Merendinoemiliano: Always a treat to get a review from you. I will try to work on the characterization a bit more.

/*-*/

Wortikur rose from his bed, rested, but troubled.

"You bear my banner, my symbol on your shield." Horsa said

Those words nagged his mind. He had always admired Horsa for his strength and willpower. His commitment and loyalty were boons to Wortikur after nine years of uncertain employment. TO bear his banner, even as a slave meant something.

"You do not shame me with weakness!" Horsa shouted.

Wortikur had allowed his primal fears to show, and it angered Horsa. Wortikur knew strength was important to Horsa, as it was the pillar to all other Saxon virtues. Wortikur knew Saxon chiefs could be judged by the warriors in their company. Wortikur really did shame Horsa when he cowered to weak men.

He needed to fix himself. Wortikur needed to get stronger, both physically and mentally. But how? The fear ingrained itself like a carving, becoming natural. Wortikur had no problems on raids, but that was because he became a different person when he fought. Now he needed to become that warrior he was when his back was against the wall.

And yet, Wortikur had no idea how he was supposed to change. How do you bring about a shift in personality when the only trigger you know is fatal combat? Horsa must have known the answer. According to his brother, Horsa had once been rather shy and soft. Wortikur's mind quickly shook the thought. He wouldn't dare bring up Horsa's own weakness.

Wortikur's ears perked up as he noticed the noise in the air, or rather the lack of noise. Horsa and Dougal's beds were empty. Wait, there was a muffle coming from outside. It was Horsa's voice. Wortikur walked over to the window, glancing out to find Jaune running in the grass, with Horsa and Dougal sitting on the sidewalk. The sun had barely risen over the sky.

Wortikur opened the door from their dorm and walked out into the hallway. He trotted down the stair and went out the doorway to the outside area. Horsa immediately turned to see his slave coming toward him, and gave a humorous smirk.

Wortikur asked, "How is he?"

Horsa snorted, "Jaune's on his third lap."

Wortikur blinked, "Only three?"

Horsa nodded, before sighing a depressed breath, "Seven more to go."

Jaune didn't seem exhausted, but he was running slow. Wortikur called out, "Run faster or we will be here all day."

Jaune shrugged, lifting the log he was carrying. Horsa was already using the log? Wortikur had to get stamina before Horsa brought out the log.

Jaune came back around three minutes later, "Why am I doing this? Isn't there an easier way to get stronger?"

Jaune's body had responded well to Horsa's previous training. His body now had a thick layer of fat over the torse and inner limbs. Jaune was growing nicely.

Horsa growled, "There are no easy ways to be a warrior. You must rise early to prepare your body, and rest early to recover your strength."

Dougal translated. Jaune groaned, "isn't there a faster way to get stronger? Come on, you guys must have a few secrets?"

Horsa grit his teeth, "A man is not afraid of suffering! He is not afraid to work hard. Drill your self and get stronger!"

Dougal started to translate, but Jaune raised his hand, "I think I got it, 'you can't be…pain'? 'be strong and fast'? did I get that right?"

Dougal blinked in surprise before looking at Horsa, then back to Jaune, "You have the basic understanding of it."

Jaune gave two thumbs up, "ha-ha I figure it out."

Dougal asked, "Did someone teach you Saxon?"

Jaune shook his head, "No, but I was around you guys so much I started to notice you guys said the same things a lot and when you translated I figured out which words meant what."

Dougal raised an eye, "Not exactly, you have a simple understanding of the words, which is impressive, but you miss certain things that are important."

Jaune shook his head, "Watch this. Horsa, Thyn onwiltes sy sum Byrthen".

Horsa, Dougal, and Wortikur's eyes widened. Horsa's face scowled, and Dougal quickly asked, "What were you trying to say?"

Jaune frowned, backing away slightly, "Uh, that he has a cool looking face."

Dougal quickly turned to Horsa, " Hee, ne forstande-"

Horsa gave a sudden outburst, laughing, "I think he learns quickly."

Dougal sighed a relieved breath. Jaune asked, "What did I say to him?" Jaune's nervous eyes could hardly be faulted.

Dougal took a deep breath, "You said he had the face of bear."

Jaune slowly nodded, "That was not at all what I wanted."

Dougal nodded, "I tried to explain that to him."

