Instead of waking up like she normally had Siana was woken to feeling slightly colder, her body curling into a tightly knitted ball to hold heat. A low grunt made an eye slowly flutter open. It caught the dark figure looming over her, and for a split second she didn’t care. Sleep still curved her mind.
“Get up, we have work to do.” He sounded grumpier, less easy to listen to. But with tired eyes Siana pushed off the warm bed rubbing both eyes with a long yawn. She looked to a window and groaned softly. Even the sun was still sleeping in.
Feet hit the soft fur of a rug before Siana managed to gather everyday clothes. Moving to the bath she changed, a process that seemingly took longer than War wanted it to. He let an annoyed growl a few minutes into her dressing as a way to hurry her along. Somehow she managed to forget her shoes and slapped her face, feeling foolish for not paying attention.
Walking out Siana looked around, before a frown of confusion smeared over her lips. She could of sworn she’d left them near the bed. His large frame blocked out some of the flickering light from a dying fire. Sticking a hand out War handed her a newer pair of boots. Their leather much cleaner than the ones she had before, while the soles bore no holes from everyday use.
Lifting her eyes to him, Siana was about to say something when he nodded and walked off. Chewing on her bottom lip she decided it best to just put them on and hurry it up before he grew even more uneasy.
Every door was shut tight as they walked down the hall in utter silence. Siana had thought it would of been a little more lively than this, but perhaps everyone was doing what she wished she could be. Shaking the thought out of her head she kept up with War.
He took her down a flight of stairs and around a back way to the backyard. Torches were already lit as though he’d been here long before waking her.
Once able to stand still allowing her eyes to take in what the large room held. Weapons of all makes lined each wall. Racks holding what looked to be wooden ones leaned peacefully. Grabbing two wooden swords, War tossed one her way.
“That is a Bokken. Its made of bamboo, but will still hurt should you get a blow. We will practice with these till you are able to guard yourself better.” Siana moved the blade, her eyes inspecting it thoroughly.
“Bokken?” Her head tilted to the new word. War nodded flipping the sword as if it were just another ligament.
“Made by Japanese craftsmen.” Siana raised both brows. Just what was he talking about. With a grunt War moved over to her.
“When you're not training, you’ll studie. When you're not studying you should be eating or sleeping. Understood?” Siana nodded.
“Yes” Though she didn’t fully understand, she thought it best not to ask more question when he looked ready to be more physical than vocal. Circling her, the smooth end of his blade pressed to one shoulder War watched her.
“You won out of sheer luck. Had Griffin been half as knowledgeable of your skill he’d of killed you. Your stance is off, your balance needs work.” That sword cracked against her hip nearly knocking her to the floor.
Glaring hardened eyes towards him, Siana made sure to keep her eyes on him at all times. Moving her feet slowly when he moved, always ready for him to change directions. When her leg crossed over the other, he sent another painful reminder to her hip.
“Side step, don’t cross.” He gave her one demonstration before beginning again. Each blow Siana took, he explained what to correct. Feeling that of a beaten dog only to be rewarded afterwards, Siana had mixed feelings about his methods, but spoke nothing.
Every contact he made against her sword sent strong vibrations down into her fingertips, from there they shook her core. Rattled Siana put her best foot forward learning to balance her weight more evenly while blocking his blows.
Whenever she’d become too pleased with her work War would merely flip his blade cutting her legs out from under her. If that weren’t insult to injury enough his words cut deeper.
“Dead.” He growled pointing the point of his blade into her eyes. It drove her mad hearing those words. Knowing everything she was doing was to survive and get away, only to have it rubbed into our wounds you’d never make it out the door. Pushing off the floor again feet at the ready Siana glared.
If it caused her to walk away limping with a body covered in colored marks, she was going to land a hit on him. Whatever it took she needed to, if only to save a little face. Both hands wrapped around the hilt of that blade, its weight that of a real sword as to give the handler less difficulty when turning to a real blade of steel.
Breathing deepened through both nostrils, her feet moving like he showed Siana tried to watch everything. His feet, weapon, body and eyes. Licking her bottom lip she watched as it caught Wars eyes, shooting off weapon cutting through air with a soft whistle Siana skidded to one side.
Growling out at her while shifting his feet, War moved flipping his weapon around cracking it over her lower back. His attention taken away from the shift in her posture as her hips had twisted making his blade crack a little more to one side as her’s skimmed across his cheek.
Blinking slowly War lifted his weaponless hand touching his cheek only to glance at his hand, seeing a smudge of red caught his breath. Siana sat on the ground rubbing her back groaning in pain. They had only been training till the sun was at its peak, and already she was exceeding his expectations.
Placing his sword back on its holder Siana rose to feet dusting herself off doing the same. War hid his amusement placing a blank expression over hard features.
