The morning began like most others—chaotic.
Rynhara was roused from sleep not by the soothing chimes of castle bells, but by a bucket of ice water dumped unceremoniously over her head.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" she shrieked, wings flaring as she shot up in bed, water dripping from her hair and horns.
Kaelira stood over her, holding an empty bucket with an innocent smile that could rival a predator toying with its prey. "Good morning, Princess. You overslept."
Rynhara glared, her mismatched eyes glowing faintly. "You know, for a maid, you have a real talent for making me want to fire you."
Kaelira smirked. "Her Majesty ordered me to ensure you were punctual for today's training. It's your fault for ignoring the alarm rune I set."
"I thought it was a decorative lamp!" Rynhara snapped.
Kaelira's only response was a shrug.
Once dressed and begrudgingly awake, Rynhara made her way to the training grounds, where a group of instructors was waiting. Today was another weapons day, and she was determined to master her twin dagger fans, despite the fact they seemed to have a mind of their own.
The fans, sleek and ebony with intricate dragon designs, gleamed menacingly as they rested in her hands. She gave them a spin, only for one to slip out of her grasp and embed itself in the training dummy's head across the field.
"Nice throw," Sir Eryndor said dryly, clapping slowly. "Pity it wasn't intentional."
Rynhara scowled, retrieving the fan with a huff. "It's not my fault these things don't listen to me!"
"You bonded with those weapons," Astraea chimed in from the sidelines, sipping tea like she was at a casual picnic. "They respond to your intent. If they're acting up, it's because you're not treating them seriously."
Rynhara waved the fan dismissively. "How can I take them seriously when they look like something a performer would use in a festival?"
At that, the fans suddenly sprang to life, folding open and unleashing a burst of flame that narrowly missed Rynhara's hair.
"Okay! Okay!" she yelled, holding up her hands. "I get it! You're serious!"
Kaelira snorted from the edge of the field. "You're being bullied by your own weapons. That's a new one."
The day took a more serious turn as the focus shifted to control. Sir Eryndor had Rynhara practice striking moving targets with her fans, a task that quickly turned into an exercise in frustration.
"Focus, Princess," he barked as she missed another target. "These weapons demand precision, not wild flailing!"
"I'm not flailing!" she shot back, launching one of the fans with a frustrated flick of her wrist. The fan ricocheted off a target, hit a nearby tree, and zipped back to her hand.
Eryndor raised an eyebrow. "A lucky shot does not count as skill."
"It wasn't luck!" Rynhara lied, trying to look confident.
Astraea, still watching with an amused expression, waved her hand. "Perhaps you should try using your magic in tandem with the fans. They're designed to channel elemental energy, after all."
Rynhara hesitated, then nodded. She closed her eyes, focusing on her mana. She envisioned the storm she had conjured days earlier, channeling wind and lightning into the fans. When she opened her eyes, both weapons were glowing with swirling energy.
"Now, release it," Astraea instructed.
Rynhara swung the fans, unleashing a spiraling torrent of wind and lightning. The attack obliterated the targets alongside the wall and left a scorched trench in the training grounds as well as the mountain range in front of the castle.
"Holy—" Kaelira began, only to be cut off by Eryndor.
"Effective," he said, his tone begrudgingly impressed. "But you'll need to refine that. Controlled power, remember?"
Meanwhile, the castle staff had gathered near the training grounds to watch the spectacle.
"She's improving," remarked the head gardener, arms crossed as he observed the charred earth.
"She's also destroying the landscape," a maid pointed out, frowning at the scorched trench.
"Her Majesty won't mind," the butler said. "She'll see it as evidence of progress."
"Progress or not, I'm glad I'm not one of her instructors," muttered a stablehand. "Imagine being on the receiving end of those fans."
Later that afternoon, Rynhara found herself in Tiamora's study, recounting the day's events.
"I'm getting better," she said, trying to sound confident. "Sir Eryndor even said so."
Tiamora raised an eyebrow. "Did he?"
"Well, he didn't say it outright, but it was implied," Rynhara added quickly.
The Dragon Queen leaned back in her chair, studying her daughter with a small smile. "You've come far in a short time. I'm proud of you, Rynhara."
The unexpected praise left Rynhara stunned. "You… you're proud of me?"
"Of course," Tiamora said, her tone matter-of-fact. "But don't let it go to your head. There's still much work to be done."
Rynhara grinned. "Don't worry. I'll keep breaking things until I get it right."
Tiamora chuckled softly. "Spoken like a true dragon."
The day ended with Rynhara in her room, attempting to clean soot off her fans. Kaelira entered with a tray of snacks, smirking as she saw the mess.
"Rough day?"
"You have no idea," Rynhara muttered, scrubbing at the fans with a cloth.
Kaelira sat down, taking a pastry from the tray. "For what it's worth, you did well today. Even Eryndor looked impressed, and that guy barely has emotions."
"Thanks," Rynhara said, smiling faintly. "Maybe I'm not as hopeless as I thought."
Kaelira raised an eyebrow. "Don't push your luck, Princess."
Rynhara threw a pillow at her, laughing as Kaelira dodged and stuck out her tongue.
As the moon rose over the castle, the two girls settled into an easy silence, ready to face whatever chaos tomorrow would bring.