Kindred Spirits
"What that Papa," Miata pointed out. I followed her finger down towards what she might have been pointing at and reached for it. I looked it her for confirmation to which she nodded. I picked up the object of her interest and held it up for her to see. I gazed upon the blackened finish of the scabbard and the white bandaged grip for the blade. While not one of the finer of the many sword I possess this blade is dangerous in the hands of anyone foolish enough to wield it. This sword practically seeks the those that desired power and tainted them to become savage brutes and monsters in the end. In this matter though it made me wonder.
I've finished most of the little tasks and chores to be finished like the horses, Arsenal taken care of, a fire started, helping that family with their own campsite, hunting for food, cooking the food, and getting ready to eat. I took the time for the food to cook to do my normal check. I pulled out my white sheet and placed the weapons within my bag out to look through it all once more. This time around though Miata decided to watch me service and clean my weapons. I decided to let her as well. I can't blame a child with being curious about a dangerous weapon that can kill you and desiring to touch them. I looked over Sting and picked up the retractable blade. I haven't worn it since the fifth night mainly because Miata was able to recite the capabilities of the blade after probably studying repeatedly for two days. She soaks up everything I teach her to please me and to be praised. She's that predictable but a deal is a deal though. First though…
"This is a Katana, a Japanese sword, called the Murakumo," I held up the sword of Japanese make with a slightly broader blade and slightly curved and perfect for fierce parries and counter attacks. It slides through flesh with ease. What I find interesting is she asked about this one out of all the other 27 weapons and paired weapons I've laid down on the sheet. Not the pair of lightning maces or the large broad sword with a shield but this assassin's blade was the first one she pointed out. "Do you like it?" I rose the sword up and Miata's jade colored eyes studied the sword gingerly. "Do you wish to hold it," I asked since I didn't get a response for my first question. Miata blinked in surprise at this but also eagerness. She does wish to hold it I suppose an it's a decent size for a Hunter in training. If she wore it on her back it'd reach down to her knees. I don't have a need or desire to keep it. I'm not destined to wield it.
Miata reached out a bit for the sword and I drew it back. I held the sword up and before tossing it up and catching it by the curved tip of the blade. This is a slashing sword and not meant for thrusting. I held it in front of her with the bandaged grip in front of her. She reached out one hand to hold it like I've done for all of my swords but pulled it out of her reach. "Miata use both hands," I instructed her firmly. She's not strong enough to wield it without both hands after all. She rose her other hand after this. "Your strongest hand goes behind your weakest. You're strongest is the one you use the most princess." Miata did as she was told and placed her right hand behind her left. I leaned forward and slid the grip into her hands. "Grip it tightly at the start and as time goes by you'll be able to swing a sword without it." She took the sword in hand as told but I was a bit hesitant to let her carry this. It's quite heavy for a little girl but she's shown a couple fits strange strength here or there. I frowned at this but released the sword.
Miata leaned forward a bit and kept it up with her hands tight in the grip of the sword she brought it towards her sides and rose it up almost like I hold a sword. I do practice with two handed weapons arts and further myself in my kata every other night or morning. Mostly it's with Hate but occasionally I wield one of the larger weaponries. Miata face away from me and oddly enough I felt a bit of emptiness from her. It's like she's cleared her mind, but I can see her studying the sword mystically. She rose the sword up, "Haa!" She slashed downward and almost tripped forward to the ground from the weight and I smirked at her. I stood up to my feet and walked around the sheet behind her.
"This sword is a two handed weapon Miata. It's heavier than the little knife you have at your side." I picked up Love from the sheet and tapped the knife at her side. Miata looked up to me with her cheeks out pouting. She's upset to fail on the most basic of swings on her first try. "Why don't you try using a sword more fit for your size," I suggested as I turned towards the sheet for something better.
"No papa!" Miata grabbed my coat sleeve and looked up to me. "Papa can do it. Miata can do it," she whined but with determination to learn how to do this.
"Well," I mused on this on both the pros and cons of her desire to wield a sword. You'd think she'd desire to learn how to use a knife or short instead of a larger and heavier one. She seems to be struggling to hold it with a single hand, but I'm surprise she's holding it steady despite this. I would rather train her to use knifes and quick sucher maneuvers not larger and broader weaponry like a Blood Hunter. That blade did belong to one the suffered the Fallout after all. The first of my brothers I was forced to put down. Out of all my weapons why did she choose that. "First tell me why you chose that," I kneed down before her with a questioning look upon her. "What drew your attention to that?"
Miata looked down to the sword and gripped it in both hands. she tilted her head a bit as she examined it. "Big but small," she answered and left me a bit taken back. I can translate to that sword is big enough for her to strain her and small enough not to be too encumbering.
I looked back to the sheet from on weapon to the next and hummed. "You're right?" I guess she desires a happy medium and I don't use bludgeoning weapons, so it makes sense she'd choose a sword. "Very well. Do you wish to learn how to wield that?"
"Miata be strong like papa?" She asked but I shook my head to her hopeful look she gave me. It turned sour a but from disappointment.
