Winds of Change

Susan chuckled and copied her sword so that she would have two, then copied Destiny's sword. "Let's show him."

"If I really want to show him it should be against Alanna, but Tarval won't let that happen." Destiny replied as they walked into the centre of the space. All activity around in the other sections stopped and everyone turned their attention to the two women.

There was no signal to start the fight, one moment they were standing before each other the next their swords clashed against each other, again and again they moved and their swords danced independent of each other. Iron-arm went pale as he realised that it could have been him against Destiny.

You know I need to show them that I haven't changed, Alanna told her mate silently.

Tarval had been thinking along the same lines and he knew he couldn't be the one to duel her, he would naturally go easier on her since she was pregnant. Fine. He told her.

Alanna grinned and copied Wolf Claw, the sword Gabrielle had made, Had enough yet Susan?

Thank Luna, get your arse over here. Susan replied as she backed away from her mate. Destiny grinned and turned her attention to Alanna.

"So... Tarval is going to let you play." She teased.

"Shut up and fight," Alanna told her as she advanced, men cheered as they watched Alanna enter the ring.

"Looks like you're the popular one," Destiny taunted.

"Screw you," Alanna replied as she was finally in range of Destiny's swords. Destiny chuckled as they started to circle, both waited to see who would throw out the first blow. Destiny got bored with the waiting game and started the deadly dance. They moved with speed and grace, never letting the other get the upper hand. Destiny was well trained and against most pack members she would have won... but Alanna wasn't one of those pack members.

Alanna deflected both of Destiny's swords out and away giving Alanna time to go in for the kill. Her swords came up and were crossed in a quick movement, a move later Destiny was met with a pair of swords near her neck in a classic scissor action. "Yield," Destiny declared and a cheer went up from the watching warriors.

Destiny turned to Iron-arm, "so... still want to fight?" She asked.

"Ah... no..." He replied which caused Destiny to laugh.

Susan turned to Dominic, "So did that work? Will we be effectively left alone?"

Dominic nodded, his men now knew not to mess with Susan and Destiny, and that Alanna was just as lethal as she was the last time she was here.

Alanna walked with Iron-arm to the battle school after breakfast, "So, anything I should know?"

"We have four wings in training at the moment," Iron-arm explained.

Alanna nodded, she understood the term, Flights were broken up into wings; a wing comprised of ten members and was normally grouped since childhood which built a strong fighting team. This meant there were forty young men in the Battle school at the moment. "How long have they been in training?"

"All of them are in their first year and are starting today. We delayed their start to coincide with your arrival since you are their Training Master. If only one wing manage to pick up a fraction of your skills then I will be happy." He told her.

"They are fourteen right?" Alanna asked as she knew that was the normal age Dominic allowed the boys to start training.

"Three are thirteen and one eleven, Dominic normally doesn't let someone that young be placed in a wing but if we didn't then he would never be placed in a wing, the next group of young are four and five; by the time they are old enough he will be too old."

"And how is the youngest being treated?" She asked.

"Normal boyhood actions, they found out a week ago who would be in their wings and they have been getting to know each other. We haven't allowed it to go too far, bullying isn't encouraged because it doesn't help build strong ties and causes dissention later on in life. Generally the group will chose their own leader, it will be an unconscious action, they will just start following someone. However if we believe the leader is wrong we will place them in situations which will force them to choose a better leader." He explained.

"Because you want the group to trust their structure and their leader by letting them chose their own leader you are preventing them from resenting them." Alanna guessed the reason why. "How do you group the boys?"

"We go on their history, reports from their teachers, we try to have an even mix of intelligence and ability, we also take into account their fathers, and brothers if they have them, some are grouped because we know they will never be more than junior warriors and will be trained in other crafts once their basic warrior training is complete. We have one such group in this lot, their fathers are masons, wood carvers and blacksmiths. They will follow their fathers." He continued.

