The Warrior

The Warrior- Chapter 1 Revised

The hilt a broadsword landed between my shoulder blades, forcing the breath out of me. My own weapon was dripping sweat and blood, my eyes hazy with the same salty liquids, pain with no pleasure. "Ivy, tis' a name fit for a princess, and you fight like one! You're a Warrior, and soon to be Royal knight. You need to practice more! You reap what you sow, and the fat jiggling on your thighs tells me you haven't been trying. " Roared rather than spoken by the swordsman behind of me, as arrogant as ever, but rightfully so.

Pivoting on my heel to face him, I tried to keep my face blank, but I knew some on my anger was evident. "I am the best damned student that has ever went through this castle. I have bested every knight in this kingdom, and have trained harder than you could ever dream in order to do so. You're the only one who can beat me, you Elvish twat!" My animosity towards the man in front of me almost palpable. His waist length hair shun like polished copper in the training yards light, his eyes flashing with fury at my words. Briny liquid ran into the cuts on his arms and legs, the cuts made by my sword, and I felt all the better for it. Let him know he is not untouchable, let my mark be left upon him. Looking at him, he would appear to be a young man, but looks can be deceiving, and deceit was no stranger to this man.

"I have a name, though I have no doubt you haven't taken the time to learn it, or perhaps you have and just prefer unpleasant reminders of race. Until you can beat your teacher, you are worthless! Being the best means nothing if I can still kill you." His blade was on my throat before I could even think of lifting mine. His mouth opened slightly as he scowled at me, his sharp fangs exposed, the ones Elves used for hunting. He could be very dangerous if he wanted to, and I had no doubt that he was tempted to use them on me, or at least put some more pressure behind his sword. "Worthless to the kingdom, and worthless to me." He was right, of course, but I would rather jump from a window than admit it to him. Taking a step back from his sword and nodding, I let him know he had bested me, and but the movement was not needed. After all, he could kill me whenever he wanted.

The dirty look I gave him as I crossed the grass to my travel pack did not go unnoticed, picking up the sack while avoiding eye contact. "Why would I learn your name when you are of no consequence except to teach me? I will surpass you, I swear it." With those words, chin held high and a trickle of blood falling from my throat, I stormed off to the men's bath house.

* * * *

Sneaking into the men's bath house wasn't something I was fond of, but it was a necessary ritual. Being banned from the women's bathhouse hadn't been surprising, but it had had its drawbacks, and since I had had taken on the duties of a man, then I would bathe with the men. Such elegant ladies couldn't be in the same water as me, least they become deranged as well and start to do things that could be consodered...improper.
Improper or not, sneaking into the men's bath house at noon every day during the summer time had been the only solution I could think of. Being caught would mortify me and ruin standing in court and my favor with the royal family, I knew. But mortification was the least terrifying thing that could happen to a woman caught in a compromising situation in this kingdom.

Shaking my head to clear it of such dark thoughts, I slipped out of my armor and underclothes, shivering at the breeze drifting up from the floor boards. The servants had just put fresh water in the large bathing tub, as usual, bless their souls. Upon my request, they had also put chamomile and lavender in the water, scenting the water to my taste. I smiled to myself with that thought as I slipped into the steaming tub. I was sure that the men would love that, but their dislike of the scent was irrelevant to me. Perhaps I might be helping them find favor with more women, as most of their normal scents were rather unappealing.

Water hit my skin, a moan slipping out unbidden, the hot liquid a taste of heaven to my aching muscles. My instructor had given me a thorough training, one that I would feel when I woke up for sure. I ducked under the water, enjoying the feeling of being fully submerged, almost weightless. Here, the world was irrelevant. The sounds, the smells, everything about the kingdom was no longer attacking my senses. The safe haven of the water was one I stayed in as long as I could, emerging only to scrub my hair in a herb mix, dried blood turning the mix a dirty brown. I might have taken on some of the duties of a man, but I in no way wanted to look or smell like one- and I wanted it to stay that way.
Staring at my reflection in the bath, I smiled. I looked like my mother. Curls ran down my back, and though not the deep brown of my mothers, I still loved every wheat colored strand of it. Vibrant green eyes with gold swirled through them, just like I remembered hers. The eyes of earth, my mother had said, but my mother often said things that where cryptic at the least. The thought of my mother stirred thoughts of my family, and how often I missed them. To my people, family was everything, and I was doing everything in my power to protect them. But those thoughts where best left untouched, rinsed off with the water, trying to bury the thoughts of what they would say if they could see me now, all calloused hands and scarred limbs, reclining against a tub wall in a men's bathhouse. Just a few more minutes wouldn't hurt though, and I deserved some time to relax. The snort echoed in the bath house was rather unladylike, but it seemed appropriate at the time. Relaxing was still hard to achieve here, but the lavender scent with the heat from the water helped my guard slip, head knodding to the side. Then a rustle outside, the shuffle of feet.

Panicking, I dove under the water, just in the nick of time. Breath being held and heart hammering, I prayed my vision was impaired. The sight of three men, barely clothed, was almost enough to make me inhale. My luck had finally ran out. I was going to be discovered.