Chapter 142
The Horned King had avoided the inevitable until a week or so after the celebration. The idea of giving her such a thing on her birthday seemed almost inappropriate, and he hadn't wished to disrupt the lighthearted party mood that had hung over the entire day. He had heavily debated this for months and knew he could wait no longer. Fates knew this was not something he wished to do, but previous circumstances had forced his hand and brought the possibilities of Avalina's future back to mind, and that, to an extent, he had some control as to how her future might turn out.
"Bring her to me," he dredged lowly to the Invisible in the room, who left instantly.
The lich, now alone, slowly let out a soft sigh and waited.
When she came in, he could sense her faintly worried curiosity before he slowly turned to her. He had not sent for her in some time, and with her being near him so frequently there had been no need to. No doubt she was wondering why he had called for her when she had not been outside an hour yet.
"I will not trouble you long," he rumbled as she neared him.
"You're not troubling me," she answered, although he could tell she had picked up on his reluctance almost immediately. "What's wrong?" she asked, furrowing her brows faintly.
The lich took a breath. For some reason this was going to be harder to speak than he had anticipated, but he would not evade the facts.
"Child, I must teach you to defend yourself. That brush a few weeks ago was too close for comfort."
Avalina stiffened in faint fright at his words, but he could not let it deter him. This was the last thing he wanted to do but her life might depend on it someday in the future, and if he was not around to protect her...she needed to know this.
"But nothing happened," she said softly, almost as if she were trying to reassure him. "You came."
"If I had been only a moment later, Avalina, I would have been too late," he told her, keeping his voice calm. He didn't want to unduly frighten her but she had to see his point. "That is why I am giving you this."
To anyone else it would have looked like he drew the small sheathed dagger from midair, but Avalina knew the Invisibles must have handed it to him, which he in turn handed to her, point facing him. Gingerly she took it, unable to ignore the craftsmanship on the leather. The chape and locket...that is, the metal tip preventing the wearer getting stabbed and the bit at the top to allow wearing the dagger at one's belt...shone faintly in the poor lighting of the Horned King's chambers, but Avalina could see it was tempered steel. Something she noted about it was that the sheath had a narrow width of steel running down both sides of it where the blade's sides would lay inside the covering, connecting the chape and locket to each other, a trait she'd never seen before on a sheath before but saw the sense of at once. The tiny steel "rods" kept the leather straight for easy drawing and sheathing of the weapon.
"Draw it," the Horned King rumbled, and slowly Avalina did so, noticing the fine craft of the blade as its full seven shining inches of length came from the holster. She knew little of weapons, but it looked a bit smaller than she thought normal, and the point glittered dangerously in the dimness.
The lich watched her carefully as she studied it. He would have preferred to have given her one with a longer blade but this would fit her well. Not having the strength of most people she needed a short, quick weapon that wasn't quite so heavy and more easily concealed than the standard. It didn't have the reach or power of even the smallest type of sword, but it would have to do. Only a little larger than he imagined a peasant's kitchen knife would be, (which doubtless Avalina had used all her life before she came here) this would no doubt be the easiest weapon to teach her to use.
"Well?" he asked.
After a moment, Avalina murmured softly, looking up at him. "It's very sharp." Glancing back down at the blade, he saw a faint flinch as her eyes followed the blood channel that ran from nearly the hilt almost all the way to the tip, and he knew she was thinking about what it was for.
"You may use it for anything that serves your need," he told her, attempting to make the idea a bit more acceptable. "No doubt a blade will be useful in your garden for some purpose."
Avalina smiled faintly up at him. "Yes. Thank you sir. It's...very well made."
The Horned King knew she hadn't been able to bring herself to call a killing tool 'beautiful' and had settled for something else, but he knew she appreciated it, and her compliment was satisfactory.
"Why is the sheath lined with fur?" she asked him, after squinting in the dim light at it for a few moments. "I've never seen one like this before."
"That is because many humans simply do not think when making them," he replied. "No pains are wasted on the blade, but the holster is often overlooked, and therefore many weapons rust away no matter how well cared for they are. But not so with this one. The fur has been oiled to prevent the blade decaying, and makes for a much faster draw."
"Oh," Avalina said, suddenly appreciating the common sense of the maker.
"Note the grooved steel rods running the length of the blade inside the holster as well," the lich continued. "They are not there merely to hold the leather straight, but to sharpen the blade with every draw and sheathing. There is a thin layer of whetstone inside the groove."