"Little gi… Miata you don't want to become strong like me."
"Mi… I do Papa!" She argued, and I smirked at her.
"No, you don't," I placed my hands in her shoulders and gave her a strong shake to get her full attention up to me. "Miata to become like me and as strong as me you have to give up so much of yourself. I don't wish that for and I want you to have a life. I want you to have a future in the light. So no you will not become strong like I am." Miata snort and let her chin drop. I caught the emotion of sorrow and surprising levels of crushing disappointment within her. She's sad she can't become like me but it's for the best. The Change she'd suffer to become a Jäger would probably kill her. The same I'm suffering from right now just diluted until body can finish regressing.
"But," I paused, and Miata looked up to me and a faint but of hope. "I can teach you how you can become as strong as you can." Miata has shown strength beyond her years, determination to grow to match me and follow my foot steps, mirrors almost everything I do, has a firm level of cleverness plus situational awareness, and empathy for anyone around her. His little girl has the potential to probably replace even me if she became blood kin. I won't allow that or allow her to have my blood. The Od I've rested within her is so I can find her if need be but will fade in time. It won't have lasting effects other than our rationalist mentality at times. The best I'm willing to do is show her how protect herself from harm. I can show her how to survive just as my sister did for me.
"Does that work for you?" I tested and Miata seemed to think on it instead of giving me her normal and instantaneous "yes, papa" I've grown accustomed to. She's thinking deep on this as much as a child her age can it seems.
"Miata want to be like papa," she stayed her course. "Papa strong! Papa not afraid! I want."
"Miata," I sat down in front of her now looking up to her instead of down. She looked down at me with her eyes closed and shaking her head as if trying to block out my words. "If you become like me you'll be living in my shadow. You'll be living my life but not your own," I placed my hand over her heart with a naked left hand. "Never live the life of another or else it won't be your own. Live for yourself and better yourself and at the end of the day you won in battle, dominated a task, defeated a false person not because of me but because of you." I rose my had up to her cheek and caressed is much like my sister did me when I was a child and scared. "Become the best You can be not what I can be. Do this and you'll make me proud of you Miata."
I waited to see what my word would cause within her and felt that fire from before when she spoke against my wishes came to being once more. Her hands gripped the handle of the sword much harder and her determination seemed to shift. "I…" she paused and nodded showing her understanding. Miata doesn't understand my words most days but the intend behind it is why I call her clever and empathetic. "I will be stronger than papa," she declared and I rose an eyebrow. She now desires to exceed me? I felt amused from this enough to scoff quietly, but it's possible.
"If that is your desire for you then do it. Not for me but for yourself. Grow into the strongest woman and human you can. Never lose what separates you from the things I hunt."
"Like what papa," she asked.
"Like this," I grabbed the girl, forcing her to drop the sword, and wrestled her into my lap. "Ah," she cried playful then dropped into a fit of giggles. She struggled against my attempts to grappled her into submission until we stopped with her sitting in my lap and legs perpendicular of my own and leaning against my chest with a wide smile on her lips. I pat her head and she grinned joyfully.
"I love my papa," Miata announced warmly but had the opposite effect on me. I winced and almost leaned back away from the girl. It was like I was dropped into the Frozen wastes of the dragon Reave once more. I bit my lips and picked her up. She looked my ways in shock but I put on the brightest and fakest smile I could manage. One she returned.
"Come on let's get that sword you like on your back and then you can go get some sticks for the fire. It's looking a little hungry."
"Yes papa!" Miata stood up on her own from my hands, and I climbed up as well. I grabbed the Murakumo and the scabbard. If she wants this thing I suppose I can let her have it. I have many more weapons than where this came from it's taking up space anyway. I walked around and Miata put up her arms as if waiting for me to put on her blouse like I normally do. I do have to help her get dressed most days, not that I mind. She's a child after all.
I hummed at her and kneed down behind her. I place Murakumo down next to me and unclasp the leather chest harness for the scabbard. It will fit on her back well enough. I wrapped the flap over her right shoulder and grabbed her hand to hold I down. I drew the rest down across her back then around her waist and stopped at her hip. I clipped the leather together there and brought the claps up her chest finally tail. I tightened it down until it was comfortable and had a bit of slack left but only about four inches.
"There," I stood up with the sword in hand. I slid the sword into her sheath and Miaiat shook a bit from the weight. "I'll help you learn how to wield it later but for now go gets some food for the flame." I pat her shoulder and gave her a gentle nudge to get her going.
"Yes papa. Thank you!" She grinned at it and reached up to the grip of the sword before running off.
I sighed and rubbed my head. "I've given a little girl a sword of a revenant," I mumbles to myself before paling my face. "Goddess what have I done. Arsenal," I called the wolf dog who rested near the fire and looked up at me. I pointed at the girl speeding away and she got up to stretch. Then she rushed off after her partner. I glanced towards the wagon once I felt eyes on me and faced it. I saw a bit of the canvass shift closed and narrowed my eyes at it.
