Dragon Prophecy

The Sword Fight

“When you teach them- teach them not to fear. Fear is good in small amounts, but when it is a constant, pounding companion it cuts away at who you are and makes it hard to do what you know is right.”

"I'm Zachary, My princess." Zachary's jaw flexed, as he looked at her eyes flaring in anger.

"It's Princess Katerina Rosette Petrova for you. Nothing more, nothing less." Katerina hissed.

"Yes." Zachary's face was still as cold as steel. "Quite a nice name, in my opinion. I didn't think it was necessary to reveal the complete name to someone who had just given you the first name, only."

"It wasn't your complete introduction?"

"Indeed it isn't. I think I already mentioned that. And?"

Katerina felt her temper rising even higher. How could someone be so cold, so distant? Deep inside she knew how and why: he had never really cared what others think.

"You haven't answered my question!"

"Which one, little princess? You seem to be rather curious this fine morning."

"Who. Are. You?" Katerina had to fight to keep her voice steady.

Zachary shrugged. "I don't have to tell you anything, now do I? Besides, I don't particularly intend to waste my time."

"You…. You…." She stammered, simmering with rage.

"Yes?" Zachary raised an eyebrow. "Are you looking for some insults to throw at me? Search well, I beg you, little princess. You'll have to be quite original to come up with something I haven't heard before. I have a large and varied vocabulary."

"You! I wonder how you have survived to the current age, with a tongue as insolent as yours," the Petrova princess said icily. Her icy blue eyes fuming with anger.

'By killing anyone who tried to disrespect me'. Zachary thought, but said nothing. He had accomplished his goal. The princess was now fully concentrating on her anger and wounded honor, instead of intensifying the bond between them.

Though, Zachary thought to himself drily, trying to ignore the spark rising in his soul. When Katerina was lost, while studying his face. He felt his inner dragon taking control, which surely didn't go unnoticed by her. Afterall, one day she would know.

"Think if you ever smiled, your face would crack?" Zachary smirked.

"Don't be so ridiculous. We're done talking now, let's see what you got." Said Katerina, cracking her knuckles.

"Oh, yeah. You know, it must be tough being like Petrova royalty. All that power and prestige."

"What does it mean?"

"From what Prince Dimitri said, no-one could match you, but I think they just don't want you to feel bad."

"Oh, we will see about that." Katerina glared at him.

Zachary pulled out his sword from the scabbard, while tossing it towards Katerina. Fuming in anger, she went to pick it up and on her mere touch, the sword lit up.

What kind of sword is it? Thought Katerina.

Once she didn't have her eyes on him, Zachary's eyes lit up in red color as he used his Dragon's powers for an insanely high jump, leading him in front of Katerina.

Gasping in shock, she looked up at him in his dark eyes, their bodies were just an inch apart. "You're breathless, my princess." Zachary smirked, jumping as he flipped in the air and landed just behind her.

"I… I'm not." Katerina stuttered, thinking what the actual hell in the name of the moon goddess was happening to her?

"Okay, the sword is mine. Let me show you how to use this thing. Now, it knows you're it's bearer, so it wants to respond. But you have to be firm with it. Let it know who's the controller here."

Standing behind Katerina, Zachary laid his hand on her hand, on the sword.

"There. You make it a part of yourself and it a part of you. Now, the sword never dims. It's saying you belong together."

Surprised by its behaviour, Katerina asked, "How does it know?"

How badly Zachary wanted to tell her the truth behind it, but he restrained himself from doing so. "It's something that depends on my sword. It'll light up whenever the worthy one picks it up."

Well, that is partly true. He thought.

They pushed the sword forward and it was like the air moved. "You understand?" Asked Zachary.

"Not even a little."

"You'll get there. It's not something you understand in your mind. It's something you know because it's pulsing through your body. It's in your blood."

Katerina let the air pulsate. "Could I even do this without you?" She asked.

"You just did."

"But it…. felt like you were still with me." Said Katerina, still in the bubble of his warmth.

"I am. I will be… there for you." Zachary assured her and when he realised that he was strengthening their bond, he interrupted their romantic tension by walking away from her as his eyes turned cold when Katerina looked at him, confused.

Her little bubble of warmth burst, when she looked into those cold and distant eyes.

"Are you ready now?" Asked Zachary, bitterly.

"I'm ready."

Zachary closed the distance with his sword raised preparing for what appeared to be a mighty overhead strike. "En garde!" A phrase meaning on guard, used especially in fencing to warn fencers to be ready to begin a bout.

Katerina wisely parried the attack with the forte of her sword, making a loud, long, ringing noise when their swords collided.

"Not bad, little princess." Zachary smirked, without missing a beat, he stepped closer and delivered a full force overhead attack on Katerina with speed and intent.

Zachary's forceful attack made Katerina fall on her left knee, but she blocked his sword right above her head. "Stop giving me names." Said Katerina, gritting her teeths and standing up.

"Oh, I'm not in the habit of giving names. But, you're a princess and little. So, it explains, right?"

"No, it doesn't." With all the power, Katerina pushed Zachary behind and attacked him by swinging the arm across the body from right to left, aiming for his neck.

He blocked effortlessly, and made his final counterattack by pushing her a little through his sword and without wasting a single second, he followed up and delivered a full force attack. It was a strong blow causing the fall of Katerina's sword as Zachary stood with his weapon aiming the side of her neck.

Katerina stood defenceless, their eyes locked, "If you want to win at sword fighting, you are better off seizing the offensive than waiting for the right time to counter-attack." He pressed his sword a little at the side of her neck, saying, "No matter how skilled you are on the offence, at some point you will have to take some defensive action. Otherwise, you're dead."

Not realising, the sharp metal was still pressed against her skin, she nodded and the action gave her a little scratch.

Zachary immediately retrieved his sword back as his eyes were focused on her neck, 'looks like the previous wound is healed.'

"We are done for today." Zachary announced and was about to walk out of the courtyard when Katerina interrupted his journey.

"You're forgetting the sword."

"I do not forget anything, little princess. You can keep it, we've got a long way to go." With that he walked out of the courtyard.

Do we? Katerina thought.