Emane came to Kiora after dinner with two swords and handed her one.
“What is this for?” She asked as the weight of the sword jerked her arm to the ground.
“I have decided you need to learn how to fight,” he said, laying his blade across his hand, examining it.
“You have, have you?” She grunted trying to wrench the sword back up.
“Well, Aleric and I decided.” Emane shrugged, dropping the sword back to his side. “If I do get separated from you and you happen to run out of magic, you need to be able to defend yourself. I have already spoken to the Guardians and they have promised to make you a sword that is your size. But for now, we will practice with these.”
“Emane, I don’t even know how to hold one of these things.”
“Lesson number one, it is called a sword.”
“Alright, a sword,” she said placing a hand on her hip. “Problem number two, I can’t lift it.”
“Try,” he said jerking his head towards her sword.
Rolling her eyes she grabbed the hilt, struggling under the weight of it, managing to pull it up a few inches before the weight dragged her back down to the ground. Emane burst out into laughter, taking it out of her hands.
“Well worth it!” he grinned, shouldering her sword. When she looked at him confused, Emane leaned forward as if telling her a secret, “I really just wanted to watch you not be able to do something.”
“Are you serious,” she sputtered. “You gave me that sword just to laugh at me? Did you even talk to Aleric?” Her face flushed.
“Of course I talked to Aleric.” Emane was trying to stifle his laughter but it wasn’t working. “And I am going to teach you to fight.” He buried the swords into the ground so that they were standing straight up. “But we normally don’t start with those. He pulled out two wooden swords he had stashed behind a tree. “Normally we start training with these,” he said, spinning them around in an arc before presenting her with the much smaller, much lighter wooden sword.
She snatched it out of his hand. “You really are a jerk you know.”
“Hmmm,” he said smirking, tossing his sword from one hand to the other. “I’m happy with jerk. It’s much nicer than what you used to call me.”
 “You’re that too,” she half grinned.
“Nope, we have downgraded to jerk and I am keeping it.” He started circling around her. “First things first, you need to protect yourself. I will try to get past your guard. If you block me, you win. If I get past your guard, I win. And,” he drug out, “I will expect to be paid with a kiss.”
“What do I get if I win?” she asked.
Emane took advantage of the question and jabbed in quickly, connecting with her arm. “One kiss for me,” he winked, backing out again.
“That was cheating!” she objected. Emane swung around the blade, lightly connecting the flat side of the sword between her shoulder blades.
“Two kisses for me.”
“Oohhh,” Kiora growled. “You are an arrogant horse’s ass!” She took a protective stance and blocked the next blow.
“Nice job.” He danced around her and connected with her opposite shoulder. “Three kisses for the horse’s ass,” he gloated. “Come on, Kiora you have to move your feet.” His eyes glinted mischievously.
She started to move and circle, following his lead. She blocked blow after blow, but missed at least one out of every three. “Come on, Emane,” she complained, “take it easy on me. It’s my first day.”
“I am taking it easy on you,” he laughed. “You’re terrible!”
“Thanks a lot,” she said trying to force a glare at him. “You’re not exactly encouraging.” Kiora lifted her sword to block another shot.
Pushing his sword down over hers he leaned in, “I actually like the fact that you’re terrible, more kisses for me.”
Kiora heard a few snickers from behind her and noticed that the camp was turning up to watch the training session. Pushing back, Emane jabbed in and caught her in the stomach.
“HEY!” she yelled, doubling over.
“That’s at least 15 kisses, I am losing count.” Spinning in a wide lazy circle he asked the spectators, “Anyone want to keep track for me?”
“You… are such a …”
“Uh uh,” he said shaking his finger at her, “we have little ears amongst us, watch your language.”
“JERK!” she yelled.
“That’s better.” Emane swung again and she soundly blocked. It went on like this for longer than she had wanted. The crowd cheered when she blocked a shot and they counted kisses when Emane made it past her guard. And they laughed at every joke he made, which only encouraged him on.
“Please,” she gasped. “I am dying, can’t we take a break?”
“Breaks are for girls!” He taunted her, dancing around her with the stupid, albeit gorgeous grin, plastered on his face.
“I am a girl, Emane.” He moved in to take another shot, which she barely blocked. “I mean it, Emane, I am going to cheat if we don’t stop.” He raised his sword over his head. With a flick of her wrist she swept his feet out from under him. He reached for his sword, but with another flick of the wrist, the sword slid across the ground out of his reach. She dropped to her knees, putting her sword to his neck, “Do you yield?”
The crowd was in hysterics. Emane stretched his neck looking around. “How many kisses am I owed?” he shouted to the crowd.
“Seventy-two,” the answer came.
“Hmmm, seventy-two kisses,” he put both arms behind his head. “That should be enough. Yes, I yield.”
“Thank heavens!” Kiora collapsed on the ground next to Emane as the crowd cheered and laughed with approval.
Emane rolled over and leaned on his elbow, looking down at her through half open lids. “I think the Lady should pay up.” He leaned down and kissed her “One down, seventy-one more to go.” Emane jumped to his feet and offered her a hand up. “Alright folks, that’s it for today.” There were some moans and groans as the crowd dispersed.
“You are shameless, you know that?” she said, brushing off her pants.
“So you tell me.” He threw his arm over her shoulder. “Let’s go get something to drink.”

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