11. BARE UTILITY
Someone told Violet that she'd only been in the pit for six days. That meant she'd only been with the illigers for a little over three weeks. Already it felt like a lifetime. She was a new person, and more and more she was beginning to feel like an illiger native. Her situation met its next big change when she was then called to Zann's quarters. She'd not seen him for weeks and an unwelcome thrill lit up inside her as she followed Bronis down a different path in the caves. Zann was nothing more than a captain of thieves. He was not the king, not the god that everyone here took him to be.
Violet noticed the walkway wasn't well lit, a sure sign to any wanderers that this tunnel was private. It had to be naturally formed. The walls converged above in a tight triangle, close to either side of Violet's head. You could still walk straight on, but there was no room to squeeze by someone else. Violet's heart beat a little faster. This couldn't be her execution already, could it? No, she still had utility. Despite her former resolve a sudden fear of death had her wondering if she could promise to brew them more potions after all….
Then the space opened up to a curiously red door. Bronis knocked twice before letting himself in. He held the door open for Violet and she crept into a large office. It was full of all kinds of things, but what stood out first were maps, and parchments on chests detailing plans. She then saw a suit of chainmail armour on its stand in a corner, then jewels and other items on shelves, there were hanging animal skins and banners. More random things jumped out at her before she focused on the desk where Zann sat upright in a leather seat. Her breathing hitched at the sight of him. He was scrutinising her beneath his jutting brow. Around the room stood his most trusted: Nedi, Sagan and Jarmila. Bronis went to stand by his brother who'd been secretly giving Violet lessons in fighting. Sagan's expression was as composed as the others. Everything precious or steel in this room, mainly the gemstones and gold, reflected the plentiful light from the torches on each wall.
Violet couldn't think of what to say, so she just waited while her nerves ate at her.
"Violet, I hast deemed thee to be a little more trustworthy," Zann began.
After she'd healed him weeks ago. Why now?
"Oh…" she couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Your private lessons with Sagan were ordered by me," Zann explained.
Violet started, looking at Sagan whose expression remained composed. It silently conveyed his loyalty, he was unapologetic about tricking her. Of course, all of them were loyal. Violet let her shoulders fall back in acceptance.
"Sagan uncovered much information about thee and thou world during thy lessons. We hast deemed thee for the most part, to be no great threat."
She'd been grasping at the thought of having a friend in this nightmare and told him all kinds of things.
Her thoughts then stopped short because suddenly, Violet saw her crystal ball. Her heart thudded and she couldn't conceal her reaction if she tried. It was sitting on a shelf above their heads. She'd never get to it, and even if they let her grab it they'd interfere before she could open a new message, write 'help' and hit send. It was sitting there in its charging cradle. Violet's tongue darted out of her mouth, wetting her dry lips, and her eyes were wide. She felt a bit frenzied, and they could all see her trying to get a handle on herself.
"You had to play me like that just to determine I wasn't a threat? Are you that suspicious of me?"
Violet's eyes were on Zann's and she could tell that while he was cautious, he wasn't suspicious of her. She noticed Jarmila whose narrowed gaze was on the floor. Suddenly she knew who'd been in his ear, who he'd placated by arranging this deception in the first place.
"We still desire thy healing potions."
"Figures," Violet remained antsy, her hands working open and closed at her sides.
Zann stood and Violet grew wary.
"Violet, come hither. Everyone else is dismissed."
The others made their way to the door. Nedi's steps were heavy as he passed. Violet half-expected Jarmila to argue, but maybe they'd discussed all this before. They left and it was just Violet alone with the captain, holding her upper am. Zann pushed open a simple wooden door behind his desk, it was between a pile of stuff.
"This way," he said, then went through.
She had to fight to drag her feet forward, and then she followed him into another darkened corridor. This one was quite angular, meaning it'd been mined. Zann walked confidently a few paces ahead, his breathing even. At the end of the corridor was a room, smaller than his office. It was centred around a table with a big map and metal game pieces on it. It was for war strategizing.
Violet peered at it before looking at Zann as he watched her.
"...You kept me alive as a present for your ally, right? I don't understand."
"I said thee may be a curiosity to him, one he may find some value in or perhaps naught at all." He was still relaxed.
