The last of her bags loaded onto the cart, and a crate of blood meal courtesy of a nameless friend of Barri’s, Apondra quietly turned to her emptied room, realizing just how much of her life was spent sheltered here. Just how many memories she had forged in this quaint shop, Barri teaching her about the lands, how to hunt with weapons, teaching her how to tend wounds, caring for the chickens, the garden… such invaluable time. But now it was time to take a leap of faith and dive into the unknown. Whether she would plummet under the expectations held for her, or rise and soar above it all, only the Father and Mother knew.

“Are you ready? The carriage is waiting,” Dreco’s voice came from behind her, but for once she did not startle, leaning against the door frame casually. Colin had come by for the past two days since she accepted the offer, along with the prince who Barri could not help but sneer at, to tend her wounds and change the dressings. Dreco had only returned once the evening of the attack, to stitch the wounds that needed it. Elwe had joined him and they spent those few minutes, maybe it was an hour? Talking about not only how each other's wounds were healing, but what to expect when they reached Etecia, a two day ride from Dryn.

Apondra turned away from her room, “I am,”

Dreco led the way out to the main room of the shop, where the carriage was waiting outside. The carriage was of deep brown wood carved with intricate patterns, with two strong horses manned by a pair of coachmen.

One of the coachmen dismounted and held the carriage door open for herself and Dreco, where Elwe and Colin waited inside.

Apondra could feel Barri’s presence by the door, the weight of his step creaking the boards, and she turned and embraced him, “Do not get into any trouble Barri,”

Barri smirked, “Barri should say same to you,” they shared a laugh, “Barri will be okay. Pearl will keep plenty company,”

Apondra smiled, “So that is why you did it,” he was going to be relocating to Siren’s Lake.

His smile grew, “Barri needed to know you were ready,” he hugged her again, not a farewell, but a wish of good fortune, “Barri will visit,”

“So will I,” Apondra promised, turning her head to hear Dreco calling for them to get moving. She sent one last glance at her home, watching Barri start to walk after the carriage, waving to her until they rounded a corner and he disappeared from view.

Apondra tried to be casual and lean back in the cushioned wooden seat, but after the dizzying speed of events, and Barri’s help stitching the remainder of her wounds and checking that her wings were intact, her wings were badly bruised and would need to be stretched daily to keep from stiffening from the injuries. Having the wrap on was uncomfortable enough without subjecting herself to acting casually while she rode with Elwe and his guards.

Dreco was seated across from her, side by side with the prince whose body, muscles and all, appeared almost dwarfed in comparison, and held his hand in front of him.

Apondra obediently gave him her wrist and gasped as he prodded at the stitching of one of her deeper wounds that was healed partially. She pulled back instinctively but was stopped by Dreco’s firm grasp.

His brows dropped and he glanced at her for a moment, squeezing her arm to regain control .

She hissed through her teeth in protest to the pressure that sent pain shooting through her arm, and leaned closer to him.

The rocking and jerking of the cart on the uneven road did not seem to affect Dreco’s focus as he resumed poking and prodding the reddened skin, “I want you to tell me what is wrong with these wounds,”

Apondra looked at her arm, surprised that her wrist had not suffered for movement from how deep the blade had gotten. The skin was red, and noticeably swollen, but that could just be from the trauma of it all. It was not until she felt the heat as she touched it that she realized with a frown, “It is infected,”

Dreco huffed a deep sigh, leaning back in his seat, his arms crossed tight over his chest, “It is infected,” he scoffed in his gruff tone, “because the salve was intended to be left for a day on the deeper wounds before repairing the skin! They are infected because you locked all of the contaminants inside, rather than allowing the wounds to weep,”

Elwe looked at Dreco for a moment, his eyebrows raised as he flicked his eyes to her. It seemed whatever this meant Dreco understood him without words and shrugged

Apondra sank back in her seat, her shoulders aching again from the pressure, but she quietly turned herself out the window and watched the rolling hillside of Aetis morph into the smooth plains of Cealian, the closest neighboring kingdom. Something new, and so much more to come. She smiled and dreamily watched with wonder as they crossed through the capital, and several small towns, all with a rough exterior, many with small farm plots of their own, some even with livestock to call their own. She smiled as a farmer led a small calf of almost pure white if not for the little tuft of black hair settled on its head through the street past the cart. The farmer smiled and tipped his cap to her and she waved back, watching after them with amusement at the happy flicking of the calf’s tail.

