The Secrets Series

Chapter 2

The Secrets Last Stand

:Hayden's Pov.:

"Dad, I know this. Do we really need to keep going over it?" I asked as my training continued. I have been training since I was allowed to move after my stitches were removed. Everything has been chaotic since. I train everyday, I have to make sure Kody is okay, and now I have to figure out answers to any question dad decides to throw at me. He started quizzing me and having to remember everything is a little hard.

"Yes Hayden. Now when the queen speaks to an audience, who is she generally speaking to?"

"She is generally speaking to the important part of Light Kingdom society because they are the ones who make the real decisions. Dad I know this stuff." I answered. I had no idea where he was taking me at the moment because it is different from our usual place.

"Dad, where are we?" I asked. He chuckled before answering.

"Well, since you do know everything there is, you now need to move on in your training." I was confused because he didn't say anything about any further training.

"Move on to what?" I asked, suddenly scared.

"Etiquette training." He answered. He led me into another room with a woman I've never met before. It was a room with three long tables and on one of them, there was three place settings as if for dinner. Dad dragged me over and sat me down at one of the settings before sitting down himself. I looked down and saw in front of me; two plates, one small and one large, a small bowl, a fork, spoon, and knife, and three drinking glasses.

"See where I'm from, it's two forks and one glass." The lady was not amused. I just hung my head down and awaited my instructions.

"Alright, the first glass is your water glass, that goes with the soup that is placed in the bowl. When the soup and water is finished, the bowl and glass are removed. Then, the second is filled with wine, which goes with dinner. Whatever the cook has made which usually gets run by you. Then the third is for dessert. That is what the small plate is for, The drink is usually hot lemonade." The lady went on and on. I paid attention as best I could and then it was finally over. Dad then took me back home.

When we got home, the first thing I did was kiss my boyfriend. After what happened with Ian, I tried to spend as much time with Vincent as I could.

"Hey, um, Kody came home. She's in her room." He said as he put his arm around me. I nodded and turned to go talk to my sister. I listened to dad and Vincent talk as I walked away. I knocked on her door but she didn't answer.

"Kody? Kody, it's Hayden. Can you please open the door?" When she didn't answer, I walked in. I saw that she was asleep on the floor in a pile of blankets. I walked over and fixed her blankets because they were twisted. I knew that she loved blankets and she hated it when they were twisted. I looked at her cheeks as I did and saw that they were a little rosy. A tall-tell sign she had been drinking. I took in a deep breath and counted to ten before releasing it. The whole reason we sent her there was because Ralph said he didn't have any alcohol.

"Ian was there." I heard Kody say from under the blankets. I sat down and pulled my knees up to my chest before waiting for her to continue. "I yelled at him. I couldn't believe how rude he was. I ran up to my room and manifested some whiskey. I knew I shouldn't have but I just wanted to be numb, just for a little while. Then I punched him." She finished. I then dropped my knees so I could lean forward and smiled.

"You punched him? How'd that go?" I asked. The Kody I knew wasn't so good at the fighting thing. I tried to teach her but it didn't work so well.

"He went down. I guess I can pack a good punch when I'm drunk." She laughed a little. She was way stronger than she ever gave herself credit for, then I ever gave her credit for. She just laid there with a blank look on her face.