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Ch.3

Three years had come gone, and with them so did Sariel's bountiful bosom and wide hips, oh how I longed to be able to cuddle against her soft luscious body once more, but deep down I knew we would meet again. For those three years I poked and prodded her brain for every ounce of knowledge I could glean like a man dying of thirst drinking up every drop of morning dew. My body too had finally able to leave behind the pudginess of infancy and start come into the shape of a young boy. My ears were longer and pointier than they hand been, and my unruly black hair now was tied in a warriors knot at the back of my head. A choice of my father's no doubt, now that I had reached an age where he could begin training me and my magic was suitably managed my. My life had become less fluffy, with my mother and father scolding Layriel for indulging in my selfishness.

My days of innocently snuggling up against bosoms were replaced with martial training and the stern guiding hand of my father, much to his surprise I had taken readily to a life of discipline and structure. There was something distant and familiar nagging at my mind about the monotonous tasks, as if I had done them hundreds of time before. My body began slim and tone from running, I was clearly taking after my mother's Elven heritage. I was taller than some of the other children my age by at least a head, and I found that I was exceptionally agile and light on my feet.

“Again” my father called out as I struck the wooden dummy with a training sword just as I had day after day until my hands had grown blistered and bleeding until callouses had begun to form. My hands were only beginning to become hardened and weathered but it was enough to keep me training longer and longer each day. “Again” he called out and I mindlessly swung the one handed sword in rote repetition focusing on proper edge alignment over raw power till my right arm grew weary and tired. “Now the left” I switched hands and waited for the command to swing, the exercise was mind numbingly dull. During these training sessions I could almost picture droves of men in olive drab uniforms repeatedly face down in the dirt collapsed under the stress of their training.

“Alright two laps around the village and you're free for the rest of the day”Alric chuckled with pride as I set down the training sword and took off jogging.

“Alric, you're going to run the poor boy ragged if you keep this up” Ethenriel scolded her husband pouting while glaring with folded arms.

It was never good when she used his name in that tone, “it's for his own good love, a boy's father needs to be tough on him so that his son can grow up and stand on his own two feet” he tried to defend his actions while hiding his embarrassment.

“Still, he's only six, is this how your father treated you at that age” she questioned looking deep into his crimson eyes which twinged with pain at her barbed words.

“Worse my love, far worse” he replied with a pained voice, “if I don't give him the strength to stand up to what ever the future holds how can I look him in the eye's as a father” he spoke softly as he took Ethenriel into his burly arms.

“Zamiel is already on his way to becoming a powerful mage, will that not be enough to give the strength to protect those he loves” She murmured into his comforting chest.

“I hope that is the case my love, I hope he never has to discover the answer to that question, that is why I must give him the strength to spit in the faces of the Gods before I will stop worrying about my boy” he whispered softly whilst taking comfort in his love.

“Two laps around the village, how hard can it be” I muttered to myself as I slogged through ankle deep mud stirred up by spring rains, seriously off the village's road of hewn planks the entire area was a quagmire. My lungs panted and burned with effort, it would be so easy to form a construct to feed Aether into my muscles making this entire exercise a moot point, but I was forbidden from doing so. The point was to gain physical strength and stamina and not to rely on my magical gift, fortunately I only had one lap left.

Much to my embarrassment and chagrin one of the children from the village had made my suffering her favorite pastime, every day that I was out on a run she'd follow me from one side of the village to the other by walking along the hewn plank road. She was a small waifish girl with sandy brown hair who always seemed to have something to smile about. It was a warm carefree smile, as if to say everything is alright, just keep trying your best.

“Hah the half breed is at it again, run little half breed” a disgustingly thuggish voice called out, the voice belonged to Sam, a fat little weaselly bastard if I'd ever met one.

“Shove it up your arse Sam, I don't have time for your bullshit today” I called out over my shoulder while continuing on my way.

“What the fuck ya looking at, ya got the hots for him or summing” I heard Sam's voice before I heard a crack of fist of flesh and a splattering of mud behind me.

I turned my head and saw the waifish girl with her warm carefree smile looking up at me with blood leaking from her nose, still smiling as if to say everything was alright. It wasn't. I felt an unfamiliar sensation welling up from deep with in, it gripped my heart and before I knew it I launched my self at the fat little fucker. My body filled with the euphoric surge of Aether flooding into my muscles, my fist impacted his rib cage and I heard and audible crack as the force of the blow bowled him over and off of the walkway. I slowly stalked over to where he was laying curled up clutching his likely fractured or broken ribs. “You. Should. Not. Have Done. That” I growled menacingly as I placed my foot against the side of his head and begin to press down.

