Chương 8: Don't Question Loyalty

I huffed and panted as I swung my arms towards Sebastion. Every hit blocked by his arms and legs. I was improving his hand to hand combat, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to land a hit on him. We have sparred together for so long that we knew our strategies by heart. The heat of the room made the tank top stick to my sweaty chest, clinging and making me feel gross. I offered Sebastion a time out as I pealed my tank top off my body. I swear there was so much sweat I could wring it out. Gross. He tossed me a towel from the counter top and I pat my body down. Discarding both the tank top and towel aside, I cracked my neck and was ready to spar again.

We circled each other, fists raised as we stared each other down. The moonlight was the only light source in the training room. It was early morning so everyone was still asleep, leaving us in peace and quiet. No Aspin to hound us, no quipped and pleasant conversations, just Sebastion and I trying to test our stamina and strength. Sebastion lunged for me, trying to make contact with my head. I was ready though, with quick lightening reflexes I dodged my head out of the way. Using the momentum, I tried swinging for an uppercut, only for him retract his steps and I punched at air. I hissed in frustration. I know exactly what will get him torqued. He won't even know what I am doing until it's too late.

"Sebastion, I am a little disappointed. You seem to be growing soft on me." Take the bait you dimwit. Sebastion scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he stared me down.

"Says the one who can't land a single punch. Come on small fry, are you even trying?" He was goading me on too. How interesting that we both tried to play on each others pride and use it against them. Twins do think a like.

"Small fry, is that really all you have for insults. What did you hit your head today? I think you managed to lose more brain cells than you already had." I sneered at him. I heard him grunt and lunge once again towards me. Gotcha you dummy. A rule of combat, never let the enemy press your buttons. Instead of evading his attack, I moved enough out of the way to avoid his punch, but grabbed his arm. With a wink I dove underneath him, dragging his body weight down and making him roll towards the ground. Making quick work, I placed my feet on his chest and launched him over. He landed with a solid thud and grunted as his back hit the ground.

"You have improved immensely. I thought I was starting to lose my edge. If you didn't let your pride get in the way, I'd say you might even had a chance." I grinned wickedly as I crossed the room to pick up my discarded towel. I wiped the sweat from my body, gross and sticky. Sebastion groaned as he rolled to his feet. I listened to him mutter and cuss under his breath as he snatched his towel from the floor.

"Yeah I let you have that one. It was so sad to watch you struggle." He joked wiping off his exposed chest and face. I wrung out my sweat filled hair before tossing the towel to the side once again. With how dirty these floors where, I was probably just rubbing the dirt all over my body now. Thank goodness for warm bath houses.

"You only wish little brother. Ready for round two?" I asked positioning myself on the mat. Feet planted apart, fists raised in the air. Sebastion tossed the towel, readying himself. His eyes where dead set indetermination. I guess he took the loss a little more harshly then I thought. What a baby.

"You do realize you are older by like eight minutes right? Hardly little don't you think?" Amusement dripped from his voice. Oh Sebastion regardless how far apart we where, you will always be my little brother. Angry and a little sore he tried swinging multiple times, each shot missing as I skillfully avoided him. Another way to piss him off was dodging. If he couldn't land a hit, he would get impatient and act up. Throw in a couple of insults and he was unhinged. No patience at all with this goon. He tried round house kicking my from underneath me, but I easily jumped him. I could tell his patience was already wearing thin but his eyes. They where dark and narrowed.

"Will you stop jumping around like a damn monkey and fight me?" He growled. I just smiled in response as I evaded another punch. Oh Sebastion, how you where so fun to toy with. He tried another string of punches. I blocked one of his punches with my arm, but I didn't stop there. While he was still standing stunned, I wrapped my arm around his neck and launched my feet into air. With the momentum, I dragged his body down with me, throwing him once again on the floor.

"Sebastion you need to stop letting your pride and impatient ways get in the the way of your goal. You make hasty decisions that cloud your judgement. Of course I know your weaknesses because I am your sister. But as your former leader you need to work on controlling your anger. It's going to get you killed." I threw my legs into the air and landed on my feet. I offered my hand out to Sebastion and braced my self as I helped him to his feet.

