“Mala! Derkana soo deneam’atay! Scat-of-the-Mountain-Cat! Velataka mesena soo deneam’atay!”

Snowy had been yelling for a while now. The shouting didn’t bother me too much. Well, beyond the fact that my friend was upset. It was the repeated strikes of her worthless weapon against the wall that was the real annoyance. That and the fact that this scene would definitely be rumor fodder. Moments after I explained to her my suppositions, she started to yell and beat on the wall, the results were exactly as you would expect. The Elite knights rushed in but slowed to a stop when they found me standing in the center of the yard looking uncomfortable. At the same time, Snowy released her rage on her ‘sword.’

More than one servant followed the knights into the yard to see what was going on, only to quickly leave. That the Baroness was not happy would spread far and wide. I dreaded how it would mutate in the telling, but there was little I could do about it. Just as there was little that I could do for Snowy. All I could do was be here for her when she finally calmed down, though my ears were complaining to me about doing so.

The sound of every impact of Snowy’s weapon on the wall would rebound and spread, the sound slamming into me and then echoing off the small courtyard and back again. The open-top, as well as the sand and grass, dulled the noise somewhat, but mostly it just reflected off the stone walls and reverberated.

Snowy’s rampage lasted for a good ten minutes before her strikes slowed. I think partially it was because she had regained control of herself, and partly because she wasn’t able to use her Skill to recover her stamina. With the way her emotions were raging, breathing in a calm, ordered pattern was out of the question. I was honestly impressed with her ability to funnel her pain and rejection into anger. Despite the rage, I could still see her body hitch as she held in tears. It broke my heart to see my friend’s obviously well-practiced ability to do so.

“What is the meaning of this!” hollered the Baron as his guards scrambled out of his way.

At the sight of his daughter occasionally slamming indents into the wall, he was suddenly mute with surprise. Joining me near the middle of the training hall, he watched as she struck the wall a few more times before she stopped and surveyed her blade and the little done to it.

Throwing her undamaged blade, the weapon cartwheeling away due to her strength, Alexis spun and approached us. Her father was standing next to me, his anger and confusion clear. It was apparent that I hadn’t harmed his daughter, and so his anger had sputtered out into a useless confusion. Before I could react, Snowy fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around my chest, her head just barely tucking under my chin as she began to sob. Her father held out his hand as if to pull his daughter away but eventually let his hand drop. I was confused, upset, angry, sad, and not sure where to put my hands while the Baroness spread tears on my tunic and slowly explained her woes to her father.

The tale was told slowly, mostly due to Alexis interrupting herself multiple times. She would explain a part and then go back to add in detail from her training that she now realized had been done to torment her or hinder her progress. How the hunters had used her as a tracker, a vaunted position, but never let her lead a hunt. Instead, she was only allowed to scout their back trail. When it became clear that she had earned a Skill, she had been removed from the hunters. She was then given ‘special’ training to learn [Swordmanship]. A phrase that had the Baron fuming. I was surprised how little I feared the Baron at the moment. I watched his nostrils flare, his skin turn red, and his teeth grind, and yet all I cared about was patting Snowy’s back to try and ease her pain.

Snowy did more than cry and describe her torments, she also explained how she planned to retaliate and regain her honor. Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat often featured in her descriptions. As did castration, ants, and honey. I found myself oddly fine with her idea. Before today I would have thought the idea of torture for information to be the furthest I would allow myself but now gladly embraced the idea of torture for revenge.

When Snowy was done, she stood, wiped her tears, gave me a hug, then turned to her father.

“I want him dead. I want him and Grey-Arm-of-the-Mountain dead,” she said to her father.

To my surprise, the Baron shook his head slowly then glanced at the open door of the training hall, his voice rising slightly.

“I have sworn to hold to my King’s word and to uphold the Treaty of the Northmen. Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat has insulted you. But, he has not broken the treaty. I may do no more than publicly insult him,” the Baron said as his voice shifted to a more professional and oratorical air. Then, he lowered his voice, faced his daughter and away from the door, and whispered, “publicly, that is all I can do.”

Alexis had first flashed a look of betrayal at her father, and I could see that she would not accept her father’s rebuke. Her father’s then whispered words, though, quickly changed her expression.

For a second, the two were part of a single conspiracy, an agreement that Snowy’s tormenters would be killed before the Baron seemed to realize that I was there and listening. I nodded to the Baron and ignored that anything had been said. Still, I didn’t like the look of consideration the Baron was giving me, nor the previous appraising and angry looks as Snowy hugged me. Fatherly anger, I could handle, but the appraising look had been unsettling.

I was further troubled when the Baron shifted and looked away for a moment, his body language screaming that he had made some decision.

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“The goblins have amassed at the forest line for this year’s Culling. I want you to go with the guard and see what training you can provide for the men. Tell the Captain that they leave at first light,” the Baron said.

“I’m going as well,” Snowy said as her father turned to leave.

The Baron looked back at that, then stared at his daughter. Something passed between the two of them silently, before the Baron smiled and nodded.

“Too much like your old man,” he chuckled, but then paused and looked at me before he continued, “or your mother,” then left me alone with Snowy in the training hall.

The Baron’s comment caused Snowy’s face to turn red, but I noticed she didn’t say anything about his words. Glancing around, I tried to find anything to avoid the embarrassing conversation, and my eyes drifted over her thrown sword, and I sought out refuge in training and Skills.

