''Just a crow''

-Wolf & Crow-

How was it possible?

How had the Blade Of Ends died?

He didn't pay for an amateur. 

Veris was immediately suspected but no one voiced it, no one but his damned older sister, telling him to stop these games right away before a war was to come from them.

He was in the inner court, or would be in a few moments, he was marching so fast, in some riding pants, boots and a black long sleeves shirt, time for his daily drills.

Fang, his aptly named sword, needed to always hit true, always precise, as he knew one day he'd strike at the throat of the usurper.

But his anger evaporated at the sight in front of it when entering the court.

Ivory skin shinning in the cold morning sun, intricate feathers painted on such a skin, clothes of the most perfect silks and cloth, that sea of black for a hair tied in a pony tail, moving to the rhythm of the wind... And that exquisite handling of that bastard sword as if it weighed nothing, those slashes, those twirled.

"My prince." He couldn't even get mad when such a beautiful woman greeted him with an odd bow and such a shining smile.

"My lady." He greeted back to be polite with a less low bow since he is a prince, this must be the guard that came with his older sister as he has not seen a woman wield a blade in such a way here, a shame really, he could use some on the front. "I see that I am not the only one enjoying this cool morning for some training."

"You see well my prince, my skills having been neglected for a while and I thought I'd refresh them." Good, a diligent guard. He isn't a fan of his elder but he could admit that she was respect worthy even in his eyes, the only one of his siblings that was worth anything. So having a well trained guard by her side was a must.

"That's good." He watched the completely black blade, not a touch of color on its guard or pommel even, just midnight black metal and leathers. "One must not lose their skills once acquired."

"Thank you for such advice." Her gentle laugh made him choke up. "But I shall go now, as to not bother the prince."

"Wait." He grabbed her wrist before he could stop himself, before gathering himself. "I mean, I am here to train, what about sparing? It has been a while since I have had a worthy partner and from what I've seen, your swordsmanship is interesting."

"I had time to learn from many my prince." She gently freed herself.

"I can see that."

She twirled the blade before pointing it at him with her seemingly everlasting smile.

"En guard my dear prince."

He lifted his sword, a golden hue to it, also the length of a bastard sword but a bit thicker and he needed two hands to hold it up correctly, one handed was possible but it would strain his wrist in the long run.

She struck first, with a twirl on herself, throwing the blade in a horizontal swipe to his hip, not worried that if he didn't block that she'd be bleeding a prince.

Turning it vertical and bracing one hand on the flat of the blade to absorb the impact, eyes went wide as his boots scrapped on the ground, pushed by the strength behind it.

She didn't wait for him to recover, no, she was not giving him princely treatment, swapping her hold and swinging the sword down from over her shoulder, him doing a similar block, feeling the impact into his shoulders.

When her sword bounced back, she let it, arching it downward to use the pull towards the ground by the weight and her own to swing downward, tho pulling a bit back on the swing so only the flow-y shirt was slashed but his skin and flesh were spared.

The following blows were met with similar strength tho as a normal-ish swords clash came in place but this woman's way of fighting was still oddly hard to counter, unlike the usual clean strikes, she bent and moved like the wind, not aiming her slashes at him but through him, wanting to hit the wall behind him, making it a priority to dodge.

And to his surprising dismay, it was just an accidental strike of his that bled her.

He almost felt horrified at the shall little cut on her face, how dare he destroy such beauty? He yelled at himself before the amused smile calmed him and made him realize the stupidity of his thoughts.

"Great skill my prince. It was good." Even if it had only been a five minute spare at best. "But now I really need to go, the sun is up, they might be looking for me."

"By all means, don't let me hold you back." He politely offered before a last question came to mine. "Wait my lady!" he called a bit louder then he wanted, her having made her way away with large strides.

"Yes my prince?" She looked over her shoulder.

"Who are you my lady?"

"Oh I am nothing special." A little laugh. "Just a crow."

It was then that the charm was broken and the world seemed to sink into hate around him, his fur standing up and a growl about to break out.

He watched her turn away and disappear into the castle halls.

"Just a crow."

"Just a crow."

Those eyes, those violets.

He had seen them before.

"Just a crow."

"Just a crow."

"Just a crow."

Those damned eyes.

That damned smile.

How dare she? How dare such vermin be in the presence of him? The wolf of the south?

"Just a crow."

"Just a crow."

"Just a crow."

How dare someone like that hurt him? Cut his clothes? Trick him like that?

"Just a crow."

How dare a death bird be in his way?!!