One desperate arm reached up as a shield against the light as the warrior begged in a strained voice, “Close the door…please.”
As the portal to the outside world closed, the internal light became balanced, revealing Kaitra as the culprit of that malicious deed.
“What is the time?” asked Kidreyli.
“It approaches midday.” Kaitra smiled as the predicament that entangled her friend became apparent.
“I apologize.” The warrior stood, her face describing in great detail the pain that accompanied that act. She struggled to achieve but a modicum of pleasantness against the onslaught of Nono, the discomfort fairy. She stated, “I meant to rise early.”
“So you could leave?” Kaitra finished her sentence.
“I have to go.”
“I need you to stay,” she replied firmly. The sorceress reached over and took Kidreyli’s hand in hers. “I have made some decisions about my future and I need your help. I need you to teach me how to fight.”
“You have your magics.”
“Yes, for self-defense. I need to develop offensive skills. Most certainly you are the best qualified to teach such things.”
Kidreyli’s feathers fluffed a little. “That is true.”
“There, you see,” Kaitra fumbled over her words, “I will learn from the best and, thereby, become…one of the best. You would find me to be an excellent student. I would not disappoint you.”
Kidreyli winced at the twisted logic as she took a moment to sit and contemplate her next question. She reached for a leather flask of water and watched for the reaction out of the corner of her eyes as she asked, “Have you ever killed anyone?”
The sorceress looked downward, knowing the truth was not what her friend wanted to hear. “No.”
“Taking someone’s life will inevitably change you forever. Your spirit will be exposed to the darkest recesses within your being. That darkness is very alluring. It intoxicates you with a sense of divine power. If you are unable to maintain your awareness, it will swallow you whole and you will become no better than those you perceive as your enemies. This will be your greatest challenge.”
“I understand,” Kaitra humbly replied. “There are certainly difficulties awaiting me along this path, but it is something I must pursue. Please, do this for me.”
Kidreyli paused for a moment to look her friend in the eyes to assess her sincerity, and then she conceded, “Very well. Do you have a preference for a type of weapon?”
The sorceress was so excited. “I believe that I would be best with a bow, but I would like to try using a sword, since I have one now.”
“Give me an hour or so to get what we need and I’ll meet you at the big oak tree behind the huts.”
Kaitra took the warrior’s hand, “Thank you so much.” She turned and bounded out into the daylight.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” were the thoughts that entered Kidreyli’s mind from without.
“So do I, Tyral. So do I.”
At the appointed time, Kidreyli had gathered a few weapons under a great oak at the edge of the forest. The sun was very warm and the freshening breeze in the shade of the tree was welcome. She spent this time alone letting her mind wander from one thing to another while relaxing and sharpening her blade. The fates had brought her to this place in this time, surrounded by many friendly, yet mysterious folk. And what to make of this sorceress born of eastern royalty, who now professed a desire to become a warrior? It did cross her mind that someone might have placed a spell on her as a joke. Certainly if she told this story to a stranger they would probably think she was either touched or under some nefarious influence. But her spirit continued to reassure her that all would be revealed in time.
Just then a large butterfly flitted up from the field, circled a few times to make sure it was safe, and landed on Kidreyli’s shoulder. Its wings were deep blue bordered with black trim. Small black circles were randomly painted within the blue background. It sat quietly for the longest time, slowly moving its wings back and forth while Kidreyli sat and watched, hoping to not disturb this rather special moment.
“My people believe that the Renri butterfly only touches a person of gentle spirit,” explained Kaitra as she carefully approached.
“I’m not sure about that, but she is very beautiful.”
“It’s a he,” Kaitra corrected her. “The males have all the color.”
Kidreyli smiled at her words and then watched as the butterfly stayed for a few more moments, taking its ease. Suddenly, it jumped on a breath of wind and fluttered off into the trees.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” the sorceress apologized. “I was caught up talking to Cliona.”
“That’s all right. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on things. I borrowed a bow and a quiver of arrows from Donnlu, who is one of the hunters here. Shall we begin?”
“Yes, please,” Kaitra was excited.
“Are you primarily right or left-handed?”
“Left-handed.”
The warrior released the straps of her leather bracer on her right arm and handed it to her, “Put this on.” Once Kaitra had done that, she continued, “Now, hold the bow in your right hand. Load the arrow on the bowstring with your left hand and place the shaft of the arrow on top of your bow hand against the bow.”
She did as instructed.
“Good. See the cloth I placed between two standing sticks at about twenty paces? Line up the flight of the arrow with the target, slowly pull back the arrow and let it fly.”
Kaitra did as she was told, but jumped a bit when she released the arrow. The shaft careened off her hand and landed on the ground about ten feet away.
Thoughts entered Kidreyli’s mind, “I must say this is the best entertainment I have had in a long time.”
The warrior flashed a nasty look toward Tyral, who was standing behind them in the shade of a tree.
