General Bren guided Alina on how to hold a sword properly and lectured her on the basic things she needs to know when it comes to sword fighting.
"No o your Highness, you are getting it wrong. You need to do it this way."
He corrected her and went to stand in front of her. He was actually surprised about her passion to become a warrior, and how the King accepted her decision.
Alina stopped her actions and stared at General Bren. " I thought I told you to skip the formality whenever you are training me. Right now, am your student and not the princess. After the lessons, you can bring in the formality."
General Bren was impressed by the twelve years old princess and he smiled.
Then continued,
"Stand in a slanted position with your knees bent. The reason for this position is to make you look like a smaller target, giving you a good advantage at the start of the fight.
"There... yeah. Now you are getting it.
"Try to think of different good moves in advance Alina, cause failure is not with the intelligent swordman.
"Place your right hand at the top end of the grip of the sword, whilst you position your left hand on knob of the sword.
"Gripping it this way will enable you to have a firm hold on the sword.
"Stand and hold your sword in the ready position. Hold your sword upright.... this way....yes!
"Now move to this side, so the blade will be even down to the ground. This will ease the movements of your sword in any way.
"Put your left food in front of your right foot, and finally I will teach you about the different angles of attack which are important in every sword fights."
Alina was excited about the lessons and training. She put her entire focus into it, and soon she was training for archery coupled with endurance and stamina exercises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You have to hit the bulls-eye!"
General Bren shouted and blew the whistle.
Alina has been trying to hit the bulls-eye for days now, but it wasn't positive to her. She was frustrated and almost cried.
"Huhhhhhhhhhh....damn you bulls-eye!!!! I swear am going to hit you so hard!"
She yelled in frustration. She was agitated and felt tired.
"Could it not be easy?" She asked her self and exhaled loudly.
General Bren shook his head and walked towards Alina.
" You can't win it by anger. Nothing good comes easy, do you know that?"
He asked her and he earned a stare from Alina.
" I feel you can hit the target, but what you lack is the push. You don't believe you can do it, do you?
" You see Alina, if you have no mind to get a certain thing, then you will never get it. It all about believing and putting your mind there."
He continued and after he was done, he stepped back.
Alina frowned deeply and turned forward. Calming her self down, she uttered,
" I guess you are right. Now, I want to get it."
She picked her bow and arrow, then she set herself.
Moving towards the target board, she ran with all her might and jumped. Then, she aimed her arrow at the bulls-eye and.......
Thump!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Six years later.
Alina woke up and smiled. She was always dreaming about the time, when she jumped and hit the bulls-eye. To her, the moment was epic, as it was her first successful hit.
She couldn't stop smiling.
Agatha came in and paused, seeing Alina's proud smile.
"What's with the smile your Highness?"
Alina cleared her throat and straighten herself.
" What? Am I smiling?"
"Yes, you are your Highness."
Agatha rolled her eyes. She already understand Alina was trying to hide her embarrassment which she was already used to since all these years.
She was literally proud of Alina. The little troublesome girl has grown into an interesting lady.
"Well, what can I say??.....Just a dream."
Alina stood up and went to open the curtains. She was kinda shy to talk about it.
Agatha coughed lightly and teased. " Is it about a guy?"
"Hehe. No Agatha. Now, spare me the questions."
She faced her head of maid and crossed her hands over her chest. She knew Agatha can be so over inquisitive sometimes, and she really wasn't going to give in this time.
"Your Highness....are you,,,,"
Agatha's coming words were cut short by Alina's command words.
"Agatha, bathe me now!"
Agatha realized she has asked too much and immediately answered Alina.
"Alright your Highness. Am sorry for bombarding you with questions."
Alina sighed and responded to her, "It okay."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming out of her room, the ginger head Princess was looking stunning as ever in her simple but elegant long A-line gown dress.
Mira followed her and they both proceeded to see the King and the Queen.
Arriving at the dinning room, Alina greeted her parents and sat down gracefully.
Ariadney smiled at her daughter and held her both hands. " Alina dear, how are you?"
"Am good Mama. What about you?"
Alina asked back.
"Am good too."
The Queen replied her gently.
She looked up at her father and teased him. " Looks like someone is not in a good mood today. Am guessing....Mama, didn't you warmed his bed yesterday night? You know, he is always happy whenever you guys do the deeeeed."
She deliberately stressed the last word and flashed the king a mocking smile.
The Queen chuckled lightly and tried to sneak a peak at her husband.
"Edgar Ivy Alina! You are crossing the line Princess, and since when did the Amazon lady start thinking about naughty stuffs???"
A chunky voice was heard, and the King inquired with a raised eye brows. His curiosity was raising, and he couldn't helped the small smile that creeped to his mouth, when Alina teased him.
"I don't know.
"Since, when you two started acting all grumpy these past few days...."
She answered back indifferently and continued eating.
She failed to see the flushed expression on the King and Queen's face.
"Alina!!!"
Her parents chorused together.
She looked up innocently and blinked at them. " What's wrong? Did I say anything wrong or what???"
She gave them a waiting look. Her parents expression was really funny, but she tried to controlled her laugh until, she couldn't take it anymore. She bursted out, showing her halo white teeth.
The King and the Queen were infected by her laugh, and the trio laughed out loudly.
Zeres held his stomach and laughed to his heart content.
" You are really something Alina."
Ariadney just shook her head and muttered, "Silly."
Alina exhaled and looked at her parents.
"Why are we laughing?
" I laughed, and you guys laughed with me without even knowing why I was laughing."
She shrugged her shoulders and put her left palm on her left cheek.
The King frowned and gazed sharply at his daughter, whilst the Queen stuttered,
" uhhh.....rrrrr....hhhh.."
The ginger head Princess chuckled at her parents, and at that moment, only one word came to her parents mind.
"Ridiculous."
~~~~~~~~~~~
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