The Sword and The Mountain (Kathardra book 1)

Morning came quickly. Lessa had crashed on her bed after an awkward meal. It was a surprise that Rina had gotten any food passed her lips that were pressed into a line the entire meal.

Zar had done an admirable job trying to produce a conversation. Shakara cooperated well, chatting with her brother like nothing was wrong, but Lessa was never able to overcome the knives Rina sent her way.

Lessa understood. A tent only had so much space, even if the tent was the size of a small cabin. And that meant to make room for Lessa, Shakara had to be moved from her room. Into Rina’s room. Despite Lessa’s protestations, Shakara moved all of her possessions into Rina’s room. And Rina herself never made a sound of objection. In fact she was the first to object to Lessa’s own objections.

And with that, Lessa woke in what had been once Shakara’s room.

She jumped when she realized what had woken her.

“Lessa.” Zar hissed her name quietly while shaking her shoulder. It’s time to get up. We need to start training.

She groaned and raised the blankets over her head. “Five more minutes.” She begged him.

“Alright.” He said with humor in his voice.

He left and Lessa threw down the blankets in a huff. What was training going to be? There was no way she would fall asleep now.

She swung her feet from the bed and rubbed her face. Once again pondering on what she had gotten herself into.

It was then she realized a new pair of boots was sitting where she had tossed her other pair before falling into bed.

Lessa dressed and curiously slid her feet into the new boots. They were soft and molded to her feet like footwear never had. They laced up the front and were topped off with a buckle. She bounced on her toes and was impressed by the support the boots offered while being remarkably comfortable.

Maybe there was something to this magic boots thing.

Lessa pushed through the heavy curtain separating her room from the rest of the tent, her new boots made almost no noise on the worn wooden floor, but Zar looked up anyway.

“Good morning,” he said as he jumped up and pulled a chair from the table for her. Lessa sat down and mumbled a groggy thanks.

The low glow from a single iron lantern illuminated a spread of fruits, cheeses, and a few eggs on the table. Zar passed Lessa an empty plate and a mug of hot liquid.

“Eat whatever you’d like. But I ask that you drink the entire mug.” Lessa stared dubiously into the dark drink. “It’s called Malek.” He explained quietly. “It’ll increase energy, and endurance and even promote healing.”

Lessa carefully sipped the hot drink. And nearly spat it back out. It was disgusting.

“Sorry,” Zar said, hiding a smirk behind his hand. “I should have warned you.”

“You think?” She snapped back in a whisper. “What is this? Liquid beets with lemon and pickle juice?”

Zar smiled, “That’s apt. But still, you must drink it.”

Lessa took a large swig of the liquid and a shiver ran from the base of her spine up, and ended with a gag. She looked at Zar with a plea in her eye. He looked back apologetically and nodded to the mug. Lessa sighed and took another large gulp but immediately followed it was a bite of apple. It helped.

“Let’s go.” He said the moment Lessa finished the drink. Somewhat reluctantly Lessa followed Zar from the tent.

Haven was still in the shades of gray of the predawn hours. Very few people moved through the streets, those out at this early hour were so far consumed by their own business that they weren’t staring at Lessa. This was much preferable.

Storm was drowsily snoozing next to the red tent still, Lessa patted her scaly nose as they passed and the dragon hardly stirred.

“We just need to get some training swords first,” Zar said quietly as he led her through town.

They stopped at a wide-open canvas pavilion. There were tables splayed with weapons of every assortment. Lessa stared at flails, maces, clubs, axes, and dozens of swords. Her stomach was slowly sinking. But Zar passed all of them and from a barrel took two wooden sticks, carved into the similitude of swords.

“Here we are.” He said, swinging one gently, he tossed it to Lessa and at the last moment she caught it somewhat awkwardly. He rolled his shoulder in this way gesture and once again they set off through Haven.

Before long they left behind the wooden homes, newly built structures, and open farmlands.

“I don’t think your mother likes me,” Lessa said once she was completely awake, the previous night running through her mind. And once she thought no one else would hear her.

He didn’t respond for a beat too long. “What makes you say that?”

“Zar,” Lessa said flatly.

“She just needs to get to know you.”

“Why does she hate me?” Lessa pressed.

“She doesn’t hate you,” Zar said at once.

“I actually think she does.”

Zar pushed his fingers through his hair and breathed out a long breath. “I think that she just doesn’t like that you are… Well…. You are a young woman… Close to my age….”

The understanding crossed Lessa’s face in a clear wave. “Ohhhh…” She felt her cheeks go hot in a rush that originated in her neck. She hoped it was still dark enough that Zar wouldn’t see, despite the bright sun giving the world emerging color. She peaked at him from the corner of her eye. His eyes studiously rested on the path before him.

Maybe Rina had seen Lessa’s eyes resting on Zar a little too long during the meal the night before.

“We’re nearly there,” Zar said now.

“Uh, where?” Lessa asked, perhaps too fast, trying to cover her train of thought.

“A place we can use for training, without spectators.”

“So no one can see that I don’t know what I’m doing?” She asked with mock cheer.

“For the time being.” Zar said with a grin.

They came to a clearing in the trees, large enough for Storm to land in, but just barely. The ground was fairly level, and cleared of all brush and shrubs.

“Right.” He continued. “In advance, I apologize.”