“Let’s try that again, shall we?” Kidreyli encouraged. “Archery is an art and should be approached as such. A disciplined mind is the key. Smooth flowing motions and quiet nerves bring success. Now, load another arrow.” Kaitra complied. The Valtyr continued, “All right, close your eyes and see the arrow fly into its target. Now, keep that image in your mind and open your eyes. Slowly pull back the arrow while taking in a deep breath and line up the target. Release that breath slowly and relax your nerves, and just as you are about to run out of air, gently release the arrow.”
She followed the instructions well and the arrow sailed but a breath over the desired target. “That was close,” her excitement poured forth in her voice.
“Well done,” the warrior concluded. “Now try it again, but focus a bit more on the arrow’s line of flight. Remember, take your time and relax.”
Kaitra loaded another arrow and slowly worked through the previous instructions in her mind. At the proper moment, she let the arrow fly. It clipped the bottom left corner of the target and knocked it to the ground. “I did it!” she exclaimed with bright eyes.
“Yes, you did. You have successfully killed a motionless piece of cloth at twenty paces.”
“Hey….”
The Valtyr laughed, “Only kidding, but you get my point? The targets you will be using that weapon against will not be stationary and will likely be more than twenty paces away.”
“I understand. But that was pretty good, don’t you think?” Kaitra begged for approval.
“That was very good.”
In Kidreyli’s mind she heard, “If memory serves, that was much better than your first efforts.”
“Quiet, Tyral,” she said under her breath.
“What did you say?” asked Kaitra.
“Nothing,” lied the Valtyr. “Shall we try the sword next?”
The girl nodded her approval. Kidreyli walked over, picked up the two sticks that had been used for the target and brought them back into the shade of the tree.
The Valtyr explained, “We will use these to start so that neither of
us will be injured. As with the bow, a disciplined mind is key to the effective use of this weapon. The sword requires quick reactions, physical strength and stamina. Defensive motions must be strong and decisive. Offensive motions can be very effective even if little strength is behind them. It doesn’t require much force to do damage with a sharp blade. Shall we try defense first?”
“All right,” Kaitra’s confidence was low, but she was eager to try.
“Hold your weapon with both hands,” instructed Kidreyli. “I will come at you. Try to block or deflect my weapon so that it does not hit you.”
The Valtyr came at her opponent in slow motion, giving her plenty of opportunity to react. She stopped, provided a few recommendations for improvement, and started again at a quicker pace. Kaitra was slow in her defense and her footwork was weak. It was quickly apparent to both of them that it would take some time for her to become proficient.
Kidreyli explained, “Always remember that in battle there are no rules. If you feel yourself faltering, you can always use your magics to defend yourself. Consider them a significant weapon in your arsenal. At this point, I would recommend that you focus developing your expertise with the bow. You have a natural aptitude for it and some concentrated effort will make you a formidable archer in a short time. We can work on the sword at a later time.”
Kaitra agreed. It was obvious she had much to learn with the sword. The Valtyr left her to practice on her own and she took full advantage of it. For the rest of the day, she fired arrows at the target. She regularly changed distance and direction to provide a variety of challenges. She only took a short break for dinner of about thirty minutes before charging back into the field for more. Kidreyli looked in on her a few times. It felt as if she was interfering in her efforts, so she mostly stayed away, but what she saw impressed her.
A few hours later, darkness had settled over the land. Kaitra could not see the target any longer in the diminishing light, so she gave in and decided to stop for the night. Her efforts this day had paid off. She was regularly hitting her target with authority. It somehow felt as if the bow had become hers and their fates had become one. She gathered her things and headed back for the village when Cliona called out to her.
“I’ve been looking in on you from time to time. It looks like you have quite the natural talent for the bow.”
“It seems that I do, but I can’t take all the credit. Kidreyli is an excellent instructor.”
Cliona stated with a smile, “She is one of a kind. Would you mind if I walked with you?”
“I would like that.”
As they continued along, Cliona intentionally kept the pace slow. She said, “I sense you have feelings for her?”
“Why is it that you always seem to be rummaging around in my head?” Kaitra smiled through her words.
“Because I can.”
“No, seriously, how is it that you have these abilities; to poke about in my thoughts, and be in two places at the same time?”
Cliona explained, “My mother was a powerful sorceress and she passed along some of her talents to me.” A truth, but not the whole truth.
“Could you teach me?”
“Someday soon, when you are ready, I will. Now, about Kidreyli?”
Kaitra laughed and said, “Yes, is the answer. But I’m not sure how real they are. I may have this attraction only because she just saved my life.”
“Ohhh…it’s far deeper than that.”
The young sorceress conceded, “All right, yes. I do have strong feelings for her.”
“Thought as much,” the elder said. She walked on a few more steps in silence before revealing, “She loves you, you know.”
Kaitra was taken aback, “She has never said as much.”
“No, she wouldn’t, would she. She is Valtyr, you are Dhoyan royalty. Even the strongest Valtyr would not be so bold as to cross that line.”
“I don’t understand why that would be a problem.”
The elder woman explained, “I know that you believe you have renounced your birthright, but that does not change who and what you are. You are your father’s daughter, now and for all time, and you need to embrace that with all of your being. I believe it will serve you well when you confront that which awaits you. Kidreyli understands this, which is why she has hesitated to disclose her true feelings for you.”
