Silver with a Heart of Gold

Chapter 8 - Small but Fierce

The silver blades were thrusted deep into the thick trunk of a large oak and then removed swiftly, in the mere blink of an eye. Ailynn replaced the swords in the canisters on her hips mid-air, before catching herself in a frog-like position as she pummelled towards the ground face-first. Her silver mare watched from a distance as she grazed sweet grass from near the roots of the ancient trees.

"How was that one, girl? A lot better than the one before, don't you think?" The woman neared the beast which casually minded its own business as she swung herself over and onto it's broad, saddled back. With a single kick, the horse began to move along the bank of a nearby flowing creek. The water bubbled at the surface as it hit the rounded pebbles from underneath.

But Ailynn's mind was too full to admire the simple beauty of nature right beside her. There was so much to do - too much in fact. An expedition was coming up soon, and she had to ensure she was fit enough to prove her uncle that she could fight. She had spent the last few days training hard - both day and night, with the help of Miche, Nanaba and Gelgar - who had both been recently chosen to join Miche's squadron. Her body ached, her skin was worked raw where the ODM straps were worn, her hands were calloused and her muscles had toned a great deal. But she still had a long way to go.

The silver mare halted and flicked her head about, signalling to Ailynn that something was up ahead. The woman emerged suddenly from her thoughts and plastered her attention on a dark figure ahead of them. The figure seemed to be on horseback, moving rapidly towards the mare and her rider. The mare reared herself backwards and turned herself around mid-air, before cantering off into the opposite direction. Danger was the only thing Ailynn could comprehend at that very moment. This particular forest was known to be crawling with cold-blooded crooks, gangs and murderers due to its thick density and abundance of hiding spots. It would almost be impossible for the Military Police or even the highly trained Scouts to locate anyone in the forest, which is why Ailynn had chosen it as her training ground.

Ailynn held the reins tight, knowing that her horse had the better instinct. She could feel the presence of the figure moving fast behind her. Whoever they were, they were gaining on her quickly. Ailynn landed a harsh slap on the mare's rump before she propelled herself towards the tree canopy using her ODM gear. If it was just any ordinary crook, she would be safe within the thick cover of leaves and branches. She watched as her horse galloped away, back towards the Scouting Headquarters. Once there, the horse would wait patiently in her stable stall for Ailynn to return, just as she had been taught many times before. If Ailynn made it back, of course.

The night grew silent, the unknown figure no where in sight. It was more than likely they had given up or lost the flighty woman, or had chased the mare to town. Ailynn relaxed her stance upon the thickest branch of a tall pine. Her arm held the thick trunk as a means of stabilising her geared body. She took in a deep breath and prepared to zip herself using her ODM gear home. But before she could even lift the swords from their sheaths on her hips and release her hold on the trunk, a falling pinecone knocked her off balance. Ailynn peered up towards the tip of the tree as she felt herself begin to fall, knowing that wind wasn't the one to fault for falling pine cones. The dark figure stared from above, pummelling towards the unfortunate woman. Ailynn could make out the brief outline of ODM gas canisters on the figures hips and instantly knew she was in deep, deep trouble.

In mere seconds, she felt the rough impact of being forced onto the ground. Her face was buried deep within the mud of the forest floor as a strong foot held her down. But she knew not to struggle, and instead wait for a moment to strike. Her body was flipped over but the figure still stood above her, squatted down and held her hands tight against her chest. This was no ordinary man. No man had this much strength and speed. Ailynn was small and nimble but whoever this guy was, he was even more so. And very strong. She could just make out a familiar face with the help of the moonlight. Thick black hair, piercing grey eyes, pale skin and ever-furrowed brows. The white cravat hanging from his neck made the image even more clear.

"Ackerman. It's a pleasure to meet you." Ailynn spat out a chunk of mud and smiled at the midget of a man above. He watched in disgust and quickly moved away from Ailynn, throwing her a handkerchief to wipe her dirtied mouth and face.

"Tch. You're more disgusting than I thought." Levi made sure the woman cleaned every patch of mud on her face.

"Oh?" Ailynn finished with the cloth and handed it back to Levi, who eyed it warily and threw it to the side. "I don't eat dirt for a living. Someone just pressed my face against the ground and forced it down my throat." She stood up, only to find herself looking down on the man like he was a tiny ant.

Levi rolled his eyes and wiped his hands on the sides of his pants. "Whatever. I came with a proposition."

"Oh yeah? So you come to ask me a favour by literally stalking me, chasing me, knocking me off of a tree - you get the idea. I'm not sure if I want to hear it." Ailynn turned her back on the man and began to walk away, a slight limp to her hip from the fall.

"You and Zacharias. He's been training you behind the Commander's back, am I correct?" Ailynn stopped in her tracks and slightly turned her head to side-eye her uncle's little minion. He was sure to spread the news, unless she did as he desired. Ackermans were cunning creatures, Ailynn thought. They knew how to get their way.

"And how are you sure that is happening?"

Levi chuffed and looked away, a smug grin growing wide upon his thin lips. "I've seen it, Bareck. And I wont unsee it until you agree to help me. It's as simple as that."

Ailynn remembered the small sounds she could hear in the forest while she was training with Miche. She remembered the occasional shadow she would see dart across the forest canopy. That eery feeling of being watched - it never went away either, unless she was on her own. With gritted teeth, she finally nodded. "Fine. What is it you need help with?"

Levi hummed lowly. He knew Ailynn's heart would be too soft to discard his plead. "You might want to take a seat. This may take a while to explain." He dusted off a nearby log with his hand and sat upon it. Ailynn followed shortly after and sat next to him, but kept her distance.

Levi was born in the Underground, a city deep beneath the surface of the walls to a prostitute in a filthy brothel. He witnessed his mother's death to disease, malnourishment and infection, which impacted his views on life throughout the rest of his life. Being raised in a brothel with a working mother, Levi had a soft spot for prostitutes and other night workers. They were human, just like everyone else. But they were not treated as one. "I want to improve the state of the brothels. Too many women are dying to infection and disease." Levi paused, before placing a wanting hand upon Ailynn's tense shoulder. "But no-one cares enough for them to want to help. You seem like the type to care, besides - you're trained in medicine. Perhaps you will join me?"

The thought of even setting foot in the Underground made Ailynn's skin crawl. The city was a place of filth and death. It was a lightless tomb, where citizens either died of malnourishment or disease due to the lack of light. Even if she managed to fight her fear of the darkness and enter the godforsaken city, she would surely be swarmed by thugs and rapists. But it was true the inhabitants needed grave medical attention, especially those working in the brothels. And Ailynn's heart was more than large enough to care for the highly discriminated prostitutes, but the fear of never returning made her question her kindness. She bit her lip and dropped her gaze to the forest floor.

"I've never been there. But I've heard horrible things. I don't know..." She was interrupted when a small dagger was placed carefully upon her thigh.

"Miche has taught you well. You will be able to hold your own down there." Levi stood up from the log and held out a hand for the woman below. She eyed it for a second, placed the dagger in her opposing hand and took Levi's hand. He pulled her up with ease and began his way towards his steed. "Gather your belongings. We leave at dusk."

Ailynn tightened her hold on the dagger's leather-wrapped handle. She thought about the consequences, then thought about the outcome. She would be able to change the lives of those prostitutes for the better. She would be their hero. With a nod, she leapt onto the back of Levi's steed and rode back towards the barracks.