Chapter Four

"Again."

"W-wait," I wheezed as I dropped my dagger and I bent over with my hands on my knees. I took in huge gulps of air trying to catch my breath from all the physical exertion this morning's exercise was causing me. I raised a shaky exhausted arm up to wipe the sweat from my forehead before looking up at my pint sized tormentor.

"Hey you," Sera said sternly and without pity, "Let me tell you something yeah? I've been spending every bloody morning for the last week trying to make you just a mite less pathetic okay? It'd be nice if you weren't calling for a break every two minutes."

"Well we've been out here for hours," I responded by trying and failing to keep my voice down, "I'm not accustomed to these kinds of things okay? It may surprise you but I wasn't raised to swing a mace before I could even walk. I'm a tennis racket swinger not a sword handler. I'm trying the best I can."

It had been a week since I started this aptitude training nonsense with Cole and Sera. Cole was taking a more hands off approach, meaning all he usually did was sit in the shadows and watch my measly progression. Occasionally he'd step out to help me if he sensed I was at my wits end and was about to murder the little she elf. Which was quite often now that I think about it. The second day when I asked him why he wasn't training he only muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'I don't want Sera to feel any more threatened' and made his way back to the shadows. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why anyone would feel threatened by Cole.

Sera started banging on my door every morning before the sun even came out and kept me out until at least after noon. After she would (sometimes literally) drag me out of bed, throw my borrowed leather armor at me, and push me out into the freezing predawn air we would make our way up the hill by my hut to the camp sparring ground. There was rarely if ever anyone actually using the compound but us that early in the morning so I guess I could count my blessings. At least I only had to make a fool out of myself in front of a small amount of people.

She's been doing everything from training my body to run long distances, to having me train with various tools and weapons. Today's fun lesson is learning to attack and evade with a dagger. I can barely contain my excitement.

"Look," Sera finally said to me in a little softer voice than before, "I get that you're having problems yeah? And I guess if I'm being honest you aren't completely rubbish with a knife. There's potential in you. You can slash fairly well."

I gave a very unlady like snort as I stood back up straight to wipe my sweaty hair out of my face. "You mean my potential to possibly not injure myself if conflict arises?"

Sera cracked a huge grin as she bent over to retrieve my fallen weapon. Handing it back to me she said while laughing, "Same thing yeah? Now c'mon Alice let's see some passion on that pretty little face. I won't always be around to pick up your weapon."

She backed up a few paces and got into her battle stance. "Now. Again."

I sighed thinking of how sore all my muscles already were. I spaced my feet and slightly crouched in the position that Sera had drilled into me. Raising my shaky arms I put all other thoughts out of my mind as I prepared to advance on the infuriatingly persistent elf.

"Ouch!" I squealed as I ripped my hand out of Cole's grip for the thousandth time. The gash on my arm stinging as the drops of potion tried to close up the wound.

"Alice," Cole said with infinite patience, "Hand please."

"No," I said stubbornly as I put my hand up in the air like a child. "It's fine the way it is. Really! It feels better already. I promise."

"Alice," Cole repeated with a small grin on his face, "It hurts. I know. You can't hide the pain you feel from me. Stinging. Searing. Soreness. Plus. You're bleeding. Quite a lot actually."

I lowered my arm and looked at the long gash that ran from the outside of my elbow to just above my wrist. It was nasty and jagged looking. The cut wasn't even closed up yet because every time Cole would put a few drops of potion on it I would involuntarily rip my hand out of his grasp. The cut was still bleeding quite a bit and I wasn't stupid enough to pretend that not getting medical attention for this serious of a wound would be a good thing. I sighed and gave my arm back to Cole but not without pouting like I was six years old.

Cole gripped my hand much more firmly than before to keep me from pulling my hand away again and resumed applying the topical liquid. I tried to think of something to keep my mind off of the pain but all I could concentrate on was the small hiss the drops made each time they hit my cuts. It never happened like this in the games. In the games all a character had to do was drink a potion and they were instantly cured.

