Beginning the Training.

~she thought for a moment~

"Because I am still learning the extend of my abilities.. am only half of what mom was. And they drain me if I over use them... and I figured you were having me do it as kinda a strength training thing."

~she kept separating the rice. not really making eye contact with him. the tone in his voice made her not really wanting to make eye contact.~

His tone remained the same.
Would it have been easier to use your powers, even if you only managed one boulder with them?

He put the freshly carved wooden sword down, blade first into the ground, and moved over to a patch of ground. He picked up a spade and started digging.

"Yes it would have been easier probably alot easier. But I also don't want to always rely on them. If i can do it without them then why not hard that first." ~she glance up from what she was doing for a moment to what he was doing. Then went back to work just about half way done.~

He stopped digging for a moment as he looked at her.

I can understand not wanting to rely on powers alone... He took a deep breath, drew in some magic, held out his hand, palm facing upwards and created a small flame in the middle of his hand. He watched it dancing there for a moment or two, then released it.

Sometimes it's good to have a trick or two up your sleeve. he said, smiling at last.

~she glances over and seeing him draw the magic. she was alittle surprised. she half smiled.~

"Yes it is. I didn't know you could do that." ~she continued sorting and just about done.~

~wondering if she asked if she would get an answer...~

"What are you digging?" ~she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.~

He leans on his spade, no longer looking as hard as he did before, talking to her once again like friends.

Not many people know. Something I learnt... He trailed off slightly From a friend.
I can't do very much, that's about the extent of it. But anyone who sees that might wonder what other tricks I have up my sleeve. Lesson Number 1: Keep them guessing.

He paused, then his voice returned to the cold hard state it had been in earlier.

As for this? I'm digging a hole. he said flatly.

~she nods listening to him~

~as he changed back and said he was digging a hole she kinda rolled her eyes alittle thinking thank you captain obvious. She then put the last of the rice in the bowls.~

"I finished sir." ~she was starting to think he had a double personally. this switch back and forth starting to get to her.~

He put the spade down and walked over to look at the 3 bowls.
Moving the rice around inside, he spotted a grain of one colour in the wrong bowl. He tipped the three bowls back into one bowl.

Do it again. Properly.

He walked back calmly to continue digging the hole, not letting her see the look of anguish on his face for a moment as he ordered her to do it again.

~she watched him walk over and look at the bowls then taking them and pouring them back. saying do it again. as he turned away she made this face this angry face," Did he just do that..*growls* ok calm down one more time.. but if he make you do it again..." she thought to herself.~


~she sits up as a quiet growl escapes her lips barely loud enough to hear. As she starts again.~

He hears the growl, but continues digging the hole.

This hole is for you, actually he said, still stating things in a matter of fact, no nonsense tone.

~she starts to separate the rice again.~

~she looks at him with a raised eyebrow~

"burying me alive are you. pour honey on my head and hope so bear comes along and eats me..." ~she separates the rice~

No he said in that flat tone. It's for you to fill with water once you've finished separating the rice.

One glance would have told her it would be impossible to fill the hole with water - it would just soak away instantly.

And once it's full, I'll have another job for you to do. he stared at her, no emotion showing on his face.

~she continued to separate being half way done she stops and look at each bowl making sure to there is no other color in each bowl~


~she glanced over to toward him trying to figure out how she was going to figure that out... as an idea forms in her head.~

"Yes sir."

He turned back to the hole, head lowered.

I do wonder if we really are related he said almost to himself, then he turned and started to walk off into the forest, towards the cave.

~she looks at him as he says I do wonder if we really are related~


"What the hell do you mean?" ~she stood up~ "You wonder if we are related? I wouldn't be putting up with half of this if we weren't. You know.. You are the one that left mom and never even tried to contact her. I am starting to think you didn't really care about her at all. Hell maybe you don't even like me. But I am your daughter whether you like it or not or even want to except it. I have been on my own long enough. I don't need you. I can be alone again." ~she walks towards the lake.~

He heard he talking as he walked over and picked up a knife from the ground, and smiled to himself, unseen by her. He composed his face and walked over to where she had gone.
This next bit would be hard; but he had to see how far he could push her.
He was fairly certain that the pointless tasks had made her frustrated enough, now he just had to push her over the edge, to see at what point she lost control.

He threw the knife into the ground, near her, but clearly not aiming at her.

His voice sounded harder than it had done before; here was Artimus the Guard clearly taking charge of a situation in a no-nonsense manner.

You want to go back to being alone? You want to end these pointless tasks?Then leave. You can go at any time you want. But you'll lose any chance of knowing what I can teach you. He took a deep breath.
And the reason I questioned your parentage is because I would never have taken half the shit you have. So go on, walk away. Be a quitter and not my daughter.

His face remained hard the entire time, thought inside he was dying from having said all this.

~she turned and face the lake and then glanced at the hole in the ground. her arms crossed. She yelled and ran into the lake and disappeared under the water.~

Little did he know she was actually digging in the ground and dug thru from the lake to the whole which poured water from the lake into the whole she shot up out the hole. and landing and grabbed the knife and quickly moved to him trying to surprise him by taking a swing at him with it. and she yelled in frustration.~

She was yelling even louder," AM NOT LEAVING! NOT THAT I HAVE PART OF MY FAMILY BACK. MOM MIGHT NOT HAVE CHASED AFTER YOU BUT I WILL BE DAMN IF YOU ARE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS THAT EASILY!"

