The Naturalistic

CHAPTER 7

After I complete reading the last book, I glance out of the window to find it's almost evening. 
Oh god, I'm late. I arrange the books back in their shelves and run out of the library, he didn't say anything about meeting at a specific place, so I guess it's the training ground then.

As I enter the training ground, I see Rick sharping his sword. I swallow hard and walk towards him. He smiles as I approach and I do the same.

"I'm so sorry, I was so engrossed in reading that-" I try explaining him but he breaks me off.

"That's fine, no time to talk, come on." 

He hands me the sword, which is damn . . . Heavy. As he leaves the other end of it, I almost stumble, taking all of its balance on me.

"Now," He says. "Try to raise it."

"Okay," I try my best to do it, but the weight of the sword is too much for my hand and it drops anyways.

"You are weak," He says.

"Thank you, that helped a lot," I snap.

"No, I'm not making any fun of you, it's just that I wanted to know about your strategy and now I know it."

"Which is. . . ?" I ask.

"Defense." He answers. "As you are weak in muscle, you won't be able to attack your opponent with much strength, so you have to make your defence stronger."

All I do is stare at him, thinking about everything he just said to me. Somehow, it reminds me of my training with General Gryend before Ezuka's attack.

"So let's start, shall we?" He asks.

I nod. He reaches for another sword and lifts it up like a piece of feather. 

"Try to keep your hand as steady as possible near the grip, hold it tight." He starts explaining. "If your grip is loose, one blow and you lose your guard."

I try and imitate him, shifting all my weight on the grip.

"Great." He nods. "But remember this, while keeping your hold firm, you have to keep your wrist as flexible and as free it is possible, to move your sword in the way you wish. Not letting your wrist free will not allow you to move it the way you want."

"Alright." I try to lift my sword again while keeping my wrist free and my hold firm. As I bring it up, a smile spreads across both of our faces. But I lose my grip and crack, I break my wrist. The sword falls on the ground with a thud and with it I fall on my knees, screaming in pain. Tears start to fall from the edge of my eyes. Rick hurries beside me, taking my injured wrist carefully in his hands.

"Hey, look at me." He says standing on his knees in front of me. "Evy, look at me, it's going to be alright."

Breathing through the pain, I look into his eyes. I remember the time when I first saw those deep blue eyes but pain snaps me back to reality and I close my eyes shut.

"Come on Evy, look at me, please." He whispers. "It's just dislocated, it's not broken, alright?"
While he is still comforting me I open my eyes back and look into his. "Easy." He says and snaps my wrist again and I scream the hell out of me. 

"What did you just do?" I yell.

"Brought it back to the place where it should be." He says quietly. "Now it would hurt less than before."

I try to rotate my wrist and regret it the very next second. Again the pain travels back from my hand into all of me.

"I said, ' it would hurt less ' and ' not it wouldn't hurt at all! '" He yells while gently brushing his finger over it.

"Yeah sorry, my bad." My voice cracks because of the crying and I give him a small smile.

"You are crazy." He laughs a bit and I join him.

"You just got to know me."

"Come on, let's take you to Victor." He helps me stand. "Keep your wrist steady, okay?" And I obey. 

He leads me to one of the tents. "Hey wait, Victor lives in a tent?" 

"Not all of us have a pleasure to stay in Gloria's manor." And I was not aware of it.

"Sorry," I mumble.

"Why do always apologise so quick?" He asks.

"Well, because I know that it's my fault and I should apologise for it, so I do," I say and raise my eyebrows at him. "What's wrong in apologising?"

"Nothing." He replies.

"You are lying." 

He stops and asks, "What makes you believe that?" 

"Don't know, but you are, aren't you?" I pout my lips.

"God, you are crazy, let's go get you healed fast before you get drunker."

"No, not without the answer to my question." I don't move.

He takes a step closer and so our faces are just inches apart, never letting go my other hand. I can feel my cheeks turning hot and heartbeat getting faster.

"You want to know the answer, here it is." He whispers, which makes the hair on the back of my neck stand. "Well, I think it's weird for me because . . ." He pauses.

"Because?" It comes out as a whisper.

His answer breaks something inside me, not sure my feelings or heart.

"No one's ever been so kind to me." He smiles . . . With pain.