If I had thought my bones aching before, it was nothing compared to now.
Florence stood in the doorway, watching me fasten my cloak in the mirror. I held her gaze through the reflection with a smile. "There! How do I look?"
She offered me a tight-lipped smile of her own in return. "Beautiful, your highness."
Stepping back, I glanced at her again. "Oh! I think I saw your sister the other day. In one of the local villages."
The briefest flash of surprise crossed Florence's face. "Oh... You mean Felicity. Yes, she lives there. Along with my father and mother."
I studied Florence – she really wasn't that much older than me.
She adjusted the cap on her head. It shifted and just for a moment, I caught the smallest glimpse of black.
Yanking the cap sharply down, Florence stared at me. I held her gaze. Her blank expression faltered. "Whatever you saw. Forget it."
More secrets.
But at last one I had uncovered.
Florence's hair was black.
Not silver.
Black.
"You must not tell anyone, okay? You have to swear."
"But why? Why is your hair not silver? Everyone's hair here is silver."
I glanced down to my own hair. I hadn't failed to notice the gradual expansion of the silver streaks. "Even mine."
"It's complicated."
I threw my hands in the air, exasperated. "Isn't everything here?"
Florence moved forward, bracing both hands on my shoulders. "Please. Princess. You must keep this a secret," she implored.
The brown of her eyes bored into mine. She seemed genuinely afraid. But of what?
"I will. But won't you at least tell me why?"
"There are some things that must stay secret. All I can tell you is that my life would be in danger should anyone find out."
"From whom?" I asked.
But Florence was already gone.
Studying my reflection once more, I headed downstairs, plagued with troublesome thoughts.
***
"Aurelia. You seem tired. I trust you slept well." Cassian's comment caught me off guard as I entered the room.
Did he know I'd been up since the early hours of the morning sparring with Wrynn? Well, trying to spar would probably be a more accurate description. But no, he couldn't know. Could he?
"Yes. Thank you, Cassian. I am quite well."
Sneaking a glance at Wrynn I found he already had his gaze trained on me. "Wrynn." I acknowledged him.
A small smirk on his part. "Aure."
Cassian glanced between us a frown playing across his features. "Is something the matter?"
"No, no. Everything is well, your majesty."
Cassian's eyes flickered to mine – holding my gaze – I matched it.
Though it was my thoughts that betrayed me. My mind flicked back. Back to that morning. And back to that bed. The image of it still burned in my brain. I looked away.
But Cassian made no mention of it. No indication that he even recalled its existence. And so, neither did I.
We ate breakfast in silence.
***
The weeks wore on. Snow continued to fall. Cassian continued keeping his distance and I continued sparring with Wrynn. And dare I say it, I was actually becoming quite good.
"Good. Aure. Although, check your stance. You were able to parry my blow but had your posture been different, you would have been able to counterattack too."
I adjusted my feet.
He grinned. "Better."
We continued on in our dueling dance. Sword's clanging, scraping against one another as we went. I knew that Wrynn let me win sometimes, if only to boost my confidence, but I was sure I was getting better. Certainly, I was able to hold onto the sword for a long period of time without feeling like my arm was going to fall off.
Blow after blow I dealt, pushing Wrynn backward. And I had a sneaking suspicion he wasn't letting me win this time. Further back, I forced him. Closer and closer toward the back wall of the stable.
He blocked my side swing, knocking me slightly off balance. In an instant, he'd whirled around. Now I was the one with my back to the wall. Literally.
He loomed over me, a smirk crossing his face. "I win."
I rolled my eyes. "Only just."
A quiet chuckle. "Whatever you say, Aure."
His arm rested gently on the wall above my head, trapping me in. I was only too aware of how close we were. Wrynn held my gaze steadily.
I lowered my eyes.
And then suddenly, Wrynn was ripped away from me. Light flooded back into my world now that it was not blocked by the body of the Captain of the Guard.
But what...?
My eyes scanned the clearing.
Cassian.
He had Wrynn on the ground, a sword of his own pulled.
"What are you doing?" he growled, levelling the sword at Wrynn's face.
Wrynn, to his credit, held the king's gaze. "It's not what you think..."
