Dragon Kin - Resurrection

Fighting Fit

When Vada awoke the next morning, her memory of the feast was a blur of strange statue like people, emotionless and stiff, coming and going across her line of sight but beyond her reach.
Shifting slightly to awaken her limbs, Vada found them heavy and slow to respond. What was this feeling, she wondered with an internal groan. Somehow she felt numb, separated from herself somehow, but not completely. It felt almost as if her spirit was leaking from her body, slowly distancing itself. 

At the thought, panic stung her senses and her muscled jerked in response. The steady thrum in her head became a repetitive thump and the ceiling seemed to spin. The panic was spreading now, Vada embraced it, allowed it to draw her breath in quicker and pump her heart faster, urging her body to find its senses. 

Bracing herself for a moment, Vada gave a great, loud grunt of effort and forced her body upright. Stars spun in her eyes and her head swayed. Afraid she would fall back, Vada wasted no time in throwing her legs out over the side of the bed.

Her bare feet slapped down on the cold stone floor and a chill shot up her legs, as fast as a lightning strike and as cold as ice. Shivering up her spine the sensation spread throughout her body until it reached her head, and setting her teeth chattering,  dispelled the fog that hung over her.

Once her mind felt clear, her body became her own again. She felt whole. Sure of herself. Present in the room instead of floating outside herself. 

'What on earth was that about. . .' she mumbled to herself, leaping off the bed and turning to stare accusingly at its luxuriously soft sheets and fluffy feather stuffed pillows. 

Something about Shinsei felt strange, the people were so odd and the food. . . she remembered seeing it, touching it, but not tasting it.

A large armoire stood opposite her bed, Vada yanked open its doors, hoping to find some modest, hard wearing clothes that would stand up to the cold should she find a way to escape. It was evident that she wouldn't be allowed to leave any time soon and her powers didn't feel fully restored.

Every single garment, however, was soft and delicate, light and feminine, Dani would have loved them. . . her hand froze on a sky blue dress. 

Her eyes stung and vision blurred.

A knock sounded suddenly on the chamber door, 'Chieftess, is everything alright?' came Sitka's familiar voice.

Rather than reply ran to the door, tearing it open so abruptly that Sitka leapt back, his hand seizing the hilt of his sword. When he saw that it was Vada, his posture relaxed but he did not release his blade.

Vada assessed him. As her eyes skimmed over him, his skin flushed pink and his eyes danced around, unable to meet her penetrating stare. 'What. . . what's wrong. . . what is it?' he stuttered. 

'I want those clothes,' Vada said simply.

Sitka paled and his eyes grew wide. He stepped back again until his back was pressed against the far wall of the hall. His mouth opened and closed several times without sound. He looked to Rae, her lips were pressed into a firm line and her eyes were fixed on the wall ahead.

Slowly, Sitka moved to unfasten his tunic.

Vada's hand shot out as fast as an adder's strike, catching his wrist, 'no, Sitka, not your clothes specifically!'

A spluttering of awkward laughter exploded from him, Vada could feel his heart hammering in his chest. 'I see, I see, of course!' he laughed then suddenly the strangeness of the request struck him, 'but why? these clothes aren't suitable for a beautiful woman-'

Rae's head whipped around, her gaze firing poison daggers, 'oh, they're just for the ugly sort then?' She snapped. 

Sitka looked as though he were about to combust. 

Rae turned away with a huff, 'follow me Chieftess,' she grumbled, stomping away down the hall.  

Sitka stared after her, glued to the spot until Vada shoved him on. From the corner of her eye she saw the boy open his mouth, heard the hiss of air as he prepared to speak. . . and hit him in the gut to prevent him from doing so. 'Don't make your situation worse.' 

Sitka offered a simpering smile by way of thanks.

-

The armoury was an amazing thing, complete with a large training chamber. The weather could quickly turn dangerous so high in the mountains, Rae explained, so an indoor training space proved essential. After changing into a loose grey training tunic, Vada hurried out into the hall, her whole body brimming with excitement.

'Prepare yourself,' she called to Sitka, a mischievous grin on her face as she began stretching out her neglected muscles. 

His startled expression almost made her laugh as he replied, 'surely Rae would be a more fitting opponent-'

'There you go again!' Rae shrieked. 'I have beat your butt countless times, Sitka, so don't start pretending you're somehow superior because you're male!'

Sitka threw his hands up in exasperation, 'I didn't mean that,' he complained, Vada continued her exercises, watching the exchange with barely concealed amusement. More guardsmen had begun to arrive. 'I just meant that she is a Chieftess, aren't they supposed to be... you know, delicate and ladylike?'

The amusement drained from Vada's face immediately, he was young and foolish, she reminded herself, but still his remark rolled back and forth through her mind stirring up all kinds of rages.

'Boy!' she barked.

Sitka's hands flew to cover his mouth.

'We will grapple, best of three.' Vada announced, an audience gathered.

'I... I can't-'

'You can and you will!' 

Vada hadn't meant to infuse her tone with her kin powers but it certainly got the young guardsman moving, stiff though he was. She waited patiently for him to meet her in the middle of the room. He kept his eyes to the ground.

'Never take your eyes of your opponent,' Vada commented. Before he had even thought to lift his head, Vada had his arm. She spun swiftly, lugging his weight forward until he met her back and then in the next second he was on the floor, staring up at the cavern ceiling and coughing desperately as his panicked lungs attempted to recover the air that was beaten from them. 'If you can help it, that is,' Vada added, smirking down at him. 

A loud cheer sounded from the sidelines, Vada glanced over her shoulder to find Rae clapping delightedly and hopping up and down on the spot.

The male guards in the room, didn't look so pleased.

'That wasn't fair!' 
'He wasn't ready!'

Angry complaints came from all corners of the arena. Vada rolled her eyes, helping a very sheepish Sitka to his feet.

'Fair? Ready?' boomed a familiar voice, 'Would you expect such things in battle?' The men immediately dropped into a folded bow at the sight of Drak striding into the open space of the area.  

At her side, Sitka doubled over, his hands clamped to his sides. Vada inclined her head politely but the movement was slight and stiff.

Drak's icy countenance thawed, allowing his lips to twitch into a smirk. With his gaze fixed on hers, Drak bent forward respectfully, allowing the mischievous expression to play on his lips, his eyes twinkling, as he said, 'Chieftess, may I step in on behalf on my warrior?'