She Was Too Careless Or He Was!

Rowan had a long dream. He found himself standing in the dark woods alone and defenseless.

"Who is there? Where am i?" he called in his feeble voice as he walked here and there in search of anyone when he heard the voice of laughing women.

He followed the trail but when he walked closer, he paused,

"So the duke has a child. He is still handsome and once I will be duchess, I will find a way to get rid of that child." Rowan paused and looked around.

He could not see anyone but the voices were clear as if someone was whispering in his ears to make sure that he listened to each word clearly.

"I am sure that child is useless. Just lock him in his room and the whole dukedom would be yours after marriage." he shut his eyes and covered his ears as he walked in another direction but the voices kept growing.

"He is nothing but a pitiful child."

"What powers does he hold, my son would rule the duchy!"

"I am going to be duchess Garrison come to love." he tried to hide, run or just shout at all the voices to leave him be but they kept going until he could not run anymore, until he could not hide anymore, until he gives up and fell on the ground, lost and defeated.

"Aah!" Rowan woke up with a start on his bed. His whole body was covered in cold sweat as he took hard shallow breaths when he heard the footsteps and his eyes turned sharp.

"Oh my! Did you see a nightmare, young lord?" the maid looked at him with a worried expression when he finally realized that he was still in his room and all that was a dream!

The fragments of the past, he had thought he had left behind. He closed his eyes and ran a hand in his hair as the maid brought a towel to wipe his face.

"What time is it?" he asked in a low voice when the maid cleaned his face.

"It is still dawn. Why don't you rest more, I will wake you up later?" she asked softly worried that he was having nightmares again but Rowan shook his head. He did not want to close his eyes again, not at all.

"I will go and train myself." only the use of the sword would make him feel better.

"But young lord, I thought.. I mean the lady forbade you to use the sword until your wound healed." she said with a worried voice when he paused but determination filled his voice again.

"I will be careful then." he walked to the small room attached to his room where his armor and weapons were kept. He was about to pick up the silver sword when he paused. The face of worried Ana flashed in his eyes and he hesitated for a second before picking up the wooden sword and leaving the room before the maid could stop him again.

All the maids and knights in the hall bowed their heads as he walked past them towards his garden which is mostly used as his training ground.

It was still dark outside when he stood in the middle of the garden and started wielding his sword with more force when the conversation from last night started to ring in his ears.

He had stopped having nightmares long ago but last night triggered them again. She was too kind to him. So kind that he finds it unbelievable without any ulterior motive. But what could it be that she wanted?

The words started to haunt him as his attacks turned sharper and faster with more force than he intended. He was so lost in it that he failed to notice someone was approaching him.

When he felt a hand suddenly touching him, he turned and attacked the intruder at once with much force when he heard a muffled cry and it startled him.

"What in the world!" his eyes widened when he noticed Ana standing in front of him holding her arm with her other hands that were bleeding. He looked at his wooden sword, its edge was stained red.

He was so shocked that the sword fell instantly from his hands and he ran towards the woman.

"Louise, Mary, Sophie?" he called his maids as he touched her arm. "What were you doing here, my lady? You should not approach someone who has a weapon in his hands."

He checked the wound closely and only felt relieved when he realized that it was not that deep. She must have flinched away on time or he was sure that his attraction was enough to leave a deep scar.

"I am fine, Rowan. You need not worry." she assured as she looked at his pale face. "You are right, I was at fault. I never knew you were such a sharp attacker. Haha!" she laughed awkwardly. In reality, she had called him many times.

When she returned to his chamber, she did not want to disturb him so she started walking in the garden to feel the morning air. But soon, she heard the voices of cutting the winds and panting. So she walked here.

She was surprised to see him practicing this early since he was still a child.

But no matter how many times she called him, he did not notice. Who would have thought…

"You seem to be lost in your practice. Do you enjoy wielding swords that much?" she asked to lighten his mood when he sighed.

"You are too careless, my lady. Let me help you with your wound first." he said with a soft voice when she laughed and stood up. She was fast! Or else he would have injured her hands badly. But she did not tell him as she did not want to worry him.

"I apologize, I did not have much experience except watching my brother." she lied, since she had already said this lie last night.

"Umm, lord Rowan, why don't you teach me a step or two so that i can understand it better?"