9

Joyce tightened the belt around Robin's waist and tugged at the leather vest. Robin had never worn something like this before. Leather vest, combat pants made of thick material. It was all too masculine for him but he was certainly fascinated. 

Robin had been so excited when Joyce told him she would help him learn sword fighting. Joyce was always learning new things. Last week it was learning to drive Terra Cars, the monthe before that was something called Chess, a kind of board game. Robin had never been interested in any of that but when she mentioned sword fighting Robin ahd jumped up with eagerness. He had seen his father's soldier train at the palace ground and he had always been mesmarised by it. 

"Whose is this? It fits me perfectly," Robin reeled, looking at himself in the mirror. 

"It's one of the female guard's," Joyce said. "They gave me one as well."

"I love it!" Robin beamed.

"Come on," Joyce sneaked him outside the palace through the back, past the servant quarters to the death lake. He had been in this part of the palace grounds numerous times, as a kid he played hide and seek with his sisters here. The lake got its name from the large number of people who died there. The thick mud at the bottom acted like quick sand and drowned anyone who dared to go in. 

Robin saw Jaden, one of the Alpha slaves his sister liked to call in her chamber often, as he approached the lake. "Is he going to train us?" Robin asked. A lot of Alpha slaves were born in captivity or brought from omega brothals, they didn't have formal schooling or combat training. But there were some who were captured during wars. He didn't know which cateogory Jaden fell into. 

"No. He has a friend who is an amazing swordsman." Joyce ran and jumped on Jaden, kissing him fiercely. He kissed her back, carrying her in his arms. Robin blushed at this blatant show of affection. Someone interrupted their makeout party with a loud throat clearing and it wasn't Jaden. 

Robin turned his eyes to see the other guy standing by the pine tree. Robin froze in Shock. It had almost been two weeks since he saw Victor. He promised himself to never ask for Victor's whereabouts. And with the decision came the knowledge that he might never see Victor again. 

Victor was dressed from head to toe in thick leather attire meant for war soldiers.

"What is he doing here?" Jaden asked Joyce, looking at Robin uneasily.

"He wanted to learn swordfighting as well," Joyce said cheerfully. 

Jaden took Joyce's arm and pulled her aside. Heated whispers were exchanged while Robin walked towards Victor. 

"How have you been?"

"Good. You?"

Robin nodded. "Did you go to my…"

"Your aunt didn't take me in," Victor said as if sensing his question. 

There was a sense of perverted releaf Robin felt at the information. He shouldn't have expected his aunt to be nice to Victor without getting anything in return. In the state Victor was in, he was of no use for his Aunt. No wonder she didn't help him. 

Joyce came back and looked between the two of them. "Since you already know, Buddy, there is no need for a formal introduction. He is going to teach you how to fight," Joyce announced, beaming with excitement. 

Robin's eyes zoned on the sword on Victor's hand. Those powerful veiny hands. Robin snapped his eyes away from the hand and glared at his sister. He couldn't believe her sister was being so naive. 

"Are you insane?" Robin whispered, pulling his sister aside. Joyce frowned at his sudden burst of anger. Robin dragged her a few meters away. "Do you have any idea how dangerous he is?"

Joyce chuckled. "I am sure he is fine outside the bedroom. I know he made you bleed on your initiation but that happens to most of us when we lose our virginity."

Robin looked at the sky for patience. He sometimes worried for his sister's mental being. "Shut up, Joy. He could kill us," Robin whispered.

"He has been training me for a week now. He has never hurt me."

"If he hasn't yet doesn't mean he would never." 

Robin wanted to tell her about Victor's family, how their father had killed his family but for some reason he didn't want to break Victor's trust.

"If he kills me I promise to god I will haunt you forever," Robin said, before turning around and going towards the two men.

"You two practice. We will be back in a few minutes," Joyce said, taking Jaden's wrist and pulling him away. 

Robin wanted to kill his sister for abandoning him. He didn't want to be near Victor, not when his heart was about to go into hyperdrive. Images of their kiss clouded his brain. He couldn't look at Victor without staring at those lips. Robin picked up the sword from the ground and took a stance. He had seen his fathers soldiers practice before, he knew the mechanics of a sword fight. 

Victor shook his head, his eyes shimmering with amusement. "You will break your arm if you swing the sword in that position."

