Checkers

Chapter 12 - The Lesson

I made Bandit sleep in his kennel that had a comfortable blue blanket and pillow in it. He didn't seem to enjoy the idea of sleep and decided to whine the entire night. I didn't want to let him out for fear that he would go to the bathroom somewhere but I did want him to shut up.

I ended up pulling his kennel close to my bed and slipping my fingers in the kennel so he would feel comforted. It stopped his whining but then I had a whole new problem, the position my arm was in was anything but comfortable. I felt Bandit lay his head on my fingers only applying more pressure to my already twisted arm. After a few minutes I slowly started removing my fingers hoping that he would just fall asleep.

After I freed my hand I waited for a noise but none came so I got into a comfortable position under the covers. As soon as my eyes dropped down I heard the tiniest yap.

"No," I groaned quietly as I rolled over and put my fingers through the kennel door. My whole night went like this until around two in the morning. Finally I was able to fall asleep as Bandit shut up but five hours later there was a knock at my door which sent Bandit into a fit of barking.

I got up from the bed in a zombie like daze and opened the door to glare at whoever was disturbing my sleep.

It was Julie. "You've got a morning lesson! You got to get ready! Let's go!"

She pushed pasted me into my room and headed straight for my closet. I let her design my outfit for the day as I flopped down on the bed face down and moaned loudly into the sheets. Bandit barked to get my attention and I shifted my gaze over to glare at him.

"You, shut up!" I scolded him. Julie walked out of my closet with a t-shirt and jeans and shook her head.

"It's not his fault you have Princess lessons this early." Julie threw the clothes onto my back. I made no move to put them on.

"No, but it is his fault that I was up till two in the freaking morning!" I complained. Julie ignored my comment and went to open the kennel door which let out the little demon filled with energy. He zipped around the room before he eagerly greeted Julie then jumped on the bed and tried to lick my face.

"Ugh!" I turned my head away from him annoyed.

"Get up! You got to take him out and feed him before your lesson," Julie commanded as she played with Bandit.

I sat up slowly and took the clothes Julie had brought out for me, "I'm already looking forward to it."

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Julie offered to watch Bandit as I arrived to my first princess lesson. I was shown into Lady Monida's office and it was similar to a therapist's office. I took a seat in a chair that was available and waited for Lady Monida to enter the room. When she did, she had the same clipboard from the day before.

She took a seat that was across from me and didn't even glance in my direction once. I noticed that she was wearing glasses that magnified her dark brown, almost black, eyes. I also noted that she had a straight pointy nose and thin lips that always seemed pursed. Her black hair was streaked with gray and pulled back into a tight bun. After scribbling on her clipboard for some time she finally addressed me.

"Let's begin quickly," she crossed her legs and rested the clipboard on her lap. I nodded and waited for her to go on. "You know that the competition will take place over the next five weeks. Each task is based on one of the five characteristics the Royal Court believes a queen or king should have. You have already been given your first challenge that represented responsibility. The next four you have to complete represent-"