Chapter Three
Murisa,
Vessener
Trainee Assembly.
At seventeen years
Nara
Despite being early spring, the sun shrouded by grey clouds, sweat trickled on her temples. Nara clenched her fists on her side as the pounding in her ears swallowed a girl’s squeaky voice. She felt insane, was she mad to volunteer to join the army? Knots formed in her stomach.
“He is intimidating the children” a soft voice commented. It belonged to the female soldier not standing that far from her.
“It is what feeds his cruel soul” a man replied. The smile in his voice sent a sliver of fear through her.
Nara began to have second doubts. Clearly, this was a mistake. What was she thinking? She asked herself, the swirling sensation in her stomach growing. She could walk away, she had nothing to lose if she did. No, people will stare. The thought of drawing attention to herself had her feet digging into the ground, her mind refusing to welcome any form of attention to herself. It made its high opinion known by sending sweaty goosebumps over her skin. Not today Nara!
“Why are you here?” the ironclad voice cut through the air she was breathing. A figured shadow had hovered beside her before black boots stepped in front of her. Nara swallowed and looked up slowly over the tall and strong man dressed in the standard dark blue military uniform, with an addition of a small silver wolf pin on his jacket. She tilted her head and met familiar blue eyes. Nara froze, while her heart began a new fervent race. She wondered if he still remembered her. Unlikely, they had not spoken since that day he’d caught watching those two men train. Nara never told him her name, yet she came to know him from hearing all the praise in town and from comrades in the military base that she had made a habit of sneaking in religiously the last four years.
Nara stood still at attention, clenched fist on her sides as his hard eyes took in her neatly plaited dark hair, pale freckled face and pristine new black overall training uniform she wore like every other fresh face in the arena who were trembling in their boots as they stood in a similar stance. Captain Barra clasped his hands behind his back, his lips thinned and looked at her.
“Did you not hear me?” he demanded. Nara remembered from that one encounter that he was a bit serious, but she wondered if the change of rank indeed turned him cold or he’d always been like this. He was now the captain of the Elite, a leader of a team made of exceptional assassins and spies from the whole army of Murisa.
It took Nara a long second to find her voice and even then, she stuttered. “I-I don’t know.” She winced when the words left her mouth. Should she say it was his suggestions that brought her here?
His thick brows pulled slightly together against his cold expression, his eyes speaking he isn’t one that tolerates bullshit.
“I wanted to join, Captain...Sir” Nara stammered again. Ground swallow me whole. The captain’s jaw clenched in irritation, his voice turning harder, “Who do you serve soldier?”
Nara bit her bottom lip, refraining herself from sputtering again. She was embarrassed already as it was. Her stomach knotted tight with a feeling this was a tricky question. She thought hard and careful before opening her mouth. “I serve the people.”
“You do not serve the king?”, The silence that accompanied the death sentence question was deafening. The eyes of the other two Elite soldiers and eyes of every other recruit settled on her, thick with curiosity. A shiver skittered down her spine.
“I serve the needs of the people of this kingdom, and among them is the leader who leads the people to prosperity” Nara replied calmly with confidence she had no clue where it came from while keeping her back straight.
The Captain’s jaw twitched but said nothing in return other than the burning gaze in his eyes before he stalked to the wooden platform and faced all of them. The additional height only added to the powerful aura of his as he spoke again loud and clear. “Now is the only time you can freely walk away. Some of you would die and get injured because of recklessness and weak conditions of your bodies. No one will save you, you are soldiers who serve.” He paused, letting the unveiled words sink in the young faces staring at him in both fear and awe.
Nara’s face whitened as if a bucket of ice cold water had been poured on her.
Clearly, this was a mistake Nara slowly dragged one foot in front, ready to run but her knees trembled. She sensed the fear of others, so palpable against the chilly weather. She heard the subtle shuffling of feet, moving weight from one foot to the other but one had yet to walk away from the formation. The desperation to run was high but she wouldn’t, not if it would make her a spectacle. Oh, this...Nara clenched her fists hard, short nails digging into both palms until she felt pain. This irrationality was crippling, and it was another reason she was here in the first place, to overcome this anxiety keeping her in a suffocating and overwhelming, lonely bubble. She snapped out of her thoughts and stared at the captain who let his hands that were folded behind his back fall to his sides. He lifted one fist to his chest, and everyone including herself followed his example and proclaimed aloud with him in a clear voice that claimed the morning.
