Avalon hopped up and down a few times as he warmed up his core and legs. He dropped forward to stretch out the ligaments in his thighs and calves before stretching back tall again. His mind danced its way back to the attack on the United States outpost. He hated that it had come to this; that his family's presence had brought pain and death upon unsuspecting people. He retrieved a pair of hand-wraps from the wall of workout supplies and weapons. He headed immediately to the punching bags, his thoughts returning to the task ahead.

He had withheld most of his frustration at the situation they found themselves in once arriving in the States; he didn't want Eris to feel the guilt and blame that he did. She had no idea how the real world operated, and he was careful to remain enthusiastic in her presence.

He chose the punching bag he wanted and began to wrap his wrists carefully, making sure both joints were supported, but not so tight that he had no range of movement. He finished the first in record time before following up with the second. He took only three punches to the bag before the feeling of the air pressure changing again caught his attention.

Elizabeth closed the door behind her, dressed in athletic leggings and a sports bra. A flannel was tied around her waist and a pair of boxing gloves hung around her neck. She paused, removing one side of her headphones from her ear with a grin. "Care for some company?" she called as the older Mezdor sibling turned to face the doors. Her accent was noticeably American, despite her British parents.

Avalon smiled. "Sure," he answered. He took three more hits into the bag and then turned to come join her as she placed her sneakers on the side of a blue mat. She then removed the boxing gloves from her neck and dropped them to join her shoes. He noticed the stiffness in her movement as she untied the men's shirt from her waist, and he could only guess she was feeling the stress from the situation now that their outpost was compromised.

"How's your hand-to-hand?" she asked, moving past him with a divine purpose that he had never noticed on a woman before. He had always thought of them as soft, smart, and gentle creatures. But he could see there was something harder in her he hadn't observed in others.

"Pretty decent," he answered honestly. "My dad has had me practicing drills for a long time."

"Good," she answered with a nod. She grabbed two hand-wraps from the rack. She began to wrap her wrists and repeated the same movements fluidly. Once she was done, she walked back towards him again. Her smile disappeared and was replaced with a smirk of determination and deviousness.

Avalon waited for her to attack first as she leapt forward and shot her fists in two quick jabs from the right then left. He blocked the third and then ducked the fourth as she took a sweeping right hook. He stood back up and returned punch after punch, finding her able to block and evade each move. He grinned, sweeping his leg out for the backs of her knees in an effort to drop her.

Elizabeth jumped up, tucking her legs beneath her as she narrowly escaped him. He was only a few inches taller than her, but the extra muscle and weight he had could be beneficial for him to pin her. Before he could make another move, she dove forward in a roll over his next kick, her head tucking the minute it hit the mat. She stood out of her somersault and turned to face him again. She executed a fast snap-kick to nail him in the forearm as he turned to face her new position. It was enough to knock his arm up out of the way and she shot another quick kick in his direction the moment her other foot touched the ground. She managed to catch his ribs and knocked him back one more pace. She made a sound of effort through her teeth as she shot her left elbow forward in a sweeping hit across his chin.

Avalon grunted, dropping back to his side on the blue material as he felt the stinging pain in his lower jaw. "Good hit," he said, looking up at her.

"Thanks," she said with a grin, backing up a step to let him find his feet again. She waited for him to get up and then began to circle to her right. "I think I needed it."

"You and me both," he said truthfully.

"Thinking about it, too?" she asked intuitively, meaning the remains of the outpost.

"Yeah," he said solemnly. He continued to mirror her movements, circling with her. "I'm sorry our arrival has cost you so much."

"We've been naïve in thinking we were untouchable," she said truthfully. "I should have doubled our military presence before hosting you. It does nothing but make the number of men between them and your family thinner without that precaution."

"This wasn't your fault," Avalon supplied, taking a quick few hits towards her. He wasn't surprised when she hurriedly countered and ducked, evading each blow. She was good, as if his father had trained her. But he knew from experience that Kearran and Nathaniel had dictated her training. The same fighting spirit with a side of American rebellion seemed to fit her.

"Unfortunately, I know better," she said. She attacked, slugging his right bicep first and then his left. When he went to throw a haymaker down on her, she caught his hands in both of hers, their arms locked above them as their bodies came close. She jabbed her knee up, hitting him in the solar plexus.

