Apondra woke with a start in the early hours of the morning, dusk just lighting up the darkness of the night sky, illuminating the bunkhouse windows in a dim light. She sighed and pushed off the thin blanket that she had spent much of the night shivering against and took this quiet moment to check her bunk. The clothing she had stashed under her bed was untouched so she quietly got dressed as the others slept soundly. A simple cotton dress of tan brown, black knee high stockings and her boots. When she went to slip her boot on she frowned at something that squelched under her foot, seeping through her stocking. Apondra removed her boot and stockings and went out of the bunkhouse barefoot.
She sighed and begrudgingly pulled out a fistful of horse dung from each of her boots. Not the type of greeting she had expected, but she would not let this get her down. She glanced around the quiet grounds, everyone still asleep in their beds, and went in search of water to clean herself and her soiled boots.
Apondra frowned as she wandered the Etecian castle grounds, hoping for any amount of freshwater closeby to no avail. She noted the guards at the gates and inquired with them where she might go to get herself cleaned up. One of them graciously directed her to the courtyard fountain on the eastern side of the castle and left her to her business with a kind morning greeting. She reflected the greeting and went through the delicate iron gate that marked the entrance to the large courtyard.
Whatever anger she felt melted away at the smell that caressed her nose. The gentle aroma of lilac flowers and daisies, the earthiness of the dew-laden grass, and the intoxicating scents of roses that were scattered in beautiful groupings along the stone paths that snaked through the courtyard. Statues of what Apondra assumed were previous kings and queens were sprinkled here and there in the courtyard, no less than 5 generations of them by the look of them as she stopped to peer at an older statue of moss-covered stones that were darkened with dirt and aging. Apondra noted a fountain flowing with freshwater at the center of the courtyard and quietly went to it, using one of her boots as a vessel she began carefully cleaning her hands and feet, letting the filthy water flow into the flowerbeds that grew nearby.
As she finished she took a seat at the edge of the fountain, admiring the delicate swirling patterns of the carvings in the stone. She sighed and closed her eyes, letting the smells and sounds invade her mind, soothing away her annoyance and mild anger of the morning. Then something else came, that intoxicating scent.
The prince’s wounds still bled beneath the bindings on his arms, sending the scent of his blood wafting into the courtyard.
Apondra did not turn right away to face the prince, but stood and faced one of the newer looking statues of a young elf woman in a flowing gown with a thin train falling behind her. The details of her face were as if she was looking at a person encased in stone, not a statue carved by men. The healthy roundness of her cheeks and chin, small delicate nose, the gentle point of her ears and fullness of her lips were astounding. But what kept Apondra's eye were her eyes, carved out so masterfully, with inserts of dark blue sapphire for their color.
“Her name was Adeena,” Elwe came next to Apondra, admiring the statue with sad eyes, “On the day of my Ascension my father had arranged marriage between us,” Apondra did not hear of an arranged wedding in Etecia, though the prince was older than her, having reached his Ascension already, she may have been just a child when this happened. His pause suggested this was a hard thing to talk about, so Apondra waited patiently for him to continue, and he did, “She was with child, the baby was lost before it would have lived, and my Adeena…” the prince paused to take a steadying breath, Apondra noticed his hands were shaking at retelling this, “she lost her life not a day later from infection,”
Apondra did not know what to say, loss of a child was fairly commonplace without the help of a healer, especially while the mother was still childbearing. But to lose her to infection so quickly, even with a healer's help. She took a step closer to him and wrapped an arm around his side, his body still shaking with the trauma of it, “I am deeply sorry that nothing was to be done for her,” she decided to not dwell on it too long, for fear of breaking the man's heart for his first love any further, “What would you have named them?” Apondra asked, leading the prince to sit on one of the stone benches nearby.
He thought for a moment, “It has been so long I…” he paused again, “Erynion if it were a son, and for a daughter… she liked the name Brielle,”
Apondra nodded thoughtfully, still admiring Adeena's statue from afar, “Those are beautiful names,”
She dared not venture further to express condolence for the loss of the child, no one in the lands would do that for a royal's lost first born. For as long as anyone could remember the first borns were always destined somehow for disaster. But no one - or at least no one living - seemed to know why.
Apondra tore her eyes from Adeena's statue and looked over the others, every one of them had experienced the same loss. Even Elwe's own father, seeing as Elwe's Ascension year had come and passed. He was second born.
Elwe sighed and looked at her in the light of the rising dawn, “Say Apondra?”
“Hmmm?” She took her attention from the statues to face the prince properly. His eyes lit up the most brilliant shade of green in the sunlight. His uncombed shoulder length hair seemed to capture the sun's golden hue. Even his nightwear, oh Mother! His bare chest seemed to suddenly stare her in the face. His powerful, yet well-toned chest and stomach, the musculature of his arms, the few veins that popped in them. Barely an unsightly hair to be seen.