Jaune sighed, "I guess I am still a little off." He looked pitiful. Wortikur could relate to that, feeling lesser than your peers.

Dougal smile slightly, "There is a way to speed up your growth."

Jaune's eyes opened wide, "What is it."

Dougal looked at Horsa, who shook his head, "No, I won't have him do that kind of training. It's too much for Noryc."

Dougal sighed, "it would do him good, and he might get along with your old master."

Horsa frowned, wrinkling his eyes before turning to Jaune and speaking directly to him, in Mistralian, "If you are a man, you will endure, and then I will send you to suffer."

Jaune blinked before looking at Dougal for reassurance. Dougal responded with, "If you do well, He will let you undergo special training."

Jaune clenched his fist with glee, "Yeah." Before running around. Even Wortikur hadn't undergone the special training that Jaune was promised. Jaune ran back around, reinvigorated by the promise of strength.

Dougal and Horsa sat back down, and Wortikur joined them, eager to be in the circle of trust.

Dougal made the comment, "He seems to be rather excited, were you lying?"

Horsa shook his head, "No, If he is truly strong and capable, then I will send him to my old master."

The missionary nodded, "I have never seen such enthusiasm as Jaune gives in other peoples, much less at the thought of intense training."

Horsa watched Jaune closely, "He's a man, truly. My master once said that if you confront your fears in the light of day, they cannot deceive you anymore. They are shown to be truly small and weak in nature, and are easy to overcome. Jaune does not want to be weak."

Wortikur felt a wave of sadness wash over him. Perhaps his master didn't mean such an idea, but that statement came with the silent message of, 'like Wortikur.'

But those words also stirred a fire in him. A strange level of commitment.

A sound rang out from the dorms as Wortkur was thinking. He looked up to find Cardin looking out of his window. Wortikur would face his fear today.

/*-*/

Wortikur sat down cross legged, and thought about Cardin. How he fought, how he stood.

Wortikur lunged in, going for a stab at the stomach. Cardin raised his mace and smashed Wortikur's head. Nope, no good.

Wortikur stepped to the side, going in for a side stab. Cardin swung the mace, and struck Wortikur's side, busting ribs. No good.

Wortikur did a shield charge, knocking Cardin down. Cardin kicked his legs, knocking Wortikur over. Cardin kicked Wortikur's face. No good.

Wortikur waite-

"Wortikur, let's go!" Horsa called out to his huskarl.

Wortikur was snapped out of his trance before realizing Horsa was standing in the doorway expectantly.

Wortikur rose, and walked over to him. Horsa must have noticed something, because he starred down Wortikur, "What's wrong with you?"

Wortikur confessed, "I am going to challenge Cardin today, to end my fear."

Horsa took a long nasal breath, before smiling, "Don't fear him, he is weak. You have my respect for facing your fear however. Break a leg, or two."

The huskarl noticed how his master smiled at the last sentence. The slave slowly nodded in concern.

Horsa smiled as they went to breakfast. Wortikur still did not eat anything. His nervousness did not cease. Horsa noticed, and pat the Faunus on the back, but Wortikur could still feel his tail drooping.

They finally went to the sparring arena. Wortikur took his seat.

Glynda Goodwitch explained, " I would like to remind everyone that no-one is here to settle grudges. Sparring matches are purely for learning how to fight different opponents. Please settle any dispute in a kindly manner."

Wortikur had a wave of hope wash over him. He couldn't fight Cardin now. That would be settling a grudge. Wortikur felt relieved. Unfortunately, Horsa noticed this, scowling down at his slave.

Wortikur's hopefulness vanished. That was an excuse, both he and Horsa knew it. Why was this so hard.

Glynda leaned into her microphone, "Do we have any volunteers?"

Wortikur took a deep breath, "I will fight Cardin Winchester."

Glynda leaned in to listen, "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

Horsa shouted, "He will fight the bastard Winchester."

Glynda called out, "I already told you this is not a place for grudge-"

Horsa growled, "He isn't settling a grudges, He is becoming strong! Back down."

Glynda remained silent, before sighing, "Winche-"

The boy stood up, "I'll fight the dog."

The professor eyed him with disdain, before nodding."

