The Unicorn's Forest

As she lay back down on the ground, she felt surprised as Cithis and Haln essentially tackled her. Their faces were full of excitement and Charlie found that she was interested in hearing what they had to say. Even though she felt her burns screaming at her with the contact.

"Your name's 'Jenn?'" Cithis asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

Charlie nodded, then paused. She realized she should probably start thinking of herself as 'Jenn' so she wouldn't have to think about not responding quick enough when she heard her name called.

"What's wrong, mother?" Haln asked, his expression turning worried.

Charl- Jenn glanced at Cithis and saw the same worry reflected in her face. So, Jenn smiled at both, kissed the top of their heads and just pulled them tighter against her, trying not to react to the pain the sunburns were causing her right then. If nothing else, Jenn hoped that her burns would go away soon. Otherwise she wasn't sure what how well she'd be able to do with whatever training that she'd be expected to do.

_

When Jenn was taken out of her penn the next morning, she had been woken up by the lock turning and she again had to carefully sent Cithis and Haln down so they wouldn't wake up. Which of course, still annoyed those who were holding the door. Not that she cared. She was more interested in learning where she was going to be taken for this. Especially since she couldn't say if her time in the arena would have anything to do with this.

So much of this world did things that didn't make sense to her, but she was confident that for these people, it made sense. Even if it was only because of how their culture worked, or merely what they were used to happening. Not that it stopped her from getting a little bit of satisfaction from the people here who were taking care of those in the pens when she did things that annoyed them. Even if she did that by accident rather than intending to do that.

Jenn was then taken to a different place than she had expected. It was a small area that only allowed some sunlight in through windows. Although at the moment, only the early morning light shone through them.

As Jenn looked around, she couldn't say what she expected from this room. It didn't even show any signs of use, with dust so thick in some places that she could see it without have to look closely. She even had to glance back at where she'd come in at and could see that she'd left footprints in the dust. Which merely served to dampen her spirits with how dirty she could only imagine the bottoms of her feet were getting by walking in the dust.

However, she wasn't given much time to think about that as a door opening loudly drew her attention to another part of the room. Where she saw the man who'd spoken with her the night before entering.

"Good to see you're here already," he said, which Char- Jenn found a little annoying. After all, it wasn't like she was given any choice in where she went right now. She suspected she might have given away something in her expression as the man laughed before continuing. "I see that you don't share my enthusiasm, but that's alright. I'm sure you'll come around eventually."

Jenn merely started writing on her slate. She didn't know if she should expect much in the way of actual answers from Polelin, but she figured it couldn't hurt to try. Especially since he seemed the most friendly of those who seemed to have even the slightest amount of authority here.

Her question was about what she could expect to do here. Especially since there didn't seem to be anything about this room that told her what would be expected of her. The question was: What am I doing here?

The man looked at her question as she held the slate out and nodded. "A very good question to start with," he mused, though Char- Jenn couldn't help but wonder if Polelin was going to tell her or merely beat around the bush as she'd felt like so many people she'd met in this world seemed to do.

However, contrary to what she'd been expecting, he told her bluntly. "What you're going to be doing is training to be a fighter. Whether you'll be an arena fighter or a soldier, I can't say. That'll be up to whoever buys you at the next auction." Polelin paused for a moment as he took a breath and motioned for Cha- Jenn to go through the door he'd just come out of. When Ch- Jenn started walking towards the door, he continued. "It's going to be my job to make sure that you'll do the best you possibly can do. Though, I have to admit, it's been a while since I've had to train anyone who hasn't been sold already."

Jenn wasn't sure if that last part was meant for her or if Polelin was merely thinking out loud. Though, she couldn't care less about that at the moment. She didn't like the idea of being 'sold' especially since she couldn't say if it would make it easier or harder for her to escape or not. Not that she could know anything about that at the moment regardless.

As Jenn entered into the room Polelin had come through, she could see that there were already a few weapons laid out on a table. She could recognize most of them, though there were a few she couldn't tell if they were weapons or not. Just that they were on the table with the weapons.

"These are what I'll be instructing you on," Polelin said as he closed the door behind them. "We probably aren't going to be able to get to all of them, but I plan on seeing what you're proficient with to start out with and we'll work from there. As we move to each one of these, I'll make sure that you're at least proficient enough with them to know your way around them, even if it's only through being able to just wield it. If we can't get to all of them, then that's just how it is."

