Laying the blade aside, Allan started with the second blade, which was yet to be smoothened.
“It lost quite a bit of width. I should lower the number of swings with consideration of the weapons and types of blades in the future. There is also another problem, with those two being a twin blade. I need to make both of them the same.”
Swosh!
Allan swiftly finished the second blade with the same amount of force and time. Just in case, he checked the first one to make sure they would be similar. Moving the blades together, he noticed some small differences in shape, but it was not even half a centimeter of difference. He could live with this amount of error.
They both looked the same in a stranger's eye and William's touch.
“Good.” Allan put both blades across his hands. They felt normal and even.
They still lacked a guard or handle, so Allan moved towards the work table where was a big box of wooden squares and longer pieces of wood. It was already prepared by the merchant groups at Zigmund's request. It cost more than the handmade one that Allan used to make, but it was worth it. There was no need to work harder. Cleverness and resources went hand to hand. All he needed to remove the wood with his preferences, and he had plenty of them.
He took two same pieces and cleaved them in half with the careful precision of the ax. Carving the insides and holes for the blade itself with a carving knife, he decided on no guard. Twinsword would have only a wooden handle wrapped in leather strips at both ends made of wood. The hand would not slip from the swings or when using it for defense.
Placing both finished pieces toward each other, Allan used the same sap from the first blade he made to make both ends stick together. The same was done with a second blade. Perfecting this from his experience, Allan was quite satisfied. He felt like he could do something like this even when he was half asleep.
Clayton made sure to teach him well, after all.
Handling the finished blades, he forgot to clean them up with oily treatment. Allan has no idea where he left them, or where he stored them because he was yet to be familiar with this forge.
The same with everything, when something looked shinier and better, the more it could be sold for. That was one of a saying he heard mister Boris say.
Upon moving to the boxes, and trying to find the bottle of oils through his touch, he couldn't find the specific location where he thought he kept them.
“Are you looking for something?” The sweet voice sounded in his ears from behind.
“Oh. You scared me... so suddenly..” Allan complained as he was preoccupied with his work. He never once noticed that he was not alone in the room.
Sarey found it nice, much to her amusement. She smiled and did not make fun of him.
“So? I watched your work with great interest. As always, you don't know the world around you when you are in your own bubble of work.” Sarey said meaningfully.
“I guess... Father never complained about it. Saying it was a good thing to be focused on the thing closest to your hands. I am looking for some bottles of oil, or how it was stored. I am not sure.”
“Oil? Do you mean the ones used for the treatment of weapons? You left it on your left in your worktable.”
“Oh, Thank you... I forgot.” Allan shook his head. Moving to the table once more, and tried to find the bottle. It soon appeared in his hand with warm fingers as well. Sarey was faster than him.
“You need to find some better solution to this. Otherwise, you will find yourself in a world of mess.” Sarey seriously said. Allan remained silent. Not knowing what he should say. Not like he had a better choice. This whole storage was most of the work done by her and Zigmund, while Allan was yet to be familiar with this.
He couldn't help but sigh, not responding to her remarks.
Sarey did not continue with pressing and nagging on his account. Allan applied a few drops from the bottle to the surface of each blade. Wiping it clean with a piece of old cloth. Pair of short swords shined in Allan's hands. Both are around 45 centimeters long blades and have one-handed designs.
Meanwhile, Sarey walked to the impressive whetstone she found very interesting. Watching it, touching it, and seeking its secret. It looked quite normal, but she could not help but try to find its secrets.
“Aren't whetstone usually used with some kind of oil or watery substance?” She asked in curiosity.
“Sometimes. I suppose this is a special kind of whetstone. I don't think it needs it.” Allan answered. He knew it already. Clayton sometimes used certain bottles on his shelves when forging. It was used for less tension and a smoother blade.
It usually contributed to a better surface when working with more complex metals. It also added a more round complexion to the blades' curves and the incredible texture of the finished blades. Allan saw it used once for a spearhead, where it smoothed the spiked and sharp tips of its design. It looked like a polished jade afterward. It left him quite impressed.
Watching the pair of swords in his hands, Sarey walked to him to examine them as well.
“Want to take a look?” Allan offered the blades to her. He could somewhat tell her interest.
Sarey took them without a word. Glancing at them across her face. They looked very impressive and shiny. That oil treatment made it pop off in the lights of the sun from near the window.
Swoosh!
She swung the blades across the air. Handling both weapons in a seemingly familiar style.
