Aya's Training Begins (3rd month of Autumn, 7th day, 6th hour, morning)

  Aya slept restlessly. From early morning, the mansion buzzed with the sounds of boots and voices. Mares neighed in the yard — something was happening.

  She dressed, picked up Ixi, and stepped into the corridor. Three warriors in dirt-streaked cloaks brushed past her. She pressed herself to the side, then continued to the lounge. The ornate dwarven clock on the wall showed seven.

  She headed outside. The training grounds were empty. A few guards hurried past. Aya let Ixi free. The fairy immediately took flight, made a couple of circles, and settled on a nearby roof.

  An hour passed, then another. No one came for her. Just as she considered leaving, a procession entered the yard. Rasa rode at the front, flanked by two mages. Behind them came a group of swordsmen with their captain. Then followed the prisoners — several elves, their hands bound to a long rope. Two riders with pikes escorted them, one on each side. Kemi and another group of warriors brought up the rear, their mounts and clothes even dirtier than the rest.

  The soldiers dismounted and led the prisoners away. Aya walked up to Rasa.

  "Ah, you. I've got no time for you today. Have you been outfitted?"

  "Yes, Captain Rasa."

  "Put your armor on and run a dozen laps around the walls. Then go to the stables and have them pick a mare for you. You'll need to ride it every day so you get used to each other. Be here at the same time tomorrow."

  "Yes, Captain Rasa. May I ask what happened?"

  "A raid from the south, we crushed them. And call me Rasa — we ain't in the army."

  She turned and strode toward the stables. Aya returned to her room, donned the armor, and headed for the gates. The weight was manageable, but the helmet was an irritation — pressing down on her ears, narrowing her vision. She sighed and jogged forward to the soft jingle of chainmail.

  The Healer

  The healer could do nothing. Niena was already dead when they brought her in. She had taken an arrow to the face and died within minutes.

  The healer examined Bregi's wound. It wasn't too dangerous, but healing would hasten his recovery. She wiped the wound with an herbal concoction and cast a spell. The wound sealed. In a day or two, he'd be as strong as ever.

  "Anyone else wounded?"

  "No, but the main force hasn't returned yet. They might have some."

  "I need help preparing the body. Tell the girls."

  Two girls came. Together, they undressed and washed Niena. The healer removed the arrowhead lodged in the skull and trimmed a loose flap of skin. The goal wasn't to conceal the wound, but to ensure a dignified visage.

  Traditions had changed over the years. In her youth, they used to apply makeup — concealing imperfections, making the deceased look alive. That was how Kedi's grandfather had been buried. Later, wounds became a warrior's pride, no longer meant to be hidden.

  They dressed Niena in burial linen and moved her to the cold room. There, she lay on a stone slab — pale and calm. The wound suited her. Small and tidy — better than most. Sometimes, it took very little to end a life.

  "Sleep well, child. You fought well."

  Guards Discuss Captives

  Refi stood watch at the northern gate. As usual, the soldiers were playing cards. A girl in armor jogged past them, her gear giving off a soft jingle.

  "What's up with the new girl?"

  "Rasa's training her."

  "I thought she was a battlemage. Why's she running laps? I swear she's passed us five times already."

  "How should we know? Ask her."

  "Can't you both shut up and play?"

  They played in silence for a while.

  "You saw the captives?"

  "Yeah. Locked 'em up in the barn myself."

  "Think they'll be executed?"

  "Nah. Sold into slavery. Next caravan comes through, you'll see."

  "I'd rather kill the bastards."

  "Have some mercy. They came for food."

  "Have some mercy and starve to death? Thanks, but no."

  Niena's Burial

  Niena's funeral pyre has been lit in the evening. Afterwards they buried the ashes in the cemetery. They rode back in silence.

  "Are funerals the same in the south?" Xia asked as they led their horses to the stables.

  "About the same. Was she a warrior?"

  "A battlemage."

  "How did she die?"

  "A stray arrow."

  "Who attacked us?"

