Betrothed to Jack Frost (REWRITTEN)

13)Fight club - wife style

"Centuries" by Fall Out Boy
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Elle took a deep breath and glanced down at herself, taking in her new attire. She was clad in deep frosted silver-plated body armor that covered her chest and stomach entirely. The armor was form-fitting yet weighed heavily on her, its metal plates clinking softly with each movement. Her legs were encased in heavy, metallic pants made of a weighted net material, adding an additional layer of discomfort. The boots on her feet were thick, black, and steel-toed, making each step feel laborious and cumbersome.

After breakfast, Elle had been escorted to an underground arena that appeared to be set within a cavern. The space was dimly lit by flickering torches, casting long, dancing shadows that gave the cavern an ominous ambiance. The air was hot and sticky, far warmer than Elle would have expected for the North Pole. The temperature in the cavern seemed to hover in the high eighties, making the heavy armor feel even more oppressive.

"Tell me again what I'm supposed to be doing?" Elle asked Hermes quietly. His role as the god of travel made him responsible for bringing her to this strange location on Boreas' command. However, he had not provided her with much information about the place or her task.

Hermes, absorbed in rummaging through a large wooden chest against a cement wall, didn't immediately answer. Elle's unease grew as she watched him extract various weapons from the chest. Her eyes then scanned the cavern, where weapons were prominently displayed along the walls. There were racks filled with an assortment of swords—heavy, small, narrow, jagged, and even those adorned with gold and diamonds. Another wall was lined with an overwhelming number of spears in countless shapes and sizes.

As Hermes continued to sort through the weaponry, Elle's apprehension deepened. It was becoming increasingly clear that this was no ordinary training session. She couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was about to unfold would be far more intense than she had anticipated.
Elle's gaze was drawn to the wall lined with various types of bows and arrows, her unease growing as she took in the array of menacing weaponry. The bows were sleek and intimidating, each one designed for maximum harm. She shuddered at the thought of having to use them.

"Long story short," Hermes said cheerfully, pulling a pair of thick black gloves from the case and tossing them to Elle, "today is your first day of preparing for wife duties."

Elle caught the gloves, noticing they were made of the same heavy material as her pants. "Er... What are these for?" she asked, her curiosity tinged with concern.

"Trust me," Hermes said with a serious nod, "you'll want them. Otherwise, you could lose a finger or two."
"WHAT?!?" Elle's eyes widened in shock. Hermes seemed surprised by her reaction, running a hand through his curly blond hair as he looked puzzled. "No one told you? Today is your first day of—"

"You better not finish that sentence with 'wife training!" Elle interrupted. "Seriously, why am I dressed like this? Where am I? What is this place?"

"This is the weapons area beneath the arena," Hermes explained. "Today is your first sparring class. You'll be fighting lower-level nymphs or other beginners."

"I'm going to be fighting nymphs and others like me??" Elle's disbelief was evident. Hermes' serious demeanor suggested he wasn't joking.

Hermes raised his hands in an apologetic gesture. "I know, I know. But don't worry, you'll be fighting monsters in no time!" He clapped her on the back, clearly excited.

Elle realized that the enthusiastic god seemed to misunderstand her shocked expression. He thought she was apprehensive about who she would be fighting, rather than the fact that she was fighting at all.