Chapter 7: A Little Nudge
Thunk! Madmartigan was awakened from his glorious dreams by the thump of an apple on his head.
"Alright, someone had better be dead," he grumbled.
"You," said a voice. "If you don't get your lazy, stupid butt out here to practice."
Madmartigan wearily saw Raina in her practice armor standing on top of him.
"I was having a good dream, you know," he said.
"Well then, you know it'll never happen," Raina said.
"Did I mention you're hard to like?" Madmartigan asked.
"Good. Then we agree on something," Raina said. "Now get your stupid butt going. I haven't got all day and neither do you."
"Geez, she's bossy," Madmartigan grumbled under his breath.
"I heard that!" Raina said. "Less complaining, more moving!"
With a moan, Madmartigan got dressed and gathered his practice weapons.
This had better be good, he thought to himself.
Madmartigan hurried down to the courtyard to find Airk and Raina already suited up.
"You're late," Raina said.
"Oh, forgive me if I like sleep, little Lady Traumatic Childhood," Madmartigan said.
"Madmartigan!" Airk scolded.
"You want a lesson, or you want me to kill you for real? We can arrange either," Raina said hotly.
"As if you could lay a scratch on me!" Madmartigan laughed. "You went up against a general and almost got killed! I doubt you could do any damage."
"Wanna bet?" Raina asked.
Before the words could come to blows, Airk got between them. "Enough! Both of you! You two are going to trust each other."
"Doubtful, very doubtful," Raina said.
"Double for me," Madmartigan said.
"I don't care," Airk said. "You two are going to trust each other whether you like it or not.
"Have you considered that we don't?" Raina asked. "I don't think you have."
"Have you considered that I don't care?" Airk countered. "If you two want to be fighters, you have to learn to trust. If you don't, you're both dead. And just to make sure you don't slack off, if you two don't work together, you don't get your knighthood."
"Oh, well that's just perfect," Raina said.
"That's just not fair," Madmartigan whined. "I have to earn my knighthood through her?"
"You most certainly do, so if you want it that badly, you better work on your trust issues, starting now," Airk said. "If you wanna kill each other, fine by me, but it's your loss."
With that, Airk made to leave them alone but Madmartigan stopped him.
"Hey, where are you going?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, do I look like your babysitter?" Airk asked. "This is between you two. You work it out."
"Aww, come on! Don't leave me alone with little Lady Sob Story!" Madmartigan begged hopelessly.
"Ah, shut up, and fight!" Raina said.
"Alright, Lady Cry Baby, I'm ready for you," Madmartigan said.
Madmartigan readied with his sword and shield in a fighting stance and made to strike, but held back.
"Are you ready to fight, or are you just gonna think about it, Big-Head?" Raina asked.
"Oh, I'm ready. You won't see it coming," Madmartigan said.
"Well then, you won't see this coming either," Raina said.
Before Madmartigan could blink, Raina smacked him in the face with her shield, sending him to the ground with a thud. Madmartigan's head was swimming as he regained his composure. When Madmartigan looked up, Raina was standing on top of him with her sword raised.
"If this were a real battle, you'd be dead now," she gloated.
"Did I mention I really don't like you?" Madmartigan groaned.
"Dead men don't get to complain," Raina said.
"Where the heck did you learn that?"
"I thought you didn't like me."
"I don't, but I wanna know."
"A shield isn't just for defense, you know. That might save your life, someday."
"I doubt it."
"Yeah, because you're dumber than the wood and steel that made it."
"Is that so? Then let's go again!"
Madmartigan took his stance again, but once more, he couldn't bring himself to strike.
"What's the matter, Sir. Fancy Sword Moves? Afraid the little lady might hurt you?" Raina teased in a baby voice.
Furious, Madmartigan charged at her. Raina simply spun on her feet, dodging his advance and kicking him off his feet.
"All those fancy sword moves don't look so good now, do they?" Raina boasted.
"Could you just shut up?" Madmartigan said.
"I'm teaching you a lesson that could save your life. All those fancy sword moves, no matter by whom, are useless when it comes to the opponent," Raina said. "Case in point, General Kael. He's ruthless, and he doesn't fight fair. So, your little sword moves from your old master count for nothing."
Raina poked at Madmartigan's legs with her sword. "And when you fight, you should take a wider stance and bend your knees. Keep your shield up all the time."
"Is this all you're going to do is just lecture me about how to fight, which I clearly know how to do?" Madmartigan asked.
"One, this isn't about learning how to fight, it's about learning how to trust, and two, you clearly could use improvement since I've been beating you this whole time. Thirdly, I haven't heard you come up with any bright ideas, if you have any," Raina said.
"Because I don't need this!" Madmartigan said. "I don't need to be lectured by some broken down, silly, little girl playing soldier when I should be the one getting my knighthood, and I shouldn't have to get it through some stupid little girl with the dumbest sob story ever!"
With that, Madmartigan took his weapons and stormed off.
"Madmartigan! Madmartigan, where are you going?" Raina shouted.
