Naveen

Rina:

I came back to the house with an armful of broken branches to find the cottage completely changed. Everything was in the same place yet it was freshly clean and no longer smelled of mold. “Wow, I suppose you can come in handy.” I smiled kindly toward Maleen, going to the fire place to start a fire.

Wren:

I continued to stand out of the way, fiddling with my hands idly as I watched. I wanted to help but I wasn't completely sure how I could help.

Rina:

I settled the wood into the fireplace and it instantly caught on fire. I turned to see Maleen smiling at me. “Alright girls, dinner then bed.” I told them as I set a brown wrapped package on the table, dinner from camp.

Wren:

I moved over to the food, a smile lighting up my face. Everything would be okay with Rina here, and we would be together as well as happy.

Maleen:

I laid on the bed that Wren and I shared reading the leather bound spell book Rina had procured for me a few days ago. The first several days at the cottage she had spent teaching us a little bit about fighting and how to protect ourselves. I was clumsy with a knife, and even clumsier with a bow. Rina had gone for the day, leaving us alone to the cabin and had returned at nightfall with the book for me. Since Rina didn’t know magic, this was the only way she knew how to teach me. Out of a book. And for the most part I could master the magic quite easily with the written instruction. The spells I had been learning were quite simple though, and as I progressed through the first dusty chapters of the book, the magic became more difficult. It made my body ache after practicing for a while and I would have to take breaks. I steered clear of the potions part of the book, for I had very few recourse at the cabin. I tried to focus on spells that would be most use to us. Today I was trying to learn how to change appearances, using Wren as a model. So far I had managed to darken her hair a minor shade.

I was laying on the bed next to her, my eyes closed, my head tilted towards her. I gave a small stretch, as I let my eyes wander over her for a bit. I had been going in and out of sleep for a while now, just letting her cast what ever spells she wanted on me.

Maleen:

I consulted the book on the bed next to her, frowning a little. I was doing all the right steps, I just wasn’t doing them strong enough. My head was pounding already. Maybe practice would make perfect, but it would take a lot of practice to make me of any use to Rina and those she served.

Rina:

I was in the big tent, reporting on Maleen’s progress. Brian didn’t seemed to care much. He was preoccupied with the planning of an ambush on royal soldiers transporting goods to the castle. Normally I would have been involved in such a task, but I was assigned to stay with the witch.

Talon:

I stood in the midst of some of my soldiers, listening to their report. I still had four soldiers on guard at the house Rina and the girls were staying. It gave my soldiers something to do, and kept people from coming to close to see the new witch.

I gave a few quiet orders before moving off towards the training grounds that had been set up. People took notice almost immediately, and cleared off a space so that I might spar. It had become something of a contest, as those who came to train tried to beat me. In all it was good for them, and let me stretch out my muscles a little. The rules were simple, you could use any weapon you wanted, and you stopped when I declared you beaten. I never held back, but I always made sure to teach as I beat them time and time again.

Rina:

I left the tent after being paid and dismissed. A semicircle around the training grounds caught my attention. I made my way to the front to watch. My eyes grew narrow as I saw who it was. Why it annoyed me so much, I did not know. But my blood ran cold just watching him spar with one of the men I knew. The man was a skilled fighter, yet he was being beaten with ease.

Talon:

"Guard up, and keep watch over my feet. Other wise you can be taken down by your own placement and stance." I said in a running commentary as I stepped into his guard, ignoring his sword and shield. One foot moved forward to sit behind one of his, while my hands gripped onto his shield and twisted. When he tried to yank his shield out of my grasp, I pivoted my body and pulled on foot, sending him tumbling to the ground. "Keep the shield covering your center mass and neck. You can handle a wound to the legs, those are fine to lose, a stab to the belly or neck and you have a painful death ahead of you."

I had a knife in my hand, a momento of the previous fight, and so using it I swiftly dispatched him, the knife point diggint into his right armpit, a plunge away from entering his heart. "Your beaten." I remarked quietly, helping the man to his feet and brushing him off a bit before moving to stand in the center again.

Rina:

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I put an arm in front of one of the younger recruits as he started to step up. I walked up to Talon. “Why do you find it necessary to prove to everyone how much better you are?” I asked coldly, in irritation.

Talon:

I tilted my head. "But I am not better. These men have a future to fight for. I am here because I am paid to be here. If I can help them live longer in a fight, why shouldn't I assist?" I asked calmly.

Rina:

“But you’re not teaching! You’re showing off!” I exclaimed. “It’s tactless and insulting.” I said in repulsion.

Talon:

I didn't speak, but an unhappy murmuring grew from the crowd around the ring. A few even shouted protests at her words. They at least knew what I was doing, even if she didn't.

Rina:

Of course they would support him, I thought bitterly. They probably idolized him from the show he was giving. “Is this honestly what you are being paid for?” I asked in exasperation.

Talon:

"Are you being paid to patronize me and do nothing but try to spread malcontent about me? If so, you really are giving the leader his monies worth." I remarked dryly. I folded my arms, annoyance showing for a brief moment on my face. "We are both paid to do a job, being angry at me is most likely not yours."

Rina:

“I’m not a mercenary.” I said crossly. “And I am doing my job, quite well. Thank goodness it keeps me away from camp, clearly all this nonsense is for show now than for preparing the troops. Degenerated since I was staying here.”

Talon:

"If you think you can do a better job than do so." I told her, "Or just do what you started, you lost your temper once already and nearly killed me. Finish it."

Rina:

“Don’t tempt me.” I hissed glancing at Aero as he fluttered above me. “I have to get back to the girls, who I’m actually training rather than impressing them with how much better I am.” I turned to go, thoroughly annoyed.

Talon:

"And yet you would have kept one of them in a cage if I hadn't come along. That is really impressive you know, how you can stand on your pedestal above me, and forget what you have done." I called after her.

Rina:

My temper flared up at that. I turned on my heels. “I’m not going to lie and say I was completely right in how I went about things. But I stopped when I was corrected, and I never did anything to hurt her. That cage was as much for her protection as it was to restrain her. She wasn’t being hurt, or deprived, merely contained for transport. You were the one who had to meddle with things, you were the one who was content to leave Wren with a stranger, who clearly you didn’t think much of. Don’t pretend to be so much better than me.” I spat.

Talon:

I just stood there, watching her go. I shook my head sadly before calling out quietly, "That is enough for today." I grabbed my weapons and armor before heading towards the part of camp that my soldiers and I were staying at. I needed to spar, something to burn through the energy inside of me.

Rina:

I went to my horse, fuming the whole way. Once I was riding back to the cabin, I tried to calm myself. What did it matter what he did? I wasn’t at camp anyway, it didn’t affect me. Yet my blood still boiled at the thought of him.

???:

I smiled to the girl who was sitting on a rock next to me. She was the witches friend. I reached into a pouch on my belt and offered out a length of string. I offered it out to her, which she took with a confused look. "I sometimes tie knots, and then try to undo them to pass the time." I said softly. Her eyes brightened and she bent over a bit as she settled into her work. This close to her, I could feel the faint power that seemed to radiate from her.

Rina:

I got back to the cottage and set the packages on the counter before going to the girls room.  I knocked once before going in.  “How is it coming?” I asked.  Maleen was curled up on the bed, and her book was open on the floor. She blinked slowly at me.