by K. A Knight
So I stay closer to camp, not wanting to tread on other memories as we set up. I place my crossbow just on the edge of our circle, and rest my katanas there as well, as we warm up, stretch, and then jog the perimeter for at least thirty minutes, side by side, and it’s like old times.
It feels right.
“Spar first, let me see what we are working with,” he suggests once we stop, and I nod, swiping the sweat from my brow. I think I’ve gotten better and I have been practicing, so I am weirdly looking forward to him kicking my ass.
We stand opposite each other and I raise my fists, making his lips twitch as he takes in my stance. “Easy. What does the winner get?” I inquire, and he groans, but then seems to perk up.
“You mean what do I get? Well, the winner should get to be big spoon all the time,” he teases, and I roll my eyes.
“You liked it and you know it. Now, are we fighting or flirting, big guy?” I taunt.
He winks at me then before jumping into action, coming at me fast. For a moment, I have a flash of another man, another time, coming at me, and fear flows through my veins, but I grit my teeth and push it away. I can’t afford to let flashbacks control me and I know Jago would never hurt me. He either doesn’t notice or doesn’t comment, but it does mean I’m too slow to avoid his leg sweep. I go down hard, but then roll to the side to avoid his punch and jump back to my feet behind him, kicking at the back of his legs. They bow and he stumbles, letting me leap onto his back and encircle my arm around his thick neck.
I wrap my legs around him to hold on as he tries to throw me off, and rain kisses on his neck and face, making him huff with laughter. “Brawler,” he warns, so I hop down and circle to face him, grinning as he rolls his eyes at me, but his lips are turned up in a smile.
He comes at me again, a whirlwind of fists, and I duck and weave, using the environment. I dance behind trees and he almost punches one. I slip around the side, kicking out at his waist, and he gasps and hunches for a moment before straightening and coming at me again.
We spar for a long time, but I tire faster than he does, and not too long after he has me pinned to the ground, my hands above my head as he grins down at me. “I. Win.”
But it’s not his face I am seeing.
My chest aches as I stop breathing, my heart racing as my whole body goes cold like I am retreating inside myself. I can’t see him, his face swimming and replaced with those of my attackers. Until I feel them pulling at my clothes, their hands and rancid breath wafting over me.
“Brawler?” I hear him call, worried, but it sounds far away.
I can’t move, I can’t fight, I’m trapped until his hand squeezes mine, and it’s like a switch is flipped. I start clawing and kicking, and tears race down my face unchecked as I fight the ghosts of my past. There is not much logic happening, I know they are dead, but I can feel them…see them.
Oh God, not again.
I can’t, not again.
“Brawler, look at me.” The voice is stronger now, closer, and a smell hits me, a familiar scent, causing me to freeze again. I stop fighting and blink, my eyes swimming into focus to see Jago. When he notices I’m back, he lets go of my hands and sits up so he isn’t holding me down.
Swallowing, I lie there for a moment, embarrassed and in pain, until I can’t take it anymore. I sit up and meet his eyes. I don’t know who moves first, but suddenly I’m in his arms and he is holding me, whispering in my ear as I cry into his chest, just getting it all out.
A while later, when I have no more tears, he places gentle kiss after gentle kiss on my head.
“I’m sorry, next time I’ll know, okay? You can do this, Brawler, you’re so strong.” I pull back and he cups my face. “So strong, you hear me? And when you aren’t feeling strong, I will be right here for you to lean on.”
I close my eyes. “Thank you. I love you,” I whisper.
“I love you too.”
“It’s weird that we are sitting here crying on the ground, want to go back to fighting?” I tease, but it falls flat.
“Brawler, we don’t have to if you need a minute,” he assures me, stroking my face, so I open my eyes.
“No, I need to, I need to keep moving. I broke, but I’m back up. Let’s keep going,” I insist and get to my feet, offering him my hand. He takes it and stands up, squeezing it before letting go.
