The Princess Who Went to War

Chapter 24 - The Spar

[Calysta]

"Over the cliffs?" Ser Remnand asks as he looks at the map. We all look down as well, looking at the cliffs to our east, looking over the ocean. 

"That's what he said." Ser Rem replies, shrugging. 

"We'll need to scope out the area first. A small but capable team." I tell them. 

"And you and I, definitely." Kalah says. I nod in agreement. 

"Ser Rem and Ser Elwood shall join you. As well as two of the most skilled members of their team, along with one tracker." Ser Remnand says. We nod. 

Gwen joining us is already a given, as this is a rule Ser Remnand has promised the King that he'll always follow. Where I go, Gwen does too. 

"You should head out tomorrow. For now, train and be ready." Ser Remnand tells us. He dismisses us, and we head out. 

Once out of the Command Room, Kalah looks at me for a second, as if hesitating, before finally talking.

"The giant seemed different, didn't he? At his last moments." She tells me. I nod, agreeing. 

"I thought I was the only one who noticed." I reply. She shakes her head. 

"I have a sense of what his magic might be, but I can't tell until I'm sure." Kalah says as she bites her lower lips, as if thinking hard. 

"And, up!" A man shouts from the dungeons, catching our attention. We find them hauling the dead giant back onto the wagon. 

Kalah and I stare at the giant for a while, thinking of what had took place earlier. 

"We should get ready for any possible scenario." I say, out loud. Kalah turns to me and nods.

"We'll be heading to the training grounds after lunch, Caly. You should join us." Randall suddenly says, looking at Gwen, Kalah and I. 

I think about it, and how awkward it may become if Gabriel is there. I look at him from the corner of my eye, and he doesn't say anything.

"We'll join you." Gwen suddenly says, confirming for me. 

"Great. We'll see you then. Ser Remnand sent us on a small mission nearby." Randall tells us. And so, we say goodbye as their team heads to the armory to get ready. 

Meanwhile, Gwen and I head back to the quarters as I write a letter to my Father and Atticus, informing them of our discovery. Surely, Ser Remnand will be writing to them, but I am sure that they'll also want to hear from me.

I also take the time to write to Lilianna, telling her nothing about the Sorcerer and only writing about the great things and asking her how she is and how her days are going by without me. 

Gwen is sitting on her bed, waiting for me to finish when she suddenly starts talking. 

"Are you and Gabriel..." Gwen asks as I start clearing up my stationery. 

"Gwen..." I say her name in a warning tone, not wanting to talk about it. 

"You'll have to tell me what happened, Caly. So I know how to help." She tells me.

"I don't need your help for this one." I reply as I turn to her, looking her in the eyes. She leans back on the wall at my response. 

"You have both been awkward and weird and looking like children that got into a fight and refuses to talk to each other!" She tells me. 

"We didn't get into a fight." I reply. We really didn't. It just became awkward after my obvious lie. 

"Then why are you not talking?" She asks, sounding defeated, "When you look at each other it's like the other's going to melt by how fast you look away." She adds. 

I don't respond to this, knowing as how it's true. We look at each other these days as if the other would crumble if we looked too long.

"It really does not matter." I tell her as I stand, heading for the door. 

"Are we getting lunch?" She asks. 

"I'm going straight to the training grounds. You can have lunch." I tell her as I immediately get out of the door, not giving her a chance to answer. She'll only insist to come with me, and I'll only insist that I'll be totally fine surrounded by soldiers and knights within our walls.

As I walk through the hallways, people I pass by briefly bow at the sight of me. I only nod, acknowledging them as I continue to walk. 

Just as I had told Gwen, I go straight to the training grounds, finding a few soldiers and knights training. 

A pair of soldiers sparring right in front on me had just finished, with the tall, blonde one winning over the other. I approach them, and as I do, they immediately bow. 

"I'd like to challenge you to spar." I tell the the soldier who had won. They both look at me in shock, looking unsure of how to answer.

I smile warmly, knowing fully what could be running through their minds at the moment. It is usually the fear of sparring and potentially hurting a Princess. But, I'm sure they've seen me fight before. If they have, they should know I'm not one to easily defeat. 

"You do not have to worry. I had sparred with other soldiers in the past." I assure them. 

"I am honored, Your Highness." The blonde soldier says as he bows, accepting my challenge. I smile and take a few steps back.

"No magic." I assure him before we officially start and I unsheathe Talassia. 

I am unsure as to how long I've been on the training grounds, but I've sparred with seven men, six of which are soldiers and the other a knight I've never met before. I've defeated all seven. 

"Who's next?" I ask, panting as I help the eighth man I've defeated up after he fell on the ground with Talassia pointed to his chest. 

