The caravan traveled at a leisurely pace, stopping at smaller settlements here and there as it continued to Camp Drybone.  The region was familiar to Jessika, in the borderlands of the Shroud and Thanalan.  They’d passed many adventurers on the road, trading and repairing gear.  Every night seemed to be another cause for celebration and a feast, though not of the same extravagance as that first night.  Familiar with the surroundings, Jessika would go hunting when they stopped, bringing fresh meat for the evening meals.  Every night she’d slept under the stars, curled up next to Sani.
The last town they had camped near was now half a day behind them, and the next was still several bells away. Â Jess and Sani were resting, riding in a wagon instead of walking along with the mercenaries as they had for most of the morning.
“I think you’d be fine with a bow, love.â€
Sani smirked.  “Oh love, I’ll pick up a bow if you pick up an axe.  How about that?â€
Jess opened her mouth to reply when a sharp whistling sound caused her to stop. Â She glanced around in alarm.
Sani looked confused for only a moment before a scream rang out. Â Both girls jumped from the wagon in a rush, following the sound.
One of the men in the caravan, a leather-worker, was lying on the ground gripping his arm and clenching his teeth in pain. Â An arrow with black fletchings stuck out from his forearm, and blood rushed from the wound as a healer came running to join him.
Without any orders the caravan halted, the wagons immediately circling to form a wall around the rest of the party. Â Drivers unhitched their chocobos while sellswords and a few of the caravan members retrieved their weapons and moved outside the barrier. Â Jessika watched, impressed by the quick reaction.
She felt a tap on her arm, and looked down to see Sasanecco offering her her bow and quiver.  “Jessika, it’s time to see if you’re as good with your bow at taking out an enemy as you are at supplying us with a good meal,†Sani’s father said, always one to break the tension with a joke.
Behind him, Jess saw Sani buckling on bracers and leg guards, her war axe leaning against the wagon she had pulled it from.  She checked her armor one last time and picked up her giant axe.  Her father was by her side, hefting a greatsword out of the wagon.  Sani looked at her father and grinned.  “It’s been a good long time since we’ve played together, Papa.  Think you can keep up with your little girl?â€
Her father took one last look at her, smiling tauntingly.  “You think I taught you everything I know?  The master must keep some back in order to remain the master.† He moved out from behind the protection of the wagons and charged at the bandits, leaving Sani and Jess staring at each other in surprise.
Jess finally shrugged, letting a small smirk play on her lips.  “Love you.â€
Sani grinned wide.  “Love you, too.â€
The girls moved out from behind cover and joined the fight. Â The sellswords earned their pay and then some, but the caravan would tell the story after of how the leader, his daughter, and her lover defeated the horde.
The movements of the tall Elezen were near impossible to follow, as Jess fired arrow after arrow into the fray, some coming within inches of those holding back the horde. Â Her aim was true, her confidence and skills honed from over a decade of practice. Â When a hole would be opened in the line, Sani would jump into it, bashing one here, cutting another, leaving a trail of dead or dying behind her. Â Her father was not holding back either, every slash of his sword relieving another attacker of an extremity. Â The two small dervishes rolled through the enemy, a rain of arrows combining with the storms.
As the battle waged on, the enemy began to relent and finally broke, turning to make their escape back into the safety of the Shroud.  Their archers covered their retreat as a rain of arrows fell to hold the advancing sellswords at bay.  Sani and her father had seen the tactic before and held their ground, anticipating another attack; if the losses were too great, the raiders would likely abandon the attack, searching for easier prey. Looking at the mass of dead or dying on the ground, it was a safe bet that they would not be returning.
Sani turned once more to her father, still smiling, “You didn’t do half bad, old man.†She giggled as she teased her father.
“Look here, you young pup!  You know I can best you any day!† Sasanecco smiled wide.  “It’s good to see you’ve been keeping with your training at least.  You did well today, as did your lady friend.† He pointed at Jess as she fired another volley after the fleeing bandits, felling another.  “She’s a keeper, little one:  you did well in choosing her.â€
They waited to ensure the battle was truly over before Sani and her father made their way back to the wagons along with the remaining mercenaries, stopping from time to time to end the suffering of one of the enemy who hadn’t yet passed on.  They piled the bodies of the attackers and burned them, saw to their own wounded, and moved on, hoping to make the next settlement by dusk.
