CYAN | ONC 2022

12

The stick in Aryzath's grip clashed with another stick from Ilayda. He managed to block a potential blow to his right side, pushing the branch upwards and with a flick of his wrist just like he had been taught, dislodged the makeshift sword from the Tünder. It flew high in the sky and in an angle, clattering to the forest ground far to their right when it fell.

Silence washed into the scene as the two creatures stood in front of each other, their panting breaths echoing into the dense forest around them. Aryzath's muscles burned from the exertion, and half of him wanted to drop his pretend sword to the ground and lay flat on his back just so he could breathe easier. But he couldn't let his guard down — not when Ilayda's eyes were faintly glowing in cyan, intensifying the colours in her gaze.

She wasn't done yet. At least, not until she admitted defeat.

They remained staring at each other for quite some time before the Tünder huffed a breath, the corner of her lips quirked upwards. She raised her hands in the air, palms facing him. Immediately, he threw his stick to the ground and let his knees buckle underneath his weight. He landed flat on the ground, hands grazing some of the hardest texture of the forest floor.

He took in deep breaths, just to slow down his rapidly beating heart. Ilayda lessened the distance between them before she dropped to her knees, patting a hand on his shoulder. Aryzath couldn't help but to smile at her even though just doing so intensified the ache in his body.

"You catch on quick," Ilayda said, having regained her breathing far quicker than he did. It made sense she did. After all, she probably had enough practise in the battlefield to be quick on her feet and regulate her breathing unlike him. "Just three days of this and you're on your way to almost besting me."

"Almost?" he said, his words shaky as he was speaking and simultaneously inhaling more air. "I definitely bested you."

"I let you best me, Dragonkind," she said, her eyes sparkled in mirth and turning a shade lighter when he narrowed his gaze at her. "I jest. I was just a little distracted."

"Huh," Aryzath said. "I thought you said distraction will be the end of me during a battle."

She giggled, her shoulder shook and it once again evoked this need in him to close the distance and press his lips against hers. It was a familiar thought nowadays whenever he was with her. He hadn't been convinced that she would truly teach him to fight but when she had tossed him a branch and said they should start with this, he found himself following her directions and every word. She was born to lead, taking reign of him and making him feel safe when he couldn't understand what he was doing.

And that alone made his heart skip a beat and his face warm, unrelated to how much exercise he had just gotten.

"Dragonkind, you are getting better at using my own words against me," she said.

"I learn from the best," he said, bowing his head a tad to earn another series of giggles. It made him light on his feet, if he had any energy left to stand. Hearing her like this was a feat in itself — one that made him feel right. Validated, even. Because she had been so angry at him and his kind before and now... they were here. Almost comfortable with each other. "I didn't think practising with branches was such an important step."

"You have to get used to the movement first." Ilayda swished her hand in the air a few times to mimic what they just did. "Then we move on to the actual thing."

"That might take a while," Aryzath said, curling his lips upwards. "I'm still far from perfect."

The Tünder nodded. "Practise makes perfect, Dragonkind."

Quiet blanketed them then and for a while, Aryzath let himself to just look at her. Her hair was a bit of a mess from the way they fought, but the sheen of sweat on her face didn't make her look any less beautiful than she had been. Perhaps it was the fact they had been sparring, but she looked bolder with her tensed shoulders and her chin tilted upwards just a tad.

It stole his breath away when behind that strength she was portraying, she had a smile that softened her entire demeanour — aimed right at him.

Guilt stabbed him in his chest right there and then.

He still hadn't told her who he really was. The more he got to know her, the less confident he became at telling her about his royal blood. After all, she despised the monarchy and he didn't blame her. And he didn't want to lose her.

For this to end and the warmth that he had beginning to get addicted to be taken away and leave him in the cold.

A soft sigh escaped his lips, earning an eyebrow raised look. He shook his head. "Thank you," he said, his voice soft. "For helping me. Even if I know how much you hate my kind."

Ilayda remained quiet for a moment, her gaze dropped to her hands on her lap. She fiddled with her fingers, a hum escaping her lips. "No worries, Dragonkind." She met his eyes with a flush on her face that he almost convinced himself was far from the sparring they did. "Just don't make me regret it."

The words rang in his mind even as he made way back to the castle. He knew she would dislike him — perhaps even hurt him when she found out about his true identity. But the moment had passed and anything else he revealed now would only sound deceptive. It was a type of burden he would need to carry then until he could promise her a change and make her see that he was trying to right the wrongs he and Father had done.

How long that would take — he wasn't sure.

All he knew was that he... wanted her to look at him with warmth she had been carefully showering him all this while. Like a summer rain while the sun was still out and bright, the warmth keeping him company despite forcing to endure the shifting weather.

Curling his fingers, he breathed out as he stepped onto the castle grounds and into the imposing building. Passing by a familiar corridor where his father's office was, he paused when the door was yanked open and the older creature exited the room. Father stopped short at his presence, his eyes flashed in gold momentarily. Aryzath took a step back, feeling threatened in his own parent's shadows for the first time in his life.

"Ah, you're back," Father said, his voice dripping of dryness. "And you're a mess."

Aryzath's left shoulder twitched and he was sure his jaw was clenched tight. "I was just going to grab a bath."

Father hummed. "Please do refrain from coming back looking like this tomorrow. In fact, I forbid you to leave the castle grounds starting tonight."

He furrowed his eyebrows, the anger that hadn't been present appeared like a tidal wave. As if someone had tied a noose around his neck, he felt cornered at Father's face — an eyebrow raised and the corner of his lips tilted upwards. As if he had won a game that Aryzath wasn't even aware they were playing.

"For?" he asked the older creature, keeping his voice as neutral as he could make it sound.

Father sighed. "You haven't forgotten the princess is coming tomorrow, did you?"

Tomorrow?

The confusion on his face must've shown because the older creature simply placed a hand on his shoulder and tightened his grip there. There was a ghost of pain echoing from where he was touching him, making Aryzath stiffen in his hold. A threat. A subtle one — but a threat nevertheless.

"I wasn't aware it's..." he said, eyeing Father.

What he received was merely another tightening grip on his shoulder before the pressure lessened and removed a second later. "Don't disappoint me, Aryzath."

With those parting words, he left him behind, not even bothering to talk to him about how he felt about this whole ordeal. While Aryzath was aware that the princess would be arriving sometime this week, he wasn't informed of the exact day. Pressing his lips together, he took in a deep breath and forcedly released it in a loud huff.

Father knew what he was doing. By notifying him this late in her arrival, he was essentially stuck here, unable to find another plan to avoid meeting her. Not that he would do that — he was very well aware of the etiquette Father was expecting him to exhibit.

Still, the situation only served to make him want to burn this whole castle down.

The Demon Princess was coming and he wanted nothing more but to chase her away.