Free If My Heart Could See You by Sherry Ewing

She gave a shudder, for she did not relish spending time in the castle’s ghastly pit.
    “Aiden!” Dristan bellowed quickly, drawing her attention back to the present.
    She watched in horror as Dristan checked the swing of his blade, having nearly taken off her arm. Her foolish negligence for the task at hand had almost cost her dearly.
    “What ails you, boy?” he yelled, continuing his tirade. “Do you perchance not wish to keep your limbs upon your body? Or mayhap you would like to lose your head instead? Stop your daydreaming, lad, and be about your training.”
    “I am sorry, my lord,” Amiria apologized, lowering her voice to hopefully sound as a lad. She was finding playing the boy was becoming more difficult with each passing hour, especially being under the close scrutiny of her liege lord.
    “I care not to hear your pitiful apologies, you fool! I demand the best, hence you shall give me your best, if I have to keep you here all night,” Dristan snarled loudly. “Now proceed again and show me what I have been trying to instill in your thick skull for the past hour!”
    Amiria lifted her sword and tried to not over think her movements. Each time her sword met Dristan’s, she felt as if the force of their meeting vibrated throughout her whole body with jar wrenching results. She did not know how much more she could take.
    “ Merde !” Dristan roared in complete frustration, as he once more dropped his sword at his side and took off his helmet in anger. “You are about as useless as an old woman, Aiden. Riorden! Ian! Come show this insolent pup how ’tis supposed to be done!”
    Dristan shoved the back of her armor. Stumbling from his force, she made her way with him to the side of the lists. When they reached their destination, Amiria made as if to sit on the lone stone bench located against the wall. ’Twas a most welcoming site, if she ever saw one. Hearing the clearing of Dristan’s throat, she raised her eyes and through the slits of her helmet, she noticed his brow rise as if daring her to finish her movements. Realizing she had no choice in the matter, she came to stand next to her liege.
    “Now watch closely and let us see if you can learn anything this day!” Dristan instructed, apparently satisfied with her decision to remain standing.
    At his request, Amiria turned her attention to the two men, who began to fight sword to sword. She had to admit ’twas an impressive sight, and she was most thankful Ian held his own against such a seasoned warrior as the Devil’s Dragon’s captain appeared to be. She watched in fascination whilst Ian swung his claymore time and again, performing the exact move Dristan had tried to encourage in her, whilst Riorden countered with the same precision. The two men’s expertise far outweighed Amiria’s own feeble attempts at such a skill, and she knew she in no way would ever be half their equal.
    The sun chose that precise moment to make an appearance from above the cloudy skies and its rays reflected off Dristan’s armor, causing Amiria to squint through the visor of the face plate of her helmet. As she watched him and how the sun reflected off his shiny crop of dark black hair, her breath caught and she could understand Sabina’s infatuation with the man’s good looks. Amiria observed his chiseled features; the square jaw hidden beneath a well-trimmed beard and mustache, the steel grey of his eyes rivaling the color of his blade, and a nose with the slightest crook, giving the hint it had been broken at some time in his life. Somehow it just made him look more attractive in a rugged sort of way.
    He was a warrior in every sense of the word, standing tall and proud as he watched his men perform to his satisfaction with a gleam in his eye. His lips were well formed and although they usually showed a grimace, they now gave way to a smile, showing the white of his teeth when his grin increased in pleasure at the men’s performance. His whole continence