Contest Question: Irony of Alex's birthday
Contest Answer: Alex was in a loveless marriage and her birthday is Valentine's birthday
Winner: Rapis-Razuri
Request: A piece involving child!Robin and Alex (The Avatar's mother: see Looking Back, Moving Forward)
"Mother can we go play over by the bakery?" Robin tugged on her mother's sleeve.
"No you three are staying with me." Alex commanded.
"But our mother lets us go off all the time." the young Anna argued.
"Anna left you two with me today. That makes me responsible for you, and I keep track of what I am responsible for." Alex informed the children.
"But Alex" Anna's little brother John whined.
"Sorry," Alex shook her head, "now come on I have to run to the blacksmith's."
Alex herded the pack of children forward so she could continue her errands. It was difficult considering it had rained heavily the past few days and the children either tried to step around every puddle or jump straight into it. Alex had to keep them moving quickly, but trying to keep them clean. Eventually Robin broke off to stop by the book cart.
"Mother look there's some new books!" Robin clapped joyfully, and she noticed there was even an introductory tactics book.
That was one of the few things that would catch Alex's attention no matter what. Alex walked over to the cart and examined the wares. Biting her lip she looked at her coin purse and sighed.
"Sorry Robin we have to focus on what we need first." Alex patted the girl on the head.
"Alright" Robin followed when her mother took her hand.
Soon enough they stood before the blacksmith. He brought out a few weapons and Alex began examining them with her careful eye.
"I made some nice steel pieces recently." the blacksmith offered.
"And what's the price?" Alex asked examining the sword and bow.
"840G for the steel sword and 910G for the steel bow." the blacksmith smiled.
"That's out of my price range and you know it. I will stick to the usual iron: thank you." Alex replied.
"Suit yourself." the blacksmith brought out some iron weapons and laid them beside the steel ones.
Robin began staring around town. There were all kinds of friendly faces. She could even see Anna and John's father, Jake, minding the store while Anna was out of town. It was an ordinary peaceful day. Robin didn't understand why they couldn't just go have fun instead of going on errands.
Then she noticed a stream at the edge of town just a short distance away. It was odd, normally the town was dry. Her eyes followed it to discover the origin. The small lake near town had been thoroughly walled off. She guessed that the rain lately had nearly overflowed the lake and the extra protection was added so that it didn't flood the town.
Suddenly she was aware that the normal market sounds had quieted. In confusion she looked around to spot bandits approaching from the woods. Robin moved closer to Alex along with Anna and John. Alex in turn hovered over them protectively. Jake spotted the bandits as well; he grabbed his axe and approach the outskirts.
"Father" John attempted to follow but Alex held him back.
"There is nothing in this town for you." Jake called to the distant bandits.
"We doubt that." the leader responded breaking off and coming closer, "but tell you what, hand it all over and we'll let you live."
Jake and the bandit continued talking sizing each other up. Robin stared in fear. This was very bad. She could see other townspeople gradually arming themselves: preparing to fight if it came to it. The muttering of her mother drew her attention.
"Those steel pieces. Any chance I can get them half price?" Alex asked.
"What?" the blacksmith stared.
"Sell me the steel pieces at half price. I could really use them right now. Might even be able to stop the bandits before they even set foot in town." Alex answered.
"You can't be serious." the blacksmith shook his head in disbelief.
"Deal?" Alex prompted.
The blacksmith deliberated in confusion; then agreed, "Alright Alex you fearsome woman."
Alex smiled and slowly slid the bow into her hand. Jake and the bandit were still arguing, but the distance between them was striking distance. Robin watched her mother in wonder as Alex studied everything around them: the other townspeople, the terrain, the bandits. Her analytical eyes feeding information to the tactical mind hard at work.
The second the bandit tensed his arm; Alex moved with incredible speed. Just as his arm reached his axe, Robin heard a distinctive twang. The bandit fell before his axe could. Alex stood bow in hand. The other bandits were startled by the swift defeat of their leader, but composed quickly and began to charge. Alex fired another arrow, but it didn't hit a single bandit. By all accounts it appeared to miss. It did not. The arrow flew fast and hit a key support the wall around the lake, with a large amount of force. The support jostled, and another arrow seconds later sent the support toppling. The result was a gush of water that knocked all the bandits off their feet and slide around while attempting to stand.
