At the end of the meal everyone went to the chapel, except me. I stayed behind and wondered the halls of the castle. I found myself entering the sparring room, where Aelin and Rowan would train every other day. I picked up a wooden staff and swirled it around. I'd hadn't really fought with anyone, other than the time my mother had signed me up for fencing without telling me once, when I was around ten or eleven. I was the best in the class, I guess after reading all those books, I found a knack for fighting. Once the season ended, I didn't want to go back, it took up a lot of my reading time, and I didn't want to give up my books. Never. I was a reader my entire life, not a fighter. I hated violence, except in books. I love it then. I hated real-life danger. And guns. Gods I hated guns... It felt awkward holding the staff; I walked through some of the moves that I remembered. This room made me remember Chaol and Celeana sparring. I smiled and tried to follow along her moves. I failed at some of them, but at most I had done quite nicely. I heard a person clear their throat and walk into the room. I fell flat on my ass and growled at the newcomer, "what the hell was that for, oh I'm sorry Rowan. I'll leave. I know you don't like me wandering." I set the staff in the bin I found it in. he stood there, watching me walk towards the door, but held up his hand when I was about to pass him. "There is no point in you being here human if you are going to have no fighting chance." Oh my gods, he wasn't going to train me, is he! I just stared at him as he walked over to the weapons shelf. Most of them I didn't even recognize, a rapier, hunting knifes, swords, staffs, bow and arrows I saw many other weapons then that, but Rowan help up a finely made wooden staff that I guessed he was going to wallop me with.
He threw a less finely crafted staff to me. "What experience have you in fighting?" he asked as he started to circle me. "I took fencing once as a child." I told him. He stood up and looked at me. "Fencing?" he asked. Did they not have fencing in this world? "Sword fighting. You fight with swords, well, more like bendable swords that aren't dangerous." I explained. He merely laughed and lunged to me. I wasn't ready for the attack, but I dodged it and parried from behind, hitting his calf with the staff. He didn't seem at all fazed by my hit, go figure… as if I could hit him and make him react. He swirled around and landed a blow on the hand that was holding the staff, my hand throbbed, but I didn't give in, not this easily. He smiled like a feral animal and without even knowing what I was doing; I was in the air and landing on his shoulders. How the hell did that happen? I remember that Aelin did a similar thing in Heir of Fire. My thighs squeezed his head, and he ducked down, throwing me off him. I landed in a crotch, my back facing him, I could hear him panting. Could I really make Rowan Whitehorn be out of breath? I whirled around and faced him; he just stood there and watched my every movement. I took a step and he hit my hand again, setting it on fire. (Not literally) this time he hit my thigh and a whirl of pain entered my body. I fell to the ground and my staff clattered away. He walked slowly to me, putting his staff to my throat. "I win." He growled. I pushed away the staff and stared at him. "Again." He gave me a glare that said, "Whenever you're ready human." "Bring it on."