Maddie’s first attempt at training her group went as well as she could have expected and for the next few weeks she carried on with the morning sessions with only a few of them dropping out. It had although become evident that she had reached the limit of her knowledge and that they were going over the same routines that Maddie had taught them in the first week.
“Are we going to be doing anything new today?” Inevitably it was an optimistic Lana that voiced the question that everyone had on their minds.
“No Lana. I do not have anything else to show you but I do believe in being prepared and if we continue to practice what I have already shown you then you will be better able to protect yourselves.”
It made sense thought Maddie but the group before her did not look particularly enthused by her little speech.
“Lysette knows how to fight with weapons.”
It was the boy again and this time Maddie lost patience with him.
“First you must learn to fight with your body, your heart, your mind and then maybe you will find the courage to ask Lissa to train you.”
It was a sombre session after that and Maddie sensed correctly that it would be the last. She dutifully arose the next morning to find that the only ones to show up were George and Lana.
“It’s ok you two, I knew yesterday that it was over and I am sure that you have better things to do.”
George looked at Lana who was smiling as usual.
“Come on, I will show you how to build a larger structure out of the materials we find around us.”
Lana looked to Maddie for approval.
“It’s fine Lana, just go and have a little fun.”
In truth this left Maddie at a bit of a loss, Dylan had not assigned her any duties as he liked to do with newcomers. So she was left to wander around the campsite alone and once again she was overwhelmed by feelings of isolation that she could not shake.
It was only upon entering a clearing in the woods where she saw Lysette that Maddie forgot all about her own situation. Lysette was amazing with a wooden staff in her hand; she was executing the most complex and beautiful moves that Maddie had ever seen. It was a cross between dance and Martial Arts; it was wonderful to see how fluid her movements were, the staff passed from one hand to the other as if by magic. Lysette was mesmerising and Maddie could only stand there transfixed as she witnessed the warrior girl perform her morning ritual.
“That was the most amazing and beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
Maddie blurted this out as soon as Lysette finished.
“Thank you, it helps to set me up for the rest of the day.”
Both girls looked embarrassed and neither one knew what else to say after this surprising exchange until Maddie took the initiative.
“You need to be training these people, not me.”
A wry smile from Lysette as she sat on a fallen tree told Maddie that she found the idea distasteful.
“Your speed is phenomenal and the way that you carry that staff, it is like it becomes part of you. It is no wonder you found my attempts at training them laughable.”
Lysette invited Maddie over to sit with her.
“You are a street fighter Maddie and you taught them the best way that you could. It was not you that I found laughable it is the thought that Imps could fight, now that is funny.”
It was the first time that Maddie had heard the term Imps said in that way. Lysette managed to convey such contempt when she used the word whereas Lana used it with pride.
“You hate these people then?”
“You have to be realistic; they were rejected by the Academies for a reason. It does not matter how hard they train or how much they want to learn they will never beat the Cadets.”
So Lissa had already written them off just like the system and it seemed nothing would change her mind.
“Then you are only here for Dylan?”
“Dylan will come to his senses and once he does we will go back to where we belong. I suggest you do the same because you sure don’t belong here with the rabble.”
It was a compliment of sorts from Lysette.
“You hunt with these people; you eat, sleep and drink with them. Isn’t it obvious to you that they are just like you only less fortunate?”
The look of disgust on Lissa’s face gave Maddie her answer and if that was not enough Lysette drove her opinion home.
“They are nothing like me, take a closer look at them Maddie, they take no pride in their appearance, they take without giving back and they are also weak and feeble minded.”
“I only see a community that supports each other and is desperate to survive.”
Another withering look from Lysette and Maddie knew she was not going to get through to her.
“In the Academy we are taught to be self-sufficient and anyone that cannot keep up is not worth our time. This rabble could not even get into an Academy which just shows you how useless they are.”
Maddie stood up to get away from Lysette’s scathing words.
“You may not want to listen Maddie but I know that Dylan has shown you the dregs of our society that come to us every evening looking for handouts. They take without giving, they are leeches and the sooner Dylan realises that they need to help themselves the better for him and them.”
It was tough love at its most extreme thought Maddie and she did not like it one little bit.
“And what if you fall behind Lissa? Who comes to your aid or do we just leave you where you fall?”
Lissa smiled brightly and Maddie thought the girl might just burst into laughter at the thought of needing help from anyone.
“You think these Imps are capable of helping anyone but themselves then you are touched just like Lana says you are.”
Hmmn Maddie would have to have a word with young Lana for spreading that particular rumour.
