Here's the next chapter of this series, Because this is science fiction there are aliens, good ones and bad ones, and yes, the good ones are here to stand against those who would suppress the more physically fragile human race.
In this chapter Maura learns that Ravenswood isn't really a 'pollyanna' world, although the people that surround her love her very much.
I hope you enjoy the read, leave a comment once you've read it. Good feedback is the lifeblood of any writer...dreamweaver594.
10-Yaol
Several days passed and Maura began to recover her strength. Each morning, after a brief breakfast, as Jason left the cottage to train with Master Yaol, Maura would take that opportunity to step outside and practice her sword work. Each afternoon he returned, exhausted, his shirt often singed in strange places. Curiosity was getting the best of her. What was it he was doing? Finally, she couldn't take it any longer.
She walked down an unfamiliar path that meandered through the forest away from Vera's cottage. There was a chill in the air that hinted that a crisp fall was not far away. The amber and golden leaves crunched beneath her shoes as she walked along the path.
Up ahead she could hear voices coming from the training grounds that Lisa told her about. By now, Jason had been working for weeks with Master Yaol. He always came back so exhausted from the experience.
She rounded a corner in the path and saw Jason standing in the center of a large open and circular field of fresh mown grass. He was holding his hands wide in front of him and concentrating on the space between them.
Suddenly a bluish white ball of energy appeared. The ball transformed into several ribbons of translucent energy that started to swirl and spin around him. Jason's face was transfixed by his creation. Then it looked like his attention wandered and sparks began to fly around him like a hundred firecrackers going off at once. His cloak was singed and wisps of smoke seemed to be coming from his hair.
Across the yard a stout man sat on a bench laughing at the foolish grin on Jason's face. That must be Yaol and next to him stood Fen. She smiled sheepishly, of course Fen would be here, she was nearly done with her training, she was probably assisting her master in training Jason.
Yaol looked like a short, stout, bear. She had never known a man could be so hairy. The old worn boots that he wore weren't tied all the way up and his pants were tightly cinched below an enormous belly that seemed to jiggle when he laughed. An old leather vest covered a dingy grey collared shirt that looked worn and tattered. All in all, to Maura, he looked more like a vagabond than a guardian master. But, looks could be deceiving; she could sense enormous power around this man.
A tinkle of laughter drifted across the clearing towards the three who stood in the practice yard. The stout man stood up and gestured towards Maura. "You seem to have an audience, Jason." Yaol said with a nod of his head towards a tree nearby which partially concealed Maura. "You know her, Fen, go bring her here."
Maura slowly emerged from behind the tree and joined Fen as she came to fetch her. Taking Fen's hand, Maura walked over to stand near Master Yaol. She tried to conceal a broad smile behind her hand.
Jason, no longer smoldering, looked a bit embarrassed as she approached his teacher, "Hello Maura, " Jason said indignantly, "I see you find my feeble attempts humorous."
Before Maura could respond Yaol bellowed with a hearty laugh. "You're a novice Jason, of course you'll make mistakes. Get used to a good ribbing every once and a while, too. You've got your father's talent; it's only skill that you're lacking. Time and patience will prevail."
Maura stood next to her friend and wrapped her arm around Fen's shoulder to give her a hug. She leaned over and whispered, "congratulations." Fen smiled awkwardly.
Jason looked meekly at Maura and she shouted back. "Sorry, I didn't want to bother you, but I was curious."
Jason nodded. "It's okay. Just don't laugh too loud."
Yaol walked to the edge of a large covered porch that was attached to a rather ancient looking shrine. "Okay, once again and this time concentrate on the second weave better." Yaol turned to sit on his bench again but before he did he gestured to Maura. "Young lady, you should stay over here near me, as it's still too dangerous to be that close to Jason. He'll start the forest on fire if he's not careful!"
Jason's face turned a crimson red, "I'm glad you're so confident in my abilities."
"Your grandfather thought the same of me when I was his student and my face was often just as red. Now stop grumbling and concentrate on that second weave!"
As Jason moved his hands out to make another attempt Maura reached out to hold Fen's hand. She turned to the guardian master and smiled. "Hello, I'm Maura..."
"I know, I was witness to your pledge at the council and I am honored to meet the daughter of such a noble gentlemen. I don't know if you understand it yet, but you have a very powerful ally in Vera."
"Yes, I do, and she's becoming a very good friend too." Fen continued to hold Maura's hand as they turned to the clearing to watch Jason work a new weave pattern. Maura tilted her head towards Yaol. "But I sense that you don't trust me, do you?"
