The Orion's Daughter : To Lands Beyond

On The Horizon

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Chapter Twelve | On The Horizon

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"Positions seven, thirty-two, twenty-nine, forty-five, three, three, one, seventeen, fifty-five, fifty-six, fifty-four, one, nine, nine, change, sixteen, twenty-one, thirty-one, seventy-four, forty-seven, and eighty-three. Go!"

Steele was drilling me on all of the form combinations he could think of. It was a bit of a game, and it was something I enjoyed doing. The positions were numbered from one to one hundred thirty-six, and I needed to be able to maneuver and combine them as fast as possible without making mistakes.

It was a test of physical ability, mental awareness, and accuracy.

I loved it.

Sword in hand, I let my body fall into the motions of each and every position, performing them with the desired speed and accuracy of a knight or warrior from all of those stories I grew up reading.

I started with my blade in the appropriate position and stabbed it into the ground during certain maneuvers in imitation of striking down an enemy as I rolled and tumbled in the fields. I twisted and kicked, snagging my dagger from my ankle sheath and switching hands as I lashed out and punched with as much ferocity I could muster.

My voice rang out as I shouted from time to time in an attempt to sound intimidating. The wind picked up, making my flowing shirt billow and flare. My auburn hair flowed like flames of a fire off of my head. I charged forward and lunged, spinning on my heel and slashing out with my sword before tossing it into the air, rolling forward in a tumble, and catching the blade at the end as I stood and thrust once more.

Steele, watching me closely, made no movement as he watched me. I could see his keen, militaristic gaze on me. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he evaluated each and every movement I performed.

I had to be perfect.

There was no way I wasn't spot on with every position!

I knew better than to open my mouth prematurely to protest, but there was some part of me that was getting antsy. Still, I held my stance in that lunge, sword outstretched and threatening to get heavier every moment.

Then, a contagious smile spread across Steele's face. He raised his immense hands and, very lightly, began to clap, pride shining in his features. Only now did I know it was alright to break position, and so I did, exiting my exercise through the right poses and taking a deep breath. My heart was racing. Every part of me felt powerful and strong.

I did it!

Once my heart calmed, I charged forward toward Steele, my feet unable to carry me fast enough. Instinctually, he lowered his hand and let me slam into his open fingers. I wrapped my arms around his fingers as they closed around me. I was weightless as Steele lifted me into the air, propping his hand up on his leg as he sat with one leg crossed and the other propped up.

I spun around and faced him, seeing the flecks of violet in his eyes practically glowing with unspoken praise. As he spoke, he addressed me in his tongue, speaking in his native language.

"Terrilyn, you have done so well! Every movement was executed perfectly. Your stance and your energy matched our finest warriors. You would be welcomed in the Orion's ranks as a true warrior for certain," commended Steele. With that, the Orion leaned forward and tenderly pressed his forehead to mine.

It was a simple gesture, and it was one we had done a million times, but this time somehow felt different. This time, it felt like some kind of acknowledgement of equality. Was that some kind of test he just put me through? Some kind of warrior training test that only the Orion would be familiar with?