The Sword Maiden

Ugh, Running

The journey began fairly innocently.  Terreth was buzzing as usual, and Redwar chose the path of least resistance, using back alleyways and lesser used streets to avoid most of the crowd.  I wondered how he knew all of this and didn't get lost. 

But in no time we were out of Terreth and riding along the surrounding farms.  We kept a steady walking pace that was soothing to me.  I realized just how much I'd missed these long, traveling rides.

Valeria perked up immediately once we were out of the city.  She sat straighter, and her eyes were brighter.  Even Daxton seemed to come alive, a more easy and pleasant expression on his face instead of that guarded, jagged one.  

After riding for onward for awhile, we left even the farms behind.  There was a stretch between Terreth and the next city where very few farmers were, for it wasn't close enough to either city for be accessible for selling crops.  There were some small villages like my own, who subsisted on what they farmed.  They didn't sell their crops to the larger cities for the most part.  

Plus, this area had a lot of forestry and brush, which was not easy to clear out.  There were patches of wide open ground, but a lot of it was hilly as well.  Farming was harder out here, the people more rugged.  Hunting was also engaged in frequently.  

For awhile we were silent, enjoying the wide open space and fresh air clear of all city scents.  Axe made it clear to me that he didn't want to remain at a walk, and his feisty spirit soon caught hold on the rest of the group.  

When we reached a wide open flat space, the temptation to gallop was strong.  Redwar restrained us until we'd spread out enough we weren't a danger to each other.

Ladine waited patiently for Redwar to give the signal.  She, unlike the other horses, had the maturity to know that Redwar wouldn't let her go until it was time to.  But she also knew that when it was time to go, it was time to go. 

Axe wasn't so patient.  I kept catching him before he took a step forward.  He snorted and shook his head, almost acting like he wanted to buck but knew he shouldn't. 

"Hold on bud," I murmured.  "Any moment-"  

My sentence was cut off as Redwar lowered his hand and it was on.  I leaned forward and kissed while tapping my heels into Axe's side.  He shot off as fast as he could, his powerful legs digging deep and leaving marks in the grassy earth.

And with that, we flew.  

The rest of the day wasn't as nice.

Redwar had been making plans for us while he was away.  I'm sure he meant those plans for our benefit, but at the time, it didn't feel like it. 

His plans were to condition us even beyond what we already were.  Now, I was fitter than I'd ever been in my life, and I suspected the same was true for the rest of us.  But Redwar was not satisfied.  

Thus, for the first time of many, when we reached another nice, open flat stretch, he had us halt and dismount.  After taking all of the horses' reins from us, he told us to run up to end of the meadow without stopping and then run all the way back.

Derrek and I stared at him like he was crazy, while Valeria and Daxton weren't as surprised.  

"How do you expect to last in a sword fight if you don't have the stamina for it?"  Redwar answered our unasked question.  "At most, I think you'd last five to ten minutes.  Not near long enough.  Now go on."  

Up to this point, I'd never ran for exercise or for anything else.  There had been no point.  But now, as I lined up next to Valeria, I wondered what exactly I was getting myself into.  

I soon found out.  It was a stitch in my side, a burning throat, and legs like limp noodles.  It was sweat and burning legs, glazed eyes and hard breathing.  It'd taken all that I had to reach the edge of that field.  

Derrek was the same, but Daxton was only winded and recovered much quicker than the rest of us.  

"I don't want to do that again," I moaned as I eyed the other end of the field, where Redwar sat on a log.  

Valeria gasped out a laugh.  "No, neither do I.  But think of it this way, Ravine:  You're doing it for your parents.  Redwar's right.  We wouldn't last in a sword fight, or rather, multiple sword fights."  

I nodded, unwillingly admitting that was true.  

The return run was worse than the first.  I had slowed to a job by the time we made it to the end.  Chewing on a piece of grass, Redwar watched us benignly on his log.

As I stumbled to a halt in front of him, he said, "Were you paying attention?"  

I looked up at him.  "Wha-?"  I gasped out the word incompletely.  

He gestured around him.  "I said, were you paying attention?  Watching for potential enemies or dangerous animals?"

I knew, from his tone of voice and the fact he was so observant, he already knew we hadn't been paying attention.  "You know, Redwar."  I flopped down on the grass.  "Sorry."  

He smirked.  "The first run is always the hardest."  He tossed aside his piece of grass and stood.  "Get a drink and mount up." 

I guzzled water from my canteen to quell the burning in the my throat and wondered how often we were going to do this.  

That was the beginning of a strict regimental training routine that Redwar had devised.  Or rather, some ancient Ravagerian army officials had, with Redwar adding some additions and modifications.  

I can't say at the time I was too happy about it. And at first, I thought Redwar was being more 'Do as I say, not as I do'.  But I discovered later on that he maintained his own fitness covertly.  

Even though there was no danger, he insisted we maintain regular guard shifts during the night.  It was during on of these guard shifts that I woke, and discovered him running laps around our camp.  The sheer speed that his Ravagerian blood granted him was astonishing, and the way he ran was beautiful.  He didn't stop running the laps until after I'd gone back to sleep. 

I inject this chapter into the story because, if it hadn't been for it, many things would have been impossible for me later on.  And now, I do not view running or strengthening as inconvenient, or as a limit, but as a way to freedom. Redwar knew I would realize this eventually.