Cassian barked a laugh. "And what do you suppose I thought?" The point of the sword lowered a little.
It was at this moment that I decided it would be best to step in. I kicked off of the wall, stepping out of the shadows.
"Cassian. Put the sword down."
The king's attention flicked to me, but he still held the sword steady. Wrynn didn't move.
"You don't have to defend him, Aurelia. If he is trying to take advantage of you..."
I cut him off. "He was not 'taking advantage of me', Cassian, we were sparring. Wrynn has been teaching me how to fight."
The shock was evident on the king's face, and he was silent for a few moments.
"Put the sword away, Cassian." I repeated my earlier refrain, taking another step closer.
Thankfully, after another second or so, he did.
But his glare did not falter. "You've been teaching her to fight?"
"I asked him to."
"You dared to disobey me?" Cassian was angry.
Wrynn had said he wouldn't like it, but I hadn't expected him to care this much.
Once again, I came to Wrynn's defense. "You never asked him not to train me. I asked him. After I fought the dragon and sprained my wrist. I asked him."
Holding my gaze Cassian took a step toward me. "You've been practicing since then?"
"Yes." I matched his tone.
"Then you must be fairly good by now, no?"
Wrynn's voice sounded, he had risen now. "Cassian, no. Leave her. That's enough."
The tiniest smirk graced the king's lips. "No. No, I would like to see what your apprentice has learned. Aurelia. I challenge you to a duel."
Wrynn's gasp was audible. "Cassian. Surely not. She is only a novice. You have been practicing all your life."
"Better then for her to have experience of fighting in the real world not whatever sympathetic rubbish you were trying to employ."
They were talking about me as though I were not even here. I glared at Cassian, raising my voice. "Fine. I accept your challenge."
Triumph graced his features, and he straightened up. "Good."
"Aure... you don't need to do this." Wrynn glanced at me.
"Yes. I do."
I planted my feet firmly in the ground, facing Cassian, sword raised.
"Wrynn, you can adjudicate, can't you?" Cassian spared a glance for his captain over his shoulder.
"I- certainly." He stepped back, bowing his head in submission. "Fight."
Cassian moved quicker than I would have ever thought possible. Three quick swings, I parried them each in turn. Whether this surprised him or not he didn't let on. Instead, he kept up a furious flurry of blows. I dodged this way and that.
It was clear now that Wrynn had certainly been going easy on me – and it was also clear that Cassian was not. As he raised his sword again, I spotted an opportunity for an attack of my own.
Jabbing my sword forward, toward his side – I hoped. A clang of metal and I watched in disbelief as Cassian blocked my blow.
How had he been that quick?
Slowly, slowly he inched me back to the sound of metal scraping against metal. Back and back until finally my back hit something.
The wall.
Cassian's sword was at my throat in an instant – his face close to mine. I could feel his breath on my face, mingling with my own.
"Yield."
His eyes were hard – staring into mine. He knew he'd won.
I glared at him.
"No." And I kneed him in the groin.
Pain crinkled his face as he stepped back doubling over. Watching in satisfaction, I met Wrynn's gaze.
He wore an expression of fear – probably of the wrath of Cassian – but also of pride.
I'd bested Cassian, even if it was aided by my cheating.
I glanced down, Cassian was beginning to rise. And it happened all too quickly. One minute I was smirking down at him and the next he was smirking down at me.
"We can all fight dirty, Aurelia. But it is the true fighter who does not need to" — his voice was flat, but something danced in his eyes — "It seems you are in need of a little more practice."
Still my glare stayed put as I met his eyes. Hair hung low in his face, slipped free from its tie as we'd moved. And then he offered me his hand.
"I shall teach you."
I made no move to take his hand, frowning up at him. "What?"
Wrynn's voice could be heard from somewhere, he sounded indignant. "Yes what, indeed. I am more than capable of teaching her, Cassian."
"Evidently not."
Thinking it would be easier to put a stop to their bickering, stood up, I finally grasped Cassian's calloused hand. He pulled me up.
"We shall start tomorrow." He released me and walked away.
***********************************
Thank you so much for reading!
Kalli x