Title: Make Do Without (actual title, not just chapter title for collection-browsing purposes.)
Rating: T
Warnings: Blood, Language
Natalie swallowed as she peered out the window and watched the mob set another house on fire. She could hardly believe how violently everyone had seized onto the idea that the mages were the ones responsible for the mysterious cut off of mana. But, she couldn't stand around pondering the insanity. It was only a matter of time before the mob came to her own home to kill her. She had been open in revealing why she'd rented the small house, and hadn't thought anything of revealing her status as a former mage. It had just been a point of conversation during her outings.
Now, however, Natalie was regretting that decision. With Matt, Lance, and Anna away investigating the sudden cutoff, and her without mana she was all but defenseless. She'd need to run and hide far away from people and she would have to do it quickly. With that thought in mind, she dashed around her small home, throwing various useful items into her Adventure Pouch. She packed away a few boxes of matches, everything she had for treating injuries, some food, blankets, utensils, clothes, tools, and so on.
The whole process only took Natalie a few minutes, but it still felt like it took too long. She could hear the roars getting closer, coupled with screaming and chanting. She shivered as she slipped out a window into her backyard and shut it again. The mage stuck to the uncertain shadows, doing her best to ignore the orange flickers, the smoke from burning houses, and the screams of burning victims. She squeezed between two boards in her worn fence and darted away just as people began throwing flaming bundles through her windows.
Natalie dashed down the back alleys, winding her way towards the forest at the edge of the town. Monsters, she could deal with or run away from; humans were a problem. She paused at the end of the final alley, staying in the shadows and catching her breath as she peered out at the stretch of open space between her and her goal. Smoke hung thick in the air, and it stung her eyes and throat, but aside from pulling her collar up to cover her mouth and nose, she ignored the discomfort. She heard the shouts of the mob as they called to search for any suspicious characters, and decided that she couldn't wait.
Natalie took as deep of a breath as possible and broke from cover, sprinting for the trees. Her pounding heart skipped a beat as she heard shouts from behind calling to catch her as she fled. Not once, however, did she look back. Her only hope was to get into the trees and try to lose them. She was barely three feet from the tree line when an arrow slammed into her shoulder. Natalie bit her lower lip hard enough to draw blood as she staggered from the impact. Miraculously, she kept her feet and continued running, one arm rising to clutch around the arrow head protruding from her shoulder.
The mage wove between the thick trunks of the trees, feeling hot, sticky blood run between her fingers from her wound. Still, she didn't slow down as she could hear the calls of the searchers from far too close for comfort. She forced her way through bushes, splashed through streams and staggered over rocks and roots. She had no thought in mind aside from fleeing as far and fast as she could. Her chest heaved for air and her head began to spin from exertion and blood loss, but she pushed her body to keep going.
Suddenly, a hand snagged Natalie's ankle and dragged her into a burrow. Her yelp of surprise and terror was muffled by a hand clapping over her mouth. Natalie thrashed desperately, trying to escape, but the hold on her was too strong.
"Silence, girl, or they'll find you," a low voice said in a rough whisper.
Natalie shuddered, but did as she was told. She had nothing to lose at this point, and perhaps a lot to gain. She fell still and silent and listened to the calls of the searchers outside. The person with her pulled her further back before letting her go and moving in front of her. Natalie saw a dark shape move to cover the entrance and a glint of some blade flashed in the dim light. Footsteps pounded closer to their location coupled with the flicker of a torch, but didn't pause as they dashed past.
Natalie stayed huddled as far back as possible, her heart pounding and her breath coming in shallow but silent bursts. Finally, the calls and yells died faded to silence. And her rescuer relaxed. The mage stiffened as she felt a hand on her wrist, tugging her outside, and was unable to withhold a small hiss of pain as the motion jolted her wounded arm. Instantly, the hand let go, and Natalie drew it back to herself.
"You're wounded?" a gruff voice asked.
Definitely male, Natalie decided. But the man's tone, while rough, had been concerned, so she replied, "I've got an arrow lodged in my shoulder from earlier."
The man let out a hiss, "Ouch. Well, let's get you back to my place, and we'll patch you up. Sorry for the rough handling, by the way; wasn't a lot of time to explain what I was doing."
Natalie relaxed a little more at the apology and said, "It's fine. Thank you for saving my life. How far are we from your home?"
"Not far, and without those idiots running around, we'll get there in no time," the man replied, slipping out of the burrow. He waited outside for Natalie and peered at her features in the moonlight for a moment before asking, "You going to be able to hold up until then?"
Natalie's shoulder throbbed, but she nodded, "Yes. It's not the worst injury I've ever had." She watched the man nod approvingly and scanned his person. He had long, light colored hair pulled back in a low ponytail. His face was wrinkled and had a rough beard. He wore leather armor pieces and carried a dagger sheathed at his waist. She followed behind him at his wave, and asked, "So you live out here?"
"For the last ten years or so, aye," the man replied.
Natalie waited to see if he would reveal why he lived alone in the woods, and pressed when he remained silent. "What made you choose that life?" she asked.
"To escape inane questions from stupid people," the man said shortly.
Natalie's eyebrow shot up at the rude reply, but she held her tongue. It wouldn't do to upset her only aid, she figured. She knew she wasn't stupid, and she didn't really see a need to correct a person she'd just met of their own false presumption. Plus, pestering him about why he chose to live alone in the middle of nowhere had been an inane question. He'd been well within his rights to be grumpy with her. In fact, she mused with a wry grin, his ill temper reminded her quite a bit of Lance.
Unbeknownst to her, the man was impressed at her lack of reply. Normally, that kind of response garnered him a defensive, and loud, protest of intelligence. He was also impressed with her ability to withstand pain. He'd been hit with arrows in his time, and he knew how much that hurt, especially when the wound was jarred. It spoke volumes of her pain tolerance, and possibly of her experience in battle. He figured the young woman following would be excellent company for the time while she healed, and that she likely could explain the sudden mob in his forest.
Finally, the pair reached a small cabin situated not far from a river. The yard had been cleared of trees, a stack of fire wood was piled against the wall with an ax not far away, and rough-hewn bench sat before a fire pit. The man strode straight up to the door, and opened and held it for Natalie. The mage nodded her thanks as she stepped inside. The interior was only two rooms, a bedroom, and a sitting room that coupled as a kitchen. Dried meats hung from the rafters of the ceiling, which was pointed. A fireplace sat against one wall, the only stone in the home. A pair of wooden chairs lined with furs sat before the hearth with a bearskin rug covering the floor.
"Home sweet home," the man grunted. He waved to the chairs and added, "Have a seat while I get some bandages, water, and poultices."
Natalie did as he asked, looking around the space. It was small, but cozy, she decided. She grinned, thinking it looked exactly like a stereotypical hunter's cabin. Then she figured that that was likely exactly her mystery rescuer was since he lived alone in the woods. She watched him putter about, pulling out clean rags, a jar full of paste, and a roll of linen bandage from a cabinet. Finally, he filled a bowl with water from a bucket in the corner and moved to sit in the other, scooting it closer to Natalie. He carefully sliced the fabric of her dress away from the wound with a small knife.
