Sianna and the Soulweaver

Chapter 11- The Training Center

"You never win the battle against Abyssin, Miss. You have a slight chance of survival, yes, but no one ever beats Abyssin. You will never leave this place, not entirely.

"After the battle you will be forced to serve him to your magical capabilities, just like the rest of the realm, for the remainder of your natural life. I am so sorry."

•••••••••

Alistar does not return until the next morning.

I sleep restlessly, my anxiety gnawing at my psyche like a hungry sewer rat. Berta's words echo back and forth, her advice unexpected but much appreciated. The entire evening is spent tossing and turning, my eyes snapping open at the slightest creak or sound. Alistar wakes me by knocking curtly at the door, poking his head in only to tell me to please get dressed in the clean clothes laid out for me.

Interesting.

The garb has been folded neatly on the armchair nearest to the door, a pair of shoes also placed below the clothing. Yawning and rubbing my heavy eyes, I climb out of the bed and approach my outfit, staring down in confusion. The room appears to be only lit by lanterns and candles, both of which never seem to need re-lighting. They've glowed daintily since the moment I arrived, dimming themselves lower when I laid in bed and immediately brightening once I swung my legs over to get up. I haven't seen an actual lamp or lightbulb in this entire place, the medieval practices catching me off-guard but also kind of refreshing.

My hands reach out and touch the fabric, fairly soft but thick and sturdy. Unravelling the folded contents, I am surprised to realize it is a full jumpsuit, the color a deep burgundy similar to the crimson stain on my hand. The collar has a slight v-neck and the sleeves are long, with ribbon strings around the bust to adjust the fit. There are no socks and instead are only double-strapped sandals, a light taupe brown that appears to be made of suede leather. I run my fingers over the material and it confirms my assumption, the smooth fabric feeling soft and inviting.

I undress out of the beige cotton pajamas Berta set out for me last night, folding them up and placing them at the foot of the bed. She was also kind enough to provide me some undergarments, although they are certainly old-fashioned; the underwear go up to my belly button and the bra has just the slightest separation between the cups, completely full-coverage with the bottom length almost reaching the top of my underwear. Everything looks vintage, stuff you'd see at a thrift store thrown in the dollar bin.

Well at least I won't be paraded around for my looks, that's for sure.

Grabbing the jumpsuit off the armchair, I step into it carefully and pull it up over my frame. I lace it up over my undergarments and then slip on the shoes, their comfort surprising and welcome. Taking a gulp of water from the fresh bowl they set out this morning, I splash some over my face and attempt to breathe normally.

Alistar enters my room once I knock, his eyes going wide for a moment at my appearance. "Our clothing suits you." He comments, my own cheeks burning red but my mouth remaining shut. "We'll be returning to False Fields, the place where you ran into Lira. I strongly advise you to please heed my warning this time to keep your eyes down until I say that it's safe. Folks around here can occasionally take unwarranted eye contact as a personal challenge."

He explains this as I scrutinize him discreetly, his own attire quite different than my maroon jumpsuit. He wears another simple tunic and matching pants, only today they are black instead of brown. He disappears from the room and then reappears again like a blur, the black of his clothing blending with the black of his fur. He suddenly hands me a beaded bracelet, placing it in my palm as I stare at it incredulously. Upon closer inspection I realize the beads are actually oyster pearls, whether or not they're real I couldn't be sure.