She felt a tap on her shoulder, only to be startled by Elwe leaning out the window with her, a small smile softening his face, “Look there,” he nodded to the west.

Apondra’s jaw dropped at the castle of King Sephardus and Queen Safrie. The golden glow of the sun illuminated the smooth rampart of weathered white stone, with banners of their royal crest; a sky blue shield split in three equal sections by a silver band, separating the sword, shield and horse triad that was known to this kingdom. She ducked her head back into the carriage as she saw guards at the gate, turning her head from them in an effort to show respect to them as they passed by.

Elwe nodded to the guards casually and drew himself back into the carriage, Dreco dutifully drawing the white drapes down.

Apondra, exhausted from the past days events had fallen asleep, her head leaning against the side of the carriage, where a cool evening breeze was wafting through the draped curtain, gently swaying a stray lock of hair that had fallen over her face as she slept.

Dreco and Colin were both alert, knowing that once the moonlight shone they would be vulnerable to attacks on the road.

“Your Majesty,” Dreco addressed the prince, who was settled reading a book he had stashed in the small storage compartment inside the cart, “We must find somewhere to rest the night. Moonlight is coming,”

Elwe peered up over his book, “Where do you suggest then? We have been riding steady and fast, we should be nearing…” his words halted as he peered out of the curtain, then carefully set it back in place, “We keep going,” his tone was serious, almost urgent.

Dreco took a glance and tapped twice on the roof above him to signal the drivers to move quickly. He sighed, “Mynorr,”

Mynorr, a city of thieves and rabble, the quicker they passed through here the better. The borders of Cealian and the infamous Nydeamar, where blood was almost as common as currency, ruled by a naive young king who had only just come into his crown. The land was run poorly by the advisors appointed to the young man who bore the weight of the crown.

Elwe called out to the drivers in as quiet a voice he could muster without being unheard, “Go south, along the trade roads. The faster we can get to Adeena the better,”

The cart sped up noticeably and the turn jerked Apondra from her nightmare of blood and mages.

She sat up quickly and blinked at Elwe and Dreco who both looked at her with concern.

Elwe did not seem to have slept, “Where ar-?” a hand clapped over her mouth.

Dreco glared warily into her eyes, so close she could smell his breath, shook his head and moved away, holding a finger to his lips.

Apondra sat silently, stroking the dagger in her cloak as she listened as close as she could over the sounds of quick hoofbeats and the clattering of wheels. It was as if everything around them had become frozen in time, not a sound. Even the breeze she had felt on her face seemed to quiet in response to this place.

Dreco had his hand on the pommel of his sword that was settled between his knees, tucked in its scabbard held between his feet,

Colin seemed to be holding his breath, as Apondra was, not wanting to make a sound inside to draw any attention. Dreco looked to Elwe again, whispering, “We continue until Adeena. They will try to follow,”

Apondra frowned, “The horses will need a rest at some point,”

Elwe nodded, “They will yes. But until we are sure we have not been followed we must continue. The horsemen know what to do to keep them going. They are prepared,”

It was not until the sun was at its highest the next day that they finally stopped to let the horses rest, and to stretch their legs.

Apondra felt awkward when Elwe exited after Dreco and held his hand out to help her down, but she took it as a courtesy and allowed the prince to assist her out of the carriage, careful that her back was always away from him.

Dreco smiled and tossed a scabbard to her, keeping his own in its leather scabbard.

