Amata's POV:
It was silent in the room, the atmosphere heavy as I raised my hands near my face and slowly circled Harmonia, waiting for her to move.
"Come at my girly." I said with a smirk and doing a 'come here' wave with my right hand, stopping in front of her.
She took the invite, stepping forth as she threw a punch, which I quickly ducked, sliding my leg past hers so I was right in her personal bubble, and shoved her in the chest with an open palm before bringing my other fist down in her lower ribs and hard.
She coughed as she stumbled back, grabbing her side in pain, glaring at me as I just smirked back, gaze downgrading and chin stuck up high, a guard purposefully lowered enough for her to notice because my arms were far lower than they should be and also fully facing her unlike how I taught her.
"Come on, girly! I don't even need to try!" I laughed with a grin.
"Oy, shut up already!" She yelled, annoyed greatly by me, but I don't care.
I did nothing to avoid her kick and felt it strike my side. It stung, and I wrapped my arm around her leg and elbowed the side of her knee to make all the feeling in it leave before stepping closer to shove her back with her own leg, making her fall as I let go of her.
"Next time, quicker kicks. Your elbow is solid, so your opponent could break your knee if they did like I had but on the front," I told her as she remained sprawled out, panting on the floor. It's not a surprise since we've been doing this since early morning, but she has been getting better since her first lesson a while back. She was still not at the level to beat me, but she was getting there. I was teaching her like my father did with me, pushed to one's limit or until you beat your trainer... I wonder if he trained me like that because of my destiny. "Come on, Harmonia, get up... Or are you giving up?"
"I am not done just yet." She said, standing up.
"Then come at me," I said, not raising my arms.
I raised my right arm to block with my forearm, her punch stopping right away before I slightly shoved her arm up and grabbed it, yanking her close while kneeing her in the stomach, not strong enough to hurt her innards but sufficient to make her cough and crumble to her knees.
"I think we are done for the day," I told her as I turned to walk away before I felt a punch to the back of my knee, making it buckle, and arms wrap around my neck in a chock hold as we fell back, I elbowed her hard in the ribs as I let all my weight fall on her, her grip loosened in surprise, and I rolled away.
"What the hell?"
"Well, you told me a fight is never over until someone gives up, right? If that doesn't happen, don't walk away from your adversary. I remember that." She chuckled, sitting up with her legs out in front of her and rubbing her head as I stood up again, staring down at her... She was correct; I just walked away, but this is the first time she did something against it... Good.
"You think you are a clever little girl, don't you? Come on, get up." I held out my hand to her, and she took it... Yanking me down and swiping my feet from under me, I fell on my front, putting my forearm out to stop me instead of my hands as I broke my hand once, trying to catch myself like that. "Oh, oh, oh, you didn't just do that." I grabbed the back of her clothing and pulled myself to her back, wrapping my arms around her neck in a chock hold with my legs hooked under hers to immobilize them.
I held onto her despite the elbows she hit into my ribs until she patted my leg, letting her go after that as it was a silent signal that signified 'I give up' if the sparing partner couldn't talk.
"You still got to learn a lot, but that was not so bad." I pulled her to her feet after I got up. The fight is done for sure now.
"I'm freaking covered in bruises, and all I get is a not-so-bad?"
"Yes."
"You're mean, Amata."
"I'm not; this is training. Be happy you caught me off guard this time because it won't happen again."
"Oh, man."
"Come on, let's go eat. Lunch is most likely done."
"But I'm covered in sweat."
"Eat and then go take a bath. Custos, please follow after her for now. I'll be there soon."
"You aren't coming along?"
"Not right away, but in a little, don't worry."
Custos's pov:
I nodded and followed Harmonia to the dining room.
"I'm so hungry I feel like dying." She said, walking sluggishly.
"Don't make me drag you there, Harmonia," I said.
"Come carry me!" She said, giving puppy dog eyes that usually worked on others but not me.
"No," I said neutrally.
"Cooooome oooooon!"
