Valeria

My intention with that display was to discourage these mercenaries from approaching me but it seems to have had the opposite effect.

I intended to find a spot to rest for the night away from the others, but when I found a good spot I was quickly surrounded by a small group of mercenaries. So, I found myself sitting around a fire with the small group and at the center of their attention. Since they had no ill intentions I didn’t complain.

“Lady Valeria care for some pork?”

“Where are you from if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’ve always wanted to do the same thing to Dennis, the man is a vile lecher.”

“Let’s not hound her. I know you all are curious, but give Lady Valeria space to breathe.” Though he was young, Max seemed to have a high position in the band as the others nodded their heads and heeded his words.

I shrugged my shoulders and took the pork that Duncan offered, an older man with short gray hair, black eyes, and brown leatherlike skin. “I don’t mind, and please stop with the “Lady Valeria” simply Valeria will do.” I bit onto the meat and found that it was slightly chewy.

“Hahaha, I told you all that she was no stuck-up noblewoman. Valeria, there are not many women in the band, so we have to be tougher than the men to stop them from having any funny ideas. You did well making an example of Dennis.” The homely woman Lucille with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes said in a raspy voice grinning at me.

Pascal a young man with average features, black eyes, and black hair tied into a short ponytail snorted as if in disbelief. “Who’s ever had any funny ideas about you, Lucille.”

Lucille grinned teasingly. “Are you jealous? It was only one night where I decided to make a boy into a man on a whim and you haven’t stopped fawning over me since then.”

Pascal blushed and drank from a waterskin before speaking. “A drunken mistake that made me see you as far more beautiful than in reality.”

Lucille laughed and threw some dirt at Pascal that hit him in the face. Duncan had a jolly laugh and Max shook his head grinning.

They seem like a friendly bunch, and they approached me first. I think they'll answer my questions.

I addressed the group where an irritated Pascal was wiping the dirt off his face while being laughed at. “Pascal asked me where I was from, but I do not know. I was taken in when I was young by a kind couple, but they did not know where I was from or who my real family was. As a mercenary band, I’m sure you all have seen more of the world than I have. Have any of you seen people with similar features to me?”

They stopped laughing, stared at each other, and fell into thought as they closed their eyes.

A few seconds passed, and Max opened his eyes speaking apologetically. “I have been with the Golden Tree since I was 13 years old and in my time since I don’t recall seeing anyone quite like you. I have seen people with reddish hair in the Sagitta Kingdom but not as red as yours and none with your beautiful sapphire blue eyes.”

The Sagitta Kingdom… Like the Orion Kingdom, I know nothing about it, and it's not familiar.

I sighed disappointed and Duncan looked at me sympathetically. “An orphan is it. There are many such cases in mercenary bands and several in our band. Max here was an orphan as well before being taken in by Commander Percival.”

Lucille nodded sympathetically as well and pointed to herself with her thumb. “I’m not an orphan, but my parents were miscreants and I worked as a tavern maid before deciding to join this lot. It was maybe 8 ye-.”

Before she could tell her tale Pascal had thrown dirt at her interrupting her and spoke. “She did not ask for your tale, wench.” He looked at me and shook his head. “Like Max said we have not encountered anyone that looks like you. We may be traveling to the lands beyond the sea for work soon. so we might find some people that look similar to you there.”

The lands beyond the sea. I overheard them talking about it earlier but again I know nothing, and it does not sound familiar.

Growing slightly frustrated with my lack of knowledge I decided to take a rest and hope for some memories to return when I awoke. I stood up and smiled at the group in appreciation. “Thank you all for answering my question and keeping me company. Percival provided me a blanket and a small tent so I will take my leave and rest.”

They all nodded and yawned seemingly intending to rest as well. Max stood and approached me smiling. “We know that you are strong with your fists, but we have not seen your skill with the sword. Join us for our morning exercises and training session I would like to see for myself.”

He and the others looked at me expectantly and I nodded accepting the offer. “I will do so.” I walked off to where I had set up my tent and laid down on my blanket.

