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A Rose By Any Other Name (Frozen Princess and Verum Cor Meum)

Ah, aye... I'm shur ye wul' dame knight, but... Well... Ye see. I'm in far more trouble than ye." That was true. The King was close to ordering Rose before him to face him as her judge and not her father. After he calmed down, he'd just come and check on both of them. He politely asked the guests to go home as his daughter would not be able to see anyone else the rest of the day. This unbeknownst to both Faye and Rose.

Meanwhile in that hallway across from her bedchambers, Princess Rose looked right in her knight bodyguard's eyes... And lied. "Ye see... 'm grounded. Father dinnae say how long. Said t' apologize t' ye for embarrassing ye lik tha' an' go to me room an' await me own sentencing. Tha' be length o' me groundin'. Sooo..." She pointed to her double doors, and went into her chambers, closing the door behind her.

Williem came down about sunset, and knocked on the door to Faye's room, first. "Good knight, are ye decent? May I enter?"
 
Faye dipped her head in shame as she learned at what her mild temper tantrum had caused. "I am sorry milady." She barely got out before Rose went into her room closing the door. Feeling absolutely horrible now she slipped into her own room and changed out of her armor into a white night gown that showed off a bit too much of her body. She had even let her hair down looking less like a knight, and more like the old Faye everyone knew. The noble daughter who dreamed of marrying a knight, and starting a family. A huge change from how she turned out.

Hearing her door she instantly got up from her bed, and opened the door still in her night gown. However it covered her delicates so she saw no issue with it. "You majesty I apologies for acting like a child, it seems I have not lost all my childish behavior in training. I understand if you wish to fire me." Faye replied not meeting his gaze she looked absolutely defeated, and ashamed in herself. "Please do not punish the princess, it be my own fault for feeling embarrassed. If you like I can pack my things, and head back to train more. I will give up my knight title until I have earned it." She was clearly more ashamed in herself than she probably she be. Once again she was kind of acting like a child.
 
Williem patted a shoulder. "An' why on Earth wul' ye be sayin' sooch nonsense when Rose hae no business pootin' ye onna spot lik tha'? If ye were in me shoes, wha' prathee wul' ye hae dune? It dinnae make ye less a knight, it made ye a woman wi' feelin's..." He then blinked at her with a peculiar look on his face. "Punish Rose? Now wha' cause ye t' be apt t' sayin' tha'? Shur an' I was angry wi' 'er when I heerd wha' she said, an' e'en sent Genevieve on home when earlier I was thinkin' o' lettin' 'er spend th' night..." He frowned. "Wha' did she say t' ye, lass, an' did she e'en apologise as I asked?"
 
Faye had no real ideal how to react to the king treating her like this. She felt like she was a child again speaking to a King who was like a uncle to her. Rather than a grown knight speaking to her King. She didn't complain though rather she kinda of felt happy to speak like this. However she frowned at the last bit. He hadn't punished Rose, but she could have sworn the princess mentioned being grounded. "The Princess did speak to me ay. She mentioned you grounded her for the foreseeable future." She stated unclear what was happening did the Princess lie to her? If so why? "So she isn't grounded? That's good as I've said milord it was my own fault for over reacting."
 
The King rubbed his chin as he looked towards Rose's door. "Ye dinnae overreact, Faye. As fer groundin' 'er, I dinnae say eet in words, lass, boot maya said eet in actions. I was mighty sore a' 'er fer 'er behaviour. She needs t' learn she cannae tease ye as she once did. Jes try t' o'erlook some o' 'er quirks, lass. Mabbe in Adestria ye did something wrong... Boot yer in Briarwood, now. I'll le' ye know when ye did wrong, meanwhile dinnae be so hard on yerself, aye?" He moved towards the door. "I'll bid ye a pleasant night, then, good knight. I steel hae me daughter t' set right."

Williem left the door just cracked as he talked to Rose, scolding her about assumptions for only the umpteenth time. Like he had with Faye, he told Rose he'd tell her with words whether she was grounded, and asked her point blank if that's what she wanted. He assured her that she was indeed in more trouble than Faye, warning her she was on very thin ice over a deep Loch. With that, he left her chambers.
 
Faye gave a nod, and a bow as the king spoke to her. "Good nice milord." She offered before shutting her door, and heading to her bed to sleep. She didn't mean to cause a big issue out of all this. All she had planned to was get away from the situation. Moving back to her bed she figured all would be well in the morning. The King didn't seem mad, she just hoped the princess wasn't mad at her for some reason. Closing her eyes she would drift off to sleep.
 
