Maidens & Killers

Ground Wielder

     True to his word, when I open my eyes in the morning, Garrick is still in my bed.
“Morning.” He whispers as I stretch my legs out and get my bearings.
“Morning, you. Did you sleep?” I ask snuggling in.
“A little. More than normal actually.”  He says with a smile on his face.

“Good. You needed it.” I say leaning up to kiss him softly.
“Look at you looking out for me. I need to go on a run with Xaden this weekend. But I should be back at the beginning of the week.”  He pulls me in for one more hug before climbing out of bed.

      I watch him dress in his normal flight leathers and drool over his perfect ass. I take my time getting ready after he leaves, lazily dressing and writing in the journal I’ve recently started keeping. I have a few plans for the next few days before classes on Monday on top of getting moved into my new single rider room. Those plans include riding Craobh as much as physically possible and finishing the novel I found in the archives.  As I am finishing the buttons on my flight jacket I am overwhelmed with a sudden urge to go outside, to breathe in the fresh air. It nearly drags me down to my knees, but I am able to grab onto the wall and steady myself.

    I quickly tug my feet into my boots and nearly run outside to the large courtyard. I frantically wonder if Garrick has left yet or if I can catch him on the flight field. My body is shocked again, this time with an urge to slam my hand down onto the ground. I fight the urge again, and find that I am breaking out in a cold sweat.

“LISTEN TO YOUR BODY RED ONE.” Craobh chimes up in my head.
“IT KNOWS WHAT TO DO.”

My signet.  I think and close my eyes. I wait a moment, taking deep gulps of fresh cool air and when the urge comes again, I listen to it.

I slam my fist down into the dirt, alarming a group of rider’s nearby and watch in awe as the literal ground around me ripples. Where I have slammed my hand there is a small line, almost a crack in the ground.

“GROUND WIELDER!!” Craobh shouts to me as I see him now, flying overhead in a swooping circle.

Ground Wielder!? So I can crack the ground? I ask Craobh.

“YOU CAN BEND THE VERY SOIL AROUND YOU TO YOUR WHIM, RED ONE. WITH TRAINING, YOU CAN LIFT IT AND MOVE IT, CREATE EARTHQUAKES, THE EARTH ANSWERS TO YOU.”

I note that I am beginning to draw a crowd in the courtyard where I have created the crack. I see Professor Carr running towards me, and I know that my signet is no longer a secret. Good or bad, Professor Carr will teach me to control and use it to the benefit of Navarre. I fall to my knees as Professor Carr approaches, and notice that Craobh has taken this moment to land in the courtyard nearby me. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that he is taking a protective stance over me.  Professor Carr stops mid stride at the sight of Craobh so close.

“I NEED YOU TO LISTEN TO ME RED ONE. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT. THIS SIGNET IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE, BUT THERE ARE THOSE HERE WHO WOULD ABUSE IT, AND ABUSE YOU. YOU CANNOT ALLOW THEM THAT. YOU WILL SHOW PROFESSOR CARR THE BARE MINIMUM OF YOUR POWER, AND NEVER THE FULL EXTENT. TOGETHER WE WILL WORK THAT OUT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”

I nod, Yes. I understand.

“GOOD. TEAR DOWN A FEW TREES, MAKE A FEW HOLES, OR BRING SMALL BUILDINGS TO RUBBLE IF HE ASKS YOU TO. BUT LISTEN TO YOUR POWER AND LEARN HOW MUCH TO USE. IT WILL TELL YOU, IF YOU LISTEN.”

      By now Professor Carr is getting brave, walking slowly towards myself and Craobh.
I’m going to go to him. I tell Craobh who lets out a huff of smoke.
I stand up off of my knees and walk towards Professor Carr. I can see Craobh's massive shadow behind me as I walk and it gives me comfort.
“I see that you have manifested your signet Cadet Holsten and a powerful one indeed.” Professor Carr says to me, his eyes never leaving Craobh’s form.
“Yes, Craobh tells me that I am a ground wielder. I can crack the Earth and make things grow.” I explain.
“You can do a great many things with a power like yours, a great many things. You will come see me just before lunch every day starting Monday. We will see what this signet of yours can do.” He says with authority.
“But, Professor, I have a study hour before lunch, right after Battle Brief.”  I tell him, hoping to get out of working with him daily. “I don’t want to fall behind in my classes.”
Professor Carr takes his eyes off of Craobh to glare at me, “Do you think that your other classes are more important than what your signet can do for Navarre? I will see you on Monday, and we will just see about how often we meet.”
He turns and stomps off the courtyard, obviously insulted that I had the nerve to question him.

