5 - Resenting The Younger Brother

Cayden looked down at his empty hands. They were red due to the force of which she took her sword back. They hurt a bit but he was mostly hurt due to the anger of her voice. Tears welled in his eyes. "Sister Anemumee..." he cried mournfully.

Anemone saw him struggling to not cry out and felt a little bit guilty. She quickly put it back in his hands. "Fine! Just take it! Take it like you take everything I have!"

She watched as his sad pout turned into a bright smile. "Sister Anemunee!"

"It's Anemone," she corrected as she moved to look at the other swords. She was losing precious training time talking to this boy.

"Sister Aneemumee aneemumee! Play!"

She frowned at him. "I don't have time to play! I have to practice with my sword."

"Practice?"

She pondered as she selected another wooden sword. Smiling, she turned to him with a gleam in her eye. "Yes, Cayden. Practice. But we can play too. Cayden wants to play?" He smiled back, nodding vigorously. "Okay, Cayden. Has Sir Daryl taught you how to use the sword?"

Cayden nodded again. "Sister wants to see?"

Anemone backed away, readying her sword stance. "Yes Cayden... show me what you learned."

Cayden imitated her sword stance also. She noted how he held himself stiffly. "You need to loosen your arms."

Cayden frowned as he looked at his elbows. "Like this sister Anemuume?" He wagged his elbows back and forth. He looked silly and nothing like how she was when she learned the stance at his age. Exasperated, she moved forward to fix his arms. "Cayden, you can't hold yourself like that! You'll tire yourself out more!"

She also moved his legs with her foot. When he was in the appropriate stance, she went back and made the same stance. "Okay now come at me!"

Cayden roared in his low voice and rushed forward. As he swung, he tripped over his feet and fell on his face just steps away from her. She covered her face with a hand in embarrassment. He looked up with his bright eyes as if asking for praises.

"No Cayden! You did it all wrong. What are you doing?" She helped him up and brought him back to where he should be. As she was fixing him back into the proper stance, she noticed he was staring at her with his cheeks flushed. "What is it?"

"Sister Anemumee is pretty."

"O-of course I am!" she retorted as she went back to her place. "Why wouldn't I be pretty?"

"Anemumee's hair like mommy."

She was speechless. This kid was so shameless! Not only did he take everything she wanted away, but he was also good at flattering! "Cayden..."

"Sister Anemumee... do you hate Claydum?" She didn't answer as she looked away from his innocent eyes. He called her name again. She can't even beat him up in this fake playing cuz he looked too cute. Anemone threw her sword to the side in anger. "I don't want to play anymore! You can play by yourself!"

She ran out of the hall.