The next few weeks were a blur. Every morning, Cliodhna would raise before the sun. Dressing quickly and slipping out into the designated practice area; she trained. Mostly with her eyes closed, she ran through all the forms and stances she had already learned, opening them to strike at the nearby practice dummy until the sun would just start to peek over the horizon. Then with the grass still damp from dew, Cliodhna would start running.
At first she just ran in her practice clothes but after a few days, she hadn't improved her time or her stamina. Frustrated, she went out the following morning to find a small box near one of the practice dummies; opening it revealed a new set of practice clothes. They had looked the same as the current ones Cliodhna was wearing save for the weight, they were heavier by about twenty ponze. Clutching the box, she dashed back into the compound to change.
The weighted clothes made the difference, though harder to get adjusted to; Cliodhna made her best efforts to match her old time and distance when running. She even went so far to keep the weighted gear on when running through her first part of practice. Though training was harder now, she knew once the weights came off the difference would be seen in her strength and speed.
Breakfast was rushed in order to get to their odd class on time. Though she never arrived late; Clidohna would show up in class more than once with her weighted clothing. Surprisingly; Kollen never questioned it but that did not stop his relentless quizzing her on various subjects and terms. Everything he covered in class from Garlamnond's history to what seemed to be basic mathematics, every third or fourth question went to her direction. When she failed to answer correctly; he would give her extra work to study.
Her other meals were broken by more classes and physical activity but once supper was over; Cliodhna would use the time to study and in more cases, practice putting the gunblade she had "borrowed" from class. She had been stunned to find that no one noticed when she slipped it into her sleeve of her clothes before the end of class. Surely someone would have noticed? But then again; there were a lot of students that Opito Nan Kollen was placed in charge of. Between the class time and "field training" as he called it; something was bound to be missed, she figured.
Regardless, she had the gunbalde. That was crucial. Once the other children were tucked in their beds; she would slip out of the dorm bedroom and into the empty classroom. There were no guards to watch them inside the compound. There had only been a few that had tried to escape early on; older children than her by more than a few summers but no one had seen them after they tried to escape. No one said what had happened but Cliodhna had her suspicions and so did the other children that still cried at night. The Empire took resistance threats seriously.
Making her way through the dimly lit hallways, Cliodhna would go to the library that was typically used earlier in the day for the children to work on their studies. Keeping a close eye on the chronometer; she would assemble, tear down and then reassemble the gunbalde. She had already taken one night to study every piece critically and now it was just another matter of improving her speed in the process. The weights of them, their feel of the cool metal, each piece and it's role in the puzzle it presented had to become second nature.
Sliding one piece into another, the soft clicking and clanking in the otherwise dead night, was soothing to her. Without dwelling on what she had lost; her life had quickly become these few sparse hours to herself. The early mornings practicing the fighting arts in the way her mother and the other monks had taught, the silent studying as she poured over the extra class work and the bells alone in the library spent pouring over the gunblade. Cliodhna's mind was filled with these things and nothing else. She knew if she spared a moment's thought to the fate of her mother or her father's betrayal; she'd revert back to that little girl crying in the dirt easily cast aside.
That was not who she was. Though small; her mother had taught her to be strong and use what others would consider weakness as a strength to oppose them. Turn it into her favor and to never back down from something that was worth fighting over. Yes she may have been sold to the Empire, but she was going to be damned if she let that weakness rule her. No, Cliodhna would use it and them to become stronger, smarter and the best at everything they wished. Then it was just a matter of biding her time. These thoughts focused and pushed the eight year old girl harder than anything else had. She would become better and show her father his mistakes with her own hand.
Through the night she would practice with the gunblade until her eyes were barely able to stay open and she'd start to nod off. Then once the pieces were assembled one last time; Cliodhna would tuck it into her pocket and once more and scurry off back to the beds. Sneaking into the large bedroom and quietly slipping past the other beds that some of the children in her class occupied, she'd reach her own and drop to the floor. There she'd quietly reach under the bed and pry up the loose floorboard she had wedged open with the blade on the first night she had stolen it and replaced it there; hiding it under her pillow or mattress would be too easily found and arise suspicion for the wrong reasons. Still her highest goal was to eventually run away; Cliodhna was no idiot. Though trained to her skill; she was still just a child and no match for their forces if she did attempt escape.
