Midnights POV
Three years have passed and I am ten years old but I look like I am seventeen.
I looked like a seven year old child when I went to sleep and one morning I woke up and bam! At eight years old, I looked like I was fifteen.
It's not much of a surprise because the children grow at an exponential rate here.
We're considered adults at ten because we look like it.
Within these three years; I've devoted myself to intense sword training, self defense, and learning how to harness my flames and magic.
I've come a long way since that night in the maze and instead of letting that shit cripple me, I allowed it to fuel my goal.
Never again will I fall prey to something like that.
That day, I learned some valuable lessons.
One: Nobody will save me but myself.
Two: Anybody can be an enemy.
Three: Don't trust no one.
I swing my sword down and stop it just centimeters away from his neck causing him to still.
"And four: Kill or be killed." I say finishing my inner monologue out loud monotonously.
The lanky boy lets out a nervous chuckle and raises his arms in surrender, his sword clattering to the ground. Altho he looks lanky, he's very strong and skilled with the sword.
"You got me!" he says with a smile.
"Lady Midnight, you've come such a long way. I remember whenever you first started training with me, you could barely hold the sword; yet so much determination burned in your eyes. Honestly, I don't think there's anything else I can teach you." He reminisces as he gets up and dusts himself off while I have the sword at his neck still.
I don't say anything.
Over the course of these three years, I did my best not to develop any form of attachment to the help ever again.
I refuse to learn any names or have any feelings.
I swore it was the last time after Ari was released from being my protector.
He cleared his throat and returns his sword to its holster.
"Return your sword to its sheath. Our lesson is done for today." He bluntly states.
I return my sword to the sheath, nod my head in appreciation, and walk away.
My sword trainer is used to my behavior by now, so he doesn't say anything or try to call me back.
Whenever he first started, he was super bubbly in his armor, bouncing on his heels and wanting us to have a friendship. I remember when he shot his hand out wanting to shake my hand and I remember how I flinched away. I was still exuding the looks of a child while he looked like a young adult.
His dad's eyes locked on me and I remember the confusion that etched his features and how heat flooded my cheeks in embarrassment. But I was thankful to him for smoothing his features out and acting like nothing happened. The son however, awkwardly chuckled as he pulled his hand away and wiped it down his chest while I stared ahead with blank eyes.
My father had introduced me to him and his father a half month after Shadow and Ari brought me back from the shadow realm. I learned so much there and I still am but I tell no one about it.
Both the father and his son train me vigorously. I'm thankful that the boys father stays professional and doesn't do anything I'm uncomfortable with. He pushes me to my limits and further; always pushing and encouraging me. I love when my body starts burning and the exhilaration I get when swinging a sword.
As for all the original staff; including the maids, the servants, the cooks, the maze spiders, and anyone else who was in the family of that man, were all executed by my hand and I took absolute joy in every moment of it.
Naturally, my mother and father were horrified when they found me in my faerie form drenched in blood laughing all cynical.
Romeo, however, didn't even bat an eye to why I did it. We just looked at each other and had an understanding.
I later told him when he stopped by my room that I had a mental breakdown when one of them touched me and next thing I knew I left behind a massacre.
He told me that no one has the right to touch me without my permission and they deserved what they got.
Later, I heard my parents talking after the massacre I did; they said I was like a completely different person and my father was concerned.
Truth be told, I am different.
I don't ever want to be that weak little bitch again. I don't ever want to be helpless.
I don't ever want to feel unwanted physical contact again.
Just the thought of it, churns my stomach.
Coming out of my thoughts, I let a scoff fall from my lips as I watched my father pass by me on my way back inside.
My stare hardens and I look away, lifting my chin just a smidgen and quicken my pace away from him and that other guy; the guy with the white hair and blue crescent moon on his forehead that he tries to hide behind his shaggy hair.
My dad got some heartthrob who he thought can just swoon me and make me forget about Ari.
All he's good for is teaching me how to use the sword.
His dad on the other hand, he's been training me in hand to hand combat and self defense.
Now his training, his training I desire.
I smile softly at the thought of his dad.
He's a handsome man with long white hair and grey eyes; half his hair is up in a bun. There are the occasional few strands of his hair that has been braided in the bun with a few gold cuffs adorning the braids. Pair it with his training gear and he's to die for.
On my way up the stairs from the courtyard, Romeo stepped away from one of the pillars and reached his hand out to me when I was at the last couple of steps. I blushed a bit and graciously accepted his hand.
"How was your day Midnight? Did your training go well?" He smoothly conversates as we walk to my next training session with the boys father.
Every day without fail, Romeo follows me around and protects me from everything and everyone. After he found out what happened to me that day so long ago, he's been by my side nonstop. But one day I yelled and screamed at him about feeling too caged by him and that I needed space. He seemed baffled and tried to get me to understand why he was acting like a helicopter but I started blasting him with white balls of my magic and physically hitting him. He kept pushing until I broke down crying and then I ran to my parents; my dad kindly told him to fuck off and give me some damn space.
A couple days later I started bleeding and my mom had a lovely talk with me about how I'm finally a woman and that this will happen every month now. And let me tell you, I had the most space ever. The moment Romeo smelled me, it was like he couldn't get away from me fast enough and it was hilarious. I have official guards trail me now when I'm on my monthly just to spare my poor vampire mate and his sensitive wittle nose.
I chuckle and he side eyes me with a smirk.
"What is it?" He asks with a devilish grin.
"Oh nothing." I say with a playful tone. "My day is going ok. The sword boy said that he doesn't think there's anything more that he can teach me. I've finally got him on the ground with a sword to his neck. It was a nice victory."
He snorts at that and before I can walk further, he gently grabs my wrist and I stop walking and look at him.
"What is-" I start but gasp out when he pulls me to him.
My face squishes into his chest and he strokes my head running his fingers down the length of my hair.
"I'm so proud of you baby. You've come such a long way." He gently whispers at my ear.
I shiver and snake my arms around his waist and hold on tightly and allow myself to be vulnerable with him. It's not everyday that he's tender towards me.
He deeply inhales and a small growl falls from his lips; he abruptly pulls away.
I whine in protest but compose myself all the same.
"Let's get you to your next training lesson." He says with that devilish smile, his eyes glowing that fire orange that I used to find creepy but now I'm kind of attracted to.
He grins widely at me knowing the effect that he has over me now that I'm technically an adult.
Flustered, I comply and continue on walking with a hmph; he chuckles.