He Taught Me to Live With Myself [Oushitsu Kyoushi Heine]

♛𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒: 𝒮𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝐹𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉♛

The four younger brothers stood in a line off to the side as Heine and Gabriel faced each other. After a small bow, the two engaged in a surprisingly even match. 

For every attack Heine made, Gabriel countered and vice versa. The height difference made no appearance in the duel as they were too evenly matched, Gabriel not having much to prove (more so not wanting to give anything away) started to act as if he were losing stamina. Almost as if Heine could sense he no longer wished to participate, he called the duel off.

The princes, however, were in awe at their brother and sensei. Unbeknown to anyone outside, even Viktor had watched the duel with high regard for his son. No one actually knew Gabriel could fight that well, and if they knew what Heine and Viktor had noticed... they may have gone into shock. The adults quickly grew suspicious of Gabriel's activities though, he could fight respectably well and came home with injuries more often than not. Something was amiss with the young adult. 

"Now, Prince Kai and Prince Bruno?" Heine requested. 

Kai simply put his sword back, no longer wanting to fight. While Bruno lowered his head he done the same thing. It was almost pointless making the two younger one's spar. Gabriel narrowed his eyes.

"Since we're here," he smirked, Bruno and Kai recognising the look on his face, "we ought to teach you something."

With a glance at Heine that seemed awfully menacing, Gabriel rounded on his brothers.

"Leo, Licht! Straighten your posture, fighting stance!" Gabriel ordered and the two hurriedly replied by stuttering and getting into a terrible fighting pose.

"Leo, broaden your stance, yes like that. Licht hold the handle with two hands, it will be easier to balance that way," Gabriel took over the lesson. 

Heine quietly went to Kai and Bruno who were hoping to remain invisible. 

"What's with the personality switch?" Heine muttered.

"Nii-Sama enjoyed duels, he was the best at the Academy," Kai informed quietly. 

"He was able to beat most people, but he's progressed since then," Bruno added.

Heine nodded at watched as he set his younger brothers up with perfect beginning stances for holding a sword correctly. Suddenly, Gabriel made a hard swipe to the right before quickly kicking up the old sword he first tested. As he tightly held it in his left and, now dual wielding swords, the left one was brought in front of his chest before it splintered. With two more odd swipes, Gabriel dropped both swords in such a way he could pull something from the broken wood before hurling it towards the palace wall. With an echoing tink, something was hit before there was the sound of ripping material and someone in a white cloak fleed back over the wall by using what seemed to be daggers as footholds.

Guards raced after the person while Gabriel slowly turned and picked up a dagger from one of the swords he dropped. A small droplet of blood trickled from his left arm before he dusted himself off, splinters of wood falling to the ground as everyone looked at him in total awe. 

"Y-You just deflected d-daggers with wooden swords," Bruno assessed.

"Indeed," answered Gabriel who seemed totally unphased whereas everyone minus Heine looked rather frightened.

"It's okay now though, no one was hurt but the attacker escaped," Gabriel frowned.

"Your arms bleeding though!" Leonhard cried out and he jumped from foot to foot. 

Just as Gabriel was about to deflect the statement, Kai picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. Clearly with the intent to see a doctor.

"Kai, I'm fine! Please just put me down!" Gabriel cried out.