Sides of War

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Lie

In the morning when Jorlin woke up and her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she watched Asher sleep. His breaths were irregular, and sometimes he'd toss his head from side to side. She thought as she waited for him to wake up, and that's when she truly realized how different she'd become since she let Slater rip him out of her arms. Her soul had changed; she used to care too much, and now it felt like she didn't care at all.

She didn't see Draven enter the dungeon until she looked up and saw him standing there.

"What is it?" she asked groggily.

"Are you really going to stay down here all day?" he asked.

Jorlin shrugged.

"Jamath was wondering if you wanted to train with us today," he stated, his voice devoid of emotion.

She turned her line of sight to Asher's sleeping form, then stood up, brushing the dust and dirt off her pants. Why not?

He seemed to understand, and she followed him wordlessly out of the prison and guardhouse. She squinted at the bright morning light, and the snow under her boots crunched as they made their way over to the barracks. Instead of entering the building, Draven went around to the back where a handful of soldiers were sparring each other with thick branches weighted with metal bands. Farther away archers practiced on targets. Jamath was standing to the side of the clearing, holding three of the sparring branches, and his face lit up when he saw them approach.

"Morning," he greeted, holding out two of the branches.

Draven took one, and so did Jorlin. She was surprised at how heavy it was.

"Ready to play with the big kids?" Jamath asked Jorlin, swinging his branch around.

Somewhere under his mask, Jorlin could tell that Draven was slightly amused when he said, "You two can start."

"Start what?"

"Sparring," Jamath answered, taking two steps back and bending his knees slightly. "Let's see if you're Mauntell material."

Jorlin didn't know why his last sentence sparked a surge of annoyance through her. She got into her fighting stance and gripped the branch with both hands. Her heart was already racing.

Jamath naturally made the first move, lunging forward and swinging his branch at her. She blocked it without much difficulty and batted his weapon away, taking a step back. Jamath would obviously be stronger, so she needed a plan to outsmart him. Her train of thought was cut short when he stepped forward again, and Jorlin blocked a short series of blows, stepping back more every time. Out of frustration, she jumped forward and aimed a few strikes at his upper body. He stopped all of them easily, and he swung his branch at her leg before she had time to block it. She inhaled sharply through her teeth at the impact.

Jamath took a step back and stated, "Maimed."

She tried to act like she wasn't in pain.

He smirked. "I was going easy on you that time." He walked over to Draven and playfully hit him on the shoulder. "Your go."

Her shoulders sagged. There was no way she'd be able to best him.

Draven started to circle her, his branch held in a defensive position. Jorlin's body mirrored his. He suddenly sprang forward, hitting her branch so hard that it rattled her arms. He immediately saw the weakness and aimed a strike at her abdomen, but she jumped out of the way, already swinging at his leg. He caught her by surprise by stepping on her branch, and she had to let go to dodge his next swing.

"Oh, come on, Redblade," she heard Jamath say, "don't go too hard on the lass."

"Don't call me that," she snarled, not taking her eyes off Draven. "And don't tell him to go easy on me."