CHAPTER NINETEEN
Akira wore a leather tightly laced vest for wrestling practices. Her arms were bared as well as her legs. Her hair was in tiny braids close to her scalp, braided to the crown of her head, where they were secured with a leather wrap. She had tied the fall of dark tresses coming out of the leather wrap hair atop her head. She had learned quickly long hair was a disadvantage. It was tempting to cut it short for practicality. She had already sawed off a length of braid so it only reached her mid back. She did not miss the weight of her it. She eyed the man standing before her.
Dimitri was her teacher today.
“Keep moving Akira.” Dimitri instructed. “Keep track of my eyes as well as my arms and legs.”
Akira acknowledged his curt advice with a nod of her head. She circled him inside of the circle drawn in the sand of the wrestling pit.
Dimitri outweighed her. No matter she hoped. She and the Mage Morgan had been working on a counter strategy. Dimitri could be in for a surprise if she was quick and could get him into a pinning position for just a few seconds. Akira focused on her body. She imagined herself light as a feather. Yes, Dimitri, I shall keep moving. Fast as a humming bird....
Damn! Thought Dimitri. What she lacks in size she has made up for with quickness. He smiled. The challenge was going to be fun. That she would win never crossed his mind. Would she make the first lunge? He hoped so. Why is she smiling? What part of her gifts had she mastered now?”
“She's too fast for you old man?” Nels said. He watched with interest. He was cheering for Akira. He had bet she would evade being pinned by Dimitri for at least two turns of a fast sand timer. Only a fool would bet against Dimitri.
“She is fast isn't she?” Dimitri replied. He reached out for one of her arms, and made contact. But she turned quicker than he could prepare for and broke his grasp by using her body weight against his wrist.
“Oh and slippery too” hooted Nels.
Akira surprised herself. Dimitri's grasp was strong. Hummingbird, humming bird, dipping diving light and airy. She focused on his eyes, willing her peripheral vision to alert her to his slightest movement. Akira decided on a full frontal maneuver. She reached out both hands. Dimitri's hands clasped with hers.
First mistake Dimitri thought.
Just as he finished that thought, Akira was visualizing a plough horse. Heavy, heavy, I’m heavy. She leaned into Dimitri's wrists and pushed with all her might. Nothing much happened... she had hoped to push him out of the circle. He didn't budge an inch. He smiled. His eyes twinkled. Her concentration broke. A strong leg shot out and swept Akira' legs out from under her. |Down she went rolling to one side to try break his clasp. It held. She twisted and tried to evade the weight of his body as it descended. She managed to keep most of her body out from under his with a fast roll that freed one hand from his clasp.
He had one muscular hair roughened leg over one of her legs. He was trying to lift himself to maneuver himself on top of her. Akira used her free foot to dig into the sandy ground and push away from him. He anticipated her move and within a few seconds, he had her pinned. Akira groaned.
Dimitri said nothing as he stood up. He reached his hand down to help her up, about to praise her first quick moves but Akira could not resist, she hooked her foot behind his heel as he pulled her weight up towards himself. She unbalanced him and as he fell backwards, she was pulled on top of him.
Heavy feeling, heavy. Akira tried her best to concentrate. It worked ...for a few seconds.
A sudden amazing amount of weight on Dimitri's chest took him by surprise as. It was as much of a surprise as her successful attempt to take him down to the ground. Not fair! He laughed despite the crushing weight on his chest. He was trying to teach her to fight, not fight fair! The unexpected laugh broke Akira's concentration.
Nels was laughing, as was Crow. They were the only ones who dared.
Dimitri's smile grew bigger. Suddenly, Akira did not seem so heavy.
Akira's face scrunched up. She realized she had lost her advantage. Hell, what do I do now? She scrambled off him and was about to give him a hand up when his hand shot out and he had reversed the tables on her. Now he was straddled across her waist and she was looking up at some very amused eyes. Nels and Crow were consumed with mirth. The previous shocked look on Dimitri's face, the “oh god aghast look” on Akira's face would be a source of laughter for days. Even the other candidates joined in the laughter.
