The training grounds were heavily guarded by the soldiers who patrolled the area in pairs of two. They would pause at certain points, looking around before moving on to the next point.
A small commotion caused the soldiers to pause in their walk, turning to look at the cause. There was a small crowd gathering around a tree, where two of Lucian's people were pointing at a bird. One of them carried a bow and arrow, while the other was holding a net.
"Hey!" The soldiers yelled, "Hunting is not allowed on the property!"
Lucian took the chance to slip past the soldiers while they were distracted, running toward the training ground where Celine's horse was. He ducked behind a bush and watched for any sign of movement.
The large stone building at the front of the clearing had been converted into an indoor training center. There were no windows on any of the walls, making it impossible to see inside without going inside. Only small holes for ventilation.
The entrance was also guarded by two more soldiers, who kept their eyes peeled for anyone trying to sneak in.
Lucian glanced around, searching for the best way to enter. He glanced at the horses who were grazing on the grass, 'Sorry, guys, I don't mean to bother you.'
He grabbed a stone and hurled it toward the horses, startling them. They neighed, and ran away, causing a distraction that allowed him to enter the building unnoticed.
Inside was a large room filled with straw dummies and wooden targets. Swords and spears leaned against the wall. A rack of arrows stood beside the weapons.
A few men sparred with one another, their swords clashing together. Others practiced their archery skills, some practiced their melee skills. Some sat on benches, drinking from bottles of water.
There she was, in the corner of the room, standing next to a table laden with weapons. Her back was facing him as she watched the two men inside a ring fighting. They circled each other, jabbing and slashing at each other's bodies.
Her fours aides were also present and were also watching the match.
Lucian hid behind a pillar and observed them from a distance, keeping out of sight.
"You will die a dog's death at this rate," Celine said, her voice cold. "Your attacks are sloppy and predictable. Do you want to lose to him before landing a hit?" The whip in her hand cracked loudly against the floor, causing one of the fighters to flinch. "Next!"
Her tone grew harsher as she sent one of them away before the fight could even start. A slight sign of weakness would be enough for her to kick someone out of the ring. When she had narrowed it down to a handful, she turned to her aides, "Graham."
Her biggest aide stepped forward, "Yes, My Lady?"
"Get in there," she commanded, pointing at the ring, "Seems like no real fighter is available to challenge you at the moment, so you will have to settle for a practice doll."
The knights gritted their teeth, their pride wounded. But they couldn't say anything since the opponent was Graham.
Lucian widened his eyes when he felt a familiar aura. 'What is this?'
It reminded him of his first meeting with the Crown Prince. The same sense of danger and foreboding emanated from Graham as it did from the prince.
Graham stepped inside the ring, facing the last fighter standing. "Begin," even the way he spoke sounded intimidating, like an executioner announcing someone's death sentence.
It felt like dejavu as the fight unfolded exactly as Lucian remembered. The way the Crown Prince kicked Sir Claude in the chest and the knight flew backward, landing hard on the ground, that was exactly what Graham did.
Sir Claude defeated a few of the Crown Prince's people beforehand (to save Bianca), so his stamina and speed were lower when facing the Prince himself. Sir Claude wouldn't have lost so fast if the Crown Prince had chosen to face him first, but the defeat was still crushing, morally.
"Your speed had gone up," Celine said, approaching the fallen knight, who scrambled to his feet as she approached him. She used the tip of her whip to move his legs to a better stance, "Your upper body moves faster than your legs, and your center of balance is off. Fix it, or you'll be knocked down again."
"Yes, My Lady!" the man replied as she corrected his posture.
Celine motioned for Graham to show a slow attack, and how his opponent was supposed to block it. Her body moved in a way that showed him how to avoid getting struck and how to counterattack, "Like that. You don't have to try and stop the blow. Redirecting it will be enough. That guy is faster than you, so don't try to compete with him in speed. Learn how to predict the blow before you learn how to avoid it. Understand?"
"Yes, My Lady!"
They repeated the small set of moves over and over, Graham and the Knight. Celine paired the rest of the knights, repeating him, that guy, and that guy, and so on, until the entire ring was filled with people fighting.
She was speaking about the Crown Prince, Lucian figured out. She was teaching her men to counter him, and she was using Graham to replicate the Crown Prince.
How did she know what the Crown Prince was like in a fight? Years of following him around must have given her a great insight into the man. She was able to accurately predict his moves and his style of fighting, as well as his habits and his quirks.
It made Lucian realize why she acted as fool in love around the Crown Prince, following him around like a puppy, always trying to get his attention, and not caring if he treated her badly, and always clinging to him.
It was her way of observing the enemy without the enemy realizing it, intentionally raising his rage to get him to lash out more, so she could see how he would react in a variety of situations and scenarios.
'Who are you, Celine Rochefort?' he asked himself, 'And what do you want from me?'
Lucian leaned his back against the pillar.
'It isn't just to have me back in your life, is it?'