Chapter 4
'Rise and shine Half Pint!' I groan and pull the blanket further over my head. Who the hell wakes up before the first bell? Peering out from my hole, I squint through the darkness to make out the silhouette of Rafel and am thankful that I decided to sleep in my travelling shirt and breeches with my binding on. This, I think, is going to have to become a habit.
'Why so early?' I mutter as I roll unceremoniously out of my wooden bed and catch myself on my hands before pushing myself to my feet.
'Not as early as you think Tiny, plus it looks good if you are early down to the training arena for the initiation tribulation.'
'Why are you helping me?' I ask getting slight suspicious. I move to my pile of new clothes and begin to quickly pull them on as he leans against the door frame. I guess this openness is something I am going to have to get used to in order to not draw attention to myself. I hate audiences. I quickly stop in front of a mirror and check my appearance. I have to make a good impression. I look like a squire! My tan breeches and white shirt are nothing special but the king's insignia is embroidered over my left breast, over my heart. A silver and deep blue eagle in a circle, the wings of the eagle are outstretched as if in flight touch the edges of the circle as does its talons. A symbol of power, a symbol I am proud to wear.
'Let's just say I think you'll be one to surprise us in this round. Any way you look grumpy, grumpy people are honest, and easy to wind up.' I narrow my eyes at him as I buckle my sword to my belt and throw my bow and arrow onto my back.
'This round? What time is it?' I perch on the edge of my bed and pull on my riding boots and tuck in my breeches so that I don't run the risk of tripping during this ordeal.
'Yeah, this round of new recruits. You have about an hour so I thought I would escort you to the dining hall to get some food.'
'Why?'
'I said I would show you the ropes.' He smiles warmly at me, he was offering a friendship to me I realised.
'You like to bet on who you think will do well?' I ask as I walk past him and out of my room. He instantly falls into step with me and I follow him as we move through the labyrinth.
'It's something to do. I thought you would have worked that out last night. We have to be here, watch and participate when boss asks us to so why not make it a little more interesting? I reckon you'll have any of these new recruits in a swordfight, maybe not wrestling though, your too small for that really. Best you try keep a weapon in your hands at all times on the battlefield.'
'Thanks for the advice,' I roll my eyes, unsure if I should be offended or flattered that he's taking this much interest in me, 'What makes you think I'll be any good?'
I follow Rafel as he walks into the mess hall and over to one of the servants. I mimic his actions as picks up a plate filled with bread before following him towards an empty table in the far corner of the small room. Taking a seat opposite the blonde haired boy I just stare at my plate. I can't eat. Nope, not hungry. Too nervous. What happens if I mess up? At the very least I could bring shame on my family. Someone might know that my family hasn't got any male heirs, not anymore at least, what would I do then? I will have gotten my whole family disgraced or even worse killed for treason?
'I'm not hungry.' I announce pushing my plate away from me. I can't do this.
'Eat.' Rafel orders as he pushes my plate back in front of me. I frown at him but fold my arms over my chest. My chin pushes out stubbornly. I don't want to. He won't make me. He just smiles and rolls his eyes at me, he opens his mouth to reply but his eyes snap away from mine to someone who I can feel standing behind me.
'Ah, what a good morning and what a lay in?' says the voice. I stiffen at the voice, suddenly feeling goosebumps appear up my arms and a shiver skitter down my spine. Turning round I take in two of the tallest people I have ever seen. Both are taller than Rafel by a couple of inches. The two of them who are clearly related. One comes to sit next to me and the other swiftly jumps over the table to land next to Rafel. Both have piercing sapphire eyes and perfectly chiselled features. I try not to stare and choose not to study them too much. All three clearly take their training very seriously, they look powerful but each in different ways, the blond and Rafel both have broad muscular chests. The top buttons of their shirts weren't buttoned allowing me to glimpse the muscle beneath. The one sat next to me has light brown hair cropped short, the second extremely light blonde hair that is almost white makes him look very young. I slouch down in my seat wondering what I have managed to get myself into, in an attempt to make myself as small as possible I pick up a slice of warm bread and begin to nibble on it as I hope to just be able to listen in on their conversation.
'An extra two hours, I woke up at the crack of dawn still but it was nice to be able to do nothing!' replies Rafel smiling as he takes a huge chunk out of his bread.
'Who's this? Been making friends again?' smiles the blond one, raising an eyebrow for emphasis. I smile weakly at them both in an attempt at a greeting.
'This?' Rafel begins looking at me with a broad grin like his birthdays have all come at once. 'This is Ali of Artt. He is one of the new trainees. He arrived yesterday and I volunteered to show him around. My money's on him to make it through with only a year's training.' Rafel ends and I nearly choke on the small chunk I was chewing. Kill me now.
'Liar!' I accuse, 'You made a bet with me last night that I wouldn't make it though in a year. You said I would get two! I made the bet against you, I reckon I'll be done in a year.' Rafel gets a dangerous glint in his eye as the other two almost fall of their chairs with fits of laughter.
'Nice to meet you Ali. I'm Leonias, and this is Edmon.' Introduces the blonde one, he's the first to recover enough to talk.