"What if the son of a crafter has more potential as a warrior than as a mason or blacksmith or wood carver or farmer?" Alanna asked.

"Ah... we have one of those too, in fact the elven year old, his father is a blacksmith, tried to get his child interested in the craft like all craftsmen do. His son showed no interest, generally we can tell if a child will become a craft master by the age of ten. We also have a warrior's son who is far more interested in metal work, every spare moment he has he goes and watches the blacksmiths. They got tired of him staring and put him to work."

Alanna nodded, "that makes sense."

"We don't force them into a path that isn't right for them, no one was upset and those who knew they wanted to go into the crafts were asked if they wanted to become warriors. They declined and they know that those in their wing are like them." He continued.

"Well, let's go meet the boys," Alanna told him as they finally reached the battle school, it was placed a little away from the rest of the keep and warriors, partly because as young warriors they were untrained and it was better if they made mistakes in front of each other instead of in front of older warriors.

Iron-arm nodded and walked Alanna in; the school was surrounded by thick walls on three sides and the battle school dorm on the fourth side. The walls were to keep curious and expectant fathers away, it was also strictly a no fly zone over the school, the dorm was where the boys would live for the duration of their training, they would eat, sleep and live together to build their bonds. The boys would spend the next six years in the battle school, the first four years were spent honing their own fighting skills and the last two were spent learning to fight as a team and fly as a team. The boys earmarked to become crafters would spend the first four years doing full training and the last two they would go to their chosen crafts in the afternoon while the others learnt advanced battle strategy.

They came out into the main outdoor training field where each wing had a section, it was silent. Even without Iron-arm's information she could tell the wings were still very new as they were weren't standing as groups but as individuals. "This looks like fun... can I pass... you can get another training master." She asked Iron-arm, not really kidding.

Iron-arm chuckled, "not this late I can't, they are all yours for the next six years." He turned leaving Alanna in front of the groups of boys who she was to train into warriors. She let her eyes wander over the boys, taking in each person, making note of each face. The boys were dressed exactly the same in white shirts, brown breeches and soft soled boots, some had long hair others short but it would take time for her to learn each boy by name and face. Each boy's shirt had a simple design on the left hand side over the heart, the mark of their father, which would help her figure out who was who.

Several retired warriors came to stand before her with their backs to the boys. One had a noticeable limp and a scar across his left cheek, another had a patch over his right eye which partially hid four furrows which had taken his eye and the third was missing his left hand and had a prosthesis which by the looks of it had a few attachments. The man with the patch stood half a step closer to Alanna.

Alanna had wondered what happened to badly injured warriors, and had asked Dominic what they did when they were retired from active duty. He explained that it depended first on the skill of the injured warrior and what the injury was. If the warrior was a highly decorated one they tried to find them jobs where their skills could still be of use, and if they weren't they were retrained in another worthwhile skill which would still add to the running of the keep. These three however were some of Dominic's best warriors, ones he had handpicked to be in his own personal wing when he had last gone to war with the gylphons (sand daemons) less than six months ago. Dominic felt responsible for their wounds and for robbing them of their lives as active warriors and he would be damned if he sat them in a war room debating tactics. These three were some of the best of the keep and as such they would be perfect to help teach the next generation of warriors.

"Brave-heart..." the man with the patch said which confirmed her assumption that he was her second.

"Alanna," she corrected.

The men chuckled, they like everyone in the keep knew how Alanna viewed herself as nothing all that special and how she insisted on informality. However that wasn't something that could be practised in front of the boys, they simply wouldn't understand her behaviour until they knew a couple of truly great, yet humble warriors. "In front of the boys you are Brave-heart." The patched man said; stating simply the way they would address her for the next six years.

Alanna nodded and took a deep breath, "are they ready for inspection."

The man with the patch snorted, "nope... but they will be once you tell them what you want. Each training master has their own style, and I am sure yours will be so outside of what we know that we will learn alongside them but pretend that this is how it is always done."

