********************

The next day, I sifted through my closet in search of something to wear to the training rooms. I scowled at all of the dresses, sweaters, and leggings, wondering what the hell I was going to do. None of this would work for fighting.

After another ten minutes of throwing random clothes over my shoulders, strewing them all around my bedroom, I finally gave up.

I stormed into the kitchen, grumbling beneath my breath, and found a bowl of fresh fruit waiting for me, along with a streaming cup of coffee. I downed half the cup of sweet liquid before biting eagerly into a crisp, juicy pear. The gritty, sugary flesh of the fruit dissolved on my tongue as I paced around the living room, waiting for Warrick to arrive.

I glanced down at the black leggings and sweater I was wearing. If I showed up to a room full of Dragon and Fae warriors dressed like this, eager to train, they'd surly all have a good laugh. I groaned and set my breakfast down before scurrying back to my room.

I gasped in shock when I walked through the open doorway. The clothes that I'd thrown around the room were gone, somehow immaculately hung back inside of my closet. My eyes darted around the floors, searching for the several pairs of shoes I'd discarded there, only to find them tucked against the far, left wall in a neat, organized line.

"That's a little creepy..." I muttered, walking toward the bed.

But when my eyes fell upon the set of clothing that had been laid out, I immediately grinned. "Did I say creepy? I meant to say brilliant."

On my bed, there was my own array of daggers, a bow with arrows, and my own personal set of women's fighting leathers. They looked similar to Dristan's, only mine were of black leather instead of dark brown.

The pants were tight fitting, with several pockets and weapon sheathes built in. The top was long sleeved, and just as tight fitting as the pants. It had a long zipper at the front, connecting all the way from the bottom, to the neckline, which was cut quite low. There was also a pair of black, shiny, knee high boots. They looked expensive, and sturdy enough to last years.

I picked up the fabric, feeling the sturdiness of it beneath my fingers. It felt soft and breathable, like it wasn't made of leather at all. I furrowed my brows in confusion. To the eye, it looked thick and tough, like hide. But then, why did it feel like cotton?

Curious, I laid the clothes back down and picked up one of the sharp, gleaming daggers from my bed. An idea crept into my mind.

I raised the knife above my head and plunged it down into the center of the shirt. My blow was met with a substantial force of resistance, which did not make sense, seeing as the fabric felt as thin as a regular shirt.

I lifted my hands, blinking in confusion, and set the dagger down before picking the shirt back up. I examined the point where I'd stabbed at the material, searching for the point of impact. I saw nothing. No tear, no scar... Nothing.

Impressive...

I grinned and stripped before pulling the fighting leathers on, amazed at how light and breathable they felt on my body. It felt like I was wearing nothing. I swung my arms around, testing the range of motion, and then kicked out one of my legs.

Amazing...

I spent the next ten minutes strapping daggers to my hips, thighs and boot straps, before walking into the bathroom and gazing into the floor length mirror. I smiled in delight at my reflection.

This was me.

Not the well mannered, sweet little Princess who wore pretty dresses all of the time. I was a fighter, a hunter, a woman who'd worked her entire life to survive. For the first time since arriving here, I finally felt like I recognized myself.

I watched the other me in the mirror as she ran her hands over her breasts and abdomen. I was still so infatuated with the way the material looked like tough leather in the mirror, but felt like a thin, cotton shirt beneath my hands.

Magic never ceased to amaze me.

I parted my hair to the side and quickly created a dutch braid, beginning at the crown of my head, down to the back of my ear. I threw the rest of my hair up into a messy bun on top of my head and pulled down a few stray hairs near my temples to frame my face. I decided to skip the make up. I'd just end up sweating it off, and I didn't really like wearing it, anyway.

Lastly, I pulled on my rune necklace, running my fingers over the smooth stone as it laid against the hollow of my throat. I smiled, knowing that I would be able to relax from now on, not having to worry about my feelings being known to everyone around me. How strange, it felt, to be grateful for something that one shouldn't have to think twice about.

I suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of happiness flow through me. I was in a better mood than I had been in in a very long time. I beamed at myself in the mirror, eagerly accepting this newfound feeling of contentment.

I pushed my worries away.

Today, I'd be happy.

Finally, the knock I'd been waiting for sounded at my front door. I nearly skipped to answer it, desperate to get out of the confines of my room. I swung the door open and smiled hugely up at Warrick, who raised his eyebrows in surprise.

He let out a low whistle. "Well, I see you've been taking full advantage of your closet's adaptability."

My smile widened. "Well, you weren't expecting me to train in a sundress, were you?" I said, pushing past him and closing the door behind me.

He gave me a quizzical look. "You want to... Train?"

My head cocked to the side. "Why would I want to go to the training rooms if I did not wish to train?"

He rubbed at his chin, his hand scraping against the wiry scruff of his stubble. "I just wasn't expecting..."

I planted my hands on my hips, pretending to be offended. "Do you think a Princess isn't capable of getting her hands dirty?"

He chuckled and began walking down the hallway. I followed at his side, my face alight with humor.

"You continue to surprise me, Princess Brenya." He said fondly.

I grimaced at his formality. "Would you mind just calling me Brenya?"

He chuckled again. "See... You're doing it again."

I laughed as we walked, feeling so at ease with him. I couldn't understand why I felt so comfortable with Warrick. I felt as if I'd known him for a very long time, like he was family, almost. He had a very warm energy about him, an aura of peace and serenity. It made me feel like I could breathe more easily when he was around, like I could let loose and be myself instead of the perfect Princess everyone expected me to be.

**************

I didn't think my mood could have possibly improved, but I was wrong. When we finally arrived at the training room, my eyes widened and I nearly jumped up and down with joy and excitement.

Numerous males and females, both Fae and Dragon, were spread throughout the expansive room, some sparring together, some practicing alone. The walls were adorned with a wide array of different kinds of weapons and gear. Several thick, woven mats covered the floors where a few, very large Fae males, were wrestling with each other.

Some of them were sparring with weapons, others were using their magical abilities. I stared in wonder as I watched a Fae female extend her hand and lift her opponent into the air with an unseen force, before throwing him back ten feet.

The room was gargantuan, stretching at least a quarter of a mile in length, and half of that in width. I gazed around in wicked delight, my body already itching to stretch and test it's limits. It had been so long since I'd practiced my fighting skills.

Back home, I used to spar in secret with a boy in my village. His name was Phillepe. The girls in my village used to gang up on me and beat me when I was younger. They'd tell me I was a freak and that no one wanted me there. As I grew older, I'd had enough of it. Phillepe taught me to fight, five days a week, in exchange for wild game.

He was also the first and only one, besides Dristan, that I'd ever been with intimately... I lost my virginity to him when I was fifteen. I even thought I might've loved him at one point in time... But he did not wish for anyone in the village to know about us. He hid our friendship, and our growing relationship, from everyone. I hated him for it, and eventually, I stopped seeing him altogether.

I trained on my own after that, in the woods, any chance that I got. It had been weeks since I'd been able to pratice, and I knew I was out of touch with my abilities. But that would change, starting now...

I stared around the room, thrilled, but my elation slowly began to thaw as people in the room, one by one, began to notice us standing there. One at a time, the people stopped sparring, each turning to face us. One at a time their jaws fell open, some murmured to each other in confusion.

I stared at them, suddenly self conscious of all of their attention on me. But I quickly pushed the feeling away. Yes, I was a Princess, but I had just as much a right to be here than any of them did. I would not let them ruin my day.

I stepped forward as silence fell across the room, all eyes on me.

"Good morning! I've come to see the training rooms, and perhaps spar a bit. Does anyone have a problem with that?" I asked, staring each of them in the face, a pleasant smile on my lips, the perfect image of confidence.

