Some time later while Aegon was distracted looking at the view from the Martial Summit, Roy, who was sitting beside him, stood up with a blank expression.

Disgust welled up inside the teacher as she looked at him. “So the coward did show his face, I thought you were too scared of getting a sore ass…”

Muffled laughs sounded all throughout yet Roy didn’t flinch, he kept his blank look as he waited for Miss Julia to continue.

His blank and admittedly handsome face made her remember her time as a disciple not so long ago, with that came the recollection of a certain gallant young man…that annoyed her even more.

Scouting the stands for a good match for the coward she stopped on another handsome face with the confidence to match.

A playful, somewhat devilish, smile brightened her countenance, although the source of said light was tinged with a clear darkness.

“Harris.” She called.

A confused Harris rose from his seat.

“I’ll pair you with the coward instead, you were his opponent in the first class so it’s only proper. Beat some sense into his head and…” Turning to look once more in Roy’s direction “...give him the sore ass he so wishes to avoid.” Her evil grin had stretched even further making her expression extremely vivid.

Aegon was watching all this unfold with a bored expression, only a bit annoyed at Miss Julia's clear animosity towards his friend, though as her little speech continued his expression became increasingly grave up until he couldn’t believe it anymore..

[Damn woman, did he kill your family or something? Where’s all this rage coming from?]

Looking at his friend he saw his blank expression finally break as he sighed in resignation. Roy turned towards Harris and nodded, forcing a smile he then did the same towards Miss Julia and sat back on his chair.

…

“HEY”

That high pitched voice dispelled Aegon’s musings, he was already in the center of the amphitheater surrounded by other disciples sparring against each other while Miss Julia paced around them giving pointers.

Dismissing his thoughts of Kuro and of his delicious dinner back in Miriande, he drew one of his wooden swords and faced Anna.

She looked at him oddly, increasingly annoyed by this distracted fellow. ”Why are you only using one of them? We’re just sparring. You should take this opportunity to learn how to use them both.”

Aegon shrugged as he smiled in a mocking manner. “Because I’m not confident I can beat you with both of them, actually I'm pretty sure I would lose. Given the way you’re looking at me and considering my glorious victory during the first class, I'm confident you’re holding onto some resentment. It can't be helped, the ant will always aspire to be as big as the elephant, so please excuse me for giving it my all.”

He kept his mocking smile but inside Aegon was chastising himself for coming up with the whole elephant and ant stuff. It wasn't as smooth as he intended it to be but he couldn't let it show.

Anna was amused, to Aegon’s surprise.

“So you’re a pussy.”

“Ah!” That was the exact moment his pride shattered into tiny pieces.

He tried to maintain his composure while he reached towards his second sparring sword.

[I'll show you who’s the pus…wait a second.]

He had already pulled half of the sword from its sheath when he froze mid movement.

His face briefly showed a hint of fury but the very next moment Aegon was sporting a clearly fake smile.

Anna felt shivers down her spine, her grip on the dagger tightening by reflex.

Aegon relaxed his grip on the sword and it slid back into its sheath.

Without hesitation he calmly stepped forward, his sword locked onto Anna’s body, every step she took was mirrored by his weapon.

Growing tired of this impasse and with Aegon looming ever closer Anna took the offensive and rushed towards him.

Seeing her approach Aegon did the one thing he really knew how to do, he slashed from a high guard position, clumsily copying his older brother from when he spied on his training a good ten years in the past.

The sword drew an arc through the air in a collision course with Anna’s rapidly approaching head.

Anna raised her dagger and tilted the blade sideways.

Clang

Miss Julia, who had noticed their fight the moment the girl rushed towards her opponent, saw it happen, wood hit wood but instead of the expected tug of war between the two young disciples Aegon’s blade slid down to the side guided by Anna’s dagger, his momentum was too great and he only barely managed pull his sword back to protect himself a second later.

“In a life or death struggle, being a second late is enough to become someone's late relative.”

Anna exploited the opening and with another step her dagger reached Aegon’s throat, stopping only when it pressed against his skin.

He felt the touch of the wooden blade and a great anger welled up inside him.

[FUCK! This is so embarrassing.]

Fully ready to mask his loss with his huge repertoire of insults he fixed his eyes on the petite woman below, she was still half crouching with her hand stretched towards his throat, her face half covered by her somewhat disheveled hair showed only one of her caramel eyes and half of a mocking smile.

His insults got caught on his throat and with a sigh, his spare hand pushed her blade away.

Anna was fully prepared to hear this shameless guy either diminish her skill or his focus on the battle, to use the fact this wasn't a real fight or that he won last time, outright insult her or any other excuse he could muster to try to keep face, yet instead…

“You were right, next time I will train with both swords.” His face at that moment was the picture of honesty.

Turning around, Aegon made his way to the exit.

[Sigh. Beautiful women really are the hard working man’s bane.].

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Aegon freezed in place and turned back to look at an angry Miss Julia pacing her foot on the floor with annoyance while Anna desperately tried to hold her laugh.

“Do you think you can leave when you wish? Well you can, but you can be sure you won't set foot in another of my classes, is that what you wish?”

Aegon only managed to hastily and clumsily bob his head sideways, his words stuck on his throat.

“Then come back here at once young man.”