"I would have never thought I would be invited here some day."
Hestia looked around while she followed Loki through the Mansion. After the Freya Familia got challenged to the wargame, Allen and Hogni retreated for now while Ottar went into another direction.
Hermes and his Familia went on their way to inform Ouranos, and the Ganesha Familia since they intended to use the big arena for the duel. Many people should watch this duel, the gods wouldn´t want to miss it anyway and people of Orario liked to see a good fight between adventurers. They had eight days to prepare everything...
"Never thought I would invite you here, Shrimp."
Loki shrugged her shoulders while they went to her office. The goddesses were accompanied by Finn and...Lily. It should have been the captains and Ais since she would fight too, but Bell and Ais had followed Riveria.
The elf wanted to have a talk with them, sharing them some information what had happened with Ais. They had heard that even more ruckus happened in the city, apparently a few members of the Freya Familia had attacked the Benevolent Mistress.
"What is that idiot Freya thinking...just because she didn´t got her newest prey she wants to start a war?"
Finn frowned. "I don´t think it was goddess Freya´s order that let them attack us."
"Yeah well the Warlord said that she didn´t ordered this specific attack, but I doubt they are completely acting on their own."
"I think that something is wrong here, Fi-" In the moment that Lily wanted to speak Finn´s name just like that, she felt an icy chill running down her spine...and a certain amazoness suddenly got slightly angry without knowing why.
Lily cleared her throat. "Like Mr. Finn told me, the Warlord is extremely loyal to lady Freya and would never betray her. If she had ordered this attack or a general attack, he wouldn´t have come to stop these two from attacking the Sword Princess and master Bell."
"She is right, Loki. Did Freya ever done something like this?" Hestia looked worried.
"Shri-...Hestia...you have no idea about all the things she´s done to get her subject of interest. Trust me."
"Can you be a bit clearer?"
Loki sighed. "I talked with Freya about...let´s say she did something to my precious little Ais...that´s why she acted the way she did...and Freya told me it would be easy for her to wipe out your whole Familia if you would act against her...she really wants your child."
Hestia´s eyes became big. "Wipe out...my Familia?"
"When Freya wants something, she really wants it...even if she gets bored with it after getting her hands on it. Who knows...if she had gotten your child...she would probably use and ride him until she was statisfied..."
"Loki!"
"I´m sorry if that hurts you, Hestia. But it is the truth and wouldn´t be the first time she did that."
"Why is every woman after my cute, little Bell..."
"Let´s get back to the main topic, what shall we do about goddess Freya? When Ais and Bell Cranel win this duel...will the matter be over?"
Loki crossed her arms. "Even if the matter is over for her...even if what she did wasn´t "something really cruel"...Freya has to pay for doing that to Ais...and Rabbit Foot."
"Loki...it won´t kill you to speak Bell´s name...you know?"
"I refuse! He might be the one in my little Ais´ heart...but I can´t forgive him for that!" Loki wasn´t really angry...but the thought of anyone kissing her cute, little Ais...maybe even doing lewd things with her...she just didn´t wanted to imagine it.
"Haa...someday you will do it...at least when they marry."
"Marry?! M-my cute litte Ais...marrying...a guy...*Hic*...*Hic*..."
"There, there..." Finn patted the back of the sobbing Loki and smiled sympathetically. "Goddess Hestia, that topic is very delicate for Loki...she really dotes on Ais."
"I can understand that...to think that this sword girl will putting her hands on my innocent little Bell...his chastity might be in danger right now!"
"What do you say about my precious Ais?! It is your rabbit that wants to deflie her! Wants to...wants to show her his carrot!"
"Haaaaa! You dare Loki?! My cute little Bell would never do that! I´m sure it is her that wants to devour him!"
"My precious Ais is way cuter than your rabbit!"
"No way! Wallen-whatever-it-is is not as cute as my Bell!"
"You dare to give her a silly name?!"
"Her name is silly!"
"You dare?!
"I dare?! How dare you!"
Lily and Finn sighed...for now they let the two goddesses do what they always did and discussed the problem and how to deal with it...they had eight days for that. Still...for a moment Lily and Finn both wondered in their heads what would happen if they reminded the goddesses now that the other child would probably marry their own precious child someday...better not doing that.
.
.
"Nnngh...thank you, Ryu.."