Avalon grunted, falling back. He swept his leg out as he did, his ankle catching both of hers. He heard her curse as she fell just beside him, off-balance. He moved quickly, rolling to pin her, but she used his momentum against him. He gasped as he rolled over and onto his own back again, her now above him. "You know you can't take the blame for everything. It isn't your fault," he said, speaking to the frustration on her face.

Before she could breathe a response, he arched his knees up into her hips, tossing her body over him and onto her back again. He was back above her in a matter of seconds, one hand grasping both of her wrists over her head. She struggled beneath him. "It's part of my job," she breathed, the wind knocked out of her from the hard impact. "I have to be responsible for them."

Avalon held her pinned. "Not when it was someone else's actions," he said.

Elizabeth pushed up with all her core strength, knocking him off of her as she reversed the hold for a third time. "I've lived long enough to defend against them in our cities. It's why we keep ourselves off the grid as much as possible," she huffed. "I've seen the destruction they've caused. We can't be so stupid to not take our ownership when it's the truth."

Avalon stared up at her as she managed to maneuver herself above him. She now gripped both of his wrists to the floor, her knees on either side of his hips and her ankles holding his thighs down. "You're so American."

"You mean hardheaded and forceful?" she teased, holding him down for another moment. "Wouldn't be the first time I've heard that."

Avalon shoved up against her weight. He managed to wrestle her to the ground again and they continued to roll across the mat, fighting for the upper hand. Finally, he came back on top again, gripping both of her forearms above her head. "I'm not surprised," he panted, staring down at her. He watched as she heaved for breath, staring back at him. Her lavender gaze softened beneath his, unable to break their staring match. "I promise, it's not your fault."

Elizabeth arched up against his hold, her nose brushing his. When her shoulders fell back down to the ground, she used her lower body to press up into him, trying to slide out of his grip. But when she was barely able to budge, she sighed. "It feels like it."

Avalon shuddered, the sensation of her nose and lips on his drawing his full attention. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. Her mouth responded, opening beneath his with a soft sound. She strained her neck upward so she could continue to reach his mouth. He pressed his lips back to hers, moving in time with each kiss as it grew and deepened.

Elizabeth made another quiet noise, fighting to pull her hands free. Once she did, she gripped his shoulders tightly. She arched up into him, using the moment as a distraction before whipping him over onto his back. She continued their lip-lock, resting her body against his.

Avalon grinned in between kisses, his hands running down her sides to grasp her hips. He could feel her curve into him, lining up with precision, as if they had been made to fit together. He inhaled sharply and he tried not to lose himself too much.

Elizabeth exhaled hard when he managed to whip them over again and her back found the blue padding. She grasped his hair with both hands before one gripped his back as she pressed her mouth to his fully. She could feel his weight lean into hers and it was enough to make her heavy with desire.

"You give in?" he asked, trying to hold one of her hands against the wrestling carpet.

"Surrender to you? I'm not sure," she breathed.

"I'd make it worth your while," he promised.

She grinned, locking eyes with him again. When he seemed to least expect it, she yanked her knee to her chest and pushed him off in one solid move. "Nice try," she teased as he was sent flying free. She shot up onto her feet again.

"Darling, it's obvious. Your body talks," he shot back. "Why else would I go easy on you?" he added with a wink.

"Oh, this is you going easy?" she joked. "You look like you're struggling awfully hard for someone who is taking it easy," she giggled, smirking.

"Yeah, something like that," he replied, huffing again as he tried to catch his breath.

She continued to smile at him, amused. "I'm not the gentle type, Master Scholar. Don't hold back. I prefer things to be hard."

His mouth opened and closed before he finally was able to chuckle. "Are you flirting or trying to start another fight?" he teased, grinning sarcastically.

"A bit of both," she answered, returning his wink. She waited a moment as he rushed her and she quickly ducked the punch and then blocked the following kick. She jumped up in a turning high-kick, catching his shoulder. As he moved with the momentum of her force, she landed and hooked her right arm to his left, spinning with the natural direction to roll over his spine and onto his other side. With the fast movement, she whipped him over and onto his back below her.

Just as Avalon hit the mat and felt his breath leave him in one jolting motion, the door opened off to his left. He gasped for air the next second, but his lungs seemed to have exploded. His heart felt like it collapsed and then began to pound.

"Ouch," came the sound of a new voice, and both man and woman turned to look at the new-comer.

