Rincy gasped for breath, as Edmund tightened the sword's grip against her neck. He caught hold of her hands and held them with his left, behind her back.
Rincy looked left and right.
The world around her seemed to drown, her head pounded with pain, blood rushed into her face, as she turned pink with fear.
Within a second, Edmund released his grip on her, and she fell to the ground.
Rincy looked up, in utter shock, still gasping for breath, trying to understand what just happened.
"Rincy Matilda, you are indeed a poor swordsman. Do not judge your opponent by their looks. A bee is a small invertebrate, but it's sting can be as fatal as death itself." said Edmund, holding his hand out to Rincy.
"You were going to kill me?" she asked, aghast.
"Nay, You think me a fool? Kill the Queen, and get hanged? That's not what interests me. This encounter was your first lesson." he laughed
Rincy stumbled and stood up, still relieving from after shock.
"You weren't paying attention to your motive. Your motive was to strike me. Instead, you were busy thinking about your moves. In sword fighting, there is no time to think. You have to strike and defend at the fall of a feather. "
"He's right! I was thinking, not acting!" she thought.
"And, your biggest mistake. You were listening to what your opponent was saying. Speech is for diversion, and you got diverted. Pay attention, do you get that young girl?" he said authoritatively.
Rincy held her head low, and nodded,"Pardon me Sir, I will pay more attention."
"Very well." he declared.
The next hour, Edmund taught Rincy how to strike. He taught her how to hold the sword correctly while striking.
From Edmund, Rincy learned that, the way one holds the sword, reveals their mental state, and this knowledge helps deduce the opponent's next move.
Rincy and Edmund practiced again and again.
He attacked, and she defended, trying to stay upright for longer than before.
Her clothes were drenched in sweat, and her arms ached. Her calf muscles burned with the strain, as she struggled to continue standing.
"Rincy Matilda, it was good training today. You show me good spirit, and I am glad to coach you" said Edmund Calvin, and he bowed before her, holding his sword horizontally away from himself.
Rincy panted, and held her sword, in a similar manner and bowed before her teacher.
"It's an honour to learn from you Sir, I hope to fulfill your expectations..."
"Nay, I want to to exceed them." he interrupted.
A few minutes later, Theodon walked in, and lead the duo for lunch.
"Hey! What are you doing ...?" began Raymond.
"Father", interrupted Theodon.
Rincy saw Theodon glare at Raymond.
"This is Edmund Calvin. Rincy's new sword master." introduced Theodon.
"Greetings Sir" wished Edmund as he shook hands with Raymond, and smiled.
Raymond smiled awkwardly, and looked from Theodon to Elain to Edmund.
"You know him from before? Uncle?" asked Rincy, seating herself at the head of the table.
"Nay. Not at all!" he blurted.
Rincy eyed him questioningly.
"I mean, he looks like my pal from Ream, who was a childhood mate" he clarified.
"Well, Sir, please take a seat, and join us for lunch."
Portria walked in to find Edmund seated next to Rincy, on her seat.
She walked up to Edmund and glared at him.
"Find yourself another seat Portria Jaccob" ordered Theodon.
Portria's glare shifted from Edmund to Theodon.
Edmund smiled sheepishly.
Portira grabbed a seat next to Edmund, and sat down.
For a second, Portria and Rincy made eye contact.
Portria's eyes filled with guilt and sadness.
Rincy's, filled with anger and anguish.
They broke contact and focused on their food.
Edmund and Raymond got along well, discussing Royal politics, tactics, history and a lot more.
Rincy got up and left after finishing her food, to eliminate the awkwardness that surrounded the table.
Portria noticed Rincy's reluctance in speaking with her.
"How do I regain her confidence and trust?" she thought, as she put a piece of chopped broccoli into her mouth.
"Your Grace!" Cynthia blocked Rincy's path to her room.
"What is it Cynthia, I am very weary now. Can this hold on for a while?" she asked in a tired and coarse voice.
Cynthia looked left and right.
"Portria Jaccob is not married, Your Grace!" she blurted.
Rincy was aghast. All the pain in her limbs and all the pounding in her head vanished.
She looked at Cynthia blank faced.
"My Queen, you hear me right. I have been tracking her off late, just like you told me to . She hasn't met anyone in person, but has made several calls to a man named Ceasar Flickerman."
The little colour left, drained off Rincy's tired face, as she tried to gather the pieces of her broken heart, mind and trust.
When one lie leads to another, all it makes is a mountain out of a mole hill. Portria's lie lost her, Rincy's trust, faith and love. The same Rincy, who once considered her mother-like and family, now has put people behind her to track her activities.
It won't be long before Rincy gets tangled in this humongous web, unless she thinks and acts carefully.
