On Mount Alyppia

A Friend

Gregor now had a girl for a student.

It wasn't unheard of. He had taught some girls and women, but the last had left a few years ago, and none had been like this. Arista had never seen a student so motivated. Energized. Eager to learn.

Assuntina threw herself into Gregor's lessons with unmatched zeal. Long, rigorous maneuvers and exercises that left others bent double only seemed to encourage her, and the fact that she had little skill and did not show much improvement did not seem to bother her in the slightest, even though she often pointed it out herself.

Assuntina also spoke. Constantly. Throughout the entire lesson, when she wasn't panting too hard. Arista had seen newer students try and chatter before, but Gregor was a man of few words. Most stopped when they realized he never answered. But Assuntina kept talking, chattering and remarking and questioning and monologuing, and miraculously, Gregor began to speak back. Short, curt answers, but answers nonetheless.

She spoke to Arista, too, sometimes. Odd little comments, remarks and observations, as if she were talking to her purely for the sake of talking to her, and what was spoken mattered little. When people spoke to Arista, it was usually either because they were taunting her, were bored out of their minds, or wanted something. There was also the rare case of Gregor and the nymph from Alyppia, Vivalius, who had wanted to help her. Assuntina didn't speak to her for any of those things. Arista didn't know what to make of it, so she stayed quiet and gave only quick, one-word answers when she had to. She wished she hadn't spoken to Assuntina that first day. She wasn't sure why she had. But perhaps it wouldn't have made any difference, because it seemed Assuntina's lips never stilled.

"I have a friend who wishes to learn to wield a sword," Assuntina said to Gregor one day, a few weeks after she had begun, as she was going through drills.

"Hmm," Gregor replied simply, correcting her stance and motioning for her to continue.

"My friend was wondering if there were empty slots in your schedule for him," Assuntina continued stubbornly. "He has been getting mad that I can beat him, especially since I am still very bad. He wishes to begin learning as well."

Gregor let out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a chuckle. "I have no empty slots, and will not until another student either quits or attends fewer lessons."

"What if he shared my sessions? Could you teach two at once?" Assuntina persisted.

"I suppose," Gregor said vaguely, and motioned for Arista to bring the water.

"It's scalding today," Assuntina complained to Arista after the lesson, dropping her wooden practice sword on the ground. Arista shrugged and propped the blade against the wall as she stood to fetch more water.

"Oh, could I have some of that, please?" Assuntina panted, reaching for the bucket. Arista handed it to her and made to fetch a dipper, but Assuntina waved her hand away and dumped the entire bucket on her head, fanning herself and grinning broadly.

Arista nearly laughed.

"That was refreshing," Assuntina sighed. "You should soak your scarf. That might keep you cool in this blasted heat."

Arista shrugged. It really would keep her cool, and since she had lost her red scarf, there was no danger of the dye running and turning her pink. But she wasn't about to bare her head in public, no matter the heat. She took another bucket and swung it over her shoulder to carry to the pump.

"Why do you never smile?" Assuntina asked suddenly.

Arista glanced back, surprised. "Why'd I smile?"

Assuntina gave her a perplexed little grin. "Because you're happy?"

"I'm not." It was a simple truth. She had better luck than some, and worse luck than others, but she wasn't happy. Why would she be? The only things that had ever brought her joy were Jack the baby bird from Alyppia and a full belly.

"Why not?" Assuntina persisted. She wouldn't understand. Her father was rich.

Arista shrugged. "There's not a reason for it."

"Well, is there any reason not to be?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." Assuntina paused, looking at the ground and chewing her lip, then smiled and waved goodbye, heading for the front of the villa, where her carriage waited.

"Why'd you ask?" Arista blurted. "Why ask?"

Assuntina looked confused at the question. "Because I want to be friends," she said simply, then walked off merrily, slipping through the house and leaving Arista agape behind.

"You could use a friend."

Arista turned to see Gregor walking out of his workroom, most likely for lunch with his wife and granddaughter.

Arista shrugged, moving to put away her rags. Gregor went on his way, buttoning his fine silk vest so that he would look the part when he dined with his family. It was only once he was out of hearing that Arista muttered, "I don't need a friend." Then again, louder, "I don't need a friend."

She had to make herself believe it, somehow. She would not let herself hope. The streets trampled hope out of a person. It fizzled away into nothing, leaving an empty, aching hole in its place. Hope never led to anything. Hope was not worth it. 

Hello, loyal readers! (There's at least two of you, right?)

So, I am starting school on Monday, and so updates might be coming less frequently. I'm also reaching the end of the large stack of notebook papers that the first half of the story is written on, so I'll have to *gasp* actually right new chapters. They may suck, fair warning. 

Thank you for reading! Please vote and comment! 

~Amanda