The armed townspeople swooped in. Soon the bandits were all either dead, or had barely managed to escape. Robin stared in awe at her mother. Alex had so easily and efficiently dealt with the threat. Her mother was the strongest and smartest person Robin knew. Truly Alex was an inspiration to the youth, and today's events motivated her to have an important conversation with her mother that night.
"Mother?" Robin asked after dinner was cleaned up.
"Yes Robin" Alex responded.
"Will you teach me how to fight: with a sword and tactics!" the young girl blurted.
The mother looked at her daughter. Immediately fears and worries began to course through her. She adored her daughter, but the child was a Fellblood and bore a Heart of Grima. Anything she learned might later be passed to Fell Dragon. Not to mention teaching Robin was preparing was preparing her for war. Alex desperately wished that her precious daughter would never set foot into battle.
Firmly Alex answered, "No"
"But Mother I'm nine years old now!" Robin whined.
"You're still a child; you don't need training in the arts war, and I pray you never do." Alex vehemently protested.
"But I want to learn!" Robin stomped her foot, "How old were you when you started learning?"
Alex bit her lip. The truthful answer was not going to help her case. Alex had started formal lessons when she was seven. She started that early because at six she was flipping through tactics manuals and playing swords behind her parents back. Once they had found out, the best decision was to formally teach the reckless, wild child before she hurt herself messing around. Alex was not going to encourage her daughter to be as foolish as she was.
"If you want to learn more, I will help you with more advanced mathematics, reading, and writing." Alex dodged the question.
"I want to learn how to stand strong; to fight and plan!" Robin sniffed.
"I'm sorry sweetheart," Alex's voice suddenly turned gentle, "but I want for you to never have to fight. There may be someday when I feel the need to teach, but for now you are still too young."
"Fine!" Robin snapped as she stormed off to her room.
Alex sighed. It seemed like her daughter was as stubborn as she was. That wasn't necessarily a good thing.
The next day Robin sat pouting on the floor while Alex read in her chair. She realized that her daughter would be mad for quite some time. The mother decided the easiest way to handle her was to wait out her temper.
Then came a knock at the door. Alex stood and walked to the door.
"Hello Jake" Alex greeted.
"Alex you need to come quick!" Jake urged, "The bandits from yesterday had friends. They're heading toward town now! We need your help."
Alex nodded then glanced to Robin. She walked over to the little girl.
"I know you're still mad at me," Alex wrapped her arms around Robin, "but please understand and stay here sweetheart. I want to keep you safe." Alex kissed her daughter on the forehead.
Robin watched as Alex grabbed her sword and bow as she ran out the door. Suddenly she felt guilty about how she had been treating her mother. Although she was still mad, and that anger showed no signs of retreating soon. A short time later there was another knock at the door.
"Hey Robin" the young Anna's voice called.
Robin walked over and opened the door to the panting Anna and John.
"What is it?" Robin asked.
"There is something in the woods you have to see!" Anna exclaimed.
"It's really cool." John bounced.
Robin hesitated; her mother had told her to stay here. But there was still an anger bubbling inside about being denied. This made her want to disobey. Not to mention Anna and John were both so excited.
"Alright" Robin nodded walking out the door.
"See look!" Anna pointed excitedly.
"Wow!" Robin gaped.
Somehow a huge pile of sticks had accumulated in the river. It resulted in a pond forming behind it and reducing the river to a trickle. Along with that, there was a strange creature slapping mud and sticks onto the pile. After a short time it left in the woods. Robin could help but wonder if it was getting more wood.
"What do you think it is?" Robin wondered.
"I don't know, but this occurred in just a few days!" Anna exclaimed.
"That thing made the pile we know that." John claimed wide-eyed.
"Let's get a better look." Anna suggest enthusiastically.
The three children scrambled to the mound of wood. Anna began climbing on it, John sat on it and splashed his feet in the pond, while Robin carefully examined it. Within a short time, Anna got bored and was wandering around dragging John with her. Robin, however, continued to study this new oddity. She managed to locate a few key logs that held most of the structure together. She hadn't been able to help with the building, but she had learned a few things when they were building the house.
