The Dream Keeper's Dragon

3.26 Kicking and Smirking

Nina smirked, but it was a nasty kind of smirk. In fact, Aurelie began to think that she'd impressed the bulky guard, and more than that, she actually managed to surprise her.

"I start my shift at the sight of dawn. I'll wake you when the birds start chirping."

"Alright."

"Not too early for you, is it?" She glanced at Aurelie, her chin rising with a new found smugness.

"I'm happy to do it whenever you find the time."

"Daggers, eh?"

"Anything small and concealable."

*****

Fighting with Nina involved a lot of kicking. There were two times that she caught Aurelie right in the gut and a pain so sharp spread from the impact that she thought scales were coming out.

Nina stuck two wooden spoons into Aurelie's hands and preceded to beat her senseless even though Aurelie got her in the heart twice, and in the stomach once.

"You think people just drop dead right away, do ya?" she asked once Aurelie complained. "On your feet!"

Nina enjoyed the training far more than she led on. Clearly, issues between them had yet to resolve and it would require a lot more than a single beating.

By the end of it, Aurelie wasn't sure she learned anything other than how to take a kick and an occasional punch to the face.

She limped back to her bedroom to sleep it off; discovering new muscles with every new ache.

They made an appointment for the next morning at the start of down, and Aurelie wasn't sure she'd be able to stand from the bed, never mind take more abuse by the time she entered her bedroom.

Casandra looked up, placing a murky green dress onto the bed.

"I thought someone kidnapped you." She smiled. "Was about to call a search party. 'Our Princess up before dawn?' I said. 'No, it cannot be true.'"

"Cancel the day," she grunted and plunked down on the bed. "I just want to sleep."

"You have absolutely nothing planned."

"Well, cancel that too. Make it a double nothing with a side of nothing."

"Is that a bruise on your cheek?" Casandra's voice rose and she scrambled around the bed and placed her cold fingers on Aurelie's cheek. "Who did you infuriate enough to commit treason?"

"Why do you assume it's my fault?" Aurelie said into the covers. She hadn't moved an inch since she landed on the soft bed, with the dress Casandra picked crumpled up somewhere below her.

"Because I know you."

"Nina's teaching me to fight."

"Is that what she's calling it?"

*****

A knock pulled her back to an aching reality. She tried to lift herself from the bed, but even her neck hurt, so she lay face flat against her pillow. Even in her sleep, it seemed she could not move a muscle.

"Come in."

The door opened, and the footsteps stopped as soon as it closed.

"Who is it?" she asked, already annoyed that whoever stood there was just about forcing her to move. "I hope you've brought miracle witchy salve."

"No such luck, I'm afraid," Michael said.

Aurelie swore under her breath, and turned reluctantly; feeling every muscle in her body, from her neck to her calves, protest.