"Lucky it went clean through," the man said after a moment.
Natalie nodded, "Yeah. It would have hurt a lot more, otherwise. You know how to snap it off and pull it through, right?"
"I sure hope so, or this is going to get ugly," the man replied with a grim smile.
Natalie arched a brow at him and asked, "I want a definite answer before you start tugging stuff out of my skin. If you can't pull it out straight, then snap off the fletching and I'll do it."
"Who's the healer here, me or you?" the man asked with an arched brow of his own.
"Well I know I'm a healer, it's you I'm not sure of," Natalie shot back.
The man stared at her for a moment before throwing his head back with a loud laugh, "Oh, I like you."
"And I'd like you if you'd break that arrow off," Natalie snipped. Her lips were twitching as she suppressed a smile.
"Right, right, keep your panties on," the man grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "I'll snap the arrow, and you can pull it out; that way, I can stop the blood with some cloth."
Natalie nodded, "Sounds good. Ready when you are."
"On three," the man said, causing Natalie to tense in preparation. "One… two…" He skipped three, and swiftly snapped the arrow shaft, breaking off the fletching.
"Fucking hell, you bastard," Natalie swore from the fiery pain as she gripped the arrow below the head and yanked it straight out.
"Got quite the mouth on you," the man chuckled as he pressed two wadded up cloths into the entry and exit wounds. He held them there for several long seconds to staunch the blood before carefully letting go.
Natalie's face was white from pain, but she focused on her breathing to keep from crying out. He watched idly as the man shifted the bowl of water closer before peeling back one cloth to blot the blood up with a wet rag. The water stung, but felt blissfully cool on her aching skin as he cleaned the wound. She felt him smear the paste on after, and sighed as it immediately numbed the area. He did the same for the second hole, and before long he was binding the wound with the bandages.
"There you go," the man said as he gathered up the supplies and wiped his hands clean.
Natalie nodded, feeling light headed. "Can I get some water?" she asked faintly.
The man retrieved the requested drink and watched carefully as Natalie gulped the glass down. She looked slightly better and he said, "So, we never exchanged the pleasantries of the civil world. My name is Warren, pleased to meet you."
Natalie shook the man's hand with her uninjured arm and replied, "Likewise, and my name is Natalie." She drew her hand back and added, "Thank you so much for all your help. I was in a nasty situation back there."
"Eh, I figured you could hardly be that bad, plus the village down there has always been a bunch of fools," Warren replied with a shrug.
Natalie snorted bitterly, "That seems like too light of a term for them. They burned down the homes and killed everyone they thought could use magic."
Warren frowned, "But magic isn't working right now. Healing you would have been far easier if it were."
"They seem to think mages are responsible for the whole mess," Natalie answered with a scowl. "Never mind that if mages were planning something dastardly, we would hardly take away our own powers as well."
"So you're a mage, then," Warren noted mildly. "Are you a white mage?"
Natalie shrugged her good shoulder, "For my team, yes, but I use a lot of black magic as well. I'm highly skilled in either, not that it does me a lot of good now."
"Where's your team?" Warren asked with a frown.
"Left me behind to figure out what's up with the mana," Natalie replied with another shrug. "I can't use weapons, so I'd only be in the way. We figured I'd be safe at that town, which I would have been if they weren't a bunch of idiots." She slumped to prop her head with her good arm and murmured, "Not sure what I'm going to do now. I suppose I'll have to go into hiding somewhere and hope they find me."
Warren stood up, "Well, those are thoughts for when you're well. I'd offer my bed, but unfortunately, I don't think I could get off the floor again in the morning at my age."
Natalie sat up and waved her hand, "It's fine. I'll just sleep here on the rug in my sleeping bag."
"Very well," Warren agreed, "See you in the morning."
Natalie nodded and fished her sleeping bag out with one hand and awkwardly spread it out before flopping on it. It was warm enough to not need a cover, and she was asleep before long.
The night seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Natalie was awoken by the delicious smell of cooking meat and cracked her eyes open to see the grey light of dawn coming in from the open door along with a cool breeze. She carefully sat up with a yawn and tested her sore shoulder, only to find it hurt to move. She sighed and stood up to walk outside. Warren was at the fire pit, frying a strip of ham on a large black pan. He glanced around at Natalie's approach and scooted over on the bench to give her a place to sit.
"Meat and bread for breakfast," Warren greeted.
Natalie smiled, "Sounds good."
Before long, the pair was eating savory meat and toasted bread. Natalie watched Warren stand up and move to grab a long pole. Her head cocked with fascination as she watched the man move a distance away and run through a series of complicated moves and stances with the weapon. She'd never seen anyone use a quarter staff before, and was curious as to why he chose to use a blunt weapon instead of a blade. Warren seemed to sink into his forms, ignoring his audience. He actually jumped when Natalie applauded him after a final, powerful downwards strike.
"That was incredible," Natalie praised.
Warren looked pleased at the compliment, but he shook his head, "I was far better forty-some years ago; I just keep up the exercises now to keep me fit for hunting. I don't think I could put down the weapon after so long, anyway."
Natalie blinked in surprise at him, and took in his appearance. He was fairly old, as she'd deduced the night before. His hair and beard were mostly grey with only fain streaks of faded blond in them. His forehead was lined, and his gray-blue eyes had wrinkles at the corners—though they still glinted with a youthful light. His body had definite muscle to it, but she could see he'd gained a slight belly and sag with age. His motions as he moved to put return his quarter staff to the wall showed he had the lean grace of an experienced warrior, much like Matt and Lance.
"You know, until I really looked at you, I would have pegged you for thirty at the oldest," Natalie finally said. "You're in remarkable shape."
Warren gave a short bark of laughter, "I haven't been thirty for more years than you've been alive, lassie. But thank you, it's good to know a fellow warrior acknowledges me." He stretched his arms in front of him and winced as his joints cracked, "Now if only my body agreed with the sentiment. Ah, well, it's seen many battles, and likely figures it deserves a rest."
Natalie cocked her head and said, "You mentioned that you don't like stupid people's questions, but surely you'd be more comfortable in a town."
Warren snorted and said, "Can you imagine giving up so much freedom after a life of fighting to be coddled when others deem you invalid? No, I'm much happier here, and though I'm sure I'll die sooner, it will be a happier death." He shook his head to and changed the topic by saying, "Your shoulder will take some time to heal. As a magic user myself, I know that the mana disappearance didn't stop my body from healing itself more quickly, so I'd estimate perhaps two weeks for your arm to be fully functional again?"
"You're a mage, too?" Natalie asked in surprise. "But you use a weapon so well!"
"I'm a battle mage, if you want to give me a title," Warren said dismissively. "Part of the reason I use a quarter staff is because it augments magical attacks better than a blade. Plus, things tend to die if you hit them hard enough, regardless of an edge or not."
