“You’re favoring your right. Remember what I showed you, don’t make it seem like one side is stronger than the other.”
Swords clashed, the smaller of the pair just barely blocking, but managing to shove the larger one back. While he was stumbling back, she dropped to the ground, attempting to kick his legs out, but he’d seen it. Jumping over the kick, he pressed a booted foot to the girls shoulder and shoved her to the ground. Not enough to hurt her badly, her shoulder might bruise but her pride took the most of it. Offering his hands, Arthur helped his younger sister to his feet with a smile and small laugh as his hand tossed her hair about before kissing the top of her head. “You’re getting much better Isabel, just remember-”
“Not to tell father. He’s having a hard enough time marrying me off, the last thing they need to learn is you’re training me to be a knight.”
Everything had been so peaceful back then, her brother always by her side, watching over her, fending off any disgraceful suitors trying for her hand. Then father began making the people angry, and her brother grew sick. No doctors could cure him, and she spent many nights crying, holding his hand, while he slowly died in his bed. It had been barely a year, and while the rebels were quiet now, everyone knew they were still out there, waiting for her father to show weakness. Isabel no longer seemed to know which side to fight for, her brother gone she felt lost, alone, living day to day by routine.
Today however, she was not going to simply sit around and let her father order her around. The prince seeking her hand was not a man she had any interest in marrying, and her hand maidens practically woke the dead with the shrieks as they walked into her room, only to find her propelling from her window by the sheets she’d tied to her bed. “Princess Isabel what are you doing!? You could fall! Worse yet the prince is here and your father is expec-”
“Mary, tell my father whatever you wish, but I am not going to be marrying anyone today. I’m going out, no one in the village has seen me in over a year, and in these clothes I’ll blend right in.”
With that, one green eye and one blue, her brother having those same eyes, they were finally alive with some excitement as she carefully climbed down to the ground below. A brown, tattering cloak and hood hid long, straight, brown locks. Her attire nothing more than her old hunting gear, tattering boots and black trousers with a loose white, long sleeved top. At first glance, one might simply mistake her for a young boy, it took a moment of looking to notice the curves hiding beneath her clothes, and she was moving to fast through the grounds for anyone to notice her, let alone what she was wearing.
Finally, out of site of the castle, she made her way into the village. Simply walking around to enjoy everything, stopping at vendors every now and again to examine their merchandise. Her ears open for the words of any rebels trying to bring the people to arms.
Swords clashed, the smaller of the pair just barely blocking, but managing to shove the larger one back. While he was stumbling back, she dropped to the ground, attempting to kick his legs out, but he’d seen it. Jumping over the kick, he pressed a booted foot to the girls shoulder and shoved her to the ground. Not enough to hurt her badly, her shoulder might bruise but her pride took the most of it. Offering his hands, Arthur helped his younger sister to his feet with a smile and small laugh as his hand tossed her hair about before kissing the top of her head. “You’re getting much better Isabel, just remember-”
“Not to tell father. He’s having a hard enough time marrying me off, the last thing they need to learn is you’re training me to be a knight.”
Everything had been so peaceful back then, her brother always by her side, watching over her, fending off any disgraceful suitors trying for her hand. Then father began making the people angry, and her brother grew sick. No doctors could cure him, and she spent many nights crying, holding his hand, while he slowly died in his bed. It had been barely a year, and while the rebels were quiet now, everyone knew they were still out there, waiting for her father to show weakness. Isabel no longer seemed to know which side to fight for, her brother gone she felt lost, alone, living day to day by routine.
Today however, she was not going to simply sit around and let her father order her around. The prince seeking her hand was not a man she had any interest in marrying, and her hand maidens practically woke the dead with the shrieks as they walked into her room, only to find her propelling from her window by the sheets she’d tied to her bed. “Princess Isabel what are you doing!? You could fall! Worse yet the prince is here and your father is expec-”
“Mary, tell my father whatever you wish, but I am not going to be marrying anyone today. I’m going out, no one in the village has seen me in over a year, and in these clothes I’ll blend right in.”
With that, one green eye and one blue, her brother having those same eyes, they were finally alive with some excitement as she carefully climbed down to the ground below. A brown, tattering cloak and hood hid long, straight, brown locks. Her attire nothing more than her old hunting gear, tattering boots and black trousers with a loose white, long sleeved top. At first glance, one might simply mistake her for a young boy, it took a moment of looking to notice the curves hiding beneath her clothes, and she was moving to fast through the grounds for anyone to notice her, let alone what she was wearing.
Finally, out of site of the castle, she made her way into the village. Simply walking around to enjoy everything, stopping at vendors every now and again to examine their merchandise. Her ears open for the words of any rebels trying to bring the people to arms.
) 