Lesson learned

The next morning I was filled with mixed feelings. I was still angry and upset with myself but I was also excited about Oliver teaching me.

Oliver was a skilled swordsman that my father had found in a distant land on one of his journeys. I remember him coming to me when I was younger and telling me that he had found the perfect person to guard his world. Ever since that day, Oliver had been my trusted guard.

The quiet knock on my door brought my attention back to reality.

"Enter." I say loudly.

"Good morning, your highness." Oliver enters with a smile. He wasn't dressed in his usual armor but rather a more relaxed attire.

"Good morning." I set my book down and rise from my chair.

"We have only a few hours until the Queen arises for the day so it's best that we get started immediately." He locks my bedroom door snd reveals two sparring swords.

"You of all people should know that she couldn't be bothered to check on me." I take a sword.

"Widen your stance." He taps my feet with his sword lightly. I do as I'm instructed and watch as he matches my stance.

"The key to sword fighting isn't strength, it's focus and agility. You have to be able to dodge a blow before you're able to do anything else." He raised his sword and I followed suit.

"Isn't that the whole point? Just dodging and staying alive?" I asked.

"That's half of it, yes. The other half is to anticipate what your opponent is thinking." He hits my side with the sword causing me to cry out.

"Stay focused on my sword, your highness. Watch my movements and block where I strike. If this were a real sword you would already be dead." He smirks.

This went on for a while before I eventually started to block his strikes.

"You learned quickly to block a strike from a sword but you must not forget that some people will not fight honorably." He knocks the sword out of my hand and hits me in the stomach with the handle of his.

"A little warning would've been nice." I grasp my stomach in pain.

"There will be no warnings in a real fight." He says.

"I could have you executed for that, you know?" I smirk as the pain subsides.

"Yes but who would teach you then?" He goes in for another blow but I move out of the way.

"Good! Keep that up." He strikes again.

It felt more like dancing than it did fighting. It was almost more natural to me than actually holding the sword itself.

"The way you move with such grace while dodging the blade is mesmerizing." While he was distracted I took the opportunity to attack; kicking his sword out of his hand and bringing him to the ground under me.

"How did you do that?" He looks up at me bewildered.

"You were distracted." I smile. He pushes me off of him hard before climbing on top of me and pinning me down.

I gasp in surprise as an unfamiliar spark rushes through my body.

"Never celebrate too early, your highness." He pins me down harder as I try to move.

With his hands around my wrists...his body on top of mine...pressing into me...

A quiet moan left my lips before I could hold it back as the spark returned.

"Are you turned on, princess?" His smirk infuriated me.

"Get off!"

He scrambled to his feet in front of me. "Forgive me, your highness. I was lost in the moment."

"Oliver." I say softly

"Yes, your highness?" He didn't look me in the eyes.

I felt like my entire body was on edge as the feeling grew and devoured my thoughts.

"You should go. I don't feel well." It wasn't what I wanted to say.

"Your highness..."

"Leave me at once." I commanded.

"Yes, your highness." He bows his head and leaves.

The feeling grew stronger as I got up and paced around my room. I was in an unfamiliar mood. My brain completely blank as my body kept sparking to life. 

I looked into the mirror in front of me and gasped as a vibrant illumination surrounded me.

"What.." I reached around myself to try and touch it but it disappeared as my fingers came close.

I didn't know it at the time but Oliver had awoken something inside of me that would soon turn my world upside down.