I smiled as I recalled the look of horror on Cole's face as I attempted to drink the bottle that now rested between his knees. Apparently actually ingesting this stuff is a big no no in real life. I guess it was just easier to make them drink it in the game than to sit somewhere for thirty minutes of agony applying this damned medicine.

"Perhaps you should be more careful in your training with Sera," Cole said pulling me out of my thoughts, "She is very...careless. Perhaps you should not be."

"It's not my fault the little psycho attacked me when my guard was down," I defended as a particular large drop of liquid made me wince.

"Sera knows things," Cole said with his head bent low over my arm, "She can't help mostly. But she can help in this. Lost. Wandering. Trying to find a place to call home. She wants to help you become better. Make you more you than you are now."

"So she attacked me," I replied in a deadpan voice.

Cole however either didn't recognize my tone of voice or at this point just didn't care. All he said was, "Yes. For your own good."

"I get that she wants to help," I said, "But at the same time I don't see the point. I'm no good at any of this. I'm not getting any better. I don't understand why Jade won't just let me do stuff around the village instead of training me to be a mighty warrior."

Cole paused his application of the medicine to look up at me. His icy blue eyes searched mine with a confused gaze.

"Perhaps you do not see," he said in a serious tone, "I see. Sera sees. And certainly Jade sees. You are not meant to carry water or dust rugs, Alice. You cannot see. But I see. You have already improved so much. Your trying makes Jade's burden seem a little less. He feels that if you can protect yourself then that's one less person that dies. He's always sad. Too much death. When you train with Sera she's a little less lonely. Fulfilled. Accepted. Needed. All these things she feels when you two talk. It makes her feel like she belongs."

I swallowed a lump in my throat as I looked down to the ground hiding behind my brown bangs. I felt my eyes sting with unshed tears at Cole's statement. I didn't know that Sera and Jade felt so down all the time. They always seemed so happy and sure whenever I was with them.

"You are...sad?" Cole asked with uncertainty lacing his voice.

I shook my head roughly as I quickly wiped my eyes with my free hand. "No. No I'm fine," I lied. "So you really think I'm improving?" I asked as I looked back up and made eye contact.

"Well you bloody well can't get any worse can you?" I turned my head to the sound of Sera's voice. She was leaning against my door frame with her arms crossed with a sour look on her face. "I came to come check on you. Make sure you didn't bleed to death or anything."

I snorted at her uncaring demeanor and how she was so clearly not the slightest bit apologetic. "Oh yeah," I said with sarcasm, "I'm sure you were simply tossing and turning worrying about me."

Sera let out a laugh, "You see this is why I like you yeah? Not afraid to be a complete twat. This Inquisition thingy needs more people like you."

"There," Cole said interrupting my comeback, "Finished. You'll have a faint line for awhile but it should fade eventually."

I removed my arm from his grasp to inspect his handy work. True to his word the only proof that there was even any wound there was a faint pink line that ran from elbow to wrist. Well the pink line and about a pint of dried up blood on my arm and clothing.

"Good," Sera said as she stepped into my small room, "Jade wanted us to go find his staunchy butt after you were done getting patched up. Don't ask me what he wants because I don't know."

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders before I got to my feet. I looked down at Cole who was still sitting and putting away the medicine he used.

"Thanks Cole," I said as I began to make my way to an impatient Sera standing by my door, "You're a lifesaver. Literally. I'm glad you're my friend. I guess I'll find you later okay?" I didn't give him a chance to respond as I stepped out into the chilly midday air following my pesky trainer.

On the other side of Alice's walls sat a shocked Cole looking wide eyed at the door that Alice just exited. "We are...friends?" He asked himself in a low voice and a small frown decorated his pale face. He slowly stood up after awhile and made his way out of his old house that he had given to Alice.

"...friends," he repeated with a small satisfied smile as he made his way to his newly self appointed residence.

Wow guys thanks so much for reading and liking my story. Truly. You guys are awesome. Thanks for all the positive feedback too. It makes me just want to write more of this story. Until next time kiddies. Stay golden.