Alanna grinned, "today I think they will question why I am their training master, so just yell out "you heard her" whenever they hesitate, and generally look disapproving, and I will explain exactly how we are doing this once they go to their theory classes." The three men nodded liking how she was including them in her plans for the teaching of the new warriors.

"Okay... let's get to know them and each other." Alanna said as she walked into the field, the men waited until she had moved passed them before they turned and followed, letting the boys know that she was the one in charge. She made a whistle appear and blew it. "FORM UP." She yelled. The boys glanced around unsure. "I'm waiting..." she said firmly as the boys didn't even form lines. "Two lines of five for each wing, get to it!"

"You heard her... move!" the man with the patch shouted doing exactly as Alanna had instructed. The boys moved quickly and stood in the two lines of five.

She looked at each wing and shook her head. "No... not good enough." She went to each group and rearranged them, showed them how to space themselves by using their arms. Once that was done Alanna stepped back and looked at each wing, "from now onwards when I or one of your instructors say form up, this is how you will present yourselves to us." She told them firmly. "I am Alanna Brave-heart your training master; you may call me Brave-heart or Master, nothing else. I'll let my instructors introduce themselves and how you will address them."

The man with the patch stepped forward, "I am Thane, second in command after the training master, you will call me Sir."

The man missing his hand was next, "I am Cia, you call me Sir."

"And I am Braken, what they said," The man with the limp said.

Alanna tried not to laugh at what Braken's introduction. "For the next six years you are ours, we will reward you for your successes and punish you for your indiscretions. Your wing members are now your brothers, your family, treat them like it. If one of you fail, you all fail, if one of you disobey, you all disobey and you all get punished, get my drift." Alanna said firmly. "Any questions?" she asked and glanced around, she could see that one of them had a question so focused on him. "go on, you have permission to speak."

"What can you teach us?" the young man asked.

"Your name," Alanna asked, already she could tell she was going to have problems with this one.

"Nathan, my sire is Brutus." He declared.

Alanna watched him, "you say that like it means something." She told Nathan, "I want you all to know that I don't care who your fathers are, they are not standing in my training field, you are." She stated firmly, "I know all about Nephalim genetic memories, how you just need to practise what you know instinctively. The battle master would not have asked me to be training master if he didn't think I could make you into better warriors than your fathers. Or do you forever want to only be known because of who your Sire is and not because of your own accomplishments." She glanced around, watching the young men before her.

"Now... Nathan... you think that what you instinctively know is better than what I have to show you?" She asked and the boy nodded, choking down the anger at the slight Alanna had awarded his father. "Thane, give him a fighting stick."

"And you?" Thane asked as he walked over to a barrel.

"No just him," she told him.

Thane returned with the weapon, it was effectively a piece of hardwood with a sword hilt on it, he handed it to Alanna who tested the weapon then tossed it to Nathan. "Step out and pick it up." She told Nathan who obeyed. He watched as Alanna handed her sword to Thane then gestured him and the other instructors to back away. "Attack me, use what your father has shown you and attack me." She prompted.

Nathan shook his head, "you are unarmed and I won't fight an unarmed person."

Alanna snorted, "unlike Nephalim, my entire body is a trained weapon, my hands against your fighting stick, I still think the odds are wrong but... oh well. Attack me."

Nathan approached, when he was in range he attacked but where ever his weapon was Alanna wasn't, she dodged and weaved away. Nathan's moves got bolder as he thought he was winning because Alanna kept retreating but in a move he didn't see the stick was wrenched from his hands and sent flying. Nathan panted as he watched Alanna who stood before him calmly, not even breathing hard.

"So... do you still think I can't teach you anything?" Alanna asked, "all your genetic knowledge, all your father's lessons and I disarmed you and wasn't even trying. Iron-arm told me that even if one wing picked up a fraction of what I know it will be worth it and he is the battle master. He knows more than a boy with no formal training."

