Book 2 Chapter 62

The days of Willow preparing for the exhibition match were quite hectic for her. While Mister Matias was quite insistent that it would be best for everyone involved that she should lose, he still wanted to make sure that she gave as good of a showing as she could.

She was technically representing him in addition to the Wanderers after all.

Willow suspected that her martial instructor had some sort of deeper ties to House Herrera that wasn’t public knowledge. It was the only way it really made sense to her for the house to request her for such an important match, no matter her ties.

Madame Park hadn’t gone into the specifics with her in the time they had together, but part of her etiquette training had included some general knowledge of the importance of ranks. Typically only someone part of the main clan or house wound up in positions of authority in the capital cities. It wasn’t a hard rule, but exceptions were rare, and they typically got roped into the main family through marriage anyway.

Meaning Mister Matias, as a former high ranking guardsman, was likely a member of House Herrera himself, even if he didn’t seem to openly bear the name for whatever reason.

She was deeply curious about the matter, but decided to not push her luck. It was rude to pry into another family’s affairs after all.

Still, the added attention being shown to her really helped to shore up some areas that she felt she’d lacked.

Matias had taught her several metal qi techniques before this, but it was only during this past week that she felt at all comfortable using them in an actual fight consistently. It was why she had been miming the motions of them in her sparring matches with Hugo, she felt that otherwise she’d never get the timing of their use correct.

Metal might be the easiest of the elements she’d learned so far. Water requires a certain amount of planning and forethought that Willow felt she’d mess up in the heat of battle. Wood fought her and wanted to either grow its own way or into wild and uncontrolled patterns. She had been making good progress on it, but it was still likely her weakest despite spending the most time working with it.

However, Metal wanted to be used.

To be shaped.

To be honed.

Yes she had to be precise in how she shaped it, but the ease with which she was able to direct Metal qi made her want to laugh.

It could be a consequence of the growing density of her qi due to her core training, but she apparently had to take care in making sure her attacks weren’t accidentally lethal. Mister Matias could disperse her techniques with relative ease, but he constantly warned her that it likely wouldn’t be as easy for the young miss of the Li clan to do the same.

Still, even with that particular handicap, she was beginning to feel confident in at least holding her own in the coming fight without potentially causing some sort of incident.

Which just left how she was going to handle saying goodbye to her latest friend.

Willow was currently standing outside of the Martell family smithy, rehearsing in her head the many ways this conversation could go.

Unfortunately, her imagination often had things end poorly between them, making her not want to go through the door and talk to her.

The twins offered her some advice, and the words of her mentor were at the forefront of her mind. Yet she still feared hurting Jimena, and being hurt herself in turn, due to saying the wrong thing.

She eventually worked up the courage and entered the forge, a wash of warm air washing over her and making her wish she wasn’t wearing her cloak.

Jimena’s various aunts and cousins looked up at her entry, but most went back to their work as her presence was at this point familiar. Even if her great aunt usually harrumphed every time Willow came over to visit.

This time the older woman seemed almost pleased to see her.

“Jimena, your friend is here.” Her voice cut through the general din of the active smithy.

The other girl lit up upon seeing Willow, which made her feel even worse considering the news she was bringing.

Jimena was practically vibrating after running over to her. “You’re just in time! Granny put the finishing touches on your present this morning.”

She then began dragging Willow over to her great aunt. “Can we give it to them now? Can we?”

The muscular woman snorted. “Fine. Ramona, take over for me.”

She then made her way over to a work table covered in neatly ordered tools and what Willow guessed could only be her present.

It was a metal shield. Lovingly crafted and polished to a mirror shine, the shield was a warm golden color with an embossed edge. Geometric patterns that evoked imagery of the sun were carved all across the front, but the center was left conspicuously blank leaving a spot to perfectly reflect light in a golden hue.

Jimena’s great aunt gave her work one final check, seeming quite proud of it, before beckoning Willow closer.

“Need to make sure it straps in fine. Haven’t designed any shields for children before, and I want to make sure you can grow into it. I’d hate for my work to be tossed aside like common trash just because it doesn’t fit you anymore.”

Willow wanted to refute that she would never do such a thing, but between being strapped into the shield and feeling quite overwhelmed at the sudden gift, she couldn’t quite get the words out.

After having Willow go through some movements to make sure she wasn’t being hampered by the slab of metal strapped to her arm she nodded to herself.

“As I feared it’s still a bit too big for you so it’ll be cumbersome to use for a while yet.”

At that Willow shook her head. “Actually it’s already much better than the practice shields I’ve been using so this is a wonderful gift.”

It was heavier than some of the shields she had been using, but that just meant her strikes would hit that much harder. Combined with the mirrored surface she could think of some interesting ways to use this new weapon in her upcoming fight.

The grey haired smith scrunched her nose like she smelled something foul. “I suppose sometimes you must make do with what you have, but such imperfections aggravate me. When you have finished growing make sure to get your equipment properly fitted. Hopefully this impediment will not prevent you from giving your all in the coming fight.”

Willow swallowed hard, remembering why she was here.

“Thank you very much for the shield Granny, but there’s something I need to talk to Jimena about.”

Jimena’s great aunt snorted again. “Fine, but if you can, try to mention to the old guardsman who made you that shield of yours. Perhaps he’ll grace us with some extra business.”

She then went back to her place at the spirit beast anvil, leaving the two girls to talk.

Willow fidgeted nervously, looking from the shiny and probably quite costly gift strapped to her arm to her newest friend who was beginning to look quite nervous herself.

“Do you not like the gift? If you’re worried about the cost then don’t. Granny says she can use the fight as publicity and it’ll more than make up for any of the materials used.”

Willow still couldn’t think of the right words for this situation and decided to go for an action instead. She walked up to Jimena and pulled her into a hug, tears already welling up in her eyes.

“Thank you, it’s a wonderful gift.”

Her friend squeaked in surprise at the sudden embrace, but then let out a giggle.

“Anything to help you kick that Li girl’s butt. Besides, it’ll be something for you to remember me by when you inevitably wander off someday.”

He hugged her tighter after that and the tears in her eyes decided now was the time to escape.

Jimena noticed her friend's sudden tears and started rubbing her back.

“Are you all right? Did something happen?”

Through her tears she managed to croak out. “After the fight, Miss Mu and I’ll be leaving the city. I dunno when I’ll be able to come back.”

Jimena pulled back from the hug, she searched Willow’s face before a frown appeared on her own.

“You can’t stay even a little bit longer?”

Willow shook her head. “We’ll be leaving the day of the fight, as soon as it’s finished.”

Jimena’s face fell for a moment or so before she forced a smile back on it. “You know how you’ve told me about so many of those stories you had growing up?”

Willow nodded, unsure where she was going with this, but the confusion helped to dampen her sadness.

“Think about our time apart as time for you to collect more stories. Stories about the adventures you’ve been on while you were away.”

Willow wiped away her tears with her arm before nodding at her friend, forcing a smile of her own.

“Then I promise I’ll have some amazing stories to tell you when I get back. Stories that’ll be worth the wait.”

The parting was bittersweet, but the shining shield on her arm bore witness to the promise that she would return to her friend.