Lunor smiled wryly while Ryu used her healing magic a second time on Lunor´s arm, fixing a broken bone was difficult.
"I´m sorry we didn´t came earlier...that you two got hurt so badly..." Ryu´s expression was a mixture of worry about her friends, anger about the attackers and joy that they were safe again.
Chloe sat on a chair with a blanked around her to cover her half naked body...the damned prum had nearly stripped her with his sword. Lefiya knelt in front of Chloe and her her hands under the blanket, wandering with them over Chloe´s tigh and repeated the healing magic again.
"To think that she just copied your magic...amazing."
"Indeed." Ryu nodded, amazed.
Their eyes wandered further, Anya was lying on a few chairs, Syr sat on one of them and let Anya´s head rest on her lap, gently stroking her hair, still sobbing. Be it one Syr or the other,
both cared for their friends and Helun was hurt that they got attacked...all because of her...even if Mia said it wasn´t her fault. Astrea and the other waitresses cleaned the pub, a few customers wanted to help, but Mia declined with thanks, after all there were a few girls here that were not properly clothed. The one adventurer that got hurt while he wanted to protect Syr, was carried to the hospital after Ryu and Lefiya had used the healing magic on him too. Apparently he belonged to the Ganesha Familia...
which made the situation even more delicate.
Lunor moved her arm around to test the mobility. "Ah thank you so much, Ryu. It would have been bad if I couldn´t work for a while now..."
Suddenly, Ryu put her arms around Lunor and hugged her. "I´m so glad you are okay..."
"Ryu..." Lunor returned the hug.
Astrea noticed with a smile how close Ryu was to her friends.
"Nya, unfair..." Chloe pouted lightly.
Ryu got up and walked over to her, Chloe looked a bit surprised as Ryu hugged her too. "I´m so sorry...Chloe..."
"Nya..."
Lefiya smiled too as she saw the heartwarming scene. Mia was still as angry as a bear that had been awakened in hibernation. Not because of the damage to the pub...but because someone had hurt her girls.
A knock came from the closed front door.
"We are closed!"
After a moment it knocked again. Grumbling, Mia walked over to the door, everyone else beside her was forbidden to open this door today...she was too worried about her girls. She had made a fist and if it would be another attacker...they would suffer. Mia opened the door and looked at a man who almost needed to duck to get through the door.
"Ottar..."
"Mia."
Some of the other waitresses backed away, they feared another attack. Ryu wanted to get up and get her weapons, but Astrea made a gesture with her hands that they should stay calm.
"What do you want?"
Ottar´s expression was the same as always for most of the people, Mia who knew him for a long time noticed that he looked...troubled.
"The attack on your pub was not lady Freya´s order."
Mia frowned. "What?"
"Lady Freya didn´t ordered Gulliver to attack this girl or your pub, they acted on their own."
For a moment Mia and Ottar just glared at each other, then she sighed lightly. "Fine, I believe you, you are not the type to lie."
Ottar pulled a large moneybag from his waist. "For the damage on your pub...and I´m sorry about your hurt children."
The girls weren´t Mia´s children, but Ottar was only familiar with Familia´s and the vocabulary thes used.
"You think money will make it better?"
"No, but what they did was not right. It wasn´t lady Freya´s order and I won´t tolerate that someone stains her name."
"Fine." Mia took the bag from Ottar.
He turned his head slightly and looked at Helun, who looked at him frightened. "The Familia will not harm you or your friends again, I will personally punish anyone of us who tries to do that."
They saw that Syr nodded slightly. "How...how is she?"
Ottar´s jaw clenched slightly. "Not good."
"Can I...see her?"
"If she let´s you in her room...no one will harm you if you come."
"Thank you...Ottar."
He nodded and turned around. "I have things to deal with, the Familia will let your pub alone, I promise."
"I will burry anyone who dares to harm one of my girls or damages my pub...the other four were lucky."
The girls were amazed that Mia didn´t even shrank down in the presence of Ottar and dared to say such things to him. They couldn´t know just how strong Mia was...that there was a good chance if Freya would update her status, that Mia also would be a level seven.
Ottar nodded again and left, Mia locked the door after he left.
"Sy...r...meow..."
All heads turned around when they heard mumbling from Syr´s lap, Anya started to open her eyes, blinking.
"Anya! Are you okay?!"
"Meow...head...hurts..."
Sobbing, Helun leaned down and hugged Anya as much as she could. "Thank the gods...thank the gods you are okay!"
"Meow...Syr...you...okay?"
"Yes...thank you...thank you all so much!"
One by one, the other three got up and walked slowly to Anya and Syr, all five forming a hugging "bubble". Not one of them wanted to imagine what it would be like if something serious happened to one of them.
After they had calmed down and separated from each other, Helun wiped her eyes while Anya wobbily sat up.
"Ryu?"
"Yes?"
Helun´s eyes wandered to Astrea, so did Lunor´s and Chloe´s, Anya blinked tired. "Don´t you want to introduce us?"
"Oh right, this is..."
.
.
"Lady Riveria, here is the tea you asked for."
Alicia looked into the room from the door after she had knocked, holding a tray with a tea pot and three cups.
"Thank you Alicia."
The young elf put down the tray on Riveria´s table and left the room with a curious look at Bell.
"Riveria...you wanted to talk to us?"
Ais sat on a chair in front of Riveria´s desk, Bell on a chair next to her.
"Yes, there is something that you two need to hear...maybe you will understand the situation better. And I dare to say it will be better for you two...your relationship if you hear that."
Bell and Ais exchanged a short look before focussing on Riveria.
"Ais, you do remember the last month, right?"
"Hmmm.." Ais looked like she was in thoughts. "Mostly...some things are a bit blurry...and feel weird in my head."
Riveria´s gaze wandered to Bell. "Bell Cranel, do you remember everything?"
He looked more than uneasy. "Yes...except two days ago...my memories are blurry there."
"So it happened about that time."
"Hm? What do you mean Ms. Riveria?"
"Ais...you got bewitched by magic."
"Eh?"
"What?!"
"Yes...you might not remember, but from one day to another your behaviour changed and..." Riveria´s eyes wandered to Bell again. "How do you thought about Bell Cranel."
"You can just say "Bell" if you want, Ms. Riveria."
"Thank you...Bell."
Ais looked worried and confused. "My...behaviour changed?"
"Yes...at first it was not very noticable, but Bete followed you into the dungeon...to say you were angry would be like to say that water is a little bit wet."
"Angry?"
Riveria nodded. "He said you slaughtered monsters like there is no tomorrow...and you were screaming."
Ais looked even more confused...she didn´t rememberred that.
Riveria looked at Bell again. "Bell C...Bell...please you must understand that, what Ais did to you...that was not her free will."
"She..." He looked at Ais. "You...was bewitched?"
The elf continued. "It was a strong magic that influenced Ais´ feelings...but only towards you. It suppressed all the love she felt for you...and made her despise...hate you."
Bell´s eyes widened. "That´s why...you slapped me?"
Ais looked shocked. "I slapped you?!"
"You don´t remember?"
"No."
He touched his cheek when he rememberred it.
Ais slowly raised her hand and placed it on Bell´s, she felt really bad. "On...this cheek?"
"Yes..."
"Bell..." Tears came to her eyes. "Sorry...I´m...*Hic*...so sorry..."
"Ais..." He had also tears in his eyes.
Both got a bit closer to each other.
"Ahem." Riveria coughed lightly. "Can you...do that later? When you are alone?"
"Oh S-Sorry..."
"Sorry...Riveria..."
"So to continue, Ais please don´t be mad but we monitored you."
"Why?"
"We were worried, you were so in love with Bell that the change was too sudden and extreme. At first we thought Bell had might done something horrible to you...or tried to do something to you."
"I would never!"
"I know that, I heard enough about you from Tiona, Lefiya and Ais."
"O-Oh..."
"So...to conitnue...Ais as I said we monitored you since we weren´t sure what exactly happened...and we had a few people take a look at you...Bell."
He just nodded, not wanting to interrupt her.
"The longer the time went, the more angry you got in the dungeon...and then Loki noticed the other thing."
"Other thing?" Ais tilted her head, a habit of her.
"You cried...in your sleep."
"I...cried?"
"Yes...and you mumbled Bell´s name."
Both looked at each other again.
"Whatever this magic was that messed with your feelings, your subconscious fought against it."
"I...don´t really...understand..."
"Me neither..."
Riveria smiled slightly. "You could say that your love for Bell was much stronger than the magic that was casted on you."
After a few moments Ais blushed fiercly, smiled happily and squeaked a bit when Bell looked at her. That it was said so openly that she was so in love with Bell ... was kind of a little embarrassing...even if it made her happy.
"Bell...please understand that you wasn´t the only one suffering. I don´t want to downplay what you had to go through...but please...please...Ais didn´t wanted to do that...she wasn´t herself."
"I understand."
It wasn´t like Bell doubted Ais, but the experience had hurt him and he needed time to process it.
"You two will have enough time to talk to each other about it, but please let me continue for now. You have to hear everything."
Riveria took a deep breath. "After the incident today and your blurry mind two days ago...we think that the same person tried to do the same thing to you, Bell."
"To...me?"
"Yes, from the way all of it happened, the person who did that wanted to separate you two. Wanted you two to break up."
"But...why?"
"We think the reason is you, Bell."
"Me?"
"Yes...it seems the person wanted you for herself...and since it didn´t worked...that was probably why those two attacked you."
"But what do they have to do with it?"
"They are her children."
"Children? Wait...does that mean..."
Ais´ eyes widened when she understood it too.
"Most likely it is the goddess Freya who was behind that. We can´t be sure when or why...but she seemed to take a liking to you Bell...and she wanted you for herself."
"But...I never...no...barely talked to her...only...at that...party...for a moment..."
"Some gods go strange ways...maybe you caught her eyes in another way."
"But can we sure? I mean...a goddess...liking...me?"
"If I am informed correctly...many girls have their eyes on you...or took a liking to you...why not a goddess?"
Bell was in thoughts for a moment...what Riveria said was true...embarrassing as it was. Hestia really loved Bell...and not only in a way how a goddess loved her follower. And then...there was Artemis...he never talked with anyone about the night at the lake with her, what they had talked about and promised to each other. But Artemis was honest to him that she had fallen in love with him.
"But...goddess Freya...never talked to me...about that..."
"Let me ask you a simple question, what would you have answered?"
"I had to decline."
"Why?"
"Because..." His eyes wandered to Ais. "I..I...only one girl...is in...my heart."
Ais smiled abashed and touched with her fingers slightly Bell´s.
"And that was probably what she was thinking too, some gods are not good with accepting rejection."
"Ha..."
"Mmmh..." Ais looked uneasy.
"Ais?"
"She can´t have Bell...he is my ra-...Bell is my...boy...friend..." Her voice got lower to the end, too embarrassed to say it loud.
She definetely wanted to say "He is my Rabbit."..
"So...goddess Freya...used magic? I thought that is forbidden for gods."
"We don´t know if it was her, maybe it was a tool or one of her children did it for her."
Riveria didn't like to lie to them, but they weren't allowed to know the truth that Loki had told her. She had promised to Loki to not tell anyone about it...Ais and Bell would only have more trouble if they knew it...and those two deserved to have a bit of peace.
"So...she sent her children...to...kill us...after...it...didn´t worked?..." Ais looked uneasy and a bit angry.
"That we don´t know...from the behaviour of her children...they were really angry...but the Warlord...he said something about not her will. Loki and goddess Hestia will investigate about Freya...this is something between gods."
Bell and Ais looked at each other, before they took a deep breath and sighed.
Doing that in unison...cute...
Even Riveria couldn´t help but think so.
"And the duel is the only way to prevent open war in Orario."
"Yes, her children attacked you and the others, and we heard that other children of her attacked the Hostess."
"WHAT?!"
"Bell...please don´t shout so loud...I am an elf..."
"Oh...s-sorry..."
Ais smiled to him. "Riveria´s ears are really sensitive...and ticklish..."
"Ais!" Riveria got red, that wasn´t something that Bell needed to know.
"S-sorry..."
"Why did they attack the pub?!"
"We don´t know, but apparently the four attackers are half dead...it wasn´t a good idea to mess with Mia Grande."
"I just hope everyone is safe..."
"You can go tomorrow and talk to them, but please remember that from tomorrow noon...you two will train like never before for the duel."
"Yes!"
"Mh!"
Both nodded.
"I asked Bete to train with you, his fighting style is...at least similar to Allen Fromel."
"Bete agreed? Just like that?" Ais got big eyes.
"He said he has one condition."
"Oh?"
Riveria cleared her throat. "Ahem..."Only if you kick their asses"..."
