17. Rourk
Chapter seventeen
Rourk
I t’s late afternoon when I begin my training session, up on the hill where they usually train. The twenty hunters in the tribe have shown up,promise, along with six villagers who also want to learn from me.
I give a speech about what we’ll be aiming to achieve during the training: Form. Awareness. Resilience. Discipline. It’s a speech I’ve given countless times before to new recruits, and it takes me back to simpler times in the Oathlands.
These hunters and villagers do not know I am the General Commander of the Oathlands Military. They think I am a simple soldier. But that’s still enough to get the attention of half of them. The other half clearly do not want to be there or listen to a word I have to say.
We go through footwork first. The first lesson to learn is balance. The second is awareness. To be aware of your surroundings and know where the enemy is, and where your allies are. I take them through a few basic attack and defense combinations with a spear to begin with. Some show surprising promise while others seem to not have entered this life equipped for combat. But I work with what I have.
Bohan is the most vocal against me. Which isn’t surprising. He seems intent on undermining or questioning me at every turn. He has a few hunters on his side while others seem to be genuinely determined to do well.
As we move on to sparring in pairs, I find myself looking out over the village, hoping to see Galene down there. I wonder what she’s doing, and who she’s with. And, I have to admit, only to myself, I wonder if she’s thinking about me.
I notice two women watching us from afar. Magdalena and Abby, the young blonde woman whom I’ve hardly spoken with. I note how I’ve never seen the two of them together before and have to wonder why they’re so interested in the training session. But I note now that many others are also watching my tutelage.
I take my would-be soldiers through their sparring sessions and move on to unarmed offensive and defensive techniques.
At this point, Bohan throws his spear into the ground with a powerful huff. “This is pointless. This man knows nothing of actual combat.” He paces as he waves a meaty hand at me. “We do not spar with a wolf, like knights in a palace courtyard, and we do not use our bare hands to catch a fish or snatch a bird from its perch. We are not Oathland soldiers and we do not wish to be.”
Freddick steps up. “We can learn a lot from Tarin. I mean… no one else told me about balance and awareness.”
“He’s right,” Zayne says. “We should learn what we can from Tarin as the man speaks from experience. ”
Wills shakes his head, his wavy hair flapping around his ears. “Have you gone mad? Bohan knows more than this outsider. We do not need to learn the steps of a dance to hunt.” He shoots me a murderous glare. “This is no man. We shouldn’t listen to anything he says.”
“Have I done something to offend you, Wills?” I ask, feeling like I’m missing something. The young man hadn’t shown this much hostility toward me before, and now he appears on the edge of rage.
Freddick leans closer to me and mutters, “He is Wini Semassi’s brother.”
My stomach drops. I understand now. Rumors have spread about me being seen with that young vixen, Wini, during the festival. And I can sense there is nothing I can say to defend myself, as others seem to have made up their minds about my character. Arguing with them will get me nowhere.
I step away from the main group and clasp my arms behind my back as I address them. “New plan. Bohan and Wills, I will engage with you both in combat. No weapons. If either of you can land a blow on me, I will cease the training and leave the village immediately.”
I’m met with concerned and confused faces as a heavy hush falls over them. Some share uncertain looks. “What?” I challenge. “Does it not sound fair to you?”
They ignore the question. Bohan’s dark eyes have a wild gleam in them. “And if we lose?”
When, I almost correct. When you lose . “Then you will listen to what I have to say and do as I instruct with no push back. Do we have a deal?”
“We accept,” Wills says eagerly .
He has a strong build for a man in his mid-twenties, but he is eager and undisciplined. Although he has speed in his favor, he will be a sloppy fighter, going for the heavy hits without thought to defense or counters. And his rage against me will blind him to my actions.
“You don’t have to do this,” Freddick says under his breath with urgency and fear in his eyes.
I give him a small, reassuring nod.
“We accept,” Bohan says, wanting to be the speaker for them both and show his dominance.
I instruct the others to form a circle around us, giving us a makeshift arena. That will help keep our skirmish hidden from the rest of the village.
Bohan stretches his neck and arms as he steps up. He is taller than me, with a more powerful build, and he has the experience behind him. He is the Head Hunter for a reason. But he will underestimate me, and I have a few surprises for him.
Bohan flexes his hands and cracks his fingers. “I, Bohan Boronoro, will show you the might of the Shanti People.”
I cock my head. “Your name is Bohan Boronoro?”
He pauses. “Yes. Why?”
I let out a chuckle. “No reason. I just think that’s funny.”
Bohan flushes with rage and charges at me. His anger will make him careless. But also formidable. I’ll have to be careful to use his anger in my favor.
