Captured Princess

I Have No Freaking Idea

Early morning the next day, Shanaia began her training with her grandfather. Samael decided to do the training in the library so there wouldn’t be anyone to disturb them. There was a part of the room, at the very back where a mat was laid out and it was cleared so it was free of any hindrance.

“Grandpa, how am I supposed to know if I am doing the right thing?” Shanaia asked her grandfather.

Samael who was seated on his armchair, drinking coffee looked at her.

“Just do what the illustration shows. Memorize them, put them together and once you finished the routine, you will know,” he told her.

Shanaia looked at him like he had grown another head.

“What are you still standing there? Go on with it. Remember, you just have two weeks,” he said.

Shanaia huffed and then she turned around, placed the book on the book stand, and started copying the forms shown in the illustrations. Shanaia would tilt her head from side to side as she tried to understand the illustrations. It would’ve helped if she could understand the ancient text but unfortunately, the texts in the book looked like a bunch of noodles.

Still, Shanaia tried to do what was in the book. The first forms illustrated in the book were easy; they were consisted of raising arms in a perpendicular position, and legs outstretched to the sides while bending down. Shanaia focused on the easy forms for the first few days, memorizing each form and making sure she had proper angles. She did it over and over again under the watchful eyes of her grandfather.

But every time she did it wrong, her grandfather would hit her limb with a thin stick.

“Aww!”

Shanaia cried as her grandfather’s stick hit her leg when she raised it the wrong way. She then glared at him as she rubbed the stinging pain away.

“Why must you hit me? Every single time! It hurts you know!” she snapped.

Samael looked at her blankly.

“Then do it properly.” He said and Shanaia scowled.

“You are still in the first part of the routine. You still have a long way to go, and you only have less than two weeks.”

Shanaia huffed.

“I hate this. I don’t dance so it's difficult for me to do such a routine,” she complained.

Samael looked at her intently and then all of a sudden, he attacked her using the stick. Shanaia acted in instincts, her blocking of the attacks resembled the forms that she had been practicing for days.

When Samael stopped attacking and took a step back, that’s when Shanaia realized what had happened.

“The first part focuses on blocking. Good job. Now…” Samael trailed as he used his stick to turn the page of the book.

Shanaia’s eyes widened when she saw the illustrations. The forms illustrated were more complicated and she just knew, she’d get a hell of a beating because of it.

“Start on that,”

Samael said and Shanaia looked at him in disbelief. She was about to complain but the look on her grandfather’s face tells her it's pointless arguing with the old man.

Shanaia groaned as she faced the book and started studying the new forms.

*******************************.

Unlike the first forms that focus on blocking and defense, the second part of the illustrations showed forms that could be used in the offense. The forms require precise movements and angling of her limbs for them to be effective.

And as Shanaia expected, it was harder than the first ones she studied. And with every wrong movement she did, every wrong angling of her legs or elbows, her grandfather hit her twice as much and twice as hard.

Her studying those forms has taken her a few days longer than she did with the defensive forms. Also, her body has ached from long hours of practice and from her grandfather’s stick.

Days passed and it has been eight days since she started training. Shanaia was working hard to get every form right not just because she wanted to perfect it but because she didn’t want to be hit by her strict grandfather. He hits her harder than the last time every day she gets it wrong.

Even though her body screamed in pain and the need to rest, she didn’t give up as she didn’t want to disappoint everyone, especially her grandfather. Despite being brutal with her during her training, he is still helping her. He is taking his sweet time to help her with her problem when he could just quit and leave. Because of that, she is determined to get everything right and achieve what they want for her.

“You are one for the day,”

Shanaia stopped moving and then she looked at her grandfather with a bewildered expression. She looked at the wall clock and was confused as to why her grandfather was calling it a day when he always insisted on extending the training until the wee hours every day.

But today, aside from he hasn’t hit her that much, he is also telling her that she is done with her training for that day.

“Uh, why? It’s still early,” she asked as she wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead.

“I have some place to go, so you can go as well,” Samael answered her as he put away his stick.

“Lock the door when you leave,” he said and then she went out of the room without looking back.

Shanaia was stunned by what happened that she was left there looking at the door.

Since she was left by her grandfather just like that, she tidied up a bit before she grabbed her stuff and went out of the library, locking it. She was on her way upstairs when she saw her brothers coming in from the training grounds.

“Hey! Long time no see,” Seb chirped when he saw his older sister.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have training?” Crane asked.

“Grandpa just sent me back and called it a day. He said he has some place to be,” Shanaia answered.

“That’s great. Let’s relax today, grab some food, and have a picnic on top of the canyon,” Seb said and Crane nodded before speaking.

“Come with us, it’ll be fun,”

Shanaia looked at her brothers and both looked excited. She then heaved a deep sigh and agreed.

“Okay. Let me wash up first,”

She told them and the boys grinned as Shanaia jogged upstairs to go back to her room.

Shanaia took a quick shower and changed into a fresh pair of clothes before she went back down to where her brothers were waiting for her by the front door. They have picnic baskets in their hands.

“Let’s go!”

The three of them left the main house and started to walk outside towards the canyons. The nearby canyons are the best place to have a picnic, with a view of the whole valley since there’s not much grassland in the area.

It took them around fifteen minutes before they reached their destination. And when they did, they let Seb choose the spot.

Their youngest brother chose the highest spot facing the whole territory surrounded by canyons. The perfect view of the little oasis. Crane opened a picnic mat and as they sat down, they took out the sandwiches, fruit slices, chicken nuggets, and some chips from the basket. Seb took out the bottle of soda and red cups, pouring each one the fizzy drink.

The three of them sat there while they ate. They enjoyed the moment, especially as the breeze was cool enough to counteract the sun.

“Did you know Samara and her group of friends made a commotion when they left?” Seb spoke and Shanaia looked at him.

“They already left?” she asked and they nodded.

“They did, five days ago. They still complained like some entitled Karen until they were told to get on the bus. I don’t understand how those kids could complain and be openly rude to everyone when they are still considered as kids. They just wouldn’t accept the consequences of their actions.” Crane said.

“It turns out, they are really a bunch of problematic kids; in school or even at their homes. Even their parents looked relieved that Grandpa gave them that punishment,” Seb added.

“Where were they sent anyway?” she asked.

“Beaumont,”

Crane answered and Shanaia was surprised.

“Texas?” she asked and they nodded.

“I heard they were sent to this small community. This community has a huge farm where they are expected to work during weekends. They are also enrolled in this small community high school.” Crane told her.

“It was Uncle Stephen who arranged everything since he has some friends in the said community,”

“Well, I hope they will be safe there, and won’t be causing more trouble,” she said, making Seb scoff.

“I wish the kids there would put them in place,”

Shanaia sighed.

“They don’t need beating or something that will traumatize them. They needed firm, tough love and people that are patient enough to teach them about the life of ordinary individuals,” she said.

The boys shrugged.

“I hope that community will be compensated enough for taking them in,” Seb said making Shanaia snicker.

Crane also chuckled as he thought about the possible hardships their cousins and their friends would go through in that place.

“By the way, how was your training?” Shanaia asked her brothers.

“It was going well,” Seb answered.

“It’s fine, but I miss working in Dad’s lab,” Crane said.

Then they looked at her.

“How about you? How was your secret training with Grandpa?” Crane asked.

Shanaia went quiet as her shoulders sagged.

“I am tired and my body is tired and in pain.” She answered.

“That hard?”

“You have no idea,” Shanaia mumbled and then she looked at them.

“Not only that I have to do each movement precisely, but I also have to make it swift and graceful. And I cannot make a mistake or else, Grandpa will beat the s**t out of me with a stick,”

She ranted and both her brothers snorted before laughing, making her scowl.

“It’s not funny,” she grumbled.

“Sorry but we find it funny imagining you being beaten up by Grandpa using a stick,” Seb said as he stopped himself from laughing more.

Shanaia rolled her eyes.

“How is this going to help you not overkill your enemy?” Crane asked and Shanaia shrugged before answering.

“I don’t know. But Grandpa said it teaches me patience and control. It seems like me losing control is being triggered by my emotions.”

“Is it working? Whatever grandpa makes you do? Is it working?” Seb asked.

Shanaia chugged down the contents of her cup.

“You know what? I have no freaking idea,”