Blades and Claws (Lady Dimitrescu x Female Reader)

5. Trial

You were standing at your chamber's doors, waiting for Lady Dimitrescu. You were fully armed and equipped, hair tied in a ponytail, a few strands of hair on the sides were hanging separately as they were too short to be tied up.

Soon, a familiar – and somehow pleasant now – sound of heels echoed behind the door. You stepped back and the door opened.

Lady Dimitrescu was standing behind it, seemingly she was not going to enter your chambers.

"Are you ready, Y/N? Follow me, then," she commanded and headed down the corridor.

You hurried up behind her, closing the door.

After going down the stairs, crossing the main hall and taking a few turns you arrived at the first room you encountered when stepping into the castle a few days ago, the entrance hall. Seems that it is the most spacious room in the whole castle, and with all its expensive and often massive furniture, no wonder they decided to hold the training here.

Daughters were already waiting, apparently, Alcina Dimitrescu had three. You took a look at them. Cold fear pierced through your chest and your heart became twice as heavy. Their mouth areas were covered in dried blood, flies circling around each daughter and disappearing somewhere. Each of them was holding a black sharp sickle, covered in blood, too, which made you nervously gulp. You certainly didn't expect them to use such a weapon and have such an ominous appearance. Just what is going on here? Or you shouldn't be surprised anymore with stuff like this?

"Daughters, this is Y/N. She is our guest here. She's told me she is good with blades, so I'd like to see you fight each other, as a training, to prove that. No killing or injuring, just a training fight," Lady Dimitrescu stated. "Daniela, darling, would you like to start?"

You stood at the same spot, lost in your thought, each muscle strained in anxiety. The red-haired daughter came closer and got her sickle ready. You twitched, coming back to reality, and a bit panicky unsheathed your sword.

You took a quick look around. Two other daughters were looking at you with an evil, condescending smirk. Alcina glared at you attentively, waiting for you to start.

No way you're starting first. One of the dumbest things to do in a sword fight, in your opinion. Well, a sword-sickle fight, but nonetheless.

A few seconds passed in oppressive silence. This Daniela daughter seemed to lose her patience, she started moving around you slowly, but chaotically. She may be nervous, too.

"Do it already!" her dark-haired sister hissed at her.

Following the orders, Daniela got herself together and suddenly launched at you.

Your reflexes worked automatically. You dodged and turned around, facing her again. Did she seem... disappointed? Was she expecting to get you at once?

It was time for you to play your turn. Letting an opponent attack twice at the beginning makes you look like a coward. Usually, you didn't care about that, you cared only about the best strategy to exploit an opponent's weakness and overpower them. But somehow you felt the urge to show yourself in the best light possible to Lady Dimitrescu. You wanted to impress her.

God, why do you suddenly behave just like stupid menfolk who fell in love?

Not giving Daniela time to collect herself, you made a fast move and she dodged at the very last moment, frightening you as you almost hit her with the blade.

She crossed your sword with her sickle, leading the blade away from her body. You immediately took this action in your hands, retrieving your blade and hitting again from the other side.