Princess Rose caterwauled during her bath again the next morning. It wasn't that she hated water, or baths for that matter... She was getting to the point where she wanted to do them by herself. Today, according to Rose, Solaria was too rough, then she wasn't rough enough. Of course, one complaint was always the same. The water was too cold.

Like Faye's first morning, the king was right there to thrust a cup of hot tea right into the princess's hands the moment she stepped out of her room.

"Train 'er. Include sword, but especially archery." Williem sighed as Rose sipped her tea. "Add a bit o' tha' mind discipline stuff if ye learned it yerself."
 
Faye once again had awoke before the sun, bathed, and even armored before first light. By the time the sun was fully up and most nobles would be awaking she had already been half way through a book she was reading. Hearing the Princess' cat hisses from her morning bathe Faye got up heading to the door awaiting beside the king as he handed Rose her tea.

"I will do my best milord." Faye replied looking at Rose she was a fighter, in fact she almost seemed more of a fighter than Faye. Even as kids Rose always was the more adventurous and loud one while Faye was the shy and quiet one. "When you are ready Princess meet me in the court yard." She gave a nod as she begun walking to the court yard to set everything up.

In a mere hour Faye had a training dummy, and some targets set up. Along with a table that held a bronze sword, and a hunting bow with a quiver of arrows. Not weapons one would use in battle, but they would work for training.
 
A few knights and many pages had gathered as it got around the castle quickly that Williem had finally had enough with Rose acting like a cat first thing in the morning. The talk was mostly about the summer celebration on the 22nd of June. One of the female pages, a blonde who would remind Faye a lot of a "yellow" Rose (since the Princess herself was a "red" one) was bragging how she scored one of the guests' of honor's daughters, until a sharp elbow to the ribs caught the teen. "Calla! 'Ow many tymes moost ye be tol'?! A knight dunnae brag! Wul' tha' I knew summa tha' mind discipline! Ye're in sore need o' it, ye are!"

Calla acknowledged with a "Me apologies, Sire Charles." with a bit of a choke to catch her breath.

Every eye turned to watch the princess, who was blushing as she felt naked without her tiara that came down on her forehead. Instead, she wore a page's felt cap with no feather and leather armor over her gown. She, the Princess, bowed to the knight. "I am obedient t' me trainer knight, Dame Faye."

Pretty much knight and page alike watching, gasped. That's what every PAGE had to say once assigned to a knight. And no tiara? Had the Princess been stripped of her rank? Many knew Williem was getting fed up with many of Rose's bad behaviours, but was that necessary? They didn't know Williem had told Rose to show her intentions of obedience by saying what ALL Briarwood pages say.
 
Faye wasn't sure how to react to Rose as she bowed, and called her by her formal title. She hadn't expected this training to be well so formal, she had assumed the King merely wanted to have be shown some tricks. However it seemed to Faye he wanted the full thing. She turned to look for the king but did find him she was at a lost of words was she suppose to treat Rose as a princess, or an actual page. She flushed slightly finding the princess bowing, and in her page outfit quite adorable she was being reminded of her crush however she quickly shook the ideal. Rose was in love with someone else, and Faye shouldn't hold any thoughts of attraction to the princess seriously.

"Ay.... Well Page Rose let us start with archery." Faye would grab the training bow extending it to Rose, she was probably going to seem harsh but the King had asked her to train the princess. An Adestira knight was not easy on their recruits. "Here let me show you the correct stance." Faye grabbed another bow and moved aiming the bow with ease and grabbing a arrow she flawlessly hit the target. Faye wasn't good at many of the things a noble would be, but fighting well she was a skilled fighter in all sorts of weaponry however a sword was her go to. As the arrow hit the middle of the target she looked to Rose. "Go ahead now." She stood back she would help the princess with her stance if needed but she didn't want to insult Rose by assuming she couldn't get the stance right on her own.
 
Rose had taken the bow and watched. She had always been a good and quick study, so she had the stance almost perfect on the first try. Her father was correct on the need for the mind training as she put the bow down several times, looking at the target. Finally she grabbed an arrow and pulled back. It grazed the target and stuck in a nearby tree. The good news? The pages clapped and one knight remarked that had that been the dummy, it would've been square in the neck for a kill.

Confused, Rose asked, "An' why be th' gallery clappin'? I missed the centre. May I try agin?"
 
