"Preparation"
The morning after the girl turned up came. I had taken the last watch, and had told the girl to get some more sleep. By her show in the woods I knew she would need training. I decided I would teach her all I knew, after all she reminded me of myself. When she woke up I told her my idea. After some reservations she agreed. "Okay, now the real work begins." I said cheerily. "We're starting now?" She questioned, slightly surprised. "Course, first we'll start with some lessons, then combat. Short break for lunch, more combat and then some more short lessons." I smiled to myself at her slightly intimidated expression, probably at the idea of sparring against me. After all, I thought she'd only seen me when I was mad.
"How familiar are you with Lyssia's history?" I asked. "Only what my father told me, he kept me out of his study and away from all the books." She said sadly. I pitied the girl, and again I saw myself in her. Always curious and looking for answers even if it got me in trouble. "Why would he hide Lyssia's history from his own daughter?" I thought aloud. "Whatever reason, he was hiding something. Probably something only he had." She was voicing exactly what I had been dreading. "What if this was all planned, the attack?" Her voice was soft and full of fear. "What if our mothers switching families was just a plan to a false peace." "Then that's why your father let my mother be killed in battle." I said. "She must have found out and tried to stop it. Your father was willing to kill his own cousin for power." The conversation went on until we were out of possibilities. By the time this happened it was nearly dark and we agreed on sparring until the sun went down.
"First lesson, mercy always has its place on the battlefield." I said severely. "After all everyone you'll fight has someone who's hoping they'll come home alive. Second, always keep your guard up." I said as I darted up and landed a blow before she could react. "Hey!" she exclaimed. "If you're not paying attention in a real battle you'll get a whole lot worse than that. Also while you're training, everything I do is to help you prepare for true battle." "When does the real fight start?" she asked. "Oh," I said with a smile. "That was the wrong time to say that." I darted closer and landed multiple blows to her shoulder and as soon as she could react back I was out of reach. She lunged forward and I calmly sidestepped and tripped her. As she was falling I caught her before she hit the dirt. "You're going to have to do better than that." "Well, that was my first time, she said brushing herself off." She twisted in my grip in an attempt to flip me and only succeeded in getting herself dropped onto the dirt. I pitied her. "If you really want to flip me you have to unbalance me. Like this." I deftly flipped her and showed her exactly what to do. "Now, you try. I know you want to." She flipped me, and as soon as her back was turned I used my feet to sweep her legs out from underneath her and then we sat there laughing as the sun set.