TheApatheticRoseofCalamity: I didn't realise the way Cassie thinks could look like ADHD and now I can see it. Actually, I'm quite happy people with ADHD can identify to her in a way. Thank you for your kindness, it really helps me going!
"Wake up."
Cassie painfully opened her eyes, wincing at the sunlight.
"What is it? Are we under attack? Throw me to your enemies, I won't complain."
"Get up, Skaigada."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
Cassie opened one eye, raised an eyebrow.
"If you expect me to say 'Yes daddy', you can stick your finger in your eye up to your elbow."
Anya grabbed her by the collar and pulled her out of bed, rolling her onto the floor.
"Get up, Skaigada. You have things to learn."
Cassie looked up.
"Wait, you're gonna teach me something? Is it your language?"
"No," Anya replied pulling her behind her.
"Your culture?"
"No."
"Oh, I know, how to make war paint?"
"No," Anya replied, dragging her into the elevator.
Cassie kept asking questions, never getting any answer other than 'No'. They crossed the ground floor of the tower, came out on the market square. Once again, Anya led her out of town to the lush green area around the concrete houses. Only this time, she ignored the group of warriors who were training and crossed a new hill.
"Wow, is this a date?"
They crossed the hill and came to the landscape where Anya wanted to lead her. A child was standing next to a horse in an open space.
"I guess it's not then."
Anya pulled her down the hill, stepping up to the horse. The child appeared to be a girl with brown hair and fine features.
"Heya, yongon," Cassie greeted her.
Anya and the child gave her a stunned look.
"What? How many times do I have to tell you? I love languages! I speak an almost dead tongue!"
Shrugging, Anya pulled her towards the animal, but Cassie planted her heels in the ground and did her best to slow her down.
"Uh-uh, no way bestie! Just because I survived through our journey doesn't mean I fell in love with those monsters!"
"Stop whining, you little baby."
Cassie chocked on her own saliva, making Anya close her eyes as she remembered who she was talking to.
"I do not wish to carry you on my horse anymore. I had enough of that. So, you are going to learn how to ride a horse and I won't have to share a ride with you. Got it?"
Cassie hesitated for a moment, and Anya took the opportunity to pull her forward to the horse. The young woman prefered to be interested in the child.
"Chon laik yu?"
The girl exchanged a look with Anya, as if asking her if she should answer or not.
"This is Tris," Anya replied. "She is my seken."
"Your second?" Cassie translated. "Like Lexa? Bitch, she's like ten!"
"She is eleven," Anya retorted fiercely. "Lexa was eight when she started her training with me. I was even younger then that."
"OK, but like, what do you do?" Cassie asked the girl. "I mean except making friends with a horse. Do you bring her her sword, her armor? You follow her everywhere?"
"She fights."
Cassie gave Anya a startled look.
"What? She's a child!"
"She's a warrior!" Anya replied. "In training."
"What the hell dude?"
Anya rolled her eyes with a sigh, pushing her towards the horse. But Cassie preferred to turn to Tris.
"So, Tris, chit vout yu op?"
"Tris," Anya said as she let go of Cassie to adjust the straps of the horse's saddle, "is learning your language, the one we use in battles. So it is more useful that you speak your tongue around her. "
"Oh, yes, of course. As I was saying, what do you like the most about being Bossy's second?"
Anya rolled her eyes at the nickname, but Tris' gaze hesitated in embarrassment between the two women. Anya turned to her.
"You can answer her. She's annoying, but not mean."
"Aww, thanks bestie."
Yet the girl continued to avoid her gaze.
"Ai na nou chich em op. Em laik Natshanagada."
Anya let go of the straps of the horse's saddle, a surprised and displeased gaze directed at Tris.
"Hold up, kid. I'm a girl of what now?" Cassie asked.
"Who told you this?" Anya asked in a deep voice.
Tris shrugged.
"Ain nontu en ain nomon."
"You shouldn't believe everything your parents say," Anya replied. "Noun laik wilou, she is no witch. She doesn't have any magic, and she certainly is not a mystical creature. She's just an ordinary Skaigada."
Tris looked down at her shoes under Cassie's puzzled gaze.
"You can talk to her. In fact, I order you to do so."
The girl nodded, looking up at her wormana.
"No, seriously, I'm a girl of what?" Cassie repeated, confused.
"Get on the horse and maybe I'll tell you."
Cassie sighed, but obeyed. With the help of Anya and Tris, she climbed onto the horse's back, placing herself in the saddle. Thanks to Anya's directions, she took the reins in her hands and waited uncomfortably for her to answer her question.
"Natshana means 'moon'," Anya finally replied before slapping the horse's rump, which mingled it to walk.
Cassie was shaking all over the place.
The horse galloped in a circle around Anya and Tris, the young woman on its back. Clinging to the reins, she was tossed around with each step the animal took. It was a miracle she hadn't started screaming.
"Put your feet in the stirrups and balance yourself on them!" Anya shouted at her.
"What?!" Yelled Cassie who did not understand anything.
The horse continued to circle in circles without ever stopping, listening only to Anya's commands. Cassie could beg and promise it jam breads - what were they eating, the monsters? -, the horse heard nothing.
Somehow, the young woman tried to follow Anya's recommendations, leaning on the stirrups by gradually stretching her legs to rise slightly from the saddle. A big smile flashed her face. She was no longer shaking in all directions and could predict the movements of the horse.
Unfortunately, her legs gave way quickly under her weight and she rocked forward, falling from the saddle, trying in vain to hold onto the horse's mane. Screaming, she landed in the mud.
"Tris, the horse!" Anya ordered.
The girl ran up to the animal to grab it by the reins, speaking in her native language to calm it down. Anya turned to Cassie, who was lying face down, motionless.
"Skaigada?" She called.
With a long moan of pain, Cassie rolled over onto her back before sitting down painfully on the floor. She was covered in mud from head to toe. With a growl of disgust, she tried to brush off the dirt, but was unable to do anything but spread it out a little more.
A strange noise reached her ears. Stunned, she looked up and was surprised to see Anya, in the middle of the circle, laughing out loud. Tris smiled beside the horse.
Cassie pretended to be angry.
"Oh, you think that's funny? Wait and see!"
She got up with difficulty and tried to walk towards Anya, but she only managed to entangle her feet and lay face down in the mud.
Anya's giggles redoubled and, despite the filth and discomfort, Cassie had to admit that it was the prettiest sound she had ever heard.
Heya, yongon: Hello, child.
Tris, chit vout yu op: Tris, what do you like?
Ai na nou chich em op. Em laik Natshanagada: I cannot talk to her. She is Natshanagada.
Ain nontu en ain nomon: My father and my mother.