My arms heaved as I crossed the knives above my head, catching the sword just before it could cut me in two. Pushing back, I thrusted myself away from my opponent.

"You won't get very far if you keep prancing around like that, sweetheart," Crenshaw cooed at me from across the ring, crooked teeth revealing themselves in a grin.

"You won't get very far if you keep lumbering around like a giant idiot with a stick," I sneered back. The audience around us roared with laughter, mixing in with the cacophony of the pouring rain that drenched us.

I could almost taste the anger rising up in Crenshaw as he yelled profanely, charging at me for another assault.

This is too easy.

My legs lunged forward before I could entertain another thought. I dipped just under the sword that swung for my head, jabbing the leather-coated stomach with the hilt of my dagger as I slid through the mud. The tall man wretched forward allowing me access to swing my leg into the backs of his now vulnerable knees. I watched as he stumbled to the ground, dragging his pride through the earth as well.

The Kings Guard roared around us, whistling and cheering. Of course, as the only female member of the Silent Ops, they loved to watch me take down large opponents.

I stood and made my way around Crenshaw, who lay heaving in the mud. "Oh don't feel too sorry for yourself. You actually lasted a solid 45 seconds unlike our last little training session."

I threw the daggers into the ground just a few inches from his fallen form. Crenshaw lifted his head. "Ugly bitch," he spat, wiping his muddy face.

My breath hitched only for a split second before I breathed it out in a small laugh, not letting the repetitive, familiar insult get to me again. I was not weak anymore.

Turning on my heel I faced the rest of the Guard. "Would anyone else like a go? I'm buying drinks for any man who can stand a fight longer than this buffoon."

Most of the guards shouted, wanting to step into the arena to test their own strength. Then, an unanticipated voice chimed in from behind that silenced the rest.

"If it's not too much to bother, I would like to test my skill against the champion."

I turned to see a man's figure emerge from the crowd, his soft blonde curls clinging to his rain-soaked face as he approached. I stood frozen as my eyes raked from his boots to his earthy gold embroidered tunic, until I met the gaze of two eyes that shone like emeralds under a firm brow.

I quickly dropped to a knee as the Crown Prince of Harlan approached the center of the arena.

"Prince Ryken! Your presence is unexpected!" I scrambled for words, my free eye fixed on the muddy earth in front of me.

"My apologies," his boots stopped in front of me, "I for once wanted to engage myself in all the excitement that my Guards seem to always have in training. Your reaction, however, suggests I might've just killed the fun."

I felt a strange heat rush to my cheeks, though I was still looking at the ground.

"Of course not, your majesty." I raised my chin to meet the young man's face, taking in his sharp bone structure up close.

The prince smiled kindly. "That's a relief. Well then, stand up." He held out a gloved hand in front of me. I hesitated only for a moment before gripping the hand firmly and rising to my feet. The prince stood at least a foot taller than me; a height that supported the build of a seasoned warrior. I'd never seen the prince train, let alone fight. But I wasn't going to underestimate his skill.

I backed up to the outer ring of the arena, plucking my daggers from the earth where Crenshaw was no longer crouching. The whole arena was silent as Prince Ryken unsheathed his sword; his gaze locked on mine.

We stood, staring at each other through the rain for what felt like long minutes before I had enough. With a quick flex of my legs I sprung forward, twirling the dual knives in both hands as I advanced.

The Prince did not move, except to raise his sword slightly, still leaving a clear opening to his middle. I smirked, releasing one of the daggers from my grip in aim of his forehead.

The prince deftly blocked the assault with his sword, but not quick enough to block me from sliding through the mud at the last second, the same maneuver I had pulled on Crenshaw just minutes earlier. But before the hilt of my dagger could connect with the stomach of my opponent, a hard force broke the blow. The prince's iron-like grip solidified around my fist, twisting his body away simultaneously in a spit second. I was thrown into the space that he almost instantaneously vacated, meeting the cold, unwelcoming mud belly first.

I sputtered at the bits of the wet earth that flew into my mouth from the impact, pushing myself up from the ground.

The prince stood meters away from me, smiling knowingly. "You can't expect the same move to work on me when I've just witnessed it done to another opponent."

Again, heat rushed into my cheeks, probably from embarrassment. I quickly recovered and spoke carefully, "You're right, your majesty. I shouldn't go so easy on you."

The Prince's emerald eyes twinkled mischievously through the rain. The satisfaction in his gaze reminded me of a cat's when it toyed with a mouse before devouring it whole. I gathered my daggers, feeling their comfortable weight in the palms of my hands. This time when I launched, the prince mirrored my movements. We clashed at the center of the arena, blades flying between us as we parried.

He was fast. Faster than any of the other guards I've fought. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as we entered a rhythm.

Over. Under. Strike. Block.

            My long braided hair whipped through the air like a snake, following my movements. The prince's eyes gleamed in amusement. "You're pretty quick, Ailith of the Silent Ops." My chest tightened as he spoke my name between heavy breaths. "No wonder my guards achieve a thrill in challenging and inevitably losing to you."

