Novel Bin
chapter two
The next morning, her father took her to the training grounds.
She had never been allowed here before. The scent of sweat and steel filled the air, the clang of wooden swords striking against each other echoing through the open courtyard. Soldiers in lacquered armor sparred, their movements swift and calculated, while masters shouted commands over the rising sun.
Yuhua’s heart pounded with excitement.
"Come."
Her father led her toward an older man standing by the racks of training swords. He was tall, his silver-streaked hair tied in a warrior’s knot, his expression unreadable.
“This is General Han,” her father introduced. “He will be your instructor.”
The man studied her in silence before kneeling, his dark eyes unreadable.
“Princess,” he greeted. “A warrior’s path is not one of comfort.”
She lifted her chin. “Then I will endure.”
A hint of a smirk touched his lips. He straightened, then pulled a wooden sword from the rack.
“Show me, then.”
That was the first step.
And she would take every step after that until the world knew her name.
Yuhua gripped the wooden sword tightly, feeling the weight of it in her hands. The wood was rough, the handle worn by years of use. She raised it to eye level, her posture steady but not perfect. She could feel her father's gaze on her, the quiet expectation, but more than that, she could feel her own determination burning brighter than any doubt.
General Han observed her closely, his gaze unwavering.
“Position,” he commanded.
She adjusted her stance, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, sword held in both hands with the tip pointing forward. Her father had taught her the basics of swordplay in their private chambers, but it was nothing like this—nothing like the weight of the training grounds, the eyes of the soldiers, the sharp commands from the generals.
Han nodded, but his expression remained impassive. “Now, attack me.”
Yuhua blinked in surprise. “What?”
“Strike,” he repeated, his voice firm.
Her pulse quickened, and she took a step forward, lifting the sword to strike, but the movement felt clumsy. Han easily sidestepped her swing, and before she could adjust, he twisted the wooden blade from her hands, sending it flying across the courtyard.
She stood frozen for a moment, the sting of failure biting deep.
Her father’s voice, calm but sharp, broke the silence. “Again.”
She turned to face Han, her heart pounding with embarrassment, but also with a fiercer fire than before. She’d come here to prove herself. There was no turning back now.
Her stance was better this time, more grounded. She closed the gap between them, each step purposeful, her grip firm. Han was quicker than she expected, but this time, she was ready. She feinted left, then swung hard from the right, aiming for his side.
He blocked her strike with ease, but she didn’t hesitate. She shifted her weight, stepping back just as his sword came crashing toward her. She ducked under the swing and rolled to her feet, adjusting her grip as she sprang up again, determined.
“Not bad,” Han said, nodding once, his voice softening just slightly. “You’ve got fire. But fire alone won’t make you a warrior.”
Yuhua’s breath came in ragged bursts, sweat trickling down her brow. “Then what will?”
“A warrior’s mind,” Han replied, his gaze sharp. “Control. Patience. Strategy.”
Her father’s voice, filled with pride, cut through the quiet. “You’re strong, Yuhua. But this is more than strength.”
She nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle into her chest. She wasn’t just a princess. She would become more.
With a deep breath, Yuhua squared her shoulders, looking at General Han with newfound resolve.
“Then teach me.”
General Han’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if measuring the depths of her resolve. For a moment, he said nothing, only observing her with the same unwavering gaze he had since they first met.
“Very well,” he finally spoke, his voice colder than before. “Let’s see if you can keep up.”
He moved with fluid precision, suddenly stepping forward, swinging his sword in a rapid arc. Yuhua barely had time to react. She instinctively raised her sword to block, the force of his strike rattling her arms. The sharp sound of wood meeting wood echoed across the courtyard. She staggered back, but she didn’t let go.
“Focus!” Han barked, stepping in again, faster this time.
Her feet slid on the gravel beneath her, but she found her balance just in time to parry another blow. Her heart raced, the adrenaline surging through her veins, but this time, there was no panic. Just clarity.
The world seemed to slow as she measured each movement, every shift of his body, every breath he took. He was an expert, his strikes deliberate, but she could read him now. She saw the subtle openings between his attacks, the moments where his defense was slightly weaker. She waited, poised for the right moment.
Han’s sword came down again, and this time, Yuhua sidestepped with a grace she hadn’t known she was capable of. She struck out, her wooden blade cutting through the air in a practiced arc.
For the first time, she landed a solid hit on his sword.
A flicker of approval crossed Han’s face, but it was gone as quickly as it came.
“Again,” he said, stepping back. “You’re thinking now. But you’re still too slow.”
Yuhua’s chest heaved, but she wasn’t tired. No, she was alive in a way she had never been before. Each command from General Han, each blow he struck, sharpened her. She was no longer the frightened girl who had been kept from the battlefield. She was a warrior in the making. And this was her path, her test.
She tightened her grip on the sword, eyes focused on him.
“I’m ready.”
With a grunt, Han lunged forward, his sword coming at her with overwhelming speed. This time, Yuhua didn’t hesitate. She twisted, her sword cutting the air with a newfound confidence. She parried, dodged, then countered with a strike aimed at his ribs.
It landed.
Not a clean blow, but enough to make Han pause.
His dark eyes locked with hers, a flash of surprise flickering in them. For a moment, silence filled the courtyard, broken only by the soft rustling of the wind.
“Well done,” he said, his voice grudgingly impressed. “But this is just the beginning, Princess.”
She stood there, breathing heavily, a small, victorious smile tugging at her lips.
The world would know her name. She wasn’t just a princess anymore. She was becoming something more.
And she would make sure they never forgot it.
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