Chapter 8: Duel
The days passed by almost in a daze, which worked as a good reliever for Aileene. Since she was able to push whatever worries she had to the back of her mind, as a routine began to develop between her cousin and her. They would talk before her lessons, or after them. And sometimes when he was feeling generous enough, her cousin would join her for some lessons. Never etiquette though, usually it would be history or literature.
Aileene couldn't help but notice that Alastair had a way with words and his writing, though still developing was already excellent. She was definitely proud, a feeling akin to a proud older sibling. Though she was younger than him by two years, she'd like to think she was mentally older. But along with her pride in him, she was also a tat bit envious, sure she enjoys books and reading. But she couldn't seem to write eloquently, it just didn't come to her naturally like music or art, the subjects she truly excelled in.
"It seemed our time is up, you're dismissed for the day. Don't forget the complete your essay on the book we read." Her teacher reminded as he started packing up his things, glad to be finished for the day. When he finally left her study room, Aileene turned to her cousin with a hidden glee. An invisible light bulb clicking on in her mind. This was her last lesson for the day and she was completely free for the rest of the weekend. So she had lots of time to chill.
"Alastair, didn't you say that you knew swordplay?" Aileene broke the silence, as she looks on at her cousin. An innocent expression of curiosity spread across her face, though her inner thoughts weren't as peaceful.
"Yes?" Alastair stared at her confused and perplexed. It was always so difficult to understand his cousin, on the outside she seemed just alike to any simple child. But from time to time, even for just the slightest moment, her eyes would reveal her complexity and wisdom. Though that light of age always seemed to disappear the next minute. He wanted to think that it might not have been there in the first place, but that idea seemed even more unbelievable.
"Alastair Clarkin Lovell, I challenge you to a duel," Aileene announced suddenly, as she dramatically stood from her seat, pointing a finger at her cousin. Though Alastair only remained dumbfounded, trying to process her words.
"Wait, wait...what?" He managed in his confusion, he was clueless and shocked. Did his cousin just decide to duel him, spontaneously. He was sure she didn't even know how to wield a sword. Since it wasn't in her day to day curriculum.
"Don't play dumb, swordplay, fighting with a sword, so on so forth. It's simple, you should know it." Aileene explained in a matter-of-fact tone, sounding as if she was lecturing a child about their wrongs. Which in her mind she sort of was, afterall she knew exactly what her cousin was thinking, and to confirm most of his thoughts, she would have to agree. She definitely didn't know the smallest ounce about wielding a sword or did she really care. But with boredom comes desperation, and that desperation was for something new and exciting. A duel for her, fit that description.
"We don't even have swords," Alastair said, trying to turn down her declaration. He wasn't exactly fond of swordplay, nor was he excellent in it. Afterall he would like to think that he was more of a scholar type. So fighting wouldn't be his choice for an extracurricular activity.
"Well, I was digging around and I found some old wooden training swords," Aileene answered unperturbed from her goal. "We should probably go out to the yard now, it's too small to duel in here. And I left the swords out there anyway."
"So I don't have any way of getting out of this?" Alastair mumbled unwillingly, he knew the answer to his own question, but he asked anyways in his dampened mood. In the short time that they had been together, they had gotten close and he knew Aileene's whims and wants, there was no way she would let this chance slip away. Since she was the type to see things through to the end. So they were most definitely going duel, one way or another.
❅
"That's not the correct way to hold your sword." Alastair deadpanned in an almost robotic tone, as he held a defensive stance from his cousin's constant barrage of uncoordinated swings. Anyone with little to no knowledge on swordplay would think that Alastair was losing because of his wholly defensive take, but it rather the opposite. Aileene swings were random and powerless since she had no prior training, which meant her constant offensive didn't help her much. So he just took his time and defended to make her happy.
"That doesn't really matter, does it?" Aileene replied nonchalantly, continuing to swing with wild abandonment. She knew that her cousin was able to overpower her any second, but the fun of it wasn't in winning, she just wanted to see how much patience Alastair had in trying to please her.
The fight had undoubtedly caught traction among the passing servants and her parents along with her aunt and uncle had also caught wind of it. So they dutifully came to the courtyard to watch, and from time to time they would cheer her on. It raised the spirit of the whole household, as people laughed and cheered. Placing bets on who would win, and as expected most of the votes were on her cousin.
The only person that didn't seem as amused as everyone else was Alastair, he was quickly tiring and he was amazed that Aileene could still be so vigorous in her attacks. She didn't even look to sweat any bit, as her hair and dress stayed neat and in place.
"Admit defeat?" Aileene asked confidently, as her attacks continued and Alastair's defense slowed.
"Sure." He answered with a sigh as he let his grip of his sword loosen, in the process giving her the chance to hit it out of his hand. He knew she wouldn't quit and would probably only get more stubborn if she didn't win, so the loss didn't hurt his pride that much.
"I won!!" Aileene exclaimed, before dropping her sword and running to hug her exhausted cousin. He was surprised at the hug but returned it anyway.
That evening, the air was a bit fresher than normal and the household had a spiritful little break. Though most who betted on the young master was bitter and disappointed at the lost money, while the few who believed in their young miss's cleverness won plentiful.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone