Alvarr hefted the sword and immediately began to swing at Em. Barely dodging him, Em parried his blade and backed up a step. After recovering, Alvarr charged again. This time, Alvarr managed to parry his strike and tap his side before he could recover. "You're dead," he said.
Em scowled. "Hell's teeth, I could've won that!" he growled.
Ruadan rolled his eyes. "Enough, you two. Em, Alvarr's been working on his swordplay for nearly six years, and you only have for two. He's bound to be more skilled. Still, you held your own against him. Good job, lad."
Em brightened at his teacher's praise. Ruadan was prickly and strict sometimes, but he cared for his charges like a father. Em wanted nothing more than to please him.
"Now, how can magic help in a swordfight?" Ruadan inquired.
"You can put up a magical shield to block an opponent's parry," Em said.
"Or use defensive spells and your sword at the same time," Alvarr added.
"You could also use magic to snap tree branches, use sticks or roots to trip them—anything to help you win."
"Why might using magic whilst fighting be counterproductive, Alvarr?"
"You could get distracted more easily, and lower your defenses," Alvarr said after carefully considering for a moment.
Ruadan grinned widely. This was exactly what he wanted from his students. He wanted them to think critically and analytically, not just memorize and parrot back information they barely understood. He wanted them to think for themselves.
"Warrior-magicians are quite rare, just because of the amount of concentration and training it takes to become one. Magic-users, at least the practitioners of good magic, tend to favor pacifism, especially the Druids. The Dragonlords will go to war when necessary." Ruadan looked right at Em when he said this. "So most Druids will never learn to fight with a sword like this."
"Except our generation, and those born after it," Alvarr muttered.
Ruadan raised his eyebrows. "Why do you say that?"
"Many of Druids my age, myself included, watched as Camelot slaughtered their families like dogs. If their families knew how to fight, they might still be alive. So they're going to want to know how to fight."
Ruadan shook his head. "Your people have always practiced pacifism—it is the very center of Druidic culture. I hope Druids never feel that have to learn how to fight."
"They already do. I'm sick of having to cower in the shadows. One day, we will fight back," Alvarr said. Em's eyes widened at the vehemence of his friend's words.
Ruadan pressed his lips together. "You're entitled to your opinion. Now, resume your positions and try to disarm your opponent."
Ruadan had stormed off into the forest to hunt after lessons were finished for the day. Em and Adelina were in the stables, tending to the animals. Em milked the cow, and Adelina was feeding their three goats.
"Why is Ruadan so mad?" Adelina asked. She scratched the billy goat under the chin.
Alvarr was being difficult during training today, Em said.
I wish Ruadan would let me train with you two.
You're a fire mage. You have to focus on honing your magic, not your fighting skills.
It's because I'm a girl. I know it.
Em sighed. "Adelina, you know that's not why. Has Ruadan ever denied you any opportunities?"
"Learning how to use a sword."
"It's not even that fun. My muscles always ache afterwards, and I usually end up covered in bruises from it."
From what? Freya, in her Bastet form, sauntered into the stables. She reached Em's hip, now. Her glossy black wings were tucked against her back.
"Weapons training," Em said. "Why are you Shifted?"
Felt like it. Freya bumped her head against Em's leg. See if you can still pick me up!
"No! You're almost as big as Bear!" At the sound of his name, their guard dog wagged his tail. Adelina went to go pet him.
Alvarr would have said yes. The nine-year-old was trying to guilt trip him.
"Alvarr's fifteen, and a lot bigger than I am. I didn't even pick you up when you were tiny," Em argued. "You have sharp claws."
They're not that sharp.
"Oh yes they are!"
"Quit squabbling, Em, there's work to be done," Adelina sighed. Em rolled his eyes and returned to milking. Freya watched him, her bright blue eyes boring into him.
"Freya, please, that's creepy," Em practically begged.
I'm practicing my intimidation skills!
"Apparently they're working." Adelina giggled.
Em groaned. "Not you too, Lina!"
They continued their banter for a while, Freya following them around as they did the chores. Freya got off because she did most of the cooking and cleaning inside these days. Alvarr tended the garden and chopped the wood.
They all flinched when Ruadan suddenly screamed through his magic. WHERE ARE YOU?
Freya, Adelina, and I are in the stables, Alvarr's taking a nap. What's wrong? Em asked frantically.
What is it? Alvarr yelled.
Adelina and Em, saddle the horses. Alvarr, grab all the weapons and food. Freya, you get the bedrolls and clothes, and load up as many books into that spelled bag of mine. We have to leave now, I spotted bandits roaming the woods. We depart when I get back. Give me fifteen minutes, I'm moving as fast as I can.
Freya sprinted outside and into the hut. Adelina put the bridles on the horses, while Em put their saddles and pads on them. He slung the saddle bags over their backs. When he finished his task, he saw Adelina crying.
What's the matter?
The animals. We're going to have to abandon them. They'll starve.
Em whistled to Bear. "Follow," he commanded. Then he opened the gates of the goats' and cow's pen. The chickens just roamed around the yard by themselves. "If there's an attack, they can escape."
