Chapter 33: Training Encounters

  Julien

  Julien wasted no time in the morning. The moment he opened his eyes the previous day came back to him. His outburst at Ser Hellgarth as well the transformation of Petra were all subjects that beat at the walls of his mind like a dog left too long out in the rain. He had guessed the pool had reduced power when its glow faded after they had been transformed. but now it was transparent. What did that even mean. Needless to say he was in need of a distraction.

  Sneaking out of the tent and to the edge of camp wasn't particularly difficult, not many of the guardsmen were up so early in the morning. They had slept all afternoon and night, and although he had no doubt his body needed it he just couldn't shake his own restlessness. As he neared the perimeter of the camp he was spotted by one of the guardsmen on duty, He was wearing his black hooded cloak but his hood was down. He was done hiding, unless absolutely necessary. They would all have to get used to his new looks. The guard approached cutting him off just inside the perimeter.

  "Your Highness, may I ask where you are going so early? It is dangerous beyond the camp, and you don't have an escort." He had debated waking up Hellgarth but he decided against it since he really didn't want to deal with the man's weird behavior. The guard was young but his eyes were full of worry. The sincerity surprised him so much that for a moment he was silent. When he opened his mouth to reply another voice interrupted him.

  "If he does have an escort then it isn't a problem right?" Julien turned to see Aramin jog up from behind his academy uniform ruffled and wrinkled in several places. He was still strapping his sword belt around his waist. The guard looked up at him his eyes narrowing.

  "Well, I.. I mean i guess not, but.." the boy stuttered.

  "Great! then we'll be right back." Aramin said clapping Julien on his back before leading him by the shoulders passed the stuttering guard.

  "Don't worry," He called over his shoulder in a cheery tone. "We won't be going far." Then they were out of the camp walking side by side into the underbrush. The walked in silence for the first minute or so and he was okay keeping it that way. He didn't know why Aramin had chosen to follow him, but he was convinced whatever reason he had would only cause him more of a headache. As if reading his thoughts Aramin chose that moment to speak up.

  "I do want to talk to you a little bit," he said his eyes dancing around at the shrugs and dense thick trees around them as they made their own path into the forest. "But first, what were you planning to do out here?"

  "Some training," Julien answered. He really didn't have a deeper reason to go out this morning except that training usually took his mind away from his troubled thoughts. Something about swinging a sword cleared his mind of his problems. Aramin nodded his understanding, then his eyes lit with a strange light.

  "Do you also wanna practice, uh, our magic." He said that last part as a shy whisper. he seemed so uncomfortable saying the word that he had to chuckle. Aramin frowned at him, his now delicate looking eyebrows rising in consternation.

  "Its not taboo to talk about," he said still chuckling. he couldn't help it the look on the big man's face had been too good. "Yeah, well i'm still getting used to the whole idea," Aramin said with a shrug. This time it was his turn to nod in understanding. "I think we all are. it's probably going to be some time before we are used to it. To answer your question that actually sounds like a good idea. But let us warm up with our swords before we do." Aramin said nothing only nodding. They continued through the forest looking for a suitable break in the foliage to give them space.

  They found one almost two minutes into the journey a small glade with soft green grass covering it. The clearing was barely enough to pitch a few tents in but would be plenty for their purposes. The towering forms of trees he had no name for surrounded their new training area like an honor guard. or an enemy host. He chose to see it as the former rather than the later, For his peace of mind.

  Aramin stripped off his outer jacket them pulled his shirt and undershirt over his head before taking his sword from his sheathe. Carefully he wrapped his blade with his undershirt. After a minute he did the same taking his black jacket off and tossing it to the side before pulling his shirt and undershirt over his head. He couldnt contain the hiss that escaped his lips when the cool morning air washed over his skin.

  After wrapping his short arming blade he turned to.his friend. Aramin stood only five feet away standing in the standard first stance. In the Academy to keep confusion down and to allow for greater uniformity they had been taught five forms of swordsmanship. Each form was a counter to one of the other forms. They were drilled in these forms exhaustively and they worked for nearly any blade. That wasn't all they were taught, but most of the training used the forms as a base.

  In response he shifted his feet, adopting a wider stance. He moved back making sure he had the proper distance before lowering his sword to his side point down in what was the ready stance for form two.

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  It had been a long time since he had practiced his basic forms, but after his showing against the elf and then earlier against the direwolves, maybe returning to the basics wasn't such a bad idea. He nodded his readiness to Aramin who nodded back. Then it began, Aramin launched himself forward his sword held upright pointing straight into the air. He raised it above his head and slashed downward.

  Julien intercepted Aramins blade with a wide sweeping swing from below turning as he did so to deflect the blade. Then he stepped aside as the first of Aramin's diagonal slashes came thundering down. He danced back deflecting slashes and parrying other strikes as he and Aramin warmed their sleeping muscles

  It was a rush he rarely got to feel. The rush of energy that filled him from the exertion had him studying his friends movements. Aramin was using form one to great effect the heavy slashes transforming into short efficient cuts from either side. His transition was smooth but he was still able to pick out when Aramin switched to form five.

