The Blood of Alchemy

Chapter 18: Salt and Blinds

Tharon and Tally, Gad and Rex, and Hoth had spent nearly two weeks with the Farnard men, traveling towards the Western Mountains. It was not the original plan, but Gad had decided that it was safer to travel with a pack, and that he would not mind taking a little longer to get to Shaw. He did not want to admit it, but the thought of the sea voyage was growing on him. Gad had never taken a salt water voyage in his life, and the thought of the open waters frightened him. He had dreamt of the boat they might take one night. In the dream it was shaky, and small, and the waves were taller than the masts, and they were being shaken around like a water spider that has glided into a whirlpool.

The Farnard children had been sparring with each other every day in the mornings while the others packed up camp. It seemed while the forest folk learned only hunting, these Farnard children were also taught extensively in the arts of war. The Farnard's used clubs, and axes and swords, but they did not fight like knights. They were forest warriors, and trained to use the terrain to their advantage. Tharon had overheard them talking about a battle strategies, and typically it was a flanking maneuver, with heavy elements of fear as tactics. The longer Tharon and his party stayed with the Farnards, the more he learned.

The Farnard men painted their faces with blood reds, and black and white ash to make themselves look frightening to any opponents. They wore skulls and bones on their heads instead of helmets, and some had grotesque looking hooks and spikes through piercings in their faces. Tharon did not think many people would attack the Farnard men. They would have to be fearless, or insane, though Tharon did not know anything about true fighting.

One morning, when he and Tally were watching two of the children spar, each with their own mentor, Tharon had been called over and asked to join.

"Have you ever held a sword in your life?"

"I have." Tharon said. It was not a lie, he had held swords before, he had just never fought with them, though playing knights of the south he had done often, and that was just sword fighting with sticks. How much different could it be? Tharon thought.

Tally had run up and asked to join too, when they had put the sword in Tharon's hand, but the Farnard children and their mentors just laughed a deep belly laugh, and told her that sword fighting was not a girl's game, and that she would be better off learning how to tether furs from their women, which there were not many of. Tally had gotten into quite a fuss, but the Farnard men found that even more amusing. 'She wants to have a cock,' The men had said. 'Would it be that she could piss off the edge of the world, but alas she cannot, and a lass she stays, and no lasses will be learning swords by my watch.'

Tally stormed off, while the men continued to laugh at her. Tharon had joined in. He thought it best to fit in with these people for the time he would be sparring with them. Rufus Rexford took the duty of being Tharon's mentor for the spar, and painted two black stripes beneath his eyes.

"The swords will not cut, they are only practice swords, so do not be afraid," Rufus said, as he pushed Tharon into the circle, and the Farnard boy came in too. He was all fur covered, and Tharon thought that was a rather poor choice of clothing.

"Step around his strikes, use your speed to your advantage." Rex whispered to him, and Tharon gripped the handle of his sword tight with both hands.

Tharon had seen it done many times now. There was a circle laid out with stones on the grass which both contenders would enter, and then stand in position with their sword tips pointed at the opponent. The other boy stepped into the circle, and Tharon stepped in beside him.

"Ready, go!" The Farnard man shouted, after they had made eye contact and given each other a nod.

Before the word go finished, the two pulled their swords away and stepped out of the smaller circle into the wider one. They could now use any part of the circle to fight in, but it was considered a better win if you kept your opponent off of your side.