It wasn't proper for a girl to fight. She knew that. Women were supposed to learn how to defend themselves, either with magic or a sword. But they were not supposed to rage into battle along with the men. They were not supposed to go after battle. They were not supposed to like it.
Zira was anything but proper.
She wasn't entirely sure that she liked fighting. In the streets, she had always fought to protect someone who needed protecting or if she was trying to escape being caught as a thief, and there was always the occasional thief that needed to be fought. She enjoyed the game of it, the strategy. She enjoyed reading people's faces to determine their moves, the way the slightest twitch of muscle or the tiniest glance could let her know their intentions. She liked the logic involved. She liked winning.
At some point, fighting became as much something that she had to do as well as something that she needed to do. There weren't that many young girls out on the streets. Girls could always find some way into a house, even if it was through despicable means. So being a girl, she was looked down on, considered as weak. All it would take was a fight to prove to them that she was not. She needed it. She needed to feel strong even if it was only a delicate façade.
She had been in the palace for only two days now. Today had been the first time she had worked with the tutor. It had gone poorly to say the least. She couldn't read – most people living in the slums couldn't – but there was something in the tutor's eyes that was a mix between disgust and pity. She didn't want either.
It didn't help that when she left the room Thor and his friends were all standing outside of the door, doing their best to appear casual. Thor glanced up. "How did your tutoring go?" he asked innocuously. His friends started giggling.
"Fine," she replied coolly.
Thor nodded slowly. She could tell he didn't believe her. "Well we'll be off," he announced. "We have important warrior training to do."
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Can I come?"
Fandral laughed. "You would not enjoy yourself there."
"Why not?"
The boys looked at each other, each wanting to know if the other would answer. Finally, Fandral replied, "Because you're a woman. You'd be better suited for the magical arts."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm coming."
Thor frowned. "Fine but the trainers would not even teach you."
He wasn't quite wrong. When she announced her intent to the main teacher, he laughed so hard he had to grab his side. When he had finally calmed enough to form words again, he said, "I don't think so."
She jutted her chin out in determination. "I can be a good warrior. Just to prove it I'll fight Thor. If I win, you teach me."
The man's eyes widened as if he were just beginning to realize how serious the small girl was. "Thor is my best pupil."
"So?" she asked.
"It is one thing to be courageous and another to be foolhardy," the man replied. He glanced off in thought before saying, "I'll tell you what. If you beat Loki, I will teach you."
Volstagg and Fandral started laughing. "Welcome to training," Fandral said.
She hadn't even noticed Loki was there. He was leaning against a tree in the corner of the courtyard they were in. He glanced over at the sneering boys and looked like he wanted to go hide in a hole.
"Fine," Zira replied.
The trainer handed her a wooden sword and beckoned Loki to come over. Sighing, the boy pushed off of the tree and walked gracefully to where they were. He had a fluidity to him, like he wasn't touching the ground.
"First one to get three strikes wins."
She glanced at Loki, her new brother, the one who sneered and glared at her just nights before. She waited for a telltale sign only to realize that he was waiting for hers. They circled each other for a full minute, neither making a move, just studying each other. He was more like her than she initially thought.
She thrust forward, careful to make sure that she gave no intention of her attack. It worked. Loki's eyes widened and he stumbled backwards, tripped on a root and fell. The tip of her wooden sword rested carefully on his neck. The boy glared up at her.
She heard snickering in the background.
She offered him her hand but he stood without it and dusted himself off.
He went for the attack this time. It was a quick jab which she just barely avoided, but it left his midsection open and she thrust her sword. He hissed as it made contact and holding his side, backed up.
One more point and she would win. She couldn't contain her smile. She attacked quickly the next time, letting her exuberance take control. If nothing else, Loki was fast. He was able to dodge most of her blows or if not dodge them at least parry them, but at last, her sword smacked him in the thigh. She thought he was pretty good.
She extended her hand so that they could give each other a friendly handshake. That was something it seemed like a royal might do. "Good job," she said sweetly.
He glanced at her hand before throwing the wooden stick down and leaving the courtyard.
The other boys were still snickering.
The teacher did nothing to reprimand them. He just came up to Zira and said, "You have some talent. We'll begin training tomorrow."