RELIEF

 Zutara blinked her eyes surprised to see the sun already up and herself still in bed, normally Riz would have yanked her right out of her dreams and into a nightmare of waves and drops and sprinkles and showers.

 Zutara shook her head and wrapped her hair into what she hoped was a semblance of tidy and stepped out into the yard, Riz and Sikorra both turned to look at her from what was the makeshift cooking fire.

 Sikorra had refused to train her in the palace which to her was a huge relief, the pressure of being in the spotlight was already too much to have to add training and being trained in the presence of the King and his court and every other noble man or woman who may suddenly think that her life was their business.

Instead here they were in her tiny, shabby little hut.

"Good morning Zutara''Sikorra greeted and waved her over to sit with them.

"Hey'' Riz nudged her lightly 

''Hey'' she said back

"Did you have a good rest?'' he asked and she nodded

 ''Yes''

 ''So while you were - away Riz here and I realised that we may have been pushing you too hard,  we know this is all new to you and we haven't been very kind to you''.

 ''So we have decided to slow down and let you breathe'' Riz cut in ''Not that there won't be any training or practice but that we are going to turn down the physical tasks a little''

 ''In view of this we came up with some ah....'' Sikorra scratched his beard looking to Riz for help.

 ''Instructional guides or manuals if you want to call them that'' she reached down into a pouched Zutara had not noticed at first and pulled out a bundle of crudely bound sheets of paper, she gave the to Zutara who stared in awe at the intricately illustrated drawings showing and explaining the various stances and posturing for binding water and wielding a sword.

 ''We won't have to train every single day anymore but you will have to practice on your own and we will test your progress from time to time, is that okay?'' Zutara grinned hugging the bundles to her chest.

''Thank you so much''

 "That's not all'' Riz held out some neatly folded clothes '' I noticed you are having some minor,'' she rolled her eyes ''who am I kidding? major wardrobe troubles''  Zutara frowned. 

 "Hey don't look at me like that, your old clothes may have been good for whatever your life looked like before dragons and fire and training, but sweety right now they are a no-no, make that a hell no, you don't want to be worried about anything ripping during a struggle or the big girls hanging loose at inopportune moments'' Riz gestured at her own  breasts and Zutara gasped folding her hands over her chest and glancing to the side at Sikorra who looked away quickly in embarrassment.

 ''Sorry to make you uncomfortable but anyway, the blouses are tighter and stronger than what you already have while the bottoms are looser and softer you'll thank me later'' Zutara mumbled something inaudible under her breath.

 "What was that?'' Riz asked.

 "Oh nothing just hoping that they are soft enough to strangle you  with'' she replied sweetly and Sikorra snorted in laughter.

 ''Very funny'' Riz drawled '' As I was saying, there are ties for your hair, if you asked me I'd say hack some of it off, but then try tying it up sometimes'' Zutara rolled her eyes.

 "Thank you very much, you two for trying to make shit easier for me, it does mean alot, thank you''

 ''You are welcome, child''