“Are we done helping each other up?” Dimitri did not even try to sound stern. He needed to laugh. He really needed to laugh to get his mind off the delicious hellcat underneath him, the hellcat that was stirring up more than laughter in his body. He stood up. He reached down again to help Akira off her back. Just as she reached up to grab his hand he withdrew it for a second.
“Yes sir.” Akira answered. She managed to look somewhat contrite, even though she was not one bit contrite at all. She decided she had pushed him far enough and would not tempt fate for one second more.
Akira was about to ignore his hand and get up on her own power when Dimitri reached further down and pulled her up. “We are done wrestling for the day, people!”
Akira walked back to the barracks with her comrades amid a fair bit of good natured teasing. None of the men would have dared to do what she had done. She thought about the attempt to use her gift. Apparently, a lot more mind over weight practice was needed. Switching from light to heavy feeling was awkward and slow. Akira decided she would rather feel like a hummingbird than a heavy horse. Speed and dexterity were going to more advantageous.
As she walked back to the barracks, Akira realized she had not only learned from her mistake, she had learned something else. She realized as she was teased by her companions, she liked her comrades even though they were men. She even enjoyed their teasing. She liked men! Her heart lurched. She liked one in particular. Her heart beat faster. The memory of him straddling her made her feel warm in places she never felt warm before. A new awareness of her body entered her consciousness. Is that what all the fuss is about? Is that the same feeling men have towards women? Is it Dimitri's body that makes me feel that way? Will any other handsome man make me feel that way? It had been a most peculiar sensation. A curious sensation at worst, and an exciting sensation at best.
Akira groaned. Wrestling had just become more complicated. Why can I not just focus on bow skills, on sword skills, skills that did not need body contact? Mind over weight practice was going to become a full time exercise. She suspected Dimitri was the cause of the current discombobulation of her equilibrium. The new words learned from Mage Morgan fit very well. Discombobulation of equilibrium. Akira laughed out loud. Her thoughts had worked out a disturbing realization. I think I know why I’m discombobulated ... I think ... I think I'm goatish! Damn you Dimitri! You are a virile handsome distraction I don't want! At least I hope it is just you that does this to me! I'm in big trouble if it isn't just you! Do you know how many strong handsome men I sleep with?
A short time later when Akira entered the rejuvenation pool after being rinsed clean with a bucket of warm water to remove the daily dust and sweat she was acutely aware of all the male bodies. She was acutely aware of her own body. Looking for or at Dimitri was just out of the question. She went deep into the pool, towards the hottest end of the water, till the water was right under her chin. She closed her eyes and let the hot water ease the aches and pains of the day. With eyes closed she suddenly was picturing Dimitri looking down into her eyes while straddling her waist. She remembered strong hair roughened legs against her sides, the smell of his sweat. The warm tingly feeling came back. She shuddered then shivered despite the hot water. Something was coiling and tightening inside of her. Akira now knew she had the body of a woman. Her body was responding to one man, not all the handsome would be warriors seated around the pool. I’m doomed she thought.
The White Rose Order forbade fraternization between men and women of unequal status. The rule was to prevent tho
se in positions of authority from taking advantage of those under their authority. Akira mulled over the situation. All the more reason to become a warrior, to prove herself equal she decided. Determination refreshed, she left the pool and went to her bed behind the curtain. It was time to practice mind over weight. First she had to get her mind off the fact that Dimitri's bed was not far from her curtain. She snickered. Perhaps I should think of the monk who sleeps outside of my curtain at night as Dimitri's protection? She sighed. Oh! I am so discombobulated.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The grey timber wolves crossed the plains loping in snow sometimes only deep as their knee joints, and sometimes deep as their bellies. Some stretches of snow had a crust on them and then the wolves would race quickly, always in the direction of the mountains. They stopped once to kill a deer, dragging it down with practiced teamwork and then feasting on the blood covered snow. The alpha male snarled and tore off the first, and choicest pieces of warm deer flesh. He marked the territory again, lifting his leg, yellowing the snow as he had everywhere they paused to rest or sleep. The other two wolves knew their place. Yips, snarls, and growls were frequent reminders of the hierarchy. On and on they travelled.
