Kaiser and Sabel took positions opposite each other, their wooden swords held loosely, eyes locked in a mutual understanding of the imminent test of skill. The onlookers instinctively formed a respectful circle, their anticipation palpable, eyes wide with eagerness.

Sabel adjusted his stance, his feet poised for swift motion. Kaiser, however, adopted a starkly different posture, one that hinted at raw power, his crimson eyes shining with barely contained excitement. Their gazes met, each friend seeing clearly the challenge and respect reflected in the other's face.

"Try not to break your sword, old friend," Sabel teased lightly, his voice warm yet edged with a friendly challenge.

Kaiser chuckled deeply, a confident smirk spreading across his face. "Only if you promise not to run like a frightened hare at the first strike."

Without another word, Kaiser exploded into motion, surging forward with monstrous speed. His entire body threw itself behind the attack, his sword cutting the air like a comet, driven by raw, untamed power. Sabel's eyes widened briefly at the sheer force but reacted smoothly, deflecting the blow gracefully to the side. Yet even this expertly executed defense sent him skidding slightly backward, feet digging grooves in the soft earth.

"By the Gods, Kaiser! Are you fighting or trying to knock down the hill itself?" Sabel laughed, shaking his head as he steadied himself.

Kaiser did not reply immediately, his eyes gleaming hungrily, relishing the clash. Again, he lunged, faster, stronger, the wooden blade swinging downward with crushing intensity. Sabel raised his sword hastily, meeting Kaiser's blade in midair. A resonant crack echoed, sending ripples of excitement and awe through the spectators. Sabel staggered again, eyes flashing with surprise and admiration.

"Slow down, Kaiser! You're going to shatter our swords before we've even warmed up!" Sabel called out, still managing a smile despite the overwhelming ferocity of his friend's attacks.

"Perhaps your sword can't handle it, old friend," Kaiser taunted affectionately, swinging once more, this time horizontally, his body twisting to lend even greater weight to his strike.

Sabel barely ducked under the sweeping attack, his elegant form flowing smoothly like water, though beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He quickly retaliated, driving his blade up to catch Kaiser off guard. But Kaiser anticipated the move, shifting his weight instantly and deflecting Sabel's strike with punishing force, sending a shiver down Sabel's arms.

The gathered crowd murmured appreciatively, eyes wide with amazement at Kaiser's raw power and Sabel's masterful control.

"I see you've grown even stronger, Kaiser," Sabel grunted, sidestepping another heavy strike, the wind from the passing sword ruffling his white hair.

"And you've gotten soft, spending too much time in Shabab's libraries," Kaiser retorted playfully, eyes dancing as he followed up with another series of brutal attacks.

"Ah, but wisdom tempers strength," Sabel countered smoothly, parrying a thunderous blow only to wince as he felt his sword begin to splinter under the relentless assault.

Their blades met once more, this time with an audible cracking sound, wooden splinters flying into the air. They paused, swords locked, breathing heavily and grinning at each other. Around them, gasps and cheers echoed warmly from the observers.

Sabel glanced at his damaged sword ruefully. "Perhaps we should swap blades before you leave us weaponless entirely."

Kaiser laughed, chest heaving slightly from the intensity of their exchange. "Agreed. I suppose it's not much of a demonstration if we end up dueling with twigs."

Quickly, attendants stepped forward, offering fresh wooden swords with respectful bows. Kaiser and Sabel each selected a replacement, hefting them experimentally, eyes locked again in a moment of mutual, playful challenge.

Sabel chuckled softly, shaking his head in affectionate disbelief. "And here I thought he might mellow with age."

Kaiser just grinned, stepping back and lifting his sword in silent challenge. "Age only sharpens him."

Without another word, Kaiser surged forward, blade raised. The two collided in a fresh flurry of movement, their earlier banter instantly replaced by the fierce rhythm of wood smacking against wood. Kaiser's relentless assault once again met Sabel's elegant parries and quick counters. Each brutal blow forced Sabel into defensive retreats, though his skillful footwork kept him just barely in control.

Around them, the spectators watched breathlessly, drawn deeply into the dynamic spectacle. The children cheered with every clash, the women gasped with each powerful blow, and the knights observed intently, absorbing every subtlety of technique and style from these masterful combatants.

Sabel managed a clever sidestep, his blade snaking out to catch Kaiser's side gently, making Kaiser laugh in delighted surprise.

"You still rely too much on raw strength," Sabel teased, dancing back gracefully.

"And you rely too heavily on pretty tricks," Kaiser shot back, launching himself forward again with a powerful overhead strike.

Sabel grimaced, deflecting the blow, feeling the jolt through his shoulders. Despite his teasing, he admired deeply Kaiser's unyielding strength and fearless aggression, even if it forced him into perpetual defense.

"Speaking of Master Alexander," Sabel said breathlessly, weaving through a rapid sequence of attacks, "My father sent word ahead, that we will arrive tomorrow for the annual training. You'd best rest tonight, Kaiser. You'll need every ounce of your monstrous energy."

Kaiser grinned broadly, clearly thrilled by the prospect. "Tomorrow, then. Perhaps by week's end, you'll be able to stand firm against me."

Sabel rolled his eyes. "Or perhaps you'll finally learn some grace from me."

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Their blades clashed again, louder this time, echoing across the hilltop, petals swirling dramatically around them. Both men stepped back briefly, breathing hard, eyes bright with genuine affection.

"Ready for more?" Kaiser asked, eyebrows raised, body coiled eagerly for another explosive charge.

Sabel steadied himself, adopting a defensive posture, lips curled in a confident, knowing smile. "Always, Kaiser. But perhaps, just this once, you could try not to destroy every sword we own."

Kaiser launched himself forward again. Ironically, he was the one moving like a storm, hurling his whole body behind each attack—overhead chops that seemed to cleave the sunlight itself, lunges that forced the air to snap.

But Sabel, ever the mirror to Kaiser's aggression, moved like water. He slipped just beyond the reach of every blow, parrying when he had to, ducking and sidestepping when he could. Sometimes he blocked with the flat of his blade, letting the force dissipate, sometimes he spun away entirely, forcing Kaiser to chase. The crowd gasped and murmured at the spectacle, their awe shifting as the two princes' personalities shone ever brighter in each movement.

"Stand still for once!" Kaiser growled, irritation seeping into his voice as another bone-rattling strike met only Sabel's perfectly-timed defense. "Are you even a swordsman??"

Sabel grinned, breathless and infuriatingly calm, circling his friend. "A wise man knows not to meet a charging bull head-on. Besides, you seem determined to chop me half."

Kaiser didn't respond with words; instead, he launched a blistering series of attacks—fainting low, then high, then spinning for a wide arc. Sabel's movements were almost balletic. He ducked under one blow, twisted his hips to deflect another, even leapt over a sweeping strike, landing with a laugh just out of reach.

"You fight like a possessed man, Kaiser!" Sabel taunted. "Tell me, do you ever tire?"

"Not when I'm winning," Kaiser shot back, driving forward with another crushing blow. The swords clashed, the impact sending a sharp jolt up Sabel's arms. The crowd was rapt; some children leaned so far forward they nearly tumbled down the slope, while the cooks hid smiles behind their hands.

Kaiser's irritation grew with each failed attempt to land a decisive hit. He was used to breaking through defenses, to overwhelming his foes until they buckled. Sabel, though, was different—unbreakable in his patience, artful in his retreat. Every time Kaiser pressed, Sabel was there, not as an opponent to be crushed, but as an equal to be outthought.

Again Kaiser pressed, swinging hard enough to send petals flying in a show of power. Sabel let the blow glance off his blade, pirouetted, and swept Kaiser's feet with his own in a move so fast the dark-haired prince had to leap back, landing heavily.

"Careful!" Sabel called, laughter in his voice. "If you fall, I'll never let you hear the end of it."

Kaiser straightened, jaw tight but eyes alight with the thrill of the fight. "I swear, Sabel, if you dodge one more time—"

"You'll what? Miss me one more time?" Sabel's smile was wide and bright.

Kaiser feinted, then swung—a heavy, straight thrust. Sabel twisted, forcing Kaiser's sword past him and landing a gentle tap to Kaiser's shoulder with the flat of his blade.

"That's one for me," Sabel teased.

Kaiser scowled, now truly annoyed. He abandoned all pretense of restraint, pouring even more ferocity into his strikes. The two moved in a blur—Kaiser the storm, Sabel the river.

Kaiser tried new tactics, switching tempo mid-strike, feinting left and suddenly spinning right. Sabel read each move, adapting on the fly, his defensive genius on full display. He punished Kaiser's overextensions with quick, precise jabs—never enough to win, but enough to frustrate.

