Resist // l.s

Chapter 3.

{ W } hen we were woken up the next day, we 

were told to have a shower, make sure we looked presentable, and to then make our way to the grand hall. The showers were still so awkward; I made sure I got the one in the corner, trying my best to wash my body without anyone seeing anything, and I kept my eyes off everyone else. Niall - the boy that slept in the bed beside mine - didn't seem to give a damn, and sang while he washed his hair. I felt him lightly hit my arm and I looked over at him, keeping my eyes up. "Oh, cheer up mate! This isn't so bad; I mean how many people can say they've showered inside the Royal Palace?" I frowned a little, and thought to myself, No one, because they were all dead. But I gave him a little smile but kept washing up. I didn't really want to think about how many people had come through here, how many people had showered in this exact spot, and are no longer alive. I shivered at that thought and just tried to focus on the soap I was holding.

*****

"I'm sure you're all wondering just what exactly you're doing here all together, when you should be off with your mentors training." The head guard said. All of us patrons were lined up, facing the Royals and the rest of the mentors. My heart pounded with nervousness. "But this IS your training. As you've been told, we are testing you all; trying to find your best abilities, so we can put them to good use. So far, you've all mostly been cleaning, folding, things...today; you'll be tested on your strength." My brow furrowed. What did that mean..? The guard motioned one of the boys to step forward, and so he did. He approached the boy - who didn't seem at all as scared as I was - and he grabbed one of biceps. "Hmm…decent," he muttered. He then moved along, basically just touching or lightly hitting all of our muscles. I glanced up at Harry that sat up on his throne, and saw him resting his chin in the palm of his hand. He looked...bored. Really bored. But surely he enjoyed this, right..? After what he'd said to me the day before...

"Patron! Step forward!" The guard yelled and I realized I had been day dreaming. I took a step forward and he immediately gripped my arm; making me wince. He frowned and gently hit my chest, and my body moved backwards. "This one’s weak," He said and looked back to the Royals. "Your Highness, would you prefer he sat out of today's training session?" I looked up at Harry who was glaring at me intensely and he licked over his lower lip; his eyes were so beautifully green, I couldn't tell if I found him beautiful of mysteriously terrifying.

"No. In fact...let him fight first." He said and stood up. My eyes widened and I gulped. Fight..? I was about to ask 'Fight who' but then my question was answered as they made another patron step forward.

And it had to be the only person I wouldn't want to fight in this place.

Niall.

"Stand opposite each other," The guard instructed and I did as asked; but my hands were shaking. Niall was frowning, obviously not wanting to fight me either, but I knew he would do it anyway. Out of all the people that had come in here with me, my bets on who would be alive at the end of the month went to Niall. I glanced over at Harry who was still on his throne, but his eyes looked cloudy. He was watching, but he wasn't really...looking. I looked back to Niall and took in a slow breath. "You will fight until I say stop. I do not care if you don't want to continue, you will keep going. Understood?" Niall gave a firm nod and I did the same. "Alright...you may begin." he said and stepped back from us. The other patrons were all made to sit down away from us, and I looked up at Niall. He had raised his fists and was now slowly beginning to bounce on the spot. My heart began to beat faster and I clenched and unclenched my fists. I'd never fought anyone before in my life, how could I willingly hit someone that I had grown to trust a little..? I tried to mimic his actions, trying to raise my fists up, but then he sprang forward and punched me hard in the jaw. I spat out blood, realizing I had bit my lip too hard. "Keep going!" The guard said louder and I gulped again. I managed to lunge forward and get in one hit, but then I realized...he'd pulled back. He wasn't trying as hard any more. We fumbled around for what seemed like ages, just hitting each other lightly, and the guard gave me a rough shove. "Harder! Fight harder! I want to see blood!" Whimpering a little, I tried to step forward and give another flimsy hit to Niall's side, but the boy wasn't holding back anymore. He was fast. He swooped his leg, pushing against the backs of my knees and I fell onto the ground, groaning out. Then he was on me in a flash, punching me hard in the face. I tried looking up, begging the guard to make it stop, but then I saw Harry, and his eyes were shut. Not even looking at what he had caused. He couldn’t even watch me getting hurt, though he was the one who wanted this to happen in the first place, just volunteering me to go up first. Niall grabbed both sides of my head and brought it down to hit the floor hard. I heard one crack before everything went black.