Eiden was slowly walking down a marble-paved road. From all sides he was surrounded by large trees, some were there just to show the status and power of their owners such as oak, maple, ash, and redwood trees, and also those that bore delicious fruit like cheery, peach, apple, and pear trees. On the right and on the left side he could spot large meadows that the trees surrounded and in the middle of the right one was a lake with a waterfall on the left side there was a single 100-year-old oak tree the size of 200 feet and with a trunk diameter of 10 feet. Below the tree, there was a familiar face sitting in a meditative position.
Oh, Alice, I wonder what she is doing, thought Eiden while moving closer to the girl. With mischief in his voice, he said: Who could have thought that instead of training this early in the day like all the good noble children, the daughter of Henry Blackwell would be lazing around getting herself a tan? Alice didn't appreciate her brother's snarky quip one bit and without opening her eyes and through her clenched teeth she said: ''I really don't have time for your humorless jokes Eiden and if you must know I am meditating on a new fire rune I want to inscribe in the near future. And on the subject of lazing around, why is there a particular someone going about a stroll through the garden instead of attending his studies?
Eiden feigned innocence: ''Ahem, well I have just gotten better from being deathly sick and you are so cruel as to expect me to start training right away without a minute's rest. Aren't even our new daily beating lessons enough for you?''
A slight small could be seen on the girl's beautiful face. ''Right, how silly of me to think you were all better, you should really just go rest and forget about all those brave words of yours about how in one week you will be mopping the floor with me.''
Eiden clicked his tongue and mumbled: ''touche dear sister, either way, I'm not wasting time either, I'm going sparing with the guards.
Alice raised her eyebrow, ''What did you just say?
''I said.....'''I know what you said and I'm glad you finally found your motivation to train but you should start with small steps. The guards might not be mages but they are still above average when it comes to skill and you....well you are to put it kindly, weak as a feather.
Alice opened her eyes and stood up and went closer to her brother. ''Look I'm going to help you train, but you need to be patient, no need in getting hurt and then be unable to train for days or even weeks.
Eiden watched his sister's eyes and all he could see was that they were filled with honesty and sisterly love. He sighed, her words would ring true if instead of him, the real Eaiden would be standing in front of her. He really didn't put any thought into training his body or his fighting skills during his lifetime and instead of that focused his efforts on researching the history and different customs of the world. His life goals were to travel the world in search of ancient texts and meeting new cultures and different ways of living. In another word, he was a man of letters while his sister was a woman of sword and fire. ''Look Alice, I'm not going to war, I'm just gonna go play with the men we pay and who are probably even too afraid to give me a papercut.
''All right but if any of them hurts even a single hair on your head, they will be dead before sunrise.''
''I'll leave you now to your training Alice.'' Said Eiden before going on his way.
''By the way, did you talk with mother? Yelled Alice after him.
'' Later, I don't have time right now.''