As an elf it was not a sentence that Riveria liked to say out loud.
They continued to talk a little while about the matter before Riveria slightly clapped her hands.
"Okay, the most important things are talked about...I think it is time that you two talk to each other...alone."
Ais and Bell nodded, they longed to have a long talk.
"Bell...we don´t have any free guest rooms...so...haa...I don´t like to say that...you have...to sleep in Ais´ room."
"O-Oh..."
"Mmmh!"
Both were equally red.
"I expect you two ... to do nothing indecent ..."
"O-Of course not!"
"W-We won´t!"
"Okay...then go and talk you two, I will inform Loki that we talked about everything.
While Bell and Ais left the room...and Bell followed Ais...it dawned to him...he would see Ais´ room for the first time...and be alone with her in it. He had no indecent or lewd thoughts...but it was a special situation.
Ais´ heart pounded more and more the closer they came to her room. She glanced to him with pink cheeks, both didn´t said a word. Eventually they stopped in front of a door.
"S-So...this is...my room..."
"Y-Yes..."
Why am I so nervous...
They had slept next to each other...or Ais on top of Bell, but doing that in her room...felt like a next step. Ais opened the door and let Bell walk inside, before closing it behind her. Both were too focussed on each other to notice the two amazon twins that glanced around a corner, both squealing slightly when they heard Ais closing but not locking her door.
Ais! Good luck!
Claim your rabbit!
Ais turned on the light in her room and Bell couldn´t help but let his eyes wander around for a moment.
"Bell..please...don´t stare...too much..." Somehow it was a bit embarrassing to let Bell see her room like this.
"O-Oka-.."
She followed his gaze when he fell silent...and got deep red when she noticed the bunny plushy on the bed. Not only had it white fur, red eyes and a hairstyle like Bell...Ais got her hands on a small armor made from leather...that looked like the chestplate Bell used...and next to it lied some panties of her...
"Hiiiiii!" Ais jumped onto her bed while Bell averted his eyes.
"B-Bell?!"
"Y-Yes?"
"Did you...see?"
"N-No! I d-didn´t see n-nothing...I mean anything!"
"Mmmmh..." Now Ais was really embarrassed.
He waited with closed eyes while she moved around her room, hiding everything Bell shouldn´t see...yet.
"You can...open."
"Mh.."
It was Bell´s first time in a maiden´s room...and Ais´ first time letting a boy come into her room. Not that they intended to do anything lewd or indecent...but it was a big step for them.
Eventually both rememberred after a few minutes what they wanted to talk about. Ais sat down on her bed with crossed legs, the back leaned against the backrest of her bed and hugging her pillow...the plushy was squeezed into a tight spot in the edge, looking at her with a pained face.
"Ais...can I...sit...there?" He pointed at the edge of her bed.
"Mhm..."
Bell is...on my...bed...
Both took some deep breaths to calm down.
"Bell?"
"Yes?"
"Would you...tell me...what I did...to you?"
"That wasn´t really you..."
"Please...I want to know...no I have to know...what you went through...please..."
He felt one of her fingers tapping against his hand, without looking at their hands, both entangled their pinkie´s...holding hands on Ais´ bed would be too much.
"I...when we met at the usual place...you were...angry."
"Oh."
"Yes...you yelled at me...how I could...steal your first kiss...that you hated me."
"Oh..."
"Then...you slapped me...spat on the ground...and left."
"Oh..."
"When I wanted...to follow you...you readied your sword."
"Ais?" Bell turned his face to her.
Tears were glistening in her eyes. "Bell...I´m so...sorry...can you...forgive me?" She sounded pleadingly.
"Ais...I don´t have to...that wasn´t you...you didn´t wanted to do that."
"But still...I did..."
"Ais...I..."
"Bell please! Do you know how much it hurts me that I did that to you? I know...it was much harder for you...but...that I hit...that I hurt...you...it..."
Her lower lip trembled, she didn´t intended to take the spot of the victim, but her heart hurt by the thought of that moment. His pinke closed a bit around hers...his heart hurt too by the memory of that day.
But seing Ais so sorry...there was no way that Bell was angry. The memories...the desperation...that was what hurt...and to think that it was a goddess doing that to him. Was he angry at Freya for doing that to them?
Maybe a little bit...but Bell was still Bell and so pure at his heart that he didn´t felt hatred towards her. He already had decided that he would try to get to Freya himself and talk to her, ask for her reason.
