The Water Unicorn

7. A Warrior's Pride

A/N: Enjoy this chapter before the angst starts!

This is the chapter where my child becomes an adult. An important moment in his life. All about unicorn armor! Good luck with adulthood, Sabo

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Sabo fell down, face slamming down into the snow-covered grass. Again.

For a moment, he laid there groaning until everything stopped spinning around and his head no longer hurt. Or at least, stopped hurting to the point where he could get up again and continue. He couldn't give up yet. Putting his hooves underneath him, Sabo forced himself back up and glared at his grandfather before him.

By now, he was covered in dirt and grass and snow, mane a wild mess. Scrapes and bruises and even a few swallow cuts. He was pretty sure he bit his tongue as well. But his grandfather, on the other hoof, looked as pristine and unbothered as ever.

Sabo had been unable to come up with a good reason to refuse the Enchanter position which did not involve revealing his kelpie heritage, and so his grandfather had taken it upon himself to train and teach him. To help him improve his combat skills and teach him what he needed to know to be the Enchanter and stand next to the Vicereine once it was their time. The physical part was only about one hour a day, seven days a week, but every single time Sabo was sore and exhausted and he just wanted to spend the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing. Sadly, he couldn't, for he still had to go to his remaining lessons with the others his age on top of this as well. He knew his grandfather was one of the strongest in the clan, and he was starting to notice some improvement in himself, but this was starting to get ridiculous.

He had done his grandfather's hellish training for about two weeks now, and he still couldn't even touch him! And Sabo knew he wasn't weak. When compared to the others of his age, he was even one of the best. But he felt like an awkward newborn foal when he went up against his grandfather.

"You suck at this," Ezra unhelpfully commented from the sidelines. Hedda and Enkidu were there as well, probably hoping to learn something from watching the Enchanter train - and essentially beat up - his successor.

Sabo's ears twitched. "I'd like to see you try!" He hissed, giving his cousin a glare.

Blue eyes blinked, looking hopeful towards their grandfather. "Can I?" Ezra asked, ears perking up in excitement.

Grandfather looked between his grandsons for a moment. "Very well, it should also help Sabo in watching from a different angle, and you might learn something from it as well. Give it your best shot, Ezra," he agreed after a moment, giving Sabo's cousin a nod.

Stumbling out of the way, Ezra swapped with him and hopped into place. Hooves clawed at the dirt and the young unicorn lowered his red horn as he focused on his opponent. Sabo merely watched on from the place where Ezra previously stood, next to Enkidu and Hedda.

"I think you're doing pretty well," Enkidu mumbled his way, "I wouldn't be able to keep standing for so long... and not give up while doing so."

Sabo nodded in gratitude and looked back towards his cousin when he started charging grandfather's way. When he was within range, grandfather made a single fluid movement, and Ezra was suddenly on his back. Staring dumbly up at the sky as if he wondered why it was blue.

"... Did anyone see what happened?" Hedda asked, blinking at the scene before her.

"Nope," Enkidu shook his head.

"I think he swiped his legs out from under him and then turned him around in the air?" Sabo guessed. "Not sure how, though."

Grandfather stepped closer to a still dazed Ezra and looked down on him. "Ezra," he said, making the other blink to awareness, "even if you do not become the Enchanter and it's almost time to earn your armor, that's no reason to slack off in your remaining lessons. Be sure to stay focused and continue to train."