Fantasy Tigerborn, and other true stories. (most of the time)

[AEONmeteorite]

"Oh!" Alyss clapped her hands together and gave a toothy grin as a blush stained her cheeks. "Good! I am glad he brought a knight along. I did not think that he needed someone besides himself to teach me." Her eyes continued to follow Amare as he prepped. In part due to her anger, and the other not wishing to look Sir Leon on directly. She didn't want to be caught staring too much. She would much rather do so being a few levels higher, in a castle and through a pane of glass. Not a mere meter away.

Much to her luck, because she kept herself glued to her brother, her attention in the matter was impeccable. While it'd been far more likely for the festival to be on her mind, she found herself strangely intrigued. She nodded a few times. Each bold with a straight back and clasped hands in front of her. She jumped a tad at Sir Leon's grunt, but saw it didn't do much and that he would be fine.

"Now? Here?" she pointed at the ground before a dagger was handed to her. Alyss decided not to question much more, she didn't want to seem foolish in front of the knight. She readied herself, though her back still kept up like a board. She maneuvered toward Sir Leon, yet as her wooden dagger came inches away from him, she pulled back rather than forward.

 

[Calibutcher]

“Many hands make light work, sister. Leon here is large enough to account for many hands. He shall make teaching even simpler.” Amare pushed away her comment with ease and worked to Coax his sister towards Leon who stood still with dagger pointed out in his lead hand.

Leon blinked rapidly as Alyss approached, he had only ever seen the princess from afar. Usually surrounded by a retinue of maids or guards or even the royal Family. Now he saw the princess like never before, close up. Almost to close he realized. She looked unsure, he felt the same but he would not show such here. He had to be strong, he had to show that while he was here to teach fighting he could also be kind, like he thought her to be. Yet the closer she drew the greater his unease. He worked his mouth trying to think what to say.

Amare stood behind his sister and gently helped move her towards Leon however as she neared he felt resistance. “You have to push forward sister, jab him.”

Leon finally found the courage to speak. “Do not worry princess I will not be harmed.” He said with a light smile. Saying even those simple words left his heart pounding in his chest.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Pushing forward, yes she knew that. Leon would be unharmed, yes, yes, she knew that too. These were wood after all and hopefully wouldn't slice through clothing with ease. Alyss had watched enough of their training methods to understand what she was doing. The only issue here was that she feared closing distance between the two of them. She kept tight lipped. She worried more that she would say something that would diminish any hope in growing closer to the knight. After all, Sir Leon could choose to accept her ribbon. If he didn't, that would quickly extinguish any hope she had to court him.

Alyss kept resisting, only relenting inch by inch, until her dagger just lightly tapped Sir Leon's arm. "There!" Alyss cheered with far more glee than she should have let on and forthwith took a mighty step back toward her brother. "I managed a jab." Her voice shook with a false sense of pride, having completely failed to mention that Sir Leon never once attempted to dodge, likely due to her unwillingness to move herself. Inside, churning in her lovesick mind, she gave in to the flutter in her stomach at knowing she'd interacted just this much with the knight.

 

[Calibutcher]

Leon only watched out of the corner of his eye as Alyss moved the dagger closer bit by bit. He did not want to embarrass her by watching closely so he simply held still and waited. Amare tapped his foot impatiently on the floor until the dagger made impact. It was less of an impact though as he barely felt the poke with his thick clothing.

“Sister..” He dragged a hand down his face, “That wouldn’t kill a fly even if it were a real dagger.” he went over to the table and grabbed another wooden dagger of his own. This time he approached his sister and jabbed at her lightly with the weapon. He started with a mere poke on her arm. “Does that hurt?” he questioned with a raised brow.

“Of course not,” he pulled her over to Leon and held her hand as he moved her through the motion of thrusting the dagger into Leon’s side. It was a sharp thrust and Leon tensed at the impact. He made no noise internalizing the pain in an attempt to ease the princess's discomfort.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Upon asking if the prod with the wooden dagger hurt, she opened her mouth, but Amare finished her sentence before she had a moment to start it. She placed a hand on her hip and pursed her lip, deepening her glower until she was pulled over to Sir Leon. Her eyes instead grew wide. She held his gaze with hers until her brother began to help move her and push her through the motion. She bounded when the dagger hit him with far more force than she had allowed prior. Her heart beat rapid. Intense and uneven. She couldn't think of what to say or do, so she just kept there, still and silent.

