Embers and Ashes

Chapter 25

Melona

"Please, tell me this is a joke", Larken cringes as Eris brings me into the fighting circle of brothers.

"What?", Niran smirks. "Afraid she's going to win?"

"That's a lot of talk from the male who almost had his balls chopped off because he pissed her off", Eris mentions and Niran's smirk falters.

"I promise it wont be all the time", I offer. "I'll still let you have your family brawls in peace."

Niran snorts and rolls his eyes, "Let's just hope she rips her skirt or ruins her hair and sits out."

As he is saying this I undue the waist string holding up the skirt. Letting the frilling mass drop to the ground and walk over it in my perfectly form fitting leather pants. Laying my skirt over a bench by a tree not too far from the sparing ring. My matching brown leather boots crunching the gravel under my feet, and I tie my hair back in a tight braid.

"You were saying?", I smirk up at the brute of a male. Who can't help but give my body a glance. Doing his best to keep his eyes at least at eye level.

He looks at Eris," Where the Hell do find these females."

Eris just smirks.

"You wanna know what happens when you give females the dignity of learning to defend themselves?", I hum as I take a short sword from the weaponry. Testing it's weight a couple times. "You make your equals, not rivals. We were once pack creatures. We worked together despite gender. It is natural for females to fight to define their faelings. No different from a male with his female and kin. We are made to fight in a way males can't. We are balance."

"Females don't have the stomach for such things", he growls.

"Clearly you've never seen a female durin her Bleeding", I laugh and point the tip of the blade in his direction. Yes, a challenge. "We see more blood in our lives and bare the pains of birth. Our bodies are built for endurance. No, males and females are not build equal mentally or physically, but that's the point. Two pieces of one whole. I think it's time you learnt that."

"We'll see", he bites back and draws his own sword.

"Don't go easy on me", I hum and take my stance.

"Oh I plane not to", he snarls and makes his charge.

I let the calm claim me and we started our descent into chaos. A pattern of blocking and attacks lasting much longer then anyone of us expected. Niran at one point had to stop to just look at me in astonishment, and I couldn't blame him, I haven't done this in a long time.

Still, energy surged into me. Even when he had worked out a way to corner me and get the sword out of my hands. Grinning wickedly with triumph as he advanced. Only for me to slip out from between his legs. Kicking him in the ass so that his head smacks against the stone of the building.

A rather colourful assortment of curses came pouring out of his mouth as he holds his head. I take the chance to disarm him and send him to the ground with a good kick to the chest.

He lays there in the rocky gravel as Larken cackles like a crazed dog off to the side. Eris to my surprised still remain firmly planted at the edge. Watching intently as the fight unfolds. Not letting himself intervene.

"Looks like Cassian's training actually paid off", I laugh softly standing over a very grumpy Niran.

"B-", Niran snarls and I smile.

"Always", I offer him my hand. Surprisingly he takes it. Well, only to plant his fist into my stomach with enough force to crush rock into powder.