Chapter 7

Lav groaned as she opened her eyes. It was still dark but she could hear Nilsen moving around in his room. He wasn't being overt about it but she guessed he was making just enough noise to wake her. He probably thought she might be having a difficult time of it this morning and he was too right! Although she didn't feel anywhere near as bad as she had when she awakened after taking the drug, it still felt like her body had been used as a practice target for half the student body at the Academy, which wasn't far wrong!

The instructor, or master as Nilsen called him, had done an extremely thorough job of putting her through the paces. That wasn't so bad; in fact the exertion felt good after her enforced inactivity. What was bad was when he and another instructor sparred with both Nilsen and herself together. She had thought she knew something of how to fight in pairs but quickly found out she didn't know anywhere near enough.

The first thing she learned was how incredibly fast these instructors really were. She ended up being hit with a blunted sword almost at will, and it seemed they didn't believe in light taps to demonstrate errors. She could swear he was hitting her at full speed or damn close to it! She had thought she was quick with a sword, but against these short men and their puny swords, most about half the length of hers, she had a difficult time blocking maybe one out of ten. It was embarrassing and painful. Needless to say she ended up with more than just a bruised ego!

During one of the infrequent rest breaks it was theorized that part of her problem was the size of her weapon: It was just too large and heavy to move with the speed required for them to fight as an effective pair. Lav wasn't happy to give up her huge chopper; it felt like she was being told she didn't have either the skill or the strength to use it. However Nilsen didn't seem very concerned and told her to try to use the one they brought for her. Much to her consternation it worked much better. She was able to block and parry with greater accuracy, although she was still taking a good number of hits.

The first hint that she didn't do as badly as she thought she had came at the end of the practice session when the instructor grunted and said she was trainable. Faint praise indeed, although she didn't really expect anything better. The wide grin on Nilsen's face seemed to indicate he was pleased with it, though.

The training sessions continued on into the afternoon with just a short break for a midday meal and by the time Nilsen told her it was time to go home she felt like a well-tenderized piece of meat. The walk home was slow and tentative with every bruise making itself known to her.

"I thought I was in shape," she groaned as she hobbled down the street. "I have not felt like this since I started my training many seasons ago."

"They are a bit intense," Nil agreed happily. "Father told me what I could expect, but I thought he was trying to make it sound worse than it really was. I should have known if anything he would underplay just how bad it really was. If it makes you feel any better I couldn't even walk on my own the first day I was here." Lavender looked at him out of the corner of her eye and grunted. "Okay, so maybe it doesn't actually make you feel better, but at least I can say I do know how you feel. Take heart; in a few weeks you'll feel like a new woman."

"I already feel like a new woman," she mumbled. "A dead one."

"A hot bath, something to eat, a nice massage and you'll be wondering what you were complaining about," he said cheerfully. "You don't see Cerberus complaining, now do you?"

"Cerberus sat on ass all day and watched!" she huffed.

"True, but it must have been exhausting," Nil agreed. "It was so tiring he had to sleep all afternoon."

True to his word Nilsen hustled her up and into a steaming hot tub. Too exhausted to complain when he had two of the maids help her wash while he sat behind her outside the tub and soaped and lathered her hair.

"Don't be silly," he said when she made noises about him doing that. Grinning he rinsed her with cool water. "I enjoy doing it. I even do it for my sisters when they want me to. Nothing feels better than running my fingers through long, soft tresses." Sara chuckled and Fusia just snorted. "Okay," he admitted, "maybe 'nothing' is a little much, but I do enjoy it. Lean back and take it like a warrior."

"You always wash your warrior's hair?" Lavender chuckled as she leaned back as directed.

"No," he said after a moment. "But then most of the warriors I deal with don't have beautiful long hair either. Hey, you're the one that insisted I take your bond; deal with it."

"You can wash my hair, Nil," Sara said coyly.

"I'm sure he would much rather wash mine," Fusia said, shaking her hair so it draped over her shoulder.

"My dear ladies," Nilsen said with a smile, "I'm quite sure both of you have already bathed today. Certainly you wouldn't want to get wet all over again."

