Heed My Warnings and Survive (Second Draft)
Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

It had been four days since we had escaped Zander’s camp. He hadn’t found us by some miracle, and Finley was heeling better than expected, and could even walk on his own, which was very relieving, he had also been having me build my muscles, and had me swing his sword around, instructing me on how to swing, and lunge, and parry, having Kiara be my sparring partner. He said I was doing well, but I highly doubted that, but at least I wasn’t completely useless in a fight now, I couldn’t do much, but it was better than nothing. I was currently sparring with Kiara, who had just knocked me down. I groaned.

“Can’t I learn how to shoot a bow, it seems much less painful then this,” I complained, taking the hand Kiara offered to help me stand.

“That wouldn’t be a bad idea actually, maybe you’ll be better at aiming an arrow then you are at a sword.” I scoffed, and Finley snickered. I rolled my eyes. “Come over here,” Kiara said, standing a few feet away from a thick tree, bow in hand, and quiver on her shoulder. “I’ll start with a demonstration,” She said, knowing full well I’d seen her shoot before. She aimed her bow at the tree, then quick as lighting changed directions to a different tree, and hit it dead center. “The real trick to being a good bowman is to be able to aim fast, that’s why I changed tree’s, I gave myself too much time to focus on my target, so I switched. You understand?” She asked. I nodded. “For a start though, why don’t you try focusing on just one target,” She said, handing me the bow, and an arrow. I notched the arrow, and pulled the bowstring back. I let go quickly, I hadn’t realized how tight the string would be, my arm hadn’t been strong enough to hold it long. Kiara smiled, and handed me another arrow. I held it longer this time, but my arm was shaking, and I missed the tree. We did this for several more arrows, Kiara having me retrieve the arrows when we ran out. I sat hard as the sun began to set, the nights were cold, and I sincerely regretted not packing a spare shirt.

“I guess I’m not cut for being a bowman,” I said. Kiara chuckled.

“Perhaps not, but you should try building the muscles you need for it first before giving up.” I sighed.

“Alright, but once this is all over, I’m never using a bow, or sword again,”

“Don’t you want to be able to defend yourself?”

“Yes but I don’t want to polish that skill, I’m a physician, I don’t like hurting people.” Kiara nodded. The conversation died out quickly after that, and we settled for the night.

The next morning Kiara woke me with a light kick to my legs. I groaned.

“Come on Draven, you need to practice,” She said, prodding me once more. I sat up.

“Kiara the sun’s barely up,” I complained. Kiara smiled.

“Exactly, this way you’ll want to move more seeing as it’s still cold,” Kiara said evilly. I sighed, and stood.

“Alright, sword, or bow?” She asked.

“Sword,” I said, picking up said weapon, and moved to the spot we normally spared, and began.

“I believe you’ve been deceiving me Draven,” Finley said from where he lay. I raised an eyebrow.

“About what?” I asked, not breaking concentration for a moment.

“You’re better at sword play than I thought.” This time I got distracted, and Kiara disarmed me.

“Better than you thought?” I asked, picking my sword up from where it lay on the ground.

“Yes. you’re progressing quite well for someone who had no knowledge of the art,” he chuckled.

“Well it’s not that I don’t have any, I just don’t use that knowledge often. My father was a knight after all,” I reminded him. “I used to want to follow in his footsteps, you know, but then I started reading about healing herbs, and medicins, and I no longer felt like that was even a possibility, I didn’t want the knowledge to hurt people, that’s why I never spared with you Fin.” I sighed, and turned back to Kiara, who was looking at me with the same look as the night I gave her the embroidery piece. I tilted my head in question. She got into her fighting stance, ignoring my questioning gesture, and lunged. I parried quickly, the blow had caught me off guard, and she was moving quicker than usual. It was all I could do to keep pace with her, but despite my efforts, she quickly disarmed me. I grunted as the sword flew out of my hand. Kiara’s face was red.

“Are you ok?” I asked, stepping toward her, she stumbled back glancing for a moment at my torso, before looking away, face redder than I’d ever seen it. I glanced down as well, face flushing as I remembered my lack of shirt. It hadn’t bothered me until now, except when the cold bit my skin. I should’ve asked Neireida to bring me a spare. I rubbed my forehead, and Finley snickered, and beckoned to me. I went over, and Squatted next to him.

“I told you, you’re in love with her.” My face burned like a hot flame, and I wanted to slap him. “You can’t hit an injured man,” He said, as though he had read my mind. I glared at him.

“Maybe I’ll let the wound get infected after all,” I muttered to myself. Finley chuckled.

“Where would you be if I wasn’t here Draven?” He asked.

“Well at least I’d have my shirt,” I said back. Kiara let out a light laugh, which made my heart flutter. I furrowed my eyebrows at the feeling, perhaps there was something in Finley’s words after all. I shook my head, maybe someday if she felt the same, but now was not the time for me to be thinking about that. I stood, and turned back to Kiara, sword ready, and she did the same.

After a few hours of sparring, we decided it was time to move somewhere further away from Zander’s camp, now that Finley could move. The next days passed in the same manner, training, moving, training some more, after days of this, and no sense of direction, or destination, we happened upon a demolished village, of burning ruble. I looked around, the village looked familiar somehow, although I couldn’t pinpoint why, until I saw the smoldering remains of the fortune teller’s tent, and it hit me all at once. I was home.