Princess Luna & Amarantha
It had been a few months now after since her sister's coronation and things had seemed to finally somewhat calmed down as Luna stood in the courtyard just in front of the Castle. It was their usual training spot that they had agreed to use for now, she needed the training. After being nearly
CradleSnatched by the Port Witches Amarantha and Luna had both agreed that it was a good thing to learn after Amarantha was assigned to be her personal guard.
Luna wore a simple red tunic, and pants as well it was simply and comfortable to move around in rather than a dress, Luna sat down on a nearby stone bench her practice sword was next to her as well waiting patiently for her. She had gotten very attached to Amarantha and considers her a very close friend, Luna started to think about telling her about her mental health as well. She didn't want to tell Valda or Myrus yet she didn't want to make them worry about her, and being the second in line to the throne it would make things a lot worse than they were now.
Amarantha stepped out of the barracks, enjoying the beginnings of the warmer weather. Her position had increased in the Castle and with it came plenty of perks. One unexpected was becoming the Crown Princess's personal guard. Amarantha had to admit this pleased her considerably. Ever since the battle with the Port Witches and not being able to save Luna completely, she had been beating herself up and looking for anyway to prove herself. The fact that Queen Valda trusted her with her sister, meant much more than Amarantha cared to admit.
Luna was already at their training location when Amarantha showed up. Amarantha smirked and slipped a dagger from her boot and threw it, it sliced just in front of the Princess's face and embedded itself into the wood behind her.
"Always on your guard. Always listening," Amarantha reminded her. Of course it took Amarantha years to be able to hear and detect things but that wasn't necessarily the point she was trying to make.
As Luna waited she wasn't paying much attention until Amarantha finally showed up, and before she could even react to her she threw a knife at her causing her to jump slightly. Looking over at the knife embedded in the wood next to where her head was, any closer it would have killed her, rubbing her cheek slightly, as she felt a bit of blood.
"Sorry I wasn't really paying attention, while waiting for you.." Luna said as she quickly picked up the training sword in her hand and pulled the knife out and handed it back to her.
"What are we going to be doing today?" Luna asked looking up at Amarantha.
"A little of this, a little of that," Amarantha responded. She took the knife back from the princess and slipped it back into her boot.
"Show me what you remember from our last training session." They had gone over close combat moves. More than likely Luna would be disarmed. She needed to learn how to shake her attackers and to use techniques that would help her overpower male influence. Amarantha was strong and was able to put most men on their backs before they realized but the majority of the time, men will overpower woman in a hand to hand fight. Deception was a woman's greatest asset.
Luna nodded, as she started to take a few steps backwards and started to get herself into a fighting stance that Amarantha had taught her in the first few training sessions that they had. She knew that she'd easily be knocked down on her ass by Amarantha, as she looked up at her friend and teacher. Luna had improved a bit, but still she could be knocked over by Amarantha if she wanted to as well looking up at her, and gave her a slight smile ready for her to move.
"Ready whenever you are." Luna said softly.
Amarantha slipped into a primal stance and didn't take more than a second before she advanced on Luna, taking the offensive as she lunged to take Luna down. Generally in their training sessions there was a lot of yelling on Amarantha's part. She would shout instructions, preferring the learn as you go method but she had to change her teaching philosophy a bit in order to fit the Princess. The would begin the fight aggressively and then Amarantha would back off and walk Luna thru some things. Teaching her how to use her size to her advantage. Amarantha normally sustained a few bruises from their fighting but that was because she constantly told Luna to quit holding back. The commander never took it easy on Luna but avoided hitting any places that could be visible from her clothing attire. Luna needed to know what it felt like to loose, to use that so she wouldn't give up and fight back. Normally it worked.
"You're not focused. Something is clouding your mind," Amarantha noted. They had separated to take a water break. Sweat was just beginning to line the woman's forehead. After nearly an hour of fighting, Amarantha had barely broken a sweat.
Once they were finished with their training and took a break Luna was sweating quiet a bit as she leaned forward, the training was very grueling for her. She didn't do so much aside from learning and lots of paper work and schooling as well, her eyes turned over towards Amarantha and bit her bottom lip and nodded. Luna felt like she could trust her right now, today was one of her better days where she didn't hear the voice constantly. While other days, like the night Amarantha barged into her room and asked who was there she walked over and sat down at the bench nearby.
"I have had a lot on my mind recently.." Luna answered as she looked up at the woman, before sighing slightly.
"Can you keep a secret, just between you and me?" Luna asked, feeling a little bit nervous.
Amarantha drank a cup full of water, dunking it into the bucket to sustain her thirst when Luna finally spoke up. She looked over at the Princess and rose an eyebrow.
