Inaki woke up the next morning.

Yan wasn’t already waiting for him for training, which confused Inaki. Checking outside in the garden, there was no sign of Yan. He brought out his sword, and stepped out into the garden.

Inaki realized that this was the first time that he had held his own metal blade and felt like he deserved it. He began doing the Tigerstance kata, but he still wasn’t there yet. He was able to defeat five Woodens yesterday not because he had gone back to his old skills, but because Woodens were slow, and Inaki was able to dodge a lot of their strikes but he was still not completely there.

But at least he wasn’t falling as he did the Tigerstance kata. He was just doing it badly. Like every other Wooden in the middle of transitioning to an Iron.

Inaki began swinging the sword like he was just a child instead of a twenty-one year old. As he was enjoying the ecstasy of not being a complete failure anymore, he was interrupted by a knock on his sliding door.

“Hello,” Yaz said. “You seem to be having fun.”

“Yes I am,” Inaki said.

“Come on in, today’s breakfast is something different,” Yaz said.

Inaki stepped into his room, where there were two plates on the little table he was given. On his plate instead of the usual omelet and rice was a miso soup, some tofu salad and a bowl of rice.

“Wow,” Inaki said. “This might be the most flavorful food I’d have eaten since leaving Tomoka.”

“How long ago was that?” Yaz asked.

“Just a little less than a month ago,” Inaki said.

“Wow,” Yaz said. “You’ve already been here for that long?”

“Yes, a little more than three weeks here, and a little bit longer on the run.”

“Have you enjoyed your time in Gael?” Yaz asked.

“In the beginning the hospitality wasn’t very good, with your brother beating the wits out of me,” Inaki said. “But it got better.”

“Thank you,” Yaz said. “Come on let’s eat, the food will get cold.”

Inaki took a sip of the soup and ate a bite of the tofu salad. They were both amazing. Inaki ate some rice to complete the explosion of flavor in his mouth.

“This is absolutely amazing,” Inaki said. “Thank you so much.”

“You're welcome,” Yaz said.

“You made this didn’t you?” Inaki asked

“Yes, and I am glad you liked it,” Yaz said.

Inaki began talking about the book that he had been reading, but Yaz stopped him.

“Enjoy the food first, then we can talk,” Yaz said. She had a big smile on her face as Inaki ate. Inaki truly enjoyed the food. It was extremely tasty. Inaki would take some miso soup in his mouth, then put a bite of tofu, then some rice, mixing it in his mouth. Every bite tasted amazing.

“Now that we’re done, we can continue chatting,” Yaz said, dabbing some Miso off her lip. “Wait, you’ve got miso and grains of rice on your face.”

“Where,” Inaki said.

Yaz reached out with the cloth in her hand and wiped the rice and the soup off his face. Inaki blushed a little bit and so did she.

Once she had wiped his mouth, Inaki realized that he had been staring at her. She was just so beautiful. She had shaved her bald head, so now it didn’t have any of the fuzz, it was smooth. Her face shape was somehow perfect for the bald head, and Inaki couldn’t help but get lost in her eyes.

Inaki would have felt like a creep if not for the fact that Yaz was staring into his eyes too.

“So that book,” Yaz said, jerking her head away.

“Yeah,” Inaki said. “I don’t think this one was that good.”

The two of them continued their usual conversation about books and swordsmanship and spearwomanship. It was the best part of Inaki’s day, he relished his conversations with her.

Just as Yaz was about to leave to get back to her normal day, she turned back and said, “Do you want to come with me to the Gael festival?”

“Sure,” Inaki said. “When is it?”

“Day after tomorrow,” Yaz said. “Oh, and Father won’t be coming to train you for the next few days because of the festival, though he has told me to tell you to just continue your exercises, and go and spar with the Irons if you want to.”

“Look forward to meeting you at the festival,” Inaki said.

“Same here,” Yaz said, and she walked off.

Inaki sat there, wondering why she had to have a life except for chatting with her brother’s prisoner who he was going to kill in about a month.

Inaki spent the rest of the day reading another book that Yaz had given him. He thoroughly enjoyed the book. Their taste in books seemed to almost be completely matched.

