by B. T. Narro
“I have never known the forest to be dangerous within ten miles, Jon. I only expected you to encounter rabbits, maybe a small fox, nothing over a hundred pounds for sure.” He paced a little. Then he turned to me again. “I don’t know if you somehow encountered the only cantar that has ever been that close to the perimeter, or if something about the forest is changing, but I do take responsibility for this.”
I stared, surprised that I might receive an apology from Leon Purage.
“I should’ve gone with the three of you, but I’m on a tight schedule. I couldn’t afford to leave everyone else to train on their own.”
“It didn’t look like you were helping much when I arrived.”
“After so many hours of instruction, I needed a break before I killed somebody. You’re just going to have to trust me. I’m doing the best I can.”
My temper was still hot, but then I realized something truly sad. Disappointment came over me as I told it to Leon. “That’s the problem. I don’t know how I’m supposed to trust you when you act like you’ve never taught anyone anything.”
He shook his head as he looked away from me. Then he peered at me pointedly. “Well I trusted you, Jon. I trusted you to protect those two ladies and yourself. And guess what? I was right. I don’t see a wound on your body.”
I had no response to that.
“You’ve proven that you can handle the unexpected. Even the king sees that already. Now I’m going to visit the forest as soon as I can. I may even take you and the others with me because there’s no better place to strengthen your mana.” He looked to be in pain as he put up his hands. “I will say it. Just give me a moment.” He cringed as he had a breath and folded his arms tightly.
“I made a mistake. Here’s what I’m going to do for you,” he continued quickly. “I will let your insubordination go without punishment this one time. But I swear to all that is holy, if you raise your voice at me again—”
“I won’t.” I didn’t want to hear the threat. “I’m sorry I yelled. That was wrong.” I stood up and offered my hand. “You were right to trust me to keep us safe. I can see that now. And I suppose I do trust you as well. We all make mistakes. The difference between people is who will admit to them and what they will do to amend them.”
He shook my hand with a slow nod. “That’s actually well said.”
“Thanks,” I muttered.
I still had no idea why the king had chosen Leon over another instructor, but if I was to thrive here, I had to believe that the king knew better than I did. I felt stronger and more capable than I ever had in my life. I could now cast my spell with confidence. It was like I had trained a week, just from this single day.
“So you’re not scared of Curdith Forest yet?” Leon asked with a hinting tone.
“I look forward to returning to the forest with you whenever we can.” I also secretly hoped to see Eslenda again, and not just because the image of her naked backside was vivid in my memory. I knew I shouldn’t trust someone I’d just met, but I had a good feeling about her.
“Glad to hear it,” Leon said. “Now wash up before supper. I can’t have the king seeing you like this.”
“Are you—?”
He put up his hand to silence me. “I will tell him what happened, if he hasn’t heard it already by the time the food is served. I’m sure all the daisies out there are gossiping.” He started to head toward the open door to the courtyard.
“Are there baths ready?” I asked.
“Yes, but they’re cold.”
“Will you heat one up for me?”
He laughed. Without turning around he replied, “I’d rather stick my own foot up my ass. Get Remi to do it.”
“I can’t ask a girl to enter the boys’ bathing quarters!” I called as he was almost gone.
“Then take a cold bath. It’ll put hair on your chest.”
“I think killing a cantar with a sword should prove enough that…ah.” I didn’t bother finishing my sentence. He’d walked into the courtyard and turned out of sight.
Perhaps if Aliana or Eden, or even Kataleya knew fire I would ask one of them. But I hardly felt as if I’d really met Remi yet. I couldn’t possibly ask her to enter the boys’ bathing quarters just to heat my bath.
I’d have to make do with cold water.
*****
Supper had started without me. I was starving and clean, and more excited to eat than perhaps I had been for any other meal in my life. It was unfortunate to see that Reuben was still not sitting with Michael and Charlie, but at least Remi had joined the other three girls farther down the table from the boys. They sat closer to the king, who ate with the princess and the queen as they faced all us, our long table running perpendicular to the royal table. The girls were far enough away that the king usually wouldn’t be able to overhear their conversation, but they were being quite loud right now. I could even hear my name from the other side of the large dining hall.
Leon must’ve already spoken with the king. Our instructor was sitting alone in the far corner of the room. I wondered if he wasn’t just bored but could even be lonely.
What had he been doing before coming here? Did he have any family? I would’ve been surprised if he even had a single friend, given how rough he was around the edges. Shockingly, I felt bad for him.
I also pitied Reuben. The rich dolt glared at me with even more anger now that my heroic tale was spreading. I didn’t avert my gaze. Instead, I showed him I was disappointed with a slow shake of a head. He sat alone between the groups of boys and girls, his focus returning to his plate.
I sat beside Michael. Charlie stopped eating to stare at me from the other side of the table. I thought he was going to say something, but he just looked at me…for a long time.
“You shouldn’t stare, Charlie,” I informed him as I dug into another delicious-looking meal, a hefty portion of chicken with roasted vegetables.
“Sorry,” he muttered as he looked down at his plate.