“If you’re sure, let’s go.” He nods and steps away.
I blow out a breath, focusing on the here and now—the way the sun is heating my skin, the smell of him, the sight of him—until I feel normal. He helps bring me back, and we spar for a while until we hear people begin to head our way, ready for training, then we stop and take a drink. “You lead, I’ll help.”
“These are your people,” he tells me, watching me over his water.
“But you are the teacher, we will work together. I want these people to be able to protect themselves.”
“Together.” He nods as they break into our training area. I turn to face them, happy with how many turned up. “Pick a spot and stretch! We are going to work you hard!” I call and they groan, but do as they are told.
Who knows, maybe this teacher shit will be fun. I definitely enjoyed my lessons, though that probably has to do with the hotness of my teacher and the reward system involving orgasms.
Three
Cinderella Guy
Trev comes over as they are warming up and stands between us. “We have sent scouts, they will be back tomorrow,” he tells me, and I nod, watching as a woman is barely able to bend over, never mind touch her toes. “How’s it going?”
“We just started, I feel like we need a soundtrack or something to get these people going,” I mutter. I had watched an old kids’ film once, where the main woman was disguised as a man and she sung a song as she was training. Would that be weird to do it right now? I would guess probably, so instead I hum it, and Jago looks over at me with his eyebrow raised. “Mulan, really?”
My mouth flops open as I point dramatically at him. “Oh dear God, you are a secret Disney nerd!” He frowns at me. “You watched them all, didn’t you? You know the words…oh dear God…do you know the dances?”
“Brawler,” he warns, as Trev huffs a laugh. “They were always playing during the early morning in the cinema, is all, and I couldn’t sleep.”
“Uh, sure thing, nerd.” I grin and his eyes narrow on me as he steps closer.
“Say it again,” he challenges.
“Now, big question, who is your favourite princess? I bet you’re a Cinderella guy, right?”
“Run,” he orders, as I laugh and duck around Trev when he tries to grab me.
“You totally used to touch yourself over Disney princesses, didn’t you? I bet if I sing, you will get all horny!” I tease, and then duck again as he tries to grab me once more.
The people have stopped stretching now and are watching us, laughing and smiling as he chases me around the clearing. All the while, I am screaming Disney lyrics to him. He eventually catches me and throws me over his shoulder as he strides to the front of the class. He slaps my ass and then ignores me, leaving me hanging there.
“Now, first things first, I need to know how much you know. We are going to test you and then pair you with someone on your level. We are going to work on hand-to-hand and weapons, so you will need to get your stamina and strength up in your own time,” he instructs, pacing in front of them, like he isn’t holding me hostage over his shoulder.
“Big guy,” I whine and lift my head, but he spanks me again.
“Shush, I’m trying to teach,” he snaps, and then raises his voice again. “Youngest first, line up!”
I look at a grinning Trev, the blood rushing to my head. “Help me?”
“Nope.” He shakes his head and I snort, blowing my hair from my face.
Fuck it, ninja mode initiated.
I wiggle on his shoulder and when his hand loosens, I throw myself forward, rolling last minute and ending up on my feet. I turn, gr
inning to see him watching me. “Ninja Piper at your service!”
“Well, ninja Piper can go first then, show them what to expect.” His lips twitch and I groan.
“You enjoy my misery way too much for a man who watches Disney. Oh my God, you liked the villains best, didn’t you?” I shiver in fake horror and he groans.
“Line up, Brawler!”
“Sir, yes sir!” I salute, winking at Trev as I slip past, and I whisper to Jago as I go, “I can call you that later if you like, or maybe sing you a song, whatever floats your boat.” I spank him, making him jerk at my touch.
He groans as I stand at the front of the line, his fire eyes blazing as he turns to face me and the rest of the able-bodied fighters. “We are going to spar, this way I will see how fast you are, how quick your reflexes are, and what weaknesses you have. Be prepared, I won’t go easy on you, you might get hurt, but out there? They won’t go easy either, they will try to kill you whether you are ready or not. It’s better it happens now so you know how to react to the pain than when you are facing down a sword or a gun.” Murmurs go through the crowd. They look uneasy, so I step away and face them, turning serious.
