Sybil Deceived

by Catherine Banks

  He laughed and stroked my cheek with his finger. “You are beautiful no matter what clothes you wear.”

  “And you are flirtatious even in the dark where none can see,” I teased.

  “One needs not see when he has memorized the face of the one he is with.”

  Wow. I had nothing to say to that. He was so skilled with words, yet he was a warrior!

  “Come, Princess…”

  “Gerard,” I said in my commanding tone. “I told you to call me Sybil.”

  He bowed. “I apologize. I shall not forget again.”

  I stood on tip toe and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for keeping up with my whim again,” I said seductively.

  “If I earn a kiss for each time, then please, make me a list and I will race ahead.”

  I laughed and slipped my arm through his. “Let’s return to the dining hall, if it’s alright with you?”

  “As long as I’m in your presence everything is all right.”

  “How did you learn to be so flirtatious?” I asked.

  “Aw, that is a secret for another day.”

  “Perhaps I am not the first you have courted?” I asked, feeling somewhat jealous.

  “Your green is showing, your highness.”

  I hooked my leg around his and pushed on his chest, using one of the techniques Adam had shown me to knock a man down. Unfortunately, he hadn’t taught me what to do if the man you’re trying to push down latches onto your arms and pulls you down with him. I squealed as we landed on the ground with me on top of him. He laughed and I punched him in the chest. “That was dirty.”

  He rolled over, pinning me to the ground. “You should not pick fights with people unless you can win them,” he whispered. “That is one thing you need to be sure to learn. I do not want to see you hurt.”

  I slowly moved my arm around and using my wings, propelled us up off the ground and flipped us over so that I was sitting on his stomach again. “Noted, Captain. Anything else?”

  He flipped us again with barely any movement or warning and had me pinned with my hands above my head. “Yes, never let a man pin you with your hands above your head.”

  “Why is that?” I asked breathlessly, from the exertion and excitement at play fighting with him.

  “Because he may take advantage of the situation,” he whispered as he moved his face closer and closer to mine. I tensed, waiting for him to steal a kiss, but he moved at the last second and kissed my cheek. “I would never take advantage though,” he said as he stood up.

  I took his offered hand and brushed myself off. “Alright, lesson learned. I can’t pick fights with you until I’ve had more training.”

  “You think you could win with more training?” he asked, amused.

  “The scent in the air has shifted, Captain, but this is a whim you cannot assist me with.”

  “And who pray tell can assist you?”

  I pointed to the men standing outside the dining hall watching us. “Them.”

  “What can we help you with, Princess?” Hugh asked.

  I walked into the dining hall and the men followed, taking seats around me as I sat on top of a table. “You’ve all known each other a long time, yes?” They all nodded their heads. “Captain, I hereby release you from your station for the next two hours.”

  Everyone stared at me in disbelief. “I don’t understand,” he said with pain on his face.

  “Now that he can’t order any of you around, I want to hear the most embarrassing stories you have about Gerard,” I said over the top of his voice.

  Gerard stopped talking and pain was replaced by shock and then humor. Hugh laughed. “You heard the Princess! Gerard is free game tonight!”

  The men all raised their hands, eager to tell me a story. Gerard opened his mouth to protest and I pointed at him. “Hugh, please restrain the captain. I would be very put out if he ruined my fun.”

  Hugh patted the back bench. “Sit and enjoy, Captain.”

  “I doubt I shall enjoy this.”

  Hugh smiled and said, “Oh, but the Princess and the rest of us will.”

  “Adam, you’re first,” I said, pointing to my trainer where he was waving his hand at me.

  “The first time I met Gerard, he was practicing with a wooden sword,” Adam began. As soon as they heard it, the rest of the men started laughing, recalling the story he was about to tell.

  “This is hardly fair,” Gerard protested. “I was only seven.” The men ignored him and he folded his arms across his chest, his wings drooping behind him.

  “He was swinging his wooden sword around, I’m sure fighting some nasty imaginary creature, and not paying attention to anything around him. I snuck up quietly in the grass, listening to him yell and slash and stab and when he was about to turn around I screamed in his ear and made him wet himself.” Everyone laughed, including me because it was hard to imagine the strong and fearless captain wetting himself because someone startled him. “He slapped me with the sword, giving me a nasty bruise, and flew off for his house, crying the whole way.”

  “Aw, the poor child,” I said, smiling at Gerard who was slumped against the table with his arms folded.

  Hugh laughed. “I remember the first day he came to our Troupe,” he said. “He was a feisty boy and decided that in order to show his superiority he would take on the biggest boy around his age.”

  “And who was that boy?” I asked, guessing the answer.

  “Me of course,” Hugh said with a smile. “He charged at me, swinging his fists wildly and I sidestepped, extended my foot and tripped the little guy. After landing face first into the ground you’d expect him to give up, right?”

  “Not Gerard,” I answered with a laugh.

  “No, not Gerard. He jumped up and punched me right in the face. I felt bad knocking him out after that, but then we became the best of friends.”

