The Royal Brigade

Chapter 5: Hidden Feelings

Avery's POV

During the course of our dinner the four of us were pretty silent and were too focused in eating our meals. I decided to break the ice by saying, “By the way, Vann, your rapier is still underwater since I wasn’t able to get it back awhile ago. I’ll just go and get it later.”

“No, I’ll do it,” Dallen spoke up right beside Evanity. He stood up from sitting on the fallen log and glanced around at the three of us to see if somebody would protest. When the three of us didn’t object to what he said he headed over to the edge of the river, stripped off his upper garments revealing his muscled chest then dived straight into the river.

There was another moment of silence then Tarah said in surprise, “Well, I wasn’t expecting him to do that.”

“Me neither,” Evanity agreed. Then the three of us resumed in eating dinner once again.

After several minutes, Dallen emerged out of the river dripping wet and holding out Evanity’s rapier in his hands. He deposited it next to Evanity’s feet then plopped himself down on the log next to her breathing heavily from his swim down the river.

“Thank you, Dallen!” Evanity cried out in delight. Unexpectedly, she pulled him into a hug then let go of him and sheathe her sword back into its scabbard.

“Sure, no problem,” Dallen replied smiling at her.

After finishing our meals and cleaning them up, I turned to Evanity who was chatting with Dallen then said hesitantly, “Hey, Vann.”

She swivelled to face me and said, “Yeah, Ave?”

I shuffled my feet awkwardly then shifted my weight from one foot to the other then looked up to meet her gaze quite unsure of how to approach the subject after everything that happened this afternoon. “I know that you might be already tired after what happened this afternoon… But it might be best if we continue our training if you don’t mind.”

She beamed at me showing off her pearly white teeth. “Sure, a little more training before bedtime wouldn’t hurt.”

“Hold on,” Dallen interjected frowning slightly. “What training? Surely after everything that happened to Vann this afternoon you might want to let her rest even just for a little while?”

“But Dallen-“

“No, Vann,” he insisted holding her arm firmly. “You’re already wiped out from your training this afternoon. Just continue your training tomorrow again.”

“He’s right,” I said in agreement. I hated to agree with whatever he said but this time I know that he’s right. As I looked at Evanity’s face now she appeared to be exhausted and tired with dark circles surrounding her emerald eyes. “You better get some rest now. We still have an early flight tomorrow.”

Gazing at her emerald irises, I could sense that she wanted to argue then opened her mouth to say something but Dallen beat her to it.

“If you want to train so badly I can train you,” he offered in both of our utter astonishment. He wielded his own sword out from its sheath. “I’m also a skilled swordsman you know.” He winked at her and from the corner of my eye I saw how Evanity stared at him in admiration.

My heart pounded angrily against my chest with jealousy over Dallen and I clenched my hands into fists again at my sides.

Completely unaware of what was going on inside my head, Evanity stole a look at me to see if I would protest but when I just nodded as nonchalantly as I could she turned back to Dallen and said excitedly, “Let’s start training then.”