30 The naivety of youth

 I poled the boat back to base. My elder brother was still there and past me as I arrived back.
"Sent the peacock packing did she?" he said, laughing and slapping me hard on the back, "word to the wise, stay away, you'll never survive in her world not even a day!" and with that he turned to father.
"I'll lay a wager. A'Hao will be back within days with his tail between his legs. She'll make minced meat out of him, if she doesn't kill him first!" His  threw his head back, laughing. My father looked at me with intense worry in his eyes.
"What she like, this girl?" he asked my brother.
"Oh, she's amazing. Don't get me wrong, if she trained our fighters they would be ten times better in combat and survival. She has lived alone since she was twelve. She's still alive and that's saying something." He shook his head. "If he survives, it'll be the making of him, but he'll need at least a month and even then he won't understand her ways, he'll have just scratched the surface."
He stopped and turning to face us, "she did train a girl who works for us making military garments. She was with her for a couple of years. Yes, quite something," and as his voice trailed off, "right, I'm off, good luck to you." Again he laughed and left.
My father looked at me with worry and concern, "Are you sure about this A'Hao? Are you sure you're ready for this?"
"I'm as ready as I ever will be, father" I looked down at my feet. Did I really have any idea what I was letting myself in for?
"Well, go with my approval and listen to what you are told. Don't act rashly and don't make a fool of yourself." which he will, father thought to himself, he always does.


The weather was dry so the skin had dried already. I removed it from the frame and looked at it. It was stiff but a beating with a piece of wood would solve that no problem. It had shrunk as expected but not too much and the skin was still a reasonable size. Did I want wrist guards out of this? It was a rather delicate skin, much better against my torso. I folded it in half, width ways and holding it against me, calculated how low a jerkin would come, or whether it would be better as a wrap for my belly and thighs.
I continued to muse and pouring myself some hot water, sat and thought about making leg guards instead. " could make them so they covered both legs and then tied at the waist. Mm, like that idea, and warmer too."
Decision made, I sat and adding a few petals to the water, enjoyed the drink whilst I stared out into the lotus field.
Not long after that, the sampan returned with a sober looking young man.
I had hoped he wouldn't return.
'Oh well, here we go,' I thought to myself, 'let's hope he doesn't manage to kill either of us.'
 
 

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