Hello peoples! Here is my Chapter 2 for Epic and it took me a while but I'm pretty satisfied with it. Ronin has some serious anger throughout the chapter, but then it gets redirected at the end. As always, excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes and I hope you likey! :)
Nod regretted saying it out loud the moment he saw Ronin's face. Ronin was fuming but was trying to stay civil for MK's sake. MK looked up to Nod, brows knit together as if having heard a noise but not being sure it was Nod.
"Did you say something?" MK asked, then taking the time to look at Ronin who looked like he could kill.
"Her name is Acacia" Nod repeated, not ready to repeat the rest just yet. MK looked back at the healing center pleased with his answer and not daring to ask Ronin why he was so angry at Nod. Nod cleared his throat louder than was intended and then tugged on MK's arm.
"Come on babe, let's go home and get some rest" he said while already starting to pull MK away.
"Alright" she agreed, "Good night Ronin, see you tomorrow." MK pulled her arm from Nod's grasp and quickly pecked Ronin on the cheek before walking home with Nod. Nod seemed tense and Ronin angry and it was tugging at her to know what was going on, but she knew it wasn't her place.
Once they got home, she was basically dying to know what it was about that girl that had Ronin angry and Nod quiet.
"Nod sweetheart, is something else wrong? Do you know Acacia?" MK asked gently. She did not want to push Nod, but she really wanted to know. Nod slowly but hesitantly shook his head at her, making her very much aware of the fact that he was not being truthful with her. Nod had always been honest with her about everything, and now this new mysterious girl was here and Nod was different, Ronin was different, and Jonah was hurt. Whatever was going on, this Acacia girl was right at the center.
Nod and MK didn't talk anymore after that and both fell fast asleep. While they slept, Ronin still stood outside the healing center waiting to hear about Acacia's strange condition and Jonah's. It was very early morning when Mother Lorellei finally called him in. She looked tired but satisfied with whatever she had managed to accomplish.
"Jonah is fine. I cleaned his cuts and made sure that his bruises are only external. He is concussed and must take it easy for the next few days but I know him to be a man of determination, so I know a concussion surely will not stop him. My dear boy, why was it and is it always you who brings people in here with the strangest or most mysterious of things" Mother Lorellei said to him, a sigh escaping her.
"What about the girl? Acacia" Ronin prodded. The fact that Mother Lorellei hadn't said anything about Acacia worried him yet made him curious as to what she knew about the condition Acacia was in. Whatever had happened to Acacia had been 'black magic' according to Mother Lorellei and that was rare. On the other hand, going into the Budding Meadows was rare all on its own.
"Boy, you need to tell me what she was doing in the Budding Meadows" Mother Lorellei whispered, as if afraid someone would hear her say 'Budding Meadows' and punish her for it.
"I don't know, she wouldn't say" Ronin said back, feeling like a complete idiot for letting Jonah and Acacia go into the Budding Meadows and without knowing why they were there.
"What were those vials?" He asked quickly. He wanted to get as much out of Mother Lorellei as he could.
"Go home, take a shower, rest, you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow" Mother Lorellei responded, ignoring his question, "Jonah will be able to join you tomorrow but you will have to go easy on him." She raised an eyebrow as if to wait for agreement so Ronin nodded to her, said thank you, and then left to go home. Acacia was plaguing his thoughts and it was driving him nuts. The excitement of the day trumped his thoughts of her though so once he hit the sheets, he was fast asleep.
Morning came and was as bright as ever. Nod woke to find MK no longer next to him and panicked until he realized that she was making breakfast. He could smell the eggs and toast from where he lay and it made his stomach rumble. The fact that the day looked so normal bothered him because considering the amount of confusion that await him and Ronin…my God…Ronin…he would have to face Ronin. Unlike MK, Ronin had heard him mutter those dreadful words that he had hoped never to be heard by any living being. Nod was in no way ashamed of Acacia, but she deserved better.
"I can feel you thinking, get in here" MK laughed and said to Nod who was in the bedroom. MK always managed to know when he was asleep and when he was no longer asleep. He didn't know how she did it but he didn't care, he loved her and that was all that mattered to him.
Doing what MK told him to do, he got up, got dressed and walked into their small kitchen area. He walked in to see her loading food onto two plates. Nod couldn't help but smile at her and her effort to make breakfast that morning.