"Ophelia," I stated then walked to the back of the wagon to check up on her. She must have been watching this entire time. Once I reached the wagon Ophelia climbed out of the back herself and stretched her limbs out. I watched silently as she stretched each limp while lightly moaning as her joints popped and muscles tensed then relaxed. She leaned down and reached for her toes while pushing herself to the tips of her toes. I'm sure it's intentional that she bent over in front of me. I noticed this before but her rear is quite shapely. Almost like a heart.
"Are going to keep staring at me the whole time?" I blinked and looked down. I saw her human eyes meeting my own from between her legs and a smirk on her lips. She caught me red handed and I found myself barely caring. Ophelia has a nice body and her angular features remind me much of an elf. "Well, are you going to answer?"
I clicked my tongue at my own lack of self control at this moment and shook my head. "Only if you tell me to stop."
Ophelia giggled a bit before leaning back up with her back facing me. "You know, you're not the first me to look at me with lust in his eyes."
Lust? I don't feel lust anymore. I don't desire sexual relations for women or men so list isn't consequential on my mind. Her mannerisms and the way she talks comes off as playful as it is sensual. It's strange with the fluctuations of her deposition towards me. She comes off flirty like a courtesan at times. Others she's serious and very consistent with her desires to figure me out. Other times she acts dense and unknowing of how her actions effect others. She's clever, slightly impulsive, and dangerous. She's switching from one mask to the next and gauging how I react towards it.
Fascinating.
She's trained to act the part I can see that. But her training isn't that effective. I could act the part more effectively than her. I didn't see her training during our sessions and most sword play I wager is born of experience, trial and error, not poultry training. Sort of like me.
I'm curious how far this will go.
"You know," the claymore grinned at me. "Some humans are foolish enough to try to get to "know' one of us." She said this with a smile like she knows something I don't. I found myself not liking this smile of hers and frowned.
"How does that usually end?" I asked a bit curious of the answer.
Ophelia faced towards me in just her white skin-tight body suit without any of her armor on her. She just smiled at me then said, "Hey, let's spar a bit." I rose an eyebrow at this… invitation? Is she offering to be my sparing partner in hope to gauge my skills maybe. It left me a bit wary of her now. I thought of her as a little girl with a loaded gun but forget there's a woman before me goals and ambitions.
"It's only for a bit. I might tell you a couple things about the organization if you make this interesting." I didn't care too much of her organization. It's related to that of the Jäger with a few major differences here or there. I wonder if the creator of this organization happened to be a Jäger. Though the purpose of this group is lost on me. It can't be just to hunt monsters. For the Jäger it was more cavernous than that. I didn't know that until I was an Eraser and part of The Blank. The executive branch second to the Hunter that specializes in influencing the world not just a small town or kingdom. They're trapped in this world and aren't necessary. Men could figure out and overcome these beasts like in mine.
I suppose I'll find out in time for this claymore thing hasn't yielded much. I'm curious of what she offers and quid pro quo. "Then I suppose I can offer the same then," I stated.
"Oh," she hummed from bemusement. She walked to the back of the carriage to grab her claymore. I reached for my coat neck clip and pulled it open. I followed her to the carriage and stood next to her while she pulled her claymore out and stabbed it down into the ground. I removed my coat and sat it down on the wagon floor.
"Well, someone's armed." With all different beasts I hunt I have to be. I pulled off my harness and on the buckles on my chest. I placed all of them and the weapons attached down next to my coat. I removed my left gauntlet that replaced my braver and my shin guards. I placed Hate and Love down and The Black Blade. I felt completely bare being dressed in only my under blouse and vest top as well as my trousers and boots. I shivered a bit and snagged my coat once more and placed my arms through the sleeves. I pulled my hood back over my head and breathed a bit easier. I looked at my gloves next and removed them next and slipped them into the folds of my long coat.
I took hold of the Black Blade still in its sheath then I waved for her to follow me. I led her towards a small clearing away from the carriage and horses.
"Papa!" Miata suddenly ran up to us with a chest full of sticks she grabbed out and about. She looked at the two of us then her eyes stopped on me. Despite the bangs covering her eyes I can tell she's worried. I don't hold a sword unless I'm about to fight. I haven't fought with this sword in a long time so it's about time we get reacquainted after so long.
I pat her over the head. "Don't worry Miata. Ophi and I are just getting a little exercise."
"Rwelly?" I nodded and gave her back a push.
"Now go rest by the fire okay." Miata looked at us as she walked away. When she turned away she broke into a run.
"You're such a good Papa."
I turned around and faced Ophelia. I brought my sword up and over my shoulder an held it back as if ready to draw at any given moment. Ophelia's eyes widened a bit when I took a stance with my sword in this position. She smiled though and walked towards me with one hand on the hilt of her sword. She's underestimating me. She'll regret that mistake.
She shot forward and slashed at me. I evade her slash and a second before getting into her kill zone. Ophelia's sword came back from her second slash and I stepped out of he way once more. Her attacks are wild and uncoordinated for some reason. She's testing me.
