Broken Birds

Chapter Two - Fight to Stay Alive

Sara's POV:

The next morning I heard a sharp, loud knock on the large door. I groaned "come in." Nyssa strode into my room, opening the curtains, allowing light to enter. She walked towards the bed "Sara, you must wake, the time to train has come upon us."

I sighed "I'm still injured, surely we can wait a week." She quickly looked at me "you are at your weakest, it is the perfect time for you to train." I slowly got up from my bed "fine."

She smiled "good, now put this on." She threw a bundle of black leather clothes at me. I looked up at her "this isn't really my style." She looked at me with confusion "these clothes shall protect you from my blade." I picked up the clothes "fine, I guess they work."

Nyssa turned to give me privacy while I changed. She flicked through a book on the table in the corner. "You must learn Arabic," she ordered. "I'm not good with languages," I said while pulling the tight top over my torso.

She loudly shut the book "you will be." I sighed at her temper "Nyssa you hate me, don't you?" She turned "I do not, I just wish you understood the severity of the danger that has been placed upon you." I angrily retorted "I do understand, don't treat me like a child."

She stepped toward me "I am not treating you like a child, I am protecting you. If you aren't a proficient fighter, Ra's will deem you a burden, he will kill you. You must take my orders seriously, or you will face my father's wrath."

I yelled back "why do you even care if I live or die, you clearly find me a nuisance." She put her hand on my cheek "I saved you from death, allowing you to die would diminish my efforts." I pushed her hand away "so you're making my life about you?" She furrowed her brow "would you rather I let you die?"

I sighed and shook my head "fine let's just go train." She lead me down the hallway into a large empty room. There was a black square in the middle, with a gently padded flooring.

Nyssa stood in the centre of the square "what weapon are you most proficient with, Sara?" I looked around the room "Um a stick?" Nyssa looked at me with confusion "you wish to fight with a stick? Do you mean to say a bo-staff?"

I nodded "yeah sure, a staff." She walked over to a chest of weapons opposite the door, "as you wish." She threw the bo-staff at me. I weakly caught it, groaning from the pain that shot through my abdomen.

"You are still injured", Nyssa observed. "Well it's only been a day since I was rescued," I sharply answered. She glared at me "do not answer back to me." I lifted up my bo-staff "or what?" I said menacingly.

Nyssa swiftly charged towards me with a second bo-staff. She quickly disarmed me, standing behind me and holding the stick against my throat. "Or you will regret it," she said as I caught my breath.

"Ok I won't piss you off again," I said as I stood up. "I sincerely doubt that," Nyssa replied, expertly flipping the bo-staff in her palm.

She then taught me the correct fighting stance. She crouched next to me, moving leg back. "If you position your leg further behind you, your charge will be swift and powerful." She then stood in front of me and repositioned my grip on the staff. "By applying more weight here, your grip will become flexible, ensuring your ability to hit your opponent from all possible angles."

She stepped back, analysing my position. "Perfect," she smiled. I quietly giggled. "What is it?" she questioned. I smirked and replied "nothing, I just didn't realise you were capable of smiling."

Nyssa shook her head, still smiling slightly. "Focus on your stance, Sara. I will attack to suit your capabilities." I continued to smirk at her "does that mean you're going to go easy on me?" She stepped towards me, raising her bo-staff "do you wish for me to not?"