"Somewhere where knights don't let girls fight in their kingdom!" Madmartigan yelled back.
What an idiot, Raina said to herself.
When Raina entered her chamber, she furiously threw down her armor across the room.
"Do I want to know?" Airk asked.
"Oh, it was just fantastic," Raina said. "Of course not! The stupid idiot can't take criticism one bit! And because I gave him advice that might just save his life, he ran away!"
"He what?" Airk asked.
"He ran away because I tried to help him," Raina said.
"He's such an idiot," Airk said.
"What do you see in him?" Raina asked.
"He's the best fighter we have," Airk said. "And he saved our lives when he was just ten, that's why he came to be here. I know he can be stupid, but he can be good for a laugh, too, if you knew him as I have. He's always had my back."
"Wow, I never would've known that," Raina said.
"It's okay because I'm gonna kill him right now," Airk said.
Suddenly, they heard a soldier burst through the door. "Dragon! Dragon!"
Airk and Raina peered around the wall to the hall to hear the conversation. "General, a dragon has been spotted not to far from the kingdom. Just north of here. It's been burning a path as it goes."
"Gather the men now! Go, go!" Cayne said.
As Raina and Airk turned from the conversation, Raina's heart jumped in her throat.
"Madmartigan!" she gasped. "He doesn't know! We gotta find him."
"Come on!" Airk said. "I know a way down to the stables."
Airk led her into the hall where he uncovered the rug and led her down a secret passage way down to the stables. Armed with her swords and shields, Airk and Raina raced off to find Madmartigan before it was too late.
As Madmartigan rode his horse through the plains, he noticed an eerie quiet. Then, he heard what sounded like thunder. His horse began to whinny and thrash about.
"Don't you start up on me, too!" he said.
Before Madmartigan could think, a large, horned golden dragon spewed fire above and landed in front of him with a roar.
"Oh, come on!" Madmartigan said.
The dragon roared at him again, and Madmartigan was thrown from his horse. Before Madmartigan could react, the dragon swung its tail at him.
"Oh, I'm rethinking my choices right now!" Madmartigan said.
Madmartigan ducked for cover as the dragon shot another fireball at him.
"Oh, please show me that there is someone looking out for me!" Madmartigan prayed.
Just then, he heard two voices call out to him. "Madmartigan!"
Madmartigan looked over and saw Airk and Raina riding up to his aide.
"Airk, Raina! Am I dead?" he asked.
"Not yet, you idiot!" Airk said.
"Good, then help!" Madmartigan said.
"Airk, go distract that thing," Raina said. "Keep it's focus off me and Madmartigan."
"And what are you gonna do?" Airk asked.
"Something stupid," Raina said.
Airk charged at the best, banging his sword on his shield, doing his best to distract the beast. While Airk had the beast distracted, Raina climbed up the dragon's tail and on top of its head. Before she could get to the top, the creature threw her, leaving her hanging for dear life.
"Boys, I'd really appreciate some bright ideas!" Raina shouted.
"Airk, give me your sword," Madmartigan said.
"Hurry up!" Raina said.
With expert accuracy, Madmartigan hurled his sword at the dragon's eye, blinding the beast. As the dragon howled in pain, Raina climbed back on top of its head and jammed her sword in its skull. The dragon's head began to fill with gas and exploded in a heap as Raina jumped for cover, landing safely in the arms of Madmartigan and Airk.
"Wow," Madmartigan said. "That was pretty good, huh?"
Airk and Raina both glared at him.
"What?" Madmartigan asked.
Suddenly, General Cayne and his soldiers arrived to the fiery scene. "What in the name of heck happened?"
Airk and Madmartigan stammered to explain the situation, but Raina came forward.
"I did this, General," she said. "I couldn't put up with Madmartigan, and I heard about the dragon and I ran away to fight him. If Airk and Madmartigan hadn't found me, I'd be dead."
"I cannot believe that you could be so foolish and stubborn, Raina. I'm sorry to say that is not worthy of being knight in Galladoorn," Cayne said. "As for you two, you're just lucky. I don't know of teenagers who fight a dragon and live to talk about it in one piece. You have definitely earned your knighthood for your bravery. Now, we should get back to Galladoorn."
As Madmartigan, Raina, and Airk arrived back at the castle, Raina sat alone in the armory as she was found by Airk and Madmartigan.
"Hey, we thought you got lost," Madmartigan said.
"I don't know if I'm mad at you or glad to see you," Raina said. "I think both."
"Still mad about losing a chance at knighthood, huh?" Madmartigan asked.
"You think?" Raina asked.
"Raina, it doesn't matter if you're a knight or not," Airk said. "You can still fight for Galladoorn because you're the best and nothing else matters."
"By the way, why did you lie?" Madmartigan said.
"Why else? You two would've lost your chance at knighthood. Better me than you," Raina said.
"Raina Heortsten, you are truly the best person –" Madmartigan said in awe.
"Don't lay it on too thick," Raina said with a smile. "That's what friends do."
A/N: How am I doing? I thank you for the recent story favorites and follows. Enjoy!