Words of Fate

Chapter 11

Vivian's POV

"So what's wrong with Arabella?" Sawyer cautiously asks. After Ari stormed out with Luca I grabbed my shoes and joined Sawyer outside.

"She's just mad because she found out I left last night without telling her I was going anywhere. This whole fated thing is just difficult, I get the same feelings as she does but she apparently doesn't think I need any time away from her" My breath releases quickly and when I glance at Sawyer he's clearly shocked.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be ranting about my problems with you. Let's just start whatever you have planned for today."

"I have no problem with you ranting to me just don't expect a helpful response. Anyway, today I thought we could work on some basic training skills and depending on how well you do with them in the first half of the day, we may move on to gun practice for the second half of the day." Sawyer explains.

"But what happens if you don't have much to teach me?" He lets out a small laugh.

"Luca told me what a warrior you appeared to be on the first day. He also told me that you stole his gun and refused to give it back because you thought he couldn't protect you" Sawyer smiles.

"He was too jumpy, I was obviously scared too but being armed with a weapon gives me confidence."

"I'm sure there are many aspects of training we can work on with you, such as scouting out a room before moving forward or at least looking behind you" Sawyer teases clearly referring to last night.

"Speaking of last night have you talked to Cecilia yet?" I question.

"Well, she's not sure it would work but then again she doesn't know much about medicines. She's reaching out to one of the more trusted doctors today for a meeting discussing the risks and if it's even possible."

"Great, I want you to keep me updated on how it goes and what they decide."

"As you wish" Sawyer changes the tone of his voice and gives me a fake bow as if he were a butler. When he stands straight again I playfully hit his shoulder. It's weird that I somehow feel more comfortable with Sawyer then Arabella. I mean I get the indescribable feelings with her and everything but it's awkward around her sometimes and I know we're still practically strangers but she's already picking fights with me.

"So where do we go for training?" I ask.

"Well, I'm going to drop you off at the guard centre and you'll work with Brodie. He's definitely the most skilled in combat training. If he gives me the okay after you've gone for lunch then we'll go down to the ground and do some target practice. Sound good?"

"Sure"

The rest of the walk is short and silent, when we reach the guard centre I'm surprised by the size. These people have really figured out how to make the biggest area's they can while still in the trees. Sawyer opens the door for me and I walk in, the centre is divided into what appears to be four sections. Brodie is standing over near a ton of punching bags, Sawyer makes sure I start walking towards Brodie before turning and leaving.

"Morning, glad you decided to join me this morning. Did Sawyer tell you what we're doing?"

"He just said to do some combat training" Brodie gives a nod and gestures me over.

"Do you know anything about combat or just weapons?"

"My father taught me a lot, enough to be able to protect myself at least" I shrug.

"Let's go through some warm-ups and then you can show me what you've got"

Brodie takes me through half an hour of warm-ups and by the time we're done I want to go back to my room already. I have to prove myself here though so I push myself through it and as he gets me to move on to the punching bag to demonstrate some techniques I've learned. He watches me carefully clearly critiquing me in his head. When I stop attacking the bag he gives a nod.

"You're good, better than most people that come in here and want to join. But there's clearly room for improvement." I breathe out heavily trying to catch my breath.

"Brodie! Brodie!" The door slams open making me whirl around. "Deacon just got back from The Heart and he needs to talk to you. It's urgent," A boy no older than 19 runs in and to Brodie.

"We'll have to continue tomorrow. I'll alert Sawyer, head back to your room and Sawyer will come to get you as soon as he can." Brodie shoo's me out the door and I just head back to my room, I'm curious and really want to know what was so urgent in there but I can't be caught sneaking around again.

"Hey, I thought you were supposed to be training?" Dylan comes up beside me carrying a bag of flour over his shoulder and wearing an apron.

"I was but I got kicked out, Brodie had to turn his attention to something else."

"So where are you headed now?" He questions.

"Back to my room, I guess until Sawyer comes to get me"

"Let's go for a walk. I just have to deliver this flour to the West Hall so they can make some bread. I know Sawyer will be in that meeting with Cecilia for at least another hour." Dylan's mood change is weirding me out a bit but I shouldn't question him and change his mood back.

