23 New weapon

Commandant Astor drew her sword and Sam saw that it was a long whip sword with a blade that was thin but sharp. It flew in the air and Sam knew that it would be more difficult to dodge than ordinary swords.

Sam wasted no time strategizing, someone as wild and strong as Commandant Astor was likely to be unpredictable in a fight. So she charged straight ahead and the Commandant did the same, only the latter's long sword flew in the air before coming down at Sam.Sam dodged and missed the other edge of her opponent's sword by an inch. She was not able to get closer to the Commandant who was vehemently shooting the whip sword in her direction to keep her away.

Yes, Sam had seen this kind of technique before, once she had met with a pirate who used a similar long whip sword. Sam knew that the idea of using such a sword was to keep the opponent at a distance and repeatedly injure them till they are no longer able to attack back.

But as Sam closed in on the Commandant a part of the long blade struck her flesh right over her elbow and Sam felt a sharp pain, the kind she had never felt before. She had made one mistake in her calculation. This sword was way sharper than that pirate's blade she had encountered before.

Sam kept her pace and tried making a second attack but to no avail as the sharp whip sword came straight at her face and she had to strike the metal with her sword at the cost of its other end hitting her back.Sam now felt the back of her shirt moisten with blood.

Commandant Astor had taken a few steps back and Sam did the same to draw some breath.

"Don't think I'll go easy on you because you are the second princess." said Commandant Astor.

"I like you already." Sam said managing to let off a short laugh.

They went for round two. This time, the Commandant flew in the air and her long blade came down to make a clean swipe at Sam,but Sam had seen it coming.She struck her sword against the blade and let it go back to strike its opponent. As the Commandant dodged her own blade she felt the princess's sword strike her.The next moment, she was down on the ground and Sam held one end of the whip sword tightly under her foot.

Commandant Astor jumped back up with no sword in hand and in one swift movement her body slammed against Sam's and the latter fell a few feet away onto the ground.Though her sword techniques were good, Sam could not possibly match up against the Commandant in physical strength.

Sam now lay on the grass smelling her own blood. Commandant Astor came up to her and said, "My sword has surrendered but I promise you that I myself shall not surrender till they take the life out of me ..."

She extended her hand to help Sam up and the princess took it.

When Sam got up, Commandant Astor knelt down, bowed, and said, "From today on, Commandant Margeret Astor will become the personal weapon of the Superior Marshal princess and obey her without question."

Sam smiled.She liked her new weapon.