Elizabeth heaved a full breath, still recovering from the previous thirty seconds. Sweat dripped down her chest and into the neckline of her sports bra, making her shiver. Gooseflesh broke out beneath her leggings along her thighs and calves. She turned to glance at the person who had interrupted their match. She placed her hands on her hips as if that would cause the bumps to disappear beneath her clothes.

"Careful, Avalon, that one's a dragon," Nathaniel said with a full chuckle.

"Papa," Elizabeth greeted, her voice sounding curt from her adrenaline that still coursed through her.

Avalon finally gained his voice and air back as he pushed up onto his elbows with a harsh laugh. "Yeah, so I see. I'd think my father trained her and then skipped on my lessons," he answered his old mentor.

"Good thing he wasn't sparring with Contessa then," came the sound of another voice, and Avalon had to readjust his vision as his eyes wavered. Marcus Augustus stood beside the elder, dressed for exercising. "She's even more dangerous than Lizzy."

Elizabeth scoffed, stepping back towards Avalon. The second-in-command responded in a short squint of his hazel eyes, giving the hint that he was neither happy she hadn't waited for him, but also jealous she'd chosen to spar with someone else. She gave him a quick glare for the latter, recognizing the expression on his face.

"Sounds like you couldn't pin Elizabeth either," Avalon responded, glaring at the man when he understood his implication. In response, he couldn't resist the double-dig.

Marcus returned the expression after Nathaniel turned away from them to approach Elizabeth.

She rolled her eyes at the two and then looked to her father. "You would be shocked at how fast Tess is, Papa. No one here has been able to best her for two years now."

"She's a Deloncré, of course she's a hard woman of steel. That's how they're bred," Nathaniel responded with a grin. "They've headed our Capitol Vanguard for hundreds of years. Bless you for the restraint not to break her record," he added to his daughter, making her smile more truly.

Avalon pushed up all the way into a sit, bending his knees so he could rest his elbows on them, his hands floating above the ground. He inhaled and exhaled hard one more time, as if to fully expand his lungs again after his collision and attraction. "Remind me to never cross one of them, then," he said, deciding to ignore Marcus. Theirs was a full yet subtle fight, one he had looked forward to winning for nearly a week. "The last thing I need is someone below the commander's skills to put me on my rear a second time."

Elizabeth smiled but quickly tucked her chin, hiding her grin behind her hand so they wouldn't notice.

Nathaniel laughed at the man's comment. "That's good practice. Lizzy, we came down to see if you'd have time to train with Logan and Thaddeus once the new security team arrives after dinner."

The woman nodded, smirking. "Of course. I'd be honored to take class beside Lord Logan and the team. I think that may be something our Seattle and Capitol recruits could utilize."

"Good. Then why don't you head upstairs and ready yourself before dinner," her father replied, nodding his approval.

"Yes, of course, Papa," Elizabeth complied. She glanced down at Avalon with a short look. "Thank you for the match, Master Scholar," she added, all previous affection hidden from her voice.

"My pleasure. Let me know when you're ready for Round Two," he answered, giving her a discreet wink again.

"I look forward to it," she responded, smirking. She gave a quick nod to her father and ignored Marcus's gaze as she headed for the door and the stairs. She paused to pick up her shoes and flannel in one fluid motion. She didn't bother to look over her shoulder at them, knowing it would only mean another visual exchange with Marc. Elizabeth pulled the door open and stepped through, not bothering to reward his behavior. He didn't deserve it.

Avalon looked back to the other two after the door swung closed. He gave Nathaniel a friendly smile, also deciding to ignore the American second-in-command. "If you'd like, I can take over in the infirmary later if you want to supervise down here."

The dark-haired Brit nodded in agreement. "May be a good idea. Let's not work your mother to death."

"Agreed. We wouldn't survive if we did," Avalon chuckled. He got up to his feet and wiped his hands on his pants. He gave the man another nod and went to collect his things. "I think I'll clean up before dinner, as well. Gods know that she'll also kill me if I smell of sweat in a public setting."

The two responded in laughter and Avalon nodded his adieu, his shoes in his hands. He headed for the door and then raced up the steps quickly. Once he reached the hallway, he sighed. She was gone. He glanced up and down the hall one more time before slipping into his shoes.

"Looking forward to Round Two, too," he breathed as he sighed one more time. He took off for the stairs to the second floor and headed towards his room.