Betrothed

Chapter Seventeen: A New Sword

As Audrianna's skills grew, it became obvious that her stature did as well. Rozelle had measured the princess on the doorway of the bathing chamber the first night Audrianna was given a hot bath. Now, as her stature became noticeably taller, Rozelle measured her again and found that she had grown from four-feet three-inches, to four-feet seven-inches tall.

The sudden growth spurt of the princess caused the castle to be in a frenzy. This meant a new wardrobe to ensure that her dresses reached the floor, so that her ankles were not inappropriately exposed. She also needed new shoes, as her feet began to grow as well. The princess's Ladies in Waiting also requested the princess be given a new bustier. Not that the princess had grown into the necessity of one, but that her frame was longer and wider, and it was becoming more difficult to loosely fit the corset on the princess without it becoming obvious.

"Someday soon," Castalia remarked, "Your Highness is going to have to wear her bustier in the manner it was intended to be worn. There won't be any way to avoid the functionality of your accessories."

"I understand," Audrianna replied. "Maybe by then I'll be used to having my body squished together by my tight garments."

"No," Ethlyn commented. "One never does. One just puts up with it."

It also became apparent to the royal court that Audrianna would soon no longer need a booster box for her throne. Soon, she would be tall enough that the booster seat would put her at the same height as Henry on his throne, which made him rather unhappy as he witnessed her statue catch up with him.

After several weeks of Rupp sparring with the princess using wooden batons, the Ladies and Audrianna appeared for exercise drills to find Rupp waiting with a special gift.

"It is your battle gear," Rupp declared.

"Battle gear?" the princess asked. Rupp held up what looked like a mask.

"This is a face shield to protect you from being harmed if you are struck in the face with a sword."

Audrianna looked over the face shield that Rupp placed in her hands. It looked like an iron bowl with what reminded the princess of a small metal gate wielded onto the side. Audrianna looked up at Rupp bewildered, who took the helmet from the princess and placed it over her head. The princess's eyes had difficulty looking through the metal bars without crossing her eyes.

"I also have a breastplate for Your Highness to wear over her torso," Rupp announced, lifting what appeared to Audrianna to be a flattened turtle shell with straps. Rupp helped the gangly adolescent strap the protective gear around her lanky thin frame.

"Very good, Your Highness," Rupp remarked, looking at the young princess wearing an oversized helmet and an oversized breastplate along with her long, out-of-proportion arms and legs. "One more thing you need to complete your ensemble," Rupp announced, turning around and pulling an iron sword from his belt. "Your new sword."

Audrianna's eyes grew big with excitement. She pushed the helmet backwards to see through her faceplate until the tip of her nose stuck out between two of the metal slats. She then reached out to take ahold of her first iron weapon. She giggled with glee.

"Remember, Your Highness" Rupp responded, "your training is going to be more intense. You are stronger now, so I expect Your Highness to train at her new level of strength. I will expect nothing less than your all."

"Yes, Lord Rupp," Audrianna answered. "I am ready for the challenge."

"Good. Shall we begin?"

"Yes," Audrianna replied standing up tall, pushing her helmet forward, and holding her new sword up in front of her. She took her usual stance that Rupp had trained her to take.