I pledge to the men, women, and children of Murisa
To the peace and prosperity that threads our hearts together
No beast, creature or man shall conquer us
I lay my body and pour my blood for you!
******
It was the first day of training, and all the recruits were gathered in the open field anxiously waiting for the first command. Bara stood in front of them, hands on his hips. His small smirk was the only warning they got of how hard he was going to be on them from that day forward.
“I want you to run around this wall until I say stop,” he said casually as if it was the easiest thing to do. The military wall surrounded the whole city. It stretched broad and long in miles.
Everyone looked in disbelief, thinking the same what she was thinking. They wouldn’t make it without collapsing. Nara’s eyes followed him as he got on his horse and turned to them with a scowl. “What are you waiting for?”
Nara had never seriously run in her life, chasing her little sister didn’t count. The fact that he would be watching them from the top of his horse terrified her. She stood anxious and afraid there like so many others, feet unwilling to move. One thin, tall boy who seemed confident enough broke out from the line and started out. Another boy followed him, and soon enough the rest began to jog. Not wanting to be the last one, she began to run too.
At the very beginning, everyone ran fast as they could, desperate to impress the captain and not be a loser. What would happen to the last person? will he punish the loser? And other scary thoughts crossed their minds as they ran. Anxiety reeked from their sweat and etched on their pulled and scrunched faces and fast movement of their feet. Each one tried to pass the other like fire was one lick away from their heels and cared even less they were making a fool of themselves to military officials watching them with amusement along the way. A handful of minutes had just passed and not a full quarter of the wall covered, the recruits started slowing down. Nara began to lag, lungs scorching in her chest with desperation for air. Sweat streamed down her face, her tunic plastered on her back like a second skin. She breathed heavily, her open mouth feeling like a small desert. Nara commanded her cramping legs to take a step as one recruit moved past her after the other as she fell behind slowly. She could hear the horse’s hooves loud, warning her he was not far off from her. Wincing from them sharp pain jabbing her ribs, Nara took a quick peek of other recruits nearby. Beaten to the core is what they appeared to be as they struggled to continue. From the drag of feet, someone was bound to faint any moment.
“Keep up, his right behind us” A gingered boy who looked familiar whispered aloud enough as he ran past her. Nara tried to catch up to him yet breathing turned to one difficult task she had ever done. She sharply realised how she had been taking for granted the act of breathing all her life when she started coughing. Her chest felt too tight. Her face flushed red, resembling a cherry tomato. Nara halted and crouched, holding her hand to her chest, struggling to catch a breath. Black and white spots faded in and out before her eyes as a light dizziness plagued her head.
She felt his presence before his shadow even fell on her, yet she only cared for one thing. To live. If she didn’t get water, she was going to die.
“Water...” Nara wheezed. “Water please” she begged to anyone who heard her. No one came to her help. Really, were they not going to help her? She was astounded. Nara lifted her head, eyes teary and looked at the captain who just sat comfortably and watched her. His calmness irked her. Did he enjoy her suffering? Her body shook with coughs. Her gaze shifted over his horse, searching desperately until she found what she was looking for. Strength Nara didn’t know she had left surged through her legs and managed her to stand and reach for the leather water bag tied on his saddle. With jerky fast movements, Nara undid its rope before he captured her hand. With hands shaking, she tore its stopper and brought the hole to her mouth and took a full gulp. She coughed up the water. Still, she drank more, as some spilt down on her chin. She drank until her throat was no longer dry and itchy. However, the coughs kept on going. She tried breathing through her mouth. A hand snatched the bottle in her hand. She looked up, and it was him.
“Close your mouth and breathee through your nose” Barra ordered. Not moving, he glanced at her impatiently. Warily, Nara shut her mouth and did what he ordered, wanting him out of her hair as soon as possible. When it felt like forever, her chest eased, and her breathing lightened.
“Next time I recommend not to run with your mouth open” were his harsh words to her. Nara reddened in embarrassment. Barra mounted the horse and shouted. “Stop!” The recruits all halted, all too eager and turned his way. They looked pale as death.
