Chapter 6: Getting Dirty

I had hoped for a dreamless sleep, but I wasn't so lucky. Dante must have stirred something deep in the bowels of my memory because I couldn't stop hearing his words echo in my dreams.

"I want what you promised me a long time ago," Was all I kept hearing in my head as I tossed and turned my way to sleep. Visions of the oak tree by the lake near the house, a boy with raven black hair and brilliant green eyes haunted my dream. Everything was zooming by so quickly. Then there was a moment when I saw myself as a small girl. I couldn't have been more than five or six hugging the boy near the tree. There was such a sadness surrounding the memory.

I still couldn't see anything clearly. There was a mist that clouded the memories. For that is what I had to be dreaming about were the memories I had forgotten. Then I became the fog floating around the characters in the play set before me. I saw my younger self standing next to my father. I was looking up at him with tears in my eyes, "Why does he have to leave Papa?" my younger self asked.

My father's form was obscured by the fog, but I could feel the sadness and tension that filled the air around him. They were looking at a carriage at the front of the house. The carriage started to roll away. The little girl started to chase after the carriage, my father grabbed on to her, but let go after a few moments of kicking and protesting. I watched as I ran, but then I was the one running after the carriage. The carriage reached the end of the trail leading off the grounds of the house and towards the main road. I saw the raven hair of the boy and those brilliant green eyes look back from the carriage.

I heard the words yell back to me. It was Dante's voice younger and laced with sadness, "Don't forget Lake! You promised!" I dropped to my knees on the spot and started to sob. It felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. I felt lost and alone.

I woke up in a cold sweat and sat up, swinging my feet to the cold floor. I looked over at Laura who was beginning to wake as well. The sun was peaking through the window so I knew it was morning, I just didn't know what time. Hopefully it was still early. I really didn't want anyone beating down my door with Laura still in bed.

I walked into the changing area and washed my face with the cool water in the wash basin. I glanced up into the looking glass and saw the sad little six year old girl staring back at me. I hadn't changed much from when I was six. Sure I was older, taller, and filled out in a few places, but I was still sad, lost, and I felt more alone than ever.

"Are you okay, Lake?" Laura's soft voice brought me back to the present.

"I'll be okay," I lied because I honestly didn't know if I would be.

She smiled sweetly at me. "You need to hurry and get dressed. There are people that are expecting George at the Warriors Guild in a little while." She started to hurriedly get dressed herself. "Would you like me to get some breakfast for you?"

"Laura, I don't expect you to be my servant," I snapped.

"I see you are not a morning person. I will have to remember that," she smiled brightly. "and I know you don't expect me to be your servant. But it is part of what I do. Besides, Mr. George," she said with a hint of sarcasm, "you have bought my services for the next few days if I am not mistaken," she put her hands on her hips.

"Therefore, if I am going to earn my wages by keeping up this silly facade you created for yourself, I am required to get your breakfast and make sure all your needs are taken care of during your stay," she nodded her head and crossed her arms defiantly.

I sighed deeply. "Fine, breakfast would be great, thank you. Nothing to heavy though. Training on an empty stomach is bad. Training on a full stomach is worse."

Laura giggled happily heading for the door. "I will bring you some toasted bread and sausage. Is there anything else you want?"

"Don't go overboard with this, I'm still not sure I like this idea," I growled.

"You really aren't a morning person, are you?" she frowned.

"It depends on the morning."

Laura shrugged and reached for the door. "I will be back in a few minutes," she opened the door to see a grinning Xaedes about to pound on the door. Laura stood there for a moment not quite sure what to do or say, and not knowing how much was overheard. I will have to give the girl credit for thinking quickly.

"Can I help you sir?" Laura was a little loud about it. I plastered myself to the back wall of the changing area. My armor was in the main room and I couldn't get to it without being seen.

"You must be the wash maid I heard so much about," Xaedes was still grinning. "I thought George had sworn off such… Endeavors."

Laura looked at Xaedes with a mischievous grin. "I persuaded him otherwise," she said in a husky voice. I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh hysterically. Laura put a gentle hand on my brother's chest and pushed him out into the hallway shutting the door behind her. I couldn't hear the conversation because I was too busy grabbing my armor and slipping it on. I opened the door and I was again resisting the urge to heartily laugh.

My brother, looked at me, looked back at a blushing Laura, then back at me in a state of utter shock. I didn't know what Laura had lied about, but I figured if I played the part, it may work for the best. I looked at Xaedes with a raised eyebrow. "What? You were having plenty fun with the bar maid when I left last night."

Laura wrapped her arm around my waist and placed her hand on my chest plate. "I will go get your breakfast now," and she placed a quick peck on my cheek. It felt a little strange, but keeping up the illusion had to be maintained. Laura blinked over to Xaedes. "Would you care for anything, Sir?"

Xaedes shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Uh… No thank you, I have already eaten."

Laura shot a quick wink in my direction and bounded down the stairs. I couldn't help think about this being a BAD idea all over again. I rolled my eyes again and blew out a long breath. "I take it I'm late," I walked back into the room to put on my boots and grab my gear. Xaedes followed.

"Now that I know why you are late, I'm not as angry. What changed your mind?" He asked.

"What does it matter?" I snapped at him, grabbing my boots.

My brother sat in the not so comfy chair. "I guess it doesn't."

"Good," I slipped on my boots. There were a few more moments of silence.

"Are you sure you're going to be up for training after an all nighter?" Xaedes chuckled.

