Chapter 5

Garrett had taken to avoiding Ruma after their encounter. Anytime she came into the room, he would find any excuse to leave, claiming to have a meeting to get to. Every time, Ruma would roll her eyes, as if she didn't care and carry on with whatever she was doing. However, ever time he would leave, she felt an unfamiliar pang in her chest. She wanted to scream, it wasn't as if she had done anything wrong. So why did it feel like she was being punished?

It had nearly been a week since Garrett began his flighty behavior and Ruma had had enough. She decided that if he were going to distance himself from her after all of his antics, she would go back to what her mother's advice and protect herself.

As she sat outside on the soft grass in the small spot of sunlight drifting through the clouds in the sky, Ruma focused on the beauty around her and the warmth of the fire within her as she attempted to keep the annoying male out of her head. She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet air. She listened to the sounds of the animals in the woods and focused inwards.

As she focused, everything seemed to fall away. She wasn't herself anymore, but the fire that intermingled with her soul. She was the fire...

Then she heard a low whistle "Very well done Princessa, your control has come along well"

She grunted at the bothersome giant and focused on keeping the fire within her from leaping out at him.

She listened as he began walking forwards, closer to her, crushing the soft grass beneath his feet "But if you can't talk to someone while keeping control, much less open your eyes, you will have a long way to go"

She huffed, wincing as she felt the warmth pour out from her nostrils. Garrett laughed as she cautiously stood and placed her hands on her hips, trying not to look to embarrassed. He grinned "Trying your hand at being a dragon now?" She glared, the fire in her heating as she grew more annoyed. She focused on keeping the fire dancing on her fingertips from escaping and roasting the idiot in front of her. When she didn't say anything, Garrett chuckled "Are you angry with me little dragon?"

She lifted a fiery finger and flipped him off, sending him into a fit of laughter. As he doubled over she decided enough was enough and began walking away, deeper into the forest.

"I am truly sorry Princessa, I promise I won't call you little dragon again" He huffed as he easily caught up with her giving her a mischievous look "Today"

She rolled her eyes and allowed some of the fire from her fingertips to brush against his arm "Ah! Really?" She gave him a snide look and nodded, storming away once again.

"Well I was coming here to see if you wanted to move onto the next step of your training but if you really want to go and burn the forest down with those little fingers that's your choice"

Ruma let out a frustrated scream as she stopped in her tracks. She turned and stormed up to the giant man in front of her "Fine, you win. What do you want?" She demanded, crossing her thin arms. Garrett smirked "Let's take a walk"

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The odd pair walked side by side through the small field behind the tiny structure leaning in the wind. The smaller woman had flames sparking from her fingertips, caressing her palms as made her way through the grasses. Her dark unruly hair drifted back and forth in the wind, casually floating over her unblemished caramel skin, covering her curious but annoyed chocolate eyes as she stared up at the man's face. The man walked, uncaring of the world. He lifted his tanned face upwards allowing the sunlight to kiss the stubbled skin of his face. His hazel eyes only open enough to catch glimpses of the woman beside him.

The tension between the two was palpable as the man fought the growing fondness that sparked in him with every glimpse. Beneath her annoyance and confusion, the woman too warded her growing compassion for the man with all her being, listening to reason.

"Well?" Ruma spouted, Garrett continued walking "We're going to start the offensive and defensive part of your training" his voice remained smooth and calm as he bluntly came to the point.

Ruma stopped and stared at the man slowly striding ahead of her "You want me to hurt other people, join your 'cause'" She spat. Garrett sighed and turned to face her, the sun shadowing his figure, setting an eerie glow upon his hazel eyes "Not necessarily but you do have to learn to defend yourself" Ruma glared, before she could get a word out, Garrett continued "Besides, you have very few choices now."

Ruma crossed her arms "What do you mean?" Garrett looked at her, his words clouded with sympathy "You no longer have a home. You have no family anymore, you have no land. Your father doesn't want anyone to somehow find out that you're alive so there are going to have to be some changes"

Ruma looked at him "Like what"

He shook his head "I'll get to that later, the point is you are going to have to make the decision of whether or not you are going to remain here in hiding, travel to Araidia to live a 'normal' life, or stay with us" She rolled her eyes "You mean fight for you" Garrett shook his head and stepped towards her "No, I mean stay with us, become one of us, learn more about yourself. We are family here, not just a group of wandering thugs. We have a cause for our people, a greater meaning, and its your choice if you want to fight or not. Either way you could still stay with us. We would never force anything on you...Unlike the people you call family"

She looked down at the ground as a sharp pang struck her chest. Garrett sighed and reached out for her, gently pulling her chin upwards. His small touch setting her sense ablaze. "Either way, before you choose, you need to learn to defend yourself." He sighed "And we need to make you unrecognizable"

She shook her head, trying to regain her senses, "And how are we going to do that?"

Garrett stepped back and began to circle her "Well we could go for a haircut" Ruma rolled her eyes "Yeah, no, my hair will be staying and you really think a simple hair cut will make me completely unrecognizable? Are you dull?"

Ignoring her, Garrett bent over and grabbed some berries. Then, stepping forwards, he took ahold of her hair, smearing the berry onto her curled strand. "Hey!" He stepped away, giving her a once over "It should be ok with enough of it... Obviously we're going to have to change your clothes, but still..."

