Chapter 296: Chapter 296

296 Chapter 296 : Maxim witnesses the power of a hybrid

The elven lord was directed to the royal training grounds when he arrived at the royal palace. He could hear the clanging and clicking of swords getting louder and louder the closer they approached the grounds, and it got Maxim wondering.

“Is that the princess I hear?” He asked the guard who had been sent to fetch him.

“Yes it is,” the man responded proudly. He seemed to be very pleased with the fact that the princess was a skilled swordsman, which Maxim found rather odd considering how it was unheard of for women to wield weapons for anything other than self defense. “She is one of the most skilled swordsmen in Gavaria,” the guard added on, a broad smile on his face. “If women could be knighted, she would have probably been second in rank considering her abilities.”

“Second in the capital?” Maxim inquired further.

The man walking ahead scoffed in amusement. “No my lord, second in the kingdom. When it comes to the sword, princess Eira is only second to her cousin, sir Zhelimir.”

Maxim gasped inaudibly. Why would a woman need to be so skilled with a blade? And a princess nontheless, she had armies of men willing to lay down their lives for her, she needed not to be a warrior.

When Eira came into view, Maxim was even more shocked at the site in front of him.

The princess, fully dressed in Gavarian armor, was going toe to toe with Zhelimir and it looked like she was winning. On the side was Damien who was splashing some water on his face while a maiden bandaged him arm. Had he too been fighting Eira? And had he lost?

Maxim’s eyed trailed back to the beautiful princess and watched her move like lightening across the grounds, attacking and defending like it was her second nature. He could not believe that that woman in armor, was the same woman who had been terrified of flying the other day. Right now she seemed so... invincible.

.....

Zhelimir jumped back and gave Eira a taunting smile. “You’ve become rusty princess! Have all them men you’ve been seeing over the month dulled your blade?!”

“You’re one to talk sir Zhelimir!” Eira chuckled, “you were with me on half of those meetings, hope one didn’t catch your eye and softened you up!”

The smile on Zhelimir’s face turned into a vicious smile. For a second, Maxim was sure he saw actual bloodlust in the man’s eyes, what kind of training was this?!

Zhelimir brought his sword to his center and held it with both his hands. “I’ll show you that soft is a far cry from what I am princess!” And with a loud roar, the blonde charged towards Eira, his feet not touching the ground in the slightest.

Maxim turned to Eira and was shocked to see that her feet had left the ground as well, and she was holding her sword firmly with both hands. Had she perfected her flight abilities so soon?

Looking at her afloat, Maxim couldn’t help but blush. From where he was standing, she looked nothing like the gentle soft princess he had first met, now, she looked like a fierce warrior, and the sight was oh so alluring.

Eira sped off towards her charging cousin, her blade ahead of her and he voice like the nighty roaring of a lioness.

Before Maxim could blink twice, their blades clashed, causing a deafening ringing sound that made everyone cover their ears in fear they might bleed.

Amidst the confusion, Maxim managed to look up, and saw Eira’s sword break into a dozen pieces at the impact. Gods, how strong was Zhelimir.

In an instantc upon realizing Eira was now defenseless, Zhelimir pulled back his sword and swung it towards the redhead again.

Maxim watched in horro as the blade neared Eira’s head at a deadly speed. Why wasn’t anyone stopping this? Was this normal? Should he stop this?

Without thinking, Maxim yelled. “Eira! No!”

But an inch before the blade to cut her, Eira ducked and landed on the ground with her legs split apart. In another split second, before Zhelimir to compose himself, she pushed herself up with her hands and round kicked Zhelimir right in his gut, causing him to let go of his sword and flying backwards into the tree that was situated behind him with a loud crash.

Eira pushed herself up into the air, grabbed Zhelimir’s sword and landed in front of him just as the tree fell backwards due to the immense impact. She hovered above him, and pointed the sword to him throat.

