Thorn in the Rose {Book 1 Of The Once Upon A Time Chronicles}

Chapter 36: This Groundbreaking Discovery

My heart furiously roars in my chest. The rhythmic thuds deafened me to all the little sounds mumbling around me. The clanging of metal fills the air around me and I have to push past all of my pain and keep swinging my sword into the different defensive positions I was taught. Gaston isn't holding back and drives his sword toward me at lightning speed with no sign of letting go. This morning when he pulled me from my chores and thrust a sword into my hands I thought it would be another simple demonstration, the first one since he was released from the purple book's spell, but to my surprise the second he got his sword in his wrinkly hands he started slashing. Swing after swing sparks flying from the smooth metal striking each other, on and on for hours on end. 

He slashes the blade toward my right arm, and I twirl my sword in my hand to book the hit but the force of the blow knocks me back and I just manage to catch my footing before I tumble to the dusty floor beneath me. 

"You're going to lose your footing if you keep blocking me like that. It would be best if you dodged it differently," Gaston says as he continues to slash, stab and chop at me with no mercy. 

"Why do you have a problem with all of my moves?" I pant. A small window of opportunity reveals itself and I use it to move to an offensive position and try to jab at his belt, but years of practice shows itself in the most elegant of ways and he effortlessly knocks my sword away with his and I have to resume a defensive position once again. 

"They're too fancy, clearly taken up by a child who wanted to show off. Should you ever find yourself in a real duel," he swings at me and the strength behind it knocks me against a giant barrel nearby, "your fancy moves will get you killed."

Two more opportunities open up for me but each is as unsuccessful as the last. Dull throbs start up in both my feet and upper arms and it takes everything within me not to drop my sword and declare him the victor. 

I blow a strand of hair that had drifted across my face a few seconds ago and with a quick roll of my neck, I half wipe some large beads of sweat that were rolling on the back of my neck onto the thin fabric of my shirt. "That position has worked for me for years so I don't see how it will fail me now," I say with full confidence. 

His lips curl into a smirk that sends a shiver down my spine, I know that look anywhere it's the same one my father would have when he was going to prove me wrong. Time around me seems to slow as I watch him prepare the same attack he did a short while ago. As his sword slices through the air toward me, I automatically swing my sword into the defensive position I had done earlier. The weapons connect and the impact knocks me off balance. My footing is snatched away and I plummet to the ground landing hard on my back with my sword laying in the dust next to me. My hand shoots out to grab it but I'm too slow and Gaston uses his sword to cut off my belt making me the loser. 

Completely worn out from the fight, I let my head drop back to the ground and a sigh squeezes from me. Gaston stabs his sword into the ground next to my head and looks down at me with a smirk still on his lips. "Let me guess I should consider myself lucky that it is only you that I'm fighting against." 

"I'd find a different defensive position for that kind of attack if I were you." 

"I think I'll stick to it thank you, I'll take whatever risk it brings." 

He sighs and moves his head from side to side. "You run towards risk and danger like it's an old friend. And that Valerie Bernard will be your downfall one day." 

I roll my eyes at the stupidity of his comment "Did you read that in a book because that sounded like something only a character in a book would say?" I ask with a chuckle. 

He rolls his eyes as he helps me to my feet. I retrieve my sword and we start a slow walk toward his house. We pass a large group of workers and amongst them, leaning against a wall like nothing is wrong, is Pierre. I haven't seen him since he half dragged Adrien out of my room after he caught us in an argument and I've grown quite thankful for the lack of his presence. Sophie might be able to walk around and pretend that her husband isn't an abusive monster who takes his frustration out on her child but I won't.