"I expect you're the trainee, right?" It's a boy, about my height with white blonde hair and the same fit you would expect a blacksmith to wear.
"I guess I am." I don't have much time for socializing, the sooner we can get started with lessons, the sooner I can start on the challenge of figuring out this maze of a palace!
The guy gives a boyish smile, "Alright, and I'd bet my bottom dollar, you're here for some gear." He turns and gestures for me to follow, Selah walks close behind.
We approach a wall that somehow possesses some of the most boring weapons I've ever seen. Wooden staffs like the ones I've seen children play make-believe with, but among them are some rather interesting shapes. Scattered in the more shadowed corners, I can make out some dull, rusted sword hilts. Hopefully, this guy ends up choosing the latter.
The boy murmurs deciding phrases as he runs his hand over the different varieties lining the wall. "This one would be nice... but then again we wouldn't want her taking someone's arm off in training... depending on the person. The spikes on this one are a bit excessive," Spikes!? Okay, how crazy are you people, I mean really! Spikes for beginners? "but maybe... Oh!"
He pulls, out of the din of scattered blades, a rather rusted, dull blade with an elegant hilt depicting, surprise surprise! Vines.
Turning around, the boy offers the sword to me before seemingly changing his mind and handing it to Selah. She slowly turns the blade, inspecting every inch before nodding approval.
"Thanks! This will do perfectly. You're dismissed."
The boy assumes a stiff bow and turns on his heel to head back to the room behind the counter. It's strange how he can go from having this robotic, kind of foreboding feel about him, and so quickly change to this polite sort of meekness. This intrigues me, but I don't dwell on it.
Selah's eyes glitter with excitement. "Alright, I think that'd be it, but I do- Hey! It's about time you showed up!"
I turn round to see who on earth Selah is talking to, and... Oh, son of a motherless goat.
Jet-black hair, caramel It's that guy who caught me trying to sneak out last night. What was his name again? Never mind, doesn't matter. This guy could sell me out, right here, right now. Well, he did say he wasn't planning on telling anyone. Right, the best thing is to pretend I've never met the guy.
Thankfully, before I can make a surely pitiful attempt at a so-called introduction, and as a flash of recognition crosses those bright emerald eyes, Selah jumps in.
"Honestly Carston, I was about to try and teach, I may be able to handle a sidesword alright, but you know what a disaster it would be if I tried to teach a falchion!" She gave a stern look I didn't know she was capable of as Carston seemingly recovered his wits.
He gave a small laugh at the comment, "It would be a sight at that." He covered his small smile with his hand.
Selah turned to smile at me and started, "Oh! Sorry about that!" She pulled me over to where she and Carston were, "Lacie, this is who's going to be teaching you the basics today. Lacie, Carston, Carston, Lacie."
Trying to gain control of the situation and my anxiety, I force words out of my foolish mouth "Nice to, uh..." Nope! Not a good time to get tongue-tied Lacie!
Carston looks amused with my loss for words, "Meet me? You as well, Lacie was it?" Reminders of the choice I made to deny him my own name flash in my mind.
Embarrassment flares up in my chest. No way I'm letting this guy make a fool of me. "That would be my name. I'm assuming you're the great teacher I've heard so much about?" I give a small smile. Hey! Complete sentences just came out of my mouth!
YOU ARE READING
SUN & SHADOW
Fantasy"Just keep going," that's what I was always told anyway. Life is full of changes. The only way to survive is to just push through, be bold, and step out. To keep going. However, sometimes the challenges can be unexpected and insane. Pushing you p...