"What about Iris?" Adelina whispered. Iris was a kitten Iseldir had brought from Sabhailte as a birthday present for her.
"Make a sling from your shawl and carry her in it." Em tugged her outside and into the hut. Adelina immediately went to grab the kitten. She wrapped her shawl into a sling and gave Em a watery smile. Em went over to where Freya was dumping Ruadan's numerous books into a bag spelled to hold a large amount of objects and not become weighed down. Em picked up books from the Dragonlord chest by the armful. In about five minutes, they had managed to dump all three hundred into the bag. When Em slipped the pack on, he marveled at its lightness.
Alvarr went outside to strap their bedrolls to the horses' saddles. Freya helped him lead them out of the stables and to the front of the hut. Em and Adelina stuffed the saddle bags with food, medicine, and clothes.
By then, Ruadan sprinted out of the forest. Mount up, now!
Em mounted his horse and then gave Freya a hand up. She clung to him, trembling. Alvarr hoisted Bear onto the back on his saddle and mounted up. When Em raised his eyebrows, Alvarr simply took a leather strap and used it to secure the dog to the saddle.
"I won't leave that dog behind," was all the older boy said.
Just as Adelina got on her horse, two men on foot appeared behind Ruadan. The Dragonlord swore and ran even faster. They must have spotted my trail. Leave, now!
We won't leave you! Freya cried. Let me Shift, Ruadan. I can kill them.
And risk Uther hearing about a Shifter in these parts? It would lead to the death sentence to all the Druids in the area. Ruadan finally reached them. He swung into his saddle and dug his heels into his horse. "Go, Ward, go!" The gelding whickered and broke into a gallop. Alvarr, Adelina, and Em did the same.
The men on foot stopped when they realized that the Druids had a lead on horseback. They ran back into the forest.
They gave up, Em said.
No, they went back to get reinforcements. Ruadan urged Ward to go even faster.
They stopped hours later, sheltering by a little pond Ruadan had set up as a hideout just in case. There was a cave big enough to hide four children, a man, four horses, a dog, and a kitten. Ruadan cast a glamour over the cave, and Em made thick plants grow around the entrance. Freya and Adelina prayed to Nature to shield them from harm.
It was an awful, terror-filled night. Eventually, the bandits found their tracks and spent three hours searching the area around the pond and the cave for them.
"They've gotta be here, they gotta," one bandit yelled after the first hour. Freya sobbed in silence. Alvarr wrapped his arms around her, rocking the tiny nine-year-old back and forth, back and forth.
How did they find us? Em asked Ruadan. This area is practically impossible to get to.
They must have come over the mountains.
Will they find my camp?
No, it is too well hidden. We must make our way there, in the morning.
What if they don't leave?
Then we fight. Ruadan's hands sparked with magic and he looked away, troubled. Try to sleep. It will be a long day tomorrow.
None of them slept a wink.
The main group of bandits—Ruadan estimated there was around a dozen of them—broke off in the early morning and went to search in other places. They left three men behind, in case their targets reappeared. One slept, while the other two seemed pretty alert despite being up all night. Knowing they would have to battle their way out, the Druids prepared for a fight. Ruadan silently unsheathed his sword. Em let his magic flow to his fingertips, and Alvarr's eyes burned gold. A tongue of flame appeared in Adelina's palm. Freya Shifted, and Bear bared his teeth.
You must fight to kill, Ruadan ordered. All of you. Our lives are at stake. Forget what your people have taught you right now. You must survive.
Adelina blanched. Ruadan—
Lina, you have to, Alvarr said. He placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.
Shaking, the girl gave a tiny nod.
They crept to the entrance of the cave. Ruadan nodded once, and then gave his signal. Bear was the first out. He appeared out of the thick underbrush Em had grown last night, tail wagging. He approached the bandits slowly.
One raised his sword. "What's this, Olaf?" he said to the other one.
"Some mutt. Don't let him get too close, Aldred."
Aldred rolled his eyes. "His tail's a-wagging away. Cummere, boy." He patted his knee, and Bear came even closer. Just when the bandit was about to pet him, Bear lunged and seized the man's arm with his teeth. The bandit yelled in pain, and Olaf got ready to swing his sword. The third bandit started to wake up.
Em stepped out of the cave and threw a ball of magical energy at Olaf. The man grunted as the ball shocked him. Ruadan charged out, yelling, and cut the third bandit down before the man had time to react.
Alvarr lunged at Aldred. The bandit still had a very angry Bear hanging off his arm. When Alvarr's sword sank into his gut, he finally stopped screaming and dropped to the ground. Bear kept tearing at the corpse until Adelina told him to stop.
Em and Freya saw to Olaf. He threw another "energy ball" at the man, shocking him again. Freya used this opportunity to seize the man's neck between her jaws. She slashed his jugular with her teeth, and he bled out.
When all three were finally dead, Ruadan signaled to the children. "Mount up. We must get out of here."
They spelled their horses' hooves to hide their tracks this time, and headed in the general direction of Sábháilte.