Forbidden: Leadership

Chapter 17

-VALERIE'S P.O.V-
  
     She would never say that. She would never.
"You left me. You left us."
"I had no choice. You know this..."
"You left me. You left us."
"I did this for her..."
"You left me. You left us. Again."
"But I'm here now..."
"It doesn't matter."
     Dakota starts crying and my heart only breaks more to the sound.
"I just wanted to protect her..."
      She shakes her head and holds Dakota closer to her. Away from me. And as I step forward, she steps back.
"Ninfa.. Please.."
      Dakota cries louder and I feel my heart hitting against my chest. Hitting hard. Thundering loud in my ears.

      I wake. Shaking. Terrified. In a cold sweat. To someone pounding on my door.
"What?"
"Your army is ready for training."
"Give me a minute."
     I get up quickly and change into clothes that I don't have care for. Idiots with swords is idiots with swords is also completely ripped clothes.
      As I walk out and am immediately guarded. I summon Sekia to me and everyone grows noticeably tense. I find it funny.
     I jump to the bottom of the stairs and land in front of the small army in training. Train this army, they'll train the new recruits when they come.
"Are we ready to get this going?"
"Yes, Sire." They all say at once.
     I sit Sekia off to the side. A test. To see if one of them will try to strike me down.
    Grabbing one of their swords that they use, I wonder who created them.
"Hm. Where's the blacksmith?"
"We've got a new blacksmith. Other is still where you shamed him."
     I find myself in laughter. I didn't expect them to keep him for over a year. I straighten myself up.
"Keep him there."
"Very well, my lord." The demon butler? dude says.
"Team up. Strongest of you against me."
     A man steps forward. Seems rather cocky. No one must have told him that a woman will always hold more strength over a man. If not physically then by mind.
"Follow my lead. Other person block."
   Everyone on my side tries to mimic my moves while the man tries to block me. I end up nearly throwing him to the ground. He falls the rest of the way.
"Strongest of them all. Wonderfully shown, dude."
     A giggle to my right throws me off and I snap my head to the holder. She turns a bright red.
"Something funny?"
"I'm sorry, my lord."
     The man gets up and stands attention. We went through blocking skills yesterday. But it wasn't enough. They're going against fucking spirits, not much to block when the sword is already made of iron. With a secret too. Seriously.
"Let's review blocking because you obviously wasn't using it properly."
"Yes, Sire." They all say.
    I hold my blade in front of me. Making a bet to self that he will be the first to try to strike me with Sekia. It's fine.
"Attack."
    I block each strike he makes towards me. It reminds me of this training with Ninfa. Except she's not stupid, as these idiots are.
    The sword from the guys next to me drives into my side. I just turn my head to him and he instantly fears me. He pull the blade from me quickly and falls to his knee.
"Forgive me, my lord."
"Get up. You did this yesterday."
     He stands. And I look to my wound. Healing, no pain, now a healing scratch.
"Remember the blocks. Now let's try attack. Then switch sides and we'll go again."
"Yes, Sire."
     I teach. Basically to never lose your footing. To look for a weakness or weakpoint and strike. Strike when they least expect but to understand that they're expecting you to attack them no matter what.
    I make a large swing and it puts the man back down on the ground. I'm completely fine while everyone is out of breath. It's funny in a way.
"Come on. Get up. Switch sides. Someone trade with him."
    The giggler stands before me, in a block position. I make a first swing. The rest of the class follows my lead. She doesn't stagger like he did.
     I continue attacks and she blocks to the best of her ability but I can tell she's only trying to impress me because of the way she's holding herself together. I guess I'm an intense influence? Or maybe I hit hard, and I know I do.
     I make a final swing and it throws her back. Like... back. Like 10 or more feet.
    The others are in awe and laughs. I help the giggler up. Her face turns red again to me and I think it's cause I embarrassed her.
    I turn around and head for Sekia. "Meet here tomorrow, same time. We're going to keep learning this until you can block each others attacks and avoid getting hit."
   As I begin walking I over hear a conversation between a few female trainers.
"You couldn't make it more obvious?"
"It was funny."
"She finds out and she'll kill you."
"I wasn't obvious."
"She has a wife."
"I..I know that."
     I shake my head and walk inside. A trainer is holding feelings for me? That's creepy. And makes their job much more harder to focus.
    As I reach my chambers and close the door, I feel tears fall. I hate this. I hate not being near Ninfa. And I hate this place. I hate the people. I hate it all.
    My heart starts to ache worse than before, causing physical chest pains. I know Dakota is crying. And should wake Ninfa soon. I should be able to talk to her. Should be able to do something.
    As the connection feels stronger, I know she's awake.
"I miss you so much, Ninfa."
"I miss you too."
"I got some good news. Lucifer no longer haunts my dreams."
    I laugh lightly and shake my head.
"That is good. I'm glad."
"I'm not. I prefer him over the new nightmares."
"New nightmares?"
"I would show you. I could. But if I did, it wouldn't make a difference because I'm here and you're there."
"Val.."
"I know I'm taking so long. I'm trying. I'm training an army to keep the evil spirits at bay. Tamed all the hell hounds. I even tamed all monsters. Very few have been banished for death since I made the laws. But ..but it's all.."
"We'll be waiting."
     I send her my dream. One that has haunted me almost every day since I've been in this place. I shouldn't show her but I have no one else.
"Why would I ever say something like that?"
"You did. Many forms in many dreams."
"It's just a dream. Your home is in my arms."
"I told you to be strong. And that's what I do when people are looking at me. But when I'm alone, I'm drowning. It's so unfair to you. And I'm sorry. I wish I could be there."
    A sharper pain pierces my heart. A cry. Her cry. Dakota cries for me, not for a bottle or diaper or attention, for me.
     I wipe my tears and head out of my chambers. I go straight to the council. They must have something.
"My lord. What is this visit for?"
"Do you have anything on being able to travel from this realm to the mortal realm?"
"No, Sire. We're working our hardest."
"What have you done? For answers."
"Witches from the above have been trying to do your bidding. Making a spell. They can't get it to work without your blood or something of strong meaning to you."
"If anyone ever touches my child or so much has the thought to, they will die before they even get to blink."
"Have no worry. No one can find them to even go that far."
"I will find my own way out of here." I walk out, slamming the door behind me.
    This is a weird place for a door. Like seriously. I've hit every other guard at the door because of its placement.
    The butler chases after me. "What are you needing, my lord?"
"Nothing right now. I've got to do this on my own. If it works, I'll see you tomorrow when the troops show."
"Sire? What do you mean?"
"I'm going to get out of this shithole. And just because I'm leaving doesn't mean I'm not leaving the crown. Laws will be obeyed from both places. I assure you that."
    Her bows to me before I close the doors of my chambers. Of my mothers chambers. Not mine. This is not my home.
"I'm sorry mother. It had been a dream to once sleep by your side, protected and loved but now I have someone who is needing me. I have a daughter of my own now too. I have to do this. I have to be there for her. To protect her in more ways than just by taming monsters. I know you understand."
    My heart pains to Dakota's cries again. And I try my hardest to focus on it. Focus on the pain. Focus on her needing me. Focus on just her.
    It's not. It's just not. I need more.
"I know in some way that you are here. I know you are. So from a mother to a mother. Help me find the strength." I plead into the air.
    Some part of my mother had to have been left behind. Some part. Something to help. Something... anything...
    The pain in my chest grows. Dakota cries for me. Cries for my attention.
    I focus and try again. I have to. It has to work. It has to.
    I keep trying.