Adeline and the Ovunque's Key || Ongoing

027

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕 - 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭?

"You wished to spar me?"

For a moment of thinking, I cast a look back at the small boy, Jude. If he can do it, then why not I? May this be the time I start fighting to be better. May this be the moment I fight to turn from a caterpillar into a butterfly and flaps my wings and fly on my own.

With such thoughts filling my mind, I nodded my head. "Yes," I told him. Short and on point.

The man nodded, and a flicker of amusement once again graced his face. He took a wooden sword and gripped it tightly around his hand, "Be warned, miss. I will not hesitate to strike you, for a threat would not show mercy on you on a battlefield."

He walked towards an empty side of the field and fixed his stance; his sword lunged forwards, his eyes filled with much fiery anticipation that I could almost feel my determination shredding at the thought of not doing well enough.

I stood in front of him and did my best impression of his stance and gave him a nod. Without wasting much time, he swiftly lunges forward, trying to poke me with his wooden sword and we both dashed and clashed the blades with a clank at every hit we made. I tried to hit him, but he dodges every attack I made. He made a quick poke on my stomach and hit the back of my calf, making me kneel in response. Then he hit my shoulder and placed his sword on the back of my neck. "You have a slow impulse, little one."

"You can't expect me to be great when you know I was practically nothing but a damsel in distress," I said, huffing as I throw the sword lightly aside on the ground. For goodness sake, that must have been a record for the shortest-time defeat.

Aeron lifted his sword from me and took a few steps back, "When one wishes to be stronger, there's nothing stopping them but themselves, So if you want, I can make sure your impulse and strength grow with time."

I turned to face him, shoulder slugging with uncertainty and defeat, "If that is even possible," I muttered lightly.

"Anything is possible," he pushed, his eyebrows knitted together as if hating my lack of determination. "Don't you think so?"

"Anything is possible with effort and dedication."

"Exactly," he grinned. "Do you wish to train under me?"

Scoffing lightly, I rest my palms on the ground, leaning my weight onto my arms, "Do you not see how badly I just fought? Only a miracle can teach that to defend herself."

"I saw. I have eyes, little miss. Though, let me tell you a secret. Just for the ears of you and me," he said, leaning forward and whispering into my ears, "I was worse than you once ago. Weak and look down upon. But look how I turned out."

I raised an eyebrow, leaning back as I turned to gaze upon him, "You have a bigger ego level?"

"What?" he laughed, "Yes. But that was not it."

"I know, I know." I laughed, rolling my eyes. "You are a big boy, brave and strong and capable and great," I said, with as much sincerity as I can mutter under the level of sarcasm I'm holding back.

He laughed lightly, the sound resonating into my ears; cheerful, dashing and drizzling with the sun's lemon drop. As I turned to look at him, his laughs quieted down but a smile remained on his lips. He put his hand in front of me for me to take and I took it.

Standing back on my two feet and my small hand is held by the big man. His big palm enveloped my small ones, darker tan skin above a paler one. I cough a dry cough and pulled my hand away, dusting the dirt off my gown. "I can stand just fine."