  A flurry of stabs came toward his chest and he blocked the first few. Then he reversed the grip on his blade and slashed outward. The unexpected angle drove his friend back. He shifted his grip again his sword flashing out in a series of side slashes that his friends eagerly blocked, although he was continually forced back. Form three was good for pressing advances.

  He leaned into the attack hoping to secure an easy win. But, it wasn't meant to be. His friend switched to form four and a practical whirlwind of steel came flahing out at him as the big man began alternating between underhand slashes and stabs directed at his feet.

  He switched back to form two to defect the attacks. Then they backed away from each other each panting for breath.

  "So, why did you really come out here with me?" He asked suddenly. His hope had been to surprise his friend perhaps take Aramin off guard. That hope was dashed a second later.

  "Because of you," Aramin answered immediately, without even flinching. That took him aback. He had guessed it was something to that effect. But the force at which he said the words surprised him.

  Armain launched another attack slashing horizontally, he ducked under the attack and kicked out. Then he pressed forward with form five. Aramin jumped backward gaining space.

  "What do you mean by that?"

  Aramin raised an eyebrow at him, "Exactly as it sounds." He paused to parry on of his attack before he continued. "I'm worried about you," he said simply. He frowned at the clear concern in the man's eyes. The whole reason he hadn't been sharing his own fears with them was to keep his worries from adding to their own. As their prince he needed to show them that they could rely on him. At least that's what his father had taught him. They Academy instructors had reinforced this when he had been named as squad leader. Something of his thoughts must have showed on his face because Aramin chuckled before standing up straight and lowering his blade. Julien did the same, waiting for Aramin to elaborate.

  "I'm afraid you really aren't processing what has happened to us." The comment at once brought the stress he had been trying to avoid flooding back.

  "I'm handling it fine," He protested. Aramin sighed as sat down his chest was heaving almost as much as his was. Despite how hard they had been working neither of them were sweating, not even a drop. He shrugged adding another weird thing to the list of new things his body was doing. "Listen, I know the others are having a hard time saying something to you. they don't really know how to approach you. But, I don't have that problem. We are all talking to each other, sharing our own fears about what's going on, and so on. Only you have remained isolated from us." It all seemed to come out in a rush like he had been waiting to get the information out in the open.

  He blinked, was he really so hard to approach? he hadn't remembered brushing any of them off. "I'm doing fine," he demurred.

  "Your outburst yesterday says otherwise," Aramin replied. "So what? I can't have emotions now?" Aramin fixed him with a baleful glare, one that seemed to translate just how stupid he thought that comment was. Then his eyes softened and he took a deep breath.

  "You know, you can't run from opening up forever. We are your team, and now we will be tied together for the rest of our lives. We share the same blood now. do you know what that means?" He knew the question wasn't supposed to be answered but he did anyway. "Tell me then. Because I don't know. I've been feeling things i've never had the senses for before, and seeing things i have no context for. Keeping it together is more than how I hold myself together, it's also how I hold you all..." he trailed off not truly being able to speak those last words.

  "It means we Family, if not by birth then blood. If what I understand about what Petra said is correct, I suspect before all is said and done that will mean more than either you or I can comprehend at the moment. I..." Aramin paused as well but not because he was too insecure to say what he was thinking like him. A crack from the underbrush sounded throughout the clearing. They both shot to their feet. Their hand made quick work of the bindings holding their shirts around their blades. Another crack resounded from the bushes behind them. before they could react another came from the bush to their right. Aramin turned and placed his back up against his, his sword was raised.

  "Dire wolf?" He offered. He saw Aramin shake his head from the corner of his eyes.

  "Too small," He stated. "Maybe its something like a rabbit?" This was immediately disproved when a collective his came from the trees around them.

  "I guess we are about to find out." He felt inordinately calm. The change from the confrontation he had been endured to this was welcome. Facing the unknown was far more preferred than facing his own emotions regarding their collective transformation.

  The first thing to appear was a short spear of rough wood mounted with some kind of white bone in only the vaguest shape of a spear tip. What followed the spear was a three span tall creature with stalky legs stubby arms. Its head was oblong and the ears were long and pointed. Their large yellow slitted eyes and sack cloth clothing weren't their only defining features. No, that went to their deep green fur that covered every inch of their bodies. After the first one appeared he had almost relaxed. he was glad he hadn't. As they kept pouring from the forest around them until they had been surrounded by nearly twenty of the ugly little things. A sharp intake of breath from behind him told him that Aramin recognized the little monsters. After a couple of ticks he realized he did as well.

  "Goblos," He breathed. "It was an elven word, The only one they knew. It meant Goblins in the human tongue.