"Okay" I give a nod and continue to walk with him past my room and to the Dining Hall.

"I'll run this in and I'll be right back" Sure enough about a minute after Dylan goes inside he's back out and leading me back the way we came.

"Where are we going?" I ask curiously.

"I have the key to the gardens and you seem like the type of person to like gardens" Dylan holds up a key in his hand.

"Why are you so nice today?" I can't help myself and I ask without thinking.

"Well both of our Fated are pissed off at us and I feel like this will be a common occurrence so I figured we may as well get to know each other. I'm not really the asshole I've seemed like the last little while."

"What is Luca pissed about?"

"Ari said something to him and now he's moping and refuses to talk to anyone and snapped at me when I tried to change his mind on the situation."

"Are Fated even real?" I swallow hard maybe this is one answer I don't want to know. "Shouldn't it just be a happy relationship with no problems? Is that not what it's supposed to be? Maybe The Heart is right and we are just a mistake."

"Don't talk like that. Any real relationship has disagreements, you like reading don't you? How many books have you read and loved that had a perfect stereotypical relationship?"

"None" I mumble as we slow, apparently already in front of the garden.

"Then there's your answer. Love isn't supposed to be perfect, nothing is. If everything was perfect the way The Heart wants it everyone would be robots, mere slaves to the main computer" I smile at his words. Dylan unlocks the padlock holding the gate closed and swings the gate open.

"Thanks, this is all just so new and confusing."

"It is for everyone, especially that Arabella. She's scared and doesn't know what to do about it" I sigh.

"I should really apologize to her. I kept her safe but she just can't see that."

"I don't know what exactly went on between you two but sometimes you have to apologize even if you're not the one in the wrong."

"I guess. Though I don't think I'll be very good at that."

"Not many people are" I follow Dylan through the rows of planters holding various flowers and vegetables.

"Strawberry?" Dylan questions pulling two from a plant, I smile and take one of them. I take a bite and the strawberry is perfect, not even a hint of bitterness.

"I'm sure Ari would forgive you pretty quickly if you bring her back a rose to find when she gets home" Home, the word seems so foreign to me now. Every home I've known has left me with dreaded memories.

"Are we allowed to be taking stuff?"

"I'm allowed because I planted most of the crops and flowers. If I give you a flower or two no one will notice and even if someone did it would be fine." I run my fingers along the petals of a brilliant red rose.

"There you are! I thought Brodie told you to go back to your room?" Sawyer walks past the gate and into the part of the garden where Dylan and I are.

"Sorry, I met Dylan along the way and got distracted."

"It's fine but I have some news for you and we should go get some lunch to talk over before heading to the ground."

"I'm not really hungry but we can go before training if you want. I'll see you around Dylan, and I'll try to take as much of your advice as my brain will allow" I give a smile and head off with Sawyer.

"Let's just start training then, I just assumed you'd be hungry," Sawyer tells me.

"So what's the news?" I ask guessing it must have something to do with the meeting.

"Cecilia has approved your idea and has put you in charge of the experiment along with the best doctor and myself to help you. She's spoken to Brodie and she believes that you can achieve your status early and help her lead some future plans she's arranged. She appreciates what you've given to this community already in the short time you've been here."

"Of course I'll involve myself with the plan I created. As for Cecilia's future plans, I'm hoping she allows criticism and guidance to shape and mould the plans into something better"

"I'm sure she will. She finds the way your brain processes to be unique and she sees a lot of your father in you. As does everyone else." We make it to the elevator and I realize I have to ride that blasted roller coaster again to get to the ground.

"What was my father's job here?"

"You weren't already told?" He gives me a side glance. "Your father was one of Cecilia's best guards. He led them for years and when he left Brodie stepped up and took his place. Your father is the reason why many of our people are here. He saved Dylan and brought him here when he was just a teen, only fifteen. It wasn't until Dylan was seventeen that he was allowed to go back into the city even under your father's careful watch. He loved Dylan like a son." I feel my eyebrows furrow.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be rambling on" Sawyer apologizes.