Apondra fumbled the sword under the weight of it and tried to lift it to no avail. She had never handled a sword before, its weight was more than she expected and she felt her arm shake trying to bring it to her side.

Dreco nodded and stepped up to her, taking her sword in hand, “You will need to build the strength,” He turned to the cart and nodded to one of the horsemen.

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The man nodded silently and went to the cargo of the carriage and brought out a bundle of rope.

She frowned as Dreco silently began tying knots in the rope, until it was the shape of a crude net.

Elwe smiled and watched Colin take a crate of goods to where Dreco was standing.

“We start with this,” He pointed to a nearby hillside, riddled with deadfall and twisting overgrowth. He took the crate and loaded it into the netting on her back, flattening her wings painfully, catching her by her shoulders when she nearly fell with the weight of it. When she steadied herself enough to hold it without falling Dreco came to her front again and stood there for a moment.

Apondra held the netting at her shoulders for support like a pack and felt her knees trying to buckle inwards. Her wings screamed but she would have to ignore it. She had to do this properly.

Dreco tapped her thigh with the sword, “Knees and feet apart. Back straight, head high,”

Apondra did her best to comply with the orders, and felt the weight shift to her shoulders and upper back.

“Good, now you will run, not walk, to the top of that hill, around through the brush, and back here,” Dreco pointed the blade along the route for emphasis.

Her hands clenched as she fought to take some weight off her back to keep from falling again, “I can do that,”

Dreco shook his head at her, “You will go until I tell you to stop,”

She looked at Colin and Elwe who both leaned against the side of the cart, facing the hillside. They would not object to this for her sake, why should they? Apondra nodded and started the slow jog to the hill.

The weight was already too much as she struggled to get her footing on the hill, but it was steeper than she suspected and she fell backwards, losing the pack and rolling a few feet down the hill.

She could hear a snicker and a sharp slap crack the air. Gritting her teeth at the embarrassment she took up the pack with a frustrated, albeit pained, growl and took a few careful steps backwards, always reminding herself not to buckle, and took a running start at the hill.

Dreco watched time and time again as Apondra tumbled down the hill, her will growing more apparent with every attempt. She was not easy to deter. Even when her falls clearly hurt her more than she would admit, she would brush herself off, readjust the pack and try again.

“Good idea using your books Elwe,” Colin commented, taking a swig of water from the skin he had filled from a nearby stream.

Elwe did not respond, but quietly watched the girl, who seemed to make it further and further with every attempt at the hill.

A dozen, two, more. She was relentless, but Elwe overheard Dreco mumble, “Perhaps this was a mistake…”

Dreco began towards her when Elwe grabbed his shoulder to stop him, “She can do this. A village is not built in a day, neither is a warrior,”

Dreco looked at Elwe and then back to Apondra, who was tumbling again, “As you wish,”

Apondra shook off the next tumble with ease and hefted the pack up again, “Just a little further, I almost got it,” she coached breathlessly, her chest heaving, sweat dripping down her face matting her hair to her forehead, setting her eyes at the top of the hill, where the setting sun was beginning to break through, almost blinding her as she approached the top she had found out.

Her feet were in position, her knees held strong under her. She let out a breath and sighed, sweat dripping from the tip of her nose, “Okay,”

She ground her boot into the dirt for traction, and began again.

The dips in the earth, the deadfall that blocked her path, she maneuvered them from memory now, careful not to let her ankles get caught up or roll as she went, forcing herself further and further up the slope, past the points of many tumbles. She dug her boots in with each step and pushed herself further. The top of the hill fell under her boots and she pumped a fist into the air, doubled over panting.

A pair of cheers and applause met her ears from below and she smiled, seeing Colin and Elwe in celebration. Dreco still stood with his arms crossed looking up at her. She was not done just yet.

She wiped her brow, nearly stumbling at the shift of weight and jogged through the brush and leapt over deadfall, being cautious as she made her way back down to them. Dreco nodded at the hill again and she began again.