“Follow me and keep on walking until you can all breathe without looking like a bunch of dying fish.” He said the last words with displeasure. He turned the horse around and rode the way they came from.
When they got back, the captain made them run again, ordering them to lift their knees up while they did it. They did nothing other than running the whole day until late afternoon when they were discharged to eat. Everyone rushed to the huge dining hall like sweaty cattle rubbing against one another to get in the barn. The room consisted of a long wooden tables and benches. Three men and two women stood at the far end with large buckets sizzling with smoke that she guessed were filled with food they were going to serve them.
Nara joined the line, dragging her feet as the line moved painfully slow. She kept quiet as others engaged in small talks, familiarising with one another. Nara was in between the line of feeling nervous and excited about the new situation. Would she able to make friends here and not be the bullied or piss off anyone? Nara worried. She had never been among so many people before. Nara missed out the balls which were thrown every other week by the lords, often hosted for trivial matters, excuses for the rich to mingle and size each other up. Whenever her whole family was obliged to go, she often had found herself alone in the corner of the room watching her parents talk to other royalties. Most of the night Nara had ended up not talking to anyone except for Helle when she attended. Most at the banquets never bothered talking to her because they thought she was too shy. She was consciously aware a part of that is her fault because neither did she bother to talk to them. However, this time, she’d like to change even just a little. Eyes shifted to those her around her, to the short girl ahead of her. Maybe she should initiate first? She worried her bottom lip, palms feeling a little sweaty. You can do it, Nara, she told herself, mastering some courage.
“You were quite brave to take his water pouch” someone murmured close to her. Nara twisted her head to see who it was. It was the red head boy again. So, he had seen her begging? He stared at her. She studied him. He had a friendly face, not too hard nor too soft just in between.
“I was thirsty.” She said.
“Weren’t we all”. Hagen stated, his lips stretching to a small grin. “I might just do what you did if he makes us run as he has done today.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Nara said cautiously.
“You’re a probably right. Just thinking of the Captain, sends shivers down my spine.” the little shakes of shoulders made Nara find him comical. Nara glanced forward and saw she was next in line. She took the bowl and spoon from the table and moved along to receive the food. She was given a serving of potatoes, a leg of chicken and greenies. The quivering feeling arose again as she stood with a plate in hand and eyes shifting across the dining to find a place to sit. She searched for an empty table, but all the tables were occupied. There at the far end corner, sat two girls eating. She remembered seeing the girls, in the girls’ quarters when they had been shown where they would be sleeping in on recruitment day. Chewing on her bottom lip, Nara walked toward them.
“Pardon, would you mind if I sit here?” Nara asked them, holding her breath tightly in her chest. The one with short dark hair glanced up. “No, I don’t. You can sit.” Relief washed over her as she sat next to the girl who answered. She kept silent and ate. After having a few spoons, the girl across her spoke. “I’m sure surprised and impressed. I had first thought the food choice would be terrible and taste bland.”
“I had thought the same too,” the short haired girl said, eating another spoon of potatoes. She glanced at Nara. “What do you make of it?”
“It does taste good” Nara replied and ate another spoon to hide her nervousness.
“I am Isabel, what are your names?” the girl across asked.
“My name is Risa” the girl beside Nara answered. The two girls’ eyes turned to her.
“I’m Nara” she offered quickly.
“Are you all from here?” Nara asked, trying to engage and be less quiet. Just then, a woman in military uniform entered the hall. The room fell silent as she strode to the front and faced them. Nara remembered her as the woman from the assembly that had commented about the captain intimidating the recruits. She had silver wolf pin too on her jacket, showing she was a member of the Elite.
“I am Astrid captain’s Barra second in command,” the lady said, her keen eyes moving across the room. “and the one who is going to be teaching you archery in days to come.” The lady smirked when the boys looked at her with suspicious eyes as the girls eyed her with admiration. These young kids didn’t know what was in store for them. Astrid snorted in her mind. “You are to bath and clean your rooms. We will be coming to inspect shortly” she instructed. She gave them one last glance then left.
“Thank gods. I was wondering when they were going to let us a bath.” Risa said as she stood. “Let us go. You heard what she said about inspection” she added, motioning to Nara to start walking.
