The battle raged. Soldiers, in chain mail, on both sides fell. A small soldier in a red helmet slashed swords with a big, brawny soldier. The small soldier wielded the sword right-handed while fending off other attackers with a shield on the left.

The  big soldier stumbled on the slightly uneven ground, leaving himself vulnerable just long enough. The red soldier struck and thrust the sword under the big soldier’s left arm burying it almost to its hilt and then withdrew it. The large soldier stared, mouth agape as blood flowed from the wound. He clutched at the hole and fell to the ground.

The red soldier didn’t have time to breathe before another thrust a sword, and engaged the red soldier in another battle. The red soldier did notice from the corner of the eye that the entire battle was slowing down. Many soldiers lie dead or wounded and others were turning from the battle. The red soldier fought on. The opposing soldier raised his sword and brought it down toward the red soldier’s head quickly. The red soldier ducked, dodged and thrust a sword, but the opponent’s sword caught the edge of the red helmet knocking it from the soldier’s head. At the same time the red soldier’s sword slashed the opponent’s arm.

The opposing solider stood agape. “You’re a woman?” Then regaining his wits about him, he shoved her behind him. “Stay behind me and we shall fight our way out of here.”

The woman hit him over the head with her shield. “We most certainly will not! We are fighting on different sides. Why should that change just because you know I am a woman?”

He looked at her and noticed a streak of blood on her left cheek. He reached to wipe it away and pushed the chain mail hood off her head allowing her fiery red locks to flow free. When he wiped the blood, he found she had received a slight slash in the battle.

She threw her left arm upward, knocking his hand away from her.

“You are a feisty one. What are you doing in this fight?” The corners of his mouth twitched.

She glared into his stormy blue eyes. “I have a score to settle with Sir Wallace.”

“And have you fought with Sir Wallace today?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“No, I could never get near enough. There were always too many other soldiers to try to battle through.”

“Where did you learn how to fight?”

She pulled herself to her full height. “My brothers taught me. They wanted to be sure I could protect myself while they were off at war. Now, are you going to finish this battle or not?”

“I will not fight a woman, especially a woman as beautiful as you.” He winked at her.

She lifted her shield level with his chest and propelled herself toward him, knocking him to the ground. What she hadn’t anticipated was losing her balance and falling right alongside of him.

His laughter started as a low rumble and grew to a loud roar as she struggled to rise to her feet. Before she could do so, he leaned over her. She caught her breath at the intensity in his eyes and the nearness of him.

Then his lips were on hers, soft and wet. The kiss lasted just a minute. Then he climbed to his feet and reached a hand down to her.

“Come. I shall take you to Sir Wallace. I would love to see the two of you face off.”

She wasn’t sure she should trust this man, but she would do anything to get close enough to Sir Wallace to end his life, so she cautiously followed the soldier who had kissed her and made her wonder what it would be like to fall in love.