Below the Peak (Sola)(9)
“You are very odd” Risa murmured as she lathered the soap in her hands.
Nara didn’t say a thing.
“Where are you from?” Isabel asked.
“I am from here” Nara replied. Isabel’s eyebrows rose in surprise.
“I heard city girls are unabashed, but you act completely different” Risa commented. “I agree. You seem quite the shy one Nara” Isabel added. Feeling uncomfortable with all the attention she asked the same question back. “Where are you two from?”
“I am from Bonesville. It’s a small town in the north” Isabel answered.
“That’s is a creepy name for a town” Risa made a face. Isabel shrugged. “It’s a legend or calls it a myth about the city. Men would leave to journey up far north, however only their bones would return.” Risa shuddered as she imagined corpses.
“Were they attacked by animals or something else?” ever curious, Nara asked. Other girls walked in and joined them in the warm hot spring pool, stopping Isabel from replying. Nara concentrated on cleaning herself. The more girls came to take a bath, the more she became frustrated on how she would leave the room. “I’m done,” Risa said, standing and stepping out and wrapping herself. “Me too” Isabel followed, doing the same thing. Risa twisted her head. “Aren’t you coming, Nara?”
She shook her head. “I am not done yet.” Risa smirked knowingly, and Isabel giggled and said, “We will be heading then.”
Nara thought of asking one of the girls to hand her belongings but thought against when she reckoned she would still need to stand. She cracked her knuckles in frustration. She stayed in the pool until she was the last person left then got out, dried herself and wore the chemise.
*****
Nara’s whole body ached the next morning. She tried to wake up earlier than the other girls so she could dress and get ready for the day without having to worry about anyone seeing her body. Together with the men they had porridge in the dining hall before they were summoned to the assembly grounds. Once again, the captain stood in front of them and recited the pledge. Soon after, Barra ordered them to run once again. They did nothing the whole day apart from running only given a few minutes to rest in between the hours to catch their breaths and late lunch which they were then left to bathe. At night, they were taught the laws and responsibilities of different divisions in the military and given tea and snacks before they were discharged to sleep. A curfew was placed and anyone seen wandering around past midnight was given the tasks to wash the dishes a whole month. Days passed in the same way, there was running and more running. It was torturous in the first days, but her body was starting to get accustomed to it. She was losing weight, the greenness and fat glow she came with from home was slowly diminishing. And Nara was not the only one transforming when one looked at other recruits. In the sleeping quarters and whenever they were unsupervised, people complained of the endless running.
“I just want to know is running the only training they we are going to be taught?” Isabel whispered. They were sitting near the door of the dining hall as they ate. “All he does is just sit on his mighty horse while we are breaking our legs” Isabel scoffed and rolled her eyes. It was true, just a day ago, a boy tripped and broke an ankle. Nara hadn’t seen or heard much of him since the incident.
“Do tell more” he spoke. The girls froze. She watched Isabel slowly cock her head to the side, meeting his gaze and quickly dropping hers to the plate. She didn’t miss the terrified shock in the girl’s eyes. The captain lifted a brow when Isabel didn’t speak up. He stood beside the sweating Isabel for a moment which felt to be an eternity and studied the room. When others noticed him, they stopped talking and watched him warily. Wherever he went, his presence was unmistakable. His expression was stoic as usual, hard to read. Seemingly satisfied with whatever he came for, he left the hall. Everyone visibly relaxed, tension vanishing.
“What did I do” Isabel shrunk her head in embarrassment, covering her face with her hands. “Now he knows you,” Risa quipped. “Shush! It’s not funny” Isabel grumbled. “Don’t worry, he won’t remember you” Nara tried to cheer her. He sure didn’t show he recognised her from the prior encounter. Besides, there are plenty recruit girls. Isabel just shook her head, looking as though she was doomed.
Two days passed after the incident, and they were waiting for the assembly in the cold, wet morning and shivering when the second in command of the captain came. The lady had a bow in her hand, arrow porch strapped behind her.
“Good morning.” Astrid smiled at them, “Today you’ll start archery training. If you turn around, you’ll see the targets have been set already.” They all turned and found several stands set with hanging strawmen marked red at the chest on them. Two soldiers were standing too, watching them. Out of nowhere, an arrow shot past her and others, nicking her ear as it flew to its target and struck one of the targets’ red mark. She clamped her ear and whirled. Nara glared at the shooter who was none other than the female soldier. The distance between her and the target was at least hundred meters. Drawing her fingers in front of her, she saw it was just a pint of blood.
“That’s how far and quick one can be killed in a blink of an eye.” Lady Astrid stated, lowering the hand she held the bow down. “You are not here fool around nor are we wasting our time to teach you to do so. Everything you are being taught is to prepare you as a soldier for your own survival. Effort and hard work will only determine if you can be an exceptional one.”