The First Sacrifice

Flame and Fire

I steeled my arm, my fingers curling around the familiar wood of my bow. As the string pressed against my lips I released the arrow along with my breath softly. The target was hit dead center splitting my previous arrow right down the middle. 

A low whistle sounded from behind me and I turned surprised to see Maddox, Raymond and the rest of the guard watching me. I clucked my tongue a custom I had picked up from Aurora.

"Spying on me now?" I asked with a furrow in my brow. Maddox smirked and merely nodded. "I can't help but to be stricken by the beauty of my warrior princess." He said softly. I rolled my eyes.

He jumped the fence before approaching me. They most have gone for a run because all of them were sweaty and breathing heavily. He cupped my lower back and brought me to him for a soft kiss. "What other moves have you been concealingly, love?" he whispered in my ear. I dropped the arrow the movement causing him to chuckle.

I moved my lips to his ear but before i responded I moved swiftly curling my right leg around  his and swinging up over his shoulder before using my momentum to flip him on his back my legs around his waist and his head in a headlock.

"This." I said with a gleeful laugh. He growled playfully. As his guard began an loud laughter taking turns on one another mimicking the move. 

"My my Maddox you really have a remarkable little minx on your hands." Raymond said entering the practice arena.

Maddox smiled. "Yeah she continues to surprise me. I've been blessed to say the least." he said softly eyeing his second with slight tension. Raymond approached me steadily and Maddox began to growl. 

"Oh Max, come on you have to wonder what else she can do... allow us to spar." Raymond insisted.  Maddox growled. "No, back off." 

Raymond bared his teeth in defiance. The guard quieted. 

Maddox  gently place me behind him before crouching. Raymond laughed. "Mother Moon, Max! Your betrothed has really made you embrace the dragon."

"Don't touch her." he responded. Annoyed and wanting to prove myself to Maddox and Raymond that I was a force to be reckoned with I placed a hand on Max's shoulder.

"I will accept the challenge, Max. You should trust your guard, he will not harm me." I entered the soft space of Maddoxs mind, my heart warming at the soft thoughts of me he had there. I spoke with him then.

"You really should be concerned with the outcome of you second in command after I am done with him." I whispered telepathically. The dragon mind meld had become increasingly more like second nature of the past few days. 

Maddox nodded and moved tersely to the side.

He regarded Raymond then with fire in his eyes. "If she his harmed with your fire, I will extinguish it for eternity." Raymond blanched at his captain and smiled.

"No weapons, hand to hand combat." I said softly. Maddox and the rest of the guard too purchase on the fence in the practice arena and surrounded us. The sun was now fully in the sky heating the arena. I threw my bow out of the way and tore of the leather vest I had been wearing, revealing a dark brown camel skin bandeau that I had matched with a loose white linen pants. I tightened the drawstring of my pants and stood before my opponent.

Raymond was cocky and his stance was very relaxed as if he regarded me as little threat. I allowed a small smirk before I  took my low balanced stance my hands protecting my mid section and my face.

He charged, as I had predicted and he was fast but I was spry. Propelling  on the balls of my feet  jumped over him. I used his shoulders to give me extra leveraged as my legs vaulted his head I wrapped them around his throat. Throwing my body back my momentum, this forced him to his knees. When my hand met the soil I twisted to the throwing him on his back.