Polelin stopped there and Charl- Jenn looked around. She wasn't sure if she was expected to say anything, but she didn't really feel like doing that at the moment. All that mattered to her was the fact that she couldn't say how, but she knew what each weapon was called and even the names of some of the more exotic looking ones.

Like the short sword that felt like it was calling to her. Like she was meant to hold it. Though, until she was told she could, she had a feeling that she should refrain from even reaching out to try to even touch it.

The sword was one that almost looked like it was made out of crystal, though Charlie- Jenn. That Jenn somehow knew it was merely an effect one of the metals that appeared on this world had when mixed in with the steel, although she didn't know the exact metallurgical makeup of the alloy. It was known as a prism knife. Why it was referred to as a 'knife' Jenn couldn't say. The blade was three inches thick and almost two and a half feet long.

In her memories that weren't hers, Jenn only had known of the existence of this weapon. She hadn't actually wielded it before, so she couldn't say if she preferred wielding it or not when compared to the other weapons she 'remembered' wielding.

Some of the other weapons were like the zweihander that she'd used in the first 'test' in the arena. Another was a simple axe, though this one was made of the same alloy as the prism knife, known as a circular prism. Then there was a double sword: a weapon like a staff where it would be wielded by holding the center, as the two ends were swords of equal lengths. She also noticed a few spears, some short and some long, but she didn't care too much for those.

For the ranged weapons, there was a belt of throwing knives, a sling, and a typical bow and arrow. Jenn wondered if they had crossbows in this world, but didn't plan on asking that question. At least not before she escaped. Even then she wasn't sure if she'd care to ask that.

"Well, it looks like you've already found the weapon we should start with," Polelin said, startling Jenn.

She looked at him, not sure which weapon he was referring to, though she wouldn't be surprised if her interest in the prism knife had been noticed. She hadn't thought to try and hide it either. Even now, there didn't seem to be a reason to do so, even if she'd thought of that at the time.

As she expected, Polelin picked up the prism knife. "You seemed rather interested in this blade, so we might as well start with any that caught your interest so much. That way we can prepare you with your primary weapons."

Char- Jenn wasn't sure she like how that statement was phrased. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach as she listened to Polelin explain a few of the details that had already been explained in the arena. Such as how the weapons were blunted and she shouldn't expect to do any real damage with these.

However, he did explain a few things that Jenn hadn't thought of herself before. Such as how when she was trained fully, even if it took until after she was sold, she'd be given a collar or an armband that would keep her from even thinking of turning against whoever was her 'owner.' Jenn even was rather surprised when Polelin showed her his armband as an example.

Jenn hadn't thought anything about it. Maybe in part because she didn't know what might have been otherwise out of place in this world or possibly because she wasn't looking for things like that.

After all, she was still trying to figure out what was going on in the first place and how she had ended up as a slave. Even in the weirdest of her memories, nothing came to mind that would tell her. That would even give her so much as a hint as to how that had happened.

"However, I'm sure that once you finish with my training, it'll only be a short while before you are able to get that. Until then, you'll only be allowed access to blunted weapons."

Jenn nodded, though she wasn't sure they realized how dangerous that was in the first place. Even a blunted weapon would still be capable of doing damage if she really wanted it to. Especially if she used her magic on them. She wouldn't be surprised if she could sharpen them with her magic or if she'd be able to create a 'blade' along them so they'd cut more efficiently. Not to mention how a spear, even blunted, could still put a hole in a person when jabbing with the tip. Only with a blunted tip, it would hurt more.

"Do you have any questions?" Polelin asked, making Jenn realize she'd spaced out and hadn't really heard the last of his monologue.

However, she didn't care to mention anything about that. She was just wanting to get this over with. Although, she couldn't say if there was something she really should know from what he said, but she was willing to take that risk.

It wasn't like she really cared about anything other than seeing if this would help her understand where these strange memories that weren't hers that she had, had come from. Even with magic, she couldn't explain how she knew about what people knew as they died. But at the same time, it wasn't like she could just ask about that. Not when she didn't really know who to trust, and those she did, wouldn't know enough to have an actual answer for her. That is if she could even get Cithis and Haln to understand what she was asking in the first place without using her magic.

