The Path of an Elite

The kiss was deep but short, like it wasn’t meant to last. Arlet was shocked her eyes wide and round like a startled doe.

After the kiss ended, Roman released her gently, placing his hand smoothly on her cheek. She was beautiful; red face and all. Roman didn't care about the people around him, and for once in his life; he didn't look to his guardian to see if it was alright. It was just him and Arlet standing there amongst the crowd, feeling like they were the only two people in the world. He simply smiled ever so slightly before Arlet realized what was going on and she nervously looked around the field.

"Calm down Arlet, everything’s going to be okay. Remember I got you." Roman said finally feeling like he could actually speak to the alluring girl in front of him.

"But Roman, people are..."

"Yes I know. Forget them; it's only us right now." Roman grabbed her hand and started pulling her just enough to get her to follow him without tripping. He made eye contact with Ever who was giddy with happiness, but she knew what to do. Roman deflected a few pathetic attempts for conversation by both Zircon’s and students. Bell was nowhere to be seen.

He eventually made it to his destination after slipping past the guards in the front gate. They were only among the trees now on the out skirts of the school. He wanted her all to himself tonight; not that he was going to do anything but maybe kiss her again, he didn't want to be interrupted by another guy wanting to dance with her.

"Where are we?" She looked around at the faery lights hanging around the trees.

"I found this place a while back once school started, it reminded me of you." Roman gazed up at the tops of the trees where they created an opening just to see the stars above them.

"How is that...I look nothing like a tree." She joked.

"No you don't." He smiled. "You are much more beautiful, like the stars."

Roman pointed up to the sky and watched Arlet with such admiration as her face lit up with a wide smile reaching her eyes.

"They are beautiful!" She started spinning around until she finally stumbled, but Roman caught her just in time.

"I told you, I won't let you trip." He laughed and she blushed.

He pulled her in close, just as he stared deeply into her eyes they became connected at the lips again. She closed her eyes this time as he did but something rustled in the trees causing Roman to take out the knife he carried with him. He pulled away from Arlet and pushed her behind him just in case.

"What's wrong Roman?" Arlet asks touching his arm.

"I heard something..." He whispered before the small girl in whom they both knew came through the path leading towards the school.

"Anora? What are you doing here?" Arlet went to the girl while Roman followed quickly behind.

"Bell is coming." She said breathlessly. “I had to follow you, I’m sorry.”

"Don’t be sorry Anora, you did well. I thought I would get at least one night..." Roman sighed. "Hurry to the dance I won't be long."

Arlet grabbed the smaller girl's hand while she reluctantly got lead back to the dance by Anora. She didn't want to leave Roman but she knew that he could handle himself. He was just trying to protect her.

Roman didn't know what to do but he was going to stand his ground this time. When Bell strolled in along with two of his Elite students he knew that he was going to be punished greatly. But at least he had Arlet all to himself if only for a little while. The two arrogant students who circled around him smirked at Roman while Bell stood there in front of him glaring.

"What have I told you? This isn't like you to disobey me so much." Bell exhaled the breath he had been saving.

"I can't have one night, can I?" Roman spouted, watching the two students...clearly they were ready for a fight.

"Roman I'm doing this because I love you...so that you can be one of the best."

"Can I not be the best and have Arlet too? If I am to be the best I can be it will be by her side....Everett." He spat his guardian's first name with disgust.

"Then prove it to me." Bell handed him the sword that he held behind his back. "I will back down if you defeat two of my best students."

"Am I not your finest?" Roman gripped the sword tight on the hilt before relaxing into his stance.
"We shall see." He leaned against a tree awaiting the results.

Roman shrugged off the constricting jacket and threw it off to the side. The two large boys moved in a guarded stance only defending as they were told. Roman knew they wouldn't be unpredictable because Bell never taught them otherwise. They went by the book and that would only get them killed in battle. Roman knew this by heart because of his deceased father, he wouldn't make the same mistake as him. He wouldn’t go out like that.

Moving swiftly, watching the two boys’ every move he went forward and lunged toward the larger of the two. The large male blocked him like he was expecting, Roman twisted out of it and kicked the back of his knee to collapse his leg. The man was down momentarily. The smaller of the two acted on this pushing his short sword forward. Roman ducked behind the larger one causing him to be impaled by the short sword. Though it wasn't vital enough to kill but it did injure him just enough so Roman only had to fight the smaller of the two. Roman tossed the impaled man aside.

"What’s your name?" Roman smirked.

"Now isn't the time to ask questions." He glowered at Roman, who only shrugged.

"I’d like to know who I’m fighting."

He lunged for his throat and parried back before another lung. He always went for the throat. Roman was playing with his foe's mind so he wouldn't notice him backing into the large tree. When the boy's body slammed hard against the tree, Roman slid his sword lightly onto the underside of his chin.
"Do you give?" He pressed lightly, nearly drawing blood.

