Honey : The Empire's Treasure 404 Mama Is Gonna Knock You Out....

"Thank you, Lady Lyra."

"En."

Lyra hate to admit it, but she somewhat enjoyed her talk with Prince Ailwin today. Though he bypassed some of her more personal questions, she could tell he wasn't trying to hide anything suspicious.

"Ailwin, now that business is out of the way, let's burn off all the sweets we have eaten." Ailwin looked down at the plates in front of them on the table and realized they were clean of all pastries.

Did I eat them all?… Did she even eat one!

Ashamed of his gluttonous behavior, he whole heartedly agreed to Lady Lyra's suggestion. 

"Yes, let's…"

At the sparring grounds, Mikaela work the sleepiness from her body as she did her mother's exercises continuously until sweat was dripping from her body.

Pia stood on the side watch over her training to make sure she doesn't slack off.

Whenever Mikaela would decided to take a break, Pia would remind her that Lady Lyra told her to add five minutes to her training every time she took a break.

Ugh...mom sure knows how to hold a grudge.

By the time, she was able to finish the exercise regiment Lyra made for her, Mika's body was sore to the touch.

She laid down on the sandy ground to catch her breath, not knowing that her training wasn't over.

A few minutes into resting she heard her mother's voice from above her. Opening her eyes, she was Lyra standing over her body with a disappointed look on her face.

"You have been slacking off, you shouldn't be this out of shape." Being away at school has allowed her to neglect her training... should I ask Saavi to send me a report when she returns, Lyra thought.

With no good excuse, Mika just laid there trying to regulate her breathing.

"Nothing to say…?"

"...I'm sowwy…" Mika sent a cuteness attack her mother's way with her apology, which Lyra swiftly deflected towards Ailwin instead, who felt a little bubbly feeling sprout in his chest making him want to smile.

Lyra rolled her eyes once she caught his expression, "That's it, the both of you need more training…!"

What! That didn't work!? Mika without question thought her mother would forgive her after that cute overload, Am I losing my touch…!

Walking away from the two, Lyra grabbed her daughters swords.

"Mikaela, get up." Once she saw her mother walking over with her beloved swords, Mika knew she was still in hell.

Ailwin held out his hand, which Mika ignore and quickly got to her feet.

Bummed that she would take his hand, Ailwin sulk as turned to exit the ring.

"Where do you think you are going?" Lyra question surprised him as he looked around him to make sure she was talking to him.

"Yes, you...Ailwin. Where do you think you are going?" Lyra pointed at him.

"I saw going to sit outside the rings…" Pointing to the bench where Pia and his guards were standing. 

"Did you not hear what I just said, you need training." Lyra threw the swords at Mika, who caught them and swiftly strapped them onto her body without question.

"Lady Lyra, with all due respect but I am already a Commander of an army. I can assure you I am very proficient in my fighting skills." Ailwin was slightly insulted that his mother-in-law though she could teach him to fight.

"Oh...?" Lyra nodded her head, "So, Commander Qinvyre feels he doesn't need anymore  training...or is it that he doesn't need training from me?" Lyra replied with a smirk on her face.

Ah...mom going to beat up my future husband… Mika shook her head when she saw the sharp look in her mother's eyes.

"Then will Commander Qinvyre, please allow me the honor of your guidance." Lyra bowed.

Before he could decline Lyra's offer again his guards decided to put in their two cents.

"Madam...how can you insult our Commander this way…!"

"Yeah, he is the Commander of the Shadow Wolves army, who has been in real battle since he was a fledgling! To have a spar with you would be as easy as spreading honeybutter."

"Yea…"

"Yea…"

Ailwin's four guards kept rambling until he finally had to put a stop to the banter.

"Commander Qinvyre...your men have confidence in you. Will you still not spar with me?"

At this point he knew that if he kept refusing Lyra's challenge she will affronted.

"Okay, Lady Lyra please allow me." Ailwin returned her bow.

"Good, let's go change and meet back here." Lyra walked off with Pia trailing right behind her.

Right as she reached the door, she looked back and Mika, "Continue with the exercises, twenty more reps." She said before leaving.

 "Aww-aww…!" Mika really thought she would be able to rest now that her mother and Pia were leaving.

"Is this how she always trains you…?" Ailwin smirked at her downcast face.

"En."

"Why don't you take a break for a few moment I'm sure she won't notice…"

Mika started to chuckle, "I think you should worry more about yourself than me right now. My mommy going to kick your ass." She said then walked away to complete her exercises.

Ailwin was stunned by the seriousness on Mika's face when she pronounce his eventual defeat.

Am I underestimating Lady Lyra too much?….nah...

Leaving Mika by herself, Ailwin, like Lyra, went to change into some training gear.

Thirty minute later, Lyra and Ailwin stood standing opposite each other in one of the sparring rings.

Lyra stood in the ring with two short swords while Ailwin has a spear.

He didn't use this weapon often as his better and more comfortable with his broad sword, but to take that out and use against Mikaela's mother, he felt it would be in bad form.  

"Ailwin, I see you are ready. Should we start then...best out of three?"

"Okay."

 With Pia as their referee, the two began their sparring match.

Chapter end