Glass Soldier

Chapter 3

       "Again? So soon?" I asked amused as I weighed the long sword in my hand, I preferred short swords but we had to learn them all.

      "If it's not about wasting time you could otherwise use then it's about their many uses-"

      "I already told you without the intention to use them," I hummed looking down the bed of the dull blade. It wasn't bent. So it really was just how unused to the shift in weight I was. Tossing it lightly I tested my grip.

       "But what else could there be?" He asked, genuine confusion and frustration seeking through his voice, the two he was trying to befriend behind him, looking at one any other.

      "Dyeth, it'll come easier if you stop trying so hard, do what feels natural not-" Squealing as my feet left the ground, dropping my sword, thick trunks of arms wrapping around me and spinning with a roar of laughter making me giggle.

      "You've gotten heavier," He grinned putting me down while I blushed lightly, putting my hand on my warm cheek.

       "You flatter me," I smiled, his big hand ruffling my white locks making me scowl, his compliment going out the window as I slapped his big old mit away from my head.

       "Shorter too," My scowl deepened while I punched him, he played along, unbothered by my fist.

       "I grew an entire inch you damn minotaur," I hissed while he smirked, his hands sliding under my arms as he plucked me up. My feet dangling form the ground while I glared at him silently.

       "I guess I'm the one that got taller than," he smiled while I huffed, blowing a lock of hair out of my face.

     "You're damn right you did, I hardly recognized you and those arms of yours," I stuck my tongue at him while he put me down. Brushing off my pants I flicked my hair over my shoulder with some extra sass before picking up my sword.

      "Well, you kicked my ass in the tournament, I had to be able to beat even metal up," Laughing gently I pulled my hair up, sword held between my legs.

      "Even if you can, I'm confident I can still do you in,"

      "To be fair, the only reason you won was because you freaked me out so bad I didn't even know how to respond,"

       "Physical strength will do nothing to you, less so nowadays, so I've got to go for that noggin of yours. Though, in a real fight..." he shivered in disgust at the idea of a real fight.

      "In a real fight, you'd of put an arrow in my head before I had a chance to so much as figure out where you were," Grinning I weighted the sword again, still bothered by how far it was leaning forward. 

    "Who said I need a bow to keep you down?" Opening his mouth he was about to return my egging him on.

      "Is... Is he courting you as well?" Sighing I turned to look at who I was originally speaking with. The stalker openly sizing Alex up while I held my chin, my intext finger resting between my teeth.

      "No, it's a friendly conversation that is about to turn into a fight," His eyes flashing with confusion while he turned his attention to me.

      "I thought one didn't fight in a friendship?" He looked like I just backed him into a corner, his shoulder stiff and his eyes looking for an escape.

      "It's... Like if we were to spar," I smiled coaxing out a new emotion, curious if I could get him to understand.

      "One should never-"

      "Fight the one their courting blah blah blah, yeah, yeah, but what if I told you I considered you my rival? Or one of them?" I asked inching closer to him as that seemed to get him to understand a bit.

      "But you're friends,"

       "Indeed, that doesn't change the fact that Alex is one of the best in our year, you too, you're both very good, and to me, you're both rivals. We simply separate our friendship and rivalry," I put my hand up to stop Alex, who was going to question me about what I meant. We weren't rivals. Never have been. He was more of a teammate than rival.

       "... Separate?" He asked looking me over carefully as I was about a foot and a half away from him now, smile in place.

      "Yes, you should try it, I consider you a rival and it's rather rude not to acknowledge that, separate your courting and my rivalry, pretend I'm nothing but a rival right now," I tested, a flash of recognition in his eyes, telling me understood what I meant. "Alex... Can I borrow your sword?"

       "Why not? This seems interesting enough,"