Some of their eyes widened, while others smiled, pleased at my boldness.

A dull roar of murmuring erupted among the crowd of people as they muttered their approval, some waving at me eagerly, some turning away and going back to their training.

I waved back, and smiled before turning back to Warrick.

He stared at me with his usual, easy grin, an arched brow raised slightly.

"All right, then..." He muttered, unsure of what to make of me.

I shrugged innocently and walked toward one of the vacant wrestling pads. I turned toward him and began to stretch, arcing my arms over my head and to the sides, before sitting down and stretching the muscles of my legs.

He walked toward me, his eyes sweeping over the room dutifully. Was he always on guard?

After awhile, I stood up and shook out my limbs, loosening them. "Okay, I'm ready." I said, holding my hands out toward him, palms forward.

He turned his head toward me, his face screwed up in confusion. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, I need a sparring partner."

He chuckled. "I don't think that's a good idea."

I huffed a sarcastic laugh. "Don't be a rutting chicken!"

His face grew serious. "Brenya, I can't. Dristan would kill me if I harmed you."

I planted my hands on my hips. "Dristan is not my keeper."

"No, but I am his keeper." A familiar, deep voice said from the doorway behind me. I whipped around, my eyes zeroing in on him.

He grinned, leaning against the post of the doorway. He pushed off of the frame and stalked toward me, dressed in his fighting leathers, his wings flaring behind him. He lowered his horned head, staring at me with dark intent and thinly veiled amusement, as he approached.

I schooled my face out of the shocked expression plastered to it, straightened my spine and grinned. "Then perhaps you would like to be shown up by a Princess?"

He chuckled, stopping at Warrick's side. "Perhaps you should start with a punching bag. Or at least a more equal opponent. A novice, like yourself."

I narrowed my eyes. "And who might that be?"

"I'll spar with you." A male voice said from across the room.

Dristan, Warrick and myself all turned to the voice and I was shocked to see Marrok striding toward us. Sylvie was at his heels, her face alight with a beaming smile.

"Marrok! Sylvie! What are you doing here?" I asked, stepping off of the mat.

"Dristan was pleased with our work these past few days, and he's allowed us free roam of the castle! As long as we are accompanied by a guard, of course." Sylvie chimed, gesturing toward the heavily armed Dragon warrior, posted near the wall, his serious eyes glued to the wolves.

They stopped a few feet away, both smiling warmly at me.

"I'm pleased to hear it." I said, smiling back at them. "Marrok, would you like to spar?"

Dristan stepped forward. "Absolutely not."

I slid my eyes to him, my expression annoyed. "Why not? There are plenty of guards here to protect me. I doubt the Marrok is so foolish as to sign his own death warrant. Isn't that right, Marrok?" I asked, turning to grin at him.

The corner of his full lips pulled upward. "I would never harm you, Princess." He promised.

I looked back at Dristan, my brows raised, as if to say, 'see? stop being an overprotective idiot...'

Warrick grinned from behind him, his eyes alternating between the four of us, obviously enjoying the entertainment.

Dristan glared daggers at Marrok, his lips a thin line. Finally, he stepped back, but his eyes still flashed with lethal warning. "Tread carefully, pup."

Marrok nodded and moved toward me, stepping around me and onto the wrestling mat. I turned and lowered my stance, extending my palms toward him.

He stood perfectly relaxed in the center of the mat, his hands folded behind his back, as I began to circle him. He watched my every move, his face an unreadable mask of calm.

He was very tall. Taller than Warrick and Dristan. It would be difficult to strike him with his advantage in height.

I lunged forward, aiming the crook between my thumb and forefinger directly at his throat. He leaned backward, just out of reach, before standing straight again. I smirked at him as I continued circling. He remained still, his eyes following me.

I suddenly spun to the side, throwing my elbow back, aiming for his gut. He side stepped my attack effortlessly, his calm expression never faltering. I smiled as my body warmed up.