Natalie hesitated, thinking on that sentiment. It made sense, she thought. Lance certainly used magic and a weapon, as did Anna. She wasn't sure she'd classify either person as a mage, but either one could with enough practice an effort. And she could certainly agree that blunt trauma was definitely capable of killing something. Even if the force didn't kill, it would certainly incapacitate, either through senselessness or broken bones.
"Could you teach me to use a quarterstaff?" Natalie asked hesitantly.
Warren blinked in surprise at the request. He eyed the young mage in front of him with a considering frown. She was fit, but not muscled at all. He was willing to bet that she walked or ran a lot, but never really lifted anything heavy. Plus, as a woman, her muscles would never be as defined or as powerful as a man's. Not that that particularly meant anything; some of the best fighters he'd ever fought were women, and not because they were physically strong, but because they were sly and quick.
Natalie's eyes were what settled Warren's internal debate. They were clear and blue, filled with determination and certainty. His mind flew back to a time when similar eyes had listened to his tales of battle. He mused that the young boy from then—who'd hung on his every word and sworn to become the best fighter in the world—would be about the same age as the young woman in front of him now. It was the first time he'd thought of his nephew in years, and he wondered if the young lad had ever accomplished his childhood dream. But those were musings and wonderings for another time.
"I don't see why not," Warren finally agreed. He raised a hand to halt Natalie's cheer and added, "But it will be hard work. You'll need to build up a lot of muscle, and there is a surprising amount of skill behind swinging a heavy stick around with lethal intent. You'll need to work hard, and be very diligent in your training."
Natalie nodded rapidly, "I will! How can I start?"
Warren smiled at her enthusiasm, feeling younger for just having a young and eager person around again. "First, you'll need your arm to heal," he reminded Natalie. He chuckled at her groan of disappointment and said, "Your other arm is still good, however, so we can begin building up your strength in it."
"Right, how should I do that? Lift things?" Natalie asked, looking around.
Warren had a sudden flash of brilliance. Natalie was, for all intents and purposes, his apprentice now. He had a minion to do things for him. "Well, I suppose we can have you haul the water from the river to the barrel by the door. A bucket only takes one hand, and will weight a lot. Once your other arm is better, you can begin chopping wood, as well."
Natalie arched a brow and asked, "Do you chores, huh? I guess if I'm going to be lifting things, I might as well be doing something useful. Where's the bucket?"
"This is going to be a wonderful time," Warren sighed with a smile as he pointed Natalie to a wooden bucket hanging on a hook beside the water barrel.
The rest of the morning was spent, for Natalie, trudging back and forth between the river and the barrel. A bucket of water was surprisingly heavy, she'd found, and the barrel was large. It took her twenty-seven trips to fill the container full, and her arm was trembling and aching by the end of it. She felt a new appreciation for Matt's strength as she carefully rolled her good shoulder. It had been extra difficult with only one arm, and she'd had to be careful not to jar her wounded arm.
Warren called over from the bench, "Let's change your bandages before I set you to your next task."
Natalie wiped the sweat from her brow and trudged over to sit on the bench as well. She heard Warren give an exaggerated sniff and shot him a sour look, "Not a word."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Warren said with a smile. He reached forwards and began unwrapping the bandage around Natalie's shoulder. He eyed the wound for a few moments, gently prodding the edges, "Looks like another day with the poultice wouldn't be amiss. We'll keep it covered until it's closed off, though."
Natalie nodded, "Okay. Better wash it out again, too." She waited as Warren stood up and vanished inside to retrieve the required materials. She'd have to repay the man, somehow. He'd been incredibly kind to her, and she could hardly simply eat his food and accept his training without paying. She brought that up when he returned, "How am I to pay you back for all of this?"
"Pay me back? Why would you need to pay me back?" Warren asked in a confused tone as he uncapped the poultice.
"You saved me, and now you're feeding, housing, and training me; that normally requires a lot of money," Natalie pointed out.
Warren snorted, "I don't charge the people I save—that's ridiculous. As for the food and housing: you're sleeping on my sitting room floor, and I doubt that would cost much. It's the middle of summer, so game is plentiful and I have a large store of food already. You'll be paying back the training with hard work; don't think hauling water and chopping wood is all I'll have you doing"
Natalie shook her head, "I should be paying you back somehow, though."
"Your company is payment enough," Warren refuted in a tone of finality as he wrapped her treated wound. "It's rare that a person who ends up here has more brain cells than teeth; even more rare to have one who has a sense of humor and wit. I insist that you don't need to pay, and that will be that."
"Fine, but if I can help in anyway, let me know," Natalie finally agreed with reluctance. She stood up with her shoulder freshly bandaged and asked, "What's next? I can't chop wood with one arm."
Warren frowned thoughtfully as he gazed across his yard. Finally, he nodded to himself and said, "Balancing, I think. Your shoulder should be fine so long as you don't fall on it."
"Balancing? That sounds easy," Natalie said with a grin. She watched Warren pull a piece of firewood from the pile and hammer it into the ground on one end with another piece of wood. After that, he wet the ground around the stump so that it became a thin layer of mud.
"I'm going hunting," Warren explained with a sly smile. "I want you on one foot—either one—until I get back. If you fall off, switch which foot you're using."
Natalie eyed him strangely, but stepped up onto the log and balanced on one foot. "That's it?" she asked.
"Nope, pick you free leg up and press it to your inner thigh," Warren said with that same grin.
Natalie did as he asked and felt her muscles stretch, unused to the position.
"That's good," Warren approved. He turned to grab his quarterstaff and said, "I'll be back in a few hours."
"A few hours?" Natalie repeated, finally seeing why Warren was amused. She glared after the chuckling man and muttered, "Evil geezer."
Warren laughed even harder as he vanished into the trees. Natalie scowled after him, already feeling an ache begin to form in her bent leg. Still, she mused that this was actually a brilliant way to build up her flexibility and sense of balance at the same time. She wondered if she could have several posts to jump between, when her arm was better; that would certainly help her work on her balance and sureness of where her feet were placed.
An hour passed, and Natalie's legs were trembling with exhaustion. She refused to relax, however, and was determined to stay on the log until her evil trainer returned. Her determined scowl softened slightly as she actually thought about Warren. He was rough, but very kind. In a way, he reminded her of Matt, especially with his selfless attitude towards helping her. His attitude was closer to Lance, however, but without the perverted remarks, and his lifestyle was very similar to Anna's. Comparing her friends to Warren had her hoping the others were doing okay. She mused that they'd be surprised to know she'd picked up a weapon while they were gone.
Unknown to Natalie, Warren had already checked the snares he'd set out, and had returned to observe her. He was surprised at the fact that she's stayed on the log the entire time without falling. The mud around her had no footprints, showing that she hadn't fallen. She was certainly determined to learn to fight, which was a good drive to have. She had years of training that needed to be crammed into just a few weeks. Still, he mused that with her drive, intelligence, and previous battle experience, she would be fine with the truncated training. Much of any skill was using it for real, and she would catch on quickly to what did or didn't work; hopefully without making any fatal flaws.
