Excerpt: Bloodless Sword

"King Geoffrey trained you with his knights, isn't that correct?" One of the generals asked.
The one who was constantly asking her questions was named Gildi. He was a fifth cousin to Verdi but was not in the royal line at all. He had short black hair with dark hazel eyes, and looked rather war worn. He had a large scar across his face that sliced across his right eye. Whether he was as old as he looked or it was just the trials of war that had made him look so old, he was the oldest of all the generals it seemed. She was all too ready to answer questions about her training, as it would help to ease the other generals minds.
"I was trained with his knights but I also sought outside training as well," She said
"What kind of outside training?" Gildi asked
"The extra training I sought was done by the old priests at the warriors temple," She said
He nodded slightly as that was a very good place to train. The priests at the warriors temple did not train every single warrior. They only trained those they deemed worthy. And that they deemed her worthy enough to train spoke volumes to the other generals. Even Joanin was impressed as he didn't know about that at all.
"I heard you fight like a thief," another general spoke up
"If she fights like a thief perhaps she is one," Someone else spoke up
"I am a knight, not a thief. I do know more then one way to fight, but any good warrior knows a few dirty tricks, it is how and where they are used that matters," she said
Gildi smirked and nodded to himself as the others continued to ask her questions.
"I heard you were an actual witch disguised as a knight, and that you bewitched the king into knighting you," one of the nobles down the table spoke up.
"I would have no honor in doing such a thing, and were I a witch, I would not feel the need to answer your questions, nor would you feel the need to ask them," She said.
Gildi smirked visibly now, "Rightly said Lady Knight. There is one thing that I, for the life of me, can not figure out though."
Lyrika looked at Gildi for a brief moment silently before taking a drink of her water. It was either the fact that he thought he had the perfect question that he felt would break all her lies and reveal her for just a weakling girl, or he had a question that could be potentially dangerous. Either way she would not reveal anything she did not wish to.
"And what would that be?" She asked
"For being such a warrior and knight, and knowing all these tricks. You would be a great asset to any king, which makes me wonder why King Geoffrey was so easily willing to give you up for the sake of our kingdom," He said
That was a very good question and she did not hesitate at all in responding. She knew hesitation was bad, just as answering too quickly was bad. She did neither and did not even seem bothered by the question.
"I thank you for the flattery but it will not win you favor. As for King Geoffrey’s decision, it was based solely on the needs of King Verdi and King Geoffrey’s own needs. He is not under attack anymore and yet you are. With no attacks upon his kingdom, he thought it only wise and kind to send his best to defend this kingdom. He values his allies as much as he values his own kingdom. What king would not wish to fully aide those who have helped him out before?" She asked
Gildi raised an eyebrow and smirked as he took a drink of his wine then laughed.
"Skilled in battle and in words Lady Knight, you've surpassed us all," he said as he raised his glass to her.