|[ THE FAERI'S KEEPER ]|

Chapter 13: Regrets - Part II

The first session with the Weapons Master was that afternoon. I came back to my room and had found Nina waiting, with a new dress, and with a platter of food. Realising how hungry I was, I began to eat, but not before I asked her to find me some more comfortable clothes. Benjon waited patiently at my door until she returned with some hunting gear, borrowed from a nobleman’s laundry basket. I managed to rid myself of the knife without cause before I began to change, shooing Nina away. I knew how to dress in hunting gear; I finished my food as I laced my boots up, tucked my knife back in one, and then followed Benjon back through the castle. I felt more natural and was in an almost good mood as I approached the waiting Weapons Master. He had to be the Weapons Master, as who else was dressed as him. With short cropped black hair, knives strapped to every muscly surface of his torso, and a sword and two daggers hanging from a wide belt at his waist. I crossed my arms, watching him as he stood still, every inch of him primed for a fight. He had the same aura around him that the highest ranked Faeri Knights had; a feeling that told me that he would put up a good fight. I hid a grin. Perhaps these lessons would be fun after all.

“I am Endöl. You will do as I say, not as I do, and what I say goes. Do you understand?” the Weapons Master barked in a deep voice. He moved forwards and tossed me a blade which I caught deftly. He had scars over his cheek, made more obvious by his movement. I nodded and wondered if he was going to repeat what he had just said when Cedric arrived until I heard footsteps behind me. Cedric was already here. Endöl also gave him a sword. He nodded after grinning at me. I didn’t grin back. He is nothing to me… I thought savagely, even though I knew I was lying to myself, just ignore him. Endöl turned away from us and walked a few paces back. He faced us again, his knees slightly bent in what I recognised to be a fighting stance. I gripped my sword hastily, feeling it heavy and ungainly in my hands. Now give me a dagger, or knife and I would be fine. But a sword… I felt slight worry in my stomach, but pushed it away. I had my knife anyway. And I wasn’t about to play fair.

“Prepare yourself.” He said, eyes locking onto me. Cedric hastily backed away, leaving me to stand there alone, sword shaking slightly.

“Wait!” I said quickly, “Aren’t you meant to show us some moves or something?” Endöl grinned and approached me. The worry was back.

“You will learn from your mistakes. If you let your guard down and get hit, you will not let your guard down again.” He said with a cruel grin. I glanced at his sword, gleaming cruelly. It looked about twice as heavy as my own weapon. If I got hit I doubted I would do anything again. There was some good logic, to it, I had to admit, brutal but good. And it certainly was not inviting. There was a moment of quiet in which no one moved… I watched Endöl carefully, noticing the way a muscle jumped in his jaw. His hands tightened slightly and I knew I would have to be fast…and then suddenly Endöl lunged at me and raised his sword above my head, bringing it down as if to cleave me in two. I instinctively raised my own blade to protect myself and he surprised me by slicing around underneath my raised arms. I leapt back and the blades tip missed my stomach by inches. I gasped as I realised how close I had come to being killed. I stared down at the sword; its weight was unfamiliar in my hand. I was used to using my bow and arrows, and a knife that was almost an extension of my arm… light, easily moved weapons. I didn’t like this… I had no experience with heavy weaponry.

Endöl stepped back and sighed, “Archer, you disappoint.” He said softly, “I expected something more from our empire’s most notorious enemy.”

“Maybe you’re too dim-witted to notice how I’m called the archer.” I growled, clenching my hands, “Not the swordsman.” Endöl’s grin only widened and I felt resentment for him rise up inside me. Give me a bow and we’ll see how cocky you stay. He left us for a few minutes after commanding us not to move. Cedric coughed awkwardly and I looked at him, eyebrows raised. He shrugged and I returned my gaze to anywhere but his face. Ignore him, ignore him, ignore him. My personal, silent mantra. It almost worked. He’s a Faeri, a Faeri! By the gods I was losing my mind. Mīla, please… curse someone else with these feelings… A few moments later the terrible silence was ended as Endöl came back into view, bearing two wooden sword.