“What do you suggest?”
“Show her that the door is open. Once she understands that, then everyone best get out of the way.”
“What does that mean?”
“Valtyr emotions are far more intense and wide-ranging than human emotions, and they are not afraid to show them,” the elder explained. “When asked if they truly love someone, they usually respond with the phrase ‘with all that I am’, and they mean that literally and figuratively. If the two of you bond, the experience for you will be exponentially deeper and more spiritually fulfilling than any you could ever hope to have with another human.”
Kaitra stopped and touched Cliona’s arm, “I fell in love with her the first time I looked into her eyes. The fates have brought us together. Why?”
Cliona’s eyes brightened as she answered, “Because the two of you together will do great things…wondrous things.”
“Of what do you speak?”
“If I told you that, then they wouldn’t be so wondrous when they happen, would they?” Cliona smiled through her words.
“So, you’re not going to tell me?”
The elder woman looked quietly toward the trees.
“Right. Thought as much,” the frustrated young sorceress stated.
Cliona took both of her hands in hers, “Listen to me. Do not try to force events to happen. They will come to you when the time is right.”
“And my relationship with Kidreyli…?”
“The time for that is now. If you show her that she may proceed, then your love will take you both on a most wonderful journey.”
“This has been a really long day,” Kaitra observed as she came through the door of the hut and laid the bow and quiver carefully on the floor so as to be out of the way. “Sleep will be very welcome.”
“Where have you been?” asked Kidreyli.
“I quit practicing when it got too dark to see the target. Donnlu and his chosen were over by the main fire and they asked me to join them. They are very nice people. We had a little food and drink and conversation, and then time just got away. I’ll pay for how much I had to drink tomorrow, I suspect.” There was short pause before she threw out, “Why do you ask? Did you miss me?”
“What? No. I was just…,” she was mercifully cut off by a knock at the door.
“May I enter?” Eirran asked from the outside.
“Of course,” Kaitra smiled knowingly at the Valtyr as she pulled it open.
“Sit, please,” offered Kidreyli.
He replied, “Thanks, no. Cliona and I have something to share with the both of you. Would you mind coming with me?”
They looked at each other for confirmation, exchanging momentary expressions of surprise and curiosity. “Of course,” responded the sorceress.
It was nearly middle-night as the three tromped through the field toward the appointed place. The Moon of Talera was low on the horizon but it provided just enough light to see what lay ahead. The air was still, but the frogs were very vocal, singing and bellowing to each other in turn. The knee high grass had a light coating of dew that gave the air a fresh smell. As they approached the farthest tree line, a small fire could be seen near a stream illuminating a dark figure. They continued on until reaching a small crude wooden bridge.
“We are here,” announced Eirran.
“Please come over,” invited Cliona.
As they reached the far side of the stream, Cliona gave each of them in turn a firm hug. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. Please sit on opposite sides of the fire facing each other. We want to try an exercise that we think you might find enlightening. Are you willing?”
“Very well, we shall begin,” Cliona stated in a serious tone.
The sorceress and the Valtyr sat as instructed while Eirran knelt next to the fire, sat on his heels and closed his eyes, determinedly focusing his energies to the task at hand. Slowly and with purpose, he began placing selected leaves and plants on the fire, one at a time. “Concentrate your eyes on the flames,” he directed.
Cliona stood across the fire from Eirran and continued, “Breathe deeply and let yourself relax completely.”
After a few moments, Eirran spoke softly. “Now, close your eyes and open yourselves to what may come. You are safe here in this protected place. Open the doors of your mind.”
Many minutes passed as the elders kept watch. Small jerky motions were most noticeable in Kidreyli, reactions to what her mind was encountering. Kaitra mostly showed reaction within her face, changing quickly from smiles to pained scowls.
The frogs in the forest went quiet.
Then Kidreyli let out a scream that brought the session to a standstill. “No!! That is not possible!” She struggled to catch her breath as she looked up at Cliona. “That’s not possible.”
Eirran spoke determinedly, “Describe what you saw.”
She sat stunned and confused as she spoke to herself, “It cannot be true.”
He grabbed her by the shoulders and commanded, “Kidreyli, what did you see!?”
She looked up at his face with fainted eyes, “I saw a boy, a baby. His ears…his eyebrows…he had all our features...”
“What do you…?” Kaitra was interrupted.
“He was Vydarrun,” Kidreyli finished her thought.
Eirran and Cliona exchanged concerned glances. The Valtyr looked at both of them, a tear started down her cheek.
“What is Vydarrun?” Kaitra asked.
Eirran explained, “The Vydarrun were extremely aggressive males of the Valtyr species. They were uncontrollably violent and brought great hardship to all they encountered. Fear and death were their tools. Killing an entire village of innocents for no purpose brought them pleasure. The Valtyr took great pains to purge the male from their species. There were epic battles in their fight to become civilized, the stories of which are still passed down to their children. They have not been seen nor spoken of for over a thousand years.”
Into the Fray: Volume 1 of The Sorcerers of Jhanvia Series Page 6