When Iris awoke from her nap, she was groggy. No doubt due to the really early morning lesson Kayde had gotten her up for just three hours before. Ah yes, sleep deprivation was feeling like a very real thing now. Iris looked around now, noticing that most of the rogues were still asleep in their bunks. She got up anyways.
As soon as she arose, she went to the basin in the wash room of the barracks and cleaned her face with a cool rag. She closed the door behind her moments afterward and stared at herself in the small mirror hanging above the basin.
The first thing that she noticed was her eyes. Before she came here, her dark eyes had sparkled a little bit, even with all the things she had been through.
With her fear and drowsiness, however, they were dull. Her eye sockets were colored with dark rings and her lips were pulled into a frown. She also noticed that some of her hair had fallen in the night. Upon noticing that, she pulled her ponytail down, intent on fixing the stray hairs.
Noticing the dirtiness of her hair, Iris dipped her head in the washbasin, trying to scrub it all out. It felt so good to her exposed neck that she stripped of her armor and rinsed her whole body with the rag. After she was done, she noticed that she at least smelled better.
She put on her father's armor before tying her hair back into the short ponytail. Once she was finished, she noticed how weak she really did look. She may have been wearing armor, but she still had her mother's angled face.
After leaving the washroom, she headed straight for the door. She hoped the armory was open. She figured since it was still early, there may not be a line that she'd have to wait behind. No one to bump into or likewise converse with --no one that might study her. Once she left, she noticed how dull the morning was. There was no sun shining... just grey clouds.
She kept up a brisk walk, not noticing anyone awake yet. The camp had a desolate feeling to it without the presence of the sun.
All she could see was hard-packed mud that had been trampled over a thousand times or more, ashes from old campfires, and dull brown buildings. It was all the same.
Just dull.
Upon reaching the armory, she had still seen no sign of life, so it was a relief to see the blacksmith standing at the window. He noted her with confusion but still stepped closer to the counter to help her. After he placed his hands on the wooden stand, he spoke.
"Up early, eh? What can I help you with?"
"I came here with my measurements. I was told to come back today to retrieve my armor," she told him, standing tall.
He nodded and motioned for her to come closer to him. When she obeyed his gesture, he pulled out a piece of paper.
"Write down your name and I will see if it is ready."
She was extra careful to not write in graceful calligraphy like she had been taught but in her best sloppy scrawl. It seemed a little forced, she noticed, hoping that the man wouldn't read too much into it. The blacksmith snatched the piece of paper off of the counter and scurried to the back as he murmured to himself. She waited for a few minutes for him to come back.
When he did, she saw the lump of brown material in his hands. When he handed it to her, he spoke to her again.
"Go to the back room and try this on, lad, so I can see if it needs any alterations or modifications. It's made of fine studded leather, so for a rogue, it should suit you very well."
Iris nodded, and followed him to the back room. Once she was alone, she stripped the medium armor for the second time today and pulled on her new suit. It fit well, despite the hard tunic squeezing the living daylights out of her chest. However, that part would never be fixed --not until the day women were allowed in wars.
She sheathed her daggers at her hips and turned a couple of times. She was very pleased to find that the armor moved with her more so than her father's. She carried Elliot's armor in both of her arms. She walked out, waiting on the armorer's appraisal. He nodded, pinched and knocked against the leather a few times before asking her if she was satisfied with it. She did not smile, but she did nod in silent approval.
With that, the armorer sent her on her way. She took a good look at the armor upon exiting the shop. The tunic was a deep brown, with iron studs mounted in. A dagger belt stretched across her waist, and the tunic stretched to her mid-thighs.
Under the tunic, she wore a light chainmail shirt crafted for her, and fully studded armguards. The leggings were made of the same material as her armguards, and her boots seemed to be even more heavy duty than that.
Overall, she was satisfied.
However, her thoughts of gratitude were interrupted by a rumble in her stomach. She looked down at it, wondering just how long it had been since she'd eaten.
It had been a long while, she knew, but she just began feeling its after effects. She guessed she really hadn't been paying too much mind on her hunger, what with the anxiety level she was facing now that she was here with the soldiers.
She thought of the rations she had brought with her. She would eat them for breakfast, but she made a note in her head to ask someone later if there was any other way to get food here.
Iris then arrived back at the cabins, finding most of the rogues in her living area were now awake and wandering around. She went immediately to her bed and began sorting through the rations that she had brought with her. She decided on some dried cherries. They weren't the best thing she had ever eaten, but it felt good against the gnawing pains in her torso.
