Her muscles, much more defined than a child of her age should have, were fatigued by the interrupted hours of training. Her legs were more in pain than anything else, and she struggled to keep on her feet. The air rushes out of the lungs, both hot and muffled, returning to them as fast as it can. The process was repeated a few times as she felt her throat dry and begging for some water, but it would take time to come.
It was Annie's birthday, but that didn't mean she'd get the rest she so much desired. It was no surprise, however it was also somewhat disappointing. The other children, were they descendants of demons or not, were usually treated with more subtlety on such dates, and sometimes they got certain cuddles too. Until now all Annie had received that day was an uncomfortable, not at all warm, and not very long-lasting hug from her father followed by a "Happy Birthday," whispered in a harsh tone. Not even the word daughter, or at least her name, have been placed somewhere into the sentence.
Of course, expecting something beyond that, like a party with her family and friends, which she never had, would be merely a child illusion, and Annie did never receive the privilege of be able to be one of them. Yet she would like something more, but the girl would never risk complaining about it to her father who had totally different pretensions towards his daughter.
The man, standing still and not far away from Annie, said nothing to the girl and only showed the same severe gaze that she was used to seeing. Annie understood what he meant and ignored all the requests that her body was shouting for her to stop. She hit the padded tree trunk in her front once more with all the little force that still resided in her body, the impact not being cushioned enough by the tarp to avoid the girl feel her muscles contracting with increasing pain in her shin. The movements of her arms followed those of her leg with each kick, and the sweat dripped from her forehead with them.
Annie had been up even before the sunrise, and wouldn't rest before the sunset. It was soon after reaching its peak in the vast sky, and that served as a brief comfort to the girl who knew she had already crossed half that day.
Since they did not demand so much from the girl, for a reason that Annie still didn't know, the theoretical lessons she received were much more attractive than the practical ones. Every once in a while, Annie even got some compliments from her father when she showed a good performance, which were much harder to get during training and which really cheered her up. She whised the rest of the day could be enjoyable like that, something closer than the other children lived.
The reason for all this, her father used to say, was so that she would become a better warrior than any other, one who, no matter what the circumstances, would be able to return home. The crutch he was destined to carry for his life was the proof he needed to know he did a good job, and that this would not be the last birthday they would "celebrate" together.
Annie would never have children — she would die young and long before could get the chance — so she wouldn't know if this kind of behavior was something normal, subjecting her to such a rigorous routine that could be considered even cruel at a such young age. But she didn't know a life other than that, so she could only assume that the answer was yes.
Was it her fault because they didn't share the same blood, or would he treat her the same way if they did? Occasionally the impertinent question crossed the girl's mind, but she never touched, nor would she ever touch, the issue with the man. After all, what could she do if he told her that was her mistake? There were no way to change that fact, and the mere idea of apologizing for it was completely ridiculous.
While the leg that struck the padded tree trunk incessantly showed clear signs of its torturing state, the one that was steady on the ground all the time and served as the only constant support was becoming weaker and weaker and about to collapse, but the husky voice suddenly stopped its movements.
"You can have a rest for what's left of the day if you like." the offer was far less affectionate than one might have thought, and seemed only a polite suggestion.
Neither the look nor anything at all present in his posture showed any form of objection to it, making it clear that there would be no consequences if she accepted the offer. Annie still tried to mask her fatigue, to show herself as fit as possible to carry on, but it was undeniable to anyone who saw the girl that she was clearly about to plummet into the ground at that very moment and sleep for hours.
"You trained enough today." as he received no response, the man on the crutch continued. " We'll continue early in the morning."
Without waiting for his daughter reaction, the man walked away towards their small house, slowly and with some trouble, when he began to feel the pain by standing still bothering him too much. He had never complained about it with his daughter, sometimes he even seemed proud of it, which only made the girl's embarrassment grow.
What Annie did just witnessed seemed like an unfunny joke, but she doubted that her father would suddenly regain his senses in a few moments and go back on his words. But strangely enough he didn't, and he just shut the door behind him without waiting for any objection from her, leaving the girl alone among the trees and small passing animals.
A few more hours to feel like an ordinary child, or at least how one should be, that was his gift for her. He had never done anything like that, so Annie couldn't see it as anything other than an old man's delirium. Maybe he had become sensitive to it, knowing that his daughter would soon leave him and that she would have to be among strangers could do that to him. But that was too surreal, even for someone like him.
Even if it was such an unusual and at the same time esteemed situation, it sounds almost as if he wanted to make her soft; discourage her from always fighting for her own good.
No matter how much Annie hated how she had to spent her days or how much she despised the life in which she had been placed, she could not simply rest yet. She wouldn't let it be her last birthday together, and would never allow herself to die on an island far from her family.