Knightress

Chapter 2

Laura stood in the centre of her training field breathing heavily, in her right hand was a rare Katana, the sword grandma Bailey wielded like a true knight. The blade, long and sharp, was engraved with patterns of flowers, the hilt was black and red and scarred with finger marks proving how long it's been used.
Laura tightened her grip on the sword and lunged forward sharply, swaying and slashing it in different directions focusing on her speed and form, she twirled it between her fingers and swung it over her head before bringing it down with a burst of strength. The night wind beat against her skin causing her hair to fly in sinc and sticking to her sweat stained forehead , there was something absolutely magical about training under the moonlight. Her lungs burned and her body ached but she couldn't stop, not when the enlistment was in two days. Thinking of grandma Bailey motivated her to keep pushing, she imagined grandma Bailey being by her side encouraging her to keep going.
She went into a one handed cartwheel and nearly collapsed from how weak she felt, she rested on the ground as her chest raised and fell, her stomach growled lowly a little sound that echoed in the silence of the night.

"Time to head back " Laura muttered and forced herself to stand and trekked clumsily back to the cottage

The thin door felt unusually heavy as it took the remaining strength in her to push it

"Laura Fionna Rasper ! " Her mother boomed "what in the world were you still doing out there at such an ungodly hour ?! "
"Just walking " Laura mumbled making her way to the dining table

The fire place was lit and warmed the house a little too much for her liking.

Her mother scoffed " just walking you say ? Your clothes are muddy, your hair is plastered to your forehead ,you-.... You were at the training field weren't you ? "

Laura remained silent, her mother's laugh was short lived as realisation dawned on her

"You stubborn girl, I oughta- "

"Would you stop ranting and get our daughter some food ? " Laura's dad intruded from the couch

Her mother stared at him with unbelief "Johan...our daughter comes home at freaken midnight ! After spending the entire day at that damn field and instead of correcting her, you tell me to get her some food ? "

"I can see that Jess but she's been there all day and ate nothing, I'm sure she has her reasons for doing whatever it is that she is doing "

Her mom stared menacingly at him and sighed a steamy sigh before turning to the kitchen and throwing food into a bowl while mumbling something along the lines of " don't tell me how to raise my daughter "
She banged the bowl of mash potatoes and bread on the dining and stormed through the hall still muttering angrily. Laura felt a firm grip on her shoulder and looked up to see her dad

"Whatever you're doing Laura , don't disappoint us " he said not meeting her eyes

"More than you already have..." He whispered that part, so lightly it shouldn't even be called a whisper

Laura heard it, she wasn't suppose to but she did and it stung. It pierced her heart deeply, a confirmation to what she always wondered : Her parents were disappointed in her, they thought she was a failure. Choosing to follow her dreams of becoming a knight, not measuring her value and success in how well she can cook or clean, daring to go against these stupid stereotypes...all that suddenly made her a failure ?

He patted her back "good night "

"Night " Laura answered, her voice hollow, cold. Almost as cold as the mash potatoes.

A/N :
What a nice short chapter, here we get a glimpse of Laura's parents and see just what kind of people they are.
I *personally* do not like reading books that beat around the bush and extend the story longer than it should be, so we're getting into it !

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