novelraw Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
"See that girl?" A calming voice with a slight Southern accent calls out as he helps his son weed the garden. With his Squire training, his son has grown faster, stronger, and more capable of helping the man in the Royal Gardens.
"The one singing to the roses?" The boy asks, his green eyes watching the little girl as she sings a lullaby to the flowers.
"Yes, my boy."
"Isn’t that just Allisara?" The young boy looks at his father wondering what this lesson is about. The girl is only three and he is eight. He is her sworn Squire and protector. Has been since the day she was born, the day he started his training.
"She is not just Allisara, Sky. She is our future Queen.” The man states with a grin, ruffling his son’s hair.
“And as her Knight in training, you must learn to protect the people and things that she loves. Do you understand?"
"Yes, father..."
♔
Jerking awake from my dream; I look around the unfamiliar dark room wondering just where I am. It takes a moment for me to realize that I spent the night reading in the Library while Allisara researched into law making and abolishing. A soft sound has me reaching for my gun ready to take down any threat but I soon realize that the sound is Allisara moving in her sleep, her breathing slow and even while the book she was reading before is loosely held in her hand. I chuckle, standing from my sofa and quietly padding to where she lays, gently taking the book from her hand and placing it on the table after using a bookmark so that she can pick up where she left off.
Turning back to look at her, I take in how peaceful she looks when asleep. It seems that her violet eyes carry a hint of unease when she is awake and I find her sighing and worrying more than a young woman should. I worry for her, knowing that her life before returning as the Princess was horrible from what she shared with me.
Carefully I graze my fingers across her jaw, her skin soft against my own. In my mind, I see the adventurous girl who used to play in the garden and sing to the roses, who trained with swords beside me when she was four while Demitrias sat back and stared at us lazily. She has matured since I last saw her, but I will never forget the way she clung to me when her Maid handed her to the Knight and me on the night of the Rebellion.
Unfortunately, she remembers me as the gardener's son, not as the boy who protected her from wild dogs and thieves. Not as the boy who held her tight when we escaped from the Palace on horseback. What ever Juden did to cause her to lose her memories must have been traumatic. I just hope her memories return soon and that she will recognize me at last.
"I wonder what you dream about" I whisper gently, leaning forward to brush my lips on her temple in a light kiss. I was eleven when I realized I had a crush on my Princess, but she was engaged to Demitrias and I was just a commoner. No way would we have ever been married.
"Sky..." I freeze, thinking that she woke up and has found me standing over here. After a moment of silence, I finally peek down to see that she is still fast asleep and that she is dreaming about me. This thought alone makes me smile. Spying a soft throw, I grab the blanket and carefully cover Allisara with it, watching a soft smile play on her lips as one of her hands clutches the corner. It seems that little habit hasn’t changed.
My stomach decides to let it be known that I am starving and I curse, taking the opportunity to walk away from Allisara and sit on a lounge chair. I haven’t eaten anything since Ellisia brought snacks in sometime around ten last night and right now I could use something to eat, but I do not want to leave Allisara’s side in case something or someone came to hurt my Queen.
My stomach growls again and I look to the door. If I don’t get anything to eat soon, then my growling stomach will wake Allisara and she will laugh at me. Sighing once again, I make my way to the Library exit and open the door only to come face to face with a Maid, giving her a fright.
"Sorry Sir Skylard, I was doing my rounds of cleaning." She stutters out, her eyes wide as she presses a hand to her chest.
"It’s my fault, I was about to head to the kitchen for something to eat. I am in the middle of doing some work for the Princess and lost track of time." The lie flows through my lips as I did not want the Palace to know Allisara is fast asleep in the room behind me. If word got out, it would be something for the Nobles to ridicule her about.
"Would it be too much to ask you if you can grab me some food to eat?"
"Not at all, if it's work for our soon-to-be Queen, then I will gladly get some food for you so that you can continue." She says cheerily, her soft brown eyes set in determination. I smile, happy to see loyalty towards Allisara from this Maid, and make a mental note to talk to Ellisia about finding Maids specifically to take care of Allisara.
"Thank you, just knock when you have it and I will come to the door for the food." With that, the Maid leaves and I returned inside the library, sitting on a chair closest to the door where I could see Allisara and still be able to protect her while waiting for my food.
"Protect the things she loves, who she loves, and her as well." I whispered the chant I had memorized from those days long ago when I first saw her singing to the roses. She was only three at the time and I was not interested in her at all as a child, only wanting to practice swinging a sword and becoming a Knight that would protect her and also so that I could make my father proud. Looking back now though, I realize Allisara was born with a kind heart, one that made her perfect but would cause a lot of trouble. As unfortunate as it was, Allisara living in the Slums helped her to grow into a proper ruler without her realizing it.
A soft knock at the door startles me, and I grab my gun while slowly making my way quietly to the door.
"Sir Skylard, I brought you your food." It was the Maid from earlier, her voice muffled by the thick doors. Quickly I holstered my gun and opened the door, taking the basket of food from the Maid and thanking her. She smiles and gives me her name – Ciera – and leaves again knowing that the Library is off limit for now. I closed the door, locking it, and sitting back down in my sofa across from Allisara, taking the chance to make sure she is still sleeping peacefully.
After making sure that she is still asleep, I slowly searched through the basket and nearly cheered when I find bagels, chocolate chip muffins, grapes, and a few bottles of water. I check for poison out of habit before taking out a cold bottle of water, a muffin, and a plain bagel filled with cream cheese and settle into my night of keeping watch and enjoying the quiet night with my snacks.