Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 15: Keeping Watch

Chapter Fifteen: Keeping Watch

Five days had passed since Ella had seen Xaphile using magic, and five days had passed with her keeping a very close eye on Amelia's home. Five days worth of boredom, non-eventful irritation, and lack of answers had plagued her like a dark cloud.

Today marked the beginning of the sixth.

She stared at the bland stone ceiling above her as she lay on her designated bed in the barracks, hands clasped behind her head, bobbing left foot crossed across her right at the ankles, and all she could do was seethe. The sound of snoring men and women filled her ears in soft choruses.

Many of the more experienced soldiers had already gotten up to start their daily training and combat exercises, but most of the guards were exhausted from their late night-shift duties, and they needed their rest if they were going to be productive. Ella sighed through her nose, then sat up and ran a hand through her disheveled hair.

She much was too irritable to fall back asleep. 

The only thing left to do would be to get her frustration out of her system.

Sliding out of bed, Ella discarded her pajamas, changed into one of her knee-length dresses, strapped the sheath carrying her daggers to her waist, donned her cloak and boots, and left the barracks behind, heading for the practice area in the northernmost part of the village. 

The sun had been up for at least two hours, and there were a few people wandering about the cobblestone streets. The clock tower loomed tall and daunting, casting her in shadow. She glanced at it as she headed for the gate leading to the practice fields.

She greeted the guard standing watch with a silent wave, but as she was strapping on her practice sword, he grinned mischievously. Ella knew why. Rogar Crest found it exceedingly entertaining whenever she decided to let loose some of her bottled frustration on the people practicing in the field, and she most certainly had an extremely vexed expression on her face.

"Come to show 'em how it's done, eh?" he asked, winking. "Don't be too hard on 'em!"

"I'll try to behave," Ella grumpily replied, "but I'm in a very foul mood and I want to get it out of me."

"Sounds to me," Rogar chuckled, grey eyes twinkling, "like somebody's gonna get his head whacked."

"It won't be me."

Her retort was so confident that he laughed.

"I never thought it would be," he chortled, shaking his head. "Go easy on 'em."

Ella sighed as she stepped through the gate and headed for the practice lines.

There were several men and women already working with their practice swords, but all of them were much older than she. Angelo was standing off to one side, showing the two youngest men, a set of twins in their late teens, how to duel with the dull one-edged swords.

She watched him for a moment, thinking deeply about him and his past actions. He was a damn good man and an even better soldier since his loyal knew no bounds. He'd dedicated most of his early life to protecting her father, and he'd also been the one who'd saved her ten years ago.

Back then, after her leg had finally healed, she'd forced him as the captain of the guard to train her in swordplay. He had been very reluctant to agree in letting her battle the other young trainees at first, particularly since the attack had maimed her ability to walk and move properly, but she'd made a deal that she would give up if she did badly.

Ella knew deep down that he'd only relented because he'd believed she would do badly, but it hadn't worked out like he'd thought since she'd beaten all of the novice trainees hands down.