That’s how Nara found herself trailing the two girls as they hurried to their sleeping quarters. Their bunk beds and properties they could bring were in the last wing of the three wings. Surprisingly, they were the first to get in the room when Risa opened the door. Nara had thought she would find other girls in already. Nara walked toward the polished wooden trunk beside the bed below and opened it with a key hanging on the thin gold chain hidden beneath her tunic. Nara stared at the clothes and stuff in the trunk, hesitating to pick the thick folded white linen cloth. She had never bathed with anyone. The thought of doing that, left her feeling very uncomfortable. The last time she had was when she was too young, and her stepmother cleaned her. She pinched her nose, hating how her stomach was churning. She wanted to break from her skin. This was too much.
“Hey, why are you still dressed?” Isabel called, startling her and pulling her from her head. Nara twisted around to look at the two girls who shared a bunk bed. She blinked when she saw them wrapped in drying linens and holding long white chemises. Their uniforms folded and kept on their beds.
“Are you that shy? It’s just us girls. Hurry up before the room is crammed” Isabel laughed. Nara swallowed and just stood there.
“Have you never bathed in public hot springs before?” Risa’s eyes narrowed curiously.
“You go ahead I’ll be there in a moment.” Nara managed to say.
Isabel nodded while Risa gave her another look before walking away. Nara waited until the girls were gone then undressed quickly and wrapped the thick cloth tight around her body. She had no choice, between letting herself remain in filthy sweat and bathing among other girls, she’d rather choose the latter. Nara picked the chemise and soap, locked the trunk and wore the chain again. She took a breath and walked to the bathing area, passing other girls who were now coming in the quarters along the way. When she walked in the room, she found the two girls were chest deep in the water. She placed the chemise on a bench and faced the girls, “May you please close your eyes?” Their expression turned absurd.
“Why?” Isabel asked as Risa jested “There is nothing you have that we don’t have or haven’t already seen.” Nara’s ears turned red but still insisted. “Please just do it.” Risa rolled her eyes then closed her eyes as did Isabel. She took off the towel, folded it, placed it on the rock neatly and took the soap. She quickly walked and sank in the water. “You can open your eyes again.”
“You are very odd” Risa murmured as she lathered the soap in her hands.
Nara didn’t say a thing.
“Where are you from?” Isabel asked.
“I am from here” Nara replied. Isabel’s eyebrows rose in surprise.
“I heard city girls are unabashed, but you act completely different” Risa commented. “I agree. You seem quite the shy one Nara” Isabel added. Feeling uncomfortable with all the attention she asked the same question back. “Where are you two from?”
“I am from Bonesville. It’s a small town in the north” Isabel answered.
“That’s is a creepy name for a town” Risa made a face. Isabel shrugged. “It’s a legend or calls it a myth about the city. Men would leave to journey up far north, however only their bones would return.” Risa shuddered as she imagined corpses.
“Were they attacked by animals or something else?” ever curious, Nara asked. Other girls walked in and joined them in the warm hot spring pool, stopping Isabel from replying. Nara concentrated on cleaning herself. The more girls came to take a bath, the more she became frustrated on how she would leave the room. “I’m done,” Risa said, standing and stepping out and wrapping herself. “Me too” Isabel followed, doing the same thing. Risa twisted her head. “Aren’t you coming, Nara?”
She shook her head. “I am not done yet.” Risa smirked knowingly, and Isabel giggled and said, “We will be heading then.”
Nara thought of asking one of the girls to hand her belongings but thought against when she reckoned she would still need to stand. She cracked her knuckles in frustration. She stayed in the pool until she was the last person left then got out, dried herself and wore the chemise.
*****
Nara’s whole body ached the next morning. She tried to wake up earlier than the other girls so she could dress and get ready for the day without having to worry about anyone seeing her body. Together with the men they had porridge in the dining hall before they were summoned to the assembly grounds. Once again, the captain stood in front of them and recited the pledge. Soon after, Barra ordered them to run once again. They did nothing the whole day apart from running only given a few minutes to rest in between the hours to catch their breaths and late lunch which they were then left to bathe. At night, they were taught the laws and responsibilities of different divisions in the military and given tea and snacks before they were discharged to sleep. A curfew was placed and anyone seen wandering around past midnight was given the tasks to wash the dishes a whole month. Days passed in the same way, there was running and more running. It was torturous in the first days, but her body was starting to get accustomed to it. She was losing weight, the greenness and fat glow she came with from home was slowly diminishing. And Nara was not the only one transforming when one looked at other recruits. In the sleeping quarters and whenever they were unsupervised, people complained of the endless running.
