Wake of Devastation, Lost in Desperation

My arms were snaked securely around him as the horse kept galloping away after the horse ahead of us. Sayer and Michael occupied the first horse in front of our horse. It's obvious that they are both leading the way to King Ronald's kingdom. Sayer seems to know the way while Michael looks at her in confirmation every few seconds.

King Nicholas warned us about all the pawns that are located in the regions and I don't even know if I should trust him. Sayer explained everything to us and my faith in his possible mind tricks are very low. He's trying to mess with our heads and catch us off guard. With a brilliant mind like mine, none of that would be happening anytime soon.

I turn my head to the side, grinning at Flora and Bradley. Her arms were around his waist and it seems as if their bodies fit together like a perfect jigsaw puzzle. A smile was permanently on my former maid's face and I don't think it's going to change anytime soon.

Bradley looked to be concentrating on the paths we were taking but he would look back once in a while to sneak a glance at his beloved heroine. The sight was magical yet sends an unwanted feeling down my stomach.

Michael was leading our whole pack with his horse and while concentrating on navigating, he would turn his head around to shoot Sayer some kind of smile. She would return his look with a loving confirmation and his head would turn forward. 

I look ahead of me to see the back of Chester's head. He didn't even turn back once to look at me. I didn't even meet his eyes for the past four hours we've been traveling. And that's really starting to worry me.

I've made the decision to marry Alexi because I thought that was the only option. Alexi is very handsome and he look to have good intensions, something that his father lacked but I just couldn't imagine giving my heart away to anyone but him, the man who is now facing his back to me.

When he stormed into the chapel with Sayer and Michael, I knew everything would fall into place. Chester was my knight in shining armor who pulled me out of the unwanted marriage. I was flattered and unbelievably, I had my princess moment. Someone like me wasn't supposed to get swept off my feet by some knight, but yet I did. All the abnormality I've put up with for him, he's turning his back on me. Not even one glance. 

I feel abandoned and betrayed. 

"Stop right there!" the horses suddenly halted, nearly throwing me off its back. Chester didn't even turn back to help me regain my balance. I, as a valiant princess, reattained the balance myself. Without him.

In front of us stood a tall man. He looked to be several heads taller than myself, his messy dark hair barely covered his eyes, the blue eyes glowed icily, silver armor looked to protect his body fairly, and a red cape hung from his neck all the way through his whole back and legs. And his skin was very pale, accompanied by a stony face. This man looked really royal yet intimidating. Someone like him would die to prove that they're stronger than other people. Someone like him will do anything to fight for power. Someone like him will not go along with anyone's demands unless he benefit from it. Someone like him reminds me of myself.

We all got off our horses and surrounded the man in a unkempt circle. With our amount of people, any man would be frightened and give up. Just as I expected, the man was more than that. Bad intensions filled his whole figure and I have a feeling that all hell will break loose. He was a man that no one would ever want to mess with. Just like me.

"Master Rodrigo?" Sayer murmured. She examined him carefully after her identification.

"Master Ro-- what?" Michael cocked his eyebrows, staring at his lover in pure confusion. He looked to be very confused and seriously, so am I.

"He--he is my..."

"Sayer was my pupil for the art of sword fighting before our kingdom got terrorized by Zratil les" the man, Master Rodrigo, explained. His voice was very deep and very soft at the same time. He was like ice. The way he brought chills to the atmosphere. The way his voice sounded was cold. His skin is like icicles. He's starting to frighten me.

And he was Sayer's teacher? This has got to be the sickest thing I've ever heard my entire life.

My eyes landed on her and I can see her knuckles turning white, clenched in an angry fist. Her brown hair covered her face as she stared down at the grassy floor. She was planning an attack and by the look on Rodrigo's face, he knew that too. It's like he predicted her moves. 

What's the point of fighting your own instructor? They were the ones that taught you everything you know and when you put them to the test, they know what trick you will pull. But then again, Rodrigo hasn't been training Sayer for all her life. She's been properly trained in Nove Hrady so let's just hope this all ends up well. Plus, she's got us on her side. What can we possibly lose? 

Everyone looked to be just as shocked as I am at the understanding. Their faces were frozen in place as they stared at Sayer wide eyed.

"He's a pawn" I mumbled to Michael. 

