The training area Alexander led us to was little more than a dusty field behind the small house he shared with his young wife and son. It took some time to catch up with them.
"...Each year, we battle the monster and try to take some sort of keepsake, like this, right here." He proudly displayed the purple lock of fur around his neck, tied with a thin leather string. People displayed these tokens as if they held genuine meaning. I knew Granny had once mentioned that Emet shed enough fur annually to fashion ten of these vaunted spoils of war.
"I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood something," Zephyr said, stopping Alexander after politely examining the pride of a necklace. "You told me that if a healthy amount of livestock is offered, Emet—the namesake of your village—will leave you alone. So why challenge him unnecessarily?"
Huh? Was he actually questioning the central idiocy of the village? I suppose someone can be an excellent fighter and still recognize the pointless nature of this ritual. Alexander seemed momentarily thrown by the valid query.
"Well... it used to mean something," he began, a fanatical light entering his eyes. "In my grandfather's time, men challenged the beast to demonstrate their fighting skills and bravery to the feudal lord. Back then, it was easier to become a soldier, to fight invaders, and be a hero of your village." He sounded genuinely depressed about the "good old days."
"I do my best to keep that tradition alive, even though the feudal lord only uses this place to collect our annual tribute. Who knows?" He began pacing slowly. "He might recognize someone's skill and offer them a better life... It probably sounds idiotic, doesn't it?"
I had never heard his full reasoning for this obsession, but it still felt utterly useless. The feudal lord rarely left his own city, some never even their castle walls. There were enough men from his own lands to fill his army and then some.
We called it a tribute, but it was really just a ransom to keep the King's men from stealing the people themselves. If we had a bad harvest, or if the representative deemed the offering insufficient, he would seize people as slaves. Those taken were never seen again. They were usually children. The village population suffered from both those willingly lost to Emet and those stolen each year. When I was younger, Mother always hid us deep in the forest on the day the tribute collector arrived.
Zephyr seemed to weigh his answer carefully. Then, his eyes were drawn to the distant edge of the forest. I followed his gaze and saw a small girl with hair similar to mine. She noticed our stares and instantly bolted into the trees.
Zephyr stepped forward and asked Alexander, "Shouldn't we stop her? She seems like a little girl..."
"She's Ilianna. She's an orphan we look after sometimes. Don't worry about her," Alexander said, pointing to the treeline with an easy shrug. "Ilianna practically lives in there since the heat came. No matter what we try, she won't warm up to us."
I remembered her now. Granny had told me her story: her father died on a failed hunt, and her mother passed from an illness only four months ago. I knew someone had taken her in, but not that it was Alexander and his wife.
Zephyr glanced at me briefly. Did he expect me to go after her?
Alexander placed his large hand on Zephyr's blue head and patted him a few times. He's not a little child, you brute! Why did that casual gesture of familiarity annoy me so much?
"She comes back soon to watch the training, don't worry. Come and meet this year's candidates." He took Zephyr by the arm, practically towing him away.
This is ridiculous. Alexander has hijacked my—his—entire day!
In his backyard were four young men, including Lucian, awkwardly practicing swings. A gentle-looking, brown-haired woman with a son watched the proceedings. This must be his wife.
"Zephyr, meet my wife, Demelza Jartok, and my son, Arnold." Alexander lifted his dark-haired son, embracing his wife. "Come, my love, meet this fellow. He is quite skilled in combat."
Demelza was tall with a heart-shaped face and warm brown eyes. She extended her hand. "It's lovely to meet you. I hope my Alex hasn't caused too much trouble, young Zephyr. Uhm, that was Seline's late husband's name, if I remember..." She looked in my direction, waiting for confirmation. I gave a curt nod.
"Yes, it was given to me in place of my own, which I do not remember," Zephyr replied, accepting her hand with a friendly smile. "It's my pleasure to meet you. Your husband is... quite a character. I enjoy his company."
She looked pleased. Alexander, laughing and constantly slapping his new friend's back, looked genuinely happy, and Zephyr seemed happy too. Maybe it wasn't the time to mention Alexander had tried to slice him in half minutes earlier.
"Zephyr, come meet the lads and let the ladies chat about how manly we look."