"Hello? Anyone there? Earth to Garrett! Are you even paying attention?"

Garrett stretched out his rough hand, gently caressing her smooth cheek eliciting a breathy gasp from her lips as a blush came over her "What the hell Garrett?"

He looked at her with sad eyes "Your skin is flawless... That will have to be it... That's what we have to do."

He stepped away and began pacing in front of her like a madman. Bewildered, Ruma stared "Would you like to tell me what's going on?"

Garrett stopped and looked at her "Your face is too recognizable, we have to do something drastic to give you a different look"

Ruma rolled her eyes "Ok, what is it then?"

He cleared his throat, his face becoming stiff and indifferent for once "The same way we'll be testing your ability to defend yourself"

He pulled out his knife and tossed it to her, afterwards pulling out his other, wielding it in his right hand. Ruma blanched, panic rising in her chest "What do you want me to do with this? Why did you get your knife out!? What the hell Garrett!" He rolled his eyes "For such a clever woman, you can be so dull sometimes" He sighed "How is your sparring? Particularly with a knife?" She looked at him "I'm decent, I know enough to get out of certain... Situations..." He nodded "Fine, use everything you can. Don't even worry about hurting me, I want you to try to use your fire to defend yourself, and if that fails use the blade."

She nodded, gripping the small weapon tightly.

"Before you, fire elementals said that their fire was like an extension of their selves, it was like reaching out and hitting their opponents, only with more intent behind it. Just let it flow from you and remember to focus on your intent"

Guilt briefly flashed in his eyes "I won't be going easy on you, the hits I get on you will be deep enough to scar, that is the intent" She stiffened, beginning to understand "This will make a more palpable change and help with your defensive skills" She nodded "We need to do this if you don't want to be captured and killed... It has to be done" He swallowed, looking pained.

Realizing that Garrett would never make the first move, Ruma took a breath and jutted her blade forward, towards his abdomen, knowing he would block it in time.

Just as she predicted, Garrett immediately leapt into action, countering her blow and quickly thrusting his blade at her, sinking into the skin of her shoulder. "Ah!" She winced as he retracted his blade and launched into his next onslaught of jabs.

Adrenaline filled her as they continued to dance around one another in a whirl, feeding the fire growing in her. He continued to strike her, over and over, blood dripped from each wound he had created frustrating her to no end, as he only adorned a few of her slashes. The fire heated her body, feeding her furry, begging for release. She struggled to focus as it built within her, Garrett's blows seemed to come faster, slicing into every bit of available skin.

She wanted to scream as her defensive movements didn't seem to match the chaotic fire within her. She had no idea how to use the masses of energy within her, when Garrett rushed forward, she tripped on her back foot and fell to the ground with a thud.

Staring up at the sky she couldn't focus as the fire began to mass, demanding release. The next thing she knew Garrett jumped on her and held his blade to her throat. She gasped for breath as she attempted to focus on the fire. Finally seeming to notice her struggle Garrett looked at her with concern "Ru-"

Fire encased the two of them before he could even utter her name. She had no idea how long it had gone on as the flames burned around the two of them angrily leaping in their fury. It seemed like hours later when she finally felt a calm fight to take over her senses. As she came to clarity and her eyes unclouded, she could see a charred looking Garrett, looking down at her with wild eyes.

His hazel seemed to glow with a new ferocity, his eyes were her sole focus as the calm invaded her senses. Her fire seemed to tame itself as every nerve ending within her seemed to cool off.

When she came to her sense, she reached up to gently touch the burnt rugged face of the man that both fed her fire and calmed it simultaneously.

"Garrett... I'm sorry" She murmured. He coughed, leaning into her touch with a wide smile "I told you to use it didn't I?" He laughed, gently holding her face "I also told you not to worry about hurting me." She blushed.

After a moment the burnt and bloodied pair seemed to regain their senses. Garrett cleared his throat and helped her up. "Somehow I didn't get the one place I really needed to give you the look you need." He looked down at the blade in his hand then up at her face, this time the guilt practically oozed from his burnt body.

Ruma looked at her and gently grabbed his hand, gripping the knife along with him. Staring him dead in the eye, with an adamant look she said "Do it" He opened his mouth "I said do it asshole" He closed his lips and gritted his teeth, nodding.

Swallowing, he wrapped on arm around her, drawing her close to him. "Garret..." He shook his head and lifted the blade to her cheek, gently pressing it against her skin "Don't move" He mumbled, looking distractedly at her caramel skin "This is going to hurt" She gave him a small smile "Do your worst"

Taking a deep breath, Garrett pressed the tip of the knife into her delicate skin, beneath the outer corner of her right eye. She sucked in a breath as he cautiously dragged his sharp blade down her cheek at an angle, the pain hitting her like an avalanche. She tried to contain her whimpers as the blade crossed her lips and dug itself into the skin of her chin and down her throat to her collarbone. "I'm sorry" He kept whispering, once he was done he pulled her in tight and wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry" He murmured against her skin as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She closed her eyes, allowing the pain to hit her, the sting of the blade only growing as the moment left.

Garrett brought them to the ground, holding her in his arms, whispering "I'm sorry" as their tears intermingled and the sun set.

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