The vampire-elf prince nodded as if he already came to the realization.

"We will fight" I continued.

"Yes, I want to fight and destroy you all!" Rodrigo, sounding as if he's heard us, drew out his pair of daggers from his belt, pointing the first one at me.

"Eurydice, the beautiful, risqué, feisty princess. I've heard a lot about you" he let out a cackled laugh, taking a few steps towards me.

"Oh yeah, Rodrigo, master Rodrigo. You looked to be experienced, fearless, and promising. But unfortunately, I haven't heard anything about you. So sad to learn about your unpopularity" I mock frowned at the ice-like man with tints of sarcasm hanging in my words. 

"King Jakobi cherished you dearly. He saw potential in you, he believe you have the drive to carry power" Rodrigo continued.

I yawned. "Are you done? Your speech is getting really boring" 

"Do you really want to die that fast?" he asked, smirking with absolute pride. 

"What makes you think I'd lose against you?" 

"What makes you think I won't?"

Sayer attempted to stab her master from the back only to be blocked by his own. My eyes went wide at the scene before me. 

One second he was facing me with a smug grin on his face and the next, he was clashing daggers with my sister. How can someone be so skillful with speed?

"I'm fighting him one on one. Nobody interfere" Sayer growled in warning before ducking a vertical attack from her instructor. 

He slashed at her diagonally and unfortunately, she was too slow to defend herself. A small cut ran across her upper right arm and a hiss came out of her mouth. 

From the corner of my eyes, I see Michael tense up beside me. But my eyes are still focused on every single move of the fighters. One of them will end up dead and I sure hope it's not Sayer.

Sayer cut across him horizontally but he used his own dagger to clash into her red colored dagger. When did she even get a red dagger? I'm thinking she supplied herself at Nicholas' kingdom.

She then lounged forward at her master and he dodged before performing the same act, as if mocking her movements. The two carried themselves during a battle the same way. Their movements are equally swift and watching them fight, it's so easy to determine that they've been associated in the past.

The two seem to be mocking each other's movements while they fought. Their daggers swung in the same pattern of motions. Of course, I've been used to watching Sayer's battle techniques but watching someone else practically replicating them was different. It was something that I needed to get used to.

Sayer leaped to the side to dodge an attack and she swung as she turned back around. Rodrigo performed the same movement, leaping to the right side. I was a bit surprised to see no disadvantage in Sayer. Usually fighting with your own instructor, you would find it a big disadvantage. You would be handed out the lower hand of the battle. But for Sayer, it didn't happen. She still soared through her body structure and movements. Her speed matched Rodrigo's and I don't think she'd die as easy as everyone else originally thought.

I just hope that she will summon up the skills that the knights at Nove Hrady taught her and use that as a little key to victory. She can do this, I believe in her.

He leaped at her, catching her off guard. They both fell into a tree, Sayer's back hitting against it. She grunted in pain and swung her dagger arm at the fingers gripping on her. From a distance, I see red blood oozing out. She managed to cut off his index finger and I can't say I'm not impressed.

Angered by the loss of a finger, Rodrigo attempted to stick his dagger to her face. Instead, she moved her head in time and the dagger was now stuck in the tree trunk.

As a Nove Hrady instinct, she used it as an advantage. She found her way out of his grip and turned behind him, flinging the dagger to his back. A loud, painful cry echoed through the deepness of the forest before Rodrigo, the intimidating man who looked to resemble myself, fell on the grass, dead. 

The group all cheered for my victorious sister except me. I don't know what was going on in my head but I was just taken aback at the dead figure. Rodrigo was just like me. We are motivated by the same drive and we both are determined to get what we want. Would I end up dead like him?

Would I lose to my own pupil one day? How will I even take defeat? I'd rather die than claim myself a loser so I guess it would be good if someone killed me after a immediate loss. 

Why are these thoughts even in my head? Why are unusual thoughts popping in my head all of a sudden?

"Eurydice!" Sayer called out, bringing my attention back to her. Meredith was treating her battle wounds and everyone else surrounded her, proud of the accomplishment of winning against the man who trained her.

"So we killed a pawn!" Sayer exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Horray!" I mumbled, trying to show enthusiasm. But there's something tugging at my insides that refused to let me be happy.

Something is not right and out of place.