Blood in the Dirt

Chapter 12

A week had passed, yet no adjustment. Andrea was in the same position, looking out the window, staring at nothing but everything at once; Memories swirling through her head.

"No papa, me want to go over there!" her two year old self again, running through the streets, knocking over carts of apples, spewing them across the main square, and forcing her father to apologize to sellars frequently.

"Andrea slow down! You're going to hit--" Aldo exclaimed as she knocked straight into a merchants shop. "No!" he groaned.

She watched as her father slowly faded, along with the sounds of people moving through the streets. "Andrea! Andrea wake up! Get out of this trance! Your new mentor will be here any minute!" She then watched as the happy memories receded from her vision. Gone into the darkness, being sucked up by sorrow and pain.

She had been thinking of exactly how to avenge her father's death, and decided that finishing her training would be best.

"Andrea, please, you don't want to make your first impression like this." Sofia said, as she was down on the ground, sitting on her knees, almost as if she had been praying for Andrea to come to her senses.

"And why is that?" She asked, though still staring out of the glass panes.

"Andrea.." she urged, with worry stricken across her face.

"Well, if it really bothers you that much, I might as well start to prepare." Andrea continued, getting off of the bed.

Sofia smiled and let out a happy sigh of relief. "I half expected dust bunnies to go hopping off when you stood up." Sofia admitted, holding back a laugh, "Anyways, I polished your new training gear."

"New training gear? What was wrong with my old gear?" she questioned, concerned that no one had told her father.

"It's for when you move from your basic training, to your novice training. You will start to use weapons now. In fact, you were probably a novice at age five; but that's just my opinion." Now Andrea was pulling her new armor out of the closet. It was phenomenal compared to her old equipment. Instead of just linen cloth, it was metallic braces on the wrists, shoulders, knees, and ankles. "And don't forget your..,head thingy..." she said while twirling a piece of metal in her hands.

"My helmet?" Andrea returned with a chuckle.

"Don't laugh!" Sofia exclaimed chuckling herself, "Don't forget that you're the only girl who knows this stuff. Minus Susanna but that's because she sells the darn things." Just then there was a hard knock on the door, nearly knocking it off of its hinges.

"I guessing that's him?" Andrea asked, raising her left eyebrow.

"I suppose." Sofia answered speeding towards the door. She opened it casually, saying, "Ciao signore! How are you this morning?"

"Better than how you dress." he replied roughly. "Where is this so called female assassin?" He added with a spiteful tongue.

"She's right this way." Sofia quickly replied. She didn't want to anger him even more so.

The two adults walked to the bedroom where Andrea was waiting. "Andrea! Maestro Helstan is here!"

"Ciao signore." Andrea greeted the man, then bowed her head.

"Hmm. Hello. I don't want any of that stupid Italian language to be used during training." he answered with a growl.

"Si- I mean, yes sir." Andrea responded, Yet another thing I will have to give up...she thought.

"Well, come with me then." and with that the man left the house.

Before leaving, Andrea turned back to Sofia with a sad face. "Do it for you father dear." Sofia said with a half smile. The girl's head dipped a small bit, and then she followed the man out.

He led her through town, and into an area that was fenced off. "This is the dojo. You will come here everyday at dawn. You will first warm up with a quick wall climb on that building there." her new master said as he pointed toward an old building that looked like it was going to fall on the people sitting with their backs against it. "After that I will meet you at the tree over there. What was the last skill you father taught you?" the man asked, turning towards Andrea.

"Um...Balance. Sir." she replied.

"And what stance did he last teach you?" he continued.

"I don't know the name of it sir." she answered.

"Then show it! We don't have time for ignorance child!" he yelled with anger, causing some of the students who were lounging around to look their direction.

"Yes sir." She then dropped low to the ground, her right leg extended, while her left leg in a crouch. She had one hand in front of her chest, and one behind her back. This was a defensive stance for when you were against more than one opponent. Combined with the skill where you felt the air around you, and what disturbed it, you could feel and attack an enemy if they came up behind you, thinking they had an upper hand.

"Well then. That is called a Tremble Stance. You are farther along than I thought. Tell me, have you ever trained with weapons?" he said with a bit of surprise, then dropping it as soon as he asked the question.

"No sir. My father said I wasn't ready."

"Well you are. Head to the blacksmith tonight. Get whatever weapons feel right in your hands. And make sure you grab a couple of light daggers. We can improve that stance of yours. Now, meet with some of the students here. You will train a small bit with them." and with that he left her.

She utilized the first skill she had ever learned, and started to get a feel for the surroundings. She had never been allowed to enter this place before, because you had to have a certain master to be granted entrance.

There were lots of buildings, she counted seven, with what seemed like just rows and rows of bunk beds through the windows. She looked across from them to see many people in training gear similar to hers, and even some students in clothing she had never seen before. It was very tight on their skin, but seemed comfortable.

The people behind them were climbing things. Trees, buildings, ropes, anything they could find. She looked to the left of that and there were students attacking training dummies. On the other side, she saw a large circular stone, with a fence and a gate enclosing it. What's that for I wonder?

"Well hello there!" a cheery boy, older than Andrea but still in beginners gear, addressed her.

"Hello." Andrea replied politely.

"I've never seen a girl around here. Unless they were carrying bandages." he told her.

"Surprise!" Andrea said with a laugh.

The boy laughed back, "Did you want a bit of a tour? If you're not busy that is."

Andrea smiled and replied, "That would be great, and no I'm not busy at all.''

The boy then gestured for her to follow him, and they took a walk around the facility. He first explained that the buildings with all the beds were for students who didn't have anywhere to stay while they were training. They moved past the buildings and the students training to a path past the tree she was supposed to meet her master at every morning. "Down this road is a series of classrooms made specially for the students being trained and raised only in this facility. The first building you'll see is for eight years olds, then after that, nine year olds, and then so on until you get to the seventeen year olds." he explained.

"The graduating age." she added.

"Exactly" he replied. He went onward and led her to a huge building at the end of the path. It had ten steps carved into its base, leading up to the gaping rectangular hole that was used for a door. "This is the Nobles' Temple. The only time anyone is allowed in is when a Noble invites you, or if you're in some deep trouble."

"It's beautiful." Andrea spoke.

"Yes it is." the boy was then interrupted by a loud bell ringing. "I had better go, it's dinner time and I have kitchen duties today." he turned to leave.

"One second! I didn't catch your name." she said.

"Theodore. And yours?" the boy asked.

"Andrea."

"Welcome to hell Andrea."