Not long after she helped Sera escape from the monastery, Angela of Heven turned around, and set a stony gaze upon her new comrade.
“If you wish to travel with me as my companion,” she said, “then you must learn how to fight.”
Sera stared back into Angela's eyes, and forced every last quiver of fear out of her mind.
“I'm not going back to that sanctuary," she said. "I want to see Heven. I want to see all of it. All of it. Every last inch. If that means I have to learn to use a sword...well, then, I suppose there's going to be lots of stabbing and screaming in my immediate future, isn't there?"
()()()()()()()()()()()
In her first fencing lesson, Sera ended up getting smashed in the nose by the hilt of Angela's sword.
“Ow!” Sera squealed, staggering backwards, blood trickling between her fingers as she held them up against her face.
“Sera!” Angela's white eyes went wide in horror. Her sword clattered to the ground, immediately forgotten. A wooden sword. She had bought two training swords at an armourer – one for Sera, one for herself.
Angela hurried forward, and drew as close to Sera as she dared. “Oh, I beg your pardon!” she said, the words tumbling out in a rather frantic manner. “I did not intend to hurt you. I do not, I do not understand what happened. How could I be so sloppy?”
Sera felt vaguely light-headed...and then she felt hands on her arms. Sera lowered her hands from her face, and peered into Angela's eyes.
Angela gazed at Sera. She stared at the blood streaming from her nose, dribbling down her chin.
How many lives had Angela ended? How many adversaries had Angela struck down?
Thousands of enemies slain, thousands of beasts slaughtered. Thousands of heads struck from shoulders, thousands of hearts pierced by her sword, and now, at last, Angela had inflicted a wound that horrified her.
()()()()()()()()()()()
Angela was one of the most disciplined individuals Sera had ever met.
Angela was ruthlessly strict. Gruellingly demanding of herself. Stern. Unforgiving. Utterly, utterly dedicated to the art of the hunt.
Whenever she was teaching Sera how to fight, however, it is astonishing how...lenient...she became.
“Ow!” Sera cried.
This time, Angela had managed to spin-kick Sera just below her left eye.
“Sera!” Angela gasped, a hand covering her mouth. “Oh, goddess forgive me, are you alright?”
Angela peered in terror at her friend. Sera stood in one spot, swaying dizzily, her heart ratcheting in her chest, the ground wobbling around her.
Don't cry, Sera told herself. Don't cry. Don't cry. Sera, don't you dare cry! Don't you dare! If you cry in front of Angela, you'll embarrass yourself, you ninny, so just suck it up! You're a woman! Don't you dare cry! Don't you d...
...oh great, you're crying.
Yes, Sera was crying. She wasn't crying much, at least. Just a few tears. A few sniffles.
“Oh, Sera...”
Angela closed the distance between them, and then wrapped her arms round Sera's shoulders, and drew her close. Sera rested her head against Angela's chest, and sniffed.
At least they weren't in public. They had chosen to have the fighting lesson in a forest clearing, on the outskirts of the city. At least there were no other angels around to bear witness to Sera's humiliation.
“I'm a weakling, aren't I?” Sera mumbled into Angela's shoulder. “Go on, tell me. Tell me I'm too weak to be your partner.”
Sera felt Angela's fingers, pushing through her hair. Brushing across her head.
“You're one of the bravest angels I have encountered, Sera,” she murmured. “That must count for something...”
()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Sera was an abysmally bad swordswoman. Her posture was awful. Her footwork was terrible.
Perhaps she would have turned out to be a more proficient fighter if her teacher had been anywhere near competent.
“Ow!” Sera groaned.
This time, Angela had swept Sera's feet out from beneath her, and Sera had struck her head on the ground.
The world was spinning around her. Lights and colours were dancing about before her eyes.
Sera looked around in bewilderment, at the sky, and the leaves, and the trees...and then she realized that Angela was crouching down beside her. Holding her in her arms.
“I am failing miserably in my duty to protect you,” Angela said. She couldn't quite keep the crack from her voice. She let loose a hoarse, bitter laugh. “We face a thousand threats, wherever we go...wouldn't it be funny if I was the one that killed you?”
Sera gave a snort. “I grew up with the Anchorites,” she said. “I'll take a hundred thousand lessons with you, I don't care. All that matters is I'm free.”
Angela reached out, and took hold of Sera's hand. She placed her lips upon Sera's knuckles, and kissed her.
()()()()()()()()()()()()
There were angels in Heven that would have paid fortunes to receive combat training from the legendary Angela.
A pile of gold for an hour's sword lesson.
A chest full full of jewels for an hour's tutoring with a spear.
Perhaps the angels would not have been so eager had they seen what Angela's lessons were actually like...
“Ow!” Sera cried.
This time, Angela had succeeded in bashing Sera in the jaw with her wooden sword.
“Sera!” Angela cried, clenching her teeth in shock. In a flash, weapons were lying on the floor, and Angela's steadying hands were placed on Sera's shoulders, making sure she didn't suddenly topple over.
“Damnit, Angela,” Sera grumbled, rubbing her jaw. “You know, if you end up killing me, you might not find a bard as good as I am to replace me with...”
“I will not replace you,” Angela said, bristling at the mere suggestion.
Sera gave Angela a dirty look. “Really?” she said. “Just you wait. You'll find some nubile young songstress in a tavern, somewhere, and then I'll be looking for a new stab-happy killing machine...”
Angela studied Sera's face for a few moments...and then she came to a decision, and her expression hardened.
“No more lessons,” she said.
Sera's eyes went wide. “What?” she said.
“No more lessons,” Angela said, again. “From now on, I will fight our battles. I will vanquish our enemies. They will all fall to my blade.”
Sera swelled with indignation. “But I have to pull my weight!” she protested.
Angela leaned forward, and pressed her mouth against Sera's. Sera flinched, and her eyes bulged in amazement...and then she relaxed, and her eyes closed, and she settled into the kiss.
Angela and Sera were both terrible kissers. Neither of them were to know this, of course. They pushed their lips together for a while, and then they broke apart.
Sera needed to catch her breath. “Well...” she said, her chest heaving a little.
“Sing your songs,” Angela said. “Tell your stories. Play your music. I will strike our enemies down. All of them. I will let none of them within an inch of you.”
Sera couldn't keep herself from smiling. “Alright, Angela,” she said, nodding. “You have yourself a deal.”
Sera insisted on one more kiss before they departed. The angels left the forest, and wandered off to find adventure elsewhere.
Two wooden swords were left lying in the dirt. Eventually, the grass and vines would cover them entirely.