Night had fallen, as Apondra shrugged off the pack, relieved at the difference it made in her back and wings. Her legs were shaking as she held herself up against the wagon, the horses seeming antsy about her being so close.

Apondra winced a bit at Colin when he clapped her on the shoulder and congratulated her on the feat Dreco had given her.

She knew the pain showed in her eyes, Elwe’s look of concern showed well enough that he had seen it too. Apondra sighed and sat on the step up.

Dreco’s voice came from beside her, where he still leaned against the carriage, “C’mon, you will be bunking tonight in the training quarters,” He looked to Colin, “You are on watch with Sarek tonight,”

Apondra practically crawled her way up the step and into the carriage where she let her head slump against the side of the carriage again, panting to catch her breath, drenched in her own sweat. Two thumps of his fist as Dreco closed the door and they were on their way again.

Dreco casually led Apondra from the carriage, and she blinked up at the marvel of it. The Emerald Castle. A towering monument of smooth marble stones, smooth ramparts of some kind of dark stone, an iron portcullis hanging menacingly above the palace gates. Decorated banners of dark green depicting a silver shining sun over three white daisies. Even in the dim torchlight it was something to behold.

Dreco nodded to Elwe as a handful of stableboys surfaced from somewhere in the shadows of the castle, as the two guards went to help them unload the carriage.

Elwe motioned for Apondra to follow him around the back of the castle. She obediently followed, although sluggishly, and blinked as they rounded the bend to find what looked like a small village behind the border wall.

Many men came and went from a simple well lit building, laden with the same banners as the castle itself, converging on a larger building where cheerful music and laughter emanated from. Standing torches lit the dirt walkways here and as she walked behind the prince, passing by many strong armed men who seemed to give her one of two looks; one of arrogance, as if she did not belong there at all, or one of lust, their eyes trailing her body until the prince caught them. How straight they went when Elwe's eye caught them was almost amusing and she fought to keep a straight face.

“This is the training grounds, where most guards come after their assigned rounds. I have made up your sleeping arrangements in the trainees cabin here. There are few women who passed Dreco’s first test, otherwise I would have bunked you all together in another cabin at the back of the grounds,” the prince explained as they approached the building.

Apondra looked around at the overwhelming male presence, “How many women passed?”

Elwe opened the door, where torches were burning, the room lined with bunks that were laid one by one, at least twenty total, small boxes were provided at the foot of each bunk, what seemed to be the only means of storage, “Only two,” came the prince’s solemn response.

Apondra spied a bed close to a wall and went to take a seat.

“There are only a number of free beds left. There is one at the back corner,” Elwe pointed towards it.

“Thank you El- … huh?'' She turned to thank the prince but he had already left. She sighed and went to her bunk, frowning at the hard wooden bed hidden beneath a rough blanket. The small box was placed just at the foot of her bunk, so she sat quietly and began loading her box with the jars of blood meal that were packed for her. She paused for a moment and tucked her dagger under the jars and filled the box the rest of the way with the jars and then as much clothing as she could stuff inside. The rest she tucked underneath her bed for some attempt at comfort, while making sure to lay them in a way that did not give away that her things were underneath it, remembering Dreco’s earlier warning that the other recruits would try to make it hard on her while she was there. The last thing she needed was to be without clothes.

The door creaked open and the cool air sent a chill down her spine. She turned to face the open doorway and stood quickly.

A tall elven man stood in the doorway, “So this is what the prince brings back?” he huffed, walking towards her. As he approached her his towering form became more looming, she had to look up at him to meet his eye.

“Nice to meet you too,” she retorted with a downturned brow, going to take a step around him when he intercepted her path with a sidestep.

“I am surprised you passed Dreco’s feat. But that does not mean you will last long here,”

So that was his angle. To make her doubt herself.