"Why did you never take me to him?" Violet wondered, studying him as he remained quiet. "He's not been too busy to see me for this long. You changed your mind… you don't really trust him at the moment?"
"Thou are quite perceptive," he admitted quietly.
Violet closed her mouth, realising she'd given him more reason to be cautious with her. Sure, she could be perceptive at times. Other times, she could be terribly stupid, like not suspecting what Sagan had been up to in the first place. The signs had been there.
Zann waved his arm over the desert map, "We hast reason to believe our mysterious ally isn't just helping our tribe, but many across Enim. Our territory hast grown with his help, but so has others, one of which hast clashed borders with ours. The situation is delicate, there hast been many misunderstandings and we are trying to avoid a war."
Violet clenched her fists, the knuckles popping. Of course they wouldn't want war - not with enemies that could fight back. Their favourite pastime was harming ordinary Testificates. Violet was glaring at her feet, she didn't want to look at the map in case she saw her old village marked there. She got a handle on herself and eyed it, thankfully she couldn't read it well. But she could see curious dotted areas representing illiger territories. They were ellipsoid or like puddles in shape. The smaller zones covered no more than three villages. Typically, too much territory was harder to keep track of so normal illiger tribes didn't expand very far. The larger territories were many times bigger, and Violet looked at all the crosses inside them, all the known villages that were getting extorted.
"...Why are you showing me this?" she finally asked.
Zann took a step toward her, "Thou knows much about the dozy villagers. Thou could convince them on our behalf."
Violet's voice raised to almost a shriek, "So you can kill more of them right?"
"If thou convinces them to cooperate we wouldn't have to."
Violet relaxed a little at that. So she'd be relied on to convince villagers to let themselves be extorted, instead of fleeing, or refusing which would lead to slaughter. It would be saving lives, not helping to end them.
Zann watched her thinking, "Our ally takes the wares we extort from villages. Tools, materials, food, goods of all kinds. He doth not like it when we exterminate some." The teeth at the corner of his mouth showed as he lifted a crooked smile, it was fittingly wayward, "We can't often help our instincts, and when villagers refuse to cooperate we canst do much else but indulge our own lusts."
Violet made herself take a steadying breath, "You'd have me be your spokesperson to villagers, and make you healing potions?" It did mean they wouldn't kill her, and with her mind on her crystal ball in the other room Violet was much more willing to cooperate for the time being.
"In exchange for that me and the others are also willing to teach thee how to fight."
Violet didn't expect him to add more to his side of the deal. He then pointedly added: "...properly, mind you."
"Sagan was teaching me wrong," she realised.
"Aye, much so. But he also said thy skills were so basic that he couldn't help giving thee some useful tips."
Such as her stance and gripping the sword tighter. Well, Violet did also get the idea that the sequences were off. Too much flourishing and attacks that seemed easy to counter. It was truthfully embarrassing how a species of lesser intelligence fooled her so easily because of her knowing next to nothing about fighting. She really had been making a fool of herself with the sword after all.
A faint blush coloured her cheeks, "I told myself I wouldn't help you hurt villagers. But if this will actually keep some villages safe, I will agree. If you and your men teach me how to fight."
"Good. Though I don't trust thee enough yet to let thee roam outside our cave. Perhaps thee might assemble a spell out there that would return thee home?"
"I told you I don't know any magic! I never even tried to learn!" Never mind the fact that no feat as complicated as dimensional travel could be performed with materials found in simple villages. Violet could see that her rebuff was convincing, but Zann was still erring on caution.
"Thou shalt remain here and begin making a stock of healing potions for us. And we shall honour our word by teaching thee the ways of battle, as known well by our warrior kind."
Violet thought about it for a moment then nodded curtly.
Zann held his arm over the map once more, "And should thee have any other utility worth trading for, such as military knowledge, we could exchange for more…"
Violet jolted as she thought of asking for her old possessions. She wasn't sure how much she'd given away in his office before. Either way, she didn't have anything else to offer. That black book she'd read mentioned a lot about terrain, and ways of getting supplies to stationed troops so they wouldn't grow weary, and a bit about using the weather. Not much at all could be applied to the desert.