"No, it's okay. I like people talking about him, I've barely known him the last few years." We exit the elevator and go directly to the coaster machine that is conveniently in front of the elevator.

"Do you want to know more about him?" Sawyer lets me get in first before following.

"Please"

"Well, there's a lot to know. Your father was one of our best people here. If someone was struggling he'd always help them in every possible way he could. In training he was strong and determined, he studied The Heart and tried to create plans to get into The Heart and to the centre building." The coaster lurches forwards and the wind rushes past us making it harder to hear. "He knew every spot of weakness and even knew the schedules of the people inside and the possible area's they would be at certain times. He was positive we could make it but Cecilia and Helena always shut him down. I think that's why Cecilia is trying so hard to give you a chance to take his place. After the sickness came and killed Daniel he gave up on planning."

"What was Daniel like?" I ask curious, my father obviously cared about him deeply.

"I didn't know him quite as well but he was extremely smart and he worked in the tech rooms and with the doctors. He was an inventor and he always had new ideas that he was trying to make happen. I believe he was a scientist before he came here, the main reason he got the illness was that he had taken in samples of the sickened blood to search for any signs of how the illness could be cured. He had the same drive as your father, they felt they always had to be helping people." The coaster comes to an abrupt stop and Sawyer starts to get up.

"So what about Daniel's children?" I ask.

"Well, his wife at the time had twins, a boy and a girl. Their names are Emma and Sam, Daniel brought them here when they were sixteen because their mother had become addicted to alcohol"

"So they're here?" I ask.

"Not exactly, they're in one of our houses in The Heart. They both turned 19 last month and they understand that they have to keep our existence a secret but they know they're welcome here. After their father's death, they wanted to be in The Heart again to watch over their mother"

"Do they know about me?" I can't help my curiosity.

"They've seen photos of you as a child and your father told them stories." I can't help but feel jealous that Daniel had taken the twins here but my father left me with my mother. It's not like my mother was horrible but she was distant and I had to learn how to take care of myself after my father left.

"Oh, do you think I'll ever be able to meet them?" I ask.

"Maybe someday, they're pretty distant but every so often they'll contact us." Sawyer begins to slow from walking and turns his focus to the door in front of him.

"We have most of the weapons stored down here" Sawyer puts a code into a panel on the door and it flashes green allowing him to open the door.

"We're just going to use rubber bullets and advanced silencers that were designed here. Do you want to go to the ground or stay down here? We have a training room a few doors down but we could bring targets if you wanted to go above ground." Sawyer explains.

"We might as well just stay down here" I shrug as Sawyer gives me a handgun followed by a box of bullets.

He leaves the room and I follow him down the hall. Sawyer stops at a door and he once again punches in a code allowing the door to unlock. The room is filled with targets and what looks like some sort of fighting ring.

"Let's see what you've got" Sawyer gestures towards the targets.

I take a breath in and load the handgun turning to the targets and taking the safety off. I fix my posture and look through the sight before placing my finger on the trigger and firing. The advanced silencer makes the gun no louder than someone snapping their fingers. I bring the gun down making sure it's pointed at the concrete floor in front of me. Sawyer and I walk up the target and the rubber bullet went through the second ring, not quite in the centre but less than two inches away.

"Pretty good, keep going until you've hit the centre." Sawyer orders and I walk back over to where I was standing before.

After another five shots, I hit the centre, I'm not perfect at this but at least I can aim reasonably well. Sawyer seems distracted throughout the whole time but I don't bother asking why. It's not my business. I practice for another half hour before he decides that I've done enough today and that I can take the rest of the day off.

The rest of the day goes by in a blur, I spent an hour or two with Dylan before he insisted he should go make sure Luca was alright. I debated asking him about my father but I decide against it, after that, I just wandered around for a while and found myself mapping the place out in my mind.

When I get back to my room Ari is waiting inside for me, she apologized and had supper ready for us. I forgave her and we talked for a while telling each other about our days and I told her what I had found last night when I snuck off. Before I knew it we were both asleep and I was launched into a dream.