"May I have this honor?" I look, immediately recognizing the voice. I find Gabriel standing there, Gwen and the rest of his team at his back. 

I look around to find the soldiers and squires watching murmuring at the invitation. I look at Gwen behind him, gesturing for me to accept. 

I turn my gaze back to him, knowing how it would look if I declined. I had been challenging everyone for the past hour or so, and have asked for a next opponent. Refusing now would only stir rumors.

"Let's get on with it, then." I reply, motioning for him to approach. He walks in front of me, slowly, as if contemplating. 

"No magic, I promise." I joke, making the crowd laugh.

"I'd be okay with it." He answers, slowly unsheathing his own sword out of its scabbard. I scoff at this remark, remembering how cocky he was the moment I met him. 

"You'd regret it." I warn him, gripping Talassia in my right hand. 

He goes into the defensive as I immediately attack, not giving him any time to get ready. I run towards him, Talassia in hand as I attempt to swing my sword at him. He uses his own sword to block, and I smile, knowing that he's falling for the same move Randall fell for. 

Instead of swinging my sword, I run past him, about to kick him on his side. My foot touches his side, but I am caught by surprise when he holds me by my ankle, and pull me towards him, causing me to fall. 

I brace myself making sure I get to stand the moment I fall. I quickly fall flat on the ground and he gets ready to strike, but I immediately roll over to my side and stand. 

He stares at me, looking bored. I scoff at this as I once again get into the offensive and attack. 

I run towards him, Talassia still in hand, and figure that he's the type best fought head on. He quickly blocks my sword, and strikes back. I am caught by surprise at the strength by which he is attacking me, as I struggle to keep myself upright as I block with Talassia. 

Just as I strike back, he uses the opportunity to meet my sword with his instead of blocking. This sends Talassia flying into the air. I look at him, realizing the danger that I'm in now that I am without my weapon. 

I need to either get Talassia back or disarm him to make us even. 

"I told you. You can use magic." He tells me, referring to how I can easily retrieve Talassia right now if I summoned the wind. 

Insulted, I attack once again. This takes him by surprise as he takes a while before he reacts. Gabriel swings his sword right at me, as I bend, avoiding it, watching as the blade swings right above my face. 

Using my lower body strength, I swing myself upwards, as I wrap my legs around his neck. I use my weight to bring him down, and we fall right down, with me sitting right on his chest. I use this chance to extend my leg and kick his sword out of his hand. 

I reach for my dagger, when he easily overpowers me and shifts our position. This time, I am right under him and he is pinning me to the ground. 

"Not so fast." He says as he pants. I smile, knowing I'm getting to him. 

He stares at me, and I use this opportunity to swing my knee to his stomach. He takes the impact as he groans and I use this weak moment to once again shift our positions as I successfully take my dagger out and point it directly at his throat. 

I smile as I pant, staring at him, knowing I've won. 

"I can defeat you. Even without magic." I tell him, proud. He smiles back at me as he stares at my side. 

I look down to find him holding up his own dagger to my side, in between my ribs, right where my lungs would be if he stabs me right now. 

I stare back at him as he looks at me straight in the eyes, still panting. I feel annoyed at how he has managed to make this spar a tie. 

We both look up when a sword knocks his dagger off of his hand to find Gwen standing over us. 

"The amount of time you have your dagger pointed at such a vital spot is making me nervous." She tells him as she reaches her hand out to me. I reach it as I get off of Gabriel. She is, after all, still a Royal Guard. 

I look around when the crowd around us cheers as I sheathe my dagger back into my sword belt and summon the wind to pick up Talassia and get it back into my hand. I also place Talassia back into its scabbard. 

I look back down at Gabriel as he sits up, panting as he reaches for his dagger and put it back into his sword belt. I extend my hand down to him. He looks at it, before looking up at me, and taking it to get back up. 

"Are you talking to me again now?" He asks as he stands. I scoff at this. 

"You're the one who's been acting weird." I tell him. 

"You're both acting weird." Gwen interjects as she looks at Gabriel and I, making a face. 

Gabriel walks towards his sword, picks it up and puts it back into its scabbard.

"That was a great spar. Ended sooner that I expected..., but great." Randall comments as he joins us. 

"Still, Caly lasted longer in spar with Gabriel than any of us ever did." Ulysses comments. Gwen scoffs.

"He can't be that good." She comments. Ulysses and Randall turns to her at the same time as they raise their eyebrows, looking like they'd love to see her challenge Gabriel.

"I'd love to see you spar soon." I comment, looking at Gwen and Gabriel. An elite member of the Royal Guard versus the youngest to ever be knighted in the Kingdom? It would surely be a sight.

For now, we have to get ready, in preparation for our big mission tomorrow.