Thank you all for reviews, you have no idea how happy it makes me. Your reviews really help me continue writing.
On another note, I was thinking of uploading this chapter only when I was finished with chapter 7, but I just had the strangest feeling all day, like I should upload this chapter, so I did. Well, the next chapter is going to be quite long, the longest chapter so far. I do not know if I should cut it in two. I am half way done writing it, so it will take some time before I will update again. And school will be staring soon. :(
Anyways, please enjoy! :)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Jane and the Dragon, it belongs to Martin Baynton.
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Red Snow
Chapter 6: Horizon
A war cry thundered as a wooden blade hurtled towards Jane's face. She instinctively arched her back and the wooden tip narrowly missed its mark. Jane saw an opening and lunged to seize it, but Gunther quickly dodged and commenced a counterattack. Jane blocked the blow and swiftly sidestepped behind him. She struck and Gunther barely managed to dart away as the wooden sword grazed his side. Jane slashed again and Gunther lifted his practice sword to parry the blow. Their wooden swords locked, Jane and Gunther glared into each other's eyes as both thrust with all their might in trying to push back their opponent.
It was two months after Gunther was knighted and the last of the autumn leaves fell to the ground, winter was soon approaching.
Both were panting and bathed in sweat. Locked into the stalemate, the autumn wind wafted the remaining fiery leaves towards them. Jane's arms were tiring; she rarely defeated Gunther by strength of arms alone. The rivals have been sparring all day, only stopping for short breaks and it was well into midday. Their current battle was the tie-breaker, seeing as both had other duties to perform, and Jane did not want to lose. She wanted to prove her worth as a capable knight, to redeem herself from the folly she committed two months prior, well, at least in her eyes.
A smirk flashed on Gunther's face as Jane's feet, once locked to the ground, started to slip as she was gradually being pushed back by Gunther's brute force. Jane summoned all her remaining strength to try to combat his, but it was no use. Her arms gave way as her strength suddenly left her. Instantly, Jane was violently shoved to the ground. She was on her back and gasping for breath as Gunther's wooden blade tip hovered over her neck.
"You lose again, Jane," scoffed a panting Gunther.
He then turned around and began walking towards the Knights Quarters.
"I do not know why I waste my time sparring with a squire," Gunther called back. "Sparring with Knights of my caliber is much more amusing."
Jane narrowed her eyes, infuriated, but held her tongue. It was no use arguing with such a dung bucket. After Jane recovered her breath, she rose to her feet and lashed out her anger on the dummy, nearly taking off the head in one clean stroke.
"That biscuit weevil," muttered Jane under clenched teeth.
Ever since her accolade had been postponed Gunther had become more condescending and that made her blood boil. She knew that she could hold her own in a battlefield just as much as Gunther. She knew she wore Gunther out with her swift footwork, which is why the last sparring match lasted so long. Gunther is just too arrogant to admit that Jane is just as a formidable opponent as he is.
Perhaps that has to do with his rise in status, thought Jane, it inflated his already big ego.
Jane kept slashing at the dummy. Pride contradicted the Knightly Code of humility.
I hope my head does not swell with the title of Knighthood.
Gunther moved into the Knights Quarters almost as soon as he was knighted.
Perhaps a little too eagerly.
When Gunther did move into the castle he had an ugly bruise on his cheek, and when asked he simply shrugged it off. His relationship with his father seemed even more distant, more cold. When Magnus comes to the castle to deliver his goods, Gunther does not even look at his father, if anything he avoids him. Other than that, in all the years that Jane has known Gunther she has never seen him happier in his life. Well, if one could say "happy," if anything his overall mood appears calm. His eyes are not filled with deep confliction anymore. He carries himself with a more genuine confident manner, his steps seem lighter.
As if the weight of the world has been lifted from his shoulders.
Everyone in the castle knew what Magnus did, how he treated his own son throughout the years. Many simply looked away since it was none of their business; still others judged Gunther harshly for things that were out of his control.
"It is not for you to judge him," Sir Theodore's voice echoed in her mind.
Jane knows that well now, but could not keep her ill conceived notion of him out of her mind. Well, how could she? Gunther had treated her badly throughout their whole acquaintance, but he had been there for her and pulled through at times of need.