Elwe smirked, not blind to her admiration, “what are you doing back here? Everyone else will have started their training by now. And there is a schedule to keep, today the trainees go before my father for his welcoming to Etecia,”
The blush Apondra felt in her cheeks paled instantly and she stood quickly, “My apologies your Highness… ah sorry… Elwe!” She fumbled frantically, “See my boots were soiled and a guard said that here would be okay to wash up, I-I did not mean to…-”
Elwe chuckled and stood, taking her hand in a firm but gentle grasp, “Breathe. Go train, I will come when my father is ready for his audience. Call me Your Highness if you need to speak with me then,”
Apondra breathed a nervous laugh and nodded, “See you then?” she asked in a voice almost too quiet.
He released her hand and nodded, his arms crossed over his chest in a way that made her heart sing, “See you then,” he said, smiling more like himself now.
She fumbled a curtsey, laughed with Elwe for her inability to do a proper curtsey, and ran off, barefoot and clutching her dripping boots as she went.
She clumsily slipped her boots on as she neared the training grounds, already hearing the loud chatter of the men as they all gathered at the center of the grounds. Apondra slipped through and stood in line with them, hoping her absence was not noticed. Here she had a clear picture of how the ranks compared to herself, and it made her feel small and feeble. At least half the men stood a head taller than her, and the brawned and bulky far outweighed the slim and lanky sprinkled throughout the crowd. Apondra slipped her way into the back rows of the crowd, as Dreco stood in front of the large group, addressing them as one.
“...blood, sweat and tears will be shed on the duration of each of the trials,” Apondra had missed some key information it seemed, but she listened on intently, “As the trials each take place his Highness, the King, will either be watching with a close eye himself, or will send someone in his stead for the individual trials. At the end of each there will be a three day deliberation, where you all can rest and recuperate if need be. The third day all of you will go individually to King Orynion, and hear his ruling. If he chooses you to proceed you move on to the next trial, and if not, you will come back here, gather your belongings,” Apondra could feel the heaviness of dread in the air and fought to keep her focus on Dreco, though she knew what he would say, “and go back to your respective homelands.”
Dreco’s eyes surveyed the crowd and landed on her, “Rulings are final, and there will be no arguments or disrespect of any kind to his Highness, is that understood?” his voice boomed over the crowd. There was a sea of murmurs of agreement, and Dreco gave them the order to disperse. As the crowd parted, Apondra noted that there were several well stocked weapons racks placed sporadically around the area, housing longspears, short and longswords, bows and stocked quivers, even slingshots and daggers. Slabs of large tree trunks were positioned in the back of the grounds, where an open clearing and the remnants of a fire lay. Bow practice. As she continued to observe the changes in her surroundings, she noted there were sections made for each weapon style; the bows and blades had their own dummies of straw and cloth leaned on wooden stands, and the firepit had been transformed into a melee ring.
Dreco called for dismissal and the crowd dispersed with excitement at the new equipment, though all of it was wooden and blunt for protection, it was something to test their steel against, so most went for their specialties.
Apondra’s curiosity drew her to the rack of blades, and she took up a wooden short sword, feeling the hilt in her grasp comfortably, and after being repeatedly, and rather rudely, denied a sparring partner nor a dummy that was not already claimed, began to spar with her own shadow on the ground, clumsy and untrained, but determined to make something of herself, and prove Dreco’s decision was not made in jest.
Her choppy, stiff movements were apparent in the reflection of her shadow, and her stance was shaky and uncertain. But she had to keep trying. So Apondra spent hours, even after the others had gone to prepare for the trainees meeting with the King, and forced herself to train. Apondra felt a hand on her shoulder and went for an instinctive swing, only to have the wooden sword caught by Dreco’s hand.
“Your turn kid, let’s get you dressed,” Dreco took the weapon from her and escorted her to the bunkhouse to find something suitable to wear.
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Apondra’s best dress felt too formal, the same one that she had fussed over with her outing with Elwe, Dreco stood near the foot of her bed, patiently waiting while she dug through her belongings.
“His Highness always enjoys a modest dress, not too formal,” Why was he giving her pointers? Apondra wondered, “anything dark green in there?”
Apondra searched and found a dark green blouse that tied in the front. It was one of the few green articles she owned, so she quietly threw it over her head and began fixing the ties.
“Any corsets?” Dreco idly asked.
Apondra frowned and after a moment of thought shook her head, “No… I have never owned one,” They hurt too much. Barri had tried to get her to wear a corset as her womanhood began, but the pressure was far too much on her wings, straining to the point of regular bruising and stiffness, so Barri had discarded them long ago.
“That is alright, find a good belt instead,”
Apondra nodded and soon found a leather belt that would suit with a dark brown skirt nestled within her box, sheer tan stockings, and her boots.