Apondra cleared her throat and craned her neck to meet the elf’s eyes, “If Dreco doubted my ability he would not have taken me this far,” she stepped around him and nodded her head to him, “if you will excuse me, I am going to go look around,”

She could feel his eyes follow her as she stepped out. As much as her body yearned for rest, with the large elf lurking, and his intent unknown, her gut pulled her to the safety of people and Apondra obediently followed it.

The tavern here had a familiar atmosphere but was at least double the size of Aremina’s pub back home, and it was full to the brim with men all lost in what she could only assume was semi-drunken chatter. Apondra carefully weaved herself through the crowd, or as carefully as she could, her eyes set on the nimble barkeep, who was moving fluidly behind his bar tending to at least half a dozen customers. Her back brushed against some of the men as she navigated the crowded space, but if any noticed what she had hidden beneath her layers they were too laden with drink to notice.

The barkeep greeted her in Elvish, and she fought to remember the dialect. With no luck she sat awkwardly watching as the barkeep flitted here and there tending other customers. When Apondra’s guard finally settled, she glanced around the crowded room looking for a place to sit, knowing she would not find a drink without some level of embarrassment. Seeing no tables that were not already taken she settled for leaning against a wall, surveying the room as Beren would do. Beren, Mina… Barri. Her heart ached with homesickness, she wondered how Barri was doing at home without her. He would no doubt be sleeping now. How long would it be before he moved to Siren’s Lake to be with Pearl? How long would it be before she was a distant memory to him? No longer a ward under his care. No longer a burden. She felt a sob stiffen her chest, but dared not to let it out. She needed to be strong if she was going to make the prince proud and show him she could become part of the Etecian guard. There was no room for emotions or weakness of any kind.

She straightened herself and glanced at the bar again, feeling naked without a drink in her hand. Someone moved in front of her and she almost jumped at the fright before realizing who stood before her, a drink in either hand, “Dreco? What are you doing here? Should you not be resting now?”

Dreco chuckled and leaned against the wall with her, handing her the drink, “I should ask you the same thing kid,” a mug of ale in hand he took a short swig, “You did good today. I think you will fit right in,” he remarked.

Apondra took a sip, pleasantly surprised at the smooth ale, “If I can be honest Dreco?” he nodded for her to continue, “I feel so out of place. Taking that I am a girl out of it, I have no proper training, I cannot intimidate someone, I can barely defend myself. I do not speak Elvish, so I cannot even order a drink on my own. I feel like I will not rest tonight for worry one of them…” she motioned to the sea of men before them, “will try to take advantage of me,”

Dreco’s lips turned upwards with a slight smile out of the corner of her eye and she frowned at it, “They can try yes,” he began, holding his mug in front of himself, “But you know what I saw when you took down that man in Dryn?” she shook her head so he continued, “An intelligent, strong young woman, who thinks quick on her feet when things get tough. That is an asset worth having, and it is something that only few of them have,”

She took another drink as a question nipped at her, “So, how did they impress you enough to be chosen then?”

He exhaled and looked at the room of men, some large, some slim, and frowned at the truth of it, “They didn't. A number of noble families paid the king handsomely at the chance that their sons would be enlisted in the guard. And he agreed to give them as fair a shot as you, who proved yourself through cunning and strategy, and others through strength and skill,”

Apondra finished her drink and handed the empty glass to a passing barmaid who Dreco greeted kindly as he finished his own. She nodded towards the door, and Dreco extended a hand for her to lead the way. Quietly the two left the barracks tavern to walk the silence of the night and discuss what the bribery would mean for fair competition towards the king’s goal, which Dreco revealed the king was on the hunt for not only a growing army, but a new Captain of the guard, the next few months would determine who was worthy of the title and who was worthy to join the ranks at all. If one thing was clear, Apondra would need to work harder than ever to be considered for either rank. As she bid Dreco goodnight, returning to the bunkhouse with him, she knew she would need to work harder than ever before to get the king’s attention, while keeping her secret well kept.