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"What is this?" he asked.

Jules had just come out to the field where he said he would meet her.

He was staring down at her tunic. Long and flowing, with sleeves and sashes. He quickly and without warning took his dagger and ripped at her sleeves. Jules shouted from surprise as Hector grabbed to keep her legs still and moved on to tear apart the long skirt.

"Hector! What are--" She began but he was determined.

He squeezed tighter at her thighs when she tried to move and finished up the rest of the skirt which now reached just the top of her legs.

"You said you wanted to fight, Julios. Well how were you going to even move in that?" Prince Hector asked as he pointed to the pile of cloth bundled off to the side.

Jules bent down to rub her legs which were covered in finger marks and a little sore.

Hector looked at her and then continued, "Here, put these on." as he handed her a breast plate, and helmet, along with arm and leg protection.

"Thank you, Hector."

He grinned, "Well, I don't want to hurt you too much."

She finished dressing and looked up at him, "This is fighting stance." he instructed as he bent his arms and legs and brought his fists up. "When you get a shield and sword you'll be holding them here…" he motioned towards his hips, "…and here." he waved at the space next to body where the sword would eventually be.

"Wait," Jules interrupted, "You're not giving me a sword? How am I supposed to learn anything?"

"You've got two hands, two arms, two legs, two feet… learn to work with those first and then I'll give you weapons." Hector answered.

She listened to all his instructions carefully and then it was time to spar.

"I'll go easy on you the first time." The prince assured.

He lunged.

She turned and stepped back.

She swung.

He blocked.

That was how it began and as he let her get away with less and less the fight became a brutal dance.

She would turn to miss as his fist came towards her face but then he'd be right behind her grabbing at her shoulders, digging his fingers into her arms. He pushed her onto the ground, into the dirt, and down under his weight. Then quickly he would flip her so she couldn't kick at him and he could control the bend of her knees. They were both sweating now. She jerked her head in an attempt to bite at his arms or neck so he pinned her hands above her head with one arm and covered her mouth with the other.

Jules felt helpless and even a little guilty because she'd asked him to do this. But more than any of that she felt as if she liked this. She liked the way he moved her body like a doll's. She liked this side of Hector he had never shown her. She liked his anger and his drive. She liked the heat of his touch and his breath coming down on her. Oh Apollo! What was she thinking!

Hector--this new Hector-- brought his face to her ear and with all his body weight crushing down on hers told her, "That's lesson one; never turn your back to your enemy."

He let her get up.

"Go Clean yourself up, Julios. We do this all again tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Hector. Will I see you at Dinner?"

"When do I miss food?"

"That's right, I forget what a pig you are." She smiled and walked away.

As Hector sat on the ground watching her; watching the way her bruised legs still walked, or the way the blood from the scratches on her arms had already dried, he couldn't help wondering if she had let him win.

Naw…