The Reckoning - Book Two

Chapter Six - Daella

Another day of routine follows me as I drift and wander with nowhere to go and nothing to do.

Quirin's suggestion this morning, after another assessment where nothing had changed was that I try and make friends, someone to help me deal with the loss of the princes. The idea of starting a new relationship with anyone was terrifying.

And who would I make friends with in this place? Who would be mad enough to want to get to know me and put up with all of my faults and flaws?

And so I wander.

I didn't dare go to the kennels, I couldn't imagine walking in and not seeing Aeris there or being forced to remember every moment we had spent there together.

So instead I sit on a bench in the gardens, the bright shining sun high above, the soft green grass down below, flowers in bloom all around.

I take in a deep breath and let it out again.

How much longer could I last like this? I could see the look in Quirin's eyes, the concern, the fear, he wouldn't keep me here, like this. Perhaps I would be locked away somewhere. Somewhere my screaming wouldn't wake anyone and they wouldn't have to look at me the way they do now. Maybe it would be better for everyone if they just hid me away somewhere.

Gods knows what the rest of the chosen said about me. They didn't say anything to my face, they were much too polite for that. But I could see the glances in my direction, the same looks of concern and fear crossing their faces.

"Excuse me Miss." The female voice makes me flinch and I blink up at the servant girl holding a message out to me.

Hope flickers in my chest in a flurry of excitement that it could be from one of them.

I take the message thanking the young girl before she curtsies and hurries off.

I unfold the note and look to the bottom finding Demwyn's name, my hope falls.

I take a steadying breath trying not to let my disappointment take over my senses as I read the note.

Daella,

Please meet me at the training yard at 2pm.

Demwyn

I sit staring at the note, reading it over again.

I head to the training ground just before two to find Demwyn waiting for me.

I hold the note up in my hand. "You summoned me?"

"Summon is a strong word, I did say please." He replies studying my face.

I look away from him, hating the expression that always crosses everyone's faces when people look at me. I knew how I looked, I didn't need to see it reflected back at me with the added distress and worry making me feel even worse.

"May I ask why?" I ask, studying the packed earth below my feet.

"You may." He answers with a nod. I can't help but notice the change in his demeanour since our last meeting. But I suppose I wasn't barging into his office demanding answers from him so he was likely to be in a slightly better mood. "I have made the decision to start training you."

I stand stunned for a moment before I can speak. "What?"

"I have decided that it will be in your best interest if you start training with me, here in the training yard every day." He says, gesturing to the training yard around us.

"I don't understand." I shake my head utterly lost.

"I spoke to Quirin." My heart stops. He knows. He knows. He knows. "He has told me about your current situation." He continues slowly. "He said he is struggling to find help for it and suggested a distraction, something that is vastly different from your daily routine to help draw your mind out of its current focus." His words are unsure and he doesn't meet my eye.

"This is about my nightmares?" I ask, wanting to know exactly to what he is referring to.

He nods and I release the breath I had been holding on to.

"And you believe training me in..." I stop, looking around. The training yard is filled with racks of weapons and archery targets, leather bound dummy's and anything else a soldier in training could use. "At this will somehow help?" At least he didn't know about the ritual, I could be grateful for that. But training, it sounded ridiculous and the idea of spending time with him each and every day was enough to make me refuse immediately.

"I don't claim to have many skills, but I can guarantee that training will definitely be a distraction for you. Whether or not it will help is yet to be seen, but there is only one way to find out." He answers with an air of confidence that is lost on me.

"No."

"What?" He asks, pure and utter disbelief in his expression. Obviously he wasn't used to hearing the word, no.

"No."

"You can't say no." He snaps back losing his patience and revealing his true self.

"Yes I can, I am a free citizen in your kingdom. You have given me an offer and I am refusing you." I answer back with a shrug, tired of this conversation and of his presence. I would rather go back to sitting on the bench staring at the flowers and waiting for the sun to set.

"I am trying to help you, I have gone out of my way to set aside time in my busy schedule to train you every day and you are just saying no?!" He asks in disbelief, clearly unhappy with my decision.

"I didn't ask you to do that." Another shrug and I can't help but notice the way his jaw tightens and the muscles on the side of his neck strain and bulge.

He stares at the ground, struggling to reign in his emotions and by the look he doesn't appear to be doing so well.

"Daella, even though we have our differences," He begins slowly and I want to laugh at his choice of words. "You are promised to my brothers." Oh now it seems to matter, it didn't matter days ago when he hoped his brothers would return no longer wanting to be with me. "You are a citizen in my kingdom and I am sworn to help and protect all those in my kingdom." He continues. "You need help and I am offering you a solution, it may not work, it may mean spending time together which neither of us want to do, but without it your condition will only get worse. Quirin is concerned for you and is desperate to find a solution."

I hated the fact Quirin had spoken to him, that he knew about my nightmares and now he was here with this idea for a solution like he actually cared. What a waste of time.

"Thank you Your Majesty for your consideration, I appreciate you are a busy King and you have a great responsibility. I however do not require or want your help with my current condition. I understand Quirin is concerned and will do what he must should the need arise." With that I curtsy and turn on my heels.

"Wait!" He calls out and I stop but don't turn. "You can't just," I hear a frustrated growl then he is standing in front of me and I'm forced to look up at him, craning my neck to study his frustrated expression.

"Why? Are you so stubborn you won't let me try and help you?" He demands and I know I don't have to explain my decision, he may be the king but he doesn't get to know my mind.

"As you said you are a busy King, I don't want to waste any of your invaluable time." I answer then curtsy again. "Your Majesty." I step around him and start to walk away.

"I am trying to help you Daella, you may not believe it but it is the truth." He calls out behind me and I pause for a step then continue walking.

He may believe it but I certainly do not.

He has already told me how he feels about me and his hopes for his brothers and their relationships with me.

I wouldn't fall for his wasted attempts or stop and consider his motives behind them. Guilt maybe, regret. No matter his reason for doing so I wasn't going to give him the time of day and unless it was a direct order, then I wouldn't spend any more time with him then was absolutely necessary.