Summery: “Slipping away in the dark to be where you shouldn't be will end up with you in chains hanging from my ceiling”. He whispered in my ear. “ Maybe I shouldn't let you go this time, after all you will be the prize of my collection.”
Warning: there isn’t any yet, but wait I will make some later.
The sound of clothed fists smacking into body’s, and the occasional grunt of pain or exertion, was the only noise that could be heard in the training room as I stood there awaiting my punishment.
It wasn't uncommon for a trainee to be summoned for punishment, as I had seen several young men taken up and forced to go through brutal exercises. I was no different being the only female and the youngest, at age 15; to ever join the ranks of the Night Guard.
As difficult as it was for me to sneak out every night to join my classes and train, I managed. The first few weeks had been hell, between my very sore muscles and my dead tired body; I still had to act like nothing was wrong. A few time I thought I had been caught, only managing to use the excuse that I fell off my horse during practice. No one was to know these practices were to be happening
My seniors accepted me easier than I thought, giving that I was a young female, only a few of the older year trainees ever doubted that I could handle it, and I would be the running joke and thing to pick on when it was time to change.
Every night I would be the first of the trainees to show up and I would always be the last to leave. I always followed the rules perfectly, as I was terrified to be called up and to endure the punishment.
"Second year trainee,” The head teachers voice seemed to boom. The sound echoed across the training hall, causing all heads to turn in my direction before they continued with their lessons.
Forcing back the tears, I stood to attention, hands clasped behind my back and feet shoulder width apart. I didn't regret finally snapping and beating the crap out of a fourth year, the only thing I wished was that one of his buddies hadn’t run off to tell. Fighting among students wasn’t uncommon as long as you kept it to yourselves and you were fit to return to the next day’s training.
"You are standing here, about to take punishment for physically attacking and verbally assaulting a senior trainee, after being placed on warning for being late too two classes."
He paused, His hard eyes never leaving mine as he issued the sentence. "Do you have anything to say for your actions?"
"No, Sir." I managed to force out. A single tear rolled down my cheek before I could stop it.
"Second year trainee, if you are going to cry when you are in a difficult situation then I am going to have to ask you to resign your position, because no one here is going to take care of you" He shouted, causing the entire room to go silent.
I could feel everyone’s eyes on my back as I quickly swallowed my tears.
I was well known in the guard, and it hurt me to finally be standing on the stage platform about to take my punishment, I was not about to let them see me cry no matter how I was treated.
"Very well." He paused, "You know the rules and you broke one of them and caused an entire lesson to be delayed on your behalf, so I expect you to follow through with the your punishment. As in our agreement when you joined this Guard, you were to be treated like one of the men, therefore you will not be given a lighter punishment.” Motioning to the pad at the front of the room, where punishments were given, he looked back at me. “I expect to see you tomorrow for your training. No excuses, you won’t be getting any special treatment, Understood?"
"Yes, Sir." I managed to force out. With that he nodded, motioning to the teacher who would be giving me my punishment that I could go, before leaving.
As a second year, my muscles and body were already use to the hard training that I put it through. I
Punishment was usually started as public humiliation, and then you were taken and told to give 50 pushups, while you were beat with a cane pole. The last and longest part, they placed a 50 pound rod in your hands and told you to hold it above your head for the duration of the training session.
It always started out easy, but as the minuets turned to hours it took all you had to hold it up. If it ever fell you were forced to do it all again, from the beginning.
But as I had already been placed on warning I received ten lashes. Every pushup I felt the rod slap my back, pain flaring up as the soft skin was torn and blood running down my sides.
By the end of training that night my body was a giant bloody cramp, I lay on the floor whimpering as the head teacher massaged my legs and bandaged my swollen back.
"Why won't you ever listen to me,” I heard him mumble as he stretched my legs.
Ever since I joined, the head teacher treated me like one of his daughters.
"I swear, if you keep getting into fights with the older trainees then you are going to be seriously hurt one of these times." He complained.
" I had to watch you be whipped and put through all of that until you could move, but I couldn't stop it without making you look like you were a special case." He finished massaging the knots out and gently pulled me into a sitting position.
"Oh come on, it’s not that bad." I groaned grinning at his worried expression. "Besides, this helps me get better, that way the third year won't be that hard."
He shook his head and pursed his lips.
He looked even older tonight as he placed some green paste on my wounds, his graying hair slipping out of its bun every time he leaned over
"Child, why are you here. Why do you want to do this to yourself?" He asked after a while.
"You are a pretty, young girl. You should be living like my daughters. Going out to parties, worrying about what dress you should wear, talking about boys. Not training and picking fights with boys twice your size" He said the last with a chuckle before turning serious again.
I played with my fingers, twisting my hair between them.
"Because, I don't like the thought of never truly doing what I want to do." I mumbled out.