  "Bandits. They wanted to raid our village. Niena's patrol bought us time. A reasonable risk — just got unlucky."

  "But the villagers are poor. What could be taken from them?"

  "Food. The harvest was bad. Some lords cleared their villages of grain. Peasants will starve this winter. So they gather in bands and raid their neighbors."

  Inside the mansion Xia wished them goodnight and was on her way. Aya headed to the lounge.

  Several warriors and mages sat around the table. Some drank ale. They talked about the day's battle — how Kemi and his squad had trespassed into a neighbor's territory and slaughtered the fleeing. Someone expressed concern. A large swordsman replied dismissively:

  "The border barely matters, the way it mur mur mer mar mur..."

  His speech became a monotonous mutter, and Aya realized she was falling asleep. She stood up and went to her room.

  "We didn't practice today. I'm sorry," she whispered to Ixi, pulling the blanket over herself. Within moments, she was asleep.

  Magic Training (3rd month of Autumn, 8th day, 7th hour, morning)

  When Aya arrived at the training range, Rasa was already there, speaking with two young mages.

  "Good morning," Aya said.

  "Uh-huh. What magic can you use?"

  "I can conjure sparks, light, and flame, and strengthen my body."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "Show me the flames."

  Aya did.

  "Uh-huh. Can you control your sparks' strength?"

  "Yes."

  "How many full-strength sparks can you cast in a row?"

  "Four or five, I think."

  "Zap me with the weakest spark you can manage."

  Rasa stepped back. Aya hesitated, then raised her hand and sent a spark. If it hurt, Rasa didn't show it.

  "Now increase the strength."

  Aya did.

  "I didn't feel the difference. Double the strength."

  Aya sent another spark.

  "That's better. Double it again."

  Aya complied, and this time, Rasa visibly flinched.

  "That's too much. Keep it half that strong during training. Can you brace yourself against sparks?"

  "No."

  "Then we'll start there."

  Rasa instructed her on the basics of flow control. It was both simple and difficult — changing the magical flow in her body was easy, but timing it was tricky. Aya had to endure weak sparks for a while before she got it right.

  "Good start. Now train with those two."

  Dream Girl's School

  Aya was running her laps again. It was her task after magic training, meant to strengthen her muscles. Magic-enhanced strength only worked with the muscles one already had — making them stronger required real training. Rasa had promised to introduce her to advanced strengthening once her body could handle it.

  For now, she jogged to the rhythmic chime of her chainmail. Her thoughts drifted to the dream girl. Last night, Aya had observed the girl's life again. This time, the girl went to school. And, of course, she was unhappy.

  At school, she was surrounded by unsavory characters — children and adults alike. The children were loud, destructive, and disgusting, especially the drooling boy. The grown-ups were self-righteous and stupid. Her own mother sometimes said foolish things, but at least those were lies meant for her betterment. The school's adults were different — they simply couldn't stop sputtering nonsense. They were beyond salvation, really, or so the girl believed.

  As with the previous dream, Aya found it hard to understand the girl's unhappiness. School was for learning, not amusement. Besides it wasn't that tough, no running in armor, no mortal danger, just some boring lectures.

  Her thoughts returned to her own situation. Compared to a week ago, her position had become somewhat stable. She was warm, fed, and had a path forward. On the other hand, her freedom had diminished. To avoid slavery, she had to run laps — which, in a way, was a form of slavery. In the end, she told herself that training was a good thing, no matter the circumstances.

  She ran past the northern gates. The guards gave her funny looks. Six down, six to go.

  Aya Goes to the Aviary (3rd month of Autumn, 9th day)

  The third day of training was much the same. After lesson in magic, she was back to running laps. Upon finishing, she realized that Ixi had disappeared. Sensing her presence nearby, Aya soon found her in the aviary by the stables. Ixi was watching the ravens from afar. The aviary master, a boy Aya's age, looked relieved to see her.

  "You're Aya? I'm Agvi. Your fairy here is spooking the ravens. Can you take it away?"