She tried to think of anything else she could offer. A little known fact about Violet was that before she got set on cultural psychology, she spent six months attempting to be a redstone inventor instead. While her mother studied magic, Violet would be her polar opposite and learn to create with science instead. It turned out to be the wrong fit for her and by now the basics was all she remembered. No, sadly Violet's skill set was appearing as trifle as it had always seemed to most others. She should've learnt how to fight or blast magic.
Zann was watching her contemplate and then he broke through her thoughts, "Let it be something thou can mull over. I'll walk thee back."
"Back to that room?"
"Thou canst choose another," he exited and Violet followed him down the corridor, "In fact, if thee agrees to help us thou can be free to wander so long as thou doesn't leave the cave."
It was a profound proposal, "Free…?"
"Our kind are not soft. We are savages. And yet, I do regret how thou hast been treated so far Violet, but…"
"But this is just how you all are," Violet surmised.
"Aye."
They passed through the office. He opened the red door for her. Violet forced herself not to look at the crystal ball again.
She walked through, thinking about all he'd said, "Thank you…"
There was no response. He followed her out of the narrow corridor and back to the populated cavernous spaces.
Violet had a great deal on her mind. While everything was better than it was before, she still felt an irrational urge bubbling within: to start crying again. She fought against it. When in her cave room, she had lucid moments like taking breaths with her head out of the paralysing ocean of fear. She could've kicked and screamed but a fat lot of good that would do. She'd cried enough here, and the people she was living among were strong. She had to borrow that strength.
Zann followed her to where most of the illigers were gathered. They looked over. Violet felt Zann's hand come down on her shoulder and stopped, facing the grey people who watched her curiously with their red eyes.
"Violet hither is no longer confined to her room! She hast been granted the freedom to wander about the cave, safe for our armoury and food rooms. If any harm her they must answer to me!"
Nobody would ever speak against him. His word was their law. The illigers regarded Violet differently, they accepted the new command almost instantly. Zann turned away then, his hand leaving Violet's shoulder. She turned to get a look at him but only saw his back as he strolled off. Violet looked back at the illigers and decided she wanted to go where there'd be less eyes on her. So exercising her newfound freedom, she turned on her heel and walked deeper down the cave.
With nobody looking at her it became harder to fight off her crying, and tears started streaming. For once she wasn't indulgent with herself, instead getting frustrated as she wiped them away. She spied an interesting boulder, it looked climbable like most of them. Violet clenched its ridged side and heaved herself up a few metres, then she sat in a pocket at its top. She stared out at the torches and dark distance to the roof that was many times farther than the ground. She could see some of the planted waterfalls, and a couple of illigers climbing down the rocks on the far side. It was pretty and almost calming. The air was damp and much cooler than the desert surface. Sitting there Violet gave herself ample time to process until Tiril would call everyone for lunch.
It was after lunch when they got Violet to work on brewing the potions right away. She mixed nine healing potions, three batches one after the other with the ingredients they carried to her. A smooth pocket of the cave had been converted into her brewery. She felt waves of uncertainty as she laboured for her captors, but she did feel better when immediately afterwards they agreed to give her combat training - real training this time.
Nedi was looking into each of the sparkling scarlet bottles before placing them in a crate. Violet was sitting cross-legged by her wonky brewing stand and watching him.
Bronis stood with his arms crossed and smirking, "We shall hast to collect more melons, gold and awkward potions. If we order some of the villages-"
"Please don't hurt anyone for this," Violet interrupted before she could stop herself. She couldn't deal with any more guilt on her conscience. "Please."
Nedi pointedly ignored her, still loading the bottles with care. Jarmila smiled nastily but didn't face her. Sagan was leaning on the far wall and his disappointed expression matched that of his brother.
"Violet, thou are too soft," Bronis chided.
"Villagers don't bother anyone."
"So? It's the responsibility of all to be strong."
Before being taken here she might've had a rebuke to that. But she thought of her own shameful helplessness, and how sheltered she'd been spending most of her life at the college. There was something profound about such a simple statement: it's the responsibility of all to be strong. Where it mattered, the philosophising of academics within their walls of safety was just blowing about air. Violet's captors had shown their strength, hadn't they? She turned away, biting her lip. When she spoke again she shifted the subject back.
"Villagers don't mine for gold. You'll need to do it yourselves, and maybe search the ocean for shipwrecks. They often have treasure."
