Fallen Angel of Light

Annoyance

"Come in!" I hear Mother call to me from behind her office doors. I push open the heavy wooden white doors to her office. Father specifically made this office for her when they first got married. Shiny white with gold accents and golden landscapes hand painted everywhere. Even the doors shine through the hallway with all their embellishments. The doors close behind me as I stroll to the front of her desk on the other side of the room, in front of the giant windows pouring sunlight onto the papers scattered on her desk. I find Mother hunched over her papers about the kingdom with her black hair pinned up in the gold pins Father got her last year, and her simple gold reading glasses on the bridge of her nose. "One second my dear," she sweetly says to me as she continues to write in her notes. I stand at attention in front of her desk waiting for her to finish her thought.

Mother stops writing, closes her notebook, sets her quill down, and moves her reading glasses from her nose to atop her head. "Hello dear," she greets me as she rests her elbows on her desk, holds her hands together, and looks up at me.

"Hello Mother," I say back to her with a respectful bow of a solider to royalty.

Mother bows her head in return to me. "What may I help you with?"

"It's the human." I begin.

"Aria? Is everything okay?" Mother asks me concerned.

"Yes, she's fine." I sigh, "it's her schedule."

"What about it?"

"She has requested combat training."

"Combat training?!" Mother asks me shocked. "But why? The capitol is the safest place for her."

"That's what I reminded her, but she insisted."

"Aria asked you?" My mother gets a gleamer in her eyes that worries me.

"Yes." I answer cautiously.

"You two talk?" She slightly cocks her head to the side showing her interest.

"No," I flatly say. "She just got lost in the castle on her way to Madam Wren one evening."

"Hmmm," she thinks to herself. Which is never good. "I'll get Aria's thoughts on this myself."

"You're considering this?" I ask annoyed at her response to the situation.

"I'm waiting to hear Aria's thoughts on her training schedule as I stated." She smirks at me as she lowers her glasses back down to her nose. Annoyed I turn to leave. "Actually, before I forget," Mother says to me. I turn back to face her. "You need to think about your suitors and the ball."

"Oh, that's all you had to say," I rub the bridge of my nose at the thought of such a ridiculous event. "Is this something we have to do?"

"Yes, it is." Mother says sternly to me. "You're eighteen and the other kingdoms won't stop pestering me about it." She rolls her eyes. "Plus, you should be excited!" Mother motions towards me.

"About what?"

"You'll get your general in the games!" She states the obvious. Which I am excited for. Training my whole life to be the next leader of this great army. A general is important to any king. "Plus," she continues, "any number of girls shall be fighting neck and neck for your attention."

"Oh, don't even mention them!" I yell to her as I turn around. I hear her laugh to herself as I leave her office. My mother has always loved to way of royal politics and gossip. I however have no patience for it. I make my way down the hall towards the grand staircase and other wing of the castle.

As I begin to see the staircase, I see the human enter the castle. I slow my pace for I have no wish to speak to her. I watch her thank the butler for opening the door for her. The human is dressed in white trousers and a white short sleeve shirt. Her shirt is too baggy for her frame and tucked into her trousers. Her bag is slung on one shoulder and her arms are full of books. She looks like a wreck with her muddy blonde hair falling from it's bun. Who does their hair like that? Her shoes squeak as her turns opposite of me and disappears down the hall towards the other wing. I roll my eyes at the scene. How could I have let such a miserable creature into our capitol?