Warren slipped out of the trees at the two and a half hour mark. Natalie had stayed on the log the entire time, and looked beyond relieved to see him. She looked even more relieved at his telling her she could get down. Her legs were stiff from holding the same position for so long, and she carefully stretched them with a groan. She finally looked up at Warren with a determined look.
"So, what's next on the evil regiment?" Natalie asked with a crooked grin.
"Lunch," Warren replied, holding up the brace of hares he held. "Do you know how to skin and clean a kill?"
Natalie nodded, "Of course. I can't do it with one hand, though."
Warren nodded, "I don't expect you to, but I wanted to check to see if you needed to learn. It's too useful of a skill to pass up; especially since you'll be living in the wilderness for an unknown amount of time. We'll cover some basic herbalism as well; for eating and healing. And I'm sure I'll think of other survival skills that can probably aid you. Perhaps that's what we'll do while waiting on your arm to heal."
Natalie nodded, "I know plenty already, of course, but anything new would be welcome."
"We'll think on it while we wait for the meat to cook," Warren decided.
The man swiftly set about skinning the hares and setting them to cook on the spit over the fire Natalie rekindled. The coals from that morning were burned down, creating the perfect temperature for cooking. As the mage turned the spit to cook the rabbits evenly, she learned how to stretch, treat, and work furs for tanning. They also discussed how to set snares with a quick demonstration of one and a promise of an example in the field. By then, the food was done cooking, and they enjoyed fresh caught and cooked rabbit.
Natalie spent the next two hours on the log again, this time on her other leg. After that, she was sent off to bathe in the river by a pointed comment on her stench from Warren. She came back just as the sun was setting with her hair damp and her blue dress on. That got Warren thinking of something else.
"We'll need to figure something out for clothing for you," the man commented. "Dresses are impractical for close combat."
Natalie looked down at her dress and frowned, "But they're all enchanted and work as armor as well. I don't want to get rid of them."
Warren stroked his beard thoughtfully and suggested, "If you're good with a needle and thread, then I suppose you could alter them to better suit battle. Only the skirts really need to be altered. The corsets could probably stay as they are."
Natalie was already shaking her head, "My skill with a needle stops at stitching wounds. I can barely patch a rip, never mind sewing proper."
"I have a seamstress I go to who could probably modify your skirts into shorts or pants, or something," Warren suggested after a long moment.
Natalie nodded, "That would be fine. I'll pay for it; I have plenty of gold, after all. The real issue, I think, is going to be whether that's a safe idea. I doubt you'd suggest her if she was stupid enough to fall in with the 'no mages' crowd, but people might get suspicious if she's seen modifying a mage's robes."
Warren hummed thoughtfully, "Good point; perhaps just one or two at a time with a warning to be discrete?"
"That'll work," Natalie agreed. "I'll sort out which ones would be worth altering, and which I'll just keep as are. I don't use most of them, anyway."
"I'll take 'em into town tomorrow, then," Warren said as he stood up. "I need to restock on some things and sell some furs, anyway."
Natalie nodded, "Okay. Maybe I'll even be done filling that stupid barrel with water before you get back."
"I doubt it. You're going to be so sore tomorrow," Warren said with an amused gleam in his eyes. "And I'm not cutting you any slack."
"We'll see if your crinkly joints can keep move faster than my aching muscles," Natalie shot back.
Warren laughed, "Touché. I'm going to bed. Stack the wood up pretty before you come in."
"Aye, aye, sir," Natalie said with a sarcastic salute.
The mage moved to pick up loose pieces of fire wood and piled them on top of the stack beside the house. Once that was done, she spread the coals in the pit around to cool, and then slipped inside. The last thing she did before lying down was to sort through her armors to select which ones she'd have altered into pants or shorts. She settled on her Dark Gown, her Red Dress, her Pope Dress, and her Camo Skirt, and left them folded on a chair. Her body was more than grateful as she reclined on her sleeping bag, and she fell asleep quickly. Tomorrow would be another exhausting day, after all.
Natalie woke feeling stiff and sore. She groaned as she sat up and slowly stood up to stretch. Every motion ached as she worked her muscles out, and she knew they wouldn't stop until tomorrow at the earliest. Today's training would be a nightmare. Still, she tied her hair back and stiffly walked to the door. Warren was already up and dishing up some more meat and bread. Natalie grinned as she accepted her plate, thinking Matt would love eating nothing but meat and bread each morning.
"So I'll be leaving after I'm finished eating," Warren told Natalie in between bites of his food. He gestured to a tied bundle of furs, leather, and her folded dresses next to the wood pile and added, "That might take some time to haggle out a decent price, plus there's the matter of your dresses, so don't expect me back before midday. While I'm gone, you'll fill the water barrel. Then, spend an hour on that log again—half an hour for each leg. And after that, if I'm not back, you'll head down river with the basket inside the front door to check my fish trap. Pull out any large fish and let the rest go."
Natalie nodded, "Got it. Have a safe trip, Warren."
Warren stood up with a nod, and slung his furs across his back. He strode out of the clearing, leaving Natalie behind. The mage scarfed down the rest of her food and stood up to retrieve the bucket for water. Her arm, legs, and shoulder protested each time she scooped up another bucket and hauled it the short distance to the barrel. Natalie ignored the aches to the best of her ability, and trudged back and forth. It took nearly twice as long to fill the barrel, but she eventually managed it.
Natalie gave herself a five minute breather before stepping up to the balance log. She glared at the piece of wood for a moment before stepping onto it with her left foot. She groaned as she lifted her other leg up and held it in the position, her muscles hating her for every moment. But she maintained her pose and her balance for the full thirty minutes, staring at the river as it flowed past and letting her mind sink into a meditative state. She switched legs at the half hour point, taking a moment to stretch and did the same for the other leg. The sun was at its height by the time she finished, and she was hot and sweaty.
"I think I'll change into a less stuffy outfit and get a drink before I go," Natalie mused aloud to herself. She nodded and moved for the hut to swiftly change out of the long dress and into the shorter White Mage dress. The outfit was frilly, but definitely cooler than her previous one, especially since she left the slip on sleeves off. She laced up her boots, grabbed the basket and a few gulps of water from the barrel, and headed out again.
Natalie trekked alongside the river, taking care on the spray-slicked stones. She listened to the rushing water on her left with a smile, and took a deep breath of the clean air. She'd missed walking through the woods during the past few weeks. She could see why Warren had chosen to live out here. It was quiet, peaceful, and free, with only the occasional monster to worry about. She cocked her head as she heard a louder, echoing splash and spied a place where the river narrowed and dropped off in a waterfall. She stepped up to the edge of the cliff and peered down to see the water fell into a large, wooden box with horizontal slats.
"That's a brilliant way to catch fish," Natalie murmured as she watched a fish go over the waterfall and become trapped in the box. She carefully made her way down the steep trail and inspected the trap. The box was held in place by several long poles that were held into place by wooden anchors wedged in the ground. Natalie chewed on her lips as she wondered what the best way to get to the trap was.
Finally, she sat down on a rock and pulled her boots off. The water looked pretty shallow, so she'd decided to just wade out to the trap. Natalie stepped into the river and shivered at the cool water, but also let out a relieved sigh. The water felt amazing on such a warm day. She waded to the box trap, the water rising up to her waist and stopping.
