CHAPTER 13

“Well that was interesting.” Xanile smiled at me as we fled the classroom to get away from the senior students who bellowed orders at us to move faster and to practice. “What will you do before dinner?”

“I’ll likely need to be practicing how to use my weapons.” I shrugged, wondering if the obstacle course would be up still as well. “What about you, my lady?”

“Xanile.” She said and gave me an odd look as we walked toward our rooms.

“What?” I blinked at her, then raised an eyebrow.

“I want you to call me Xanile.” She insisted and stared me in the eyes before noticing that we were still very much in a crowed hallway. “Come on.”

She grabbed my wrist and pulled me into a side hallway that eventually led us to where our rooms were. She didn’t stop at my door and instead led me to her door and opened it with a swipe of her hand on the door.

Inside her room were large animals of realistic size and shape to some of the beasts known to roam the Middling in some of the more remote regions of it. Rare and dangerous, but still beautiful. “Why do you have a Neoprimate in your room?”

“To help me get used to the terrifying prospect that I might need to deal with some of these animals soon.” She folded her hands in front of her and finally sighed before looking back at me. “That’s not why I asked you to come with me.”

She stared at me a moment longer and blushed, “I would like you to refer to me by my given name, from now on.” I blinked at her and she rushed to say, “We are going to be working together a lot and since we are closest in age and spend so much time together, it only makes sense that we would be more familiar with one another.”

“Oh, okay.” I frowned and finally just decided that it really was. It wasn’t her fault that I had been taken by her sister. And now I had the means to make something better of myself so that it never happened again. “Then what will you be doing before dinner this evening, Xanile?”

She blushed deeper at that and cleared her throat, “I will be practicing my rapier work so that I can go on an expedition into the forest to practice my magic soon.” She thought about it some more and frowned, “I was going to see if you would like to come with me?”

I raised my eyebrows at her. If I have a beast core, I can put it into my shuna and make it a real weapon! “I would like that!”

Her eyes lit up, “You would?”

“Yeah.” I smiled at her and she smiled back. “Want some help practicing?”

She grinned and pulled her thin wooden blade, “Let us find somewhere a little more secluded for this.”

“The lounge is large enough that I reckon the two of you could make use of it.” Winfred’s voice shocked us both and made us both yelp in surprise. She stared at Xanile critically, “If I hadn’t heard the conversation, I would be a bit miffed that you have a boy in your room, young miss. That said, I am glad that you’ve made a friend.”

“Yes, a friend.” Xanile nodded as she moved around the older woman, quickly, “Come along, Saemus, we can go and practice in the lounge it seems.”

“Not so fast, my lady.” Winfred grabbed her shoulder and turned back to me as I made to follow. “I need an answer on what you would like to do for your surname. I thought you had until the end of the first week, but they’re pushing me for it. If you don’t decide, they might decide for you.”

And here I hadn’t put any real thought into it myself other than having been a thorn in the Marki children’s side unintentionally and intentionally since I had met them, there was really nothing about me that stuck out. Though I didn’t want to share the name of my captors or my new friend either, that would just be weird.

I kind of like the idea of being a thorn in the side of people who annoyed me. “Is the name ‘Thorn’ taken?”

“It might be a bit confusing to some because it is a rank in the military and something of a position otherwise, but since you’re a cadet and not enlisted, you should be fine if that’s what you choose?” Winfred stared at me thoughtfully. “Why Thorn?”

“I plan to be a something sharp and painful for people who stand in my way.” I shrugged and glanced at Xanile. “Thorns usually reside near something pretty and protect them, so it seems apt that I claim that name.”

Winfred’s eyebrows shot straight up and she stared at me, then at Xanile who looked to be speechless. “I suppose Saemus Thorn it is.” Winfred wrote the name down on the small slip of parchment that she pulled from her pocket and then stared at me. “See that you make certain to memorize that name, as some instructors will begin ensuring that you answer to it.”

I gave her a nod and followed Xanile into the lounge where she proceeded to beat me handily for about twenty minutes of Constance back and forth with her weapon.

“You need to work on your hand eye coordination a bit more.” She giggled and rested her weapon on her shoulder as I rubbed my shoulder where she had stabbed me painfully three times in a row. “Also, block before you get hit.”

“Try stabbing me again.” I growled and stood up at the ready. “Call it before you do it.”

She shrugged and waved her sword over head, then loosened her wrist by rolling it before settling into a guard and staring at me, “Left shoulder.”

A heartbeat before she moved, I tried to get my left arm up and over in time to stop her weapon but she was too fast and prodded me with it anyway. “Drat!”

“You’re anticipating it too much, and you’re not paying attention to her eyes.” Winfred growled angrily, surprising us once more. “Besides, holding the blade up like that isn’t going to give you the power you need to stop someone’s blade from slipping over or under your guard. Here.”

