Loyalty Or Honour (Book 3)

Chapter Thirty Seven

"Think it through. You have done everything an attacker would expect you to do." Mercy advises.

"An attacker would expect me to scream and panic." Ari says as she keeps trying to get out of Mercy's death grip. "He would not expect me to fight back."

"He, or she," Mercy pointedly says, "has just seen that you do not react as another might have."

Ari suddenly goes limp in her arms and it surprises Mercy so much that she releases her. Ari immediately rolls away and twists to face Marcy quickly, her fists up in a defensive position. Mercy grins and starts to clap.  

Ari shakes her head and laughs. "If that did not work I was going to pretend to be sick on you. It is surprising how squeamish the majority of people can be."

"You need to be faster, escape and inflict damage quicker. An attacker would have either killed you or knocked you out in the time it took you to get away from me." Mercy dampens any victory that Ari may be experiencing. "Again." She strikes at Ari, her fist flying to her face. Ari ducks out of the way and rams into Mercy. They both fall to the ground and laugh as the air is pushed from their lungs. 

Several moments later of them just lying there, Ari sighs and sits up. Mercy pushes herself up but leans back on her elbows so she can talk but does not have to put too much effort in. "Shall we continue?" Ari asks, her eyes darting to Mercy's.

Mercy shakes her head. "I think we should talk." Ari laughs believing her teacher to be joking but a few looks at Mercy's unimpressed face soon send those thoughts away. "Seriously, does your being hurt have anything to do with that man I saw you with the other day?"

"He likes someone else. He is infatuated with her and it can only lead to trouble. I do not want to see him get hurt." Ari says as she gets to her feet. Mercy stays where she is and observes the girl ten years her junior.

"Nor do you want to see him with another woman. Is this jealousy that I am seeing in you?" Mercy slowly asks. Ari frowns and shrugs her shoulders. "Is this woman worthy of him?"

"She does not look at him like a woman in love does. I know what that looks like. I saw it in my mother's face every time she looked at my father. I see it every time the King glances at his wife. I see it among all the Lords and Ladies that visit and I can tell when it is lacking." Ari looks at Mercy, her features sad. "She does not love him. She is simply attracted to the danger and his charm."

"That is not what I asked." Mercy reminds her.

"Is she worthy of him?" Ari repeats. "Who am I to say whether she is or not?" Her small shoulders drop in defeat.

"Could you be attracted to the danger and his charm?" Mercy then asks. Ari lets out a soft chuckle.

"Absolutely." A small smile grows. "But there is so much more to him than that. He is protective and humorous and good. He puts his family first even if it means his life. I received a letter from Sparrow the other day. Mother believes it is because we are keeping good relations between our lands. We are simply friends, the lands united is just a bonus. She told me what he did for Logan. There is nothing selfish in him. And yet...what he is doing now cannot be described as good or as selfless. I worry over her influence on him." Her smile has gone, replaced by worry and concern.

Mercy finally stands and squeezes Ari's shoulder in a show of comfort. "Did you tell him how you felt?"

"I did by accident." Ari admits with a grimace. "He just stared at me and I swear my heart shattered into pieces."

"Then he is a fool and he does not deserve you." Mercy says as if it obvious. Ari forces a smile but it convinces neither of them. "I think knife throwing is in order. Would you like me to attempt drawing this mystery woman of yours?"

"I fear that would be the cause of both of our deaths." Ari says without thinking. Mercy frowns but quickly smothers it into blankness. She knows that Ari is not taking careful watch of the words that leave her mouth. She has revealed far more than she should have.

Mercy hands Ari a knife and gestures to the hanging bag that already has one knife deep in its flesh. She watches as Ari takes a throwing position and weighs the knife in her hand. Mercy then slowly walks past Ari and stands beside the bag. Ari's brow furrows, creases appearing above her nose. She lowers her throwing hand. "What are you waiting for? There is no wind to account for nor any other enemies. It is time to strike Ari." Mercy patiently coaches her.

"Then move." Ari orders coolly.

"I have faith in you that you shall not hit me." Mercy promises. Internally she decides that if the knife does go flying towards her then her training shall kick in enough for her to get out of the way.

Ari considers those words thoughtfully before she brings up her throwing hand again and focuses her gaze. With a quick flick of the wrist she releases the blade and watches at it spins through the air before it buries itself into the fabric. It lays a mere breath from Mercy's head. Mercy grins as her blood pumps through her veins.

"Your turn." Mercy strides to take Ari's place. Ari laughs and takes her position by the brutally stabbed hanging bag. She has no worries or doubts that she could possibly be hit. Mercy has never unintentionally missed her mark. Intentionally, however, is certainly a possibility. But not with Ari. Mercy would never do that.

Three knives imbed themselves in quick succession. Ari raises her eyebrows pointedly at Mercy for the proud display. Mercy simply rolls her eyes and comes over to retrieve them. Ari collects her knife first. She then glances at the sky outside through a tiny window high up and groans. "I have dinner to attend to with mother and I am sure another suitor." Ari confesses tiredly.

Mercy grins cheekily. "If you marry him then you can finally leave here."

"Of course, why did I not think of that? You truly are the most intelligent creature to ever roam this world. How could I ever hope to show my gratefulness for this incredible gift that you have so gracefully deigned to bestow upon me?" Sarcasm drips from Ari's tongue heavily.

"Practise your throwing skills. For a moment I feared a wound that would have caused me great anguish and from a Lady no less." Mercy replies with breeziness.

Ari chuckles and lifts her skirts to slip the knife into the band tied tightly around her calf. She drops the skirts back over and no one could ever guess that it lay there. "Perhaps I shall. Practise I mean. Marrying whomever my mother suggests is certainly never going to happen. I have survived this long and I shall continue to do so." Mercy inclines her head to acknowledge the words.

Ari smiles and crosses the large room to the door. She jumps as she opens it and sees a familiar face. He looks down at her but before recognition dawns Ari is cringing and quickly pushing past him. Orion and Hunter watch her speed away. This is the first time Orion has shown Hunter the training rooms below the castle. Orion grabs Hunter's arm to stop him going after her. The girl clearly did not wish to stop and converse. 

Can Hunter redeem himself in Ari's eyes? Will he even attempt to? Will he get the chance? How are we all feeling about Ari now?