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Approaching the cusp of Ryuu’s land and old home, I pause, taking in the small stretch of terrain around me. Distant memories of passing this place as a young child rise up.
Before Ryuu became involved with my mother and lived here, my innocent eyes saw a small oasis in a world full of shadows. A land once carpeted with wildflowers that flourished among the terrain is now barren. All that is left is decaying earth full of rocky ground and hard soil. An oasis no longer, but favorable for the use of training.
As I continue on past the crumbling archway, Ryuu’s tall build comes into view, his rigid posture pacing leisurely back and forth. A deception in itself.
“You’re late,” Ryuu’s gruff voice barks out. He has an air about him that demands respect and obedience. A captain through and through. He towers over my average height, while my pale skin and hair brighten against his dark and bronze tones. Though his sea green eyes are the exact shade of my own. It is the only thing we seem to have in common.
I sigh, taking up the position he expects. Eyes forward, shoulders back, legs slightly apart, and hands behind my back.
I don’t need to look at his face to know what expression he wears. Ryuu is in a constant state of scorn. That is, until he is in the presence of my mother, and a different person rises up. One with warmth in his green eyes and a gentleness to his touch. My mother is not a fragile woman, but to Ryuu, you would think she was made of glass and could shatter any moment. His love for her is unequivocal, which is why I don’t object to our alleged bonding sessions. That, and I’m not foolish enough to turn down an opportunity to further expand my skills.
Although my mother has trained me well, there are always more techniques to acquire and master. Ryuu has a different viewpoint, a different approach when assessing his opponents and the ways in which he would take them down.
Where I was disciplined to be swift and silent, his attacks are brutal and unforgiving. His presence is full of raw power, and he pushes me just as hard as, if not harder than, his soldiers. And although we never see eye to eye, his unbiased nature has helped me build respect for him.
“I’m here now.” There is no point making excuses with Captain Ryuu, no matter how genuine they are. Excuses to him are just that, and anything beyond death would not suffice.
“I expect you to be on time; an extra hour in the stables after our session.”
Cleaning out the Caligo guard’s horse stables is one of the manypunishmentshe likes to dole out for disobedience. Notthat it ever bothered me. Though the stables smell foul, the animals are beautiful beasts with calming natures.
“Yes, sir.”
A dip of the head is the only acknowledgment given before he continues on.
“I’ve been made aware of your foolishness.”
The hope that I would receive any form of blessing from him dashes away.
“Sir?”
“Do you think yourself some sort of champion, Seren?”
Champions are foolish beings who covet fame and fortune. I require neither, nor have I ever desired the fictitious nature of such a position.
“No, sir.”
“Some sort of clandestine, then?” His taunts are only cruel words, nothing I haven’t heard before.
I remind myself of my own deception—what I keep hidden from him and the guilt it holds—before letting my emotions get the best of me.
I face him, seeing the flames of anger in his eyes, his jaw clenched as his eyes pierce through mine like blades. “No…sir.”
“Ah, maybe it is that you think yourself as one of the rebels? Maybe you would like to join them and their immoral behavior?”
The rebels are no help, causing nothing but trouble for the rest of us.
The Caligo guards believe us to be untrustworthy and incapable of any sort of alliance, and the rebels have done everything to prove them right. They cause havoc, their methods unorganized and sloppy. They speak of equality and fairness but hold no such regard for themselves. There have been many times their asserted plan went asunder, leaving the rest of us to clean up their mess. I would rather work by myself than join the group of fraudulent misfits.
“Of course not.”
“Then I cannot fathom why one would sneak out and commit such a foolish act.” His tone is as sharp as a whip, doing nothing to ebb my own rising ire. He turns his back to me, continuing his back-and-forth pace.
My voice is steady when I reply. “I only want to help.” Seeing firsthand what our people go through should make him understand what I’m trying to do. There are not many who know how to fight anymore. No one even tries to learn, too fearful of the repercussions from the Caligo guards. Many are left unprotected and alone. We need anyone and everyone that can help.
“Your mother is under the impression that you are ready for such a responsibility. I do not agree with her on this.” Of course he doesn’t. He would train me to use a blade but lock me up to keep me safe. His words and actions are constantly at war with one another. He would tell me daily that I should stay out of the guard’s business and any trouble, yet that very same day, he would show me a maneuver to incapacitate an attacker in two strikes.
“I can take care of myself. I handled the threat without any complications.” Minus the small injury I acquired, but I am clearly not about to bring that up.