She came over and snatched the the long knife from my hand and held it in her fist with the blade held down, “This way, your cross guard forces the weapon down and away from you. But you also have the perfect weapon to be a nightmare to anyone with a sword in your right hand and you aren’t using it. Give me that axe, Saemus.”

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I complied and she took it, settling into an easy stance, “Young Miss.”

Xanile didn’t call her shot, but instead launched into a rapid assortments of slashes and feints that boggled my mind. She didn’t need the practice, she had just been toying with me the entire time.

“Now, as she stabs forward, I take my knife and block the zone she means to pierce—like so.” Winfred’s blade-down knife connected with the wooden weapon as she spoke, her right hand with the hand axe arcing over and coming to a point above Xanile’s weapon, but it didn’t look like a strike. “Then, with the opening of your weapon you lock her’s.”

Following her words was easier as she moved slowly at first, then sped up, the bottom of the blade—the heel—slipped over the weapon and pinned it on the side opposite the knife. “Now, you can keep her weapon pinned like so, or you can take it from her.”

“Take it from me?” Xanile smiled and raised an eyebrow and then suddenly her weapon was gone and flung across the room. “Oh.”

Winfred smiled and winked at the young noble and jerked her head toward the toss weapon and watched her go to collect it before she turned her gaze on me. “You’re not experienced enough to realize this yet, but each movement of your weapons can set up the movement and strikes of the next for the other. Block with the knife, attack with the axe, pin and toss. Attack, move, flow.”

She began to move her arms back and forth and as she did, the flow of her movements became apparent. As one weapon did anything, the other weapon moved back and did almost the opposite. “Put your hands up and imagine that your arms are holding the weapons, then make the same motions I am.”

I did as she was saying and smiled, beginning to get the hang of it after about an hour of working with her. When I thought I had it, the quest giver spoke, Competency has been gained with a basic skill. Skill points are now available and will be back paid for each individual level gained.

I was so distracted that I hadn’t seen Xanile’s wooden blade coming until it struck my shoulder painfully. “Ouch!” I grunted and put a hand to my shoulder.

“Sorry, you were staring at me so I thought you were paying attention. Something wrong?”

I frowned and wanted to try something, “I think I have the hang of it now, and I want to try it for myself.” My gaze turned up to Winfred, “May I borrow my weapons, please?”

“Manners like that? You can have them and I’ll make tea.” She smiled proudly then slyly added. “You manage to disarm her, and I’ll make sure to throw in a sweet for you for it.”

I blinked and grinned hungrily, she had brought in her sweets only for the Doranda’s and by the time I got to the lounge they were gone. I only heard the lamentations about them from Xanile who had a dangerous sweet tooth. I hadn’t had anything sweet since the week before I’d been taken when mother had made a Cindry fruit pie and my father had devoured the majority of it.

“And if he doesn’t?” Xanile challenged, a little more indignant than I thought she might be. “Do I get some?”

“You get some regardless my lady; this is an incentive for him.” She turned to me, “Take a few minutes to get your bearings with the weapons and then have a go.”

She handed me the knife and hand axe, then took a step back as I began to move with them. Every motion and movement with them in my grip felt more and more natural to me, until they were extensions of my hand.

I took a deep breath and let it go before facing Xanile, “Think I’m ready.”

“I hope so for your sake.” She smiled and shrugged her shoulders before her weapon blurred toward me.

Her sword dipped at the last second and connected with my long knife, my body having moved nearly on its own and my axe followed. I knew I wanted to pin her weapon, and that was what I did.

“Excellent work!” I grinned at Winfred and Xanile as the younger woman’s eyes widened. Winfred patted me on the shoulder and said, “I’ll be sure to bring extra sweets by tomorrow. Let’s have some tea.”

While we sat and the ladies discussed the day and Xanile’s classes, I took a glance at my status screen.

Name: Saemus Thorn

Race: Elven

Level: 7*

Statistics: Measurement

Might: 3

Dexterity: 6

Constitution: 1

Mind: 3

Magic: 7

Charm: 2

Luck: 12

Skills: Basic Flow (dual handed)

Skill points available: 7*

Much like my level, skills points only became available if I leveled up. So while I had quite a few, until I made the decision to spend the points needed to level up on stats, I would need to wait.

Though the addition of the dual handed limiter was interesting. Did that mean it only worked with weapons I had in both hands?

I waited until there was a lull in the conversation and asked, “So does the flow that you showed me work in similar concepts of fighting?”

She thought about it, then tilted her head to the side and spoke low, “I suppose? Hand to hand combat is a little closer to it, as there is the concept of using your body correctly to hit harder and faster. Normal sword use is a little more intense and requires more forethought and direct use than a flow of any sort. Other weapons may benefit from it, but the flow is what you make of it.”

“I see.” She stared at me intently and I just offered her a bashful smile, “We have hand to hand combat tomorrow, and I’m a little nervous every about it.”