Inaki went to sleep that night excited for the day of the festival. He didn’t know what the Gael festival was, but he assumed it would be a lot like the Tomoka festival. The morning there was the ceremonial breakfast, in the afternoon the carnival, where you could play all different kinds of games, and buy different souvenirs, and then finally in the night the beautiful fireworks.

Inaki woke up the next morning, Yan was there. It must’ve been one of the days when he had to go rock climbing.

“Good morning, boy,” Yan said.

“Yaz told me you wouldn’t be training me,” Inaki said.

“Well, I do have some time at this hour, so I thought why don’t I train you a little bit,’ Yan said.

“Thank you,” Inaki said, standing up, putting his metal blade in its sheath.

“Oh, you can leave the sword here, we’re going for a run.”

Once Inaki was done with his training for the day, which was surprisingly light, only a run around the city and some duck walks, Yan was ready to leave.

“Sorry,” Yan said. “A bit busy planning the festival.”

“I understand,” Inaki said. “Lord, there was just one request I wanted to make.”

“I won’t grant it to you unless you don’t call me Lord,” Yan said.

“Okay, can you give me some good robes for the festival, I only have these which are ripped up from the rock climbing,” Inaki said.

“Sure,” Yan said. “I’ll have them sent to you today itself so you can make sure they fit.”

“Thank you,” Inaki said.

“See you day-after tomorrow, boy,” Yan said.

When Yan left, the sun was just about rising, and Inaki had the rest of the day to do nothing. Nilun arrived in the afternoon, with Inaki’s lunch, his robes, and a large mirror on his back.

“Ello,” Nilun said. “Yaz invited you to the festival didn’t she?”

“Yes,” Inaki said. “How did you know?”

“Just a guess,” Nilun said. “Anyways, Yan sent these robes for you.”

Nilun handed the robes to Inaki, “Thanks.” Inaki held them in his hand examining them. They were absolutely amazing. Black with gold embroidery up the front, and silver embroidery on the sleeves. Though they were black they seemed to almost shine.

Inaki stepped into his room and tried them on, wearing his normal black pants. When he stepped out, Nilun held up the mirror for him.

Inaki’s beard had grown wild. His hair was all haywire. It was a mystery what Yaz saw in him because he looked like a wild animal.

“You really do need a shave,” Nilun said. “And you definitely need something for your hair. Come on, let’s go help you look good for Yaz.”

Inaki’s cheeks reddened, “Thank you.”

Inaki ran into his room and changed out of the expensive robes. Nilun took him out of the gate. Nilun first took Inaki to a woman whose house was large, and right next to the castle.

“This is my mother, Shai,” Nilun said. “She’s the cousin of Lord Yan, and the one who styles everyone for events like this.”

“So you’re Inaki,” Shai said.

“Hello,” Inaki said.

“Come on in,” Shai said. “Nilun was telling me about how he thought you’d be a monster but are actually just a sweet-heart.”

“Mom,” Nilun said, annoyed.

“Me… a sweet-heart,” Inaki said. Inaki couldn’t believe her words. Nilun pushed Inaki into his house. His house was absolutely luxurious. Shai dragged Inaki into a room, and once there, she forced him onto a chair.

“Now don’t worry,” Shai said. “You’ll impress whichever gal you’re trying to impress.”

“You do know I am going to fight Farrow to a duel to the death in a month,” Inaki said.

“Yeah,” Shai said. “And I understand you’re trying to enjoy your last month.”

“I guess,” Inaki said.

“Then who am I to condemn the already condemned,” Shai said.

Shai began shaving Inaki then put different creams and ointments on his face. She then put some more creams in his hair, and began cutting his hair.

“Don’t make my hair short,” Inaki said.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“No, I know you Tomokans like your hair long,” Shai said. “I am just making it even, making sure your hair has proper volume, and definition.”

Inaki spent the next hour with his eyes closed because Shai had put a wet cloth over his eyes—it was supposed to get rid of the bags under them.

Once Shai was done, he looked at himself in the mirror, and realized he looked like a completely different person. His skin was now much smoother, and his hair was more straight, and flowing. It tied up into a bun at the top with gold thread, but still his hair came down till his neck.