"No."
"Pretty pleeease~?"
"No."
"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"
"Harmonia, we are already here." I pointed at the door.
"Fuck it!"
I would have laughed if I hadn't held myself back. I shouldn't laugh at them; I am just a guardian.
I watched her as she ate, taking a bit out of the many plates of food on the table until her brothers entered the room... Something tells me not to do anything. I do want to see what she learned from all this training. She got better, but does she dare use it?
"Hey, maggot move! That's my place." Primis said, grabbing the chair.
"Shut it, Primis, or I'll shove your own dick so far up your ass you'll be able to suck it yourself." I coughed and covered my mouth to hide the chuckle that slipped by. His face was mortified while Viribus was shocked and silent; even if I was trained to be stoic, some things still broke me.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?!!" He yelled, bringing up a fist. Go on, Harmonia, what did you learn? If you are trained to beat Amata, you must beat them, too.
"You know you are predictable." He always opens a fight with a big punch, leaving her enough time to tilt her head away as he punches the chair.
Harmonia, all this training is beginning to change you for the better; you don't need to cower in a corner and let them do what they want; you are also a wolf, and now you have your fangs. "Now, please leave me be because I don't want to deal with you."
"YOU BITCH!!" I took a step forward as this was getting out of hand, but she was faster than me.
"I said leave me be." She held up a knife and pointed it at his neck. There was a tense silence before he scoffed and walked away, the other brother following.
I grinned inside. If she continues like this, she'll be able to fulfill Amata's wishes for her to take the throne from her.
Amata's POV:
I decided to skip the start of lunch and eat what was left, going to the hot baths instead.
Damn, it's big. It was like one of those public baths but on the inside the manor.
I sighed and dropped the towel on a wooden bench on the side. I was surprised that this place looked less fancy than the rest of the manor. I undid my braids, too.
The other side of the room was hidden in the fog. I undressed and got in. It was tiring to train someone; my arms were sore, and the soles of my feet could take a break.
I sat near the side since there was a built-in underwater stone bench... At least it isn't too high, and my breasts are still in the foggy-looking water. The water's opaque enough not to worry in case a maid needs to get me for some reason.
I sighed softly and closed my eyes, opening them in a familiar black space, but I had my clothes on here.
I skipped down the temple's stairs and made my way to Invisus. Yeah, the place was still filled to the brim with her malice and hate, but I got used to it, so it doesn't scare me anymore.
"It's been some time since you came to see me in person~." She smirked, like always, at her usual place, chains wrapping her up tight, but it didn't seem to hurt her.
"I had no real-time or reason to visit you," I said. With time and knowing this was in my mind, I took control of all that wasn't already set in stone, like the architecture of this place, so I let myself fall back on a chair that came out of nowhere. "But I guess you were the wolf guide since you said you are part of the seven first... And well, I would need some guidance, maybe? I learned almost a month ago that the elves are allied with the werewolves, but now that I have taken over, they cut off all connections, they answer none of the letters I send, and all were-creatures that lived one elvish land have been evicted from it."
"You are seriously talking to me about this idiocy?"
"Yup, you were made to lead a whole race, you know? You should be able to help me."
"Oh shut up... They will not answer no matter what. You need to head there to talk to them face to face."
"But I can't leave while I'm the queen."
"Yeah, you better finish training that girl and leave to the elves because a new war might start between weres and elves sooner or later."
"I won't let that happen."
"We'll see~."
I opened my eyes and sighed, splashing the hot water on my face and holding my breath as I ducked underwater for a few seconds and came up, passing a hand through my wet hair.
I got out soon enough and dried off, the towel wrapped around me as I sat on a wooden bench in front of a mirror as I worked on combing out my hair before braiding one side of it again in the style I was now rocking all day err day, before all of this it was always a ponytail. Still, I changed, and my hairstyle did, too.
I got dressed when I was sure my hair wouldn't wet my T-shirt and left the bath.
Day after day, the time is approaching the day I can finally leave.