I leaned down and parry her sword and landed a kick into her stomach. She stepped back from the kick and moved to cut me again. In a quickdraw the Black Blade stopped shy of her neck before she could complete her swing. She froze as I tapped the sheath of the Black Blade, Chaos Blade, Kin Killer, Soul Reaver, and many other names on her neck. While in its sheath this weapon is as dangerous at the holder. Out of it this blade will consume anything and everything around it. I fear nothing mortal, but I fear this sword. It could kill me in one strike and can consume everything with a soul in the surrounding area.
"Huh," she said with shocked looked upon her face. "Didn't see that coming." I shook my head and stepped back away from her to reset. She pondered on the speed of which I swung my sword. I can tell by the way she's staring at it. This is a long and heavy sword shaped in the form of a nodachi. No human can swing it with the estimated weight you may imagine it has. This sword happens to be weightless though. It's like swinging air but she doesn't need to know that.
"Best not to underestimate me Ophelia." I told the woman. The same goes for my arms for while this sword is virtually weightless for me it's quite heavy for whomever it will antagonize.
The woman rubbed her neck and looked at me with curiosity. "Yeah, I'll remember that." She brought her hands together on the hilt of her sword and held it up. I dare say it's reminiscent to that of a Templar Knight. I mused at this and changed to a two handed stance as well but with the Black Blade pointing behind me in an aggressive stance instead of a balanced one like hers. "Are you sure you don't wish to draw your sword?"
"I'm sure," I said before moving first this time and she met my charge with our blades crossing at the center. I brought my he fist out to clip her chin but she learned out of the way. She tried to kick me but it was clumsy and off balanced her. I brought my leg around and kicked her leg out away from me and pushed down on her causing her to step back. I pressed the attack slashing downward for her legs and thrusting forward at her shoulder to further pressure her. Ophelia's balance returned and she met me evenly each time.
Her strength is impressive for her size. I dare say she could crush a bears skull with one hand. We crossed blades and with every passing minute her strength seems to increase a little.
I parried a slash and her blade slide downward along the slick sheath of the Black Blade further taking her by surprise. She suddenly looped back around me and used the pommel of her sword to hit me in the chest forcing the air out of my lungs. I flipped back when he brought her sword down and again when she aimed for my legs. I jumped back again but she moved and crossed her sword with mine causing me to fall over. I rolled and blocked a thrust. I braced my feet into the dirt as she tried to overpower me.
"Impressive," she playfully complimented. "Even without yoki we're stronger than humans and yet you," she forced her strength down upon me in my most basic of forms." Are holding your own well. What are you?" I pushed her back and slashed at her twice forcing her back.
"The Hunter as I've said. That's all I am. What about your organization. How are your kind made because I almost mistook you for Wendigo?"
"Wendigo? What region are you from that they call Yoma that?" I moved and caught her sword. I slid down to the hilt until our guards crossed the crossed. I pulled both upward then elbowed her wrist on one side then repeated with the other. I dropped down for a leg sweep but she jumped back away from me. My disarming technique I learned from a friend didn't seem to work well. Ophelia's grip came through, and she kept her sword, if barely.
I stepped and thrust towards her hands and she caught the tip of the Black Blade. I grabbed hold of the blade of her sword and tugged her towards me. Then twisted in a roll taking her with me forcing her down into the ground. It seems she's not accustomed to hand to hand combat.
"Were you given a choice to become what you are?" I asked her as I stabbed the tip of the Black Blade into the grind and rested my hand on its pommel. The woman climbed up to her feet with a focused glare on me.
"You could say that," she spat out before taking a serious stance " What about you?" She questioned me next.
"You could say that ," I repeated her answer. She rushed forward in a frenzy of swipes and slashes I blocked and flowed through and returned my own almost as fierce as hers.
"You can tell the difference between humans and non-humans right?" I blocked a forward strike and she leaned up until we were almost face to face. "How?" she finished.
"Scent and aura." She blinked at my answer and with it got a knee to the stomach. She reached up and grabbed the back of my neck and headbutt me in the face. I reeled back as pain exploded in my facial area. My eyes teared up and my sight turned blurry. I saw her aura as she pressed her advantage. I dropped down out of the way and caught the hilt of her sword when I saw it pass by me. I brought the Black Blade up in an upward stroke. She forced her sword down and caught my blade by the pommel of her sword and hilt. "The scent of humans and beasts is easy to differentiate between until covetrd. Then I have to rely on their breath for its reeks of dead human flesh no matter how much you try to cover it."
Ophelia pushed me back and I sailed back. I rose my hand to my nose and rubbed my forehead. "What about this Aura stuff. Is it like yoki?" She questioned while I recovered from the very random attack. Where did that come from?
"Not exactly." I blinked a couple times to clear my eyes. Nothing broken but that did surprise me. "Aura is the life force all living beings contain and exhibit at all timed. I have the ability to sense it." I dropped my hand from my nose and nodded to the woman to show I was ready once more. "Human beings have the same frequency while monsters and your kind do not?"
"So what does that make you then?" She asked while leaning on her sword and arm wrapped around the grip of it.