“Come on,” Nilun said. “We have to see how this looks with those robes on.”

Nilun and Inaki then walked back to Inaki’s little room, where Inaki changed. He stared at himself in the mirror. He almost couldn’t believe he was looking at himself in the mirror. He looked much younger than he was without a beard—he could’ve been easily mistaken for a sixteen year old—but he definitely looked much better.

“You’re definitely going to floor Yaz tomorrow,” Nilun said.

“I don’t know if we’re that way,” Inaki said.

“What do you mean,” Nilun said. “She invited you to the festival.”

“What does that mean,” Inaki said.

“Have you never asked out a woman before?” Nilun asked.

“No,” Inaki said.

“What did you do all day as a child,” Nilun said.

“I read or trained,” Inaki said.

“Well anyways, people usually wait until the festival to ask out a person they’ve been wanting to court,” Nilun said. “It’s usually the man who asks the woman, but I’m guessing Yaz likes you that much.”

“Oh,” Inaki reddened. “Why would she ask me out? I'm probably going to get killed by her brother in a month. Or I will kill her brother in a month.”

“We don’t like to think about that when hanging out with you,” Nilun said.

“Yeah,” Inaki said. “Me neither.”

“Well anyways, I’ve got to go and get ready for the festival myself,” Nilun said.

“You got someone or are you going to just tail Trish like you usually do,” Inaki teased.

“Oh for your information I don’t only tail my sister,” Nilun said. “And I do have someone.”

“Oh,” Inaki asked. “Who?” Why am I interested in who Nilun is going out with?

“She’s an Iron, you probably don’t know her, her name is Yenife,” Nilun said.

“Yenovar’s older sister,” Inaki said. “Well good for you.” Nilun raised his hand for a hand shake.

Inaki was happy that he wasn’t the man he used to be anymore. The man he used to be didn’t care about who was going out with who, but that wasn’t because he didn’t care about gossiping. Inaki realized he just hadn’t cared about the other person in the first place.

Inaki walked back into his room and kept his robes, properly folded, on his table. He then spent the rest of his day reading.

Inaki woke up the next morning before sunrise. Was Yan going to train him on that day?

“Good morning,” Yaz said, standing over Inaki. She held Inaki’s plate in one hand and her own in one hand.

“You’re here early,” Inaki said, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“I’ll be spending morning till afternoon getting ready for the festival, I thought I’d meet you first, and wow you look different.”

“Nilun’s mother styled me up,” Inaki said.

“Wow,” Yaz said. “Can’t wait to see you after you’re all dressed up.” Yaz pointed at the robes on the table.

It was once again the usual omelet and rice for breakfast, but it tasted pretty good. The two of them chatted about the book as they did usually, and Yaz left, in more of a hurry than usual.

“Meet me at the entrance to the festival,” Yaz said. “At around noon.”

Inaki spent the morning making sure he looked absolutely perfect. Nilun had left the mirror there for Inaki, so Inaki put it against the wall and examined himself. He tied his hair with the golden thread that Shai had given, and wore the robes.

“This isn’t what swordsmen do,” The man Inaki used to be, whispered in his mind. “You are becoming better, don’t get distracted.”

I’m not getting distracted, Inaki thought.

Inaki tied his brilliant scabbard around his waist, and put his sword there. For the first time in his life Inaki felt like he looked like the son of a Sage, but now as a prisoner.

Inaki stepped out of his prison and stepped out of the gate, which had been left open to him. Almost as if they no longer feared Inaki running away. And Inaki wouldn’t. He was getting valuable training from Yan, and if that meant dying in his final duel against Farrow, Inaki didn’t mind as long as he died competent.

Inaki walked through the city, which was gearing up for the festival. Everyone getting ready for the festival was like a held breath, now the city was quiet and empty, but the exhale would be extremely loud. It was about an hour until the festival really began. Inaki felt the pockets inside his robes and felt something.

“You stink, signed Nilun,” A note read on it. It was a bottle of perfume. Inaki quickly stepped into an alley and put it on himself before continuing on his walk through the city.

