Flashback
~Flashback~
"Mal, why the sudden surprise?" A just turned eleven year old Alina curiously asked of one of her dearest friends in the whole world, who's keeping his hands tightly shut over the younger girl's eyes.
The boy only laughs, "You'll see, just a bit further…Now move those tiny legs!"
The girl then huffs at first at the boy, but when she feels him moving one hand away from her eyes, and quickly covering both of her eyes with one hand, not letting her even sneak a look! And then he's tickling her, she giggles and asks him to stop before she then finally complies.
She's still confused by why she’s being blindfolded…
Her birthday isn't really special.
But then a sudden thought came to the foreground of her mind, "And where's Ria? …Is this because of Ria, Mal? Has she planned a surprise for me?" The boy only chuckles, still not giving her an answer.
"Well, you'll just have to see for yourself, don't you Alina." Was the only thing he said, while finally removing his hands away from her eyes.
Opening her closed eyes, Alina gasps.
There, at their spot, stood Valeria with her hands spread open towards her in welcome. And behind her layed a whole spread of foods with drinks, with in the center a cake.
'A real cake..' she thinks in disbelief.
Something they, as orphans, have never had the privilege of eating before.
Such privilege only existed for the rich and the aristocracy.
Her mouth is agape at the sight of it.
'Everything's for me?' She thinks in wonder and disbelief, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.
"Well why are you standing over there with your mouth agape, when you should bring your arse over here and finally stuff your face with food. Or do you want to eat flies instead?" Valeria then teasingly asked the birthday girl.
The girl in question blushes hard, all the while furiously shaking her head, and trying to give the grinning girl in front of her a glare.
But she failed miserably, because she only pouted towards the girl, who burst into laughter at the sight of her.
"Enough, Ria, and shouldn't she first make a wish or shall we first eat the food and then turn to the cake?" Mal then asks Valeria, all the while grinning at Alina.
Valeria only turned towards Alina, "Well that would be the normal, boring way, but let's let the birthday girl decide for herself, it is her birthday, right Alina?" She grins at the girl, "What do you want to do?"
Alina, who is still surprised by the sudden surprise, then gives the both of them a shy smile.
"The cake, please."
Finding the sight of her adorable, both Mal and Valeria are trying to hold their blush and squeal in.
She looked like a cute rabbit, with her cheeks rosy and puffed up.
"Then we'll start with the cake, Mal will you be a dear and hand me some candles and a matchbox?" Valeria asks the boy, who nods and brings forth eleven candles and a small matchbox from out of his pocket, finally handing them over to Valeria.
"Thank you, my good sir" Valeria then says in a curt manner to the boy, with a wink.
At which the boy only offers her a curt nod in response, while waving his hands in a flourish at the same time.
"It was my pleasure, my lady."
Which Alina is amused at, and giggles at the spectacle her friends are making.
And then a cake, with eleven lit candles in it, is in front of her face.
She held her breath in at that, at the amazing sight of the cake. Because on it, in a beautiful script, it said 'Happy birthday, to the most special girl in the world.' which made Alina almost cry at her friends in front of her.
"Now, now, no crying." Mal then sternly says, while raising his eyebrows, "Or else, you'll make me cry, and we both know it'll turn ugly, with snot and all."
Valeria laughs at the both of them and then sternly says to the both of them that they shouldn't cry, "This is a cause for a celebration, crying isn't allowed here. Now smile, the both of you, I want to see big smiles, especially from you Lina!"
Alina finally laughs and tries to give her a big smile, which made Valeria smile at her in response.
"Ria when are we going to sing the, you know.." Mal then asked with big eyes to the girl next to him, at which she nods her head.
"And a one, two , three.." Valeria begins while making eye contact with Mal, who grins in response and the both of them are then singing her happy birthday in an amusing way, making the birthday girl shriek in laughter.
And when they're done, Alina finally takes a breath, but is interrupted by Mal. "Wait, shouldn't she make a wish first, right my lady?"
The girl nods at him, "Very true, my good sir. Now miss Alina, no, princess Alina, will you do us the honour of making a wish? Close your eyes!" she then smirks at the girl in the end with Mal trying to hold in his snort.
But he's failing at that, seeing as his face is turning red and he finally let it out, quickly turning away from the cake.
And he then quickly turned around as well, as though nothing happened just now, with Valeria bumping her shoulder into the boy's, while she shakes her head at the boy with a smile.
Alina only huffs at their ridiculousness, but still complies with a tiny smile on her face.