She closed her eyes and and allowed her eyebrows to rise, “Ah, I can imagine you might be. Don’t worry, while it was never my forte, you can use the flow in many ways. And I happen to know your instructor for that course. I’ll put in a good word.”

I blinked at her as she rose from her seat, “Time to get these old bones to work and for you two to get to mess. Good night.”

She got up and left us, both of us thinking about the following day.

Xanile watched me, “Are you truly worried about tomorrow?”

I frowned before answering, “Yes. It’s the military classes that worry me the most. What about you?”

Her lips drooped slightly and she shrugged, “Magic Theory if I am being truthful, though why they call it a theory course is confusing to me. They are basically going to teach us how to harness our magic and give us the Markado.”

“The whatcado?” She snorted at my ignorance and stood from the couch, walking toward her room. “Seriously, what is it?”

“I am going to fetch a book, stay here.” She left the room for a few minutes before returning with a large book in hand. It was easily as long and wide as my shuna, thick as my fist and covered in leather. “According to the Volume of Ancient Magics, the Markado is a physical manifestation of our magic through a visible symbol.”

“Oh, so you have your’s already.” She shook her head, crestfallen. “Your eyes aren’t one?”

“No.” She opened the book to a chapter called, Magical maledictions, maladies and misfits. “According to this chapter, my eyes are a rare curse brought on by the strength and type of my magic. While I do not yet know what I can do with my magic, I do know that it has something to do with beasts. Other than that, all I can hope is that my Markado will give me some sort of clue as to what I am capable of so that I don’t have to waste valuable time and resources to attempt learning it.”

“Okay, but what is a Markado?”

She flipped to the next chapter, self titled and read aloud, “The Markado is a curious marking that denotes the typing and strength of one’s magic.”

“Oh, but how do you know what kind magic you can do if that’s all it shows you?”

She flipped the page and pointed to a myriad of drawn renditions of magical markings on arms, faces, hands, feet’s, shoulders, and other body parts.

She pointed to one around someone’s mouth that looked really odd, beneath it mentioned the word, “Command.”

“Isn’t that the Marki family ability?” I asked and regretted it immediately.

“How do you know about that?” She looked like a wolf that had just been shown a hutch full of foolish fowl fairly free to frolic and be eaten.

“Etran Marki used it on me today.” I grumbled and her eyes widened. Before she could ask me for details, I explained the situation and all it did was frustrate her more.

“Winfred!” Her voice raised and the woman appeared in the doorway instantly with a curious expression. “Go to the Marki’s and tell them that they have twenty-four hours to issue a letter of apology or I will seek compensation for their attack on a guest of our house.”

“My lady, the boy was punished already by one of the staff.” Winfred tried to sound like she had everything under control, but stopped at a raised hand from her lady.

“For both instances of stepping out of line, certainly, but he also stole from my guest and beat him in the middle of a hall in front of who knows how many other students while he was unable to defend himself.” Xanile glared at the older elven woman as the realization dawned on her. “Go. See it done.”

“Yes, my lady.” Winfred stood rigidly and fled the doorway, allowing it to shut behind her.

“I plan to embarrass him in our duel, so I don’t see why it’s so important this be done now.” I tried not to sound petulant. It was honestly more embarrassing to have them step in on my behalf now that it was so late into the evening.

“No.” She grunted and turned her angry visage on me, “The fact that it was done at all is what I find alarming. The Seelie are supposed to present a united front and take care of these sorts of things in sanctioned duels or behind closed doors; not beat each other in the halls like common rabble for anyone else to see.”

She stared at me for a moment, “If what you say is true, then why is it that you don’t have a mark on you?”

“Instructor Sadick healed me with some of his botany knowledge.” Thinking back on it, I had been highly impressed. “It was very grand, that gesture.”

“He likely knows what would happen if I found out, or even worse the school, and intervened to lessen the blow.” She bit her thumb impotently as she mulled over the instructors actions. “Some of the instructors have been doing what the can to ensure that tensions remain at a low so that war doesn’t break out here first. Keeps the students safe.”

I blinked at her and stilled, “Is that likely to come of this?”

She snorted, “No. You’re a member of my house now and as such I am entitled to compensation for their lack of decorum, especially if they refuse to apologize for their transgressions.”

She stared at me in my discomfort and finally sighed, “I know that you plan to beat both of them to a pulp if you can, but this is out of your hands and in mine now.” Xanile stepped closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder, “You protected me once, no matter how foolish it was of you to do. Now I have the opportunity to repay that. Please allow me to.”

I sighed and nodded, realizing it was time to go get food, “Let’s go get food. I need to practice some more too.”

Nothing else came of the incident that evening and I was able to go to bed after practicing with Xanile some more. The more I used the Flow, the more I understood that I had no clue what I was doing and that there was still so much left about the system and the quest giver that I didn’t yet know.

Resolving to try and find more information on the two if I could, I laid my head on my pillow and closed my eyes.