 

[Calibutcher]

The tension in the room between the two was growing hard to ignore. Amare had known bringing Leon would be entertaining but this was just getting weird. "OK, this isn't working." He pointed between the two of them. "Are you two gonna be like this the whole time?"
Leon looked at Amare. "Like what? I'm just here to help you and the princess." He shrugged nervously.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss sighed and returned with a similar comment as Sir Leon. "I am new to training. I am not used to it. I haven't quite the grasp, you could say." There was no fooling her brother though. He knew her intentions and if anything, she only had her brother to blame for the lack of learning. If she was as devious of a sister as she let on, she could simply use this as an example of him being incapable of training her in two days. Alyss wasn't and had never been that cruel. She moved toward her brother and showed the dagger. "I shall try finer this time. Let us attempt such again." That was her way of saying that she'd try to out will her admiration for the man.

 

[Calibutcher]

Calling out the pair didn't improve much it seemed. Leon just looked more nervous. Though something did grab his attention. Alyss said she did not quite grasp the concept.
"We will try again, but first." He walked over to his sister and adjusted her grip on the dagger. "If you're ready to get serious so am I." Rather than simply showing her a complex maneuver of dueling, he began explaining how to hold a dagger and the different ways one could strike with it. Occasionally he would have Leon demonstrate by showing a move where instead he jabbed Amare. This was slow dueling so nothing really hurt; it was all pokes and prods.

Amare continued to explain how you needed to keep distance from your target and use good footwork to stay mobile. “In a way it’s like dancing. You are trying to stay in control of the dance with your partner.” He gestured between himself and Leon with the dagger ass he moved the dagger forward Leon moved away and as Leon pushed the dagger away Amare would back away in turn. After what he felt was more than adequate demonstration he turned to his sister again. “Now you shall try to strike at me. I will move slowly. Leon you watch.” Amare stood at a ready position and waved Alyss forward.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss treated her brother like an instructor with each teaching he gave her. She gave a firm, "Yes," when she knew for certain she understood what she was learning and could comprehend. Dancing. She could understand dancing. With every single year passing by, she'd constantly received lessons on how to dance. From the cohesion of partnership to create a dance of artistry, to more celebratory ones. As much as Alyss wanted to simply say that she believed she had a gift in the art form to gain Sir Leon's intrigue to invite her to a ball, she decided the same could be done by improving her abilities with the dagger.

And she saw it. She saw those spinning movements and use of each other's abilities to uphold the other. The different though is that the control wasn't left to one side when both are trying to gain the advantage. "Very well," Alyss said and cleared her throat before holding the dagger as Amare had taught her. She lurched forward, while he moved slowly, she definitely didn't. He having far more advantage with experience likely didn't make it any more tough on him.

 

[Calibutcher]

The difference was drastic, while he couldn’t tell if her improvements were due to his lessons or the change in opponent, she began to move with a tentative confidence. She moved in more determined ways and he slowly stepped back to maneuver away from her first strike, he brought down his dagger in a fluid motion towards her arm.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Even with her brother moving slowly, Alyss still felt flares of fear and confusion when he returned his dagger at her. She wasn't afraid of getting hurt, she knew that she wouldn't be, she was concerned about failing. This was all practice, but she had a sense of pride of being capable at learning things. When she put her mind to it, Alyss could learn it. That's how she thought. Now that she took this earnestly, a misstep was all too real. Her body tensed, her thoughts rewinded and before she could think, she felt his dagger hit her arm. Even at the slow pace, she had overthought.

 

[Calibutcher]

Even at his slower pace his counter attack was too sudden, too offensive. he saw the hesitation the unsteadiness as she debated what to do. She took too long and his blade though blunt made contact with her arm. "You made a good first move, you just need to remember to move away as well." He returned to his previous position. "Do it again, I will make the same response. Think about how to avoid the blade. Where do you want to go?"

 

[AEONmeteorite]

She wrinkled her nose and sighed. A peculiar kind of shame shadowed her and it grew when she remembered that Sir Leon was there to witness everything. She'd already embarrassed herself since the three of them had been there, and she couldn't help but figure that there would be a growing amount of times she'd mess up. Alyss nodded to his instructions and advice. She advanced again and her brother repeated what he'd done before. The only thing she could think of was to back up the same way as he did to avoid her slash, so she attempted to do the same. Quickly pressing back on her heel to move away.

