f o u r

"Ready for the practice today?" Antonio asks me politely.

"Yes." I reply.

"Take your blade out and position it right in front of you and the other hand crouched for defence." He shows the motion, asking me to follow.

"Then swing it on the left first and twist it till you can swing it on the right." He guides me.

I repeat the motion.

"Practice this fifty times before we move forward."

"Fifty times ! " I gasp.

"You want to master the art, don't you?" He raises his eyebrow.

I sigh and obey.

This afternoon revolves around Antonio teaching me few moves and me practicing it fifty times each.

My limbs are sore by the end.

"Isn't this enough for the day?" I say with audible breaths.

"Yes. You may rest for the day." He smiles.

Instead of collapsing like the last time, I put the sword back to the case again before grabbing a glass of water and chugging down all the contents in my mouth.

"Drink slowly." Antonio crackles.

After finally calming my body, I go to my chambers to take a bath. Then I head towards the dinning area to eat something. I won't repeat the same mistake of starving like yesterday.

After finishing everything, I go to my room to sleep.

"My lady, have you had the dinner?" My young maid asks beside me.

"Yes. And I wish no disturbance for the night." I request.

"Certainly. Do you need a massage to relax your body?" She asks.

"That would help." I affirm.

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The massage relaxes my sore muscles. After finishing, my maid retreats out of the door closing it behind her. After confirming her leave, I get dressed in my adventure outfit.

Locking the door, I go to cherish some sleep before he arrives.

We meet four days each week. Out of which, we perform our extrusion only twice. Today is that day.

"I present myself to you, my lady. I request you to bestow me with your beauty and lovely voice." I see a silhouette in my balcony.

"Don't you wish my intelligence?" I joke.

"With you comes your knowledge. It is far beyond words to express that enormous knowledge and elegance, my lady." He answers.

"Good save, Romeo." I smile and open the balcony.

"I'm honoured to get your compliment, Juliet." He smiles back.

"Do you sense it when I sneak in?" He asks amusingly.

"Head on the pillow, I could feel you sneaking in anytime." I reply. He winks.

"I've heard you had an argument with my brother?" I ask.

"My friend's did. I did not join them." He explains.

"Neither did you stop them." I correct.

"I don't wish to involve in fights with your family, my love. But that doesn't mean I would stop it. My loyalty is to you, not your brother. Definitely not Tybalt." He creases his brows at the name of my brother.

"As long as it's for me."

"So, I've heard the rumours about you learning sword fighting. Care to explain."

"I'm reducing my possibility of marriage until you formally ask my father. Also, by this art, I learn self defence." I answer curtly.

"I would love to teach you more. Would you mind?"

"I'd love that!"

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We explore the woods today and dedicate our time at the palace to my swordsmanship.

"Take the blade out as elegantly as you would raise a cup of tea." He instructs.

I follow his description. He comes closer and raises my elbow a bit higher. I believe we are too close for just instructions.

I glance back at him but he retreats almost immediately. Then he faces me and pulls out his own sword, imitating my own position.

"Experience is the best teacher. Make the first move." He says.

I obey. I swing the blade so hard it causes sparkle upon collision. Romeo pushes it with the same intensity as me, probably because he wants the fight to be simple.

I swing again, but he defends himself just as fast, as if he can predict my next movement. I swing hard for other five minutes before twirling around and striking his sword with so much force that I see him flinch for a second.

I'm breathless by the blow.

"Defence is better than Attack." He says.

"No one can win if they don't attack." I say.

"But you cannot win without defence. Look, how you've lost all your energy to hit my blade. It gives me an easy opening to attack." He replies.

And then he strikes his sword so hard that I tremble by the motion. The vibrations can be felt within my body.

"Observe. As I said before, experience is the best teacher. Notice how you cannot defend yourself because you have lost your energy to attack."

After saying this, he swings his sword one more time. But rather than dodging it, I hold it strong against my blade.

He moves closer to give me more force. But he gets perhaps too close.

I notice his shaky breath, which is because he had to defend himself hard when I stroke. I can hear his heart beating rapidly. Then he looks me in the eye. He is too close in my proximity, and that realisation makes me blush.

Abruptly, he pushes my sword sideways. My hand rotates with my blade and finally lets go. With this motion, I go round and when I return to my original position, he places his sword on my neck. The sword is cold against my warm skin.

"Distraction is a key to failure." He says.

"Noted. I accept my defeat." I announce with a shaky breath.

"You were pretty good for an amateur." He smiles.

"But I need my Juliet to be the best." He smiles.

"Same time tomorrow?" He asks.

"Same time tomorrow." I affirm.

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The next day is too difficult for me. My sore limbs don't allow me to rest. My maid has given me a massage and I've asked for no training today with Antonio.

"Look what sword fighting is doing to you." Matilda comes in my room.

"I couldn't sleep last night, Matilda. Pray make this quick so I can go back to my dream." I say.

"I thought you might need a company, sister. I brought few books to keep us engaged. If Lord and Lady Capulet find out about you sleeping in your chambers in the afternoon, they will stop your training." She explains.

"Fine. Thank you for the consideration." I smile at her.

We sit on my bed and read books. She tells me about her date. How he was a gentleman and has asked for another one. I smile at her joyful nature.

Until I doze off to sleep mid-reading.

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When I open my eyes the next time, it's dark outside. I hear some shuffling of papers beside my bed. I move my gaze there.

And the one thing I never wished for anyone to see is in Matilda's hands.

I jump up in my bed and take the book out of Matilda's hands.

"Yo- You are seeing Romeo Mont-Montague ?!" She whisper yells.

Oh no.