Venza

"Look on the bright side," Aiela began. "Not everyone can give someone a bloody nose from across the room."

Venza huffed and rolled her eyes, though Aiela couldn't see it because she had her face buried in a book about local plant life. They were in Venza's room, seated on opposite ends of her four-poster bed. Her room was a little larger than Aiela's, though in many ways it mirrored it. History books and manuals on the martial arts occupied nearly all space on Venza's bookshelf. She'd skimmed through most of the history books and re-read the manuals on a regular basis.

The wooden walls were painted the soft pink of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Her window opened out onto the gardens as well, though it also gave a view of the front gates. Unlike Aiela's room, Venza's was furnished with its own connecting bathroom, through a separate door on the right.

It had been a week since she'd punched the pebble out of the air without touching it. Aiela had called the spell 'Reach,' and said it was mostly used to grab things from a distance.

Venza couldn't do that. At most, her version let her touch an object for a second or two before turning itself off. She hadn't been able to perform any other spell they'd tried to get her to do over the week, either. All she could do was punch things she could see without actually touching them.

When she'd ranted about this, Aiela pointed out most people couldn't do that and she should stop taking it for granted. She reluctantly conceded the point.

"I guess I'm just a magical anomaly," Venza said bitterly, standing up.

Aiela laughed. She'd been showing more expression over the week. "Welcome to the club. Where are you going?"

"Blowing off some steam," she answered. "Gonna see if Vosmer can teach me to use a spear like he does."

"Do you think he'll beat you up?"

Venza quirked an eyebrow. "Probably? I've never beaten Vosmer in sparring before. Not even close."

Aiela's lips twitched into a smirk. "Count me in, then." She folded her book and set it on the bed. She'd gotten quite comfortable in her new home over the week.

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They found Vosmer in the back garden, sitting by himself on a stone bench like he did on many afternoons. He always said he enjoyed the peace and quiet, though Venza suspected he made himself available to her on purpose.

He had a ledger on his lap and a pencil in hand. Venza almost would've bought that he'd come there just to do paperwork if not for the pair of wooden practice swords resting against the bench.

He looked up as he heard them approach, grinned, and placed the ledger on the bench. "Good afternoon, Venza, Aiela."

"Good afternoon, Vosmer," Venza said. "What were you working on?"

"The numbers for reinforcing the Rentley garrison," he explained, gesturing at the ledger. "We're sending two dozen men along with the half dozen mages Lady Greyfield suggested."

"Half?" Venza questioned. She was pretty sure her mother wanted a dozen.

Vosmer scratched the back of his head. "The Imperial Army can't spare mages to protect a low-value asset, so we're pulling those men straight out of our own troops here."

"Well, I could always lend a hand on patrols and stuff," Venza offered.

Vosmer smiled, not unkindly. "Kind of you to offer, but you still have a bit of growing to do. Ask again in five or six years."

Venza huffed. "Anyway, I was wondering if you could teach me something new today."

The lieutenant quirked an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"The way you used a spear on the way back last week," Venza said. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Well, it was my weapon of choice, a lifetime ago," Vosmer admitted. "But really? I thought you wanted to use a sword like your father.”

"Well, there's nothing stopping me from learning both."

"Learning a weapon and mastering it are two very different things," Vosmer said. "Still, I suppose you are young. No harm in letting you figure out what you want to use eventually. Not to mention, a pole-arm is generally a superior weapon."

He smirked a little at that last bit.

"So you'll teach me?"

Vosmer nodded. "I'll go get a pair of training staves from the barracks." He paused, turned to Aiela. "What about you, young miss? Anything you'd like me to teach you?"

There was an odd silence as Vosmer and Aiela looked at each other. As if they were communicating with their minds. When had they gotten so chummy?

"I was just going to watch," Aiela said, though she seemed to be in thought. "Well, if you have any ideas for something I could learn to protect myself as a mage, I might be interested."

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Vosmer made a thoughtful hum. "I'll see what I can find."

He left them alone in the garden, striding off towards the guardhouse near the front of the manor.

"I didn't know you were interested in the martial arts," Venza said.

"Not the way you are," Aiela answered. "But magic can't do everything, especially since I haven't hit the height of my power."

"I bet he'll get you a staff, too," Venza said, feeling giddy at the prospect. "Maybe we can be sparring partners!"

"In a fight without magic? You'd mop the floor with me," Aiela said. "Oh, hell. I hope he doesn't get me a bow or something. If I want to hit something from a distance, I'll use a spell."

"I think he would know that," Venza assured her. “Bows are murder to learn, anyway. Tried it once. My arm was sore the next morning.”

She'd also managed to completely miss the bullseye on every single shot, but Aiela didn't need to know that. Adjusting for wind and travel time weren't her strong suit.