“I just want to know is running the only training they we are going to be taught?” Isabel whispered. They were sitting near the door of the dining hall as they ate. “All he does is just sit on his mighty horse while we are breaking our legs” Isabel scoffed and rolled her eyes. It was true, just a day ago, a boy tripped and broke an ankle. Nara hadn’t seen or heard much of him since the incident.
“Do tell more” he spoke. The girls froze. She watched Isabel slowly cock her head to the side, meeting his gaze and quickly dropping hers to the plate. She didn’t miss the terrified shock in the girl’s eyes. The captain lifted a brow when Isabel didn’t speak up. He stood beside the sweating Isabel for a moment which felt to be an eternity and studied the room. When others noticed him, they stopped talking and watched him warily. Wherever he went, his presence was unmistakable. His expression was stoic as usual, hard to read. Seemingly satisfied with whatever he came for, he left the hall. Everyone visibly relaxed, tension vanishing.
“What did I do” Isabel shrunk her head in embarrassment, covering her face with her hands. “Now he knows you,” Risa quipped. “Shush! It’s not funny” Isabel grumbled. “Don’t worry, he won’t remember you” Nara tried to cheer her. He sure didn’t show he recognised her from the prior encounter. Besides, there are plenty recruit girls. Isabel just shook her head, looking as though she was doomed.
Two days passed after the incident, and they were waiting for the assembly in the cold, wet morning and shivering when the second in command of the captain came. The lady had a bow in her hand, arrow porch strapped behind her.
“Good morning.” Astrid smiled at them, “Today you’ll start archery training. If you turn around, you’ll see the targets have been set already.” They all turned and found several stands set with hanging strawmen marked red at the chest on them. Two soldiers were standing too, watching them. Out of nowhere, an arrow shot past her and others, nicking her ear as it flew to its target and struck one of the targets’ red mark. She clamped her ear and whirled. Nara glared at the shooter who was none other than the female soldier. The distance between her and the target was at least hundred meters. Drawing her fingers in front of her, she saw it was just a pint of blood.
“That’s how far and quick one can be killed in a blink of an eye.” Lady Astrid stated, lowering the hand she held the bow down. “You are not here fool around nor are we wasting our time to teach you to do so. Everything you are being taught is to prepare you as a soldier for your own survival. Effort and hard work will only determine if you can be an exceptional one.”
***
Lady Astrid paused to let them reflect on what she said, noting, the way some of the recruits’ expression changed somberly, realisation kicking in while others remained in dreamland where being a combatant was the easy way to earn wages without work. Also, just being recruits in training, they still received a small pay. There were no wars to terrify them and challenge them to be better. Wars were stopped before they reached their lands. It was one of her duties as an Elite to extinguish any threat that came in the form of assassins from opposing kingdoms and otherworldly creatures which are nearly destroyed from being hunted.
“Get in teams and start practising.” She ordered and then added after thought, “The team who hits the target most gets a day off and do whatever you want.” She shook her head with pity as they scrambled, grabbing one another to be on each other’s team.
***
“This should be easy. I used to hunt with my brother back in Bonesville. He taught me how to shoot” Isabel grinned. “You know how to shoot. Join us” a boy from nowhere grabbed Isabel’s hand. Nara watched the boy drag her to his group before she could protest.
“Do you know how to shoot?” Risa turned to her.
“No, I do not” she answered. Risa bit her lip, glancing at where Isabel was with a couple of recruits who looked confident of their shooting skills. “I think I’m going to ask if I can join them” her friend pointed to the group. “I really don’t want to run for another day” she bit her lip and made an apologetic face then rushed to the group. Nara stood and watched whereas others restlessly tried to find good teammates. Standing there was not helping, no one approached her to join the team. What team would accept someone with no skills? She had never explored the idea of playing with a bow and arrow. She had mostly been drawn to swords. She had two swords back home. A gift from her father. Nara’s brows furrowed, thinking how her sister and parents were doing since she left. Funny she lived in the city, not far away but she hasn’t seen or heard from them. Well, she had asked her father to let her try this without any interference despite his open dislike of the suggestion. Maybe if she won, she might go and see them. The thought had her looking at others once more. Nara braced herself and approached a group. “Excuse me, would you mind if I join?” she asked, looking at the familiar ginger boy. The boy’s eyes narrowed then widen in the realisation of who she was. “I remember you” he smiled. “Would you guys be alright if she does?” he asked. At that moment, she was incredibly thankful to him asking on her behalf. His fellows just shrugged. “You can” the ginger boy answered. “Thank you,” she said earnestly, her relief visible.
