Jayden and Elizah spent the next few days having their secret practice sessions at the pond. Elizah was improving gradually. Things were going smoothly.

Until King Cyprian barged into Jayden’s room early in the morning, one fine day. Jayden had slept late the previous night due to Elizah’s training extending longer than usual. “Are you willing to come for a training session?” Cyprian’s booming voice echoed in the room.

Jayden groaned and got up from the bed slowly. He didn’t realize that his father had called him and slowly opened his eyes. After seeing Cyprian, he instantly jumped out of bed and said, “Sure, I’ll meet you in the grounds, father.”

Cyprian just nodded and walked out of Jayden’s chambers. Jayden made sure that he was out the door before he walked to his weapons shelf. His first impulse was to pick up a sturdy bow and a quiver of arrows, but he knew he wouldn’t have target practice with his father. 

He looked around and saw a large sword on top of his box of paints. He didn’t prefer the sword since it was heavy, but to show his father his skills, he chose the sword as the best choice to impress him. He pushed the sword into the scabbard and attached it to his belt before he walked out of the room.

“Finally, here comes the sleeping prince,” Jayden heard a voice mocking him as he walked out into the courtyard.

He turned to see his mother standing with her arm on his father’s shoulder. Jayden had always wondered how she was at the King’s side at all times without Cyprian snapping at her, but he never dared to ask her since her eyes held a smouldering rage in them.

“Did you sleep well?” his mother asked, with the mocking edge still lacing her voice.

Jayden had every urge to smack the grin off her face but had to keep himself under control to avoid her wrath. He gave her a quiet nod. 

Cyprian gave him a smile. “Good. You’ll need your energy,” Cyprian said.

“Why don’t we try something different? I would love to witness a good duel between father and son,” Noxaura said.

They continued to walk from the courtyard to the arena. Jayden glanced at Cyprian. Surely his mother wasn’t serious. Jayden wasn’t strong enough to duel his father.

But Cyprian’s gaze was serious, and his eyes were somewhat glazed over as if his focus was not even on the conversation.

“Of course Noxaura,” Cyprian said simply as he unfastened his cloak and handed it to a nearby servant.

Jayden noticed the giant sword in his father’s scabbard and knew that he was in danger. A sword like that was a dangerous weapon. Even if Jayden tried his best, Cyprian had the advantage of weight and a more robust blade. 

Besides that, a sword wasn’t Jayden’s weapon of choice. He would never manage to win this duel.

Jayden was contemplating his chances as they walked into the arena. Noxaura took a seat, and Jayden watched her and saw a smirk on her face as if she had planned the entire thing out to play itself against Jayden.

“If my son wins,” Noxaura said, “Then Jayden will be treated with a feast. But if Cyprian wins Jayden will receive 5 lashings from the King himself.”

Jayden wasn’t scared of the lashings, nor did he want a feast in his honour. But it still bothered him how Noxaura was somewhat laying all the guidelines for their duel.

“Isn’t that a bit harsh for a practice duel?” Jayden asked, and Noxaura glared at him.

“Oh, this is no ordinary practice. This is a test for a lot of things,” Noxaura said, gazing only at Cyprian strangely.

Cyprian unsheathed his sword, and Jayden did the same. They both squared each other and waited in position for the call for the first blow to be made.

“May the best fighter win,” Noxaura said and signalled for them to start.

Jayden slowly walked up to the centre of the duelling ring, and his father stepped in as well.

Jayden was careful to observe all the options for a weak point before he struck, but his father’s flashing blade caused his focus to waver.

Luckily, he defended the first strike quite well, and he gave a small sigh of relief. His forehead was beading with sweat, and he saw Cyprian grit his teeth. Jayden even noticed a feral glint in his eyes which was rather unusual.

Jayden took his opportunity to make swift strikes and lighter blows, but Cyprian defended excellently. Cyprian landed his blows on Jayden’s blade, and Jayden lost strength with each impact as if his energy was being drained out by someone else. His defence and attacks became sloppy, and he started to feel lightheaded. His grip on the blade seemed to loosen itself, but Jayden held on to it for dear life. Out of the corner of his eye, he managed to see Noxaura watching grimly. 

That moment of distraction was all that Cyprian had needed to finish off the duel. He aimed a blow at Jayden’s defensive stance’s weak point and successfully knocked the blade out of Jayden’s hands.

Jayden was left gasping in shock. He wasn’t surprised by the loss but was surprised at how agile the King was despite his age. Noxaura stood up from her seat and walked up to Jayden and Cyprian. 

“I expected much more from you,” her voice wasn’t disappointed, but rather it was grim and oddly different from usual.

“Your mother’s got a point here. I really expected a good fight from you,” Cyprian’s voice was like stone, and his face was expressionless.

“Bring out the whip,” Noxaura commanded to a nearby servant.

The servant wordlessly walked out of the arena and returned with the whip in his hands. Noxaura practically snatched the whip out of the guard’s hands.

Jayden knelt without waiting for his mother to force him down. He was still somewhat dizzy and felt as if his life force had been sucked out of him. Noxaura lifted the whip up and unfurled it. She handed it to Cyprian, and her face carried a slight smirk. Cyprian lifted the whip up and brought it down on Jayden’s back.

A flash of pain erupted through Jayden’s back, and his muscles felt like they were being cut up. He wanted to scream out but kept himself in control. Cyprian lifted the whip again and again. Jayden had lost track of the number of lashes when everything had started to darken around him. He heard Noxaura’s vivid voice like a voice in a dream.

“Let this be a lesson Jayden Larkspear,” her voice echoed. And with that, everything went dark.