It was a dagger, the hilt of which was easily a little over a kevette in length. Riftan bent to fasten a sturdy leather belt around her waist, then secured the dagger’s sheath to the belt.
“In truth, I do not wish to give you such a ghastly thing…” he said, his lips twisting as he looked down at her with a clouded expression. “But when they told me that you were lost in the mountains all by yourself without a single weapon, I felt like I had been plunged into darkness. I thought it best for you to at least have a knife on you.”
“Th-Thank you. I shall use it well.”
“I have no intention of making you use such a thing. I am merely giving it to you as a precaution,” he said sharply. Then, with a groan, he added, “Still, I will teach you how to use it.”
Maxi gave him a determined nod. So far, she had felt like a cyst hanging off the campaign, so the mere fact that he was giving her a weapon filled her with joy. Riftan only looked anxious at her excitement, but he just shook his head and led her back to the inn.
They ate a simple breakfast before departing the village. The vast plain beyond seemed to stretch on and on. Maxi galloped Rem, surrounded by the knights. Compared to the rugged mountain path, crossing the even dirt road patched with grass was like riding on soft clouds.
Maxi looked up at the clear blue sky, then over her shoulder at the two baggage carts rattling along the road. The pair of stallions they had purchased in the village managed tokeep up with the warhorses despite having to lug fodder, water kegs, provisions, and firewood.
“Do we…need so much fodder and w-water?
“There will not be any grass once we get a little farther, and not even a puddle of water,” said Gabel, looking up at the sky, too, as he galloped next to her. “Unless it rains, even what we have will not be enough to water all these horses, and it does not look like that is in the cards anytime soon.”
Maxi had always thought of rain as an unwelcome guest for travelers on the road, so hearing that it would be necessary worried her. Not only did rain make for an uncomfortable day of riding in soaked clothes and shoes, but it also would render their herbs and provisions unusable.
However, it occurred to Maxi that galloping across a bleak plain under the scorching sun would also be an unpleasant experience. Beads of sweat were already forming on her nose, and Maxi gazed anxiously up at the burning sun. It would grow even hotter by noon. Would they be able to endure such heat?
True to her fears, by midday, the sun was assaulting them with waves of sweltering heat. The horses could not stop panting, and even the knights, who rarely showed exhaustion, were soaked with sweat. The campaign party rode across the vast, shadeless land, finally stopping at a stream. They had a simple lunch of bread and jerky while the horses eagerly drank. As soon as they were sated, they set off across the endless plain once more.
Never in her wildest dreams did Maxi think she would come to miss the mountains. Not even one full day had passed. Thinking of the shade beneath the trees and the icy valley streams almost brought tears to her eyes. She heaved asigh at the arid plain, devoid of even a single blade of grass.
By the time they decided to stop for the night, Maxi felt like a soggy spinach leaf. Her scalp stung from the scorching heat, and her back streamed with sweat. The choice of that night’s campground was an area dotted with large rocks. Maxi groaned as she slid from the saddle. Her painstaking efforts to clean herself only a day prior had all come to naught. She mused that perhaps she should give up on sanitation altogether on this journey.
She trudged to where the junior knights were gathered and, despite Ulyseon’s vehement attempts to stop her, helped them feed the horses. It made Maxi uncomfortable to do nothing while everyone else was bustling about. She hand-fed the horses with fodder, then filled a pail with water to let them drink.
Riftan returned from patrol, frowning when he saw her tending to the mounts. “Stop doing that and get some rest.” Taking her arm, he dragged her to the entrance of the tent that had just been pitched. “Rest inside while the food is being prepared. You will be helping us more that way.”
The look she gave was full of discontent, but she bobbed her head in resignation. She had grown more accustomed to life on the road, so she was not as dead tired as she used to be at the end of a long day. Still, her stamina was nothing compared to that of the knights who trained rigorously every day. As Riftan said, it would be more helpful to the knights if she replenished her energy whenever she could.
Riftan brought her meal to her on a tray as soon as it was ready. As the sun set, Maxi filled her empty stomach with bacon potato stew and barley bread.
Riftan ate his share beside her. “How are your aches?”
“They…are not as bad as before, a-and I have grown used to the long rides.” The truth was that her inner thighs were still sore, and her shoulders ached, but Maxi did her best to look unbothered.
Riftan studied her with narrowed eyes as if to discern whether or not she was telling the truth.
Seeming to make a decision, he rose to his feet. “Good. Then let us have a brief lesson before you sleep on how to use your weapon.”
“N-Now?”
“Are you too tired?”
Quickly shaking her head, Maxi hastily got up and followed him out of the tent.
Riftan stopped a short distance away. “Come, draw your dagger.”
Maxi awkwardly glanced about. The knights watched them with interest from the fire as they ate. Maxi cleared her throat, then gripped the hilt of the dagger at her waist with fumbling fingers. She wanted to unsheathe it gracefully, but yanking the blade from the tight leather scabbard proved difficult. Now flustered, Maxi grabbed the scabbard with one hand and pulled the dagger with the other. The metal grated as it came out.
Riftan watched her with his arms crossed and his brows furrowed. He pointed to the gracefully curved edge. “You have it the wrong way. That side of the blade should face down.”
Maxi hastily flipped the dagger over in her hand, but the deep crease on Riftan’s forehead did not soften. He studied her awkward posture with a grave expression.
“A dagger is meant for stabbing, not cutting. You can’twield it like that. More like this…”