At one point, Sabel slipped behind Kaiser's back, flicked his sword up under Kaiser's arm, and whispered, "You're slowing down, old man." Kaiser responded with a backward elbow, narrowly missing Sabel's ribs, both laughing even as sweat dripped down their faces.

Their banter drew delighted laughter from the servants, who by now had forgotten their tasks entirely. Some knights exchanged approving glances—these weren't just heirs, they were masters in their own right.

Still, Kaiser pressed. Still, Sabel dodged.

Finally, Kaiser paused, breath heaving, hair wild, eyes narrowed with mock accusation. "You're enjoying this too much, Sabel. Admit it."

"Of course I am," Sabel replied, grinning. "You're at your best when you're annoyed."

Kaiser barked a short laugh, then circled. "You know, you could at least let me land a decent hit. For the crowd's sake."

Sabel shrugged. "If you hit me, it's because I let you. That's the rule, right?"

Kaiser grinned, shaking his head, then suddenly lunged with a reckless charge. Sabel sidestepped, and with a smooth flick, knocked Kaiser's sword aside. "That's two."

Kaiser clenched his teeth, but managed a smile. "You're asking for it."

They broke apart, eyes burning with fierce affection. Sabel's blade came up, but for the first time, Kaiser saw a faint hesitation in his friend's stance—he was tiring, if only slightly. Kaiser's eyes gleamed with predatory focus.

With a sudden burst of speed, Kaiser hurled himself forward, unleashing a barrage of overhead strikes, each one heavier than the last. Sabel blocked, but the force of the blows drove him back, his heels digging furrows in the grass. The last strike sent a tremor up Sabel's arms; the crowd gasped as his stance wavered.

Sabel managed to steady himself, eyes narrowed. "You don't fight fair, Kaiser."

Kaiser smirked. "And you talk too much."

For a moment, both paused, breathing hard. Sweat dripped down their faces, their tunics stained, their swords scuffed and splintered.

Kaiser tilted his head, flashing a mischievous smile. "Speaking of not fighting fair…"

He lowered his sword just a bit, grinning slyly. "Tell me, Sabel, is your sister coming to the training this year? I'd very much like some alone time with her…" He punctuated the suggestion with a ridiculous kissy face, lips puckered.

The crowd erupted—some gasped, some burst out laughing, a few servants dropping whatever they had in their hands in shock. Sabel's eyes widened, a flush of pure outrage blooming across his face. For the first time, he lost all composure.

"You absolute bastard!" Sabel roared, abandoning all defense and charging straight at Kaiser, sword swinging in a full-force offensive.

Kaiser barely had time to parry the first onslaught, but the change in Sabel's style brought a wild grin to his face. "Finally!" Kaiser called, matching Sabel's fury with equal force.

Their swords collided again and again, each blow louder, more desperate. Sabel's strikes were fast and vicious, fueled by righteous indignation. Kaiser met each one with joy, finally pushed to the edge where both of their skills shone brightest.

"You'll keep away from her, Kaiser, or I'll—"

"You'll what?" Kaiser's laughter echoed, his footwork sharper now, anticipation and delight shining in his eyes.

The crowd could barely keep up with the action—their blades a blur, their feet pounding the earth, each movement fluid yet ferocious. Kaiser drove Sabel back with a shoulder check, then followed with a sweeping leg that almost took Sabel down. Sabel spun, recovering, and countered with a downward slash that Kaiser only just managed to block.

For several heartbeats, the two exchanged blows at a pace neither had dared attempt before—Kaiser's monstrous strength against Sabel's explosive speed. But rage had robbed Sabel of his patience; his style lost some of its composure.

Kaiser caught an opening—a fraction of a second, a single slip in Sabel's balance. With a twist, he swept Sabel's blade aside, stepped inside the guard, and pressed the tip of his sword gently to Sabel's chest.

"Yield," Kaiser said softly, not a taunt, but the sincere offer of a friend.

Sabel, chest heaving, glared for a moment, then broke into a helpless grin, laughing despite himself. He raised his hands in mock surrender, still flushed, eyes shining. "You're a menace, Kaiser."

"Only when provoked," Kaiser replied, extending his hand.

Sabel took it, their clasp firm and warm, the crowd erupting in cheers. The children cheered loudest.

Kaiser leaned in, voice pitched so only Sabel could hear. "You know I'm only teasing."

Sabel snorted, cuffing Kaiser on the shoulder. "Tease like that again and I'll feed you to the swans."

Kaiser grinned. "If you do, make sure your sister's there to mourn me."

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