Avalina said nothing, speechless with amazement at the cunning work in her hands, before she asked, "Did you make this?"
"No, child, not this one," the Horned King rumbled with what sounded like faint amusement. "The Invisibles crafted it exactly as I instructed."
"Have you ever made weapons?" she asked curiously.
"More than the stones in this castle," he replied. "But that was long ago."
"Was learning hard?"
"I was a Huntsman. Weapons were second nature to me. However, I was never granted the time nor had the interest to make a weapon like the one you hold now. There is none like it in the world, to the best of my knowledge."
"I can believe it," Avalina marveled.
The lich gave a faint, pleased nod, before firmly going into the first self-defense lesson he had ever taught anyone.
"Contrary to what you may read about in your fairy tales and even some misguided history books, there is no such thing as a knife 'fight'. It will not be a duel, it will not be a joust you see civilized people doing or you may read about in stories. It will be combat, and chances are it will only last a few seconds. One uses a weapon against another not to fight, but to win, and if your opponent knows you have a knife he will do everything in his power to prevent you from doing so."
Avalina nodded, trying to absorb this and ignore how much the prospect of injuring someone...or someone injuring her...frightened her.
"Your opponent will not be looking for a fight," the Horned King continued. "He will be attempting to assassinate. As such, regardless of how quick you are, the odds are you will not have time to draw your weapon before you realize he has one. Therefore the absolute /last/ thing you should do is try and fight him. Nor should you let him know you have a weapon. Keep it concealed at all times, if possible."
"But, sir," Avalina asked softly, "If I'm too slow to even defend myself, why did you give me this?"
A long tense pause followed, before he firmly replied.
"Because this weapon is not to fight with. Its purpose is to wound or kill if need be."
Avalina eyes widened in dread.
"Simply wounding someone and remaining to fight will only worsen your situation," he told her. "If the predicament is dire enough to draw your weapon, then killing, more often than not, is the only way out. Particularly with a knife, there is no middle ground. However, if the slightest opportunity to flee arises, take it. Do not linger to do damage."
Shaking, Avalina nodded.
"Another myth many foolishly believe is that you will have time to aim for a certain area of the body," the Horned King continued. "I have personally seen soldiers do this and they invariably lost, as their opponent simply did not care where they struck, so long as they overwhelmed and killed them. If you are ever forced to draw your weapon, aim for what is closest, regardless of what that is. The pain has a possibility of causing your opponent to withdraw slightly and allowing you to escape."
Noticing how pale she had become, the Horned King decided that was enough lecturing for now, unhurriedly moving to stand at her right side. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"I don't want to kill," she whispered faintly, "I don't want to hurt people..."
"Nor do I wish you to," he said. "However, I would prefer you to do so and and live than other possibilities."
Trembling, Avalina nodded.
"Now," the lich said, taking her hand and slowly guiding her fingers around the handle, "The most beneficial method to hold your dagger is like so, and grip it as tightly as you possibly can. Good. Hide behind the blade at all times. If possible, always protect your throat with your free hand."
He brought her left hand up and demonstrated. "It is your most vulnerable point."
Standing nearly behind her and taking her right wrist in his hand, he smoothly moved her arm with his. "If possible and he is in front of you, swipe like this, and quickly." He swung the blade swiftly in the dimness. "Hold no strength or speed in reserve, and the instant he pulls away, flee. Keep your spare hand up, it can save your life."
They continued for over an hour, the Horned King guiding her arm through the air in various stabs and slashes, instructing as he did so.
"Do not solely depend upon your blade. Many people think of it as an extension of the hand, therefore they fail to concentrate on the rest of their body and do not live to tell about it. Your whole being comes into play in these instances. Regardless, remember in a knife fight, the loser dies on the ground, the winner often dies in the tent. I cannot emphasize this enough, child. Never engage unless you absolutely have to. You /run/. Do you understand?"
"Yes," she shivered, and he relented, releasing her wrist.
"That is enough for today. I am not trying to frighten you, but I do not want you caught unawares again."
"I kn-know," she answered, putting her dagger away, "And I appreciate what you're doing. But it still frightens me."
"The moment you are not frightened is when you become foolish," the lich replied. "I have seen many fall because they chose to fight rather than flee. If you wish to escape badly enough, you will find a way. Now, enough disheartening lecture. Run along and enjoy the sunlight."
"Sir?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"If...if I run, does that make me a...a coward?"
