The Runaway Princess

~Chapter 8~

Sorry for any mistakes

Chapter 8~~~~

After the tournament I rushed to my room to get out of these horrible heels.

I grab my sword and daggers and leave them on my bed as I change. When I am in my comfortable clothing I place my daggers between my belts and hang my sword across my body.

I go to my window amd head down as usual. Once I am on the ground I hear the familiar sound of a sword against wood.

I lean forward and see someone training. I take a breath in and quietly jog to the maze. Just before enter one of my daggers fall o the ground. The sound rings loudly in the quiet night and I quickly grab it and run. I run non stop in the maze til I reach the woods.

I put my hands on my knees and stop to catch my breath. I go to the clearing and sit down before I set up my training obstacles and targets.

I look around the woods and realise how quiet it is. I stand up and start setting everything up. I then start my usual exercises. I finally start with the daggers. I set them up in tree branches and low on the ground to make it harder. I start piercing the boards in the middle with the blade of the knives.

I hear footsteps and instantly grab a dagger ready to throw it.

I spin to the source of the noise. I see someone behind a tree. "Who are you?" I get not response. They lean out slightly but I throw a dagger near their face to intimidate them. They fall back and I grab my sword from the ground. I walk towards the person. I go around the tree and my eyes widen.

I step back and quickly grab my daggers. I put them away ready to run away.

"What are you doing here?" I raise my sword in a fighting stance. "I could ask you the same thing. I never thought you would be in a place like this." I glare. "What do you know about me Thomas?" He smirks and steps forward. He steps until he is less than a metre away.

My hands tighten on the sword and I keep my guard on. "Are you really going to hurt me? You're too sweet and pretty to." I resist the urge to stab him right there. He can tell he is annoying me. "See. You won't do it." I swipe the sword on his leg and cut him.

His smirk disappears. "You want to fight me?" "Sure." He grabs his sword and spins it around his arm. "You might not have that pretty face for long." He makes the first move and goes for my hip. I easily deflect it and go for his arm. I cut it a little before he dodges. "You're good. But not good enough." We circle each other. I can tell he is trying to find out my weakness.

Before he can tell I strike his shoulder where it is already cut. He winces and grabs his arm. Big mistake. While his other arm is on his shoulder I go for his legs. I slice both legs then pierce his other arm. He drops his sword.

I put my sword away.

"Don't underestimate me." I think about whether I should leave or not. I already hurt him so I stay. The legs and arm isn't deep but I hurt his shoulder again.

He groans as his shirt rubs against him when he takes his shirt off. He got a better bandage but the blood is seeping through it quickly.

"Why do you help me?" I remove the bandags and look at the cut. Its deeper than earlier.

Guilt washes over me. It was just meant to disable him for a moment. Not to make it worst. "Sorry." I apologise. I feel bad now for hurting him this much.

"How can you possibly apologise? I have tormented you for such a long time but when you hurt me once you apologise. I should be apologising to you." I cut a bit of my shirt this time and wrap his shoulder. Why do we keep getting hurt on our shoulders. Even Anthony.

"Well I just feel bad." I finish wrapping it and sit next to him. "You are a fast runner." He says. "I followed you through the maze and I almost lost you and got lost." I smile. I have always been fast.

"Anthony told you I could fight you." I look at him and he rolls his eyes.

He looks at me as well and we both stare at each other. His intense gaze makes me want to look away but I don't back down.

He holds my chin and looks around my face. "You're so beautiful." He whispers. I nearly choke but I keep my cool as best as I can.

He stares at me not focusing on anything else but my eyes. I bite my lip and look away. He touches the side of my face so I am facing him.

I hear someone coming. I move quickly and grab my sword. I sigh when I see its Shane. "You really need to stop sneaking up on me Shane." He chuckles and comes out into the clearing. "You are late." He was supposed to meet me here much earlier.

"My mother was cooking. She likes to coom a lot more now. I have never been so full." He pats his stomach and I laugh. Someone coughs and I remember Thomas being there.

"Oh right. Shane this is Primce Thomas." Shane nods to Thomas but looks at his bare body. He leans to me. "Why doesn't he have a shirt on?"

"He was bleeding." I point to the bandage and he nods. I sit down again next to Thomas. "Do the usual routine then you throw the daggers at the targets I set up. He nods and I watch him hit the log repeatedly. "You are fast but youbkeeep going for hard attacks straight away. Try a distracting move then while they're in pain or shock do your attack." He nods amd pretends to dodge and deflect. He then slices where an arm would be then pierces the waist area. He looks at me and I nod.

"You're getting good. Practise it a few more times." He starts again.

"Are you teaching him how to fight?" Thomas asks. I nod.

"How do you know him?" "I was practising here one day and he was watching. He then helped me on my way through the woods. I agreed I would help him to fight." He looks at Shane and has a look of dislike in his eyes.

I look at him. I never noticed but he has a scar on his chin. He turns to me and catches me staring. "Do you want to continue what we were doing earlier?" He smirks and I blush. I turn away and see that Shane started throwing the knives.

I sneak a glance at Thomas. He winks and stands up. "You look cute whe you blush." My blush deepens. Shane throws the last of the daggers. "I have to cut the lesson short. I need to get back now." Shane collects the daggers and hands them to me.

"Practise everyday. I may not come tomorrow." Apparently there is a special event tomorrow and I have to be there.

He nods. "Thanks Alexia." I smile at him and he walks home. I slip my daggers in my belt and go to the maze entrance.

"Why aren't you talking anymore?" To be honest I am a bit embarrassed about our position before Shane came.

"I have to say, I was a little disappointed when we were interrupted." I blush again and turn right. "I am sure you were enjoying the position we were in." I stop and turn around. An idea pops in my head. I step closer to him and lean closer to his face. "You're right. I dod enjoy it." I lean closer to his face as if I was to kiss him. Before our lips connect I pull back.

His face is priceless, his eyes are wide and his face is leaning forward a little. I laugh. "Did you want a kiss?" I tease him. He glares but there's a slight blush on his face. I kiss his cheek and gesture for him to follow. I run to the wall and step on the first step. "Follow me exactly." He nods and I start climbing.

When I pull myself inside J help Thomas in. I tell him to sit on my bed while I put away my sword. I take my daggers out then change. I open the door with thw daggers in my hands and chuck them under the loose floorboard.

I sit next to him on the bed and catch him staring. "You really are nothing like how expected you to be."