STALE
CLANG, CLANG!
The shrill sound of metal against metal echoed off the walls as I exchanged blows with Cedric. We each landed the occasional hit between bouts of intense defensive maneuvers, carefully calculating our every move.
“I’d expect nothing less from you, Prince…Cedric!”
I knocked Cedric’s sword aside and lunged at him. Cedric leaned away, flicked his wrist to snap his sword into the proper grip, and returned my strike.
Clank! Our blades collided. Cedric knocked me back enough to throw me off my guard. He seized the opportunity and went for a thrust. I dodged, turning my momentum into a cartwheel.
“You speak too highly of me, Prince Stale,” Cedric said, amazed. “You’re far more talented than I am.”
The Cercian prince smiled, eyes blazing. He tightened his grip on his sword, waiting for my counterattack. When I charged in as he anticipated, Cedric jumped back, evaded the thrust, and struck my sword. I pushed to keep Cedric from disarming me, and our blades were forced downward in tandem.
Cedric was off-balance thanks to the recoil, but he used the momentum of his fall to cartwheel away as I had. He landed, took to his knees, and prepared to jump up for another attack, but I lowered my sword. Cedric did the same as he rose to his feet.
“I didn’t think you’d be such a match for me,” I said. “I’m a bit disappointed in myself. I thought I was quite good with a sword.”
I smiled sadly, wiping the sweat from my brow. I’d been sparring with Cedric for an hour, but we both refused to give any ground.
“You exaggerate,” Cedric replied humbly, clutching his chest to catch his breath. “I’ve learned many things from my instructors, but I believe you’re stronger than any of them… No, you’re stronger than any soldier in our entire country, Prince Stale! Your swordsmanship resembles the knights who fought in the defensive war. I can hardly believe a member of Freesian royalty managed to reach this level!”
Apparently, Cedric had studied many things after the defensive war, two of them being swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. Despite stealing his techniques from Elder Sister and the Freesian knights, he’d already surpassed his instructors and soldiers when it came to one-on-one matches. His tutors must have given him only the basics, and my style was far more advanced—yet he still managed to absorb my techniques and test them out for himself. The longer we fought, the more skills he added to his arsenal.
“No, I’m nothing so impressive. But I see the rumors are true, Prince Cedric. It’s frightening how you can absorb absolutely any technique I throw at you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you manage to steal all my skills.”
Arthur watched from the sidelines as I slouched and Cedric broke into a grin. My friend’s jaw had been hanging open throughout the entire match. He knew my skill with a sword better than anyone. The more he watched Cedric steal my techniques in real time, the more he too must have realized just how abnormal the Cercian prince was.
“It felt like I was fighting multiple knights at once,” I added, raising my sword. “Thank you for giving me useful experience, as I don’t have many people to spar with.”
Upon seeing me ready myself, Cedric lifted his sword as well. We flowed into a light series of blows that almost resembled a normal sparring match. Clink! Clink! Even the sound of metal colliding softened into something less harsh.
“You’re the only person who’s been a good match for me too, Prince Stale. I see why Pride thinks so highly of you, and why Tiara is…”
My smile faltered when he mentioned my little sister. “What was that about Tiara?!”
He batted my sword aside as sadness welled in his eyes. He put some space between us, lightly sweeping his blade as though trying to brush aside his own feelings. “May I ask you…something discourteous?”
Clang! Our swords collided in time with the question.
Once I nodded, Cedric thanked me and schooled his expression. “How exactly do you feel about Princess Tiara, Your Highness?”
“How do I…feel?”
The answer was simple enough, but I didn’t understand Cedric’s intentions. Rather than taking a moment to tilt my head in confusion, I continued to deflect Cedric’s attacks until the prince quietly cast his eyes down to his blade.
“Princess Tiara turns sixteen today,” Cedric said. “I wanted to know if you…will still refer to her as your ‘little sister’ from here on out.”
“Excuse me?!”
My yelp hardly suited Cedric’s grave tone. I scrambled to get my thoughts in order as we exchanged blows anew, but a certain prediction crept into my head.
We were too quiet for Arthur to overhear, but the second I let my shoulders slump again, I figured he put two and two together.
“Princess Tiara…or rather, Tiara is a wonderful woman,” Cedric said. “I’m sure she’s stolen the hearts of many men, not just my own. That includes…men who may have fallen for her long before I did.”
Something in his gaze alluded to a deeper meaning he had yet to divulge. Words escaped me, and I found myself hoping Cedric would fill the silence for me. I steeled myself to hold back a laugh as the quiet stretched on.
“I’m also aware that there are others out there more suited for her than I am,” Cedric continued. “Wouldn’t you agree that if it weren’t for the issue of her remaining in Freesia, Prince Leon would be the better choice?”
For the first time, I had to acknowledge that he was correct. Problem was, Leon was Pride’s ex-fiancé. Then again, what if…?