The Dragon Brothers

Viola

POV

"This is Sgt Tomaz Arkadien. He will be your guardian when I am not available. Sgt Arkadien this is Princess Viola. Now, I'll be taking my leave as I have meetings to attend." Lucian said, introducing the two of us and then leaves. "At your service princess." The Sgt bowed.

"No need to bow and please just call me Viola. So, what sort of mischief shall we get into first?" I smiled.

"Oh the General made it very clear that there shall be no mischief, shenanigans, or other tomfoolery. I am on strict orders to keep you out of trouble. But, I would suggest a tour of the camp." The Sgt smiles leading the way out of the tent. "Well, I don't know what I'm going to do if I have to miss out on today's shenanigans." I say with a slight smirk. But, I resign myself to the tour as mischief seems to always find its way to me. We passed a rather large red tent which is the camp hospital. Then we pass the mess dining hall where everyone congregates to eat dinner together. Then we pass several large tents that seem to be connected to one another. According to Tomaz these are the administration tents which is where meetings are held and departments such as accounting, purchasing and inventory, religious services, and personnel are housed. Then the next stop is the armoury and then onto the training field.

I stopped to watch the training field. Some men were fighting with swords, knives, clubs, axes, whips, and their fists. I was absolutely mesmerized. I couldn't stop watching. I started to realize that men were noticing me. They were jabbing each other and pointing at me usually while laughing.

"Hey Princess. We all heard the punishment you received last night. Why don't you jump in the ring and get another." Calls out one soldier.

"I could do better than you think I could. Just give me one chance with a soldier. I may be a woman but I can still fight." I call out as I start climbing over the fence to get in the ring.

"Oh no you don't! Not on my watch!" Sgt Tomaz says as he pulls me off the fence and starts dragging me away from the training field. I keep trying to return to the training field so Tomaz throws me over his shoulder and starts walking back to the tents like that. I can still hear the men making jeers and I try to yell back but Tomaz isn't letting go. I feel a bit like a rag doll being carried by an overgrown toddler. When we finally got a sufficient distance from the training field he let go of me only for me to take off running but he easily overtook me and started carrying me over his shoulder again. When we get back to the tents we cross Lucian's path with a trail of Lieutenants following him.

"What did she do now?" Lucian starts laughing seeing how I'm being carried.

"I took her on a tour of the camp and while we were at the training field some of the boys started heckling her. So, she wanted to go fight them in the ring! I had to drag her away but she kept fighting to go back so I threw her over my shoulder. Then, I tried setting her down and she took off running to go back to the training field. I had to tackle her down to the ground and throw her back over my shoulder. But this time I decided not to put ol' spitfire down until I found you. I thought this was going to be an easy assignment. I didn't know it was going to be like this" Tomaz said rather seriously and finally put me down while the lieutenants broke down laughing. "Sweetheart, why are you giving Sgt Arkadien a hard time?" Lucian asked me while trying his best to suppress his laughter.

Well, I was pissed and looked pissed. I didn't like being laughed at by all these men. So I walked up to Lucian with my hair now in complete dishevelment. "I want to train alongside the men." "No. Absolutely not. Now, why don't you join us for an afternoon luncheon?" Lucian said rather dismissively.

"But, why not Lucian? Why can't I train? I want to learn how to defend myself and how to sword fight." I plead my case.

"Baby Girl, this isn't the place to have this conversation. Why don't we talk about this back in our tent." Lucian tries to seek peace for the moment. The luncheon was nice and was only attended by Lucian, the lieutenants, myself, and Tomaz. But, after it was over Lucian had to go back to more meetings to get caught up on things that he missed while being at the castle.

Tomaz suggested that I volunteer time at the camp hospital. As soon as I get in I'm hit by the enormous smell of sickness and infection. I can tell the staff is completely overwhelmed which is mainly due to a lack of organization. So, I ask one of the doctors if I can organize the supply room. Once I'm done I'm able to make a list of items that need to be reordered and I hurriedly take that over to purchasing. Lucian and I cross paths on my way back to the camp hospital. "It's time for dinner. The entire camp meets together in the mess dining hall and everyone eats together. You and I will eat at the head table." Lucian says as he guides me towards the dining hall.

