Chapter Thirteen - Accepting Change

Isan nodded, he had hoped that Noah would choose to get trained by his friend. Not only would it be better for Noah to learn from a better trained professional, the person he wanted Noah to be training with had been long left alone.

He barely had time to check in on him between assignments as it was normally a hunt to find him, he has asked Sir Alan if he could locate him in advance if Noah had said he would rather train in an academy he was going to his best to convince him else wise.

Hiding his smile he told Noah to rest up and to get some proper sleep. Once he was well enough to ask for a healer to send for him, they would be able to find him. With a quick smile, Isan left to go arrange the proper things Noah would need. Visiting the blacksmith levels for a basic sword and then to the tailors for some leather armour. There may not be many dangers in the Sil ring but it was better safe than sorry.

Noah watched Isan quickly walk out and then looked at his mother laying against the wall. He wanted to wake her and give her a hug but he knew that would be worse for her. She was his mother and he knew what was best for her would just be to rest.

He put his head down and just started watching her rest and letting his mind race of what the future contained. Noah didn't want to push his mother away and that wasn't how he saw what he was doing. The thoughts Noah was having was that if he could be trained by the best that he would be able to beat the best.

One day he wanted his mother to see him as a full knight, protecting and serving the people like a great man. Someone his mother and father could be proud of. He let his eyes drop and within a few minutes was asleep.

The next day Noah woke up and saw his mother having a conversation with a young blonde woman in a green cloak, she had dark eyes and they were in a deep conversation. Noah smiled as he saw how much his mother seemed to be enjoying the chat.

Not wanting to interrupt he let them continue and just stretched in the bed, both his mother and the healer noticed this and turned to him. His mother basically ran over and jumped on top of him. Wrapping her arms around him with tears in her eyes, "Why have you suddenly decided to always scare me to death! I was so worried about you!"

Behind her, the healer smiled fully and let the two reconnect. She had spoken to Nereem over the last few days that Noah was recovering and had become quite good friends with her, learning about their village, her husband and all about Noah. She felt that she already quite well knew Noah just form the conversations.

Nereem had her arms around him when she turned and asked the healer, "Sara how do we check he is alright? Do I need to keep him in this bed for another month?" Choking Noah in her hug. Sara giggled before telling Nereem that she would give him a check over before letting him leave.

"Mmmm, well can you double-check he doesn't have brain damage? I am sure he must have hit his head before running into that forest." Gently running her hand through Noah's short hair.

All this time Noah could only go red and embarrassed as his mother talked about him like he was a small child. He couldn't do anything against his mother especially after he knew that he was going to be separated for a time.

The healer saw Noah blushing and her smile could only get bigger, he looked quite innocent for a 16-year-old. She asked Nereem to let go and to let Noah sit on the edge of the bed. He swung his legs around and pulled himself over. He was sitting in nothing but a thing covering from a sheet.

Once he realised he was in something so thin and short he couldn't help but blush and go even redder. From the moment he had actually seen the healer his hormones had started to play up and he found her very attractive.

She put one of her hand in his cheeks and the other gently pulling his eyelids up, then asking him to look up at the top, the left and the right and the bottom. Checking that there was no redness or blackness in either eye.

After she checked his eyes she felt his pulse on his neck and counted it over in her head while keeping the time by keeping a count by tapping her finger against his chest gently. Noah couldn't help but stare at her, seeing hew have a few freckles over her small nose, her lips plump. She had her eyes closed while she concentrated.

Noah could feel himself starting to get hotter and quickly stared at the rood instead trying to calm down unfortunately for him Sara had already peeked at him when she noticed his pulse quicken. Smirking before moving away. "I think he is quite fine, especially for such a young man he seems in tip condition again."

Sara turned to leave at the door she looked over at Nereem and asked her, "You should think over my Master's offer. It would be great to have another sister here. I will go to the head healer and tell them you have recovered now, Noah." Smiling and leaving.

Curiosity pipped Noah, he looked at his mum for an explanation of what Sara had meant with her last statement. Nereem was smiling and laughed at Noah's face, his eyes had widened like an owl. Patting herself down, "Sara's master noticed I could have a talent in magic. I was just never tested in our village as we didn't have any true healers there just herbalists."

Nereem blushed a little at herself thinking about the compliment, looking to the floor. "I won't be joining, after all, I want to be by you while you train."

A wheel in Noah's head turned and he jumped to his mum and hugged her. "Do it! It would be great for you to learn something new and you seem to get on well with that healer."

"Oh Noah, I couldn't do that. We wouldn't get to see each other often, Sara told me I would be stationed at the bottom of the Dragon Keep or on her level to practice and learn. I wouldn't have any free time." Letting Noah go.

"It will be fine mum, I have decided to train with one of Sir Isan's colleagues and would be sent to the middle of nowhere. You wouldn't be able to come anyways.. So this is a great way for you to make some friends and learn a new skill!"

Nereem smiled not seeming to process what Noah had just said and kept shaking her head for a minute or two before it sank in and she stopped. "You already spoke to Isan about this? When?" her voice turning cold.

Gulping, his mouth going dry. "Yesterday, I had woken up and Sir Isan was standing in the corner while you were leaning against the wall sleeping. I didn't want to wake you up just because I was awake."

Nereem's face turned from her usual smiling manner to a war goddess. "Let me get this clear. You woke up and didn't let me know and then even agreed to leave me behind after all we had done for me to come with you?!"

Raising his hands in the air, "I am 16 mother, I want to go train to be the best and if that means we are going to be apart for a while then I can't help that.."

This just seemed to cook Nereem up some more and if she was a true goddess Noah could swear down there would be a thunderous storm away starting. There would be electricity flying in the air and the rain would pound against someone's flesh strong enough to break bones.

Raising his covers over his head, trying to hide like a small child from his mother's wrath. She lunged at him wanting to slap him like he was a little kid again to teach him discipline but deep in her heart, she knew what he said was true. That is was truly frustrated her, the little boy her and Oran had raised was finally starting to become his own person and she was just holding him back now.

Spinning around and facing the wall, she did her best to calm down thinking about what Oran would say in a situation like this. "He is becoming a great man, we must let him fly the nest otherwise we will only be stopping his growth." She could hear him like he was there in the room.

Peeking out the wool blanket and taking a look around the room for his mother he saw her standing facing the wall. Not really knowing what to do, he got out of bed slowly like he was sneaking up on a deer and with the elegance of a semi-trained hunter he managed to get to behind her.

Placing his hand on his mother's shoulder she turned and faced him again. Her eyes red from holding back tears she hugged him yet again but the difference in this hug was he couldn't feel the warmth he felt earlier just the acceptance that he was growing up.

Putting his arms around her Noah hugged her back tighter than she hugged him. "I will be coming to see you. We can check with the healers master that I am allowed to come back and see you! We don't know how long either of our training will be either. Sir Isan never told me how long it would take to become a fledged knight."

They held each other in a warm embraced small tears from the both of them, preparing for their changed plan.