Chapter 94

Oonagh was privileged, although you could not persuade her of that, in that she had a tent to herself. I’ve mentioned in the past just what a marvel of advanced technology and magic our tents were but Oonagh’s idea of a tent started at a pavilion with servants and went up. Nor was she impressed with the camp bed either, although did admit later it was comfortable and at least designed to fit her tall frame.

“You’ll need to put on your armour,” I stated in amusement as I ignored her diatribe about her being put in a damp, pokey, little hole.

“Why? I am much better with the sword than any human?” she sneered, clearly reverting to the old Oonagh.

“I doubt it.”

“I was easily your superior, last time we met!”

“Still alive, aren’t I?” I chuckled. “Besides, I’m just in training.”

“You were lucky!”

“No, I chose my initial position well and at the second meeting I had you on the ropes,” I shrugged with a grin.

“You did not!”

“Must be why you were falling back then, because you were winning.”

“It was to draw you away from the exit, you utter Guronět!”

“Really?” I laughed. “But this isn’t getting you ready for your practice session, so get into your armour.”

“Pah! Do me the courtesy then of giving me some privacy and wait outside!”

“Of course,” I grinned.

Five minutes later an embarrassed Oonagh emerged in the form-fitting Mage-style armour, her hands fluttering slightly as her urge was to try and cover up the revealing nature of it.

“You’ll need to calm yourself; otherwise this will only humiliate you as Roxanne does not like you at all,” I stated.

“I feel naked!” she hissed, sotto voce.

“You aren’t. Nor are you the only one wearing armour.” I pointed out several of the Mages and allies who were dressed similarly including a few Drow and Fae types (yes, I know they’re the same species and that the Drow consider themselves Drow not Fae by choice and tradition).

“No one is supposed to view me like this!”

“Why? It doesn’t bother Verenestra ... or any other Fae I’ve met.”

“I am the Queen! I have to maintain my dignity.”

“You aren’t the queen, you lost and deservedly so. Now come along, not-queen Oonagh, and face Roxanne, who will test your abilities with the sword. You’ll probably be grateful for the armour at the end of this,” I chuckled and walked off, more or less forcing her to follow me.

Roxanne was waiting for us in the duelling circle, which, in deference to Oonagh (or any Fae who wished to practice) had the Null field turned off and the vastly more complex magical dampening fields turned on. The area was also surrounded by a good few of the encampment who wanted a glimpse of Oonagh as well as see Roxanne in full fighting mode, something she’d only done with Verenestra, as none of us were that good yet.

“Took your time,” Roxanne chided me.

“Oonagh still has issues with the armour and self-image,” I shrugged.

“Ah, well, she’d better get over them quickly or else this could be quite painful and humiliating for her ... in front of witnesses as well.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Oonagh stated with narrowed eyes.

“I was pointing out my subordinate’s tardiness, not speaking to you,” Roxanne replied in icy tones. “Now, choose a weapon,” she added, pointing at the various practice weapons in their holders.

“This one is the same weight and balance as Souldrinker,” I pointed one out as Oonagh studied the various swords and other instruments of death (in a manner of speaking) in front of her. “I also suggest you wear the extra padding and face mask as the defensive elements in the Mage armour won’t work, just the non-magical parts.”

“Thank you,” Oonagh replied in grating tones, but did proceed to put on the extra padding as well as the meshed faceguard before entering the circle.

I walked around to where my wives were sitting with my children and gave them hugs and kisses whilst both Roxanne and Oonagh went through some limbering up exercises. To give Roxanne credit, she did not pull any fast ones (this time). One of the main points which she stressed with anyone with whom she was training was that an attack could come at any time and from any direction, so observation of your surroundings at all times was the initial key to success.

“Is Oonagh any good?” Jukar asked.

“Yes, though possibly out of practice,” I replied as I cuddled both Imelda and Abi.

“Better than you?”

“Way better.”

“Ooh, this could be good then,” she giggled. “The betting has been on Oonagh getting her ar ... head handed to her within seconds.”

“Not going to happen in seconds, but it will happen,” I shrugged as the two combatants finally faced each other with weapons drawn.

“I am here to assess you, so do not hold back,” Roxanne stated before falling into a defensive pose.

Oonagh simply nodded before dropping into a defensive pose herself and launching into a blindingly fast attacking move which was easily deflected by Roxanne. We were then witnesses to a spectacular display of swordsmanship by both women with parry and counter-parry coming at speeds that were almost too quick to follow, particularly if you were unfamiliar with sword play.

“She is good,” Róisín observed. “I’m amazed you survived.”

