Outside Chinook, War-Kin Training Facility, Early October
Rhuv ended the call cussing, replacing his Motorola in the back pocket of his leathers. Damn it all to hell. It wasn't like he was asking Nic to not go out looking for that missing female and her child. He just wanted the male to do the rest of his job as well. How hard could it be to come down to the training facility and watch a class or two. It wasn't like it was going to take the whole damn night or anything. An hour, two tops and then they three of them would go out and kill some Undying while looked for the missing female. They wouldn't be going out until after Rhuv was done with the trainees anyhow. What would it hurt for Christ's sake.
Pacing back and forth, Rhuv was not a happy camper. In the gym across the hall from where he was pacing, the trainees were working on their hand to hand positions with Milosh. Learning and improving various martial art forms was only one of the things they learned here. Milosh was the best hand to hand fighter the Ashen War-Kin had, and a suburb instructor as well. The trainees were going to learn a lot. There were probably gonna hurt a lot too. But since pain was an excellent teacher Rhuv wasn't bothered by that in the slightest. If the trainees were put off by scraps, bumps and contusions then they had no business being here in the first place.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh sounded out clearly where Rhuv stood outside the gym. It was quickly followed by the boom of a body hitting the mats hard. Rhuv gave a small smile to himself while wincing a bit. Milosh was having fun and Rhuv knew just how much Milosh's fun could hurt. The two of them had sparred many times over the years. And that one had sounded like a tooth rattler. Rhuv knew that his Sibling was showing the class how to do some move or another. considering the boom, Rhuv guessed a throw was being demonstrated. Milosh really enjoyed this part of the training. Not because he enjoyed hurting people but because he truly enjoyed the sport. Milosh would have competed but there was no way to hide his Anvidai advantage of speed and strength. Besides competing with a bunch of Humans would be no challenge at all for any Sibling. And would be like taking candy from a baby for Milosh.
Rhuv knew he was going to have to go back in, eventually. He needed to calm down a bit first or he was going to talk the head off of the first trainee to mess up in his presence. Which wouldn't be fair to the poor trainee. Hence the pacing back and forth. Nic wasn't the only one who used physical motion to calm down. So yeah okay, maybe he did understand why Nic didn't want to come down to observe the trainees right now. Nic's brain was focused on the missing female and her child. The War Prince was just as likely to bite someones head off as Rhuv currently was. Not a good thing on second thought. Nic might be the more even tempered of the twins, that didn't mean he was a peaceful guy. Aggression was exactly what you wanted and needed in a warrior. In a diplomat however, not as much.
The Mother knew that Rhuv wished he could blow off his duties and go beat some sense into that waste of space Troov Foress. And he was well aware that his War Prince and Sibling felt the same way. Come to think of it, if the missing female did have a young. As that letter had said then it would almost be at its Tempering wouldn't it. Didn't that put a rush on things and explained that letter that Niculai had gotten a few weeks back. While Ingretta hadn't come out and said that she had a young, the letter had been certainly implied it. The last thing the Race needed was some poor kid dying in the hospital because they didn't have the blood they would need to survive their Tempering. One autopsy later and the existence of the Race would no longer be a secret. Let's avoid that if we can Rhuv muttered to himself as he stopped pacing.
Walking back into the gym, Rhuv stopped and just watched the trainees for a minute. Tolartha, the one he'd sent to Nic with the message, looked good. He couldn't believe that her clan hadn't sent her to them sooner. She had lightning fast reflexes, learned quick and was clearly intelligent. A combo that wasn't as common as one would think. No, Rhuv thought to himself, I know why the Foress clan hadn't sent her to them sooner. It was the same reason that they hadn't said or done anything about the missing female until they were forced to. As far as they were concerned Tolartha and the missing female were outsiders, not members of the clan. Mind you they probably would have been forgiven for being born to another clan if they'd been male. Being female? they had no chance at all. Too many Anvidai had been ruined by that kind of thinking. It was time for it to stop.