“By the way, my name is Hagen,” the boy told her as he took the long bow from the table, huffing as he lifted it.
“I am Nara.” She said, picking the arrows. “Have any of you ever shoot before?” the black-haired boy with a broad nose asked. “I have a few times, but I’m not that great” the tallest boy in the group answered. “Me too,” a girl said. “I’ve never” she admitted, nervous and feeling inadequate. She fidgeted with an arrow, feeling self-conscious when they stared at her.
“I’ve never either, although my father is a hunter” Hagen chuckled.
“Pass me the bow then. You two can just pluck out the arrows from the target.” The black haired said. “Sure, no problem,” Hagen said, giving the bow to him. The soldiers supervising showed each group where to stand, fifty yards from the target position.
“Five rounds each team and each one of you must participate.” Lady Astrid stated and pointed to the first group at the end of the line, “You may begin.” It was Isabel’s team, and she was first to step forward. She appeared calm as she nocked her first arrow. She rose her arms and pulled the string, setting the arrow flying. It hit the red mark at the centre. She fist-pumped the air, and her members cheered. Nara swallowed, wishing she could do that.
“Next” Lady Astrid called. Another member stepped forward, it was the boy who had pulled Isabel. He looked slightly nervous from the way he clenched and unclenched his fingers. After a moment, the boy nocked the arrow and let it go. “Yes!” he shouted. Another great shot. Nara watched the team hit on the mark one after another except Risa whose arrow stuck just slightly higher, causing them to groan. Isabel rubbed her back in comfort. The team’s impressive winning strike put the rest on edge and made them a threat in the competition. Nara rubbed her clammy palms on her trousers while she watched another teams shoot. There were a lot of misses than hits as people took their turn and shot. Some arrows didn’t even make far from the shooters feet, making people laugh except her. The turn for her group was nearing. Nara clenched her teeth, dreading the feeling she would be the one to let the group down. To her fear, it didn’t take that long for her team’s turn to come.
“I’ll go first,” the black haired said, moving to the front overly-confident. The boy closed his left eye, his right one focused on the mark. He let the arrow loose. Nara held her breath as they watched it fly and hit home. Hagen and the rest clasped. The guy smiled boisterously.
“I’d like to go next” she suddenly said. Nara didn’t want to wait. She wanted to get over the anticipating feeling as quick as possible. If she does well or not, she left it to fate. The guy’s eyes narrowed at her but passed the bow. She gave him all the arrows except one. She took in a heavy breath and locked it in her chest and lifted the bow. Her finger trembled as she drew the string and released. She closed her eyes in fear not wanting to see where the arrow lands. The loud cheers and hand clasping her shoulder forced her to peel them open. Shock spread through her body when she saw where the arrow had landed. “You said you have never shot before huh?” the girl clasping her shoulder asked. It had landed right at the centre. A perfect shot. “Not before” Nara breathed, sounding dazed. Hagen followed next, and he scored. The other girl didn’t do so well so as the tall boy. Nara got another hit on the second and third round, shocking herself again and again. An exhilarating feeling spread through her veins, making her knees grow a little weak. What such luck! Nara stared at her hands, amazed. She watched as black haired did his fourth shot. The arrow flew onto the straw man’s head. They all groaned in disappointment. He had been consisted thus far, to fail now when they were almost near to the end sucked. They had been going neck to neck with Isabel’s group which two of her members had lost in the second round. Other groups hadn’t been doing great as them. She shook her hands and got in position. Again, Nara inhaled as she lifted the bow, adjusting her arms slightly. She released the arrow. The group cheered. It was another hit. Nara couldn’t help but beam crazily, shaking her head in disbelief. Goddess Skaði was evidently pleased with her today. When she turned, they cheered except for one who had gone before her. He looked less happy of her hit. Hagen missed as so did the other two members. All hope for the chance of winning fizzled with that. The opposing team did great except one. One last round remained for every team. People shot hastily just to get over it, knowing they had lost. Nara didn’t let the fact they had lost hasten her. She was the last to shoot this time. She took her time as she did in previous rounds and shot for the last time for the competition. She threw her fist in the sky, a delightful laugh left her mouth unguardedly. Was there a reason to explain her joy? She just hit right the centre of the red mark. There were fewer cheers for her this time around. She didn’t care, the proud she felt for herself was gratifying enough. The second in command congratulated Isabel’s team for winning with a brief smile before moving on to say, “Most of you have poor postures, weak arms and less focused while the rest you take the unnecessarily long time to shoot.”
