I woke up ready to do th usual run, push ups, pull ups, but that was not the case I woke up when I was about to go for a run, to find Roger over by the front gate I sent him a confused look and he came over and said,
"Feredir since you are ready to start, I am going to ask you to do something, I need you to go invite this Rion over here, but I am giving you half a hour to get there and back with him coming over, if you do this under the time I gave you, you can end half an hour early, but if you can't you have to stay half An hour later. Am I clear?" He was very specific in his instruction, "yes, sir, but where is this inn, and what if he is not there?" I then asked in reply to is command.
"The you where here last night do you really need to know again, next to the barracks is the inn it's a old inn if you don't know where the barracks is, it is by the city gate, and I assume you know where that is, your time starts now."
And in a flash I went up and down the city streets towards the inn, by the time I had gotten to the inn I had used five minutes then I went to Vago the the tall muscular inn keeper.
"Vago, I know it's early, but I was sent to ask get this Rion if he would come by, is he here and awake?" I asked quickly knowing that talking to Rion could take time, then Vago pointed to, not a elf but a younger man, with short hair, blue eyes slightly smaller then I am but could beat me up easily without his sword.
"Thanks Vago." I said, and Vago shrugged back, I went over to this Rion and said, "master Roger extends a warm welcome and invites you to come to his house this evening, should you accept, i will tell you where to go, should you decline I will leave you here in peace." I said a million kilometers per hour.
"Okay go on." Rion the human not a elf said slowly
"The house is closer to town square large house court yard, it's next to the armory, if you want more instructions ask Vago over there." And in a flash I was out, because talking to Rion was different, and I started to speak slowly on the instructions, knowing I was almost out of time, I ran as hard as I could through pain and all other obstacles, when I got there I nearly passed out, my heart was beating a million kilometers an hour, and I was drenched in sweat.
"Did I make it?" I asked once I found Roger
"Barely, is he coming?" He asked right after
"Yes, he was not what I expected to find."
"What not a sword master"
"No he carried a nice blade I assume he is, but he's human, don't most humans get turned away from town?"
"Yes they do, um, thank you, continue with you exercises."
So I did but did not do as well because of the run back from the inn, when I finally had some free time I saw that Sophie had some to so I went over to her and asked
"hey Sophie, you verses me, wooden swords."
"I don't know, last time I beat you to fast, I need challenge." She said while using the dummy as a punching bag. "Well so do I, and we know we don't have anyone else to fight, so come on. I said, but sounded like I begged.
"Fine grab my sword and then we will, the one rule the fight does not end until one of us says we loose." She said still punching the dummy.
So I ran got the swords got back and threw here to her, "nice throw," she complemented, " you ready?" I said with a smile
"If you are." She said with her sword in position. Getting my self in position, "fight" I said, I decided to take Rogers advice and play defensive, Sophie charged as she did last time, but this time she swung up, moving my sword to block it, I caught it before it hit my arm, she quickly moved it to the side swing she did before, but I blocked that to, my reflexes are scarcely faster then her attacks, I blocked several more blows, she then swung for my head, but I moved back and hit her sword, the shock was enough to send the sword out of both our hands, onto the court yard floor, at that point Sophie looked shocked that I had done that, while she was dazed I ran and grabbed my sword, but by the time that I was back to her she had her sword in hand, "Feredir, want to call it a draw?" She said still sounded surprised I did that,
"Sure," said happily, then Sophie turned and stated walking towards the apprentice hut, but I started walking quickly , I caught up and in front of Sophie and put the tip of my sword, on her heart, when she stopped, "say you loose." I said to Sophie, "ah hell, my one rule." She no longer had the sword in hand because sho dropped it in shock, but she tightened her first as if she was holding the sword, and was ready to swing.
"I loose, hell, that was smart Feredir I don't know why I didn't see that coming."
She said with a sadness, I don't know why but she said it with sadness, "I was only playing defensive, but once you said what you did I just thought I had to hold out until you called a draw or that you loose, but this strategy was something I had just barely came up with." I said now having the gloating tone.
"What ever you did it was smart." She said walking away, right as she was about to reach the hut Roger had come out, "Sophie, Feredir, you ready?" He said plainly, "for what?" Sophie asked after the blunt tone master Roger had used.
"Based on what I told you, dual again." once he said that I got really happy, for some reason, but when I looked left at Sophie she looked super happy, and now I am scared. "Come here stand a cross from each other, you know the rules."
