Not A Small-Town Girl

"What did you say?" Lydia glared at Justin, rolling up her sleeves.

"See how feisty she is? If she really marries your brother, she might bully you," Justin quipped.

As if truly afraid that Danielle would be intimidated, Lydia’s expression immediately softened, saying in the sweetest voice, "Don’t listen to him, Danielle. I’m not usually like this. I can’t wait to pamper you; I’d never hurt you."

"Don’t mind those two. Take whatever you like," Luke said casually.

The soldiers in the cafeteria watched in disbelief, curious about the girl who had reduced their commanding officers to behaving like children.

Danielle looked at the spread of dishes before her, unsure which one to try first. All eyes were on her, waiting to see whose dish she would choose.

Elliot grabbed a fork and placed some food on Danielle’s plate, prompting the others to do the same. Overwhelmed by the pile of food on her plate, Danielle finally said, "Guys, that’s enough. I can’t eat all of this." These were her first words since entering the cafeteria. She had no chance to get a word in over all the chatter.

"Danielle, we have a sparring session this afternoon. Want to come watch?" Luke asked, his eyes bright with anticipation. He knew she was a sharpshooter, but he wanted to see if she could hold her ground in close combat.

"Yes, it’s going to be epic! You’ll regret it if you miss it," Maximus said, rubbing his hands together eagerly.

Elliot and Lydia were also looking at Danielle expectantly.

The room fell silent as they waited for Danielle’s response.

Since Danielle was free for the entire afternoon, she agreed with a nod. "Sure"

"Great! How about a match with me?" Maximus was eager to know just how skilled she was in combat, which enabled her to raise Shadow Fortress to such heights.

’So, he’s been waiting for this moment.... Danielle thought.

Elliot furrowed his brow. He had no idea how strong Danielle’s combat skills were, and Maximus was by far the most formidable of the captains. ’What if she gets injured?’ he thought.

"My sister’s here to watch, not fight. If you want to spar, take me on." Elliot’s tone left no room for argument, radiating the fierce protectiveness of an older brother.