“He’ll give before he strikes ye,” Hugh said unconvinced. “Ye’re the Laird after all.”
“Perhaps, but what if I was nae the Laird and he nae a solider? What if we were mere strangers passin’ on the moors. Then what?”
Hugh shrugged as he glanced to Aiden before returning his attention back to Jude.
“If he struck me,” Jude said with such menace in his voice it made Hugh recoil. “I’d strike back harder and win. Nae because of me size, but because I ken I could. If ye think ye can, ye can. If ye have any doubts at all, ye’ve already lost.”
Hugh nodded as he sucked in a deep breath. The confidence and determination returned to Hugh’s eyes as Jude stared at him. “Ready to go again?”
Sucking in a deep breath, Jude watched as Hugh planted his feet firmly to the ground. He gripped the hilt of the sword as tightly as he could muster, and with full determination pushed the blade through the air, making the blade whistle.
“See? Well done. That is how ye do it. Now do ye think ye can take me on?” Jude asked with a bit of a mischievous smile as he patted Hugh on the shoulder. “Or would ye prefer to take it out on a target?” Jude pointed to the hay figure spiked in the center of the courtyard. Hugh turned his head and glanced at the dummy on the stick.
“See if ye can run yer blade through it,” Jude said is a shimmer of light caught his attention.
The sun peeked through the clouds and bounced off the second-story window. Instantly, Jude’s head whipped around. Sitting near the window, he spied Cleo and sighed.
She is a sight to see.
Her soft features made him forget all about the training. For a moment he thought she had glanced down to them.
She wouldnae pay any mind to us. I must be seein’ things. But what if she was watchin’?
A smile played at the corner of his lips. It had only been three days since they had come to the castle, but he couldn’t help smiling every time he saw her. There was something about the way the light caught her hair that gave the impression of an angel.
A sharp pain stabbed at him. She had been stuck inside her room the whole time due to the healer’s suggestion. After all, her leg was still mending, but Jude couldn’t help wondering if she’d like to take a stroll and get out for a bit.
“She is quite pretty, daenae ye think, faither?” Jude turned quickly to his son, realizing Hugh had been watching him stare at Cleo. Straightening himself, Jude shook off the thoughts he had of Cleo as he returned his attention back to his son.
“Aye, she’s pretty. What of it?”
“And kind too,” Hugh said.
“Is she now? And what makes ye think such things?” Jude asked as he walked over to his son. The boy dropped the blade into the grass, allowing his arms to relax a bit.
“She has been helpin’ me learn to read.”
“Has she?” Jude said stealing another glance to the window. Although Jude had heard her conversation with Hugh about teaching him how to read, he never thought she would go through with it. A lazy smile pulled at his lips as Jude admired her more than ever.
“And how is her leg? Has it been mended?” Jude asked moving to his sword still spiked into the ground. Mud clumped at the tip of it and Jude quickly wiped it off with his boot.
“Ye should go and ask her yerself,” Hugh said. “I’m sure she’d enjoy the company. After all, she’s been stuck in her room for the past three days.”
“Are ye sayin’ that just to be gettin’ out of more lessons?” Jude asked as he smiled at his son.
Hugh shrugged. “Perhaps, but I also think that her being stuck inside all the time with very few friends here is makin’ her unhappy. She might enjoy seein’ a new face. I’m sure she gets tired of just seein’ me all the time,” Hugh said as he snatched his sword from the ground and shook his arms out.
“Tell ye what,” Jude said as he stared his son. “I’ll go and see her and we can call it quits for the day. If…ye disarm me.”
Hugh’s eyes widened as he stared his father. He swallowed hard and nodded once. “All right, then, but I want biscuits for dinner as well.”
Jude couldn’t help but laugh. “Are ye negotiatin’ with me?”
“Aye,” Hugh said taking his battle stance.
“All right then, on the count of three,” Jude said as he took his stance and rolled his shoulders back. Jude flexed his muscles as he glared at Hugh waiting for his son to strike first.
“One.” Hugh’s lips curled up at the corners as he glared at his father, clearly readying himself for whatever may come to him.
“Two.” Jude could feel the tension in his shoulders. Although he already knew what he was going to do, he couldn’t help wondering how Hugh would disarm him.
What do ye have up yer sleeve?
“Three,” Hugh yelled as he lunged forward with his blade just as his father had shown him. The sound of their steel blades crashing bounced off the trees and rang in Jude’s ears.
With each attack there came a counter. Their blades crashed and rammed against one another’s. Although Jude wasn’t using his full strength, he could see Hugh’s improvement. His son jabbed and sliced with precision, strength and speed.
“Givin’ up yet?” Jude asked as he stepped back. Hugh pulled in quick shallow breaths as he shook his head.
“Never,” Hugh said as he started to charge but quickly dropped his blade. Jude paused a moment, wondering why Hugh had given up so quickly. Hugh’s face went stark white as the boy pointed to some unseen foe behind Jude. Quickly, Jude whipped