The last town they had camped near was now half a day behind them, and the next was still several bells away. Â Jess and Sani were resting, riding in a wagon instead of walking along with the mercenaries as they had for most of the morning.
“I think you’d be fine with a bow, love.â€
Sani smirked.  “Oh love, I’ll pick up a bow if you pick up an axe.  How about that?â€
Jess opened her mouth to reply when a sharp whistling sound caused her to stop. Â She glanced around in alarm.
Sani looked confused for only a moment before a scream rang out. Â Both girls jumped from the wagon in a rush, following the sound.
One of the men in the caravan, a leather-worker, was lying on the ground gripping his arm and clenching his teeth in pain. Â An arrow with black fletchings stuck out from his forearm, and blood rushed from the wound as a healer came running to join him.
Without any orders the caravan halted, the wagons immediately circling to form a wall around the rest of the party. Â Drivers unhitched their chocobos while sellswords and a few of the caravan members retrieved their weapons and moved outside the barrier. Â Jessika watched, impressed by the quick reaction.
She felt a tap on her arm, and looked down to see Sasanecco offering her her bow and quiver.  “Jessika, it’s time to see if you’re as good with your bow at taking out an enemy as you are at supplying us with a good meal,†Sani’s father said, always one to break the tension with a joke.
Behind him, Jess saw Sani buckling on bracers and leg guards, her war axe leaning against the wagon she had pulled it from.  She checked her armor one last time and picked up her giant axe.  Her father was by her side, hefting a greatsword out of the wagon.  Sani looked at her father and grinned.  “It’s been a good long time since we’ve played together, Papa.  Think you can keep up with your little girl?â€
Her father took one last look at her, smiling tauntingly.  “You think I taught you everything I know?  The master must keep some back in order to remain the master.† He moved out from behind the protection of the wagons and charged at the bandits, leaving Sani and Jess staring at each other in surprise.
Jess finally shrugged, letting a small smirk play on her lips.  “Love you.â€
Sani grinned wide.  “Love you, too.â€
The girls moved out from behind cover and joined the fight. Â The sellswords earned their pay and then some, but the caravan would tell the story after of how the leader, his daughter, and her lover defeated the horde.
The movements of the tall Elezen were near impossible to follow, as Jess fired arrow after arrow into the fray, some coming within inches of those holding back the horde. Â Her aim was true, her confidence and skills honed from over a decade of practice. Â When a hole would be opened in the line, Sani would jump into it, bashing one here, cutting another, leaving a trail of dead or dying behind her. Â Her father was not holding back either, every slash of his sword relieving another attacker of an extremity. Â The two small dervishes rolled through the enemy, a rain of arrows combining with the storms.
As the battle waged on, the enemy began to relent and finally broke, turning to make their escape back into the safety of the Shroud.  Their archers covered their retreat as a rain of arrows fell to hold the advancing sellswords at bay.  Sani and her father had seen the tactic before and held their ground, anticipating another attack; if the losses were too great, the raiders would likely abandon the attack, searching for easier prey. Looking at the mass of dead or dying on the ground, it was a safe bet that they would not be returning.
Sani turned once more to her father, still smiling, “You didn’t do half bad, old man.†She giggled as she teased her father.
“Look here, you young pup!  You know I can best you any day!† Sasanecco smiled wide.  “It’s good to see you’ve been keeping with your training at least.  You did well today, as did your lady friend.† He pointed at Jess as she fired another volley after the fleeing bandits, felling another.  “She’s a keeper, little one:  you did well in choosing her.â€
They waited to ensure the battle was truly over before Sani and her father made their way back to the wagons along with the remaining mercenaries, stopping from time to time to end the suffering of one of the enemy who hadn’t yet passed on.  They piled the bodies of the attackers and burned them, saw to their own wounded, and moved on, hoping to make the next settlement by dusk.