The Ties that Bind Me Book 1

A New Will For Survival

It wasn't until the next morning when Lolek brought the three men around. One I recognized vaguely but the other two I don't think I had ever seen before. Each one bowed as they entered the room, and as a gesture of respect and gratitude I got up out of the bed, curtsied low and as I came back up I started to walk towards them. Lolek looked not just shocked but horrified that I would put so much strain on myself. What he didn't understand was they had to understand that no matter what my resolve would not waiver.

First I moved towards Gethin and then I curtsied deeply. I figured I would expand on my Arabic and put us both on neutral ground.

Imiri* أسمع أنك تشكر على إخراجي من قبضة ذلك الرجل الرهيب. اسمي Imirial وأود أن أتقدم إليكم بالشكر الجزيل على مساعدتكم وتقديم نفسي كطالب لتدريب لك. (I hear you are to thank for getting me out of the grip that that horrible man. My name is Imirial and I would like to graciously thank you for your help and offer myself as a student for you to train.)

I felt one of his hands on my shoulder while the other raised up my chin before falling in place on my other shoulder.

Gethin* طفلي سيكون من دواعي سروري أن يكون لك كطالب. عزمك قوي وإرادتك للعيش أقوى. كن مرحبًا بالطفل واعرف أنك آمن في يدي. (My child it would be a pleasure to have you as a student. Your resolve is strong and your will to live stronger. Be welcome child and know you are in safe hands.)

Down to my core I was always a girly person, I found my main response of gratitude to be physical affection. I moved quickly and hugged him, wrapping my arms tightly around a new lifeline, a new way to save myself.

Imiri* شكرا (Thank you.)

I moved in front of Hao as I had heard he had helped to restrain Ghassan from damaging me further. I did the same, curtsied to him as a sign of respect.

Imiri* أنا أفهم أنك ساعدت في إنقاذ حياتي ، وأنك أبعدت غسان عني في حالة جنون. أنا Imirial وأود أن أشكركم على حياتي. الرجاء مساعدتي لتصبح أقوى ، وقادرة على حماية نفسي. (I understand that you helped to save my life, that you held Ghassan away from me in his crazed state. I am Imirial and I would like to thank you for my life. Please help me to become stronger, able to protect myself.)

Hao* أنا سعيد برؤيتك بأنك في أمان وشفاء جيدًا Imirial ، أنا هاو وسأكون سعيدًا لمساعدتك في تسخير إمكاناتك الحقيقية ، لأن لديك الكثير منها. إرادتك قوية لشخص صغير جدًا ، ويسرني أن أرى ذلك. (I am glad to see you are safe and healing well Imirial, I am Hao and I would be happy to help you harness your true potential, for you do have a lot of it. Your will is strong for one so young, I am glad to see that.)

Imiri* شكرا لك على كلماتك الرقيقة. (Thank you for your kind words.)

Lastly I moved to the dark skinned man that stood quiet and stotic by the door weapons everywhere the eye could see. Even though he scared me, he was here to help me. I moved forward and showed him respect as I did the others.

Imiri* مرحبا أنا Imirial. أعلم أنني لم أقابلك مطلقًا ، لكن لوليك تقول إنك رجل يتمتع بمهارة كبيرة وصدق. سأكون ممتناً لو تفضلتم بتعليمي كيفية استخدام الأسلحة كأداة أخرى في ترسانة أود بناءها. (Hello I am Imirial. I know that I have never met you but Lolek says you are a man of great skill and honesty. I would greatly appreciate if you could teach me how to use weapons as another tool in an arsenal that I wish to build.)

His smile was wide as he looked at me and took a small dagger from his side. He spun it in his hand for a moment before handing it to me hilt first. I looked at the dagger then back at the man.

Sarki* سيكون من دواعي الشرف أن أقوم بتدريب شاب صغير في فنون الأسلحة التي تموت. هذا الخنجر الصغير في يدك يمكن أن يقتل أسرع مما يمكن أن تفعله بندقية اليد حقًا. هذا الخنجر مثلك من نواح كثيرة ، صغير ، أقل من المقدرة ، وشحذ بدقة. هذا هو ما سنجعلك. (It would be an honor to train one so young in the dying art of weapons. That small dagger in your hand can kill quicker than a hand gun could truly do. That dagger is like you in many ways, small, under estimated, and sharpened to precision. That is what we will make you.)

I nodded my head in his direction and smiled.

Imiri* متى نبدأ؟ أتعلم بسرعة وأنا مدفوع لإتقان أي مهمة تضعها أمامي. (When do we get started? I learn fast and I am driven to master any task you put in front of me.)

It was Gethin that answered, his voice calm and steady but serious.

Gethin* تبدأ غدا. Lolek ستنتقل إلى العمل اليدوي ، نحن بحاجة إلى إيقاف ضعف العضلات والبدء في جعلك أقوى. ستعمل معه حتى يشعر أنك جاهز ، وبحلول ذلك الوقت سنصل إلى طريقة لتدريبك دون أن يكون أحد أكثر حكمة. (You start tomorrow. Lolek is going to have you moved to manual labor, we need to stop the muscle weakness and start to make you stronger. You will work with him until he feels you are ready, by that time we will have come up with a way to train you with no one the wiser.)

I placed my hands in front of me and bowed from the waist, I heard a collective gasp as I did, but I responded none the less.

Imiri* سيكون كما تقول. وإنني أتطلع إلى ما لديك لتدريس. اشكركم جزيل الشكر على هذه الفرصة (It will be as you say. I look forward to what you have to teach. I thank you very much for this opportunity.)

With that they each bowed to me and walked out of the room leaving Lolek to help me back into bed. I had expended every ounce of energy I had, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Not only would I show my strength, but my respect for the risk that the men were taking to train me. Lolek carefully led me to the bed and sat me at its edge.

"You know that was crazy, you could have split your wounds open, put yourself back before you even began." His face was grave as he grasped the cup to hand it to me.

"Whether the wounds would have opened up or not I would be starting with you tomorrow. I won't let anything hold me back anymore Lolek, I am much more determined than that."

Lolek smiled at me then. "What you call determined, I call crazy. I will see you first thing in the morning in the kitchens. Don't expect me to go easy on you because I care for you."

It was my turn to smile then. "I would think less of you if you did. Goodnight."