The Three Kings

Chapter 35

"Some memories never
leave your bones. Like
Salt in the sea; they become
part of you

——and you carry them"

____________
Hanna
____________

King Xavier and I were back in the training room the next morning working. He took me through a bunch of punching and kicking drills before he decided to switch it up.

"Go get some water, then re-wrap your hands."

I nodded, chugging down half the bottle before unwrapping then rewrapping my hands. I looked up just as a pair of gloves were being tossed at me.

"Oof." I exhaled harshly as they hit my stomach. "Could've warned me." I picked them up, examining them. "What am I supposed to do with these?"

"We're going to go a round."

I choked on my saliva. "Excuse me?"

"Gloves on. We don't got all day."

I stayed put, staring blankly at him.

He rolled his eyes then stomped over to me. He grabbed one of the gloves then grabbed my hand and stuffed it in the glove and did the same to the other.

"This is your training, Hanna. I am not going to fight you, but you need to learn against a moving body. Something real. You've got all the basics down, now it's time to see how you'll do in a 'fight'."

"But it's completely unfair."

He sighed. "Life isn't fair, you of all people should know that."

I glared at him.

"Come on." He headed back to the center of the room and started putting mats down on the floor. "You aren't going to learn just by punching a bag, Hanna. It won't fight back. I am trying to prepare you, and in life, people punch back."

"You aren't going to punch me back though." I pointed out, going to stand by the edge of the mat.

"Doesn't mean I'm not going to try and protect myself."

Realistically I knew that King Xavier wasn't going to hurt me in any way. Being mates, I don't think he could. But how was I supposed to punch him? He couldn't hurt me, I couldn't hurt him. So how was I supposed to fight him? Not to mention he was probably about five times my weight and pure muscle. Even if I could punch him, it wasn't going to hurt.

"Walk me through this then."

Once he placed the last mat down he stood in the center.

"You are going to try and hit me, I am going to dodge."

"Okay..." I said hesitantly. "What if I can't hit you."

He laughed. "You won't be able to. This is to just give you practice against a moving target."

That made me feel slightly better, if not also a little insulted.

I stepped onto the mat and moved to stand in front of him.

"Ready position."

I bent my knees and put my fists up. He didn't move. We stood like that for a few awkward minutes before he sighed.

"You have to make the first move, Hanna."

"You always tell me not to make the first move!" I dropped my hands and stood straight.

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Just in this setting you make the first move, okay?"

I nodded then got back into position.