Robin stood straight, lowering his sword.

"Teach me then. Isn't that why you are here?" Robin asked.

"I will teach you everything," Victor said, his voice laced with innuendo.

He walked slowly towards Robin and stood behind him. Robin shivered when he realized how close Victor was.

"Open your legs wider," Victor whispered in his ear, placing his feet on the inside of Robin's feet and pushing them apart. "Straighten your spine and grip the handle harder," Victor said, placing his palm above Robin's and squeezing the handle of the sword harder. "Like this." Victor whispered, his lips brushing Robin's earlobe. His heady smell surrounded him like a fog, enticing him, nudging him to revel in it. 

"That's it," Victor said. 

Robin squeezed his toes inside the boots. His heart thudded under the vest and he was having a hard time concentrating. There was no way he was going to learn to fight this way.

"Swing your sword like this. Keep your eyes on the enemy's sword and let your body do the defense." Victor moved away, coming to stand before him. Robin could think clearly again but he missed his warmth. 

"Now we start," Victor moved his sword and Robin blocked his attack at the last moment. For a second Robin thought Victor was genuinely attacking him but when he saw how restrained he was Robin knew he could trust him. Joyce came back a few minutes later and the four of them trained together. Victor was relentless. He corrected the smallest of mistakes Robin made and asked him to try again. He wouldn't stop until Robin had perfected his swing. Robin was dying from exhaustion, his arms burning from holding the heavy sword for so long. Victor wasn't even breaking a single sweat. The man looked like he was enjoying a leisurely walk by the beach. 

"I give up," Robin announced, throwing the sword on the ground. He was soaking wet, perhaps smelling like a pig. "I can't anymore."

Joyce was no better. She plopped down on the ground and laid on the grass. Jaden was breathing heavily but Victor…god, what was he made of? He cocked his head to the side and looked at Robin with a smile. "You did well."

His praise unfurled something inside him like flowers blooming, sunshine shining down on him on a cold morning. His parents had praised him before, his father on rare occasions, and his mother every chance she got, but it never felt this way. Like he wanted to do everything Victor asked, just to make him happy. 

"Thank you. I will do better tomorrow," Robin said. 

Victor's smile died. "You should stay in your room for the next few days."

"Why? I am fine."

Victor gave Jaden a troubling look before saying, "Your first heat is near." Jaden's eyes widened before he looked away pretending to watch birds. Joyce smirked but Victor, he looked genuinely concerned for him. 

Robin's face heated in embarrassment. Did he really have to announce that in front of Jaden and Joyce? Moreover, how did he know his heat was near? He wasn't supposed to get his heat so soon after his eighteenth birthday. Most omegas got it months after reaching maturity. 

Joyce wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at him. "Congratulations." He loved his sister, he really did, but sometimes he wanted to strangle her. Heat wasn't something to celebrate. 

"I will take the suppressants," Robin said. "It won't be a big deal."

"Good luck with that," Joyce said before plopping back down on the grass. Robin looked at Victor, feeling the weird sensation again. Like a heaviness in his lower stomach. Victor's face was a mixture of confusion and worry. Robin wondered what was going through the Alpha's mind. Maybe he was disgusted by the idea or perhaps aroused. 

"I should get going. I will see you guys tomorrow," Robin said walking towards the palace.

He was taking the back entrance through the female slave quarters when he came face to face with his youngest brother Marco. Although he was one year younger than him, he was much taller than Robin's 5 feet 5 inches. There wasn't much that the two of them interacted with. Robin had last seen him during the family dinner two weeks ago. He spent most of his time partying and sleeping around with slave women. 

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in your room? And what are you wearing?" Marco asked, looking down at Robin's female guard attire. 

"That's none of your business," Robin snapped. "What are you doing in slave quaters. You are not supposed to take lovers before your initiation."

"I am an Alpha, I can do whatever the heck I want," Marco said, placing hands on his hips and glaring at Robin.

"Wait till I tell father."

"Then I will also tell him how you were sneaking out of the palace without permission to do god knows what."

"You would not dare," Robin growled. "I have saved your ass way too many times for you to threaten me like that."

"Oh well," he shrugged. "I will be the king in a few years then I will do whatever I want."

"I feel sorry for citizens who will have to see you as our king," Robin said before walking away.