“So the Imps are incapable of helping you and the Cads don’t think you are worth helping then I guess you are truly alone.”
Maddie walked away hoping that she had made a dent in Lissa’s armour, though she doubted that anything she had said got through to her.
Maddie knew it was time to find Dylan and tell him of her decision.
“I have decided it is time for me to leave.”
“I am sorry to hear that. I had hoped you would find a reason to stay with us.”
“There is no role here for me to play and I need to find a way home.”
Dylan motioned for Maddie to sit with him.
“Maddie do you even know where you are? It seems to me that you are lost and I mean that in more ways than one.”
He was right thought Maddie; she had lost herself when her dad had died.
“My mother needs me and I have to go.”
It was the first time since losing her father that Maddie had thought of her mother’s needs. In all the time since that terrible day Maddie had only ever thought of herself and her own pain. In fact Maddie had blamed her mother for not being there for her when she needed her the most. It seemed to the troubled teenager that her mother had drifted away from her on a sea of tranquilizers.
Seeing that Maddie was determined to leave Dylan decided to help.
“I will get Lissa to take you back to where you found Lana and maybe you can find your way back from there.”
Dylan was not altogether sure that Maddie really had a home to go back to but he knew she did not really belong in Velaria.
“Not Lissa, just point me in the right direction and I am gone.”
Not for the first time Dylan found himself defending Lysette.
“Lissa may seem harsh but she is a good friend to have at your side.”
“The trouble is she is not my friend and never will be.”
At least Lissa knew how to make an Impression thought Dylan.
“Ok I will take you back myself and Lana can come along to show us exactly where you met.”
Although Maddie could see the sense in this she
really did not want Lana to make the trip with them.
“I think it better if I say goodbye to Lana here, she has become attached to me and I don’t want her making a scene.”
“Nonsense Lana knows the way best and saying goodbye now or later is not going to make much difference.”
There was that arrogance again; Dylan knew better and it would be done his way or not at all.
“Fine I will tell her before we leave that I am not coming back with you.”
“As you wish, now hurry if we leave immediately we have a chance of getting back before it is too dark.”
Maddie wanted to say something clever about the big brave leader of the Imps being afraid of the dark but thought better of it.
“I will go tell her now.”
Maddie found Lana with George; they were in the middle of building some kind of make-shift hut.
“Lana can I have a word please?”
“Yes come and hold this while George straps that branch down.”
Maddie did as her young friend asked.
“Lana we need to talk and then we are taking a trip with Dylan.”
“Oh how exciting, are we going hunting? I would love to try my hand at hunting.”
There was something so infectious about Lana’s enthusiasm that Maddie was almost sorry to be leaving.
“No Lana. I am going home and we need you to show us the way to where we first met.”
Lana jumped back from Maddie and began to walk away.
“Lana I need your help.”
“I heard you I am going to get ready, I will be back in a moment.”
Lana went back to what they had called home for the past few weeks and emerged minutes later.
“Ok I am ready but I might need Dylan to bring us back to where he found us and then I can take it from there.”
Maddie had been expecting more emotion from Lana and was a little disappointed at how well she was taking the news of her departure.
“You will be fine here without me Lana.”
“I know, I have been expecting it and George says that I can move in with her when you are gone.”
Maddie should have known that the resilient young girl would be able to cope without her, after all she was well liked and had made many friends since she arrived.
“Right let’s go, there is no point in dawdling.”
It was not quite a direct order and yet Dylan still made it sound like a command.
On the trip back Dylan was virtually silent and if it was not for Lana’s endless chatter Maddie would have found it very awkward.
“So Maddie you are going home to this distant land of yours called London!”
“It is called London and I am hoping it is not too distant.”
Maddie was aware that she was being mocked by Lana but she did not mind too much.
“It must be very distant because no one here has ever heard of it, have you been to London Dylan?”
“No Lana and you really should not be so sceptical; there are many places that we do not know of.”
“I thought they taught you history, geography, science as well as discipline at the Academies.”
“They teach you what they think you need to know to become a useful citizen and no more. Their history is a lie and their geography does not extend beyond Valeria.”
Lana looked puzzled by Dylan’s revelation.
“Then you don’t know any more than me?”
This was followed by a low chuckle from the inquisitive girl.
Maddie joined in their exchange.
“Lissa paints a very different picture of the Academy system and I get the Impression she would never have left if not for you.”
“Lissa is her own person and has her own views, I do not happen to share them.”
Maddie ended the debate by stating that they were close.
“How far?”
“A mile, no more than that.”
The time had gone quickly and Maddie could not help but anticipate finding the road back to tumbledown.