Maidens & Killers

Shields

        I sit on my bed that night, well aware that there won't be any sleep to be found. I mentally compartmentalized everything bouncing around my head; Soren; Garrick; Threshing; Craobh; the list was growing longer every day. I will be getting answers soon, Garrick would keep his word and tomorrow night I would have some hard questions for Soren.  Did he miss her? Did he still want her? Could they do this? And the scariest question of all, Did I want him anymore? Garrick’s hazel eyes come to mind and I can’t stop a smile from spreading across my face.

     I let down my hair from the braid that it has been tied in all day and attempt to run my fingers through the shoulder length unruly red curls. I had cut nearly six inches off of it before coming here, standing in my elaborate washroom at my parent’s house. It felt like a lifetime ago. I  slip into my satin nightgown and tuck myself into the now familiar rough bedding of the small bed.

      Gods what I wouldn’t give for a novel. Not the history and math books that are stacked on my bedside table, but a true novel, about fairies or pirates and distant places. I had always had a softness for spending long leisurely weekends in my father’s library whenever I allowed myself such a  frivolous thing. As conscription day neared those weekends had been fewer and far between. Now laying in the scratchy bed, waiting for the sun to come up, I wished I had left room in my pack for just one book. I make a note to spend some time in the archives after Threshing, reading to her heart's content.

      The night is beautiful and clear as I look out the small window that my room holds. I watch as a pair of large dragons swoop in close to Basgaith, someone coming back from a mission or a training session. That would be me in just two short years, and I was ready. I hate the hurry up and wait pace of the life that I am  currently living, desperately waiting for the next important event that would try to kill me.
“YOU’RE NOT READY RED ONE, BUT YOU WILL BE.” 
I jump up in my bed, shocked by the loud voice in my head.
“Craobh?” I ask tentatively.
“PLEASE TELL ME WHAT OTHER VOICES THAT YOU ARE HEARING. MAYBE I MADE A MISTAKE AFTER ALL.”

     I burst into laughter, “No, no other voices. I was just surprised. Can you hear all of my thoughts?
“THANKFULLY, NO, I EXCEL AT SHIELDING. I ONLY HEAR WHAT I WANT TO HEAR. THERE IS PLENTY, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE SECTION LEADER, THAT I CHOOSE NOT TO HEAR. YOU WILL LEARN TOO.”
I don’t think that I’ve ever been so grateful for anything as I was for Caobh’s shields.
“AS YOU SHOULD BE.”
I laugh again. This would definitely take some getting used to.
“How do I learn to shield? There are certain things that I don’t think that you and I should share.”
“I’VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO CHRADH, THE SECTION LEADER WILL START WORKING WITH YOU SOON.”
I think of Garrick’s massive brown scorpion tail and Craobh drinking tiny teacups and discussing me and Garrick, and bow over laughing so hard that I nearly fall out of my bed.
“WE DO NOT DRINK TEA!”
I snort and try to get control over myself,  “What do you drink?”
“THE BLOOD OF OUR ENEMIES, OF COURSE.” Craobh replies with humor in his voice and I actually do fall out of my bed in fits of overwhelming laughter.

     Much to my surprise, I do fall asleep at some point late in the night. I am awoken to a tentative knocking on my door well before the sun rises. I try to mentally math how many hours I was able to sleep and head to the door. If this is Violet or Rhiannon breaking curfew over some silly girlhood drama I was going to be pissed.
I whip the door open, ready to tell whoever was on the other side to kiss the backside of a dragon and come face to face with a very familiar broad chest.
Garrick is standing there, fully dressed in flight leathers with both swords strapped to his back. His eyes were blown wide open.
“Please don’t tell me you always answer the door like that. I really don’t want to have to kill the rest of the first year cadets.” 
I look down and realize I’m still dressed in my satin strappy nightgown that had no business at Basgaith, and to top it off, one of the straps had fallen down my shoulder exposing a whole lot of skin and ample chest.