 

[Calibutcher]

Seeing her dodge Amare dipped his head slightly acknowledging her success in this maneuver, he urged her to continue waiting for the next strike and retaliating in a smooth motion. They continued the pattern for some time each time she made a mistake they would stop and examine how to improve, eventually even Leon offered counsel telling her to adjust her footing and keep her unarmed hand away from the combat. Swiftly two hours passed as they skirmished and took turns. Seeing the sinking sun though Amare called a halt to the action.
"Very good sister. Leon thank you for your help as well. Will you join us again tomorrow?"
Leon swallowed before nodding "Yes I will. If The princess would like me too."

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Progress in dancing often was measured by remembering the steps or avoiding countering her partner. In music, it was when her fingers pulled to the notes with mindless ease. Within the arts, it showed as her artistry did, in sewing and painting. In knowledge of the land, she only became aware of her growth when her parents would add to her duties. All of Alyss' achieved skills so far took a long while to notice when she made movement, for this though, she found herself spotting movements and what to do with each spar and lecture from her brother. Key things that were simple, but from the outside, seemed so complicated.

By the end of it, her breathes were more rapid and her nape dripped sweat. Alyss hadn't expected to absorb herself into the the methods. If she were entirely truthful, she could even say she enjoyed it. Training was so unlike herself, it had been freeing. Nonetheless, she could not wait much longer to bathe.

Alyss moved to put the dagger back down, rolling her shoulder some as she did. It ached from the two hours of use. When she heard Amare invite Sir Leon again though, she quickly spun around. "If I would like you too?" she repeated in a flurry of surprise. "Yes. Please do come." She nodded to him. Stood perfectly still until he left. Waited a while, listening to the footfalls trail down the hall, and then took might stomps to her brother. "Amare!" she flung her braid over her shoulder. "Why did you bring him? Him? I could have made a fool of myself. I could have offended. What if he never wanted to meet with me?"

 

[Calibutcher]

Leon took his leave and Amare stood watching his sister as he leaned against a bookcase. Her tense stature said it all. She was nervous but as she turned to look at him he saw the next emotion. Anger he lifted and eyebrow as she approached but held his ground. He stood up and faced down his sister. "When would you have met him otherwise? I gave you ample opportunity to talk or get to know one another. He already said he wants to return tomorrow. Besides." He strode past his sister and began to gather supplies. "I will be talking with him again tonight on patrol. Perhaps." he dragged the last word out. "I shall ask what he thought of you? Then perhaps, I could tell you tonight."

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss opened her mouth and lifted a finger, planning to disregard much of what he said, but she kept listening at the realization that he could learn more that she'd never be willing or able to learn on her own. She huffed and placed her hands on her hips while she looked toward the door Sir Leon had left from. "I understand he said that he wants to return tomorrow, but brother, that is because you asked him. You are the prince, any knight declining that offer would be made out to be a buffoon. He only asked me to be certain he would be welcome by both royal individuals." She clicked her tongue and moved to help her brother with the supplies. "Okay, yes, if you are willing, I would much appreciate if you asked him. Except you have to do so cleverly. I do not want him to assume that I urged you to do so, even though I am."

 

[Calibutcher]

"I will be like a thief in the night, He shall not even understand what I am after." Amare crouched for a moment and feigned at sneaking about, he stood again. "After all, he is not the sharpest tool in the forge shall we say. Questioning him will be all too easy." He waved to his sister and quickly departed. He was starving and he still had an hour before his time to help with Patrols. He would get some food before anything else slowed him down. He stopped by his room to stow the training gear and made way to the kitchen, chefs would have something he could eat.
Tonight the kitchen had fresh rolls. He took three and a glass of water as he made his way to his post. As he finished his impromptu meal he was delighted to see none other than Leon stationed near him tonight. With a fiendish grin, he waved a greeting to his fellow knight and began his questioning.
His conversation with Leon went as smoothly as expected and he learned much in his time with the knight during their patrols. At the end of their watch the other guards invited him to go drinking again, and though tempted the warning of his mother the queen and the fact he knew Alyss would be waiting to hear from him pulled him away. "Another night boys," he called as he waved them off.