The young mage in his trance saw everything through the eyes of the alpha male. It was primitive, exhilarating, and when the alpha male went in for the kill, the mage felt the rush, the thrill of the kill. When the wolves came across a lone traveler he chose not to control the alpha male. The terror in the face of the man taken down was as clear as if he was there in person to see it with his own eyes.
When it was time, the mage would overpower the form of the wolf and the wolf would take on human form. The wolf was a powerful weapon for the possessing mage. The body of the wolf would get him up the mountain. The form of a man could gain him entrance into the monastery where he would spy and look for the baron’s daughter. It was a dangerous task to walk among the White Rose mages in search of the girl. But if he succeeded in finding her the rewards would be well worth the risk. He did not need to kill her. Finding her would be enough. Young and cocky, the entranced mage enjoyed the new feeling of power transferred to him. He enjoyed the feeling and power of the beast he possessed. Finding the girl’s location for the baron would elevate his position. What the baron would do with the information bothered him not one bit, for all he had to do was locate her, keep track of her. The baron would handle the rest personally. It had been made abundantly and unequivocally clear.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Lady Shy looked at her daughter critically. Akira was fit, strong and well on her way to becoming a warrior. The skills her daughter learned gave her daughter a new confidence. The discipline had taken the edge off her daughter's belligerence, especially towards men. Regardless of her training from skilled warriors there were skills only a mother or another woman could teach her. Lady Shy’s beauty had worked against her and against her. It had been a double edged sword and she decided her daughter needed to make her own untapped un-enhanced beauty work to her advantage.
“Akira, stand tall with your shoulders’ back. Your breasts are an asset. Do not be ashamed of being a woman.”
“Oh Mother, how can they be an asset?” Akira made a funny face.
“They can be tools of distraction my dear.” Shy smiled. “Is distraction not helpful sometimes?”
Akira cupped her breasts. “I did notice a few eyes fixating on them accidentally on purpose. Distractions? I suppose that could be true. I’ve been trying to downplay their existence as I do train and sleep among a lot of men. Mother! If they get any bigger, they will be a nuisance.”
“You do not have to flaunt them, but you do need to exude confidence as a woman. A little cleavage showing can go a long way to trick a man into focusing on your feminine traits and misjudge your strength and skills. At the right time and place, they can be part of an illusion. It is time you embraced your assets and enhanced them.”
Lady Shy wisely did not comment on breast sensitivity that enhanced love making. That conversation would be for another day. She smiled inwardly. Akira was almost ready to be tutored about the art of lovemaking. A mother ‘s duty was to prepare her daughter to know how to give and receive pleasure. The way Dimitri looked at her daughter boded well. As much as he pretended to be indifferent, he was attracted to Akira. Lady Shy’s intuition was perceptive and if she knew her daughter as well as she thought, Akira was also busy fighting her attraction to Dimitri.
“What do you mean?”
“Well aside from needing to stand tall and proud, those scraggly eyebrows need shaping my dear!” Shy pushed Akira into a chair and started plucking.
“Ouch, really Mother, are a few less hairs going to make a difference?”
“Yes, and you need to learn to accent your eyes with eyeliner like I do. Your eyes are one of your best features. Make them look piercing and seductive.”
“Seductive? Good grief, why would I want them to be seductive?”
“Because sometimes you can use a subtle seduction to get men to do what you want them to do without them realizing you are making them want to please you.”
“So what if you get too much of their attentions you don’t want?”
“That is where you need to be confident, flatter their vanity and always retreat before you wet their appetites to where they lose self-control.”
