Days had passed by in a blur. Aries continuously attended her sparring matches with Miguel, and just like the first time, her interactions with him didn't involve long conversations. It was mostly the two of them fighting; she never gave him the chance to talk.
TAK!
Aries stood several feet from her opponent, Miguel. She gazed down when she heard a faint noise as if something was cracking. The moment her eyes fell on the wooden sword in her hand, she caught the cracks crawling their way to her hand.
It only took seconds before the wooden sword broke into multiple pieces. How fragile.
"Your Majesty, we already spar six times in the course of a month and you broke your sword six times," Miguel pointed out, watching the pieces of wood fall to the ground. When he lifted his eyes to Aries, she was still staring at her hand.
A shallow breath escaped his nostrils. "Weapons are the extension of our hands. You don't break your hands because if you do, you'll be at the disadvantage. It is like sabotaging yourself."
Aries slowly set her eyes back on him. They sparred five times in the span of a month, but this was probably the first time they paused in the middle of the fight. They never talked in between and when it was over because Aries lost, she would just leave after giving him the day of their next session.
"Strength alone cannot take you far," he continued. "I'm certain Your Majesty is already aware of what I am saying. Although I cannot understand the seemingly bottomless anger you are carrying every time you step into the training grounds, you have to separate all the other emotions into a battle."
Miguel tapped his temple mildly. "You fight using your head," before he pointed at his chest. "Not with this. Emotions… are double edge swords. They can be either strength or something that will hold you back. That is why while you aren't sure what sort of influence your emotions were, fight using your head."
Aries stayed silent with her eyes fixed on Miguel.
"You really sound like him," she mumbled to herself, making Miguel raise his brows.
"Pardon, Your Majesty?"
Aries ignored him, assessing him from head to toe. Even though she didn't speak with him for the month they sparred, Aries learned many things. For instance, no matter which angle she looked, Miguel looked exactly like Davien.
Not just the face or the voice, but their height and physique were the same. To put it simply, Miguel's physical appearance was exactly just like Davien's.
'Even what he just said sounds just like what Davien would say,' she continued her thoughts in her head before mentally shaking her head. 'Don't be fooled, Aries. He isn't Davien and Davien was a jerk…'
"Dani."
Aries's train of thought trailed off when Dexter's voice caressed her ears. She slowly turned her head, only to see Dexter approaching. It didn't take long when Dexter stood a step from her side, but before he could speak, they heard Miguel's voice.
"Dani?" Miguel furrowed his brows, watching the two look back at him.
"Good to see you, Lord Miguel," greeted Dexter politely with a slight bow before facing Aries. "I was looking for you, and Gustav told me you're on the training grounds."
"Why are you looking for me?"
Dexter cocked his head to the side, confused. "You called for me. Did you forget?"
"Oh."
"Are you alright? You don't normally forget such arrangements." Dexter assessed his sister's face and then pinched her cheek out of habit. "Is there something wrong?"
His action brought a slight smile to her face before clicking her tongue. "We're in front of my instructor. Do not embarrass me just because I am your sister."
"Sorry. Habit." Dexter chuckled warmly as he retrieved his hand. "Are you done with your training?"
"Yes." Aries nodded, setting her eyes back on Miguel. "That's all for today, Lord Miguel. Come back in five days."
Miguel blinked while Aries face Dexter again. Unlike her cold treatment towards him, she looked warm and loving in front of Dexter.
pαndα`noνɐ1~сoМ "Shall we?" Dexter offered his arm, smiling.
Aries smiled back while nodding, hooking her arm around Dexter's. It had been a while since she had time with her brother alone. Both of them had been busy since Aries was the queen, and Dexter was one of her official cabinets.
Dexter didn't have any official title in the Mainland. Unlike Abel and the Grimsbanne, Conan, and Isaiah, Dexter and Aries were the real outsiders. They had no real connection to the mainland and were simply dragged into this place because they were connected to Abel. Thus, Aries secured a spot for her brother to keep her close.
"I don't think I can come in our next session, Your Majesty."
As Aries and Dexter were leaving the training ground, they stopped upon hearing Miguel's remarks. The two of them looked back, only to see Miguel still standing on his spot.
"Matter of fact, I don't think I can attend any training sessions anymore." A smile slowly turned up on Miguel's face, eyes fixed on Aries. "If you ask me the reason, it is that I do not think I deserved to be used and be disposed of like a whore once you relieved yourself."
"What?" Aries furrowed her brows. Did she just hear him correctly? Meanwhile, Dexter frowned.
"Your Majesty, I had been training you for the past month. Yet, you never offered me any refreshments or anything. As your sparring partner, I am hurt," expressed Miguel. "I thought Your Majesty simply had an aloof personality, but now I see that that isn't the case. You simply dislike me, and I realized that no matter what I do, I will not impress you since it seemed you already have a solid impression of me even before we met."
"Are you saying you're quitting?" asked Dexter, while the deep lines in between Aries's brows deepened.
"Yes." Miguel's answer was quick, without a second hesitation. "I quit, Your Majesty. Unless, of course, you invite me to tea. I would be very happy since I'm parched — I don't even know where to start."
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