Bohan goes for heavy punches, which I easily evade, while Wills rushes up with a jumping knee thrust. I move swiftly between them, gauging their prowess and thought patterns. They are brash and are openly indicating their moves to me, as expected. I side-step to avoid their attacks, block a punch and use the momentum to throw them off balance, and at times have to twist or dive away from them.
Wills comes at me with a thrusting kick, but I raise my leg to intercept, plant my foot against his, and push him back. He rolls through the dirt and knocks into the surrounding watchers.
Heavy grunts and footfalls tell me Bohan is charging from behind. He goes to grab me, but I spin around and bring my arms up under his arms to clasp my hands behind his neck. That traps his arms and renders them useless while my hands remain firmly locked behind his neck.
But he is a fiercely resilient opponent, and he tries to shake me off. I’m still not as strong as I used to be, but I manage to hold the arm lock. Bohan throws his head back as I quickly shift my head away. He would have knocked me unconscious with that blow.
I finally release him and shove him away. Wills has picked himself up and is coming at me from the side. I catch Wills’ punch and twist his arm, careful to not put enough pressure to break the bone, and flip him over my shoulder to slam him on the ground.
Bohan charges at me like a mad bull. I leap up and flip over him, twisting in the air, and bring my foot down to kick him as he passes. That elicits some impressed gasps from the spectators.
Wills fires off a series of punches and kicks, but he is growing tired and I evade them easily, not even needing to raise my arms. I start to sense the growing approval from those around us, as I show them what they could be capable of doing.
When Bohan charges at me again, I duck low to hook my arm under his leg and roll us both to the ground, bringing him into a firm lock with his arms and leg trapped. I allow him to stay helpless for a second, making sure others see what I’ve done, and release him when I sense Wills coming for another attack.
Wills comes low from the side. His arm flashes out and a cloud of dirt and grit hits my eyes. The shock of the impact stuns me and I feel myself drop hard to my knees. My vision is gone, and so is my confidence. It feels like my eyes are bleeding.
I throw myself to the ground to evade a punch from Wills, which I just sense coming. Then I have to roll to avoid angry foot stomps from Wills. I push myself to my feet, clearing the dirt and dust from my eyes, and manage to see distinct shapes through my blurry, stinging eyes.
A boot lands on my back and knocks me several feet through the air. My breath leaves me as I hit the ground hard and roll in a heap. I cough into the dirt, kicking up more dirt into my face and mouth.
“It’s over,” I hear Bohan say, his voice strained and exhausted.
I take a moment to clear my eyes, my vision gradually returning.
“That’s not fair,” Freddick says.
“There are no rules in battle,” Bohan says.
“We won. We landed a blow. That was the deal,” Wills says, panting heavily .
“They are right,” I say. “They won, fairly, even if they played unfairly.”
Zayne’s deep voice carries over the crowd. “Tarin showed us he is a capable, experienced fighter. Far beyond the skills of any of us. Even myself. Even the great Bohan.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Wills says. “A deal is a deal.”
“But that flip,” someone says.
“Or that lock he had Bohan in,” another says. “I want to learn that.”
Others chime in, making it clear they want to keep learning.
“Enough,” Bohan barks, forcing a silence. He glares at me, his chest still heaving from the adrenaline that must be coursing through him. His tone softens slightly when he says, “I don’t know anyone who could take on two opponents like that. You made us look like fools. Even if we won, I… I would still like to learn from you, outsider.”
“This is bullshit,” Wills says, seething. “You’re going to listen to him ?”
“We all will,” Bohan says sternly, staring Wills down. He turns to me. “Yes. Tarin lost. He will leave as promised. However, before he goes… I would like to know how that arm lock move works.”
I smile at him and nod, relieved at the understanding and respect showing in Bohan’s eyes. “I’ll be happy to show you.”
“Very well,” Bohan says with a small nod of his own. There is no more aggression emanating from him. “Let us continue the training,” he yells to everyone, once again needing to be the leader of the group .
I continue the training and we go for hours, until almost dusk. This will be my last night with the Shanti People. I make arrangements to leave in the morning.
A steady rain picks up that night and a howling, fierce wind keeps the village inside. I want to find Galene, to spend more time with her, to see into those eyes and hear her voice, but I know I shouldn’t. I will be leaving and that will be the end of it.
The previous night spent with Galene plays through my mind. Despite my words to her denying remembering it, I can still feel her against me, and taste her lips. My hands remember the feeling of her.
Snap out of it, Rourk , I finally tell myself. I’m getting ahead of myself and building a fantasy in my head.
My time with the Shanti People is over. I will give my goodbyes to the villagers in the morning and be on my way.
A face flashes through my mind. Striking blue eyes and a wicked smile.
It was always meant to end.
But the idea of that ending sours my stomach now. Of turning away from this village, these people…
Galene.