A number of fish were caught in the box—which was larger than she'd thought, upon closer inspection—swimming in aimless circles. A small fish fell in, but swam out between the slats, and she realized the trap allowed the smallest and youngest fish to get free. Natalie shook herself and reached into crate to grab the first slippery fish. She had no idea what kind of fish it was, but it looked plump. The animal thrashed in her grasp until she sharply wrung it to kill it, and pulled it out to set in the basket she had floating close by her, tied to her arm by cord to prevent it from floating away.
Natalie kept pulling fish out until the basket was full, and then located a latch on the side of the crate. She slid one side of the trap open and slid to the side to allow the remaining fish to swim free. She re-latched the trap and turned for the shore, dragging the large basket with her. At the bank, she shoved the basket into the fine mud and sighed as she thought about the long hike back with a heavy basket of fish. Warren had set her this task, knowing it would build muscle, but she realized—as she attempted to lift it—that she would never be able to get it back to the hut.
The mage let out a sharp gasp as her still-injured shoulder throbbed in protest. She promptly let go of the container and grasped her shoulder. "Well this sucks," Natalie muttered through gritted teeth as she massaged the skin around the wound. She stared at the basket and wondered how the hell she would get it back. She shook her head after a long moment and decided that it was impossible with only one arm and no rope to make a harness to carry it across her back.
Natalie abandoned the basket and moved to sit on a rock at the edge of the river, and let her feet dangle in the water. She'd wait for Warren to come find her when he returned, and have him carry it back. In the meantime, she'd relax for a little while, and then maybe do some stretches or balancing on a stone. She tilted her head back to catch the sun on her face and let out a sigh. She wryly mused that she'd never thought building muscle would be so trying, and she hadn't even done anything serious yet. Still, she knew she could do it, and it wasn't like she had much of a choice if she wanted to survive.
Natalie sighed and stood up, wincing at the ache in her shoulder. She looked out over the river before she cocked her head, and changed her mind about balancing. Instead, she moved further back, found a flat rock, and sat down on it, and shut her eyes. She shut her eyes and took several deep, even breaths, letting them out slowly. Meditation wasn't something she'd done since beginning her practice of magic, as she no longer needed to find her center of focus to cast magic, but the area she was in was a perfect location for it. Plus, she'd likely be doing more exercise later, so she might as well find her focus now.
The mage remained still—her legs crossed, her hands resting on her knees—and closed her eyes. She focused on the roaring sound of the waterfall, letting the constant noise drive out all other thought. Once she'd emptied her mind, she simply sat. She felt the light breeze that brushed past her hair, and allowed her thoughts to trace the wind, imagining it carrying her. A leaf drifted to land on her hand, she felt the contact sharply in her mind, but didn't twitch. She could feel every ridge and groove of the stone she sat on. She felt the flicker of her mana inside her, and tried to draw it forth. The flicker ignored her call, but she felt a soft warmth run through her veins.
From above Natalie, Warren watched, dumbfounded. He'd come looking for Natalie, and found her meditating. Instead of calling her name, he'd opted to let her continue. Finding a center was just as important for weapon practice as it was for magic, and he didn't want to discourage any attempts at it. But as he watched, a soft white glow surrounded the mage's body. It flickered uncertainly, but it was definitely magic. Natalie didn't seem to notice what she was doing, and a few moments later, the flicker faded. Shortly after that, the mage opened her eyes and her shoulders rose and fell in a long sigh.
Warren finally began to descend the cliff, still staring at the young mage. A rock skittering down the path attracted Natalie's attention, and she tensed as she twisted to look up at him. As soon as she recognized who had arrived, she relaxed again and raised her arm to wave. She froze during the motion, and her hand shot to touch her shoulder. There was no pain in her expression, only surprise. Clearly, she'd healed her wound.
"I thought magic wasn't working?" Warren said quietly.
Natalie spread her hands in confusion, "I thought it wasn't, too. I don't remember using any healing spells, and my shoulder definitely hurt when I tried to lift the fish basket. The mana ignored my call when I was meditating."
Warren tilted his head and studied the young mage. Finally he said, "You were glowing for a few moments during your meditation. Perhaps you sped up your body's natural healing?"
"Maybe," Natalie agreed slowly. She shut her eyes and tried to draw up her mana, but found it gone as it had been for several weeks. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and shook her head with frustration, "Whatever I did, I can't control it. Still, my shoulder's healed and I don't ache, so that's good."
Warren nodded and gestured to the fish basket, "Well, grab that and we'll head back. Perhaps try meditating tomorrow morning when you're sore again, and see if you can get the same result. If nothing else, at least you'll have a method to heal yourself, even if it's not viable in combat or on the move."
Natalie nodded as she tugged her boots on, and bent to scoop up the basket and propped it on her hip, "Good plan. Brilliant trap, by the way; I'd never thought of letting the fish trap themselves."
Warren chuckled, "The credit for the idea goes to my youngest sister. She was always good at creative solutions to boring tasks."
"Where is she now?" Natalie asked as they hiked back up the trail.
Warren's smile fell away, "I haven't heard from her or her family for years. The last I heard, they were living in a small town on the far side of the mountains, but that was many years ago."
Natalie was quiet for a moment before saying, "I'm sure they're fine."
"A naïve, but comforting thought," Warren said gruffly. He pushed abruptly shifted the topic and said, "Since your arm is healed, I think we'll have you chopping wood; the stack is getting low."
"Blistered hands and sore shoulders, here I come," Natalie sighed. She shifted the heavy basket she carried to her other hip and asked, "Fish for lunch and dinner today?"
"Such a smart lass," Warren said sarcastically with a grin over his shoulder. "But, aye: we'll be cooking some now and some later. The rest I'll smoke or salt for storage."
And that was how the rest of the day went. Natalie was shown the proper way to wield an axe and sent off to find some fallen trees to chop up and bring back. She hauled the cut wood back on her back and piled it up in the yard. By the time she'd finished that, Warren had cleaned, gutted, and stored the fish with one charring on the fire. He waved Natalie over and handed her a plate with a generous helping of fish and half of a baked potato with a pat of butter on top.
Natalie hungrily devoured the food, and finally understood why Matt was so hungry all the time: physical labor built up one hell of an appetite. Warren laughed at her how quickly she cleaned off her plate, and said she reminded him of his nephew. He placed another chunk of fish on her plate and watched her devour that, too. Then, he showed her how to split the logs she'd brought back with an iron wedge that she slammed through the long side until it fell into two halves. She did that twice to every section of log and piled the new wood up on the stack with sore arms and a sweaty face.
As she worked, Warren was busy stripping a long branch of its twigs and bark, and smoothing it down. By the time Natalie had finished, he had a mostly straight piece of wood about as long as the mage was tall. He called her over as soon as she was finished and held out the branch. Natalie accepted the stick with an eager expression.