"Eat up, you don't have long before Ronin get's here" she said smiling warmly at him. She put the pans all in the sink and put water in them before she walked to their dining table and gave Nod a loud smooch. Nod's smile could only get bigger. His love for MK was always growing. Nod had just finished and was brushing his teeth when he heard Ronin's yelling.
"Nod, get your backside out here and let's go" he yelled, sounding angry. Nod knew that Ronin would not let it go but he had hoped that Ronin had at least cooled off some. When he came out of the bathroom he found MK giving Ronin a paper bag.
"This is breakfast and lunch for you. I don't want you to go hungry and I know yesterday was stressful with the recruits" She offered kindly. She was always so oblivious to his anger and he was always very grateful to her. She had chosen to stay with them and had become his sort of daughter here in our world.
"Thank you Mary Katherine" Ronin said to her, taking the paper bag and giving her a gentle kiss on her cheek.
"Nod! Don't just stand there let's go" he then yelled seeing Nod watching the exchange. The blissful moment was gone and Ronin's soft side was again well hidden. Nod shook his head at the quick change and jogged over to MK.
"Love you babe" Nod said, giving MK a kiss on her cheek.
"Love you too" she said putting her hand to his cheek.
"It is all very sweet, but we have to go. NOD MOVE IT" Ronin said, yelling the last bit. Nod then kissed MK's palm and ran out to his bird. MK watched them fly away and sighed. She loved her man and would do all she could to help him with anything he wanted. If only he would talk to her…
When Ronin and Nod reached the training site the recruits looked incredibly exhausted.
"Good morning fellas" Ronin said happily. He was enjoying their pain and there was no hiding it. They all groaned in response which was definitely the wrong thing to do.
"Recruits! GET DOWN AND GIVE ME 50 PUSHUPS" Ronin yelled, scaring them all. But slowly, they all dropped down and started to do their pushups in unison. Nod stood in silence and watched with his hands behind his back. He had wanted to check on Acacia before he started, but he figured that his presence might aggravate her and she was supposed to be recovering.
By the time they finished, most could not lift themselves off of the ground. The ones that managed to stand helped the others stand and when they all stood again Ronin spoke.
"I said good morning recruits" he repeated.
"Good morning Commander" they all responded in unison, understanding what they had done wrong.
"You're learning" Ronin observed. After basically beating up Nod and calling it a demonstration of sorts, Ronin partnered up the recruits and had them try to get their opponents down with a certain move. Nod hadn't uttered a word and was now also sore. He was now sporting a bruise on his left hip and a bruised cheek.
Ronin walked by two opponents who were really getting into it but not getting far. He stopped to watch them to see how they were doing. The one was obviously weaker than the other and kept getting put down on the ground before he could manage anything. Ronin called the weaker one over to him.
"What is your name young man?" Ronin asked, trying not to seem too much of a hard-ass, afraid he would scare the young man.
"Peter Rollins sir" the man responded. The man was of average height and build though he didn't seem to know how to use it to his advantage. He had dark blond hair and fair colored skin.
"I'm really trying sir" the man continued quietly. Pete felt the shame radiating off him. Commander Ronin must think him a weakling, he hadn't bested his partner once.
"You get better every time you have a go at it, Peter" Ronin said with a smile that looked creepishly genuine.
"Really sir?"
"Nope! Try harder" Ronin said gruffly, the smile disappearing and giving Pete a shove back towards opponent. While he continued walking and observing, he took the time to look at Nod. He knew that Nod probably didn't deserve the beating he had given him, but he was angry at him. When Acacia had called him her brother yesterday he had lied and said she was mistaken or confused. Nod had not lied to him ever since he rejoined the leafmen the year before. Ronin trusted Nod and to have him lie like that about something like that, after Ronin had asked him, it really pissed him off and rightfully so.
Ronin made his way around the where Nod still stood watching the recruits and cleared his throat loudly. All recruits stopped what they were doing and turned to stand straight and look at their Commander.
"That, recruits, was an exercise to show you that you know nothing. Those were your protective instincts, and some of you have good, logical instincts while others seem to have none at all" Ronin announced to the recruits who looked confused and annoyed. Nod flinched at the harshness of Ronin's words. He wasn't sure this was the smartest way to deal with the recruiters but he knew that at the moment, he had no say.