"No wonder you're so skinny, lad," a voice sounded from her left. She looked up to see Hergon, the rogue she had met just before going to bed. "Feeding on morsels of fruit and all." she stared down at her hand, trying to tell him with her eyes that she really had no other choice.
"It's the only thing I had room in my pack to bring," she finally replied after swallowing the shriveled cherry.
"Well, in a couple hours we'll go to the mess cabin and get you some meat. The archers have not yet come back from hunting."
Iris nodded in agreement but still continued to eat the cherries. She was relieved that they did supply food around here. Her rations, as previously stated, would not last her forever.
"But, as for now, Kelgar sent me to come and fetch you if you wish. To help you train..." he explained.
She nodded, even if she was tired. After all, it was not in her best interest to pass up free training. She would need all of that she could get.
"I shall go as soon as I finish here," she motioned to her food.
"Very well, then. I'll let him know. When you are done, meet him right outside of the barracks."
He walked away from her bed. She hoped that she wouldn't look too foolish in front of Kelgar. Maybe Kayde had helped her enough to prove that she might one day have some skill with her two blades. She ate quickly --and now nervously, hoping that she wouldn't discredit herself.
Iris emerged outside not too long afterward, to find Kelgar standing in wait for her.
"Well, good morning. I had not expected to see you so soon. Are you ready for your first lesson?" he asked, and then spoke again, "And, if I may say it, your armor has much improved itself from what I saw you wearing last night." She looked down at herself and nodded in agreement. It took her a few seconds to sound her reply.
"I am ready."
"Very well. Follow me."
They met in an open space slightly towards the middle of the camp. Iris could see from where she was standing that she was not the only one here to train. There were other soldiers spread out across the grounds, dueling with each other. Iris noticed in particular that there was one clumsy looking swordsman about twenty yards away.
She felt bad for him, knowing that they were probably going through close to the same thing.
"First off... I would like to see what little you do know from the general's test. So, shall we start a spar? I will try and go easy on you."
Iris only nodded in response.
He did not say it to be mean to her. She knew that she could not even begin to take him on at even half of his skill. First, he hunched over in a position much like Kayde's. She rose on the balls of her feet, readying herself.
They began the spar and she watched his eyes just as she had watched Kayde's. Given, his weren't as tell-tale as her other teacher's, but she was able to tell well enough where he was looking. She mainly focused on dodging his assaults, not trying for an attack of her own. Iris indeed enjoyed how fast she was able to move in her new armor. Twisting away from his daggers wasn't as hard as it had would have been in her father's suit.
Then, she noticed, he looked directly at her eyes. He had caught on and she knew it. She braced herself, watching his body now. She focused hard enough to make her head ache and was able to dance away from a few of his attacks before he finally hit her.
"Well, Ingred, not too shabby on the defensive side," he nodded, "Quick as a rabbit, I'd vouch. You've got a good bit of self-preservation, don't you, lad?"
Iris nodded.
"I'd like to think so," she answered.
"That's a good thing. Your footwork needs some practice, and I noticed you never tried for your own attack. Still, like I said, better than most first-timers. Here... since it seems like you're good on your defense for now, how about we start this session with some offensive tactics?" he offered to her, and she agreed.
During the session he mainly showed her simple moves to use against warriors and swordsmen. She watched as he tumbled quickly behind her and touched her back with his dagger.
"This is what we're known for. You see, we don't wear thick armor for a reason. Which is: we're not supposed to take hits. We sneak up on our adversaries and gut them from the back before they even know what's going on. It's rare to find a rogue going toe to toe with two-handers, or anyone else for that matter... and if you ever see one that does try, chances are they'll lose. With that being said, there are rogues on enemy lines. Never stay in one place for too long and always watch your back."
She listened to every word he said intently.
After that, they practiced a simple stab to the back for a very long time. The tumbling and footwork was harder for Iris to grasp, but in the couple hours of Kelgar's training, she'd begun to understand. Her footwork wasn't perfect by the end of it, but he complimented how fast she'd already come along.
He'd also remarked that her smallness had done her good when it came to being fast.
Little did he know...
A few minutes after the session had dispersed, she noticed General Zayn watching the training grounds, finding how his recruits were faring. For a second, both Iris and Zayn made eye contact. He offered a courteous nod before looking away towards the other soldiers.
She remembered the encounter from earlier that day and wondered if he'd even remembered it. Knowing that he most likely did, Iris made sure to scurry out of sight. While he did not scold her at the time, she had no idea if his views had changed on her being out so late. Even if they hadn't, she had no desire to even speak with him at all. She knew full well that it could be dangerous. Even being a seemingly good man, he could still have her killed.
She decided to go now and find Hergon, hoping to finally get the chance to go to the mess cabin.