~she was breathing heavy with a slight growl as her eyes were intensely looking at him looking like she was going to pounce and attack him.~

He watched her dive into the lake, his heart feeling heavy with what he had said. But it had to be said.
He hadn't meant it, of course. He had intention of turning his back on her; he just had to drive her to the point of frustration and anger, to let her see what it was he was trying to teach her.

He stood, watching the lake, waiting for her to emerge, when he heard the splash from behind him. He spun around, mouth gaping open and she sprung up out of the hole, water cascading up along with her.

Dammit, she had actually done it. He had never intended for her to complete the task, it was simply the next in a series of totally impractical and pointless things for her to do, the same as moving the boulder and sorting the grains of rice.

He saw her grab the knife and swing towards him, moving to the opposite side of her swing, then bringing his hand up to grab her wrist, while drawing in magic.

He could see that look in her eyes, and her tone left no doubt in his mind that he had achieved his goal. he got her to the point of anger. Now he could teach her.

His heart swelled with pride at his daughter, and he smiled.

~Her breathing was heavy that quick trip from the ground took alittle out of her but she didn't care she was mad at him. Her eyes wild. and looking at him as he held her wrist. she saw him smile.~

"What the hell are you smiling about?"

His expression is the exact opposite of hers. Calm and serene, yet focused and happy, all in one. He kept a firm grip on her wrist, not hurting her, just making sure she couldn't hit him with the knife.

Because I've just taught you an important lesson. And I now know you are ready for the real training. He let out a deep breath, all the bad feelings he's had since this started finally coming out. His voice was warm once again, no longer the guard interrogating someone that it has been just a few moments before.

I've just taught you to never fight when angry. Yes you get more strength, but you lose all sense of focus when you're running on emotion alone. I had to see how far I could push you, to get you angry to prove the point. Anger, fear, aggression. They are always quick to join you in a fight. But you should only fight when you are calm, at peace. Passive. He nods once, as if to reenforce what he has said, and he waited until he could feel her calming down.

And you know, I didn't mean what I said.

~as he held her wrist she watched him and as he spoke she listened to him. she saw how he changed in the way he stood and held himself as she thought to herself, "so he had to make me mad..." you tell she was processing this tears formed in her eyes as she looked at him she then closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she started to relax enough. but was wondering if this other side was going to come back an try to tick her off again.~

"You might not of meant it but it hurt hearing it."~she said softly almost in a whisper but he would here being so close.~

He let go of her wrist as she relaxed.
I know it hurt to hear. It hurt to say it. If you HAD turned around and walked off... I don't know what I would have done. I just had to trust that you were stonger than that. Which you are. He paused for a moment.
And as for why I never contacted your mother... Let me tell you what happened when I left.
You know I left with another. We went off, but it didn't work out between us. I couldn't stay there. So I left. I wanted to return here, but I didn't know how I would be greeted on my return.
I spent a while travelling around, visiting various places. I sold my schooner and invested the money. The investment paid off and I made my mind up to return here.

I continued to move around, to avoid anyone following me. I purchased a new boat, and set off to return.
I was caught in a storm; my boat crashed on a small island and I was stranded there.

I managed to remain alive - there was enough vegetation to sustain me, and over time I was able to repair the boat enough to reach civilized land once again.

I don't know how long I was trapped for. It seemed like years. He paused in his story once again.

As soon as I was able, I purchased a new vessel and came back here.

He looked at her.

I'm not as fit as I was, but I'm still sharp. And I still want to teach you what I know. The lessons won't be as hard as this one was, not mentally anyway, but physically I'll test you to the limits.
He didn't add it would also test him to his limits too.

~she folder her arms in front of her and listened to him and wiped her face~

~she nods watching him seeing his expressions.~

"I didn't realize you had been thru so much to get here.." her blue eyes shift to the ground then back up to look at him~

"I want to learn and I don't expect it to be easy. As to as long as it took to push me..Mom always told me to be patient and see what someone is trying to do instead of jumping on them about it. But I was thinking the rice thing was alittle much. I came so close to punch you when you mixed them again. But I really want to learn. Mom was going to show me more...but.." ~ she trailed off and looked at the ground and shifted her weight alittle.~

He suddenly realises he's still holding the magic he drew in earlier, and creates a rainbow from one hand to the other to disperse it.

I have no idea how your mother did what she did, but you seem to have some ability to manipulate it. All you need is the focus and control to use it.

He sits down, near the edge of the lake, and indicates for her to do the same. Then he picks up a large rock - about the size of a fist - and passes it to her.

Close your eyes and hold the rock in your hands. Feel it. Focus on the rock, and see it in your minds eye. Let it become part of you, to become an extension of your hand, and your arm.

~she sits down next to him and takes the rock as he passed it to her. she looks at the rock.~

~she nods~ " I am hoping her things might have some clue in them."

~she closes her eyes as she takes a deep breath slowly feeling the rock the tips of her fingers starting to take the color and texture of the rock slowly her fingers are rock finally after a time her whole hand was stone.~

~slowly opening her eyes as she looks at her hand and smiles.~

"Did mom ever saying anything about her abilities to you?"

~Her arms were completely stone as she drops the rock on the ground~

"Grrr... its so draining.." ~Her breathing increased thru it all she lays back on the ground~