Looks like I’ll be able to gauge my strength and skill tomorrow. Though I found out a little bit more about where I am, I still have no idea who I am and where I came from. When we reach the Port Town of Rigel what shall I do I wonder?

I woke up earlier than most of the other mercenaries and was swimming in the river letting the water wash me and my worries away.

Nothing. No memories came back to me. It's only been a day so hoping that they would return so soon may have been unrealistic, but I can’t help feeling disappointed.

I swam back to land intending to get dressed before more people woke up and saw me. I grabbed my blanket and used it as a towel to dry myself. I put on my undergarments and was putting on my tunic when I heard a gasp followed by a slap. I turned my head and saw that Lucille had one hand covering Max’s eyes some distance away. I finished putting my clothes on and approached them.

“Were you looking for me?” I asked them curiously.

Lucille let Max go and scratched her head embarrassed. “Yeah, we looked for you where you set up your tent but couldn’t find you there then we saw someone swimming in the river, so we came here and found you already in your undergarments. By the way, didn’t you feel cold swimming in the river? It's freezing around this time of day.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “It was a bit cold, but it didn’t bother me much. I assume you came to fetch me for the morning exercise and training session then?”

Max cleared his throat and smiled. “Yes, we will swing our weapons and go through some forms. We also do some sparring, wrestling, and running. Bowmen like Pascal loose shafts and do other exercises to work their upper body. Now, let’s go join Commander Percival he has already begun.”

Max lead the way with Lucille, and I followed. I saw that the others were already up and getting dressed or waking up and getting out of tents. We arrived in a large patch in the woods where Percival dressed in his plated armor and surcoat was leading others in impressive sword swings and forms with a gleaming steel longsword that was chipped and lightly damaged but looked sharp and functional, nonetheless.

Max glanced at me and whispered. “No need to say anything we just line up and join the others in their exercises.”

I nodded and lined up next to Lucille and Max, I drew my longsword and copied Percival’s motions. It was easier than I thought so I took a look at my surroundings while going through the motions.

Lucille is growing tired, but she is used to this and isn’t falling behind. Max is concentrating intensely and copying Percival’s motions near perfectly. The people in front of us look tired they are sweating and starting to fall behind. The people at the very front seem to be the best. They don’t seem tired and are copying Percival’s motions flawlessly. I’m surprised that Dennis is among them, I thought he would be too injured to want to do anything, and though he has his nose wrapped in gauze it looks like he is working through the pain.

Since no one was talking merely grunting and panting I didn’t try to strain my hearing and just kept following Percival’s motions until he stopped, sheathed his sword, and took a deep breath. He was tired but did a good job hiding it. He addressed us in his stern voice, “Take a break. We will do some sparring and wrestling after.” He took a waterskin nearby and drank.

I felt my muscles slightly burning but was not too tired. I Sheathed my longsword and was going to grab a drink from a water barrel, but Max and Lucille’s surprised stares stopped me.

Confused I asked them. “What is it?”

“You’re barely sweating and don’t even seem tired!” Lucille said panting. “Everyone else other than the elite of our band is more tired than you are!” She gestured to everyone else.

She’s right, but I’m not too surprised I already figured I was stronger than I looked.

Max next to her was breathing calmly before turning to me looking impressed. “I thought that you had some training since you carried a longsword, but I did not expect you to have such endurance!”

I did not feel like making up an appropriate response to explain my endurance, so I merely nodded and walked to the water barrels. I grabbed a wooden ladle and dipped it in the barrel taking a drink from it. Lucille and Max followed me and took turns sipping from the ladle as well.

Taking a deep drink from the Ladle Lucille gulped and gave me an excited grin. “Spar with me first Valeria! I want to be the first to test you!”

I smiled back at her and nodded.

Max looked at me in similar excitement. “I will spar with you after you are done with Lucille!

“Of course, shall we start then? Everyone else is pairing up.”