"I wouldn't think so," Sara grinned right back at him. "But if I happen to trip and fall in with you while you're taking your bath..."

"Well, we'll see," he said noncommittally. "Right now we have a very sore warrior here. Did you want to come down to dinner? I didn't think so. That's fine, I'm having yours sent up anyway. After dinner I asked Jarrah if she'd come up and give you a massage. If she does, let her. She has magic hands. You wouldn't believe how much better you'll feel after she gets done with you. Now, do you think you can stand?"

Her muscles felt like limp noodles as he helped her stand and one of the girls toweled her dry and then draped her with a long linen sheet. She was still tired and sore but felt much better as he led her to a lounge chair and the table that had a covered platter on it.

She didn't think she was that hungry until she started picking at the food. Nilsen had gone back into the bathing room for his own bath and moments later she heard splashing and the sounds of giggling followed moments later by moaning and cooing. At least one question of hers had been answered: If those two women were being forced to be with him they were two of the best actresses she had ever seen!

To be honest she was too tired to worry about it for the moment anyway. She dozed in the chair and woke up only when Nilsen walked out of the bathing room already dressed and heading for dinner. As he came over and picked up the empty platter from the table she struggled to get up but he just put his hand on her shoulder and pushed down slightly. With a woof she sat down and looked at him through slitted eyelids.

"I'm your shield," she mumbled. "I go where you go."

"For what?" he said with a laugh. "For protection?" He stopped laughing when he saw her face cloud up. "Now, now. Let's be realistic. No matter what you think your duty is, the fact is you couldn't protect me against that butterfly flitting in through the window, right?" He grinned and continued, "You're still recovering from your time in the arena, the drugs and the loving attention of our benevolent instructors. Don't try to push it too fast or it will take you longer to heal. I promise the worst that could happen will be Makro chewing my ear off."

"What you say is true," she admitted grumpily. "Nonetheless you should have your shield with you wherever you go, if not for protection then to get used to it." She paused for a moment and continued, "It is true I would be useless, but Cerberus would not be. It is time he found something useful to do today."

"I really don't think..." he started only to be interrupted.

"Cerberus," she called and the dog lifted its massive head. "Go with Lord Nilsen and be his shield while I cannot." Cerberus looked over at Nilsen and snorted softly.

"Lavender," Nilsen shook his head, "while I'm sure Cerberus is a fine fellow, I seriously doubt he'll know what you're asking..." He stopped talking as the dog stood up, stretched and sauntered over to his side. Cerberus sniffed his hand and gave what Nilsen could swear was a resigned sigh. Trotting over to the door he stopped and looked back at Nilsen as if to say, "Well, you got me up, so let's go."

"Ah," Nilsen looked at the dog and then back at Lavender. "Okay, never mind. By the way, you and I are going to have a very serious and very long talk about your dog here in the near future. But until then I guess my escort to dinner is waiting, so I'll be off."

Lavender grinned to herself as the pair left. She was beginning to really enjoy perplexing her blue-eyed fool and could understand his sisters a little better as they dabbled in the sport. Satisfied, she settled back in the chair letting her abused body rest.

She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew someone was entering the room. Looking up she saw Nilsen's sister Jarrah carrying a small basket and wearing her perpetual frown.

"Nil said those sadists gave you a good working over today," she said without any preamble. "He asked if I would give you a massage and work on your muscles."

"You need not bother, Lady," Lavender said as she struggled to sit upright in the chair.

"Oh, anything for the glorious one," she said with a sneer. "Anything the golden child wants we gladly provide..." She stopped suddenly and sighed, her frown becoming more of a sad half-smile. "I'm sorry, you don't deserve that. He asked nicely and given what they did to him the first couple of weeks I can imagine you're feeling like a piece of well-chewed, raw meat."

"Yes," Lav grunted, "that's almost correct. Maybe better would be a piece of meat already passed through. But truly lady, you need not bother yourself. I have felt this way before and it will pass after a few days."