“YOU DID WELL RIDER. STAND YOUR GROUND WITH HIM FOR WHAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH AND DO NOT LET HIM PUSH YOU FARTHER. NOW, CARE FOR SOME FLIGHT?”

I thought you’d never ask. I say turning from the crowd who had been watching Professor Carr and I and running towards Craobh at full speed. Craobh turns his body so that his left side is facing me and I nearly expertly climb his left foreleg to find my seat.
I have so many questions, I tell Craobh as he sets himself up to take off.
“I ASSUMED YOU WOULD. I WILL ANSWER AS MANY AS I CAN, BUT FOR NOW WE ENJOY WHAT’S LEFT OF OUR MORNING.”

      Croabh shoots off from the ground into the cool gray sky and flies until we are up above the morning mists. Once there he levels himself out and we coast in large circles around the college and surrounding woods. As a first year rider, I am extremely limited on where I am allowed to fly to. I am instructed to mostly stay on the sprawling grounds of Basgaith unless with a Professor or a class. Craobh and I both itch to take off for the mountains, or other parts unknown to me, but we both agree that now is not the time to draw attention to ourselves in any way. I wonder if maybe, I could get Garrick to agree to take me on one of his missions with Xaden. Surely with such experienced riders I would be fine. I make a note to ask him about it, and turn off my brain to enjoy the ride.

       Craobh and I fly until the sun is high in the sky and I am sore from keeping my seat.
“YOU WILL GROW STRONGER AND ABLE TO KEEP YOUR SEAT LONGER WITHOUT PAIN. IT JUST TAKES PRACTICE.”  Craobh assures me.
As he lands on the flight field and I make my dismount stiffly, I thank him for a lovely morning and for his support with Professor Carr.

“NONSENSE RED ONE, YOU ARE MY RIDER AND I WILL ALWAYS
SUPPORT YOU IN ALL THINGS.”

I give his flank a pat and watch him take off back to the sky before I head inside for the first time today. Saturday’s at Bsagaith are always full of first years milling about the courtyard and hallways with nothing much to do but study. We aren’t allowed to go into town or any letters until year two, so it leaves us often with idle hands. That’s one of the biggest reasons for so many first year hookups.

      I’m not in the mood for the noisy dining hall, so I grab a sandwich and an apple and head to the Archives to finish the novel that I have been enjoying. When I get there I recognize Violet’s friend, the one who speaks in sign language, and wave to her before making my way to the chair that I had previously been in.
As I am making my way there, I see Liam and Violet and stop to speak to them.
“Hey! How are you? I heard your signet manifested today! Are you doing okay?” Violet asks me, concern in her voice.
I cringe, “Ya, I think I made quite the scene in the courtyard earlier.”
Liam shrugs, “Eh, you’ll be old news by tomorrow.” He says shooting me a wink.
I like Liam, I know that he’s close with Xaden and Garrick. “What are you two getting into today in the Archives?” I ask.
“Oh, I’m looking for an old book I remember my dad having, and Liam here seems to be my new shadow.” Violet says glaring at him.
“Guilty,” Liam says without an ounce of remorse.
“Wow, sounds like you two have a lot to unpack.” I laugh. “You know Violet, Garrick mentioned something in passing a while ago. Something about a dragon's name in relation to the rider’s signet.  I know you used to train to be a scribe, do you know where I would find a book that might help me with my signet?”

      Violet stops to think for a second, “You’re probably talking about the old dragon language, not a lot of people speak it. It’s definitely not one I speak. Check the upper stacks, there is a lot of history of the dragons up there, or I can ask a scribe for help for you if you like?”
I shake my head, “No, no don’t bother anyone. I will just take a look upstairs myself and see if I find anything.”
Violet smiles and I wave them off, heading to see what I can dig up on Craobh and my signet.