Thank the Mother of the race for Salvari. Who was one of his mate Sabrina's best friends. Salvari was one of the two Ashen War-Kin Siblings that were assigned to the Foress clan down in South Carolina. She had caught Tolartha practicing after one of the classes and demanded that she be sent here to the Ashen War-Kin for training. Damn the DeNeam, those conservative, misogynistic assholes to the Burning Fields. Why couldn't they just get with the program and realize that they were no longer living in the damnable dark ages. But no, they had to act as if it was still the fifth century.
Nic wasn't the only one that was tired of their bullshit. Some days Rhuv wished that they could just jettison the lot of them. But they had also raised some stellar warriors, like Milosh. Who was a Foress just like that Troov dick-head, same generation as well. In fact if Milosh hadn't been tapped to be an Sibling, he would of been the head of the Foress clan. And even if dealing with that waste of space Troov was a pain in the Ass, Rhuv would rather deal with a thousand Troovs than loose Milosh as member of the Ashen War-Kin. Thank the Mother that not all of the DeNeam thought so archaically. There were some like Milosh and Anthony that were modern in their thinking. More of them all the time as the younger generation took control. Probably the only reason that the rest of them got to keep breathing to be honest.
None of the trainees in the class were true beginners. If they had been they wouldn't have been here. It was very rare for a tyro to be such a natural that they would be here in the Ashen War-Kin training facility before they had at least learned the basics of fighting. This program was for advanced training, not those just starting out. College not grade school. The trainees got the basics in their home clans from the other warriors and the Siblings assigned to teach the beginners and maintain the skills of the rest of the fighters in a clan. Long gone were the days of people being sent to the War-Kin before their Tempering. The last time that had happened had been in Nic's father's day. And that had been a special case.
Not Tolartha though, no that one was completely self-taught. In yet another example of stellar stupidity and shortsightedness that the DeNeam was so good at. The Foress clan or more specifically its leadership had decided that Tolartha wasn't good enough to learn. Not because of any failing on her part. No it was solely because she had been born to another clan. And therefore was somehow less than the rest of them. Not to mention the whole female thing. Like having balls instead of ovaries made one a better fighter?
The criminal waste almost made Rhuv sick. Thanks to the DeNeam a great warrior was almost lost. To make matters worse Tolartha had the potential to become a Sibling and that loss would have been a crime of epic magnitude. It did make Rhuv wonder though if any others had been lost in the the cracks as it were. Rhuv really hoped not, it happening once was bad enough. He was going to have to think of a way to keep that from happening in the future and maybe catch any others that were falling through the cracks.
Rhuv refocused on what was happening in front of him. Milosh had paired the trainees up so they could practice the moves he had just shown them on each other. Milosh was wandering around them, correcting the positions of arms or legs. Helping them to correctly learn the form that he was teaching. Just because they weren't rank amateurs didn't mean that they didn't have a whole lot to learn. Even Milosh, who was one of the best at hand to hand that anyone had ever seen, was always learning new skills. Always improving on the skill he already had.
The Sibling was a thing of beauty to watch in battle. His skill was so great that he often didn't use Any weapons until it was time to kill the Undying he was fighting. Milosh often said that hand to hand was the only way he could get any job satisfaction. Of course he was almost as deadly without weapons as he was with them in his hands. Milosh was basically lethal to anyone he tangoed with. Only the fact that you needed specially treated weapons to kill an Undying got one into Milosh's hands at all. Milosh really loved fighting and hand to hand was his favorite.
After all like many of the Ashen War-Kin, Milosh had been born and bred to be a fighter for the race. The ruler of the Anvidai had to be a member of the Ashen War-Kin in order to lead the race. Once upon a time the heads of clans had to be fighters as well. Not siblings of course but able to take up arms to protect the clans they led. That had pretty much ended by the dark ages. At least that's when it had become unfashionable for members of the DeNeam to learn more than the basics of fighting. The rest of the aristocracy had quickly followed suit.