"No, child," the Horned King said, a faint thread of shock making itself known in his words. "Not at all. You are no such thing. Running to preserve your life is not wrong. It is the intelligent choice. And if you ever think of lingering when you can flee instead, my wrath will be worse than any injuries you may sustain."
"Yes sir," she said softly. "But soldiers who run from battle are cowards, aren't they?"
The lich took a breath and resisted the urge to rub his temples. "Yes. But you are not a soldier, and I have no wish for you to act like one. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir."
He nodded, relieved to have gotten out of such a delicate subject.
"Would you like to ride Mitternacht in the courtyard later?" she asked hopefully a few moments later, to which he faintly smiled.
"That should not be a question," he said almost playfully, and she smiled herself. "I can come now if you wish."
"Yes please!" she laughed happily, "Come on!"
Later that afternoon, the sun beginning to turn reddish orange as it sank lower in the western sky, Avalina walked through one of the many meadows that now graced the once-barren landscape, feeling both elated at the progress the Horned King and Mitternacht were making, and somewhat troubled too with the weight of the dagger that now lay against her hip. It felt so foreign and out of place here...she resisted the urge to take it off and put it in Mitternacht's saddlebag for the upteenth time and sighed softly.
Her thoughts brightened upon seeing some new flowerbuds had finally bloomed, and she knelt down to look them over properly.
A soft breeze brought the scent of water to her, and she looked up, noticing the lake lapping softly at the shore only a few dozen yards from her. On the bank stood Mitternacht, staring out over the sapphire water like a king surveying his domain. The sunlit water reflected in dancing patterns on his black coat, making him look like something from the realm of the supernatural, and Avalina caught her breath, staring at him. Truly he was a creature to behold.
The black noble tossed his mane somewhat carelessly, lowering his head to the lapping water at his hooves, and after a few seconds of sniffing, he licked the surface cautiously with his tongue, snorting at the water. A moment later he dipped his muzzle in and drank.
Avalina stared at him in growing apprehension, coming out of the meadow to stand beside him on the bank. The water was so bad he had never even neared it before, and even the plants had steered clear, refusing to grow close, but now they were sprouting up all over the banks, leaving a few feet of pebbly, sandy ground near the water empty. It couldn't be, could it?
Mitternacht turned to her, shoving his wet muzzle into her hand, leaving the liquid dripping from her fingers, and she sniffed it, a puzzled look appearing on her face. The water smelled...fresh. She noticed it seemed to have a cleaner sparkle than she remembered, and after kneeling on the bank, she cupped some in her palm and took a small sip, eyes going wide.
The water was...good! She took another drink. It tasted clear and sweet and cold, just as it should, and somewhere out on the lake she heard a fish splash. The lake was clean again!
"But...but how?" she asked to no one in particular, watching the sun dance on the water. "How can this be?"
There was no answer.
After a few minutes the sun sank, but its light still remained, enabling her to see for a while longer, and Mitternacht gave a soft observative rumble in his chest, causing Avalina to look away from the lake to where he was staring.
A small group of deer were at the water's edge some two hundred yards away, little more than a shapeless mass in the swift-approaching gloom, but they were there. They kept looking in her direction, eyeing the horse but instinctively knowing he meant them no harm, either ignoring or not noticing Avalina kneeling behind the black animal. Too far away in the dusk to see how many, Avalina could only stare in amazement and joy as they took their drinks, before meandering off into the meadow.
She had never seen anything bigger than a bird since she arrived here, nor had she seen a deer in many months. Even this poor glimpse of them sent her heart racing in delight. Perhaps the next time she saw them it wouldn't be under cover of darkness! And if deer were here now, did that mean other animals might come as well?
She could hear them grazing for some time, their heads bobbing up and disappearing in the grass, and she could have listened to them all night, with the lake softly murmuring at her feet, before she realized Creeper was bound to come looking for her before too long.
Quietly, so as not to disturb the herd, she slipped quietly into the saddle and turned Mitternacht to the castle, who took slow, unhurried strides. Staying downwind, they slipped away, not wishing to frighten off what Avalina hoped would be frequent visitors.
"Deer?"
"Yes! A whole herd of them drinking at the lake! And sir, the water...it's good again! I drank it! After Mitternacht, of course."
"And you say the fish are back as well?"
"Well, I think so. I thought I heard one splash, but I never saw it."
"Hm."
