Teis And The Challenge.
1078 Words
Teis knew she was shoving a challenge onto his face. He didn’t know if he should do it. She’s a princess and wielding a sword against a princess could be an immediate punishment. ‘But, your highness…,’ he spoke, ‘… you are a royalty and I -’
‘And precisely why you should follow my command, I am royalty.’ She grabbed the mace and charged towards Teis, ‘… you either fight or you die, soldier.’ she said.
Teis froze, his eyes wide. Suddenly, without thinking, without moving, the mace clashed against Teis’s sword. He didn’t realize how and when he pulled the sword and raised it against him to defend the blow. It was a surprisingly stronger blow than the last one.
Sanlysia pulled away and swung the mace again, this time it was a lower body blow. Teis managed to dodge it off by jumping up. ‘… your highness…’ he grunted while clashing the sword against the other hit, ‘… please stop before someone comes.’
Sanlysia laughed and pushed the mace against Teis’s sword. ‘Are you afraid?’ She pushed him a few paces behind.
Teis tried to keep his feet firm on the ground, but he failed. He got dragged along the floor by Sanlysia’s blow.
She’s considerably strong for her size. Teis thought.
Teis jumped and footed his one leg against a pillar and pushed himself forward. Princess Sanlysia fell on the ground. His face was horrified, ‘… you alright, your highness?’ he asked.
Sanlysia tilted her head. Her smirk intact, she pushed herself up against her mace. ‘See, that’s why I hate the mace. It’s too heavy for anybody. It disrupts the balance.’ She complained.
Before Teis could fathom, again, the princess swung the mace so quick and deft he couldn’t do anything until the mace was right against his chest. Immediately, Teis knelt and missed the blow. Sanlysia kneed Teis on the nose, and he was flat on his back. Sanlysia struck the mace right between Teis in the gap between the knees and folded her hand around the handle, grinning wide at Teis.
‘You are so slow,’ she said, breathing heavily.
‘And you are surprisingly strong and quick with the mace, your highness,’ Teis was dabbing on his nose.
Sanlysia pulled the mace away and asked, ‘got hit too hard?’ she was amused.
‘Not that hard, your highness…,’ Teis said struggling back to his feet.
She went back to the shelf to out the mace back. ‘You should be glad I was not using my swords,’ she said absently while picking up a bow and an arrow.
Teis was indeed glad. ‘Yes, your highness, no doubt I would be into the ground by now.’ He shivered at that thought.
Sanlysia took the bow and pulled its string to check it. She carefully looked at it bring it close and away from her eyes. She ran her hand through it and stretched it. ‘Ah, nice one,’ she said.
She grabbed an arrow and knocked it on the arrow. She drew the arrow and aimed it at Teis, ‘don’t move,’ she said.
Teis surprised and afraid. ‘What, again?’ she howled.
‘Stop whining like a little girl just stay still,’ The princess spoke, ‘… the possibility of your not getting shot is higher if you stay still.’
Teis throat went dry. What is the possibility if I stay still? He thought.
Sanlysia’s lips curled into an impish smile, ‘…pray to your gods, young soldier,’ she said and she set the arrow loose, ‘…maybe you will be safe.’
Teis squeezed his eyes shut. He heard the sound of arrow hitting an aiming board and his relief was back. He turned around to find the aiming board was right behind him only a few inches left. He didn’t see the arrow but he was sure that the arrow went just above his shoulder very closely by his cheek. He admired princess’s archery.
‘That was impressive, your highness,’ he said.
‘I love archery, but I find battling in the proximity,’ she said putting the bow back to its place.
She sat at a bench near the shelf where there were spears, legs crossed, her tunic sliding an inch or two above her thighs where the marks of the straps where she tucked her daggers was still fresh and visible through the distance where Teis stood.
‘Fetch the arrow back,’ she ordered.
Teis quickly looked away from the strap marks, ‘yes, your highness,’ he said.
He pulled the arrow away from the board, it was hit deep. A nice shot with accurate force, enough to penetrate deep. Teis learned that princess is an excellent archer.
He slowly walked towards the princess his heart beating as he took every step closer to her. As he reached her he knelt and bowed extending his hands out holding the arrow just a few paces away from her.
Sanlysia confused, raised her brows and creased her nose. ‘…what are you doin?’ she wondered.
Teis looked up not sure if he had done something wrong. ‘Well, your highness, we are not supposed to look down on the royalty, as you are sitting on the bench and I was up standing. I might’ve looked down on you accidently while -’
‘ - oh shut up…,’ she sounded annoyed, ‘… horse dung formality talks are all that it is…,’ she spoke flipping her hair. ‘Just put the arrow where it belongs.’ she said and stood up. She noticed Teis still on his knees bowed, ‘rise, you dimwit.’ she said.
Teis rose to his feet while Sanlysia walked past him. She was slowly one by one putting her daggers and swords back on her. Fastening them and strapping them she said, ‘… if you come across somebody who use swords and daggers. Always maintain a distance, at least enough distance that you won’t get stabbed deep.’ She said.
Teis nodded. ‘Will keep that in mind, your highness.’ he said.
While the princess fastened her last dagger aorund her calf she said, ‘… you know I admire archers from the bottom of my heart. I also admire a swordsman…,’ she tilted her head, ‘… especially a swords-woman. But I wouln’t trust them entirely.But archers I would. I think they are empathetic and very analytic.’ she said.
- Writer
