Training #3
Vasin’s soothing voice flowed through my body, reviving my lost endurance and then some. I opened myself up to let Vasin’s healing balm course through my body, reassured by the fact I had someone who always believed in me.
I grasped the last sack and tossed it over my shoulder like it was featherlight, then walked the final time across the arena. I tossed it with the others and looked at the pile proudly.
“Thank you for always encouraging me, Vasin. I don’t think I’d be able to survive this without you.”
I could feel Vasin’s pleasure at my words as his warmth left me as did the second wind he brought. I plopped to the ground, happy and exhausted beyond words.
After a few moments collecting myself, I lurched to my feet and stumbled over to the climbing rope, grabbing it with both hands.
Not surprisingly, my arms gave out when I tried to pull myself up, and I collapsed to the ground.
I glared up at the rope as if it was its fault I couldn’t make it to the top.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Cole demanded, walking over to me.
“You said I couldn’t be done ’til I climbed the rope and then did the drills,” I mumbled, not looking at him.
“That was never going to happen, you idiot. I didn’t even think you’d be able to move all the feed across the arena.” Cole sighed, reaching a hand out to me. “Come on, let’s head back home and get some food in you before you pass out.”
Pissed, I slapped his hand away. “You did all this to see me give up?”
All my life I’d had people using me as they saw fit, treating me like I was there for their personal amusement.
I know I didn’t have much belief in myself through all this, but for him to purposely design this to make me fail was going too far.
I felt tears pricking the corners of my eyes, and my chest tightened with the effort to stop them.
Just like my mother, I knew I couldn’t show Cole my tears, but I was past the point of being able to control them.
Cole kneeled so that we were at eye level. “Don’t cry. Anything but that, please.”
“Why do you hate me so much?” I asked, feeling a tear escape and roll down my cheek.
“What did I do that was so wrong for you to treat me like you do? I’m the one who gave up everything to come here.
Now I have to try and prove I’m worthy to an entire clan of people who don’t want me.
I know I’m not good enough… no one else needs to tell me that. ”
Cole hung his head, and his shoulders slumped forward.
“Look, I don’t hate you. I hate where you come from.
My parents were killed on a job, attacked by Lord Everett’s men when I was little.
My grandparents were the ones who raised me.
When I look at you, all I see is your social status and title.
Your kind took my family from me because nobles think they are so superior and we are disposable. ”
He looked up at me then, and for the first time, I felt like I was really seeing the true Cole.
I knew what it was like to keep your true self hidden to keep your pain locked inside.
I was beginning to figure out that the arrogant Cole was the face of someone wounded by loss.
He was so filled with anger and vengeance for his family that he had no room for kindness.
“I’m sorry I’ve been such an asshole to you.
Even though I have my issues with nobles, it doesn’t mean you’re like that.
It’s just that letting someone have power over the only family I’ve got left scares the fuck out of me.
I wanted to hate you so it would be easier to get rid of you,” Cole admitted.
“Thing is, I’ve been impressed with you since I snuck onto your balcony that first night.
I’ve never had a woman willing to put an arrow through me for hitting on her. It was kind of hot.”
Unable to control myself, I burst into laughter. Of all the things I thought Cole would say to me, that wasn’t it. I laughed so hard tears started to seep out of my eyes.
“You shocked the hell out of me today,” Cole said once I stopped laughing.
“Abbott told me how well you did on the obstacle course yesterday. I thought it was just dumb luck… no way could a prissy noble lady be turned into a mercenary. It just doesn’t happen.
I needed you to prove yourself to me and know what your breaking point was.
If I was going to be asked to risk my life for you as our queen and leader, then I needed to know the type of person you really are.
Time and time again, you’ve shown me something different than I assumed,” Cole said, standing and reaching out a hand to help me up.
“I guess it took me until now to see you might be more stubborn than anyone I’ve ever met. ”
“So does this mean we can work on being at least civil to each other?” I asked, looking from his hand to his face, not wanting to fall for some prank.
“Yeah, sure, whatever. But understand this changes nothing about how I train you.”
I grasped his hand and let him pull me up. “I would expect nothing less.”