MALIA’S POV
Nope!
There was no way I could jump into training just like that. These things have rules by your pack and inputting the rules of your pack in another pack might make you end up making a big fool of yourself in front of everyone so the best thing to do is to just keep your hands to yourself.
“I deeply apologize but I am going to have to turn you down. I am new here and was here with no other intention but to just enjoy the show. If I am getting in your way, I could vacate the property immediately”
“You are the first woman around this entire pack who has shown interest in this and not only that, you have a vast knowledge of weapons and how to operate them so of course we all want to see you train” Derek insisted, his group of men all nodding in agreement.
“That is the point you are failing to understand. The fact that I just recently moved here resulted in me not knowing the traditions around here which is why I am here. If I knew women weren’t supposed to be here, I wouldn’t have come. Now that I know, I should get going and not engage myself in more troubles” I said, getting my hair tucked behind my ears.
“While you have a point, we still have a bigger point than you do. Please do this, something tells me that you are very good with swords and we are going to learn a lot from you” The desperation in his voice shocked me into silence. Why would he want me to participate in their training just like that?
I opened my mouth to speak after staring into space for some seconds but nothing came out of my mouth. I tried again and again but nothing.
“You see, even your kind wants you to do this and you should listen to it, there is nothing wrong with that, we just want to see how good a female can be on the field” He shrugged most innocently.
“Uhm…. I am not so sure if I still recall how it is done because it has been long since I held my hand on the sword….”
“Once a fighter, always a fighter. The flesh might get old and the bones tired they say, but the spirit never dies, even after your death” He cut me off and spoke and honestly that was the most motivating speech I have ever received from someone in a while.
“Fine, let’s try this. But I have to warn you, you are giving me way more credit than I deserve so anything you see less than you expected, you called it upon yourself. You will deal with the disappointment” I warned.
“I have an eye for good things, I do not just expect great things from normal people. You have it in you. I can tell”
He was hell bent on making me fight.
“Alright…. let’s see” I moved further toward the ring and he held his sword and moved toward me. Just as he said, the crowd as soon as they noticed a woman in a dress with a sword began to gather around us. I felt immensely uncomfortable at first, completely aware of every eye that focused on me.
“Who is she?”
“A woman in a fight?”
“A woman with a sword?”
“What is wrong with her?”
“What is going through her head, did she think she could win a fight against a trained soldier?”
There it was. My very source of motivation. The last statement. Whosoever it was thought I couldn’t bring down Derek, then I couldn’t wait to see the expression on his face when he saw his colleague on the ground, defeated.
It seems to me that these people are lacking some basic knowledge about fighting. I thought and always had in mind that in the field, it is not the size of the person that matters but the size of the fight in the person. I had no idea how good he might be, but I was much certain In my skills.
I twirled my sword around, ready and waiting for instruction. Someone in the crowd instructed a start and soon we were starting the fight.
I had no idea that my gown was going to be a hindrance until I started but I wasn’t about to prove this man right. They needed someone to open their eyes up to see the real deal.
I strike while all he did was cancel out my moves. It was as if he was holding back so I told him.
“Do not hold back, bring out all you got. Don’t worry I will be fine”
“Alright then, if you say so” He shrugged and finally began to warm up with his strikes.
The fight didn’t really last a long time because one, he had greatly underestimated me just like his mates and secondly, he wasn’t as experienced as I thought he was.
I tackled him to the ground in a single move and he looked up at me. I also stared down at him. The entire crowd of hundreds of men was entirely quiet for some time, all still struggling to come to terms with what had just happened.
Heck, even I had struggled to let it register in my head. Not because I thought I wasn’t going to win, of course, I knew I was going to give it my all and was going to strive and win no matter what.
But the win came early. Way too early than I anticipated.
It took a few moments and then the roar in the crowd started. I don’t know what sort of reaction I expected from him but it wasn’t the one he gave.
After his moment of shock, his face broke out into a smile. An honest and genuine one.
Then and there, I concluded that we were going to become very good friends.