“We heard you yell at Leon in the courtyard.” Michael said quietly. “What happened after he took you into the apartments?”
I gave him a brief retelling of the conversation. Charlie was staring at me again by the time I finished. I didn’t mention it this time.
“Well,” Michael said. “You’re lucky he didn’t punish you.”
“Because he knew my words were right, even if my tone wasn’t. He should’ve been more cautious.”
“Leon? What? Not cautious?” Michael said sarcastically. “He’s the most cautious instructor there is.”
“Just be careful if he sends you somewhere.”
“Eh, I trust him.” Michael seemed confused by his own words. “I know, I heard myself say it.”
“I trust him as well now, but I can be cautious while trusting him.”
Charlie spoke with a full mouth. “I’m always cautious.” He pointed at me with his fork. “That’s why I’m going to create something that will help us.”
“What?” I asked.
“Two rings.”
He didn’t bother to explain as he went back to eating. I was about to ask, but I noticed the girls and then Reuben standing as the king walked by. We were about to stand as well, but the king announced, “Stay in your seats, everyone. Keep eating.”
We kept her heads down as he walked past Michael and stopped beside me. I looked up at him.
“Jon, I heard what happened. I’m sorry you were put in a position where you needed to defend your life against a beast like a cantar. If a situation like that arises again, you will be more prepared. I promise.” His apologetic tone was as if he blamed himself.
“Thank you, sire,” I said, unsure what to add.
“Onto another matter, you boys should know that the krepp, Grufaeragar, is still with us. However, I’m having a difficult time keeping him entertained. He is to remain with us until he makes a decision as to whether our kingdom is honorable enough to trade with krepps. There is an abundance of raw, valuable material in Hammashar that
is very much worth the small nuisance he might cause us by remaining here longer. He might try to engage with one or more of you. If he does, it will be your responsibility to keep him entertained while continuing your training or completing your tasks. Treat him with respect and show him that we have honor for kreppen culture. Are there any questions?”
“I have no idea what kreppen culture is,” Michael admitted.
“I don’t, either,” I added.
“We’re all learning it. Just listen and adapt. Don’t make assumptions.”
I had almost forgotten about the krepp. An elf and a krepp, both involving themselves with us. It felt like what was happening here was one day going to have an impact on most of Dorrinthal, maybe even reaching Bhode.
The three of us were soon alone again as the king left the dining hall. I didn’t bother to bring up the two rings Charlie had mentioned. Instead, we amused each other with absurd guesses as to what the king had been doing to keep the krepp entertained, and we laughed our way through the rest of the meal.
Because of the late supper, it was dark by the time we finished. I noticed something when we all were retiring to our rooms. All the boys’ rooms were next to each other, with mine last, closest to the center of the hall on the upper floor of the apartments. Aliana’s was first of the girls’ rooms, next to mine. She was walking down the hall toward her room as I was about to enter mine from the other direction. I stopped and waited for her.
She traveled the last small bit of distance to meet me in front of my door.
“Hey,” she said. “We saw the king speak with you.”
“Yeah, he mentioned the krepp. He said we might have to entertain the creature.”
She formed a grin. “That sounds fun,” she said sarcastically. “Hey, um.” She lost her smile as she looked down at her feet. “I wanted to thank you again for what you did.” She glanced up at me. “It was really brave.”
“It was no problem.”
That felt wrong to say after I had yelled at Leon for putting me in that position. Should I have said “you’re welcome?” That didn’t seem any better.
“Can I ask you something?” I tried.
“Sure.”
“Did I do something to upset you this morning?”
“Oh.”
I was glad to hear her acknowledge it.
“I didn’t know if I should apologize for something…” I began.
“No, that’s not it.” She looked at me and pursed her lips as if undecided whether to tell me.
“What is it?”
“I guess my attitude was because I might’ve had the wrong idea about you before we talked this morning.”
I was a little shocked to hear that she had any impression about me, especially a negative one, when we’d hardly spoken.
“What was your idea of me?” I asked dubiously, not sure if I wanted to know at this point.
“Well.” Aliana looked down for a breath and seemed to have trouble meeting my eyes after. She spoke quickly. “Everyone saw you flirting with Kataleya earlier, and I thought you were flirting with me.” She looked up at me as if I might confirm or deny any of this, but I wasn’t inclined to speak at all. It irritated me that she’d described my conversation with Kataleya as flirting. I was just trying to get to know Kat better and learn something about mana and water. I’d done the same with Aliana, attempted to learn about her and her ranger skill. Of course I’d thought she was beautiful, but that had been irrelevant to our conversation.
She took a breath. “And because your room is right next to mine, and from the way you went against orders to learn dvinia, I figured you were the type of guy who’s used to getting what he wants…no matter what others might wish from him.”
I did hear what she was really saying as she eyed me nervously, and it was an insult.
I tried to think about all of this from her point of view in hopes of calming myself. She had probably dealt with other young men who would say or do anything to get under her clothes. Perhaps showing these young men a cold shoulder early on was Aliana’s chosen method when dealing with them, but I didn’t find it fair for her to lump me together with these men.
