"Annabelle, sit up straight, don't slouch, don't chew with your mouth open, and don't ever interrupt someone when they are talking." My instructor says to me.
She stands an average height of 5 foot 8. She is in the older ages so she has grey whisps of hair framing her face, an old grandmotherly look to her face and knowledge in her eyes. It always freaks me out when she makes eye contact.
I sadly am shorter than the average for my age. Just turning 18, I am 5 foot 6. Seem average? No, not in my Kingdom. She peers at me with her dark brown eyes that shine with a passion to make me learn. I turn my dark blue eyes to her. I sit up straight and nod. I pull my shoulders back.
"Yes, instructor. I understand clearly." I say sarcastically and she is oblivious to it.
"Don't ever trust any male you see right away, don't leave the sight of your private guard, don't take anything free from the vendors, never let yourself get caught in bad places." She continues her boring lecture.
I have been sitting here for the past two hours hearing what to do and not to do. It has been like this for the past three days! Someone please get me out of here!
"There has been an issue your highness." One of the guards says bowing to me. His blue sash falls away from his body. That is one of our royal colors. Blue. The other is deep green. I stand and he continues. "Your brother's symptoms have gotten worse and he has requested to see you at once."
I nod and let a slight frown show on my face. Another lesson: don't let too much emotion show on the face, it can be a weakness.
He leads me down the hall of the castle. The castle sits on a hill in the forest. Not hidden as it might sound but very aware. And being in the middle of the forest we have the most beautiful view of sunsets and sunrises. I look out the windows and see the sky is cloudy and about to rain. I pull my dark red cloak around me, almost covering my light blue dress.
I follow him until we reach my brother's chambers. He slightly knocks on the door and opens it. I follow behind him and stand at the doorway.
"Belle." My brothers voice cracks from the bed. He was poisoned about a year ago and all the local doctors have given him all sorts of cures to try and fix his problem. Shocked he is still alive? Me too but sadly none of the cures work but they somehow slow down the syptoms quite a bit.
"Alexon, I heard you have worsened. I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it away from you." I say with honestly. He might not be the best ruler but he is very protective and loving of me. He's the best big brother I could ever ask for.
"Come closer so it's easier for me to talk." He says, voice ruined by all the possible remedies.
I slowly walk forward and hear the slapping on my feet against the stone floor. I get to his bed and sit next to him. I look down and see father in him.
His short black wavy hair, his hazel eyes that glow with a perseverance to stay alive, his arrogant cheekbones, his slightly bend nose from the fights with the knights, his long muscled body, and his careful but lethal hands which grabbed mine in his one.
"What has happened? You have become less clammy since I was here two days ago. Which is a very good thing."
"Nothing, but it was the only way you would come. I want to tell you something." I nod and he continues. "I want you to rule. Clarissa is dead and I might not make it. I want you to rule for me. Even if I do make it I won't be worthy enough as you are. They all love you. All the doctors said they can't heal me but I want a witch to try." He whispers, which makes him easier to listen to.
Witches are troublemakers. They only do things if it helps them. And they hate royals more than anyone. And no one knows why.
"Y-you want me to get you a witch?" I say with fear and panic.
"No my sweet sister. I would never wish that upon you." I sigh in relief. And he continues. "I want you to find a good man and let me meet him to see if he's worthy and you are going to learn how to rule the kingdom. I need you to do this for me. Mother and father won't last much longer. I'm their only hope and I'm not fit for it. But you are."
"But how am I to do that when no one will let me leave the castle grounds? Let alone the castle." I found love once but he gave me up for my sister. He ran back to me the second she told him no and Alexon taught him a lesson and now he works as apprentice to the coffinmaker. Worst job in our kingdom. Even the farmers have it better off. Heck, even the slaves have it off better.
"Tell them I am letting you. I would write you permission but my penmanship is illegible. I'm sorry Belle." He says with a sadness.
I grip his hand tighter and give him a smile. "Not your fault, Alexon. But I am going to fix this. Even if it means I have to see a witch myself to make sure you get better. I am not going to let you die and leave me here all alone."
"There is my stubborn and selfish sister I know. I was wondering if Clarissa returned but then you said that and I knew my little Annebelle is here." He says with a grin or as much of a grin he can muster up.
I feel his temperature and feel that his fever has gone away but he's still sweating like a mad dog. I get up to leave but he doesn't let go of my hands. I turn to look at him and my very light brown, almost blonde, hair flys in my face.
"Talk to the stable boy. Tell him I sent you. When you see him you will remember and will thank me for sparing him for you." Alexon says, closing his eyes.
