The morning sun streamed through the trees as I stood before Thomas, nervously clutching the sword he had placed in my hands. It's been a week since I chose to leave the luxury of our mansion in the Capitol and it's also been 7 tortuous days since Thomas got me into training which involves making me lift weights I never experienced before.
My whole body aches for two days due to the training and I so badly want to kill Thomas because of it but thank god he's my brother. I swear, I thought my arms would snap throughout those two days.
"Are you sure about this, Thomas?" I asked hesitantly, glancing down at the long blade. "I mean, I'm not exactly built for wielding a sword, am I? Don't you think this sword training should be for another week?"
"Nonsense, Emily," Thomas said, trying to suppress a chuckle. "Size doesn't matter in the world of knights. It's all about skill and determination."
I tried to mimic his confident stance, but the weight of the sword felt unwieldy in my hands.
"Skill and determination," I repeated, trying to sound convincing.
"Exactly," Thomas said, nodding encouragingly. "Now, let's work on your grip. Remember, firm but not too tight."
I adjusted my grip on the hilt, attempting to follow his instructions. "Firm but not too tight," I repeated, but my voice came out more uncertain than I intended.
He sighed, but his smile remained intact.
"Alright, let's try something else," he said, picking up a small piece of armor. "This is for your arm. It'll protect you in battle."
I stared at the piece of armor in disbelief. "You want me to wear that?" I asked incredulously, eyeing its size compared to my petite arm.
Thomas chuckled, handing me the armor. "Trust me, it's necessary," he said. "You never know when you'll need to defend yourself. And I specifically requested this size for you which was made possible by General Helmer"
I rolled my eyes, "Thanks, I guess" Reluctantly, I slipped the armor onto my arm, struggling to adjust the straps to fit my small limb. "How does this look?"
Thomas tried to keep a straight face, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"You look... brave," he said with a hint of laughter in his voice.
I give him a glare, "Brave, huh?" I muttered, feeling anything but brave in my ill-fitting armor.
With every clumsy swing of the sword and every awkward step in the armor, he patiently encouraged and corrected me, never letting me give up. Despite my clumsiness, I could sense the genuine pride in Thomas's eyes as he continued to guide me through the training.
Sure, I may not have been the most physically imposing knight, but I was determined to prove that my size didn't define my capabilities.
As the training continued, Thomas instructed me to move according to his commands. "Step forward," he called out, and I took a cautious step, trying to mimic his confident stride.
"No, no, Emily," he said with a laugh, "not like that. You must move with purpose!"
With a determined nod, I tried again, this time exaggerating my steps and puffing out my chest in an attempt to look more assertive.
"Like this?" I asked, hoping I had gotten it right this time.
"Well, you're certainly looking assertive," he said, trying to stifle his laughter. "But maybe a little less puffing out of the chest."
I blushed, feeling a bit silly, but I couldn't help but laugh along with him. "Alright, alright, I'll try again."
As I attempted to move more gracefully this time, Thomas called out different commands, testing my agility and reflexes. "Step to the right! Now to the left! Duck!"
I tried my best to follow his commands, but I couldn't help but stumble and fumble along the way. "Duck!" he called out again, and I promptly tripped over my own feet, landing in a heap on the ground.
Thomas rushed over to me, concern etched on his face.
"Are you alright?" he asked, offering me a hand to help me up.
I took his hand and got back on my feet, brushing off the dirt from my clothes. "I'm fine," I said with a laugh, trying not to take myself too seriously. "Just a little... duck mishap."
Thomas burst into laughter once more, and I couldn't help but join in. With each awkward maneuver, I found myself growing more confident and at ease with the training.
"Alright, Emily, now let's see you run a few yards in that armor," Thomas announced.
I looked at him skeptically, eyeing the heavy armor that weighed me down. "Run? In this?" I asked incredulously.
He nodded, trying to suppress a grin. "Yes, come on, it'll be fun!"
With a deep breath, I reluctantly started running, my footsteps clumsy and awkward as I tried to move as gracefully as possible in the heavy armor. The weight of it made me feel like I was trudging through mud, and I couldn't help but giggle at the ridiculous sight I must have presented.
"Come on, Emily, you can do it!" Thomas called out, cheering me on.
I picked up the pace, trying to push through the discomfort. As I ran, I couldn't help but feel like a clunky knight in a storybook.
My laughter echoed through the forest, and I could hear Thomas chuckling behind me. "You're doing great!" he called out.
I stumbled and nearly lost my balance, but I managed to stay on my feet, my laughter mingling with the rustling of the leaves around me.
When I finally reached the end of the few yards, I collapsed on the ground, breathless and laughing uncontrollably.
"I think I need to work on my Knightley running skills," I managed to say between giggles.
Thomas joined me on the ground, "You absolutely need to" he said, laughing.