“He’s right, I went out there thinking it was easy, that it has to be exaggerated, that I could handle myself. I was wrong, I soon learned that. This man has saved my life and if you let him, he will save yours too. We need to be ready, even if no one attacks you here or we decide to stay hidden, you never know what will happen. Just the other week we were attacked by eaters, in our very homes, and next time we may not get as lucky. We can’t stand idly by, we need to be prepared. It will be hard work, he will make you want to quit at least three times in the next hour and wonder if you are crazy, but the outcome? The hard work pays off, and when you get into a fight, which will happen, and you know how to defend yourself and the ones you love? You will be thankful for this then. I know he is a stranger to you, an outsider, but so was I. I need you to trust me, to trust him. If you do, he will give you everything you need to protect you and yours.” My speech seems to rally them and they nod, still nervous and unsure, but trusting me, hearing me. I turn to Jago then to see a proud look on his face. “I will demonstrate first so you know what to expect, watch how we move, what we do.”
I step up to him and he dips his chin in thanks, facing off with me. “Pulled blows, no bloodshed,” he instructs, and I nod, blowing out a breath and centering my body. I watch him for hints he is going to move, but he gives me none, just comes at me like a wild animal, all speed and strength. Only my training keeps me out of his clutches. Having sparred with him before, I never really won and I always got hurt, but each time I got hurt a little less. The pain and bruises are worth it, and one day I will be able to keep up with him.
I duck and weave, trying to think ahead like he taught me, but his movements are so unpredictable that I just have to roll with it, relying on my instincts. I barely duck a punch aimed at the side of my head, the air whizzing as his fist flies past, and while he is unprotected, I sucker punch him in the side and kick his legs before dancing back, grinning when he smiles at me, proud of my moves.
He comes at me again, and this time I meet him, we trade blows, forgetting about our audience, and they gasp and clap. He manages to kick my legs and I roll, groaning at the instant pain, knowing I will have a bruise there later. He comes after me, his feet fast for his size. I turn to the side and then leap up, making a weird noise as I thrust my fist at him, not expecting it to connect, but it does.
Right into his face.
We both freeze, my fist still touching him, his eyes wide, and then suddenly he starts laughing, even as he reaches up and prods at his nose, trying to see if it’s broken. I pull my fist back and wave it off like I meant to do it all along, my hand on my hip.
“Ninja Piper,” I state seriously.
“Lucky Piper, more like. You left your side open though, watch that next time, but that wasn’t bad,” he concedes, and I grin, pride filling me at his words. His approval means a lot to me, and when he steps back and looks at the crowd who is staring at me in shock, I almost beam, filled with excitement at landing such a hit.
That wouldn’t have been possible two months ago, now look at me.
I meet Trev’s eyes and see the respect there, and I am almost jittering as I look away. Healing, yes, I’m healing, and it seems Jago is part of that journey as well, because today, these last few days, I found something I had forgotten.
A piece of me I thought they had taken.
Me. I found the old childish part of myself, and I know I’ll never be that girl again who used to joke and tease with everyone and I have to work at it, but it’s coming back and that makes me happy. I don’t want to change all of myself, so this bit coming back, this piece fitting into place makes me feel more whole, and I hold myself straighter as he directs the next person forward who edges towards him nervously. She is an older woman, skinny and lithe, one of our scouts, I believe. Her brown hair with greying streaks is tied back tight, her face pale as she watches Jago.
“Just relax, react,” I advise her, circling her as she stands tightly, her body restricted by her panic. “Breathe in and out, let it out, you can do this. Don’t fear the pain, don’t close your eyes or jerk away, don’t let your fear conquer you, conquer it. Remember who you are,” I encourage, and when she nods, her arms loosening by her sides, I know she is ready so I step back.
