Chapter 160
1382words
“They want you to wrestle a bear?” Jean asked looking just as shocked as I had felt when I heard the news and I nodded soberly,
“They say it’s the only way for me to prove myself as being strong and worthy,” I said and took my seat on Jean’s couch.
I had come to tell him what had befallen me, but I also had a request to make of him and truly hoped he would not turn me down
He thought for a moment before he slowly began to nod,
“I’ve read such a thing growing up. But it was never the elders who set it up. It was the moon goddess herself who required crazy things from the man she chose.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what this is about.”
“But they aren’t the moon goddess, so why are they the ones to choose?”
“It seems as though the moon goddess has left it in the charge of the elders. Or perhaps the elders just wish to continue something that they feel is necessary.”
“They believe wrestling a bear is necessary?” Jean asked, his expression telling me that he thought the entire thing was rubbish. But who was I to argue with a system that even my father had been subjected to?
“Apparently,” I said dryly and sighed. “In any case, I’ve decided to handle this entire thing with a brave face. Although, I don’t feel all too prepared.”
“They can’t possibly tell you to wrestle a bear and you’d all of a sudden feel prepared. A little bit of hesitation is normal.”
“Indeed. True. Which is why I’ve come to you.” I said and he raised a brow,
“To me?” He asked and I smiled as I nodded my head,
“I need your help, Jean. I need you to help me become a warrior in two weeks.”
He looked at me with a blank expression for so long that I thought he was considering turning me down, but he soon began to nod his head,
“Yes, I suppose you need all of the practice you can get.” He said and walked to me to place a hand on my chin, and then shrugged, “I’ll help you practice, of course, I will. But take this as I’ll first lesson.”
“What is our first lesson?” I asked and he bent low so that our faces were right in front of each other,
“You are way stronger than you think. You aren’t allowed to doubt yourself. You aren’t allowed to see yourself as less, do you understand me?” He asked and I pouted as I nodded,
“Fine, lesson one gotten. I won’t see myself as less.” I said and he ran a thumb over my cheek before straightening,
“We can begin lesson two tomorrow. I should be at your place early enough so that we begin.” He said and I nodded,
“So what do we do with all of this time?” I asked and he tilted his head as he looked at me,
“Did you have something in mind?” He asked and I got up and got closer so that we were toe-to-toe
“I had a few couple of things,” I said and clung to the hem of his shirt,
“I see. Care to tell me?”
I shook my head and smiled coyly,
“I’d rather just show you,” I said and stood on my tiptoes, before drawing his head toward me and bringing my lips to his.
~~~~
The next day, I was awoken to the sound of someone shaking my feet and for a moment thought it was a dream until my feet were shaken again and I was forced to open my eyes and saw my brother peering down at me,
“Good, you’ve finally woken up. Rise and shine, Your Highness.” He said and I drew my brows together before looking out the window. It was still dark outside and I had to look at him like he had lost his marbles. Perhaps he had,
“Axle, what is the meaning of this?” I asked, drawing my duvet over my head, but he tugged at it and tsked at me,
“I don’t think so, missy. Jean is downstairs waiting for you, he drew me out of my sleep, something about training with you. So you, have to wake up as well.”
And then I remembered and I groaned,
“I forgot.” I sighed and rubbed at my eyes, before trying to sit up, “You can tell him to wait for me, I should be down soon.”
I said and caught him looking at me uncertainly and I laughed,
“You don’t believe that I’m up for real?”
“I don’t believe you won’t go right back to sleep,”
“I won’t.” I said and stretched a bit, “Not after I’ve dragged Jean all the way here.” I said and looked at my brother, “And not after we’ve dragged you out of your beauty sleep with our plans.” I said
“Alright then. “ he said and took a step away from my bed, “ I’ll let you get yourself together. But if you aren’t down in twenty, I’ll be back.”
“I’ll be down,” I said and began to rise,
“Alright then.” He said and began heading for the door, “See you soon.”
I was down in fifteen and found both Jean and my brother laughing about heaven knew what. It wasn’t that I wasn’t a morning person, but I just didn’t find a whole lot of things funny so early in the morning. I mean, it was four-thirty in the morning!!
“Ember!” Jean announced happily and I made a face at him,
“You’re so upbeat.” I said and shook my head, “How can you be so upbeat so early in the morning?”
“Would you rather I be slightly downcast?” He asked and walked toward me, ran a hand down my cheek,
“I just never really understand how people can be so happy so early in the morning,” I said and he shrugged,
“Practice.”
“Practice.” I repeated, “And speaking of practice, where are we going ours?”
“Axle says we can take the training ground for your pack’s warriors… if that’s okay with you?”
I turned to Axle and he shrugged happily, “No point of you going too far if you need to train.” He said and I nodded,
“Thank you,” I said and Jean took my hand with one hand reached for a bottle with his other one, and handed it to me,
“Thank you, Jean.”
“You’re welcome. But I really hope you’ll still be thankful after we’ve had lesson two.”
“I don’t know why that sounds like a threat,” I said smiling up at him,
“Just me being hopeful.” He said and turned to Axle, “You coming?”
“I’ll join you all soon enough.” He said and began to stretch on the couch, “ I just have a few more minutes of sleep to catch up on,” he said and I laughed,
“Come on, Jean. He’ll join us when he wakes up.” I said and led him out of the house.
“I’ve never really used this place. “ I said when we got to the training ground,
“How come?”
“Wasn’t very interested in training while others were training. I was too stuck on being in love. And then, when I came back, and my father spoke to me about taking his place, I craved my privacy, and here was a bit too open for me, the prodigal daughter.” I said looking at the field around me.
Jean walked toward me from behind and put his hand on my shoulders,
“You aren’t anyone’s prodigal daughter, Em. You fell in love and went to live with the man. It didn’t work as these things sometimes don’t work and you came home to heal and grow and become. That’s it, and that’s all.”
I sighed and nodded, “ I try to make myself remember that.” I said and turned to him,
“Remember also lesson one.”
“I’m stronger than I think,” I said and he nodded,
“Now, for lesson two.” He said and spurn me around and put his arm around my neck, and my hands around behind my back, so that he had me in a lock grip, “you never ever let your guard down when your enemy is close.”