So we walked to the center of the court yard which happens to be a ring, and stood ready to fight, again... "Fight!" His voice was loud and clear.
Sophie did not attack right away, no she waited, for either me to attack, or for me to get comfortable, at last I yawned, and that is when she struck, I barely got my sword up in time, the hit had not only been quick it hurt to block it, as if my hand got hit, my hand felt like it was on fire, but I kept, blocking, it felt like forever before Roger finally said "stop, the fight." He said plainly but loudly, "this is going no where, you two, my apprentices are to evenly matched, this is going to be harder the I thought, you two take advice very well, but you two are still flailing the sword around, imagine the sword as a extension of your arm." He said passing his gaze from me to Sophie, I guess that is right I never attacked,I only used the sword as if it were a thin shield.
"Okay maybe flailing is.." Sophie started to say in her defense.
"Right flailing is exactly what you were doing, not anymore." He said cutting her off. "But that's... never mind." She then started again.
"Any advice for me?" I asked looking at Sophie for some reason.
"Here, block ten hits from me and I will say you just need practice, go!"
He said that so unexpectedly that I just threw my sword up randomly he then swung at my feet, I threw down my sword just in time to then see him hit it and knock it out of my hands.
"We are done, your tip block that without getting your sword knocked away." He was walking towards the house when he said that.
"You two can end early today get clean when Rion shows up we want you to be presentable." He was still looking at the house rather then us.
"Okay we will get ready for him to show up..." Sophie said directions her gaze from Roger to the house, for some reason I was looking up at the clear blue sky.
"So Sophie want to dual again after Rion leaves?" I asked casting my gaze upon her dark brown eyes. "Sure, I might be able work up a sweat, and that's a big might." She said turning to look at me but she stopped half way.
"Okay we should get ready, or else Roger will scold us, using our apprenticeship as his tool" I stood still not knowing if i walked the conversation would be over.
So for the next hour I got ready, after I was clean I went to my room. For a little, inspecting the real swords in there still thinking Rao could do a better job for making the swords. And now I wait.
It was just about dinner time and Roger has not gotten us so I assume Rion is not here or if he is, Roger is waiting for the right time. I walked out of the apprentice hut looking at the dark stone brick floor of the court yard. As I gazed up I don't know what but I had a surge of pain go up my arm, I nearly passed out. I continued to look up through the massive pain trying to find out what was causing it, when my eyes met with the top of the wall where a figure sat looking at me. He looks from what. Can tell through his cloak and the some what dark of dusk, it has red eyes, it would only come up to my waist. Who in King Drocas name is that, I said running back inside the hut, since I was only a step inside when I closed the door, I ran to my room, grabbed one of the mounted swords and went to my bed. I change from looking at the door to the window, then my arm since it was still hurting, to what I felt like a surprise, but honestly was not, it was bleeding through four medium sized cuts, the shape of a cat claw cut. I should know I used to have two and they hated me, I sill have scars. I quickly after realizing it grabbed a bandanna it was my red one, is it watching me? looking at my window to see if it was, because I had a feeling it was not human, nor elvish, not even a animal, wrapping my arm and went to see if Sophie was okay, I turned after leaving my room keeping the door open, I went and knocked on her door, knowing she would not want me to walk in even in emergencies. She walked out and said "what do you want, does Roger need us?" "No, i was wondering if you were okay, and I see you are." I said with sudden relief, "why?" She changed her gaze from my eyes to my bandaged "there was something out side, and when I went to go talk to Roger for the time dinner would be ready, I don't know all I know was it had red eyes and was small, like only waist height." I said reassuring her that I was okay.
"Have you cleaned it yet, and how big is the cut?" She the brought her glance back to my eyes. "It's not to deep, and no I was just about to do that." I did bringing my eyes from the bandanna up to her eyes.
"Wash it grab a sword and we will go see when it is, and maybe instead of swordplay we could go down to town square or find someone who knows more about what ever it was." She said looking the panicked tone and gaining a worried look. Maybe Roger will know something about this creature. We walked carefully quietly after I had cleaned the cut so no infections would occur, to the house looking in every direction seeing if it was there.
It is probably gone knowing I don't think it we expecting me, and if it was it will be back most likely, I told my self threw thought. When we got to the door we realized there was a note on the door. I probably should not read it, but as long as he does not see me I am fine. The paper on the door said:
