Rebirth of the Bedridden Warrioress

Chapter Ten - Friend or Foe

Aramis Bronx Davina

"Aramis...can you hear me?" 

That voice again…it sounded so familiar and hearing it makes me feel at home, even though I'm already dead.

"Aramis…Aramis," 

"Aramis! Come on! Wake up or you'll be late at our training grounds! You still have to teach me backflipping, the first challenge is tomorrow you know?!" Dahlia's loud voice was to be heard as I felt her tapping my shoulders violently, so I groaned while waking up.

I didn't get too much sleep after they interrogated me on how my travel at the Archives went yesterday. They were really a pain in the neck!

Of course, I didn't tell them about my meeting with the King and had a casual conversation, they would totally freak out.

Plus, I have this feeling that they don't have to know about that, I don't want them getting involved in my plans of learning some stuff about this place. They better stay in the dark where it's safe.

Dahlia most especially didn't let me take a breather as she bugged me all night, almost as if it was my mother talking to me about cleaning my room!

"Come on! You've been asleep for several months! You can stay up all night now you know?!" she chuckled, which made me glare at her as I stood up and stretched some joints.

I stopped realizing that I'm hearing that voice again in my dream, who the heck is that? Could it be my mother?

"Oh, look at her, she looks upset!" Dahlia teased me for the nth time, so I just grunted at her before averting my gaze.

"Leave me alone, Dahlia," I complained while pushing her away, so she just laughed and almost tore my eardrums apart.

"Oh come on! Last night wasn't that bad, you enjoyed it didn't you?" she nudged my shoulder, so I just sighed before nodding.

Aside from bugging me last night, the middletians and peasantians had a small party inside the quarters because they told me they're all prepared to die. After all, our safety is not guaranteed at any challenges, and want to have fun until they can.

I was absolutely terrified with the idea of losing someone, I mean I died…that wouldn't feel too good right?

"You guys should think about winning and not celebrating your last days like you're really going to die," I commented while grabbing some of my stuff. I've hidden the books I took under the bed, I think no one would check this right?

"I agree with her," Loane chimed in before tapping my head, "We should focus on thinking about our strategy on the first challenge," she added before fixing some of her stuff, which made me nod my head at her.

"Right? So, I'll be taking my morning rituals and will catch up with you guys later on the grounds," I took my towel and walked towards the door.

"But still! It's nice to have fun! All I do at home is train, eat, work, and sleep, it's a nonstop cycle! It's exhausting!" Dahlia complained, so I stuck out my tongue to her.

"Quiet you, or I'll give you an intense workout later," I argued, so she stopped for a moment before looking at me intently.

"Um, what's a workout, Aramis?" she curiously asked, so I just sighed. That word isn't even a hard one to understand!

"Whatever," I disappointedly shook my head and left our room.

After heading outside, I saw that Thalia was already awake. She has different roommates, but she always comes with us during breakfast or lunch. I almost want to compliment her because she's already in training clothes, she's always this diligent when it comes to waking up early. 

I want to envy her because who wants to wake up with the sun blinding you? I shook my head and I waved my hand before running after her.

"Good morning Thalia," I greeted, so she flinched before looking at me and grinned. Oh boy, not another one either.

"A pleasant morning to you, Aramis! You look like you had a great night! Those eyebags look good on you!" she greeted me back, which made me glare at her.

"Do you want to be taught how to backflip?" I threatened, so she stopped before gulping at the sight of me.

"Y-Yeah yeah! Of course, I do, you're really beautiful today Aramis! We'll be patiently waiting for you!" She pushed me in the shower--err sprinklers, which made me shake my head.

These girls are easy to threaten, I wonder if they'll be really alright at the challenge? I watched how they sparred with others before, their skills are exceptional, but it's lacking something.

And I don't know why I agreed to this? Even I myself didn't know how I managed to do that so easily because of these undiscovered strengths, and I haven't done that in my life either aside from doing it at my bed!

What mess have I gotten myself into? I really just want to help them in any way I can.

I didn't take a while to take a bath. After drying off myself, I went outside of the training grounds even though I knew the sun was going to be there.

My feet trotted towards the hallway and noticed that someone was following me from behind, when I felt that it was coming closer, I turned around and grabbed the hem of whatever that person was wearing.

"Why are you following me?" I glared at that man and was stunned that I lifted him with one hand despite how tall he was from me.

How the hell am I doing this?!

"C-Calm down milady, I-I'm not a threat," he looks like he's struggling from my touch, so I let go of him before bowing my head.

I also noticed that he's wearing beautiful robes, he must be one of the nobles that are been staying here to watch. Crap! I messed up again!

"I-I'm sorry, I'm not used to someone following me from behind, I hope you understand," I sincerely apologized before lifting my head.

My eyes widened upon seeing a handsome man, probably a spoiled one before me, from the way he's clean and elegant looking, it's obvious that he was being taken good care of. He then smiled sweetly before slowly bowing his head.