Faye glanced at the crowd applauding and frowned before slamming her actual sword into the ground. "Do not clap for a mediocre displays from my page. In fact if this was Adestria she'd be punished for such a display!" She shouted hoping this would get the other knights, pages to either stop watching, or stop clapping and cheering. Faye wasn't pulling any punches, and looked to Rose. "If this was a real fight you'd have missed, and been struck by a sword." She corrected the other knights who mentioned she'd have killed the target.

Walking forward she tapped the princess' elbow adjusting her slightly. The princess had a good enough stance, but good enough was not good in Faye's mind. She demanded perfection. "The king has requested I train you. So I will not go easy. I am not your friend, or you bodyguard during training hours. I will yell." Faye clearly wasn't looking at Rose like she was royalty at the moment but with a gaze of study. "Do not put the bow down while aiming, that will get you kicked. Do not taking so long to study your shot unless you're hunting that'll get you kicked. Now shoot the center of that target, or I will have to smack your wrist." Faye backed away now crossing her arms.
 
(plus it wasn't the dummy)

Rose gulped. "Aye, aye, Dame Faye." She aimed again, just missing Faye's arrow and sticking in the bulls eye in the upper left, but clearly full in the middle circle.

Sir Charles, Calla's trainer knight had silently agreed with the knight who spoke up, but reiterated Faye... To a point. "Tha' was nae th' dummy, Sir Stephen. Tis trainin' t' aim fer the body." He then patted his own torso... "Lik a proper archer. Cannae wait t' see how this one trains fer bein' a sniper." He was being quiet, by today's standards, using his indoor voice.

"If tha' happens c'n I train wi' Rose? Tha's what I'm trainin' t' do!" Calla asked, albeit a little loud, getting a snack in the back of her head.

"We'll see. As it stands, nay, ye talk quietly or nae a' all rest o' th' session an' I'LL ask permission. Ye might actually teach Rose sumthin' aboot sniping, if it's permissible." He answered quietly. Clearly Calla was a decent sniper.
 
Faye looked over to Stephen, and Calla for a moment listening on them for a moment before pretending they didn't exist she was fond of the cheerleader. Looking at Rose she nodded. "Adequate, a skilled warrior would still have your head." She stated she wasn't a nice teacher, but a strict one. "Sword, now." She ordered pacing around with arms behind her back. "Actually nay. Fifty push ups." She changed her mind putting to the ground to prove she wasn't joking. "I want swear forming off that pretty face of yours, I want you drenched in it." Faye commented coming off as a drill instructor at this point.
 
As Rose began her push ups with a sigh, King Williem sat next to Stephen, right behind Charles. "Wha'did I miss?" He asked quietly, looking at the target with an arrow in the exact center and another in the upper left of the centre circle. He noticed Rose doing push ups and formulated a guess even before Stephen quietly answered him. "Princess Rose missed th' target fully the first tyme. Wulda been inna throat onna dummy."

"A kill, then, Sir Stephen. Had it been th' dummy. Miss onna target. Rose wulda been sliced t' ribbons."

"Tha's wha' Dame Faye said, Majesty." Sir Charles stated plainly.

"How many push ups for missing?"

"Same as male pages an' Calla, who asked t' be treated as a boy. Fifty." Charles said.

The King merely nodded.

As the conversation ended, Rose started struggling to finish the fifty pushups. She was indeed sweating, and arms shaking. She went down and as coming back up, her arms gave out, slamming her face first into the ground. It was only 47... If that last one counted, which in Briarwood it would.
 
Faye kept pacing around the princess as she did her push ups. She watched each one not allowing any count that she felt weren't full push ups. She didn't attempt to talk to the king she was in full commander mode at the moment. "That was not 50." Faye coldly replied. "Continue, or I tack on more." She threatened this might be Biarwood but Faye was told to train the princess like she was. If she had fall like that her mentor would have made her done 50 more, and run twenty laps around the courtyard. "Come now how're you suppose to protect Genevieve if you can't even do 50?" Faye questioned crossing her arms.
 
The King cleared his throat. "Dame Faye. A wee moment if ye please." He beckoned her with a wave of his hand. He didn't state like she had been, which might have been what she was thinking. He wanted her trained as a warrior, yes, but not like an Adestria warrior. He really didn't have a problem with her strictness.... Up to a point. It was time for some ground rules.

Calla made a remark about how pushups build arm strength, which she herself needed if she was going to be the kingdom's best sniping archer, while they waited for the trainer knight to approach.