Allan did not know what she was doing exactly. Assuming she was trying them out, he did not ask any further, but he could not help but marvel at her swings. He could hear their sharpness.
“Are you familiar with twin swords?” He couldn't help but ask.
Sarey found the question troubling. Some memories surfaced in her mind. Not pleasant or painful. She looked at the sword in her hands with glittering eyes.
“You could say so. Father said that they are quite suitable for women to wield these sorts of weapons.”
“Do you want them?” Allan asked, with no greater meaning.
Sarey frowned upon hearing that, wondering if he already could read her feelings. She already got used to feeling free around him, expressing her emotions and mood in a carefree manner, as she always wanted to.
“Can I? Don't you plan to pay us back with this?”
“What is there to pay back? Do you think my life is so cheap? I swear I will make it worth it more in the future. This is only the beginning.” Allan said, clearly with great resolve. He couldn't care less for a few hours of what he considered experimental work. If she liked it, he could toss it behind his head without much problem and forge another blade with more familiarity and work.
“I will gladly take it. T-thank you.” She hesitantly said.
“You never used twin swords in our spars. Do you wanna give it a go?”
“I felt like not to. You mean... with these? They are so sharp. Do you think this is fine?”
“Nevermind then. Do you have something else on mind? I remember you wanted a new kitchen knife for yourself.” Allan remembered.
“I did? Well, some kind of cleaver or a wider and longer type of kitchen knife would be great.” She said expectantly. If he was willing, why not ask for it?
“Very well. What sort of other details?” Allan calmly said. Since the fire in the furnace was still lively and strong, he wanted to get this done before he returned to his practice for the day.
He sat in his chair to rest for a minute. Went over the requirements according to her wish she mentioned to him a couple of moments ago. Kitchen knife, cleaver, or some kind of stronger blade. Not overly thin, but it needed to be resilient and sharp. Allan was quite sad that he could not make sketches, it would help him with his ideas according to her wish.
All he could do was come with them inside his mind. It was great for mental training and his fortitude, so that was at least some positive, but it left him still sore in spirit.
In the end, he decided to make a fusion of the requirements. Cleaver was easy to make, so he chose to lower its width and make it a few centimeters longer. Its tip would have a point for piercing into the meat or something else. Its edge would be straight with no curvature, but it would end in a tip that would end at a 60-degree angle and went up towards the dull end of the edge.
Having the plan, he went to work with no hesitation. Both pleased and happy for doing what he loved the most, it left him in an incredible and happy mood.
Sarey stared into the working madness of Allan. Her thoughts were unknown to anyone. Occasionally glancing at her gifts of twin swords, her eyes couldn't conceal her excitement, even if she tried.
Being honest about it? She would do so only for Allan. Zigmund would laugh at her and find it quite ironic. After what happened the last time? Her mind still lingered with the shadow of the experience, where she went through the training methods her father forced upon her.
Maybe it was a mistake on his part? Could be also her own fault? That was what she thought. Some things made her more honest and comfortable than others. Being forced to do something she didn't feel like doing? That was not for her.
That was the main thing she loved after spending this small amount of time with Allan. Be it the mysterious circumstances, she did not fear them.
36? He was just a ruffian in her eyes, but not an ordinary one, of course. An immortal figure is a very magical being with a rarity that goes obvious to the mortal planes of existence.
Shaking her head and slapping her cheeks a little, in the hope of reclaiming her calm, she walked away and placed the swords aside in the room. Leaving Allan to her work, she walked outside to spend some time worrying about other things.
Now she had no other responsibilities. Zigmund's restaurant? Even her father tossed it behind his head. Although he had some days where he went over to deal with some businesses. He cared less about it since Allan's appearance. 😄
As for her time with her teacher and Triston? She feared that they had already left this town or even the whole Tricloud region. Seeking other adventures in other parts of the continent, Sarey could not help but marvel about such possibilities.
Even after all of this, she did not feel lonely. It was almost like she became a friend to someone very important, so she did not mind it. Instead, she was excited about it, which is also strange.
Walking towards the tree, which had a pole above some branches, she laid there leisurely to rest, while trying a few sets for herself.
After being bored with her lazy attitude, her boiling blood through the exercises led her to be exhausted in her weaknesses.
At some point, the banging sounds of hammers against some kind of metal spread outside. Waking up Sarey in her serene time of training, her gift was coming through the motion of the hammer.