Unveiled

~ Chapter 6 ~

The next day Naya rides to the clearing, the same as every other day, but today is different. He uncle said last night at dinner that he could not attend todays lesson due to courtly duties he has to attend to.

Poncho walks steadily, but vigilant through the woods. It is still covered in snow. Nocturna is a beautiful kingdom, Naya just wished that it would snow like this in Tendora.

They arrive at the clearing and she dismounts Poncho, unseat her sword and starts practising a few manoeuvres she has been working on. She also practices the new maneuvers her uncle has taught her the day before. She practices her stability on her feet with both her swords, making sure that she is never off balance, because that is when she will lose the fight.

Naya looks back at yesterday. Did her uncle really never go easy on her? She is suddenly conflicted with emotions. She knew her uncle was proud of her, but it also sounded a little bit like fear. Why would her uncle be afraid? Or was she mistaken?

Naya throws those thoughts out of her mind and focuses on her skills. She knows everybody expects her to be this vulnerable princess, waiting for her prince in shining armour to come and save her, but she is not that type of girl. It is just not her.

She has always seen herself on the frontlines of the battlefield protecting her family and kingdom, with her father, brothers and uncle. That is why she has always had an interest in fighting. She has watched all the men in her family fight and dreamed to be one of them.

When her uncle volunteered to train her, she didn't hesitate to answer him. He always said she was a natural, but she never really believed to be that good. Maybe it was because of all the times she watched her family train.

Naya swipes up with her sword and then retracts it again towards to her. She practices this a few times, until it feels natural, then heads back to Poncho on the edge of the clearing. She puts her swords on the snow beside him and takes out a batch of throwing knifes.

Naya walks to the centre of the clearing and picks out a tree. She weighs the knife in her hand, takes a good grip, flick her arm back and then forward and releases the knife. It hits its mark, but not with quite the speed or strenght she was hoping for.

Naya tries it a few times, but same result. She doesn't know what she is doing wrong. She tries different positions, different styles, but they are all inaccurate and uncomfortable.

Naya probably tries this for another hour, but still same result. It is starting to get late, so she retrieves her knifes from the trees. She will practice more tomorrow and hopefully her uncle can help her out.

Naya puts two knives in her boots, one in each boot, and hides two under her cloak in her belt by her back. The rest she puts in the saddle, with her sword following suite.

She mounts Poncho and starts heading slowly towards the castle.

Half way there, Naya suddenly hears rustling in the trees and whips her head in that direction. She narrows her eyes, but she can't see anything. Ponchos ears are upright, trying to find the source of the noise. He relaxes a little and she nudges him further.

Out of nowhere comes a deer running across their path and hot on his heels is, what Naya can make out, a white leopard. Poncho rears up at the sight and she struggle to keep her balance in the saddle and she falls out, hitting the soft snow.

Poncho speeds off, kicking up snow and soon Naya has lost him, but she has more pressing matters. The leopard has stopped at the edge of path and turns to her, no longer interested in the deer that it was chasing moments ago.

Naya slowly reaches under her cloak as the leopard approaches. Its bright blue eyes catching her attention. It snarls, sending a slight chill through her spine. She sees now by the fangs, that it is not just any white leopard, but a ghost leopard. She has heard the scary tales, but never seen one in person.

Naya grips the handle of her knife and she flicks her arm and releases the knife, just as a blue bright light blinds her and there is no longer a ferocious ghost leopard standing in front of her, but instead a ferocious, handsome Fae male.