Dan'enda Struggle

Chapter Four: Training

Rose nodded at me and agreed. Sevrin had a look of confusion. My parents obviously refused and were astounded I would suggest such an action.

"No," I said, seemingly reading their minds. "There is no way around this. Either I have guardians to train me, or none at all. I will not sit idly by while people around me, my family, are being hurt. I won't have people protecting me while I am powerless to help them."

My father, after a few moments of silence and exchanging looks with my mother, finally spoke. "Nydia, I do not wish to see you be hurt. If I don't let you train, you will probably find a way to learn anyway. So, I would rather you were officially trained with my blessing, then you would be safer. If they are willing, and it seems Rose is, I will allow you to learn to defend yourself; however, no offensive training. You are too young."

Rose spoke, "I will show her everything I know about defending oneself. I promise, I will not teach her about other techniques, yet." She emphasized the last word, obviously showing she supported me learning everything.

My father sighed. "Agreed." He turned to me, "Nydia, learn well. Who knows when someone will strike at you. For now, go to sleep. We will work out the details in the morning."

"Yes, father," I said.

Everyone left my room, my door was shut, and I watched the candle burn on my nightstand as I held Ivy and went into a fitful sleep.

I dreamed of Syrena and of my family, including my kingdom, being destroyed, torn apart by violence and dark flames. A few hours later, I woke up with a start. I looked out my window and I could have sworn that I had seen someone. Ivy squeaked and perked her head up, staring at me with her knowing eyes. She watched me, then stood up to nuzzle closer to me. She spoke to me in Draghan, "Go back to sleep. Be at peace." She blew air at me and I fell back asleep, calmer than before.

As light was strongly returning to the land, I woke up to someone knocking at my door.

I called out, "Coming," and rolled out of bed, shuffling my way to the door. When I opened it, I saw Sevrin and a Spark on his shoulder.

"Good morning, Princess. You never got a chance to meet him in school, but this is my best friend, Vonskin." At that, Vonskin gave a blue ember burp, a sign that he was developing his flame.

That made me laugh and smile. "Nice to meet you, too, Vonskin," I smiled. Ivy flew over to my shoulder and flew a small, harmless flame towards the ceiling. Being unsure whether she was being a show-off or being encouraging, and assuming the first, I gave her a look of disapproval.

The look she gave me in response told me my suspicions were correct. She put her head down and apologized to Vonskin and flew to her perch.

I invited the two inside my room as I sat at my table and ate some dragosia, dragon berries that are poisonous to all but dragons and dan'enda. I offered them some but Sevrin declined. Vonskin went over to Ivy and shared her breakfast, a combination of dragosia and strawberries.

"Are you sure you don't want any? I grow them myself here, in case you haven't noticed all the plants." I motioned around my room.

Sevrin chuckled. "I noticed them last night. I am not in the mood for any right now. Maybe later?"

I nodded. "So, when are we starting my training?" I asked.

"Soon, I assume. My sister is probably talking to your parents right now. How are you doing? How did you sleep?"

"Not so well, actually. I had fits and nightmares. Everything was being destroyed and I couldn't stop it."

"Don't worry, Princess. I know you can do anything. Like I said last night, I remember watching you in class. You kind of disappeared after a while. I remember wondering why, but my father wouldn't say." He looked at me.

"My parents pulled me out when the teachers said I was progressing much more quickly than the other students. I started switching to higher classes, then I had private sessions with the teachers instead. Eventually, although not very long after, I stopped having those sessions and did my own studying in the libraries or at the nests."

"Wow. I guess what I've heard was correct. A bunch of them were saying that you were taken out."

"Yeah. I was learning too quickly, I guess."

"Princess, do you remember the first day we met?"

"Not very vividly. Why?"

"Your father said you only had Ivy for a few months and that you already knew her name. I didn't really realize it then, but in later years I remembered and wondered how old you really were."

There was another voice, "Yes, she had learned her name very quickly."

I looked and saw my father leaning against my doorway. "Father? Was I really that quick? That strong? Is that why Syrena hates me?"

He sighed. "Your sister doesn't hate you. She is lost. I guess I've always chosen you. Your mother has always chosen her, but it must not have been enough to keep her from harm."

"What's going to happen to her?"

"She will be found and brought home if possible. We are trying to figure out more in order to do something productive. We have more guards patrolling to keep the people safe. Rose will be back shortly. You will start your training here."

"I don't want to be locked up in the castle. Why here?"

"It is temporary, as the investigation is going on. You will be safer here in the meantime. You will only have two hours of training today. I want you and Ivy to play and enjoy being with each other." My father seemed distant as he said that. I assume he had been up all night, trying to figure things out.

"Okay," I agreed.

He left and Sevrin spoke. "Rose will want us downstairs when she gets back. See you in a few?"

"Yeah, sure."

Sevrin and Vonskin left, shutting the door behind them. I got dressed in some sporting pants and a green top with one strap around my neck. I put my boots on, and grabbed a few more berries as Ivy flew to my shoulder and we headed downstairs. I approached Sevrin, giving my last berry to Ivy, and motioned to the pile of wooden staves at his feet.

"Rose picked some of these out to see what you could work with. She will be here in a few minutes. She went to grab a few more items and speak to my father. At least, that’s what I was told."

"Okay. So, are we going to start?"

"To be honest, Nydia, I don’t know a whole lot myself. I mostly just know the basic stuff. I just barely started my training not too long ago, so I only know what I've observed."

"Can you show me what you do know then? Get some progress done while we are waiting?"

"Sure, I guess so." He picked up one of the staves with a light blue grip. "This is the one I started with. Go through this pile and see if there is one for you. Rose said it is the one that feels right in your hand, like you could move it as an extension of your arm with natural movements."

"Okay," I said. I walked closer and knelt down to get a closer look at them. I held a few of them in my hands until I found a thin one with a light weight. "This one."

Rose spoke, coming into the room before we noticed she was there, "So, you’re the kind of girl for smaller swords, less brute strength and more technique. Quick, maneuverable, and efficient. Of course, this is just for practice. Real blades are different." She pulled her sword out from the sheath at her hip. "Mine is pretty slim, very fast, and imbued with the magic I carry inside me, inside Aerimis, my Spark." She slid it back into place and put her hand out. "Ready?"

I nodded and Sevrin threw her one of the staves with a white handle that looked similar to her sword.

She started training me on stances and how to hold the weapon. She showed me ways of parrying and then we practiced with each other. First, she sparred with Sevrin, also showing him offensive moves, then she started with me on the defensive maneuvers. After about an hour and a half from the time we started, Sevrin and I were sparring.

My father came in soon after, watched for a while with deep, silent eyes, and talked to Rose. Then it was time to stop and he told me to go practice my magic with Ivy and have fun with her as he talked to them.

I left them to it and went to my room, doing what felt most natural to me. I tended to the plants that thrived under my touch.