Our Garden of Dismay

Part 2

Two weeks later we began close combat training for human-to-human encounters. My day began with attempting to stab Dietrich several times over with a dull wooden knife, my cousin's agility and lack of a large frame enabled him to escape all my attempts with little trouble.

"You're really slow, huh?"

He says with a laugh as I struggle to breathe, my lungs feel like they may collapse any moment. Buchanan and Fischer make their way over to us, neither nearly as tired as anyone else.

"How are you guys not dying of exhaustion?"

I ask, my hands on my knees and keeled over as I attempt to take in as much air as possible.

"Princess over here doesn't want me to touch her so she won't do the exercise."

Buchanan says loudly while jerking his thumb towards her, she simply huffs and crosses her arms.

"I won't let anyone lay hands upon me, especially not a big ol' brute like you."

Her nose turned upwards as she turns to face away from the three men.

"Oh come on, you'll let me have a go, right?"

Dietrich says with a quick wink, but Fischer finds his attempt to flirt so funny that she snorted before holding on to her belly and laughing.

"A commoner, like you? I'll take my chances with the Titan over here."

She looks at Buchanan when she says this and it gets a round of laughter out of everyone but Dietrich.

"Oh, I love myself a good joke, what's so funny over here Cadets?"

Instructor Vidals voice makes my heart skip a beat and I spot her approaching us, every other Cadet is frozen in place and their eyes wide with shock.

"Nothing."

Fischer responds while avoiding eye contact with our superior.

"Feeling brave, are we? So how come we aren't practicing like everyone else?"

Fischer is still avoiding Instructor Vidals leer, opting to stare at the floor.

"I don't need to do this kind of stuff."

Instructor Vidal gasps exaggeratedly as if to mock her, she then grabs Fischer's chin and forces her to meet her gaze.

"Oh, so you're an expert then? Prove it."

Our Instructor releases the former Noblewoman and looks to every other Cadet.

"Any volunteers to take on the expert of hand-to-hand combat?"

Fischer prepares to comment but Buchanan hushes her so she can't further harm her situation.

"I can pull the best of the regiment if no one wants to volunteer."

Silence remains after Instructor Vidal gains a twisted-looking grin, then Dietrich speaks up.

"I'll fight in her place."

She lets out another laugh, but then looks at Dietrich and creates another nastier grin.

"Don't worry, I planned on giving all of you a run through the wringer. I suppose the Appetizer will be first then, fitting. Any volunteers?"

The majority of Cadets remain silent until one raises his arm. The arm that is raised has a large discolored scar running down it, on a backdrop of fair skin.

"Cadet Engel? Step forward and take the knife."

Henry Engel steps forward and he looks at Dietrich with wide eyes and a large smile.