Closing her eyes, she wishes for the three of them to forever be together, and then finally blows her candles.
"Happy birthday, Lina." They then say at the end, while beaming at her. Making her beam back at them in happiness.
Alina was very happy, happy she has the both of them in her life.
They then, after they ate, let Alina open her gift from Valeria and Mal both, who decided to gift it to her together.
She's gotten a beautiful sketching and painting set, which made her stare at her friends in shock, because surely this wasn't a cheap gift?!
But she also felt warmth because of it, because it was the first gift she's ever gotten that was hers, and hers alone. Not something that was donated to the orphanage for the children, or stolen by Mal for her, which she always berates the boy for.
She knows this was paid for, with the beautiful gift wrap that was around it before. She's only seen these in the arms of the rich. How the both of them would have afforded it, is beyond her.
But knowing Ria, anything is possible. Especially with her gift of always making money out of anything. The girl is scary like that…And yes, Mal, who would always tag along with her, the both of them always coming back to her with innocent, but in actuality, devilish grins on both their faces.
She never wants to know what they get up to, better to not know.
But anyways back to the matter at hand.
It was hers, as her dear friends vehemently said to her, while pushing the gift back in her hands when she tried giving it back.
After finally being done with her examination of her gift, while Mal still ate in the meantime, the both of them were then suddenly interrupted from their musings by Valeria.
Valeria who suddenly gifted them both two beautifully wooden boxes that were lacquered, both boxes had different designs on them. One that was handed towards Alina had golden antlers on the surface, while Mal had silver wings etched onto his.
Confused but also curious on why she’s suddenly gifted it to the both of them, they look towards her in question and also in shock.
Because they both weren't expecting it.
No one ever gifted them gifts before, and in an orphan's life it was a normal thing to expect. However sad it would make one feel, they all just knew and accepted it.
But ever since Valeria came into their lives, their lives turned bright quickly. Whenever they didn't have anything to eat, because food was mostly scarce at the orphanage…she would always have something for them in her sleeve. And when asked how she'd found it, she'd only give them a wink and say 'magic'.
But not only food, she would give them the most treasured thing they've ever gotten in their lives.
Her warmth.
They've never had that before…
But back to the matter at hand, the gifts.
The girl only softly smiles at their questioning gazes, "If you're curious, open the clasps."
The both of them are in awe at what they find inside of their boxes.
What they find, are daggers.
Beautiful daggers, with a swirling pattern of different metals on the blade, the hilt of both blades had beautiful decorations on them, like swirling golden vines in Alina's case, and a full dark hilt with sliver accents that looked like stars in Mal's case. And on the daggers butt, the both of them found the symbol that was on both of their boxes, engraved on it.
The both of them were in awe of it, and were afraid of touching such a beautiful, and most definitely, pricy object.
This was mad, such things were never meant for them!
"Well, what are you waiting for, take them out of their boxes!" Valeria finally huffs at the both of them, with a look in her eyes.
Finally making eye-contact, both Alina and Mal finally have the courage to take the daggers out of their boxes.
'It's light!' Alina then finds, hearing Mal's gasp in shock beside her made her conclude that his was light as well.
How?
"The metal of the blade is special, they're meant to be light. And they also aim true, without any effort whatsoever, they are also extremely sharp, so be careful that you don't cut yourself with it…So, do any of you know how to use one?" She then turns to the boy at her side, when he opened his mouth "And not for gutting prey, Mal, like properly use one?"
Seeing them shake their heads in negative, Valeria then smirks at the both of them, "Well, I'll teach you, I'll teach you how to use it, so you can protect yourselves. "
But she then straightens up, and unbuttones her coat, while she gives them a raised brow, "But first things first, I think a demonstration is in order, no?" she asks the both of them, who are suddenly slack jawed at the girl in front of them.
Valeria had a form-fitted shirt on, with straps on them, with daggers on the front, leather pants that had a material they did not recognise, it almost looked scaly…and at last, a sword on her hip.
A majestic sword that is pure silver, and its hilt set with egg-sized rubies…and on the blade, a name was also engraved, just beneath the hilt…Trying, but failing, to make out the name they then turn their shocked eyes at the girl in front of them.
How she hid it is beyond them.
Ignoring their questioning gazes, on obviously her attire, but most especially on the gleaming sword on her hip, Valeria begins her demonstration.
It all happened so suddenly!
One moment Valeria smiled at them, and the next moments she was suddenly closer to them by a hair breath with two daggers in front of them both.