  "Her name is Ixi. Are they afraid of her, or do they just dislike newcomers?"

  "With her, it's worse than usual."

  "I want her to be friends with everyone. Can we change their minds?"

  "You can try feeding them." Agvi shrugged. "Is she safe? If the ravens get hurt, Rasa will be furious."

  "She's safe when she's with me. And she won't hurt a friend — we just need to teach her who her friends are."

  "I see. Well, come at nine. I'll let you feed them."

  Aya took Ixi and was on her way. In the evening, after her riding practice, they returned to the aviary. Agvi was waiting.

  "Here — meat scraps," he said, handing a bowl to Aya. "Please don't make any sudden moves, and don't touch the ravens."

  Led by Agvi, they went inside. Aya gave Ixi the bowl and showed her how to hold it. They made a round, and the ravens cautiously picked their share from the bowl. Only one raven ignored the food. Ixi held the bowl in front of it, but the raven didn't move. Frustrated, Ixi pushed the bowl higher almost touching the bird.

  "Ixi, no," Aya said. The fairy stopped and gave her a worried look.

  "He lost his handler. Let's go," Agvi said. They stepped outside.

  "What happened?"

  "His handler was killed during the raid. He's refused to eat ever since. If it continues, he'll die."

  "Can't you give him another handler?"

  "In his current state, he's likely to refuse the binding."

  "Familiars can do that?"

  "Of course. But it's not just that. A second bond is weaker. It's less risky to bind a young raven — the ritual is costly, you see."

  "Ravana," Ixi said, shifting in Aya's hands as she gazed wistfully into the aviary.

  "Wow, she speaks!" Agvi exclaimed, clearly surprised.

  "Yes. Don't ravens speak?"

  "Not like that! They speak through the connection, to their handler."

  "The connection? Can't they understand words?"

  "Their handler's words, not others'. Isn't it the same with your fairy?"

  "Her name is Ixi. And no, it's not the same. She understands you as well as me. Try asking her something."

  A mix of excitement and disbelief showed on Agvi's face.

  "WHO IS A-YA?" he said to Ixi in a silly voice, articulating each syllable.

  "Yaya," Ixi said, hugging Aya's neck.

  "Wow. Just wow. How have you managed that?" His surprise was starting to annoy Aya.

  "I didn't do anything special. She's just clever."

  "You mean she does it without training? You've got a talent, then. I wish I could do something like that."

  "Do you have a familiar?"

  "Yes. Training my first raven now, but he's young and his thoughts are all over the place. He wouldn't listen like your... Ixi. I have to repeat everything over and over."

  They talked a bit more about training ravens. Agvi had a natural talent for handling and thus worked in the aviary, but he wanted to become a battlemage someday.

  "What do you mean someday, are you in training now?", Aya asked.

  "No... I don't think I'm ready yet."

  "How so? Are you good with magic?"

  "Reasonably good."

  "Then ask Rasa. She'll train you."

  "You think?"

  "It won't hurt to ask. The worst that can happen is she says no."

  He didn't look very convinced, and Aya didn't press. They agreed to meet in the morning for another feeding session, and Aya went back to her room.

  The Snowelf (3rd month of Autumn, 10th day, 5th hour, morning)

  Before bed, Aya tried teaching Ixi a few words, but the fairy was distracted. Exhausted, Aya gave up and decided to sleep. The night was restless. Ixi rustled in the corners, crawled over Aya more than once, and by morning, it became too much. The final straw was Ixi shaking her awake.

  "Ravana," Ixi said.

  Aya yawned. It was still dark outside. She dressed and shuffled to the lounge to check the time. Not even six.

  "Why did you wake me up so early?"

  "Ravana," Ixi repeated.

  "Ravana, ravana... It's too early. Agvi's still asleep — like all normal elves. Like I should be."

  Still, she stepped outside. A pale, gray dawn greeted them. Overnight, the snow had covered the yard again. It was wet and heavy, but not much had fallen. Soon, the mansion would wake, and boots would churn it into a grimy mess.