Vosmer arrived shortly after, holding two training staves, and, to Venza’s surprise, a thin, wooden shield shaped like an almond. It was rounded at the top, tapering to a sharp point at the bottom.

“Catch,” Vosmer said, tossing one of the staves at Venza. She caught it easily. It felt firm in her hands. He then handed the shield to Aiela. “It’s a little big for you, but I think this would suit you.”

Aiela frowned at the wooden shield as she inspected it. “It makes sense, but I was hoping for something with a little more oomph.”

“You’re a spellcaster, so most of your offense is going to be from magic, no?” Vosmer said. “This is a backup weapon, for catching arrows and blocking enemies who get too close.”

“Calling a shield a weapon is a little generous, don’t you think?” Aiela asked. “Though not getting shot sounds good.”

“You’ve clearly never been socked in the head with a shield,” Vosmer told her, chuckling. “You see that pointy end at the bottom? You punch someone with that and they’ll be reeling. Might even give them a life-threatening injury. A battered and swollen windpipe can kill a man.”

Aiela seemed to consider that, inspecting the point of the shield. “Seems a little difficult to hit someone with the pointy end while also not getting stabbed.”

She demonstrated, showing how she had to twist most of the part covering her to hit someone with the pointed bottom.

“Well, that’s because you don’t hold it like that,” Vosmer answered. “You’re not using a weapon in your other hand, so you can wear it almost like detachable armor. Here, let me show you.”

Vosmer adjusted the shield so it would be parallel to Aiela’s right arm. “See? The top strap would go around your arm instead of being held by your hand, which would hold the bottom strap to keep the thing aligned when you punch. ‘Course, it’s a little big on you right now, but in a few years, it should work.”

"Interesting," Aiela said, examining the shield. "Alright, I'll play your game."

"In due time, young miss," Vosmer said. "I think Venza's getting a little impatient."

And she was. She'd been ready to learn five minutes ago. "So, what are you teaching me first?"

"Well, a staff is basically a big stick," Vosmer said. "A spear is just a big stick with a pointy end. Same goes for halberds, poleaxes, pole-hammers, and many others."

"I know that!" Venza protested.

"Right, but did you know a staff or spear actually has advantages over a sword?" Vosmer asked.

"I mean, it's longer," Venza said. "I guess if this had a spearhead, it would be difficult for a sword-fighter to get to me."

"You've also got better control of leverage, and the utility of being able to hurt someone wearing armor," Vosmer added. "Not as much as a mace or hammer, of course, but the staff is much faster."

"Alright," Venza said, holding her staff. "Teach me, then."

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"I can't wait until I'm that good," Venza muttered. They'd finished training an hour before supper, so she and Aiela could bathe before Nora and Lucius saw them.

"You'll get there," Aiela assured her. They were both on opposite ends of Venza's bath tub, largely because it had been built with the expectation of her being fully grown one day. It felt more like a small swimming pool when neither of them were in their teens yet. "I can't wait until I can do enough magic to mess with our weapons."

That got Venza's attention. "As in enchanting them? You think you could?" Her tone wasn't doubtful, but excited. She'd always wanted to have a set of enchanted weapons and armor like Father did.

"Nothing long-term," Aiela immediately added as she sank lower into the water. Venza couldn't even see her neck. "Well, maybe someday. Your mother might know a few things about long-term enchantments. There are also a few things I could try."

"Enchantments are kind of a trade secret," Venza said, disappointed. "I guess we could always just commission a few things ourselves. That, and one day, I’ll have my own Revenant Arm."

Aiela opened her mouth as if to say something, seeming to hesitate.

"Maybe you could, you mean," Aiela corrected her. "Enchanted items are pricey, and I am but a humble servant of House Greyfield."

"That'd be more believable if you weren't literally bathing with me, you know."

Aiela scoffed, smirking. "I am simply making sure my lady doesn't suffer the embarrassment of drowning in her own bath."

Oh, that was it. Venza brought her hands together and splashed Aiela with warm water. "Such treacherous words coming from my aide's mouth."

"Ah, so it's war, then," Aiela said, grinning. "Don't you know? You shouldn't wage war against a nation with more magic than you."

Venza's eyes widened as several spheres of water, each about the size of a baby's fist, floated out of the bath. Aiela couldn't do Water Magic, but her Hidden could clearly lift a small amount of water fine.

"You wouldn't dare," Venza warned.

The spheres floated over her head before releasing their forms, leaving her head completely drenched. "Aiela! Just you wait until I can do Water Magic, I'll destroy you."

"I look forward to it, my lady," Aiela answered as she continued pelting balls of water at her new friend.