They nodded and we walked back to our spots. Max paired up with a burly man and I paired up with Lucille. I drew my longsword and faced off against Lucille who drew her longsword as well. We traded a few light blows testing each other before clashing in earnest. I knew that sparring was not an actual fight, so I had to sometimes rear back instincts that told me to cut her down in earnest.

Other than comparing her to me I don’t know how to gauge her skill, but I feel that she is decently strong, and her reactions are quick.

Lucille stepped back after I avoided a feint, adjusted her footing, and caught her breath.

As our match continues I can feel my mind growing sharper allowing me to react faster and predict her movements better. It’s a similar feeling to when I strain my hearing but this time my vision isn’t blurring. Strange, but I’ll think more about it later.

I decided to go on the offensive and closed the distance. She took a short swing and instead of blocking with my sword I slowed down letting her finish her swing. I quickly stepped in removed my left hand from my longsword and used it to push her chin hooking her leading leg with my left leg and pulled it toward me causing her to fall.

With a Thump! She fell on her back, longsword falling safely away from her. She groaned slightly and I sheathed my longsword grinned at her and extended a hand. She took it and I helped her up.

She wiped some dirt off her gambeson and pants and glared at me resentfully. “I thought we were sparring with our swords not grappling.”

I helped wipe away some dirt from her gambeson and spoke lightly. “Grappling is a part of sword fighting is it not?”

She grunted in begrudging agreement and gave me a small smile. “You’re good. Usually, as the sparring continues people grow tired and their reactions slow down but your reaction only seemed to improve.”

I chuckled softly. “I am confident in my endurance, so a drawn-out fight is better for me.”

I heard an appreciative whistle and turned to my right seeing Max smiling looking impressed approaching alongside the burly man. “I saw that last move that you used to take down Lucille. Risky but you pulled it off quite well. Now it's my turn!” He finished excitedly.

Lucille sighed and looked at the burly man. “Let’s go Claude after sparring with someone so fast it will be nice to take it slow with you.” Claude looked insulted but followed Lucille.

Max drew his sword and spoke. “I don’t mean to brag, but I’m considered one of the best swordsmen in the band. Don’t expect me to hold back!” Though he said he was not bragging he obviously was.

Slightly annoyed I drew my longsword and we faced off. Unlike when I spared with Lucille, Max was not interested in trading light blows to test each other and instead closed in on me quickly. I was barely able to block his blow locking his blade in place. I think he meant to test my strength as he was pushing against my sword instead of doing something more advantageous, but I was not interested. I quickly used my left palm to push against the flat of his blade pinching it between my fingers and palm avoiding the edge as I stepped in wrenched it down and leveled my longsword in my right hand to his throat.”

Max looked at me in disbelief. Perhaps he didn’t expect me to do such a move and instead compete with him in strength.

Even if we did compete in strength I think I would beat him.

I let go of his sword and stepped back to sheathe my own.

He sheathed his sword and he looked at me, angry at me or himself perhaps both. “I won’t complain since it was my mistake, but I wanted to compete with you in strength when we locked blades.”

I shrugged my shoulders and spoke with slight regret that I didn’t feel. “How was I to know? You came at me so quickly that I just reacted with what I thought was most appropriate.”

I heard a cackle and Max and I turned around to see that Dennis the man I beat yesterday had been watching with a small group of men and women including Percival.

Dennis stopped laughing and approached us. I did not know what his intentions were, so I kept my hand on the pommel of my longsword as I watched him approach. Max made to step in between us which annoyed me since he knew I was more than capable of taking care of myself.

Dennis stopped in front of Max but addressed me. “Max thinks that when sparring, his opponent should always follow his lead. It was good to see him shut down so quickly. How about you and I have a go.”

Well, that’s now what I expected. He doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions and he was one of the mercenaries able to copy Percival flawlessly. so he should provide a challenge.

“Dennis, watch your words,” Max attempted in a low menacing voice that I do not think he quite pulled off.

After thinking about it I nodded my head and spoke lightly. “I don’t see why not.”