“It’s over Zhel,” the princess spoke firmly, “had this been a real battle, you would have been dead.”

Maxim was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on when the guards around started applauding.

What? Was this the training he had been told about? This looked nothing like training at all! The two looked like they were genuinely trying to kill each other.

“Impressed?” The guard who had been escorting Maxim asked him. “What you just witnessed there, is the power of a hybrid. If the princess does follow through to become queen, she will be the most powerful ruler the kindom had ever had in terms of battle. Whoever ends up her husband, should be honored.”

Maxim could not even find the strength to form words. Her power, her skill, her strength, it was amazing. All the warrior Maxim had ever witnessed fighting paled in comparison to her, she was truly a force to be reckoned with. Maybe this is why Ronda wanted her gone, maybe the elven woman feared Eira’s abilities.

Eira pulled off her helmet, letting her long luxurious hair fall down her shoulders and back. She dropped the headgear to the ground and helped Zhelimir up before turning and waving and Maxim.

The eleven man nervously waved back and gulped when she began to jog happily towards him.

As he watched her run towards him, as he watched her red hair whip with the wind, as he watched her amethyst eyes glimmer in the light, Maxim now knew.. he knew, that he was falling for Eira Burchard.

Eira stopped in front of the elf and gave him a welcoming smile. “Maxim! I’m so glad you could make it, sorry to call for you at such short notice.”

The princess reached for the elven man’s hand and pulled him to where Zhelimir and Damien were. As they walked, Maxim looked down at where his hand interlocked with hers and immediately his cheeks flushed a cherry red.

Good gods Maxim, get a hold of yourself! He scolded himself.

“You see I don’t have much time left,” Eira began to explain. “I have a lot to learn from you about my elven abilities and the clock is ticking. Hence the rush request, I hope you don’t mind?”

When Eira looked back at him, the elf shook his head and averted her gaze. “Of course not!” He blurted out in the most ridiculous tone. “It’s no trouble at all.”

“Wonderful!” Eira exclaimed.

“But if I’m being honest princess- err Eira, after seeing you out there dueling with Sir Zhelimir, I don’t think there is much I can teach you. If anything, you should be my teacher.”

The two haulted where Zhelimir was getting some of his wounds treated, while Damien was polishing his blade.

“Actually, after I told Damien and Zhelimir of your elven abilities,” Eira explained. “They wanted to learn as well.”

“What?!” Maxim looked at the three nobles who were looking at him expectantly. What in the world could he teach superior beings like them?

“You will be paid handsomely of course,” Damien spoke as he sheathed his sword. “Your services will not be free.”

“No! You don’t have to pay me!” Maxim responded. “It would be an honor to teach nobility such as yourselves everything I know, that is payment enough in itself!”

“I told you he would agree, Maxim we are very grateful.” Eira spoke happily. “Well then, I suppose you can start with me, since these two are still recuperating from the royal ass kicking I bestowed upon them.”

“You got lucky,” Zhelimir responded with a chuckle. “Next time I won’t go so easy on you.”

Eira grabbed Maxim’s hand and began pulling him to the center of the grounds. “Come along Maxim, let’s get started.”

Damien watched as Eira and the supposed elven lord Maxim walked away away and hummed.

“And what’s your problem?” Zhelimir asked his cousin.

“The way that Maxim fellow behaved just now, it was odd.” Damien responded.

Zhelimir glances at Maxim who had helping Eira pick out a bow and a quiver of arrows at a distance. “Really? He seemed quite normal to me.”

“And that’s exactly it,” Damien responded. “He acted normal, like a normal person, not like the son of a lord. He said it would be an honor to teach nobility what he knew, he spoke as if he is not a noble himself. Don’t you find that a little puzzling?”

Zhelimir sighed and leaned back on the soft grass, “you’re overthinking things Damien. But if you’re that suspicious, let’s invite him for a drink after training, there, you can interrogate him all you want.”