AN: Again, apologies for the time in between uploads. I write these ideas as they come to me and I also need to find the time to write in between other projects and work.

Hope you enjoy it!

TRAINING Part 1

RIZA

"Concentrate." Her Grandfather spoke quietly, but his voice held authority. It was not unkind, just simply a reminder. It was something Riza had trouble with, her concentration. There always seemed to be something which would distract her and the temptation could be too much to ignore sometimes. She was aware of this, but she had promised she would try her best to get better at it. That was why her parents had allowed her to begin her training.

Fighting had always fascinated her. She would watch the soldiers train in the yard most days. Running around the castle had gotten boring, now Elicia was always busy. Her friend had begun her own training now that she was sixteen. Riza was only ten. Her Father had taught her the basics of sword fighting and spells, but she was desperate to learn more.

Elicia had never been interested in learning sword play when she was younger, but now she had reached sixteen, that was all she was interested in. Riza had also noticed a change in her friend. She had become more serious and never wanted to play with Riza anymore. Riza had spoken to her parents about it, but they had simply shared an odd look and tiptoed around the subject.

It had bothered her greatly.

So she pestered them until they gave in and let her begin her proper training.

"It will take a lot of hard work, Riza," her Mother had warned her.

"You will need to concentrate and study hard," her Father chipped in.

Riza could tell they were trying to turn her off the subject, but she was determined.

"I want to do it! Nothing is fun anymore. I want to learn."

Riza had eventually worn them down and they had agreed, so long as she focussed and put the effort in.

"Ignore everything around you," her Grandfather continued. "Your sole task is to protect this front. You are your Father's back up, all right? His success and wellbeing depends on you. Do you understand?"

Riza swallowed. This is a lot of responsibility. But she was determined to learn and succeed. She gripped the hilt of her metal sword tighter. It was still slightly too heavy for her and it banged against her thigh. She readied her stance, just like her Grandfather had taught her. She concentrated on visualising water in front of her, asking for its assistance should the need arise.

"Begin."

"Riza? Make sure you keep an eye on the treeline. You don't know what could be hiding in there," her Father called from behind her. Their "treeline" was a row of bushes in front of her. She made a mental note of his advice though.

She heard movement as he began to work. Her Grandfather had constructed a box which could only be opened with magic. Their mission had been to locate it within the castle grounds and obtain the contents inside.

Her Grandfather moved to watch the front alongside her. Her Father hummed cheerfully as he worked behind them.

His humming continued for a few more minutes as he worked. Riza remained steadfast in her watch, copying her Grandfather beside her. She didn't want to let him down. She didn't want to let anyone down. She gripped her sword tighter, concentrating so hard on the "treeline" that her vision began to blur.

Her vision quickly snapped back to focus when she heard the tell-tale sound of an arrow being loosed. Before she could react she heard her Father cry out in pain. She jumped in fright.

"Arrows!" her Grandfather cried, readying himself for a fight. "Get ready, Riza! Get ready to fight!"

She was in mid turn when his words stop her. She was torn. She needed to see her Father. He was hurt! He needed her help. However, she needed to protect him now if he was injured. She needed to stop the incoming threat.

Another arrow whipped by her head. She felt the air brush by her cheek. Her Father cried out again.

Riza grit her teeth, forcing herself to turn back facing forwards. She raised her sword, adrenaline coursing through her. Everything screamed at her to turn around and help her Father. She felt tears welling in her eyes as he panted in pain. She heard a thump as his body hit the ground. She closed her eyes tightly, forcing the terrible images out of her head. She needed to help him.

"Remain calm, Riza," her Grandfather said quietly. "He needs you to fight now. Protect your Father at all costs."

She didn't hear anything move past her the third time he cried out. It became too much.

"Stop it!" Riza cried. She dropped her sword in an instant and raced to her Father who now lay a few feet away. "Stop hurting him!" Tears fell freely down her cheeks and she reached Roy's side. He lay on the ground, blood seeping out of him from two wounds, one in his side, the other in his thigh. He looked towards her, panic clear in his gaze.

"Riza," he coughed, wincing at the pain the movement caused in his side.

"Dad! Dad please get up," she cried. Fear gripped her heart at the sight of him. He was pale. So very pale. "Dad!" she screamed, terrified.

"Stop." Her Grandfather spoke calmly. "That's enough for today." He straightened up, clasping his hands behind his back as he turned to face the pair.

Enough for the day? What? Riza gasped as the blood shimmered then disappeared from the ground in front of her. The colour reappeared in Roy's face. He sat up, patting his body and checking his injuries. They were gone.

"What –" Riza began, her fear giving way to confusion.

"What the hell, Berthold?" Roy yelled. He leaped to his feet, storming over to her Grandfather. "What the hell was that?"

He was angry. Riza had never seen him this angry before. Not even when she had knocked over the candlestick in the library while practicing magic and almost burned the place down. Her hands, which has previously shook with worry and fear, now hung limp by her side. Her tears remained, falling steadily. She was so shocked her body didn't know what to do.

"Training," he said, simply.

"That was not training," Roy fumed. "That was something else entirely."

"This is the reality of battle and you know it."

"She is only ten years old!"

"So… What? We are supposed to pretend everything is sunshine and roses and there is nothing bad in the world?"

"She was not ready for this," he hissed.

"When will she be? Hm?"

"It is not up to you to decide when she is ready or not." He turned on his heel, furious. He strode over to Riza, who remained on the ground, still trying to comprehend what had just happened. Dad is all right now? How is that possible?

He watched her worriedly as he approached. "Riza?" he asked cautiously, examining her face. "Are you all right?"

"I don't understand… You were bleeding and…" Her voice caught in her throat, tears rising to the surface again as she remembered her Father's previous state only moments ago. She tried to hold them back, but she couldn't.

Roy pulled her tightly against him. She clung to him for dear life, grasping him, trying to convince her mind that he really was okay.

Convincing herself that he wasn't going to die.

"I'm all right. It was just magic," he whispered quietly, trying to soothe his distraught daughter.

"Riza," her Grandfather began quietly. She could hear the sorrow in his voice.

But he had hurt her Father. She didn't want to see him.

Riza buried her face in her Father's shirt. She felt herself being lifted off the ground as Roy carried her back to the castle.

"Hi you two…," she heard her Mother greet them cheerfuly, but the sentence drifted off. She had clearly seen how upset Riza was. "What happened?" The fear in her voice was apparent.

"Your Father. That's what happened."

"What do you mean? You were training…"

"Why don't you go and ask him? If I talk to him right now the conversation will be… unpleasant, to say the least." Roy's voice was hard and sharp. Riza had never heard it like that before.

Elizabeth's jaw set as she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"I'll meet you both in a while."

When Riza looked up, her vision blurring through the tears, she saw her Mother storming away from them, heading back into the gardens they had just left.

"Where is Mother going?" Riza asked, wiping her eyes. Her heart continued to constrict every time that image popped into her mind.

"She is going to face your Grandfather." Roy snorted. "Good luck to him," he muttered quietly. "Come on, let's go to your room." Riza nodded, resting her head against her Father's shoulder. She felt exhausted. She continued to force down the tears and remove the image of her Father dying from her mind.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't do it.