Aquaica: The Last Aquaian (Teaser)

Chapter 2: Broken Flowers

It was a bright and warm summer's day and the air was filled with the familiar sound of the churning river quickly crashing over the cliff's edge in a defining roar. Leaning on the end of the northern bridge wall, Serenity could barely make out the chorus of songbirds in the surrounding trees. Over the past four years, Serenity had developed into a graceful young lady. She had grown taller, while years of dancing kept her body lean and fit. Following royal traditions, her white hair was uncut, allowing it to reach well past her knees. People were beginning to tell her that she looked just like her mother, and she was proud of that. Her mother was a beautiful woman, whom her people deeply revered. She was a wise and caring ruler, and Serenity hoped to follow in her footsteps. With her sixteenth birthday fast approaching, she would soon have to prove herself as the new monarch of Aquaica.

The sudden shriek of steel against steel snapped the princess back into the present, and she looked out into the small clearing of the river bank to see Azul sparring with Llyrus. The two men had managed to find some free time, and apparently had come to the conclusion that a friendly duel was long overdue. With their swords locked, the King pushed hard into his foe's blade, forcing his opponent to take a step back to disengage his weapon. Azul immediately took the offensive, striking at his friend with a hearty chuckle.

"Come on, Llyrus, old man! I know you can do better than that!"

Llyrus flashed his sparring partner a fleeting grin, his deep blue eyes taking on an amused glint at the man's comment. Despite not being on the offensive, he was still clearly enjoying himself. However, he was not going to allow himself to become any more distracted from their sparring than that, and easily blocked the Aquaian King's attempt to catch him in the side with the flat of his blade. Withdrawing his weapon quickly, he feigned to the left with his dulled training claymore, only to suddenly lunge forward with the intent to hit Azul's right side. As he made his move, he teased, "You are quite right about that! I just hope you will be able to keep up!"

Azul's overconfidence was cut short as he realized that his opponent had tricked him into guarding his left side. Unable to properly correct his mistake in time, he made a rather awkward downward swing to protect himself. The desperate maneuver was just enough to block what would have been "a fatal blow," but his balance had be compromised in doing so. The king staggered sideways a few feet as he tried to regain control of the situation. His lips curled as he righted himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground.

"I think I will manage!" he taunted.

Serenity smiled as she watched her father sparing with his captain. Their friendship went far back, back to before Orana and Serenity were even born. He was a promising young guard, assigned to Serenity's mother, Vapora, a few years before her coronation. He was very supportive of Vapora and Azul's relationship, and was there for his friend when the queen died. The two of them seemed to share a brotherly bond, openly teasing each other, but always there for the other during the good times and the bad.

As the king's sword descended towards the the captain's shoulder, Llyrus sidestepped the assault fluidly, taking a half-step in the other direction, already thinking out his next move. They appeared to be evenly matched in brute strength, but as Azul lunged for an opening, it was clear who the cunning one was. A sly smile slid onto Llyrus' face, and the King's eyes grew as he realized his mistake. In one fluid motion, Llyrus dislodged the sword from Azul's hand and sent it crashing into the dirt. The captain lifted the dull tip of his blade and held it a foot away from the king's neck.

"So, does this match go to me, my liege?"

"It would seem so," Azul said lifting his hands in defeat. "That was well won, my friend."

The two companions shook hands in good sportsmanship before leisurely making their way over to the bridge where Serenity still stood. Azul stooped to pick up his training sword on the way, flashing a mischievous grin as he slipped the blade into his scabbard.