"Who got under his skin?" Nod heard a recruit mumble too loudly than intended. He knew that considering he had heard it, Ronin had too.
"Recruiter, step up, front and center" Ronin called loudly, staring at the young man who had dared comment on Ronin's attitude. The young man stepped forward. He was well built and obviously too confident in it for his own good. He dared stand there with a smug smile.
"Wipe that smile off your face or I will do it for you" Ronin threatened, but to everyone's surprise the guy's smile only grew wider. Before he knew it, he was on the ground, face pressed into the rock ground. Ronin was the one to smile then, knowing there was no way the guy could get up in the hold he was in.
"Ronin" Nod spoke up, but Ronin only glared at him. Nod had had enough of Ronin's anger being taken out on their recruits. Ronin was scaring them and that wasn't the point. Ronin and Nod were supposed to be preparing them for any battle that may have to be fought.
"This is what happens when you think that you are in any way above me. I am your commander and when I command you to do something, you will do it without attitude, doubt, or challenge" Ronin said smashing the guy's face further into the ground.
"Commander!" a voice yelled across the training site. The voice was linked to Jonah and Nod was never as thankful to see him.
"Ronin, let the young man go" Jonah yelled, making his way towards Ronin. Jonah didn't seem angry or afraid (for the young man), his voice betrayed not a thing. Ronin sneered at him and then let go of the young man. The young man scrambled up and stood, a smile no longer gracing his face. Jonah walked up to come stand beside Ronin and when Ronin was about to step towards the young man, Jonah held him back and gave him a look that said 'back off'. Jonah then stepped forward and looked the man up and down before speaking.
"You will respect those above you and you will learn to do so if you have to. If you EVER do that again I myself will make sure that you get the beating you deserve to get from Commander Ronin. AM I CLEAR?" Jonah said to the guy, a sure threat evident in his voice. All the young man could do was nod.
"Name" Ronin demanded.
"Joshua sir, Joshua Bentley" the young man said, his voice wavering.
"Joshua, you pull that shit again and you are no longer a recruit" Ronin said loud and clear for all to hear. It was a warning to all.
The sun was starting to set and training day had gone quickly. Ronin wanted all of them gone, he had had enough of their incompetence for one day.
"Scatter, disperse, get out here" Ronin said, his voice calm. No one had to hear him say it twice because in a flash, all the recruits had cleared out.
"Go for a walk Ronin, and take Nod, he looks like he needs the air too" Jonah said, more a friend than anything else. Jonah was Ronin's best warrior and longest friend so he had no problem taking his advice.
"Thanks Jonah. Let's go Nod" Ronin said quietly, turning on his heel knowing that Nod walked after him. Ronin and Nod had walked for a good 10 minutes through the forest on the leafmen territory when Ronin was finally going to say something. Just as he was about to though, he clamped his mouth shut and his face took on the expression of confusion. When Nod looked to see what had Ronin so confused he was surprised to see Acacia standing in a small clearing with a man that neither recognized.
"Who is this?" Ronin asked making himself and Nod known to her and the stranger. His question was directed towards Acacia and even if she didn't look fully healed, he was sure to notice that she looked a hell of a lot better than she did the day before. Acacia looked shocked and almost trapped. She looked at the man before her and then at Nod and Ronin.
"You probably shouldn't be out of the healing center" Nod commented, knowing that even if she looked better, it didn't mean she had miraculously healed and was back to being 100%. Ronin nodded his agreement to her and then made sure to stare at the stranger who still stood beside Acacia.
"Healing center? Why, what happened?" The stranger asked, looking closely at Acacia with what looked like genuine concern.
"You didn't tell your friend Acacia?" Ronin asked, knowing that in her mind she knew he was backing her into a corner.
"Are you hurt? Are you okay? What happened?" The stranger continued to question, but Acacia stood her ground and said nothing. She glared at Ronin, and refused to look at Nod.
Ronin gave Acacia a hard look and stared straight at her when he said, "Acacia here got herself caught up in black magic."
The stranger watched Acacia and Ronin closely, and the expression on her face after he said 'black magic' was the only confirmation needed to know that Ronin had hit too close to home with the statement he made.
So... please tell me what you think with a review and I hope to put up a new chapter soon :)