Max looked at me surprised and Dennis walked past him grinning. He took the position in front of me and drew his longsword. “Are you not afraid that I will use this opportunity to take revenge on you for humiliating me yesterday?” He spoke menacingly and lightly rubbed his gauze-covered nose in an attempt to scare me no doubt.

I drew my longsword as well and spoke nonchalantly. “After what I did to you, I won’t begrudge you for trying.”

Besides if things go wrong I am confident I can at least escape with my life. Percival seems an honorable enough fellow, but I won’t place my hopes in him saving me.

He cackled and we began. He was being surprisingly cautious trying for some safe swings from a distance and only getting closer when he saw an opening. He wasn’t as fast as Max, but I felt like his swings were perfect, using only the right amount of strength and speed necessary. I attempted a feint, but he predicted it and parried it safely nearly catching me in his counter.

He’s good. Quick on his feet for being so tall and smart enough not to use all his strength tiring himself early. If we continue, I can outlast him, but he may get the upper hand and defeat me instead. With my mind growing sharper, I may be able to come up with a solution soon.

We circled each other at a distance. He was breathing rapidly but steadily through his mouth as it would probably hurt to do so with his nose. He attempted some bluffs which worked as I tried to close in on him when he showed an opening. Eventually, he baited me in close enough and unloaded short quick swings from different angles at me that I was barely able to block and parry. I stepped back but he didn’t let me get too far as he stepped in quickly and lifted his arms for another swing.

Now!

I Dropped my longsword immediately surprising him and pushed my right arm through his arms still in mid-swing to grab the right side of his head while stepping around and hooking his leading leg with my left leg. With my left hand, I grabbed his hand and handle to prevent him from pummeling me with the pommel of his longsword. I tried pulling his leg out from under him while using my arms to push and pull him to my right, but he was sturdier than I thought, and he resisted. We struggled for a few seconds me trying to take him down and him resisting until a Commanding voice that no doubt belonged to Percival stopped us.

“Enough!”

Dennis stopped resisting and I thought to bring him down but resisted the impulse and instead carefully let him go.

Percival walked between us and nodded impressed. “A fine match that nearly turned into a real fight there in the end. I had to stop it lest one of you hurt or kill the other.”

Indeed. My mind was working so fast that I didn’t stop to consider my actions. If I had brought him down I would have tried to crush his skull before he had the opportunity to react.

I picked up my sword and sheathed it and Dennis did the same. I looked at my surroundings and saw that people were watching me in awe. Their reactions pleased me a little, but I didn’t dwell on it and went to the water barrels for a drink.

Dennis sweating and red-faced went to a barrel that was less than half full picked it up and drank directly from it.

I don’t know how long our spar was but if I had to guess I would say around 30 minutes it’s no wonder he’s so tired.

Dennis put the barrel down and wiped his mouth approaching me as I was still drinking from a ladle.

He scratched his head awkwardly before speaking. “What a match! Commander Percival was right, in the end there I felt like if I didn’t go all out you would have killed me.”

You have good instincts I very well might have.

Noticing I wasn’t going to say anything he cleared his throat and spoke with some slight resentment. “I’m not a fool. I know why you did what you did yesterday. I want you to know that I never would have tried anything. I like to look I admit and don’t try to hide it, but I wouldn’t have tried to force myself on you. I still have some decency left in me.”

He didn’t seem to be lying so I nodded and smirked at him. “If it makes you feel any better I didn’t choose you just because of the way you were looking at me, but also because you looked to be one of the stronger mercenaries and it seems I was right. What a match indeed.”

He laughed then winced in pain holding his nose. I didn’t feel guilty about what I did but perhaps I went too far. “It does make me feel a bit better. We will be moving again as soon as we pack everything up. If you want a horse or ride on a wagon let me know I will try my best to procure one for you.

I laughed amused by his consideration. “Do you believe me to be so delicate that I can’t handle some light marching? I will not deprive your band of their resources. I will walk.”

He chuckled embarrassed and lightly rubbed his nose. “No, I guess you’re not so delicate.”