Competition of the hearts

Chapter 1

Emilia

There's nothing like feeling the weight of an epee in your hand. Your muscles are aching, the air tastes like an old school gym, and the lights are humming overhead like they have something to say. But it all fades away the moment I step onto the strip. All that's left is the beating of my heart and the knowledge that I'm about to win.

My legs were all cramped up from the long bus ride, but with the excitement chatter all around, I could tell we had finally arrived. Welcome to the summer fencing camp, three weeks with some of the most talented fencers around the country.

But this year it's not just about training. I'm in my last junior year, and with this season coming to an end, there will be a lot of coaches scouting for potential recruits to their teams. I have to stay sharp, steady, and-... "Emilia! You've finally arrived!" I heard an excited voice call out my name right as I dragged my suitcase from the bus. "Amanda, hey!" I greeted her with the same excitement. Amanda is a talented Spanish epee fencer, and we have known each other for a long time. Even though we see one another mostly only at tournaments and actions like these, we stay in touch.

She's always had this graceful, feminine energy I've never quite pulled off. Her long, caramel-colored hair is usually waved just right, and somehow her light makeup survives entire matches without smudging. I don't know how she does it. Her brown eyes always seem calm, like nothing on the piste ever rattles her.

"I see you arrived sooner. You saved me the bed by the window?"

"Of course, I got you, girl." Amanda answered proudly.

I finally had time to rest after the ride and catch up with Amanda. She was talking about her coach saying that most of the recruiting coaches will come for the big tournament at the end of camp, but the referees will still mark our performance in every small camp tournament.

In the evening, we all met in a common room. It was the same huge hotel as every year, with an athletic center just around the corner. There were different fencers from all around Spain – youth, cadets, and us juniors. The attendance was high this year.

"Dear coaches, referees, and fencers! It is my pleasure to welcome you here today at the Summer Fencing Academy. I hope you all had a smooth ride. Now, let me briefly go over the rules..."

It was the same as the year before. Don't be late, follow the schedule and curfew, fair game is important, no smoking, no drinking, and definitely no sex. The basics.

"...Now that we've got that out of the way, let's go over the schedule for the next three weeks. Mornings will be focused on drills. After lunch, there will be sparing, and in the late afternoons, our coaches and a few of our referees will be leading optional classes on different aspects of fencing. On some days, instead of classes, we'll hold camp tournaments. There will be five mini tournaments spread throughout the camp, and as most of you already know, we'll finish with a big showcase tournament for the recruitment coaches."

"This camp is a chance for you to grow, learn, and find new opportunities, and also to be seen by some of the best coaches around, so make it count. But even more than that, learn from each other, challenge yourselves, and see how far you've come by the end. Remember to respect your opponents, your coaches, the refs, and the space. We expect focus, respect, and effort from all of you, on and off the piste. Thank you!"

"Oh, and also equipment check is open later today and tomorrow before breakfast. We divided you into two groups, don't forget to check which one you are in!" The main organizing coach added.

We all clapped and then slowly returned back to our rooms. Tomorrow, we start, and I need to make a good appearance.

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