Days had passed since Sereena's confession and Lucas's revelation of his skepticism. In that time, their interactions remained guarded yet polite, neither pushing the other to cross the line of their strange, developing relationship.
It was another early morning, the light of the sun just beginning to peek through the curtains. Sereena opened her eyes, her mind slowly coming out of the realms of sleep. As she stretched and sat up on the bed, she let out a soft yawn, her hand reaching to run through her messy hair.
Before she could get up, there was a knock on the door, soft but distinct. "Sereena?" a voice called from the other side, Lucas's voice. "Are you awake?"
Sereena's heart gave a little jump in her chest as she recognized Lucas's voice. "Yes!" she called back, her voice still heavy from sleep. "I'm awake. You can come in."
The door creaked open, and Lucas stepped into the room. He looked like he had been up for a while already, dressed and prepared for the day. "Good morning," he greeted, his eyes sweeping over Sereena as she sat on the bed, her hair still disarrayed and her nightgown a bit askew.
"Morning," Sereena replied, her cheeks heating up slightly under his gaze. She quickly got up from the bed, her hand coming up to smooth down her hair. "You're up early," she noted, her voice still scratchy with sleep.
"I'm usually an early riser," Lucas said, his eyes still on her, his gaze following her movements as she busied herself with tidying up her bed. "You, on the other hand, seem to like to sleep in."
"Guilty as charged," Sereena admitted with a small smile. She finished making her bed and turned to face him, her hands fiddling with the hem of her nightgown. "I guess I'm not a morning person like you."
"I can see that," Lucas chuckled, a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He leaned against the door frame, his eyes trailing over her again, noting how her nightgown hung on her figure, the thin fabric clinging to her curves.
Sereena felt her cheeks flush further under his gaze, his eyes on her seeming to burn through her. She fidgeted with the hem of her nightgown, self-conscious suddenly. "Um...is there something you needed?" she asked, trying to divert his gaze away from her.
Lucas seemed to snap out of his thoughts, his gaze moving back up to her face. "Right," he said, his voice a bit hoarse. He cleared his throat and pushed off the door frame. "I wanted to talk to you about something..."
"About what?" Sereena asked, her heart rate picking up speed. His tone had become serious, and she wondered what he wanted to talk about.
"You need to train.. to protect yourself"
Sereena was taken aback by his words. "Train..?" she repeated, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "You mean, like... combat training?"
Lucas nodded, his expression serious. "Yes. Training in combat and self-defense. You need to be able to defend yourself if the need ever arises."
"Do you know to handle a sword?"
"A little," Sereena answered, her mind going back to some self-defense classes she had taken in high school. "But I'm not exactly a master swordsman."
"That's alright," Lucas reassured. "I can teach you the basics. It's been a while since I've taught anyone, but I'm confident I can make you competent enough to protect yourself."
Omg! He's going to teach me Sereena screams in her mind
As she processed his words, Sereena felt a flutter of excitement in her chest. The thought of Lucas teaching her, guiding her, was both thrilling and intimidating. Her cheeks heated up once more, and she hoped he didn't notice.
"When...when do we start?" she asked, managing to keep her voice steady despite her emotions.
"Now, Oh and one more thing. She will be your maid from now on" Sereena's attention diverted to the maid who had entered behind Lucas. She was a slight, demure young woman, and when their eyes met, the maid bowed her head respectfully. Sereena smiled tentatively, unsure of how to respond to having a personal maid.
"She will attend to your needs," Lucas explained. "Help you dress, tend to your hair, anything you require." The maid stepped forward, her face still lowered. Lucas continued, gesturing toward her. "She'll be taking care of you from now on."
"Oh..." Sereena said, her mind still spinning with the idea of having a personal maid. She looked at the maid, who was now standing quietly next to her. The whole situation felt a bit strange, but she didn't know what else to say. "Um...thank you," she said to the maid.
The maid nodded quietly, her face still downcast. Sereena shifted her gaze back to Lucas, a thousand questions on the tip of her tongue. But before she could say anything, Lucas spoke again. "Get dressed," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "We'll start your training soon."
"Alright," Sereena said, fighting the urge to ask more questions. She knew that Lucas was not the type to be rushed. She gave the maid a final glance, then stepped into her dressing room.
"I'll wait for you at the Training Grounds"
"Okay," Sereena said, trying to mask her nervousness. "I...I'll be there soon." With that, Lucas left the room, leaving Sereena alone with her thoughts and the new maid. She exhaled deeply, trying to calm her nerves before beginning to get dressed.
The maid wordlessly helped her into a loose-fitting shirt and a pair of trousers, the fabric soft yet sturdy. As she donned the outfit, Sereena felt a bit odd, as if she was playing a part in some historical drama. When they were done, the maid picked up Serena's brushes and began to style her hair in a simple, yet practical updo.
"What's your name?" Sereena asked
The maid met her gaze for a moment before replying, her voice soft and sweet. "Amy, miss," she answered, her hands still working through Sereena's hair, smoothing it back into a neat bun.
Sereena smiled at the girl, feeling a pang of guilt for not asking her name sooner. "It's nice to meet you, Amy," she said, her voice sincere. "I appreciate your help."
Amy blushed at the compliment, her hands stilling for a moment before continuing her task. "It's my pleasure, miss," she said quietly. "Let me finish up your hair, and then you can get to your training."
Sereena nodded, her heart quickening a bit at the mention of her training. She took deep, slow breaths, trying to calm her nerves as Amy finished her hair. A few minutes later, Amy stepped back, her hands falling to her sides, her task complete.
Sereena examined herself in the mirror, her hair now pulled back, her outfit appropriate for the physical demands of training. The sight of herself in the mirror made the situation more real - she was really preparing to learn combat. Taking a moment to collect herself, she turned to Amy.
"Thank you, Amy," Sereena said, genuinely appreciative of the girl's help. "You did a wonderful job." Amy bowed again in response, her eyes meeting Sereena's fleetingly before looking down. Sereena swallowed, the maid's demeanor only adding to the surreal feeling of the situation.
"Let's go to the train ground miss. The duke must be waiting for you"
"Right," Sereena said, her heart rate increasing again. She took one last look in the mirror before nodding to Amy. "Lead the way."
Amy bowed once more and led the way out of the room, Sereena right behind her. The castle corridors seemed even longer and more labyrinthine than usual, as if the building itself mirrored Sereena's unease and nerves. They passed a few soldiers and servants along the way, each one bowing their head as they passed, adding to Sereena's feeling of being on the spot.
Finally, they reached a large door that opened into a courtyard. The sun shone brightly overhead, illuminating the practice field beyond. Standing in the center of the field was Lucas, already dressed in a training outfit, practicing sword drills with a wooden sparring weapon.
At the sight of him, Sereena's heart skipped a beat. He looked so different here, his movements precise and measured, his expression focused. Even from a distance, he exuded an air of command and control that was both intimidating and attractive.
As they approached him, Lucas paused his drills and looked up. When he saw Sereena, his expression softened slightly, his gaze lingering on her attire and her hair. He gave a small nod of approval before addressing her. "You're ready?" he asked, his voice firm.
"As ready as I can be," Sereena replied, trying to sound more confident than she felt. In reality, her insides were churning, her stomach tying itself into knots. But she tried to keep her expression calm, not wanting to show how nervous she really was.
"Good," Lucas said, his voice betraying no hint of concern. He placed the wooden weapon on the ground and beckoned her over. "Come, let's start with the basics."