The Phoenix

Princess Liana sighed as she told her parents, King Zander and Queen Adelia for the third time that day,

(Princess Liana) "I don't need a bodyguard! I've turned fourteen already, I can protect myself well enough. I am training in magic, and for who knows what, you've also made me take combat lessons!"

Queen Adelia responded with a gentle tone,

(Queen Adelia) "We are aware of all that, but we would be more comfortable knowing you are not all by yourself here when we are away on our trip. It's longer than usual and we've already chosen a bodyguard, she's around your age, so hopefully you can make friends with her."

(Liana's thoughts) 'Her?? They are going to hire a female bodyguard??'

After a short pause, Queen Adelia continued,

(Queen Adelia) "She is about your age, so you should get along well."

(King Zander) "I hope."

King Zander mumbled under his breath.

(Liana) "I won't be alone, there are the castle staff and I can always invite my friends over."

Liana insisted. The King put in,

(King Zander) "Your friends can't be here the whole time, and the servants will be too busy to always be with you."

The King and Queen had let Liana study with the people from the land, wanting her to grow up like a normal child, hoping that it would help her when she has to take the throne. Being an only child, she was under training to be the next Ruler of the land, the next Queen.

(Queen Adelia) "We have heard that she is very good with weapons and she can do magic too. We even went to see if it is true."

As her mum spoke, Liana felt her dad's emotions shift and raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

*

Somewhere else at that same moment, in a forest, Lillian drew her bow and aimed, and let the arrow fly.

(Lillian's thoughts) 'Got it!'

She thought as she went to collect her prey, a brown deer.

(Person) "I don't even know why you use weapons when you have magic."

Someone said as she walked back to where she was staying. She just shrugged her shoulders as a response. She had always preferred using weapons even after she mastered her magic.

(Lillian's thoughts) 'I've never been a bodyguard for a royal before, should I go?'

The King and Queen had visited her earlier, offering her a job as a bodyguard for the Princess Liana, saying they will pay whatever rate she wants if she takes up the position. They had also wanted to see if the rumours about her skills with weapons were true. She had been a bodyguard before, but not for long, and certainly not for the royal family.

*

(Liana's thoughts) 'I wonder whether she's nice. She has a nice name, Lillian.'

The King and Queen had finally managed to convince Liana to agree to the bodyguard, now all that was left is for Lillian to arrive, as she had accepted the job.

(Liana's thoughts) 'I'd better go practice my magic now.'

Princess Liana thought as she got off her bed and walked to the secret door leading to their training room. They had built a training room for Liana to train her magic in secret, locked and hidden with a magic spell that they made the court wizard do. Her magic was growing stronger and stronger each day, so she had to train daily to keep up with it or there could be serious consequences.

(Liana's thoughts) 'I wonder whether she'll want to train her magic with me.'

As she thought this, she threw an attack spell at a target dummy. The dummy flew all the way across the room, hitting the wall, shattering to bits.

(Liana's thoughts) 'I don't think that's supposed to happen.'

She thought as she went to examine the now in a thousand pieces dummy.

(Liana) "Dad! Come see this!"

King Zander rushed in, wondering what was going on. As he looked around the room, there was hay all over the place and Liana was crouching on the floor beside the wall furthest from the door.

(King Zander) "Liana! Are you alright?"

He shouted as he ran across the room to her.

(Liana) "I'm fine, Dad. But the dummy certainly isn't."

King Zander's eyes widened as he took in the absolute destruction of the training dummy.

(King Zander) "Did you do that?"

Liana raised an eyebrow as she replied,

(Liana) "There isn't anyone else here that could have done it, Dad."

King Zander's brows furrowed.

(King Zander) "Were you using a very powerful attack spell?"

Liana shook her head, a confused look on her face.

(Liana) "No, in fact, it wasn't even a very strong one. Class Two, if I'm not wrong."

King Zander's frown grows, but after a moment he stands up and says,

(King Zander) "I have work to do, but I'll get one of the staff to call Percival."

Liana nodded, and he left the room, and Percival arrived not long after.

(Percival) "I don't think this should happen. Your powers have grown very strong, Princess, almost more than mine. It will be good to find a training partner soon, as your magic will soon surpass mine by a landslide."

Percival said as he examined what was left of the dummy. Liana thought for a moment before saying,

(Liana) "My bodyguard should be here soon. Dad and Mom said that she could do magic, maybe she can train with me."

Liana replied.

(Percival) "That may be a good idea, but we must ensure that her magic is powerful enough that she will not get sure. We will give her a small test first, if you so allow it, Princess."

Although Percival was a good twenty years older than Liana's father, he treated the royal family with the utmost respect, even having been by her grandfather's side while he yet ruled. Due to this, Liana saw him as almost a grandfather figure, and thus treated him like family.

(Liana) "Great! Can I join? And can we also ask her to show us her skill with weapons!"

Percival raised an eyebrow, a slightly confused look coming over his face. He then said slowly,

(Percival) "I do not see a reason you cannot join, so if it is your highness's wish, you may participate in the test."

He paused for a moment before continuing,

(Percival) "If she can do magic, why would she need weapons? And if I may ask, what spell did you use on this?"

It was a common thing for magic wielders to not bother learning how to use weapons, as in any fight a magic wielder would win unless inexperienced, and thus they would usually focus on honing and mastering their magic instead of spending time learning how to use a weapon. Maybe a couple in case they run out of magic power, or energy, but from the way Liana had said it, it didn't seem like she only knew the basics of a couple of weapons.

Liana shrugged as she replied,

(Liana) "She does have magic, and according to Mom and Dad, she's also really powerful with weapons. She prefers to use weapons, and though it's cool, I really wonder why. Also, I used the Forcans spell, why?"

A shocked expression came over Percival's face.

(Percival) "The Forcans spell?! That's a Class two spell! How could it have done this much damage? Even if it were to be done by a master mage, a class two spell cannot, and will not, do this much damage. Also, as far as I know it's not supposed to burn."

He said, holding up a piece of burnt hay to inspect it closer.

(Percival) "You need to learn how to control your powers, but I am not experienced or powerful enough to be qualified to help you, you will need someone else your level or higher to help you. I only hope your bodyguard is as powerful as the rumours say she is."