"Can we talk about me training with the men?" I remind him of our earlier discussion.

"I thought this discussion was already closed. But, no, we can't talk about it. As I already said this isn't the place to have this conversation and we should talk about this back in our TENT. Do I make myself clear?" Lucian states very sternly leaving no room for additional discussion.

I pick at my food but I'm not really hungry. I want to shut up those guys that were making those rude remarks at me. I want them to know that a woman can do anything a man can do and sometimes a woman can even do it better. I might be smaller than some of them but that also gives me an advantage too. Bigger and stronger doesn't always mean more agile and faster.

"Why aren't you eating?" Lucian brings me out of my thoughts.

"I'm just not hungry." I answer honestly.

"I want you to eat. You'll be hungry later. Try eating at least half of what's on your plate." Lucian tries to make a compromise.

I start eating just because it makes him happy and if it keeps him in a good mood maybe when we get back to the tent he'll be more likely to make a compromise on me training as well. That thought perks me up and I nearly finish my whole plate. I look up at him smiling and he just laughs at me.

I watch Lucian take off his armour and then his boots when we're back in our tent trying to find the right moment to bring up training. When he seems to be relaxing on the bed I summon the courage to bring up the subject again. "Can we talk about my training again?"

"Dammit! This shit again? Why are you so obsessed with wanting to train all of a sudden? You never wanted to train back at the castle." Lucian responds clearly irritated.

"I know but I want to prove to these guys that a woman can yield a sword just like a man can and can fight like a man too. They were so rude to me and it made me so mad." I answer back honestly.

"These men don't train gently on each other. They train like they are going to war because they are. Do you realize that? They are bigger and stronger than you are and you will just get yourself hurt." Lucian says as gently as he can. "But sometimes the bigger you are just means the harder you fall. Being big and strong doesn't always equal agility and speed. Sometimes, being small has an advantage too." I try my final plea.

"Since you're not giving this up and it seems like you're really serious about this you can train BUT you can only train with me and only train on my terms. Do you understand?" Lucian says very seriously. "Yes, I understand. So, what are your terms?" I'm trying so hard to suppress my grin at my small victory.

"My terms are training, you can't get in the way of my other duties as General so we get up at 5 AM and we start by going on a 5 mile run. Then we train for one hour with weapons and then one hour with fighting. I am going to train at your level but don't think that means I'm going to go easy on you either. Also, because this will happen in view of my men I will expect the same amount of respect from you that I receive from them. That means 'yes sir' and 'no sir' at all times. Do I make myself clear?" Lucian states very sternly.

"Yes. I understand." This has probably been the sternest Lucian has ever been with me but when it comes to training, in possible view of his men, I can understand.

* Xsar Empire Border *

Ambrose POV

Royse's brothers and an entire platoon of soldiers handcuffed me and then marched me to the Xsar Empire's borders with the warning that I am never to step foot in their empire again.

"Please can you tell me where you will take the baby? If you don't want it I do. Please, feel in your hearts the love of a father." They turn and walk away leaving me at the border calling out to them and begging them to please tell me where they will take the child to. If they don't want it, why can't I have it? It would be the only link I would have to Royse as I don't think I'll ever see her again. I drop to my knees and start sobbing like a small child. I feel totally broken inside. I heard there's a place north of the Xsar Empire, the Kingdom of Bryneich, where girls are sent that have pregnancies outside of marriage. It's not far from where I am right now. Maybe that's where they are sending Royse. If she's there maybe I can help take care of her and help her through the pregnancy or talk her into running away with me back to the Chromos Empire.

A/N Please drop me a comment and let me know if you like the story or the chapter. I love all feedback both critical and complimentary. Check out my other book Prince Justus and the Rogue. You can also go to my facebook page for chapter updates and updates on new projects. https://www.facebook.com/Sammi-From-Anystories-1020524119915