"Aye, lass, tis true. But Rose hae barely used those muscles until today. E'en wi' growin' 'er plants. Now, mind yer manners, or ye will hae t' earn back yer feather." Williem said, looking at the blonde and then Charles. Calla's trainer knight nodded. He understood fully. Calla was officially warned, and she was in danger of her eagle feather being plucked out of her felt page hat.
 
Faye was about to bark more orders, but turned her head as the king called out to her. Placing her hand on her hip she slowly walked over knowing what he was going to say. She was mildly disappointed in the fact, she figured turning the princess into a Adestria warrior well would make her quite the Queen when the time came. Rose would need to learn some military tactics if she was to marry Geneverie and not a knight. A Kingdom needed at least one of the rulers be it the Queen, the king, or the other queen a ruler who could fight. Some wars could be ended by just the rulers fighting instead of countless deaths. That was the kind of Queen she wanted to make Rose, but it wasn't entirely realistic either.

"I already know what you mean to say milord, I will calm down." Faye replied with a smile she wasn't mad, she just hoped the lighter training would be enough for Rose. Without a king, or at least a warrior Queen as her wife well... Faye didn't like that. A Queen, or King needed to be one of the strongest warriors in the kingdom if not the strongest. At least that was Faye's beliefs. She knew not everyone shared it. Her eyes did narrow at Calla though. She wasn't a fan of the woman's commentary on her training, but she didn't speak out. Though she was close to smacking the girl's wrist.
 
Williem nodded, "Aye, boot only a bit. Inna punishment. I dunnae know fer shur how harsh discipline was in Adestira, boot here, maximum pushups for a lass trainin' t' be a knight is 35. Unless she says otherwise tha' she c'n handle more." He looked at Calla. "Th' sniper page here will now tell ye th' common punishment fer archers who hae disciplinary issues, an' after... Sir Charles will do exactly that." Charles nodded, gripping Calla's shoulder.

Gulping, Calla looked shyly, and ashamed at Faye. "Ye heerd th' adage Sayed t' hot tempered ones t' go soak their 'eads? Tis for disobedient pages on orders regardin' conduct. If th' page knows 'ow t' swim, as I do... Our trainer knight takes us t' th' nearby Loch, rows us oot a quarter mile... An' makes us swim back, in full leather armor." If we dunnae know.... A boo-ket o' ice cold water es doomped on us."

Charles pushed her past, "Guess what, page Calla? You're going for a swim. March."

Williem looked at Faye. "Rose knows how to swim. I doubt she'll disobey an order, now, but she may be a little slow after that many pushups. I unnerstan' where yer coomin' from, lass; however, missing target is 35 pushups, a' least til she gets used t' usin' her arms fer sumthin' 'sides growin' plants. Now. Tell 'er 'er father wants t' see 'er fencin' skills, then 'ow she handles a broadsword. In tha' order."
 
Faye stood at attention her drill Sargent persona slowly fading back into the royal knight that she truly was. Faye was never really a trainer she was brought up to be a knight who would go to war, not one who would pass on her knowledge. Though she did enjoy doing it, perhaps once she returned to Adestira she would take up an apprentice and train her like she had been trained. "I see, as you wish your majesty." She bowed Faye wasn't one for swimming herself, so she wasn't sure she'd do that punishment. Perhaps if it needed to be done Charles could take her. "However you majesty, if she need swim I ask Charles take over. I am....afraid of water." She blushed in embarrassment before turning to go back to Rose. She would not dare set foot in a boat, neither kind.

"The king wishes to see you fencing." Faye grabbed a rapier off the table, it wasn't really Faye's type of weapon. She wasn't good at poking, and stabbing. She was more of slashing and crushing type of fighter and so this lesson would not be the best. Adestiria didn't really teach fencing as they saw it as more of a entertainment skill, than a knightly one. "Go at the dummy... I am ashamed to say I don't have any pointers for the stance." She looked away she wouldn't be able to show off for this one. "After this a broadsword he requested." She replied heading off to stand on the sidelines as she once again struck her sword into the ground so she could use it to lean on. "If you disappoint your father, I will have Sir Charles take you for a swim."
 
Rose nodded, but was surprised Faye wasn't going to be her sparring mate on this. She had been grimacing while rotating her arm as 47 pushups had really made it hurt. She gingerly took the rapier and began parrying with the dummy and poking at it, while doing what amounted to a two step dance in need of a partner.

