Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 57: Getting Fiona’s Blessing

**Tiana's POV**

"Took you two long enough," Peter called out from a distance, rolling his eyes. He stood in the middle of the training ground looking very serious. Peter was an expert warrior, and everyone respected him. I had learned a lot from him already, but today felt different. It felt more serious because he was going to teach me new and harder things. I really hoped Fiona was not bluffing when she said she would be here to guide me.

The sun was high in the sky, making the training grounds bright and hot. The sound of weapons clashing and other soldiers training in other spots filled the air.

“Alright, Tiana,” Peter called out. “Time to step it up."

I nodded, feeling both excited and nervous. This was what I had been working so hard for. I looked over at Fiona. She was standing nearby, watching. It was strange to have her help me, but I was glad she was there.

Peter walked over to a rack of weapons and picked up a sharp, shiny blade. He handed it to me. “This isn’t just about strength, Tiana. Or about the stance this time. Yes, all those are important including posture and balance but this is more about control. You need to be one with the weapon.”

I held the handle of the blade. It felt heavy and dangerous. Different from the weapons I had used before. I took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m ready.”

Peter stepped back to give me space. “Alright. Show me what you’ve got.”

I got into a position that he had taught me before, feeling my heart race. I knew Fiona was watching me. I tried to ignore the pressure and focused on the weapon. I moved the blade through the air, trying to remember everything Peter had taught me beforehand with normal weapons that were easy to wield.

Peter watched me closely. “Good. Keep your movements smooth. Don’t let the weapon control you.”

I adjusted my grip and tried to move with more confidence. It was quite hard considering the weight despite its small size.

“Excellent,” Peter said, nodding. “Now, let’s see how you handle a moving target.”

"Do you want to help out?" He turned to Fiona. "In testing her defense?"

"Sure," she shrugged.

Fiona moved quickly, swinging the staff at me. I reacted instinctively, bringing the blade up to block the strike. The sound of metal hitting wood echoed through the training ground. I felt the force of her blow all the way up my arm and I almost stumbled back.

“Keep your guard up,” Fiona said. “Don’t lose focus.”

I nodded and adjusted my stance. It was quite heartwarming and strange that Fiona had not used that to take a strike towards my weakness or not having a wolf. She didn't say anything when I stumbled slightly. That only told me she had been completely genuine in the armory.

Fiona attacked again, and I blocked her strike narrowly.

"You're distracted," She said to me. "Think of this as life or death. Focus."

"Okay!"

We moved back and forth with each other. It was extremely tiring and the sun was making it worse. I could feel the sweat on my forehead and the strain in my muscles, but I didn’t give up.

“Good,” Fiona said. “You’re getting better.”

We kept practicing, and I was getting better at controlling my weapon. I wasn't close to perfect but I had done a long time of training that Peter called for a break. “Alright, that’s enough for today. Good work, Tiana.”

I lowered the blade, breathing heavily. My body ached, but it felt good. I nodded, smiling a little. “Thank you, Peter. And Fiona.”

Fiona nodded back and patted my back. “You did well.”

We walked back to the armory together in silence and once again, she began to help me with my new gear because I wasn't used to it. However, she seemed to be staring at me more intensely than before.

"Fiona? Is something wrong?” I asked hesitantly.

She shook her head. “I wanted to talk to you, Tiana. Be honest about something.”

I felt a bit nervous. “Okay.”

Fiona took a deep breath. “I didn’t like you at first. It was because Theo was showing you so much attention. It was hard for me to see.”

I blinked, surprised by her honesty. “I understand,” I said. “That must have been hard.”

Fiona nodded. “Yeah, it was. It's always been me and Theo... Peter too. Layla was usually everywhere..."

"Oh?” I was not sure where she was headed with the conversation.

"Peter and Amara met at a ball and became mates so it became he and Amara... he didn't hang out as much... Layla was also obsessed over them. So it was just Theo and I for a long time. Seeing him care about someone else was unsettling.”

I could see the pain in her eyes. It wasn’t easy for her to say this. “I’m sorry if I made things difficult,” I said. “I never wanted to come between you and Theo.”

Fiona sighed. “I know. And I can see that Theo genuinely likes you. I'm not going to deny I don't have feelings for him but I respect what he has for you so I will not push any of my feelings on him again. I just needed to say this as a warning—if you hurt him, I will come after you.”

Her words were serious, but there was a hint of a smile. I nodded. “I won’t hurt him. I care about him too.”

Fiona nodded. “Good. Then we can be friends. Or at least not enemies.”

I smiled, feeling relieved. “Friends sounds good.”

"Good," she smiled and left the armory. I sat for a while, too tired to walk in the sweltering heat before I headed back to my room, looking forward to a shower. The warm water felt amazing, washing away the sweat. After I finished, I wrapped a towel around myself and stepped out of the bathroom.

I stopped when I saw Theo sitting on my bed. He looked up, surprised.