The Fox and Her Bow

-17-

Forgetting all the food around me, I stare at her for a second.

"Tomorrow?!!" There was so way we were going to be ready in time for that.

Mary nods solemnly. "The Chief is a little stressed, but we've been doing our best to do what he says."

I nod. I have seen everything the Chief was making his solders do. Torsten must be working around the clock, training and practicing with other solders and new recruits.

"How are you all faring?" I ask Mary.

She sighs. "Could be better. Torsten was been working a lot more than before, and I have been testing my skills at cooking under pressure, but otherwise, we are doing ok."

I smile and say, "You guys are so strong. I know you can do this."

Mary smiles and goes back to her food.

After a few moments of silence, she looks back at me. "Go on, have some food. Make yourself at home."

Her warm invite to her amazing cooking tempts me, but I know better. I have more important things to do than eat. "No thank you." I push the chair Mary had pulled out back in. "Is Torsten around?"

"He's upstairs. He's been up for many hours training today, so he's in a bit of a mood." She smirks.

I roll my eyes. He is too professional to be in a mood.

I run up the stairs and, in the first door, I see Torsten bent over a paper on his desk. He looks deep in his papers, so I don't want to disturb him. Unfortunately, the floor creaks underneath my feet. Torsten looks up from his papers and looks at me.

"Kalaya!" He gets up and comes over to me. "You're back!"

I nod. "I came for some sword practice, but you look pretty busy. We can do it later."

Torsten shakes his head. "No, we don't have time to wait. Having you midst our army could save this village." He goes back to his desk and rummages through a few papers. He comes back to face me with a paper full of notes in his neat handwriting. "I have been planning a few training sessions, but with the war coming soon . . ." His train of thought doesn't need to be said in order to understand.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help us win this war." I say with certainty.

Torsten stares me down and says with equal passion, "I know. You would do the same as me. Though I have known you for not too long, I know you are just as passionate to win this as I am." He looks back down at the paper in his hand. "We won't have much time for training, but you learn fast."

We think in silence for a second. "Can you train tonight? After sunset? We don't want anyone to see you in the village." He said knowingly.

I nod. "I am willing to train as much as I can, whenever I can, to help us win this war."

"I like your confidence." Mary says from behind me. Torsten looks over my shoulder.

"Mother." He looks at her with a worried expression, his forehead creasing. "Go rest. You have been working all day."

Mary swats away Torsten's outstretched hand. "I'm fine. You, on the other hand, have been working double, and you haven't even had a wink of sleep." She gives her son a motherly shove. "Go to bed. You need your sleep."

Torsten puts a hand on his mothers with comforting pressure. "I am fine. Besides, Kalaya needs to train. I will do whatever I need to make sure everyone is ready for this war."

Mary smiles. "You are so good to us. But be good to yourself, too, okay?"

Torsten wraps his mother in a strong hug. "I promise."