"My Lady-"
"I told you I am staying in bed today." Siv repeats to Veda without even opening her eyes.
"But, my lady-"
"There is no but, Veda. Leave."
"I can take it from here."
"Yes, Your Grace." Veda bows and leaves the room.
"Gary? What the hell are you doing here?" Siv pulls up her covers. "Why are you in my bedroom?"
"It seems you have forgotten that you have training, princess."
"I don't feel like training today."
"I am afraid you don't have a choice."
"What do you mean?" Siv's eyes widen as Gary takes a few steps closer to her bed.
"I was asked to get you to training even if I have to carry you out of bed." He says with a smirk.
"By whom?"
"Your grandmother."
"Why does she want me to train?"
"I have stopped trying to figure out how she thinks years ago." He shrugs.
"Well, can you at least wait outside so I can change?"
"Maybe?"
"Get out!" Siv throws a pillow at him.
"Fine, I'll wait for you in the foyer." Siv crashes down on the bed after Gary disappears.
'I really don't feel like doing anything today.'
Siv sighs.
***
"Would you like to have some breakfast first?" Gary asks when Siv finally joins him at the foyer.
"I am alright, let's just get this over with."
Siv follows him to an open area by a pond.
"Are we not going to the training grounds?"
"I think it would be more appropriate to train here from now on."
"I don't have rubber to cover the tip or my rapier."
"We won't need that today." Siv eyes him for a moment.
"What do you mean?" Gary shrugs. "Umm are you telling me we are training with no safety?"
"Are you that confident that you could hurt me?"
"What if you wound me?" Siv is getting annoyed.
"I would never wound you, princess." Siv narrows her eyes.
"Fine."
"En garde." Gary calls while taking position.
'This man is crazy.'
Siv also gets in position holding her sword up, ready to defend. Gary moves so fast, she barely sees him. His blade clashes with hers giving him an opening, the edge of his sword stops less than an inch away from her chest.
"Dead." He utters.
Siv stands there, immobile for a moment.
'What just happened?'
"Again." Gary orders. He seems too different, too serious.
She takes position again, this time a bit more prepared. She squeezes the hilt, expecting the impact. But Gary steps to the side and grabs her wrist instead. She feels the cold flat of his blade against her neck.
"Dead." He says again.
"What is this?"
"What is what, princess?"
"What are you trying to do?" Siv's frustration starts to rise. "Beat the dead horse? Show me how worthless I am, how weak I am?"
"Of course not." Gary takes position again. "I want you to show me how strong you are, princess."
"You have a funny way of going about it."
"En garde, young lady." He calls seconds before charging at her. Siv manages to deflect his attack at the last moment.
'How the hell is he this strong? Has he not been using his full force while training me this whole time?'
Gary hits her hand with the flat of his sword, causing her to lose her weapon. Then he pretends to slash through her stomach without touching her.
"Dead." He takes a step back. "A very messy death." His comments are even more infuriating to Siv than losing to him. "Tell me something, princess."
"What?" Siv's impatience is apparent in her tone.
"Are you feeling better today?"
"Obviously I am not, and you know that." Siv picks up her rapier from the ground.
'Asshole.'
"What do you feel right now?" Gary asks, waiting for her to take position.
"You are making me angry, Gary."
"Me? Why? I am not the one fooling around with Saga."
"Wow, that's a low blow. Even coming from you, Your Grace."
"Isn't it the truth, though?"
"En garde." Siv yells.
Siv lunges at him with angry strikes. Gary grins, he finally got a reaction from her. One that might get her killed in a real fight, but at least she is finally attacking.
"Calm down, princess."
"Shut up." Siv continues to slam her blade against his.
"If you let your anger control you like this, you will lose every fight you engage in."
Siv barely hears him over all the thoughts racing in her head. She is lost in her feelings of anger and disappointment. Imagining Brandt with Saga makes her blood boil. They made a fool out of her and her ego was bruised. Siv lungs at Gary and in a split second, her rapier comes in contact with his arm, before blood stains his shirt.
"Shit." Siv drops her sword and hurries to Gary to check his wound. "I am so sorry, are you alright?"
"I am fine, dear, just a graze."
"See, I told you we need the rubber." Siv reproaches him while taking a look at his arm.
"Are you bragging, princess?" Siv throws him a glare.
"Of course I am not." They're both silent for a moment.
"I am sorry for pushing you."
"We need to take care of the wound." Siv ignores his apology.
"Do you still think that I was the one behind that article?"
"You are strange, did you know that?" Gary chuckles.
"I have been called worse."
"Is this a joke to you?"
"No, of course not." Siv presses her lips together, annoyed.
"Come on let's go tend to-"
"Answer my question first." Siv stares at his green eyes for a moment.
"I am not sure, I still think that it might have been you."
"Is that so?" Gary holds her gaze. "Does that mean you don't trust me?"
"Why are you asking me all these questions, right now?"
"Do you trust me?"
"I don't know." Siv yells. "I don't know what I think anymore, I don't know what I feel anymore. Why are you-"
Gary slips his right arm around her waist and pulls her to him, almost lifting her. He crashes his lips against hers, taking both Siv and himself by surprise.
'W...what?'