I THOUGHT I POSTED THIS LIKE A WEEK AGO AND WAS WONDERING WHY NO ONE WAS SCREAMING AT ME TO UPDATE I AM SO SORRY!! AHHFJDJJDKDSNMDKD
"What did I talk to you about in your room?" A crisp accent asked Sophie for the thousandth time.
She made no note of him for a minute, continuing to walk to her first ability testing session.
"It's not important." She replied, trying to sound annoyed. Yet she flushed pink every time he mentioned it. She turned her face to hide it.
It had been two days since her dream and something in wanted to finished what they started. The other part wanted to strangle him so he would stop asking.
"I'd like to think it is important," Fitz persisted. "given you turn pink every time I ask. You can trust me."
"Fitz none of the other things in that dream happened in real life. It's worthless to spend time on it."
"You say that every time." He sighed.
"And you ask all the time." She shot back.
Suddenly, he got an idea.
"Would it happen to do anything with..this?"
She raised an eyebrow, turning around to be greeted by Fitz about to kiss her.
Without thinking, Sophie's hand flew up and covered her mouth. Right before Fitz could accomplish anything.
"I beg your pardon," Sophie cleared her throat with her hand still covering her mouth. "But I would appreciate it if you would stop. Nothing happened between us. Why I turn pink? Maybe it's embarrassing having the whole palace know that I'm some freak who is used for war!"
"You're not.." He started, but he realized he would be lying. "Well not a freak. We don't know if a war is really coming though. For all we know, the men you took out could be all there is."
"Someone left a note saying you would need me. Even if that's the end of them, who says other people won't attack? Everglen is a target for as long as I'm here."
"I had no idea you were like this. Don't get me wrong. I mean I didn't know how courageous and strong you were.. I'm amazed I haven't heard of you before our engagement."
Sophie laughed sadly. She wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm not."
"Huh?"
"I'm not.." Sophie looked at her hands and turned around, waving her hands over her. "this. I'm not like this at all. You would agree if you had met me at my palace. You may see what you want, but everyone at home sees a scared little girl who the king swaddled and carried into his home."
"I don't understand." Fitz said, his face softening.
"Fate brought me here. I was meant to serve in a war. It would have happened wether I was forced into it as a commoner, had a deep desire to, and so on. And I know you told me to stop calling myself common, I'm working on it. I'm simply stating what happened."
"The one thing I hate about you is how stubborn you are." He walked over to her and brushed the hair out of her face. "You try to be everything for everyone, noble, but it's gonna end up getting you hurt. You saw what happened in training yesterday. You were bleeding."
"I would rather bleed now than have innocent people bleed, caught in cross fire of a war." She pulled away from him. "I'm not... I'm not the only one who will be effected here. You, your family, your townsfolk. My kingdom."
"I know.." Fitz sighed, stepping towards her. He pressed his forehead onto hers, their noses nearly touching.
She rested her forehead on his.
He leaned in, right before their lips connected, she put her index finger on his lips.
"I should get to testing..." Sophie chuckled nervously.
"Oh.."
The right thing for her would have been to leave. To walk away and go to her testing. But he looked so sad...
Sophie grabbed his face, planting a kiss on his cheek and leaving behind a red lipstick mark.
Turning around, she walked off in a direction she was told lead to her session.
"You were right-" Sophie turned around to looked at him. "About our... 'talk.'"
"Huh?"
But Sophie was already gone.
Sophie ran to her ability testing as fast as she could. Blood pumped into her face. She ducked into a room and slammed the door behind her.
"What was I thinking...?" She whispered to herself as she sank to the floor. Her hand cupped her mouth, her index finger resting on the bridge of her nose.
"I don't know." A masculine voice said from next to her. "What were you thinking?"
Her eyes widened as she looked in the direction of the voice. A man much older than her sat next to her. He had an indescribable set of blue eyes and wild red hair. His head was crowned with a jeweled circlet.
"I'm Kenric, a member of a conjoined nobility. It's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled, grabbing her hand a pulling them up.
"Kenric..." She said, smiling. "I'm Sophie Fost- Ruewen. I meant Ruewen."
"We know who you are." Another voice said.
She turned her head and found eleven other figures standing in a line.
Each one of them stood their, their perfect hair, respective colors and intimidating auras. Blue eyes practically pierced through her soul.
But she ignored this uneasy feeling. "Hello," she said to the eleven others. "And you are?"
"We are-" a man at the head of the formation said.
"Oh, they aren't important right now." Kenric laughed. "The only other important one is my wife."
He looked towards his fellow noblemen, from them emerged a woman.
She had long, blonde hair that had been curled in beach waves. Her eyes were an incredible shade of blue, and it was obvious her favorite color was pink.
Pink circlet, pink gown, pink makeup.
"Hello, my name is Oralie, Kenric's wife." She smiled sweetly.
