Taking Back

The Hidden Training Arena

Alisha set Steffan up in his saddle and harness. Alisha guided her horse to a secret door that led to the woods. She took one look to see vines and ivy covering the entrance. Alisha heard wings batting and looked to see Anaka flying to her shoulder. Anaka landed on her shoulder and shook her head.

Hmm, nope, nope, that won't do. Anaka let a burst of fire escape her mouth and burned the vegetation, revealing a wood door with delegate engravings. That looks better. We can't have the princess get itchy from ivy. Now, can we?

"Good girl, Anaka," praised Alisha. Anaka revealed her toothy grin and raised her wings in approval. Alisha smiled as she pushed the door open, hearing the hinges squeak with age and rust from the rainwater. She always tried to follow her father through the very door, but her father always told her he'd show her his training ground. "Sorry, Father, if I am going to get back into shape, I need to see this training field."

The door slowly opened, and she saw a trail of trees and a well-worn path of hooves. There was an old sundial off to the side.

"I guess we will ride from here," she told her horse. Steffan flared his nostrils and shook his head.
Alisha mounted on the saddle and rode on. She looked perplexed by her new surroundings. What is so special about this area was that her father came by until he passed away. Nothing stood out to Alisha as she rode on. She looked down at the trail to see the past hoof prints overlapping with each other with immense speed.

Alisha looked to see the branches overlapping each other until she stumbled upon a worn target. She could see the countless bull's eyes shot in the center of the target. Alisha felt a breeze pick up to see the target sway. She thought it would fall to the ground, but there had to be twine keeping its hold.

Alisha stopped Steffan for a bit. She looked back down the trail toward the sundial and at the target. "I wonder," she began. Alisha pushed Steffan on the path at a trot to see another. "2 .... 3... 4 ...." Alisha looked ahead to see a fork. Alisha pulled on the reins. "Father, this is the best secret training field ever," she said with a smile. Alisha pushed Steffan down the trail on the left and followed a roundabout of trees with more targets above. She came out of the fork of the right and dashed toward the exit. The princess exited the secret door and the courtyard to turn Steffan around. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

"What'll be fun?" asked a voice. Alisha looked behind her and saw a figure in the blinding light. She looked up toward the blinding sun. Has the morning day gone by that fast? She felt terrible that she didn't stop by the kitchen for breakfast, but she figured a break wouldn't hurt.

"My father's old training ground," she told the figure, mounting down. "It's an archery roundabout, and I found a sundial at the entrance. That would only mean he timed himself going through the course. It's impressive. I wonder what his record time is."

Alisha tried shielding her eyes from the blinding light to make out who she was talking to; the clothing of the tunic looked familiar. "I see," the figure replied. "That sounds quite innovative. I never thought to use it like that."

"My father was brilliant with things like this; I wouldn't have missed this one," she pulled the reins over Steffan's head. There was something almost nostalgic about the outfit the figure was wearing. "Wait," she replied breathlessly. She recognized the voice. "Eddie? Is that you?"

"Well, yes, it is. Why?" answered Eddie as the sun lowered in the sky. It is light less blinding now. She could now see it was Eddie, and he was wearing a cleaner and more royally formal set of clothing. Alisha now understood why it looked so nostalgic. It was her father's old clothes he was wearing. She could recognize the blue and gold cape that most of his shirts had buttoned at the shoulder sleeve and the topaz-tan pants.