"Here is your training staff. It wouldn't hold up well in a real battle, but it will do for teaching you the basics," Warren said with a small grin. He gestured to the branch and went on, "A real quarter staff is made from hardwood, smoothed down to an even surface, and tipped with metal for extra punch. But any large enough stick will work as a quarter staff so long as it's solid and the proper size: not too thin, not too fat; not too short, not too long. Your weapon should only be, at most, a foot taller than you for the style I will be teaching you. Why do you think that is?"
Natalie hefted her make-shift weapon and studied it for a few moments before saying, "Too long and I'll accidentally hit the ground?"
"Exactly," Warren said with a pleased smile. "You'll be spinning that thing in arcs, striking high, swinging low, shifting from parries to stabs, and so on. You don't want to catch the ground in the middle of a move and accidentally disarm yourself. That would be bad for several, very obvious reasons."
"Most of them ending in pain and death?" Natalie asked with a cheeky grin.
Warren chuckled, "Yup. Now, then: I'll show you a few basic stances, and I want you to do your best to emulate them. Don't expect to get them right on your first try, but do practice them as often as you can. The basics are the most important part of anything. You'll be building off them, and falling back on them constantly."
Natalie watched intently as Warren retrieved his own quarterstaff and demonstrated the proper way and distance place her hands for blocks, where to hold the weapon to defend against overhead strikes, blows from the sides, and locks. He corrected her footing multiple times, drilling in the need for proper balance, and knocked her flat on her back with a single shove when she failed to correct her stance fast enough. Natalie never complained even once, merely got back up and swiftly worked to improve her flaws. She was a fast student, easily able to see why certain stances worked better, and became quick to recover when she lost her balance.
Warren was pleased with her quick grasp of the basics of blocking, and soon moved on to thrusts. He explained that she had a lot of reach with a quarterstaff, and a lot of striking power. He emphasized that it was important to thrust straight, or she'd lose some force behind a strike, and that, as always, her footing was essential for maximum effect. He ordered her to do one hundred thrusts and left to prepare dinner. As he worked with the fish and a pot for steaming some carrots, he called out minor corrections to Natalie's form.
"Your feet are sliding apart." "Your hands are too close together." "Keep you thrusts straight." "Put more oomph into it; imagine the most irritating person you know on the receiving end of the strike, and aim for their chest."
That last one caused Natalie to crack a grin as she pictured Lance after he'd done something stupid or perverted again. She imagined his expression after she whacked him, and while she pulled of a series of perfect thrusts, she had to stop after a moment to lean on her training weapon and laugh breathlessly. Warren watched her in bemusement for a few moments before mildly commenting that she still had thirty-five thrusts to go, or she didn't get dinner. That drew Natalie back to the training. No way was she missing dinner. By the end of the practice, each of her thrusts were perfect, and her arms and shoulders trembled with exhaustion.
Natalie slumped over to the bench and laid her weapon on the ground. She accepted the glass of water handed to her and gulped it down. Following that was a wood grilled fish that she was sure she didn't actually taste as she ate it because it had gone down too fast. The steamed vegetables went the same way, and she felt pleasantly full and lethargic by the end of the meal. Warren sent her off to bathe and turned to head inside. He was impressed with her swift progress and mused that it would only be a few days before she was ready for the intermediate skills.
Two weeks later saw Natalie wearing her modified Red Dress. The corset had been kept mostly the same, though the bottom had been leveled out and hemmed to be a shirt. The skirt had been cut and resewn into a pair of pants that cut off halfway down her calves. The fabric was loose enough to be comfortable, but tight enough that it couldn't be grabbed or tripped over in combat. The other dresses she'd sent off were made much the same way, and Natalie was pleased with the alterations.
Currently, however, she was in the middle of a complex form with Warren watching her with a critical eye. Natalie's eyes were closed in concentration, as she whirled her practice weapons in smooth arcs and twirls, and her feet lightly stepped as though moving forwards into an attack. The form ended with a fierce jab into an invisible enemy's throat. Natalie opened her eyes and turned a hopeful look on Warren. She'd been trying and failing at that form for three days, either going too slowly, or making mistakes that ended with bruised shins. Warren's expression was unreadable, and Natalie let her shoulders slump before firming them to try again. And yet, she paused when Warren began to clap.
"Very nice, perfectly done," Warren congratulated with a broad smile.
Natalie's eyes widened and her own face morphed into an excited smile, "Really?"
"Really," Warren assured her. He held out a tin cup of water for Natalie, and went on as she gratefully drank, "You're a remarkably fast learner, Natalie. I never thought you'd get this far with a quarter staff this fast."
Natalie finished the cup of water off with a pleased flush, "Thanks, but I think a large part of that is your training. You're an evil taskmaster, but the constant pushes were what really got me to improve so quickly. I think anyone else would have told me to stick to magic or pick up sewing after the first few mistakes."
"Well most people are idiots," Warren grunted. "I think you're ready for some sparring matches. We'll start tomorrow morning."
Natalie cocked her head and glanced at the sun, "It's only midday. Why not do a spar this afternoon?"
"Because I want to take you out into the forest and teach you how to lay snares and stalk animals," Warren explained as he turned to the hut. "I also want to point out some useful herbs to know."
Natalie nodded her understanding as she fell into step behind the man. She paused at the water barrel to refill her cup for another drink, and gulped it down. She sat down on the bench at Warren's behest when he came out with a handful of leather cords, a knife, and a small pouch. The next ten minutes were spent showing Natalie how to tie a loop with the cord that would slide closed on an animal. The pair then went out into the trees and the mage was shown how to find small animal trails, likely places to start looking, and how to set the snare itself. Warren emphasized the need to check a snare twice a day to ensure an animal didn't free itself or a kill wasn't stolen by a scavenger. He showed how to bait certain spots with a bit of honey, and more complicated traps that took time and preparation to set up, but would work better for larger game.
After the snares were set, they spent the rest of the time in the woods finding and identifying herbs. Natalie learned which ones were good for disinfecting wounds, for numbing pain, for dealing with nausea or aches, as well as common edible plants. Warren explained that some of the plants she was shown could be found in many locations, but others were only in forests. He repeatedly urged her to be entirely sure of what a plant was before eating or using it. He then listed a series of plants and sent Natalie to find them. He complimented her accuracy when she returned a half hour later with all but one of the plants correctly identified. Her reward was to go out and find an even longer list of plants, and to check the snares.
The sun was setting by the time the pair started back to the hut. Natalie was beaming with pride as she carried a sizeable rabbit in one hand that her snare had caught, and a satchel of plants they would make into a disinfectant poultice. As they walked, Warren taught Natalie how to move quietly, how to place her feet, and what animals looked for when scanning for threats. Stillness, he emphasized, was the best way, and that she needed to be fast if she wanted to catch and kill an animal. He taught her about sprinkling salt on the ground to lure deer, but didn't actually demonstrate it. Waiting on game would be the only way to capture large animals without a bow or a trap, but it took a lot of time. He promised to teach her another day.
