A LAND OF FIRE AND DARKNESS

Chapter 8

The morning started as soon as the first rays of light began to peep over the horizon. Laveen was sure to wake me up, by bursting into the room with pieces of leather armor. He was loud and impatient as he banged on the door yelling at me to hurry up.

I got changed out of the white cloth dress and into the black leather in front of the mirror. My muscle tone was almost none existent, and the sight of such a thin frail girl in leather armor was worrying.

Laveen rushed me along, clearly with no patience to sit around while I admire myself. I followed him out of the door while tying my hair up out of my face.

It felt alien to be walking through the halls without being restrained. The passageways were relatively quiet with only glimpses of servants as they began their morning routines.

Laveen was already dressed in his black leathers, which revealed his arms. They were large as was the rest of him. His black hair was tied into a high bun with a few loose strands that fell over his hardened face.

He did not appear impressed by the fact that he had to train me, but he did not seem scared of me as the others were. Maybe that was why Delcallon decided Laveen should train me.

We walked out of the palace and into the courtyards. The lush gardens were beautiful, even with the winter months now upon us, the garden bloomed with flowers and remained a beautiful hue of dark greens. The sun stroked my skin for the first time in weeks with a pleasant hello.

We continued through the courtyard, until eventually meeting a line where the trees from a forest met a clearing.

The area was obviously used for training as equipment littered the space. Workbenches were filled with neatly placed daggers, while weapon racks stood next to the benches. Each containing swords, axes, duel blades, and crossbows.

In the center of the clearing stood a circle that had been painted into the ground. A training ring, very similar to how Lewis used to paint his.

"Teach the Dragon lady to fight, what could go wrong?" Laveen muttered under his breath as he began stretching out his arms.

I stepped in after him until we both stood inside the training ring. I had done this before, but I would still need to wait and see how Laveen planned on training me.

He spun on his heels to face me as his auburn eyes began tracing over my body. I stood tall without fear of judgment that he may give me.

"I need to see what you know." He started out with a sigh. "Show me your guard positions." He rubbed the back of his neck.

I immediately recognized the term and got into position, I spread out my legs to ensure my body was center of gravity and lifted my hands into position.

He looked at me and narrowed his eyes, "Basic guard." He ordered out.

I snapped into position by lifting both my hands closer to my face while keeping my body steady.

"Low Guard."

I crouched down while keeping my hands steady protecting my face.

"High guard."

I snapped up while leaning slightly back and protected my face again with my hands tightened into fists.

"Okay." He stepped in closer and began to examine my body movements more deeply.

He repeated the guard positions out fast and my body immediately reacted the same way they had when Lewis had trained me. It was simple, and I had practiced it a hundred times already.