...The Trainer...

When Anastasia realized that they didn't suppose to be there, it was too late.

" I must do something to save Zachary, he doesn't deserve to be punished because of me."

She took a deep breath, then she stepped out from the bushes.

She found herself standing right in front of the commander. He was glaring at her with his sharp black eyes, which made her very nervous.

" He is angry! what should I say to him? "

The commander pulled out another sword, then pointed it at her.

- WHO ARE YOU?

Anastasia tried to act calm:

- I...I'm Anastasia, Count Gilbert's daughter. I think you heard about my coming...

- What are you doing here, count's daughter?

" Let's be honest, lying could make things worse.

- I...I came to meet you.

- To meet me? And why is that?

- Well, I wanted to greet you since the first day I came but you didn't show up.

The commander looked at the bushes from where she showed up.

- How did you know that I was here?

Anastasia was distracted by his naked body, she looked away:

- Can you please put your shirt on?

The commander put the sword right on her neck and slightly cut it.

- Lady, I think you are not aware of the gravity of what you did. I can kill you right away.

- What? Why?

- Do you know why roaming around the camp is prohibited at night?

- No, I...I don't know

- Only our enemies will use the night as a cover to spy on us or even to attack us. I could kill you thinking you are one of them.

- What...I...I only wanted to see you.

- I don't want to see anyone of you. You must gather your things and return to your home as soon as possible.

Anastasia was desperate:

" I can't return to my house, not after what I have been through. I prefer to die than marry that man. "

- NO, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, PLEASE, I WILL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST DON'T SEND ME BACK.

Though blood started dripping from her neck, she didn't care. All that she wanted was to stay, at any cost.

- I will take any punishment you want, but please, don't send me back...

The commander was kind of surprised:

" I put the sword on her neck and threatened her life, yet she is not afraid of me! Why is she insisting to stay in a place even men want to run away from? What does this woman want from me? "

Her long light brown hair was spreading because of the strong wind, at that moment the commander had a vision. He recalled the moment that he met Anastasia in his past life. It was kind of a blurry memory, but it was enough to confuse him.

" What is this? Why that hair seems familiar? "

He dropped his sword, then turned around:

- I won't kick you out, but I will make sure that you deserve to stay. Go back to your tent. If you ever do this again, I will make sure to not let it slide the next time.

Anastasia bowed to him:

- Thank you for forgiving me.

Then she ran toward the camp without even looking back. She was kind of pissed because she didn't imagine that their first meeting will be disastrous.

" I wanted to meet him, but I made the situation worse. he is mad at me and I'm sure that he will refuse to meet me again. "

As soon as she entered her tent, her tears started dropping unconsciously.

" What's wrong with me? Why I am crying? I have been in situations worse than this, but I did never cry. "

- LADY! WHY ARE YOU CRYING?

- It.....it's nothing.

At that moment, Lucia noticed the cut on her neck.

- YOU ARE INJURED!

- It's nothing, don't make a fuss over it.

Lucia treated her wound.

- Did you perhaps meet the commander?

- Yeah, I did...

Lucia sighed:

- I told you he is a dangerous man and you need to stay away from him.

- I was the one at fault. I shouldn't have wandered at night.

- Even so, how could he hurt a lady?

- I'm a soldier and I must be treated like everyone here. Besides, he already forgave me.....Come on, let's sleep, I'm very tired

Anastasia put her head on the pillow while thinking about that warrior.

" It will be harder than I thought. "

In the morning, she went to the training ground as usual.

As soon as Zachary saw her, he came in a hurry.

- Anastasia, Are you okay?

- I'm fine. What about you?

- I managed to sneak back to the camp without being seen.

- That's good.

- You have a cut on your neck!

- Oh, it happened when we hid in the bushes. There were plants with thorns.

While they were chatting, suddenly Zachary stopped talking while looking surprised.

- The...The commander.

- What about him?

- He came...

Unexpectedly the commander came to the training ground.

Anastasia's body started trembling the moment their eyes met.

" Why did he come? is he going to kick me out? But he forgave me! Was I wrong? "

When all the soldiers gathered, the commander walked in front of them. No one dared to look into his burning eyes.

At first, he stopped in front of Zachary:

- You know that you can't fool me, right?

- Of...Of...Of course.

Then he stopped in front of Anastasia. She became sure that he will ask her to leave.

" This is it, everything will end. "

Suddenly he reached his hand and touched the wound. Anastasia became confused, she didn't know how she should react.

" What is he doing? What am I supposed to do? "

The commander, without saying a word, walked away.

" Did he just check the cut?..... Was he worried?"

He stood up in the middle, then he yelled :

- WHERE IS THE REST?

- All the soldiers are here.

- NO, NOT ALL OF THEM. SERGIO, ASK THEM TO COME, IMMEDIATELY. I WILL COUNT TILL TEN, IF ANYONE STAYS BEHIND, HE WILL be PUNISHED...1...2...

Sergio went to the noble tents and told them that the commander asked for their presence.

- HURRY UP, THE COMMANDER IS WAITING FOR YOU.

Most of them were still sleeping so they failed to arrive at the time while the others arrived while still wearing their pajamas.

- What's wrong? Why he suddenly called for us?

The commander approached them while looking furious:

- What kind of soldiers came while wearing pajamas? If it was a war you will be killed in a blink of an eye.

One of the nobles talked back at him thinking that the commander, as a commoner, should respect the nobles and treat them well.

- It is your fault, you didn't give us enough time to change. You should have told us beforehand so we could prepare ourselves.

- You mean that if an enemy attacks us, he will tell us beforehand so we could prepare ourselves?

At that moment, some soldiers started laughing at the noble which made him very angry:

- If an enemy attacks, you must protect us.

The commander got closer to him while his eyes were burning. When he stood up right in front of him, It appeared that he is much longer which made the noble very scared:

- I think you misunderstood the situation. You were sent here to train and serve the empire. If you want to be protected, you must go back to your house and hide like a scared woman.

- I...I don't allow you..to..to humiliate...

At that moment the commander pierced his sword between the man's leg.

- THE KING GAVE ME THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHATEVER I WANT HERE. NO ONE WILL LAZE AROUND ANYMORE. IF YOU DON'T WANT IT, LEAVE...

Then he looked at everyone.

- FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I LET YOU REST BECAUSE WE MADE A BIG VICTORY. I THINK SOME OF YOU MISUNDERSTOOD IT AS APPROVAL FOR SOME INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR. THAT'S WHY, STARTING TODAY, I WILL, PERSONALLY, TRAIN YOU...