This barrage of news had apparently sent the Horned King into deep thought. He remained so for some minutes, and Avalina waited patiently for him to come out of it, before suddenly giggling as a thought occurred to her. This was enough to bring him back to the present.
"What is it, child?" he asked, noting a particularly bright twinkle in her deep green eyes.
"I was just thinking," she said, sounding entirely too innocently to be genuine, "I think I know why all the trees and plants and stuff came back."
"Oh?"
"It's because you have two green thumbs!"
It took the lich a moment to comprehend what she had said, and a moment more to realize it came from /her/ mouth, before it clicked and he growled in a mixture of amusement and faint irritation, right as the Invisibles in the room burst out laughing.
"Why haven't we thought of /that/ one before?" one of them cried, sounding like it wanted to bang its head on something. "We've failed the master when it comes to teasing every aspect of his appearance!"
"Good job, Avalina!" another cackled, "We'll have you converted yet!"
"Keep your twisted, odious schemes to yourselves," the Horned King told them. "I will not have you polluting her mind as well." Turning to Avalina, he rumbled, "You have been in the Invisibles' company too long." However, the faint wrinkles around his eyes showed he was not truly angry and Avalina laughed.
"Not as long as you have, so what does that tell you?"
"It tells me I have acquired more tolerance for complete stupidity than I ever dreamed remotely possible in an entire millennium. I have reason to believe the Cauldron itself would self-destruct rather than put up with these creatures even half as long as I have."
"Green thumbs, green thumbs, green thumbs," the Invisibles muttered, sounding as if it were a step away from trying to rip its hair out. At least, assuming it had any. "I can't believe we overlooked /that/ one. It's a classic!"
"Look on the bright side," another said. "We still have the antlers."
"Bahahahaha! YES! Hey Randall, do you keep your antlers all year, or do you shed them like the rest of your ex-reindeer compadres?"
"They are horns," the lich corrected in a deadpan tone, much like a weary adult tells a bothersome toddler the same thing for the dozenth time. "And as such, they are permanent additions."
"...Are you sure, cause we could totally..."
"No," he said in the same tone. "That will /not/ be necessary."
"But it would be a breeze to..."
"No."
"And we've got these really cool feathers we could replace them with..."
"No."
"Aw come on, you're not even letting us fini..."
"Nor do I intend to," he cut in, already heading to the door. "Come, child. Perhaps you can tell me more about your evening without the bothersome influence of these mindless hirelings constantly interrupting you."
"But sir," Avalina laughed. "They haven't even /sung/ yet!"
"That won't be necessary," he ground hurriedly, but his words were overridden by a massive clang of an Invisible's cymbal.
"YANKEE DOODLE WENT TO TOWN
RIDING A PINK FLUFFY UNICORN
IT DANCED ON RAINBOWS AND MEOWED ALL DAY
WHILE YANKEE SPUN THE LADIES!
YANKEE DOODLE KEEP IT UP
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
YOU'RE QUITE A CLEVER FELLOW
WHEN YOUR PONY CAN ROAST MARSHMALLOWS! BAHAHAHAHA!"
This chapter took a /lot/ of research before I could write it accurately, I think. I studied everything related to defending yourself with a knife I could get my hands on. I hope it's not too overwhelming or wordy. XD But that bit about oily fur lining the scabbard is historically documented on many ancient weapons' sheaths people have found. It seemed only logical that the Horned King would know about it, being an ancient Huntsman and weapons' master and all. Lol
In case anyone isn't familiar with it, the Spanish "compadres" term the Invisibles used means buddy or pal or so forth in English. Something that struck me rather funnily is that it can also be a term for a godfather. The image of Rudolph being HK's godfather and Santa being HK's uncle and the other reindeer being HK's frat boys struck me as rather hysterical. Lol HK was /not/ amused. Bahahaha!
Again, I apologize for the nearly four-week stretch between chapters. Real-Life's been racking up on me and stuff. =( I'll try to update more frequently but I can't promise anything. XD Thank you all for reading and reviewing and all that wonderful jazz. =D The reviews on the last chapter were encouraging, and I thank you all for them. =D
Also, I would like to offer my condolences to Olmo for calling him a "her" in my last footnote. =X It was totally accidental, I swear, I just have a habit of calling /everyone/ over the internet "she" by habit cause that's what makes up 90% of my online acquaintances...I apologize for the mess-up, it won't happen again. XD
I got two new followers too in my absence! =D=D Thank you all so much! =D I hope to update again as soon as possible!