One could say, Briarwood was ahead of it's time, as fencing as a battle strategy was only shared by two other kingdoms at the time. Dunwyn to the Southwest, not abutting Briarwood, and Eire, the Emerald Isle, which along with several other kingdoms, would become infamous as pirates (which were heard of) began making their mark on history, and called many area of today's British Isles home.*

Meanwhile, the King had seen enough. "Did ye nae learn this procedure, Lady Faye?" His question even came off as one perplexed. Adestria knew there were at least three kingdoms that used this in battle. One was across a sea, yet they still did.

"Ellen!" He barked at one of the watching pages. "Brian!" He barked at a second. "Double team yer fellow page. Les see how well 'er fencin' really es!"

The two pages gulped, grabbed their rapiers, turned to their trainer knights who merely shrugged. Who were they to go against the King's orders? Both charged Rose and a royal battle, and a lot of fancy footwork on all three parts, ensued. Brian soon had both girls without the sword... If one could call thirty minutes when Rose finally lost, soon.

"Well done, Page Brian!" His trainer knight applauded.

"Nay, Sir Timothy. Too long. Ellen, you lost your sword first. Sir Geoffrey, see t' it 'er fencin' sessions are doubled. If she's t' lead one o' MY Calvary Knights troops, she needs t' bloody hang on t' her sword!"

"Aye, sire." The knight said calmly.

"Dame Faye. A half hour wasn't long enow, she'd hae been stabbed repeatedly hae tha' been an actual battle. What shul'be a proper punishment fer yer page? Answer, an' then see t' it eets dune after I see whut she c'n do wi' a broadsword."



*-After and during the pirates having their fun with this form of swordplay, France would revive it in the 17th century as one of the weapons of the King's Musketeers.
 
Faye watched Rose with curious eyes trying to study the moves she had never learned, though she could tell some mistakes were clearly being made. Glancing over to the king she shook her head. "I was not trained in fencing." She admitted a blush on her face as she felt like a fool for not knowing it, but well the cultures of the two kingdoms were really different. Faye would not be so naive to say fencing was useless, it was an amazing skill when in the hands of the right fighter. She just didn't see herself as that type.

Watching the two other pages fight with Rose, the knight leaned forward on her sword. She might not know fencing but she did in fact now when a fight was taking too long, and the many mistakes. Frowning slightly she shook her head, and sighed. Hearing the King speak to her she thought for a moment. "A few laps around the courtyard will suffice." She nodded trying to avoid the boat punishment because that would entail asking someone to take Rose for her, or for her to get on a boat... She'd rather die.

Grabbing her sword from the ground she walked over to Rose handing her a training broadsword. Walking across the field she'd strike her blade into the ground and look at Rose. "Come at me." She ordered she should probably use a training sword herself but Faye was confident enough she would not hurt the princess with a real blade.
 
The King seemed satisfied with the laps around the courtyard. Rose looked at the wooden broadsword (made of oak). After studying it a few minutes, she fashioned one, using her powers; the color a little darker than the practice sword.

"Which woods did ye use? Tell Lady Faye."

Rose didn't look to her father, making eye contact instead with Faye only. "Noticed you are using your regular sword. Schinopsis balansae, Ebony and Hickory. Three of the hardest woods... Although hickory is the least of them."

The first was known as the axe breaker by the Kingdom of Aragon (part of present day Spain), which, in Rose's thinking, meant it would hold up well against a real sword. Rose charged with her fashioned wooden sword, holding it tightly with both hands.
 
"I'm merely using it as I can control it enough to not hurt you." Faye replied with a smile clearly confident she was an amazing swordswoman, and considered her sword an extension of her arm. "That is a fine blade." She commented impressed by it.

Faye watched Rose like a hawk but didn't move much as she waited for the girl to get close. While Rose had her plant powers, Faye had her super reflexes. It wasn't really a power but she was very good at it. As Rose got close she would raise her blade, and get ready for a parry.
 
Because it was fashioned with about 60% the strongest known wood to man (20% each of the other two), Rose's sword wouldn't splinter against the real one. It would eventually start chipping, but not until after hours of prolonged use. In fact, despite using the axe breaker wood, it wouldn't even damage Faye's sword, except dull it... But again it would have to be hours of prolonged use.

Rose brought her sword forward almost like she was attempting to sweep the air of dust.

A page that had been quiet through the others could no longer hold his peace, quietly and well out of Faye's hearing, he said, "Rookie mistake. Swipe up, clang swords, elbow to elbow, Page Rose drops her sword, as the elbow is a nerve area, and her arm spasm will actually force her to drop it. She won't be able to keep her grip. It's impossible. Lady Faye giving the elbow into Rose's will just get that weird feeling, there. Easily shaken off."
 
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