The Queen in the South

The Private Guard

Papa told me stories of the war when he could.

Being in the thicket of battle.

Always having to be alert.

He told me of the great disadvantages the none benders had compared to the benders. They were usually told to stay low. 'Let the benders shoot high, you use your weapons and go low, they'll never expect it.'

Papa spoke of the war in an eerily calm voice. He compared the chaos to a playground full of children.

'We were all playing a game.' He would say. 'A twisted game but a game none the less.'

That's how they would justify it, find the humanity in the barbaric acts.

It was all a horrible game, they were all children, not soldiers.

They didn't know any better.

He would speak of the strongest warriors and the weakest. How they all truly had one thing in common; they were all afraid.

I wasn't a soldier, not even close but I could tell you a thing or two about paranoia right now.

I don't think I had truly let the fact that I was on my own here truly sink in.

Mama wasn't beside me nor was Papa. For the first time in my life since I could remember, I didn't have them to run to when I felt afraid or scared.

I was alone.

Lord Ferdinand's words rung in my head.

'Not all is what it seems in Trojan. Not all your enemies are your enemies and not all your friends are friends. Be smart.'

'All I can tell you is this, princess, be careful with who you trust. It could cost you your life.'

What was all that supposed to mean?

Who was a danger to me here? Who couldn't I trust?

I looked around nervously at the different guards positioned in random places who all bowed at me as I walked past them.

Were they the dangers?

The ones I could not trust?

I didn't know these people? How was I supposed to make that call? How was I supposed to know anything?

"Princess?" I heard Mikayla speak.

She had stopped talking to me and was staring at me in confusion.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

Lord Ferdinand and Queen Sheila had left us. They had their own duties to carry out but Queen Sheila promised to see me at lunch and to enjoy myself before the weight of the crown took its toll. Whatever that meant.

Was she the threat? I couldn't help but wonder.

Surely not. She had been so kind and warm towards me.

"I was saying, we can't really do much until you have your meeting with the king. So I suppose we can get you into something more comfortable and I could run through some of the basics of the kingdom with you."

I nodded absentmindedly. "Sure."

I studied Mikayla as well. Could she be a threat?

It seemed unlikely.

She hadn't really shown any signs of disliking me.

If someone had shown signs of disliking me, it was definitely Fara.

She had disappeared the minute she had gotten the chance too. She really didn't seem to like being around me.

"Mikayla." I spoke up, interrupting her before she could start talking again.