I sighed to contain my laughter and scratched at my bridge of my nose. I would have to ask Laura EXACTLY what she told him. "We will see how terrible my aim is when we get to the Warriors Guild. Then I will know how tired I am."

Laura bounded back into the room with a small plate of food. "Here we are now, something hot straight from the kitchen," she handed me the plate.

"You are too kind, Laura," I took the plate and looked over to Xaedes. "Could the lady and I have a moment… Alone… Please?"

"Heh," my brother awkwardly got out of the chair and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"What did you tell him?" I whispered.

Laura smiled. "I told him that we had an excellent time."

"That's it?"

She nodded. "Men have a way of hearing things that aren't there."

"Ok then," I breathed out slowly. I ate my breakfast in a bit of a hurry, while hooking the buttons on my boots. I gathered the rest of my gear and started to head out the door.

Laura started to giggle. "You are more convincing when you're grumpy."

"Hn," I handed her the small pouch of about ten silver pieces. "Don't go nuts."

She smiled coyly. "I won't. But I need to find something special for your one night as a woman."

"Just nothing too frilly," I glowered at her and opened the door.

Xaedes was leaning against the wall with a smug grin plastered on his face. "You ready yet?"

"Let's go," I grumbled.

As we got outside I squinted at the bright sun. Xaedes looked at me and shook his head. The walk to the Warriors Guild was thankfully silent. My brother kept that stupid grin on his face and continued to glance at me every once and a while. He lost his cheesy grin when Dante and Marious came into view. Neither of them looked pleased with me.

"I hope you have a valid explanation for keeping us waiting," Marious frowned.

"I overslept," I answered flatly.

Xaedes snickered. "I'm surprised you're awake at all."

I cracked a wicked smile. "Well since you're wide awake, I would have to assume your endeavors weren't as entertaining."

Xaedes dropped his grin. Marious raised an eyebrow. Dante stood with his arms crossed and scowled at me. "I thought we were here to train?"

"Agreed," Marious regained his fatherly glare. I shrugged and headed inside.

The training field was relatively large and had a few other people milling around the yard. At the back of the field was an archery range. I started to walk back towards the field. Xaedes grabbed my arm. "No so fast, Brother. We know you can shoot an arrow, but I want to know about your close combat."

I glared at him. I was not in the mood for anyone at that moment to tell me what to do, "The whole point is to keep the enemy from getting that close."

"Coward," Xaedes frowned.

"No, I play to my strengths and keep the enemy away from my weaknesses."

Dante had walked up behind Xaedes, "George has a point. If he's no good in close combat than we can keep him far enough back to keep us defended."

Xaedes rounded on Dante, "I understand that much, Fop… But we may not always have that advantage."

Dante and Xaedes postured dangerously for a moment.

"ENOUGH! You both have a point," I grimaced. I walked over to the rows of practice blades. I walked the rows for several minutes testing the different blades. I finally picked one that wasn't too terribly heavy and worked well in my hands. It wasn't the best made sword I had held in my hands, but it was pointy and it would serve the purpose it was made for.

I walked back out on the field and faced my brother. He too, had chosen a practice blade. I shrugged, "Ok, now what?"

"We see what you can do," Xaedes took his stance. We stood there staring at each other for what seemed like forever. In those few moments I took the opportunity to go over what I knew about my brother as an enemy. The sad truth set in. I didn't know anything. The smart plan would have been to be thirty meters away with a bow in my hand and arrows at my back. I unfortunately didn't have that option.

I had to go with what I did know. Xaedes was stronger, but I was quicker and more agile. He was better with a sword. I knew the basics of how to use a sword. But there were the finer points of swordsmanship that I never got to learn. Something my father told me sprang to the forefront of my mind. "Don't act, react!"

I readied my sword and took a lower stance. Xaedes's body tensed. He started to move to the left and his sword went wide. I crossed my sword across my body point down. It knocked his sword and him off balance. I spun around the rest of the way and hit Xaedes on his side with the flat of my blade.

The loud "thwang" of the blade against his armor caused Dante and Marious to raise an eyebrow. Xaedes shoved me sideways with his shoulder and I jumped back, taking my stance again. He turned around to face me and he didn't look happy. Time seemed to slow. I could see his movements and predict which way he was going to strike. Xaedes looked like a lumbering giant that I evaded easily. He also had a tendency to over swing his sword.

After a few more moments I managed to knock Xaedes flat on his back and stuck my sword in the ground next to his head. I crouched over him for a moment smirking. Xaedes looked up at with that smug grin of his. I stood up and stepped back offering him my hand. Xaedes took it and got up off the ground.

"I thought you didn't know how to use a sword," Xaedes raised an eyebrow.

I was pulling my practice blade from the ground, "I don't know the finer points of swordsmanship and it isn't my preferred weapon, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to use one," I glanced over to Dante and Marious. They were whispering something between them.

Marious noticed my staring and looked over to me, "You are your father's son, George. I expected nothing less."

Dante still had his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, "I guess you aren't a pansy after all," he uncrossed his arms and stepped forward. He grabbed a practice blade of his own and looked at me, "but I'm not satisfied."

Xaedes stepped between the advancing Dante and me, "I think he can hold his own."

"I think you held back. I won't," Dante glared at Xaedes.

"Bring it ON!" I taunted. I honestly don't know what possessed me to say anything. It just slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself. Dante and Xaedes turned to stare at me. Dante had a slight smirk on his face. Xaedes looked worried, as did Marious.