“For what?” Lessa asked suspiciously.

“The only way I know to teach you swordplay is the way I learned. It’s not gentle. Stand at the ready.”

With skyrocketing nerves Lessa held her sword shaped stick up in front of her. “Like this,” Zar said, widening his feet, one behind the other, stick held out in front of him.”

With a slight frown of concentration Lessa copied the way Zar was standing. And quite suddenly her stick was knocked from her hands and the tip of Zar’s sword briefly tapped her neck.

“Watch your enemy. Get your weapon.”

Bewildered at how fast that happened Lessa went to retrieve her wooden sword. But she didn’t take her eyes off of Zar, wary that he might attack while she wasn’t looking.

“Good!” He praised.

His approval generated a warm flutter in Lessa’s stomach.

“Ready stance.” He commanded. “Grip your sword, strong enough that I can’t knock it away but not so hard that you’re locked up.”

Lessa obeyed. Once again Zar’s sword met her own, “Block, Lessa!” He commanded sharply as his sword changed angles and came at her again.

Frantically Lessa blocked his attacks, she only blocked two swings before his wooden sword made contact with her shoulder. “Ouch!” She cried out angrily, rubbing her shoulder, though it was very clear that he had held back. “You have to block. You just lost your arm.” He added with a wince, “I told you this wouldn’t be gentle.”

The rest of the day was spent in the same manner. Lessa had taken too many blows from Zar’s wooden sword to count, unable to strike him even once.

They took a short break when Shakara and Rina brought them a midday meal. Much to Lessa’s relief, Zar sent them away directly following the meal, not allowing them to witness Lessa’s embarrassing performance.

By the time the sun’s heat had weakened Lessa was trying to hide a limp and her arms were both tingling from absorbing all of the blows from Zar’s wooden sword.

“I think that’s enough for today.” He said with something that might be pity.

Lessa nearly groaned in relief. She couldn’t take anymore today. At this point all she wanted was sleep.

“Zar,” Lessa asked as they walked back toward town. “I need a bath.” She tried to say matter of factly.

“Oh yes of course.” He said obviously as embarrassed as Lessa was.

“My mother has a tub. It has to be filled by hand though. But most other people use the river. Men in the morning, women at night. Shakara can show you where.”

“Thank you.” Lessa said gratefully.

As Shakara led Lessa to the river there were a few women heading back to haven in the opposite direction. Some had babies on their hips, some alone, some with young children in tow. All freshly bathed. They gave Shakara smiles that slipped suddenly from their faces when they noticed and stared at Lessa. She tried to not take it personally.

“And one time a fish got stuck in the bath walls. It lived there for weeks!” Lessa gave Shakara a smile as the girl turned back for confirmation that Lessa was still listening. The girl was providing a steady stream of one sided conversation. However, Lessa did not mind. It was better than awkward silences.

“Here we are!” She declared thrusting her hands on her hips, her job well done.

They had reached a river, it was wide and calm where they stood. The trees were thick here and four walls had been erected for privacy, one of them was fully in the water, two led to the bank and one wall, with a door was directly on dry ground. A path of sand had been cleared between the large river stones leading to a door into the bathing enclosure.

Shakara opened the door and waved Lessa in. “Everyone is usually done by this time, so you’ll probably get the house to yourself. There is a bench here, that’s where people put their clothes when they’re washing. Here’s some soap and a towel.” Shakara handed Lessa a basket with the washing things.

“Thank you, Shakara.” Lessa said taking the things.

“Yep.” She said, smiling back cheerfully.

“I think I can find my way back on my own.” Lessa smiled gently trying to provide a hint.

“Oh. Right.” Shakara said, backing out the door. “Enjoy your bath. Well, the water is probably already starting to get cold.”

“I’ll be alright.” Lessa pulled the door closed.

“Right. Of course.”

Only when Lessa heard Shakara skip away did she sigh and started untying the knots on her top.

She winced as her arms slipped from her knee length dress. She had bruises on both arms. A particularly dark one on her right shoulder and both wrists and forearms were mottled from being struck by Zar’s training sword so many times.

Her legs were no better, One bruise on the back of her thigh had her wincing each time she sat down.

She stepped from the platform that spanned the first quarter of the room directly into the water, and gasped as the water chilled her legs clean up to her shins.

Lessa hugged herself and looked up through the open ceiling into the sky that was fading from dark purple to black. A form blacked out the emerging stars as Storm flew over.

Hello Storm. Lessa said to her dragon as she quickly sank to her knees in the water. Despite the chill she felt better to be covered in water rather than exposed to whoever might walk into the bath house.

I haven’t seen you all day.

I took a nap. And I hunted. Storm said quite proud of herself. Storm settled her mass into the river with a gushing plop. The water level around Lessa rose, sloshed along the walls of the bath house and just as suddenly fell back down.

The water around Lessa was suddenly quite warm. What are you… Are you breathing fire into the water?

Storm hummed happily. Lessa settled further into the water, releasing a sigh of relaxation and dunked her head clean under.

The soap cake Shakara had given Lessa was packed with a fine sand, and worked as well for her hair as it did her skin.

Lessa worked her fingers through her hair as best she could, it was no easy feat. But she felt clean for the first time in days.

She was tired but she walked back to Haven in good spirits.