Heir to the Empire

12. The Tower of Mages

"High, high, low, high, low, high, low, low, high. Good"

The clanging of swords could be heard echoing throughout the courtyard, as the shuffling of feet slivered around marble floor.

As Loldirr defended another attack from Ethelston during an intensive training session, she wiped the perspiration from her forehead before gripping her sword once more in preparation for the next flurry of attacks aimed her way.

"Make sure your stance prepares you to switch directions with ease. An immobile target is an easy target." Ethelston instructed. He too prepared his stance.

Spinning the sword in his hand he lunged towards the prepared Loldirr "Low, high, low, low, high, low, high." The last swipe of his sword he feinted high before twisting his wrist and smacking the side of the sword squarely on Loldirr's hip.

"OW!" she screamed, before repeatedly rubbing her hip and walking around gingerly. The anger on her face told a story of resentment as she looked towards the chuckling Ethelston. "You said high." she exclaimed.

"If you ever fight someone who shouts out their attacks, then you'll do fine. I'm yet to meet one though. Besides, better swordsmen will be exceptionally good at feigning their attacks. This is something you'll have to learn." Ethelston grinned.

"You cheated, you're not very chivalrous." Loldirr complained.

"When you're on the battlefield, there is no such thing as chivalry. Chivalry is for fools and tourneys." Ethelston rebuked.

Loldirr frowned at his response. "Chivalry on the battlefield is the difference between knights and savages."

The laugh that bellowed out of Ethelston's mouth echoed ferociously through the courtyard. "Where did you hear such tripe!"

"I read it," Loldirr said sheepishly "Knights and legends by Sir Wylymot Melchior."

"Sir Melchior has never been on a battlefield in his life. He always sent his five sons to do that for him."

Loldirr turned away frustrated and despondent from Ethelston's comments. It was a book that Edric had instructed her to read rigorously, to memorise and understand every word that had been written to parchment.

Ethelston could see that his words had hurt her deeply. He sighed before responding "Loldirr, I apologise, I did not mean to offend you. Sir Melchior knows much on chivalry, but nothing of war. When a man, or in your case a woman, is placed in a survival situation they will do anything to survive. This world is a horrible place. Only the strong survive, and strength is not determined by muscles that line their body."

For a brief moment, Ethelston sounded like Sir Edric. The same words of wisdom that lined his mouth spoke all too true. She missed Sir Edric and regretted not taking him more seriously. Despite Ethelston's behaviour, she could not ignore his words. She had come too far to ignore those whose experience outweighed her own.

She looked around at the beautiful courtyard. The white marble with its dark bleeding effect complimented the purples and yellows of the strange but beautiful trees in its centre. Their branches intertwined with each other in an intimate, almost erotic way in which Loldirr couldn't help but glance over at them frequently. It was made worse when Ethelston had earlier blurted out some sexual innuendo about it and commented that the Elves likely hadn't realised as such.

Even the walls that surrounded the courtyard were beautiful and perfectly smooth. It was only when looking up towards the obnoxious, disparaging Elven guards that Loldirr remembered that this beautiful place had hostility behind it.

"Do you trust this Erdudvyl?" Loldirr asked while looking towards the tall overarching tower that seemed to ascend up to the heavens.

"I don't trust any elf, but at present, she appears our only option to determine the next stage of our quest." replied Ethelston. He unsheathed his second sword from behind his back. "Right, back to training. I want to make sure you are ready should we encounter the Shadow once more."