“Snowy? You should think about having that sword melted down and made into something else. Even if you can’t get it reenchanted, the materials would have to be top-quality to hold an enchantment. It could still make a useful sword,” I said before shrugging and continuing, “or two even.”

Seeing Snowy’s unenthused look, I continued, “You will need a good sword once you get [Swordmanship].”

Biting her lip, Snowy stared at the ground and avoided my gaze before she breathed deep and asked, “Do you really think I can learn it?”

Seeing my friend so lost and defeated, I made a silent promise to myself that I would help her earn more than just [Swordmanship].

“Yes. The chief had to cheat in two different ways to stop you, and even then, you earned multiple powerful Skills. You’re capable Snowy, and eventually, you will show them that.”

For a few seconds, I was afraid that she would continue doubting herself, but instead, she breathed deep and then blew it out. Nodding, she raised her head and smiled at me, her lips set in a grim line, the look darker than I had come to expect from Snowy. This was the look I remembered from her training as she powered through a full day of swinging a sword around as she tried to master her Skill. The grim and stoic look of a woman who had gained [Monstrous Strength] wielding a weapon designed to be too heavy and unwieldy.

The awkward silence stretched out for a moment before Snowy shook her head at me and moved to leave the training area.

“Be sure to get a sword to use before we leave. I’ll be getting some equipment ready. It should be helpful for the men and you…um…to train?” I said in a questioning tone when Snowy raised an eyebrow at the end of my sentence, her eyes still bloodshot and slightly puffy from her tears.

“Yes, yes, I’ll remember to bring a sword so you can help train the men and me,” she said with a headshake before she finally left me standing alone in the training hall.

Scratching my head, confused as to the reason for her tone but knowing that something I said had bothered her. I joined my day guard, Elite Guard Copper, who had been studiously ignoring everything from the doorway. Walking through the halls, I found the Captain and informed him of the Baron’s orders and that I would be joining him.

“Fine, I’ve got the supply wagons handled. We can throw some extra in for you. Anything else you need? I don’t think I can find another wagon for your cold box,” the Captain said while trying to hide his annoyance. My guess was he disliked the change in plans. He came off as slightly stuffy and overly ordered to me, a bit like the Seneschal. Still, he was trying to hide his feelings over the change in plans, which I appreciated.

“No, that won’t be necessary. I have other equipment and Skills the men can focus on. I’ll pack a bag. It should take up very little room,” I said.

Nodding, the Captain quickly dismissed me and my concerns as he returned to sorting his paperwork that I assumed were for the morning departure. Even as distracted as I had been, I had noticed the work around the fortress in preparation for the coming season.

Copper suggested we stop to let Sir Wincome know that he should take up his guard at my home before we left the fortress, and I agreed. Following the man, he led me to a well-appointed part of the fort where the Elite Guards were housed. A short conversation through Sir Wincome’s door and we were out of the fortress and moving through town.

Since it was an earlier hour than my usual leaving time, I was assaulted by the sounds of the town slowly winding down from a long day of work. A few of the taverns were lighting candles or charging light runes depending on the quality and clientele. Sadly, I also noticed more looks from the townsfolk. Looks of fear for the Baron’s Elite Guard and distrust for me. My secret was officially out, and everyone knew it. By the looks of things, only a few people were actively hostile, but all it would take was a few to make things difficult.

Shrugging, I walked to my shop. There was little I could do with the situation, and it would likely improve given time. It might not be a bad thing that I was going to be out of town for a while, even if I didn’t like it. In truth, I was eager to try a few training ideas for groups, and this seemed like as good a time as any.

Quickly opening my shop, I empowered the light runes and started to rummage through the supplies under the shelf and in a few of the locked boxes I had. Elite Guard Copper seemed oddly non-plussed about my shop and even more so when we went into the back, and I began to sort through some of the odder items. He knew I was a Skill Trainer, but he seemed to have heard more than a few of the rumors about my profession.

I quickly assembled some of the equipment I knew I would need. My shock wand, some moldable wax, thick blindfolds, a few knives, my long needle with the healing potion attachment, itching powders, hallucinogens, a few poisons, a few different potions, carving tools, more than ten vials of high-quality healing potions which were expensive but worth it, and a few other odds and ends. Copper watched me assemble my kit, and I could see the growing looks of confusion as I did so. Somehow I doubted that this little trip would convince the man of the innocence of Skill Trainers from the horrors of the stories.

Bundling up my equipment, I stuffed them into an oversized pack and then closed up the shop again, considering if it might be a good idea to sell the store. That, or remodel it and make it more suited for my profession instead of trying to hide behind an alchemy shop. Shaking my head, I considered things for only a moment as we walked to my house, then set it out my mind. I would have time to consider it later.

I waved a greeting to the Elite Guard outside my home as Copper checked the inside. The regular guards were no longer guarding my house or the shop after the last one failed to detect those hiding in wait within. I doubted that I would continue to have this level of protection. Eventually, the Elite Guards would be returned to guarding the fortress, that, or a few would go with us on the culling to watch over Snowy.

When the all-clear was called, I entered and quickly climbed the stairs to my room and prepared for sleep. I had to rise early tomorrow.