Wortikur pushed past spectators to get to the isle, before being grabbed on his left arm by Horsa's left hand, "Remember this, he has insulted you thrice. You are my slave, and thus he has insult me thrice. There is only one way to deal with an opponent who believe themselves your equal."

Wortikur nodded slowly as he understood what Horsa was saying. Wortikur couldn't let his selfish fear hurt Horsa's image anymore.

The Faunus stepped up to the stage, seeing a few other Faunus cheer him on, and Wortikur felt sad. The deep memory of blood soaking his vision. But that needed to wait.

Cardin rose looking at Horsa nervously, who shrugged, flashing a thumbs up at both of them.

Wortikur lowered his stance, raising his shield to protect him upper body, and leveling his sword to stab quickly.

Cardin scoffed, "Run on back your bitch, little puppy."

Wortikur remained silent.

Glynda called out, "Begin!" before sighing.

Wortikur inched toward's Cardin. Cardin was a defensive fighter, meaning he would for Wortikur to attack first before delivering a devasting counter attack.

The Faunus poked his sword at Cardin. Who immediately raised his mace to smash. And it was at that moment the Wortikur realized something. Cardin was not a warrior. He had never endured long battles. Cardin burned so much energy with each attack. Wortikur also learned the benefit of fighting with Saxons. Cardin was slow. Wortikur had plenty of time to attack.

Wortikur pulled back as Cardin's mace began to fall, before lunging toward Cardin with his shield, slamming it into the boy's knee right knee cap. The sight was a twisted leg, and cry of pain was heard, as Wortikur was in shock. This man was truly a boy with a man's body. He look around, Unsure what to do, as Cardin's aura began to flash in weakness.

Horsa raised a couple of fingers, and Wortikur looked to him. Horsa clenched a fist, and tapped his own lips twice.

Wortikur got the message.

Glynda Goodwitch stepped forward as Wortikur dropped his sword, "That's enough."

Wortikur turned to sniveling bastard beneath him, "Don't dismiss us puppies. We grow into wolves that eat the weak." Wortikur growled before slamming his vambrace into Cardin's other knee, resulting in another shriek of pain. A tear was heard.

Glynda shouted, "That's enough, Go to principal Ozpin now!"

Wortikur did so, but Horsa was already there, "I'll talk him down. You brought me pride today."

Wortikur felt a little better as he sat down, and Horsa walked into the office. Dougal sat down next to Wortikur. Noryc sat on the Faunus's other side, grinning with pride and excitement, "Did you see his face? You snapped his leg like a twig, awesome!"

Wortikur felt something brush his leg as Dougal scolded, "Give him time, he didn't want to be brutal."

Noryc laughed, "I bet the coward is going to wake in a cold sweat for years. Let's go a few round Wortikur."

Dougal ignored the Ulfiendyn, "How are you feeling?"

Wortikur thought hard for a moment, understanding his emotions, "I feel, sad and angry. I didn't want to be cruel, I just wanted to face my fears. At the same time, I was a slave. Not to Horsa, but the terror I felt from Cardin. Now I am free. This was a win, but not in the best." Something brushed his leg again.

Dougal smiled, "This is my Saxon side talking, but a win is a win, regardless of brutality, take it, and be free."

Wortikur raised his right hand before seeing the vambrace he had gotten. It was torn, and falling apart.

Wortikur's eyes went wide, "I broke it…"

Dougal nodded, "It's a cosplay item. It was never meant for actual combat."

Wortikur sighed, "Horsa was right about everything."

Speaking of which, the door opened up, and Horsa stepped out, grinning, "He understood everything."

Dougal raised an eye skeptically, "Really?"

Horsa shook his head, still smiling, "No, He made me agree to cleaning."

Dougal nodded, before asking, "And you are happy why?"

Horsa smiled, "Wortikur faced his fear like a man. He did not shrivel up and cower, he did what was necessary."

Wortikur nodded, raising the Vambrace, "You were right. It was a waste."

Horsa looked at it, before frowning, "Give me your vambraces."

WOrtikur sadly took them off, before handing them to his master.

Horsa nodded, "I need to go into town, I will get the money back, and we will be square."

Wortikur nodded, feeling awful, and yet amazing.

He was free.

/*-*/

I can't decide if I should continue this or not.

I do have one or two arcs planned, but I cant tell if those are good or not. What do you guys think.