"You're fast..." I said, letting him think that I had no idea what I was doing, giving him a false sense of confidence. The corner of his lip turned up.

Smug. Arrogant. An easy target.

I circled him again, this time noticing the way that he held his weight on his right leg. Every time he re-situated himself, he avoiding putting extra pressure on his left knee. This meant that he'd sustained an injury to his left leg at some point in his life.

A weakness.

I eyed his face a moment as I circled and subtly flexed my right hand, drawing his eye toward it. The movement was a distraction, one that I knew would make him think that I was about to strike with that hand, when really, I planned something entirely different.

I lunged, faking a punch with my right hand. He moved to side step to the right, ready to evade my blow once again. But instead of connecting my fist with his face, I crouched low and spun my body with significant force, swinging my leg around and slamming my heel into the back of his left knee.

He grunted in pain, surprise flashing across his face, as I knocked his legs out from under him. He fell to his knees beside me and I spun around, grasping a fistful of his hair in my left hand, while my right hand swiftly grabbed a dagger from my hip. I pulled his head back by his hair and brought the dull edge of the dagger against the artery in his neck.

"But being fast will get you nowhere when you make the mistake of underestimating your enemy." I breathed tauntingly into his ear.

His throat bobbed against the edge of the blade before I pulled it away and stood to my feet, playfully ruffling his fair hair with my hand.

He stood to his feet slowly, limping on his injured leg. He turned to me and raised his brows as he met my eyes, his lips still parted in surprise.

Warrick suddenly broke out in a roaring fit of laughter. I grinned at him as I replaced the dagger at my hip. Sylvie laughed too, her bell like giggling filling the air around us.

People throughout the room, who had apparently been watching as well, began to clap, applauding my display of unexpected skill, some laughing along with Warrick and Sylvie.

My gaze slid to Dristan, who's eyes were shifting between me and Marrok with a dumbfounded expression. His eyes settled on me and the corner of his lip slowly quirked upward in a gesture of brief, surprised delight.

"Did you fetch us the lost Princess, or did you simply bring back some feral beast that you found in the woods?" Warrick asked, still chuckling. He slapped a hand on Dristan's shoulder.

Dristan shook his head slowly in response, his eye still glued to mine.

Sylvie stepped forward, her eyes still alight with humor. "I've never seen him bested before, and certainly never by a woman. You're officially my favorite person on the planet."

I laughed and swiftly bowed to her, pleased at her praise of my performance.

"I let her do that..." Marrok mumbled, sending me a small grin.

"Of course you did." I grinned back.

****************

For the next few hours, Marrok, Sylvie, and Warrick, all took turns sparring with me.

Sylvie was quicker than anyone I'd ever faced before, and I could never seem to land a blow on her small frame. Though she never made a move to strike me, I knew she could've if she'd wanted to. I'd hate to ever have to fight her in real life.

Marrok heeded my warning, and did not underestimate me again. He kept his leg left behind him at all times, not giving me the chance to catch him off-guard. Though he was slower than his sister, and I did manage to send a direct kick to his chest, knocking the wind out of him, but he mostly managed to evade all of my attempted strikes.

Warrick was an entirely different story. I couldn't even come close to hitting him. After an hour of frustration, I'd finally given up. He'd laughed and told be better luck next time, though he'd secrelty told me I'd almost clipped him a few times. I had the feeling he was lying, but I'd grinned at him all the same.

Dristan had refused to spar with me. I had tried and tried to change his mind, taunting him endlessly, but he never gave in. He simply watched, leaning against the wall, his expression as hard as granite, along with an occasional grin of approval, as I practiced.

I finally slumped to the ground, huffing in exhaustion, unable to go on any longer.

"I think that's enough practice for today." I sighed, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"I will escort you back to your chambers, if you are ready." Warrick said, stepping forward.

"You're leaving? I thought we were just getting started!" Sylvie complained, her lower lip poking out.

I grinned at her. "We'll have to come back another day, together."