I felt a small impact at my lower back and the soft feeling of a mud clad embrace “stop you don't have to hurt him anymore” the girl voiced as she clung to my back crying.

“He hurt you, he deserves it” I growled until seeing the pain and panic stricken girls face. She didn't need this, what the girl needed was comfort. Not more violence “count your blessings Sam, she probably saved your life, come lets get you washed up” I sighed and let go of the burning anger in my heart.

I picked up the small girl and carried her princess style back to our home, it was the largest building in the village aside from the mill. A two story structure built of stone and mortar with a timber roof, it was definitely a sign of difference between ourselves and the rest of the community. The majority of the buildings were built of timber and had thatched roofs, though not living in abject poverty they were certainly not wealthy. My father and mother were retired adventurers and had saved a sizable sum with which to build their home, while it separated us from the rest of the village it was also a boon to them. Our fields supplied much of the village with supplementary income and meant that our farmlands and pastures did not go to waste and my father was always a fair man gaining the respect of the people. During the slaughter season we always gifted a few of our butchered cattle to the people to help feed their families.

Layriel was currently out hanging laundry as was the first to spot us and hurried over with a disapproving scowl “what exactly happened young man for you to come home carrying a young mud splattered girl” she huffed at me.

“I-i-it would be best for me to explain it to father first can you please see to it that she gets cleaned up” I stuttered under the pressure of the slim beauty's withering glare.

“Yes that would be best, courtyard now” She sighed before having me put down the young girl and pointed towards the other side of the house.

With a deep breath I manned up and walked around to the back of the hose and pushed open the gate, my father was currently relaxing with a mug of ale in the spring sun.

“Heh come back for more already” chuckled turning to face me I could tell immediately that he knew something had occurred from his changing expression.

“What happened” He questioned in a firm neutral tone while narrowing his crimson eyes at me.

Out of some long forgotten habit I stood with my legs spread equal to my shoulders and arms crossed behind my lower back. “I was out jogging when Sam began shouting insults at me, just as you instructed I ignored his taunts” I explained before pausing. “But there was a young girl who has been following me these past couple of days, she crossed paths with him entirely focused on me so he lashed out at her, when I saw her laying in the mud something snapped in me” it took everything I had not to quiver in his presence as he loomed over me.

“Is he dead” He questioned with a cold distant tone.

“No, I just broke some of his ribs” I replied closing my eyes in expectation of a strike that never came, I opened them upon hearing my father audibly sigh and sit back down.

“You did the right thing, Sam's that fat little bastard right, the Miller's son, a real viscous turd that one. Hopefully he will learn a lesson from this, if not you may have to break a few more of bones to get the point across, and the girl” he carried on completely amused by my actions.

“I carried her to our house Layriel is currently seeing to her, you're not angry with me father” I questioned nervously.

“Not in the slightest, but we'll have to go make amends to the Miller, that kind of annoys me, suppose I could wipe away the debt he owes me if he want's to make an issue of the ordeal, how's your fist” he smirked between sips of ale.

“Fine, I uh, kind of hit him with Aether reinforcement” I mutter in embarrassment as he erupted into laughter.

“Explains how you broke that tub of lard's ribs, he's what twice your age and three time's your weight, ahh that had to be a sight. Alright get cleaned up in the gear shed then meet me in the living room” he chuckled.

I walked over to the shed and grabbed a bucket before heading to the hand pump to fill our spare wash basin with water, I couldn't help but shake my head in bewilderment at my father's attitude as I used bucked after bucket of water to fill the basin. Fortunately all it took was a little heating construct and a smidgen of Aether to get the water to a nice steaming temperature, after stripping off my muddy training clothes I slipped into the basin enjoying the warmth spreading over my aching muscles. What happened gave me a few interesting ideas to try, “I wonder if I can create a pair of gauntlets from an earth construct” I wondered as I soaked in the tub.

After getting cleaned and changing into my another set of clothes I marched into the living room where My mother and maid were seated alongside the sandy brown haired girl who was now wearing a simple cream colored dress. The cream color complimenting her lightly tanned skin nicely. My father idly stood in the background with a mischievous smile, “just what the hell have I wandered into” I thought as I took a seat on the sofa across from them.

Layriel leaned over and whispered something into the girl's ear making her squirm before nodding in affirmation, she stood up and walk over to me with a clumsy gait. “T-t-thank you for earlier, mamma says you should always thank those who help you, my name's Lily, what's yours” she questioned with a stutter hiding her embarrassment behind her bangs.