Jarmila came closer to snarl, "We know," before turning away again.
"Well, you also probably know that melons grow abundantly in jungle biomes," Violet continued to Bronis anyway. "Teach the villages close to the jungle how to plant them among their crops."
"What of the awkward potions?" Bronis asked. Nedi hoisted up the crate and carried it off.
Violet thought, "You had nether warts in your store room. If you can find soul sand you can plant them… maybe your ally could supply that?" She tested the waters for their reaction. Bronis stared off and said nothing. She was pretty sure their ally was the source of rare items getting distributed by the likes of wandering traders in Enim.
Sagan approached with a smile, carrying the wooden swords they'd practised with for a week. She looked at him and he tossed one to her. She caught its handle with barely a fumble.
Sagan stopped and whacked the blunt tip of wood against the ground twice, "To thy feet, Violet. I will hast to correct all the improper things I taught thee."
Bronis stepped back to give them room. Jarmila turned, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms, watching with an expression anticipating pain or humiliation on Violet's end. Fighting was a way of life for them. It was why they seemed so willing to teach her in the end, and properly since they'd managed to trick her like Jarmila wanted. Violet gulped and took a stance, holding her sword in the ready position. Sagan knocked it away.
"No stabbing motions, Violet. It leaves thy body terribly unguarded."
Violet nodded and brought her sword back. Sagan started pacing around her with prowling animal eyes, and she turned with him, keeping her sword ready to block.
Sagan continued, "No overhead swings either, you must be ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice. Use your surroundings. Where possible take control of the flow of the battle. And yes, thee are free to kick or hit or bite - to use any advantage that could win the fight."
Sagan stopped his prowling and Violet suppressed the fear, readying herself. He slashed and she moved the sword to parry. Left, right, left. Hard knocks that made her wrist ache and she was losing ground, stepping away from him.
"Never let thy opponent see thy back. Watch them - for any weaknesses, to predict their moves." He was slashing at her again and Violet parried desperately. The sweat beading her forehead, the ache spreading through her muscles. This viciousness was what she'd always hated about fighting, but she had to push through. Like her powerful captors, she had to live for the fight. Violet felt her lips pulling back over clenched teeth, letting her pounding heart bleed into a new bloodlust.
"And also…" Sagan continued but she didn't let him finish. He'd swung too far and left himself open, the same thing he'd told Violet not to do. She swung at his middle but somehow he tripped her. Violet blinked up blearily and saw him offer his hand with another smirk, "...feint."
She didn't accept his hand. She got back up on her own and readied the wooden sword. Jarmila and Bronis both looked intrigued by that. Sagan reappraised her and got ready too.
"This time thou lead the charge, Violet."
She only paused a second before springing at him.
The end result: fifteen minutes later she had bruises along her arms, legs and shoulder. Her nose hurt from when she'd tripped. She got back up each time, running on a high that was brand new. She would learn how to fight.
"Brother, allow me to step in." Bronis approached and so Sagan turned away, throwing him the sword and passing him for the wall. Bronis took a stance and Violet wasn't ready to call it quits. Far from it.
They started swinging at each other. Every now and again he gave advice of his own, and Violet tried to incorporate it. She was really trying. Every sting of defeat, or that wooden sword, didn't compare an iota to the pain she suffered on that darkest night. No physical hurt could be like that, not even a stab from a real sword. Her insides were more battered, permanently bruised, permanently violet. She chanced a lunge that Bronis evaded and was awarded a smack against the side of her neck from the stick.
"Brave," Bronis commented, "but keep thy guard up, shoulders up."
Violet took a moment to work her jaw, she'd felt her teeth rattle. She faced him again and they kept at it, fighting for another twenty minutes.
Jarmila had started to circle them, scrutinising Violet's form. When Bronis backed off Violet was panting. Sagan came over and handed her water.
"If we keep this up, thou are going to need one of our healing potions."
She knew what he meant. Her body was sore all over, but she still wasn't ready to quit.
"Thou have had thy turn with her, Bronis. Allow me."
The voice came from behind her and Violet couldn't help the fear that trembled down her spine. She turned slowly and Jarmila was approaching, her hand out for the sword. Bronis almost passed it, but even he hesitated.
