Dawn today was approaching faster than usual. Mist clung low to the dirt, swirling with every shift of foot and blade. The cold air bit at bare arms, but neither woman flinched.
Amara's hits were more connected, and full of energy. She hit, in a snap of breath, with her right blade arches up, her left blade slashes horizontal, continuously with only a slight change of direction, and alternating everytime any was blocked. Steel hissed against steel as Olivia continued to block the unrelentless attacks, her stance barely shifting.
"You're tense," Olivia said, calm, her voice not even winded.
"I am not!" Amara roared, continuing her barrage of attacks. "I have never felt this free in a long time."
Olivia knocked her blade aside with a casual flick, creating an opening.
Amara dipped low, twisting to Olivia's blindside, blade snapping up in a tight arc.
Olivia turned with her, parried the strike with a sharp downward flick—and with her free hand, drove the hilt of her sword into Amara's cheek.
The impact cracked like a branch underfoot.
Amara stumbled back, feet dragging through the damp dirt, breath caught in her throat. The sting flared for a moment, but already her skin was knitting itself back together, the red mark fading.
"That's why you were tense," Olivia said evenly, lowering her blade.
Amara wiped the side of her mouth, blinking hard. Then she lunged again—faster, more focused. Olivia allowed her to unleashed all her attack combinations, blocking most of them easily, and dodging some that she didn't recognize.
That's one thing she loved about her. The talent, and adaptability. None could compare.
It was the first time they were training since that day. It wasn't the longest they've gone, given her sensitive personality, but long enough to worry her father.
"Why would you allow it last this long?" he had asked the other day. "You can't allow it go this long, you are all she has"
But Olivia understood her best. She knew to let her have her space, and have her come to you, so she waited. Everyday in the training ground. And now here she was. Sooner than Olivia expected.
Amara lunged again.
Olivia dodged it, and swept her legs. As the princess struggled to regain balance, Olivia's fist brutally struck hard into her midsection.
She crashed into the dirt with a sick thud, the breath knocked clean from her lungs. She curled instinctively, mud smearing across her skin as she clutched her gut. For a moment, she didn't move. Couldn't.
"You are conceited anytime you think you have an advantage" Olivia said. "That would kill you against anyone who can wield the blade"
Amara rolled to her side, spitting into the mud.
Her breath came sharp through her teeth as she pushed herself upright, muscles trembling.
"You talk like there's anyone better with the sword than you in the kingdom" Amara said.
"The king is," Olivia replied, brushing invisible dust off her cuff.
Amara's jaw clenched. "Of course he is,"
There was silence.
"I never got the chance to say thank you" Amara said at last.
Olivia arched a brow. "For what?"
"The Drakoria king didn't care for the fact that I was Mittelreich princess" she said. "He wasn't interested in me, and had you not told me that, I wouldn't have considered it a possibility"
Olivia looked at her, surprised. The girl is talented, intelligent, but common sense and maturity are not her strong suit.
"You make it sound like it is over" Olivia said, circling to resume training.
"No" she admited. "But today is better than yesterday"
Olivia paused mid-step, surprised. Her gaze lingered.
Amara gave a breathless laugh. "You wouldn't understand. For the second time in my life, the path is very clear"
"If you win"
Amara laughed again, twirling her blades to get started.
She lunged.
"Your greatest flaw is that you are quick to underestimate your opponent" Olivia said as she blocked her attacks.
This time she was pressing forward against Amara, though with ease. She was walking casually while meeting Amara's attacks in such a way to put her in danger of being cut. Amara kept backtracking, looking for an opening, but there were none.
Olivia knocked the right blade from her hand. Then the left. She raised her sword to Amara's throat.
"Sometimes you think you are ahead," she said holding her gaze. "But it is only because your opponent lets you"
Amara's breath was ragged, her wounds already closing, the sting fading. "You are not talking about the Drakoria king"
Olivia held her gaze for a long moment, then stepped back, sheathing her sword with a soft rasp. "No."
The training grounds fell quiet, the mist thinning as the sun climbed higher. They still had half an hour left. But the session was done.
"Stop antagonizing your brother" Olivia said to Amara as she picked up her blades. "He is too dangerous"
Amara snorted, sheathing her blades with a flourish. "Believe it or not, I had nothing to do with how the Drakoria king treated him."
Olivia stared at her to see how truthful it was. "It doesn't matter," she said quietly. "He believes you do."
"Olivia, I do not care what my brother believes" she said with a calm vitriol.
"You should" Olivia replied quickly.
Amara stared at her then, approached. "Why do you suddenly care about what Deaglan thinks?"
Olivia hesitated, considering.
"Your brother has had secret meetings with the south" Olivia finally said.
Amara's eyes lit up. She smiled. "So I am finally a threat?"
"This has little to do with you, princess" she said to the frown of Amara. "There is a reason why your father is still undecided to take the south, even after the death of the guardian"
Amara looked in confusion.
"The south is ancient, Amara" she said. "There are forces there we don't even understand...and your brother is dining with them"
Amara still didn't understand what she meant, and the doom that it would bring as the distant toll of the academy bell broke out.