I took a knee to look up into the face of the girl who was hanging her head “It is a pleasure to make you acquaintance Lily, my name is Zamiel, tell me Lily, do you want to become strong like me that way no one can hurt you again” I questioned. At this range I couldn't help but notice the light smattering freckles across the bridge of her nose and her deep brown doe like eyes. Though barely more than a stick she certainly had cute qualities and a demeanor that would make anyone want to protect the fragile girl.

She shook her head “Mamma says its bad to hurt people” she said stubbornly stamping one of her feet like a petulant child. “Plus you'll protect me if that happens right Zamiel” she said sweetly looking at me with those innocent doe eyes to wrench at my heart strings.

“Now I know how my mother feels when I do that” I thought guiltily while trying to avoid the judgmental stares being pointed at me by Layriel and my mother. “Lily of course big brother Zamiel will protect you, but I can't always be around to protect you, what will you do if something happens and I'm not around” I reply with a soft caring tone while ruffling her hair.

Lily tiled her head to the side for a moment while considering my words before nodding strongly in agreement “can big bro really make Lily stronger” she questioned excitedly.

I patted her head “Anything is possible if you put your mind to it, don't worry I'll help Lily get really strong” I say patting her head gently. “Alright let's get you home, I wouldn't want your mother to get worried' I replied taking her hand in mine.

Her home was on the far side of the village, isolated from the rest of the building's due to her father's trade. I could smell the stink of putrid flesh and smoke long before the Tanner's house came into view, but once we did I could see him outside washing and stretchering hides over various racks. Upon seeing me the tanner took off his thick leather apron and rinsed his hand in a near by basin, he was a tall wiry man with a thick bushy mustache and a shaved head. His face bore several scars, no doubt the results of a few disputes that were likely ended by one of the many long knives that hung from the man's belt.

“Can I help you young man” he inquired narrowing his sharp eyes at me while one hand rested on the hilt of a particularly large seax causing me to instantly let go of Lily's hand to try and avoid any misconceptions.

“Your daughter was struck by the miller's son Sam, so I took her to my house to get healed by my mother, our maid got her washed up and gave her a change of clothes sir” I replied as quick and clearly as I could, the way the man was fingering the hilt of that knife was rather worrying.

“Do I look like some pansy ass noble boy, the name's Bill, some call me Bill the Butcher but those days are behind me” He said offering out his hand.

“Zamiel, Alric's son” I replied clasping his hand only to have him begin clamping down with a wicked smile while giving it a good shake. I gritted my teeth to avoid wincing and began feeding Aether into the muscles of my hand, not enough to overpower him but enough to show I wasn't about to back down.

After letting go of my hand he reached out and ruffled his daughter's short sandy brown hair “there's daddy's favorite flower, you go run inside and go show of your new dress to mamma” he said sweetly abandoning his threatening dangerous persona till she disappeared inside the house. Bill was very much the spitting image of a gruff but very dotting father, an image that made the man all the more intimidating.

I started to head back only to have a firm hand grip my shoulder “where do you think you're going, you still have some explaining to do” the man chuckled darkly. “Henry's boy put his hands on my daughter, what condition is he in, your answer better be a good one” he threatened with a warm friendly smile.

“Only hit him once, but he's laid up right now with a couple of broken ribs, probably would have killed him if Lily didn't stop me” I sighed wearily trying to forget about the strange sensation that had gripped my heart.

“Witch's tits boy, just how strong are ya” Bill let out a a warm hearty laugh before giving my back a stinging slap, “now for the important question, what are you to my Lily” he spoke once more splitting his face with a predatory grin.

“Nothing sir, my intentions are purely honorable, I do hope however to give Lily the strength to stand up for her self” I responded with an almost military diction and posture.

Bill rubbed his bald head for a moment embarrassed by my response “no need to be serious, I was only trying to tease ya, but ya hurt my daughter and I'll bury you out back with the last guy who tried to cheat me” he chuckled. Some how I doubted he was joking about the guy who was probably pushing up daises somewhere in Bill's field.

I returned home, my head filled with the conundrum of just how to help Lily get stronger, I had some reason to believe that she possessed the potential to become a mage if only she was shown how. As my own power increased I became more sensitive to the ambient Aether, how it moved and flowed through the world around me, for what ever reason I could distinguish those who were mage's and those who were not. Layriel and my mother both possessed sizable quantities of Aether, how ever it felt strangely different from the raw Aether that flowed through my core, as if being ran through a sieve that changed it's properties. More thoughts to keep me occupied while I drifted off to sleep.