"Human but different. When a wendigo comes to a town how does one contact this organization?"
"Messenger bird for the most part. When they request one of us we go, killed the yoma, return to our handlers."
"Handlers?" Ophelia moved to my flank in a second with her sword at her side of cut me in half. I dove and rolled to my feet. I felt her come at me and twirled around to parry her sword and counter only for her to do the same.
"Annoying little humans in black sort of like you but…" We clashed a little more and gained some distance from each other. "They're who tell us where to go for the next job." I placed my sword on my shoulder and placed my offside forward.
So handlers are different here after all. "How many of your kind are there?" I asked her.
"I could ask you the same." She shot that back at me.
I moved to her rear and then to her front and brought my sword down. She whirled around and stopped my sword cold but I added a bit of Ki to this. Her eyes widened as the force tripled and she fell down to a knee. "I'm the only one of my kind in this land." I'm the only one that's The Hunter.
I stepped back and let Ophelia climb up to her shaky legs. She had to use her sword as a crutch as her legs recovered. "How many of your kind are there at once? You have a limit correct?" I questioned.
"What was that?"
In response I cut her sword out from the ground and forced her forward. Ophelia's feet came forward to stop her from falling down to a knee. "Me holding back a little less."
Ophelia snort and climbed up to her feet once more. "There are 47 regions and every region has a warrior of the organization assigned to it. The ranks run from 1 to 47."
"And 47 is the weakest then," I finished for her.
"Yep. Weakest of the bunch." I nodded and stepped back a little more. "If you can feel life or Aura then what do yoma feel like to you?" She questioned.
"Putrid and disgusting as if the air they breath is poisoned just by their existence but oddly on a parallel wavelength of a human. It's strange but that's why I thought of them as tainted humans at first."
Ophelia thought on my answer and nodded. "And me? What I feel like to you and your senses?" Ophelia stood with her hand on her hip and waited with a knowing smile.
"You and another one I met not too long ago feel… Wrong. Like a clash between light and darkness. Your scent isn't disgusting or your aura polluted like a wendigo but it's not human. You're more powerful than a hundred yoma put together, I can feel that."
"You can feel how strong something is?"
"To a point. It depends on your potential, control over your aura, and if you're mentally compromised."
"Mentally compromised?" She questioned.
"Most power behind humanity depend on human will alone and your reasons for needing them." I stabbed my sword into the ground and rubbed my head taking off sweat. Ophelia did the same and took a breath. I think we've been at it for an ten or so minutes now. The sun is just about gone from the sky. We have about another hour to go. "One more question Ophelia."
"Ask away," she said in a tired tone and not from sparring.
"How are your kind made?"
Ophelia stood silently with only the sound of crickets and the horse being what filled this silence, but even that seemed to stop after long. She reached up to her neck and seems to loosen something around her neck. She pulled her top down to her waist revealing her breasts to me but what caught my eyes is this banner of sorts that extends down from her neck to her womanhood. She pulled back on this banner with her symbol on it and revealed to me some manner of scar on her body. It was like a wound that never fully healed. A wound that was held together with stitching to keep it closed.
I walked up towards her when she revealed this to me. "They take flesh of those putrid yoma you mentioned and implant their parts into our body's in hope that we assimilate with the parts and turn into this. Disgusting isn't it?"
I leaned down and stared at it. "Does this hurt?"
"All the time. The pain dulls after a time but never goes away."
I reached up but stopped shy of the scar. "Do you mind?"
"You're bold to ask a woman to touch her precious place all of the sudden." She joked bit I could fell a fragility in her tone. She seems vulnerable all of the sudden but hides it well. I waited for her to give me a solid answer though. She sighed and nodded her head silently.
"Very well," I placed my fingers outside the stitching. I felt my left arm shiver as my fingers trailed down from her neck down through the valley between her breasts and belly button. I think my blood could fix this. It won't kill her like I thought it would but it might leave her sore for a time. This looks bad. I would assume being ranked forth this wound would be old meaning this should've closed by now. Maybe it's just in this area that will never heal completely, and all warriors for the organization have this. Even that Deneve woman from before. For such beautiful a creature to have a scar like this it must be difficult.
"He hehe," I heard her giggle and gripped my wrist. "That tickles."
"Sorry." I rose back up to my full height and nodded. "I've seen worse but not its not disgusting to me." I turned around and grabbed the Black Blade on the way.
"Hey!" She called and I looked back. "Are we done sparring already?"
"For now. It was informative, I suppose."
"Hey, Hunter was it?" I stopped just as I was about to leave. "You told me you lost your mother and never knew your father. Was that what made you what you are now or something more? Something like... like me but different." Ophelia's tone shifted into one that was both serious but also meek. One that turned me serious enough to give her a straight answer.
I closed my eyes and sighed. "What started me on this path wasn't my parentage," I dismissed my mother and father as the cause of any of this. "It was my ancestry." With that I walked to the fire I saw near the carriage and saw Miata sitting near a tree. She tired to avoid my gaze, but I know when I'm being watched. She must have been watching this whole time. She shot up on her feet and ran at me then wrapped her arms around my leg. "Miata?" She shook her head and just kept holding me. She knows that I know. "I'm not angry or disappointed with you."