The boy dropped his sword and slid down the tree until he was sitting. But as Roman turned the larger one had already gotten up regaining his strength. He was losing blood though; Roman figured that he won't give up until he is dead. Those are the expectations that Zircon Bell held you to. The small man grabbed Roman in a bear hug. Surprised Roman dropped his weight instinctually and thrust his elbows up. His opponent could keep his hold and let go, Roman turned and elbow him in the nose. Blood sprayed everywhere as the man dropped. He didn’t get back up. He turned back to the bleeding student.

"I don't want to kill you..." Roman said with a pained look on his face.

"You'll have to...I'll tell you my name though." The boy said. "I'm Issac."

"Well Issac...you don't have to do this just because he tells you so." Roman frowned, now things were getting serious.

"I'm not, I want to." Issac had a crazed look on his face that only a villain would hold.

Issac charged after Roman.He threw a few punches and slices, always for the head. They were easier to dodge than to the ones to the body. Roman twisted around Issacs arm on a punch and pushed his face aside and grabbed his hand, prying them apart he got Issac to drop his sword. As Roman twisted he tossed him aside. Issac rolled out of it nimbly and came back with a ferocious round of kicks and pucnhes to retrieve his sword. Issac sliced Roman's side hard, bringing blood. Roman didn't let the pain bother him for he was use to this kind of pain. He needed to win this fight...for Arlet and for himself. Roman pushed the giant off of him just to get his footing back. When he glanced over just for a second onto the path he saw Arlet and her friends including Qwaurin standing there with frightened faces. His adrenaline went into overtime now.

He parried Issac once, twice and then he struck many times, landing blow after blow. This time he hit Issac's hand with an elbow as he lunged making him drop the sword once again. Roman picked it up and held it against the other boy. Issac was bleeding too much to hold up his own hands. He fell to the ground and the smaller boy, which Roman didn't know the name of rushed to Issac's side. He had blood dripping down his face and onto his shirt front but it seemed that Roman had only broken his nose.

Roman had won this fight. He made a B-line towards Bell, dropping the two swords at his feet and glaring at his guardian.

"I have won against your best...now leave me be. I will still train with you, but I can do whatever I like with Arlet without you breathing down my neck." Roman stood there waiting for a response.

"As you wish. Do what you want, but I will train you harder now that you have chosen this path." Bell said and went to help his other students.

He went over to pick up his jacket throwing it on before making his way to Arlet. His serious face had turned into a small smile when he finally had his eyes on her.

"You're hurt." She said softly.

"This?" He pointed to his side. "This..is nothing."

"Holy crap Roman. Arlet why didn’t you tell me he was that good at fighting with a sword?" Ever nudged her friend.

"I'm not that good." Roman glared down at his feet.

"Not that good? Are you kidding me Roman?" Qwuarin teased. “You disarmed them in seconds flat.”

"Come on, we need to get you patched up." It was now Arlet's turn to pull Roman's arm.

Roman was amused at Arlet's childlike concern because of a scratch but he followed her all the way to her room where she made him sit down on a chair, waiting for her to get the supplies she needed to clean him up. He again took off the jacket, as well as his shirt. The pain in his side was a lot worse now that he thought about it, though the look on Arlet's face when she saw him again helped to relieve the pain. He expression told him it wasn’t as bad as it felt.

"You don't have to do this you know?" Roman said laughing.

"Oh but I do." Arlet declared. "And you will sit there while I clean this nasty cut up."

She never looked into his eyes while placing the hot rag to his side. He hissed as the pain from it stung.

"Sorry I had to put alcohol on it, for infection." She knew that Roman already knew that but she wanted to hear his voice some more.

"It seems like you have done this before." He started playing with the strands of her hair that were falling out of place.

"Yes, my brothers are not as clumsy and I am but they do have their days." She laughed, thinking of those days.

"Tell me about them...your brothers." Roman loved when she spoke of her family, her voice had so much love in it while talking about them.

"Agnes and Callaway."

"What?"

"That’s their names; Agnes and Callaway. They are so protective over me that I had to actually fight with them over going to this academy. It was a pretty big fight...but they got over it." She laughed. "Agnes told me he was going to kill any guy that got near me..." She shyly looked up now.

"Well you are definitely worth dyi..." Roman began to say but Arlet pressed her lips to his.

"I will not let them near you." She glared and it left Roman speechless. "Anyway they are away now on duty...let's hope one of them doesn't pop up here to see me anytime soon."

“Hmmm, I’ll figure something out if that happens.” He played with her hair till she finished wrapping his wound. Luckily he didn’t need stitches but it still hurt like hell. They said their good byes and good nights to a very long day and were ready for a day of relaxation tomorrow.