(Gonna just summarize I guess then)

The days settled into a safe, if not comfortable, routine. At dawn, before the sunlight touched the forest floor, she went out to the little clearing to practice sword drills with Ash(or get dragged out there). He was a patient yet strict teacher, pushing her to stretch beyond her comfort zone and fight like she meant to kill him. He taught her defense, how to dance around an enemy without getting hit, how to turn her opponents energy against them. Afternoons were spent however, sometimes Ash was there, lying on the couch reading a book; sometimes he disappeared into the forest for hours at a time.

She kept working with him, during the times he left she just walked around, thinking.

One morning, a few weeks later, she and Ash were finishing up their daily practice session when Grimalkin appeared on a nearby stone, watching them.

"Youre still telegraphing your moves," Ash said. "Dont look at the spot youre trying to hit, let the sword go there on its own." He lunged, cutting high at her head.

She ducks before swinging at his ankles.

He stepped out of range, looking pleased. "Good. Youre getting faster, too. Youll be a match for most fights now. Not that you weren't already."

Grimalkin, who had been silent until now, said, "And what happens if they use glamour against her?"

She looks up at Grim then looks back at Ash.

"Glamour. You know, the magic I tried to teach you once, before I discovered you had no talent for it whatsoever?" Grimalkin swatted at the bee as it came closer, missed, and pretended no interest at all as it zipped away. He sniffed and looked at her again, twitching his tail. "The Winter prince does not just use his sword when fighting--he has glamour at his disposal as well, as will your enemies. How are you planning to counter that?" He perked up, his attention riveted on a large orange butterfly flitting toward them, and leaped off the rock, vanishing into the tall grass. Ash sighed and sheathed his blade. "Hes right, unfortunately," he said, raking a hand through his hair. "Teaching you the sword was supposed to be only half of your training. I wanted you to learn how to use your glamour, as well."

She nods, "Okay then, teach me. How hard can it be?"

"You do have a lot of power, but you need to learn control if youre going to use it." He bent down, plucked something from the grass, and held it up. It was a tiny flower, white petals still tightly closed, curled into a ball. "Make it bloom," Ash ordered softly.

She frowns down at the flower before taking it in her hand. She holds the stem, staring at it silently as it begins to open up.