Part Nine
Shard was exhausted by the time she went to sleep that night. She woke up the next day stiff and sore, but Nathalia didn't care. Just as soon as Shard complained about it, Nathalia was quick to comment on how the soreness was good, needed, and should be expected every day going forward. A comment Shard was not happy to hear. Nathalia made Shard start off the morning with another run through the woods. Shard did not encounter the wolf this time, but she stuck to the path just in case. As she did the day before, Nathalia guided Shard through a series of strength training exercises. These focused on new muscle groups. While Shard didn’t have to exert the sore muscles as much, new muscles hurt afterward. Nathalia practically confirmed that Shard’s life from here would be in a perpetual state of cycling pain. The woman was always ready with a sharp word and handy switch if Shard ever got complacent. After breakfast, the two went outside to practice harnessing Shard’s ice magic abilities. Shard created various icy objects until she became tired or could no longer take the cold. Usually, it was a combination of the two. After lunch, Nathalia added to Shard’s growing list of chores. Shard went to bed completely spent and slept soundly until Nathalia woke her up the next day for more of the same.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. While Shard found much to complain about, she was still taken care of. She ate well. She slept well. She grew in strength and competency, though she would never admit it. Shard never saw the wolf as long as she was with Nathalia. She would ask Nathalia about the world, about magic, and about Nathalia’s past. Nathalia always seemed annoyed when the question wasn’t directly relevant to training. Any information about Thorae was drenched in hatred and warnings of self preservation. Eventually, Shard stopped asking. Two months into training, Nathalia introduced weapons. Shard trained with a bow for hunting and a sword for self defense. Neither tool was particularly good quality. In the sword’s case, it wasn’t even sharp. The purpose of it was to practice swinging a long piece of metal, so Nathalia instructed. The arrows were flimsy, inaccurate, and broke often, but Nathalia assured her pupil that practicing correct form and stance was more important anyway. The list of chores grew. Wash the dishes, clean the house, split logs for fire, prepare breakfast, prepare lunch, prepare dinner, dispose of the garbage, wash the clothes. Shard started to wonder if there was anything Nathalia did on her own any more. Eventually, Nathalia brought Shard along on her hunting trips. They went along the path behind the garden and took the left route. They climbed over logs and boulders and over streams. Nathalia had a preferred area she went to. Nathalia showed the girl where she hid her traps and how to check them. If the trapped animals were still alive, Nathalia finished them off and showed Shard how to field dress them. Shard got sick the first time watching, much to Nathalia’s disappointment.
The only reprieve Shard had from her training was when Nathalia took trips to town to restock their supplies. Shard was not allowed to go with her. Shard begged to go along at first, but after the third time she was denied, she stopped asking. Shard got to the point she preferred to be left alone. It was the only truly free time she had to herself and she found herself spending most of it outside. Shard would walk through the woods, although never far from the house. In the garden, she practiced making snow and ice sculptures. Not the walls and icicles that Nathalia demanded of her. Shard made snow bunnies, snow ducklings, little ice castles, and snowmen. She made snow owls and ice flowers and even a little village with snow people. She made these all in the garden where Nathalia couldn’t destroy them by accident. It became her favorite way to use her ice abilities. It was one of the few things completely in Shard’s control and, as far as she knew, the only part of her existence Nathalia knew nothing about. If Nathalia ever asked, Shard simply said she practiced her ice magic. As the months passed and the world grew warmer, Shard was sad to see her creations melt between visits. She would recreate them, but it wasn’t long before the snow and ice were replaced with grass and leaves as spring took over. Shard’s time in the garden was replaced with tending to the dirt and weeds. It seemed Nathalia was set on having a productive garden by the time late spring and summer came around.
One day, while Shard was inspecting the tiny plants she and Nathalia cared for, Shard noticed the leaves were damaged. Something was sneaking into the garden and eating the frail plants. Shard mentioned it to Nathalia only once and the woman permitted her to spend more time in the garden. A few days passed before Shard caught the culprit. She was inspecting a row of greens when a rustle caught her attention. Looking up, Shard spotted a small, black creature. She thought it was a rabbit due to its long, pointed ears, but it had a tail like that of a squirrel. Acting quickly, Shard created a cage of ice around the creature to trap it. “So you’re the one eating our plants,” Shard said with a smile as she drew closer to investigate. The creature in the cage was a small thing. It didn’t panic or try to run. It sat in the cage nibbling on the plant leaves closest to it. “Well, aren’t you adorable,” Shard sat in front of it and watched with a smile. “Are you a vicious monster like the ones Nathalia keeps telling me about?” She asked, not expecting an answer. “I bet you’re a killer rabbit,” Shard continued. “Enjoy your light salad before turning into a cold-blooded predator.” Shard giggled, still watching the creature. The black, shiny fur looked soft and fluffy. The creature’s brown eyes stared at her as it continued eating. The long ears stood upright like radars for a second before flopping back down. “If I bring you food you can eat, will you stop eating the plants I’m trying to grow?” Shard asked. She reached into her cloak and retrieved an apple. Shard bit off a large chunk and held it out to the creature. The tiny animal took the piece of apple and munched on it. “There. We can have peace after all,” Shard said. She took apart the bars of ice and watched the creature dart away. The creature was there the next day when Shard came to check on the plants. Again, Shard fed it a bit of apple. The creature seemed comfortable with Shard’s presence. Shard was happy to have a friend to talk to that wasn’t Nathalia. The fluffy black creature listened without judgment and never said a harsh word. Granted, it never spoke at all. Shard started calling it “Flopsy” due to the creature’s ears always flopping back into place when lowering from their radar mode. Shard never told Nathalia about the new friend, but she wondered if the woman would let her keep the creature as a pet. Shard spent a few days pondering how best to ask. She wondered what words to use and in what order she’d have to say them to sound the most convincing.
“Don’t stop moving!” Nathalia barked one day as they were training. “If you stop moving for two seconds, you’re dead!”
Shard barely dodged a sword swipe with a roll and pulled her blade up in time to block. Nathalia spun to the left and Shard had to parry to avoid injury. “Slow down!” Shard exclaimed.
“No, you speed up!” Nathalia answered with another swing. “You have to be faster than this! Strike first. Strike hard. Strike without hesitation!”
Nathalia batted away the sword and managed to pin Shard. “Again.” She let Shard up and resumed speaking while training. “The best defense is a good offense. Attack before the enemy has a chance to even draw their blade.”
“That doesn’t sound fair,” Shard said through gritted teeth as she dodged another attack.
“Life isn’t fair,” Nathalia said. “Stop dodging and attack. You don’t have the capacity to outlast your enemy. The time you waste hoping to weaken your opponent is time used against you. Kill them before they kill you.” She pinned Shard again. “Because they will kill you.”
Shard glared at the woman. “What about mercy?”
“Your enemy will never be merciful.” Nathalia helped Shard up. “So neither should you extend mercy. You must finish the kill. Every time. If your enemy escapes, they will come back stronger and they will retaliate without warning.” Nathalia stretched her open hand out.
Shard handed her the hilt of her own sword as they headed for the house. “I’ll take care of lunch today, if you want to go check on the garden,” Nathalia said.
“Oh, that’s nice of you,” Shard said. “Thanks.” She went around to the back of the house and looked for the little black creature. Flopsy had met her in the garden every day for a couple weeks straight now and Shard was just getting up the courage to talk to Nathalia about keeping it. Strangely enough, Shard could not find the little creature today. She looked around the garden and even into the woods, but came up empty-handed. She set a whole apple down in the creature’s usual spot and went inside the house.