He claimed through the castle to look for his sister. Even at this late hour, he expected to find her in the library flipping pages through her latest story or record. He crept up on her and slammed the table as he called her name. "Alyss!" he crowed. "oh dear sister I've news for you." He quickly took a seat and lowered his voice after gaining a sour look from another patron in the library. "Care to hear it?" he whispered.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Waiting had never been an issue before. Being a princess who performed many tasks and worked with many more people employed within the castle, she had grown quite familiar with the incredible talent of patience. Now, when she wished so dearly to know what a man thought, a man who knew little of her, Alyss found her foot obnoxious to those around her as it tapped subconsciously against the planks below. Tap, tap, tap, consistent with the amount of times her eyes found the entrance before stuffing her nose back into a book. Even with her new habit, in the time she briefly turned a page and swallowed the word in the first sentence, her brother hand managed to sweep in without her knowing.

Alyss lifted her head to check of his arrival, only to slam the book against the table, tumbling over a stack of books the castle librarians were putting away, while a loud, "YEEP!" echoed off the shelves. Her hand clutched at the front of her dress. Panting. Heart racing. Hair standing on end. While she'd normally be furious with his actions, especially in a silent place, she shoved that part out of her brain, along with her book and gave him her full attention. "Very much so," she whispered back once she controlled her heart.

 

[Calibutcher]

Her scream and her followed delight in his conversation brought such a smile to his face. His sister was so often serious. It was encouraging to see her in such and upbeat mood. Even if it was about a boy as thick as Leon. He crossed one leg over the other as he got comfortable in his chair. "I'll have you know I kept the conversation very casual. He does not suspect a thing." Amare leaned back further in the chair. He stalled for a time watching the anticipation grow on his sisters face as he spoke. "he really is very thick headed you know." Amare imitated knocking on his own head. "I asked him about your practice and how we can improve your training. He had very little insight to offer on the matter." Amare looked sullen for just a moment before continuing. "However you need not worry I have that figured out." He pointed at Alyss. "I had to work hard for this information you know." He folded his arms and looked at the ceiling admiring the artwork above them. "I had to drag it out of him. But after a fair amount of discussion I managed to get him to say he thinks of you fondly. Fondly sister. His words not mine. I tried to question him further on the matter but he grew rather bashful. It would seem he is not willing to admit to such as he does not know if you reciprocate the same feelings. Sooooo." He leaned forward over the table and gestured for Alyss to draw close. "I told him something. I told him.... That you wanted to give him your ribbon for the tournament." Amare leaned back. "you should have seen his face. A grin so wide you would think his head might split. After that though we had to separate for our duties." Amare put his arms behind his head and waited for the fireworks of his sisters reaction.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss nodded about a hundreds times within the first sentence, but stopped shortly and gave him a bitter look while she rolled her eyes at the comment about Sir Leon. She didn't interrupt though. She let him continue and hung on to every single word. "Fondly?" Alyss repeated in a subtle whisper and her eyes lit up. The fact that he'd been bashful too further detailed his possible feelings for her. More hopes drew into Alyss, though some of it shattered when she realized he had told Sir Leon of her intention to give him her ribbon. The fact that she chose Sir Leon rather than her own brother was pretty telling that she had feelings for him. Alyss nearly lost it. She about jumped over the table to grab it at the collar and tell him he'd been a fool for using such words. Though, what came next, about Sir Leon seemingly happy at such an action eased her.

Rather than jumping up for joy as she wished to, or tapping the sides of her face to be sure this certainly was happening, Alyss resumed to silence. Just as her brother spoke of Sir Leon's happiness, Alyss' face reflected the same. A large smile, cheeks flustered with embarrassment and happiness. Eventually she cleared her throat and strait laced her back again. "I would dearly appreciate you no longer calling him thick headed. At best it appears he may like me, and I do not believe you've ever taken a liking into a woman before. He has that over you. And it would seem he is ambitious."

 

[Calibutcher]

Amare sulked for a moment at his sisters reply. however as he thought over her minor rebuke he found reason to rejoice. His sister truly did like Leon. Yet even if that was how she felt he gloried in the thought of how many ways he could make the pair feel awkward or uncomfortable in there new found liking of one another. It was simply another avenue for him to pester his sister. "Very well, I shall not call the ambitious Leon thick headed." Amare stood from his seat and stretched. "I shall have to more creative in my naming then. Till the morrow sister the brute and I shall see you for training again. Same place and time." Amare walked away with a wave of his hand and headed to his room to retire early.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

"Very good," Alyss nodded to Amare at the decision to not hand the man cruel nicknames. Regret rushed in instead. "More creative?" she lifted her brows, but they fell right back down at his nickname for her. "Yes," she said in a hiss, holding out the last letter and her shoulder blades hit the back of the chair with a thud. "Tomorrow, same time and place. Truly, brother. I cannot wait to bruise you with daggers." She nodded to his wave and turned back to her book, as a few librarians putting a way books shot her glances.