"I will Alexon. I love you." I whisper and kiss his forehead. His hands fall from mine. "Sleep tight and survive."
I see my personal guard standing at the door looking all worried. I smirk slightly. I know I shouldn't mess with him but he's cute when agitated.
"Princess Annebelle, you gave me quite a fright." He says bowing respectively.
For a guard he is quite young. Around Alexon's age or younger. So 23 or younger. He has high cheekbones and warm brown eyes that melt me. Short brown hair and a lean muscular body. I would know. I have fallen into his arms so many times it's almost impossible to not hear a story about it.
"Guardian Sanders." I say curtsying. He offers his arm and I take it. He's always been more polite to me than the others. Maybe its because of his family status. His father is the personal guard for my dad. Or because he is a friend.
We start to walk towards the indoor garden. My favorite room in the palace other than the library, and he knows this.
"What have you been up to? I went to a meeting for 2 mintues and come back to see you are gone. Then I hear you are with your brother. What have I told you, Princess?" He says with both sincerity and a command.
"To stay in one spot or where you left me until you are back." I mutter. Everyone has engraved this into my brain but I don't listen. I guess you can say I'm a tad rebellious.
"That's correct, baby kitten." He says with a grin. Thats his nickname for me. I'm about as balanced as a baby kitten and he knows this. He also thinks and says I look adorable like one which always ends up with me in a blush.
"Stop calling me that please or I will have to find a good name to call you, you loving brute!" I joke with him.
"Why my dear, you should know by now that I have many names for you. I mean I do know you quite well so I have many good ones."
"I am not going to win am I? I'm fighting a losing battle?" I ask with a sigh.
"No you aren't, baby kitten. You can win if you prove that you can make up a good name for me. Then you have my undying love." He says.
I look away towards the walls quickly. I guess that since I have come of age I have many suitors but joking about it is horrible. Especially since I've had a crush on him for the past few months.
"Did I upset you?" He asks, pulling us to a stop and trying to make eye contact with me. "Please tell me. I don't want to be closed out again. Was it the love joke? I'm sorry about that. I'll be more considerate with my words."
Everyone jokes that my gift is to close people out to where they feel like they don't even exist. I don't mean to do this but I just don't know how to handle things with other people. I sort out my emotions better when I am alone. I look up to him with a smile. "No. It's something else. And you know how I am about those jokes."
"Who said I was joking?" He says leading us back toward to garden.
"You did." I say confused.
We walk silently to the garden and he pulls me to my favorite bench when I go to smell the flowers. I sit and he sits next to me. Close enough I feel his body heat.
"What if I wasn't joking." He says suddenly. It makes me accidently pluck the flower from the bush beside me.
I look up from the flower I just plucked with confusion. "What?"
He looks away from me. "What if I wasn't joking about the undying love? What if I say that's how I feel towards you. That I love you."
I sit there quiet. Is he admitting he loves me or is he toying with me? Or is he talking about another male? But he's my guard and mom told me to never fall in love with my guard. He looks back at me with an expectant look.
"I don't know how to respond, Peter." I say. Lets see how he continues the conversation.
"Do you love me? Or am I the only one who has feelings like this? Do you care for me at all?" He asks.
"....yes and no... I do care about you but I dont know if it's friend or lover." I say
He sighs and lays his hands on his lap. "Sorry to have brung it up."
I place a hand on his arm. I tuck the flower in a fold of his shirt so it would stay. "It's okay. What was your meeting about?"
"How my father thinks I'm useless and shouldn't be protecting the future queen. Your dad says differently but we all know the truth. My father is right. I shouldn't be the one protecting you." He say burying his face in his hands.
"And why is that? Are you not as good as the others? I think you are."
"They say I am too hesitate to kill. They say that split second will get you killed because one stupid guard can't kill. They also say my emotions will take me over and I won't be able to protect you as I should." He says, face still in his hands.
"Did you hear any of the conversation I had with Alexon?" I ask, trying to get his mind off the topic.
"A part of it. Why?"
"Can you take me to the stable boy? Alexon said he spared him for me, but who would it be?" I say
"I have no idea. Would you like to go see?" He asks, lifting his head up and looking around.
"Am I still on castle guard?"
The reason I'm on this guard is because I went off grounds without consent of my parents or the royal guard. I just wanted to meet up with one of my old friends. And when I got back I was scolded and stuck on castle grounds for a month.
"No, baby kitten. Your month is up." He says standing.
"Really?!" I say excited. "I can go off the grounds?"
He laughs. "Yes you can go off the grounds." He offers me a hand and I take it.
