Two Planets

-11-

There was a fencing class to go to today, but it took a while to curl out of the heavy, warm blankets that stuffed me in this bed. Even the entire process of going to the lecture felt like a chore, where I had to force myself to drag my feet out of my dorm, across the halls, up the stairs and to the usual metal door. What was even stranger was that now I had a streak of platinum blonde that appeared on the front and left side of my once entirely dark hair when it was not even there, to begin with.

It was cold, as it always was, and so was he. It was quiet here, but I could still hear the murmuring and the light clashing of the swords in the room. It was almost like this room shrunk smaller, but I know it was my own illusion. It occupied a large amount of open space, with rows and columns of mirrors and windows that displayed the mountains, crystals, cliffs and forests from above. Everything was visible from here, even the river, the garden and the valleys.

In the very middle of the room, stood Darien in his black fencing attire, waving and signalling me to talk to him. Was there another thing that he wanted to tell me, or was it just the usual small talk?

"Marion, how about a duel?" he smirks.

The room was filled with high-pitched squeals and screeches from my classmates. The girls were jumping with excitement.

"A duel? Of course, why not? Your Highness," I clenched my fencing sword and dropped my bag on the floor.

Feeling tense, I approached him, looking away from him and at the surrounding mirrors.

"Your hair looks different,"

"I know,"

We bow at one another, put on our masks and prepare our positions.

"Ready? En garde!" Margaret chants, and her other classmates start cheering.

I pull out my fencing sword, charging towards him. He guards himself, and I trample on my feet. Of course, just as I thought; he was better than me.

"Clumsy, eh?" he grins.

Whilst the sweat trickled down the sides of my face, I sprinted again, and his sword crashed into mine, shielding himself again. The high-pitched squeals grew louder and masked the sounds of swords clashing with one another. I could not let him win.

I could feel the blood boiling in my body, fueling me to push harder. Forcing him to move backwards with my sword pointing back at Darien, I almost drove him to cross the line. Instead, he put me back in my place, swiftly colliding his sword with mine. The collision shook me from the inside out, but I persisted to fight back. I'll show him, and I'll make him pay.

"Goodness me, she's still going!" a girl gasps.

The blows from his sword grew louder and more powerful. Everything in me started to hurt, and the light in me was out in the open again. In an instant, the darkness consumed the room. I shuffled, tripping on his sword and dropping to the floor.

I was pinned down and was then struck with a sharp, final blow to my chest.

I could only see the lines of Darien's mask in the shadows. He was still on top of me, and so I tore off my mask to speak.

"Good game," I mutter.

"Pardon?" He takes off his mask and throws it across the room with a thud. He was still pointing his sword at me and pulled my face close to his. "Nevermind, it was indeed a good game. You've improved greatly, Marion. Well done," He smiled widely and let go of my face.

He stood up; all the darkness that surrounded us was now gone. He offers his hand, and I reluctantly accept the offer as he helped me up. I would likely be bruised from the neck down by tomorrow, my body felt broken and sore. 

He looks back up at the students and asks: "So, who would like to be next?"

None of them answered.

*****

"Right class, I am going to end it here as I have to go for some errands," and he fades away and exits the classroom as if he was never there. We were left with no room to speak back.

It was time to find out what he was up to when I was not there. I quietly followed him, attempting to mirror the way he glided in silence until I was shoved against a rocky wall. I groaned.

"Darien, that hurts!" I slapped him.

"What was that for? What are you trying to do by following me? Isn't there something called privacy?"

"You said that you'd be open and honest with me-"

"And you are being the opposite of honest by sneaking up on me," he whispers, almost sounding like a hiss.

His half-closed sapphire eyes glowed like a serpent's glare. He drew closer to me, tightening his grip on my shoulder. His left hand was still placed on the wall.

"Sorry, I just miss how we used to be,"

"Well, we can't always have what we want now can we?" He plays with the white streak on my hair and leans closer to me, before turning away and leaving me alone.