Hidden Beast

5. The Uninvited Thoughts

Jasper

My thoughts began to flow freely after some time in the silence, the only thing heard me and the wolves slow breathing.

At first I thought about the competition, how long will I make it? What does the resistance look like, which would I fight?

Then my thoughts traveled to my father, what would he say about me losing? What would he say if I made it through the first tests? What if I won? Shivering I put the thoughts away.

Then my thoughts was on the Royal Guards Captitian, Ruby Lowell. Who was she? How did she earn her position? Where does she come from? What about her family?

I tried to shake off my intense thoughts of the beautiful girl but they didn't seem to leave my mind. Would I see her again or did she have too much work?

Did she like her job? What does she like to do? Would she be at the dinner tonight or had she returned to the kingdoms usual duties again?

Ruby

I had a hard time concentrating a handsome face kept playing in my mind the whole day.

My focus were on pushing those thoughts back so I weren't too sharp as I usually was.

Tired of repeating the same words over and over again with the only difference the peoples name was tiring.

Finally the last competitior to arrive today had arrived and they were settling down in their rooms.

Falling onto my bed I let out a heavy sigh and buried myself in the sheets, looking up to the plain ceiling.

Half of the day had gone and it was many hours left before I could sleep and still I'm already tired. I would probably fall asleep if I closed my eyes.

The king wanted me to dine with him and the newcomers in the big hall so I needed to change soon as the dinner started in about an hour.

After some time of trying to push away the thoughts of the handsome boy I gave up and decided to distract myself instead.

Walking over to the closet I looked over my clothings, armor and pants and tunics, that's what I had.

I always wore my armor or just some simple pants and shirt under a vest. That's what I would wear today.

Stripping out of my clothes I left them in the closet and took on black pants and a plain white shirt under a red, gold and black colored vest.

Walking out of the closet I strapped the sword around my waist and put boots on my feet. I never leave without my sword.

Sitting down in the window couch I stared out the window, plain green area of grass stretched out until the wild forest took over.

The castle grounds is enormous but half of it is covered by the forest as we didn't need all of it.

From the other side of the castle you could see down to the city surrounding the castles south and west part.

The city just below the castle is the biggest and most famous city in the kingdom.

Wonder what he thinks of it all? He will be attending the competition, does he think he can win or why is he doing it? I hope he isn't like his father, Quartz Hamill.

Lord Hamill is the worst person I have ever met if you don't include Mahogany and Carnelian.

Quartz has some sick conviction that he need to have power and money, he tries every possible way to nestle into the high nobles world.

Mahogany, The Queen, is a manipulative bitch an she tries to get rid of me every chance she gets.

She has sent more assassins after me than the while world has sent after the king and that will say many.

Carnelian, The Prince and "Sole Heir" to the crown is stupid. He's a spoiled brat and always hides behind his mom or his guard if he is threatened. He thinks he can beg anyone for something and he expect us to obey his smallest wish.

He hates me as he sees me as a threat to the crown but I'm not, Garnet even wrote a paper were it says I will not have any right to the crown an never will. The crown will be given to him when the now ruling king and queen hands down their crown to him or dies.

Still both him and his mother sees me as a threat that will not just go away, they see me as a disease that they cannot cure.

I love my job but I hate the meetings were we discuss the matters of the kingdom. Even if everyone know I'm right the queen always thinks the other way around just because she don't like me.

Except the Royal Advisors the Royal Guard are the closest to the royal family and that means I spend much time with them.

As the captain of the royal guards I get to spend even more time with them and that's almost unbearable, Garnet is the only one that makes me stand it. I would have quit long ago otherwise.

Watching the clock I see it's half an hour until the dinner will start. Thinking that people will be early today I leave my room to head down to the bigger hall where the dinner will be served.

My thoughts travels back to Jasper Hamill as I walk down the corridors, he will probably be at the dinner wonder if he will recognize me?

Jasper

When a guard knocks on the door and lets me know he will soon escort me to the dinner that is starting in a couple minutes I was still thinking about the captain.

Shaking the thoughts of me I head to the closet to change clothes. Kaden and Sheila stays at the bed, Sheila needs all the rest she can have.

The cubs will not survive if she is to tired or something so she needs to relax and rest so she's ready when it's time.

Hastily I put on some random clothes that would fit together and barrel out of the room yelling goodbye after me.

The stone-faced guard waits for me outside, I'm late and dad would probably kill me after I had died of embarrassment.

I try to shake away the thoughts of the girl that caused me too lose track of time so I won't embarrass myself further, it doesn't work well.