Denial

VIII

Ourà Fengàri
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"Aria Ariti, you're slacking. I trained you better than this". Dalcia scolded as she threw a punch at her daughter.

"I have my days, mother". Aria said and caught her punch mid air, twisting Dalcia's arm behind her.

"Not so smug now, are we?" Aria teased her mother who was trying to free her arm from Aria's grasp.

She did free her arm after seconds of trying and elbowed Aria in the ribs making her stagger but that wasn't enough to take her down so she kicked her shin.

They had been sparring for almost an hour since training begun for the day and since both of them were hot headed women, no one wanted to quit. The warriors had stopped training to watch them instead. The people of the Queendom adored their queen for a lot of reasons. Her fighting skills were one and Dalcia, Doukai, Eros, Zekai and Lina happened to be the only ones who had the ability to take her on.

Aria punched Dalcia in the gut so her steps faltered and she took it as an opportunity to grasp both her hands,put them behind her and block her windpipe with her other around her throat. Aria hardly used submission but since her mother was determined to take her down today, she resorted to it.
Dalcia kicked her daughter's shin, stepped on her feet, tried elbowing her yet she didn't budge and eventually she bared her neck in submission.

"Vasílissa Ismena wins ". Lina announced.

"Still think I'm slacking?". Aria asked her mother with raised eyebrows.

"You won through submission. That is a coward's way" Dalcia argued

"And you lost to submission. Who is more of a coward? The one who lost to a supposed coward or the supposed coward?".

"Aria you have to give mother some credit. She's an old woman already. You should be happy she's sparring with you" Lina said with a smile.
Dalcia wanted to slap the grins off her daughters' faces. She thought Lina was going to take her side till she called her an old woman.

"Then she should be sparring with her age mates. Like father and Kyría Celma". Aria told Lina

"I'll have you know that I'm old not frail". Dalcia snapped

"Who said you were frail?" Lina asked hiding another smile.

"And are you implying that our father, your beloved Zekai is frail?" Aria questioned with an amused look.

"I'll see you girls at lunch". Dalcia said and left. She couldn't win when Lina and Aria teamed up against her.

"Alright, mother". They chorused amidst laughs.

Dalcia may be a bit too strict but she loved her children without doubt. She only feared her daughter incurring the wrath of Thea Seléni.
And if it meant putting more pressure on her in order to make her accept her mate, she would. Even if it meant making their mother- daughter relationship more strained.
She was only being a mother and she knew Aria wouldn't understand that she had to act how she did.

"I look forward to the day I defeat you again. It's been years" Lina admitted to her sister

"You defeated me a few days ago"

"That was because you went easy on me. Hell, your stressed out ass wasn't even fighting"

"Well that was your only chance". Aria said with a wink.

Aria left Lina to take charge of training and went to take a bath. She was expected in the court today. She disliked court hearings because she had to be a little bit cold in some situations. If she didn't do it that way too, she'd be encouraging lawlessness and she would hate to see that in her Queendom.