“Abraham is going to aid in your training while I’m away. Treat him as you would me.” Siana gulped wondering just how many other man had the deadly glaze that War seemed to have when he met her eye to eye.
“Okay” Arguing with such a man would be downright foolish and Siana wasn't’ a fool. She occasionally might allow some to think so, but she wasn’t in the least.
For the next few days War was her private instructor. Every lesson he gave Siana did her best to remember for the following days. Her body riddled with bruises were taxing, however once allowed to eat her full and bath in the warmth of what she now would beg for every night, she didn’t allow such a small feat to bother her.
It had been a colder night, one where light from the moons rays nearly envied that of the suns as they pushed through dark curtains. There was rustling, more so than any other night she’d slept in War’s chambers.
Her feelings of guilt towards taking up his bed soon vanished when he seemed more at ease in his over sized chair than bothering with taking off his boots. Half awake Siana pushed her lids open to gain an idea as to why she was suddenly being awoke.
He was too busy to notice her eyes upon him as hands filled a bag with various weapons, meats and essentials. The longer she watched the more she understood. He was leaving...again. With it being only a few full moons since his return, the weather had turned icy. Bringing the reminder that snow would befall them soon enough. Turning the lush greenscape into a white paradise.
Sitting up slowly as to make not a sound she watched while muscles shifted without the sense of being watched, fingers flipped countless daggers while clipping them in different places about his body. Learning that no matter what War always had a blade on him, made her consider doing the same.
With the evenitalb of his departure Siana caught herself. Eyes glazed, threatening to spill emotions that should never be seen. To her War was solid, a foundation that was unshakeable. With him gone what would become of her, who would see to her time, would she become a target to though about the manor.
Without the strength to stop her bottom lip quivered as she fought tears. A bubble of emotion killing her insides while he continued to pack for what looked to be an even longer trip than the one before. Her sniffle to hold back lifted his head before it swiveled to her direction. Eyes darkened to an almost coal black, finger twitched over a blade he had yet to place on body.
“You should sleep” He said in a hushed tone, as if she wasn’t fully awake and about to cry. That bottom lip quivered more, no matter how hard she bit tongue to force a pain to keep it away.
“Your leaving?” She croaked clearing throat to cover pain. He huffed rubbing his shoulder muscles. Feet moved till he stood a breath above her. With eyes deepening into her’s, she about came undone. A hand came up flipping that unpacked blade to her. the handle pointed to her chest, Siana looked to it before looking back up to War.
“Take it. Its about time you have a blade.” She thought about asking him to send the blade away, and leave him behind but felt a guilt for thinking such a thing. Instead she gingerly took the blade allowing her fingers to pass over the stunning silver.
“How long?” It was all she could do to ask that, not really wanting to know the answer but refusing to not have an idea this time.
“A while” Worse than any crushing blow to her body, those words gave her nothing to breath out about. He was purposely not telling her, or wasn’t sure himself. Either way Siana wasn’t going to know his return until he appeared out of thin air.
Eyes stayed to the blade refusing to even rip her heart more, there was a lot Siana could handle but an empty hole was starting to form the more she thought about not getting lectured, scolded, and grunted at by a man she was sworn to hate. To her he was, hard, dark, and tantalizing to the point of sinful.
But he was also giving, loyal, easy to be around and never overly demanding.
Watching as she seemed to fall to pieces before his eyes War rubbed heating palms against his armor. She shouldn’t care, just like the rest. He was a killer, made for battle a destroyer not a lover or kind hearted soul. His training had been to teach her the skill in order to live a longer life they way she had wanted, to never take orders from any soul while being a guiding light to the weak.
That wasn’t his calling. He’d not have a light as bright as her’s, and he was satisfied with the knowing of that. Having already called upon Abraham to aid in her training while he vanished amidst the caiouse and wreckage, War had refused to give her a real answer to his return. Not knowing very well if he would be able to keep his word, knowing it best to give her nothing to rely on than a wishful hope.
He didn’t do kind, compliments or soft….but he didn’t lie. Hoping she had picked up on this, War did his best to show her when he was pleased without verbally acknowledge every accomplishment she had fulfilled. His darkness was to be concealed at all costs...even from Siana.
Thinking it best to depart he grabbed his satchel headed for the door. His feet moving swiftly to keep his eyes from looking back at her. The mere thought of tears falling down cheeks tore at even the strongest desire to journey into the unknown. She was becoming a weakness to his inner strength, one he couldn’t and wouldn’t have.
If he didn’t leave now, he never would.
((I'm sorry for late update. Dealing with Real life issues and its deep for me. I made this chapter a bit longer for you guys, hope you enjoy it. Added some music if you really wanna cry a bit more. Happy readying, leave me some feed back. Love yea guys <3)) ((Picture if Abarham and Siana sparing))