"It's not my place to pass judgment." His voice rumbled from the depths of his barreled chest. "I am, however, cautious. Old wounds heal slowly and I will keep watch. We live in treacherous times, young lady," he glanced at Fen, "all of us. We cannot let our guard down. Jason was stubborn and ran away; which was while he was a child. Now he's an adult and must behave like one. Unfortunately, he became distracted and almost sacrificed his life for that distraction. Whether it was by deceit or by accident we cannot let that happen again."
She assumed that she was the distraction, the thought made her frown.
Jason's hands moved to manipulate the twin ribbons of energy that seemed to appear from thin air. Maura watched Jason while she questioned Yaol. "What can you tell me about Jason's father?"
"That's it Jason, keep the weave spinning but don't let the bands touch until you've managed to control them!" Yaol shouted to Jason then turned back to Maura. "I knew him well as we were fellow students of his father. There are some things I cannot say but I will say that he was a strong man, tall like Jason, and unlike Jason, he was a bit short-tempered. Still, at his core he was kind-hearted and compassionate."
Yaol sat back down on the bench but kept one eye on Jason as he continued to spin the energy bands above him.
"If he had one fault it was that he didn't suffer fools well and probably paid for it by not being very popular in the council. But that didn't seem to matter to him. Guardians are always loners." Yaol looked sideways at Maura who sat transfixed by Jason's movements, "It's in their blood so to speak."
"How did he die?"
"Hunting Terrian marauders." Yaol growled, watching Jason begin a new weave. Shock and embarrassment flashed across Maura's face. "Not that way, you oaf! Use your left hand like this!" Yaol rose quickly and crossed the distance to where Jason was standing, rapidly.
She was surprised at how fast he could move. How could a man that big move so quickly? Then Maura considered Yaol's other words. She detected a deep sense of resentment in his voice when he spoke of the death of Jason's father. He must really hate people like her. She stood a moment and watched Yaol demonstrate the subtle differences in the weave patterns then she left the porch and walked into the forest, lost in thought. Fen started to follow her but Yaol shook his head and cautioned her to stay. Maura needed to be alone.
She hadn't considered that there would be others close to Jason who resented her presence in the village. Not because she was with Jason but because of who she was and more importantly what she represented.
Silently, she slipped away, waving a gentle goodbye to Fen. As the color of her coat blended into the forest background, she disappeared from sight behind a tall stand of trees. Some probably thought that she was the distraction that nearly cost Jason his life; Yaol admitted as much. Does the entire village think that? Surely they couldn't believe that she would do such a thing, just to use him for her own devices? Maura stopped suddenly. But if they thought her motives were to infiltrate their village then what better way to do so than to gain the favor of an important family in the clan. What could she do? If she denied their accusations they'll view it as feigning self-righteousness. If she did nothing their suspicion may strengthen.
Her head was still reeling with self-doubt when she found herself standing at Vera's front gate staring off into space.
"Hey, give me a hand with this will you?" Lisa looked up at Maura from where she sat on the front porch bench, straddling a large basin filled with peeled apples.
"Huh? Oh, okay. Lisa, I was just talking to Yaol a few moments ago."
Lisa chuckled as she plunked another peeled apple in the basin. "Cranky old codger isn't he."
"Well, yes, I suppose so," Maura murmured absent-mindedly.
"What?" She narrowed her eyes at Maura. "What did he say to you?"
"Well...do you think that I'm trying to deceive Jason?" The worry and self-doubt came tumbling out of Maura like a tsunami. "That I'm trying to use Jason to infiltrate this village? That I'm some sort of a spy? Some sort of evil..."
"What the hell are you talking about? Who said that? I'll tear them apart!" Lisa jumped up and shouted fiercely. The basin of apples and peelings went flying as she stood with her feet planted in fighting stance.
"Well he didn't actually say it but I got the impression that Yaol despises me...well not me actually but my kind. I think he suspects me of trying to distract Jason. Perhaps something more devious, I don't know. It just got me worried."
"Yaol was born suspicious." Lisa was on her knees picking up spilt apples and peelings. She walked over to a spigot and refilled the basin with water.
Maura sat next to her on the bench. "At the same time I understand his hatred, I just don't know what I can do to convince him otherwise."
Lisa washed dead grass off the freshly peeled apples. "Yaol only knows and believes what he sees, he'll come around in time."
Vera walked around the side of the cottage carrying another large basket of apples. "Perhaps there will be someone here before the gathering who will change his mind on that account." Maura looked into Vera's eyes for some hint of understanding but the distant look on her face offered no clues as she set another basket filled with apples by Lisa's feet.
Vera opened her apron and more apples spilled into the basin with a splash. "Here, there are more apples to peel. I've got the pots heating in the kitchen. Bring them in once you've finished with this batch. And there's two more under the bench that you missed."
"What are you making?" Maura asked leaning down and reaching for the two remaining apples.