Astrid said gravely “You all need to work on what I’ve just pointed out and more. You should all be one with your bow. Your senses focused and following your gut.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “After you have your lunch all of you will come out and learn how to make your own bows and arrows. They’ll belong to you until your training is done. You're dismissed” On that note, the recruits decided to take leave for lunch, walking in groups as they talked. The city bell rang, marking noon. Huh? Nara realised the lessons ended early, very unlike someone who Generally kept them at work until late afternoon. Nara realised how different the two were, the captain strict, and critical while his second in command was less of everything he was character wise. “See you later,” Hagen said, leaving.
“See you” Nara replied and started walking toward her friends who were discussing with their members. She halted a few distances from them and didn’t interrupt. From what she was hearing, they were trying to decide which day they would like to take their rest. As she waited, Lady Astrid stalked her way. Nara regarded her as she came close to where she stood. “I must say your skills were impressive,” the woman said gently. “Where did you learn to shoot like that?”
“Umm. That was my first time” Nara replied, surprising the seasoned soldier. “Skaði surely was looking down on you today,” Astrid said.
‘That’s what I thought so too’ Nara wanted to say.
“You have great potential. I can teach you that shooting will become second nature to you” the female warrior regarded her with interest. “It would be my pleasure to be your teacher.”
Nara blinked, taken aback. Who would have thought or imagined she would be sought by the talented and skilled soldier? She was stupefied and humbled. “I am honoured, but interest lies elsewhere” Nara answered after a moment. The lady didn’t show if she was disappointed or angered by her refusal instead she asked. “And where may I ask?”
“In sword” Nara replied. The female soldier nodded, wearing a thoughtful expression.
“The teacher I would recommend is the captain” she finally spoke. Nara’s face fell. She couldn’t possibly imagine getting trained one on one by him. He terrified her. She wouldn’t be comfortable under his severe scrutiny daily.
“Can you not train me?” Nara asked, barely hiding her fear of the man. Astrid picked up on it and felt pity for the girl just like every other recruits and soldiers who feared him. The captain was indeed reclusive; with his aloof demeanour, he mostly came out cold and rude. Personally, she didn’t find him to be that way most of the time.
“I could, but he is the best of the best,” Astrid replied. Indeed, Barra was great. He was also great in archery. It was his excellent skills combined with high intelligence that earned him the rank of captain. Not so much his social manners.
“I could speak to him if you would like” Astrid offered, watching the conflict in Nara’s eyes. The girl shook her head fervently. “No don’t please” Nara decided she would wait for the day all recruits would start sword training.
“Very well then,” Astrid muttered and left the girl. Isabel and Risa drew closer, questions in their gazes of what they just heard when they were waiting for her. Nara just shrugged, and the girls left it at that.
“We have decided to go to the market the day after tomorrow,” Risa said, sounding excited.
“Finally, I can explore ‘the capital city’ and what it holds” Isabel sighed happily as they headed to the dining hall. “Shame your team didn’t win. Perhaps you would have gone to see your parents?” she asked.
“Yes, maybe” Nara replied absentmindedly.
“You could write a letter, and I might try to find your father’s house and give it to him,” Isabel said as they entered the hall and lined up for food.
“That would be troublesome. And there are a lot of people in the city. It would be hard” She said, dismissively.
“Honestly, I won’t have much to do anyway other than getting fresh air that isn’t constantly filled with sweat” Isabel tilted her head and looked back at her, “What is your father’s name?”
