I leapt in the air, clutching my blade as I swung it forcefully at my opponent. Smirking, he dodged it, while swiftly swiping his leg out in front of him, effectively tripping me as I landed. Furious now, I looked over at my father, watching distantly from the shadows of the room, seeming unimpressed. Disappointed in myself, I got up gracefully and pulled out my stele, chuckling to myself as I saw a hasty expression of fear swipe my brother's face, but fading as quickly as it appeared. Looking down at my ink covered arm, I thought of a new rune, Undefeatable, I came up with. Closing my eyes, I let the stele work its magic as it led itself over my arm, my fingers following behind it.
Opening my eyes once more, I looked down, a new rune now imprinted on my arm. I smiled as the rune worked its powers on me; my veins now pumped with adrenalin and power, my muscles, aching with the urge to fight, and my mind, racing with all the different ways I could bring my brother down. Fake him to the right, start towards the left and lead him on, then when he least expects it; pull out the whip stashed in your sleeve, and strike him in the heart, my mind instructed me. Without a second thought, I complied with the command, and took him down successfully.
"How was that father?" I asked, turning to the watching figure in the back of the room. He didn't answer, instead he emerged from the corner he was standing in, and walked up to my brother, giving him a fatherly pat on the back.
"You did well son, I forgot you had it in you." He said pride and accomplishment gleaming in his eyes as he spoke. Suddenly, his expression turned back to the stone cold expression I knew so well as he turned his attention towards me. "As for you Victoria," He hissed "I expect better from you. You can't win battles with your runes. What are you going to do when you don't have your stele, how are you going to fight? You're not taking this seriously…" He lectured, recognizing the speech as one I have heard several times; I tuned him out as he spoke. Suddenly erupting anger awoke me from my thoughts "Victoria!" Father boomed, "Are you even listening to me?" He yelled. I instantly regretted those moments of peace I had while he was talking as he dragged me off to his bedroom.
I awoke once more, sitting up abruptly as nausea greeted me once more. Looking down at my arms, I saw the deep gashes engraved in my skin as the memories of last night's events rolled into my mind.
"You do realize what improper training results in, right daughter?" he said, his expression stone cold, flinching as he muttered the last word.
"Yes father," I said, dreading the forthcoming events. "I do understand. But-"
"But nothing," he cut me off. "There is no exception to improperly training. You must train like your brother." He said, his words gracefully sliding out of his mouth.
"Yes father, I understand. But I wanted to know something." I began, carefully planning my words so the beating would be less server. "Why do you fancy Jonathan so much, while it seems that you simply do not like me at all?" I stated, preparing for the screaming that was going to erupt. Nothing happened. Fearfully, I looked up at Father's face, expecting it to be filled with rage, terror, and hatred, ready to strike. But I saw nothing of that sort, only a stone cold expression that greeted me once more.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" He asked, from the corner of my eye, I saw him slowly move his hand to him waistband. I knew he kept one of his seraph blades there.
"Well Father," I said "It seems to me that you like everything that Jonathan does, but no matter what I do, you do not like it. I'm beginning to wonder what your all over opinion is of me." I said plainly, trying not to show the true hurt I felt for my Father's stone cold ways. I slowly looked up as pure rage swiped over his face. I saw him step forward and then the rest was a blur as he swiftly grabbed me and began slicing up my arms.
"Jocelyn! You betrayed me once more!" he screamed. Jocelyn? I thought, Did he just call me Jocelyn? Those were my last thoughts before I blacked out, to a dreamless night of pure pain.
Shuttering at the distant memories, I searched for my stele, which of course my Father had confiscated. Sighing, I slowly got up, straightening out my clothes as I went. Hoping to find something to take my mind off of the slowly healing gashes in my arms.
