"So, I heard you have a new student?"
"Yes, I have a new student. Mark, Steve, Clint, and Ethan. Follow me."
It was a normal day when Alexander decided to take some of his most trusted worriers with him. They were like brothers from different mothers to each other.
They were assigned to train newbies and prepare them. But when Alexander told them that he has a new student who can give them a good challenge only after being trained for three weeks. They could not contain their excitement and nodded their head with raised eyebrows.
It has been a long time since Alexander has trained someone. Besides, the others are the best warriors he has. They have been trained with him for years. The group is said to be loyal and undefeatable. Hearing someone equal to them seems like an unspeakable thing and they want to see to believe it.
Alexander leads them to his personal training area.
He once used to train those people who were pretty much new to the training. He can train great students but he gave it up. He used to push his students farther than they believe they can. Sure he will let you go off if you are seriously sick or something, but he trains so hard that those situations usually become ineffective unless your body can convert water into steam due to its high temperature.
It was their fault that just like a few of his co-trainees, his students were not willing enough to learn the hard way. They say it's too hard for them. That time he had superiors who didn't support him and rather stopped him from teaching them. But now, he has a student who is more than willing to learn. An ideal student.
"Is that a ..."
"maiden wearing tunics..."
"and sharpening weapons?..."
"Don't tell me..."
"ISABELLA!!!"
Everyone was shocked but they hide it behind their cold expressions. They could not believe their eyes. The sight which was in front of them made them pinch themselves.
Alexander had frequently talked about teaching girls to fight. No one expected it to come true. They all know that society usually doesn't accept it. Females never have gone in wars. That is why they never learned and neither do they ever show interest.
According to society, the females were to take care of the house and to serve the family while males were told to protect and provide for his family. Few boys were told that it is the job of a man to make sure they have resources and it is the job of females to use them properly.
He never usually cared but one event changed it all.
He has heard that the robbers attacked the travelers and women were taken away along with all the expensive items. He knows that few women were kept imprisoned and alive, but they were beaten and mistreated. If only they would've known how to fight and use weapons, they could have freed themselves.
But now, he is working on his dreams. He let his friends with their shocked expressions and went on arranging the berries on the pillars. She has learned the skills of archery and also knows the basics of how to handle other weapons.
In order to master the arts of swordsmanship, she was required to practice harder with someone other than the targets. He will train her personally if he could. But currently, she needs more assistance than he gives.
That is where his friends come. They are one of the best fighters his kingdom has. He only needs to show them what she is capable of doing.
It was an everyday routine for Isabella. Every morning the birds make her get up. Then she exercises a bit alone and after that, she sharpens the weapons and makes arrows. Her practice start after Alexander comes and arranges a new target for her. Then he lets her practice and comes again after every some time to check her development.
Today he has arrived again but with some of his friends. She could sense loyalty in their aura. They were emitting the auras which a Beta or sometimes Gama emits. Protective and loyal. But she also senses some surprise and curiosity in it. She doesn't know them but she trusts her mate. And if he had brought them, she would trust them too.
Alexander was done with placing the targets for the first round. He has placed three targets other than the one for Isabella. One of them has to replace the targets.
"Alright. Who believes she is unable to perform exactly I say?"
Alexander knew, that they were shocked. They didn't believe him but did not comment anyway.
"A maiden? Alexander, I believed you did better. I will try."
"Somewhere you may win?"
" How can I miss? Please, tell her not to cry if she loses to me. Many do."
"Nothing to fret about."
"I would like to test."
"Ethan. What do you have to say?"
"I say, you do not lie."
Ethan knows Alexander has never been confident in many people. If he said something like that, that means she does stand on their level. Besides if he has learned anything from the war, that was never to doubt your opponent. They can win anytime they want to.
"Alright then. Isabella, Mark, Steve, and Clint. Pick up the arrows and get on the position."
It was not a competition. It was a simple test. Alexander stood in a relaxing position and choose to observe. Ethan was given the responsibility of placing the berries when previous ones will be shot. While the rest boys decided to be cocky and trying to show themselves off.
No one has noticed the ring on her right finger. They wanted to have her attention on them, but unknown to them, she has attention on everyone just not her eyes.
It was an easy thing. Isabella has done it many times so she knows what she had to do. But today Alexander told her to something else. He told her to stand at their equal and shot then when a new berry will be placed for being shot, she will take few steps back then again shot.
She has to take a shot from more distance than they will. The course may be different, but she followed it without any further questioning.
Everyone was in position. Mark shot right at the center. Clint and Steve's arrow pierced at the edge. Now all the men in the room were observing her.
It was not the first time Isabella has felt eyes on her. When she was learning to hunt, her father, mother, and brothers would always observe her. They never helped her but they were with her to protect if some other creature attack.
She was habituated with the eyes. She just took a deep breath and shot the arrow she made. The arrow pierced right through the berry and got stuck on the wall along with the berry.
Everyone got the shock except two people in the room. Their mouth was wide agape and looked at her as if she was a mythological creature.
Alexander's eyes showed pride while Isabella's eyes were neutral. And eyes of rest were widely open.
After few more shots, Mark and Isabella were on equal. Mark's arrow missed a little and slide beside the target making him lost their little competition. If it would have been in a war, it would have pierced through the body anyway but he missed the berry.
Mark looked at his friend to seek some hesitation, nervousness, or any such emotion in the eyes of his friend, but he found none. He was still keeping his eyes on Isabella as if he knew something no one else does. Even Ethan was now standing beside him along with everyone.
Isabella slowly took a deep breath, placed the arrow on the bow. Stand straight and set the target. She swiftly and gracefully pulled the string and released it along with her breath. And as a result, once again everyone was astonished and shocked. The arrow again pierced right through the center.
Everyone except Alexander looked at her with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. They were frozen to their places and could not hide their expressions even if they would want to. They couldn't believe what they just witnessed but the next words of Alexander threw them into the pit from which they may never come.
"It was good. Do better next time. Go, take a bath and then come when Ethan will call for you."
Alexander decided not to wait anymore and to go back to his study to discuss further with them.
"It was good? You have to be jesting My King."
"But I am not."
"That was excellent"
"It will better."
"I still can't believe that I lost to a maiden."
"That my dear friend maybe your ignorance. Believe it, you saw it."
"Alexander, she deserves praise."
"She will get them from me the day I will watch as someone else not as a trainer. I am her trainer and I say, she will better."
All his friends looked at him with wide eyes and then their eyes turned narrow with a creased eyebrow. They have never heard their king ever giving anyone a compliment. No wonder he did not give it now.
"She has yet to learn. Now the more important part of today is that I want you all to train her and teach her other skills."
Alexander wanted her to learn the skills of swordsmanship and other weapons but she needed more practice. His friends were one of the best fighters he knows and he also knows that they are capable of training in her in their absence.
At first, they looked at him with a frown. They do not know how to train a female. Training a male was easier and not to mention being close to a female who is not family or is not going to be, is considered improper.
"She knows how to swing. You only have to show her how to. And do jousting with her instead of the target."
"What if there will be rumor and no will marry her?"
"Nothing to fret about. Her fiancee has agreed."
"Very well. We will train her."
Alexander simply leaned back in his seat and sat with a relaxed posture. He knows that he only has to supervise her now and make her lead towards perfection. With the training of his friends, it will be easier for her to learn and him to teach.