Chapter 19: The Measure of Intent
The morning mist hung close to the cobblestones while Leon walked through the training yard, his boots crunching on the dew-laden gravel. His shoulders throbbed from the drills of yesterday, yet he embraced the discomfort—it was evidence.
Proof that each day, he was dragging his past self closer to the grave.
Sir Alric stood ahead, arms folded behind his back, eyes narrowed. The man didn't waste time with greetings. "Today, you spar against steel."
No blunted wooden swords. No armor. Just the raw edge of live steel, like in the battlefield. Leon's fingers curled slightly, tension rippling up his forearms.
A small group of servants and junior knights had already gathered around the edge of the yard. Whispers rippled through them like wind in grass. "Isn't that the old heir?" one murmured. "What if he bleeds out?" another said with a chuckle.
Leon ignored them.
Across the circle, the opponent stepped forward. A knight-in-training named Cedric—taller, lean, well-trained.
He grinned, adjusting his grip on his longsword.
"I won't hold back," Cedric warned.
Leon didn't respond. He simply took his stance. His sword, a simple steel blade without ornament, weighed heavier in his hand than yesterday. Or maybe that was just the pressure in his chest.
Sir Alric raised a hand, then dropped it. "Begin."