"It's good to see you have a sense of humor. You're probably right," Jarrah agreed. "But this will help the healing and lessen the time you spend feeling like ... excrement. Just because I'm mad at him doesn't mean I should take it out on you. By the way, call me Jarrah; I answer to that better than I do 'Lady.' Now where would be the best place to do it? I need you to lie down so I can get to your back." Lavender started to slowly move down to the floor when Jarrah made a rude noise and told her to stop.

"Not on this hard floor you don't!" and silenced any potential protest from Lavender with a scowl. "It's hard, cold and extremely uncomfortable; besides, I don't want to be down there on my knees. Now let me see; I suppose we could do it in your bed, but there isn't much room to work in there. What did he think he was doing putting you in there?"

"I chose it for myself, La – Jarrah," Lavender muttered as she stood up.

"Really?" Jarrah looked surprised. "Why?"

"I am his shield. I need to be near him at all times," Lav replied with a shrug.

"You warrior types are all crazy," Jarrah said shaking her head. "Well, maybe it's better to keep you lunatics close together. Still, where should we do this? We need someplace where you can stay when you fall..." her voice trailed off and then she got a mischievous look in her eye. Lavender could almost swear Jarrah was smiling. "Oh, yes, that would be perfect. Over there, on his bed. Go ahead, on your stomach near the edge here where I can reach you. Come now, off with that sheet, no need for that. Now, have you ever had a massage? No? I'm surprised; it's a standard part of a warrior's, or an athlete's, training around here. It helps soothe the bruises, loosens the muscles and relaxes them, which help healing."

"It sounds like coddling to me," Lavender said as she positioned herself on Nilsen's bed. "Warriors must learn to endure if they are to be strong."

"Nonsense!" Jarrah scoffed as she dribbled scented oil over Lav's back. "Pain for pain's sake is silly. Work your body hard, yes. Work it until it fails, yes, that will make it stronger. Given that you allow it to recuperate that is. But to be in pain while it's healing, that improves nothing; in fact it slows down the process. Even Nil isn't that stupid. Believe me, he begged for my ministrations almost every day there for a while. While I will admit he certainly has the ability to ignore pain when he needs to, he certainly doesn't embrace it when he doesn't. Do you think he's a weakling?"

"Uh, no." The oil felt like little drops of ice at first but as Jarrah smoothed them over Lav's abused muscles it began to warm. Jarrah had strong fingers and wherever she rubbed the tension and soreness seemed to ooze out of her. Jarrah talked the whole time she was working on her but for the life of her Lav couldn't have told what she said. After the first few minutes she felt like her body was turning to jelly. She did remember one thing just before gliding off into oblivion; it was Jarrah talking about Nilsen.

"You should get him to do this for you," Jarrah said. "For an idiot, he's actually very good at this. Plus he's stronger and, well, to tell the truth you're muscled more like a man than any woman I've ever seen. Not that you aren't feminine," she said hastily, thinking maybe Lav cared one whit about being feminine. "You are. In fact I'm surprised at how well-proportioned you are, just on a really large scale." Lav just grunted back at her. "Now, most big women are thick all the way through, but not you. Sure, you have wide shoulders and certainly a lot more muscle than any other woman I know, but you still have the narrow waist and broad hips. There's no mistaking you for a man, even in the dark."

Lavender was almost amused; the very same features that made her so undesirable to her own people were considered attractive to the shorties. It was a delightful irony.

"Anyway," Jarrah continued. "Have him do it tomorrow night. I'm sure you'll still need it and after all, he's the one putting you through this; he should be the one mending you."

Lav was just about to tell Jarrah that Nilsen had actually tried to dissuade her from this path, but she fell asleep before she could utter a word.

She awoke quickly and fully as a warrior was trained to do. Tentatively she moved her arms and legs, anticipating the soreness and pain that invariably accompanied the kind of workout she had endured the day before. Surprised, she moved a little, then a little more. There was some soreness, but nothing like what she had expected. She hadn't realized just what a miracle the laying on of the hands could be. She didn't feel fully effective yet, but certainly one hell of a lot better than she thought she should feel!