So Karina took quite a beating in the last chapter. Let's see how she feels about it. That cant have been easy for the kid...

Karina

By the time Karina began her journey home, the sun had long set. Drenched in sweat, she'd shivered the whole way. Caleb Blackwell had forced her to train for hours without break. Her whole body ached, bruised all over from the rap of his staff. 

After running drills for what seemed like an eternity, Blackwell made her face him again and again, beating her down so many times that Karina began to think that he had no desire to train her at all, only to humiliate. Her arms were exhausted from the weight of the staff and her legs felt like jelly. When Manna's home mercifully appeared before her eyes, Karina walked through the door in a trance of exhaustion, wanting nothing more than the chance to fall into bed.

"How was it?"

Manna's cheerful mood was instantly grating. Karina collapsed into a chair by the fire without answering her teacher's question. She heard Manna laugh in response to her clearly sullen mood.

"That good?" she joked as she came to sit across from her. Karina glared back in response, but Manna's smile did not fade.

"No one said that training with Caleb would be easy, Karina. Few things worth doing are."

"They hate me," Karina said staring into the flames. She turned to Manna, "Even Aidan." Karina watched as the banter in Manna's face quickly disappeared, her mouth tightening, her eyes narrowing into a sharp stare.

"What do you mean they?" she asked.

Karina felt the tears welling in her eyes as she turned away to avoid the judgment she could already feel radiating from her teacher. She was so tired. She didn't need Manna angry with her as well.

"What happened?" Manna pressed, her hard tone not responding to Karina's obvious frustration.

"I saw the boys Mr. Blackwell trains. They were they when I climbed the hill."

"I told you very clearly to wait until after the evening bell rang before approaching Caleb's home, did I not?"

"I know but..."

"I warned you to tell no one he had agreed to train you. That you could not be seen on his premises."

At Manna's condemnation, Karina couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They slipped down her cheeks unashamedly, wet and salty.

"They said I should go home. They don't want a girl there. I thought Aidan was my friend, but he didn't do anything to stop them. And then Gavin pushed me, and then we fought and."

"Fought?"

Karina could hear the disapproving timber in Manna's voice unabated. Would she blame her as well? It wasn't fair.

"It wasn't my fault!" Karina insisted, trying again to gain her teacher's sympathy. "He pushed me first!" Seeing no change in Manna's expression, she began to cry in earnest, drawing her legs in close to her body and closing herself off from her teacher's judgmental gaze. 

What did it matter if she told Manna what had happened? She didn't care. She was just like Blackwell had been. Maybe everyone wanted her to fail.

"I didn't mean to disobey," Karina managed to choke out through her sobs. "I just wanted to prove myself. I didn't mean to ruin everything. But now Mr. Blackwell hates me as well."

Karina turned, sniffing back tears as she felt her teacher's hand on her shoulder.

"Come here," Manna said, her voice no longer angry. 

Karina looked up to see Manna standing beside her, arms open, the woman's face returned to the kind neutral expression she was used to. Karina did not resist as Manna bend down and wrap her arms around her, gathering her close.

"I'm sorry," Karina said, as her lingering tears dripped into Manna's shoulder.

"I know," Manna answered, giving Karina's shoulders one more tight squeeze as she pulled away. "And I'm not angry with you, I just." She paused, looking a Karina with concern. "You have to be careful Karina. Caleb agreed to work with you under the condition that it would be kept a secret."

Karina nodded, trying to hold back more tears.

Manna sighed. "Why don't you tell me exactly what happened."

Karina nodded again, wiping away her remaining tears as Manna took her seat across from her again, hands crossed in her lap, prepared to listen intently. Karina took a deep breath.

"When the boys saw me near the sword master's home they wanted me to leave. But I wouldn't go so they." Karina stopped, uncertain how much sympathy Manna might have if she admitted to telling the boys outright that she was there to train. "Well Mr. Blackwell saw us fighting," she continued, avoiding the more incriminating details of her story. "He said it was all my fault. But he didn't see that Gavin started the fight. I only punched him because he pushed me."