  One after the other told me stories about Gerard and slowly I was able to picture his childhood since coming here. The more I learned about him, the more I liked him. The hours flew by and Gerard sat silently in the back, smiling and allowing the stories to be told. After a particularly embarrassing story about him trying to impress a girl and falling into a mud hole, he stood up. “My two hours has past. Now, let’s tell the princess some stories about you all.”

  My stomach muscles felt like they were on fire by the time I finally left the dining hall and headed towards the archway. “Were you sufficiently entertained, Princess?” Gerard asked.

  I wiped my eyes and nodded my head. “Yes, but I fear I will suffer for it in the morning. My body was already too sore from the training to handle so much laughter.”

  I started to fly up into the air, but my wings were too sore and I landed back on my feet. “Oh, pufferfish,” I muttered.

  “Is something the matter?” he asked as he landed back on the ground beside me.

  “I can’t fly,” I whispered.

  He walked behind me and ran his hands over my wings. I winced and he said, “You have a rather large bruise. I can either carry you to your home or we can find you housing here for the night.”

  “Housing here?” I asked. “Where is there housing here?”

  He pointed east. “All warriors live up here.”

  “I’d need to get a message to my mother,” I whispered nervously.

  “I shall advise her,” Uncle Giles said as he walked up to us. “Sorry to eavesdrop, but I was heading this way and heard your predicament. I will explain the situation to your mother so she will not worry for your safety. I’m sure she will be more than delighted to hear that you are working with the warriors and will not have issue with it. Gerard, you may put her in my house as I will be staying the night at the palace.”

  “Thank you, Uncle,” I said with a curtsy. “I appreciate your hospitality.”

  He kissed my cheek. “You deserve it. You trained hard today and I’m sure you’ll train even harder tomorrow.” He looked at Gerard. “You’re in charge tomorrow, keep Princess
Sybil safe, but remember to be sure she is trained thoroughly.”

  “Yes, Commander.” Uncle Giles jumped up into the air and then disappeared into the night. “Come, let’s walk,” Gerard said with his hand extended.

  I took his hand and felt a shiver race up my arm. This was the first time I’d ever held a man’s hand before, besides my father’s. The thought of my father dampened my mood slightly. I had mourned him for many years and my heart ached whenever it thought of him. A wolf howled and I stepped closer to Gerard.

  “Are you scared, Sybil?”

  I smiled at his use of my first name and hugged his arm. “I was, but I feel safe with you beside me.”

  “I would kill any beast that tried to harm you,” he said seriously.

  “I hope you never have to try,” I whispered. I heard loud laughter ahead and then saw the large bonfire with the men surrounding it. We stepped into the clearing and they all grew quiet as their eyes landed upon me. I detached myself from Gerard’s arm and smiled. “Hello.”

  “What brings you out here?” Adam asked.

  I turned and lifted my wings as far as they would go. “I’ve damaged my wing and can’t fly to my house. Commander Giles gave me his house for the night.”

  “Well, come sit beside the fire,” Adam invited me with a wide smile.

  I sat down beside him and sighed in contentment as the fire warmed me. “I mean no disrespect, Adam, but I am glad I won’t be in your hands again tomorrow.”

  Everyone laughed and Adam said, “You say that now, but tomorrow you’ll be in Gerard’s hands. Trust me when I say that you will be begging for me back after an hour with him.”

  Gerard rolled his eyes. “You are a wimp. I bet the princess will be better skilled with the sword than you within a week.”

  “And I bet she will be able to take you down within a week!” Adam countered.

  I looked at Hugh who was sitting across the fire from me. “Is this common?” I asked.

  He laughed. “No, we’ve never had a woman come learn our trade before. I believe you’ve inspired their competitiveness.”

  “I believe I’ve signed my death warrant,” I muttered as I pulled my wing forward and rubbed it gently.

  “After a week you’ll be twice as strong and have twice the endurance. You may be experiencing pain now, but it will be worth it,” Hugh’s eyes sparkled in the light as he nodded with confidence.

  “What is your skill?” one of the warriors whose name I couldn’t recall asked.

  Everyone has a skill. The growers were skilled with plants. The fiddlers were skilled at building and repairing things. The warriors were skilled at fighting. Normal fairies are sent to spend time with each group to determine where their skill lies. I was not a normal fairy though and thus never went to the groups like a normal fairy would. I did however make sure to spend time with the fiddlers and growers to learn more about them. Now I was finally getting to spend time with the warriors, something I’d wanted to do since I was a child.

  “The royal family is not assigned a skill or permitted to discern their skill. We must learn about each group and must learn to do the basics from each, but we are not assigned one like the rest of you are,” I said as I continued to rub my wing.

  “So, you don’t know what your skill is?” Hugh asked with what sounded like disbelief in his voice.

  “I have never been assigned a skill, no.”

  “Is there one you like more than the others?” Adam asked.

  I bit my lip. “Royals are not allowed to show favoritism towards any of the groups.”

  “You have a fiddler friend and a grower friend, right?” Hugh asked.

  I nodded my head. “Yes.”

  “Why not a warrior friend?”

  “I was never brought up here. This is the first time I’ve been exposed to your camp. But I thought that now we were all friends?”

  The warriors smiled and I knew it was the right thing to say.

