Aerin woke up before dawn with a cold sweat running through her body. The same dream had haunted her again. She dragged her hands through her hair as she looked out the window. Today she was about to meet Talon Ravenshade for the first time. Even though Mara was very clear on her trusting him she couldn't shake her doubt. Even if today was only an introduction, Aering put on her best leather garments, strapped herself with daggers, lots of daggers and a sword strapped along her back. As she approached her mirror a slight grin washed over her face, she looked like a warrior. Her eyes traveled across her chest, two small daggers hidden behind small folds of leather. Three more daggers were strapped along her forearms, two at each hip and two more hidden in her kneehigh leather boots. This was what she had been wearing for the last three years on her travels. Not that she got much use of the weapons but sometimes she found herself in the middle of a brawl as she searched for refuge at a tavern. You could never be too sure. “hope this isn’t too much” she thought to herself as she looked over everything once more.

She put on her long black cloak as she didn’t want to attract too much attention from the frisky and loud visitors at the bar downstairs. She didn’t want today to start with a fight just because she was armed to the teeth. She took a long breath and as she sighed she walked out and made the journey towards the dreaded place of her recent dreams.

As she approached the grove, her heart pounded louder with each step as she walked over the tall grass of the forest. Her steps were quiet, only the sounds of birds waking up to the sun rising. The shadows of the ancient trees stretched long in the dawn light, creating an eerie familiarity. She reached the clearing and saw the fallen tree from her dream,now bathed in the soft glow of morning. It was all the same, even in the morning. She casted her eyes to the clearing where the med had been talking. It was as if the dream had been real.

Standing beneath the largest oak, it had to be one of the largest trees Aerin had ever seen. The shadows of the branches almost covered half the forest. It was a cathedral of green, the towering trees like ancient pillars reaching toward the heavens. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow upon the forest floor. The air was rich with the scent of moss and earth, a living symphony of bird calls and rustling leaves providing a serene backdrop to the peaceful scene. Everywhere, delicate white clovers open beside vibrant wildflowers, while a babbling brook wove its way through the greenery, its crystal-clear waters sparkling in the frail sunlight.

With his back to her, was Talon Ravenshade. His presence was commanding, yet there was an air of calm about him. He turned as she stepped into the clearing, footsteps just as quiet as hers, his sharp eyes assessing her with a mixture of curiosity. He eyed her slowly, taking in each dagger and lastly her sword. He was tall with broad shoulders covered in light armor. His face looked quite young but a few scars along his left cheek made up for it. His blond hair catched the light, his blond hair shone in the sun even though the great oak tree cast a shadow over everything nearby.

Aerin had heard rumors about his past, his work. He was doing business with all sorts of people, merchants, magicians, royals. Anyone who didn’t want to get their hands dirty, he worked for them.

"Aerin Thalorin," he greeted, his voice steady, quiet and deep. "Mara spoke of you.”

He wasn’t a man of many words, it seemed.

Aerin took a deep breath, steadying herself. And she nodded, she didn’t say a word. He could see the doubt in her eyes, she was clearly nervous even as she tried to put all her feelings about this place deep, deep inside.

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Talon nodded back, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Fear is a formidable foe, but it can be conquered. I will train you, Aerin."

Talon found Aerin’s guarded demeanor and reluctance to trust unpleasant. “This will be a long day” he thought to himself as he tried to form the thoughts on how this new training would go about.

After a few minutes that felt like a lifetime, Aerin stood in the clearing, the sun casting long shadows as it sipped through the large branches of the oak tree. She could feel Talon's eyes on her, scrutinizing her every move. Now it was time for her to prove herself. Talon, with his imposing presence and air of confidence, made it clear that he expected nothing less than excellence of her. She had been all alone these past twelve years, no one to teach her but herself. All she got before her family was killed was only a few archery classes from her father.

"Alright, let's see what you've got," Talon said, tossing her a wooden training sword. "No need of real swords today"

Aerin took a deep breath and assumed a defensive stance, her grip firm on the wooden sword. She could feel her hand tighten against the grains of the wood and Talon approached with measured steps, then swung his practice sword down with controlled force. Aerin blocked the strike, but the impact reverberated through her arms, almost knocking her off balance. Her jaw clenched as she took her stance again.

"Not bad," Talon remarked, he looked all but amused, "but you need to absorb the blow with your body, not just your arms. Again."

They repeated the drill several times, Talon offering terse corrections after each attempt. "Your stance is too rigid. Loosen up, but stay grounded. Don't telegraph your movements."

Aerin tried to follow his advice, but frustration began to creep in. Each mistake felt magnified under Talon's critical gaze. They moved on to different defensive techniques: parrying side strikes, blocking thrusts, and countering with quick jabs. Despite her best efforts, Aerin struggled to keep up with Talon's relentless pace and precise instructions.

"You're hesitating," Talon said, stepping back and crossing his arms. "In a real fight, that hesitation will get you killed. Trust your instincts more."

Aerin bit her lip, trying to quell her growing frustration. "I'm trying," she replied, her voice edged with irritation. She had won several fights before. Sure all of the fights were with drunk, disarranged men. She had never killed anyone before. She had hurt them badly, but not so severe that they had died. She was sure that wasn't Talon's truth, he had certainly killed someone before.

"Trying isn't good enough," Talon retorted. "You need to be better than that. Again." He started to retreat as he almost gave up on this training session. She wasn't even close to being good, not even alright. She snorted as he thought that Mara had told him about how great Aerin was. But then quickly reminded himself that Mara had probably never even held a sword so how could she know. She trusted herself with her magic.

Aerins hands started to ache as she tightened her grip on the wooden sword. Her head throbbed and ached more and more and more with each blow.

The training continued, each drill a test of Aerin’s resilience. Talon’s critiques were harsh, pushing her to refine her technique and sharpen her reflexes. As the evening wore on, Aerin’s muscles ached and her concentration waned. She managed to block another strike but stumbled in the process, nearly losing her footing.

"Enough," Talon finally said, lowering his sword. "We'll pick this up again tomorrow. There's a lot of work to be done."

Aerin nodded, wiping sweat from her brow. She felt a drowning sensation of disappointment. She had wanted to impress Talon, to show him she was capable. Instead, it felt like she had barely met his expectations.

"Rest up," Talon added, his tone softer but still firm. "We'll go over everything again tomorrow."

As Aerin walked away from the training yard, she replayed the session in her mind, determined to improve. She had to memorize every step Talon took, so she could counter each and every blow. Talon’s demanding approach had exposed her weaknesses, but it also ignited a fire within her to prove herself. Tomorrow would be another chance, and she vowed to make the most of it.

As she approached the tavern where she rented her room she felt her body ache more and more with each step. As she stepped in the barkeeper looked at her with troubled eyes. “Are you hungry?” he asked quietly as she stepped in front of the bar. “I'm starving,” she answered with a low, tired voice. She hadn't eaten all day, she remembered, not even a drop of water.

“I will bring it to your room” the barkeeper said.

She must have looked awful as he’d never offered anything like this before. Usually she snuck into the kitchen to steal something as the cook went out with garbage or to smoke.

She went upstairs and layed on her bed, and before the food wa

s brought up, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.