“Hurry up, we cannot keep him waiting,” Dreco warned with a cross of his arms.
She carefully fixed her hair into a neat plait while Dreco came to her front and eyed the blood meal in her box.
“It was a good idea to bring it,” he opened one of the jars and proceeded to pat her cheeks with the red powder, careful to not be heavy with it. Just enough for color, that’s all that was required.
“That will have to be good enough,” Dreco said as Apondra laced her boots, “Come on,”
Apondra finished tying her boots and gave a quick nod as she and the other recruits made their way around to the front entrance of the Emerald Castle for the King’s address.
King Orynion sighed as he took his seat in the main hall which had been laid bare of its ornate place settings and elegant centerpieces in preparation for the recruits meeting, his son already seated to his right. Why Elwe went against his authority to go in search of additional recruits he would never understand. He had given very clear instructions that none were to leave the castle grounds during this time unless approved by him and his advisors. But Elwe was always a free spirit at heart, and though he knew the wrong in his disobedience, he always had a way of impressing his father. But over fourty notable recruits in three months to add onto Orynion’s own selection, how had he managed to go to such lengths without arousing suspicion?
Orynion closed his already heavy eyes against the thought and pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache setting in. His sleep had not gotten any better with his son gone, if anything the premonitions had become unrelenting, as the Mother twisted them into visions of his son’s body maimed, always a body part absent from his body. Sometimes it was an arm or a leg, other times his eyes had been gouged, his hands mangled beyond repair, and the most recent that shook the King awake for many nights now, a vision of his son’s head cleaved from his body, the green of his mother’s eyes dull and staring into him. Always so bloody, so broken beyond repair. But as much as the visions had granted him the guidance of the battle to come one thing was always elusive and the Mother never made it clear, Who would be orchestrating this attack on his quiet Emerald Castle?
“Father?” Elwe’s voice broke him from another of the dizzying visions, and the king straightened himself.
Orynion masked his worry behind his kingly stature and turned to his son, “It is nothing my son, are your recruits ready for this? I understand one of them only arrived a couple of days ago. If they need more time to settle that is understandable, but I can only spare a day or two before this must be addressed,”
Elwe’s eyes flashed with recognition at who he was speaking of and he responded matter of factly, “She is ready Father, I think you will be surprised by her, Dreco certainly was,”
So the newest recruit was indeed a woman, as his court guards had informed him. But was she as young as they perceived her to be? An inexperienced warrior would need a lot of attention, would she be up to the task? Orynion felt the weight of his crown and robes weighing on his tired body, threatening to pull him into sleep once again. But he needed to be who they needed; a strong, wise leader who did not show weakness to his kingdom. He touched the shoulder of a lady in waiting and politely asked her to bring him a strong cup of honeyed tea. Something to keep him awake, and hopefully put the recruits at ease.
She lifted her skirts in a curtsy and was on her way to complete his request when the sounds of idle, perhaps anxious, chatter met his ears. They would be upon him soon. Orynion nodded to his son to rise and they both did, the king’s hands clasped in front of him, watching the grand double doors that would open with their arrival.
“Chin up Elwe, this is only a formality, not a test,” he sensed his son’s anxious shifting on his feet.
“Yes Father,” came his dutiful reply, and his stance settled.
The double doors swung open, and for the first time King Orynion lay his eyes on the full number of recruits that had been selected, led by Dreco who came to stand next to him. Many strong men among them, and many more nimble men who may just make good archers, if nothing else. But an archer was the first line of defense, the families that had begged of him had better not have wasted a king’s time with a boy who could not aim. Orynion’s eyes surveyed the crowd as they settled in neat enough rows, when the lady in waiting returned with his tea. He took this moment to formally greet them with a raised glass, “Welcome recruits to Etecia,” he began when they quieted, “You are all here for a common goal, to become one of the many in Etecia’s growing forces. I understand that many of you have traveled far, at the beckoning of my son, Elwe,” he turned to his son who maintained a proper posture, then back to the crowd, “I trust that you will all act with respect and decorum amongst each other throughout your stay here,” Orynion took a sip of the piping hot tea, relieved that it sharpened his mind, this was no small greeting. This was to establish the goings on of the months of training and trials that were to come, and to instill confidence in as many recruits as he could before the battle was upon them. He needed to be welcoming, stern, authoritative, and extremely clear with what would be taking place, without giving too much away that the selection would be tainted, “Now I am sure that Captain Dreco has informed you all of the trials that will be taking place within the coming months. The trials will take place at random, so none may cheat their way through the selection. Any found to be cheating or attempting to gain information about the trials, whether that be from myself, my advisors, my guards or servants, will be removed from the selection process immediately and sent on their way. Am I understood?”