"You punched him?" Manna asked with a laugh of surprise.

"It's not funny."

Manna shook her head. "No," she agreed, her expression becoming serious once again. "It certainly isn't. You have to learn to control your temper, Karina."

Karina put her head down and gave a slight nod. "I know," she answered.

"And then what happened?" Manna prompted.

"Mr. Blackwell said if I liked fighting so much, I should fight him instead. He made me take up a staff and face him, and he beat me, and the boys laughed..." The tears welled in Karina's eyes again as she relived the scene but she managed to keep them from falling. "Mr. Blackwell told the boys to go home, but he made me stay. He said if I didn't, he wouldn't let me come back. Then he made me fight him again and again, but I just kept losing."

"Well of course you did," Manna said with a slight smile. "Caleb is a master swordsman. That is why I sent you to him. You can't expect to succeed immediately."

Karina nodded. "I know that. But he humiliated me in front of Aidan and his friends. How can I face them now?"

"It sounds as if you held your own against those boys just fine."

"But they hated me for it."

Manna nodded, her gaze kind and understanding.

"Men in this world often fear powerful women. As the former Nita of our people I know that better than most."

 Manna beckoned for her and Karina went to her teacher, who made room for her on her lap as she had when she was little. As Manna wrapped an arm around her shoulder, Karina snuggled in close, grateful to feel her teacher's comforting embrace.

"You are a woman with great strength and spirt Karina. In your lifetime you will have to deal with many who will see that spirit and try to break it out of malice or fear. You mustn't ever let them do that."

Karina nodded and laid her head on Manna's chest as the woman stroked her hair.

"I'm sure Aidan will be just as eager to forget what happened today as you are. His friends as well. You simply must make sure they never see you at Mr. Blackwell's home again. If the subject does come up, you will swallow your pride and make those boys believe that Caleb never accepted you as his student. You will tell them that he gave you a tongue lashing and sent you on your way. Do you understand?"

Karina hesitated.

"Do you understand," Manna repeated, this time with more force.

Karina nodded.

"And as for Caleb," Manna continued, "I know that training under him will be difficult. He expects perfection from his students and will settle for nothing less. But I have complete faith you will rise to the challenge."

Karina thought of each humiliating defeat against the sword master. She doubted that she might ever learn anything that would make much of a difference against the force of Caleb Blackwell.

"Now, come," Manna said, giving Karina a gentle nudge from her lap as she stood. "You must be hungry. I have some stew waiting for you."

Karina nodded her head, feeling her exhaustion again as she rose. She was hungry. As Manna set a bowl in front of her at the kitchen table Karina felt her stomach growling impatiently. The warm sent of meat, and vegetables, and spices wafting towards her nose was heavenly.

"I will set some water to boil so you can clean yourself before bed," Manna said. "I'm certain you wish to sleep as soon as possible."

Karina nodded again and picked up her spoon, but she stopped just short of the bowl. "Manna," she said, "can I ask you something?"

"Hum?"

"It was something the sword master said."

"Yes?"

Karina could feel Manna watching her intently and she felt herself hesitate, though she wasn't sure why.

"He said that I was just like her," Karina answered finally. "What did he mean?"

Manna looked at her in confusion for a moment before a smile broke across her face.

"I imagine he was talking about your mother. If Caleb said that he must favor you after all."

Karina frowned slightly and shook her head. "It wasn't a compliment." She remembered the clear disdain in Blackwell's voice. "He said I had the same stupid stubbornness."

This time it seemed Manna could not contain herself and she chuckled loudly. Karina scowled.

"It's not funny!" she insisted, slamming her spoon down angrily and crossing her arms against her chest.

"I'm sorry," Manna said, still trying to reign in her laughter. "Its just that Caleb has such a way with words."

"Then you know him well?"

Manna nodded. "Caleb and I have been friends for a very long time."

"He said that he told you he would give me a chance, but that I would have to prove myself."