"Hmm hmm?"
"Yes, really." I brushed her hair and we walked back to the fire and the stew in its pot and roasting venison near the fire. Moats must have taken care of it like I've shown her to keep it warm and the flies away. She did a fine job and I made sure she knew that just to make her feel better.
"Miata took care of food papa," she declared proudly to hide her embarrassment.
"You did… you did." I glanced back to her and smiled with the Black Blade still in my hand. "How about a lesson on swordsmanship before dinner. We have time." Miata seemed to lighten up a bit more and nodded swiftly. I waved for her to follow me and she did so. We took a could steps past the sheet with my weapons on it and found it tampered with. Someone touched my blades. It's my fault for leaving them out but still someone has a death wish. I drew my eyes towards whoever was looking at me and my eyes settled on that boy. The boy quickly turned towards his fire and sister and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Miata I have to go talk to that boy for a moment," I gestured towards the boy.
"But new lesson papa," she countered eager to start this instruction.
"It'll be for a moment only."
"Is it because strange boy touched papa's toys," Miata looked at my sheet and unintentionally rated out the boy masterfully. She felt a but aggravated at this fact as well.
I snort a bit but said, "Yes Miata it's because strange boy touched papa's toy." Clever girl as always. "I need to talk to him about how not to touch other people's stuff without permission… but if you want you can instead." I suggested with the bastard in me coming to front. I would deeply enjoy watching my little girl chasten an older boy in the wrong.
"Miata will," she rose her fist at this ready and willing to show that strange boy who's boss. "Strange boy mad Miata unhappy!" With that she mark he'd off towards him fueled by childish fury for some reason or another I'm still a bit at a loss over. Regardless of this I followed the girl towards the family around their own fire. Ones of which they had to take from us for themselves.
"So why are you… unhappy with the Strange boy," I went with since that's how she's identifying him.
"He touched papa's toys." I hummed with a smile at her defense of the common respect everyone should have with other people's stuff. I may have been a thief many times over during my years but that's me taking it not tampering with it. That boy moved a sword and a few of my knives around on the sheet. He tried to replaced them the best he could l, but I've placed them on that sheet in a very specific manner. One he broke. I'm proud my little girl knows this while that boy doesn't.
"Miata not touch papa's toys yet. Unfair!" she stomped and I sighed. I should have known it was too good to be true. Well this will be interesting regardless.
"Ari and Miata will teach him," she declared. Arsenal barked from behind me and I nearly jumped.
"Goddess," I gasped as her partner past by me and took to her side. They've been working with each other for a while now and Arsenal has followed my desire to say with Miata well. So well that I didn't even notices this black wolf in the shadows, mine included.
The young woman noticed us first and gestured towards me and spoke to the other two of the small broken family. The boy tensed under my gaze and the mother bowed her head once I got close with my little girl at my side.
"Evening Sir Naethans," the woman greeted me and slowly rose up to her feet.
"Evening ma'am I hope you're well," I crossed my arms over my chest. Miata mirrored me with her eyes focused on the boy. Arsenal even sat next to Miata and laid down with her red eyes focused on the object of Miata's vehemence.
"Y-yes," the woman answered loosely. She examined me a little too closely right now. Might be because. I happened to have my hood on right now without my mask. Though I only wear my mask when I'm on the Hunt anyway. This hunt isn't mine but Miata's. She must be looking at my jaw structure same with my naked hands gripping my upper arms.
"Is there something we can help you with," the young woman asked and I drew my eyes to her. She winced and looked away.
"No," I answered firmly. "But the little girl and the wolf below me do." I gestured to them. "For your boy." Said boy winced with some noise of sorts coming from him.
"Astral," the mother spoke up. "Did you do anything?"
"Uh, no mother," he lied so well.
"Liar!" Miata yelled to the point it was almost a roar. "You are bad strange boy."
"Hey, I'm no liar!" he turned on my girl with his fish clenched.
"You touched papa's toys. Miata saw you!" She accused the boy.
"You," the boy grit his teeth as his eyes flew up towards me. "You don't have any proof that I did you… you brat!"
"Astral!" His mother chastens him.
I rose an eyebrow at this little brat and his tone with my little girl. I was about to step in but remembered his was up to the little girl.
"You no call Miata that! Papa called Miata that," she started out raising her voice until it dimmed down into a soft talk. "Now papa is dead. He was bad and mean and lied. You are bad. Papa told Miata liars are trash and strange boy is trash." I felt the bastard within me grow same with my pride in my little girl. She's taking after me a little too well to develop a sense of apathy and such a sharp tongue despite her broken statements.
"Y-you little brat! Who are you calling trash!" Astral shot up to his feet at least two or so inches over Miata who met his glare. She shivered a bit out of fear but remained strong. "Just because I touched something doesn't mean you can call me trash you spoil little girl."