"But you can do whatever you want...you are the pri-"
I cut him off. "I can only do what is seen of me to do. My mother would just die if she ever found out I love this." I gestured around the room, "I love coming here, and training, learning things that I am told I don't need. I love it. And truthfully I am eagerly anticipating my upcoming graduation, because then I get to really learn what I want to.” the glow of my face as I told him that seemed to settle his thoughts.
Nodding he looked me in the eyes, "Alright then, this is something you are certain you want to do. And I don't think I can talk you out of it can I?"
Will a small smile I shook my head.
"Hmm, I thought not." He grumbled. "Well, then come in everyday an hour earlier and I might have a lesson that you will like, and this one is safer." With a groan he stood up and held his hand down for me.
"What is it?" I asked, being way too curious to wait till the next day.
"Well... how about learning the art of stealth? With a body and mind like yours, I am certain you will master it swiftly. It will really set my mind at ease if you are training with something that can make you safer."
Gripping his out stretched hand; he pulled me to my feet. Nodding, I paced around pretending to think about it.
"Would I still be able to continue my practice?" I questioned.
"Of course, my dear." He clasped his hands behind his back, following me in my pacing.
"And you won't let the other trainees know about it?"
"Not if you don't want me too." A small smile forming on his tired face.
Pausing, I turned to him, my lips set in a serious line. "Then Master Wu, I would gladly take up on your offer. I shall see you tomorrow early in the morning." I said with mock seriousness and a slight curtsy. Grabbing my extra gear I walked to the door. Pausing, I turned back to see Master Wu still standing where I left him, he looked like he was in deep thought.
Quickly waving my hand, I called out to him. "Goodnight Master Wu, sleep well."
With a big smile I set out to head back home, quietly celebrating on my new lessons.
I silently crept through the passage way, my goal was ten feet in front of me. Quickly scaling a brick wall beside me, I pulled myself onto the roof. Creeping along I slid into a small hole in the roof, it was something that always needed to be fixed, but was always forgotten about until the next heavy rain storm.
Gripping onto the edge of the hole, I balanced my feet in the exposed rafters.
To my right I spotted movement, pausing in my mission, I watched as a guard made his rounds under me. As soon as he was under me I began to walk across the rafters, my feet not making any noise.
There it was sitting on a table in the middle of the room, a small scroll.
Slipping my feet out from under me I twisted as I fell, grabbing onto the rafters and swinging myself onto the table. My feet hit lightly, not even alerting the guard who had just walked into the next room. My time was running short, any minuet I could be caught, I needed to get out fast, Sweeping up the scroll, I ran.
Running through the hall, I heard footsteps approaching. With no places to hide, I continued running, bouncing on the balls of my feet I used my momentum and ran up the wall to my left, gripping onto the scroll and banister I pulled myself up into the ceiling. I perched in that spot, waiting for to footsteps to go away.
The Guard appeared around the corner and started to walk down the corridor, only to get to the end of the hall and just stand there.
With a silent curse I shook my head; I wouldn't be able to make it out this way without being caught.
Slipping a few coins out of my back pocket, I tossed one to the far side of the hall and another to the other side.
The noise of the coins hitting the ground alerted the guard standing in the hall as well as the guard who was making his rounds. As soon as the hall guard turned his back to walk towards the noise, I quickly slid from my perch feet barely making a noise.
Slipping around the corner, I breathed a sigh of relief. There were no Guards posted at this end of the building, Approaching to the front door, I paused.
Putting both hands on both of the double doors I pushed them both open at once, making my entrance very grand. Standing at the bottom of the steps I saw a group of ten men standing around a graying haired man who was looking up at me looking very proud.
Walking down the steps I stopped in front of the grey haired man. Bowing, I held out the scroll.
"Your scroll, Master Wu." I breathed out.
"Thank you, my child". He took the scroll form my outstretched hands, tucking it safely into his robes.
The front doors boomed open, and a very red faced chancellor stormed out followed by six guards, one of them I recognized as the one who was making his rounds in the main hall.
" Chancellor mason, it is a great honor." Master Wu said, pulling me behind him and out of the chancellor line of sight.
"I was just coming to greet you before I left this great province." He said very politely.
"Well I am sorry to have missed you, but something that I value very dearly had recently been stolen and I must go and apprehend the thief. Good day Sir,” he said sharply before rushing past.
Once the last guard had rounded the bend leading out of the garden, Master Wu turned to me.
"Very well done my dear, I see that you were very successful about not being caught. Now I must suggest that we take our leave, I don't want the chancellor to return to his home to find us still here." Looping my arm through his, we walked through the chancellor’s gates.
Authors note: This is something I have been working on and decided to finally post it. Kinda hoping this will turn out well. Have high hopes for this.