Jarmila was annoyed, "Relax thyself. Zann ordered she not be harmed, did he not?"
Bronis still looked unsure but he tossed her the weapon and she caught it. In the same motion she swung it around herself in ways both vicious and elegant. Her back foot slid as she smoothly lowered into a crouch. Violet knew Jarmila was a skilled fighter. She knew it without having even seen her fight. There was such an efficiency to her everyday movements, she was utterly self-possessed, at all times primed to strike like she was always coiled. It was a fear Violet almost didn't want to face.
Despite that fear she slowly, reluctantly got into a ready position. Jarmila smirked and crept closer with precise steps. Violet waited, knowing that if she lashed first the counterattack was imminent, and sure to hit her before she even saw it coming. Jarmila studied her for a moment more, reading her resolve, and then she struck.
It was faster than Sagan or Bronis. Violet barely batted it away from her. She turned as Jarmila did, they were dancing something slow and threatening. Instead of using her sword skills to defeat Violet she wanted her intimidation to overwhelm and do it for her - that was so Jarmila. Thankfully Violet felt something bloom inside her: Pride, or a stubborn refusal to be psychologically bullied into a defeat. She let the anger feed her resolve, so Jarmila struck again. Violet parried once, twice. Her wrist ached again. Jarmila wasn't stronger than the brothers but she sure was faster.
Jarmila scowled, evidently warring with a desire to go harder. It seemed like if Zann ordered it, she really wasn't going to hurt Violet - too badly.
The strikes came faster this time, in rapid succession and Violet still managed to block them: whack-whack-whack-whack. Maybe it was because she was sure it'd really sting if a Jarmila blow landed. That was enough to put herself on high alert. Jarmila circled again, equal parts annoyed and excited for how tense their match had become. Jarmila's eyes started communicating something nasty, something as twisted as her heart. She was thinking back to baby Allium, and knowing how truly Violet would like to kill her if their swords were real. Jarmila soaked that in, she was savouring, and then Violet struck first.
Of course, where Jarmila had failed to manipulate Violet's emotions to make her fear cripple her, she finally succeeded by tapping into her righteous fury instead. Violet's emotions cost her the fight. It was likely how Jarmila fought all her battles, it was a wavelength she always occupied.
The counterattack was immediate. Violet lost her sword and got a bruise on her collarbone for good measure. The pain was different and severe, it stunned her, but in time it passed. Violet clutched the sore spot, assessing that there was no fracture. Jarmila grinned with satisfaction.
"What is going on here!?" Thundered the voice of Zann from the entry.
Nedi stood behind him, confused. Zann looked at Violet standing bruised in many places from a near hour of practice. He was also looking at Jarmila poised with the wooden sword in her grip. He took in Sagan and Bronis who were merely standing by the walls, watching. Jarmila didn't speak in the face of his fury. Zann stormed over, his hand going for the handle of his very real sword.
"Wait!" Violet jumped between them. Everyone was surprised.
Violet took a breath, "Jarmila didn't do this. They were all training me. And I wanted this."
Violet hadn't needed to correct Zann's misunderstanding so quickly. Mods knew it would've been satisfying for her to see Jarmila stutter and sweat. Still, Violet was learning from all of them. Even Jarmila. Even from her unbridled nastiness, she was learning how to be a better, stronger fighter. She didn't want any of them to stop training her.
Zann studied Violet's face for a moment. He then looked at the brothers who stiffened like soldiers, "You're all relieved for the day. Unless you're enjoying yourselves," he eyed Violet's bruises again, "Don't hurt her too badly, I don't want to waste our new stock on training."
""Yes, Sir!""
He turned to go. After another look Nedi followed after him. Violet looked back but Jarmila wasn't meeting her eyes. Violet turned to the brothers as they approached.
"Perhaps we ought to give it a rest for today," Sagan suggested. "Thou are injured enough."
"Can I keep the wooden sword and practise alone? I'm still good for another hour, at least."
The three looked at each other.
Sagan smirked, "Fine. Then I shall stay too for a bit longer. We'll turn thee into a warrior yet."
。。。
【AN: I thought Shuriken16 might not like the action in chapter 4, it's quite the breakaway from the calmer pace and more like my usual hectic stuff. So far the story isn't being received as problematic lel.】
