It was the fourth day Alora was being trained by Arihan. She remembers each word Arihan uttered and could count them accurately. Thus she was a bit dumbfounded hearing him command her repeatedly.
His words were always bitter but when his words became a bit harsher, she tried her best to give her all but it was just infuriating.
It was just her fourth day, was he expecting her to fight him with the sword? She couldn't even carry the wooden sword for a long time.
The images of Freya having sword fights started appearing in her mind, she tried a new strike that he hadn't taught her.
When the angle of the sword suddenly shifted and Alora thrust the sword towards him, Arihan's body reacted itself and defended against the strike but didn't control his force.
Alora grimaced when the sword slipped her hand as she fell back, "Ahh…" She regretted trying new things when she was falling back.
Reacting swiftly, Arihan instinctively held her arm before realizing his actions.
Alora wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but Arihan left her arm. She fell on her butt and grimaced in pain.
Arihan was confused if her increase in strength were merely her efforts or if there was any kind of power included. Her perfect strikes and posture were good and he hadn't taught her yet.
Ignoring that she was in pain, he asked, dropping his hand that was holding the sword, "Where did you learn that?" His apathetic voice held no kind of emotions.
Alora's face had turned red in pain. She clenched her teeth to endure more and glared at him. Did he have to leave her to fall? It unknowingly reminded her of Agost who was so gentle and careful.
In fact, before returning to the palace, the ones she had been around always took care of her like a precious gem. Although she cherished them, she also wished to be normal. However, she hadn't accepted to be trained by, 'Inhuman Hell master.' She thought.
She scoffed grumpily, "You talk too much."
Arihan: "…"
People often get annoyed because he doesn't talk. He felt like he would go crazy if this training continued for more days.
Alora glared at him. Was he thinking she wouldn't get angry?
Was he thinking she couldn't scold him for saying those words?
She gave it a quick thought and jeered, "If you don't know how to train, accept your incapability instead of spouting nonsense to me."
It should make him angry, right?
Arihan crossed his arms realizing she saw through his plan and the verbal provocation was of no use. He didn't want to go to extremes so he decided to take time and think through how to provoke her to awaken her powers.
Anyway, could somebody please tell her she wasn't looking as fierce as she was imagining her to be? Especially not when she was blinking her eyes so innocently.
Alora looked at his indifferent expression and her shoulders slacked in disappointment. Angering doesn't motivate everyone, and she was one of them. Rather it made her sad.
There was truth in his words. If something happens, she can't do anything to protect herself, she could only cry like the day she had a 'nightmare.'
Shaking off her thoughts, without showing her dejection on her face, she responded to his question as she tried to get up, "I have watched Freya and others train." She pressed her palm on the ground to get up but grimaced as her eyes filled when a sharp pain shot through her nerves.
Arihan saw her right palm was swollen and bruised, from gripping the wooden sword for a long time. He looked around and went towards a bush.
Alora blew her swollen palm as she stood up and dusted her palms. It wasn't bearable but she wasn't ready to give up. She took the sword to continue practicing when a cold voice commanded, "Drop it."
She did as said and saw him crush some leaves. She was aware of many herbal medicines but she didn't know about those leaves, "What is it?"
As usual, he didn't bother responding to the question. He tore the hem of his shirt almost freaking her out and put the leaves on it and tied it around her palm.
Alora groaned faintly at the stinging pain but she was more astonished that Arihan was taking care of her.
He was the same person who had pulled her by the collar when she had fallen and hurt her knees which were bleeding. Then he had ordered her to continue the training.
Nevertheless, her amazement shattered the second he opened his lips, "Pick the sword."
"Yes, Hell Master." Sometimes she felt like Arihan was proud to hear that he was being called 'Hell Master.'
"Show me what you have learned watching Princess Freya." His words held the authoritativeness as he went aside leaving her space.
It was easy for her to recall the practice field of the academy where everyone was training. For the rest of the day, Arihan watched her, hearing her mention the names of the strike while swinging the sword in the air.
She wasn't wrong, even once. So Arihan figured out that she knew the basics too well. She just needed to gain strength and learn to apply her skills.
—–––––
In the evening,
Alora dragged her exhausted body to the palace when Arihan strode away, leaving her behind like every day.
Sitting on the bench, she was watching the sky painted in red and orange hues by the setting sun. She indeed wanted to learn the skills that she could use to protect herself, yet she missed her previous life when she could sit and enjoy her own company amidst nature.
Even if she wanted to savor the moment now, her whole body was sore and aching. She wouldn't take a second to doze off if her head hits the pillow.
She was catching a breath when a shrill voice of a lady bored her ears, "Lady Caroline, Princess Alora is here."
Rather than angered, Alora was surprised that the ladies weren't scared to get close to her. She turned to the garden entry and saw a palace maid guiding a lady in her fifties, named Caroline towards her.
What caught Alora's attention was a slender wooden stick in Caroline's hand and the furious expression on her face, as though Alora did something forgivable.
Alora stood up wondering who they were.
Caroline stared at her hatefully and scoffed, "Look at her arrogance. We were waiting for her and she was sitting and enjoying her time."
Alora: "..."
How will she know they were waiting for her without anybody mentioning it to her?
"Look at her sickening clothes and state. A wild lady indeed" She looked at Alora disgustingly.
Alora: "..."
Her clothes were dirty, she looked unkempt due to the whole day of training. But why was Lady Caroline talking obnoxiously?
Giving Alora no time to ask or say anything, Lady Caroline ordered her maids, "Take her to bathe before I threw up. Hurry up." Caroline's words could make one feel ashamed.
Alora, who always considered herself a normal girl, never used her princess title to get anything. However, Alora found Caroline's words humiliating.
Her voice was polite, respecting the lady for her age, "Lady Caroline, conduct yourself properly." She was straightforward with her words.
How could such an experienced lady have such a venomous tongue?
Lady Caroline's eyes flared, she pointed the stick at Alora's face, shaking in anger, "How dare you say that to me? Even your mother has to give me respect, you cursed princess, I will teach you how to conduct yourself."
Then she growled at her maids, "Drag her to her chambers." Then she went towards the palace.
'Cursed?'
Alora was bewildered. She never heard about Caroline before and her behavior was truly frightening. Before Alora could react, Caroline's maids grabbed her arm forcefully and dragged her toward the palace.
"Let me go… I can walk… Let me go…" But the maids dragged her roughly, making her groan in pain.
The guards in the hallway lowered their heads without helping her.
Alora struggled to get away from the two strongholds but she was too exhausted and they were stronger than her.
Somehow when she managed to push them away, Caroline's palm came to her cheek.