It all started on one of those quiet days. One of those days spent fishing and swimming and generally taking it easy.

I remember that I was sunbathing at the time, a soft breeze tickling my skin as I listened to Shadow chomping on a clump of grass and Jeanette chatter on about anything and everything. You know how bards get.

I learned a long time ago how to listen to her without actually listening; how to filter out the idle gossip from the interesting stuff that required me to nod or make some kind of noncommittal noise of agreement.

Gods, she can talk. And her theories! You wouldn't believe some of the things she comes up with.

That day was a definite theory day and I had on my serious face, greeting every new bardic revelation with a shrug or a "yeah, I can picture that".

That was something else I learned a long time ago - never make fun of a finely worked theory from a ticked off Amazon with a big stick. No matter how outlandish the theory, no matter how harebrained the theory, no matter how much your sides ache from holding back the laughter. Warrior Princess or not, it bloody hurts when she hits you with that thing. And three days of the silent treatment tries anyone's patience.

So anyway, there I was, flat on my stomach, armour draped over a nearby tree, weapons tucked into Shadow's saddle miles out of reach, sun tan coming on very nicely thank you when she comes out with the most STUPID thing I have ever heard her say.

Yes, even more stupid than, "Hey Tyaunna, that Alexander guy - I think he has a thing for you."

Even more idiotic than, "Do you think my being a virgin has anything to do with all these kidnap and sacrifice attempts?"

"Tyauanna," she says, "you know the moon..?"

And I actually look up, which was a really dumb thing to do. If I had kept my head tucked into my arms I might have got away with it. But no, I had to look up.

"Yes, Jeanette," I say, "I know the moon."

"Well," she continues, and I can almost see the cogs whirling in her mind, "you know the moon looks round..?"

I can't help myself, "yee-e-ees..?" I draw the word out, giving her ample warning, I feel, that this one is going to be difficult for me to take.

Does she notice? Does she Hades.

"Well, I have this theory, right?"

I had guessed that much.

"I have this theory that if the moon looks round from here, you know, from the Known World? Well, perhaps the Known World looks round from, well, you know…the moon…"

If I had been sitting on a chair I would have fallen off it laughing. I gave serious thought to building a chair just so as I could do that. As it was I just held my breath until I thought I would burst and watched her as she watched me.

If she didn't expect an answer, I thought, I may get through this unbruised. I let my head fall back onto my arms and slowly expelled the breath.

"What do you think, Tyuanna?"

Oh damn and blast and bloody smelly horse poop.

So, anyway, one afternoon's sunbathing went right out of the window.

Later, I was walking along next to Shadow working out a good story in my head which would explain the black eye.

Yeah, laugh it up, but you try ducking when you're already lying on the ground.

"Pirate War Lords", I'll say to anyone who asks, "there were these ten…no, twenty…HUGE Pirate War Lords and they all attacked at the same time, and I had to protect Shadow, and Jeanette was off talking to the trees or something equally bard-like, so she couldn't help me out, and before I knew it one of them had walloped me a good'un."

Yeah, that's believable.

And since the Bardic One is no longer talking to me, she won't contradict me.

Ha! Perfect.

A person approaches …let the games begin…

Okay, so the scruffiest peasant on the road listened patiently to my amazing story of heroism, courage, best friend neglect and all round tragedy and laughed like a drain.

It's be all round Dreaded Lands by the end of the week.

Great…

It took years to work on this reputation!

On the way back to the Village of Tanaroa returning from the beach front I looked around the village and out of no where sprung this group of pirates that ambushed us taking us both captive and enslaving us both using a very powerful source of magic to do so forever binding us to the leader of this group.

~Story continues through rp so please rp to find out more~