“This sounds very complicated to me. Half my life we try to make me unappealing and now I’m supposed to be seductive?”
“Well now you are not so vulnerable. You can protect yourself and you have comrades to protect you. Strength, beauty and intelligence can all be in one package my dear.” Finished tidying Akira’s beautifully shaped eyebrows Lady Shy started unbraiding her daughter's’ hair. She clucked as she noted the crude hair trimming Akira had given herself. She trimmed Akira’s hair edges of hair so the ends fell evenly across her back. With practiced fingers Lady Shy re-braided Akira’s tresses so the front half of her hair was pulled away from her face in tiny braids that stopped at the crown of Akira’s head and then the tight braids were tied off with small strips of supple leather. The braids were bunched loosely to fall over the kinky waves that reached the middle of Akira’s back. Satisfied, Shy showed Akira how to outline and shadow her eyes. A waistband worn over long sleeved blouse laced up just under Akira’s breasts defined Akira’s shape as totally feminine and curvy. Shy undid a few of Akira’ blouse buttons so her collar bones showed and hinted at the cleavage below.
The pleased mother held a mirror in front of her daughter.
“Oh wow… I almost look like you, and you are pretty … we look like sisters!”
“Of course you are pretty, you always have been pretty, we just dared not let it be noticed. Sisters? Not quite, for you have a more youthful glow, and I’ve crows’ feet wrinkles near my eyes. You flatter me, silly girl. Now there is no need for you to try to look plain. You are beautiful, my daughter, and there is no need to hide it anymore.” Lady Shy hugged her daughter. “You are a beautiful young woman. You will be a strong beautiful warrior. I must leave soon and prepare a way for us to return to my family.”
“What? Leave? Can I not go with you, Mother?” Akira frowned.
“No, you need to finish your training here.”
“But you are all the family I have and I need you!” Akira’s face scrunched with worry for her mother. “Do you not remember what happened the last time you went ahead without me to prepare for our escape?”
“That was different my darling. I’ve the allies I was seeking to help us now.” Lady Shy paused. “You are not without family here.”
Akira’s eyes locked with her mother's. Lady Shy had been waiting for a right time to tell her daughter that Morgan was her father. She took a deep breath. “Your father is here. Mage Morgan is your father.”
“He is the cur who abandoned you?” Akira’s eyes blazed as her harsh words blurted out.
“No he is my true love who was forced to leave, not knowing he had a daugh
ter.”
“He should not have left you!” Akira wanted to punch him. She clenched her fists.
“He had no choice. Rolfe would have killed us both. I thought he was dead and he knew if he returned and suspicion was cast, I’d be in mortal danger. You know how evil Rolfe is! You must promise me you will stay here while I go ahead. Dimitri is providing men to escort me down the mountain to travel to the coast.”
“But the passes are closed, how can you leave?”
“There is a secret ice tunnel that a special sled fits that can quickly take me to the base of the mountain. It cannot be climbed up. When someone is sent down it, a message is sent and the snow is cleared away from the secret opening.”
Akira hugged her mother tightly. “Why do you need to go ahead? What is so important?”
“I need my marriage annulled. If and when Rolfe discovers I’m not dead, he will not tolerate being made a fool of. If I’m no longer his wife he has no reason to follow us.”
“Why can’t we just kill him if he follows us?”
“Because we don’t want to start a war, my darling. Trust me, Akira...stay here and wait for me to send for you.”
“You will stay safe, not break anymore legs?” Akira tried to be light hearted.
Lady Shy smiled. “I promise not to break any more legs if you promise to become a strong and beautiful warrior.”
The women hugged and kissed. Mother would leave. Daughter would stay.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Akira worked hard through the rest of the winter months. Her confidence grew as she became stronger. She mastered a quickness that made it hard for anyone to keep up with her. She almost seemed to float through the air, jumping with ease, twirling away from dulled dummy swords, and quickly touching her opponents with her own lighter sword, scoring death kill points. Bruises became less frequent.
Akira Rises Page 19