"What would Nicklos say if he saw you now I wonder?" Nicklos, my former lover from the guild. The only other man other the Sebastion I trusted fully and completely. Stole my heart and then buried it under the dirt with him when he died.

"I would hope he would be proud of me. But it matters not now since he is dead." I said with a hollowed out voice. He was dead so I would never know what he thought of me now. "Now shut up, your big mouth might wake someone up." I hissed angrily before swatting him with my towel.

"Alright alright. Jeez 'General Aria'. Chill." He smirked running the towel through his hair. That stupid title. All it got me was more attention for torture. The favorite play thing. Sure some respected the name. I had devoted followers that had pledged their allegiance to me before I left. A group of soldiers that hated Drakos just as much as we had. All facing the same fate with murdered parents and forced into the guild. Surprisingly enough I missed those bastards and their rowdy ways. It was so different compared the the quiet life we found our selves in.

I looked up surprised as the door to the training room opened. Drake entered, his eyebrows raised questioningly as he took us in. Sweat dripping off our bodies despite already toweling off once. Something about him screamed at me to walk over to him. Like a tiny voice in my head that apparently had no common sense. Why was he in here? Why was he up? I know he was instructed to keep an eye on all of us, but it was becoming increasingly annoying just for him to pop in on us unannounced. The Master told us a few days ago he had to leave on important business, so Drake would be in charge in his absence. It was very rare and seldom he left. So what ever it was it had to be important. It was always so discrete and mysterious, sometimes you had to wonder what he was up too.

"You do realize it's like three in the morning right?" He remarked leaning against the door way. His eyes wandered down my body, steadying on the scars left on my torso and chest. Let the bastard look, it wasn't the first time a man has looked at me. In fact I felt myself straighten as he looked. If he was going to stare he might as well get a good look. Every scar on my body was a reminder about how evil the men in the world where. A reminder to never let another one near me ever again.

"No one gets up this early. Easier to train without prying eyes." I raised an eyebrow at him before tossing the towel over my shoulder and crossing my arms together. Drake and Aspin both had become annoying over the last few days. Aspin's level annoying was asking every day, every minute, of every hour if we could spar. After first I appreciated his eagerness to learn, but as it continued, he just became more of a pest.

"What are you doing up anyway?" Sebastion asked, crossing his arms. I rolled my eyes at his macho attitude. Seriously I'm surprised the Master hasn't ripped him a new one yet. Drake didn't seem bothered though, almost laughing.

"I got up to go jogging this morning and heard you squabbling and getting your ass kicked. So I figured I would check on you before heading out." Sebastion growled and swung his towel in a tight circle before cracking it like a whip at my legs. I jumped out of the way and glared at him.

"Watch it Sebastion. I am not afraid to put you down. Again." He scoffed at me and rolled his eyes, but a big smile broke across his face. He was such a headache some days.

"Very well, continue your training. I'll be out for a little bit." Drake called over his shoulder, leaving the door open. Playfully I jumped on Sebastion's back and wrestled him to the ground. We threw insults at each other in the process before we decided it was time for a bath. We walked to the bath house, still squabbling. Sometimes it was easier for us to be up this early. We could be ourselves, no questions asked. No multiple question, just Sebastion and I. Of course It's been a few days now since I opened up about the unfortunate truth of my past. They haven't really treated me any different than before, except for what they say around me.

At first it kind of got under my skin. Anytime I would walk into the room it would get quiet and the whispering would start. Drake would always take the initiative and say morning or evening and then they would chime in. But it was like they viewed me differently for reasons I couldn't understand. But after awhile I stopped caring, because at the end of the day we where not friends. We didn't go out of our way to please each other and I was okay with that. I had friends, and they where not here.

We entered the bath house, steam rolling off the water. I made it no effort to pull what little clothes I had off, wrapping a clean towel around my body and sinking into the water. I gave a happy sigh, as the sweat and stink started to come off my body. Sebastion waded deep into the water, dunking his head and resurfacing splashing water every where in the process.

