Shadow

*shadow*

In one swift moved Lionel kicked into the air and though she didn't feel anyone there she knew someone was there, someone stronger than anyone she had ever seen, the aura was something she couldn't ignore.

Xavier took advantage of her confused state to try and lung an attack but Lionel easily avoided it and pushed him and his back hit a tree.

She wanted to ask him to reveal who the aura belonged to but got interrupted when one of her elite whispered to her that her father had ordered her to come back home whether she was healed or not. Her elites knew she was a girl but they didn't know that she was a princess.

She sent Xavier back to the dungeon since he lost.

Later that night Lionel strolled around due to not being able to sleep. She was a bit nervous. When she felt that same aura, she turned and saw a shadow leap into the dungeon where Xavier was kept. She stealthily followed the shadow 

"Stop" she commanded and the shadow it halted and turned to look at her

"Surrender and I'll let you go with only a broken leg" she said with a smirk but the shadow walked closer, her survival instincts kicked up and she lunged an attack on the shadow. The shadow was quick to block her attack and lunged at her. She managed to escape by a hairs breath and was shocked to say that he is a Worthy opposition.

'well, at least I get to fight someone worthy before I go' she thought and fought with all her might.

The two were one almost the same par but Elaine was getting tired, her elites had come to defend her but she stopped them. Lionel was taking heavy breaths and sweating all over . She was tired but refused to give up. The shadow went behind her and pulled on the vine she had used to tie her hair up.

She felt her hair bounce on her body and turned to attack the shadow in anger that it knew her secret which meant Xavier might also know. But when she turned she couldn't find him, he was gone

The next day she talked to the king that she was retiring and the king dismissed her with a heavy heart. He offered her a lot of gold jewelry to make her stay but she refused and he could only let her go.

She had sent one of her elites to Xavier earlier on with a note.

"My hair pin is a token of my gratitude, am proud to know you are an elite of that shadow, if we meet again, I hope you are stronger, my regards to your prince, I hope I'm stronger when next I see him  because  I am going to kick his ass hard"     

                                    From Lionel.

Xavier took the hair pin and unlocked the dungeon with it, he got out and looked around the camp noticing no one's presence. 

He caught sight of the platter of food and knew it was Lionel's doing but he instead held unto the hair pin and the paper then walked into the forest.

Elaine who had been watching the whole time finally left and got into a carriage with the help of the physician. They spent weeks on the road and Elaine fought many thugs and got more elites on her side. When she got back to the castle after six years of being away, she was shocked that her father had arranged her marriage to the second prince. The man she wants to get stronger than so she could win when next they meet. She laughed her ass out at the irony but she was helpless. She knew she couldn't go against her father so she made a deal with him

She would marry the second prince and complete her mission for becoming his wife but her dad will create a new law that states that all genders are allowed to become knights. Her dad agreed almost immediately and from then on she promised herself that she will see this as a mission assigned to her. At least few girls out there that want to be knights would have a chance.

********End of flashback*********

Elaine sighed at her trail of thoughts while staring at the far distance.

"At least he doesn't know that I am Lionel" she whispered calmly. She inhaled deeply and exhaled as if taking in all her worries and pains and then letting it go far far away from her

She decided to keep herself busy so as to not think of her troubles so she read some books till it got late and didn't eat because she was thinking about Alexander

'why isn't he back yet, did I do something wrong' she thought

She had a hot bath with the help of Halsey and changed into a Plain red singlet gown with a scarf to cover her bare shoulder from the cold, while she waited for Alexander.

It was past midnight and he wasn't back so Elaine decided to continue reading the book she left earlier so she won't fall asleep

Alexander came into the room quietly, so as to not wake his wife up but was surprised to see her leaning against the headboard and reading a book again

 "Wife" she heard him call and immediately dropped the book and stood up to welcome him with an unexpected smile on her face letting her cute dimples come out in display