"Stupid strange boy. Papa no saved you!" Miata shot back and made the boy go speechless. I hummed with a smile on my lips. One that's one of the few I make and mean the intent behind it. "Liar as like false people. Do not touch papa's toys or face M… Me and Ari." The wolf barked at the boy and forced him back way from the intimidating wolf. The that's riled up from who unsettled her vassal has become.
"Miata," I called her and she looked up to me almost anxious. I noticed tears falling down her I pat her shoulder and pointed to our fire. "Wait by the fire for me and I'll show you how to use that sword okay?"
"Yes papa," she said solemnly before sparing a look at the boy. With that she stomped away mumbling about stupid boys being no better than false people. Arsenal growled at the boy as well before leaving to follow after Miata leaving the four of us alone. I faced the family fully and sighed from the festivities that just came to being. That was entertaining and lots of emotion being flown around I could bask in. That was a highlight for the night.
"What?" Astral blinked as the little girl walked away.
"If you touch my weapons or anything that belongs to us without permission you won't deal with me but her," I pointed to the girl and had her sword out at the fire and pacing around almost yelling bloody murder. "And our wolf. Unless you have a reason for touching them."
"I think there's a misunderstanding," the young woman spoke up. "A-Astral did go over there for a bit but he wasn't hurting anything and he…"
"You mean to tell me you left to tamper with his affects," the mother questioned her son. "You knew about this and said nothing when they came over," she looked towards her daughter next.
"Mother I…" Astral tried to say but the words got stuck in his throat. I sighed and shook my head at the boy. "I didn't mean to make trouble," he sobbed and looked my way.
"You that's true you should have admitted that to her," I stated. "Miata while a child I give her final say certain things and who she surrounds herself with is one of them. You're a liar in her opinion which is close to a murderer in her opinion."
"But why? All he did was touch a knife or something," the sister stood to defend her little brother.
"My question is what business did you have doing it," I looked down at the boy with my arms dropping from my chest.
"Sir Naethans if you can…" I looked at the mother and her words locked in her throat. I drew my attention back to the boy and he just looked away without saying anything. He desires something from me but refuses to state it. I thought back to the fact he seemed focused on my weapons and how I used them. Unlike his sister that turned away when I butchered his false father and grandfather before him he watched me. He took his father's sword which I believe is made of bronze as well. It might be possible he desires a will to fight and maybe protect but unfortunately for him I don't take students into my nonexistent school.
"Very well," I shrugged and turned to walk away. "You boy will apologize to myself and my little girl before you converse or ask us of anything." With that I walked away with my arms at my sides back to Miata and left the family to their own issues. I found my little girl with her sword in hand and unhappy by the looks of it. She noticed me approach and walked up to me. She wrapped her free arm around my legs and dug her face into my trousers as she sobbed silently to herself.
"Papa was a liar. Miata… hate liars," she cried. I pat her head and sighed once more. "I miss mama papa… I wanna see mama."
I kneeled down and let her wrap her arms around my neck. I caught her sword before it could fall down and let her cry in my shoulder. I haven't felt this level of sorrow and anger mixed into one in a long time. I don't like this feeling but I'm unsure of what to day or do. This feeling is akin to what I lost my own mother but that wound has closed in the years. For Miata it's fresh and it hurts. It hurts not just her though but also me. Seeing and feeling this brought those memories back. The memories of that night and the fire the burned my life and my past to ash. The night I lost it all and was thrust on the path that led me here. Though I don't wish to live in the past. I don't need especially with a little girl. I didn't have help that night for years but I can help this little girl though. One thing did come to mind for right now to help her look past this desire for her dead mother.
"You know Miata, I never got to finish that story from before," I reminded her as I took a seat by the fire. I noticed Ophelia not to far away with her sword stabbed into the ground and leaning against it. She wasn't too closed to the fire and seemed disinterested in us right now. Normally she's always watching us both but now she's turning her head away. I ignored her for the girl sitting in her lap holding me for dear life. "Would you like to know the rest of the story of the Great hunter Miata?"
She snort a bit before nodded her head in my shoulder. "After this and a bit of sword practice we need to bathe you," I brought up. "Mou," she whined and I grinned. She hates baths but likes to be spoiled during. Her mother used to wash her hair but her father from what I've seen almost drowned her before. I could see where a bit of her reservations come from when pertaining to bathing. Something I'll have to fix for later. I scoot us closer to the fire and our wolf trot up to us. "Grab the bowls Arsenal," I told the wolf and she barked before running to the wagon. She came back a moment later with a sack of dishes for us. I pat her head and took the sack. I grabbed a stack with some cook venison on it and pulled it off the stick. Arsenal sat down and awaited her share of the hunt. I handed it to her and she snapped if from my hand.
"Well as the story goes the Dove used words over the violence. A quill instead of a sword. Doing so he slowly but surely used it superior cleverness to counter the Queens savagery. Little did she know that in such a society a Dance of Blood if a battle and a fight to the death but there's nothing specifically saying it had to be fought with physical weaponry. He waited to abide his time to study her society until he made his move."