Natalie's head was spinning with all that she'd learned as she practiced stalking. She winced as she stepped on branch, and it snapped loudly in the stillness. She winced again at Warren's sarcastic comment of attracting attention. She focused her mind on her tasks, and soon achieved a reasonable movement by the time they reached the hut.
"That uses muscle I didn't even know existed," Natalie grumbled, rubbing one thigh.
Warren nodded, "Yes, it does. It's excellent practice for combat as well, though: Increased flexibility, and sure-footed lightness. As soon as I think you can catch game, I'll be assigning you to hunting every third day."
Natalie nodded, "Got it. So what's for dinner tonight? The rabbit I caught?"
"Of course. You're going to skin and clean it, and stretch the pelt," Warren agreed.
Natalie blanched at that, looking down at the animal hanging from her hand. She hated cleaning a kill. Though she knew how to and could do it, it was usually one of the others on the team that handled that. Still, she swallowed her protests, knowing it was something she'd need to do on her own. She settled down against the wall of the house and worked to skin the rabbit with the knife Warren handed her. Before long, she had the pelt separated, the parts they wouldn't be eating in a pile, and the parts they would be eating roasting on a spit.
"Very good," Warren praised. He eyed Natalie's slightly queasy look and asked, "Not fond of that part, eh?"
Natalie nodded as she cleaned her hands on a rag, "I like furry animals. Usually the others in my team dealt with skinning and cleaning them. I just cooked. Still, I was taught how to and it is a useful skill."
Warren nodded, "Very true. Well, since you can in fact do it for yourself, and perfectly well, I'll handle the skinning and cleaning. I will, however, insist you stretch and prepare the pelts for a while; just until you have the hang of it."
Natalie nodded gratefully, "Okay, thank you."
Silence passed as Natalie worked on salting and stretching the fur, and Warren kept an eye on the rabbit as it cooked, turning it to cook evenly. The only sounds were the crackle of the fire, and the hissing-spits form the fat dripping down from the food. After several long moments, however, Warren spoke again.
"How many teammates do you have?" Warren asked curiously.
Natalie glanced up in surprise, as he usually didn't start idle chatter. "Our team has four members including me," she replied. "There's me as our white and black mage, and we have a swordsman, a ranger, and… I actually don't really know what to call Lance. He uses a weapon called a gunblade, but he also uses magic and explosives—mostly bullets, though."
"Mm, battle mage or gun man," Warren replied.
"I guess. Whatever he is, he's a versatile fighter. They all are, really," Natalie said. She blew out a sigh and added more quietly, "I was always the weaker one. Sure, my magic was powerful, but get in close and I was dead meat; even Anna, our ranger, could handle herself in close combat. And now then with the magic gone I was a detriment, and they left me behind."
Warren checked the rabbit as he calmly said, "Mages are often the most dangerous and yet vulnerable member of any group. To learn to use magic well enough to call oneself a mage means to focus on strengthening the mind instead of the body, and while that grants awesome power through spells, it leaves the body weak by comparison. Take away the ability to cast for however long, and a mage is a detriment to his or her team."
"I know, and I know they left me behind as much for my safety as theirs. I just wish I could have stayed with them," Natalie whispered as her hands quit stretching the fur. "They're my good friends, and I miss them. I wish I'd picked up some kind of weapon years ago."
"Well, you've picked up one now, and you're improving in leaps and bounds," Warren said briskly. He pulled the rabbit off the fire and began slicing it to place on their plates. He held Natalie's plate out for her, and added, "Few ever manage to earn the right to call themselves true battle mages, but you're well on your way to achieving that. The effort you put into strengthening your mind, the patience you developed while learning spells, and your desire to be strong are serving you well with weapon training. I have little doubt that you'll be adept with a quarter staff in just a matter of a few more weeks. And there is no finer weapon you could have picked to learn, no matter how long it took you to realize that training to use a weapon is a wise decision."
Natalie smiled as she accepted her plate and began to eat. After a few moments she said, "It's probably better that I waited, or else I would have learned to use a sword or a dagger instead, if I ever thought to pick up a weapon. And even then, Matt's way better with swords than I am or ever will be."
"Is Matt your swordsman?" Warren asked.
"Yeah, though he also uses battle axes and war hammers," Natalie replied. Her eyes shone as she went on, "He's really strong and talented. We've been fighting together for years, and haven't lost yet."
Warren chuckled, "Got a crush on him?"
Natalie flushed as she vehemently denied, "No!"
"It's written across your face, you know."
"I do not have a crush on Matt," Natalie insisted stubbornly.
"He's really strong and talented," Warren parroted in a surprisingly accurate imitation of Natalie's admiring voice. "I'm old, not blind or stupid. You won't be fooling me, lass."
"Stuff it, geezer," Natalie growled with red cheeks, and shoved the last of the rabbit in her mouth.
Warren merely laughed at her before standing up. He clapped a hand on Natalie's shoulder and said, "Don't worry; you'll see him and your other friends again."
Natalie's irritation faded, and she smiled, "Right. Thanks, Warren. I'll wash the dishes and stack the wood before coming in."
"Sounds good," Warren agreed. "Good night, lass."
Natalie listened to Warren head into the hut, and smiled fondly. He was an excellent man. She hoped she could introduce her friends to him someday. That got her thinking on when she might see the others again, though. They would return for her at the village, but find out the mages had been slaughtered, and her house burned down. She needed some way to inform them that she was still okay, maybe direct them to Warren's house. Her brow furrowed with thought as she gathered up her and Warren's plates to take to the river to wash.
As she scrubbed, she wondered if it was even safe to just stay at Warren's home. It was secluded, but he was clearly known in town if he had people he went to sell furs and game. And while she'd never seen anyone come out to the house, it was always possible that someone would. She was a well-known mage, and that could bring trouble down on him. Warren was skilled, but he was also old. She couldn't risk getting him killed trying to defend her, which she knew he would do if they were attacked. He'd fight alongside her, and something about him, the same something that reminded her of Matt, made her think he'd take a blow for her.
Natalie stacked the dishes, and stood straight, her eyes fixed on the water in thought. She'd have to move on as soon as she could. She'd need to finish her training, obviously, but she couldn't hang around, no matter how much she enjoyed Warren's company. Finally, she nodded to herself, settling on a plan. She'd ask Warren to discretely tell a few people in the village that he thought he could trust about her, and have them tell the team she'd made it out alive. Then she'd head for their base in the mountains and wait for them. The skills she'd learned would keep her alive and safe as she waited for them.
Natalie started stacking the wood as she planned. It was currently late summer. Warren expected her to be good enough with a quarter staff in just a few weeks. She'd likely be okay to leave in the early fall, and it would take a couple weeks to reach the base from where she currently was. She'd have to get to the base before the snows set in and stock up for the winter in case her friends didn't arrive in time. She was relatively sure she could do it, and the base was far safer than staying in another town. She decided that that would be her plan of action, and headed inside to sleep.