"A secret? And here I thought you couldn't have any secrets," Amarantha said as she came to sit beside Luna. Amarantha didn't exactly hound the woman, following her to every possible location the Princess visited but she didn't let Luna go off on her own much or attend meetings without her being in the room or standing guard. It was possible for Luna to have secrets, it was just very slim.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with a few weeks ago and you talking to yourself, would it?" Amarantha had asked Luna surprisingly gently back then what was going on and she was using the same tone again. Amarantha would sooner kill someone then admit she was developing a fondness to the woman she sat beside. She had become fiercely protective and loyal towards her.
Luna looked towards Amarantha and laughed slightly, since her kidnapping she did have either Amarantha or a member of the guard follow her nearly every moment of the day. She looked towards her friend and gave her a slight nod, letting out a slight sigh as she grabbed a cup of water nearby and drank it.
"Yes that is correct." Luna said quietly, and leaned back.
"Every few generations, a member of the royal family gets mentally ill." Luna said, taking a moment the night Amarantha caught her talking to herself was a stressful day as well.
"Ever since the coronation it's when it started, I haven't told Myrus or Valda this."Amarantha listened intently, trying not to be judgmental towards her friend. It wasn't hard not to be. She watched Luna closely. She seemed to except what was happening but there was still a fear there, as was evident by her not telling her family.
"With what you have gone through Luna, it is hardly surprising you are the one to develop a supposed illness." When it was just them, Amarantha tended to throw protocol out the window.
Growing up in the poorest part of the Castle, you found a lot of people with illness. Even being in the Young Army, many of the children developed a tick or disrupted mental state. With that knowledge Amarantha truly was not surprised Luna was suffering similarly. Having been groomed to take over the throne, her sister mysteriously showing up again, taking Luna's rightful spot and then her brother developing his own break and
Magykal abilities beyond anything they have seen... Well, who wouldn't become a little twitchy or resentful.
"What sort of things are you hearing?" she asked.
Luna shifted slightly where she sat and looked back at Amarantha, it was a lot more complicated than that as well if Valda were to die or cannot rule for whatever reason it would fall to her.
"It's not just that I don't want Valda or Myrus to worry about me, if word gets out that I am unfit if something happens to Valda it would turn bad. And the Castle and my family are relying on me to also marry Prince Tristan, I am not sure how he would react if he were to find out.." Luna rubbed the back of her neck, when Amarantha asked more about what the voice has said.
"It's sometimes witty or sarcastic comments, and sometimes its darker I'd rather not say." Luna said softly and then looked back at her again.
"If it becomes bad to the point, to where I hurt myself or someone I care about I want you to tell them.""I'll tell them but I won't let it get to that point. As long as you are upfront with me," Amarantha stated. She was determined to protect Luna and she would continue to do so, even if there were strange voices in her head.
"Still, unless this voice is telling you do things and you listen to it, I don't think you have to worry about harming your family or you're people. If you start acting on what the voice is telling you, I won't let anyone put you down. I'll do it myself." Amarantha wasn't intending it to sound rude or treasonous. Quite the opposite actually. She wouldn't
let anyone touch or harm Luna, only she was allowed to do that.
Amarantha leaned into Luna, gently nudging her.
"It'll be alright Luna," she said softly. Amarantha did have a softer side. She just never let it out to play.
Luna gave Amarantha a slight smile and nodded, she was grateful for her to confide in it had been eating her up a lot inside and having being quiet about her slowly growing mental illness. Luna leaned slightly into Amarantha letting out a slight sigh, she just hoped that it wouldn't get to that point. She'd look into some form of treatment or cure at some point, and nodded.
"Thank you for listening. And sorry for putting this all on you as well. Maybe we can try and look for some treatment quietly, or a cure even." Luna said quietly.
The woman shrugged and pulled her legs up, crossing them and unsheathed a weapon to test its sharpness. Amarantha had been given two promotions in less then a day after Puck dying. She had been juggling with running the Palace Guard and incorporating the Young Army into their ranks. Then there was the responsibility of Luna, for which she perhaps payed a little more attention too. The new development that Luna told her was just part of the job, another thing to protect.
"It's not anything I can't handle," she assured her friend.
"I can ask a few people who are very discreet." Amarantha couldn't lie and say she was the one hearing voices. It wouldn't be good for her position as well. She had enough of a struggle maintaining authority over a group that was mainly men and then she felt like she was babysitting a lot of the time with the younger children.
"We should continue on our training. I'll will show you some more moves and then you can try them on me. Tomorrow I will bring in Titan for you to practice on." Amarantha uncurled her legs after stowing her knife and stood. There wasn't time to be buddy buddy with the Princess.
Luna nodded, she could trust Amarantha with asking around.
"Sounds like a good idea to me." Luna said as she stood up, and grabbed the practice sword that she was given and started to make her way towards the center of the courtyard again. She did enjoy their practice lessons even if she did come back a bit bruised across her body, but she knew what she signed up for when they agreed to train and when to socialize after as well with her friend.
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