  “Let me show you to the commander’s house,” Gerard said as he stood up. “It’s late and we start our days earlier than the rest of the Troupe.”

  I stood and walked towards him, but then stopped and turned to everyone. “Goodnight.” They all stood and bowed to me. I groaned. “None of that! I told you all to treat me like a regular fairy. No more bowing and no more ‘Princess.’”

  They didn’t say anything, so I turned and followed Gerard past the fire and to a group of wooden houses. He stopped next to one of the houses and turned to me. “I’m sorry your wing was damaged.”

  I shrugged. “It’s just a bruise. I should be healed by tomorrow. Besides, it’s not like you gave it to me.”

  “My house is next door,” he said with a tilt of his head to indicate the house to the right. “If you need anything I’ll be there.”

  He started to turn and I grabbed his hand. “Would you sit with me a moment? I’m not quite ready for sleep yet.”

  He smiled and sat down on the porch. “Sure.”

  I sat beside him and looked up at the stars and the moon. It was strange to think that the vampires, trolls, and werewolves also sat under this same sky. “May I ask you a question and receive your honest answer?”

  “Of course, I would never lie to you,” he said as he turned to face me fully.

  I looked down at my hands and asked, “Do you think I’m a bad princess? That I’m lazy?”

  “Your friend was simply upset that your attention was on another male. He did not truly mean the words he said.” Gerard’s voice was soft and tentative.

  “Your evasion of the question is answer enough,” I said as I stood up to head inside the house.

  Gerard grabbed my hand and turned me around. “Wait, you did not let me finish.”

  “I fear I do not want to hear your answer.”

  “You are not a bad princess. Nor are you lazy.”

  “I do lay around quite a bit,” I admitted as I looked down at our joined hands.

  “And you also play with the children quite a bit,” he said.

  “Yes, but—”

  “But there are few others who play with them. You make them feel wanted. Do you know how many other princesses played with the children?”

  “A couple?” I guessed.

  “None,” he answered. “Before you, the princesses sat in their palace and had little to do with the regular fairies, but you are different. You play with the children. You are friends with a fiddler and a grower, and you are training with the warriors. No other princess can say that. I think you’re an amazing princess who will become an even more amazing queen.”

  His words made me proud of myself, but it still hurt to think of Charles’s words. “I’m scared,” I admitted to him.

  “Of failing?”

  I looked up at him and sucked in a breath. “How’d you know?”

  “Because I am scared of the same thing. I am afraid I will fail in my training. I am afraid I will fail my men. I am very afraid I will fail to be the best and you will choose another for your guard.” He stopped talking a moment and looked down at our hands. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking and I almost asked him, but then he said, “Everyone is afraid sometimes. The difference between fairies is which ones do something about it and which ones cower in fear. You are not a cowering fairy.”

  “What if I fail the Troupe?” I asked as I met his beautiful eyes.

  “I have faith in you.”

  I smiled. “As I have faith in you.” I yawned and put my hand over my mouth. “I’m sorry. It seems the day has taken its toll on me. I must say goodnight now.”

  He kissed my cheek. “Good night, Sybil.” I watched him walk to his house before walking inside my uncle’s and promptly falling asleep on his couch.

  Chapter 3

  “Sybil,” Gerard whispered. “You must get up.”

  “Come back in five minutes,” I whispered back as I rolled over, never opening my eyes.

  “Wake up!” he yelled.

  I screamed, startled
by his loud voice and fell off the couch and into his arms. “That was unnecessary,” I said as I stood up from his arms and smoothed down my clothes.

  He smiled much too cheerfully for the early time. “You have five minutes to get ready and then we’re heading to training.”

  I nodded in understanding and walked to the mirror in the hallway as he headed outside. My mouth dropped open in horror at my bird’s nest hair. I would have never allowed a male to see me in this state if I’d been in the palace! I hurried to my uncle’s wash room and got ready, using his brush to untangle my hair and then braided it to keep it out of my way for my lessons. I stretched my body and groaned with every move. I wasn’t ready for walking much less sword training.

  “Sybil,” Gerard called. “Are you ready?”

  I straightened my spine and glared at myself. “You are a princess. You will do your training and not complain. You are not going to be lazy.” My reflection glared back at me and then turned as I headed to the door, pulling it open.

  Gerard smiled. “Good morning, Sybil.”

  “Good morning, Gerard. I apologize for you having to see me in such a state this morning,” I said as I started down the porch steps and followed him towards the training arenas.

  “No need to apologize for your beauty,” he answered.

  Was he mocking me? I looked at his face, but he simply smiled at me. We stepped over the rope and walked down to the sand arena. I took a few steps, testing the sand’s movement.

  “We’ll start off with stances. It’s important to have a good balanced stance while fighting.”

  “Adam taught me about this yesterday,” I said with a smile. “At least somewhat.”

  “Good. Now, copy my stances and movements,” he said as he spread his legs shoulder width apart and bent his knees slightly. I mimicked his stance and kept my eyes glued to his body as he moved into a new stance. Part of my mind continued to stray towards admiring his body, but I reprimanded myself again and again to stay focused on learning, not admiring his figure.