"No, the fault was mine, to begin with, I must've scared you for sneaking up like that," he muttered worriedly before offering his hands.

"I'm Romel Calypso, and you must be the bedridden warrioress I've been hearing around here," he smiled, it's a smile that would probably take some souls away from their bodies. Oh boy, this man sure does know how to hit a woman.

And just how famous am I from around this Kingdom? It's starting to get annoying.

"U-Um yes, that's me," I accepted his hand. I was about to shake it when I was surprised with his next gesture when he kissed the back of my hand.

"W-What in the--" 

"My sincerest apologies, I never meant to harm or scare you," he cut me off before letting go of my hand.

"I-It's alright, I'll be going now," I bowed my head and left him over there, I could feel my cheeks heating up.

No one has done that gesture to me before, so it's a little bit surprising.

I almost complained after seeing the sun shining brightly on the castle grounds, just great! This sunlight just never leaves me alone!

"Aramis! What took you so long?!" Dahlia complained after she saw me stepping below the grounds.

I sprinted towards their place before gesturing a peace sign, "N-Nothing, I just bumped into someone," I told them before asking them to take their positions, I honestly don't know if I could be of help.

But, I'll see what I can do for them, "Alright, so have you guys taken your warm-up yet?" I asked, and those three nodded their heads at me.

"Okay...good, now please bear with me," I sighed before playing with my fingers, "I haven't trained anyone before," I mumbled nervously, which made them chuckle.

I'm not lying though because I'm not flexible in my past life, this is the first time I've been actually doing this step by step.

"That's a lie! You always train us before at the camp," Dahlia complained, but I just shook my head at her.

"T-That was a long time ago, I was bedridden remember?" I argued, so she just pouted before nodding.

I warmed up my body first because I was listening to my p.e classes before, it's advisable to have your joints warmed up or you'll break a bone if you don't.

"So um, how do I start with this?" I asked myself after warming up. After that, I grunted before back bending on the other side.

"So guys, backflipping is about flexibility, you have to be flexible enough to do this," I mumbled before looking at them. It's a bit hard since I'm floating on the ground.

"Okay so the first step is this, for beginners you have to be able to backbend first, then you have to use your core to lift your two legs towards the other side," I did what I said and slowly backflipped on the other side.

"There," I breathe before smiling, "That's how you should do it first, now you guys try it, I'll teach you the air backflip after you guys mastered this," I'm spouting nonsense, but whatever it seems like they're taking it seriously.

Loane was doing a great job of taking my advice except from these two girls, "O-Ouch! My back! It's hurting!" Thalia complained, which made me laugh.

"Well, I thought you guys have warmed up already?" I teased and looked on the other side seeing Dahlia was also having a hard time raising her two legs on the other side.

"How can you do this so easily!" she complained, so I continued watching them and taught them what techniques that might help them.

THIRD PERSON POV//

The sun was shining so brightly, though the breeze of the winds was there enough to cool off the skin of those hard-working warrioress.

Fresh trickling sweats, clashing swords, and grunts were all over the place that can tell that these women were doing whatever they can to succeed.

Aramis and the rest of her friends continued training on their own until the nobles that have been staying in the castle decided to visit the peasantians and middletians training grounds.

"I'm impressed, I was expecting to see wild animals destroying this palace," one of the nobles chuckled after they witnessed what's happening on the grounds.

The other noble shook his head before tapping the shoulders of his companion, "Watch your mouth Eric, you know that the bedridden warrioress is training here either, we don't know if she's safe for us," he brought up, so their eyes roamed around the grounds and successfully witnessed that silver eyes woman, with her ash grey hair in a ponytail.

Aramis was currently biting her lips, as she scolded Dahlia who's busy complaining about what she can't do.

"What could be harmless about that sweet-looking lady? She looks like a well-mannered woman," Romel Calypso stepped up, he wasn't aware that he was smiling at the sight of Aramis.

The nobles laughed at him, "Did you hear how she rudely acted a day ago? She was disrespectful towards the King and the castle guards!" the nobles argued, but Romel shakes his head before staring at them.

"She only did what she could to protect herself, if you ask me, she did a great job," Romel smiled at them, so the nobles just shook their heads at him.

"Don't tell me you're choosing that woman to be one of your protectors or worst, your wife?" they asked, but Romel didn't respond to them.

One of them sighed while shaking their heads, "Of all women why here, Lord Calypso?" some of them sounded disappointed.

"There are lots of good choices at the nobles and richtians, you should not waste your time on that rude warrior," the noble suggested.

Romel shakes his head amusingly after seeing that woman backflipped easily on the grounds, which amazed all of those who were watching them.

"I'll look around, I'm not picking anyone yet," Romel hummed before secretly stared at the woman who he took interest in.

Deep inside, he knew he was struck and it can't be avoided now that his curiosity about Aramis is building up inside his slowly beating heart.

To be continued...