Early the next morning, Natalie faced Warren down. They both carried practice staves as Warren's real one would shear through Natalie's training stick. They circled warily, watching each other's movements and eyes. Warren lunged in for a jab, but was knocked aside by Natalie's thrust, and forced back by a jab of her own. He whirled his staff to bring it down on Natalie's head, but was blocked, and deflected. He nodded his approval of refusing to attempt to force him back. He was heavier, taller, and stronger than she was, and would definitely lose and lock. And then he was lunging back in, slowly building up the speed and complexity of his blows.
Natalie barely thought about her moves as she made them. She whirled, and blocked, and swung, and never paused to hesitate. Her body responded smoothly to the actions, and she successfully held Warren off for several minutes. But she was tiring, she knew, and that it would be over soon. And sure enough, Warren caught her weapon with a blindingly fast flicker, and twisted her weapon out of her hands. He pointed the butt of his staff at Natalie's throat, breathing heavily with gleaming eyes.
"I yield," Natalie panted. She slumped over when Warren pulled away, placing her hands on her knees. "You're good, Warren. Really good."
"I have been using a quarter staff for over twenty years," Warren replied, also breathing heavily. He bent to retrieve Natalie's weapon, and handed it back to her before leaning on his own. "You did remarkably well for your first spar. You already have the combat mentality of act, don't think, and you're well aware of your limitations in strength. The only thing I would suggest as of now is to pace yourself better. Yes, opening up strong would work against most opponents, but if you know your foes is stronger than you, then you need to feel out their strategy, search for weaknesses in their form and body, and conserve your strength."
Natalie nodded, "Right."
"For now, however, let us take a break. More for my sake than yours," Warren said wryly. He settled down on the bench and accepted some water that Natalie brought to him. "That was a more intense exercise than I'm used to. It was fun."
"It was," Natalie agreed with a grin. "I never understood why Matt and Lance like sparring so much before now."
"Mm, sparring against allies is also useful for learning their strategies so that you can better support them," Warren added after another gulp of water. He set the cup down, and added, "You should see about sparring with them as well, when you see them again. I'll use a variety of weapons before you go to give you a broader range of experience for that."
Natalie blinked in surprise, and asked, "What else can you use besides a quarter staff? And daggers, I suppose."
"Maces, short swords, long swords, and polearms," Warren replied. He grinned at Natalie's admiring look. "I loved traveling when I was younger, and fighting against real foes who used those weapons gave me an idea of how they worked. I enrolled in a few classes, too, of course, and am passable with many weapons."
Natalie nodded. After a few moments of silence, she quietly asked, "How long before you think I'll be safe to travel on my own?"
"Planning on leaving soon?" Warren asked. He didn't wait for a reply before saying, "I imagine that if you train hard, and keep improving at your current pace, then you'll be a good enough fighter to defend yourself from common monsters and brigands along the road in just a month."
"That soon?" Natalie asked in a stunned voice.
"That soon," Warren agreed calmly. "You're already at the skill level of someone who's been training for years. And all the weeks of hard labor doing my chores have strengthened your muscles well. All you really need now are to learn the master techniques, and gain practice against a real foe."
Natalie slumped back, "Wow. I thought I wouldn't be ready until the fall."
"Do you have a place to go?" Warren asked.
"Yes, and I wanted to speak to you about that," Natalie replied. "I wanted to ask you to let a few, trustworthy people in town know I'm alive so that they can pass the message on to my team when they arrive. They're going to find the burned house, and assume I was killed, and if that happens, well… they're a dangerous bunch, and I'm worried they'll do something rash, stupid, and wrong. Yes, most of the idiots would deserve to be slaughtered, but my friends will feel guilty."
Warren nodded slowly, already thinking of who he could speak to and trust. "I know a few people who can let them know. They'll need a description, though."
Natalie smiled, "Just say their names, and I bet they'll know my friends on sight. We're pretty well-known."
"Oh, really? A bold assumption," Warren chuckled.
"It happens when you challenge gods and win," Natalie laughed.
Warren blinked in surprise, "Gods, you say?"
"Yeah, we fought and defeated Akron a few years back, and a year or so after that, we… well, not so much won against Godcat, but she recognized our strength and pulled back," Natalie replied.
Warren looked stunned, "Amazing. I had no idea I'd rescued one of the heroes when I pulled you into that old den in the woods. No wonder you're so skilled and used to combat."
Natalie nodded, and simply said, "It's my life, really. As for where I'm going: There's a place in the mountains to the east of here that we claimed as a home base that no one else really knows about. I'll head there, and wait for them to arrive."
"I understand," Warren nodded. He rose to his feet, and briskly said, "Now then, let's have round two. Pace yourself this time, lass."
A/N: This is an older story-in-the-works, but I've got a lot written on it, and not only on this part alone. I love writing this one, because it makes me get away from using magic, which requires a lot of thought. Plus, I always love how bowstaves look when a skilled person is using them/in movies/in video games. Plus adding magic to a bowstaff swingarc will make Natalie such a badass. And Warren is fun to write. XD This thing still needs a lot of work, though. There are probably tons of typos, it needs a more natural flow/emphasis on learning to use a weapon, and better description, but it's off to a great start. I hope to finish it someday.
Let me know what you think of it!
Responses to Guest reviewers:
Little Follower: It actually means a lot to me to hear what I'm doing well, even if it seems/sounds redundant for people to write. I get very self-conscious about my writing, and I know certain aspects need serious attention. I'm really, REALLY glad you always take the time to leave such thoughtful and in-depth reviews of my works. I honestly look forwards to hearing from you every time I post something. Your comments have helped me improve both in grammatical aspects and as I continue to develop plots and ideas.
I hadn't heard of implementations of pin-point defensive systems (modern weaponry is definitely not my strong suit), but that is kinda cool to hear about. I'll have to look into it to learn more, maybe appropriate some aspects of real-life examples to add some realism to my writing. We'll see.
Description form an outside source is very rare in my writing, but I always wonder how others view the team. I mean, from first appearances and interactions, none of them come across as particularly dangerous. Well, aside from Lance, maybe.
Yeah, I thought about making up a different surname for Matt, but it was a great tip to the creator, and House Roszak, and Lord Roszak have such a nice ring to them X3 As for "Regent" it isn't Natalie's nobility surname, it's her title. She's the standing ruler as a direct blood relative of the rightful king (in this case, her brother). Lady Reagent is simply the title people use to address her, because it would be unthinkable to be addressing a crowned princess by her first name, and she isn't really the true queen, so calling her Her Grace wouldn't be acceptable, and Princess wouldn't carry the weight she needs to browbeat her authority into the noble houses. The confusion here is entirely my fault. I used the wrong word throughout the whole thing. Like a dumb-dumb. I've fixed it, now. :P
I'll see about tossing some assassin Anna up here soon. ;) Sadly, I won't be focusing on finishing any of these or others until my current three chapter stories are done. Retribution is so close, I can taste it. It tastes like darkness and suffering.
Yeah, the Valkyrie would never function in real-life, but, boy, does it look cool! :D
Anonymous: I hope the real thing lives up to your hype. XD An attack that uses all of the turrets, huh? I can probably work that in. I'll definitely give you credit if I use the idea or title!
Also, the box armor in EBF5 gives me life. XD