Raven hesitated a split second before knocking on Darras door. With no answer she peeked her head inside and stared in astonishment at what she saw. Floating in midair was Darra fast asleep wearing black underwear and a black fitted racerback wife beater. Raven walked around her slowly seeing the gold and copper crisscrossed scars all along her arms, legs and back. There was also a thin gold scar that ran the circumference of her neck. What happened to her? Everyone knew that vampires didn't scar, even from the most fatal of wounds. The scars overlapped, gods it looked agonizing. Her hair was undone from the bun she usually wore it in so Raven now saw what was usually hidden. From the tips to nearly midway up the hair mass her hair was pure white. Entranced, she reached out and ran her hand through the white. As if she were moving through water, she twirled around, and her eyes shot open. Raven found herself staring into gold serpentine eyes. She was shaken, vampires didn't have eyes like this. What else was she? "How can I help you little Raven," Darra asked.
Darra could practically smell the fear coming off the girl. She arched one elegant eyebrow, "Do you fear me now?" The girl blinked and let out a pent-up breath, "No, it's your eyes." Darra smiled then and let her feet touch the floor coming to stand. "I suppose those were a gift from my father. Many people find my eyes uncanny. Unnatural," she said stretching. "Your father wasn't vampire," Raven asked perching on a chair. "No," she said as she pulled on a pair of black fitted pants and a loose-fitting long-sleeved t-shirt, "my mother had a severe distaste for vampiric men." She turned and nodded slightly to Raven before leaving out. Raven caught up to her in the hall, "Are you really going to train Aiden?" "I've been training him thus far, I don't see why I should stop now he has a lot more to learn," Darra smiled.
Darra stepped out into the sun and smiled, unlike many of her people she'd always loved being outdoors. Barefoot she walked toward where the soldiers had been training and sparring. Aiden was stretching by the time she made her way over to him. "Darra you're late, you're usually awake before I am," Aiden said with some concern. "I was more tired than I realized, but I'm here now. Are you ready," she asked? He grinned and bounced up and down on his toes, "Oh yeah I'm ready!" She smiled menacingly, "Alright, first practice, Hit Me." He grinned and did one last stretch before charging her. Garrick was just getting up when there was a knock on his door. "Come in," he said gruffly. Mathus waltzed in closing the door behind him. He looked at his cousin and frowned, "Lords above sire, you look horrible." Garrick grumbled something under his breath before barking, "It's far too early for that "sire" crap, Mathus!" Mathus shook his head with a chuckle, "you're grumpy this morning," "You would be too if you had a mate that refused to acknowledge the bond. What do you want cousin, my patience grows thin," he huffed before pulling on a shirt? Walking pass him to the window Mathus looked out into the courtyard. "You should probably take a look at this," he said. Garrick turned to him in the process of pulling his hair back in a tail at the nape of his neck. Annoyed he walked up beside his cousin and looked out, "what am I supposed to be looking at?" He stared in shock, disbelieving his eyes. Darra and Aiden were sparring and gaining quite a bit attention. Turning on his heel he headed to the courtyard before his cousin could say anything more.
Darra noticed the crowd gathering around them in a loose circle. Some were just watching others were soldiers showing interest. She felt her body buzz with awareness signaling the arrival of Garrick. She smiled as Aidens fist whizzed by her cheek. "Very good Aiden, you almost got me," she cheered while dodging his next punch. Garrick watched with his arms folded over his chest. He didn't want to be impressed but he was, watching them spar was like watching a well-choreographed dance. The way she moved was so natural, so fluid like she was a born fighter. As she danced around the boy blocking and evading, he realized she wasn't actually attacking, his sons' goal was to hit her. Suddenly she was sent sliding back through the dirt. Everyone froze holding their breath. Darra looked up with a grin giving a shocked cry as she raced toward Aiden. "You did it," she cried gripping him up in a bear hug. Mathus walked up just as Garrick walked over to them. "What just happened," Garrick and Mathus said in unison. She smiled and looked proudly upon Aiden. "He finally hit me," she beamed proudly. "I have to assume it's a simple exercise. I mean it can't be that difficult to land a single blow," Mathus said with a smirk. The smile on Aidens face disappeared replaced by an angry scowl, his eyes glowing amber. "Let's see you try it," he growled. He shrugged Darras hand off and backed away from the group dropping into a stance. "Alright boy, you've been asking for this," Mathus said dusting his hands off. As Aiden and Mathus started to circle each other Darra frowned and shook her head, "this isn't going to end well." Garrick smirked, "Come now, Mathus is a seasoned warrior. No matter how well you've trained Aiden he's never seen real battle or war for that matter." She arched one elegant brow before turning back to observe her pupil. "Alright boy let's see what you've got," Mathus barked. The circling stopped abruptly when Aiden froze. First the boy was there and then he wasn't. To wolf eyes it looked as if he'd vanished but to her eyes, he'd simply moved out of his line of vision faster than Mathus was able to follow. So, when the blow came, she nodded proudly.
Garrick watched in awe of his son and now also his son's trainer. The boy was using a technique that he'd only seen once, it was the same technique the vampire queen had used in war. All the more strange because none of the vampiric armies had fought as she had. To the untrained eye it seemed as if the boy was disappearing and reappearing. He could barely keep his eye on him, and he was definitely overwhelming Mathus at this point. His cousin was slammed into the dirt moments later, bruised and lip split. Blood dripped from his nose as he looked up at the "boy" who just kicked his ass. Aiden took a step forward when Darra stepped in, "Enough! You've made your point." He took a deep breath in and stepped back. "You've insulted him, you've insulted me. You've made your point and now he's made his. We all know who the better fighter is now. Aiden, we'll continue this when we can have our privacy. Go ahead and get showered, I'll meet you in the dining hall," Darra said as she swept away towards the stables. Aiden turned back and looked down at Mathus and sniffed indignantly before turning on his heel and returning to the keep. Garrick shook his head at his cousin before following his mate's steps to the stables. "I see now that this was a rather stupid mistake," he called after him.
