The Mountains Blade

Chapter five

Chapter Five- The Art of a Warrior

That night, Elwyn and Dane were both confronted with the king of Goldmoon. "It is prohibited to enter the human world, Elwyn."

Ashered Greywater sat on his throne as Elwyns instructor and right hand of her father spoke. 

His lips were set into a thin line, cheeks taught from gritting his teeth at her. Elwyn looked at the floor, her head bowed as she waited for him to continue. Dane stood off slightly from her and leaned against one of the pillars held the small stage her father sat atop. "Do you have anything to say?" Arthur snapped ruthlessly. Elwyn felt tears well in her eyes and inwardly cursed herself. She knew that because  of her decisions Arthur would make her work harder, punish her for her insolence. 

As she looked at her bloodied boots, the burns on her legs and the small puddle at her feet; she decided she deserved whatever Arthur did to her. 

Elwyn finally raised her head, tangled hair falling into her eyes. She was crying. She could not pretend to be a warrior, she had tried and cried instead. 

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before meeting her fathers gaze. 

Upon making eye contact, Ashereds face softened at hers. "I think that is enough for tonight, Arthur." 

Her instructor began to open his mouth but Ashered simply gave him a pointed look. 

Arthur nodded, "Of course, sir."  he said, exiting the throne room. 

"You can leave as well, debrief Arthur on all that happened."

Dane nodded and disappeared, leaving the father and daughter. 

"Elwyn." Ashered said softly to his youngest child. 

Elwyns lip trembled at his gentleness. She collapsed onto herself, falling to the floor in a fit of wailing. "I killed him. I couldn't kill anyone else. I will never be good enough to protect Avelina. I'm sorry- I'm so-." Elwyn stopped talking instead crying harder as her father's arms enveloped her. She held tight onto her father and cried as he shushed her. 

"Elwyn, its alright. Its not a bad thing to not be a warrior." Elwyn peeled away from her father, looking up from puffy eyes. "How is it not?" She asked. Her father brushed the strands of damp hair from her face, kissing the top of her head. "Because we weren't expecting you to be  warrior, Elwyn." The young girl looked up at him with confusion. "What do you mean?" 

Ashered sighed and shook her head. "We were training you to protect yourself, to be strong." Elwyn began to question her father more but he shook his head at her. "I can't tell you, now but soon."

~

The next morning after having showered and scrubbing herself raw, Elwyn Greywater sat on the edge of her bed. She felt particularly feral today. She wasn't sure of her place or reasoning behind having trained for her entire life. She couldn't place the feeling, other than rage. A soft pulsing in her chest at the thought of Max, collapsing into her arms.

Elwyn replayed the words that her father said to her over and over. 

"We were training you to protect yourself, to be strong."

Elwyn pursed her lips and stiffened as her door burst open.  She clutched the towel she wore to her chest. "Get dressed, you're late." It was Opal who stood in her doorway. Her mother's personal bodyguard and one of the strongest women in the kingdom, like her father she was a light fallen. Unlike the dark fallen, the light had turned to the creator and begged for forgiveness. He took away their wings upon their descent. Fortunately, light fallen could earn their wings back over time, protecting innocents and killing any dark fallen they came across. 

"What do you mean late?" She snapped. Elwyn immediately covered her mouth at the harshness of her tone. 

Opals cold eyes narrowed at her, they were an icy blue, almost white. Her skin and hair were similar in their iciness, white and pale. Her hair was loose and hung above her shoulders. She took a heavy weighted boot forward and hissed at the young royal. "You have 15 minutes to meet me in the arena." With an abrupt shut of the door, Elwyn blinked. She had never questioned a higher warrior before. What on earth had come over her?

Elwyns expression drooped. She knew what had come over her.

~

Elwyn panted as she dodged Opals incoming attacks. She had no mercy. Breathless, she cursed herself for thinking that Arthur was difficult. At the loss of attention, Opal swiped her out from under feet and with a glare, pointed the tip of the blade at her throat. "Dead." She repeated for what must have been the 100th time. Elwyn flared her nostrils and watched as Opal dug the blade into the dirt beside her face. 

turning, Opal offered Elwyn her hand. Opal looked at her hand skeptical but took it anyways. A gust of air was pushed out of her as Opal kicked her in the side and shoved her body weight on her, holding a dagger she hadn't seen before to her throat. 

Elwyn sucked in a gasp and with that felt the sting of the blade knick her skin. 

Opal pulled back, standing up and pocketing her dagger. "Never underestimate the enemy, Elwyn."

Elwyn grasped onto her discarded sword and used it as a crutch to pull herself up. She was aching, bleeding and bruised. Not to mention she was covered in sweat and the dirt of the arena, which was actually just a section of  the field behind the castle, designated for intense training sessions. 

Elwyn panted and coughed, wiping her brow. "Why?" She asked. Opal looked at her knowing exactly what she meant. Why did she have to endure all this? Why must she protect her sister? Why did she have to kill?

Opals face softened some and she sighed tossing her a canteen a water. Elwyn caught it with ease, popping the lid and chugging the insides. 

"Its what must be done." 

Opal ground her teeth in frustration, knowing that she wouldn't get any more answers. That however would not stop her. 

"Go clean up, there is a meeting in an hour." 
Elwyn practically sagged with both relief and annoyance. She didn't want to sit in another council meeting, in another puffy dress that was bright enough to blind someone. 

As Opal walked away, grey clouds began to creep across the arena. As it began to pour down, Elwyn stood still looking at the wildflowers around her and she could have sworn they began to wilt.