'You too.' I mutter into my plate. I hate to be the centre of attention, loathe it even. They haven't stopped staring at me! Gods just ignore me and go back to your talk. Why did I have to open my big mouth? I start to fidget under their intense gaze. Pushing away my feelings of unease I try to make the best of this situation, might as well try and make some friends. I'm going to be here for at least a year. Rafel seemed friendly enough, maybe these two were as well. Drawing my gaze away from my plate I briefly make eye contact with Leonias, smile weakly at him and dive back into my bread.
'Make sure you eat. Nothing worse than not eating before the tribulation, trust me I should know.' Suggests Edmon as he locks eyes with me. 'Have we met?' He asks. His gaze seems to pierce deep into me as if he is able to see my soul. It must be the sapphire eyes, like pools of fresh water. I shake my head at his question, I would remember meeting him before. I realise that he was the one who spoke first. He frowns at me as if there is something he is unable to read, or something he doesn't understand about me. His eyes staring intensely into my own, trying to get a read on me, trying to understand me. Despite his intensity I find that his mere presence makes me feel more at ease, like I've indeed met him before. Like I already know him, like I can trust him. His was the voice that caused me to shiver. Never had a voice caused me to have a reaction like that before. I force myself to blink and break eye contact with his pristine deep blue eyes and tuck away the thoughts and feelings trying to surface. This is something I am going to have to control if I am to be around three extremely good-looking men. Even me, who prides herself in not getting distracted by men and worrying with the complexity of figuring them out, can appreciate a handsome man.
'What happened?' I ask as I force myself to take yet another bite. Thankfully they don't seem to have noticed what passed between myself and Edmon.
'He nearly passed out causing him to fall of his horse in the third round! If I wasn't concentrating so hard on the task I would have fallen off my own horse with laughter. It was one of the funniest things we had all seen in a long time!' Laughs Leonias.
'If I fall of my horse I think I'll just leave now.' I mutter. 'Coming from the north we learn to ride as soon as we can walk. I think I would be skinned alive!' This comment causes the three to laugh.
'If you make it through with only a year, you will take the knight's tribulation at the same time as us. I've already taken you under my wing Shortie, I think you are just what we need to keep us sane, make sure it only takes a year, surprise these two pricks.' Rafel smirks at the other two almost daring them to say anything against him. I nearly choke on my bread at the insult.
'Shortie?' Asks Edmon, turning to eye me up and down again. I make sure to avoid his gaze, there's something about him, what it is, I just don't know. Power radiates from him and it's intimidating.
'I think he thinks he's being funny, honestly though, I've heard them all before. Always been the smallest in the training yard.' Is my frank reply and I close my eyes as I inwardly scold myself for my outspokenness. To my surprise the three of them start to laugh again.
'I can see why he likes you,' Edmon smiles. 'Get through this and we will be good friends.' He smiles warmly down at me. Maybe this year won't be as bad as I thought, maybe it will be just a little more difficult to keep my identity a secret. Making friends is something that I never thought I would need to do in this year, in fact it was something I wasn't sure I wanted to do. Having more people, who I am sure to grow close to, to lie to, will just make it so much worse come the end.
'If he gets the year I'll take your dining shifts for a month,' wagers Leonias as he looks me up and down. I shift slightly under his scrutiny hating this overload of attention.
'You're making the poor lad uncomfortable Leon. Be nice, you never know he could be better than you.' Orders Edmon. I frown slightly at the authority rolling off his voice, he must be the leader of this group. The one they all turn to for guidance, much like a trainer I guess. Not wanting to be late and make a bad impression I push myself up from the bench and excuse myself.
'Do you know where you're going Mini?'
'Not your best one. Keep trying, you need to try harder.' I smile at his expression and turn to leave calling over my shoulder, 'I think so, pretty much the way we came?' I ask beginning to walk away from the small group. Next thing I know I am sprawled unceremoniously on the floor with numerous people shouting.
'Watch where you're walking!' I frown and look up to see a black haired muscly young man around our age. He must be another trainee I think as I push myself up to my feet.
'Could say the same to you.' I mutter as I brush myself down and straighten out my uniform. I turn to walk away.
'What did you just say?' He shouts catching me by the front of my shirt and pushes me up against a nearby wall. Today is not a day to show weakness.
You're right. Show him he doesn't scare you. I leave you for five minutes and you manage to get yourself pinned up against a wall. We need words. Says Sket as she jumps up onto the table nearest to me. She just tilts her head and settles in for the show.
I straighten myself up as much as I can and look at him straight in his near black eyes and force down any signs of fear. I am always going to be the smallest, no one will scare me.
'I said, maybe you should watch where you're going. Now, let me go. Wouldn't want to start a fight on my first day now.' I grit out daring to look him in the eye. I hear muffled laughter from around the two of us and assume that we have the attention of the majority of the mess hall.
'How dare you, you are nothing here. In fact you are less than nothing. From now on you will get to the mess hall early, pick up my food and bring it to me, you will take any punishments I have and do them for me and you will do my duties. That should teach you to treat your superiors with respect,' I scoff as he sneers, his face just inches from mine. He doesn't scare me, I've dealt with worse than him. I outright laugh at him.