  She let Ixi go, and the fairy darted toward the aviary.

  "Ixi, be careful!" Aya called, but the fairy had already zipped out of sight, vanishing behind the stable roof. Aya hurried to the aviary.

  The aviary door was closed. Ixi hovered near the grated windows, peering in. A cluster of ravens stared back.

  "See? It's closed. Let's do something else." Aya scooped Ixi up. The fairy kept her gaze on the aviary but didn't resist.

  They went to the training grounds, now blanketed in snow. Aya crouched and grabbed a handful — it was wet and sticky. She tossed it aside.

  "Let's build a snowelf," she said. Ixi looked confused.

  "Snowelf!" Aya repeated.

  She set Ixi down and demonstrated how to roll a snowball. Ixi copied her, catching on quickly. Soon, they had three lumpy snowballs stacked on top of each other. Aya dug through the snow for a few pebbles and gave the snowelf a face — eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Ixi looked at it, unimpressed.

  "What are you doing?" a voice asked.

  A servant girl stood nearby, a basket in her arms. Aya recognized her — she'd seen her in the lounge.

  "It's a snowelf," Aya said. "An elf made of snow."

  "Is it some kind of ritual?" the girl asked.

  "No, just something to do. We're waiting for Agvi."

  "He just went to the aviary. Why do you need him?"

  "We wanted to feed the ravens."

  "I see. I'm Isha, by the way. Nice talking to you, Aya."

  "You too," Aya said, a little awkwardly. Isha smiled and continued on her way.

  The aviary was open now. Agvi was inside, sweeping and yawning. He looked surprised when he saw them.

  "You're early," he mumbled. "I haven't even fetched the food yet."

  "Ixi was restless. We got up early. Do you get the food from the kitchen?"

  "Yeah."

  "Can we get it for you?"

  "I suppose... Find Isha. She's a small girl with lilac hair."

  "I know Isha."

  "Right. Do you?" Poor guy looked confused and half-asleep.

  "I do," smiled Aya, turning to go.

  "Ravana," Ixi said over her shoulder, making absolutely no sense.

  Training with Rasa

  This time, Rasa brought six additional mages with her. They mages were content to train by themselves. Rasa spent most of her time with Aya, instructing others sparingly.

  Rasa explained how magical sparks accumulated over time, and how armor and bracing could affect their impact.

  "Ordinary armor dampens magic a little," she said, "but not by much. A shield helps more. With both armor and shield, you might cut the effect in half. If you can, aim for unprotected spots. But even through a shield, magic still gets through."

  "Does enchanted armor work better?" Aya asked.

  "Much better," Rasa nodded. "But it's rare. House Vemer only owns one set — it's a family heirloom. There are also protective amulets. Lord Kemi has one, though he wears it constantly. Maybe he'll lend it to you during training if he ever has a free day."

  "What does it do?"

  "A few things. But the most useful is magic resistance. I can shrug off a lightning bolt while wearing it. For you, of course, it's early to try such things."

  The lesson wrapped up, and Rasa sent Aya off for her usual running.

  "How are your muscles?" Rasa asked before she left.

  "A bit sore," Aya admitted with a shrug.

  "You did twelve laps yesterday?"

  "Yes."

  "Do sixteen today."

  "Yes."

  "Off you go."

  As Aya began her run, she noticed something odd — she hadn't seen Ixi all morning. She pushed the thought aside, finished her laps, and headed to the lounge for a meal. While she ate, she could sense Ixi's presence nearby — but not inside the mansion.

  After finishing, she went to the stables for her riding practice, making a detour to check the aviary. There, she found Ixi.

  "Is she bothering you?" Aya asked Agvi, who stood just outside the enclosure.

  "Um, no," he said. "She's just... watching the ravens. And they're watching her. It's unusually quiet."

  "I can take her, if they're nervous."

  "They're not nervous. It's something else. Please, leave her for now. I want to see what happens."

  Aya nodded, and went to the stables.