"You're pretty quick as well, my Prince." I said through gritted teeth. His sleek sword banked for my naked neck, only to clash with a dagger and a metal arm guard shielding me from decapitation. [A better feat than any of these Guards at least," I breathed.] ß change

            Prince Ryken exhaled a small laugh, and in that fault I found an opportunity. With a quick spurt of renewed energy I twisted under his arm towards his solid frame, my heel flying towards the side of his unguarded head. The prince's arm caught my foot just before impact, just as I had anticipated.

Just as I wanted.

With his strength now divided, I felt the force of his sword falter just enough for me to shift my position and land a fist to his side. The prince doubled over backwards with my foot still in hand, pulling me down with him.

I landed on top of him with a knee to his chest and my foot pinning down his left hand; dagger to throat. His eyes were wide as he swallowed in shock at the agility I showed. I didn't think he expected to lose. His [ajar] expression made me smirk once again.

"I win, your Majesty."

The guards around us were still silent, not sure whether to cheer for the champion since it wasn't their prince. I sat above his majesty, dagger still poised millimeters from the flesh his golden skin. Then the realization came to my mind that I sat threatening the Prince's life, in front of all his Guards at that. I couldn't read the prince's changed expression.

I suddenly regretted winning. I should have let the prince win to save face. The King was never a deity I wished to cross, but now I may have to answer to him in court as to why I nearly slit his son's throat in a training spar.

Terrible thoughts crossed my mind all in a spit second, from being thrown back onto the streets of Harlan, to my own execution. I suppose the fear of it all showed on my face.

For the Prince broke out in laughter.

I blinked down at the Prince as tears gathered in his eyes, mixing in with the rain and mud. A soft chuckle began to emanate from the audience as well, mirroring their leader. "My darling, why when you've just won the match do you look like you've just encountered death itself?"

I sat frozen, unsure of how to respond. Then I remembered I still had my dagger under the Prince's chin.

Quickly and ungracefully I scrambled off of him, immediately bending over into a ninety-degree bow. I didn't know what to say or do other than to apologize furiously, so I did.

The prince propped himself up onto his elbows, laughing even harder. "My dear, do not apologize for winning this round. I do not expect any less from my fathers most esteemed warrior. If anything, I am very proud. Plus, I believe I've lasted long enough for you to owe me a drink," he smirked, winking an emerald eye.

I remembered my cockiness from earlier, how I had expected to buy a drink for no one but myself. But the prince did spar longer than Crenshaw, and I wasn't about to back out of my word. I bowed again, "Of course, your majesty. I am at your service."

The prince stood and I straightened my posture to match his. "Well then, Miss Ailith, I expect to see you tonight for that drink." His pink, full lips stretched into a smile. He stood just a few feet away from me, enough to where I could observe his features up close. Faint freckles danced across high cheekbones, mingling in with the small splatters of mud put there by our recent match. Long, doe-like lashes fanned around those gold speckled-green eyes that everyone in the kingdom adored so much. Dark brows and a sharp jaw framed his face; golden brown locks of hair falling around them in the rain.

For a moment I was captivated by the prince's presence. He was one of the most beautiful people I'd ever seen. In fact, the entire royal family of Harlan was extremely beautiful, all sharing those strange green eyes that everyone else in the country lacked and envied. Envied especially by me. I would kill even to have a pair of normal eyes. Anything instead of the monstrous mismatch I possessed. The reason I covered my shameful left eye with a cloth at all times. 

The prince spoke suddenly, jolting me out of my trance. A wave of heat rushed to my cheeks as I realized I'd been staring at him the whole time. "I will meet you in my father's garden under the willow at twilight, after I have finished my prior obligations. Is this alright, love?"

"Of course, Prince Ryken!" I blurted, almost a little too hastily.

"Good then. I will leave you to your training. Hopefully some of these half-wits can learn a thing or two from you," he gestured to the ring of men standing idly around us.

I ducked my head slightly as the prince moved toward me, not wanting to show my face to the heir of Harlan. His boots stopped in front of me and I felt a hand lift my chin up. My breath caught in my throat.

"I saw a bit of it when we were sparring, and I think It would do you good to show your smile a bit more," the Prince spoke, hushed almost, though everyone else in the ring could probably overhear.

My lips parted slightly as I searched for the proper words to say, suddenly forgetting how to speak with the prince's newfound proximity to my face. The faint scent of warm embers and citrus drifted into my consciousness.

            His hand still on my chin, I sputtered, "Yes, your Highness," forcing my lips into a tight smile.

            The prince returned to me a warm, natural one. "Beautiful." He dropped his hand, a cold chill replacing its warmth as he moved past me. I turned to watch him pass back through the guards towards the castle, a few of them following his step just as always. Everyone bowed slightly as he made his exit.

All except I, who stood in a fuzzy haze of my own, watching the prince and his men grow smaller as the distance between us grew. I didn't quite register what had just happened between me and the prince, though the burning feeling he caused to arise in my cheeks had still remained.

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Disclaimer: So this chapter does not immediately follow the Chapter 1 that I posted. However, a lot of you were requesting I post another tidbit of my story (in progress), so here it is. One with a little more characters ^ BTW, any of this material is subject to change; it is FAR from a final draft lol.

Don't be hesitant to leave comments/feedback!

- 수미 올림