Parts 3 and 4 of the Serving the Amazon series.
Anteros ate and then gathered his weapons and armor. He carried them in a sack. There was no point in putting the armor on, since it was customary to swim before practicing.
When he arrived, there were several dozen other students. All but one other was female. Anteros was one of the older students, with some being 3 years his junior.
The academy was at the edge of the great river that flowed past the territory of the Amazons. The students gathered there, waiting for the class to start. They chatted with each other, but today the normally gregarious Anteros kept to himself. He had a lot on his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about Lien and how she had touched him.
Anteros was a star pupil with a sword. He possessed great strength and quickness, as well as a keen sense of his opponent's intentions. He always seemed to know what an opponent's next move would be. None of the other students could match him with a sword, although Ninsala, the fencing master, always seemed to find a way to land a blow on him when she wished.
She said that it was Anteros' anticipation that allowed her to defeat him. Being aware of this he tried not to over anticipate. It was a cat and mouse game, more mental than physical. He was stronger than she, and equally fast but she was able to beat him by out thinking him. Sometimes they would fence for ten minutes before she would strike him, but she always won. He supposed that was the reason she was the master and he was the student.
It was no challenge for him to practice with his classmates, so Anteros often practiced with the best swordsmen and swordswomen in the city. The fencing master would usually match him against two students, if she or one of her fellow teachers were not able to fence with him. Anteros always defeated two of his classmates, but this was at least more challenging for him.
Anteros was also quite adept at hand-to-hand combat. His strength, speed and large size made it difficult for anyone to beat him. Anteros often grappled with an opponent longer that he needed to because he enjoyed the body contact while wrestling girls. After his session with Lien, he now knew better why he enjoyed this.
He had been trained to use a staff, spear, and dagger with deadly proficiency. The teachers at the academy knew that Anteros was going to be an exceptional warrior. He had already attracted the attention of the captain of the queen's personal guards. With Anteros' size, strength and skill at his young age, the queen's captain made the time to watch Anteros' practice at least once a month. They were grooming him for a position among the Amazon's elite warriors.
His one weakness, in the martial arts, was with a bow. Anteros could launch an arrow a great distance, but accuracy was not something he excelled at. He was able to hit the straw dummies with a killing blow at 100 paces. At 150 paces, the arrows sometimes hit the arm or leg, but he did hit it. This was good enough for the soldiers of many armies, but among the Amazons, it was something anyone could do. Amazons could consistently hit the head of the straw dummies at 100 paces, and the body at 200 paces.
Anteros didn't like archery. He practiced as much as he was required to, but his heart wasn't in it. He loved the sword, and even though he had only a wooden one, he lusted for one made of iron. An iron sword was the only material possession that he longed for. He knew that one day he would get one, but he didn't know when that day would come.
Ninsala ordered the students into the river. They quickly disrobed and entered the water. The students were expected to swim to the opposite bank and then back. When they emerged from the water, they put on their leather armor and gathered in the area where they practiced.
The students spread out and stretched their muscles. Anteros was still thinking about the pleasure that Lien had given him. While he was daydreaming, he was admiring the shape of Lorissa, who was wearing a short skirt and was bent over a few yards in front of him. He was bent over at the waist with his head up. Lorissa, also bent over at the waist, looked between her impossibly long legs and met his gaze.
This embarrassed Anteros, but not as badly as when the flat edge of Ninsala's sword struck him in the behind. This was not painful, since Anteros' armor protected him from the blow, but the force sent him sprawling forward into the grass. Several of the other students, including Lorissa, saw this and laughed openly.
Anteros, red-faced, quickly stood up and looked at the stern face of Ninsala.
Ninsala was unable to grasp his hair or ear since Anteros was wearing a helmet. She was determined to make a strong point to Anteros, so she grabbed the only thing she could, his nose. She pulled his head down to her mouth and whispered in the ear hole of his helmet. "If you are staring at Lorissa's bottom during battle, you will die quickly. Now pay attention to your exercises."
Anteros, humiliated yet again today, simply stared at the ground. Ninsala knew that he understood, but feared that his interest in Lorissa was a problem that she was going to have some trouble dealing with. She wasn't aware that Anteros was now initiated into manhood and would be leaving her class soon.
Ninsala ordered the students to pair up and fence. She decided to teach Anteros another lesson and paired him up with Lorissa.
Lorissa was tall and strong, a very good fencer, but not in Anteros' league. Anteros had known Lorissa for as long as he could remember. They were born within days of each other. They played together and attended school together. They were good friends, but for some time, Anteros couldn't help but notice how beautiful she had become.
Lorissa was nearly as tall as Anteros. Her build was slim, but she was strong from years of training. Her long, dark, hair had a natural wave and reached nearly to her waist. She was quite proud of her hair and seldom braided it or put it up. She tanned easily and had an even brown cast over her smooth skin.
"Don't hurt her, Anteros, but give her a good workout. I want her muscles to ache after today's lesson," said Ninsala.
"Yes, Mistress," Anteros answered with a nod. He couldn't help but think he would like to massage the ache out of Lorissa's muscles.
Anteros and Lorissa squared off. Lorissa knew that Anteros was the superior fencer, but that never deterred her from aggressively attacking him. Lorissa struck first with a quick lunge directly at Anteros' midsection. He moved to parry it, but it was only a feint. Lorissa quickly moved to his left and swung her wooden sword towards his exposed arm.
Anteros parried this blow and countered with a thrust toward Lorissa's midsection. Lorissa, quick on her feet, managed to step back just far enough that he missed by an inch. She then stepped forward, with four quick slices. Left, right, left, down. Her form was impeccable, but Anteros managed to block each stroke.
Lorissa had moved too close to him and he suddenly dropped to the ground, and swept her legs out from beneath her. As she fell, he struck her across the kidney with his wooden sword. She was protected by her armor and he did not use great force. She was uninjured, but had they been using real swords, her death would have been nearly instantaneous.
Lorissa groaned, disgusted at herself for allowing him to do this to her. "You will pay for that, Anteros!" she snapped at him. She was not angry with him, but at herself, and Anteros knew this.
Anteros was sitting on the ground with his legs still entwined with the long legs of the reclining Lorissa. Her arms were above her head and she stared at the sky. Anteros thought she looked even more beautiful than usual.
They both returned to their fighting stances. Lorissa looked even more intent on striking Anteros. Anteros smiled at her, which seemed to infuriate her. Lorissa attacked him with a vigor that he had not seen in her before.
