Kiss of Death

Part 10

"Talk? I thought this was training?" He gestures to the empty stool and I reluctantly sit.

"I just want to ask you a few questions." He looks at me intensely.

"Ok first, what training have you received in combat, armed or hand to hand." His voice is smooth and intent. 

"I have been training in both since I was six but I'm better armed."

"How well-versed are you in weaponry?"

"I can use a sword rather well. Axes and others I struggle with. I'm best with a dagger."

"I saw during your assessment. So how are you with hand to hand combat?"

"I'm pretty good. I can beat my father and..." My words trail of as I think about my brother. "Why are you asking me about this? I want to fight not talk."

A new voice sounds. "Ooo she's feisty I like her." A hand slips around my waist.

I immediately grab the arm and fling the man over me. I step on his head and hold his arm, prepared to snap it.

"Whoa there tiger." He squirms a little bit trying to free himself but to no avail.

Tyson gets up from his stool and smirks at us.

"It's ok Ms.Smith, you may let him go."

I release the man and he climbs to his feet. I identify him as the man who Tyson was in the garden with, but something is different today. He has a scratch from his right ear to the right corner of his mouth. When he smiles, he grimaced from what I assume is his cut being moved.

"Runella this is Ares. He is my second-in-command." Tyson tries to sneak a glance at Ares but he is not very sly.

"Is there something wrong with my face sir?" Ares smirks at Tyson.

Tyson coughs and blushes. He looks a lot like Nolan.

"Anyways Ares, Runella and I were in the middle of a discussion so I would appreciate it if you headed over to the training area and began."

Ares winks and walks away. Tyson runs his hand through his short red hair. He sits on his stool and gestures for me to sit.

"How many siblings do you have Ms.Smith?"

"I have four. My brother Keegan who you probably know. He's 18. And then I have my little sisters Ozzy and Ophelia. They're 10 and 7." As I think about my last sibling I quiet.

"I've only counted three so far." Tyson peers at me intensely.

I gulp and look at him. He definitely will not let it go.

"Um, my eldest sibling. I don't really like to talk about her." I feel the blood rushing to my head. My heartbeat pounds in my ears. "When I was little my sister Julia was my favorite sibling. We always were so close. One day, my parents went on a trip downtown with my brother. My sisters were not born yet. I was around 4 or 5 at the time and Julia was 15. I was in the living room playing dolls with my sister when four men barged in.  They all had evil grins on their faces. Julia's face blanched. I was very confused as to what was happening. The men began to walk towards me. Julia ran up to them beating her hands against his chest. He picked her up and threw her into a wall. There was a sickening crack and Julia went limp. One of them grabbed my arm and lifted me off the ground. He placed one hand around my throat and began to squeeze. I cried out in protest but he kept going. My sister sat, still unconscious against a wall. As the world began to blur and darken around the corners the door burst open and my parents came in. They quickly realized what was happening and my father came to rescue me. After he thoroughly had dealt with the man who had attacked me, the others ran away.  My mother sat by Julia cradling her head and softly whispering to her. The words she said still haunt me to this day 'All for progress' I didn't understand what those words meant but my father was not happy about them. They had a big fight that night and my father left for a few days. He came back home but never talked about it." I sit there and shiver at the thought of what might have happened if my parents had not come home.

"Wow Ms.Smith. That was rather tragic. I'm sorry that happened to you." He shifts around in his seat uncomfortably.

"Do you have any siblings sir?" I keep my eyes towards the ground.

"Yes actually I do. I believe you're rather well aquatinted with one of them."

"Whatever do you mean?" I'm so lost.

"My brother, King Nolan? I believe you know him."

I gasp "Nolan is your brother?"

"Yes, he is my younger brother. I am 19."

"If you are older why is Nolan king?"

"I did not wish for the throne so I conceded it to my brother. It proved to be a wonderful choice. He's a much better king than I ever could be."

Tyson is rather considerate. He really puts the needs of the kingdom infront of his own.

"Ms.Smith? The king has requested you to the library for wedding planning." Elsie stands off to the side.

"Thank you for opening up to me Ms.Smith." Tyson offers me a small smile.

"Please call me Rune." I walk away with Elsie and we walk through the palace.

She leads me into a massive library. The walls are lined to the ceiling with books.

Tyson sits at a table next to a large window that overlooks mountains. I walk over and sit by him. He sees me and smiles.

"Hello Runella. Are you ready to plan a wedding?" I join him at the table and look at what is laid out. I pick up a calendar and look at it curiously. On the last day of the month Nolan has drawn two stick figures holding hands with a heart in between them.

"I'm assuming that this is the wedding day?"

"Indeed it is dearest." He looks at me with his warm brown eyes. Something in me flutters. I look at the calendar and see a rough doodle of a violin about a week away from today.

"What is this?"

"It is our proposal ball. We will announce the proposal and begin to introduce you to some important royals."

"And if I do not wish to attend?"

"Then there will be no wedding. I would greatly regret having to see you hung next to your brother. I was really beginning to enjoy your company." He rests his head on his hand.

"What if I do not know how to dance?" My palms begin to sweat. What if I make a fool of myself in front of all the influential royals?

Nolan rises and holds out a hand. I take it and he pulls me in. He twirls me around. He pulls me in close and dips me. We stare into each other eyes.

"I guess I'll have to teach you then." He whispers into my ear.