Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Decided Bride ❯ Swordfight ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sword Master nodded as Serenity took her stance and Parried while he quickly followed her action and countered. Then once more she parried and thrust the blade, before launching into a wide slash. But Sword Master blocked this move easily enough, and the sound of a – humph – signalled the end of the round, "Good, milady. Though next time, you need to block instead of going for the kill," he suggested, smiling as Serenity looked down upon the blade pointing at her heart. This day, her training was going better than she expected, but she felt a little frustrated about her inability to gain the upper hand against her instructor.
Sword Master lowered his sword, and called another trainee over to face the princess, sensing Serenity's frustration and ended their session. The student -- eight years her senior -- was beaten in a matter of minutes. She sighed as he bowed to her, and she returned the gesture.
She could beat any man in the room at swordplay, save for Sword master. No one could beat him. There was a gentle look in his eyes as he approached her, "Again?" he asked, and she nodded, wiping the sweat off her forehead with a gloved hand. She took her stance and the dance she knew so well had begun once more.
His movements flowed like water. He easily blocked her thrusts -- sending them right back at her. She had a hard time keeping up, but she stood her ground for a full seven minutes before her sword clattered to the ground. She released a long sigh and bowed, picking up the fallen blade.
He smiled at her, "Take a short break." She nodded and sat down on the benches lining the chamber.
She looked around the spacious hall. Rei and Lita were practicing their hand-to-hand combat and Ami was practicing with the bow. Mina was honing her skills with the combination of whip and dagger (odd combination as that might seem). The hall was massive; it covered a full acre and a half. It was split into several different sections -- a wonderful place for the Senshi and warriors of the Moon to train.
Serenity's head leaned against the wall and she closed her eyes. Moments later, she sensed someone sitting next to her, so she turned to see who it was. It was her brother, Shingo, who sat watching the battle between two trainees in the ring. He had a smirk on his face, "So Usagi, I hear we're going to have another royal visit," he said smugly.
She groaned and turned away, gazing up at the ceiling, "I don't want to talk about it, Shingo," she said a little exasperated at his impertinence.
She heard him chuckle, "But sister dear, don't you want to talk about your future husband? I'm sure he won't be that bad, seeing as you have to marry him," he said lightly.
Her head snapped up and she glared at him, every muscle in her body tense, "What are you talking about? I don't have to marry anyone," she snarled through clenched teeth.
He gave her a mischievous grin, "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that you don't care if another war breaks out…as long as--" he was cut short by Serenity's unexpected reaction. She had jumped to her feet, her sword drawn.
"Watch yourself, little brother… You just stepped too far over the line," she hissed.
He was on his feet in a flash, sword in hand. They inched towards each other and the two warriors who had been fighting in the ring backed away to give the two siblings room to do battle. She gave a wild cry and lunged at him, "How dare you..." All watched the lightning fast movement of silvery light as blade struck blade, the sound of clattering metal drawing an audience, "Say that…" The two royal combatants spun and parried about one another, sweat upon their brows, "I don't care…" she gasped, ducking a swoop and continued, "If our people..." her words drowned out by the loud clang of their weapons, "Die!" Serenity hissed the last word so only he would hear and Shingo's sword flew from his hand as her spiral movement whipped Shingo's blade from his grasp and it flew to the ground a foot away – the tip of Serenity's sword at his throat. He swallowed nervously.
"What is going on here?" Sword Master's angry voice demanded from behind Serenity. She lowered the weapon, and turned to meet the eyes of the instructor now locked upon hers, "What is the single most important rule in here, Princess?" He demanded -- his words more a statement than a question.
She kept her gaze level with his, her cheeks burning, "Never attack in anger while training in here," she replied shakily as the room fell into an expectant silence.
Their eyes locked, neither willing to back down, but Sword Master broke the silence, "Well, since it seems you have so much extra energy to burn off, milady… en guard!" He drew his own weapon and took his stance. Everyone immediately left the ring, including Shingo.
Serenity swallowed hard as she took her own stance. She knew this would be a tough workout. Sword Master was not kind in battle, especially when he was angry. She thought desperately what to do, but there was no option other than to meet the challenge he had given her, so she braced herself for the fight.
The battle began, and she had a hard time keeping up. Within seconds she was already tired and knew she was about to be humiliated before her peers and the junior ranks. She looked at him and all of a sudden, the thought of herself as the ultimate price to be paid for peace between the Earth and Moon kingdoms -- to be sold like a moon cow -- flashed through her mind. She then imagined the man before her as one she had never met -- the man purchasing her as his trophy – with this thought in mind, anger coursed through her veins as she gave out a battle cry and lunged. Everyone within the hall continued to watch -- students and Masters alike -- the battle which should have lasted less than a minute or so, dragged out far longer than expected. Five minutes past by, then ten. Both warriors refused to give up. Sweat streaming down their faces as their rapidly moving swords appeared as little more than a frenzied blur. The hall was dead silent except for the clatter of weapons and cries of the two contestants holding those witnessing this battle spellbound. No one could believe it; Sword Master was actually starting to look fatigued and was visibly slowing down. Then with a final cry, it was over. Serenity stood in the center of the circle, disarmed, with the unfriendly feeling of cold steel on her throat. No one dared move, and the sound of Serenity and Sword Masters heavy breathing was deafening.
Slowly he lowered his weapon, "Take a walk outside, Serenity," whispered Sword Master hoarsely. She turned and walked through the doors at the far end of the chamber, not noticing a new pair of eyes along with those of her mother, who had seen the whole show, watching from the main entrance on the opposite side of the hall.