"Dove fought the queen?" Miata asked and I nodded as I poured some stew for her and cut parts of meat to let drop into the bowl. She took it and started to eat. "Yum," she cheered with that smile back on her lips again.
"Yes but not with a sword but with words. He challenged her to a game of riddles in which the queen couldn't refuse. Once challenged according to their laws she had to accept. Of course the queen was quite intelligent though. Her attacks and raids were planned by her and many fell before her army and tactics. But the Dove was well versed in his art and as a peaceful mediator he spoke of things she could never understand. He defeated her and the queen was stuck at an impasse. She couldn't take a mate weaker than she. She couldn't accept a loss as well at the hands of anyone let alone a man."
"What did queen do?"
"She freed him of course and gave him her permission to leave." I answered simply. "Though she didn't wish to him to. Especially since she had fallen for a man classified as weak in her society. Even more so when she desired to mate with this man."
"Mate," Miata questioned.
"I'll tell you when you're older," I pinched her cheek and earned a groan from her. "During the time of his imprisonment thought the pantheon he was a part of planned with the military to free him. The queen was played and led right into a trap once consumed by a feeling of victory. Her arrogance was her downfall and led to the destruction of her land. The gods turned their backs on her people and by the end of it only one of the Amazons was left alive. The queen herself. To be paraded as a trophy and led to the square to be killed."
"No," Miata shook her head at this.
"The Dove though took matters in his own hands and gave up everything for her. He liberated her from her chains and together they lived away from it all. She was no longer a queen and he gave up his status and estate."
"Because Dove love queen? Like Miata love mama?" She noted and I felt relieved she didn't mention me again.
"Some say yes but others know the truth. He gave his emperor all the knowledge he developed from his time as a prisoner and brought upon the downfall of the Amazons. He got into the cold but frail and inexperienced heart of the queen and in the end her love led to this fatal end. Some say he did this because of guilt. To find redemption for bringing war and genocide upon a people. He believed they would join together but those Amazons were misunderstood and seen as heathens and savages. They were pinned and corralled like them as well. He freed the queen and gave up everything to align with the queen, because he was the cause of her downfall. A secret passed to only one person for the emperor died not long after he left. That is our first Hunter. The child they had together and his name was Orion." I pointed up to the stars in the sky and Miata followed it. "Orion is the only hunter given a place in the heavens. His mark is in the sky and aligned by the stars. That right there is his belt. Used to fasten down his prey and transverse obstacles in some of the most creative of ways. He was a great hunter."
"What happened to Oriian," Miata asked eagerly.
"It's Orion princess and this story… is for another time." I placed my bowl down same with an empty stick were meat was stabbed in the middle of. "Are you still hungry?"
"No papa. Please finish… the story," she begged without missing a word. That means she's serious about this. Sadly, I don't have it in me to continue.
"Later. For now," I stood up to my fee and Miata slid off to her feet with her bowl in hand. I took it in hand and walked to the pale of water I had near the tree. I dropped the bowls and silverware in before facing the girl. "It's time to learn to become a great fighter Miata. Like the queen. She was the best of the Amazon warriors with a sword and a bow. She was strong."
"Was queen stronger than papa?"
I scoffed, "No I defeated her in hand to hand combat," I spoke with pride. I closed my mouth quickly at this, but it was too late. Miata's eyes glistened at anticipation at this. She wants to be stronger than me and I might have given her some more ammo to grow faster. She has to become greater than a legend and seems determined.
"Miata want to learn hand to hand!" I sighed and saw that coming.
"Let's start with swords," I stopped that thought right then and there. "Alright, draw your sword Miata. I know you've practiced swung it a bit already," I noted. The sticks she brought were littered with cuts and slash marks from a sword, so she's been swinging it around like a child while she's been gathering more wood. Miata sunk within herself knowing she's been caught but followed my order anyway. Her gripped the sword and pulled it out of the scabbard a bit at a time. She held it clumsily at first before she got a decent grip on the bandages.
"I'm going to teach you how to swing it first and not cut yourself with it." I walked around her as she it her lip as she attempted to hold it correctly. While there's no right way to hold a sword there certainly is a wrong. From what I'm seeing she's wrong in more ways they one starting with her foot work. I tapped her left foot with the Black Blade which almost crossed the other. "Spread your feet," I said beginning our instruction. If she wanted she's to learn how to wield a sword and be stubborn then I'll see how far she can go before she can't. I have a feeling she'll last as long as I'm will to train her.
"Are you ready Miata?" I asked the girl with my arms crossed. I felt eyes on up both from four humanoid sources but ignored them for my little girl.
"Yes papa! M… I will become stronger than papa." She promised full of determination.
"We'll see." As long as she knows how to defend herself it works out to fulfill that portion of my obligation. What better than with an oversized weapon?
A/N: With what I have planned for the story there will be some changes from how it was going to go a year or so ago. Let's see how it goes.
Thanks for reading and review or pm with questions. Either way works for me.
My question to the readers that's gotten this far in the story without quitting. What are you most eager to see happen in later chapters?