Only because it was beneficial for him, she thought bitterly.
Yet, Jane knew, deep down, that it was easier to see Gunther as a rival, an enemy, than as a comrade.
Because… I…
Their hatred appears forced, as if they both had no choice and resigned to their ill treatment of one another since reconciliation seems to be beyond reach because of slighted wrongs, injured pride and fear. They are too prideful to apologize for their callous demeanors, and too afraid of what could happen. Afraid of how to act with a newfound "friendship," if it were even possible.
How could they act? After so much strife between them? As friends?
No. Never.
They both needed each other's hatred to push themselves to the limit to become the best they could be.
They sacrificed any notion of friendship a long time ago and found comfort in their bitterness.
There is nothing I can do. It cannot be helped.
No matter how hard Jane tried to convince herself of the idea, a nagging voice inside her had told her otherwise.
"JANE!" called a voice, snapping Jane out of her reverie. "It's time for patrol."
Jane sighed.
"Alright, you big frog."
Her anger melted away with each slash at the dummy, but underneath her anger was a growing sense of unease. She put away her practice sword and climbed onto Dragon's neck. Dragon then flew towards the azure sky.
"Gunther giving you a hard time again?" asked Dragon.
"Well, yes—wait! How did you know?"
"C'mon, Jane! Every time you knock that dummy senseless means that that short-life is getting on your nerves again."
Jane was silent.
"He beat you again, did he not?"
"No!" Jane quickly retorted. "Well, yes. We were tied and he won the last match."
Jane glanced away from Dragon, arms crossed.
"He sometimes makes me so mad."
"Then just spar with someone else," offered Dragon, "there are plenty of knights to be had."
"Yes, that is true," she admitted, "but Gunther is the only one that really puts up a fight. I just really want to beat him."
"More reason to just get better, Jane."
"Yes," Jane replied after some time.
"Then you can pound him into a bloody mess!"
"Dragon!" Jane chuckled.
"Only joking," he replied. "Unless you really want to."
Now Jane was laughing as they continued to patrol the Kingdom. From their position they could spot the Gold Mines of Kippernia that were heavily guarded. Jane and Dragon uncovered the gold two years ago while on patrol duty. The discovery happened when Dragon was tired from flying and decided to land on the base of a mountainside, and being clumsy, he knocked out a big portion of the mountain with his tail, unearthing gold in the process. Their discovery made the Kingdom flourish greatly from the wealth, both economically and diplomatically. The King receives many diplomats from other kingdoms regarding trade and alliances, thus making patrol duty for Jane and Dragon all the more longer since the Kingdom grew about twice its size.
"So Jane?"
"Um, what?"
"You are spacing out again."
"Well…"
"You have been a little distracted lately."
"Dragon…"
"Do not try to deny it," said Dragon. "Is it about your accolade?"
Jane was silent.
"Did they say when you will be knighted?"
"Until I prove myself worthy again," replied Jane.
"That is a bit vague, is it not?"
"Well, I do not know…"
"It is silly. You are worthy Jane."
"Others might disagree—"
"Well, they are all fools."
A small smile tugged at the corners of Jane's lips. Dragon always knew what to say to make her feel better.
They were now flying towards the ocean to oversee the port. The sapphire sea glittered from the sun's dying light, it was sunset. Seeing the sun set over the ocean always made Jane and Dragon content. They always did it together.
Shadows suddenly crept over the horizon, marring the clear watery surface. The dark silhouettes slowly became discernible shapes and were rapidly crossing the water in the direction of the Kingdom. A chill ran down Jane's spine as her stomach dropped.
"Dragon…" Jane said tentatively. "Do you—"
"Yes, Jane," Dragon replied in a serious tone.
"Are those—?"
"Ships?" interrupted Dragon. "Yes, I can see them from here."
"How many?"
"Too many to count," Dragon shook his head. "There is a whole fleet of them."
Now Jane was alarmed.
What if…?
Jane could not even finish the thought.
"Let's go, Dragon," Jane called. "We have to warn the King."
And with that Dragon swiftly flew off in the direction of the castle.
The sunlight was extinguished like flame doused in water and darkness spread over the land.
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I hope this chapter was satisfactory, tell me what you think of the fighting sequence, I worked really hard on it. Please review!