Ilosovic Stayne: The Knave

Chapter Four: Sword Training

-A Year Later-

"On guard Stayne! I want another round before I have to attend my charms lesson!" Mirana quickly shouted over to the knight standing across from her, raised her wooden waster sword up at him in a defensive mode. She was dressed to fight sporting pair of white breaches and a poets shirt, though her shins and forearms had a padded armor to protect her from any blows that might happen.

Ilosovic had been appointed to teach Mirana lessons in sword fighting, a must for any royal who would become either King or Queen, and since Mirana was now the heir to the throne; she had to learn the trade. The White Knight would have done the duty but Sir Thomas thought it fitting that Ilosovic could do the job, since the appointed knight would be in line for Sir Thomas's position.

The Knight let out a faint laugh, seeing how eager she was for another quick lesson. It in a sense reminded him of how he was when he was first starting out training swordsmanship. Ilosovic raised his wooden waster sword and took a defensive stance, his eyes trained on her. "On guard!" He replied back to her before he quickly lunged forward swiping his sword out to her, taking the first swing. Mirana blocked it quickly guarding herself from the first swing and passed back to put a gap between them before passed forward to swing her wooden sword out to him for a hit. Ilosovic quickly had counter beat the hit and lunged forward again to try and get a hit on Mirana. The Princess quickly parried the incoming the attack and quickly squared down, swiping her foot out in front of her to kick Ilosovic's foot out from under him.

Stayne's eyes widened when he realized what was happening, feeling his foot come out from under him and up, sending the rather tall boy backward and landed flat onto his back on the grass landing under him with a rather loud thud. He was about to hoist himself back up when he felt a weight hold him down, his eyes quickly looking up to see what was pressing him down. Mirana had quickly moved over to him and straddled down onto his waist, holding the wooden sword blade to his throat; a grin holding onto her lips. It certainly had surprised Ilosovic in this attack, having really threw him off guard, though a very impressed smirk came onto his lips. The Princess had quickly leaned her face down to press her lips against his in a quick innocent kiss before pulling away and rolled off him, tossing her sword to the side and offered her hand to him.

"Princess!" The kiss had once again caught Stayne off guard, though he didn't complain. He reached out and took her hand, taking her offer on help up; quickly getting up on his feet and dusted himself off once he let go of her hand.

"What? There's no one around, besides I think I well deserved that kiss after knocking you on your arse! So when do I get to start training with actual swords?" Mirana took a step up to him, standing mere inches away from the knight with her head tilted up to look at him. A small chuckle came from Stayne, placing his hand on the back of his neck to rub at it; he was going to feel that fall the next morning. "Soon...I believe our next lesson will involve actual swords, meaning we shall take extra precautions." He gave a firm nod down to her, rather proud of the fact that she was able to knock him down rather quickly in fact.

"Good, cause I'm ready! Thanks to you...You know your going to be a rather strong replacement for Sir Thomas one day. Ilosovic Stayne, White Knight of Witzend!" Mirana exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air with a feathery light movement.

Stayne gave a nod, and thought on that for a moment, his eyes still trained down on her. That was his next goal in life, as much as he loved his mentor and didn't wish his death to be upon him any time soon; Ilosovic wanted that title of White Knight, the most looked at and respected knight of all of Underland. "One day I'll hold that Vorpal Sword in my hand...And I'll be at your side ready to serve and protect you and your people." He bowed his head to the princess in front of him

A loud echoing chime came off on the clock tower near the training field, Mirana and Stayne's attention quickly turning to it. It was exactly one in the afternoon, and Mirana's charms lessons would be starting right now.

"Oh no...I'm going to be late!" Mirana quickly exclaimed, eyes widening and she looked back to him. She quickly reached her hands up to place on his neck, tugging his face down to her and pressed another quick kiss to his lips before she pulled away and turned to run off. Ilosovic hadn't had the chance to return the kiss and quickly looked after her. "Wait! Will I get to see you tonight?" He quickly shouted after her which made Mirana stop in her tracks. She turned around and gave him a hopeful smile, giving a light nod back to him. "Be on my balcony at midnight!" She shouted back to him before she quickly turned around and ran off back inside the castle.

Ilosovic stood there staring at the direction she ran off too, a small smile on his lips. The two of them had been in cahoots for almost a year, keeping their relationship a well kept secret. They both knew the consequences of someone finding out about them, yet they both were willing to risk the stakes to be with one another. A secret romance, tasting forbidden fruit.

The Knight turned and looked down at the two wooden swords on the floor, reaching down to pick them up. He trekked off back into the castle, heading into the armory to put the training weapons away, turning into the doorway and looked up; seeing Sir Thomas, his mentor in arms training hand on hand combat with a potato sacked dummy. Though the knight had stopped his work out as soon as he sensed someone in the room; turning to face whoever was in the door. "Oh! Ilosovic, good afternoon." He then faced the dummy again and lunged forward, throwing some punches at the sack. "How was training with Princess Mirana?" The older knight questioned, not pausing now in his training.

Ilosovic walked over to the cabinet where the knights stored all of the beginner training equipment was held, opening the glass doors and placed the wooden swords back into the holders. "She's...She's a fighter. She's come a long way just in a year, reminds me of myself. She even managed to knock me on my arse, this morning. She's going to make one strong Queen one day..." His voice drifted off, his eyes starring down at the wooden sword that Mirana had used to battle against him.

Thomas swung his fist out and one last loud thud was heard, ringing through the room. He turned to face the boy who was staring down at the wooden sword, his brow furrowing together. "Ilosovic, you can't let your desires get to you, not this time. You know the restrictions against being in love with royalty. And don't you deny it Ilosovic, you know that I know. I'm not against it...I'm just wanting your safety and wanting you to watch yourself. Your title could be taken away from you and there is nothing I could be able to do to prevent it." The man became rather stern, his facial expressions a serious one.

Ilosovic slowly turned to look at his mentor, a faint frown appearing on his lips but he also held a serious look in his eyes. "I know the risks, it's something Mirana and I have spoken several times about. Have faith in me Lazurus!"

"I don't have faith in this situation my boy!" Thomas quickly shot back, taking a few steps to him and jabbed his finger in Stayne's chest. "None of this will end in a fairy tale ending Ilosovic. And don't you dare say I didn't warn you." His mentor turned away from him and walked off to the entrance of the armory, starting to take off the tape from his knuckles. "I'll see you at dinner." He called back.

Ilosovic was speechless, at loss for words but he refused to acknowledge what was said. He believed there would be a happy ending, he believed he was destined for greater and he believed that Mirana was going to be a part of that. The boy turned back to the cabinet and closed the glass doors, turning and headed out of the armory to go off to the dinning hall for group dinner.