Dralin

Chapter 11

Frath’s purple eyes sparkled in the sunlight as he stood next to the weaponmaster while they watched Pelya practice basic moves with a wooden sword.  The seven-year-old girl was frighteningly good with it for someone so young.  Up to that point, he had never seen a child wield a sword the way a grown guardsperson would.

She was wearing small pieces of wood on her chest and back for armor in addition to small pieces of wood tied to her shins as greaves.  They had been made by a couple of talented guardsmen specifically for her.  Shoulder-length wavy black hair was tied back in a ponytail and her face was twisted in concentration.

Pelya was swinging the sword in the exact same patterns that students were supposed to learn, only she was more precise in the movements than most of them.  The practice yard was filled with other students being drilled in various routines by tough instructors with loud voices.  The clatter of wooden and metal swords filled the air while the odor of leather-covered bodies sweating in the morning sun filled the nostrils.

Frath had seen the grizzled weaponmaster, Commander Gilron Coodmur showing Pelya a few things here and there.  Each time he demonstrated something new, the commander would stand back and look on in amazement as she immediately executed the routines.

After a while, the weaponmaster began using Pelya as an example of a good student who listened whenever one of the other trainees was being particularly dense.  He even told a couple that the little girl would wipe the floor clean with them if it ever came down to a fight.  It was an effective tactic that got many to work harder.

The weaponmaster enjoyed having Pelya around and was very protective of her.  Perhaps it was because she was the one person he didn’t have to boss around, or perhaps it was because of her precocious smile.

Gilron Coodmur was forty-five years old and was still the best person in the Guard with a sword, even better than Captain Unermin.  In addition, he knew how to use every other weapon ever made and had a knack with improvised weapons.  His training yard had tables, chairs, bottles, wagon wheels and just about everything else imaginable. He taught recruits how to confront people fighting with the objects and even how to use most in a pinch.  Gorman was now a master sergeant working for the weaponmaster and Frath was a corporal, working with new recruits out in the city most days.

The commander’s hair was mostly grey and there were numerous hard-earned battle scars all over his sun-baked body and face.  He had been in wars and seen the worst humanity had to offer.  At times, he would begin talking about a battle and then a look would pass through his hazel eyes before he took a deep breath and changed the subject.

“You know, when I first heard that a baby had been brought into the barracks, I was furious,” he told Frath in his low, gravely voice that sounded like rocks being tumbled through a river.  “Then I saw the little thing.  She looked at me with those lively blue eyes and I knew there was something about her . . . she’s growing up to be quite the little warrior.”

“Yeah,” Frath agreed.  “. . . I don’t know how to feel about it.  I’m scared every time I think about what could happen to her in this forsaken city.”  What he didn’t say was that he had nightmares about it nearly every other night.  He tried distancing himself from the emotions and fear, but Pelya was the only thing he loved in the world and he had seriously debated how he would end his own life if anything happened to her.

“You’re doing a fine job, Corporal.  Not only that, but every person in the Guard is her aunt or uncle and would die for her,” the commander said, putting a hand of reassurance on his shoulder.  Gilron looked around the busy practice area and at the blue sky that was clean from early spring rains the night before.  “You know, a few people have thought to complain about the girl, but I’ve always gone and talked to them about the matter.  I listened to their concerns, of course, but then I set them straight as to how things were going to be.”  He winked at Frath.