He pulls me up and I tighten my cloak around me. It is a little chilly in here.
"Why do you want to go see him? If Alexon spared him then he had to of done something bad." He says.
"Peter, Alexon told me he spared the stable boy for me. So I want to go and see the boy. I owe him that much." I say
He sighs and nods. "Are you sure want to go out there? A storm is coming, actually it's already here."
I open my mouth to object but hear the loud clap of thunder. I hate thunder! I grip onto Peter's arm tighter.
"It's okay baby kitten. It's just thunder. It's not going to hurt you." He says pulling me into a hug.
I am also very scared of it. "It hurts my ears. And it's scary." I say.
"Well, you have a hood on your cloak so pull it over your head to show the thunder you aren't scared of it and it's noise doesnt bother you. Teach him to mess with someone else." He says pulling the hood of my cloak over my head.
It sits on top, almost covering my eyes. I hive him a small smile. "Now am I hidden from the thunder?"
He laughs and nods. I pull out of the hug and hold on to his arm. He walks me out of the indoor garden and to the hallway which has windows. We stop and look out them. I place one of my hands on the glass and feel the cold seep into my skin. I pull it back to under my cloak and stare at the rain.
"Princess!" One of the servants says running up to us. "Guardian Sanders!"
"What is it?" Peter says when she gets to us. He immediately turns to a protective man. It's almost scary how he can go from sweet and nice to protective and lethal in a blink of an eye.
"Scouts! They got onto grounds!" She pants out from lack of breath.
"Scouts? They are on grounds?" He asks almost confused.
She nods and runs off. Scouts are our theives. They steal and kill from everyone and anyone. They have been trying to get into the castle recently, which is another reason why I was on guard. While theives are skilled in one weapon our scouts know all of them. They were previous knights who were either fired or dispatched because of certain reasons.
Peter grips my arm tighter and runs with me in tow to my chambers. He opens the bookshelf on the back of my room and the passage awaits. He goes to under my bed and pulls out my dagger and bow with arrows. He hides them in my cloak. He grabs another cloak of mine and throws it on over my red one. This time it is black as the night with tiny patches of white. I call it my night cloak.
He ushers me into the passageway and closes it behind me. I run off to the safe-room. Peter splits off for a second to grab his sword and armor. He catches up with me. We open the door and I see mom and dad in there already looking worried.
"Mom! Daddy!" I say running to them and hugging them both. Dad grabs me into a huge hug that takes away my breath away. He lets go and mom grabs me into a lighter hug.
"I was worried you weren't okay. I thought you were with Alexon but even he got here before you did and he said you left." Mom says.
"Sorry, your majestys. I didn't mean to worry you." Peter says bowing deeply to them.
"It's okay, Guardian Sanders. I know you can protect her but the scouts came and well they are a violent bunch." My mom says.
My mom looks beautiful. She has the long blonde hair that has no gray. High cheekbones which make her small nose pop out. Her blue eyes highlight her rosy cheeks. She is lithe and very graceful. Her small and gentle hands hold my arms.
Peter staightens up. "I know Queen Lillian."
My dad smiles at him. Then turns his eyes to me. It still shocks me how much he and Alexon look alike. I have no idea who I got my looks from. My eyes from mom but my hair isn't blonde nor black. Its wavy like dads. I got my small frame from my mom but I have my muscle from my father. It's hidden but there. And my small nose is from mom but the fine lips are from my dad.
"What is it?" I ask dad.
"So you're the one who's going to save Alexon?" He says.
I laugh. "Why yes sir! It's my job to pay him back!" I say with a guard salute to him.
He laughs and I know Peter is holding in a laugh. Mom frowns. She doesn't like me hanging around the guards or knights-to- be. She thinks I should act more like a lady. If she knew I had my weapons on she would make me take them off and give them to Peter or a diffrent guard. Dad is the one who thinks I should be learning to defend myself. I get along with him better. He understands me more than mom.
"I like your flower, Guard Sanders. Who gave it to you? A special lady?" My mom asks with her brow raised. She always looks so perfect while I am a complete clutz.
"No your majesty. Your daughter did. She felt bad for ditching me so she gave me the flower in return." Peter explains.
"That's very nice of you Annebelle." Mom says with a slight smile.
I moan and stomp away. I head towards Alexon who is sitting up and watching us with sad eyes. I sit on the floor beside him and lean against the wall.
Peter stayed to have a conversation with mom and dad.
"He loves you, you know." Alexon whispers.
"He told me that today." I say.
"He's loved you for a while. He even talked to me about it. But he has too much criticism that will get in the way of his feelings. I approve of him but I am warning you." Alexon says staring me down with his hazel eyes.