The princess spent another hour to close covers and return to her room. After help with removing her dress and putting up her hair for the night, she dismissed her maids. Alyss stood in the middle of her room. Wearing a nightgown only designed for the rich. Staring at the floor. Her fingers weaving together until her hands grappled one another. She listened to the footfalls fade from the maids, and then lifted her hands up near her chin with a gleaming smile pressed along her face. She jumped. She hopped again and again in a circle, biting back any urge to scream, and then fell backwards onto her bed with arms spread to either side of her. Swooning a sigh of affection for Sir Leon, then curled up into her sheets.

 

[Calibutcher]

The light of morning brought on another slew of scheduled actions for Amare. Roll out of bed. Dress for the day attend the morning meal and finally go to his duties as a guard. His own training was going well and as he sparred with Leon today he pondered how he might put the massive man in a better position to court his sister. Despite his opinion of the man at times it was clear his sister was still taken with him. Leon was an honorable man and would make a fine knight one day.

The end of their lessons came and the time for Lady Alyss to train would soon come. Today Amare was better prepared for the training and actually managed to secure a meal before meeting his sister in the study. This time he arrived before Leon as well. He leaned against a wall and spun a training dagger in his hands until Leon arrived. "Ready?"

Leon nodded, it looked like he had taken some time to clean himself up in preparation for sparring with his sister today. He wore a clean tunic and pants and had at the very least run some water through his hair. Without his guard equipment as well Amare also noticed he appeared to have cut his hair.

Amare pointed to Leon's head. "Did you cut-"

"Yes, I did." Leon interjected.

"And you changed."

"Yes, I did that as well. I was not proud of my attire yesterday and decided to improve what I could for Lady Alyss." Leon ran a hand back through his hair clearly a tad nervous.

"Well, you look good," Amare said with a slight chuckle. He gave Leon a pat on the shoulder and pushed open the doors to the study they were using as their training room today. "Sister!" Amare called in a sing-song voice. "Are you ready for training?" He was met by an empty room instead and turned to face the door with a frown.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

"Do I look appealing? Does this appear nice? This wear is for training, but I still want him to like how I look." Alyss extended her arms to either side of her and spun. "My hair, does it look nice? Do I smell nice? Oh, I probably smell ghastly. I should bathe again."

"My Highness, you have already bathed twice," one of her maids addressed whilst she held a mirror for Alyss to question everything about her appearance. "You look fine. Impeccable really," she tilted the mirror some and looked the Princess over. "Never thought I'd see a maiden in trousers. Yesterday, you chose a dolled up maids outfit to train in."

"I found it a hinderance." Alyss gestured to her second maid in the room. "As my hair will be if it is not put up. Would you help?"

The second maid came to her side and began to work with her hair, the other put the mirror aside and walked back to face Alyss. "A hinderance? Is that so? I cannot quite tell if you are going for him or him."

"Lacie, out with it," Alyss said and sighed. "You mustn't speak riddles to your Princess."

Lacie, her maid, sighed and clicked her tongue. "Are you going for Sir Leon or for your father?"

"You know this," Alyss cooed as the maid finished with her hair. "I am not a daughter who will be second in her advancements of education, instruments, business or anything else. Now I must be off."

Lacie and Alyss walked to the door, to which the maid opened it and bowed her head while the Princess exited. But the maid did not close it before she uttered, "Or in love."

Alyss inhaled sharply and spun on her heel to face her maid, but the door was shut and she found it far from worth it to seek further conversation in the matter. She'd have to have a talk with her, it would seem Lacie had gained a tad more comfort than a royalty should allow, but Alyss didn't hate it. She cleared her throat and pulled at the sleeves of her tucked in blouse. She carried on with a gliding stride that felt all too awkward in trousers. She couldn't gauge whether or not she was comfortable in them and she garnered the looks of many a curious servant. Her boarded back showered confidence. Confused stares turned to that of a mere shrug.

She made fast work getting to the study and entered, the last to arrive. She nodded to first her brother and then to Sir Leon, to which she stared for far longer than she had thought appropriate. Alyss fixed such with a speedy, "It is good to see you Sir Leon. You seem, different. It looks nice." She kept striding forward until she was at Amare's side. Calm on the surface and an anxious woman beneath.