Classy, Controlled Chaos - The STEAM Team Adventures

⚔️ Swords Dance [5/12] ⚔️

King Arthur's POV:

Training with someone as restless as Tia was just as difficult as spearing an arrow through a dragon's heart on the first try with zero experience.

It's a weird analogy, but the point is that it's nearly impossible to do either task.

My apprentice was practically itching for an adrenaline rush, exchanging blows with me like there was no tomorrow.

In my eyes, the Silverstorm Stronghold training room was too small to contain someone as forceful as she was.

She was an absolute powerhouse.

"Tiny but fierce" would be the best phrase to describe her.

As we were training, she had this determined glint in her eye that would spark every time she threw a punch.

Even in practice she'll try to break my ribs out of place.

"Sorry, I can't help it..." The captain mumbled, leaning against the wall as I told her to take a break. "Pent-up anger, y'know?"

I rolled my eyes, taking off my royal coat. "Of course you can't help it, you're a literal beast."

Now that I was left in a white tank top and a pair of baggy leggings, I approached her to try to coax her into calming down. "I think that's enough training for today. You'll overexert yourself."

Tia gave me a look that made me think I grew a second head. "Enough training? Two hours is enough training?"

"This old man's got some weak bones, young lady." I chuckled, watching her tense muscles gradually relax in my presence. "Hit the showers and get yourself ready to rest."

She blinked at me, swishing her orca tail across the ground in anticipation. "Rest where?"

"Your room, of course." I replied, looking down at her. "Didn't I give you your little 'office' so you could plan out your devious war crimes or something?"

"Oh yeah, about that..." The captain grinned, adjusting her unbuttoned coat so it fit neatly over her shoulders. "I think your room is comfier. Like, being in your presence makes me sleep better. I feel safe with you around, y'know?"

Something about that last statement subconsciously made me smile.

Tia was the type of person to distrust people very easily, and if she had even the smallest amount of faith in you, you had to treasure that with your life.

Long ago, before I existed in her world, the only person she trusted was Addison Reece.

The same Addison Reece locked up in the Silverstorm Stronghold dungeon.

Since then, she learned to value who she was friends with and determine the right crowd to be around.

Even though she has a small handful of friends, she's specifically bonded to me.

Maybe it's because she's known me since before the Great War, or that to her, I'm a true friend she can trust.

I'd take a jet of Darkness for her and vice versa.

However, because the public still believes that Tia Aquaticlaw was publicly executed a couple months ago, I go out with her as a mentor-apprentice duo.

Just the King of Northwynd and the protector of the kingdom out for a stroll, nothing's going on here.

I'm totally not escorting a supposedly dead person out to get stuff, of course not.