A chorus of agreement mixed with worried chatter flitted across the recruits, the king’s head pounding uncomfortably in response. Many seemed uneasy, even anxious by this, but it was something that needed to be made apparent early on. He could not have someone unworthy make it through the ranks, they would perish in battle if they did not take this seriously. And with so little time to train them, he hoped that this was warning enough.
He raised a hand and the recruits quieted within moments, Thank the Mother, the king thought with a relieved sigh at the moment of silence.
Elwe addressed them further, seeing that Orynion was pained, “Today is a day for celebration at completing your entry trials, and all may converse with myself or the guardsmen. However, as my Father so clearly stated, any trying to cheat information from the men who will train you or from any within the castle grounds, whether that be today or any point in your training will be swiftly dealt with,” he opened his arms to the crowd, “Enjoy your stay everyone, there will be food and drink supplied in just a moment, and welcome again, to Etecia,”
The crowd erupted in applause and joyful cheers that echoed off of the walls, splitting the King’s head with pain, he grimaced against it for a moment before idle chatter filled the room.
Dreco carefully approached, greeting him with a proper bow, “My king, I think it may be best for you to retire to your quarters for the moment. The recruits may think themselves rude to approach you, and you need proper rest,”
Orynion inwardly sneered at the concept of “proper rest” he had not had a proper rest in months now, but he smiled to his captain and left the crowd in his capable hands while he retired to his quarters with an escort by his side, nursing his tea as he silently offered a prayer to the Father that the recruits would have the time to train before the onslaught was upon them.
Apondra found her way through the crowd to where Dreco sat with Elwe, both enjoying the company of the rest of the recruits. She reminded herself of his instruction this morning and dropped into a curtsy, she was getting better at keeping her balance now, and lifted her skirt gently, “I look forward to what training will involve Your Highness,”
Elwe smiled in response, “Dreco will instruct you on your next course of action, Apondra. I look forward to hearing of your growth while you train with him,”
She returned his smile and thanked the prince for his words, excusing herself to accept a drink from a maiden carrying a tray throughout the room. Apondra thanked her kindly and leaned against a far wall where the entire room could be seen, despite the grand white pillars that marked where the tables and chairs ended and the gathering area began, adorned in intricately woven rugs that captured the colors of the kingdom in the patterns of the elven language, a large depiction of the Etecian crest nestled at its center.
She noted another door to the far east of the room, where none seemed to come or go. All of the excitement and anxiety of the meeting was still swimming in her mind, so she sought out somewhere quiet where she could have a moment of peace. Apondra moved her way through the men, seemingly unnoticed, and found herself on a balcony perched above the castle courtyards, overlooking the grand statues and peaceful fountain below. Was this where Elwe had seen her roaming the courtyard that morning?
She inhaled the freshness of the garden scent that wafted up to greet her, and leaned against the stone railing, turning herself to face the door. Any opportunity the others had to incapacitate her they would take, so for the duration of training she would need to remain vigilant.
She startled for a moment when Dreco came through the door, composed herself quickly and watched him close the balcony door.
“Needed a break from the excitement, kid?” Goddess did he remind her of Beren, Dreco stood next to her and crossed his arms, “I needed to get away from that, already the new recruits were getting too cozy with me,” Apondra shrank with the statement, but her worries were quickly dismissed when Dreco continued, “You are my charge and trainee, you are allowed to be comfortable with me. For each recruit, one soldier who has already risen to their rank in the guard or army will be training the others. But you must understand that my duties to the king and prince will always come before you,”
Apondra nodded, “If it were any other way I would be concerned,” she chuckled with Dreco, and sighed.
“When the crowd disperses I want to take you away from the training grounds to hone your skills one on one. I have already spoken with the king and he has no need of me until at least sunset, when my normal duties will resume,”
Apondra took a step past Dreco and inched the door open to see the room of strangers eagerly chatting and drinking as much as they desired. She could see Elwe’s tall frame, surrounded by potential recruits, who he was politely turning away again and again. Apondra wondered just how many of their number would die down when the king’s ruling came for them. How many had actually heeded the King’s words, and the prince’s repeated warning? Time would have to tell.
“The guards will be taking the space soon for a meeting of our own, more a formality as yours was, to discuss decorum and practice among the potential candidates. His Highness has excused me from this meeting, so I have time to begin your training,”
Apondra frowned slightly, was this an oversight? Or was the King perhaps giving her an opportunity? As she and Dreco made their way through the crowd, excusing themselves to the prince, and out into the glow of the morning sun to somewhere more secluded, away from prying eyes, Apondra offered a prayer to the Father that everything would work out as intended, and that the unknown threat to the Emerald Castle might be delayed, though it was unlikely for the warrior God to answer to this at all, she hoped that her words were enough to get her through the first part of her training.