ALMIRA THORN- Knowledge of Another Kind. [Editing]

Chapter 18- Someone close to home - Part 1

I woke early, the nightmares returning with a vengeance leaving me angry and afraid. As I walked into the training hall, the windows shone in gray light, meaning the sun had barely awoken. I’d waited in my room for an appropriate time to come down to train, in case I’d been caught, the knowledge of this room as much a temptation as any in my eyes. I dragged a mat and brought it to the center, deciding on using a wooden staff instead of a sword. As I held the weight with both hands, I slowly started spinning it, letting the whir and whistle of the wind rush past as I spun faster, letting the weapon take over my mind. I closed my eyes and let it spin between my fingers, only looking as I moved my hands to the side and round, letting the staff spin around my body, in different directions and different angles. Pretending my attacker was right in front of me, I lunged forward, halting the spin and pretending to strike.

I did it again and again until only the thoughts of a fight were in my head, the memories and nightmares a distant problem as I crouched and spun it above my head. I could feel sweat pouring down my face as I concentrated and remembered the chant that had been my comfort, now it was my curse. Stay strong, stay brave and stay human. I grunted in anger and finally lifting one leg and slammed the staff down. It snapped into two pieces as I begun to spin them both on each hand, only stopping when a whistle caught my attention near the door.

“Lucian is going to be so mad for missing that.” Lucy stood at the door holding a pile of washing in a basket as she leaned against the frame, obviously comfortable watching. I stood and lowered the two now broke pieces to my sides, trying to control my panting as I swallowed, “How long have you been there?”

She smiled, “Long enough. Let me guess, nightmares keeping you awake?” When she saw my reaction she smiled again, only it was sympathy instead.

“Don’t worry, there are a fair share of sleepless nights for all of us, enough nightmares to go round. I’ll give you a remedy I’ve been making; it’ll get rid of those, Michael lives on it.”

I finally felt myself smile back, “Thanks, did you want to do a little training?”

She widened her eyes but the obvious smile that echoed told me she was curious. “I can’t, the washing..” she gazed down at her chore and I smiled, walking over and grabbing the basket before placing it on the side and walking over to the table of training weapons. I picked up two short wooden swords and walked back over to the mat.

“The washing can wait a little while. C’mon, you’ll enjoy yourself.” I lifted the wooden sword, handle first to her and she exhaled, giving in and walking over, taking the weapon delicately in her hands, as if it would break. I grinned and stepped back, “Lets see if we can get you kicking Ray’s ass.”

And so we trained, I taught her how to stand and hold the weapon, and then practiced with lunges and defense positions. She learned fast and kept her concentration with an iron grip, letting the occasional smile slipped as she enjoyed learning how to knock a sword out of someone’s hand.

“I’d like to do this to Lucian when he tries to stick his fork into my cooking.” She laughed. Her happiness brought my own and I felt at peace teaching her how to defend herself after the horrors she had had to face in the past. She lunged out of the blue and I stepped back abruptly, my weapon in a defense position. I grinned at her, she learned fast.

“Impressive, you’d make a good attack if your gift wasn’t healing.” She smiled and beamed her own grin, a little pride falling through.

“Along with my gift of healing, I can do the opposite.” She breathed. “ I make the wounds worse. Lucian doesn’t like me boasting about it seeing as it is not the prettiest thing.” I breathed in admiration. To be able to bleed out your enemy while they stand, something like a paper cut, turning into a fatal injury.