War Prize

Chapter Seventeen: KATIRINA

        They waited an entire day before they made their move. I was expecting a violent retaliation, the calculated once that they are known for.

        Instead I got Eva. 

        Prince James had order that the nine contestants that had passed the Trial of Worth, be trained for the Trial of Strength. We were roused at the first sign of light, and marched through the castle to the courtyard that lies in the front of the castle. The trainers who joined us, were men of the royal guard, including the man with two swords. We were ordered to run, until our legs stop. To climb, until our arms stiffen into the stone we clung to. By the end of the day, I could not tell which hurt more. 

         The second day began the same. We were woken before the sun touched the sky, and marched to the courtyard. We were greeted by our trainers. 

         Then we were paired of to spare. 

         Hellena and Channah. Addrianna and Elyssa. Basha and Daralis. Inu and Eva. Me and the man with two swords. 

        He had removed his swords, but I felt as though this only made him even more deadly. 

        I let my eyes trail along his body, studying it. He was built of solid muscle,his blonde hair cut down to his scalp, his black eyes dulled from images of violence. I wanted to ask how someone from the peaceful Paix Galaxy became someone like him, but instead I kept silent. 

        While I studied him, he studied me. "Hands up." He finally said, demonstrating with his own. I mimicked his movement, and waited as he corrected it just as silently. 

         "Attack." He demanded. I glanced at him briefly. His eyes stared back at me, empty of emotion. "Attack." He repeated. So I attacked. 

         I though out a fist toward him, hitting only air. He then grabbed my arm, and flipped me onto my back. My breath left me at the impact. I opened my eyes to see his hand inches from my face. "Dead." He stood to his full height. "Again." He grunted. 

         I crawled my way into a standing position, and faced him again. 

         "Hands." He says. I lift them. He corrects them. Then steps back. "Attack." 

         This time I through out my leg in a kick. This seems to surprise him, as my foot makes impact, which probably hurt me more than him. He retaliated by grabbing my foot and flipping me onto my back again. I grunt in pain this time. And roll to my side. 

         "Weakling." I hear someone say. I glance up to see Eva's malicious silver eyes. "Death finds the weak." She spits out at me. She then returns to her sparing with Inu. I bow my head in defeat, before pushing myself to my feet. 

          By the end of training, I had landed on my back two hundred and thirty-seven time. I had landed on my stomach forty-nine times, and landed on my side fifty-three times. I had only managed to land twenty-two hits to my opponent. Every time I landed on the ground. Eva would be there to spit out nasty words. 

          We were allowed to leave the training site anytime after lunch, yet while all the others went to eat, I remained.  I through imaginary attacks at the air. 

          "You are too small." A voice says behind me. I turn to see my new master behind me watching. I scrunch my eyebrows, wondering what he would be doing here with a slave. "You are too small to be hitting straight. Aim higher, or lower." He says softly, then he turns and walks away. 

           I join the rest of the contestants for dinner. My food was ruined by Eva, who slipped a fire pepper into my soup. I was left to dine on bread and cheese.

           When I had returned to my room, I found that someone had slipped into my room, and put a dead rat on my bed. Its head had been severed. Written on my wall next was the work "Weakling". That night, I had slept on the floor. 

          On our last day of training, I was awake before the others, waiting patiently for the escorts. Eva smiled when she saw me, mouthing the word "Weakling", as she passed me. 

        Once again, when we arrived for training we were paired off to spare, I was paired with the man with two swords. This time I studied him closer, not his chest or stomach, but his chin, legs, and groin. I studied the places I could hit. "Aim Higher or lower" the Prince had said. 

         So when this mountain of a man grunted out the word "Attack", I was prepared. I through out a kick toward his stomach. When He grabbed my leg and through me to the ground, I rolled back to my feet and attacked again, this time with a fist to the chin. When I was once again thrown to the ground, I stayed down. I used my legs to kick out at his ankles, with caused him to let out a nasty curse and land on the ground beside me. 

          The courtyard seemed to freeze in that moment, as every pair of eyes swung to stare at the man on the ground.  

          I rolled to my feet. And watched as he did as well. He dusted himself off, then glanced at me. He nodded once in approval. Then said "Attack" once more. 

         By the end of the day. I had  been taken down ninety-five times, but I had also caused my opponent to fall thirty-four times. Eva had no further nasty remarks to spit out at me. 

         And for the first time in years, I went to bed with a small smile of contentment.