"O-oh, right."
I was left alone again. This was supposed to be an hour, tops. Now this.
"How are you holding up, Lylly? I bet your family is having a hard time with all the attention from the bored masses." Demelza patted the space next to her, and I sat down.
"It's been... a challenge. But I'm fine. He seems like a decent guy," I admitted, choosing to omit that twenty minutes ago I was ready to send him packing. "He wants to help out. For the first time, he looks genuinely entertained." Zephyr had been introduced to everyone, Lucian now twice. Alexander was handing him a sword. Zephyr gripped it with a steady hand, did a few practice swings, and his expression was playful.
"You look like someone who's having fun now, Lylly," Demelza giggled, catching me smiling like an idiot.
"It's nothing like that... Eli maybe," I deflected, doing my best to distract her. "Even though her efforts will be for naught."
"What do you mean?"
I wanted to tell someone anyway. "Zephyr fully intends to leave once he remembers more of his past... or possibly as soon as he gathers some supplies and a sword. A week, maybe two at most."
"If all he needs is a sword, Alex will probably help him," she pointed out the obvious.
"Hmm. I guess one of his problems is solved." Would he leave much sooner than expected? How would my sister feel? How would I?
I noticed movement among the trees, about a hundred feet from the men. It was Ilianna, watching the group from behind a large oak with low-hanging branches. She must have thought she was completely hidden.
"Why won't she come out?" I turned to her foster mother. "She seems deeply distrustful of people, even those who opened their home to her."
Demelza looked genuinely sad. "We've been trying. She seemed fine inside the house, but once the summer heat came, I only see her at night or when she's hungry. I tried talking to her... she doesn't open up easily."
They were doing their best. She just needed time, especially after losing her mother so young. But why the forest?
I didn't notice Zephyr walking toward her until he was halfway there. I got up, ready to intervene, but Demelza caught my wrist.
"Just let him. Let's see what our new Zephyr can do."
Let him know what? Scare her? I stayed put. She was, after all, technically her mother.
I watched as he slowly walked toward the girl. To my surprise, she didn't run. He still carried the sword, and kneeling in front of her, they conversed. We were too far to hear a word. In just a few seconds, I saw the little gloomy girl laugh. He offered his hand, and she took it. A minute later, she dashed back into the woods, and Zephyr walked back toward us, smiling.
I ran up to him, but Alexander and his group got there first.
"What did you say to her? She was laughing so happily! I've never seen her so... childlike," Alexander exclaimed, checking behind him to confirm she was gone like a ghost.
"It's a secret. I promised her I would keep it," he said, scratching his head and handing back the sword. "In exchange, she agreed to stop spending so much time away, and I'll teach her how to fight."
Needless to say, everyone was stunned.
"How are you supposed to teach her to fight? Master here can probabl—"
"Your master got royally tripped not a few minutes ago, Mirine," Alexander snapped at his student, telling the absolute truth. "So, maybe we let him do as he likes." Alexander quickly shut down the cliché development.
"Whatever you did, little brother, I thank you. Her absence and sadness weigh heavily on our minds." He looked at his wife. "This was the first time I've seen her laugh. You mentioned you need a sword... please choose one, and it's yours."
Idiot! Don't you know he will take it and leave? We need to leave this place!
"Yes, yes, but we have to go now. I promised Granny I would take him around until you kidnapped him," I said, covering the distance in just a few steps and grabbing his arm. "We're leaving. If he wants to, he can come back later. Come on. There's still plenty to be seen."
"Don't be like that, Lylly..." Alexander began to protest.
"Let him go, dear. It's only his first day out of the house," Demelza quickly interjected, using logic to restrain her husband. "There's plenty of time. Besides, you heard him; he will teach little Ilianna, so we'll see him soon. I thank you, young Zephyr."
Demelza's logical thinking luckily held back her husband. She seemed genuinely happy to see a change in Ilianna.
"I did promise to help today. I give you my word, I'll be back this afternoon for our first lesson," Zephyr assured them, waving to Demelza.
"Yes, he comes back soon—even today, see? Let's go."
"Thank you for your company. I will see you soon. Goodbye."