Into the Depths

Chapter 10

Mal and Ben made their way down the hall to the amphitheater, where Jay and the other team members were busy at practice. Ben couldn't help but give a sad smile at the sight; while he did like being king, there was a lot that he had to give up that he missed.

Unfortunately, one couldn't risk the king getting hurt in a game of Tourney or in a fencing match.

"Alright, practice is over!" Jay called, gaining the attention of the team and breaking Ben out of his thoughts. "Great work today guys."

"You're just saying that because Lonnie didn't kick your butt," Emir grumbled playfully, rubbing his shoulder.

"Not my fault you don't pay attention," Lonnie chuckled.

"So Jay, you too tired or do you think you could show these pampered princes and Lonnie how we do things on the Isle?" Mal called out from her spot in the doorway. Jay turned his head to look at her and smirked.

"If you think you can handle it, my lady," Jay told her, giving Mal a small bow with a flourish of his hands. Mal rolled her eyes as she walked toward him.

"You call me that again, this sword goes up your nose," Mal told him as Emir handed her his sword. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Emir said. "My lady," he added with a small smirk.

Mal shook her head and stood in the middle of the amphitheater, holding the sword out in front of her.

"You going to spar Jay? Some of us are growing old here," she called with a smirk of her own.

"So impatient. You know patience is a virtue," Jay chuckled as he drew his own sword. Ben went to stand by the others as they sat on the blocks that surrounded the training floor.

"En garde!"

"En garde yourself, I shall give you the honor of a quick and painless death!"

"Hey! Pick your own banter!" Emir called with a chuckle and Ben shook his head. He should have known. That sort of banter had Emir and Akiho written all over it.

Mal smirked and quickly lunged into an attack that Jay blocked with seemingly little difficulty before spinning into his own attack. Mal seemed to have no trouble blocking that as well and the spar was quickly underway.

"Was this what it was like when you watched them the day before Cotillion?" Ben muttered as the sound of clanging swords once again filled the amphitheater. Emir and Akiho had done nothing but rave about what it was like watching Mal and Jay spar. Watching them in action, Ben could understand why.

"Pretty much," Emir muttered back, smirking a little as Mal lashed out her foot toward Jay's shin. "They don't seem to mix it up much."

"Well I mean they're sparring the same people," Akiho chimed in. "Plus it's a friendly match. I'm sure if it was like in the viewing, they'd mix up their attacks."

"Of course we would. Hook and his pirates would aim to kill rather than mildly embarrass the other person," Carlos snorted, causing the others to jump in surprise, forgetting the rest of the team was there. "Granted Mal and Jay have been sparring each other since I've known them. They could beat each other in a sparring match with their eyes closed at this point, that's how well they know each other's moves."

"So what you're saying is that either Mal or Jay need a new sparring partner?" William asked.

"Pretty much," Carlos nodded, though he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Mal and Jay grinning ear to ear as they matched each other blow for blow.

"Say Ben," Miguel spoke up, "how long's it been since you sparred?"

"Probably not since before coronation. I've been busy getting used to being king," Ben told him before pausing. "Why?"