14 Spying – 1 (1/2)
(Luna's POV)
I wake up with a jump to the blasting of a horn. I look around confused, to a faintly familiar room. Oh yeah, I'm under Vladmir now. I get up quickly, a quick to form habit after going to sleep so early in the night. After all, I have been training intensely here.
I get out of my room after putting on my clothes, bumping into someone. I catch her, my sister, before she falls. Her room is near mine, as are that of the other children. My sister looks up to me and smiles, in my arms. I smile back to her.
- Let's go. – I tell her, putting her on her feet. – We got a long day ahead of us.
Suna just smiles to me, nodding the other children also look to me with respect. After all, I'm more or less the leader of this small group. We march, as we were taught, to the training field, but instead of our usual instructor, we are met with someone else talking with our instructor. Isn't that… Vladmir?
We stop, taking a line formation by height, with me on the leftmost end. We also stand ready, since our instructor made sure to drill that in us in this short period. Our tutor notices us and speaks something with Vladmir. He then looks at us, and my whole body tenses up. I don't know why, but his stare is… heavy, somehow.
They stop right in front of us, and after a few moments in silence, Vladmir raises one eyebrow.
- You haven't taught them official etiquette yet? �� He asked to our tutor, who, surprisingly, goes red with embarrassment.
- I am extremely sorry, Commander. I didn't foresee a visit from your Excellency. – He said, bowing deeply.
- I see. – He nodded. – Very well, we shall skip the formalities for now. Recruits! I came here to check on your training! – He said with a wide smile. – As of today, you are all to be trained in combat as true soldiers of this army!
When he said that, there was an immediate shift on the children. I'm also not that comfortable with this, for political ”hostages” this could be a bad sign, one that they could actually send us to battle to die of the need arises.
Vladmir stared at every single one of us when saying those words, and when his eyes met mine, he stopped for a second. I couldn't help but to stare back at him, those icy blue eyes. I feel… strange, as if my mind is going numb. Suddenly the memories of training surface, how my father taught me how to use a sword, the fights with the other kids, my first monster kill and the tournaments that we did in town without my father knowing. Why am I thinking about all of this?
- Well, not that I expect a lot from you all on the subject of battle. – He says suddenly breaking eye contact, my mind clearing a little. – You are all young, after all, and I doubt most of you have faced a serious, life-threatening battle. You will all be tested, and evaluated to where you will be sent. Field Instructor, I will leave the sorting at your discretion!
- Sir, yes Sir! – the instructor salutes as Vladmir turns to go away. Our instructor turns to us, making a very satisfied and happy face. – Now, form a line! I'll be testing all of you one by one!
(Vladmir's POV)
That was unexpected, the wolf woman has much more in her than I expected. I have gotten better at mind reading, and my Marines have reported that they barely notice when they have their minds read.
The children were easy to read, after all their minds are young and don't have the same toughness that an adult mind has. The little wolf girl had a stronger mind than expected, but I doubt that she noticed. The wolf woman however, had more backbone, I needed a few more seconds to go through her surface memories.
She's a good fighter, but I doubt that she stands a chance against one of my Marines, even less with me. Anyway, they will make for decent soldiers, although all of them have insecurities, the most grave ones are that of the Wolf Woman, Luna.