“Go,” I instruct.
She lasts thirty seconds before he knocks her down, but she gets back up and I see a confidence there now she did not have before.
“Next!” I shout, and a young man steps up, looking cocky until he is knocked out with one punch from Jago who isn’t even trying.
“Next!” I call.
We go through the line until everyone has been evaluated and faced Jago. Though banged and bruised, they all seem grimmer but more alive...more energised. Like they finally understand, understand what we are trying to teach them. I help Jago pair them up and then we stand at the front again, using each other to display moves for women and men, what will work best, and demonstrating and making them practice as we prowl through their midst, correcting their forms or helping them get the move right.
A couple of hours later, we call it a day. “Well done, get some water and head back to your jobs, you did really well today. We will meet again tomorrow!” I call, and as they disperse, I see some of the men and women talking to Jago, laughing and joking with him, and that makes me smile, knowing they are slowly accepting him.
Trev joins me as we watch him. “He is one hell of a teacher.”
“The best,” I reply with a grin, remembering everything he taught me.
“Piper,” Trev starts, turning to me. “What will you do when the scouts get back?”
I sigh, I have been thinking about this very thing myself. “Go, go back,” I whisper, and then strengthen my voice. “I have to see for myself, and if it’s safe enough, I will go. I have someone I have to look for, a promise to keep.”
“Promise?” he asks.
“To an old friend. I promised I would always come back to him when we were kids with no other family. I can’t forget, though, I have to know what happened to him,” I explain, and Trev nods as we watch Jago once again.
“I hope you know your home is here now, but I understand, I won’t ask for such a promise, but I hope you stay safe and find your way back here,” he tells me, placing his hand on my shoulder. I flinch at first, but suck in a breath and the panic recedes.
I go to speak when an explosion rocks the earth, the ground actually moving, and my head snaps up, meeting Jago’s eyes as he races towards me. He takes me to the ground, his body covering mine, and only when it stops does he release me, both of us grabbing our weapons and ready to fight, but when we look to the sky, we see a plume of smoke coming from the other side of the mountain…
The mountain behind The Forgotten, the one I thought held no one or nothing…so who just blew something up?<
br />
Four
Precious
“What the fuck was that?” I ask Trev, who holds his hands up and addresses the crowd.
“Back to work, nothing to worry about,” he calls, and they break up, used to this. This has happened before…they expect this.
Who the fuck is hiding out there?
“Trev,” I snap, and he looks at me.
“Just a border precaution,” he tells me, but I know he’s lying when he glances away. “I will see if the scouts are back yet. Please wash up and get something to eat, Piper.”
And then he is gone, the lie sitting uneasily with me as my eyes go back to the mountain. Are there people living there? If so, why is Trev hiding them, protecting them? I’ll get the truth out of him, but he’s right, I’m hungry and need to wash now that I’ve made my mind up about going to Paradise.
“He’s lying,” Jago tells me, as we both watch him walk away.
“I know, it will be for a reason, though, so we trust him for now.” I sigh and look at him. “Jago, I’m going to Paradise.”
“I know.”
I blink and he grins down at me. “Really, Brawler? I know you too well, I knew you would, when do we leave?”
I leap at him and he catches me with a laugh, turning as he starts walking, his hands spanning my ass and holding me in the air. “We will wait for the scouts to return. We need to wash first though, you stink, big guy.”
He huffs. “So do you.”
“Charming, aren’t you?” I tease.
“I never said you smell bad, maybe you smell good enough to eat,” he taunts, his fire eyes looking down at me.
“Is that an offer?” I wink and gasp when my back presses against a tree. “Sneaky.”
“It’s always an offer with you, Brawler, you know I am yours. Whatever you need, even if it’s to kill someone or to fuck,” he growls, lowering his head. “You’re a bad influence. I was in control until I met you, now I’m constantly hard at inappropriate times.”