Jenn shook her head after realizing she'd spaced out again for a minute. She wondered if that had affected what Polelin thought of her, but she didn't care enough to check at the moment. It wasn't like she couldn't do that later if she changed her mind.

"Alright then," Polelin said, holding out the prism knife to Jenn. "Take this and swing it at me like you're trying to kill me."

Jenn hesitated. She wasn't sure if he realized what he was asking. Nor how it contradicted some of what he'd said a moment before. It almost felt like he was trying to commit suicide with her as the means.

When Jenn didn't reach out to take the blade for a couple minutes, Polelin looked a little surprised, but then started laughing.

"Don't worry about me," he assured her. "No matter how good you are right now, I'm confident I'll be able to handle any attack you make with this. You won't really hurt me."

Jenn was still uncertain about it, but slowly took the blade anyway. She wasn't sure how she'd explain what happened if she somehow managed to seriously hurt Polelin, if not kill him. All she could be certain of was that it would definitely affect her plans of seeking out a chance for escape.

When she felt the weight of the sword in her hands, she couldn't explain it, but it almost felt like it changed shape a little. The blade took on a more flowing appearance, like a long leaf. Even along the blade, it looked almost like veins moving from the center to the edge, like those that Jenn could remember seeing on tree leaves before.

The weight was about what she had expected of the sword. Not nearly as heavy as the zweihander, but also a weight she felt like she'd be able to manage better.

"So, what do you think of the sword?" Polelin asked, drawing Jenn out of her thoughts.

Jenn blinked as she looked at Polelin then back at the sword in her hands. The sword was back as it had been, a regular blade, no special characteristics about it, leaving Jenn to wonder if she had imagined what she'd seen. With the blade made to look like a leaf and all that.

Jenn shifted the weight of the sword so she could write on her slate. There wasn't really a place for her to put it down on, and she didn't want to forget it when they were done, since this was the only way she had to 'talk' to the people around her. Yet, as she juggled holding the sword and writing, on the slate, she couldn't help but start to wonder if this would be the best option or not.

At the same time, she was still able to balance everything and managed to write down a simple response: It feels good.

Polelin nodded, as if he didn't expect anything else. "Now, if you'll follow me, we'll see just how good you are with that."

Jenn nodded, an inner excitement starting to emerge that both surprised her and made her hesitate a little. What she was doing felt like she was starting to walk down a road that would lead her to a destination much different than where she had been heading all the rest of her life. It felt a little daunting to know that she was starting to take a different direction than what her life had led to up to this point.

Although, that's at least what she was feeling. If that was the case or not, she couldn't be certain. Only that she hadn't done anything like this in the past and she couldn't say why starting down this path thrilled her so much. Like it was meant to be a part of her.

Where Polelin led her, was to a room like the room that Jenn had had to travel through before she had reached the arena. The floor was made of hard packed dirt, the ceiling was high and arched, the area felt like it was more spacious than it appeared, and windows high up let in enough light to make it feel like they were actually outside.

Jenn wasn't sure where Polelin got it, but he suddenly had a prism knife in his hands. He swung it towards Jenn, like he was trying to kill her and Jenn quickly blocked it, the movement feeling right, but also unfamiliar at the same time. Almost like she knew what to do, but hadn't ever before done that.

Without saying anything, Polelin shifted his attack and pulled his blade away from Jenn's for a moment before arching his over her and swinging his at her on her other side.

As she blocked that strike, Jenn couldn't help but wonder what was going on. She felt like Polelin had been more friendly towards her than anyone else here, but now he was attacking her without warning. She couldn't say what had prompted the change, only that she felt uneasy at the moment.

When Polelin retracted his blade from hers, he shifted out of the stance he had, like he hadn't done anything and smiled at her. Like he liked what had just occurred, making Jenn feel like she should be careful around Polelin. That he wasn't as much of a friend as she had thought he might be able to be at first.

"I see that you're good at perceiving threats, but your reaction time is a little slow. Almost like you learned everything about using this kind of weapon, but haven't actually used it before." Polelin paused for a few minutes and Jenn thought that he wasn't going to say anything else, though she couldn't say if he was going to attack her again or not.

"All of which goes to what Ripish said," he said finally, as if he had confirmed something that had been troubling him.

Jenn wasn't sure how to react, but was at least relieved that this person wasn't taking it as anything bad. She couldn't say what she might do if she felt that she had to make her move to escape at this point when she still was trying to figure how things worked here.