Stolen Princess

9. Fight Like A Girl

"It's too bright in here!" I whined, rubbing one hand across my pounding forehead.

"That's the sun, you idiot," Sosha sighed as she walked beside me towards the training field.

"But the trial isn't for hours," I protested. A streak of orange fur made a quick dash between my legs and with a tiny POP, I suddenly had a second companion in the form of a giant moosebear lumbering beside me.

"Did you bring the knives ALder gave you?" she checks for the second time as we pass through the archway of the training field, it's empty. How is it that two women are the only ones up to fight this early?

"Why isn't anyone -"

"They don't have to try as hard as you will," Sosha answers as if she were expecting my question, and turns to see if I understand her meaning. I nod in a weary kind of way. What she's saying is nothing new... it's just about knives now instead of every other aspect of life.

"Alright, now forget what Talon taught you... that's how males get to fight," she stated flatly, not giving her approval or disapproval of such a statement. My brow crinkles, but I don't dare interrupt her as she double-checks the wristlets I'm trying to get on without success.

"You are a female," she begins as if explaining to an idiot, "A weak one, at that," she adds with a smirk, "And you will never be matched evenly... even less likely that you'll be allowed the chance to see your attacker before he's upon you."

I gulp, and give one silent nod, thinking back to all the times Alek has cornered me. It was never straightforward like the sparring I'd done with Talon and Leif the day before.

"Are you sure I can do this?" I ask, fighting past a sudden dryness in my throat.

"How long has blondie been your shadow?" Sosha asks, her voice not quite malicious for once.

"Forever," the word just falls out of me, so much exhaustion and strife piled behind it that even I'm surprised. Sam meowls at my feet as if to offer comfort, but Sosha just nods, unsurprised.

"Why do you want to win this tournament?" she asks next, flipping one small knife back and forth between hands.

"I - I - " I swallow hard again, pushing aside all the answers I've given everyone else thus far. I look at her and suddenly see her for the first time as an ally instead of an enemy. Did she have an Alek? How did she know so much about how this felt? How this dark hole in me threatened to eat me alive?

"If he wins this tournament..." but my voice breaks, and I shake my head and shrug.

I don't know how I'll survive him.

Maybe I won't.

Sosha nods once, her face showing just a streak of compassion before she's scowling once more.

"Then pay close attention - and I'll teach you how a girl beats a man. Ready?"

I nod, ready or not.

__

By the time the sun was up, Sosha was busy smearing black paint across my already sweating face, Sam was sitting in moosebear form gnawing on a goblin's skull and the rest of the tourney encampment was beginning to stir.

"Wh-What are you two doing?" Leif asked, emerging from one of the tents. I glanced at him, all tousled and sleepy, and smile at the picture he makes. But just as quickly Sosha takes hold of my chin and snaps me forward-facing once more.

"I'm painting her ridiculously annoying face," Sosha explains as easily as if commenting on the weather.

"How can my face possibly be annoying?" I ask with a glare, and Sosha actually smirks.