One of the consequences of running through the city nearly every other morning was that Inaki knew the layout of Gael very well. He was able to find the entrance to the festival pretty easily, since it was quite close to the castle.

Inaki stood at the gate and waited. There were a few others there, men and women. They all had gifts in their hands, bouquets of flowers, sweets. Inaki had nothing, because Inaki could get nothing. He had absolutely no money with him.

What if she is expecting a gift? Inaki thought.

He tried to swallow his anxieties, but that didn’t really work for him. He just stood there, waiting, hoping that he wouldn’t disappoint Yaz.

When she arrived, Inaki didn’t think he could speak. She wore loose fitting robes with a floral design, she wore makeup, but not nearly as much as those around her. Okan’s balls some of the men were wearing more makeup than her. All she wore was some eyeliner—which meant Inaki was even more lost in them—and some lipstick.

Compared to how she looked Inaki might as well could’ve been a dog. She radiated a sense of confidence as she walked, holding up her skirt so it didn’t get dirty. If Inaki had been confused about his feelings before, Inaki wasn’t anymore. He was completely enamored by her.

And that made Inaki even more anxious. He definitely didn’t look that good. And he wasn’t that good of a person either. What reason would she have to continue walking around with him?

“Hello,” Yaz said. “Wow, you look amazing.”

Inaki stood there dumbfounded. He stared at her as if she was the sun, he was trying to look away, but he was completely enraptured in her radiance.

“Hello,” Yaz said. “Do I not look good?” Yaz raised her hand to rub her bald head, but then swatted her hand away.

“You look amazing,” Inaki said. When she didn’t bring up Inaki not having a present he let out a relieved breath. Of course she wouldn’t expect you to have a present, you’re a bloody prisoner for Okan’s sake.

Yaz held her hand out, and Inaki took it. The two of them walked into the gates of the festival. The festival was one continuous, wide path. There were some turns in the way, and there was one elevated stand a pace or so away where they would go and watch the fireworks.

The merchants in the stalls called out their wares. Some were selling jewelry, others small statues, and others sold wooden toys. Yaz and Inaki stopped at a few of the stalls to take a look at their wares, but moved on pretty quickly.

“Hey, Inaki,” Jonar said. He was walking around with Yenovar. The two of them shook hands. “Since you beat us so badly in a duel, why not play a game of darts, for my honor.”

“What if I defeat you there too,” Inaki said.

“You won’t,” Jonar.

“Weren’t you this sure before our duel,” Inaki said.

“No,” Jonar said. “Much less.”

They walked to the darts area as a group, and over there, they bumped into Nilin and Yenife, who were already playing darts.

“Looking good, Inaki,” Nilun said. “Good day, Jonar.”

Jonar and Inaki shook hands with Nilun. All six of them began playing darts.

“Who wants to go first,” The man said. The rules were simple, you threw four darts, and had to get the most points possible.

“I’ll go first,” Jonar said.

Jonar stepped forward and threw his darts, he was very good. He got three on the bullseye, and his fourth missed. Nilun then took his turn, who did much worse than Jonar, then Yenife, who just barely lost to Jonar.

Inaki stepped forward, and threw his dart. His dart missed the bullseye going far above it, but Jonar seemed disappointed.

“What is that,” Inaki asked Yaz.

“You hit the triple twenty, that’s even more than a bullseye,” Yaz said.

Inaki threw the dart once again, and once again he hit the triple twenty. His last two darts hit the bullseye

“Where’s the confidence now, my friend,” Inaki said.

“Just a warm up,” Jonar said. “I’ll get you next game.”

“We’ll see,” Inaki said.

Inaki’s attention turned to Yaz playing. She got all four triple twenties. The highest score possible in the game.

“And we have a jackpot winner,” The man organizing the game said. He gave her a big wooden doll of a horse.

“Let’s play another round,” Jonar said.

And so they did. They ended up playing four more rounds, each round Inaki and Yaz got more and more competitive. It was to the point that Inaki had forgotten his original competition was not with her, but with Jonar.

In the end Yaz barely won with a cumulative score of almost seven hundred in five games, while Inaki’s score was about 680.