At least the DeNeam hadn't figured a way to change the law about the War Prince being a fighter. Rhuv was fairly sure if they could figure out a way they would change it in a heart beat. Neither Nic nor his father had been doing things the way the DeNeam preferred,. Nic's father had started to bring the Anvidai out of the dark ages and Nic was continuing that trend. Much to the disgust and annoyance of the DeNeam. Not only had Niculai gone all in on leading the Ashen War-Kin, instead of designating one of the Siblings to do it. He had started to modernize the race as a whole.
The sound of Judo gi's snapping with the kicks and strikes the trainees made was music to Rhuv's ears. Out of all the many tasks that Rhuv performed on behalf of his War Prince, he truly enjoyed teaching. It gave him a sense of satisfaction that was matched by only two things. Killing the Undying and pleasing his mate Sabrina. Actually making his mate happy was the most thing satisfying thing Rhuv did but that was neither here nor there. Yeah sure the paperwork sucked. And everything else that his job entailed needed to be done, and done by him. He was Niculai's second in command and in charge of the training program. Both of these posts resulted in a ton of paperwork.
"Paperless society my ass," Rhuv muttered to himself. "Computers may mean less hand cramp but they definitely hadn't gotten rid of paperwork. I actually think there may be more fakata paperwork then there was before. At least the physical training hadn't been automated and never would. Thank the Mother for small favors."
Rhuv watched Milosh in action and thought about his Sibling. Milosh wasn't upset by the computer age, in fact he enjoyed it immensely. He was in charge of running and monitoring all of the computer and security systems in all of the Ashen Sibling's properties including the automated shutters that protected the residents from the sunlight. Milosh loved computers and programing. Not only was he the most physical of the Siblings he was also the most intelligent. Not that any of them were slouches in the brains department. Stupid didn't last long in combat after all. All stupid ever got was six feet of soil and a grave stone. Stupid was never considered for advanced training much less inclusion in the Ashen War-Kin. So no one in the room was stupid but even by those standards Milosh that stood out like a swan among ducks.
Truthfully Rhuv was glad that Milosh was so fond of computers in general and programming in particular, it meant one less thing that he himself had to do. And with Milosh in charge of the compounds computer security there was zero chance that they would be hacked much less attacked. Although the Ahshee that Pyetr used to hide the Manor was more of a factor in the lack of physical attack then anything else. Rhuv knew that he was more then competent at computer tasks but competency didn't mean enjoyment. Rhuv on the other hand loved opening locks., the more complicated? the better. The other Ashen often commented that if Rhuv hadn't been a Sibling he would have been a stellar car thief. So much so that they always called him if they needed into a car on the DL.
The sound of the door opening behind him caught Rhuv's attention. Maybe Nic is coming after... The thought trailed off as the scent of the person that had come in registered on his senses. It was Sabrina his most beloved shaihal, or wife as the Humans would say. The only person he loved more then his Siblings, although she was one of those as well. They had met almost seventy years ago when she'd joined the training class herself. She had caught his eye from the first moment he'd seen her. The two of them had gotten mated soon after she had been inducted into the Ashen War-Kin. Rhuv knew that even if she hadn't become a member he would have mated her. Probably sooner in fact, but since she was a candidate he decided to wait to ask her. If only so the DeNeam wouldn't try and say that the only reason she had gotten in was because of him. And they so would have if given half a chance.
The DeNeam thought that the Ashen War-Kin and the War Prince should listen to them not the other way around. And females fighting pushed a button that Rhuv had never understood. After all females had been pat of the fighting forces of the race for time immemorial. But for some reason the aristocracy had gotten it into their tiny pea brains that female fighters were against the laws of nature or some such. There were almost no females of the aristocracy trained even in the basics of fighting. That Bree's family insisted that she be trained was such an anomaly that the council still talked about it.
