Waking up early was the worst. She may like to stay up late but she was not an early bird, not by a long shot.
Rays of light shine through her curtains, illuminating her small room. She groans and sits upright even though every muscle in her body protests. She had been working hard but too hard.
Moving inch by inch she goes to her wooden wardrobe and picks out an outfit. She had learned to make her own clothes, which comes in handy when trying to pick something that suits you. Grabbing a black-and-white plaid skirt and a black long-sleeved crop top with the words "Like I Care" in white embroidery she puts them on quickly. Today she was training with Ethan but that doesn't mean she can't dress nice.
She goes down the stairs and kisses her father on his cheek, then her sister on her head.
"Good morning." She says picking up half a bagel. "I have to train today."
Flora looks up from the dolls she was playing with. "Train for what?" she asks.
Nyssa thinks for a second. "I have to train for... work! They're, uh, giving me a promotion?"
"Okay." Flora says in her high voice.
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"You're late." She hears from behind her and turns around "You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago. Don't you want to win?"
"Well, I would've been here if the directions were more clear." She snaps and he sighs.
"Right, sorry."
She raises an eyebrow. She hadn't expected that, she expected him to snap back. She frowns.
"Let's get started. First I'm going to teach you how to protect."
He hands her sword to her and moves her arms around so she's in a defensive stance.
"Do what I do."
He spreads out his feet and holds his sword tilted in front of him. He moves the sword to the side and then to the other side. Nyssa copies him perfectly and he grins.
"You're a natural." He says and she narrows her eyes, wondering what he's playing at.
"Now, I'm going to try to hit you with this wooden sword. Worst it will do it give you a bruise or splinter." He says and just as the last words are out of his mouth he moves swiftly, swinging his sword, and her arms jerk up and deflect it. Again and again, they do this until he stops.
"I thought you've never used a sword before?"
She frowns "I haven't..." But even she sounds skeptical. Where did she learn all this? And how without her knowledge?
He frowns too, seeing she's confused. "It's fine... at least you have a better chance, right?" He says, trying to lighten the mood.
She smiles, seeing his effort "Yeah, I guess."
As she walks home that night, the only thing going through her head is, where did I learn all of that?
ns 15.158.61.21da2
