Dreiki bowed his head to Savekio, “I don’t know how to thank you, sir.”
“Consider my proposition, that’s all I ask.”
Before Dreiki could speak, Savekio raised his hand, “And I don’t want your answer tonight. Just rest for now. Being my apprentice and caretaker will not be an easy task. And that burden will grow every year until I pass. Give me your answer when you understand that burden.”
“I will consider what you’ve offered.”
That night was the first in a long time that Dreiki had felt safe and warm. He’d almost forgotten what it felt like to have someone take care of him. Savekio was a good cook too. Even if he was a battle master with a resting scowl for a face, he was gentle, kind and jolly.
Savekio had prepared a venison stew with chopped up Mierashrooms for him and a light deer bone broth for Ezo. Dreiki ate his fill, and even helped Ezo eat as well.
Savekio had warned him not to feed the drake too much. Apparently a starved creature’s stomach could shrink, so it was important to feed it sparingly so as not to tear its stomach open.
Especially since a dagger had torn through it only a few hours ago.
He also fed it medicinal herbs and vegetables to help accelerate its recovery.
Dreiki had figured Ezo was a carnivore, but according to Savekio, Bat Drakes were omnivorous. Anything Dreiki could eat, Ezo could likely eat as well. That made Dreiki happy for a reason he simply couldn’t articulate.
Savekio gave Dreiki his bed for the night, taking half of the furs and his pillow so he could cushion the chair he’d be sleeping in.
Ezo curled up under Dreiki’s head to offer himself as a pillow for the night. Dreiki thought about the horrid monster he’d encountered earlier in the day. He had so many questions, and he wasn’t even sure if it was real in the first place.
But knowing Ezo had seen the monster too gave Dreiki some comfort that he wasn’t going insane. He looked out the window, almost expecting to see it standing there grinning at him, but it was nowhere to be found.
Dreiki was happy for the first time in a long time. He hadn’t dreamt in a long time too, but tonight was something he’d remember for the rest of his life.
A song hummed in his mind while he dreamed. It was vaguely familiar. Something his father taught his mother. It was the only thing Dreiki could remember about his father.
Waking up early the next morning to Ezo’s tongue, Dreiki felt fully rested. His father’s song playing on repeat in his head before fading away. He swung his feet off the bedside and tested his broken shin.
No pain.
He had healed completely overnight. Right down to his broken nose.
“Up early?” Savekio said, looking as if he was preparing to go out.
Dreiki nodded, “I am. Thanks again for your hospitality, sir.”
“Be sure to think about my proposition.”
Ezo pushed his head underneath his hand. Dreiki smiled and gave the greedy drake a good head rub before standing up, “Sir, could you take me with you this morning? Show me what you do in a typical day. I think it will help me make my decision.”
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Savekio nodded, “My routine isn’t very eventful most days, but sure. Come along.”
Dreiki fastened his cloak on and followed like a duckling to its mother.
“I’ve a few projects I figured I’d occupy my time with over the next few years. And for that I need lumber, so I go out whenever I can to chop a tree or two down.”
Dreiki watched as Savekio lowered his ax from his shoulder, pointing it to a tree, “This will do for today!” He swung with such ferocity it made Dreiki flinch.
THWACK!
When he opened his eyes, the tree was still intact.
“Watch yourself,” Savekio said, pulling Dreiki next to him as he poked the tree with his ax.
The tree seemed to remember it had been cut down, its trunk splitting open the moment it was touched and tumbling to the ground.
Savekio gripped the edge of the tree with one hand and moved it like it was a rolled up rug, making sure to lay it flat before sending a few more chops into it.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
Before Dreiki knew it, Savekio had four cleanly chopped logs, “I usually leave one section of the tree behind to rot so I can grow fungus like Mierashrooms with them.” He bent down and hoisted one log under each arm.
“Think you can carry the top half of it back? It’s usually lighter and I made sure to cut it smaller than usual.”
Dreiki shook off his disbelief, “Yeah… sure.” he jogged over to it and found a few sturdy branches to grab it by. It was heavy and Dreiki had to drag the tail end, but he could manage it.
“Depending on whether or not it’s a harvest day, I’ll usually drop the logs off and go out to forage and check my traps for anything good to eat.”
He dropped off the logs in a pile next to a kiln behind the cabin, “I usually use this kiln to dry them up. Since you’ve got fire magic it’d save me a lot of trouble of having to make charcoal or find kindling.”
Dreiki was only half listening. The other half focused on trying to breathe while he dragged his log around.
“Heavy huh?”
“Yeah!”
Savekio chuckled, “You can set it down right there, I’ll move it later.”
Dreiki dropped the log, already completely exhausted.
“Bare in mind, I’d have you help me with these things every day. And this would be in addition to whatever training regime I can come up with for you.”
“What’s next?”
For the rest of the day Dreiki shadowed Savekio. It wasn’t anything Dreiki didn’t already know how to do. Setting up traps, checking old ones, hunting wild game, and foraging for food. Ezo proved especially useful in finding food with his keen nose.
For lunch, Dreiki and Ezo got to enjoy the leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. And for the rest of the day it was peaceful. Savekio explained the time in the afternoon was used for anything from building, to crafting potions, to simply relaxing.
Dreiki spent the next week following Savekio’s routine, waking up early in the morning, hefting logs to the cabin, and helping wherever he could.
Ezo seemed to be attached at the hip to Dreiki, hardly going anywhere without him. Dreiki had figured the beast would leave the moment its leg healed completely, but Ezo stuck around.
By the week’s end, Dreiki had his answer.
“Please, teach me, grandpa Savekio.” Dreiki said late one night after dinner, bowing his head.
“Grandpa?” He raised a brow, “Though I suppose I like that more than ‘sir’. Catch.”
Dreiki looked up, just barely reacting in time to catch a sheathed sword and stumble backward. The sword Savekio tossed was heavy. It looked to be nothing more than a humble broadsword, but its weight was almost unwieldy, “What is…”
“From today onward, my sword will be in your care. You will tend to it as if it is your own, but you shall not draw it in battle until you’ve passed the final tests of your training.”
Dreiki tried to hold it in front of him, his arms sinking down almost immediately.
Savekio had a glint in his eye, “Heavy huh?”
“Yeah…”
“For the next six years, or until the waning takes me, I shall mold you into a warrior your mother will be proud of. But only if you have the willpower to do as I say without complaint. Is that clear?”
Dreiki hefted the sword and stood again, “I won’t let you down, sir- er Grandpa!”
Savekio nodded, “Good, then your training starts today.”