The Queen's Guard

Chapter 1

Ryder Tate yanked the reins of his horse to slow it down, stopping at the top of the hill to give him a good view of the city spread below him.

It was Amidia, a city of jewels and precious metals, ruled by the famous Queen Juliet. He could see the palace in the distance, glittering like the gems the city was notorious for. That was where he was headed, letters from his father in his pocket that would get him a position as a guard in the palace.

As the third son of a minor lord, Ryder had never expected to get much from his father, and so when he was younger, he decided he wanted to be a guard in that palace, guard the royals there.

He pushed his heels into the side of the horse and it took off again, making his scarlet cloak fan out behind him as he aimed for the city gates. Sweat was making his back itch, but he didn't take off his armor.

The gates opened when he showed the gatehouse guard his family seal, and the horse cantered through. Amidia smelled like exotic spices and sweat-not a pleasant combination, but it was the capital of Trilea and housed the royal family, the army, and almost a third of the country's population. Ryder supposed he'd come to like it.

He didn't have to ask for directions, thankfully, because the glass towers of the palace stood high above every other building on the streets. Civilians littered the roads, some underneath brightly colored tents to offer wares that came from across the sea, others standing in the doorways of their homes to talk to their neighbors, and others still to bend their heads and hold out their cupped hands, begging for coin or food.

Ryder gritted his teeth and yanked at the collar of his armor, hoping to adjust it before he had to stand before the queen. The palace gates were closed when he approached, several guards in front that watched him like hawks as he dismounted and stiffly walked to meet them.

"My name is Ryder Tate," He told them, pulling out the letters his father had given him. "I've been sent to be a guard. We sent messages ahead."

The guard at the front peered at the coat of arms that sealed the envelope, then nodded and signaled to another guard. The gates creaked open, and they beckoned him through.

Only one went with him, to show him through the palace. It was clean, and airy, mostly made out of glass and marble. Many lords and ladies stood in the halls, in the parlor rooms, talking amongst themselves. Several of the ladies watched him as he passed, noting his curly dark hair and bright blue eyes. He ignored them, too tired from his journey to bother wooing the rich.

The guard stopped in front of a set of cloudy glass doors. "Take your letters inside," He said, gesturing at the doors. "The Queen Regent will tell you your commanding officer. Good luck."

Without another word, the guard turned on his heel and stalked off, leaving Ryder alone in front of the doors. He took a deep breath and knocked twice before pushing them open.

The light inside made him blink. White floors, white walls, glass ceiling-too bright for his liking. He raised his chin as he stepped up to the center of the room, facing the woman on the throne. He pressed his fist to his heart and bowed, not quite as far as he could have. But he was tired and aching from days on a horse, and his damn armor hurt.

"Your Majesty," Ryder said, straightening. "I was sent by my father, Lord Tate."

The woman on the throne smiled, her red lips curving only slightly. She reminded Ryder of a snake-dressed in a tight green dress, a heavy crown on her coiled blonde hair. Her pale gray eyes glittered as she looked Ryder up and down. "We've been expecting you. You brought your credentials?"

He nodded, drawing them out of his pocket yet again. A waiting lady took them from his grip and passed them to the regent, who merely glanced at them before nodding. "Very good. You will report to Commander Broce, in the high guard. This isn't a position to take lightly-although I expect you'll rise to the challenge."

Ryder nodded again, and the waiting lady handed him his papers back. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
She smirked again and dismissed him with a wave of her hand, saying, "My waiting lady will show you to the barracks."

Ryder bowed once more and followed the older woman out of the room.

"The barracks are just this was," The woman said, keeping a steady pace. "You're lucky to be in the high guard, young man. The queen regent must be impressed by your credentials."

"I hope so," Ryder admitted as they turned another sun lit corner. "I've wanted to come to the palace my whole life. I've heard stories about the queen."

The woman gave him a look he couldn't quite place. "The queen-or the queen regent? Clarisse doesn't like to be mixed up. And a word of warning, boy." They stopped in front of a wooden door that didn't match the rest of the shining palace. "Don't mention Queen Juliet in front of Clarisse, not if you don't want to be on her bad side."

Ryder frowned. "I thought-I thought Clarisse was doing the Queen a favor, acting as regent until she's recovered her health." That was, at least, what everyone in Trilea had been told.

The woman shook her head, stepping closer so they wouldn't be overheard. "She is, but the queen is a testy subject for her. Take my advice, boy, and you'll do just fine here."

With that, she stepped back and smoothed the front of her dress. "Follow this hall all the way through," She said, nodding at the door. "And you'll find Commander Broce. He'll take over from there."

Ryder thanked her and watched as she bustled off before opening the door and starting down.

A/N: Thanks all for reading! I've prewritten this entire story, but I'm going to space out posting the chapters. I'm not yet sure how often I'll post, though. Thanks again peeps :)