I look to the folds of my dress and start to pick at the threads. "I wasn't able to see the stable boy. We went to my garden."
"Please don't change the subject." He says grabbing my hand.
"I just don't want to fall in love yet. I'm not emotionally ready for it yet." I say leaning my head on his shoulder.
Alexon shifts and I lay my head on his lap while he plays with my hair like Clarissa always did. It always calms me down. "I understand. I'm behind in that department too. Nobody wants a sick husband."
"Too bad they don't realized the sweet guy under the tough exterior." I say.
"You are the only one who sees it now. I don't trust anyone else but you, Belle. Not even my personal guard. He seems pissed that he got assigned to a sick prince. Everyone is jealous of your guard though. He gets the pretty and the fiery one." He says tickling me.
I laugh. "Stop!" I say between fits of giggles.
"Make me!" Alexon says laughing. I turn to face him while sitting up. I hear feet running towards us and notice his face fall.
I scoot to his side and see Dad, Mom, Alexon's personal guard, Peter, and the personal royal guard. They are staring at us.
"I know I am pretty but staring doesn't make me feel comfortable." I say trying to lighten the mood.
I hear Peter laugh and dad chuckle.
"You made him laugh!" The royal guard exclaims focusing his eyesight on me. I nod, uncomfortable with the staring.
"How?" Dad asks. "I haven't heard anything from him remotely related to happiness in the past year."
"She has a charming personality. She's the only one who I can act myself around. Of course I'm not going to be gloomy around her. She will just close me out and I can't deal with that. She's the whole reason I have been fighting." Alexon says sitting up straighter as if he is defending himself.
"I don't know how, daddy." I say
Mom sighs and walks back to her chair. Peter sits across from me and the royal guard couches in front of Alexon.
"You feeling better Alexon?" He asks.
"Much better, Gerald." Alexon says with an 'i am finished with this conversation' tone.
Gerald nods, stands and walks away. Peter just looks back and forth between us.
"Well there went the day." Alexon mutters.
I lay my head on his lap again and start to mess with his shirt. "I'm still here. I can fix it."
"How?"
"Hmmm....maybe a good book or maybe a pretty flower.....oh! A good laugh!" I grin.
He seems to think for a moment. "And how could make me laugh? I thought I was all gloom and darkness."
I wave a hand at him. "Nope! You aren't Stefano. You actually are capable of laughter. I heard it a moment ago. So I just have to find away to make it come out again....." I trail off.
He gives me a smile. "Good luck with that."
"I will need it! Thank you!" I say, making him laugh.
"Darn! You made me laugh, you monster!" He jokes.
I join in his laughing but feel eyes on us. We hear a pounding at a door. I jump and Peter stands and guards me and Alexon. I shrink against Alexon in fear and he wraps his arms around me protectively. I hear guards pulling their swords out of their sheaths and get in fighting stance.
"Open up!" Someone yells through the door. I hear a female scream and I cover my ears.
"It's going to be okay, Belle." Alexon whipers by my ear. I look around and see mom crying in fright and dad standing infront of her, ready to fight.
I nod. I'm not scared but I am nervous if they do get through the door. Our guards can handle them but if I have to help fight they will come after me.
"Always the brave soul, huh, little kitten?" Peter mutters out loud.
I look up to him and see him looking at me. I nod. He gives me a small smile and turns back towards the door.
Alexon squeezes me. I look to him and see his giving me a wink. I slid my bow out from under my cloak and hear mom sigh in anger and disbelief. I look up to her to see her face show anger. I give her an innocent smile.
I pull out and arrow and set it on top of the bow. The scouts burst through the doors. I feel Alexon tighten his hold on me.
"Get the sick one first!" One of them says.
I pull out of his hold and stand with my bow and arrow. I notch it. I aim at the obvious leader, pull back and let the arrow fly and hit his in the neck. He drops with blood coming out and puddling on the floor.
The scouts stop and look at their fallen leader. The turn their gaze towards me and I drop my bow. Shoot! I acted on impulse. That is going to get me killed one day.
One man walks from the back of the group and steps forward. He looks at me. "Princess Annebelle." He bows respectively to me.
"You aren't going to hurt him!" I growl out.
He nods. "I will not hurt him I promise."
He said that too quickly. I frown and notch another arrow.
"Get him!" The man yells.
Darn! I didn't see the biggest loophole in history!
A couple scouts run towards us and Peter and Alexon's guard fights them off. The other run toward mom and dad. I stand Alexon up. I go to move but he starts running with me in tow. He's holding my hand with crushing power.