Yes, I could be stubborn, but I was not the man she was implying me to be. It hurt to hear Aliana speak about me as if I was a self-centered philanderer.
Aliana glanced up with me with her head partially bowed. She had a flat mouth and clearly wanted me to say something now.
“I’m sorry if I was wrong,” she eventually spoke somewhat cautiously.
“You still don’t know?” I asked.
She looked at me if I might be trying to deceive her.
Michael’s voice visibly surprised her from his room two doors down. “Most of us can hear everything, by the way! Just thought you two should know!”
She fidgeted uncomfortably, as did I.
Even with others hearing us, I hoped she would still at least assure me that her impression had changed.
“Well, I guess we’ll talk later,” she said with disappointment, then walked back down the hall.
I went into my room with a sour feeling in my stomach.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
After breakfast was served in our rooms, most of us boys coincidentally met in the bathing quarters for a quick bath, and soon I was headed out onto the courtyard. A grin made its way onto my lips as I saw Leon with training swords and protective leather tunics.
All eight of us formed a half circle in front of him. He always looked displeased, with his large green eyes that seemed incapable of expressing joy, and his strong jaw that appeared as if he was firmly pressing his teeth together behind his closed mouth. But something about the sight of us this morning really lowered his eyebrows. He was clearly not as excited as I was to begin sword training.
After a sigh, he said, “Girls, you will be on your own most of the day.” He shooed them away. “Train, just keep your distance from us.”
Aliana, Eden, and Kataleya seemed content to walk off, but Remi remained.
“I would like to learn the sword.” She had a fragile demeanor as she held her hands together and seemed barely capable of looking high enough to make eye contact with Leon.
“You?” Leon asked incredulously.
Remi blushed, but she did straighten her back a little. “I would like to try.”
“No.” He pointed toward the other girls, who had stopped and turned around to watch. “Go away with the others.”
Remi looked absolutely broken as she started to walk away.
“At least give her a chance,” I said.
Remi stopped and looked back.
Leon glowered at me. It seemed that he expected me to lower my gaze or even apologize, but I would do neither. She deserved a chance. Why not?
Eventually, Leon blinked and turned his head toward Remi.
“Why the hell do you want to waste everyone’s time, including your own, trying to learn sword? Didn’t you hear me earlier when I said we don’t have time to waste?”
“I think I might do well,” she said shyly.
“You’re doing well with fire,” Leon replied. “Just stick with that.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, “but I want to try sword. There might be instances that I don’t want to burn someone alive in order to stop them.”
“So you’d rather cut them? It’s no different!”
Poor Remi looked terribly uncomfortable as she had trouble meeting his eyes. “Please,” she said. “Can I at least learn with the boys one day to see what I can do?”
“I have a better idea.” Leon looked over at us. “Who has experience in hand-to-hand combat?”
Reuben raised his hand. “I was trained in every form of combat.”
I suddenly had the urge to challenge him, but I was smart enough to know what Leon was getting at. I was glad Reuben had volunteered for this.
Leon tossed one of the wooden practice swords to Remi. She caught it with one hand, but he didn’t seem impressed.
&nbs
p; “Here are the rules of every duel,” Leon announced. “When a point is scored, the duel stops. A point is scored when you make contact with your weapon, your fist, your elbow, or your knee or foot. You will only strike each other below the neck. You will not use your head or face as a weapon. The contact must be made hard enough that it would stagger or otherwise disrupt your opponent if you were using a steel blade. You can also score a point by disarming your opponent or tripping or throwing them to the ground. Best out of three. Any questions?”
Reuben started to reach for one of the three remaining practice swords at Leon’s feet, but Leon stepped in front of it.
“What are you doing?” the instructor asked.
“You want me to fight her, right?”
“Are you too scared to fight unarmed against a girl using a practice sword who has no experience?”
“No,” he answered immediately. “I just thought—”
“That’s your problem. You tried to think.”
Leon seemed even more irritated today than usual.
“Go ahead,” he said. “Fight.”
We all quickly backed away as Reuben and Remi faced each other. Remi made the practice sword appear heavy as she held it with two hands and slowly shifted from one position to another. She couldn’t seem to find a comfortable way to wield the sword. The wooden weapon was designed to be about the same weight as a real sword, but its edges and tip were dull. It could still do considerable damage in the right hands, however, and Reuben seemed well aware of this as he tested her with quick steps in and out of her range.
She stabbed at him nervously.
“Good,” Leon encouraged her, to my surprise. “Stabbing is your quickest attack. Don’t let him in.”
She kept Reuben at bay with little prods, but she didn’t commit to any attack. Instead she poked defensively, timidly.
Eventually, Reuben stopped attacking. He stepped back with a mean smile. “Come on. You’re the one with the weapon,” he taunted.
She very slowly made her way toward him with the smallest steps I’d ever seen. I could feel how badly she wanted a victory, her small knuckles white around the hilt of the sword. But more than that, she was scared. It was one of the worst mentalities to have in a fight, something every opponent could pick up on, man or beast.
