His to Serve

Chapter Fifty-Two - Training

"Oh come on now Bethany, is that the best you can do? Seriously it's as if you've never fought someone before, again" I commanded as she flicked her hair out of her face, growling loudly at me. I picked up her wooden staff as I pushed it back in her hands and she ripped it out my grasp, her anger evident in her eyes.

I shook my head as I twirled my own staff in my hands, "Gods above its as if you've forgotten everything, I haven't seen moves this sloppy since the first time you picked a weapon up, and you had the audacity to complain that you couldnt join us the other day?" I said, frustration growing within me,

"You couldn't even fight a child with how your performing today" I said as she growled storming towards me, swinging her staff as I blocked it again and again with ease, her anger pouring out at my comment,

I turned quickly as I smacked the staff on her back, sending her sprawling into the ground. "Get up. Go again" I instructed as she threw the staff onto the ground, her hands shaking slightly, "If you're so fucking amazing, then prove it. You are acting as if you are so much better than me, you know this training is unfair, let me do what you know I'm good at. This pointless throwing me to the ground is going no where" she hissed as I raised an eyebrow, her anger washing over me.

I was hiding the fact I was furious. The time spent here had wasted her skill, and her lack of training completely terrified me. The war was coming, and despite my best interests I knew she was not going to completely avoid a fight, but sending her out in this condition was sending her to her death. I felt like a failure. My lack of concern about her in recent weeks could lead her to her death.

"Don't turn this on me because you haven't trained for weeks, you have let yourself become sloppy, your fitness is the lowest it's ever been, and your movements are weak. You would be useless if you were attacked" I said as I whirled the staff around again, catching her at her feet as she fell backwards on her arse, her eyes flashing a bright green as I tilted my head, suprise written all across my face.

She looked up at me as she growled pushing herself onto her back and flipping up on her feet, my body stick in shock from the magic I had just seen light up within her. "Then you show me, oh great assassin. Stop throwing me down and prove your good enough. If you do, then I will continue training without complaints." She spat as Evelyn walked out on the training ground watching us,

Evelyn smirked as she overheard Bethany, "Go then infamous Silverback, I'm curious to see this" she said as I turned to her narrowing my eyes, warning her not to encourage it. As I did I saw Damien stroll out the door, leaning against the dooframe and crossing his arms, his eyes dancing mischievously, clearly intrigued by Bethany's request.

I sighed as I turned to face Bethany, "Very well, what do you want me to do then?" I asked as she pulled out a cloth from her pocket, "Remember this?" she said as I laughed, not a training that I was likely to forget. Pretty sure I still had the scars from hours of this ridiculous trial. "How could I forget? Fine, what's the rules?" I said as I took it off her,

"If I hit you, you let me choose some of my training. And you stop insulting my fitness." She said pointing her finger at me as I chuckled chucking her my staff, "Very well, but if you fail. You will no longer complain, and you will train harder, harder than you ever have in your life" I warned as she smirked twirling the staff in her hand,

"Agreed" she said as I wrapped the cloth around my eyes, and I took a deep breath drowning out the noises around me. I felt the tingle of familiarity rush through me as it almost felt like the cold harsh wind of the exiled lands ran down my spine, the memories coming back just as quickly.

I calmed the small shake in my hands as I focused, the noises around me guiding me to her location. I heard the soft crunch of the ground under her feet as I felt like the world stopped moving. I heard Bethany take a small sharp intake of breath as I felt a tingle run down my side and I quickly stepped out of the way, dodging the staff as I felt it strike the ground next to my feet. I grinned as I cracked my neck and bent my knees preparing myself as she stalked around me.

She swung the staff again as I leant back, the staff swishing over my face as I quickly stood back up, light on my feet. I heard her breathing again as the staff whirled through the air and I twirled, narrowly missing hard wood. I took a deep breath as she continued to lunge for me, however never managing to hit me.