"I'll never get over this bath house. It's nothing like the one at the assassin's guild, but it works just the same." I crossed my legs and closed my eyes. Just as if was run by magic, the pool's heat went to work easing and massaging my tender and knotted muscles. It was like a bubble that rubbed at the sore spots until they where no longer aching. The healing bath is what I liked to call it sometimes. The only thing it didn't work on was my nightmares I had.

"It's probably the only decent room in the manor." He nodded in agreement. The door opened and Lola walked in, a towel already wrapped around her body. She blushed deep red as her eyes fell on Sebastion's exposed chest. So much for a quiet morning. I thought everyone would still be in bed.

"Oh my, I'll come back later." She turned to leave and I stopped her, trying not to laugh. 'What would you do when this is all over?' Drake's words bounced around in my head and I stifled a sigh and pasted the best smile I could on my face.

"He only bites when provoked. There is still plenty of room." I waved her in to The pool. She was really timid at first. She played with her long blonde hair, twirling it in her hands before taking a timid step into the pool. We watched quietly as she submerged her body, sitting tense and awkward. A little banter might put her at ease. Before I could the door opened again. I tried very hard to hide my grimace, the pool was now starting to become crowded. Like the Guild bath house was any better?

It was Drake once again. Surprise washed over his face. His shirt was drenched in sweat. It clung to every groove and crevice of his muscles, really showing off his toned abs and arms. So very strong arms...Aria what the hell are you even thinking about? It had to be something in the water. It just had to be. Mentally shaking my head, I directed my attention to Lola, who was cowering in the corner and trying to hide her face. I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face.

"Lola, you are so red, you look like a tomato." I teased. Her eyes closed embarrassed. Sebastion and I chuckled at her discomfort. It was actually kind of cute seeing her so disoriented.

"It is improper for me to be here with so many undressed men!" She said breathlessly. It became evident to me that she probably had little to no experience with men. I actually started to feel a little guilty teasing her this way. There was nothing wrong with being inexperienced with men. In fact if I had it my way, I would have kept it that way as well.

"Are you telling me, that you live with a bunch of men, and you haven't ever seen them shirtless? Let alone naked?" Sebastion grinned. I splashed water at him angrily. He didn't need to talk to her like that in front of Drake.

"I swear you are the most insensitive human being on this planet!" I growled at him. He shrugged as Drake walked in the the pool. He had the biggest smirk on his face as I continued to defend Lola.

"She is a medicine woman Aria. I find it entertaining that she hasn't ever seen a man before. Tell me, what will you do if you manage to find someone Lola, you obviously can't stay innocent for ever." Lola's face could not get any more red. I watched the water gently ripple as Drake settled in next to me. I could feel my body tense, but I tried to ignore him.

"Drop it. You are making her uncomfortable." I hissed. He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. It was quiet as she struggled to compose her self. Her face turning from red and getting lighter as she finally calmed down. Curse Sebastion and his lack of manners.

"Have you ever seen Master's face? He always hides it. You two have been here the longest. What's he like?" She broke the silence that grew in the room. Everyone was so infatuated with his hidden identity, they never stopped to ask why it was hidden. I gave her a sympathetic smile. She continued to ask the wrong people, because we didn't care about what he looked like. All that mattered to us was that he offered salvation as long as we did what he asked. That was enough for us.

"We don't ask questions. He asked us as much when we joined the core. It's better sometimes to leave things the way they are." I leaned against the wall of the pool. It wasn't like we would get answers. He is so tight lipped.

"So you just blindly follow someone?" Disbelief in her voice. I sighed, this is why I got up early. I hated these questions.

"I don't expect you to understand the way we do things. But to answer your question, yes I would. He saved us after all, gave us a life that we never had in the guild. Who are we to ask more of him." Sebastion and I shared a sorrowful look. Drake said nothing, still observing and listening. It was weird as he was normally chatty. But his demeanor almost matched that of the Master. I wondered how close they really where. I suppose we would never know that either. The details would never matter any way because when this was over, we wouldn't be sticking around. I wasn't sure what we would do, but I might even put the fighting life behind me. Of course that was if I made it that far.

That was if my secrets didn't kill me first.

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