"Well hello there children." a strange voice laughed.
Robin startled and whipped around to see a strange woman standing on the opposite bank of the river. Anna and John also froze at the voice and sight. She had a healing staff in hand, but Robin also noticed the axe at her back. The conversation with her mother about bandits drifted into her head. Robin knew she had to act and fast. Her mind began racing through all strategies she had seen her mother use.
"Well I suppose you will make decent hostages." the war cleric giggled wickedly.
The woman began walking into the former river. Robin remembered the trick Alex had used the day before. She started kicking at some of the key supports she had identified. Within moments the dam began to give. A torrent of water, logs, and mud crashed into the woman. Knocking her under the water and washing her away.
"Robin!" Alex called in worry from a short distance away.
"Anna! John!" Jake also called to his children.
The two adults had been chasing the bandit woman, but she had gotten a large lead on them. Alex and Jake had crossed the riverbed earlier in an attempt to head her off, and now stood in front of their children.
"Mother!" Robin cried as she threw her arms around Alex. Her mother responded by pulling her daughter as close as she could.
Next to them Jake was holding his children close as well.
"You are in so much trouble young lady! But we'll talk about this when we get home." Alex snapped, fear and worry straining her voice.
"I know" Robin sniffed.
As Alex stood to take her daughter home she couldn't help but notice how well Robin had used her strategy. The girl was clearly learning from everything she saw Alex do. With a sigh to herself Alex knew there was a conversation she would have to have with Robin.
"Robin we need to talk." Alex started the next morning after breakfast.
Robin knew this was coming. Her mother didn't punish her the night before, but Robin knew she was big trouble.
"I've come to the conclusion that we're both wrong lately." Alex stated, "Disobeying me was wrong on your part, but it was wrong for me to refuse to teach you based on my fears alone. Come with me."
Robin was confused. She wasn't being yelled at and her mother almost seemed sorry. Taking the hand Alex offered, Robin followed after her mother.
They arrived at the forest where Robin had released the dam the day before. The strange creature was hard at work rebuilding the pile of sticks.
"That animal is called a beaver, and yesterday you destroyed his home. In the process you killed that woman who was threating you. Her body was found early this morning." Alex knelt down next to Robin.
The weight of her actions hit Robin like the torrent the day before. She began to shake and sniff.
Alex placed her hand firmly on Robin's shoulders, "On the other hand, if you hadn't done that you, Anna, and John could have been killed."
Robin looked in her mother's unwavering eyes. She tried to absorb some of their strength as she felt the burden of reality set in.
"This is what you are asking me to train you in." Alex informed, "This is what tactics and other war arts are. Putting everything on the line for what you value. It is about risking lives to protect them. Knowing that to protect the lives you cherish someone else loses theirs. Do you truly want to study this?"
Robin wasn't sure anymore. She had wanted to learn so that she was strong like her mother not so that people died. Then she remembered how scared she, Anna, and John had been. None of them had done anything, but they were threatened by someone who wanted to do them harm. It was a horrible feeling, and plenty of people felt that and couldn't fight back.
Robin met her mother's gaze with unflinching resolved glittering in her eyes, "Yes"
"Then here," Alex handed Robin an introductory book on tactics, "you start today. This is both reward and punishment. From now on you are studying at least seven hours a day. We're starting with tactics and swordplay. In a couple weeks my friend, Katherine, will start teaching you magic. As time goes on you will also learn axes, lances, bows, staves, and dark magic. No matter what weapon you are working with you will be learning tactics at the same time. And if at any point you want to quit we are done for good. Do I make myself clear?"
Robin was startled by the sheer amount she was expected to learn. She'd be studying for years! While she wanted to protest, Alex's face made it clear there was going to be no debate. But Robin wanted to learn and she was going to take all over nothing.
Robin nodded, "Let's do it!"
Alex couldn't help smiling at Robin's certainty and eagerness. This wasn't going to be easy, but Robin would be learning properly and well. No matter what came her way she would be prepared for it. With all luck, this work would even help protect her from the Fell Dragon.
The mother and daughter took each other's hands as they walked back, for Robin's first ever tactics lesson.