© Srinidhi Iyengar
Rincy looked left and right.
The world around her seemed to drown, her head pounded with pain, blood rushed into her face, as she turned pink with fear.
Within a second, Edmund released his grip on her, and she fell to the ground.
Rincy looked up, in utter shock, still gasping for breath, trying to understand what just happened.
"Rincy Matilda, you are indeed a poor swordsman. Do not judge your opponent by their looks. A bee is a small invertebrate, but it's sting can be as fatal as death itself." said Edmund, holding his hand out to Rincy.
"You were going to kill me?" she asked, aghast.
"Nay, You think me a fool? Kill the Queen, and get hanged? That's not what interests me. This encounter was your first lesson." he laughed
Rincy stumbled and stood up, still relieving from after shock.
"You weren't paying attention to your motive. Your motive was to strike me. Instead, you were busy thinking about your moves. In sword fighting, there is no time to think. You have to strike and defend at the fall of a feather. "
"He's right! I was thinking, not acting!" she thought.
"And, your biggest mistake. You were listening to what your opponent was saying. Speech is for diversion, and you got diverted. Pay attention, do you get that young girl?" he said authoritatively.
Rincy held her head low, and nodded,"Pardon me Sir, I will pay more attention."
"Very well." he declared.
The next hour, Edmund taught Rincy how to strike. He taught her how to hold the sword correctly while striking.
From Edmund, Rincy learned that, the way one holds the sword, reveals their mental state, and this knowledge helps deduce the opponent's next move.
Rincy and Edmund practiced again and again.
He attacked, and she defended, trying to stay upright for longer than before.
Her clothes were drenched in sweat, and her arms ached. Her calf muscles burned with the strain, as she struggled to continue standing.
"Rincy Matilda, it was good training today. You show me good spirit, and I am glad to coach you" said Edmund Calvin, and he bowed before her, holding his sword horizontally away from himself.
Rincy panted, and held her sword, in a similar manner and bowed before her teacher.
"It's an honour to learn from you Sir, I hope to fulfill your expectations..."
"Nay, I want to to exceed them." he interrupted.
A few minutes later, Theodon walked in, and lead the duo for lunch.
"Hey! What are you doing ...?" began Raymond.
"Father", interrupted Theodon.
Rincy saw Theodon glare at Raymond.
"This is Edmund Calvin. Rincy's new sword master." introduced Theodon.
"Greetings Sir" wished Edmund as he shook hands with Raymond, and smiled.
Raymond smiled awkwardly, and looked from Theodon to Elain to Edmund.
"You know him from before? Uncle?" asked Rincy, seating herself at the head of the table.
"Nay. Not at all!" he blurted.
Rincy eyed him questioningly.
"I mean, he looks like my pal from Ream, who was a childhood mate" he clarified.
"Well, Sir, please take a seat, and join us for lunch."
Portria walked in to find Edmund seated next to Rincy, on her seat.
She walked up to Edmund and glared at him.
"Find yourself another seat Portria Jaccob" ordered Theodon.
Portria's glare shifted from Edmund to Theodon.
Edmund smiled sheepishly.
Portira grabbed a seat next to Edmund, and sat down.
For a second, Portria and Rincy made eye contact.
Portria's eyes filled with guilt and sadness.
Rincy's, filled with anger and anguish.
They broke contact and focused on their food.
Edmund and Raymond got along well, discussing Royal politics, tactics, history and a lot more.
Rincy got up and left after finishing her food, to eliminate the awkwardness that surrounded the table.
Portria noticed Rincy's reluctance in speaking with her.
"How do I regain her confidence and trust?" she thought, as she put a piece of chopped broccoli into her mouth.
"Your Grace!" Cynthia blocked Rincy's path to her room.
"What is it Cynthia, I am very weary now. Can this hold on for a while?" she asked in a tired and coarse voice.
Cynthia looked left and right.
"Portria Jaccob is not married, Your Grace!" she blurted.
Rincy was aghast. All the pain in her limbs and all the pounding in her head vanished.
She looked at Cynthia blank faced.
"My Queen, you hear me right. I have been tracking her off late, just like you told me to . She hasn't met anyone in person, but has made several calls to a man named Ceasar Flickerman."
The little colour left, drained off Rincy's tired face, as she tried to gather the pieces of her broken heart, mind and trust.
When one lie leads to another, all it makes is a mountain out of a mole hill. Portria's lie lost her, Rincy's trust, faith and love. The same Rincy, who once considered her mother-like and family, now has put people behind her to track her activities.
It won't be long before Rincy gets tangled in this humongous web, unless she thinks and acts carefully.
© Srinidhi Iyengar
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