Chương 322: 5.1

Gem took up the stance again. She couldn't keep up the same stamina of her brother. Even from when he was the same age 'she' technically was. And it was not for lack of trying. No it was that she grew so hot she fainted from her own body trying to cook itself. They had worried she had been touched by fever the first time it happened, but as soon as she just stopped moving or simply sought out some shade she was fine. It took hours to overwhelm her in still air, half that under summer sun.

When she was younger she'd never noticed, simply sought to catch her breath in the shade of a tree or a field long before. But in forced action under direct sun while training Gem found she could not even remain standing for too long. Not for the kinds of drills she remembers Alexander could easily lap her twice over on. Not on a hungry summer day. But she was getting better. Learning more. If she had to push herself she could use her lungs and throat sucking at the cold air to cool off somewhat.

Pulling hard in short gasps. Not for lack of breath, but just to try and cool the furnace that built up inside her body. It was once when she panted so hard that Gem had found another difference in herself from those around her that were not wyrm spawn. Tsulogothulan had to comment on it before she realized it was abnormal though. Apparently like a heron she could feel the coolness of the air in far more than just her chest and throat. The air of her breath whistled through her spine, hips, legs and shoulders.

The sound made her feel like her bones were made of flutes. No one else but the weird seemed able to hear the sound of her body when Gem pushed herself to the edge of exhausting heat. But with the cool freshness of her gasps rushing through all of her body it drew her attention. It also could help her scrape a bit more time in her drills under the heat of the sun. Just that much longer that she could try and hone muscles with a strength that didn't come from wyrmflame.

To go through the forms with her practice sword (barely more than a dagger for a proper sized man). To make her way through the steps in the dirt courtyard of the Vahstrehgin. To try and push the burn in her muscles that much further. Seek that feeling that meant she was gaining strength if not stature.

"That's enough Gem. Go get some water and shade." Muriel's voice was sharp. And Gem knew better than to talk back to her captain. At least not when she didn't have the whole of herself to judge the action. And not in front of a vassal's men. She swallowed a whistling deep breath, pulling air that flowed deep into her belly and then out all in one current through her back, up to her neck, shoulders, tail, thighs and elbows. Sapping some of the heat that was not her aching muscles.

Before it came out from her nostrils in a nearly continuous current even as she was still inhaling through her mouth, that had been a difficult thing to learn to do. But she had a lot of practice. Gem could go where her larger self could not. So she trained to protect herself when she could no longer simply over power all comers. The continuous breathing was honestly easier than working the sparse number of spells that Tsulogothulan had managed to 'teach' Gem.

She couldn't feel the workings that stuck to her fingertips, tail and lips right now. Not without the senses of her larger self. But she knew each bit of sorcery she learned had clung to her body and tongue in various ways. Ready and waiting to spring into life if she performed the right words and motions. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. Gem could however still feel the threads of wyrm flame, caught and held in her skin, bone and tissues.

A woven thing of comforting warmth she did not strictly speaking need today. But welcome all the same. Waiting to be called to strengthen, to protect, to shape and express. But also terribly finite. Held within her, tightly restrained it would last for seasons without draining away at all. But to call on it and use it to strike harder? Run further? Land softer? Gem could spend all the flame that would fit in her small body in a day if she pushed it. Now resting in the shade she slowed her breathing.

Muriel did not worry over her. Immediately focused on the drills for the footmen from Jewel's entourage and those commanded by March Lord Dominik. It was a welcome change over the years, not like before when Gem kept passing out in the sun. Her breathing slowed, but the heat would take longer to fade then this moment. She stayed in the shade, drank cool water and paid attention. Murial was skilled as ever, and the footmen did a good showing. But there was a hardness to the Vahstrehgin men absent from Gem's own.

An assurance in their motions, a stability to them. They were more comfortable in heavier armor with a looser fit. Less concerned with how it might move when tumbling. The Viznove guard Murial commanded favored tightly fitted protection. Minimal billowing pieces and less overlapping sections that could flip during more wild rolls and steps.

It left them with more openings to be exploited and had originally gotten a few of them mocked as being delicate dancers but training with Gem's larger self made Dominik's men appreciate why her guards were wary of being left unable to roll or dodge without encumbrance. But there was still a difference between the Viznove guard who predominantly came from Valasect and Kaeketeh natives and these men who called the lands of the Vahstrehgin home. They struck with an assurance in their blows.

They only just withheld the strength of their strikes. They moved with care and economy of movement different from her own guard. Gem's eyes followed the way they fell into forms and formations. How they moved around a single target in the drills that called for it. Murial and the March Lord's captain moved the same way. As one who had fought for their lives instead of merely for honor or practice.

Jewel had read letters that there was a somewhat more pervasive issue of 'banditry' in the lands between the Vahstrehgin and its counterpart Istrogranum. There were no 'official' settlements amid the rolling hills of the pass that connected the Ridgetail's Vault with that of the Dacian. But since arriving here there had been several suspiciously consistent places with smoke from cooking fires visible. And quite a number of the March Lord's Footmen would be gone for days 'patrolling the border'.

When such parties returned Gem heard with all four of her ears much talk about showing the 'dog fucking southerners' what their place was. Oftentimes uttered in the same breaths as they decried the southern bandits sneaking past the wall for the touch of a 'real woman'. She, that is her larger self, had berated the March Lord. But she had not gotten an answer she liked." With all respect my countess, You can strip me of my title and land over this.

But all it will do is push the problem where even you can't see it." Gem watched one of the Vahstrehgin guards only just barely pull back on the blow downing one of the younger Valasect raised of her footmen." This has always been the way of it. The Magarskan extort whatever merchants and travelers that can be cowed from our side or theirs and we do the same in turn."

Both Murial and the local Captain called a halt to the melee, there was a pause before the man that had downed the youthful footman leaned down to offer an arm to lift him up. Words were said between them but Gem lacked her larger self's hearing." They slip over our walls and a village or two suffers for it, men and even a few women join the guard with a fire in their hearts and some day make their way south and do the same."

Still the expression on their faces was not ones that made her think there were hard feelings." It's always banditry of course my countess, nothing official by your decree or mine. it suits us and Magarska that it's only ever bandits. And sometimes some lucky boy or girl gets to gut the one that wronged their family on our side or theirs." Gem watched her footmen interact with the veterans, the hard edged and honed blades of the Vahstrehgin Guard."

That's the thing about peace Countess, The rest of Viznove, the realm and even those animals in Magarska might get to grow fat on a 'peace'." Mulling over the words she had heard with another pair of ears." But I can tell you truly here in the Vahstrehgin?" Words that left a chilled feeling in both her hearts." We've never seen your 'peace'."