A story about the decision to walk the path of destiny.
Cidolfus Telamon x OFC
- Erie Murdoch has witnessed the power that has brought the Duchy to ruin and plunged Rosaria into political turmoil. Stripped of everything she once knew, now a fallen p...
During her next match against Benedikta, the short interval with Cid made itself noticeable. The blonde had returned from her expedition to Eistla and had gone to Erie and Cid in his chambers to report to the Lord Commander. Erie was allowed to stay in the room while Benedikta reported that, as the king suspected, the adamantite mine near Eistla had been attacked by rebel Beastmen and the bearers working there had been killed. Benedikta and the group sent with her had cleaned up the mines and new miners had been assigned to extract the adamantite.
Cid had listened to the report, which Benedikta had delivered very professionally and with little emotion, in silence and then asked Erie to put it down on paper for the archives. Surprised by this task - she had only ever until now undertaken housekeeping duties and now the more private task of correspondence to Storm - Erie had immediately made a few quick notes so that she could compile a full report later.
"Let's blow off some steam, what do you two think?" Cid suggested, "I hope you learnt something on your trip, Benna. Erie's certainly ready to face you again, isn't she?"
With a mischievous twinkle in his eye and a slight smile on his lips, he looked at Erie without letting on to Benedikta that they had been training together for the past few days. Erie couldn't stop her own mouth from twitching upwards at the little insider between them, and she nodded in agreement.
"Good idea," Benedikta said enthusiastically too, "It's definitely more enjoyable to train against Erie than to take down smelly Beastmen. At least Erie has a bit of finesse in combat. I hope you haven't gotten rusty in the last few days."
She gave Erie a challenging look and, without waiting for a reply, walked alongside Cid towards the courtyard. Erie followed in their stride, optimistic that she could gain an advantage from her training with Cid.
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Cid stood, as he often did, against the wall away from the small courtyard to watch them. Erie and Benedikta stood a few feet apart, facing each other and drawing their training swords. While Benedikta pointed her sword at Erie, Erie let her sword hang beside her and waited for Benedikta to make a move that would initiate the fight.
When Erie noticed Benedikta's almost floating step, she quickly moved to the side. In the next moment Benedikta jumped into her space with a great leap and had prepared a slash at her. The training swords rang as they clashed with full force and Erie parried Benedikta's blow.
She whirled round, swinging the sword above her head and aiming for Benedikta's hip from above, but the Waloeder soldier dodged and Erie's blow went nowhere. In order not to lose her balance from the sudden forward swing, Erie took a lunge, dropped down and rolled across the ground, turning back towards Benedikta at the same time. She landed on one knee and immediately had to raise her sword to block a blow from above.
Knowing that she was in an unfavourable position and that Benedikta's power was now being reinforced, Erie only maintained her defence for a short time. Benedikta was already looking at her victoriously, but Erie refused to give in. She looked down at Benedikta's foot placement, which was slightly incorrect, if only very subtly, and did not allow for a stable stance. She must not have been paying attention when she saw Erie kneeling on the floor, having a quick triumph in mind.
