The Warrior Phoenix and her King Mates'

Chapter 21

Song by Rachel Platten Fight Song.

Dahlia's POV

I followed Matt down to the gym we're the warriors were in two lines in formation when I entered the room the commander shouted some command and they saluted really this is a bit much the commander faced me and bowed I know now they all saw me as there Queen in-training. "Please continue don't let me interrupt." "That's commander Kyle." "He's very young to be a commander." That worried me I might be to pessimistic here but I will be a Queen one day. I will have to trust these people with my life maybe I should have more faith, commander Kyle wouldn't be a commander if he wasn't up to par right.
Probably to the warriors me sitting next to their beta watching them workout was probably off-putting it would be off-putting for me. Another thing I notice there are no female warriors I will certainly be bringing that up, I'm a good fighter I'm female, woman can fight just as well as males.
Both Matt and I watched as they duelled in pairs with long sticks, with me being critical I noticed they didn't do a lot of foot work some moves were good their co-ordination was off they hit their opponent hard but often just missed on execution. They weren't outsmarting each other as they should. There was a lot I saw wrong and I was no expert in swords kills I was self taught. The look of disappointment in my eyes as Matt, eyes commander Kyle as he was confidently barking out orders. "You look unimpressed Luna." I looked at him and sighed heavily. "I guess I had high expectations I mean the royal warriors and maybe this part of their training isn't for them. But as someone who had no choice but to learn fast at this particular 'sport,' if they were, where I was they wouldn't make it two days. I'm sorry I'm sure your proud, Beta of the warriors here but I can't watch this anymore I'm going to train. At least I can trust myself in this discipline." To say I was disappointed was an understatement.
Ok maybe this particular training wasn't some warriors favourite but that's no excuse to be a royal warrior wether you enjoy it or not you have to be above average in all training and I just didn't see any of it in my favourite disicpline. I may have learnt in hell but this has grown on me and the fact they've trained at this for years upset me greatly. I don't pertain to be an expert swords-woman but I enjoy it and push myself to be better at it. As I approach my dummies commander Kyle rushes up to me with hope I don't want to tell him my honest thoughts weren't good. "So your highness what do you think of the Royal warriors." I can't lie but if I tell him the truth it will crush him, but then again if there was a war in human form fighting with weapons they wouldn't make it so maybe criticism is good. "Well commander Kyle I expected great things" he still looks hopeful his eyes lighting up as if I were to praise his skills as a teacher. What is with this guy seeking my approval like a puppy I don't like it. "Well what do you think good right." Oh boy he's a proud guy I saw from the corner of my eye my mates entered as they caught my eye and made their way to us. "Well commander Kyle few things I saw were good but had it been a real fighting situation I'm sorry but I don't think they would have survived. Without your wolves you would probably not make it.
When your in battle with sharp weapons you have to be agile, quick to move outthinking your opponent on every move before it happens, it's not just brute strength which they clearly have. I'm no expert but I had no experience when I was thrown into the games." A lot of warriors gasped. "I watched many skilled young girls die disgusting brutal deaths. If you couldn't use a weapon and know how to move around with it you would have had your head chopped off. You think a lot of your warriors I admire that but when it comes to this gruesome discipline, strength won't always win." He didn't look happy I knew he wouldn't the warriors weren't pleased but I know first hand you want to work with blades you gotta be cunning and agile and if you want to succeed in it you gotta show heart and will to survive. They didn't have it. "Your majesties you see the strength of your warriors." Wow puppy always seeking praise. "We didn't see it commander Kyle but your future Queen is obviously not impressed we know she'd want to be, and maybe expected more. The Queen loves sword training and is very qualified to give her opinion so get back in there and teach our men properly because as you can tell Dahlia is extremely gifted and we need strong swordsmen skills if you can't deliver results then we'll promote your Queen to the job." Darius don't you'll piss him off but yes. "I've got it everyone watch the Queen with her sword skills if you can do what she does then we stand corrected." Logan really I hate being centre of attention I just said I was no expert. I gaped in response. Kyle left in outrage "women can't teach this." That pissed me right off for a young man to be so sexist. "SO THAT'S WHY YOU'VE NO FEMALE WARRIORS, YOU SEXIST JERK!" I know I should be more composed but for all the woman out there we can do it just as well as men.
"Darius grabbed him by his collar of his shirt sneering whilst Logan angrily said. "Probably not your best choice of words in front of a Winter Warrior Phoenix who happens to be a female and your Queen. Dahlia is far more qualified to fight than even you so don't test us pup." Darius roughly shoved his commander the whole gym though packed was dead silent you could hear a pin drop. I ignored the macho show-down I just need to release my tension, training did that for me.
I turned on the machine to another sequence I don't know, put on my blindfold I like to feel as my opponent approaches if you see them another could catch you off guard I've seen that in hell. Your better not knowing. There are 12 dummies so I know I always have twelve opponents. I stood in the centre as one came in front of me at speed I sidestepped pretending to strike high as I heard click it went to block I quickly spun my sword to the back of its head one dead click, one down eleven to go. The next one didn't move but it's arms did. It was like happening in slo mo. It was crossing its fake sword fast between one hand to the other I slowed it down feeling for the wish when it passed it I felt my shot I jumped up high my legs crunching into myself as I aimed my sword to its right arm dead click I felt three dummies approach me in a circle formation just like when I tried to save Tiana I swung my sword as I turned with it around my head before releasing it. It flew from one to the other I knew it landed side blows to the necks it stuck in the last dummy I pulled it free. I continued my assault until all twelve had clicked their heads or body parts dropped I took a calming breath I feel much better now. I removed my blind fold and reset the machine making sure the dummies weren't a complete mess no their good still able to function I didn't even notice the applause until I turned around. My mates wolf whistling shit I'm going to blush.
Commander Kyle wasn't impressed well I did far better on my own training than I ever would have done with his.
Logan asked Kyle. "Ok judging by your clear inexperience does your Queen pass as a warrior or surpass your warriors I know which one I'd say and that's not because Dahlia's our mate my eyes judge." He huffed and threw his hands in the air. He didn't say anything but angrily avoided my gaze. "Commander Kyle I'm not trying to tell you you're a bad teacher but in this 'discipline as you call it.' It's not about strength I mean judging by the size of me compared to you. I'm sure your very good at combat. This is more about precision and agility and if the warriors want to be good at both of those, not just strength then they need better training because I saw little to no agile watching them, I know they could do this rightly heck if I can do it then they surely could. I was thrown into this with no training, I had to push myself everyday or I'd be in a shallow grave with my head chopped off and that's the truth. If your, I mean our warriors had to do this everyday to survive they wouldn't be alive. It's not a showboating sport if you don't do well you die the end. I didn't have my Phoenix at the time I was almost basically like a human I never used a weapon in training before the Games. And another thing I had a human friend in the Games and she was fifty times better than the training you gave our warriors and she was a human with no fighting skill to begin with. So if she could do it then so can they." I couldn't say her name my voice choked as I said it. I gave a disappointing look to him and left with my sword and scabbard on my back.