“In the first instance her moves were limited by the narrow corridor I stood in. In the second there was some sort of levelling effect working on any imbalances in power and ability,” I explained.

“Oh, right.”

“I think Roxanne’s better, but I haven’t seen her tested like this since the last time Verenestra was here,” Brianna stated.

“I agree,” I nodded. “Oonagh is out of practice, but I suspect Roxanne will fix that soon enough.”

The end came suddenly when a still calm and totally focussed Roxanne, forced Oonagh’s parry to a position where she could land a stinging slash to the former queen’s neck followed up by several brutal blows to the now suddenly exposed former queen, causing her to collapse to her knees in obvious agony.

“You’ve talent, but you’re well out of practice,” Roxanne stated into the silence as Oonagh held her neck, clearly hurting. “I could have cut you down over ten times in this duel. Please don’t try to deny it. You will report here every day to train with others I choose to train until the mission begins.”

“Of course,” Oonagh croaked out as Roxanne simply turned her back on her and walked away.

“Imelda, if you please?” I requested as I headed down to the circle, switching off the dampening field on my way.

“Of course, John,” came the reply.

We got down swiftly to Oonagh with Imelda beginning a healing sequence despite Oonagh’s attempt to verbally prevent her.

“Do not be stupid, Oonagh; those blows, whilst not lethal, were designed to fix in your mind just who the master is and who the pupil. If you wish to train tomorrow you need to be healed and frankly you aren’t good at this sort of thing!” I butted in harshly.

“I thought I was good!” Oonagh almost sobbed.

“You are, just not as good as Roxanne ... or Verenestra, come to that. I did try to warn you,” I replied in calmer tones.

“All done,” Imelda added. “Come and see me for any injuries you sustain. As my John said, you are not very good at healing yourself.”

“I will, thank you ... er,”

“Imelda.”

“Thank you, Imelda. You are right, I always had others to heal what few injuries I sustained and lost what ability I had from under use.”

“It will be worth re-learning. You no longer have anyone at your beck and call,” Imelda replied in kindly tones. “I will help if you want.”

“Thank you, I would be most grateful, Imelda. You are John’s wife, are you not?”

“One of them, yes.”

“How many wives does a man need?” Oonagh replied, looking confused.

“As many as will have him,” Imelda chuckled. “You know little about the real John. He really is a nice man, once you get to know him ... if a little dense in the ways of women.”

“Thank you, my love,” I sighed as both Oonagh and Imelda cast a wicked smile my way. “Target practice now, Oonagh.”

“Right. I er ... have never used a ... gun? I am not even good with bow and arrow.”

“Don’t worry, Arch is a good teacher and won’t be so rough on you as Roxanne ... unless you break the range rules.”

“I’ll see you later, my love,” Imelda gave me her farewell with a kiss and a hug.

“Bye.”

The range was tucked away behind Esnurr’s manor dwelling. Arch was waiting for us along with a selection of weapons of varying power. He swiftly went over the rules of the range, which were mostly common sense, and then described the various weapons and how to load them before handing Oonagh a small pistol from which he had just removed the magazine and jacked to empty the chamber.

“Hold,” he stated. “You didn’t check to see if it was loaded.”

“But you checked,” she replied, looking confused.

Arch reached over and took the pistol and jacked it again, making another round pop out that he’d presumably palmed in when pulling the magazine and jacking the first round.

“Always assume that a weapon is loaded. Yes, it was a trick and I cheated. But your safety is down to you, never others.”

“I see,” she replied, before jacking the chamber herself, looking amazed as another round popped out. “Yes, I do see,” she nodded, jacking again with nothing coming out.

“Yes. Never assume it’s empty; always check.”

Arch then sent a target ten metres down range and showed Oonagh the correct stance.

“When I say ‘load’, you will load the pistol and chamber a round. You will always keep the pistol pointing downrange and never anywhere else. When I say ‘fire’, you will fire five shots at the target, then remove the magazine and jack the round in the chamber. Is this clear?”

“Yes.”

“Load.”

Oonagh did, somewhat cautiously and then jacked the chamber to put a round into it.

“Fire!”

Oh dear Lord, that could have gone better. Despite Arch’s warnings about recoil, Oonagh’s grip on the pistol wasn’t strong enough and apart from completely missing the target with it, also managed to smack herself in the face with the barrel. Fortunately she did not drop it, but she was clearly shocked and probably hurt too.

“Unload!” Arch commanded, which she did with shaking hands.

We both quickly stepped up to examine her once the pistol was down and quickly repaired her broken nose as well as sealing the cut on her face.