"It's nice to meet you." Sophie waved.
Without a word Oralie came up to Sophie, grabbing her chin and examining her from every angle.
"Wha ure yho duing." Sophie asked through squished lips.
"I've been told of your beauty. The rumors are facts, I can see why that prince of yours always talks about you." She let go and backed up.
Sophie face lit on fire. "You know the prince personally?"
"I've known him since he was born. The princess too. We were friends with their parents. Yours too."
"I don't remember you,"
"Tell me, how many of your parents friends have you met?"
"All of them. About 20 coup-."
"That's not a fraction of their friends. Your home used to be known as..the party kingdom. Never a dull moment, yet calm and well maintained."
"Sounds like home."
"But the death of their oldest daughter cracked them. They were..isolated. We didn't talk for years, no one talked with them for years. And one day, we hear the king adopts a little girl. Which I presume is you." She continued
"Then why did I never.." Sophie started, but her words trailed off.
"Would you let people into your kingdom once you had something you refused to be..stolen? Taken?"
Oh...
Although it did make her wonder.
What else were her parents hiding from her.
Looking back, she always said she had a perfect recollection of what happened leading up to her adoption, but her memory felt fuzzy, like static now.
Another voice cleared their throat, the three of them turning to see a pointy eared elf standing and tapping his foot.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to start Princess Ruewen's training." He sounded intimidating and very strict.
Kenric ran up behind him and jumped on his back. "Old friend, don't be such a downer."
The man threw him onto the ground. "We are here on assigned duty!" He whisper yelled. "You can take the rest of us and leave!"
Kenric stuck his younger out at him behind his back, the rest of the council laughing quietly.
Eventually, they did leave and Sophie was left with a heavy feeling in her stomach and an unknown man.
"My name is Bronte." His ancient voice said. "Not 'King Bronte,' or 'Sir Bronte.' No formalities."
"Why?" Sophie asked before she could stop herself.
But he didn't seem to care. "Because I fear formalities will make us closer. And we can't afford to be friends. Why? Because you're a nice girl."
"What does that matter?"
"Because then I would feel bad doing this."
Sharp pain ran through Sophie. She dropped to her knees in a pile of fabric and pressed her palms to the ground.
Breathing was impossible, this feeling was awful. Yet familiar.
"Always be on guard! I expected more out of someone who was training with the royal-!" He yelled.
Sophie cut him off by standing and throwing her hand out in his direction.
She didn't get her desired effect, for him to feel the same pain, but he fell onto the floor.
"What did you do to me?!" She screamed.
"You are as naive as you are pretty." He spat as he got back on his feet. "I inflicted on you. The only reason you're not unconscious right now is because you have the same ability. It does surprise me that you don't know your own ability."
"It's not my only one! I didn't grow up with this!" She yelled. "The only time I used it, I relied on my instincts and that was weeks ago."
"Yes, we've heard much about the miracle girl. I must say, after hearing all the rumors, I did think you would look more..suited to rule. You're nothing but a ragged maid."
Blood flew through Sophie's veins. Her vision darkened before she let go of herself.
Next thing she knew, Bronte was on the floor, panting and coughing.
"That's the girl I knew I sensed."
Sophie snapped out of her trance. "I- I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me!"
"What came over you?" He stood and fixed his messy hair. "That was how your ability works. Rage and anger can save your life. All you needed was someone to provoke that. I do not truly think you are a maid. You're so much more than that."
"None of that was real? What you said?"
"Oh, Gods no. No one would be idiotic enough to insult a women with your title." He scoffed. "But they would stupid enough to..."
He swished his hand and Sophie fell on her butt with a thud.
Clearly, he was testing her as if they were enemies in a battle. She stood, following his movements and using telekinesis to make him fall.
But he held his footing firmly, unfazed by her pathetic attempt.
Ok, so another way. Sophie thought to herself.
She would consider it a win if she could get him on the ground for 30 seconds or so.
Again, she gave her all to knock him down.
As if it were a physical object? He crossed his arms over themselves, sending her infliction back.
"Ugh!" She groaned and fell to the ground.
She clenched her stomach tightly.
"You are weak. I'm not sure even a thousand lessons can help you." He said finally.
Instead of snapping back like she had wished, she stood up muttered a curse towards him and swiped the hair out of her face.
"I have training." Sophie said, demanding she be dismissed, not asking.
As she turned, her hair whipped behind her in a flash.
Then she was gone.
Training was hard. Harder than usual. Even the army's weakest soldier could easily beat her.
"We take 10! Get some water before we continue." Said a man with olive toned skin. He rarely spoke, save for the few times he gave instruction.
Sophie's heart nearly stopped when she saw him walking towards her.
"Good morning Princess, my name is Captain Wylie Endal. Would you sacrifice your break and let us talk?"