Rhuv and Bree were expecting their first child, Bree hadn't bled after she had gone though her Season three months ago and was just beginning to show. Rhuv was more then a little worried, Bree was young to be pregnant. As a rule Anvidai females didn't have children until after they had reached their first century mark at the earliest, usually more like a hundred and fifty. Bree had just turned one hundred in April and was well through the first three months of a year long pregnancy. Not to mention that the maternity bed was risky for females. Thanks to modern medicine the risks were almost to what the Humans faced but even, so it wasn't low enough for his comfort. Rhuv wasn't sure how he was going to make it another nine months, not that he was going to argue with his good fortune. No, not at all. After all he had the most wonderful female on the planet for a mate and a child on the way. Good fortune indeed. Nonetheless a part of him was worried that maybe he'd had too much good fortune and was due for a kick in the teeth.
Sabrina walked up to Rhuv and snuck under his arm to stand with her mate. Rhuv pulled her closer into his side, relishing the feel of her at his side. This was how it should be, her under his arm, side-by-side with him. Together they could and would face anything that life threw at them. How had he gotten so lucky Rhuv wondered. It wasn't like he was especially deserving or anything. But here she was next to him, mated to him forever, never to be parted in this life. Rhuv turned to face her resting his free hand on her slightly rounded belly. Gently holding their unborn child in the palm of his large hand. Heart full of love for both the mother and the child.
"How are you my shaihal," Rhuv's usually booming voice was quiet, suffused with love. "Any more nausea? Or is that part over."
Rhuv sincerely hoped that the morning sickness was over. He shuddered to think of how miserable his mate had been. Morning sickness his ass. It had been all day sickness as far as he could tell. He hated being unable to help her. Only being able to hold her hair while she'd been sick had been a kind of torture for him. Rhuv had hated feeling helpless and couldn't say he recommended the sensation to anyone. How the hell had any other Anvidai males managed to get through the pregnancy of their mates? Rhuv had no idea.
Bree chuckled, clearly going to the same place in her mind that he had gone in his. "I'm fine shahha," or husband as the Humans would say. "No more nausea. In fact I'm here to teach the next part of today's classes."
Rhuv's eyebrows dropped down as a glower hit his face. A glower that he quickly tried to hide. He would much rather that Bree stayed in bed but knew that if he said anything about it she'd be less then pleased. After all she was his mate, his partner not his servant. He couldn't order her around and if she was planning to teach a class than the doc's had okayed it. At least he knew that she wouldn't do anything to harm either herself or their young that she carried. Small comfort, sure, but a comfort nonetheless.
At the look on Rhuv's face Sabrina continued. "Today's schedule calls for book learning for the second half of the night. No more hand to hand instruction or in the field for me until our young is born." Sabrina gave Rhuv's shoulder a gentle punch. "Silly man. I'm fine and you worry to much."
Rhuv didn't even try to argue that with her. After all she was probably right about the worrying. It wasn't going to change though. After all it was his nature both as a mate and a male to worry about the female that he knew he couldn't live without. He could hardly wait until the munchkin was born. Not just because he wanted to meet the little bugger but because he missed having Bree fighting at his side. They were a one two punch that was hard to beat. Niculai and Tomas were the rest of the team he fought with and not having her with them was like having had an amputation. The Ashen War-Kin always fought in team of four. It meant more safety for them and that way if someone needed to peel off for any reason those left in the field weren't alone. It had been that way for so long that no one even remembered they why of it. It was just how it was done. And while Nic was all about changing things that didn't work, he had no interest in change for changes sake. He left things alone if they did work.
Soon it would be time for the classroom work to begin and he would be heading out to the field with Niculai and Tomas. Mother of the race grant them at least one good fight, preferably more. They all needed the release a fight would bring, Niculai most of all. Although Rhuv kind of felt bad praying for a fight since that usually meant that one or more of the Anvidai would be in danger. It was rare for them to find an Undying before the trouble started, unfortunately.
