New Beginnings

Chapter 11

"Rollo will be back any day now and he will want to see your progress, you haven't been practicing at all!" Torin called up at me. I looked down at his tiny form far below my perch up in the tree. I knew he was right Rollo had been gone for almost two weeks now. Aella and Kinlee looked at me from their nearby branches and pulled faces. They knew that I had to obey the demanding warrior.

I sighed and began to descend from the branches. I waited for Kinlee and Aella keeping an eye on them as they followed me down. Aella was a skilled climber and Kinlee did very well but I still wanted to keep them safe. Kinlee's foot slipped a few inches and I grabbed her.

"I'm alright Anna" she said "you can let go of me." She said as she got her footing again.

We dropped to the ground and Torin frowned at me. I knew I was a sight with my hair full of twigs and small scratches on my arms and hands. I had been spending my days with Rollo's little sisters out in the sunshine. My skin was more tanned than it had ever been. My arms were getting stronger from climbing trees and my legs were growing faster from running over the mountain sides. Rollo's little sisters made me feel happy. Their carefree natures and adventurous spirits were contagious and I felt like a young child again. Torin looked me up and down and shook his head.

"Go get ready and we will start practicing." He said and then he walked away from me. He pretended like he was angry with me but I knew it was only an act. Torin and I had grown closer in the weeks as well.

After I changed my clothes, Aella and Kinlee followed closely behind me and we walked to the clearing that we fought in.

Torin was there already looking ready to fight. He had on a pair of pants and he left his torso bare. I allowed myself a quick look at his muscular chest that was bronze from the time that he spent outside in the sun. He was a distracting competitor to say the least.

I picked up my sword it was no longer heavy in my hands. Its weight was comfortable.

"Are you ready?" Torin asked as carefully selected his weapon. He grabbed a sword and swung it around in a few revolutions as he walked around me.

I nodded my reply and we started to fight. The way Torin fought reminded me of a dance. The most dangerous and exhilarating dance I had ever participated in. Aella and Kinlee perched in the low branches of a nearby tree and cheered me on enthusiastically. With one quick swipe and a few steps of fancy footwork Torin had my sword and I was on my backside in the dirt. Aella and Kinlee let out loud giggles at the sight of me defeated. They had to hold onto their branch to keep themselves from falling off.

"Anna! Rollo is going to be angry with us" Torin said. He extended his hand and hauled me to my feet. He reached down and grabbed my weapon. Torin shook his head as he handed it to me.

I grumbled because I knew he was right. Rollo was expecting me to be able to defend myself at least by the time he got back. I could hold my own for a few minutes but I couldn't defend myself. I swung the sword around then got into my stance. I was quicker than Torin but he was stronger and more skilled from years of experience. I had only had a few days. But I was a fast learner.

I would jump forward with a few jabs and Torin would counter the jabs, it looked awkward. This time I held onto my sword as Torin came at me with his skilled footwork. When he came closer I held onto the sword as he tried to take it from me and with a quick swipe I blocked him.

I applied everything that Rollo and Torin had taught me and worked on keeping Torin away from me. He smiled as he stepped up his game. Torin lunged at me and just like that, he had my sword.

"You fight like a child" a cold voice sneered from the edge of the clearing. And we looked up to see Grey. She stood there in her armor with her sword hanging from her hip. Her red hair was braided into a long rope down her back. She placed her hands on her hips and looked at me like I was a child. A smile tugged at her lips as she saw just how uncomfortable her gaze made me.

"She's just begun training" Torin defended me. Grey snorted.

"I could have easily killed her when I was a child of four summers." Grey stated loudly. "She would be an easy kill hardly worth recognition." I looked to the arm band that wrapped around her bicep. There were many notches cut out of it. Each of the notches represented one kill.

I could see Torin boiling at Grey's insults but he couldn't say anything because of the risk of giving away my predicament with Rollo. I was married to the man she wanted and if she found out I would be bleeding in the dirt within a few short seconds. I kept my mouth shut because her comments didn't bother me. Grey sneered at our silence, which added to her agitation.

"I want to fight her" she called as she started walking towards us. That's when Torin put himself between Grey and I. I was forced to stand on my toes in order to look over his bare shoulder to see Grey's face and I knew. I knew that she would fight me before she would leave. The fight would probably end in death. My death. Torin had just made this an exciting game for Grey. A game where she could plot and scheme until she had me in the arena with her. It didn't even matter that I was married to Rollo. Either way she would get to fight me and either way I would die.