No, she would stay as long as she had to and gain the required skills and resources needed before making her move. Shaking off the overpowering sleep long enough to climb into bed, Cliodhna snuggled under the blanket and curled up on her side before passing into a deep sleep until the time came to rise before the sun once more.
At first she just ran in her practice clothes but after a few days, she hadn't improved her time or her stamina. Frustrated, she went out the following morning to find a small box near one of the practice dummies; opening it revealed a new set of practice clothes. They had looked the same as the current ones Cliodhna was wearing save for the weight, they were heavier by about twenty ponze. Clutching the box, she dashed back into the compound to change.
The weighted clothes made the difference, though harder to get adjusted to; Cliodhna made her best efforts to match her old time and distance when running. She even went so far to keep the weighted gear on when running through her first part of practice. Though training was harder now, she knew once the weights came off the difference would be seen in her strength and speed.
Breakfast was rushed in order to get to their odd class on time. Though she never arrived late; Clidohna would show up in class more than once with her weighted clothing. Surprisingly; Kollen never questioned it but that did not stop his relentless quizzing her on various subjects and terms. Everything he covered in class from Garlamnond's history to what seemed to be basic mathematics, every third or fourth question went to her direction. When she failed to answer correctly; he would give her extra work to study.
Her other meals were broken by more classes and physical activity but once supper was over; Cliodhna would use the time to study and in more cases, practice putting the gunblade she had "borrowed" from class. She had been stunned to find that no one noticed when she slipped it into her sleeve of her clothes before the end of class. Surely someone would have noticed? But then again; there were a lot of students that Opito Nan Kollen was placed in charge of. Between the class time and "field training" as he called it; something was bound to be missed, she figured.
Regardless, she had the gunbalde. That was crucial. Once the other children were tucked in their beds; she would slip out of the dorm bedroom and into the empty classroom. There were no guards to watch them inside the compound. There had only been a few that had tried to escape early on; older children than her by more than a few summers but no one had seen them after they tried to escape. No one said what had happened but Cliodhna had her suspicions and so did the other children that still cried at night. The Empire took resistance threats seriously.
Making her way through the dimly lit hallways, Cliodhna would go to the library that was typically used earlier in the day for the children to work on their studies. Keeping a close eye on the chronometer; she would assemble, tear down and then reassemble the gunbalde. She had already taken one night to study every piece critically and now it was just another matter of improving her speed in the process. The weights of them, their feel of the cool metal, each piece and it's role in the puzzle it presented had to become second nature.
Sliding one piece into another, the soft clicking and clanking in the otherwise dead night, was soothing to her. Without dwelling on what she had lost; her life had quickly become these few sparse hours to herself. The early mornings practicing the fighting arts in the way her mother and the other monks had taught, the silent studying as she poured over the extra class work and the bells alone in the library spent pouring over the gunblade. Cliodhna's mind was filled with these things and nothing else. She knew if she spared a moment's thought to the fate of her mother or her father's betrayal; she'd revert back to that little girl crying in the dirt easily cast aside.
That was not who she was. Though small; her mother had taught her to be strong and use what others would consider weakness as a strength to oppose them. Turn it into her favor and to never back down from something that was worth fighting over. Yes she may have been sold to the Empire, but she was going to be damned if she let that weakness rule her. No, Cliodhna would use it and them to become stronger, smarter and the best at everything they wished. Then it was just a matter of biding her time. These thoughts focused and pushed the eight year old girl harder than anything else had. She would become better and show her father his mistakes with her own hand.
Through the night she would practice with the gunblade until her eyes were barely able to stay open and she'd start to nod off. Then once the pieces were assembled one last time; Cliodhna would tuck it into her pocket and once more and scurry off back to the beds. Sneaking into the large bedroom and quietly slipping past the other beds that some of the children in her class occupied, she'd reach her own and drop to the floor. There she'd quietly reach under the bed and pry up the loose floorboard she had wedged open with the blade on the first night she had stolen it and replaced it there; hiding it under her pillow or mattress would be too easily found and arise suspicion for the wrong reasons. Still her highest goal was to eventually run away; Cliodhna was no idiot. Though trained to her skill; she was still just a child and no match for their forces if she did attempt escape.
No, she would stay as long as she had to and gain the required skills and resources needed before making her move. Shaking off the overpowering sleep long enough to climb into bed, Cliodhna snuggled under the blanket and curled up on her side before passing into a deep sleep until the time came to rise before the sun once more.
too sexy to keep unhidden