved the outdoors, she thrived in it. She was always active and always training. She loved to fight more than anything else. Where other girls concerned themselves with status, wealth or romance, Azar loved to brawl.

___

It had been by chance they had met.

Ethan had been bullied and picked on by some boys for his nerdy demeanor. Those boys had been the sons of some knights, so they felt like they could control the other kids. Azar saw them. That was how they had first met. She had caught his eye while he was beaten and bleeding on the ground, and he had caught hers.

"What are you doing?" She questioned, her voice low and monotone. Ethan felt relieved when they stopped to entertain her.

"Stay out our girlie. We need to teach this runt how to be a man." One boy had told her. Azar had scowled at this.

"Oh really?" She questioned as she glanced at each of them. Any fighter worth their salt would never approve of such...distasteful methods. There wasn't any honor in ganging up against a single individual who was already at a disadvantage, and there was certainly none, when said person was already on the ground and bleeding. "What did he even do to deserve this?"

The boy had decided to humor her. They told her why. They thought Ethan was weak, they wanted to emmasculate him. It didn't change her mood, not in the slightest. Then one of them made a costly mistake.

"Listen here you pansy." One of them chuckled as they pulled Ethan's bruised face from off the floor. "Boys like you, are the worst kind of filth. What am I saying, you aren't even a boy." They spat in his face. "You're just a pretender. You think anyone will love you if you act like a girl." He then turned to Azar and rested a hand on her shoulder. "This is what a real girl looks like." He told Ethan before pushing his head back in the ground.

"Alright cutie, what do you say when we finish up, you and make something for us to eat." He told Azar. The girl in question kept her magenta eyes at the arm that was still on her shoulder.

"I don't cook." Azar whispered darkly as her expression darkened.

What happened next, had landed her in trouble with a few of the knights. It turns out that people seem to dislike it when you break the bones of their children. Worse yet if those were the knights' children.

___

"I want her arrested." One of the knights complained. The Captain glanced at the report and then at the man. "She needs to be made an example out of. That is no way to treat my son."

"Oh really?" The Captain questioned. They had taken the testimonies of all that was present. Many of the details that he had acquired was painting him a different picture than what he was being told. "Why should she be?"

"Why should she? She assaulted my children." He told the captain.

"And what about your children's **** charges?" The captain questioned. "Those boys had ganged up on another and beaten him black and blue. Should I charge them as well?"

The knight tried to retort but he couldn't find any words. Instead he watched as the arrest warrant he made was torn up and thrown in the fire. With nothing left to say the knight had left, leaving the Captain alone.

"A fighter who will defend the weak." He mused as he opened his desk. He pulled out a form with a list of potential knight recruits. One name had been crossed out, the name of the knight's son, next to it, the Captain wrote Azar's name.

___

"He wants you to be a knight." Ethan repeated as he looked up at Azar, his book all but forgotten. After he recovered, he went to meet Azar and thank her. She didn't want any thanks, she didn't believe she needed to be thank for such an action, but Ethan was determined to thank her. Eventually one thing led to another and that desire to show gratitude became a friendship.

The Captain had come with a deal for Azar. He'd drop all charges, if she agreed to become a knight. She'd get all the formal training she wanted, and a steady job when she finished. It was a miracle if they were being honest. Or at least that's what it had seemed at the time.

"It's not for me." Azar admitted as she lay down next to him on the field. She loved to fight, but the knights had so many rules and restrictions. It wasn't her style.

"It's a good opportunity." Ethan admitted. "You'd get to fight all the bad guys you want and you'd get paid."

"I mean it sounds tempting, but I doubt I'd be able to do it."

"Why, you scared?" Ethan chided.

"Hardly. I'd probably get kicked out for my behavior." Azar admitted.

"Oh please, with your skills, you'd trounce them so hard they'd have to accept you. You're the strongest girl I know."

"I'm the only girl you know." Azar teased.

"You're the only girl that talks to me." Ethan corrected. "All the others I know don't even know my name."

"I'm sure once you become a grand mage, they'd throw themselves at your feet." Azar responded. "Or better yet, you can use a spell to make them grovel at your feet."

"If I become a mage. I've already failed the entrance exam twice. I fail it again this time, and that's it. No one will teach me."

"It's all in your head. If you focus and keep calm, you'll do great. You're an incredible magic user." Azar encouraged. "I'll tell you what. If you go and try again with the entrance exam, I'll go and train to be a knight." Azar offered.

"Are you serious?" Ethan questioned. "You'll throw away a once in lifetime opportunity just to prove a point." He said in disbelief.

"No, I won't. You'll throw it away for me. It's your choice on whether I go or not now." She told him.

"This is emotional ****."

"Is it working?"

"Alright fine. I'll do it." Ethan grumbled. "But you better hold up you're end of the deal and go regardless of what happens to me."

"I promise I will go regardless of what the outcome is." Azar smiled as she turned to face Ethan. It was then that she did something alien to him.

Azar hugged him and she whispered. "And Ethan, I believe in you, I know you won't fail."

A few years later and it had happened. He became a mage and she was a knight. It had seemed like everything was going well, until it didn't.

"I should never have pressured her into doing this." Ethan thought as he saw the village coming into view. He was going to find her and apologize for telling her to join the knights. Whatever she did to him afterwards was up to her.

He also needed to warn her.

Thud....

Something had landed on the roof of the carriage. Ethan pulled the reins forcing the horse to stop as he heard footsteps on the roof. He turned to look at the top as he heard the footsteps getting closer. It was heavy, like a person, someone one was on his roof. Letting go of the harness, Ethan made a fireball in his palm as readied himself for whoever might jump him. When he heard them reach close enough he moved up and threw the fire ball over the roof.

Unfortunately or rather fortunately, the figure managed to jump and twirl out of the way, still staying on the roof. Ethan's eyes widened as he recognized the person, mentally cursing himself for being so reckless.

"My my my....is that any way to greet your old friend, Ethan." Azar smirked at him as she put a hand on her chest. Ethan stared at a loss for words at Azar's appearance. He didn't know how...but she had gotten more beautiful than he remembered.