They then moved on to archery. Where Inaki somehow was able to defeat everyone else. Inaki didn’t know how, but he was the best at archery there—and that was not because he was good at archery, but because he was the only one able to actually even hit the target board unlike the others. Nilun nearly shot the poor man organizing the game.

Soon they met more and more of the people from the training hall, and their group became bigger and bigger. They loitered around, looking at shops, getting souvenirs.

Inaki had so much fun. He didn’t remember smiling and laughing so much in one day.

“You don’t deserve this,” A voice in Inaki’s mind said. It wasn’t the voice of his old self that usually nagged him. Inaki had enough of voices in his head screaming at him, which is why he tried to ignore them. But he couldn’t.

Soon enough it was time for the fireworks. The entire group found some space on the raised platform to look down at the firework display at the center of the city. The fireworks wouldn’t start for another hour or so.

“You don’t deserve all of this,” the new voice in Inaki's mind said. “You are a horrible person.”

The faces of all the people he killed appeared in his mind. THe worst part was that he couldn’t tell if they were actually their faces because he hadn’t paid attention. Just killed them if they were in his way. Just to prove his superiority.

Inaki felt like he was going to throw up.

He stepped away from the celebrating lot, and climbed down the platform. He went and threw up in an empty alley between two buildings, just outside the festival gates.

What am I doing with my life, Inaki thought. I am becoming a swordsman again, but can I become that killer again?

Inaki tried to stay standing. Taking the support of the wall he forced his legs to stop shaking. It was sunset, but somehow felt like he was seeing a bright light. He heard a loud ringing sound, and a crescendo of the voices of the people he’d killed. The people who don’t get to come to a festival like this. All because of some petty duels.

Some petty fucking duels, and Inaki had ended someone’s existence.

“Inaki,” Yaz said. “Are you okay?”

In all of his conversations with Yaz, he never ever told her about all of these feelings. The nightmares of the people he’s killed. These sudden attacks of shame, vomiting, the noises.

“Can you hear me,” Yaz said. Yaz put one hand on Inaki’s chest. Inaki’s heart was beating uncontrollably.

“I don’t deserve this,” Inaki admitted out loud. “I don’t deserve to have friends, I don’t deserve to continue living. Your brother should kill me.”

“What happened,” Yaz said.

“I’ve killed people simply because they were in my way for nothing but petty revenge for my honor,” Inaki said. “I’ve killed people just to prove I’m superior. And it took their loved ones trying to kill me to make me realize what a horrible man I am.”

“What a horrible man you were,” Yaz said.

“I don’t fit in,” Inaki said. “I am not like you.”

“What do you mean,” Yaz asked.

“All of you have a purpose,” Inaki said. “I don’t.”

“What makes you say that,” Yaz said.

“I was speaking to Yaraval at the tavern the other day. He wants to become the best spearman to bring his family out of poverty. Jonar’s uncle was banished from the clan for being a murderer, and now he wants to build a name, not for himself, but to get back the honor of his family. Yenovar and her sister want to earn as spearwomen in the army, then start their own tavern here in Gael.

“I feel I am the only one with no purpose, nothing I strive for. I trained the sword all day and all night to impress my father, but then I learned that he would’ve loved me either way. All that blood I spilled, all those hours of training they were for nothing.

“I now train in the sword because it’s the only thing I’ve ever known. I don’t have a purpose in life, and I’ve never had a purpose in life. I don’t fit in.”

Inaki felt so much lighter after venting his thoughts. He didn’t feel the same person. He spoke differently, acted differently, thought differently to the way he used to. How had losing his talent in the sword changed him so much?

And how had it changed him for the better.

“What is my purpose,” Yaz said. “We speak so much every day, do you know my purpose?”

Inaki looked around, trying to think of something to say. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

“Good,” Yaz said. “Because I don’t know either.”

“What should we do,” Inaki said.

“I say we keep living, and maybe we’ll find our purpose along the way,” Yaz said.

Inaki and Yaz stepped back to the platform. They reached just in time to watch the fireworks display. The two of them held hands as they laughed, cheered and smiled with all of their other friends.

Friends that in a previous life, Inaki would’ve never been able to make.