News traveled fast.

Nova would have thought the castle had more important matters to attend to but here she is. It just takes her presence in the training grounds for people to start whispering behind her back.

But if they had any guts, they would say it to her face.

It is really easy to say things when you think they can’t hear you. She would love to see their expressions in front of her with her trusty sword in her reach.

“Why would Ward be interested in a witch?” Faira, Nova’s own personally pain in her butt, says, questions fairly loudly.

“She’s not a witch,” her friend answers, attempting to talk softer. Faira doesn’t appear to care. At least she has more courage, Nova will give her that. Since she knows Faira wanted Nova to hear it.

There is a sort of comfort in knowing Faira says what she thinks. Even if it isn’t nice.

You know what you’re getting with her.

“Whatever. A witch accomplice. That’s basically just as bad,” she retorts, flipping her shiny blonde hair in Nova’s direction.

If she had less self control, she would swing her weapon and cut some of that hair. Just to see her reaction.

“He’s throwing away his high rank for what? Her?” Faira continues on, furthering her criticisms.

Like Nova said, nothing else to talk about.

It isn’t like Faira is a knight for the royal family or anything. If Nova rolls her eyes any more, they might get stuck in the back of her head.

With a firm walk up, she enters the training ring. It is a circle drawn on the ground, meant to be a boundary for when people are observing training.

Twirling her blade, she eyes everyone up. “Anyone want to say anything to me?”

She has their attention, but no one wants to confront her. “Go ahead. I’m all ears,” she says, gesturing to the otherwise empty circle.

No one steps up. They all have these uneasy tension in their body language.

It’s like when she and Haze first got here. Complete and utter distrust. It’s as if there has not been any progress with people’s perception of witches.

Each of them clutch their weapons, you know, just in case Nova attacks them. Which she wants to. Very much so. But Haze wouldn’t approve, so she won’t

Trying to meet any of their eyes, she goads them, “Unless you all are too cowardice? You shouldn’t be scared. All I am is a witch accomplice, right?”

At the use of her own words, Faira puts one foot in the ring, keeping her second still outside the boundary. Faira is the definition of defiance. Her gaze sharp and focused. Body tense, preparing for a battle.

She always had something against Nova. “Fine. No one will say it so I will. Ward has a reputation that he is putting at risk being with you.”

Nova has learned from a young age that she can’t rely on other people’s opinions. They are cruel and will never give you grace. Not when your sister’s a witch.

So while that isn’t nice to hear, she lets roll off her back.

Sheathing her blade and placing her hands on her hips, she stares back at Faira with equal distain. “Why is this relevant to training?” She questions.

Not one to back down, Faira steps fully into the circle. Now Now has every right to fight her. She’ll wait until Faira makes the first physical move. “Because you are distracting him,” Faira answers sharply.

There is the familiar sound of boots on the ground of the training space. It’s the crunch of the fine gravel that has Nova turning her head.

“Well I think I can decide that for myself,” Ward states, not appearing his usually sunny self at all. “Nova is not distracting me. In fact, she and Haze have opened my eyes to a new perspective that we all could learn from.”

“Of course you would say that.” You could practically hear the eye roll in Faira’s statement.

Ward’s eyes narrow.

Everyone’s head move back and forth between the three of them, probably wondering who would win.

Spoiler. None of them. Because this interaction is just painful.

“It is the truth,” Ward defends.

Nova likes how protective Ward is. He genuinely trusts and believes in her. That means more than he will ever know. But this is her battle.

Faira cross her arms, a knife hanging loosely from her one hand. “I can’t be trained by someone I don’t trust.”

“What would I hypothetically have to do to begin gaining your trust?” Because she doesn’t want or need Faira’s trust. At least personally. But she and Haze isn’t here for just her. They’re here for to clear the witch’s name which means people will need to have some kind of positive emotion.

She can’t add to the negatives.

“Probably nothing. But you could earn my respect through battle,” Faira offers. In an instant, Faira has her sword in one hand and the knife in the other, clearly goading her into a spar.

Her intention is clear.

Nova isn’t exactly sure if that’s a good idea though.

“You’ve seen me fight,” she reminds Faira.

Staying in her stance, she says, “Here’s the offer. You win, I’ll respect you. I win and you leave.”

Faira must have trained more or gotten more confidence because the last time they fought, Nova had the upper hand. Even though she was the one to land a cut, Nova would have won if it went on and if it was a real fight.

Ward already had arms firmly crossed and his head shaking. “Too harsh of terms, Faira.”

While he is expressing his discontent, he doesn’t dare step in the circle. It took some time for Nova to learn the rules here. It is an unspoken rule. You don’t interfere with two people in the circle unless special circumstances.

She’s not quite sure what those special circumstances are but perhaps someone getting mauled might be one of them.

“Fine, you step down from teaching us lessons like we don’t know what we’re doing,” Faira amends.

“Agreed,” Nova replies.

Ward just continues disagree but his pleas fall on deaf ears. He can’t do anything about it anyway.

Tapping on her arm, she moves one step over towards him, still inside the boundary. “You don’t have to do this,” he tells her.

“I think I do.”

If Faira respects her and therefore witches, the rest may follow, especially since she is such a staunch non-supporter.

This may be the way. Or at least Nova’s way.

Haze is the conversationalist, the one with a pep talk and rallying speech.

All Nova has is her fighting skills. Ways to survive.

And she intends to use them.

Just as Nova takes out her sword, both preparing for the fight, Ward interrupts them. “What are the conditions for a win?”

Nova and Faira both give him an unimpressed stare. “What? We need to have a set condition in which the battle can end.”

If this were a organic fight, one in the wild, there would be no condition for it to end.

Someone would get hurt or killed. That would be the end.

But Nova understands that that isn’t what it’s like here. Even if that isn’t very accurate.

“Until someone yields,” Nova says instead. He pales instantly.

Perhaps it’s because he knows them both. Though they are enemies, Nova and Faira, they both have a determined spirit and a fierce drive. Nova recognizes that.

But she’s been fighting all her life.

She won’t stop now.

OoOoO

Nova brings the knife closer to Faira’s neck, waiting for the surrending words. They never come. Peering down at her, Faira has a fire in her eyes, almost goading her to finish the fight.

Nova would never yield if she were in Faira’s position. Just as the castle knight is doing now. Keeping her lips shut.

But she isn’t in her place.

Stepping back from Faira, pushing her towards her fellow knights, Nova stands tall without a scratch on her. She’s proven her point. She doesn’t need to go further.

“I yield.”

Then she walks away.

While she can feel all of their judgemental eyes on her and hear their critical murmurs, she doesn’t let it affect her. She keeps her confident gait.

She can hear the hurried sounds of Ward following her.

Once he is by her side, he asks, “You ok?”

With his concerned eyes and and tight, half smile, all she wants to do is fall into his arms and go away from this place.

The others are still close. Close enough to see, and she will not let them see the effect they have on her.

Then they truly win.

Shrugging her shoulders, she lets a tired sigh escape.

She belongs with Haze. She belongs with Ward. Those two she knows for sure. Other than that?

“I never belonged here anyway.”