Chapter 3

"Yes," I said, "What is it?"

"Why were those men after you?" He asked. "My parents aren't even sure. I don't know either. This has been going on for 5 years, ever since I turned 16. I ran from the kingdom leaving a look alike to be me, while I was absent. I miss my family dearly and hope to go back soon, to reclaim my throne." I replied. He looked at me thoughtfully before saying, "Then I think we should get going," he said.

"What do you mean 'we'," I asked him.

"I mean I'm coming with you, Princess," he answered.

We leaped from tree to tree, gaining speed with each jump. I swung from a high branch and landed on a lower one. It was nearly night fall and I wanted to stop for the night. I leaped off the branch, arching my back and spreading my arms. I grabbed ahold of the lowest branch and swung from it, flipping, onto the ground. "Show off," Alex said landing beside me.

"Yeah well you'll learn to live with it," I told him. I looked at him for a second, expecting a smart remark. Not receiving one I looked away into the dense jungle. Any second a deadly animal could come and attack them, yet non did. She was unnerved by it, but then again it calmed her also. She pulled out her swords, throwing one to Alex. He caught it in midair, confused.

"It's time you learned how to wield a sword, so I don't have to be the one to protect us out here," I said. I lunged at him, "First lesson, never let your guard down." We locked swords, with him matching my strength. Our eyes made contact and I saw determination in their depths. He threw me back; I flipped arching my back and landed on my feet. "Nice try, but with someone as experienced as I you will have to do better." I lunged at him again, only this time I didn't lock swords, I swiped his feet out from under him, hearing the air rush from his lungs.

"Lesson number two; protect every part of your body no matter how inconvenient." He grunted getting up from the ground. This time he lunged at me. I stepped to the side letting him trip and fall to the ground again. "You shouldn't let your own anger or frustration get the better of you otherwise you've already lost the battle." I prepared for his next attack, only to come up short. He didn't attack; he was simply just standing there watching me. He was analyzing my movements, looking for the right time to strike my weakness, only I did not give him one. I kept my gaze steady, as I slowly inched forward. He watched my feet shuffling towards him as he yelled. His sword came down only an inch from where I had once been. Now I was behind him. He was looking around frantically. With his sword stuck in the ground, I had the advantage. I Brought my sword around his neck, and against his throat, "Lesson number three, never let go of your weapon unless you know for sure it will be the killing strike." I let my sword fall back to my side, waiting for him to pick his up. "Now we will spar, and you will keep those very important lessons in mind." He nodded his head in agreement, I smiled. I lunged at him, keeping his sword from attacking my body, keeping him in defense mode. I stopped and turned, climbing a tree. I stood on the branch, with his eyes glaring daggers at me from below. "Remember don't let your emotions get the best of you in battle."

I dived off the tree hitting him square in the chest with my shoulder, knocking the wind out of him. We landed on the ground, me on top of him. His breathing was labored, thanks to my weight still keeping his chest from rising. I got off of him, so he could recover from the blow. Only to find my feet swept out from under me. I landed on my back with a loud thud. I felt his sword at my throat and smiled. "Now you have the element of surprise. Don't let what they say change your mind about killing them. No matter what it is." I kicked his massive body off of me, grabbing my sword from where it had fallen out of my hand. I swung it at him, missing him by a mere inch or two. He recoiled catching the edge of my dress, putting a small tear in it. I gasped, and lunged, only this time I didn't swing at him with my sword I ducked from his grasp and nailed him in the crotch with the hilt of my sword. He gasped and grunted, falling to the ground. I laughed as I watched him fall. He glared at me, still groaning from the pain of my blow. He lay there for what seemed like a very long time. Finally I jumped down from the tree where I was sitting, leaving my sword on the branch. I walked over to his limp body. "Are you all right?" I asked, "Did I really hurt you? I didn't me—"

I never got to finish my sentence. He hit me in the chest, and as I hunched over clutching at my chest, he jumped on my back, knocking what air I had left from my lungs. I was face down in the dirt, and before I knew it, I couldn't breathe at all. I gasped, trying to get a hold of his leg. He scrambled from my grasp, still sitting on my back. I choked on the dirt filling my mouth. Coughing and spluttering, I finally caught ahold of the front of his shirt. I threw him off, gasping for air as I got up. I looked down at myself only to find my nice white dress covered in dirt and grime. I growled, not caring if it wasn't lady like, I wasn't in a palace right now. I lunged at him, without so much as a sword. I grabbed his shirt and yanked him close. With my free hand I grabbed the hilt of my other sword. I seduced him, taking it from his hand as quickly as he learned his mistake. He grabbed for the sword, but he came up too short. I laughed at him, as I held his sword in my hand. He tried getting it back from my steely grasp, but with no avail.

"Lesson number four," I said, "Don't let a beautiful female take your sword from you." I smiled, leaping out of the way as he grabbed for the sword. I jumped onto the nearest branch, watching him as he looked around frantically for a weapon. I already knew what he would find, before he set eyes on it. I stood up, running from tree branch to tree branch looking for the one where I had left my sword on. I saw it before he did, but he was quick. We both grabbed it at the same time, not waiting for me to regain my footing he pulled it, sending me on top of him. We landed on the ground with a thud. Both of us scrambling to get both swords. I grabbed at his only to feel my own slipping from my grasp. I gasped with the effort of holding both swords, while he tried pulling them from my hands. I gave on last strong pull, noticing they both resided in my hands. I stood up, not helping him from the ground saying, "That's enough for today. I must go wash this dirt off of me. And you should do the same, Alex, I can smell you from here." He smiled, getting up from the ground. I threw him one sword as I put the other in the scabbard across my back. "Oh and Alex?" he looked over his shoulder at me, "Meet me back here when the moon is at its peak." I walked into the jungle, looking for a place to wash.