Bell was convinced that even gods were able to make horrible mistakes...maybe she was desperate over something. At least he should hear what she had to say.
His emotions started to break it´s way...his lower lip trembled too, with a halting voice he started to tell Ais what happened after they had "broken up". Her face grew more and more pale...tears flowed down her cheeks and she could only look at Bell while she covered her mouth with her free hand. Magic or not, charmed or not...Ais had the feeling that she did that to Bell.
"Bell...sorry...sorry...I´m so sorry!" She cried openly without holding back...not because she wanted to be forgiven...but that it was her...or her controlled body...that gave Bell so much suffering...broke her heart.
"You don´t have to!" He couldn´t help but cry too.
"But you suffered so much!"
"It wasn´t your fault!"
"You felt such despair!"
"Not because of you!"
She placed her free hand gently on the cheek where he got slapped. "Here?...It was...here?"
"Yes..."
Ais got up to her knees, leaned forward and kissed Bell on the cheek. "I´m so sorry..."
"Ais...I..."
She looked at him from up close...her eyes told him he could do everything with her that he wanted and she would be okay with it. In a reflex since she didn´t knew what to do, Ais put her free arm gently around his neck and pulled him closer to her, gently pushing his face into her bosom.
"Bell...I´m...so sorry..."
Ais heard him sob when his arm was put around her waist, both pulled each other into a tight hug...and started to cry for real together. Their bodies trembled under the strong sobs...they were so relieved to be united again. Bell burried his face into the valley of her breasts and held Ais close to him.
He cried over the thought that they almost had lost each other completely. They let go with their pinkie´s and hugged the other with both arms, Ais´ tears fell down onto Bell´s hair, she cried over the thought how much he suffered. What hurt both way more than their own suffering, was how much the one they loved so much had suffered.
After a while they calmed down a little bit, he raised his face from her bosom and both looked at each other.
"Bell..."
"Ais..."
Slowly she lowered her head until their lips nearly touched..they waited a tiny moment before their lips met in a loving, gentle kiss. The kiss was as special as the first one they ever had, it was the first time that they were alone in one of their rooms, that they did that on a bed. When they had met in the city...that kiss felt a bit strange, but now that they had talked to each other...opened their hearts to each other...it felt just right. To feel the others lips...that softness...the taste...it was magical. Their hands slowly wandered to the front and they entangled them and their fingers. Holding hands while kissing felt even better for both.
After a few moments they slowly separated their lips, feeling the others breath on their faces.
"Ais...I love you..."
"Bell...I love you...I really do...now...and forever...my heart...is yours..."
Their eyes shined and they kissed again, slowly sinking down on the bed. Bell stopped for a moment and looked at Ais, who lied under him, the arms next to her...she was completely open and defensless, slowly his body sank down on hers and they kissed again.
They kept cuddling and kissing for a long time, in that night both healed their wounded hearts...and in the end...slept in each others arms. Ais lied lightly on top of Bell, her face burried in his neck, her chest pressed onto his...it was her favorite sleeping position, but they kept their shirts on.
After a few hours, the door was slightly opened a little bit and two pairs of eyes glanced inside. The amazon sisters smiled happily when they saw Ais in Bell´s arms.
Their smiles only widened when they heard them mumble.
"Wuv you..."
"Love you..."
The amazons had expected both to perhaps have their first night together...but amazons had a different way of thinking. If one would not count the month where they were separated, they were only a couple for a week now. Also it was way, way too early for them to have such thoughts...and they were too innocent for that.
Beginning with that night, both wouldn´t get separated until the beginning of the duel...except for time in the bathroom. Ais was a bit sad that she wasn´t allowed to bath with Bell, but not only Riveria was against that. But Ais was adamant about sleeping together with Bell...the only one unhappy about this was her plushy. It was still squeezed into a corner and looked with a crumpled face as if Ais had betrayed it...it´s sleeping spot was taken.
When both would wake up in the morning, they felt happines about seeing the other as the first thing. They shared a gentle, good morning kiss...even though they were a bit shy...it was the first morning after sharing a bed together...the nights in the tent felt different.
.
.
.
.
Authors Note: So they have found together again and what was the source of their desparation. I´m statisfied with this chapter and I hope you all are too, let´s see what their training looks like.