Picking Petals:

Chapter 2: Broken Memories

CHAPTER 2

Musho was having the recruits run laps around the castle, something I still do after training. Every morning that I wake up I try to go for a twenty minute run and those were the only twenty minutes of the day I had to myself. "We have a lot of promising students this year," Musho said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Just think, next year either you or Gregory will fill my shoes and guide these kids."

This year was the last year Musho would be training, he never revealed his age, but he must be old if he was resigning. Fairies aged, but we didn't age completely. Aging is different for every Fae but most of us stopped aging at forty but can live up to two hundred years old. "Speaking of the devil." He came strolling over, his dark black hair gliding with the wind. He cut his long black silky waves everyone awed over. Even though it was short, his hair still gleamed with a blue undertone, like a light that never went out.

His dark eyes soaked me in, a small smile tugging across his lips. It was annoying having him, out of all people as my only competition but that meant I knew all his weaknesses.

After making me extremely uncomfortable, his gaze snapped to Musho. "Good afternoon Sir, Nadia, you look lovely." I had to refuse the urge to slap that stupid grin off his face.

"Beautiful day isn't it?" Musho said dryly, a small twinkle of play in his eyes.

"Oh, beyond measure," Gregory laughed.

Valkri used to be beautiful, forty years ago, way before my time. Our elders spoke of trees that stood so tall they take you to the clouds.The trees would be covered in greenery and sweets of all kinds, a fairy would just play in the forest for hours. My mother told me there were even some fields razor sharp. Valkri was the land of mystery and adventure, I hoped one day I would see it all.

I think we're all that's left. Just the humans and us Fae. All the Woodling and sea creatures died, unable to live through the drastic climate change and, of course, the demons. You'd get killed by a demon quicker than you'll make it through the dark wood, that was certain.

I gave Musho a tight smile, "What's on the agenda today?"

"It's only the second week, so they haven't started practicing with each other yet. I was thinking the two of you could give a demonstration today, and then I'll have them pick a sparring partner." Gregory didn't seem too happy about having to spar with me but we had no choice. After all, we both wanted to be the next commander, we both wanted to help people like us. "Nothing too rough, just the basics," Musho said reassuringly.

The young kids, all about 14, sat in front of Gregory and I. Nearly every one of them gawked at my horns, a rare feature that Faes don't usually have in these times, especially the newest generation. People my age were created well after the curse on Valkri. "This is Gregory and Nadia. They are the best warriors Trax has to offer. I brought them here to show you some sparring and how we respect one another when it comes to training so closely," Musho explained. "And maybe you will get to do some sparring yourselves," he said, this seemed to excite them.

"So who's stronger?" One human blurted.

"Obviously the guy," some fae boy laughed, his tiny sharp ears poked out from his ruffled golden locks of hair. Here the boys will learn how vicious us girls and women can be after all Berella and I finished our training at the top of our group. So did Gregory but nonetheless, in the Fae world females have always been blessed with multiple gifts while most males can barely harness an element.

"That's an ignorant assumption," Gregory scolded the young boy.

"Nadia here has kicked my ass quite a few times," he said. I smiled, because it was true, not that he hadn't tackled me but most of the time I was able to squirm out of his grasp. A part of me believed it was because he wouldn't hurt me, which enraged me even further when we sparred.