'No.'
I watch his smirk falter, he hadn't expected me to stand up to him.
'No?' He chokes, trying to recover.
'No.' I confirm, 'Now I've already asked you once, now I'll make you a deal, you let me go and I won't kick your ass in training.' I smirk, hopefully looking braver than I feel. The small smile that was playing on this boy's face instantly falls as he begins to look like I have just slapped him in the face. To my horror instead of just threatening me again he pulls back his free arm as he prepares to knock me to the floor. I take a deep breath as I wait for the upcoming blow, there's no way I can protect myself with my arms pinned.
'That's enough Dontae. Let him go!' I watch in astonishment as the boy reluctantly lets go of my shirt and steps away. I look toward the source of the voice to see not a knight or one of our trainers but Edmon, flanked by the two I had just finished having breakfast with. Not one of them compare to the build and sheer size of the black-haired monster standing in front of me. None of them knew that I could have pushed him off if I wanted, that I could have defended myself. I wasn't going to announce to everyone here that I had magic.
'This is not your concern, he pushed into me then insulted my family. I have to defend my honour,' he argues in a very composed tone though I could tell there was very little respect there. So this is how training is going to be. Fighting for my place, fighting to be accepted, fighting to be respected.
'That's not what I just saw. Is this the kind of impression we are wanting to give off to new recruits?' He asks but we all know he doesn't require an answer.
'Is this the kind of people you want in your future guard?' Asks Rafel as he folds his arms across his chest, muscles rippling through his shirt, managing to make himself seem extremely deadly and threatening. His muscles tense and eyes dark with barely concealed anger.
'Guard?' I mutter to myself. Why would Edmon need a guard?
'No, I won't allow bullying in this court. Step away from him,' to my utter disbelief this Dontae steps away from me. I quickly readjust my shirt again and pretend to brush a spec of dirt off my shoulder as I step away from him. 'You are not to talk to Ali unless it is about training. In fact you are not to talk to anyone, unless it is about training. Not until you learn how to respect those with the same rank as you. Am I clear?' His voice carries a threatening undertone but carries that air of authority I heard earlier. How is he able to get away with ordering other trainees around? They are all on the same level as him, aren't they? Dontae just stares openly at him as does many of the others in the room. All thoughts of eating forgotten as I once again have made myself centre of attention. No one dares to move or talk as the two of them stare each other down.
'He needs to be taught how to address his superiors,' Dontae counters pulling further away from me and moving a step towards Edmon. At this movement Rafel and Leonias take a step forward so they are standing slightly in front of Edmon. Both place their hands on their hilts, even I know this is a warning, one not to be ignored.
'As do you,' mocks Leon, all signs of a joke gone. Rafel catches my eye and smiles at my confused expression. He gives me a playful wink before turning back to my attacker.
'I believe, and correct me if I am wrong, you should have said, yes you are very clear Your Highness.' I begin to laugh at Rafel's words, he must be trying to publicly humiliate Dontae but when no one joins in I manage to convert my laugh into a suspect cough. I think I pass it off until I catch Rafel's eyes twinkling as he again winks at me with a huge grin on his face.
'Am I clear?' Asks Edmon again as he moves forward. In a fight I would say Dontae would win with his over-sized features and excess amount of muscle but for some reason Edmon looks like the one in charge of this situation. I study him openly as he steps closer to dontae. His frame was much slighter than the others, though his muscle was not hard to miss as his shift position. His shirt clings to his arms and torso giving me a glimpse of the toned muscle below. Yes, Edmon might not look strong, his build significantly smaller but there was strength there, more strength than his body would let on.
'Yes, Your Highness.' Answers Dontae while staring daggers at him, I can imagine he is silently plotting how he can get his own back for this disgrace.
'You are dismissed.' Without so much as a backwards glance Dontae takes his leave pushing his way through the small crowd gathered around to watch the spectacle. Trust me to get involved in something like this on my first day.
'You've got spirit, or a death wish.' Mutters the Prince as he closes the small distance between us. I just smile weakly up at him unsure how to behave. The others in the mess hall had quickly gone back to their meals, pretending the who debacle hadn't happened.
'Or one hell of a fiery personality, much like your hair!' Remarks Leon, slapping me on the back for emphasis. I roll my eyes, this wasn't the first time my hair had been compared to my personality. It was unnaturally red, deep, almost the colour of blood.
'You need to get going otherwise you will be late and there's no prize worth winning for being late.' Nudges Rafel when I don't move. Highness? Edmon is prince Edmon, the heir to Dragos? Why would he be training to be a knight? Why would he want to mingle with the likes of me? Why would he defend me? I just had breakfast with the prince and was blunt and slightly rude, what a great start.
'From talking to him you wouldn't know. He chooses his friends carefully, just like Leon and me. Remember that, friend.' He whispers as Leon and Edmon lead us out of the dining hall and towards the initiation tribulation.
'I'm not good with friends.' I mutter as I allow Rafel to sling an arm over my shoulder and guide me out into the courtyard.