Spar

Chapter 1 - New Allies

I silently stay crouched on the tree limb, waiting to see his orange hair pass through. I look around me before hearing rushing footsteps running through the woods. This is it...

Orange hair flashes by me before it stops, and I hold my breath. He shakes his head before turning around, walking slowly and looking at the trees.

I move further behind the tree until he is in front of me. I wait a moment before jumping him and putting my sword against him. I hear clapping around us and we look around for the source of the sound, until my father comes from behind a bush.

"Good job Lilith and Gray." My father says before stopping his claps. I get off of Gray before we both start laughing. "Trees are my best friends." I say and Gray pretends to pout. "I thought I was your best friend." He says before stomping his foot.

I pull his ear and look at him with a 'really?' look. Gray rubs his ear before looking at me and smiling. "Don't mess with the ears, they're the only ones I have. And I've come quite acquainted with these elf ears." Gray says and we laugh.

"Well I'd hope so because you do live in a village of elves." I say and we start walking off before my father calls out to us. "Remember Lord Carson and his family are coming later this week. I want you two there. Even though Gray isn't blood, he's still family to us." My father says, making Gray and I smile.

"At least I won't be left alone with their three sons." I say before Gray and I leave the area that we were sparring at.

"What do you want to do now?" Gray asks and I shrug. "We could go to the guard tower and talk to them." I suggest and Gray nods. "Okay."

Gray and I ended up racing to the guard tower, which he won. I climb up to the top with Gray in front of me.
"Enjoying the view?" Gray calls and I start laughing. "Nope, not at all." I say while laughing. "Well, then." Gray says before he joins me in the laughing.

When we get to the top of the tower, we see all the guards talking about something. David, the head guard, looks up and waves us over. "Hello Lady Lilith and Gray." He says and I roll my eyes. "You don't have to say "Lady Lilith". I've told you this a million times." I say and he laughs.
"I know, but, hey. Old habits die hard." David says and we all laugh. "So what are you doing?" Gray asks and Henry, my father's second in command, points to a map in front of them. "Looking for ways to Jayle."

I think for a moment before looking at all the guards and then to the map. I point to the forest by our village. "If you stay on the outskirts of the Sacred Forest until the Green River, you'll just get a straight shot from the left of the Green River." I say, trailing my finger down the path.

"I forgot about that path." Faren says before looking to David and Henry. "Would that be a safe route?" She asks, and David and Henry nod.

I smile in triumph before hearing horses down below. I look to Gray and he's looking out one of the permanently opened windows. "I thought you're father said that they were coming later this week." Gray says and I walk to him. I look down and see horses and a carriage. "I guess that means that this visit is cut short." I say before Gray and I rush to climb down.

"Bye guys!" Gray and I call before leaving the guards' tower. We run through the trees until we're at my father's place. "Hurry." I whisper to Gray and he nods.

We walk at a quick pace to the door and Drey, the guard posted at our door, shakes his head. I put my finger to my lips and he holds back a laugh.
Gray and I walk through the door before trying to sneak to the dining hall, but Gray falls and my father, along with Lord Carson, comes out to see what happened. I wave while Gray scratches the back of his neck. "Uh...whoops?" Gray says and I have to hold back a laugh, but my father fails before pointing to the dining hall. "Go." He says to us and Gray and I go to our seats.

Lord Carson keeps looking up at Gray and I before looking to my father. "So, Lord Gene, about what I wanted to talk about." Lord Carson starts and my father looks at Gray and I. Which we both know it means to leave.

I watch as Lord Carson's sons get up to leave as well. Gray and I run out of the room, not caring for the stares, and I start laughing when we're out of the room. "I can't believe you fell!" I say and Gray joins in on the laughing.

"That was unbelievable!" I say while we're laughing, until Lord Carson's sons come towards us. "Hey." I say and they look at Gray and I. "Hello." The eldest says. "Do you want to spar with Gray and me?" I ask and they look at me.

"You like to spar?" The eldest boy asks. "Really?" The middle one asks almost immediately. I nod answering their question.

"Aren't you a Lord's daughter, and aren't you suppose to be, like, learning about being a lord or something?" The youngest asks and I shake my head.

"My dad doesn't really care." I say before grabbing my sword. "Now, let's spar." They all nod before walking out of the place and to the back of their carriage.

Gray and I follow them and let them get their things. "Okay, since you don't know the village or forest, how about we have teams?" I ask and everyone nods.

"First off, names?" Gray asks and I nod, looking at the three boys in front of me. "I'm Kale, the eldest brother." Kale starts before pointing to the one beside him. "This is Alex, our youngest brother." Kale then points to the one cleaning something on his sword. "And that's Leigh, the middle." I nod before pointing to me.

"I'm Lilith, and this is Gray. As you heard when I asked you to spar." I say and they all nod. "Okay, so teams?" I say before turning around and seeing Faren. "Hey Faren!" I call and she comes over. "Yes?" She asks and I look at the four boys.

"Can you pick the teams for us." I smirk and she smiles. "Of course." She says before looking at all the boys, and me.

"Okay, Lilith, do you care to only have one?" Faren asks while smiling and I shrug. "I don't care."

"Then Gray gets Alex and Leigh while Lilith gets Kale." Faren says and I turn to everyone. "Okay, let's go to the starting place." Gray and I say at the same time before high fiving.

We walk into the woods a little before stopping in front of a marked tree. I look at Kale and he's staring at his brother's, along with Gray. "A minute of running time, and you can't go in the same direction." I say and point behind Gray and his team. "Gray, Alex, and Leigh go back there, and we'll go behind us." I say and everyone nods.

"3...2...1...Run!" Gray and I say before we start running in opposite directions with our team member beside us.

I pull Kale to the right before walking. "Why are we walking?" Kale whispers and I point to the trees. "I always hide in them and always win." I whisper and Kale nods before looking at something. "How about you change it up?" Kale whispers before pointing to a ditch. I nod and we slide into the ditch.

"It's been a minute." I whisper and Kale nods. I hear footsteps after a couple of minutes. "She's usually in trees." Gray says and I hear Alex and Leigh say "Okay."

Their footsteps get closer and I get ready to attack. I see Kale ready beside me and smile. This is it...
Kale and I jump on them. I jump Gray and have Leigh held beside me while Kale has Alex pinned. I hear laughing and turn to see Lord Carson, my father and Lady Keelee. "Is there ever a time that you don't watch us?" Gray asks my father and he shakes his head.

"You two are skilled in combat, so it's always fun to watch." My father says and Lord Carson nods. "I do have to say that that was pretty entertaining. Except when two of my sons got beat by Miss Lilith." Lord Carson says in a joking manner and we all laugh, before Kale and I get off of Gray and Alex.

"I guess you're stronger than you look." Leigh says and Gray nods. "Don't ever underestimate me." I say to him before laughing.

"Sorry Lord Gene, but we must return to business now." Lord Carson says and my father nods. "Of course."