Yavanna dodged another one of Niran's jabs fluidly only to feel a hit to her arm. She groaned in frustration and spun to attack him but he was gone.
"Why so frustrated, Uttara?" He asked from his shadows and she began to heal herself as best she could. She knew he wouldn't give her much time.
"Maybe your constant barbs are finally getting to me." She answered wryly, still catching her breath.
He hummed while she stretched slightly. "Perhaps it's because of your new responsibility." He suggested.
She hid a glare behind closed eyes. Breathing out a slow breath, she replied in a controlled tone, "It isn't a new responsibility. And no. It is not because of that."
Maybe that's what had caused her dream, though.
She wasn't given much time to reflect on her thoughts before Niran leapt from the dark and began a new round of training.
"You're improving." He commented after they'd finished.
Yavanna chuckled breathlessly in response, "Thank you."
"Here," He handed her a cloth and she hesitantly took it to wipe her face and neck. Her damp hair could be dealt with later. After Niran had brought water for both of them he led her to a small cave off to the side of the training room. "You've learnt healing, warming, light and shadow casting," He began, "But I've yet to teach you teleportation."
Her eyes immediately raised to his. He was serious?
He chuckled, "Yes, I'm serious. It will be a very useful skill for a person such as you."
She didn't understand his meaning, but being a prisoner at the moment, it would be extremely useful.
"The rune for teleport is 'ᛃ'. To initiate the spell simply picture where you would like to go and allow your magic to flow into a channel of your making."
Yavanna's brows raised. How easy he made it sound, she thought sarcastically.
"Start out small." He said in a humoured voice. She knew he found her perplexed expressions amusing.
She breathed out a slow breath and closed her eyes. Niran always disappeared in a swarm of smoke or ashes. Amory never left any trace. Would she? She wondered.
She wanted to go back to her room, so she imagined the path there, feeling her magic begin to grow and flow into something. What? She wasn't sure. When her eyes parted open she was still in the cave.
She frowned and her shoulders slumped. Niran laughed lightly. "I said to start small. Try to teleport a few inches to begin with."
Yavanna nodded, while rolling her eyes internally. But she would get better. When she first tried any of the techniques Niran had shown her, she'd failed at each one. But she felt as though she was quite proficient at summoning mist and rain now. Growing flowers was calming to her, even.
Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes once more and imagined moving behind Niran. The feeling of an immense rush of air filling her nostrils and pouring into her lungs enveloped her to the point it became hard to breathe. Just when she thought she would burst she opened her eyes and saw Niran's back.
A soft gasp flew from her lips before she could stop it and he spun around.
"Well done. Keep practicing until you reach your room. Training is finished the moment you leave this cave." He smirked and her eyes narrowed in annoyance. His smirk only grew more amused. "You're not allowed to take a single step until you're able to teleport to your room."
'Well. Isn't that peachy.' She thought sarcastically. He scoffed and she frowned. "Are you able to read my thoughts?"
Tilting his head, he turned around, "I can sense your emotions. Your annoyance, for instance."
Her frown deepened. There had been moments when she had felt as though he was hearing her thoughts. She wasn't sure if this was better.
She closed her eyes and began focusing on teleporting further. Magic began to build but her breath caught in her throat when she felt Niran's hands curving around her waist. She couldn't move. Panic built within her, but she couldn't move.
The last time someone had touched her like this was that man in the library. When the king had saved her. Amory. He wasn't here to save her now. She imagined Niran pinning her to the wall like the man had done. The chilling feeling of the man's saliva on her skin returned and she teleported on instinct ten feet away from him.
She stared him down. His face was emotionless as he regarded her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he disappeared in a flash of dust.
Leaving Yavanna in the cold damp cave. Still feeling his touch crawling across her waist. She shivered and refocused to distract herself from her emotions.
~~~~~~~~~~
Yavanna collapsed on her bed. It had taken the entire day, but she had finally reached her bedroom. Her prison. She sighed into the pillow. She still had duties to attend to. She was sweating heavily, the training had been surprisingly strenuous and she felt as though the caves were cooking her.
Rising, she dressed in a dark brown dress and tied a piece of rope around her waist. Then she drew a warm cloak over her shoulders. As she walked to the door she convulsed, a fit of coughing catching her off-guard.
She crawled to her water basin, the moss dripping down on her, the reed mats slipping under her palms. The hacking only increased and she felt her throat closing up. Her fear began to overrule her thoughts and in the next instant she was somewhere else.
Her breath rattled in her throat and she'd lost the strength to move.
"You relayed the message?" Someone hissed.
Yavanna's eyes snapped open. Where was she?
"I have. He didn't seem to care." The first voice paused, "His eyes were elsewhere."
She stirred and swallowed hard when Niran murmured, "He's truly lost without her."
Who was?
"Magic is a funny thing." He said next, "It can mold a person's heart and before they know it they're a new person. For better or for worse. And fate? Fate is a costly thing. The king has already fallen to it."
"My lord." The other person, whom Yavanna now recognized as Ferris, interrupted.
"Mm? Yes, yes I know." Niran replied distractedly. Yavanna was already healing herself. Ferris had spoken to Amory. When? Why? Was it for the Noth people's ransom? Was that why they were there?
"I just need a little more time with her. She's so close."
Yavanna's breath froze within her. So close to what? She urged her body to heal faster, she didn't care that she would have a headache for the better part of the night, she needed to get out of there.
"Alright. But…there's been whispers about her. Our Uttara." Ferris whispered and Yavanna felt the slime of his words in her skin.
"I'm well aware. She will be gone soon, so there's no need to worry. And when that time comes, we will no longer need to hide in the caves like animals. We'll live like gods."