“Uh, his name is Jae” Nara replied, perplexed by Isabel’s offer. They were momentarily interrupted when it was their turn to receive food. The three of them found a table to sit at the corner of the room. They had just sat, and she had just eaten three spoons of food when Isabel spoke again. “Is he only called Jae? Also, give me the direction to your home.”
At that, Risa laughed. “You surely want to go to her home.”
Isabel shrugged. “I’m just trying to be a good friend. Wouldn’t your parents appreciate it if I show up with a letter from their daughter?”
“They would” Nara replied honestly. They were probably missing her as they talked. Weirdly she didn’t miss them that much that it occupied her mind ceaselessly. She thought of them a minute or two before her thoughts drifted somewhere else.
“See,” Isabel said pointedly at Risa before turning her head back to her. “What is your father’s full name. It would make it much easier to ask of him instead of just saying Jae. There could be others named Jae out there.” Her persistence irritated Nara a little, but she didn’t tell her to stop. There was no chance she would be allowed in the king’s wall so easily. The guards were probably going to tell her to leave before taking the letter from her.
“My father’s name is Jae Thani” she replied. Isabel nodded. “I would remember that.”
A moment pass then Risa frowned in confusion. “How could your father be named Jae Thani. The only ones bearing the name Thani is the king and royal family.”
Isabel's eyebrows narrowed, suspicion and doubt evident in her gaze as she whispered. “Are you a member of the royal family?”
“Yes, I am” Nara admitted flatly. She knew they were going to find out sooner or later. It was better she told them other than other circumstances revealed who she truly was. And besides she did not care if they knew the truth, her identity was no secret to be guarded.
The two girls leant back and gaped at her with their mouth open, not knowing whether to believe her or not. When Nara didn’t say anything, Isabel shook her head, the only word that came out her mouth was “Wow”.
“That explains the way you sit, eat, sometimes talk. The bows you do when greeting. You act dignified. Too proper to be from an ordinary family” Risa said. Nara wore a quizzical expression. What was that supposed to explain?
“And the gold necklace you always were just confirms it. I had thought it was an heirloom or you come from riches” Risa added in a whisper, eyes drifting to her neck. Nara touched her neck. In a few events, she had caught Risa’s eyes on her neck, assessing the thin gold necklace there. Nara had never called her out though she found Risa’s behaviour odd and mildly uncomfortable in the occasions.
“How is your father related to the king?” asked Isabel who had barely finished asking when Risa cut her off with questions of her own, “Do other people know who you are? Or is it a secret? Why have you joined the army?
Her body tensed from the attention and multiple questions tossed, making it hard for her to comprehend, leaving her confused and frustrated.
“Please stop” Nara begged, closing her eyes and taking long breaths. She counted to ten in her head before opening her eyes when they shut up. “To answer you, Isabel, my father is the king’s brother,” she said calmly, though Isabel was looking at her she didn’t directly meet her gaze. Nara was still overwhelmed and meeting her intense eyes would be too much. “I do not know if others know nor would I be bothered if they do” she replied.
“Why join the army then?” Risa asked again, “I find it hard to come with a reason a person of your status would accede to the military” the expression her friend had on said she honestly wanted to know why.
Nara teased her lower lip. She couldn’t say that she was here on impulse, that a particular person had kept the idea in her mind and it never left. She would appear spoiled, an individual who took lightly on this onerous task and that anyone could do it. It would be disrespectful to the warriors, guards and law enforcers who committed their lives to a dangerous job.
“Because I wish to become an honourable soldier” Nara replied, startling herself how honest she meant it. Being true to her heart, she had wanted to be a warrior for so long. From a little girl, Nara had been intrigued with battle stories, growing up she imagined herself in the position of a female soldier going to war. She especially enjoyed the stories of the late female soldiers who fought for the great kingdom Murisa. One story Nara most liked and revered was the wife of late Prince Einnarr, a woman of strength and a great battler. Written records and stories said she fought alongside the prince himself. It wasn’t until Captain Bara’s words made what once only whimsical dreams, something attainable.
The girls stared at her with perplexed faces. They didn’t understand her reasons. Who could leave a lavish comfort for this work?
Her lips parted then pressed them into a line. They wouldn’t understand even if she tried to explain. She couldn’t understand the burning fire in her chest that pushes her to want to be a warrior.