CROWNED

In War

A/N: Happy New Year! <3

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His hand guided him further as he thrusted his sword at the blonde woman, who easily blocked his attacks. With a small nudge the boy stumbled backwards but managed to regain his balance. The woman swiftly twisted her sword around her wrist and smirked at the young man before he charged again.

She ducked under his movement, sweeping his legs with the flat of her sword's blade, making him fall to the ground, his sword flying out of reach. "Defend yourself" she reminded him as she inched to pierce the poor boy's face.

However, he rolled away before she could and his hand grabbed for a discarded shield, just barely blocking her next blow. While the woman went for another attack, the boy thrusted his shield forward sending her a few steps back to give him barely just enough room to resurface.

Now staring at each other's eyes, the blonde boy twirled his shield in an invitation and the woman gladly accepted it. Giving him a few surface attacks as a distraction, which he blocked easily, she got closer. In a rapid motion, she grabbed the wooden shield smashing it against her knee with enough force to break it. Taking advantage of the boy's surprise she twirled him from the hold he had on the piece of the shield, easily bringing his back against her chest and sliding her sword against his throat.

"Dead" Asdis said, a cocky smirk taking place on her face as she released her grip on the young man.

"Hoping to beat your mother in battle is not very clever of you" Hvitserk's voice echoed through the training grounds as his footsteps got closer. The two turned to see the blonde prince, a wolfish smirk plastered on his face.

Aric's lips spread into a smile as he dropped whatever was left of his shield. "Uncle Hvitserk, you've returned!" he said, walking closer to briefly embrace his uncle.

Asdis holstered her sword. "Hvitserk. You've gotten old" she said with a smile, sizing up the man standing aside her son.

"Yet, you don't look a day older than wanting to duel me" he joked walking closer to the woman to give her a hug as she stood beside the boy. "I don't mind though. I've been itching for a rematch" he said moving up and down his shoulders a few times as if preparing to charge.

A laugh escaped the woman's lips as she raised an eyebrow at the man "And I would crush you again. Be careful what you wish for" she said tauntingly making the man back away in fake fear.

"Yes, perhaps then I should take it up with the less scary version of you" he said bumping his shoulder with the man beside him, making him roll his eyes with a smile.

The queen placed her hands on each side of her hips looking at her son with a glimmer in her eyes. "No, he fought well today" she said, smiling at him whilst watching his eyes light up at the compliment.

Hvitserk smiled "We'll make your father out of you yet" he said patting the young man's back a few times making him click his tongue at the remark.

"Why don't you go change out of these clothes and prepare for the feast tonight?" the woman said, looking expectingly at her son, her words being more of an subtle order than a suggestion. The man nodded his head at his mother saying his goodbyes as he jogged away.

Asdis turned to her brother-in-law "How's Aether?" she asked as she took a seat on one of the logs and rested her elbows on her knees.

Hvitserk joined her, letting out a breath as he sat down. "It's beautiful, same as you left it" he said, making the woman smile at the good news.

"And your wife? How's Eldrid?" she asked, reminded of the woman she'd surprisingly made a friend out of.

The prince smiled and looked down as the image of his beautiful wife came into view. "She is enjoying her pregnancy; spending time with Eidunn has helped her idolize your role as a mother even more" he said, looking back the the woman.