Jedediah POV

Chapter 11: A conflicting battle

7 years later

Just in time I could lift my gun to ward off Octavius' sword. My boys had the winning hand in this battle, so I could impossible lose against that Roman. I lifted my gun and wanted to hit Octavius on his head, but too late I saw his hand who grabbed my collar. I tried to hit him with my gun again, but Octavius grabbed my gun, pulled it out of my hands and threw it away.

"Crying out loud," I said when I saw there was no way out. There appeared a smile on Octavius' face.

"I don't know why, but I always enjoy it when you say that," he said with the same annoying smile.

"Maybe because you know I only say it in bad situations, like this," I said annoyed and angry.

"Sorry for you, barbarian," Octavius said just before he throw me hard at the ground. He walked imminent towards me, while there was nothing I could protect myself with. I know he would never kill me. He wouldn't even really hurt me. It only would be very humiliating if we would lose the battle because of me.

Suddenly I saw something big coming towards us. He didn't care if his hooves would land on something or someone. And Octavius also didn't see the zebra coming.

"Octavius, look out!" I yelled from the ground. Just in time Octavius jumped away and he fell besides me on the ground. As allies we watched the zebra, who didn't make any injuries on the first sight.

"Thank you, Jedediah," Octavius said while we still sat along each other. I felt confused and looked at him. This was the first time we were allies in a battle against each other.

"You're welcome," I rushed myself to say.

With one hand I pushed Octavius against the ground again, while I jumped up. I tried to reach my gun again, but then Octavius let me fall over his own feet. The last part I crawled towards my gun and when I reached it I stood up again. In the meanwhile Octavius also stood up and was ready to attack me again. It was a pretty weird moment, both not sure what to do. We couldn't just attack each other, because we were allies. But we also couldn't just start talking, since we were still in the middle of a battle. It really was a conflicting battle.

"Can't we just end the alliance for now?" I asked after some time.

"I have no idea," Octavius answered who showed he also thought it felt weird. "But okay, the alliance ends for now."

I nodded and I walked towards him, ready to attack. But it just didn't feel the same as before. It still felt like we were allies. It was hard to give the first blow, but after some time I did. We continued fighting, but it wasn't really fighting. We knew exactly where the other would strike and we only hit the weapons instead of each other.

"This is not a fight," Octavius said then after a while.

"You're serious," I said like I didn't care. Again we stood opposite from each other. We both were ready to attack again, but no of us attacked.

"Well, none of our battle were normal," Octavius said suddenly.

"What do you mean with that?" I asked and felt he offended me again.

"Like I say, Jedediah," Octavius said and I think he didn't even notice he called my name again. "When I speak about a normal fight I am talking about a swordfight. You know, sword against sword. And not about that weird gun thing of yours." Slowly there appeared a smile on my face and then I really started laughing. I totally forgot where I was.

"Are you laughing at me?" Octavius asked serious.

"Yes," I replied honestly. "It's kinda funny when your enemy tells you which weapon you should use. Octavius, you made a fool of yourself again."

"Who is making a fool of himself now," Octavius answered quick. "You are the one who is laughing in the middle of a battle and doesn't even notice some of your own men are staring at you right now."

I immediately remembered where I was and I stopped laughing. Indeed some my men were looking at me and not only my own men. With malicious pleasure Octavius looked at me. Without giving him a single sign I attacked Octavius again. It finally looked like we got in a real battle again, but even now he had humiliate me, I still couldn't put all my strength in my strikes.

Every time when Octavius calls my name, all the hate I feel towards him flows away. Well, honestly there is no hate anymore. I just dislike him very much, that's all. Because maybe Octavius isn't that bad as I first thought.

"What do you say of it?" Octavius asked me suddenly. I got out of my thoughts and looked amazed at Octavius. "To fight with a sword, I mean," he answered my questioning look.

"I don't have a sword and I don't know how to handle one," I answered truthfully.

"But if you had a sword and someone who could teach you, would you do it?"

"Only because I can fight against you with a sword."

"Yes," Octavius said confident. I skewed my head a little, because I knew there was something Octavius wasn't telling me.

"If there was someone who could teach me then I would take that chance, but I don't know anyone who could." We didn't fight for some time now and our weapons just leaned against each other. Octavius looked me straight in the eyes and then he said without any hesitating:

"I could teach you…"

I know I forgot this story last week, and I'm sorry! =(

But here it is and I hope you enjoy the story so far! ^^