Manna nodded again and her smile faded slightly. "He spoke the truth. Caleb does not train girls on principle and it was difficult to convince him to accept you as a student."

"But why not?" Karina had never really understood why girls should not be permitted to do all of the things Aiden and his friends were allowed. It never seemed fair. If Manna had asked Caleb to train her, surely she agreed that there was no reason girls could not learn the same skills as boys.

Manna hesitated. "I believe it's complicated. Caleb was a soldier once, but he has long since retired. He prefers to keep to himself and does not take on many students in general. As you know, there are many who believe women should not be trained in combat, that such things are for men alone. Whether or not Caleb believes girls should fight, I think he does not wish to bring unnecessary trouble to his door and have to deal with those who might object to his training less traditional students."

Karina nodded her understanding, though Manna's words did not seem to answer her question as she'd hoped.

"In fact," Manna added, "Caleb only agreed to take you on as a very special personal favor to me."

Karina's eyes went wide.

"Don't act so surprised," Manna said with a laugh. Never forget that I lead the Senmin for many years. I still have some sway amongst our people." She winked. "I know Caleb can be a hard man to deal with at times, but he is also fair. You can learn much from him."

Karina could not help but remember just how unfair Caleb had been, but she decided to remain silent on the matter.

"How did Mr. Blackwell know my mother?"

"I should think you would have figured out that answer on your own."

At Manna's cryptic response Karina realized she likely had guessed the answer, but it seemed so improbable she'd hesitated to believe it. "She was his student as well?"

Manna nodded. "Indeed. One of his best I would wager. He wasn't much pleased with the idea of training a girl back then either as I recall. But your mother," she said with a smile and a small shake of her head, "your mother was insistent that he train her to fight. Eventually she wore him down and he agreed. In the end, she won him over completely."

"But he said she was stubborn."

 "No doubt she was," Manna chuckled. "Your mother was my friend and I loved her dearly, but she had quite a temper, and she was very headstrong. Not unlike you." Manna gave her an affectionate smile. "But she learned to control herself and use her strength wisely.

" Caleb Blackwell is the best swords man among the Senmin, possibly in all of Erestia. You will have to prove yourself to him to earn his respect. Caleb can make you strong, but you will have to obey his command if you wish to learn and, I said before, you must try control your temper and check your rebellion. Remember that it is not only your reputation that is at stake but mine as well."

Karina nodded.

"But I tell you, Karina, there is not a man I respect or trust more in this world. Make a friend in Caleb Blackwell and you will have a man you can put your faith in."

Karina was struck by the level of conviction in her teacher's words. As she ate her dinner and prepared for bed she vowed that the next time she went to Blackwell's home she would try harder. If Manna trusted him so completely and had so much faith in what he might teach her, Karina knew she had to do her best not to disappoint her guardian. Still, as she lay in bed feeling the aching throb of her muscles, trying to relax into sleep, Karina could not help but feel daunted by the task of gaining Blackwell's approval.

My mother did it, she reminded herself. I will make her spirit proud. Closing her eyes she called to mind the image of the strong woman with a sword in her hand, the guardian spirit watching over her.

  I love you mother, she whispered silently to the phantom warrior in her mind. I will make you proud. Karina imagined her mother smiling in response and wrapping her arms around her in a loving embrace and the tension drained from her body. Karina closed her eyes as a smile came to her own face and her mind finally allowed her release into exhausted slumber. 

Good thing Manna is such an understanding teacher.... So what do you think of Karina? Hope these few chapters from her POV have helped you connect with her more and get a sense of her character. Somewhat disturbing to see how much she worships and imaginary mother when her real mom is so close. Wonder how she will react one day when she inevitably has to lear the truth....Anyhoo, the Next chapter will take us away from Manna and Karina for a bit and back to...Henry. But the chapter will not be from his POV. There is a bit of a twist coming up and more to follow soon after:-)

As always thanks for reading and following the story! And if you liked the chapter, don't forget to click the star and vote;-)