Alina and Mal widened their eyes and mouth in surprise at the daggers in front of their noses.
"Constant vigilance. That is the most important lesson, being constantly vigilant for any danger."
She then as quickly takes the daggers away from them in a flourish.
And twirls them effortlessly around her hands, her crowd amazed at her skill.
And then she threw one behind her in one quick move, without looking behind her.
Towards a tree that had a target painted on its bark.
The dagger went deeply in the center.
Ignoring the amazed gasps in front of her because of her display just now, Valeria then continues.
"Now, I want the both of you to do some basic sets first before I show you the real stuff that will help you beat a foe in close combat. In any situation you might find yourself suddenly in." She sharply says, whilst laying her, suddenly, heavy eyes on Alina's at the last bit.
"And I promise you, it'll save your life. So who's ready to learn?" she then asked firmly while giving the both of them a look, and straightening her back.
Alina and Mal both made eye contact and then firmly nodded at the girl in front of them, their eyes blazing in determination.
Valeria then gave them a smirk, one that did not bode any good…
And so began their training in the following days after.
The training in the beginning was rough for Alina, while Mal seemed to take it like a fish in the water. But because Alina was determined, she didn't let that hinder her, it only made her even more death set on doing better.
Even when her body ached after every training, which Valeria always had a remedy for, one she'd always give her with a proud smile on her face.
Which would make Alina always blush under the force of it, she likes it when Valeria is proud of her.
It made her try to do her best to excel even harder.
After the basic training, which also included running, Alina then finally understood why they had to do it first.
To first, build up their endurance with the running, and the sets were for muscle memory, to use for in a real fight.
And now finally, came the last part.
The different ways they could both protect themselves and disarm or even in the worst scenario, kill their opponents.
Was what Alina suddenly remembered in the situation she suddenly found herself in.
With the running Fjerdan before her, she finally breaths in.
"Never show them your next move, let them think they cornered you. And when they least expect it…STRIKE!"
Then the other memories came into the foreground of her mind, almost like how Valeria showed them one of the situations they could find themselves in, in the worst instances for example, on the ground.
This one, where Alina suddenly found herself in, turned into a reality.
"Quickly go for the most vulnerable parts, when they least expect it, when they are full into their predatory bliss, and when they think their prey won't do a thing." Valeria said seriously, looking Alina in the eyes and showing to her the next parts on Mal as an example. "Go for the eyes, the throat,..."
And that was what Alina went for when she found herself on the ground with the arrogant man above her, grinning at her madly.
Quickly just as Valeria explained in her memory, Alina did as she was told and quickly pulled the dagger from her hip in a swift way.
The man did not see it coming, neither did the spectators, who she did not take note of, behind her, except for one person.
When Mal saw what was happening in front of him, his breathing suddenly stopped in fear. In fear for the girl's life, Alina, his first friend in this world.
The one he cares deeply for.
The Fjerdan was going after her, and then she fell on the ground.Without thinking, Mal tried to immediately do something, to help her.
But he was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.
Looking up into the sharp green eyes of Valeria, Mal is shocked at her action, but then angrily screams at the girl to do something, to let him help her. While the two Corporalki next to them are watching them both in silence, for what will happen next.
The girl only shakes her head, and moves her head to the direction of Alina, "No Mal, look closer. What do you see?"
Confused, Mal then does as he's told, and finally understands.
Alina isn't afraid, she has a furious glint in her eye, and when he spots her hand moving to her hip, he suddenly, clearly, understands.
Alina never needed them in this instance.
She has it covered.
But then he hears a sound of a horse neighing behind them, which Valeria immediately reacts to.
The person that suddenly came into the clearing was none other than the Black General of the Second Army.
Who immediately opened his arms to the direction of their friend and the Fjerdan above her.
He then heard the Corporalki next to them gasp.
For what, he immediately then sees happening in front of his eyes.
Out of the man’s outstretched arms come shadows, no, more like darkness forth, that quickly turns into blades that are heading for the Fjerdan in front of them.
But before his aim could continue to their target, a sudden force quickly blasted its course into a different direction, into the trees.
He quickly turns to Valeria, and sees her making eye contact with the Dark General.
Who has turned shocked and furious at her interference.
They keep their eyes locked for a moment, until Valeria only offers him a shake of her head, and then tilts her head towards Alina.
To watch.
They all then watch the spectacle in front of them enfold in awe, while one of them, Valeria, watches her with a proud but saddened look on her face.
One the Black General takes note of, when he took one last glimpse of her.