Alanna gestured for him to return to his place. "Now... any more questions?"

A small boy raised his hand.

"Yes," Alanna said giving him permission to speak.

"I heard you are pregnant, will that impact on our training?" He asked.

"Name?" Alanna prompted.

"Castle," he answered.

"I am pregnant, and no it won't impact on my training methods." She told him firmly. "Any more?" She glanced around but no one seemed to have a question. "Good, now we can get started."

"This is your office," Thane said as he held the door open for Alanna after they had dismissed the boys. "The boys' records are over there and the theory masters give weekly progress reports on all of their lessons. Also they will give pink cards for incomplete work or work not to standards. I haven't finished setting up the running board." Thane explained as they all entered behind Alanna.

"Pink cards?" Alanna queried.

"Demerits, ten demerits equals three hours with the lesson masters. They lose their free time in punishment for incomplete work." Thane explained.

"So... how do you think I did?" Alanna asked as she sat in a chair behind the desk, she gestured to the three chairs before the desk. The men sat and Braken winced as he stretched out his leg. "Get Susan to look at that, she might be able to relieve the pain. I need you on your feet." Alanna remarked.

Braken acknowledged the slight order Alanna had given him, besides it sounded like a good idea to have the Were healer have a look at his knee.

Thane smiled, "I think it went well." He glanced to the others to get their opinion and they nodded, many of the things Alanna had the boys do like forming ranks was new to them but they liked the order it represented.

"I have never taught like this before, I generally have a more relaxed manner, but I know that won't work here that they need to learn discipline so I am using almost the same tactics Sammy used when I went through Beta training." She explained.

"Beta training?" Cia asked.

"Advanced warrior and leadership training, in Were culture you have Alphas, Seconds and Betas who all have leadership ranks, Betas answer to Seconds and Alphas, Seconds answer to Alphas, generally a Second will have originally been a Beta. Everyone else answers to the rank system." Alanna explained then made copies of a guide to Were culture appear and handed one to each man. "That will kind of clear up your questions."

They nodded, they would read the book and ask questions later.

"So who is Sammy?" Thane prompted.

"To become a Beta, you first have to be trained as an enforcer, an enforcer is much like you guys were, trained to protect the pack, enforce the laws and fight if the Alpha needs it. Sammy is the person who trains them, she takes people who know a little about fighting and turns them all into experts, finding their strengths and weaknesses and turning them into something more. She is really good at it." Alanna explained, "no nonsense attitude, you do what she wants when she wants or you'll regret it. I remember doing suicides for almost an hour because a team mate didn't have his gear correctly packed away."

"Suicides?" Thane questioned.

"A series of sprints, you start at one spot, sprint to a mark and sprint back to where you started then you sprint to the second mark and back to where you started and so on until you got to the last mark. Try doing ten sets of suicides at full sprint because if you went slow you got punished with another set of suicides. If you threw up, you got another set of suicides, if you tripped or lost your footing you got another set of suicides. Once ten sets of suicides got too easy she would increase the number." Alanna explained.

"Punishment is generally done in the yard." Thane said but thought that it was a good punishment, because it not only punished but also conditioned the warrior to be fast and to have endurance.

"The yard, I thought that was only for adults?" Alanna questioned.

Braken shook his head, "It is where all punishment happens when it comes to warriors, even apprentice warriors. Failure to follow orders, endangering lives, insubordination, dereliction of duties and so on. The yard master hears the charge and decides the punishment, no two punishments are the same and they are designed to enforce correct behaviour."

"Rarely does it go beyond the yard," Cia added, "but if the behaviour isn't corrected and continues then it is brought to the Warlord's attention."

"I like these suicides, I think we should leave the yard for the big problems and use suicides for normal punishment, it is punishment but it will also condition the boys to make them stronger and build their endurance." Thane explained.

"Can't hurt to try." Braken agreed, "as long as I don't have to run them" he finished, which caused them all to chuckle.